A Dangerous Deceit (Thief-Takers) Read online

  At first, each feather-light touch of his lips elicited a single, discernible response. A flick of heat. A passing shiver. A lovely sense of warmth. And she waited with baited breath in anticipation of each new sensation.

  But soon the pleasure from one began to bleed into the next. He wasn’t moving any faster, or touching her for any longer, and still the impressions blended into each other, one right over the other, covering her senses like a thickening fog.

  She wasn’t certain when she’d closed her eyes, or when Gabriel’s clever fingers had found the buttons on the back of her gown. She wasn’t aware of either until she felt cool air seep through her chemise and chill her overheated skin. Her eyes fluttered open. Gabriel had removed his own coat and necktie. His shirt was open at the collar, and she reached up to touch the exposed skin.

  He caught her hand and held it there, just above his heart. “I want to give you someplace better. Not an inn, under assumed names—”

  She shook her head. “Stop talking, please.”

  “Sweetheart,” he said in a most seductive voice. “You’ll like the talking.”

  Shedid like the talking.

  He murmured to her as he finished undressing her—standing her up to let her loose gown slip down to the floor, unhooking her corset, sliding her chemise over her head, unlacing her boots, and unrolling her stockings. He whispered wicked promises in her ear, offered her lavish praise and naughty suggestions. Even when she didn’t understand him, when he spoke too softly for her to hear, just the sound of his roughened voice against her skin sent the most delicious waves of heat racing through her blood.

  He lifted her into his arms and settled her on the bed, his long, hard form coming to rest on top of her. And with a courage she never realized she possessed, she ran her hands over him in blatant exploration.

  Gabriel didn’t seem to mind. Dark lashes swept shut as her palms stroked down the expanse of his chest. It was fascinating, the male form. She wanted to learn every inch of him, every ridge of bone and curve of muscle. She discovered scars, old ones faded with age, and injuries so new they were still pink. She kissed the one she found on his shoulder, a jagged half loop, and let her fingers dance lightly over a straight, raised line at his waist.

  He was more than fascinating. He was beautiful. Everything she’d dreamed…

  He brushed his knuckles over the top of one breast and she sucked in a breath. Her eyes closed of their own volition.

  Over her head, Gabriel’s voice was low and warm. “Like that, do you?”

  Before she could answer, he bent his head and tasted her in the same spot, softly, just as he’d kissed her everywhere else. But he didn’t move on as he had before. He lingered, layering one kiss over another until she began to shift beneath him, drenched in pleasure but still desperate for something more.

  She felt the wet flick of his tongue against her nipple and heard herself moan.That was what she wanted. Only more. She wanted more of everything.

  His hands roamed over her, touching her everywhere, and she followed suit, wanting to feel him, eager to give him the same pleasure he offered her.

  He shifted over her, and his hand glided down her belly and between her legs, discovering an incredibly sensitive spot. He played with her, toying and teasing until her hips lifted off the mattress of their own accord. She felt as if she were being wound tighter and tighter, and she didn’t know if she wanted it to keep going, or be released, or both, or…

  “Gabriel, I—”

  He hushed her with his mouth, even as he moved to settle more firmly between her thighs. One hand hooked beneath her knee, pulling it up to his hip. He pressed into her, and she stiffened against the sudden pressure and accompanying pain. For a brief moment, she considered informing him that she didnot, in fact, like that.

  But the discomfort quickly faded, and she looked at him, hovering over her, his eyes closed and his jaw clenched. He was breathing hard through his nose. His arms were trembling beside her. And she felt herself go soft all over, even as a small, secret smile curved her lips.

  She did that to him.

  “Are you all right?” Gabriel rasped, his lids lifting. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I—” He blinked at her. “You’re smiling.”

  She gave a small nod and brushed her hands down the hardened muscles of his back.

  He closed his eyes again on a groan. Then he pulled back a little, and returned in a short, smooth glide.

  “Oh.” Her own eyes fluttered shut. “Oh, I like that.”

  “Thank God,” he whispered, and began to move. The strokes were gentle and slow at first, reviving the sweet, gripping sensation of earlier. She couldn’t stop her hips from lifting to meet each thrust, nor hold back the little gasps of pleasure slipping from her lips.

  As she wound tighter and tighter, he altered the pace into something more purposeful, more demanding. She gasped his name, and his hand returned to that spot between her legs where they were joined. His fingers danced over her lightly, teasing her into ever-constricting coils. She struggled to somehow get closer to him, to reach whatever peak her body was so desperate to ascend. She hitched her knees up higher. Her fingers dug into the sinew of his shoulders.

  “Gabriel.”

  He muttered something she didn’t understand and pressed firmly against her core. His mouth descended on hers at the same time, and she cried out as the tension finally gave way to a blinding pleasure that rolled through her in swamping waves.

  It was overwhelming, beautiful. Gabriel thrust once more and held still, a deep, masculine groan emanating from his throat, she knew he felt it, too.

  And she thought, perhaps, she liked that best of all.

  After a moment, Gabriel rolled to his side, bringing her along with him. He clasped her close, tucking her head beneath his chin. She listened to the hard pounding of his heart as his hand stroked leisurely over her hip.

  A part of her wanted to say something, not to fill the silence, but to somehow draw out the moment, as if she could make the wondrous glow she felt last longer if she talked about it. But the rest of her was too exhausted, too content to even try. Instead, she closed her eyes and let Gabriel’s hand and heart lull her to sleep.

  ***

  Gabriel left the inn again and brought back a change of clothes, including a pretty gown of deep blue for Jane. It was her first new gown in years, and by far, her most elaborate. It had dark satin trim, mother-of-pearl buttons, sweeping skirts, and a row of ruffles along the hem.

  She’d always eschewed ornamentation and fripperies. A lady put on finery to be noticed, and she’d wanted to be ignored.

  But not now. Not with Gabriel.

  She glanced at the door and wondered how long he would be in the bath.

  She’d watched him carefully for the last few hours. After she’d woken from her nap and found him dressing to go back out again, she’d felt a momentary niggling of doubt. She’d not given either of them very much time to think before…well, seducing him into seducing her. She’d been worried that once the heady glow of lovemaking had dimmed, he might begin to view her in a different light—as someone other thanjust Jane.

  But she’d seen nothing in his demeanor to indicate that his opinion of her had altered.

  Granted, he spent two hours sleeping, a half hour running errands, and what now seemed to her to be an inordinate amount of time in the bath, but in the moments in-between, she saw no change in him except a new—and much appreciated—tendency to make certain he was facing her when they spoke.

  Also, he seemed fond of kissing her whenever he had the chance. Little pecks and tender kisses that made her toes curl in her shoes.

  Grinning, Jane donned the new gown, fixed her hair with care, and took great pleasure in seeing Gabriel’s eyes widen when he returned already dressed in his own new clothes.

  He crossed the room to press his lips to hers. “You look exquisite.”

  The gown wasn’t tailored to her figure, and she’d been short on hair
pins. At best, she looked quite nice. But she wasn’t going to argue with him.

  Shefeltexquisite. Or perhaps a better description would be to say she feltalive.

  Also, rather unexpectedly, a little bit shy. Not in an unpleasant sort of way. It was more like how she’d felt right after their walk in the woods when Gabriel had kissed her hand and promised to return the next day. She’d been happy, worried, excited, and fearful all at once.

  That was how she felt now, only it was all intensified because what had been a daydream before suddenly had possibility. There was hope, and not thewouldn’t it be lovely if only things were different sort that came from an overactive imagination. It was real. It had potential.

  With hope came a new set of risks, but she was willing to take them. In part because she could finally afford to take a few chances, but mostly because she knew they were worth it.

  Gabriel was worth it. And so was she.

  When it was time to go, she walked downstairs arm-in-arm with Gabriel. This time, however, she kept her head up as they passed through the tavern. She was tense and uncomfortable, but not afraid.

  No one seemed to notice her. She was a stranger here, she realized, just as she’d been a stranger in the first town they’d visited. Nobody recognized her, and now that her mind was free of the terror clouding her judgment, she could acknowledge that it had been irrational to believe someone might expose her secret. Years ago, she had been but one child among many to pass through the town and asylum. Even Mrs. Fitz of the cutting nails, who’d seen her every day, had probably forgotten her completely within a week of her departure.

  And even if that wasn’t the case, even if Mrs. Fitz suddenly popped up in front of her and exposed Jane’s past to everyone within earshot, the world would not end. She would be humiliated, but she would remain safe, and the Harmons would remain safe, and life would go on.

  Because Gabriel promised she would never go back.

  She took a deep, cleansing breath as they stepped outside, and slid a glance up at Gabriel’s profile.

  Anonymity was lovely, she decided.

  But a Thief Taker was better.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jane boarded the train in Lansville under the impression that they would travel west only for a time to throw off Kray’s men, then change directions and head north to Edinburgh.

  It was with some surprise, then, that she found herself ushered off the train two hours later and bustled into a waiting carriage.

  “Where are we? Are we not going to Edinburgh by train?”

  Gabriel took her hand in an absent manner and shook his head. “We’re going to one of Sir Samuel’s holdings for now.”

  Jane wanted to argue, but the hour was growing late. The light would be gone soon, and the idea of sleeping in a real bed for a full night and traveling again tomorrow by day held considerable appeal. “How did Sir Samuel know to send a carriage for us? I thought he was out of the country.”

  “He is. I sent a wire to his staff from Lansville.”

  Accepting the explanation, she let her gaze travel back to the window. The small village was quickly left behind, giving way to open land spotted with clusters of wooded acreage.

  In time, the carriage turned up a long drive leading to a stone house. It was a pleasantly short and squat structure, reminding Jane a little of Twillins. But only a little. Sir Samuel’s home was at least half a dozen times the size of her cottage, and it had lush gardens and a manicured lawn. She counted eight chimneys visible from the front alone, and spied a large stable and three smaller buildings around the side. This was a manor house, a proper estate, not a cottage in the woods.

  As they drew closer, her eyes were drawn to the glowing front windows of the house. She saw movement there and swallowed hard at the reminder that, while the owner of the home might be away, there was still staff in residence.

  Excluding the empty home from the previous night, she’d never been a guest in someone else’s house before. Not once. Not for a house party, a dinner, or even a cup of tea. What if she did something to embarrass herself? What if the staff reported back to Sir Samuel and his wife that their home had played host to a lunatic in their absence?

  What if Sir Samuel demanded an explanation for this from Gabriel and expressed concern over his choice of company and…

  All the what-ifs evaporated when they came to a stop at the front steps and Gabriel assisted her from the carriage. She could hear voices inside. They were muffled and distorted, but clearly excited. And much too loud to be staff. No servant would be so foolish or poorly trained to make such a racket upon the arrival of a guest.

  She whirled on Gabriel. “There’s someone here, isn’t there? You said they were out of the country, but there are people here.”

  “I sent for Renderwell.”

  “Lord Renderwell?”

  “I mentioned I asked for a rendezvous with him, remember? This is it. Also—”

  Before he could finish, the front door flung open, and to Jane’s astonishment, the Harmons came rushing outside.

  “Janey!” Mr. Harmon reached her first and caught her in a crushing embrace that lifted her off her feet.

  Mrs. Harmon wasn’t far behind. Laughing gaily, she swatted at Mr. Harmon’s arm. “Oh, put her down, put her down.” She swept Jane into her own arms the second Mr. Harmon complied.

  Jane returned the embrace, patting Mrs. Harmon’s back dazedly while the older woman sniffled. “You’re safe,” she heard herself say. “You’re here. You’re safe.”

  “Of course we’re here. And so are you.”

  Jane pulled away, but couldn’t quite make herself let go. “Butwhat are you doing here? You should be in Edinburgh.” She looked to Gabriel. “They’re supposed to be safe in Edinburgh.”

  “Change of plans.” He cleared his throat. “As it were.”

  “Edinburgh?” Mrs. Harmon echoed, pulling back. “I’m sure you misunderstood, dear.”

  “I didn’t.” Not this time. Gabriel had said Edinburgh. More than once.

  “Well, it hardly signifies,” Mrs. Harmon said, accepting a handkerchief from her husband. “We’re all here now, aren’t we? All together again.” She wiped her eyes and beamed at Jane. “And where safer than the home of a Thief Taker?”

  Before Jane could respond that it did, in fact, matter that she had once again not been made aware of a change in plans, Mrs. Harmon took her by the hand and led her inside.

  A perfectly enormous, bearded man with a friendly smile and a pretty blond woman with sharp blue eyes greeted her in the front hall.

  Jane threw Gabriel a startled look when he introduced the couple as Sir Samuel and Lady Brass. Feeling disoriented, she watched him greet his friend with a jovial slap on the back. Her eyes narrowed when he greeted his friend’s wife by bending over her gloved hand and kissing the back of it like an old-fashioned gentleman. Or rogue, as Jane thought was rather more the case.

  “Lady Brass,” he murmured. “I didn’t think to find you here.”

  “We live here,” Sir Samuel reminded him.

  “You were in France.”

  “Esther was homesick.”

  Lady Brass shot her husband a look that was either annoyance or affection. Jane couldn’t quite tell which. “That’s a dirty lie.” She looked back to Gabriel and smiled pleasantly. “Lottie missed me.”

  “I’m sure she did. And how is your sister?”

  “She’s—” Lady Brass broke off as an attractive dark-haired couple strolled into the front hall. “See for yourself.”

  She’d stumbled into a house party, Jane realized as she was introduced to Lord and Lady Renderwell. Gabriel had brought her to a damned party—with a viscount and a knight, and their very pretty wives.

  Lord and Lady Renderwell greeted her politely before falling into conversation with the rest of the group.Everyone was having a conversation. The noise of words buzzed all around her, making her nerves jump. She caught snippets here and there, enough to follow at
least part of what was being said. The Harmons had arrived only that morning. Mr. Fulberg had remained in the local village to keep an eye on the roads and railway.

  At some point, it was decided that the ladies and Mr. Harmon would take refreshments in the parlor while Lord Renderwell, Sir Samuel, and Gabriel would adjourn to the study for a glass of brandy.

  Gabriel settled a light hand on her arm. “I’ll be there in a minute,” he informed his friends. “I need a word with Miss Ballenger.”

  Jane smiled pleasantly at the group until they’d split up and moved out of earshot. Then she whirled on Gabriel. “You saidEdinburgh. And you saidout of the country. Iknow I heard you correctly.”

  “I wasn’t expecting Samuel and Esther. I believed them to be out of the country.”

  Esther? He called his partner’s very pretty wife by her given name? Not that it should matter at that moment, when there were so many other problems to consider, but it irked her anyway.

  “The Harmons were supposed to be safely hidden away in Edinburgh,” she said. “Why did you lie to me?”

  “For their own safety, and yours. The fewer people aware of their ultimate destination, the better.”

  “Whom did you imagine I would tell?”

  “No one, if you could help it. Limiting the spread of information is just procedure. There was no insult intended. I held information from Fulberg as well, and he kept information from me. I was aware the Harmons were coming here, but I had no idea of the path Fulberg meant to take. It was better that way.”

  Somehow, the knowledge that she’d been treated no differently than a man with whom he worked was both mollifyingand insulting. “I thought we were done deceiving each other.”

  “This wasn’t a deception, Jane. Not like—” He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of laughter in the parlor. “Why don’t we continue this discussion later?”

  Jane followed his gaze and felt her stomach tighten into knots. Lady Brass was giving instructions to a maid, and Mr. and Mrs. Harmon appeared to be engaged in a lively discussion with Lady Renderwell. There were too many people, too much noise. She’d not been in a room with that much activity since…well, since the tavern several hours ago. And that had not gone altogether well.