“When we, or more likely our other three couriers, force him to act outside the major towns,” Tony said. “Even in the major towns, if the target’s moving he won’t have time to recruit. He’ll need to use his cultists then-they’re his only mobile force.”
After a moment, Gervase said, “We’re getting nowhere here. I vote we send word to Wolverstone, and tomorrow head into Cambridgeshire.”
“I second that.” Tony straightened. “We move-we force his hand. He must know by now that you’re not intending to deliver the letter to anyone in town, but he can’t risk you handing it on, so once you’re on the road he’ll have to make a bid for it, one he won’t be able to plan, and for that he’ll need his own troops.”
Del nodded. “And once we’re on the move, his attention will focus on the scroll-holder itself. That’s his real goal, the thing he needs to seize.”
“True,” Gervase said, “but if the opportunity presents, he’ll still take either you or Deliah as hostage for the letter.” Across the table, Gervase met Deliah’s eyes. “You’ll need to remain on guard.”
She nodded, but added nothing else, instead listening as the three men discussed the possibilities, then made plans to leave the next morning, with Del and Deliah and their combined households making a great and noisy show to ensure they were noted and followed.
“The scroll-holder?” Gervase cocked a brow at Del.
“Is safe.”
When Del said nothing more, Tony grinned. “Our journey to Cambridgeshire is sounding more promising by the minute.”
Deliah belatedly put two and two together. “I think my room was searched this afternoon.” She looked at Del. “Nothing was taken, but perhaps they were looking for the scroll-holder.”
“They who?” Del’s dark eyes pinned her.
The tension, which had waned, ratcheted up again.
“I don’t know who. I can’t even be sure anyone searched. The things in my drawers were moved, and the bottles on my dressing table, and I’m sure my gowns hanging in the armoire weren’t in such disarray. I didn’t leave them like that, and Bess-my maid-never would.”
“Bess wasn’t here while we were out?” Del’s expression had turned grim.
“I sent her on some errands.” Deliah raised her brows at him. “There was no reason for her to stay in and watch my room-the scroll-holder isn’t there.”
She, Tony and Gervase looked at Del.
He continued to stare at Deliah, inwardly railing, but helpless. Eventually he answered their unvoiced query. “My room hasn’t been searched.” Not yet. Cobby would have noticed and told him if it had been.
“Well, then.” Tony raised his glass. “To a more productive tomorrow.”
They clinked glasses and drank.
The men’s conversation turned to military affairs, then to sporting events.
Irritated by the renewed aggravation she sensed coming her way from Del, Deliah seized the moment when Cobby returned with the decanters to excuse herself and retire, denying any wish for tea and wishing them a good night. They all stood as she rose.
“I’ll see you in the morning, gentlemen.” With a regal nod, she left them.
Del watched the bedroom door close behind her, and felt some of the tension gripping him ease. Not, however, all of it. By no means all.
Resuming his seat, he let himself slide into a discussion of the latest boxing feats. At least outwardly. Inwardly…
She’d become an itch under his skin, even more so after last night. And she-it, whatever this was-wasn’t any simple sexual itch, one that dissipated after one scratch. Or two.
He doubted three, or even three hundred, instances of having her curvaceous body beneath his would cure his particular affliction.
She made him feel far more than he ever had. No other woman had ever been so provoking. It wasn’t simply her refusal to obey his orders, her steadfast antipathy to hiding behind him-her willful insistence on going into danger whenever and wherever she deemed it necessary-although all of that contributed to the emotions roiling through him.
In most situations he could see her point, even sympathize with it, but…
It was that but he wasn’t used to, that he had no experience in dealing with, coping with, much less controlling.
He didn’t like what she made him feel, didn’t approve of it, resented it, railed at it-all of which did no good. He was obsessed with her-and some part of him knew where that obsession was heading. What it was leading him to.
But while his mission was in train, he couldn’t think of that. Couldn’t think of what came later, after.
Eventually, the conversation died. The other two yawned, then stretched. Together they all rose and left the suite, strolling down the corridor. He halted outside his room. With relaxed good nights, Tony and Gervase went on to their rooms further around the gallery.
Del watched them go, then reached for the doorknob. His hand closed about it, but then he stopped. For what seemed an unending moment, he stared at his hand grasping the knob.
He wasn’t thinking-wasn’t even debating. He knew he should turn the knob, go inside and fall into his bed.
He couldn’t remember why.
Muttering a curse, he released the knob, turned and stalked back to the suite.
The door was still unlocked. He locked it behind him; Deliah’s maid would have come and gone via the door between bedroom and corridor.
Deliah should, by now, be abed.
He didn’t hesitate but knocked on her bedroom door.
He leaned against the jamb, waited.
Eventually, the door opened.
She stood in the doorway, no sign of surprise on her haughty face. Her hair was down, rumpled dark red tresses caressing the shoulders of the ivory silk wrap she’d flung over a prim white nightgown.
Also of soft, sensuous silk.
Behind her, the bed was disarranged, the pillow dented. She had, indeed, been abed.
Beyond his control, his gaze slid down, over the full mounds of her breasts, nipples peaking, down over the flat of her stomach and the swells of her hips, all the way down her long, long legs, outlined lovingly by the clinging gown. He was immediately, painfully hard. Aching to possess what he knew the silk concealed.
It took a moment to lift his gaze back to her eyes.
She coolly searched his face, then, imperiously, raised her brows. “What do you want?”
Her tone was even, direct, neither encouraging nor discouraging.
He gave her the truth. “You.”
For another unending moment, silence reigned.
Then he straightened from the doorjamb, stepped forward.
And she stepped back, allowing him in.
Deliah closed the door behind him.
This was madness, but what was she to do? Tell him no?
She didn’t think she could. Didn’t think her vocal cords would cooperate in uttering such a very big lie, not when her heart was turning cartwheels of anticipatory delight and her mouth was salivating in expectation.
Turning, she found him waiting. One arm sliding around her waist, he drew her to him.
She looked up, met his eyes as their bodies touched. Awareness streaked through her, but she hid it, suppressed it. Her hands rose, came to rest on his shoulders. Beneath her palms, the tempting warmth, the masculine hardness seduced as she watched his eyes search hers, then drift over her face.
Then lower to her lips.
Parting them, she drew in a shallow breath. There wasn’t anything she felt she should say. Nothing she expected him to say, to explain. He was a man of the world, and she…she could pretend to be his counterpart.
Would pretend, as his eyes touched hers again and, after a heartbeat’s hesitation, he lowered his head, to be taking this all in her stride.
Determinedly pretend, as instinctively she lifted her chin, met his lips as they stooped to hers, that her nerves weren’t skittering, that her senses weren’t poised to swoon, that her heart wasn’t tripping in double time.