A Perilous Passion (Wanton in Wessex) by Keysian Elizabeth

Author:Keysian, Elizabeth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Entangled, Amara, historical romance, romance novel, historical romance novels, romance stories, sexy historical romance, sensual historical romance, historical love stories, alpha hero, alpha hero romance, historical women's action and adventure, historical spy novels, Napoleonic spies, smugglers and spies, spy for the Crown, spy hero, smuggling adventure, historical adventure, Regency spies, Regency smuggling, Regency adventure novels, English historical romance, Regency romance, British romance, earl hero romance, titled hero romance, humorous romance, humorous love stories, classic Regency romance, aristocratic hero
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2017-12-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Reaching for his walking stick, Rafe eased himself out of the chair in which he’d spent most of his waking hours for the past three days. His wound was healing cleanly, but the muscle around it was badly bruised by the impact of the ball, making it a struggle to stand.

Yet stand he did, and walk, as well. Every moment he remained in the Allston house brought the family closer to danger, and himself further away from catching his quarry.

Pain lanced through his thigh as he put his foot to the floor, but he gritted his teeth and started toward the door, determined to exercise the muscles.

Stiffly, he made his way to the window at the top of the stairs, which offered a view of the path and the world beyond the crumbling brick walls of the Allston’s cottage garden. Each step felt like a white-hot poker being driven into his thigh. But the pain would ease in time. It had to.

He approached the window, as he always did, on the shaded side, and peered out from behind the drape. It was many months since he’d dared reveal himself fully in a window, lest someone take a pot shot at him. If only he knew for sure that the traitors weren’t on to him, and that Culverdale had no idea he was being sought by someone other than the bumbling local militia.

Charlotte appeared below, looking divinely lovely, her unbound tresses catching the light like spun gold.

He sucked in a breath and his gut clenched. His fingers tightened on the drape as he watched her pace up and down in front of the house, engrossed in reading a letter.

It was unfair of him to blame her for what had happened the other night. She was innocent and untried. She genuinely didn’t understand what it meant to tempt a man beyond endurance.

The really difficult thing was, his interest in her now went way beyond simple flirtation. But to pursue her any further was to make a rod for his own back.

Yet, still he gazed at her, drinking in the sublime vision, barely remembering to breathe.

But as he watched her, he realized something was wrong. He’d learned to read people well—an essential skill for a spy. Charlotte was in distress; her shoulders were tight, her steps short and abrupt, and she gnawed at her lower lip.

She quickly folded up the letter she was reading, looked about her, and tucked it surreptitiously into her apron pocket. Fisting her hands, she marched back into the house, her face set.

He drew back. What was in that letter that had so disturbed her? And how had she come by it? There’d been no post today—he’d have heard it arrive. Having made the business of the household his own, he knew Charlotte had been to the village briefly this morning to visit a distressed widow by the name of Mrs. Scadden. Had she picked up the letter then?

Anything untoward that concerned her concerned him, too. He needed to know what was in that letter.

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