The Irresistible Rogue by Bowman Valerie

Author:Bowman, Valerie [Bowman, Valerie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Regency, Romance
ISBN: 9781466884397
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2015-11-02T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Rafe waited until they were well on their way back to the True Love in the rowboat before asking Daphne. “What did they say?”

“Taller, I mean … Anton, said the price would depend on the quality of the goods.”

Rafe laughed. “Taller?”

“Yes, that’s my nickname for him. Viktor is Beady Eyes.”

“Good names.”

“He also said Gabriel wouldn’t like it. Who is Gabriel?” Daphne asked.

Rafe’s voice grew tight and angry. “He’s the leader of the Frenchmen who captured us. He also speaks Russian and often spoke it in our presence. That’s why I needed Donald there with me.”

Daphne nodded. “Gabriel’s the man who tortured you?”

“Yes,” Rafe said through obviously clenched teeth. Then his voice relaxed. “At any rate, the quality of the goods won’t be a problem. They’re coming directly from the English government.”

“What exactly are you giving them?” Daphne asked.

“The usual things. Spices, tea, fabrics, pottery. Anything they can sell for more in France. Which right now is nearly anything. What else did they say?”

“Viktor said he didn’t trust you and Anton explained that they’d keep an eye on you all week.”

“I like that,” Rafe said with another laugh. “They’re about to get our goods. We should keep an eye on them all week. And speaking of being untrustworthy…”

Daphne pulled her oar in time with Rafe’s. “Why does it take a week to check them out? What are they checking for?”

“They’re making certain the goods aren’t stolen from anyone who’s going to trace them. They want to ensure the government’s not involved. That we’re not spies.”

Daphne snorted. “But we are spies.”

“Yes, but the War Office knows how to make the goods untraceable. They’ll never know. Did they say anything else?”

“Viktor said he didn’t remember me. He was suspicious. Anton said he did. He said I was a, ahem, pretty boy.”

Rafe growled under his breath. “Was that all he said?”

“For the most part.”

Rafe’s voice turned lighter. “Well, that’s two admirers in one day, Grey. Not bad for a lad of sixteen, I’d say. Not bad at all.”

Rafe’s laughter was drowned out by the rowboat clunking against the side of the ship. Daphne didn’t wait to hear more of it. Scowling, she jumped up, grabbed the ladder, and climbed as fast as she could. “I’ll see you in the cabin.”

* * *

The rest of the day stretched out interminably. Daphne had straightened up every possible thing that needed straightening. Which, in a very tidy captain’s quarters, wasn’t much. Rafe had taught her how to pull the bedsheets so tight she could bounce a coin on them. Wearing gloves, she scoured the wooden floor on her hands and knees with water and lye. Rafe hadn’t come into the cabin since they’d returned to the ship. No doubt he’d been making arrangements to get the goods to the smugglers.

“I didn’t think a lady would know how to clean a floor.”

Daphne jumped. Rafe had entered the cabin silently like a wraith. Unsettling that. Spies were exceedingly quiet when they wanted to be.

“Shows how much ye know,

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