The Scoundrel's New Con by Catherine Stein

Author:Catherine Stein [Stein, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, historical romance, Victorian, Gothic romance romance, mystery, mystery romance, adventure
ISBN: 9781949862171
Publisher: Catherine Stein, LLC
Published: 2020-05-15T04:00:00+00:00

13

The Lovers

Tess rapped gently on Jack’s door. She didn’t dare knock louder and alert anyone in a neighboring room. This was foolish enough as it was. Hopefully tonight he’d be awake and she wouldn’t have to break in.

Jack opened the door and looked her up and down. “You’re fully dressed. How disappointing.” He wasn’t fully dressed. How typical. His torso was covered only by a thin, white shirt, partially untucked and with the top two buttons undone. His trousers sat low on his hips, suspenders dangling.

Tess glanced heavenward. “This is an investigation, not a tryst. Let’s go.”

He didn’t even grab a coat, simply walked out the door in his shirtsleeves, hiking up his suspenders and haphazardly shoving the tails of his shirt into his waistband. If he became cold she wouldn’t be especially sympathetic.

“Through the tunnel?” he asked. “Or aboveground?”

“Aboveground. In case the tunnel is in use.”

“Good.” The word carried an unusual measure of relief. Was he claustrophobic? The tunnel wasn’t all that small, though it was quite long and somewhat dank.

They descended to the ground floor, and Tess started for the front of the house. Jack stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“It’ll be faster to exit nearer the back of the castle. We can hop out a window to maximize stealth.”

“Stealth. Because clambering through a window in a dress is stealthy.”

“You could take it off,” he said, grinning wickedly. “I’ll help you.”

“Help me out the window or help me take the dress off?”

“Both.” He eyed the large blanket she carried tucked under her arm. “Good thinking to bring some bedding. No one wants to get sand up in sensitive areas.”

“We are not fucking on the beach,” Tess hissed.

“Ooh, what a lovely vocabulary you have. Been reading salacious books recently?”

Yes, she had, but this was neither the time nor the place for such a discussion. In fact, nowhere and at-no-time sounded like just the place for such a discussion.

So why are you here, alone with him in the middle of the night? Again.

Her strides lengthened, carrying her rapidly through the house, seeking an exit not too near either the wine cellar or the conservatory. Jack stuck with her, not speaking. Before she could think to ask whether any of the windows in this part of the house even opened wide enough to admit a person, he’d located one he liked and flung it open.

“I’ll lift you through, if you don’t mind.”

“Er, yes, I sup— suppose!” she squeaked, startled when he swept an arm behind her and lifted her clear off her feet.

Jack swung her toward the window, sliding her through feet first and setting her on the sill without even the slightest tangle in her skirts. “Hop down,” he urged.

Tess scooted forward and dropped to the ground, landing gently in the soft grass. Jack was beside her in an instant, closing the window after him to conceal their departure.

“You’ve done that before. Lifting a woman out the window, I mean.”

“Yes. But not to hide lovers from jealous husbands or whatever debauched things you’re imagining.

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