When A Rogue Loves A Woman Read online

  “You would be surprised.” Her mother stood and came close. Her hands came to Patience’s cheeks, still cold from the paint and water.

  “You are a fine young woman with much to offer,” she said. “This is your first trip away from home without me or your brothers. I know you have been hungering for it but be warned, my dear, no matter how strong you are, life can send many surprises your way. Jacob tells me all will be well and that we must do our duty but it is hard for a mother to let go of her daughter.”

  “Mama,” her voice caught a little.

  Her mother dropped her hands from her face. “Well, would you look at me? What a silly fool. You are the bravest and boldest girl I know. Always have been, ever since you started walking. Always following your brothers and trying to prove yourself better.”

  “I will be fine, Mama. No one shall know. You can tell everyone I am visiting with cousins and I shall be back before you know it.”

  “Excellent. And on time, I should hope. Heaven forbid you be late.” Her eyes twinkled with mirth as her mother knew all too well that Patience had quite the thing for timekeeping.

  “I shall,” Patience promised. She glanced at the mantle clock resting upon the large stone fireplace. “Is Jacob abed?”

  “Indeed. I think he is enjoying the rest if I am honest.” Her mother shook her head. “Who knew Jacob was even capable of rest?”

  “I shall go speak with him. I must finalize the details of our plan.”

  Her mother eased herself back into the chair and picked up a brush and sighed. “All these plans. I shall never understand how I gave birth to these children who so adore plans.”

  Patience did not remain in the drawing room any longer. Once her mother had started the next brush stroke, there was no chance of having any further conversation. She backed quietly out of the room and mused her mother’s candid affection. It seemed her going away had made her mother more appreciative of her. She smiled. Already life was getting better. Just wait until she returned with the information. All her brothers would be in awe of her and finally her eldest brother, Harry, could be proud of his annoying little sister.

  Taking the steps two at a time, she reached her brother’s room and knocked. She pushed open the door after hearing a muffled command to enter.

  Her brother grinned when he spotted her glare. “Patience,” he warned.

  She strode over to his bedside and put hands to hips. Jacob was tucked carefully under several layers of blankets and propped up against the aged wooden headboard with several pillows. It was unusual to see her brother at home, let alone lying still but it seemed he could adjust to any situation, even being a patient, and was quite relishing all the attention.

  “No,” he said.

  She jerked her gaze to his face. “What do you mean?”

  “No. You are not going to Falmouth alone.”

  She opened her mouth and clamped it shut before drawing in a long breath through her nose. “But, Jacob, you cannot expect me to go with that man. He is a rogue!”

  “Yes, which makes him perfect for the role.”

  She blinked at him several times. Six years her senior and the second oldest, Jacob had never had much time for her. He had been a good enough older brother but hardly bothered about playing with his irritating sister. However, she certainly never expected him to care so little about her safety and welfare.

  Not that she really considered herself in trouble when it came to Nathaniel. But she had hoped to play on Jacob’s protective side.

  “Which role would that be? The one where he is to keep your sister safe? But who will protect me from him?”

  Jacob laughed. “I am certain you can manage that yourself. I still recall you kneeing Michael Wetherby in the balls two Christmases ago.”

  “He tried to force a kiss on me. He deserved it.”

  “I am certain if you can handle Wetherby, you can handle Nate.”

  “But what does he know about working for British intelligence?”

  “What do you know?” her brother pointed out.

  “Plenty! I have been watching you all these years. I’ve studied everything that I can study.”

  “A few detective books does not make one an agent.” His lips quirked with amusement.

  Oh, how she hated that patronizing look. The only one who never bestowed it upon her was her mother. All the men in the family loved to smile at her like that. Oh bless, little Patience is trying to be one of the big boys.

  “I can do this alone. I do not need help, particularly from a spoiled lord with no experience of anything other than chasing after petticoats.”

  Jacob pressed fingers to his brow. “Patience, he has more experience than you know. Trust me, he is perfect for this role. Besides, they need a man and a wife for this. That was the whole reason for me taking you. Now that I am unable to go, we must have a replacement, and fast. If we’re to catch this woman, we must have you and Nate pose as husband and wife.”

  Patience made a disgusted sound. “I can do this alone.”

  “No.”

  “But—”

  “No, Patience.”

  “Jacob, please.”

  He shook his head vigorously. “No. I trust Nate and you should too.”

  “Why should I trust a roguish lord who can only think with what is in his breeches?”

  Jacob released a long breath. “Sometimes I think you would benefit from some ladylike company. You have clearly spent too much time in the company of men.”

  “Well that is not going to change anytime soon, is it, if you force me to go with Nathaniel Kingsley?”

  “That is true but, alas, we have no choice. No one else can know of this mission so we must make do. You will go to Falmouth with Nate and that is that. Unless, of course, you would like me to find another woman or perhaps cancel the mission altogether?”

  “Certainly not.”

  “There we have it then. You shall leave in two days and pose as husband and wife.”

  She pressed her teeth together until her jaw hurt.

  “Do not look at me like that,” he warned. “We have no choice.”

  “I suppose I had better go and pack then,” she said tightly.

  “Yes, you better had. And, Patience,” he said as she went to the door, “pack a damned dress.”

  Patience huffed and stormed out of the room. Pack a dress, take a lord, pretend to be married. This mission was getting worse by the second.

  Chapter Three

  “There would have been many a heartbroken lass had you really been engaged,” Drake said. His grin grew wicked. “I was looking forward to offering my comfort and condolences.”

  Nate shook his head and ignored his friend’s jest. Instead he turned his attention to the ale in his hand. It would be his last for a while. He’d need a clear head for what was to come, especially if he was to keep that minx under control. If her own mother could not make her wear a dress, what chance did he have?

  Either way, he was looking forward to the challenge. Smuggling was all well and good but they had only gone out once in the past month and all had been quiet. No excitement to be had. He was rather looking forward to the chance to indulge in some espionage and adventure.

  Of course, Jacob Grey was aware of their illicit activities. Being a British agent had meant they had helped him before. He was one of the few residents of Penshallow who quite understood who was behind all the smuggling that took place in their small fishing village. Most thought Knight the face of it—the big, brooding, scarred hulk of a man opposite who spoke only when absolutely necessary.

  At present, Knight’s attention was on something near the bar. Nate flicked a glance over but could see nothing of interest. Only the usual overly drunk patrons gathered while Louisa, the innkeeper, worked her hardest to keep up with demand.

  Other regulars littered the room, gathered around small tables. Some had cards in their hands while all had drinks. The Ship Inn was not the most savory of places but it was out
of the way and the food was good. Not to mention Louisa was uncannily good at ensuring the customs men never came near the place. She had saved their skin many times and they repaid her help generously, ensuring she had a good supply of excellent French wine.

  “You were a damned fool, signing up for this,” Nate’s brother said, thrusting a finger at him.

  “What was I to do? You were off enjoying yourself with Hannah. Far too much it seems.” His brother’s gaze darkened and Nate immediately ceased any idea of talking of Red’s fiancée.

  Hannah was currently installed in lodgings in the village while they awaited the license for their marriage and to finalize all the details. His brother was, unbelievably, utterly in the love with the woman. It was not so much the woman he had fallen for that surprised Nate but that his brother had the ability to fall so heavily for her. Red had always been too busy to think of love, or even marriage.

  Drake leaned in. The captain fixed Red with a slight smile on his lips. “Face it, Red. While you were distracted by petticoats, Nate held down the fort. I don’t blame him for offering to help, after all, are we not in this to help the crown?”

  “Since when are you so noble?” Red demanded.

  “Since I have a pocket full of coin,” Drake said smugly. “Things have been going uncommonly well of late. I don’t see why Nate cannot help Jacob Grey and be back in time for our next outing.”

  “Uncommonly well?” Nate’s brother lifted a brow. “After Knight’s illness and the storm that near tore your ship in half, you were complaining of curses. Now you think things are going uncommonly well?”

  Knight glowered. The giant of a man sat with his arms folded, a great scowl etched upon his face that in some lights looked as though it could be made of granite. Were it not for being friends with him, Nate would give him a wide berth. The man looked like trouble and, potentially, he was. No one really knew anything about him apart from the fact he was useful muscle and a damned hard worker. Though Nate suspected there was something more under that silent exterior. What that was, however, he was not sure.

  “It was not an illness,” Knight protested.

  Drake laughed. “You vomited on my boots, Knight. What would you call it?”

  Knight fell back into silent mode and glowered some more.

  “Anyway,” Nate said, taking back the conversation. “Aside from all of that, we have been doing well. The customs men have been chasing their tails and we’ve already sold on the last of our haul. As Drake says, we’re meant to be helping the government, so why not agree to help?”

  Red exhaled a lengthy, audible breath. “Do you know what this ‘mission’ is going to entail?”

  “Jacob has given me most of the details. His sister—if she will ever deign to talk to me rather than shout—is fully informed. She was to go with Jacob and pose as his wife before he fell from his horse.”

  “So you are to play husband for a while?” Drake asked, his grin lewd. “Will you get all the advantages too?”

  “Drake,” Nate said, “if you met her, you wouldn’t be bothered by the advantages. As it is, I’m fairly certain she hates me simply for breathing.”

  “Then you’ll have to change that.” Drake took a gulp from his ale and paused, his brow furrowed. “Jacob Grey. Is his sister not the one who always wears breeches?”

  “And there you see why I would not even attempt to take advantage.”

  “Yes,” the captain mused, “she would be tough to conquer. Great set of tits though.”

  “You are obsessed with tits,” Red snapped.

  “What man isn’t?” Drake demanded. “You’re still sore because I noticed Hannah’s assets before you did.”

  Nate saw Red’s fist clench at his side. The four of them had been friends for several years now and they all trusted Drake with his life. He was an excellent captain, even if he did get distracted by breasts far too often. However, when it came to Hannah, Red had no sense of humor whatsoever.

  “I shall go to Falmouth tomorrow,” Nate declared in an attempt to break the tension. “There we shall pose as this married couple and await the arrival of a French woman who it seems has pertinent information. Once we have the information, I’ll return. I cannot imagine it shall take more than a week.”

  “And we have nothing of importance to do for another three,” Drake pointed out.

  Red nodded slowly. “We cannot go anywhere until the ship is fully mended anyway.” His brother eyed him. “Just be careful, that’s all I ask.”

  Nate rolled his eyes. There was only two years between them but because their mother had died whilst giving birth to Nate, Red had taken it upon himself to play the older brother role to a fault. The whole reason for Red setting up the smuggling ring had been so Nate could have a taste of adventure and help the war effort after he had discovered he needed glasses and could not get a commission. He was thoroughly aware of that, even if Red never said as much. But while he was appreciative of everything his brother had done, he needed Red to stop treating him like a little brother and recognize him as a grown man.

  Potentially completing this mission successfully would prove as much. If drinking and tupping had not already shown Red, perhaps this was his chance to get out from under his brother’s bloody shadow.

  “When am I ever not careful?” Nate asked.

  All the men around the table chuckled.

  “What?”

  Drake leaned in. “That time you decided to climb the cliffs and nearly drowned.”

  “I had no choice. The tide was coming in.”

  “What about the time you snuck into that woman’s bedroom. What was she? A countess?” Red suggested.

  “A marchioness,” Nate corrected. “It was worth it.”

  Red groaned. “You were nearly killed by her husband.”

  Louisa approached with a fresh round of ales. She placed the tray down and grinned. “Don’t forget the time he got steaming drunk and tried to challenge Knight to a fist fight.”

  “I would have gone easy on him,” Knight grumbled.

  Nate straightened. “I could have won.”

  “You were lucky the rest of us had clear heads,” his brother pointed out.

  “Well, I promise, dear brother, that I shall be the most cautious man there ever was. I shall find this French woman, with or without Patience Grey’s help and get this information. And I shall do it without a whisper of trouble.”

  The men glanced at each other. Louisa set down the beers and tucked the tray under her arm. The fair-haired woman shook her head in amusement. “Sounds like you chaps need to make a wager.”

  “I wager he gets himself arrested,” Drake said.

  Red nodded. “Very well, I wager he falls for the French woman.”

  “Thank you for the confidence, brother,” Nate said pointedly. “It means a lot.”

  “Louisa, do you wish to place a wager?” Drake queried.

  She shook her head. “I never gamble.”

  The captain turned his attention to the behemoth watching silently. “What about you, Knight?”

  “I wager”—he eyed Nate with the oddest look on his face—”Nate falls for the sister.”

  A laugh escaped Nate. “The woman in the breeches?”

  Knight nodded.

  Nate shook his head vigorously. “The woman hates me and I certainly have no interest in her. Big tits or not,” he said with a look to Drake.

  Knight shrugged. “Your family has a history of falling for the women they help. I think you will fall for her.”

  Shaking his head again, he chuckled. “Red might have a thing for stubborn women who need help but I certainly do not. Patience Grey is not the sort of woman a man falls easily for, trust me.”

  Chapter Four

  The mail carriage to take them to Falmouth arrived half an hour late.

  Patience nearly collapsed to the floor when it finally rolled up outside of Mrs. Whittaker’s supply store.

  Half an hour of standing with Nathaniel,
of being far too aware of him nearby and of uncomfortable conversation.

  At least from her side.

  She doubted Nathaniel even knew what discomfort was. A man of wealth and breeding like himself would be used to being comfortable everywhere he went.

  The moon shone brightly, reflecting off the silent harbor and highlighting the painted livery of the coach, declaring it belonging to the Royal Mail and emphasizing its stops that were carefully labelled on the side. No parcels were collected or swapped so they got on quickly and found the coach to be empty.

  “I imagine the recent bad weather has put people off travelling,” Nathaniel suggested as he settled himself.

  Patience had chosen the seat opposite and to one side on purpose. That way she could keep her distance from him. From the amused smirk on his face, he understood her choice. However, she could not help wonder if sitting next him would not have been better. Yes, their bodies might have touched as the coach made its way across the rugged Cornwall terrain but at least she would not have to keep looking at him.

  Not that she had to. After all, there was nearly a full moon out there she could eye. Or even the star speckled sky for her to watch go by. With such a clear night, she could even look at some of the scenery and admire the quaint cottages, their windows lit with the comforting glow of candles.

  But, apparently, none of those things interested her more than her companion for the foreseeable future. Which was ridiculous. There was nothing interesting about him. Nathaniel Kingsley was a rake and a rogue. A man who took pleasure in the most sordid things in life and knew nothing of hardship. There was naught at all interesting about him.

  The way his blue gaze skimmed over her and made her skin tingle was not interesting. The artful cut of his chestnut hair that left it just long enough to make one wonder if it was soft to touch was not at all intriguing. The wide set of his shoulders… No nothing to be seen there. Nor did she like the width of his chin or how his spectacles enhanced his blue eyes and made him look all the more intense and intelligent.