They were both big men, Jordan a little bigger, but John was more determined. "I won't, unless he stops the carriage and has his men … " He couldn't finish the thought, for it was too gruesome to endure. As much as he detested Somersby, he knew the man would not show his true nature now. And who was to say he would ever harm Nicola? Most men were all bluster. In any event, Nicola was no meek sparrow. "All I wish to do is make certain she is safely returned to Somersby's lodge. Lord Darnley will watch over her after that."
Jordan rolled his eyes. "Very well, give me a moment. We can cut across the foothills and take up a vantage point overlooking the lodge. Let's just hope those smugglers don't get away while we're busy meddling in this marriage business that is none of our concern."
John frowned. "We're not going to meddle, just protect her. She's my responsibility and I-"
"Since when is she yours to look after? Her uncle is the Earl of Darnley. He's more than capable of attending to her care." He grinned at John. "Although I doubt he's fast enough to catch her if she runs away again."
"Stop wasting time with jests. Somersby isn't to be trusted with Nicola. If he lays a hand on her … if he orders his men to … " The words caught in his throat.
Jordan put a hand on his shoulder. "He won't. So don't you do anything rash. I don't know what demons have you by the throat this morning, but you can't let them overwhelm you. Besides, the girl can fight for herself."
"Yes, of course." He knew Jordan was right, but that did not stop the violent tug he felt to his heart. "I'll keep my wits about me. You know I will." He always did, except when it came to Nicola. The blocks of granite surrounding his heart chipped away whenever he was around her.
He didn't like it one bit.
NICOLA'S GAZE WAS fixed on the scenery as Lord Somersby's carriage rolled and bounced its way back to his hunting lodge. A pair of goshawks were on the hunt above the soaring crags, their massive wings outstretched and their heads down as they searched for an unsuspecting rabbit or two to fill their bellies. At the moment, she felt like that unsuspecting rabbit about to meet its untimely end.
Oh, she knew that Somersby had no intention of killing her. But he meant to cheat on her throughout their marriage. Which was why she could not marry him. There were plenty of women who would accept this sort of arrangement. Indeed, most would. He needed to find one of those biddable young ladies to pursue.
Never a coward, she turned to him. "Lord Somersby, we must speak about last night."
The marquis was a handsome man with thick, dark hair and gray eyes that were often turbulent. She'd thought that brooding sort of stormy gray quite attractive, at first. But she now realized that this was all he was, a petulant and brooding marquis who was used to getting his own way in all things and could be cruel when he did not.
While some men took the good fortune of their stature to heart and gave back something in return for the bounty they'd been given, Somersby was not one of them.
"I suppose we must." He nodded and leaned forward. "Your behavior last night was unacceptable."
My behavior?
She blinked several times to make certain she was awake and not in the throes of a nightmare. "I beg your pardon? I was not the one caught with my pants down about my ankles."
He did not have the decency to blush. "Has your aunt never spoken to you about … men?"
"Not at great length, but I am not a peahen. I understand quite well what you were doing to that woman … with that … her."
He arched an eyebrow. "Good. Then we are clear."
"On how things will be? Do you mean before or after the marriage? Because I find both possibilities repugnant."
He leaned forward and took her hand in his. She expected his grip to be harsh, but he was surprisingly gentle. "You will be my wife, Lady Nicola. I mean to treat you with respect. But I am a man of hearty appetites. Do you understand what I am saying? I do not wish to satisfy my baser urges on you. I will visit your bed from time to time." He cast her a wry smile. "In truth, I think I will enjoy your impertinent spirit in the bedchamber. But I cannot promise to visit no one else but you. I wish to be honest about it."
She slipped her hand out of his and clenched it into a fist. "Then we are back to where we started. I will not tolerate other women in my husband's bed. We marry for love in the Emory family. We believe in our wedding vows."
He stared at her in bewilderment for an endlessly long moment before suddenly breaking into another smile. "Are you saying that you love me?"
Well, no. She hadn't meant it to sound that way. Indeed, she was going to refuse his marriage offer because she now understood that she would never grow to love him. But he sounded quite gentle and could not be faulted for his attitude when most of Society felt as he did.
She did not wish to hurt him more than necessary when she rejected him. "My lord, we have not been acquainted long enough to be certain of our feelings for one another. But you seem determined to carry on with your … entanglements … much as you do now, and I am saying that our marriage will not stand a chance of surviving if that is your decision. I want a man who is faithful and who values me. I am not going to be anyone's broodmare, no matter how fine the stable in which I'm kept might be or how plentiful and tempting the carrots tossed my way as placating treats may seem."
"I see." He took his pearl-handled walking cane and thumped it against the roof of the carriage.
Nicola frowned when he did not follow up with a command. Instead, he settled back against the fine leather squabs and folded his arms across his chest. His smile was no longer charming but cold, and it held the unsettling hint of malice.
Her heart began to beat a little faster. "Why did you bang on the carriage roof just now?"
"No reason. Must I explain my every action to you?"
"No, but it did not appear to make any sense to me."
"It is my signal to my driver to take more care. We seemed to be hitting more ruts in the road than necessary. I would not like you returned to Lord Darnley with bruises all over your body. He might believe I placed them there."
Was she reading too much into his words? Was this a shielded threat that he would beat her if she questioned him after they were married? She shook her head and sighed. "Very thoughtful of you, my lord."
There was no point in pursuing the discussion since she'd made up her mind about him and needed to develop a workable plan to get herself and her aunt and uncle away from his hunting lodge with as little fuss as possible.
He leaned forward and took her hand again. "Somersby Hall is not such a terrible stable, and the jewels I shall gift to you as my wife are quite pretty carrots. You shall have everything your heart desires as my marchioness. Give me fine, strong sons, and daughters as beautiful as their mother, and you shall have my respect, my discretion. My generosity."
"But never your love." She nodded. "So why choose me? I can be replaced with any of a dozen other young women with dowries as fine as or finer than mine who will not question or challenge you."
"No. There is only one of you, my dear. It must be you and you alone. No one else will do for my purposes." His lips twitched as they turned slightly upward at the corners. His eyes had a turbulent, but unreadable look to them.
My purposes. This was no confession of love. What was he going on about then?
Her stomach sank into her toes. Mother in heaven. He was using her to hurt someone.
Her brother? Her uncle? She had to find out what he meant to do.
CHAPTER 3
JOHN DECIDED NOT to wait for his companion, who was taking too long to ready himself. They weren't dressing for a bloody London ball or Covent Garden theater, but merely intending to race up a few hills to keep an eye on Somersby's carriage until Nicola was returned to the arms of Lord and Lady Darnley.
Impatient to be on his way, John went to the tavern's stable to retrieve his mount, Valor. He called for one of the grooms to saddle his horse, a new purchase from Jordan's prime stock, for Jordan was a breeder of renown and Drummond Stables had an excellent reputation throughout Scotland, England, and even Ireland where horse breeding was serious business.
Although John had only recently purchased Valor, he'd already trained the horse to respond to him and even taught him a few useful tricks. Indeed, all of John's plans had been going well until last night. Foil a rebel plot, catch a few smugglers, and acquire a prime horse. Perhaps bag a few grouse in the bargain. Not bad for a few weeks' work.