The Rakehell Regency Romance Collection Volume 2(195)

"I love you, my dearest wife."



"And I you, my darling husband."



He kissed her thoroughly, and dragged himself out of the room to tend to his most pressing errands at last, his whole body humming with joy, and his mind more peaceful than it had been in years.





Chapter Twenty-nine



Certain Elizabeth was out of danger at last, Will left the sickroom for more than a few moments for the first time in weeks in order to go in search of Parks. Once he found him, they were able to clear the air at once, as only true friends ever could, though Will still didn't tell him about the muskets.



"Listen, Parky," he said at the end of his explanation, "I know I've been acting oddly. I'm sorry if I haven't been as good a friend to you as I should. I've just been so worried about my wife. Will you forgive me?"



He offered his hand at once. "Quite all right, old chap. I know, I understand what you must have been going through. It put years on you nearly losing her. But you have so much more in your life now. There's nothing to forgive, Will."



He cleared his throat, and said, "But there's the whole issue with Rosaria as well. We should have discussed it before. Vevina is right. I could have handed you my rifle. I didn't have to do it myself. I could have trusted you to make the shot. After all, you've always been my best pupil.



"But I had to make sure. I couldn't let her be raped and tortured. I couldn't let her betray all our secrets, and jeopardize our whole mission and everything we had ever worked for to bring the war to an end at last."



"I understand, really, I do." He patted Will on his good shoulder.



"You have nothing to ever blame yourself for, Geoffrey, and I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel as though you had. It was my choice, and I would do the same in a second. I was only bitter, guilty, because I was relieved she was gone," he confessed.



"Relieved?" Parks said in surprise.



Will nodded, and swallowed hard. He admitted raggedly, "The plain truth is that my marriage was hell. She hated me, feared all men. She was deranged by all that had happened to her. I doubt she ever would have been whole again. If they had, well-- It would have been too horrible for her to bear, already damaged as she was. I can see that now."



To Will's surprise, Parks merely nodded wisely. "I think I understand. I saw you together. What you had with your first wife in no way compares with what you have now with Elizabeth"



"I hope to God you never do understand, Geoffrey. A lack of love kills." He shook his head. "But I have Elizabeth now. And when we finally manage to, well, it will be heaven on earth."



"I sure hope it will be when I finally manage to--"



Will flashed him a grin. "Why, Parky, do you mean to say—"



"I am saving myself for the right woman," he said primly.



Will shook his head. "I was so lusty by the time I met Rosaria that I made the mistake of thinking she was the right woman. Don't make the same error."



"I won't," Parks said with conviction. "Watching you and your sister so in love with your spouses, I think I know all the ingredients of a good solid marriage by now, and it will be that or nothing for me. I just have to find the right woman, woo her and win her. Pity you haven't got a younger sister. Or Elizabeth."



"No such luck, lad. But one day soon, I'm sure."



"If I live that long." Parks gave a laugh, and patted Will on the back.



Will touched the torc around his neck and wished with all his heart that he would.





A few days later, Fitzsimmons was fuming as though deranged himself. "What do you mean, they're both well? They fell out a window a few weeks ago! They're supposed to be dead!"



His informant shrugged. "I know. But I saw them with my own eyes. Down in the parlor, singing."



"The bastard must have nine lives! It's not as if we haven't tried to kill him often enough in the past three years. We even duped that silly bitch of a first wife of his to get him to try to rescue her and get those guns. Only he didn't rescue her, did he? That brat Parks or one of his other men shot her."



"I'd worry more about Jason Davenport, Alexander as he's known now," his colleague cautioned. "He knows us all by sight. Knows what we did. Not to mention Thomas Eltham. I thought he would have remembered me for certain. He saw us near Samuel Fitzgerald's tent just before the whole melee at Cuidad Roderigo. He and his friends should have been killed then also."



"Paxton was a fool," Fitzsimmons said dismissively. "But our other friends, now…"



"Are they ready?"