LITMIR.BIZ

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do—’

      ‘Stop! Stop!’ Katherine beseeched her, both amused and slightly resentful at being cast as one of those idiotic, lovelorn heroines too frequently found between the covers of those books to which her companion, Miss Mountjoy, seemed addicted. ‘I believe I can guess the rest.’

      Katherine cast the woman beside her a fond smile. Undoubtedly in the normal course of events they would have viewed each other as enemies. Yet Fate had decreed that their paths should cross in exceptional circumstances and, even though their countries were probably in imminent danger of once again being at war, she and Marie had, against all the odds, become friends. How Katherine wished that Marie was in truth her companion, for she doubted she could ever find one to suit her half so well.

      ‘You have the most fertile imagination, Marie,’ she could not resist telling her. ‘And you are the most convincing liar to boot! I dare swear that Madame Perot believed every word of your ridiculous tale!’

      ‘But, petite, it was not a complete lie,’ Marie protested. ‘I am taking you to a gentleman who is both brave and charming, and you are about to fly with him far away from Paris.’

      This succeeded in wiping the fond smile off Katherine’s face. Foolishly, up until that moment, the fact that it would be impossible to return to the inn simply hadn’t occurred to her. But of course they could not! There was bound to be someone watching the inn, awaiting their return.

      ‘Will you be accompanying us?’ she asked, clinging to the faint hope that she might rely on Marie’s unfailing support at least until they reached one of the French ports, but deep down knowing what the answer would be even before she detected the slight shake of her trusted companion’s head.

      ‘No, petite. Major Ross does not need the added burden of taking care of me too.’ She shrugged. ‘Besides, there is no need. I shall be perfectly safe. I know this city well. I have several friends here and can hide myself easily enough until I find some means to travel south.’

      They turned off the main thoroughfare into yet another of Paris’s many side roads to discover a one-horse gig waiting halfway down the street, and an unmistakable tall figure standing beside the decidedly battered conveyance.

      Katherine felt the touch of fingers on her arm, and turned to see a look of mingled concern and affection in grey eyes. ‘My task is almost complete, petite. But yours has only just begun. Do not allow your dislike of Major Ross to prompt you into foolish actions,’ she advised in an urgent whisper. ‘Do what he tells you and I have every faith that you will come through this unscathed.’

      The advice had been kindly meant, and Katherine refrained from dismissing it out of hand. Even so, she was not prepared to commit herself. ‘I have never made a promise which I thought I would be unable to keep, Marie, and I do not intend to begin by doing so now. But be assured that I shall not go out of my way to make difficulties, and shall, as far as possible, attempt to work with Major Ross and not against him.’

      Even though Katherine had meant every word, resentment at his behaviour the night before remained and she could not bring herself, when at last they approached him, to acknowledge his presence with more than a cursory nod of the head.

      Daniel regarded the frigid set of delicate features for a moment before turning his attention to the older woman. ‘As you are late, Marie, I assume that you also were followed.’

      ‘Yes, monsieur. It was as you suspected—there were two of them watching the inn. We managed to shake off our shadow, as you evidently did yours.’

      ‘It might not be so easy next time, should they locate us again,’ Daniel warned. ‘I do not doubt that before too long there will be others scouring the streets of Paris for us. So we must not delay.’ He reached for her fingers, and held them briefly. ‘You are an old hand at this game, Marie, so you need no advice from me, save to say, God speed. If the outcome of this venture should prove successful, I shall ensure that you are apprised of the fact.’

      Daniel refused to linger over protracted farewells, and gave Katherine only sufficient time to receive a surprisingly warm embrace from the older woman, and then placed his hand under her elbow, giving her no choice but to take her seat in the gig.

      ‘You have evidently found favour in the austere Marie’s eyes, Miss O’Malley,’ he remarked, after Katherine, peering round the side of the gig, had watched Marie turn and walk back along the narrow street.

      ‘For several days she remained aloof,’ she admitted, faintly relieved that he considered it safe enough to converse in their own language. ‘Gradually, though, she became more friendly,’ she went on, wondering if there was the remotest possibility that their relationship might follow a similar course. She did not hold out much hope, but was determined to keep the hostility which lingered towards him under control. ‘I quickly grew very fond of her. She took very good care of me.’

      ‘As I fully intend to do, Miss O’Malley.’

      Out of the corner of his eye, Daniel noticed the suspicious glance she cast him, as he turned the gig into a much wider thoroughfare. Yes, she was certainly wary of him, and he was forced silently to own that, after his behaviour last night, perhaps there was good reason for her caution. Undoubtedly she was as innocent now as she had been on the day of her birth, a gently nurtured, chaste young woman. Which made her willingness to involve herself in such a perilous venture all the more mystifying, for he felt sure that she must have been aware from the start that there would be more than just an element of risk involved. From something her aunt had disclosed on the night of the engagement party, he had gained the distinct impression that Miss O’Malley was, if not extremely wealthy, a young woman of comfortable means, so he doubted very much, as Sir Giles himself had intimated, that the prospect of attaining a substantial reward would have played any part in her decision to become involved.

      He was intrigued, and was determined to discover precisely what had persuaded her to embark on such an undertaking, but decided not to attempt to satisfy his curiosity at this juncture. Instead, he chose to be brutally frank about their present situation, and could not help but feel a deal of admiration for the calm way she accepted the unpleasant state of affairs.

      ‘Yes, I had already realised that returning to the inn was out of the question,’ she admitted, before a slight frown marred the perfection of her forehead. ‘I wonder what made them suspect us?’

      As Katherine kept her eyes firmly fixed in the direction they were heading, she missed completely the frowning glance he cast the errant curls showing beneath the rim of her fashionable bonnet. ‘A pity really,’ she went on. ‘During my many ventures with Marie about the city during the past couple of weeks, I purchased several items of clothing, one of which was a rather pretty day dress.’ Her faint sigh betrayed slight resentment over the garment’s loss. Then she shrugged. ‘The poor landlord is more out of pocket. We cannot even return to pay him for our food and board.’

      ‘Save your pity, Kate. If I know anything, the old rogue will sell your belongings to recoup his losses.’

      ‘Yes, I expect you’re—’ She caught herself up abruptly, when at last she had digested fully his every word. ‘I cannot recall giving you permission to address me by my given name, Major Ross.’ There was no response. If the slight twitch she perceived at the corner of his mouth was any indication, however, it was quite evident that he would take no account at all of her disapproval. She had no wish for them to be at odds at this early stage in the proceedings, and so reluctantly decided to compromise. ‘But if you must resort to making free with my Christian name, you’ll oblige me by calling me Katherine and not Kate. I only ever permit my personal maid to address me in that fashion.’

      ‘Why, don’t you like it?’

      ‘I much prefer Katherine.’

      He didn’t attempt to hide his surprise. ‘I think Kate’s a pretty name, myself. Besides, it suits you. My name is Daniel, by the way. People will persist in still calling me Major, but it’s a courtesy title only.’

      ‘I’m aware of that, Major Ross.’ She

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