Nicole Jordan - Desire

She had to do something. If only she could persuade Gray to abandon his plan and return the gold-

Brynn stopped in her tracks. That was the only possible way. She had to try to reason with her brother, to convince him to change course.

Shaking herself into action, Brynn turned to tug the bellpull for her maid and another for the butler, intending to summon a traveling carriage. She would have to go to Cornwall at once; there was no time to lose.

She couldn’t divulge her true destination, however. Lucian would be suspicious if he discovered where she had gone. She would have to make up some other story-perhaps that Theo was ill. That was it. That lie would have to serve: she was going to Theo’s bedside. By the time Lucian learned of her absence, she would have confronted Gray-

Brynn felt another shiver sweep through her. She didn’t want to think about how Lucian would react when he discovered what she’d done, or what would happen if she failed.

Her sense of desperation rising again, she went to the clothespress and drew out a traveling costume.

Farther along the darkened street, Lucian watched his residence from the shadows of an unmarked carriage. Stone lay where his heart belonged, yet he was driven by the sick need to learn the truth. To know whether or not Brynn would reveal herself as a traitor. With all his soul, he wanted to believe her innocent.

He hadn’t long to wait before she emerged from the house and ran down the steps to the waiting Wycliff traveling coach. As it drew away from the curb, Lucian rapped on the roof of his own vehicle, ordering his driver to follow.

He held his breath as they wound their way through the dark streets of Mayfair. When Brynn’s conveyance eventually turned southeast onto the London Road, Lucian had to concede she was making for Cornwall.

He gritted his teeth, his emotions twisting from savage pain to raw fury. Fury at his lovely, scheming countess. Fury at himself.

He had allowed himself to be bewitched by Brynn’s exquisite beauty. By the powerful sexual attraction that burned between them. By his growing feelings of love for her.

He had wed a virginal young lady, hoping to sire a son. But Brynn wasn’t what he’d thought her to be, wanted her to be.

He didn’t know the beautiful deceiver at all.

Cornwall

Dusk was falling when Brynn arrived home. Although weary and travel-stained after the long journey from London, she immediately sought out her brother, fervently hoping to end the dread that had knotted her stomach for the past three days.

She found Grayson in his study, staring morosely into a meager hearth fire.

When she spoke his name, he gave a start of surprise. “Brynn? What the devil are you doing here?” He came up out of his chair. “Is something wrong? Theo…?”

“Theo is well, to my knowledge,” she replied, her tone grim. “But something is definitely wrong, Grayson.”

He stared at her a long moment.

Studying him in turn, Brynn realized his face was flushed as if he’d partaken of too much wine. “As for my reason for being here,” she added more quietly, “I came to stop you from committing treason.”

Gray made no reply, merely raised a hand to his forehead and sat down again wearily.

Her heart contracted with pain. “You don’t deny conspiring with the French against your country?” she whispered, praying she was mistaken, that her brother would refute her terrible accusation.

“No, I don’t deny it,” he said dully.

“Dear God, Grayson…” Crossing the room, Brynn sank down onto the sofa, sick with disbelief. “How could you?”

His mouth twisted in a sardonic smile. “To be honest, I’m not certain of that myself. God knows, I never intended to become a traitor.”

“What… how did it happen?”

Gray gave a heavy sigh. “Do you really want to know the sordid details?”

“Tell me,” she murmured hoarsely.

Before speaking, he took a long swallow of wine, as if seeking courage. “It began nearly a year ago. I was approached by a gentleman who offered me a large sum to rendezvous with another smuggling vessel and transfer a cargo. At the time I was desperate for funds. You can’t have forgotten the dire state of our finances then. How crushing our debts were? How we stood to lose this house? I feared being unable to pay and being thrown in debtors’ prison. And then what would happen to you and the boys?”

She hadn’t forgotten those dark days when they’d faced their father’s increasingly relentless creditors. “So you accepted the offer, even though you knew it to be suspect?”

“I suspected shady dealings, I suppose, but I rationalized that breaking the law smuggling unknown goods was better than being incarcerated for debt and leaving you all to fend for yourselves.”

“Gray, was the cargo government gold?”

“Yes… although I didn’t realize it then. I didn’t want to ask. Later… they used it to blackmail me. They vowed to expose me as a traitor if I didn’t follow their orders.”

“They?”

“An unholy alliance of spies and smugglers. I know little about them, except that some of the members are Englishmen of high social standing. The leader is supposedly a nobleman.”

“A nobleman? Are you serious?”

“Deadly serious. He’s referred to as Lord Caliban. My initial contact was a baronet.”

“Was?”

“Yes. He has since died-due to his nefarious activities, I have little doubt.” Grayson gave a short, bitter laugh. “Another man took his place. This one is a Frenchman, I’m certain of it, even though he speaks excellent English and calls himself Jack. Jack called on me shortly after you married. He ordered me to obtain your husband’s seal ring and make several wax imprints of the Wycliff seal. I refused, but Jack said I had no choice if I wanted to continue living.”

“And you believed him?”

“Yes, I believed him!” He eyed her sharply. “These are vicious men, Brynn. They tortured one of the fishermen who refused to aid them. Removed his skin piece by piece as an example to the rest of us. It took the poor bastard two days to die. I think I would rather face hanging than that fate.”

She took a shuddering breath. “Do you realize they used Lucian’s seal on a forged letter to steal another shipment of gold?”

“I feared something like that might happen.” Gray’s expression twisted in a grimace that was almost agony. “I wasn’t told their purpose, but I can’t deny I suspected sinister dealings.”

“What of the gold, Gray? Do you know where it is?”

“Here, in the caves below the house. Three strongboxes were delivered last night, which I hid among some other contraband. I am supposed to turn them over to Jack tonight.”

“Grayson,” Brynn said hoarsely, “you can’t deliver the gold into French hands. Napoleon will use it to fund his armies. Think of all the men who will die fighting when the war drags on because of that gold!”

“I have no choice, Brynn. I can’t get out. I’m in too deep. Believe me, I’ve tried. As long as Caliban exists, I am trapped.”

“But think of what you are doing! Treason…”

“I know.” Gray took a gulp of wine. “You cannot say anything worse than I’ve said to myself a thousand times. I hate myself for what I’ve done. For what I must do. But I have to comply, or they will kill me-or worse.”

“Worse?” Brynn repeated.

He gave her a long, bitter glance. “I wasn’t the only one they threatened. After I gave them imprints of Wycliff’s seal, I told them I was through, but Jack said they would kill my entire family if I deserted them. Theo, you, our brothers…”

“Theo?” Her voice held a note of alarm.

“Yes, damn it, Theo! And you. Why do you think I’m so terrified? They proved their point very clearly recently. A carriage almost ran you over in London, didn’t it? Jack said it was a warning to me, Brynn.”

She stared at her brother. That potentially fatal accident had been deliberate? She had thought Lucian’s life was in danger from the curse, never that she was the target of Gray’s enemies. Or that Theo was. Dear God.

“The British government may hang me for treason,” Gray added, his voice almost fierce, “but at least my family will be spared. I couldn’t live with myself if one of you were to die when I could have saved you.”

Horrified, Brynn swallowed convulsively, still trying to digest his revelation.

“There must be something we can do,” she murmured finally in desperation, searching Gray’s face.

His eyes glittered darkly. “There is nothing! Don’t you think I have tried?”

“But you could be hanged for treason…”

With a shrug, he stared down into his wineglass. “Do you know what I dread even more than hanging? What Theo would think of me, seeing me dishonored before the world. But I would rather hang than risk him being killed.”

She raised a hand to her mouth, pressing back a cry, wondering what in God’s name could be done. “Perhaps… Is there no one we could ask for help? Lucian…”

Gray’s mouth twisted. “I’m certain he would be delighted to aid me after my betrayal.”

“You could throw yourself on his mercy.”

“I would land in prison at the very least.”

Brynn wanted to argue that Lucian might be persuaded to show leniency, but she had already discarded that hopeless option herself. Lucian would be the last person ever to feel sympathy for a traitor.

“Besides,” Gray added grimly, “that still wouldn’t prevent Caliban from carrying out his threat to kill you.”

Before she could think of a response, her brother set his jaw and gave her a dark glance. “To be frank, you haven’t done me any favors by coming here, Brynn. Wycliff is bound to be suspicious when he discovers you’ve returned home.”