“Stay home tonight.”

He tensed. “Maria?”

She inhaled deeply, then released her breath in a rush. “You asked me many times what association I have with Eddington. He is an agent of the Crown, Christopher. He is out there now, waiting to follow us and catch you in the thick of things.”

He stared at her pensively. “I see.”

“I know about Sedgewick.”

When he opened his mouth, she held up her hand. “No explanations. I mention it only because Simon found the witness. Sedgewick demanded the man’s cooperation as ransom for the safety of his family-a wife, two sons, and a daughter. Tim and several men freed them. The viscount has nothing against you now.”

His brows dipped together in a deep frown. “You render me speechless.”

“Good. I prefer not to be interrupted. I was told that you know about Amelia.” Her voice was shakier than she would have liked. “That you found her and are watching her. Is that true?”

“That is my hope, yes.” He stared at her with fathomless eyes. “I have asked for a firm identification before bringing the news to you. I did not want to raise your hopes needlessly.”

“Where is she?”

“If the girl I know of is indeed your sibling, she is in Lincolnshire.”

“Thank you.” Maria tugged up her blade and paused before turning away. “Be careful,” she said softly, her hand over her heart. “I wish you well, Christopher. Godspeed.” She moved toward the door.

“Maria.”

That low, raspy voice curled around her spine. Tears fell, and she brushed them away as her pace quickened. Her hand curled around the doorknob, but before she could turn it she found herself trapped. Christopher’s arms caged her, his body pressed tightly to hers.

“You forfeit your dream to reunite with your sister in favor of sparing my life.” He pressed his cheek ardently to her temple. “You tell me of your love for me. Yet you cannot ask me for assistance?”

“Our lives diverge here,” she whispered, her throat too tight to speak any louder, “as they should. You are free and safe, my path goes on. I will have Amelia, never doubt it. But I cannot do it this way-at your expense. I will find something of equal value to Eddington.”

“You show me no mercy by sparing me for a life without you in it,” he said roughly.

Maria began to shake, and he wrapped his arms around her.

“I know, Maria. I know he has offered Amelia in return for me. I know how much she means to you. You risked your life attempting to save her.” He hunched over her, burying his hot face in her neck. “What I did not know was that you would confess all to me and attempt to save my life, despite knowing of Sedgewick and the rest. My God…” His voice broke. “How deeply you must love me to take this action. I am not worthy.”

“You know?” Her hands clutched at his.

“Tim came to me today. He related Eddington’s visit and your agreement. He also overheard Eddington speaking to a man waiting in his coach for him. He said he ordered the retrieval of your sister some days ago and was awaiting news. I pray my men were successful in preventing her abduction, but we cannot be certain.”

She struggled against him until he freed her, then she spun to face him directly. “We must assume he has her, then.”

He looked at her with such tenderness. “So despite your attempt to spare me, I must still go tonight. I have no goods here in Town-that was simply a ruse to see if you would betray me-but I have my confession and I will exchange that for Amelia.”

Maria swiped furiously at her tears, hating that she was unable to see his face as he said this to her. “You knew of my agreement with Eddington…and you were still prepared to go?”

“Of course,” he said simply.

“Why?”

“For the same reason you knew of Sedgewick and attempted your sacrifice regardless. I love you, Maria. More than my life.” His smile was bittersweet. “Today I believed I loved you as much as I was able. Now, however, I love you many times more than that.”

Maria reached back for the doorknob to support her weakening knees, but it was not enough. She sank to the floor in a puddle of lavender skirts and white underskirts, her foil across her lap.

“That’s it?” she whispered. “That is all you have to say?”

“Teasing wench.” He crouched before her and cupped her face in his large hands. He pressed his smiling lips to hers with heartbreaking reverence. She clutched his wrists and kissed him back with near desperation.

“I love you.” The raw emotion in his voice made her push up to her knees and surge into his arms. His returning embrace was so tight, it crushed the breath from her.

“They have set us against each other,” she said. “Must we allow them to break us apart?”

“No.” He pulled back to look at her. “Do you have a suggestion? Until we have Amelia, we are weakened.”

“We need to limit the number of players in this game. We have too many annoyances, and they are distracting us from our goals.”

Christopher nodded, his mind lost in thought. “Together we should be clever enough to find a way…Welton, Sedgewick, and Eddington. Eddington may have Amelia, so we tolerate him…but Welton and Sedgewick…”

A possibility entered Maria’s head and she quickly tried to discredit it. When the odds remained in their favor, she smiled.

“I love it when you look wicked,” Christopher said.

“Shall we change the rules, my love? Shall we reverse our positions and set them against one another?”

“Devious and audacious.” He grinned. “Whatever it is, I like it.”

“We need parchment and ink, and three of your fastest and most obstinate riders. These notes must be delivered, regardless of where the recipients are.”

“Done.” Christopher stood and pulled her to her feet. “Who would have thought that setting the two most wanted individuals in England against each other would lead to a collaboration on so many levels?”

“We might have thought of it”-she winked-“had we been orchestrating the matter.”

He laughed and hugged her close. “I pity the world now that we act as one.”

“Save your pity for yourself,” Maria said. “You have me for the rest of your life.”

“Never a dull moment, love.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I would not have it any other way.”

Chapter 22

To the unsuspecting eye, the occupants of a single unmarked carriage and multiple outriders were the only persons at the darkened wharf.

Maria stepped down from the coach and walked in plain view, the footman at her side holding a lamp aloft to draw all attention to her. Behind her, in the darkness, Christopher was slipping down through a hidden trapdoor in his carriage. He would see to his part of their plan while she saw to hers.

“Damn it, Maria!”

Welton’s harsh voice made her jump, but then a slow inner smile warmed her. As she turned around, she kept her face mildly disdainful.

“What the devil is this?” he muttered, striding toward her with his greatcoat flaring around his long legs. “Why so dramatic a location? And with damnable short notice? I was busy.”

“‘Busy’ to you means gaming or whoring,” she said scornfully. “Forgive me if I feel little regret for the inconvenience.”

He stepped into the circle of light, and as always, Maria was taken aback by the masculine beauty of his features. She supposed she would never cease expecting to see some outer evidence of his inner rot, yet he appeared to neither age nor suffer the ill effects of remorse.

“It is not safe to meet with you anywhere else,” she said, stepping back when he came too close so that he would be forced to speak loudly. “Eddington did not wish to bed me, as you assumed. He suspects me of the deaths of Winter and Dayton. He means to see me hang for your crimes.”

The viscount cursed viciously. “He can prove nothing.”

“He says he has found the person who concocted the poisons you used.”

“Impossible. I killed that crone myself when she became greedy. A blade in the heart permanently silenced her.”

“Regardless, he has found someone who will testify against me and he means to see me hang.”

Welton’s green eyes narrowed dangerously. “Then why are you here? Why are you not in custody?”

She gave a bitter laugh. “He noted my association with St. John. You can imagine how it pleases him to have the leverage to extort my cooperation.”

“He will have to go the way of Winter and Dayton, then.” His finely etched lips pursed with thought.

Maria marveled at the ease with which the viscount talked about murder. By what design would such evil hide within a perfect physical shell?

“You would poison another agent of the Crown?” she asked, her voice pitched louder in mock horror.

He laughed. “I am amazed I can continue to surprise you. Don’t you know me well enough by now?”

“Apparently I can still be appalled at the depths to which you aspire. You killed Dayton and Winter for their money. While I detested your avarice, I understood your motivation. Greed is a universal vice. But murdering Eddington simply because he annoys you is…Well, I would have thought that beyond even you.”

Welton shook his head. “I will never understand you. Here I have provided you with titles and wealth, and now I seek to ensure your freedom and you are, as ever, completely ungrateful.”

“By God!” boomed a voice that startled them both. “This is excellent!”

The tapping of heels drew their gazes to the approaching shadows that appeared to be two men. Lord Sedgewick and Christopher entered the small circle of light.

“What is the meaning of this?” Welton asked, moving toward Maria.

Christopher swiftly sidestepped into his path, protecting her from possible harm. “This is the end of the road for you, my lord.”