“And he expects me to bringmy husband. Oh dear, what am I to do?”
John stared at her. Should he offer?No. If either he or Elizabeth wanted to continue in this work, thefewer people who know who they really were, the safer they wouldbe. “I would offer but I can’t.”
Disappointment flashed in her eyes,but Elizabeth smiled instead. “I understand. I would insist if wewere going back, but we aren’t. I will think of something to tellGrandfather.”
John placed his cup back on the trayand reached over to grab her hand. “It isn’t that I don’t want to,and I would, but I can’t be recognized.”
She frowned and her eyebrows furrowed.“Someone in my family would recognize you?”
A smile pulled at his lips. Since thatletter, he had known who she was but he’d never revealed his ownname. “I roomed with Edgeworth one semester at Eton. He will knowin an instant that I am not Jean Pierre Bouvier, as well as hisbrother, Julian.
Her mouth popped open in surprise, andher eyes sparkled with delight. “Who are you, really?”
John moved to the open door. The cabinwas empty and the door shut. He settled back on the mattress besideher. “John Phillip Trent.”
Her eyes grew wide again. “I rememberNick mentioning your name. You were close friends at onetime.”
“That was before I took ajob with the Home Office and disappeared.”
Elizabeth sighed and leaned backagainst the wall. “It is too bad you cannot come with me. I am sureNick would like to see you again. I was closer to Nick and Julianthan the others. Julian spent much of his time at our house,especially when my mother was so ill. Nick visited almost as much,though he was more protective of me. I sometimes thought heconsidered me a younger sister to be protected instead of simplyanother cousin.”
John would like to see Edgeworth, too.Well, unless Edgeworth learned any of the details of the time Johnand Elizabeth had spent together, such as the kissing, undressing,and sleeping together. The man would beat him to a bloody pulp, andhe had no doubt Edgeworth was protective. It was his nature. “Itwould be good to see him, but it’s impossible.”
“You still have family inEngland?” Her head tilted to the side as she asked the question.For a moment, he didn’t answer. The light caught the blond in hermussed hair, and her smile was enchanting. If he didn’t knowbetter, he would think Elizabeth had just been tumbled and wasquite happy with the experience. Desire shot to his groin. She wasthe last lady on earth he needed to think about tumbling if hevalued his life and nether regions.
“My father is Earl Bentley.I have two older brothers and a younger sister.”
“And you haven’t seen themin a very long time, either.” Her smile was gone, replaced with asympathetic frown. It was hard on both of them going so longwithout returning home. “They will be thrilled to see you atChristmas, I am sure.”
“I suppose so.” Over theyears, he had tried not to think of his family because thehomesickness could be too much. Not that he would ever admit such athing. But four years was a very long time. When he left, Madeline,his younger sister, had just turned sixteen. She must have marriedby now. Did she have children? Were his brothers married too? DidClayton now have his heir and spare? John shook the thoughts fromhis head. He would know soon enough.
“What do they think youhave been doing all of this time?”
“Nothing as settled asbeing married and living in a chateaux along the Mediterranean.”Her face pinked at the reminder of the lie she had told herfamily.
“They believe me a wastrel,sowing wild oats, flitting from one thing to another.”
“Wine, women and gambling?”She laughed.
He returned her grin. “Something likethat.”
She looked down and picked at theblanket. “Does it bother you?”
“What?” He wished she wouldlook up so he could gauge her thoughts.
“That they don’t know thetruth and are allowed to think the worst.”
“At times.” More times thanhe cared to admit. The last letter he received from his father wasthree years ago, demanding that he come home and do his duty andquit wasting his life. John was given one month to become anupstanding citizen, or his funds would be cut off. He didn’t knowif his father had gone through on his threat, but John had neverheard from him again. What would this homecoming hold for him? Atleast he felt secure his step-mother would be happy to seehim.
Elizabeth crawled across the bed andpeeked into the cabin.
“What are you lookingfor?”
She bit her bottom lip beforeanswering. “I, well…”
John chuckled. Her need wasn’t anydifferent from his, and if she knew that he had helped her withthose same needs while she was ill, Elizabeth would probably die ofmortification. John followed her into the cabin. There had to be achamber pot in here somewhere. “Here.” A pot sat snuggly in a holebolted into the floor.
Elizabeth turned to him. “Do youmind?” She shooed him with her hand back into their hidingplace.
John retreated, allowing her theprivacy she desired. When they had both seen to their needs, Johnplaced their lunch tray on the table in the cabin, then walkedabout and stretched. As long as the door was open, it was safe tomove around, or so he supposed. Who knew if they would be shut awayagain?
Elizabeth did the same. She moved withease, which meant she was well on her way to being on the mend.Only occasionally did she bring her had to her side.
“We will need to return tothe hold.”
John walked over and looked past hershoulder out the window. A French frigate was bearing down on them.He sighed and they turned towards the opening just as the youngsailor entered.
“We saw them out thewindow,: John said before the sailor could instruct them to go backinto hiding Moments later, they were locked in darknessagain.
Elizabeth lay in silence. There was somuch she wanted to say but didn’t know the words. Jean Pierre…no,John, had been part of her life for these past years, and veryshortly she would leave him. Who knew if they would
