Hold Your Breath 01 - Stone Devil Duke (26 page)

Af
ter long minutes, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. He pointed downward. “That is why it took me so long to contact you. It took me a week to find this one timing lapse in the guards in order to get onto the grounds and close enough to get your attention. Your husband knows what he is doing. Which leads me to a question, why are you being locked away from the world?”

Aggie avoided his eyes. “There have been some incidents. You will hear all about them, I am sure. But not now. You obviously need me for something, or you would not have risked
sneaking onto the estate to get to me. Is it because I saw them?”

“Saw who?”

“The men who killed father. It will help with the case? There were five. They were all unmasked. Four are dead now. The fifth—I assume it is Von Traff—I can identify him as father’s murderer.”

“
What?” Jason’s voice went lethal. “Aggie, you saw father die? My God. And how do you know the other men are dead?”

The calm steel that had carried Aggie through the last year resurfaced.
“No…no. Not now. Just tell me what I need to do to help end this.”

He looked
at her hard, and Aggie matched his gaze, refusing to fold to the scrutiny. He would see no torture in her eyes. He didn’t need to know all that had happened to her. All she had done.

Plus, she was always very good at out-waiting him.

“Aggie, from what I have seen, you are safe here. But are you? I mean really well protected? No strangers? No visitors? I need to know your safety is intact. You already know you are a target for Von Traff, don’t you?”

“You have seen yourself. I am extremely safe
here—there has not been one sign of anything out of the ordinary since we arrived at Stonewell. No visitors. Nothing amiss.” Aggie hid her fidget. Those words would fall under her truth-omitting that Devin was so fond of, but she wasn’t going to add another worry onto Jason right now.

He
breathed an audible sigh of relief, patting her hand. “Good. Then I can leave for London and try to finish this entire mess. But first I need the panther. I have looked everywhere, but have not been able to find it. Do you know where it is?”

Puzzlement crossed
her face. “Do you mean the one you sent us right before you disappeared?”

“Yes. Do you know where it is
?”

“
I have it. Do I even want to know why you need it?”

“No, bu
t I will tell you as soon as it is safe.”

Aggie nodded. She honestly didn’t want to know she had been carrying around the reason for her torture.
“I have it in my rooms, let me run and get it and bring it back here.”

She started to slip down
her branch. Jason grabbed her arm.

“No
, Aggie—is the duke home?”

“Yes, he was
in his stu—”

“He cannot know
I am alive—I cannot chance he mentions me to the wrong person.”

“
I will tell him to tell no one, Jason, and he will not. He can be completely trusted.” She looked at him hard. “Completely.”

“Aggie, this is my life, and yours too that could be in danger.” He began climbing down the tree. “Do
not tell him yet. A fortnight and this will all be finished. Then you can tell him all. Bring the panther here to this tree the morning after next, an hour before sunrise.” He jumped to the ground.

“What? Jason. No. Wait—”

In a blink, he was gone into the forest. He had always done that. Left in the middle of conversations if he didn’t like where they were headed. It was effective as children, and apparently, just as effective as adults. Especially when she was sitting in a tree.

A
ggie climbed down the oak and trekked back to the stream, picking up the dropped knife and her stockings along the way. She chucked the apple into the stream and walked slowly to the house, deep in thought. Jason’s abrupt disappearance had effectively forced a promise from her.

A promise she had no intention of keeping.

Aggie entered the garden on the north wing of the house, trailing her hand along the waist-high hedge. Damn Jason for putting her in this position. She was not about to keep this secret from Devin. She trusted him with her life, and she was not about to sneak from their home in the middle of the night.

She would tell
Devin everything, and she would bring him to meet Jason, whether Jason liked it or not.

~~~

“Thompson!” Devin crossed the study and stuck his head into the hallway. “Thompson!”

His steward appeared by the front door.
“Yes, your grace?”

“Have my horse readied. I
am going to London for a few days with Killian and I would like to leave immediately.”

“Yes, your grace
. Will the duchess be joining you?”

“No
, Thompson, she will not be.”

“Is something amiss?”

Devin walked over to him, voice low. “We finally have a real lead on her problem. I will be going back to London with Killian to check out the validity of it. And to loosen some tongues that are staying stubbornly closed. But I would rather she believe I am going to London on business.”

Thompson nodded.
“As you wish.”

Devin
started walking to the stairs, then turned abruptly at the bottom of the steps.

“I also want the men on the grounds doubled. And Thompson, I want you to know where she is at all times. I do
not want her off the main grounds of Stonewell.”

“It will be done.”

“I know. Thank you.”

Devin
disappeared up to his room. Within minutes, he had changed for a hard ride back to London and was on his way outside to his horse. Killian was already waiting on his impatient mount. At that moment, Aggie turned the corner at the front of the house.

“T
here you are.” Devin smiled and strode toward her. “I was just about to start searching for you.”

Aggie’s eyes narrowed at him. “R
eally? Why?”

“I just got
an urgent message about one of my holdings—I need to go into London to head off disaster.” He grabbed her hand and started walking to his waiting horse.

“But—wait—I could come
with you?” She looked up at him, eyes almost frantic.

Best to leave quickly, or she was going to hound him with questions.
“No, I will only be gone a couple of nights, and I need to leave immediately.”

“But
, Devin, I needed—”

“
I want you here, Aggie. You will be safer here than on the roads with me—I have Thompson doubling the guards on the grounds. Trust that you will be well protected. I would not leave if that were not true.”

He leaned down and kissed her hard, lifting her slightly off the ground.
He pulled back, letting her go as he stepped up and swung his leg over his stallion.

“But
, Devin, you do not understand, I needed—”

“If you
are wondering about the investigation—this will give me a chance to break some heads over the stagnancy of it.” Devin looked down at her. “And I will check in on your mother and sister.”

Devin
watched her squint up at him, her hand hovering to block the sun behind his head.

“Thank you. But
, Devin, it is just that…”

“Yes?”

She looked over her shoulder, then back up to him. Her hand went on his calf, squeezing it. “Nothing. It can wait until you get back.”

Devin
smiled and leaned down to cup her cheek. His fingers fought to leave her smooth skin. “I will be home before you know it.”

He set his horse into a breaking pace
down the graveled stones of the estate.

A
ggie swung off the covers and rolled out of the big bed she and Devin shared—not that she had managed a wink of sleep over the past day-and-a-half.

She had been
berating herself since Devin disappeared down the drive for not making him stop and listen to her. But he had been in a rush, and it could wait. It had to wait. No harm would come of it. She had to believe that since there wasn’t another option.

Maybe Jason would
even have Von Traff arrested and put away before Devin got home from London.

Throwing a dark
blue walking dress over her head, she looked out at the night. The thick draperies framed a crystal clear sky, with a full, shining moon. She had been studying the patterns of the guards, and she would need to be extra sneaky to get into the woods unseen. The bright moon was a stickler—she had not counted on it being so light out.

Aggie picked up the pant
her, studying it as her hand trailed the sleek black lines, the strong molded legs, and the small onyx-set eyes. Had she had the answers to her problems this whole time? She put the figure in a pouch tied about her waist, and shrugged into a demi-length navy pelisse. Foot on the edge of the bed to tie her boots, she eyed the pistol lying next to her toes.

She had wanted the security of a pistol enough to rummage through Devin’s study yesterday in search of
the one she had given him back. But now, looking at it, she realized how very much she had hoped to never have to touch a pistol again. Not after all she had done in London. Not after she had finally let go.

With a sigh, she picked it up and strapped it to her thigh. Wants had nothing to do with needs. And creeping around in the middle of the night warranted some modicum of protection.

Moving quietly through the back of the house, Aggie was in the woods within moments, the guards not the least bit aware of her presence slipping past them. She moved through the woods slowly, avoiding the next ring of guards, and tried to recall the path she and Jason had taken the other day. At least the moon helped in that regard.

She found the tree she had sat in, but Jason was not to be seen. She looked up
. A slight move gave him away.

“You a
re not going to make me crawl up there again, are you?” Aggie whispered, not enthralled with the idea.

“You are late.”
Jason jumped out of the tree and landed lightly beside her.

“
I had to deal with double the guards around the house. Spooking about in the night may be your forte, but I am poor at it. I do not think I will be asked to spy for the crown anytime soon.”

Jason chuckled
, then spied the pouch about Aggie’s waist. His mood turned instantly dark. “The panther?”

Aggie untied the pouch and pulled it out. He exhaled a sigh of relief.

“This will all be over within days, Aggie. Then you can tell the duke everything, and I presume,” he looked around, “you can dismiss these guards and stop looking over your shoulder.”

Startled, Aggie lo
oked up at him, her mouth open.

“Do
not claim that you have not been. Aggie, I do not know exactly what you have been through since father died, but I know by looking in your eyes that it has not been good. God forgive me, I do not think I want to know what has happened to you, for the guilt at my not being here to protect you, and mom, and Lizzie…it would kill me.” Jason paused, and stared up at the dark sky.

He looked back down at Aggie. “Life, and how we knew
it when we were kids, is lost to us. But I grieve more for you. The innocence that once shone in your eyes…” He touched her cheek, wiping at the single tear that had escaped. “It is gone.”

Aggie nodded, tears clouding
her vision. Her brother was right.

“
I did that. I let that happen. I failed, and it tortures me. I can never ask for forgiveness for it. I just hope that ending this mess will, at least, let the pain be put to rest.”

Aggie
searched his face through her tears. She wasn’t sure if he was talking about her pain or his. Obvious anguish weighed on his entire body.

“I know you would not have chosen any of this
, Jason. You do not need my forgiveness, because you already have it.” Gently, she reached out and took his hand, turned it over, and placed the panther in it. She looked in his eyes. “Finish it.”

Jason nodded
and wrapped his arms tight about Aggie in a death grip. She hugged him just as hard back.

Out of nowhere, a clamp viciously latched
around her wrist and ripped her from her brother’s embrace.

S
lipping, it took a moment for Aggie to gain footing enough to look up.

Devin
.

His
eyes pierced into hers.

“Oh
God, no—Devin—” His grip on her wrist brutally tightened. “Devin, no—it’s not—” A scream of pain cut off her own words as the bones in her wrist twisted against the pressure, near snapping.

H
er body contorted, trying to escape the pain, but she froze when she saw Devin’s face. His eyes were cold ice, and Aggie saw death flash in them.

H
er heart came up to her throat, stopping all sound.

In the next instant, he whipped
her wrist down. Just as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared.

“
Devin—no.” She stumbled after him. She could just make out his horse’s form as he mounted and tore off into the woods.

Aggie started running
, screaming. “Stop—no—my brother—”

Jason grabbed Aggie around the waist before s
he had taken three steps, stopping her.

“Your husband?”

“Oh, hell—yes—he thinks—no, no, no—I froze. I couldn’t get it out.” She shoved at Jason’s arms around her waist. “Hell—he doesn’t understand, he thinks—Jason, let me go—Devin needs to know—let me go, dammit—oh, hell—”

“Aggie,” Jason yelled
against her ranting, “you will go back to the house, and I will find the duke. I will talk to him.”

At that moment,
another figure stepped out of the shadows. Jason shoved Aggie behind him, drawing a knife.

“Duchess
?” The figured moved.

“T
hompson?” Aggie went to her tiptoes to look past Jason’s wide shoulders. “It is all right, Jason—this is Thompson, our steward—Thompson, this is my brother.”

“Your
brother?” Thompson’s voice went weak, his reserved demeanor completely broken. “His grace, he thinks—”

“Yes, we know what he thinks, man
—take my sister back to the house. I will find him.” Jason grabbed Aggie’s arm and flung her at Thompson, who gently caught and steadied her.

Jason ran off in the direction
Devin disappeared just as the first rays of the day appeared.

Aggie looked up at Thompson, eyes wide with te
rror, pleading. “Thompson, they will kill each other. Devin will strike at Jason any way he can after what he saw. I have to go after them—they will kill each other—”

B
ack in control of himself, Thompson grabbed Aggie’s arms and gave her a slight shake. Aggie almost crumbled.

“Duchess
, they will not kill each other.” His voice was sharp, even though Aggie knew he didn’t believe the words he was saying. “We are going back to the house to wait.”

Aggie looke
d up at him, numb, and shook her head. He didn’t understand.

Thompson put his arm
around her and began to guide her limp body back toward the house.

A
few minutes passed before the numbness lifted and Aggie got control of her muscles. When she was sure her legs were back under her, she stopped, took a slight step away from Thompson, and looked up at him.

“Y
es, duchess?”

“I
am sorry, Thompson,” Aggie said quietly, then reached back and punched Thompson as hard as her slight frame allowed.

She turned and
ran back into the woods after Devin.

She didn’t look back.

Didn’t see Thompson reel onto his backside from her blow.

Didn’t see him get up, shocked
and rubbing his face.

Didn’
t see the club that bashed into the back of his head, knocking him out.

~~~

Devin left to avoid doing it, but if the bastard was determined to follow him to defend Aggie, he was going to get ripped limb from limb. The woods were too thick to gain much distance on the bastard, and Devin was getting sick of holding himself back. Every step his horse took away from Aggie only aggravated his anger.

He stopped his heaving horse in a small clearing, only to hear underbrush rustling behind him. Pulling on the reins, he turned, and the second the man appeared, he charged. A side kick, and
Devin’s Hessian dug into the man’s side, sending him to the forest floor.

Devin
jumped from the saddle, ready to tear his throat out. The man came swift to his feet, shifting into battle stance.

“I a
m her brother, you ass.”

But it was too late.
Devin’s fist landed solidly into Jason’s jaw before the words penetrated his brain. Just as quick, Jason shot one back at Devin’s cheekbone.

They landed
several feet apart, Devin bent over, hands on his knees, heaving in anger; Jason with a hand on a tree, heaving from having run for an hour.

Devin
’s hand moved stiffly to his now swelling cheek. His eyes crept to Jason.

“Aggie’s brother?”

Jason crossed his arms across his chest and nodded.

“Jason?”
Devin asked.

Jason nodded again.

“Not dead then, huh?”

Jason shook his head no.

“Why did she not tell me you were here—alive?” Devin’s suspicions began to take root again.

“I asked her not to
—I just finally got to her a day-and-a-half ago.”

“When on that day?”

Jason shrugged. “Middle of the day. I have been trying to get back for years. Her life, along with mine, and probably yours now too, is in danger. Aggie is the only one who knows I am back, and she knows only because I needed the panther.” Jason picked up the panther from where it had fallen from his coat when Devin kicked him over.

“The panther?”
Devin’s eyebrow cocked.

“Yes.” Jason walked to a nearby rock and slammed down the
wooden figure. It split, and from the scattered remains, he plucked out several tightly folded documents. He held them up to Devin. “This is what I needed from her. She never knew she had them. And since you now know about me, I may as well tell you the full of what is going on.”

“That is what they were after?”

Jason looked at Devin, assessing. “My sister is quite adept at seeing people for who they are. I hope that has not changed, as she is staunch in her trust of you, and I will have to take her word on it.”

“Yes,
you will just have to trust me.” Devin didn’t bother to curb his sarcasm. “Who is it? Who are you taking down with those?”

Jason he
dged, then sighed. “Baron Von Traff.”

“Von Traff?”
Devin blanched. He had talked to Von Traff the night of the Appleton party. It was only for a passing moment—hell, that was the night Aggie had thought she saw her attacker. And he had talked to the damn bastard.

“You know him?”

“Only in passing. And he would be dead right now, had I known.” He turned from Jason and whistled. His horse trotted to his side. “We need to find Aggie.”

“I had your man
—Thompson—take her back to the house.”

“Good. W
e need to let her know right away that her husband has not just killed her brother.”

Jas
on coughed at the insult, but said nothing. Devin gave him credit for that.

“You can tell me along the way
why those papers are so damn important,” Devin said. “And they sure-as-hell better be important for Aggie to almost get killed over them.”

“
Killed? Aggie?” Jason froze, shades of white running up his cheeks. He ran a few steps to catch up to Devin’s quick strides. “She did not mention anyone trying to kill her.”

Devin
raised an eyebrow at Jason, not breaking his pace. “No, I do not suppose she would have. I have a few things to share with you, brother-in-law. Whether you knew it or not, you put your sister through hell. And you are lucky I am not tearing you apart for it right now.”

~~~

The two men stepped into the open area of the great lawn behind Stonewell, and Devin could see that Jason was close to being physically sick after hearing about Aggie’s escapades. Posing as a hack driver, her voyages into the scum of London, her cache of pistols, getting shot—and he had even left out the worst details.