Page 21 of A Game of Hazard

She flushed. “We had been due to move the barrels out that night, but one of the donkeys went lame, and the moon was so bright, I thought we’d make too easy a target. So, I had the men temporarily stash the barrels of rum, brandy, and the tea boxes in a cache next to the dung-heap. The dung-heap that your men dug through. If I hadn’t feared discovery so much, it would’ve been funny, your men moving all that noxious dung and depositing it directly over our hiding place. I suppose we put you to great trouble.”

He rolled his eyes, then chuckled. “That’s the way of it—each side must outwit the other. Sometimes I think we all enjoy the game of cat and mouse—until lives are on the line. Now, if you own the Boar, is there any reason why we could not, once we are married, run it purely as a legitimate business? We would then have an income for our family, and I could devote the reward money to my sisters’ dowries. I have three of them, you know—I look forward to introducing you. Best not to say anything about your recent business dealings—they are even more straightlaced than I.”

Not that he felt in the least bit proper now. Honesty could go hang when there was no advantage in doing the right thing. How quickly this young woman had wrought a change in him!

“I’d still be giving up smuggling, though, wouldn’t I?”

“Essentially. But if any of your old confederates needed a place to hide—a bolt-hole, if you like, I’m sure I could turn a blind eye. I know you care about these men and their families, and I respect that. We could even buy ourselves an inn if the landlord of the Boar is unwilling to move.”

“I don’t know who I could sell the business to. One doesn’t just post a bill saying ‘smuggling empire for sale’, does one?”

“Maybe the men can run it amongst themselves. Then there would be no ringleader, and everyone would be responsible for everyone else. It would be harder for anyone to be involved in double-dealing as your George Prowse has been.”

He watched with pleasure as a smile stole over her face. “It could work. It really could. But you’d be giving up your life as a soldier.”

“I think I could adjust to inn-keeping perfectly well. I’ll resign my commission, but not before I have collected the price on the ringleader’s—that is, George Prowse’s—head. I’ve promised a portion to each of my men—they have, after all, had to shift a dung-heap while under my command. I owe them something.”

She shared his amusement, and he loved how her eyes lit up. It was all he could do not to take her in his arms at that moment and seal their bargain with a kiss. There was much he still needed to know about Miss Alexandra Isaacs, but he was very much looking forward to finding out. He wanted to witness her every mood, experience every nuance of her expression, see the changing colors in her eyes and the different tints of her hair, depending upon the light. Most of all, he wanted to see it loosened and spread across the pillow next to his. How incredible it would be to fill his life with joy rather than duty!

Her soft fingers clutched his hand. “Oh, Giles—do you really think we can do it? We’d both be giving up what we were used to, what we felt was our responsibility.”

He gave in to temptation and took her in his arms. “Making us perfect for each other. For love—for true love—I would be prepared to make any sacrifice.”

Giles had never expected to hear himself utter those words to anyone. His opinion of Lady Pandora Osbourne soared. If she really had foreseen that he would fall in love with Alexandra, she must have supernatural powers.

The tension in his chest told him how much it mattered that Alexandra should return his feelings. Taking her face between his hands, he sketched her cheekbones with his thumbs, then leaned in and stole a kiss.

To his delight, she pressed her lips against his, then opened for him, allowing him to invade the exquisite intimacy of her mouth.

All sense of time, all sense of place was lost. Breathing no longer seemed important, just kissing and exploring, and stoking or sating desire. She had to push against his chest to break the sensual spell and win herself respite. It bolstered his male pride to see how breathless she was, how moist and full her lips were. He could drown in the cerulean depths of her eyes.

She linked her hands behind his neck. “Shall we see where Fortune takes us, Captain? I, too, am prepared to risk sacrificing much in the name of love.”

In the name of love? His heart swelled until he thought it would burst.

“Come, my darling.” He folded her against his chest and tucked her head beneath his chin. “Just hold me, and love me, and I’ll face down an army for you.”

And he blessed Fate—and the unerring skill of Lady Pandora Osbourne—for opening his eyes and his heart to the red-headed goddess in his arms.

EPILOGUE

“May I have this dance?”

Alex gazed up at the tall figure dressed in regimentals now bowing in front of her. Her smile was serene as she rose to her feet and took his hand.

“You hardly need ask, Captain. But beware of inviting me more than a couple of times, or there’ll be gossip.”

His smile sent heat coursing through her.

“If the tabbies only knew what we got up to when we escape your mama, there’d be every reason for gossip. But to the outside world, we’re a well-behaved, betrothed couple, and the gossipmongers have nothing.”

As Giles whirled Alex around the floor at the last big ball of the Bath season, she felt as noble and elegant as a queen. With her height almost matching his and her body attuned to his movements, no one could have accused her of lacking in elegance. Indeed, she was aware of more than one head turned in her direction.

One person, in particular, was eyeing them through her quizzing glass.

“Lady Osbourne looks exceptionally pleased with herself.”

Giles’s hazel eyes gazed into hers.