Page 47 of After the Spy Seduces

“—but you need to trust that I can help you with your sister.” He slowly approached her, then knelt down beside the settee, his troubled eyes fixed on hers. “I am very well trained when it comes to situations like this.” He rested his hand reassuringly on her knee, and his voice roughened as he promised, “I will bring her back to you.”

Holding her breath as his face blurred beneath her gathering tears, she nodded, unable to choke out any words.

“I’ll deliver the diary,” the general interrupted quietly. But his shoulders sagged, and at that moment, he looked older than she’d ever seen him. “I’ll take my saddle horse and leave at dawn for the coast.”

“You can’t,” Christopher countered grimly, setting the note onto the tea table in front of her. “They want Diana to deliver it.”

Her heart stuttered, so forcefully that she winced. Steeling herself, she took the note in her trembling hand and quickly read it. With every word, the fear and dread bubbling inside her only boiled harder.

“Of course.” She set down the note. But even as she whispered her agreement, she felt the blood drain from her face. “Whatever they want.”

“No.” Her father strode toward her. “Absolutelynot.”

“They want me to deliver it, so I will deliver it. And Meri will be safely back here with you by the time I return.” She set down her tea before her shaking hand could spill it. Dear God, what she wanted was whisky! A bottle of the stuff, until she was numb to her soul.

“You are not leaving this farm,” the general ordered. “I will not let you put yourself into danger.”

Exasperation poured through her. “General, we don’t have a choice! They have Meredith.” Her voice quavered, although she couldn’t have said whether from fear or rage. “And I will doanythingthey ask of me to bring her back unharmed. I will not put her life at risk by not doing what they want.”

Unable to win the argument against her, her father turned toward Christopher. “But why ask for Diana? Why not me or one of the servants?”

“Not one of the servants because that would give away who’s been working with the French.” Pulling himself to his full height, Christopher took the note and read it again, frowning deeply as he scoured the message, as if hoping to find overlooked answers. “Not you because you’re a former soldier who knows how to fight and defend himself.” He grimly looked down at her. “But Diana is a small, young woman whom they can easily intimidate and overpower physically and who is willing to do anything to save her sister.”

“They don’t know me very well,” she reminded him, a tight smile curling at her lips. “I’m much fiercer than they give me credit for.” Ignoring the admiration shining in Christopher’s eyes at her declaration, she turned toward her father. “General, would you please fetch the diary? I’m leaving in the morning for Bradwell.”

For a long moment, her father stood still, unmoving. Then he finally acquiesced. “All right.” His expression softened on her with love. And sympathy. “But you need to tell Carlisle the truth. It’s time.”

The electric jolt that shot through her came so fiercely that she flinched.

“I can’t,” she whispered pleadingly, climbing to her feet because it was impossible to sit still. She blinked hard to clear her eyes of the stinging tears that instantly heated them. “You know that.”

“He’s putting himself in danger to help us. He deserves to know.” He came forward and took her shoulders in his hands, then placed a reassuring kiss to her forehead to temper his order. “Tell him, sergeant.”

But the old, endearing nickname only constricted her chest until she couldn’t breathe.

“You can trust him with your life.” He took her chin and tilted up her face, until she couldn’t ignore what he was asking of her. But, oh God, how much panic swirled inside her at the idea! Her hand pressed against her belly as her stomach pitched sickeningly. “And with Meri’s.”

Then he left the room and closed the door, sealing her inside with Christopher.

Silence stretched between them, and she kept her gaze firmly pinned to the carpet in front of her. But she could feel the heat of his gaze, patiently waiting for the explanation she’dneverwanted to give him.

“You don’t have to do this, Diana. We’ll find another way.” His deep voice twined through her as he came up slowly behind her and took her upper arms in his hands. “I know how hard this is for you. I’d do anything to protect my own brother. But you don’t need to risk your life like this for your sister.”

“Yes, I do,” she breathed out. “Because she isn’t my sister.” A tear finally broke free and slid down her cheek. “Meri’s my child.”

Chapter 14

Kit froze. He couldn’t have possibly heard correctly. Her…child?

But when she drew in a shaking breath and turned to face him, the raw anguish in her blue eyes told him the truth.

Good God. He’d had no idea…

“That’s what the general meant.” She lowered her gaze to his chest and fixed it there, as if afraid to look him directly in the eyes for fear of what accusations she might see. “What he wanted me to tell you.” Her voice emerged so softly from her trembling lips that he had to lean in closer to hear her. “Meri is my daughter.”

Before he could fully fathom the enormity of that, she stepped away from him. He knew to let her go, even when she began to pace, the overwhelming emotion visible as it bubbled up inside her.

“I was nineteen.” She wrung her hands with every step, still refusing to look at him. “We were living in India at the time, just outside Calcutta. The general had been posted there to work as a liaison with the East India Company’s private army, although he seemed to be there mostly just to remind the Company that the Crown actually rules the empire and that the Company only exists at the pleasure of the king and Parliament.”