Page 6 of A Remarkable Rogue

He blinked at her as if she’d gone mad. “I amnotgoing to kill you.”

“But that’s why you…” When her voice trailed off, he crooked a confused brow at her—not at all the look of an assassin. Her heart thudded so hard with relief that she winced. “You’re not?”

“Not unless you truly do have a pistol up your skirt,” he muttered.

With a hard look in silent warning to behave, he released his hold on her and sat back on the edge of the opposite bench. Far enough away that she could sit up and rub at her wrist where he’d squeezed the knife from her hand, yet close enough that he could pounce in a heartbeat’s notice if she tried to flee.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“I told you at the club. I’m Captain Nate Reed.”

“Of the king’s Horse Guards, hero of the battle of Toulouse, and personally awarded a medal by Wellington himself after Waterloo.” She shook her head, her eyes never leaving his. “I read the papers and know who you are. I recognized your name as soon as you introduced yourself.” She lowered her voice as each word came forced from the fear pulsing behind it. “But whoareyou that you’re chasing after me like this? No mere horse guard would do that.”

When he clenched his jaw, she knew full well that he understood what she was asking—was he friend or foe? And despite his protests, was he capable of hurting her the way the blackmailers had hurt Henry Everett?

“I’m the man sent to arrest you for treason,” he said quietly.

Surely, she couldn’t have heard— “Treason?”

“Henry Everett was involved in plots to assassinate the prince regent and prime minister.” His eyes narrowed darkly on her. “And you were involved with Henry Everett.”

She stared at him, frozen, her breath held in her throat. Her swirling mind couldn’t fathom it all. First the blackmailers’ threats, then Mr. Everett’s death, now this. She almost laughed. “You cannot believe—”

“The Home Office has evidence linking you to Everett along with his sworn statement that you threatened to put him into debtor’s prison if he didn’t repay you. You left him with no choice but to work for Scepter.”

“I don’t know who that is.” She didn’t bother denying the threats she’d made toward Henry. She’d had no choice. But she had no idea who had forced her to do so or what they’d wanted from the young mathematician. That had been none of her concern, and she gladly left it be.

“Don’t lie to me, Baroness.”

“I’m not lying. And I told you, donotcall me that.” She lifted her chin defiantly. “I don’t know who Scepter is, and I don’t care.”

He studied her closely in the shadows. “Scepter is a group of revolutionaries determined to overthrow the British government. They’ve murdered, blackmailed, and assassinated their way into positions of power. They murdered the Duke of Hampton’s sister, breaking her neck during a ride in the park because she’d gotten too close to discovering them. A few months ago, they assassinated half a dozen men so they could place their own men into positions of power. And just days ago, they murdered Henry Everett, nearly killing two dozen innocent girls in the process.”

Oh God, she was going to be sick!

“They have agents at all levels of society, in all government offices, and in the military.” He paused pointedly. “Including the peerage.”

“You think that I would—” Her astonishment turned to anger. “Never.”Never knowingly…

“You’re the link between Everett and Scepter.” He leaned forward until his face was level with hers in the shadows. “So you can cooperate and tell me what you know, and I’ll leave you right here. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll turn you over to the Home Office.” He slowly shook his head. “You should know that when those agents question you, it won’t be in the comfort of your carriage, and they won’t let you go once they have their answers.”

She felt the blood drain from her face. “Prison?”

“More likely the gallows.” He reached to trace his fingers down her throat. Could he feel her pounding heartbeat beneath his warm fingertips? “I would hate for anything to happen to this pretty little neck of yours.”

“I’m innocent.” She swallowed, hard, and she was certain he feltthatbecause his lips pulled into a grim smile.

“Are you?” He dropped his hand away, and the heat of his touch dissipated so rapidly that she shivered. “Tell me the truth, and I’ll make certain you’re protected. But lie to me, and I’ll throw you to the wolves. The choice is yours.”

She choked out a laugh.So naïve!She’d never had choices. “You cannot protect me.” If she told him anything, then she really would be dead, and Robert right along with her. The blackmailers would ensure it.

“I told you earlier that I like to win, and I’ll win at that.”

Oh, he was wrong! Surely, if the men who’d blackmailed her into threatening Henry Everett could find out about Robert when she’d kept him so carefully hidden, then they could be spying on her even now. They would know she’d been speaking to Captain Reed earlier at the club, would have seen him jump into her carriage, would know that she was now riding through the nighttime streets with him, perhaps confiding in him…

Sydney drew a tremulous breath and tried to settle her roiling stomach. If she didn’t cooperate with him, she would hang at the gallows for treason. But if she answered his questions, the blackmailers would kill her.Thatwas her only choice.

The heartbeat now pounding frantically through her veins was a lie. She was already as good as dead.