Page 36 of Isabel and the Rogue

This was his chance to explain away his offer. To put a stop to any involvement of his.

Instead, Sirius licked his lips and said, “As long as you heed my warnings, with no arguments and no complaints, yes.”

Damn it.

Isabel took a step toward him, her hands clenched in her skirts. She practically vibrated like a tuning fork. “But why would you offer your help?”

“Because someone needs to keep you safe,” Sirius said, inclining his head, “from yourself as much as from others.”

“It’s been almost two years since I began my search, and I have been perfectly fine.” Her lips twisted in a wry sort of half smile. “Well, aside from the unfortunate incident with Lord Tyrell.”

“A very unfortunate incident, indeed.” Sirius looked down at his booted feet. “It could have been disastrous, and I don’t want you to be in that situation again. You can only claim you’re lost so many times before word begins to circulate.”

Isabel was silent, and eventually Sirius glanced up to find her staring off through the trees. “I understand I’m taking risks. I’ve considered all the ways I could be ruined or maimed more times than I can count. This is not something I take lightly, Captain. This is not a grand lark I’m engaging in because I’m bored or looking for entertainment.”

Sirius believed her. Of course he did. Everything he knew about Isabel Luna told him that she was passionate about everything in her life: her books, her relationships with her sisters, her fierce pride in her homeland.

What would it be like to have that passion turned toward h—

“I know you’re not,” he responded, more gruffly than he had intended. But Isabel did not flinch; rather, she arched a black brow with all the censure of a queen.

“But an endeavor such as this requires skill at subterfuge. Espionage.” Sirius prowled a few steps away, frustration making his hands curl. “This task you’ve been given could have serious consequences, and yet you were provided with no training. All the books in the world could not prepare you for this.”

This Mr. Ramírez and Father Ignacio took one look at Isabel, with her eager dark eyes, and knew she would do anything to be of use. Anything to help Mexico. Anything to be seen. And they could have gotten her killed for it. Rage locked his jaw.

Firm pressure squeezed around his arm, and Sirius jolted, dropping his gaze to where Isabel’s hand held him.

“Nothing and no one has hurt me yet, Captain.” Her inky lashes fluttered as she glanced between his face and where her hand held him tight. She did not let him go. “And with your help, I’m certain no one will.”

Damn right. Sirius didn’t utter the words, but an amused look touched her face, and he suspected Isabel heard the thought.

Shoving aside his misgivings, Sirius stepped back, silently mourning the loss of her touch. Coughing into a closed fist, he glanced down the riding path. “Tell me, what have you learned about Lord Westhope?”

Sirius heard the gravel crunch as he imagined she swayed back and forth.

“As I’ve said, my greatest interest in him derives from the fact that his cousin works for the governor of Martinique.”

Sirius nodded. “They are inordinately close, from my understanding, and exchange correspondence frequently.”

“How do you know that?” Isabel asked, a frown pulling on her lips.

Christ. What did he want to tell her? What was he allowed to tell her? Sirius needed to tread carefully until he could speak with Lieutenant Colonel Green. “I believe Westhope has mentioned it a time or two.” He added a shrug for good measure.

A loose curl brushed against her cheek as she tilted her head. “And have your contacts told you anything?”

“Contacts?” Sirius said questioningly.

“At the Home Office. After we learned my parents might be captured by the French, you mentioned your contacts there.” Isabel’s gaze shifted just slightly to the side. “You sent that note, through Gideon, that you had not learned anything alarming from Mexico, so that boded well for their safety.”

It was Sirius’s turn to look away. Although he had been unable to talk with Green about the situation, Sirius had other friends with the Home Office who had been able to assuage his fears for Mr. and Mrs. Luna. It had brought him a measure of relief to share such news with Fox, for he knew his friend would tell Isabel.

That she remembered his connection to the Home Office impressed him…and also made him uncomfortable. Which would not do.

That realization was like a hook pulling his spine straight. “My connections have also told me that it doesn’t appear as if Westhope is planning anything nefarious with his cousin.”

“Has the Home Office”—Isabel frowned—“been watching him?”

Sirius clicked his tongue as he scrambled to think of a response. “They will always keep tabs on anyone with a French connection…especially when France is busying itself with occupying sovereign countries.”