Читать книгу The Electrifying Exploits of the English Three - Elysabeth Williams - Страница 9

Chapter 5

Propped up on his bed by simple pillows on a solid navy blue quilt, Kane Maddox thumbed through the most recent note from the colonel. In one hand he held the note, while in the other he held a tintype of a beautiful, dark-haired woman. She smiled as if she hid a very amusing secret. Her face, though pale in the picture, seemed flawless. Her eyes were sultry and mesmerizing.

Kane pulled his eyes away from hers and read the message again. She would be the next task. The colonel had summoned him to help the woman and her two friends with another plan. Yet he was supposed to remain as inconspicuous as possible. Though it was a vague request, Kane knew there must be another reason the colonel wanted his nephew to remain near her. His eyes flicked toward the tintype again. He found himself unusually drawn to her. It unnerved him. He was never this interested. Usually solitary, Kane found it difficult to maintain relationships with anyone. He hoped the attraction would soon pass. There was nothing worse to him than finding himself emotionally invested in a job.

Taking a deep breath, he put the picture back into the envelope and tucked it under his pillow. He planned to take the next few days to get closer to her. The information his uncle had given him regarding the coup had led him down an interesting path. He’d found himself lurking in the seediest bars, following her husband. At their last meeting, he’d managed to get only tidbits from the drunk before Rothschild was too intoxicated to form a complete sentence. It was too apparent how he spent his time and his family’s money. Kane only hoped there weren’t children involved. It would pain him to know children would suffer this monster as a father.

He thought about Rothschild’s wife and her mesmerizing eyes. How had he managed to marry such a strong woman? Or rather, how had she found herself roped into such an apparently loveless marriage? He’d had to suppress his laughter when Edmund spoke of her. He wove large tales about how she threatened to kill him. Of course, it wasn’t at all funny that she felt the need to murder her husband, but it amused him that she was so diligent–and strong. He smiled at the secretive grin in her picture. Perhaps the murder attempts were her secret.

His own smile faded as he thought of how the drunk must treat her. It made life seem unfair. Kane hoped the man wasn’t as nasty to his wife as he was to the hired help. Kane had broken up two fistfights just in the last few days thanks to Rothschild’s drunken rampages. He apparently didn’t care who he fought as long as they “knew their place.” It bothered Kane. It was difficult to watch lives torn apart when he’d known abuse as a child. Still, he would bide his time and make sure the dark-haired beauty was safe.

He turned over on his side and stared out through the window, out into the night. The night’s nothingness stared back at him and into his mind. He closed his eyes and breathed deep, trying to dispel the woman’s magic smile. Unconsciously, his fingers drifted under the pillow and rested on the envelope holding her picture.

It was only then he could rest.

* * * *

The doorbell rang loud enough to wake Kane from a deep sleep. He glanced to the clock to see it was barely three in the morning. He pulled on his pants and, not bothering with a shirt, descended the stairs two at a time. In the faint glow of moon filling his foyer, he saw the beige envelope peeking out from under the door and knew immediately there wouldn’t be a visitor. This was business. He picked the envelope up and returned upstairs. Lying on the bed, he slid his finger under the wax seal, cracked it open, and unfolded the heavy parchment.

Kane,

A family who has lost their daughter to a couple in Barbados has approached me, seeking help. You will find information on her whereabouts enclosed in this message. Please review and reply.

Sincerely,

Colonel Cuthbert

British Royal Army, India Division

Kane unfolded the parchment one more time to find the information. As he read, his brows furrowing in concern, he tossed the papers to the side and rose from the bed to prepare for a long trip. He could not let the girl wait any longer than she already had. While he buttoned his starched white shirt, he thought of the woman’s picture under his pillow. An unfamiliar pang coursed through his chest as he thought of leaving. What a strange feeling it was, caring for someone he’d never met beyond a photograph and skewed glimpses of her life through her alcoholic husband.

He grabbed his duffel bag and packed quickly. Looking at the clock again, he gauged how long it would take to get out of town and how long it would take to return. Kane shook his head, amazed at his own frivolity. He had to clear this lady from his mind. He finished packing, threw the duffel over his shoulder, and bounded down the stairs and out the door.