“Don’t be alarmed, Josette, it’s just a scratch,” answered Anna. “There has been some trouble, but Lord Davenport has everything in hand. However, you could do us both a great favor if you would go find Lord Dunbar and ask him to come join us here. Please do it discreetly—oh, and mention that he ought to bring three of his largest footmen.”
“Yes, of course,” replied Josette. “But…but first let me help you up.”
“Oh, you need not…”
Devlin wasn’t unhappy to see the maid was already at Anna’s side, smoothing a gentle hand through her tangled curls. “Merci,” he muttered, quelling his murderous impulse for the moment. Still, he couldn’t resist shifting his grip on the hilt, just enough to draw a squeak from the vicomte. “Miss Sloane is very fortunate to have such a loyal servant.”
Like a spark from flint striking steel, Josette’s smile flashed bright and then disappeared. “Actually, sir, I serve no one but myself.”
Perhaps the earlier blow had indeed scrambled his wits, for he seemed to be hallucinating. A pistol had materialized from the maid’s somber-hued skirts and its barrel was now pressed to Anna’s temple.
“Put down the sword, Lord Davenport.” The voice was all too real. “Enough of these cat-and-mouse games. Get up, Pierre. We must be off.”
“Shoot her, Josie,” moaned Verdemont. “Shoot them both.”
“Impetuous, as always, mon oncle. That is why you must leave the decisions to me.” She heaved a sigh. “Please do as I say, Lord Davenport. I’m willing to be reasonable, but only if you don’t make me waste time in arguing.”
Devlin lifted the claymore and let it fall to the floor.
“Mon oncle?” Anna’s voice betrayed no fear, only curiosity. “The vicomte is your uncle?”
“Oui,” replied Josette.
“I see.” She fixed her maid with an appraising stare. “At the time, I thought the fact that you chose to come work for our family, rather than a rich and influential one, was too good to be true. And now, I guess that I was right.”
“You have a very sharp mind, Anna Sloane. Please believe me that I truly admire that,” replied Josette. “Yes, it was no coincidence that I chose to come work for you. I needed an excuse to come to Dunbar Castle, and once we uncovered the fact that the countess was an old friend of your mother, a plan came to mind.”
“Clever,” conceded Anna. “And if I hadn’t been looking to hire a maid?”
“Oh, I would have come up with some way to enter your household. I can be very creative.” Her tone was light, but Devlin noted that the pistol’s barrel didn’t budge from Anna’s head. “But alas, we have no time for a comfortable coze. Come, Pierre, on your feet. It’s time to take our leave.”
“But the prince,” protested Verdemont as he gingerly got to his knees.
“I fear we must forget the prince. Miss Sloane and Lord Davenport have proved an unexpected obstacle to our attack, and we have lost this skirmish. A wise general knows when to withdraw in order to fight again another day.” She retreated a step, pulling Anna with her. “We shall have other opportunities to hurt the British, mon oncle, but only if we go now.”
“Wait,” called Devlin. “You’ve no need to take Anna with you. I give you my word that we won’t raise the alarm until you are well away.”
“Your word as a gentleman?” Josette smiled. “You English have noble notions, but I prefer to trust in more practical guarantees. Like having a hostage.”
“You forget that we have Lady de Blois,” countered Devlin. “Forget nobility—I’m offering an exchange of prisoners.”
Verdemont spat out a laugh. “Bah, keep her. As you pointed out, she’s a viper. And of late, her fangs were growing a little too sharp.”
“As you see, we have no need of bargaining, my lord.” Josette started backing up toward the doorway. “And please, do not attempt to be a hero. Much as I like Miss Sloane, I will not h
esitate to harm her if we are cornered.”
The maid’s cool calmness was far more chilling than wild-eyed anger. Devlin felt as if a vise was tightening around his chest.
“Don’t try to be Emmalina,” he said to Anna. A weak parting, but his brain wasn’t functioning very well. “I’ll…I’ll make sure you come to no harm.”
Anna’s lips twitched in a rueful quirk. “Alessandro usually does figure out a way to save the day. I—”
A tug cut off her words. “Enough, mademoiselle. Bid your love good-bye. If both of you refrain from doing anything stupid, there’s a good chance it won’t be your last.”
Love.
“Anna, I…I…” Devlin tried to swallow the lump in his throat.