The Raider (Montgomery/Taggert 9)

“I wanted time alone with you. I knew you’d come tonight. I felt it. Come back to me. We have all night to make love.”

“I thought you were an honorable woman, Jessica Taggert, but I can see you aren’t.”

“And who are you to talk of honor? You who encouraged me to marry another man. You who slipped into my room on my wedding night with my poor, broken husband only feet away.”

“It’s different for a man.”

“Like hell it is,” she snapped, further shocking him. “Go on, get out of here. I’d rather have my stinking, balding, poor-kissing husband than you any day. At least he has brains.” She left the cove.

By the time she got back to the Montgomery house, Jessica was feeling a little guilty. After all, Alex was suffering because he loved her. He was afraid to reveal himself as the Raider for fear she’d hate him.

But then she remembered some of the many underhanded things he’d done to her as either the Raider or as Alex and her resolve hardened.

Eleanor waylaid her the next morning.

“Jessica, whatever you’re doing to Alexander has to stop. He looks worse each day. And why does he keep breathing into his hand and sniffing? And this morning he asked me what wearing a wig does to a person’s hair.”

Jess smiled. “I’m not doing anything he doesn’t deserve. When I think of what he’s put me through…”

“Yes, what you’ve put each other through. I think you should tell him you know.”

“Not yet.”

“Jessica, if you don’t tell him soon, there won’t be much of him left. He’s refusing to eat anything you’ve touched.”

Jessica laughed.

“Did you tell the Raider you were poisoning Alex?”

“Close enough.”

She was still smiling when John Pitman halted her. She generally did her best to avoid him and she was grateful the Montgomery house was large enough to do so.

“I want to buy that cove you own.”

“What?” Jess asked, not sure she had heard correctly. The cove where the dilapidated Taggert house stood was worth next to nothing.

Pitman spoke again and this time he offered her a healthy sum of gold.

If you’ve ever had any brains, now’s the time to use them, Jess thought. “Sold,” she said, smiling. “It’s yours.” And I’ll do what I can to find out why you want it, she told herself.

Chapter Twenty-two

JESSICA surreptitiously watched Pitman for two days and nights before she was able to follow him. She’d been very careful not to say anything to Alex about what she was planning so he wouldn’t feel it was his duty to “save” her.

She climbed out the window and began to follow the man. She kept well behind him because she knew where he was going.

At the old Taggert house, he stopped, looked around him, then pulled a light net from under his coat and cast it into the waters at the edge of the cove.

Fishing at night? Jess thought. Whatever for?

The next minute a heavy weight landed on top of her and a hand engulfed her mouth.

“Keep quiet,” came Alex’s voice in her ear.

She struggled a bit, then gasped when he released her. “You nearly smothered me! What are you doing here?”

He moved to lay beside her. He was wearing his smallest wig and a plain brown coat. “I heard you thrashing about and went to investigate.”