mustiness of drying leaves. Birds clattered in the boughs while squirrels rummaged in the grass for any leftover seeds. As the quietness of the place settled over him, he took a deep breath to calm his pulse. Safe enough for now, but they weren’t out of the woods yet. Too many hours to count until that plane came.
He knelt by Kat at Ellie’s side and took the girl’s pulse. Slow and unsteady. She needed a doctor. “I’ll signal our contact again. He’s bound to have supplies or know someone we can trust to tend her. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Make sure you—”
“I know what to do. Go.”
The brittleness in her voice did little to ease his mind. He touched the red finger marks circling her neck, inciting fresh rage in his veins. “Kat. What happened back there—”
She jerked away from him, eyes never leaving her sister. “What happened back there is done. I’ve no wish to speak of it. Stop coddling me while my sister dies in front of me.”
She was in shock. He prayed they’d be long out of France before the emotions caught up with her head. Pressing a kiss to her head, he stood. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, poppy.”
She didn’t acknowledge his leaving.
* * *
The Lysander glided through the darkness. Not a pinprick of light to guide its descent, and only the subtle hum of an engine to mark its nearness. Kat’s ragged breathing filled her ears with anticipation of their freedom. But inside her heart was breaking. Another illusion of happiness struck down by her father’s interfering hand. The love she had to offer dashed upon the rocks by a man who found it unworthy of his attention. At least attention beyond money. Just like Marcus.
She bit the inside of her lip to keep back the tears. It mattered not. In a few hours they would be back in England and she’d never have to lay eyes on Barrett Anderson ever again.
Touching her fingers to Ellie’s pulse, she found it weak but steady. Their contact, Madon, had brought a field kit and set to work immediately, cleaning and bandaging the nasty wound. As long as they didn’t have to bail out of the airplane she would make it.
“A little while longer, Ellie, and I’ll have you stuffed into clean sheets with a feathery pillow to match.”
Ellie lightly squeezed her fingers in response.
Barrett squatted next to her and checked the pulse at Ellie’s throat, nodding approval. “Madon says it should take about three hours before we touch down again. Compared to the last few months, it’ll go by in a snap.” Barrett touched Kat’s elbow. “Your sister is going to be fine.”
Usually so calming, his voice scraped down her nerves like fiery darts. She jerked away from his warmth seeping through her jacket. “Yes, she will.”
“I didn’t think any of us would make it out of that barn alive.” He stroked her cheek, scorching her skin. “I thought I was going to lose you today.”
Turning her cheek away, she dug her nails into her palms and struggled past the well of tears in her throat. “Yes, I can see what a terrible loss of an investment that would be for you.”
He stiffened. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. Eric lived long enough to spill your secret deal with my father. Paying you to pretend interest in me.” A laugh, dry like a winter’s wind, scratched up her throat. “I’m such a fool. How did I not see it before? A man of your clandestine occupation should have given us a wide berth, but you edged closer and closer. He must’ve paid you handsomely. He always does my suitors.”
“I never pretended interest in you.”
“Don’t tell me you fell head over heels of your own volition.”
“And what if I did?”
“Then I’d say you were lying.”
He moved close enough for her to see the warning flashing in his eyes. “I told you from the start that I am many things, but a liar isn’t one of them.”
She leaned forward to give him full view of her own threats brewing. “Then what do you call this mission you’ve been on since the unfortunate day we met?”
“Precisely that. A mission to keep you and your sister safe at all costs because you couldn’t be trusted to keep out of trouble on your own. I was going to tell you everything, but Eric got there before I could.”