CHAPTER 28

C HAPTER 28

I gnoring the pistol Cade still had trained on him, Bastien obeyed Tamsyn and settled on the chair-height rock she had indicated. She was profoundly grateful to be able to correct the errors she’d made earlier when she had been mostly concerned with getting Cade out of the fortress. Touching another person’s mind was a grave responsibility and she had betrayed her gift by forcing a change on him, and worse, not doing it well.

He asked uncertainly, “What will you do?”

“I’m not going to turn you into a different person,” she explained in a reassuring voice. “You will still be yourself, but with pain and broken edges soothed and healed. It will be disorienting but not physically painful. Is that acceptable to you?”

“I won’t recognize who I am without pain,” he said starkly. “But yes. Do it!”

She placed her palm on his forehead and began a preliminary assessment. When she’d worked on him at the fortress, his mind had been like a thicket of thorns, filled with anger toward the world. She hadn’t had time to discover why then, but now she sorted through his feelings and found fury at his official father, who tolerated Claude because he needed an heir, but who had despised his bastard son for his lowborn smuggler father.

With his mother dead in childbirth, Claude had been raised mostly by men. His tutors had often been brutal. Though he’d received a decent education, he’d had very little kindness or understanding.

His anger had served him well when he started to work for the French government because he was excellent at seeking out and destroying traitorous Frenchmen and dangerous English spies. His work was legitimate, but as his aunt had said, he took far too much pleasure in inflicting pain, as he’d done on Cade. Remembering Cade’s agony caused Tamsyn to freeze for a moment, but she reminded herself that she was here to heal, not to execute vengeance.

Her hasty earlier work had reduced much of his anger but had left his mind and emotions unbalanced. No wonder he was confused.

Cade’s hand came to rest on her right shoulder, and a moment later Madame LeBlanc took gentle hold of her other shoulder. The rush of energy she received from them clarified what she needed to do, and she began to smooth away the confused edges of his emotions. Bastien needed balance. Peace. More awareness of the needs of others.

Her healing moved with amazing swiftness and she recognized that it was because of the added energy from Cade and Madame LeBlanc. At some point she felt Andre join them and she realized that he’d gone to collect their horses so they could ride on as soon as she was finished. She spared a moment of gratitude at how well all their gifts blended. Then she returned to her work.

When she’d done as much as she could, she asked quietly, “How do you feel, Monsieur Bastien?”

His eyes had been closed but they opened now, and his gaze was focused in a way it hadn’t been before. After a long, fraught moment, he said unevenly, “My mind feels very different, but yet . . . I am myself.”

She removed her palm from his forehead and stepped away. “It will take time for your mind to settle down, but you should soon be comfortable within yourself. Your men will wake soon, none the worse for their rest.”

He stood up and shook his head, then stretched his long limbs. The resemblance to Cade was stronger now. “Thank you, Lady Tamsyn. Tante Agnes, I think you will find me less interested in hurting people. I hope we will see more of each other?”

“I hope so also. Please call on me tomorrow if you can, Claude. We have much to talk about.” His aunt smiled and patted his cheek. “But now we must be off.”

As she collected her horse, Bastien’s gaze moved to Cade. “Take good care of my cousin and your little witch.” His expression hardened. “It will be best if you don’t return to these parts, Tremayne.”

Cade’s expression was like granite and Tamsyn sensed that he was thinking of the excruciating pain the other man had inflicted on him. The two of them would never be friends, but they were no longer sworn enemies. “I will gladly leave this side of the channel to you, Bastien.”

Madame LeBlanc looked at the sky, then mounted, muttering several words that well-bred French ladies weren’t supposed to know. Raising her voice, she said, “If we ride hard, we might be able to make our rendezvous. Follow me!” She set off down the beach at a speed that was surely faster than was safe.

Tamsyn was exhausted from all the work she’d done on Bastien. Not surprisingly, Cade noticed and caught her around the waist, then lifted her up onto Zeus’s saddle. She looked down at him and said softly, “That was very presumptuous of you, Caden, yet for some reason I never mind when you touch me.”

They shared a glance of intense intimacy. He smiled up at her. “You look tired, Tam, and it’s easy to lift you because you’re just a little bit of a thing.”

“ That I mind!” She chuckled as she gathered her reins and took off down the beach after Madame LeBlanc. A few moments later she heard the hooves of two more horses as Cade and Andre mounted and followed.

A strengthening wind had blown the fog away and there was enough patchy moonlight to show the way. Reminding herself that Madame LeBlanc knew this coast well, Tam followed the older woman’s lead as to changes of speed and avoiding obstacles.

She felt a rush of exhilaration as she flew through the night on the way to freedom and home. It was accompanied by a matching fear that they wouldn’t be in time and the smugglers would have left without them, but Cade was right behind her so surely all would be well.

Several times the horses splashed ankle-deep in water and twice they swung briefly away from the sea when blocked by a tumble of rocks. Once in a shadowed area she almost missed seeing a large tree trunk that had been washed up onto the sand in front of her. She had just enough time to signal Zeus to jump and they soared safely over the obstacle.

After perhaps a quarter of an hour of riding, Madame LeBlanc crested a small hill and called over her shoulder, “Almost there!”

Tam caught up with her and saw a small cove below. Her breath spasmed when she saw the dinghy containing three men that was moving away from the shore, already halfway across the cove. Too late!

“ Halt, Captain Jones! ” Madame LeBlanc shouted with a note of command in her voice unlike anything Tamsyn had ever heard before. Command must be one of the older woman’s gifts that hadn’t been needed until now.

Her order echoed across the water and the dinghy paused. Then it pivoted in a splashing of oars and headed back to the shore.

By the time the bow reached the shallows, all four of the riders had arrived and were dismounting. Jones barked in English, “You cut it pretty damned close, milady!”

“We ran into trouble,” she explained as she swung from her horse in a spray of sand. “Here are my three passengers.”

“Step lively, you lot!” Jones ordered.

Tamsyn scrambled into the dinghy with Cade’s help. Andre turned to hug his grandmother, saying, “Thank you for all you’ve done for me, Grandmère!”

Her voice unsteady, she said, “Take good care, my dear boy. We may not meet again in this lifetime, but you will always be in my prayers.”

“We will meet again.” He kissed her cheek. “I promise it!”

None of the three travelers had much luggage, so it took only moments to transfer their bags to the dinghy. When the three passengers were aboard, Jones and his men pushed the small boat out against the waves. As soon as they were afloat, the sailors started rowing hard, the blades of their oars slashing through the water.

Cade settled by Tamsyn on a middle bench, his warm arm around her. No one spoke and the only sound was the crashing of the sea.

The dinghy plowed through increasingly rough waves to reach the sleek waiting cutter in the mouth of the cove. The ship was built for speed so she could escape the revenue agents who usually sailed in similar cutters. As the dinghy passed the bow, Tam saw the name Sea Swan painted on the bow, and the bowsprit was carved into the image of a swan lady. An elegant name for an elegant if illegal ship.

They took turns scrambling up a short rope ladder to reach the deck. As soon as they were all on board, half a dozen sailors began to swiftly raise the sails. Tamsyn caught hold of the railing as she watched the coast falling away behind them. Would she ever set foot in France again? For now, she was glad to see the last of it.

Jones approached his passengers, his gaze moving over them. “You’re obviously the lady’s grandson,” he said to Andre, “but who are you two?”

“I’m Cade and this is Tam,” Cade said. “We’re both from London. We were caught in France when the war resumed.”

Shivering in the sharp breeze, Tam asked, “Is there a space belowdecks where we can get out of the wind?”

Jones blinked. “So you’re a lass. You should be safe at home doing your embroidery!”

She laughed. “I was always better at getting into trouble than doing fine needlework!”

The captain chuckled. “The weather is getting choppy so you need to keep out of our way.” He beckoned to a young sailor. “Jem, take our guests down to the fore cabin, where they can get some rest. Give ’em some brandy to warm them up.”

Jem led them to a hatch that opened to reveal a steep ladder. “Watch your step, miss.”

The ship was rolling so Tam held on tight as she descended, hearing the snap of sails overhead. To the left she caught a glimpse of the dark hold, which was well filled with contraband.

The cabin was a cramped room lit by a dim lantern and contained a set of bunk beds, carefully secured storage, and a very small desk. She guessed it was the captain’s office. With four people in the cabin it was crowded, and the ceiling was barely high enough for Cade to stand straight.

Jem opened a cupboard and pulled out a bottle. “Some of France’s finest,” he said with a grin, “but you’d best use the water in this jug to thin it down. It’s going to be a rough passage. If any of you get seasick, please use that bucket as I’m the one who will have to clean up after you!”

“Thank you, Jem,” Tam said warmly as she pulled off her wet hat, revealing her blond hair. “We’re all experienced sailors so I hope we’ll be all right.”

Though he knew she was female, his eyes widened at the sight of her face. He swallowed hard before saying, “There’s blankets in that chest, miss. Help yourself. The bunks have railings that flip up so you won’t fall out.” He demonstrated how the lower bunk railing worked. “There’s food and ale in that basket if you’re hungry. Now I need to get back on deck.”

After Jem left, Andre sagged onto the lower bunk and buried his head in his hands. “So we’re on our way!” he said in an unsteady voice. “I never thought I’d make it this far.”

Tam sat beside him and rested a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. “You’ve had a long, long journey. It takes courage to go to a strange land. I hope you find the life you’re seeking in Britain.”

“I want to be free to learn and study to be an engineer like my father.” He raised his head, his expression uncertain. “I also hope to meet a friend. Elizabeth Caton. Beth and I grew up together in India. Her father and mine were both engineers. They worked together for the Sultan of Mysore, but the Catons returned to Britain three years ago.”

It was easy to read his feelings. “Elizabeth is very special to you?”

“She was.” He shrugged. “Impossible to know how she feels now, but I very much want to find her once I’m in England.”

Cade had been leaning against the wall opposite the bunks as he sipped his brandy. “Do you know where she’s living now?”

“Her father works in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. That’s part of London, isn’t it?”

Tam gave Cade a swift glance, guessing they both felt a flicker of energy when the Royal Arsenal was mentioned. He gave her a slight nod. “Yes, it’s in the southeast area of the city and there are a number of military and naval institutions there. If her father is working at the Arsenal, he should be easy to find.”

“I surely hope so.” Andre swallowed the last of his watered brandy, then covered a yawn. “Would either of you mind if I take the top bunk? I’ve barely slept in days.”

“Go ahead,” Tam said. “We’ll manage.”

Andre took off his boots and coat, then climbed the ladder at the end of the bunk. As he rolled himself in a blanket, Tam said, “Sleep well. Tomorrow we’ll be in England.”

He gave her a slight, sweet smile, then murmured good night. He slid almost immediately into the regular breathing of sleep.

“Sleep sounds good,” Cade said quietly. “If we lie on our sides, we’ll both fit on the bottom bunk. Unless you’d rather sleep alone? I can take the floor.”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” she murmured as she stripped off her boots and coat. She flipped the railing of the lower bunk into place and estimated that they’d both fit, barely.

Smiling, Cade also stripped off his outer clothing, then crawled into the bunk, his back against the wall. Tam climbed in beside him, her back to his front.

As she pulled the rough blanket over both of them, she gave a sigh of pleasure and relaxation. Cade’s arm went around her waist. He was so wonderfully warm after a chilly night of riding. She loved the physicality of his body surrounding hers, and they fit together perfectly.

“Sleep well, my love,” he whispered as he brushed a kiss against her hair.

She loved hearing the endearment. Once she and Cade reached England, they would have to figure out how to have a future together. Surely there would be a way.

She thought of all the members of the Tribe of Tremayne. She loved each and every one of them; the bond she felt with each was special and unique.

But as she thought back, she realized that her bond with Cade had always been especially special, if one could say such a thing. She’d loved him since they’d first met as children. For all the years since he’d been considered a brother, but he’d always been in a category of his own. He’d been her best friend, the one she turned to first, and she loved and trusted him.

She’d met Bran at the same time, and she also loved and trusted him entirely. But if she was defining relationships, she’d say that Bran was truly her brother while Cade was . . . something different. More .

Cade was a loyal and loving brother to all the Tremayne sisters, but apparently he’d also put Tamsyn in a different category all her own. He’d recognized that difference early but kept it hidden until he’d spoken those words of love when his mind was in chaos. Once spoken, the words couldn’t be unheard, and they were changing how she thought of him.

Bran was a wonderful brother. Cade was her one and only beloved. It was so obvious now. How could she and Cade explain that to the rest of the family without causing grave damage? Particularly when all the Tremaynes had at least some ability to sense emotions.

That was a problem for another day, but she believed it could be solved. She had to believe that because the closer she and Cade became, the less she could imagine being separated from him.

She wriggled comfortably against Cade, feeling his breath and warmth and strength. The ship was rolling gently, like the rocking of a cradle.

She drifted into sleep with a smile on her face, and dreamed of what it would be like for them if— when —they fully became lovers.