Dark Rider

The light temporarily blinded her, but that was not what caused her to go rigid. The garden seemed to whirl around her as she stared in horror at the man carrying the lantern.

"Dear God, no," she whispered.

"You're Guillaume?" Lani demanded as she halted in front of the small man leaning against the window of the café. "Take me to the Duke of Morland." He straightened. "I have no such instructions."

"You have instructions. I'm giving them to you."

"I don't obey women. I'm to watch the pension and keep the two of you safe."

"Then you've already failed your duty. Cassie is gone."

"Impossible. I have eyes like a hawk. No one came into that building."

"But someone came out. Take me to His Grace."

He shook his head. "You're trying to fool me."

Lani drew an exasperated breath. She wanted to shake him. "Then go see for yourself. She's gone!"

He stared at her, frowning, then slowly started across the street.

"Hurry!"

His pace quickened a trifle, and he disappeared into the pension.

Lani wished she had a spear to prick the stubborn idiot to greater speed. She had been filled with panic and foreboding ever since she woke to find Cassie gone, and she was in no mood to deal with arguments.

"Papa?" Cassie whispered.

"Do you think me a ghost?" Charles Deville smiled at Cassie as he thrust the lantern at Raoul, then stepped forward and embraced her. "Do I feel like a spirit?"

Cassie clung to him. He felt blessedly warm and strong and alive. "You… he killed you."

Cambre said, "My dear child, would I murder my old friend? We merely combined our forces to defeat a common enemy."

Cassie's head was spi

Her father pushed her away. "None of this was meant for you. I had no idea you were in Paris until David came here and told us you were inquiring about me." He frowned. "You should have stayed home as I told you."

"You were here when David came?"

He smiled. "Of course. I've occupied a room here since the night of my… death. It's been a bit confining not being able to leave my chamber, but Raoul supplied me with canvas and paints, and I've started a lovely picture of this garden."

"But why? How?"

"The Duke of Morland was coming too close," Cambre said. "His man, Guillaume, questioned David two years ago, and Jacques-Louis sent him on a wild-goose chase to Tahiti." He clapped Deville on the shoulder. "Without my permission, of course. I was very angry with him that he'd endangered you, my friend. But I should have known you'd be too clever for him."

She'd wager any diversion from Cambre was instigated by Cambre himself, but to her amazement her father was smiling.

"With Cassie's help," he said.

"But when Guillaume came to see David again a few weeks ago, I knew he must suspect our co

"Raoul, it's chilly out here in the garden," her father said as he urged Cassie toward the house. "And my resurrection has clearly been a shock to my daughter. Let's get her indoors."

"Certainly. How could I be so inconsiderate?" Raoul strolled beside them down the path. "Well, when Charles appeared seeking me, I looked upon it as a stroke of good fortune. Because of the nature of my occupation and the delicacy of ridding myself of this threat from Danemount, I could not trust the task to underlings. Such men come back with palms extended. Yet the Duke is a dangerous man, and I might need help. What was the solution?"

"I have no idea," Cassie answered.

"Then I shall tell you. Set a trap. Confirm the Duke's suspicion and provide myself with an ally as dedicated to destroying Danemount as I was myself. Therefore, I allowed the Duke's spy to observe your father's 'murder.' Charles swam under water until he thought it safe, then returned to the bank and made his way to my house as pla

Her father nodded. "But the clothes you provided when I reached here are much finer than any I've worn these many years."

"It was my pleasure." He turned to Cassie. "So, you see, when the Duke comes after me, he'll have another unexpected foe with which to contend. The unexpected is always the most deadly. Don't you think it was a clever plan?"

She shivered. "Very clever."

"Enough," her father said. "This talk of death and murder is upsetting her."

"Forgive me, I forget how sensitive ladies are prone to be. But I admit to being curious regarding her knowledge of your 'death.' In fact, her very presence here in Paris amazes me. You told me you had left her safely at home in Hawaii, and yet suddenly she appears asking questions of David." He smiled at Cassie. "Both your father and I were completely bewildered. I called at your flat to assure you all was well with your father, but I must have missed you."

Assurances? She wondered what else might have occurred in that pension. Cambre was everything she remembered him to be. She felt as if a cobra were gliding beside her. "I don't see why it should surprise you. I followed my father from Hawaii because I was concerned."

"But your knowledge of our little staged charade on the Seine bothers me. I'm sure there's some reasonable explanation, but only the Duke's man saw me roll Charles into the river. Now, unless you have a co

"Stop questioning her, Raoul." Her father put a protective arm around her shoulders. "As you say, I'm sure she has a reasonable explanation, but she doesn't have to give it now. She needs rest and a bath."

Raoul gazed at her for a moment and then shrugged. "You're right, of course, my friend. I'll wake the servants and have them send hot water and a tub. I believe I have some female garments about somewhere to replace those extremely odorous trousers." He opened the French door and bowed to Cassie. "But I insist you join me for breakfast in an hour's time. If I have to wait any longer, I'm certain I'll perish of curiosity."

A state much to be desired, Cassie thought as she watched him light a candle from the sideboard by the door, then stroll away from them.

Her father didn't bother lighting a candle but took her arm and led her through the dark house. He was very comfortable in Cambre's fine mansion, she thought in despair, as comfortable as he was with Cambre himself.

"I told you I'd take care of this myself," he said. "You were supposed to stay home. I wish for once you'd obeyed me."

"I couldn't do that. I had to help." She burst out, "I don't understand any of this, Papa. Why were you waiting in the garden? Why did you think anyone would come?"

"Raoul set a spy on the spy. He knew the Duke would eventually come to Paris himself. When Guillaume met with the Duke and his uncle at a tavern, Cambre's man hurried back here to report to him." He had stopped and opened a door. "After Danemount's years of searching, Raoul thought he would probably wish to strike at once."

He had been right. If Lani had not prevailed on Jared to wait, he would have walked into the trap. "You would have killed him?"

"We'll talk of this later." He lit the candle on the table by the door before crossing the room and throwing back the pale-blue silk curtains. "Isn't Raoul's house beautiful? It was kind of him to give me such a fine room."