Wildly Romantic: A Multi-Genre Collection Page 13

  Sophia frowned as she spotted Garrick waiting for her a short distance from her cottage after she’d finished the midday meal. The morn had passed pleasantly in his company, but the looks they received had started to make her uneasy. The bigger question was why he felt compelled to stay by her side so determinedly? Not that her heart didn’t beat faster at the sight of him.

  “Greetings.” He smiled as he stood upright from the side of the building he’d leaned against.

  “I’m surprised to see you again so soon.”

  “My plans for the rest of the day changed, so I thought I’d spend it with you.” The smile he gave her was stiff. Something was definitely amiss.

  “Garrick, while I enjoy your company, I am hard pressed to understand your desire to spend so much time with me. Especially since I understand from Alec that your cousin spent the morn with him.” Something in Garrick’s expression had her swallowing hard. She braced herself. “Tell me.”

  “What?”

  There it was again. That look in his eyes that sent her heart pounding with fear. “Tell me,” she demanded.

  He glanced about as he drew closer. “I don’t have anything to tell you.”

  “Garrick.”

  “Sophia.” He smiled as he said her name, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Then just as quickly he sobered. “Very well. You have a right to know. I have reason to fear your life is in danger.”

  She drew back, alarm darting through her. “How do you know this?”

  He hesitated. “I can only tell you ’tis from a reliable source.”

  “Who?”

  He shifted, obviously uncomfortable. “I’m afraid I cannot say.”

  “Who would want me dead?” Her thoughts flew as she sorted through the people who’d made their anger at her clear. But she couldn’t imagine any of them actually hurting her. Most simply wished her gone.

  “I don’t yet know who wishes you harm.” Garrick took her hand in his. “But I don’t intend to allow such a thing to happen.”

  “If you don’t know who, then how do you know this to be true?”

  If she hadn’t been watching so closely, she would’ve missed the slight widening of his eyes. It reminded her of Alec when he was telling a lie—or at least not quite the truth. That made her watch Garrick all the more.

  “The important concern is your safety.” Garrick held her gaze. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “If you won’t tell me how you know this, what do you know?”

  Garrick looked away into the distance for a long moment. “They’ll make their attempt with a knife.”

  Somehow, knowing that detail made the threat real. Her stomach filled with dread. Or was that fear? “So I must sleep at night with one eye open in fear that someone will sneak into our home and murder me in my sleep?”

  “I don’t think it will be at night.”

  “How—” Before she could finish her question, he shook his head.

  “I can only tell you the attempt would be made in a public place. Most likely the market square.”

  “Where there will be many witnesses?” That made no sense.

  “Where a crowd can hide his movements.” He reached forward to tap her ribs. “It would be so quick, no one would be the wiser. With a cloak to conceal his weapon, people to hide behind, and you injured, he’d easily disappear before the alarm was raised.”

  She stared down at where his hand touched her side, trying to imagine such a thing.

  “I ask that you stay away from the market square for a time until we can discover who wishes you harm.”

  “You mean who wishes me dead.” When he didn’t disagree with her, she looked away. “And my family? Alec and Ilisa? Are they in danger as well?”

  “I don’t know for certain, but ’tis a possibility.”

  She closed her eyes at the thought.

  “Sophia, know that I will do all in my power to protect you.”

  She turned back to stare at him as hurt washed over her. How naive of her to believe he’d simply wanted to spend time with her. Hadn’t she told herself there had to be an ulterior motive? But to hear it involved an attempt on her life was a shock. Despite all that, Garrick’s involvement confused her. “Why would you bother to help me?”

  “I’ve come to care for you.”

  Pleasure seeped through her at his words. They shouldn’t matter, but they did. And his promise of protection eased her fear.

  “I wish I didn’t have this news,” he added.

  “As do I, but you have my gratitude for telling me.” Now that the initial shock had eased, she considered her options. “I can’t live in fear.”

  “Hopefully, it won’t be for long. If you and your family can remain inside where you’ll be safe, my cousins and I will see if we can discover who is behind this threat and thwart the plan.”

  Her thoughts churned. Even one day of that would be far too much. Nay. She couldn’t do it. “I have a better idea.”

  “What?” He frowned as though he already knew he wouldn’t like what she was about to suggest.

  His disapproval didn’t matter. It was her life that was in danger. “We will set a trap for this person so we might catch him quicker.” She held Garrick’s gaze, bracing herself for the argument that was sure to follow. “Using me to lure him into it.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Garrick was furious. His temper had yet to cool since Sophia’s ridiculous declaration the previous day. Despite his pleas and demands, he’d been unable to change her mind. Now he waited with his cousins outside her home the next morn so they might form a plan. Involving Sophia in it was the only way he knew to try to control the situation and keep her from doing something foolish. He’d given up attempting to convince her to be reasonable once she’d declared he could either aid her in catching the man or move aside so she could do so.

  He’d never have guessed she had such a careless streak. Braden and Chanse understood his concern but had seen wisdom in Sophia’s suggestion. Garrick considered it far too dangerous—a risk he was unwilling to take. But she was.

  “Blast the woman,” he growled as he paced near her cottage.

  “Calm yourself, Garrick,” Braden said as he glanced around. “You’ll draw attention.”

  Garrick halted to glare at his cousins. “Neither of you are any help. Why you’d consider her suggestion is beyond me.”

  “’Tis the best option.” Braden shook his head. “You’re not thinking clearly.”

  Chanse scoffed. “He’s not thinking at all.”

  As Garrick moved to stand before him, Chanse waved him away. “No offense, cousin, but this will allow us to prepare for the situation, assuming whoever intends her harm takes the bait. The sooner this is over, the quicker we can return to our true mission.”

  Braden shifted, looking uncomfortable. “Perhaps if you calm yourself, you might have a vision that—”

  “As I’ve told you before, the sight is not a skill I can simply order forth.”

  “Only wishful thinking on my part,” Braden said with a shake of his head. “I confess I’d feel better if we had more information.”

  “As would we all.” Chanse frowned, making Garrick realize he was truly worried. “If we remain near her, he’ll never make an attempt. Yet if we keep our distance, we might not be able to stop him.”

  “I agree,” Garrick said. “I’ve imagined it hundreds of times, none of which have gone well. I can’t see how we can make it work. This is madness.” The urge to pace struck again. “Help me convince Sophia this is a terrible notion.”

  “Garrick, if you were in her place, you would do the same,” Braden said.

  “True, but I’m capable of defending myself. She is not.” The idea of someone stabbing her had his stomach rolling.

  “Then let us determine a way for her to do so.”

  Sophia opened the door of her cottage, took one look at Garrick and held up her hand, palm out. “I have not changed my mind, nor do I intend
to. The only topic I wish to discuss is a plan.”

  The small bit of hope Garrick held that she’d agree to be reasonable extinguished.

  “Before you ask,” Sophia continued, “Ilisa and Alec have agreed to stay inside this morn until one of us returns for them.”

  “If only our chain mail would fit you,” Chanse said jokingly.

  That sparked an idea for Garrick. “I have something else in mind that might provide some defense. And if you remain in a specific location in the market square we can better protect you as well.”

  They discussed the advantages and disadvantages of various places with Sophia adding her thoughts. He was relieved to hear she was truly thinking it through. While he knew she didn’t want to be injured—or worse, killed—he didn’t know if she truly understood the danger in which she was putting herself.

  As Braden and Chanse spoke with her, Garrick closed his eyes, trying to remember every detail of the vision in case he’d missed something vital.

  “Garrick?” Sophia’s soft voice had him opening his eyes. “Is all well?”

  “Of course. I was merely...” He glanced at his cousins, hoping they’d help provide an explanation for his odd behavior.

  Chanse only raised a brow, as though wondering what he’d come up with, while Braden frowned as if uncertain what the hell Garrick had been doing.

  “I was trying to determine how we could improve our odds by imagining how it might occur.”

  When she continued to stare at him with a question in her eyes, he tried again. “Perhaps if you remain near Edgar’s with the wall at your back, we’ll have one less side from which someone can approach.”

  “Very well,” she agreed, but the odd look she gave him signified she had yet to be convinced.

  “If it were me attempting this,” he pressed on, “I would prefer a crowded square.”

  “Agreed,” Braden said. “More distractions that way.”

  As they went over additional ideas to help Sophia know what to look for, her maidservant left the cottage. True to her word, her sister and brother remained inside.

  When Garrick noticed the way her lips had thinned into a line, he declared they’d discussed the situation enough. Her nerves could only bear so much.

  “I have an errand I must see to,” he told Sophia. “Will you accompany me?”

  At her nod, he asked Braden and Chanse to meet them near the inn before escorting her down the street. “This must be overwhelming as well as distressing.”

  She didn’t respond for a long moment. “I will be pleased when it’s behind me.”

  Garrick didn’t have the heart to tell her how slim the chances were that they would catch the person who intended her harm. It might happen at any moment, or perhaps in five days’ time. By then, the waiting would drive them all mad.

  But such was the way with his visions. He rarely had a way to tell what day or time what he’d foreseen would occur. And there was always a chance what he’d seen would not come to pass.

  With all the additional evidence, including the prioress’s warning, he had to believe this vision would prove true. He intended to do all in his power to be certain she survived it. One thing he knew was the place on her body Sophia’s attacker would attempt to stab her. He intended to use that knowledge to protect her.

  The question remained—why had someone decided to kill Sophia? If they blamed her family for what happened during the siege, surely they would’ve taken action by now. Why wait this long?

  Not for the first time, he wondered if Sir Gilbert’s return had anything to do with it. He needed to arrange a meeting with the man to gain a sense of what he might be capable.

  Or perhaps the person was a recent arrival. Since this was a market town, many strangers came and went. Yet why would someone new to Berwick want her dead?

  His thoughts had circled much like this all night.

  “Where are we going?” Sophia asked.

  “To the pewterer’s shop.” He’d noticed the particular items he had in mind several days ago but never thought they might serve this purpose.

  He wound through the streets with Sophia at his side, at last drawing to a halt before the shop. The top portion of the front wall was lowered to serve as the counter, indicating the store was open for business. Plates, tankards, and spoons graced one end while candlesticks, brooches, and other trifles were displayed on the far side.

  “Good morn to ye,” the pewterer called out from inside the shop. As he approached them, he kept one eye on his apprentice, who was carefully pouring molten pewter into a spoon mold.

  “And to you,” Garrick replied. He selected four square pewter plates, each nearly the size of his hand. “How much for these?”

  He made one more stop to purchase a length of cloth, all too aware of Sophia watching him curiously. Instead of trying to explain what he wanted to do, he preferred to show her. With his purchases tucked under his arm, he led her back to his cousins.

  “Planning to feed us all?” Chanse asked as he eyed the plates Garrick held.

  “Nay. These are to make an armor of sorts,” Garrick answered with a smile.

  Sophia looked all the more puzzled at his response.

  “We need a place with some privacy,” Garrick said as he glanced around.

  “The church should be empty at this hour of the day,” Braden suggested.

  They skirted the edge of the market square, which was beginning to fill with people, and entered the church.

  Garrick was pleased to see no one was about. He placed his purchases on the stone flags of the floor. After spreading out the cloth, he lined the plates end-to-end along the center of the cloth then folded it over them, holding the plates in a row. Using his knife, he cut off the excess fabric, leaving a narrow band with which to tie it in place.

  “Will you please remove your cloak?” he asked Sophia then gestured for Chanse to take it for her. Garrick handed one end of the makeshift armor to Braden while he held the other.

  “With your permission?” he asked Sophia. Once she nodded, he placed the cloth-wrapped plates around Sophia’s waist. The armor covered her ribs, two plates in the front and two in the back. The plates protected her ribs, where he’d seen the attacker stab in his vision. While not a perfect design, it would certainly deflect a knife blade.

  “I’ll be damned,” Chanse said as he watched him tie the cloth ends behind Sophia.

  “I am still puzzled by how certain you are that it will be my middle that is in danger.” Sophia frowned up at him.

  Garrick’s mind went blank. He couldn’t possibly explain how he knew.

  “We have to assume the attacker will be right-handed, as most people are,” Braden said, as he shifted to stand before Sophia. “He’ll want to see your face to confirm your identity, but ’tis unlikely he’ll stand directly in front of you. That would be too obvious.”

  “Aye,” Chanse agreed. He moved past Sophia to demonstrate, reaching out his hand only to encounter the plate. “That is the most likely approach he’ll use. ’Tis what I would do.”

  “Your cloak will hide it completely.” Braden studied the design. “Hopefully the plates will remain in place.”

  “We may have to tighten the ties occasionally.” Garrick adjusted one of the plates again to center it over her ribs. “How does it feel?”

  Sophia put both hands on her middle as she looked down at the armor.

  “Is it too heavy?” Garrick asked, unable to read her expression. “Too uncomfortable?”

  “Nay.” She looked up at him, eyes filling with tears. “How can I thank you?”

  “That’s not necessary. I only hope it works.” He longed to gather her into his arms, to hold and reassure her. But doing so with his cousins watching would no doubt make her uncomfortable.

  “I’m so touched that you would take the time and effort to think of a way to help protect me.” She blinked rapidly.

  Braden elbowed Chanse. “We’ll step outside and make certain no one i
s coming.”

  Reminding himself to thank Braden later, Garrick drew Sophia into his arms as Braden closed the door. “I only wish this threat hadn’t arisen.”

  She laid her head on his shoulder, seeming to take comfort from his embrace. “As did I. But I have survived more than I thought possible thus far.” She drew back, her eyes now clear. “This will soon be behind me as well. I have too many depending on me to allow anything else to happen.”

  Garrick pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Your courage is admirable. No shy, retiring lady but a bold woman determined to protect and defend herself and those she loves.” He cupped her cheek. “You are very special.”

  A delicate rose graced her cheeks. “I do nothing others wouldn’t do in my place.”

  “I beg to differ.” He kissed her at last, unable to resist, lingering a long moment. “I will do all in my power to help you through this. We will find who’s behind it and end it. Meanwhile, trust no one.”

  She nodded then drew back to pat her armor. “I will feel all the safer with this to protect me.”

  Garrick’s mood darkened. Would it be enough? Would he be enough? “They’ll have to get through me first.”

  “But if you’re too close, they won’t make their attempt, and we’ll never catch them.” She took his hand. “I would ask you to keep some distance.”

  “Nay. I will not stand back and—”

  She reached out a finger to press to his lips. “Garrick, please don’t make me live with this fear any longer than I have to. The sooner we catch him, the easier I will be able to breathe. Will you do this for me?”

  Garrick shook his head. Allowing Sophia to be in danger went against everything he believed in. But what choice did he have? “I want to catch him as much as you, but I make no promises. We are not going to risk your life any more than we have to.”

  ~*~

  Sophia stood near Edgar’s building in the market square the next day after the midday meal had passed, her nerves stretched taught. The binding around her middle was both a comfort and a heavy weight, never letting her forget what she was waiting for. But she was grateful for the protection it offered.