Page 42 of The Miracle of Love
Deklan walked awaywithout responding to Grace’s question, but the answer to it was no.
He would always remember her.
She was unforgettable.
But he was not about to have this discussion with her when they had not known each other longer than a day. He set her out of his mind while he gathered his brother and a few cousins in Miranda’s study for a quick family meeting. They were easily unnoticed while the servants scurried about polishing silver, moving furniture, setting out the best table linens, and rolling up carpets in preparation for tonight’s dinner party.
Miranda, always the perfectionist, could be heard in the hallway issuing orders as she bustled from one room to another, making certain all was proceeding smoothly.
The children had been outdoors playing in the snow most of the morning, their parents close by and ever vigilant considering Grace’s situation and the strangers watching the door to Miranda’s townhouse.
The littlest ones were now up in the nursery taking their naps. He had no idea what the older children were doing now that they were all back in the house, but the women in the family were ever watchful, so he doubted those imps would get up to much mischief.
“You needn’t ask Ronan or Romulus for a uniform,” Deklan’s cousin Caleb said. “I’ll let you borrow one of mine.”
Deklan’s brother, Rafe, and their cousin, Shayne, had joined them. The four of them were now comfortably seated in the study while going over his escape plans.
Rafe leaned forward with a grunt. “But you are an army general, Caleb. The point is not to attract notice. Everyone will remember an army general staying at their inn. No, a captain is just the right rank. It will get Deklan into the decent inns without much notice.”
“Shouldn’t he avoid them? This is the first place the enemy agents will look for him and Grace.”
“We’ll be well ahead of them,” Deklan said. “I’m not having Grace stay in some foul inn that is infested by all manner of crawling creatures. If all goes according to plan, no one will realize we are gone until tomorrow. With luck, our absence might not be noticed for days.”
Caleb nodded. “Fine, I’ll head over to Ronan’s right now. I’m sure he has a uniform to spare. And a pair of fine horses for your travels.”
Shayne rose along with Caleb. “I’ll leave word for Miranda to dig out masks for all of us to wear. She must have a chest full of them packed away somewhere in this house. The children will be delighted. In truth, so will Willow. She and her sisters enjoy this sort of thing. My stoic brother,” he said, referring to Lorcan, “saw Cammy dressed up as a masked fairy on Midsummer’s Eve and his tongue rolled to the ground. I don’t think he has ever recovered.”
The two cousins strode out and left Deklan with his brother. “Rafe, do you think you can get the fireworks?”
He nodded. “Leave it to me. I’ll enlist the other wildebeests if I have to.”
“No, just you and Shayne. I’ve already involved too many of you. Lorcan and Donal especially must stay out of it. They came knocking at my door after Rivers told them of the incident, so I had to put them off. They are reporting it to Wooton right now, and likely deciding where I ought to hide Grace.”
“All the more reason you should let them in on your escape plan.”
“No. They are still agents of the Crown and I dare not risk a problem if they have countermanding orders from Wooton. It is enough Wooton will skin me alive when he knows I’ve run off with her. I do not want to be fighting them as well over this plan. It is a good one and I am not changing it. Give me a few hours head start and then you can tell them of our whereabouts. I would not mind having their assistance once we retrieve the crown from Bexhill. I would prefer to hand it off to Donal and Lorcan, then just hide out with Grace far from London until the incident is put to rest.”
He ran a hand through his hair in consternation. “Grace is not used to this sort of adventure. I tried to convince her we ought to stay put and let others retrieve the blasted crown, but she won’t hear of it.”
“She is sentimental, and you like that softness about her. And now, you are already too involved to keep your heart out of the decisions you need to make.”
“No.” He sighed. “Maybe. It’s all your fault. Whatever possessed you to plant that stupid book in my bedchamber?”
Rafe laughed as he patted Deklan on the back. “Stop grumbling, baby brother. You were bound to fall in love someday. Auggie and I just helped you along.”
“I am not in love.”
“Fine.”
“Who falls in love in the span of a day?”
“I had better get going.”
“I am not in love with Grace.”
Rafe shook his head and laughed again. “Stop talking about her. I’m trying to get your fireworks. Not that you need any since she seems to have you going off like those rockets. You always were the dramatic one in the family.”
Deklan walked out with his brother to attend to the final details.
