Page 74 of His Wicked Secret
He waved a hand at a maid who was patrolling the tables, checking to see if anyone needed anything. Her fatigued face brightened as she approached.
“What can I get you, monsieur?” the maid asked him in French. He was never more grateful in that moment for sleeping with his brother’s former mistress. Evangeline had helped him learn the language during their liaisons, enough to get by in a tavern at any rate.
“Food and wine, mademoiselle.” He smiled at her, and she blushed as she rushed off to find him something for a meal. As long as he stuck to simple sentences, he should do all right.
What are you up to, Audrey?he wondered.
He thanked the maid when she set a plate of cheese, figs, and a glass of red wine before him. Eating quickly, he kept his eyes on the men in the room, but none seemed interested in him, or a threat.
I’m being foolish to worry so much.But then again, itwasAudrey. That woman had the ability to attract trouble like no one else.
Jonathan watched with amusement as a young boy burst into the inn, glancing about before he dashed upstairs. He acted with the haste of any such youth, as if the world itself depended on his actions. He finished his meal without thinking much of it.
Seconds later the boy dashed back down the stairs, and a man followed him. A man Jonathan recognized.
Avery.
He followed the boy to the door of the inn, which he opened just a crack and peered out through before he cursed. Jonathan stood, but Avery didn’t notice him at first, as his back was now to him.
“Here, lad, take these and get as far away from here as you can,” Avery whispered to the boy, giving him a handful of coins before pushing him out the door.
“Jon, we have a problem.” Avery suddenly spoke, making Jonathan tense. Damn, had the man known he was there all along?
“What’s the matter?” he asked, joining Avery at the door.
“I suppose you’re here because you followed Audrey? She’s upstairs.”
“Yes. Now, what’s wrong?” he asked more quietly.
“We’ve been betrayed. The man we came with on this…fool’s errand was just seen leaving the gendarmes’ barracks. He told them about two spies, a man and a woman. They’ll be here soon.”
“What’s the plan?” Jonathan asked.
“We need to get everyone out of this inn. Now.”
“What about Audrey?”
“She’s upstairs, but this isn’t the time.” Avery cursed violently and slammed his hand on the door frame, drawing the attention of the men and women around them.
“What can we do? Shouldn’t we leave now, all three of us?”
“There isn’t time. By now the soldiers will be casting a wide net and closing in on this location. They’ll tear apart Calais looking for us, and we have no transport. But perhaps we can buy Audrey some time. She may be able to escape if we stall the soldiers after they arrive.” Avery’s gaze darted around the taproom of the inn, searching for a way out, or perhaps weapons. Jonathan wished he knew what to do. He had never felt so helpless in his life.
We’ve come too far, fought too hard to be together, and now this?
“But shouldn’t we find a way for all of us—”
“It won’t work.” Avery cut him off. “Trust me. There’s only one way this ends.”
A shiver of dread rippled through Jonathan.
“Go upstairs and tell her to put on her breeches. Make herself look like a boy. I’ll get these people out of the inn. There’s a window you both can climb out of. You might get free and go unnoticed if I keep the soldiers focused on the front door. I can barricade the doors and windows to give you time.” The grim look in Avery’s eyes cut Jonathan’s heart as he understood what the other man was saying.
“I’ll tell her how to get out and say my goodbyes. You said they were looking for two spies. We’ll need to give them two.” He shared a look with Avery and gave him a nod. Avery would not be dying alone today. If there was one thing Jonathan had learned from the League, you never left a man behind.
“Go!” Avery hissed, then turned to the people at the tables still eating their dinner. He spoke to them quickly in French, and they all began to get up from their tables and leave, some heading for the back door through the kitchens of the taproom.
Jonathan rushed up the stairs, his mind focused only on the one thing that mattered to him. Audrey.
