Winter Bride (9780345546197) (17 page)

“He left without me, dammit,” Ronnie fumed. “Well, he’s not going to get away with it. How much headstart does he have?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What’s happened?”

“You don’t know?” Ronnie muttered something beneath her breath. “Jed’s gone after Marino.”

The blood turned to ice in Ysabel’s veins. “How do you know?”

“I have Brooking from the CIA standing in front of me. Jed’s been pulling strings in Washington and got them to send Brooking to pick us up.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Jed wanted us protected from Marino and arranged
with Brooking to place us in protective custody while he went off and played games with the General.”

“What … games?”

“Cat-and-mouse, with Jed being the bait. He thought with Marino so hopping mad, it would be a perfect time to lure him into a trap.”

Ysabel closed her eyes. “Dear Lord.”

“Well, he can’t get away with it. He
needs
me. I’m not going to hole up in some crummy hotel in West Virginia while he—”

A man’s voice came suddenly on the line. “Mrs. Corbin, this is Paul Brooking. I’ve dispatched a man to your room to pack your bags and escort you to the lobby at your earliest convenience. Miss Dalton, your brother, and I will meet you in forty-five minutes, if that will be okay.” In spite of the courteous phrasing, there was a note of crisp resolution in the man’s tone.

“Where is Jed?”

“We’re not at liberty to divulge his exact whereabouts. He did give me a message for you. He said if you follow him to San Miguel, it will make his position only more hazardous since your presence may keep him from obtaining help from the rebels. He’ll contact you as soon as possible. Forty-five minutes, please.” The connection was broken.

She replaced the receiver with a trembling hand. Why hadn’t she anticipated Jed’s move when it was so in character? Lancelot to the rescue. The cold seemed to be surrounding her, filling her. Not, it wasn’t cold that was icing through her; it was fear. She got out of bed and stumbled toward the bathroom. Forty-five minutes …

Suddenly fear was replaced by anger. How dare Jed do this to her? He had been so blasted angry and indignant about her trying to protect him and yet he was doing the same thing, risking his life and—

His life. The anger disappeared as quickly as it had come. Dear Lord, Jed could die. Marino could kill him as he had killed so many others and there wasn’t one thing she could do about it. She had never felt so helpless in her life. The reservations and bewilderment that had plagued her the previous night seemed minuscule in the glaring light of the knowledge that she could lose him.

Jed could die.

No, she wouldn’t accept that possibility. She would just have to wait and have faith that he would come back to her. Sweet Heaven, that waiting wouldn’t be easy.

In the meantime, she would have to fight down her fear and take charge of the aspects of the situation that were still open to her. She couldn’t help Jed, but she would keep Steven and Ronnie safe.

Ysabel moved quickly across the lobby toward Ronnie and Steven. Standing beside them wearing a rumpled khaki suit was a tall young man with reddish-brown hair and freckles.

She stopped before him. “Mr. Brooking? I’m Ysabel Corbin. Your agreement with Jed calls for certain protective measures for us?”

Ronnie muttered, “It calls for us to be stashed in no-man’s-land.”

Steven sympathetically touched her arm. “I’ve been there before. No-man’s-land isn’t amusing, but we’ll make the best of it.”

“How long will we be under guard?” Ysabel asked Brooking.

“Hopefully not more than a few weeks. My superior has made assurances to Jed that you be kept absolutely secure, but that doesn’t mean we have to keep you in a cell. I’ve located quite a nice small motel in West Virginia that even has a swimming pool. I assure you we’ll make your stay as comfortable as possible.”

Ronnie snorted.

Ysabel nodded. “I believe my friend’s reaction is similar to my own. I’ve just freed my brother from one prison and I have no intention of placing him in another.”

“I’ve told you that—”

“I’ve heard what you told me. Now I think you’d better listen to me.” Her tone reflected her inflexibility. “I have no objection to accepting your help in keeping us safe. However, it will be my choice where that guardianship will take place.”

Brooking frowned. “You’re being very foolish. We have a breadth of experience you don’t possess.” He tried to temper the sharpness of his voice. “Look, trust me. Let us do our job.”

“I’m not stupid, Mr. Brooking, and I’m not going to make the mistake of endangering our lives. I want very much to live.”

Ronnie’s gaze was narrowed on Ysabel’s face. “What do you have in mind?”

“I know a place that’s isolated, that will allow us
a maximum amount of freedom and can be defended with little effort.”

“What place?”

Ysabel smiled. “Why, we’re going back to Winter Island.”

Ronnie gave a low whistle as they moved up the path toward the front door of the castle. “I’m impressed. Jed never talked about his home, but I didn’t expect Windsor Castle.”

“Jed has a few problems with Winter Island.” Ysabel glanced at Steven. “You’ve been very quiet since we left the boat. Is something wrong?”

He forced a smile. “What could be wrong?”

“That’s what I’m asking.”

His gaze went back to the stone turrets. “I’ll get used to it.”

“Why would—?”

Ronnie grabbed Ysabel’s arm. “Good God, who’s the giantess?”

Betty Starnes had opened the door and stood in the entryway, her features contorted with gloating malice. Ysabel braced herself for the coming encounter but managed to smile. “It’s funny you should say that. Jed told me she reminded him of the giant’s wife in ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.’ ”

“So you’ve come crawling back. I knew you would.” Betty’s glance fell on Ronnie and Steven, and her lips curled. “Who are these people? I won’t accept them here. They’ll have to leave. Mr. Arnold wouldn’t permit—”

“Choose any room you like,” Ysabel told Ronnie
as she stepped around Betty and entered the foyer. “Heaven knows the castle has enough of them.”

Betty followed them. “I told you they couldn’t stay.”

Ysabel turned to Steven. “You’re bothered because it reminds you of the
castillo
, aren’t you?” As he started to protest, she shook her head. “Don’t worry about it. It may take you awhile to become adjusted. Jed has a cabin on the south side of the island. It’s not very luxurious, but you’d be comfortable. Why don’t you move in there?”

Steven looked relieved. “Could I? I’ve had enough of castles for the time being. You wouldn’t mind?”

“I thought I’d had enough of them too until I realized a place is only what you make it.” She smiled. “Go on and get settled. Follow the path south and down the hill. You can’t miss it. We’ll expect you back for dinner at seven.”

He gave her a grateful grin and bolted out of the castle.

“Who is that?” Betty demanded. “What right do you have telling him where he can stay?”

Ysabel ignored her questions. “We have four other guests, security men who are reconnoitering the island at the moment, but they should be here within the hour. Make sure they have comfortable accommodations.”

“Are you giving me orders?” Betty drew up to her full height. “Have you forgotten who I am?”

“A bully and bad-tempered shrew comes immediately to mind,” Ysabel said coolly. “But you’re also the housekeeper here and have certain duties I expect you to perform.”

Livid color spotted Betty’s cheeks. “I don’t take orders from you.”

“Don’t you? You’ll either take them or have your stay made very uncomfortable.”

“Good God, I feel like I’m at Manderley,” Ronnie said. “Where did you get this poor man’s Mrs. De Winter, Ysabel?”

“I inherited her. She goes with the castle.”

“It’s no wonder you signed the castle over to Jed.”

“You what!” Betty’s eyes were suddenly blazing at Ysabel. “You couldn’t have done that. Mr. Arnolds—”

“Stole Winter Island from Jed,” Ysabel finished. “And now it’s his again.”

“You slut, you’ve destroyed everything.” Betty grabbed Ysabel’s arm, her nails biting cruelly into flesh. “Just because he takes you to bed and—”

“Release my arm.” Ysabel enunciated the words clearly and coldly. “I told you once you were never to touch me again.”

Betty’s grasp tightened.

Ronnie took a protective step forward.

“Stay out of it, Ronnie,” Ysabel said without looking at her. “I’ll handle this.”

“Ungrateful whore,” Betty said between her teeth.

“Once more. Let me go.”

“You always did—”

Ysabel’s right fist rammed into the large woman’s stomach.

“Whumpf!” The sound that came from Betty’s lips was like the air being let out of a pricked balloon.

As the housekeeper’s grasp loosened, Ysabel
jerked free, stepped to the side, and knifed a karate chop to the woman’s neck. The housekeeper toppled like a felled tree.

Ysabel was vaguely shocked at the fierce satisfaction surging through her at the sight of the woman lying unconscious on the floor. She hadn’t realized until this moment how much she had needed retribution for the torment of those years.

She smiled serenely as she stepped over the woman’s crumpled body and moved toward the stairs. “You might like the room next to mine, Ronnie. It’s decorated in yellow and is a bit more cheerful than— What are you laughing at?”

“Whipped cream.” Ronnie hopped over Betty and ran up the stairs after Ysabel. “Dear Lord, and I thought you were whipped cream!”

“They’re on Winter Island?” Jed gazed at Brooking, stunned. “Why the devil did you put them there?”

“I didn’t voluntarily put them there. I had a safe house set up in West Virginia, but I had no choice. Ysabel Corbin refused to go anywhere else.” Brooking shrugged. “Other than putting them in a cell, which we didn’t think you’d appreciate, we had to go along with her. She appeared to object to her brother being in close confinement.”

“Yes, she would,” Jed said absently. But why Winter Island? he wondered. Ysabel certainly had no love for the place and Betty Starnes would delight in making her life hell. “It’s been four weeks. Why wasn’t I told of the change of plan?”

“The determined Ms. Corbin again. She said the
change would worry you and you didn’t need any additional baggage if you were going into danger. She seems quite protective of you.”

“Oh, she’s definitely protective.” He grimaced. “Sometimes painfully so. Are you through with my debriefing?”

Brooking nodded. “Get the hell out of here.” He smiled. “And thanks, Corbin. We might have brought Marino down in time, but I prefer sooner to later.”

“So did I. I did it for myself as much as for you.” Jed turned to go. “I want my life back in order.”

“Jed?” Ysabel whispered, her hand tightening on the receiver. She felt dizzy with the relief and joy coursing through her. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” he said curtly. “What the devil are you doing there with that witch?”

“Betty? She’s not here any longer. She left three days after we arrived.”

“Why?”

“She didn’t like it here anymore.” She rushed on, “You’re sure you’re not hurt? What about Marino?”

“Perez has him, and his political base is crumbling. Tell Ronnie I shot the capture myself and got it right side up.”

“I’ll tell her.”

“I’m on my way. I’ll be in Seattle by noon and the island by one-thirty.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“Will you?” His voice sounded husky. “That sounds good. No one’s ever said that to me before.” The next moment the connection was broken.

“He’s coming.” Ysabel put down the receiver and turned to Ronnie, who was sitting in an easy chair across the library. “He should be here within a few hours.”

“What about Marino?”

“Perez has him. Jed said to tell you he’d done the camera work on the capture and he’d got it right side up.”

“I should have been there.” Ronnie shrugged. “Well, maybe Jed will feel guilty enough about cheating me out of the story that he’ll owe me.” Her lips tightened grimly. “And I’ll make damn sure he knows it.”

“I’m sure you will.” Ysabel turned and moved toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I have preparations to make before I go meet him.” She glanced thoughtfully at the picture of the Winter Bride over the fireplace. “I believe it’s time we cleared up a few things.”

She was standing beneath a tree, the bitter winter wind lifting her hair against the velvet hood as Jed walked up the path toward the castle.

She saw Jed stop in midstride as he caught sight of her and she braced herself. Then he was moving swiftly toward her.

“I thought you’d finished with this charade,” he said, his gaze traveling over the long ivory velvet gown she wore and then to the ermine-trimmed cloak. “I suppose you have a reason for all this?”

She nodded. “I wanted to make a statement.”

“And that is …?”

She met his gaze. “That I’m not afraid of what the Winter Bride means to you anymore. I’ve had a long time to think about it and I’ve decided she’s no competition. I have sufficient presence and strength of purpose to stand on my own.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

She smiled. “I had to reach my own conclusions. You may have noticed I’m a little stubborn.”

His lips twitched. “It’s come to my attention.”

“I thought it had.” Her smiled faded. “I was very angry with you for going after Marino, you know.”

“It was something I had to finish. He would always have been there in the background haunting you.”

“But you didn’t let me help.” She gestured toward the gown. “You treated me as if I were that child in the painting. You tried to protect me, for goodness sake. It wasn’t fair when you get so angry with me for doing the same thing.”

“That was different. I had no choice but to—” He stopped. “You’re right, it was the same scenario. I was just the prime player. I couldn’t stand the thought of you being hurt.”

“So you sent Brooking to put us in a nice neat box while you went out to brave Marino.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth to protest. “I’ll accept what you did this time and I’ve come to terms with the fact that your job means there may be moments of danger and worry in the years ahead.”