A Traitorous Heart Read online

  A Traitorous Heart

  The Reluctant Lords Series

  Book One

  By

  Tammy Jo Burns

  A Traitorous Heart

  The Reluctant Lords, Book 1

  Copyright © 2013 by Tammy Jo Burns

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  All Rights are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

  Excerpt of A Thin Line

  The Reluctant Lords, Book 2

  Copyright © 2013 by Tammy Jo Burns

  Cover design by The Killion Group, Inc.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to two very important women in my life

  First, to Mom

  for always telling me,

  “Of course you can, you’re my daughter!”

  I love you, mom!

  And also to Mema.

  Who not only took me to see my first

  fairy tale, but also introduced me to the drama of

  soap operas giving me oh so many ideas.

  I love you, too, Mema!

  Acknowledgements

  I want to say a big thank you to the gang,

  Tracy, Carrie, Heather, Dene’, Darlene & Mom,

  for reading, editing, giving advice, and always encouraging.

  I couldn’t have done this without y’all!

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Epilogue

  Prologue

  Northeast Portugal, near the Spanish border

  End of October 1807

  The sound of explosions continued around her as she ran towards him, determined to prove to herself she hadn’t seen him fall. She had no time to rationalize why they were being attacked, she could only focus on survival. There would be time enough for thinking after they had survived, and dammit, they would survive.

  An explosion lit her way and debris flew into her eyes, temporarily blinding her. She stumbled to a stop removing grit from her eyes, unknowingly leaving herself a perfect target for the hidden marksman on the nearby hill. Too late she saw the movement in the bushes and a glint of silver. She started to move, but a dark shadow passed in front of her and pushed her backwards. Tripping on her long skirt, she fell in a heap. A hysterical sob burst from her throat as the dark shadow rolled with her until they ended in a shallow trench with the imposing form lying on top of her. She struggled to regain her breath from the impact of the landing and attempted to throw off the person crushing her to the ground.

  “Don’t move,” the voice whispered in her ear.

  “What?” She managed to question the figure cloaked in darkness.

  “Tessa, lass, I love you,” he said before his breath rushed out into her ear one last time.

  “Papa,” she choked out as tears coursed down her cheek, and the coppery smell of his blood surrounded her, making her sick. Yet she obeyed his words and lay still as death. The smell of blood and burning sulfur scorched her nostrils. Her life had fallen apart within seconds. Tessa felt the heavy weight of the signet ring on her left hand and replayed his fall in her mind, seeing his horse press him to the ground as he fell, certain he could not have survived. Slowly the explosions came to a halt and the dust of battle began to settle.

  She strained to hear movement, but only deafening silence greeted her ears after the loudness of the attack. Tessa attempted to work her way free of her father’s lifeless body, but found him too heavy and her too weak. Unless someone came along to clear the battlefield, she could be buried alive. Preferring unknown horrors from the enemy over the tomb she currently found herself shrouded in, Tessa let loose an ear-piercing scream that had those who had come to rob the bodies looking at each other in horror and crossing themselves for protection.

  Chapter 1

  London, ten months later...

  Today passed much like other days in her new life. It no longer mattered what made her happy, for she doubted she would ever be truly happy again. Instead she focused solely on survival. Today she sold oranges on the streets and smiled prettily for the men. Tessa hated how cheap she felt, flirting for a few extra pennies, but she would do anything to survive. Well, almost anything. I’ll never be desperate enough to sell my body, she amended silently.

  She would at least be able to eat and pay rent this week. Thank goodness she had had the good sense to begin taking in sewing and washing for extra money. At least I’m alive, she shuddered cutting off the thought hastily. She neared the building she currently lived in. Many called the building a hovel, and she would have to agree. She shared her mattress with vermin, instead of men like her other roommates, and dared not even think about what crawled into her food at night. Hers had become a depressing existence.

  She found herself a half block away from the door to the building she shared with fifteen other tenants when a hand grabbed her upper arm. A squeal escaped her and she tried to jerk her arm out of the strong grip. The man kept a firm hold on her, propelling her to change directions mid-stride. They quickly turned and crossed the traffic-laden street. People shouted obscenities at them as horses were pulled up short so as to not cause an accident.

  “What’re you doing?” Tessa demanded, recognizing the man as her friend, Danny.

  “Keep walking,” he dragged her along.

  “I just want to go home.”

  “We can’t.” The two continued to move through the traffic on the streets and on the sidewalks. Danny forced her to travel down fetid alleys worse than she had ever seen. The pair kept this random movement up for what seemed to be hours.

  “Slow down,” Tessa whispered urgently. “My side hurts and I can’t catch my breath.”

  “There’s no time. You have to keep going. Do it for me, love,” Danny whispered as he took her down several more turns and even darker alleys. Tessa heard nothing save for her harsh breathing, but he kept pushing her.

  “Who are we running from?” He did not respond, just kept moving and dragging her behind him. Danny had been acting strangely ever since they had stepped foot on English soil. He had more money than he ever had, and she refused his offers to take some. She feared he had gotten in with a band of smugglers or worse. He had been spending a lot of time at the docks and claimed the extra blunt came from the navy hiring civilians to load up their ships so as not to overwork their crews. Tessa would have believed him except his behavior had become even stranger and now this.

  “Nothing,” he bit out. �
��Just keep moving.” And so they moved. Tessa had this awful sinking sensation that Danny had become involved in something nefarious and if they were caught she would be pulled into it as well. Did she truly have a choice? Her thoughts had been roaming as he dragged her behind him and she had missed the faint tattoos that continued to grow louder.

  “Shit!” he cursed and pulled her deep into the shadows behind a building. Every window shone brightly with light and boisterous noises spilled into the darkening night. Feminine giggling and moans could be heard and the occasional male shouts. Tessa blushed to her auburn hair as she realized they were standing outside a brothel.

  “Now listen to me, Tessa,” he urged. Only when he had her full and undivided attention did he continue, “If anything happens, you run to the docks as fast as you can. Ask for Brutus. You remember Brutus don’t you?” Only when he saw her nod of understanding did he continue. “Remind him we are friends. He will take care of you. Understand?”

  She nodded vaguely, but couldn’t help questioning him, “Who’s chasing us?”

  “Soldiers more than likely.”

  “Why?”

  “Better you not know.”

  “I’m sure whatever it is isn’t as bad as you think. We’ll just reason with them.”

  “Too late for that,” he muttered. “Now listen to me,” he waited to continue until he saw her head bob up and down in compliance. “If anything should happen to me you know nothing, so even if you are questioned you cannot answer. Who are you to ask for at the docks?”

  “Brutus.”

  “Good. He is a mean son of a bitch, but he will keep you safe. Do not forget to remind him we are friends if he doesn’t remember you.”

  “Do you not even regret getting me involved in whatever this is?” She railed at him. “I am tired and just wanted to go home!” She noticed he paid no attention to her tirade and had begun moving towards the large pile of trash behind the brothel. She watched as he began climbing it. “Where are you going?” Tessa demanded, hands on hips.

  “Sshhh, follow me,” he whispered, leaping from the top of the trash pile to the only open second floor window. Tessa cringed as she watched him miss and crash back into the pile. He stood up and shook off the bad landing before climbing back up to the top of the heap. This time he took a couple of running steps before leaping and barely grabbing the window ledge. He slowly pulled himself up into the window. “Your turn,” he held out his hands to her.

  “No,” she whispered and shook her head solemnly. There were shouts to halt coming from the end of the alley.

  “Dammit, come on,” he yelled at her. “Get up there and jump.” Tessa reluctantly followed his command. She hit the rough wall and began sliding down before she felt a rough hand grab her wrist. All of her weight hinged on her shoulder and tears came to her eyes as she felt it shift oddly then heard a pop. The pain ripped through her and she cried out.

  She looked up in time to see an envelope flutter out of Danny’s pocket and quickly grabbed it.

  “Drop it!” Danny yelled, his words covered up by the sound of gunshots. He tried to pull her up into the window. She screamed and bright spots went across her vision. Her hand began to slip from his grip.

  “Dammit, drop the envelope and use your other hand.” More shots rang out chipping the bricks on the building around her. The pain from her shoulder made her nauseous and unable to think clearly. Tessa felt the signet ring begin to slip off her finger with Danny’s hold. She fisted her hand, causing him to completely lose his grip. Throwing herself back as she fell, she watched him leave her in fate’s clutches.

  “I’ll never forgive you!” she shouted before she made impact with the cold, filthy, hard ground.

  She missed the largest part of the trash pile. Her head snapped back and cracked against the brick paving stones on the ground. Sparks lit her vision then darkness descended.

  * * *

  Derek leaned negligently against one of the ornate marble pillars at the edge of the dance floor. He watched his sister’s progress across the ballroom. She had more than her share of dance partners this evening. However, the women treated her as if she were a social pariah. They loathed the success she had with the men, pulling them away from the society misses.

  The beau monde, however, treated Derek differently. The women loved him, and the more aloof he acted, the more they wanted him. The men did not hate him, but a few begrudged him his new, fairly unexpected place in society. He hated the season and the ton, but endured both for Mikala’s sake. She deserved a good life, if only he could trust any of the louts that she had danced with this evening. In his opinion, none of them were good enough for her or likely to be very faithful, and Kala deserved more than that. He snorted softly to himself, since when have you become a romantic?, he questioned himself. He knew, but determinedly pushed back the encroaching memories.

  Kala and her current partner made a pass down the dance floor. She seemed to be doing well with this unexpected life. They both were, considering that neither truly belonged here. Shortly before the attack occurred, that fateful letter caught up to him from his great-uncle’s solicitor. He had to read it three times to make certain he understood, and then he had cursed his foolish cousin roundly. There had been a possibility that he would inherit the lands and title associated with the Earl of Blackburn from his great-uncle, but Percival’s son Thomas, should have inherited. True, Thomas had been a wastrel, but Derek never thought he would forfeit his life.

  Thomas had been a healthy, virile man, which is what got him killed in the end. He had become a little too involved with the wrong man’s wife. Perhaps Thomas should have practiced up on a different sort of swordplay a little more, but instead he had died with no legal heir. Soon after, great-uncle Percival passed on and the title had fallen to Derek.

  Five months had passed since he had recovered and made the trek back home to take over the title of Earl of Blackburn and all that it entailed. It had not been an easy conversion from a lowly lieutenant in the king’s army to a peer of the realm. He relied heavily on his best friend, the Duke of Hawkescliffe for guidance in his new position. Kala had been glad to join him in London in the beginning for it removed her from her mother and sister’s critical eyes. Kala would never fit the idea of how they believed a woman should behave, though both loved her dearly.

  Their aunt Drucilla helped Kala purchase a new wardrobe befitting the sister of an earl. His mother had been friends with some of the local gentry’s wives around the school and the women allowed Kala to join their daughters in dancing lessons. She had enjoyed herself immensely, but he thought she appeared a little too trusting of the men of the ton. Therefore, he watched her, or rather the young men that fawned over her, like a hawk. And this is just the prelude of the Little Season, Derek thought, dreading having to chaperone his sister through the much larger Season.

  Kala now stood with a group of young ladies that seemed to accept her fairly well. Derek grinned at her as she flashed a smile at him from across the ballroom. His expression changed to a slight grimace as he shifted the weight on his legs, his right stiff and aching. Derek watched Kala laugh and innocently flirt as several young men joined the group, something she never would have experienced at this vast level being a schoolmaster’s daughter. He would not deny her the experience, but he would not push her into the arms of someone she did not love in order to make a good match. He abhorred that most about the members of the haute ton, their view on relationships.

  A ripple of noise began from the entrance into the ballroom. The crowd began to part like the Red Sea as a man with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, and a scar across his face walked into the room. He searched the room, his eyes lighting on Kala. They exchanged a nod and a smile before he moved across the floor towards Derek. He made his way across the room neatly avoiding the mamas trying to push their daughters at him.

  The announcement of his name to the assembled group caused quite a stir, mainly because the man did not attend very ma
ny functions of this nature. Derek ignored the crowd and turned his attention on the man walking his direction. It took him a full ten minutes to finally reach his side.

  “Took you long enough, Your Grace,” Derek teased smoothly, yet only loud enough for the Duke’s ears.

  “Shut it, Blackburn,” Gabriel Hawke, Duke of Hawkescliffe retorted. A half-grin formed on Derek’s chiseled lips. The Duke of Hawkescliffe remained the only ton friend that Derek wanted, mainly because they had been friends since childhood.

  Derek’s father had been a tutor for Gabe and his two older brothers. Social differences did not matter to the two youngsters and they soon became inseparable. Gabriel, the third son of a duke, and Derek, a schoolmaster’s son, had immediately struck up a friendship that withstood the test of time.

  Derek’s father had received an appointment as headmaster of a school, preparing boys to attend university. Gabe’s father had sent him to the school, never expecting he would inherit the title. Derek and Gabe had been involved in too many scrapes and fights to count. Gabe remained the only member of the ton that Derek trusted wholeheartedly.

  “So what, or should I say who, brings you to this gala event Blackburn?” Gabe asked carelessly.

  “As if you need ask,” Derek replied by crossing his arms and nodding in Kala’s direction.

  “Well, don’t worry. The two of you will be out of here within five minutes.” At this bit of news Derek perked up.

  “Oh? New developments?”

  “Definitely. You need to drop Miss Simmons off and then make your way to the safe house. You should just beat the physician there.”

  “Oh? Anything serious?”

  “Probably nothing worse than a dislocated shoulder from the information I received,” the Duke mused. “We may also be dealing with a possible traitor this time.”