The Final Storm

06. Secret Agreement

"Oh yes."

"That son of a...blast it, I can't use that insult, she's my mother, too!" Adaira dragged in a deep breath, probably meant to be calming. I wasn't quite sure whether it worked, though. "I always had a feeling my dear brother would come after any man I showed interest in with a shotgun. But you mean to tell me that, without even knowing where my intended was, that bugger set off a bloody war which might kill the man I plan to marry? All while my brother dearest is still safe and sound, thousands of miles away on another continent?!"

"Um...essentially, yes." I gave her a bright smile. "Offing people without lifting a finger or even thinking about it... Very efficient and time-saving, don't you think? To be honest, considering this is Mr Rikkard Ambrose, we shouldn't be surprised."

Judging by the look Adaira sent me, she did not appreciate the joke.

"You," she told me as she stabbed a finger in my face, "are going to help me fix this."

"Err...how?"

"By helping to save James, of course!"

"Oh? James, is it, now?" Immediately, my interest was kindled. "Already on a first-name basis, are you? How long exactly has this been going on?"

Her ears turned so red it would have matched a British Army captain's uniform. Those two truly were destined for each other. "We...may have been exchanging letters for a while."

"Ooooh! Really?"

"Yes! And don't change the subject! We were talking about how to save my intended from the war my brother set off!"

Darn. And here I'd hoped she had forgotten.

"We could...write to him?" I suggested.

Adaira gave me a look. "Oh yes, of course! Why didn't I think of that? Let's write to him! Because the mail will naturally still be delivered when war breaks out, right?"

Crap.

"Then...your brother and I should go warn him. You could stay here." Gently, I placed a hand on her arm. "Adaira, you've never been outside of England before. Let us take care of this."

"Oh yes. I'm sure my brother would be delighted to save his former love-rival who is now interested in eloping with his little sister."

She just had to pick this time of all times to suddenly become unusually insightful and logical, did she?

For the next few minutes, I tried my best to convince her to see reason and stay where she was. After all, while Mr Rikkard Ambrose would undoubtedly despise going to India to save Captain James Carter of all people, there was one thing he would despise even more: to sit back and watch his sister do it.

And to be honest, I didn't feel any different. This girl had practically become a sister to me. I would not let her do something stupid like rushing headlong into danger to win her freedom and find a man!

Really? Just like you did a few years ago, you mean?

Ehem. That was totally different.

Indeed?

Yes. Because I was just trying to win my freedom. Back then, I still thought of Mr Ambrose as a chauvinistic bastard and wouldn't have touched him with a ten-foot pole.

Ah, of course. That makes things so much better.

I would probably have continued bickering with my stupid inner voice for a while longer, but Adaira didn't seem inclined to let me. With a swipe of the hand, she waved my warnings away.