“No.” Daring replied before Exile could. “Absolutely not.”
“Besides.” Diana reached over and touched a lock of Minnie’s hair. “You’ll never pass for me with that wild mane.”
Minnie clucked her tongue. “Don’t be silly. I’ll wear a cloak.”
But it was Exile who answered. “Diana will go.” Then he turned to her. “But only if ye let me come too.”
She could only nod, the words sticking in her throat. He did care about her and he understood her too. She suddenly didn’t care about whether or not he proposed marriage. This man was everything to her.
“I ken ye’re strong.” He raised his hand to her lips, giving the back a light kiss. “But promise ye’ll hide behind me if ye need to.”
Her mouth opened and then closed. “I will.” Some of the tension relaxed out of her shoulders. Odd since she was about to go into the most dangerous situation in her life. But Callum knew her strengths, her weaknesses, her greatest secret. She could just be herself with him, and she loved who she was when he was around. “And Callum…”
“Yes?” he whispered.
“I love you, too.” The future didn’t matter to her in this moment. Her feelings were what was important.
Without another word, he leaned down and kissed her. Minnie gasped, but Callum paid her no mind.
It was a short kiss but somehow full of the emotion passing freely between them. Then he raised his head. She stared up into his eyes. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Believe it,” he answered, cupping her cheek. “I’ll take Sin’s place. The only challenge is that she might spot either Vice or myself and then the jig is up.”
Diana twisted her mouth. “Let’s hope Bad and Vice can find the driver. His cloak would really come in handy.”
“We didn’t find him but we located a cloak exactly where Diana said it would be next to a pool of blood,” Bad called from the terrace doors. “Lady Diana, remind me not to anger you.”
Diana frowned at the cloth in Band’s hand. Was that the cloak? She’d only seen it and the man for a second before she’d knocked him with the stick. It would have to do. “Well, we’ve got the cloak at least.”
Daring cleared his throat.
Diana shivered and Callum pulled her closer. The man had a point. She’d just had everyone agree to a terribly dangerous plan. “I suppose I shouldn’t change. I rather look like I’ve been kidnapped.”
“I want to go too,” Sin said from his seat on the bench.
“What?” Daring turned to him. “Out of the question.”
“Please,” he begged. “I swear on all that I hold dear that I will help you. I should have come to you to begin with instead of going along with Abernath’s plan. I can pretend to take Diana to her and then she won’t be as suspicious. Exile can be in the carriage too. I’ll get my daughter and Exile can spring out and capture Abernath.”
Vice curled his lip. “You’ve lied to your own flesh and blood and tried to hurt someone we care about.”
Sin looked up at his cousin. “It’s Anne. Vice, please. After my wife’s death, she’s all I have. If something happened to her…” his face crumpled.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Vice grabbed Sin by the shirt.
Sin swallowed his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “I was afraid.”
Diana, deep in her heart, believed him. “We’ve all made mistakes.” Then she touched Callum’s shoulder. “I think it’s time we forgive ourselves, don’t you?”
He gave a stiff nod. “I hope ye’re right to trust him.”
“I trust you,” she answered, reaching up to touch his face. “You’ll keep me safe.”
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “And ye are worth ten of those other debutantes. There isn’t a finer woman in all of Britain.”
Diana pressed her lips together. Those words filled her heart. Tomorrow, she’d worry about the future. Tonight, she’d put her faith in him.
Chapter Fourteen
Diana sat next to Callum in the carriage, Sin across from them. He stared out the window, idling rubbing the lump on his head. A wave of pride washed over her. Apparently, she’d hit him quite hard.
Callum’s hand reached out and touched hers, his fingers lacing through her own. She rested her head on his shoulder and she closed her eyes. Inside, the knot of tension eased a bit. His touch making her draw in a deep breath.
“It’s all right, lass. We’re going to be fine,” he murmured against the top of her head.
“I know we are,” Diana said as she lifted her head. “We’ll get her back, Sin.”
The other man’s face spasmed in pain. “If anything has happened to her…”
Diana cringed. She understood. “Lady Abernath needs her so I’m sure your little Anne is fine. Try not to worry.”
He gave a tight nod. “Exile, you won’t count on me to protect Diana, correct? My first objective is—”
“Diana can protect herself.” Then he nodded toward the goose egg bump on Sin’s head. “But ye go straight for yer daughter. Dinnae worry about us.”
Diana looked at Callum. Now that Sin had revealed his interest in Diana was only to see his daughter safely returned, Callum was far kinder to the man. She supposed she couldn’t blame Callum for being upset. If a woman started sniffing around him…. She sat straighter. Diana might pull out all her hair.
The streets outside grew louder as they entered the Docklands. People called loudly to one another as they made their way from ships to taverns or back again. Their progress slowed. “Remember,” Sin said as he looked out the window. “I am going to demand that she give me Anne before I hand you over.”
“I remember,” Diana held out her wrists so that Sin could loosely tie them. She’d have Callum do it, but Sin’s knots had already proven terrible. “Keep the ties loose so I can escape.”
He shook his head a ghost of a smile touching his lips. “Not something we need worry about.”
Callum crouched in a shadow. “Do you think she’ll know Vice isn’t her driver?”
Diana’s stomach churned with apprehension when she considered all the possible events that could go wrong. “I’m more worried the driver found his way to her first.”
Sin rubbed his head. “If he feels anything like me, he didn’t.”
Callum patted her hand. “Besides, Daring and Bad are just behind us. They’ll sneak in to help too. Don’t forget that.”
The carriage rolled to a stop and Vice came to open the door. “I don’t see her,” he mumbled as he pulled the hat down lower.
Sin took her arm and pulled her cloak tighter about her shoulders. “She’s just over there,” he whispered, just low enough so that only they could hear. “She has Anne,” his voice broke on the girl’s name as he gave Diana a decided tug toward Lady Abernath.
Several other people milled about but Diana caught sight of the pale blonde hair hidden in the shadow. Next to her was a small girl, no more than five, looking frightened but unharmed. She tugged toward Sin the moment she saw him. “Daddy,” she cried. Amazingly, Lady Abernath let the child go.