Taken By Storm Part 42

Storm walked into the forest and Burke followed. He knew she wanted to talk with him and he knew she

would caution him. However, it was over and done. His brother would be free, and now all that was left

for him to do was to convince her to go to America with him.

He reached out, took hold of her arm, spun her around, and hugged her close before kissing her as if he'

d just returned from a long journey.

When he finished, he rested his forehead against hers. "I missed you."

"You weren't gone that long." She sighed and brushed her lips over his.

"You missed me too." He laughed knowingly, then kissed her again.

She playfully pushed at his chest. "You are foolish."

He hugged her tighter and rocked back and forth with her secure in his arms. "Foolishly in love."

She laughed and shook her head. "This is no time to be talking of us. We-"

"Aha, you admit there is an us."

He let her wiggle out of his arms.

"I want to hear about the earl. Did he accept easily or did you need to convince him?"

Soon she would need to face the fact there was an us. For now she was right. This needed to be

discussed and Storm put at ease. He didn't want her wasting another minute on a plan that no longerproved necessary."He wasn't receptive at first, but the gold mine changed his mind."

"Gold mine?" Storm asked, stunned. "You offered him a gold mine?"

Burke shrugged. "It had to be an offer he couldn't refuse, and I can't think of a soul who would refuse a gold mine."

Storm shook her head and paced in front of Burke. "This isn't good."

"Why? The earl gets more than he should in exchange for my brother's freedom."

Storm stopped and glared at him. "Only a fool would refuse a gold mine and the earl is no fool. But he is

also a man determined to have his revenge. I do not trust this arrangement he has made with you."

"I don't either. I know the earl is deceitful, so no papers will be signed until my brother is standing in front

of me. I also do not intend to arrive alone at the meeting. I shall have the captain of my s.h.i.+p with me and

several sailors."

Storm shook her head. "I still don't like it. I don't believe the earl will release Cullen. He wants him dead and he will see him dead."

Burke tried to ease her trepidation. "It will go well. We will plan and see that it does." He reached out and stroked her arm. "I know you were unable to save your husband from the earl, but we will save Cullen."

Storm stepped away from him. "You think I worry that your brother faces the same fate as Daniel?"

"It's all right that you do," Burke said. "I appreciate your concern."

"My concern has nothing to do with my husband. It has to do with a man who deceives people and will

always deceive people. The earl cannot now or ever be trusted. He sets a trap and will see your brotherdead before turning him over to you, though after taking owners.h.i.+p of your gold mine.""Now you wound my intelligence," Burke said annoyed. "I'd never let that happen.""You won't see it coming.""I'm a cautious person-"

"Not cautious enough when it comes to the earl," Storm warned.

"You managed to break into his prison and free your husband and he never saw it coming. I think I can manage the same."

Storm rubbed her forehead and leaned against a thick tree trunk. "He didn't expect me, a mere woman,to make such a foolish attempt. I had the element of surprise on my side.""And Tanin to help."Storm sighed. "Tanin wasn't with me in the prison.""You told me that Tanin had plans to free his wife and you asked to join him."

"Yes, but I changed his plan since I knew it was doomed to fail and we executed my plan instead." "You had a plan all along? You intended to free your husband on your own?" He shook his head. "Something happened that night with the earl, didn't it? That's why he is so determined to catch you and make you pay. What happened, Storm? What did you do to the earl?"

Chapter 32.

S torm wasn't interested in reliving the night her husband died, but she wanted Burke to understand the Earl of Balford's true nature. He was a man who cared for no one but himself and would do anything to get what he wanted, at any cost.

She couldn't let that cost be Burke. She had foolishly allowed the American to steal her heart, and she realized just how much when she caught sight of him in the carriage safely returning to her.

She had barely taken a breath while he was gone. She had worried every minute of his absence and had already had a rescue plan formulated in case it became necessary.

Under no circ.u.mstances would she allow Burke to remain a prisoner of the earl for even one day and chance his being carted off to Weighton like his brother.

"Storm," Burke said softly.

She stared at him for a moment. She loved looking upon his face. His features defined a man of strength and honor, while his quick smile warned of his humor, and his dark eyes betrayed the depth of his feelings.

He was a man easy to love and one who loved her with the same ease. Love had found them both or as

Burke would remind her-it was fate.

Storm cleared her head with a shake. "I had a rescue plan ready when I approached Tanin. Naturally, he thought his plan better until he heard mine and then he realized mine was the one more likely to succeed."

"It involved the earl, didn't it?" Burke accused.

"It couldn't help but involve him," Storm admitted. "If the earl's life was in danger, then the guardswouldn't dare stop a rescue.""How did you manage to get hold of the earl?""I didn't have to. I knew my husband was close to death and I knew the earl would offer to release him if I submitted to him."

Burke shook his head. "What? He would free your husband in exchange for s.e.x?"

"Only when he knew the prisoner lay close to death. He wasn't about to really let him free, regardless of

what money he had collected or promises he had made. He had done it many times before to other prisoners' wives, so I knew I could count on him to do it again, especially since he was casting overtures in that direction the last few times he had spoken with me."

"I'm going to kill the b.a.s.t.a.r.d," Burke snarled.

"I wish I had, but I needed him to free my husband in hopes that I was not too late. The earl was shocked when I pulled a knife on him."

"How did you ever get him from the manor house down to the prison without anyone seeing you?"

"We were already in the prison," Storm said. "You see, the earl liked to take a prisoner's wife in front of

him."

"d.a.m.n, now the man really has to die."

"I made the guard free Ellie and she trussed up the two guards, and then with me pressing the point of the

knife to the earl's neck and drawing enough blood to frighten him to remain still, Ellie tied him up. We secured them, and Tanin saw to the guard outside and was waiting for us when we came out. He helped me with Daniel and we all took off."

Storm took a breath and fought back tears. She would not cry and she would not linger on the sad memories. She told Burke this story for a reason and she hoped it served the purpose she intended.

"You understand now why you should not trust the earl?"

"I understand even more, and believe me, I don't trust him. Once the papers are signed, Cullen and I will

leave Weighton immediately-"

"Weighton? The earl wants the exchange to take place at Weighton?" she asked, shaking her head. "Theearl doesn't intend for your brother or you to leave the prison.""My captain and several sailors will be with me.""He won't let them in the prison. Rules, he will claim, and in your zeal to free your brother you will imprison yourself."

"Not so, I know what I do."

"Didn't you hear what I just told you? The earl will have his way. He will have your gold mine, your