Beyond a Doubt Read online

  “Do you have any suggestions?”

  The expectant look on her face urged him to please her. He paced the living area. The study had recently been abandoned for more comfortable quarters. Thoughts flew through his mind. “We might need to search the rest of the house, or—“ he interrupted himself, tapping his finger to his forehead.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked, her eyes widening.

  “Ye said ye have an itinerary for a full week?”

  “Aye, I do.”

  “Ye can’t be the only one. If ye follow the rest of Joshua’s schedule, maybe ye will run into his replacement.”

  Lucy lunged from her position. She placed her hands on either side of his face as she leaned up and kissed him. “Sheer genius! Why didn’t I think of this?”

  Bryce felt heat rush to his cheeks. The compliment took him off guard. Lucy didn’t notice his reaction as she flitted around the room. She spun on one heel. Her expression changed to one of worry and she said, “Oh, no. What did I do with my pouch? I know I laid it upon the couch. Where could it have disappeared to?”

  Bryce lifted the dainty drawstrings in the air and handed the purse over. She sighed.

  Her eyelids fluttered, and she twisted her hands. “Bryce, thank you. I know you didn’t have to stay here. I know you have a home you want to get back to but maybe, would you consider staying on just a while longer? I mean, just a few more days until the message is delivered.” She paused before adding, “I could use someone watching out for me.”

  “Aye,” slipped from his mouth without a moment’s hesitation.

  Lucy smiled. She placed the silk pouch to her chest as she walked backward from the room.

  ****

  That night in her bedroom, Lucy dropped to her knees in prayer. Thanks rolled in succession from her tongue. Praise be to God Bryce had fallen into that river; otherwise she wouldn’t be making it through this. The man was a rock in a sea of storms. She suddenly realized how much she’d come to depend on him.

  Falling back against the pillows, Lucy realized that she didn’t want to separate from Bryce, now, or ever. Could she convince him to stay? Or would she be willing to leave everything behind to go with him?

  Sleep that night was fitful. Several times she woke stifling a scream. The sky lit with lightning, and the shadow of a man appeared. It was Bryce. He stepped forward and rubbed her forehead, whispering soothing words until she drifted back to sleep.

  When morning came, Lucy was alone. She stretched across the comfortable fabric, feeling more tired than when she’d lain down the night before. Exhaustion and worry for her future gnawed at her.

  Nothing said she had to continue with this mission. It could be dropped now or at any time. All of it could be left behind and she could go on with a perfectly normal life with Bryce. He could be a sheep farmer and she could be his wife and mother to his children. Visions of baby boys and girls danced through her head, only to be crowded out by scenes of death and destruction.

  The information she passed along protected men of influence. They were a group of people who by their nature changed the world for the common man. These were people determined to make it safe for those of differing faiths.

  In her heart, Lucy knew that to walk away might doom someone to death. That would weigh on her for a lifetime. One way or another, the messages had to be sent. There was no alternative.

  That morning, she had another surprise upon entering the kitchen. There in the middle of the room stood Bryce. From head to toe he appeared as an English gentleman. Breeches, tunic, and cloak rested handsomely upon his frame. She squelched the sudden urge to laugh as he twirled around in a circle, modeling his new clothes.

  “What do we have here?” she asked, hiding her grin behind her hand.

  “The list says today your contact would retire to the park.”

  She raised her brow at his put-on English accent.

  “Aye, needs work, but as long as I speak sparingly, maybe I’ll go unnoticed.”

  “You could never go unnoticed,” she whispered.

  The comment sent a pink hue to Bryce’s cheeks. The simple action made him seem all that more handsome. The tunic stretched taut across his chest, the sleeves reached the limit of their capacity. His thighs pushed against the breeches’ material. Lucy looked away, hiding her growing feelings of affection.

  “I must ready myself,” she said.

  Bryce nodded.

  When she returned, she wore a light blue gown covered by a thick cloak. She twirled, and held her breath in anticipation of his reaction. As time passed, Bryce’s opinion had come to mean much to her. He walked to her, removed the hood, and cupped her face. As he bent his head close to hers, Lucy rose on tiptoe. The lightest of kisses from him flitted across her lips, leaving her breathless and wanting more.

  “We must hasten. The itinerary gives us but a brief window of time. And since ye don’t know who ye are looking for, it will no doubt take longer than we have.”

  Although saddened that the moment was over, she agreed with Bryce.

  “Do they know what ye look like?” he asked.

  “Nay. In fact, they only know one thing — L.L. Those initials belonged to my father. It was his code name. After he retrieved a message, he would leave those letters somewhere behind. This way they knew he’d acquired the parcel.

  “Not only do they not know what I look like, but I don’t believe they know I’m a woman. Father told me secrecy of identity was the only way to survive. I have maintained that.”

  Bryce whispered, “Lucille Lombard.”

  “Aye, L.L. does stand for me as well.” Lucy waited for the accusations of her lies. No doubt the twins next door had filled Bryce in on his mistake with her name. Breathless, she waited, but the words she expected never came.

  Instead Bryce held out his arm in an invitation as he said, “Shall we go? The park awaits.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The feel of her hand wrapped around his arm sent fresh tingles along his skin. His heart raced as her chin tilted upward, displaying lips which spread into a beautiful smile. Bryce moved his free hand. The back of his knuckles grazed the fresh, soft skin of her cheek. Her eyes closed and her lips parted. He leaned forward and felt the blood rush between his ears. His palms grew sweaty.

  Their lips were a hair’s breadth from connecting when they heard a loud banging and jumped apart. Now his heart raced for a different reason.

  “Who is that?” asked Lucy. Breathlessly and with a smile, she added, “Because I think I want to kill them.”

  Bryce laughed under his breath while heading for the vibrating door. He released his pent-up frustration as he opened the wooden door with a rough jerk.

  A stranger stood on the landing. “Pardon me, sir. A thousand pardons, but my wagon threw a wheel. I need assistance in repairing it.”

  Bryce didn’t speak but followed the man into the street. Bryce inspected the apparatus. Indeed the wheel lay crookedly against the base. The top covering of the wagon was pulled aside and several tiny heads poked through the opening, until a female voice spoke, with confidence exuding from her tone. “Children, please be still. Father will have us moving again in no time.”

  This caused the man standing to the side to twist and squeeze his hat within a tight grasp. A grimace rested upon his face and a shrug lifted his shoulders.

  Bryce whispered to avoid embarrassing the man in front of his wife and children. “I can help ye but yer family will have to come out.”

  The stranger lifted his brows, and his eyes widened with fear. “Nay, they cannot.”

  “But sir, there is no way to place yer wheel back in place with the extra load inside. I may be strong but that is beyond even my abilities.”

  The man shuffled his feet back and forth and Bryce couldn’t understand his worry. A glance at his pocket watch let him know they would need to be at the park soon. Should they help the man and risk missing their connection at the park, or should they tell hi
m to find other assistance and live with their guilt?

  Lucy appeared. She whispered words to the husband that seemed to ease his worries. Wife and children were ushered inside and out of the street. While Bryce watched the retreating group, the young man walked to the carriage and struggled to right it himself. Bryce snapped from his thoughts and assisted. They completed the task without another word shared.

  Once the wheel was back in place, the woman and six small children were ushered from the house. They climbed inside the carriage and left. The whole event left Bryce confused.

  Lucy held out his cloak. “Are we ready?”

  Words of argument came to his lips. No longer clean and dashing, he felt dirty and unkempt. She spoke of her need to have him by her side, and he acquiesced. He took the cloak from her arm and donned it. Before they left, he grabbed a basket and laid it over one arm.

  They wound their arms together and set out at a brisk pace.

  “Smile at me as we walk. Laugh occasionally,” she said.

  The expression upon his face felt more like a frown but he did try to do as she suggested. Between clenched teeth, he asked, “What are we doing?”

  “Why, we are headed to the park, my dear,” she said loudly before softening her tone to add, “We are being watched.”

  Bryce’s head reared back and he roared with fake laughter. He patted her arm and said, “My dear, you do so tell the funniest stories.”

  Lucy shared the imaginary joke as they found the path and headed to the nearby park. They walked beneath overhanging limbs. Bryce plucked a flower which Lucy took and placed to her nose. To anyone out and about, they appeared as a couple in love. They shared tender touches, and looks of caring passed between them. Bryce was almost able to forget the real reason they were here.

  They spread a cover upon the grass and pulled out food stored in a basket. Lucy sprawled in a languid fashion. Bryce followed. He placed a cheese wedge to his lips.

  A smile tugged the corners of Lucy’s mouth. She said, “The lady from the wagon warned me that someone watches us. Even if we spot a contact in the park today, to approach them would be too dangerous.”

  Bryce used a napkin to wipe crumbs off his face and in the process covered his mouth as he spoke. “Why did the strange woman warn ye?”

  “I’m not sure. Perhaps the queen has ordered everyone from the art show to be followed, so they might find a connection to Joshua.”

  “Did ye let the woman know about ye?”

  “Of course not. I looked at her like she was insane. Half of her words I pretended to ignore by fussing with the children.”

  Bryce nodded in acknowledgment. But what if Lucy was wrong and the lady warned her she was being followed in order to protect her? What if the lady was on their side?

  They lounged on the blanket, eating cheese wedges and biscuits. Time passed with no hint of anything out of the ordinary. The afternoon would be unsuccessful as far as Lucy’s objective was concerned, but maybe it didn’t have to be a total waste.

  Bryce said, “Ye have some verra interesting neighbors.”

  “Oh, the twins?”

  “Aye.”

  “Winifred and Winnie Townsend. They’ve lived there for as long as I can remember. I’ve never had aunts, but I’ve always imagined if I did, they would be like them.”

  “Where is yer extended family?”

  “Oh, here and there, I suppose. I’ve not had a lot of contact with them. From what I gathered from Father, some lived in China, which I’ve never visited, and the others lived in France, which we only visited on holidays.”

  “Why do ye live in London if yer family isn’t from here?”

  “In 1540 during Henry VIII’s reign, and the churches’ separation from Rome, we moved here. I was three years old and Father felt it would be safer.” Lucy twisted the fabric of her gown. “No one could have foreseen Mary’s reign.” Here her voice faltered and she added, “And what of your family? I know so little about you.”

  Bryce settled back, resting his arms underneath his head as he stared at the clouds above. “I guess ye know the important stuff. My name is Bryce Cameron. I’m the son of a sheep farmer. My cousin Grant is next in line to be laird of the Cameron clan.”

  “You sound disappointed. Shouldn’t you be proud of him?”

  “I am, but he—“

  “He what?”

  “He wanted me to be a warrior.” Bryce noted the confusion on her face and continued, “Because of my size and strength, he wanted me to train so I could lead his men. He wanted me to be his second-in-command. I told ’em I wasn’t interested but he convinced my father. So when he left home and traveled to the Sinclair keep, which is a long story, I went along as well. I’m afraid I’m nothing but a disappointment to him.”

  “I take it things didn’t work out as planned.”

  Bryce shook his head. “Ye could say that. I believe my father sent me away in hope of dislodging what he called my ‘foolish notions’.” She knitted her brows together and Bryce realized she didn’t understand. Continuing, he spoke the words he’d treasured in his heart and had been afraid to share aloud since he’d told his parents years before. “I’m a follower of Christ.”

  Lucy leaned closer, excitement lighting her eyes.

  “Mind ye, my family believes in the Savior as well as anyone, but not in the same way. I guess ye could say I’m of the Protestant faith.”

  “But how?”

  “Think ye have the market cornered, do ye?” He added a smile to ease the words. “Believe it or not, my laird’s son, Samuel, is a Protestant minister, although few outside the clan are privy to this information. He heard a lecture on Martin Luther’s teachings and it changed his life. The corruption of the church and his unworthiness of redemption hit him like a bolt of lightnin’.

  “Fortunately he shared with a few of us, which is one reason I never learned how to wield a sword. I didn’t have it in me.”

  “When Grant convinced your father to send you away to lose your foolish notions, where did you go?”

  “Like I said, I followed Grant to the Sinclairs’ keep. Little did he know that was the worst place to send me to change my thoughts. Of course, when I first came to the Sinclair keep it wasn’t that way, but I managed.”

  “That’s because Duncan wasn’t in charge yet, right?”

  “Aye. This is true. The first laird, Cainneach, a close personal friend of Grant’s, believed in very little. He took care of his family the way he saw fit. When they perished, he had nothing to live for. But when his brother came, everything changed. Duncan married a Protestant and converted.”

  “I remember Arbella mentioning something about the former mistress. Lyall was her name, I believe.”

  Bryce nodded.

  “Were you there when Lyall pulled her tricks?”

  “Aye. It was my fault.”

  Lucy arched her brow. “But from the tales I heard, the woman was crazy. She thought Arbella and Duncan’s daughter was her own lost child. How could you possibly be at fault for such a thing?”

  Bryce ignored her questions. It was not a discussion he wanted to have at that moment so he changed the subject. “After everything with Lyall ended and everyone was safe, Grant and I both decided to head for home — back to Cameron lands. I left before him, which is why ye found me headed home alone.”

  Fortunately she took his lead and didn’t ask any more questions. That caused his worry to decrease. He had no desire to explain his faults to the woman he was fast falling in love with. There would be time for her to discover those later.

  Lucy said, smiling broadly, “I guess it was a good thing I came along when I did.”

  “Aye, it was. I bent down to wash and next thing I know I’m chasing my tunic, and then the water swept me right off my feet. I hit so many rocks, I lost count.”

  “You did seem addled when I found you.” She played with the brocade cord of her gown.

  Bryce grabbed it and stroked her delicate fingers
. “I was, but ye rescued me.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  “What do you think? Is it her?” asked Maximilian.

  “Impossible to tell,” said Olga.

  “But you spoke with her!”

  “I know. But the woman was prepared. She looked at me like she was confused. Nothing more to us did she say, other than offering refreshment and a place to sit. Even after I told her they followed her. The woman either has a sense of control or bad hearing, I know not which.”

  “What are we to tell Gustav? We’ve talked with everyone from the exhibit and none of them seem to fit. We have to find L.L.!”

  The woman patted their sleeping children. It would not do for them to hear the conversation. That would tend toward confusion and if said aloud might attract unwanted attention.

  “Maximilian, please do calm down. We will tell Gustav what we will tell him.”

  His hands flew to the air. “What does that even mean?”

  “It means, we will tell him we searched out every individual within the vicinity of Joshua and only three individuals have the initials L.L. Two of those are old men and one is a young woman. That is all we know; the rest he must gather for himself.”

  The tedious carriage ride ended around midnight. The sleepy children were ushered into the cold, dark house. The driver had doused the lantern before arrival and the family ambled in under complete darkness. Olga placed the weary children in bed. A lullaby passed her lips as the children snuggled deeper under their covers.

  Years before, the teachings of Martin Luther had inspired Max and her to leave the Catholic Church. The hypocrisy of the priests, as well as the pressure to purchase indulgences from healing to saving the soul of a dead relative, had sent them to research for themselves.

  The German Bible they had received changed their world. They read the pages until the corners furled. Ink on the parchment blurred.

  Once convinced, Olga and Max had moved. It had been a bold step. They’d left family and friends behind, but the call to minister to other German-speaking brothers in neighboring countries had pulled them onward.