Samantha Kane by Brothers in arms 9 -Love's Surrender Page B

I’m
    fine,” he lied. “A bit of a headache, but nothing to worry about.”
    He rubbed his temple for effect.
    “Shal I send for the carriage?” she asked. “I think it should be
    arriving soon as it is.”
    “Of course not,” Oliver protested, loath to make her leave too
    soon. She was clearly enjoying herself. As a matter of fact, he
    hadn’t seen her enjoy herself this much before.
    She smiled and Oliver relaxed a little more. “Come then. The
    children have exhausted me. I simply must sit down.”
    Nick immediately cleared a path through the children and led
    Oliver and Vanessa to some benches along the wal. Vanessa sat
    down with a relieved sigh, puling Oliver down next to her.
    down with a relieved sigh, puling Oliver down next to her.
    “Shoo,” she said affectionately to some children who tried to
    climb into her lap and they ran off laughing as one of the matrons
    came and herded them off by waving her big white apron at
    them. “I love them, I do,” Vanessa said as she leaned back
    against the wal, “but they wear me out rather quickly. One or
    two children at a time are preferable, I think.”
    “Do you want your own children one day, Nessa?” Nick asked
    from where he stood beside them, his arms crossed and his feet
    spread wide in a stance that spoke more of guard than patron as
    he surveyed the children settling down at the tables for their
    chestnut treats.
    “Of course I do, though I shal have to find a husband first,” she
    said pragmaticaly.
    “Of course,” Oliver murmured his agreement, though her
    comment, spoken so casualy, indicated that he and Nick were
    not being considered for the position. He didn’t care for the
    sharp sting of jealousy and resentment that gripped him. Hadn’t
    he just been lamenting his unsuitability as a mate? Her agreement
    was hardly unexpected.
    Nick was frowning now. Apparently he didn’t like the
    implications either.
    “Nick says he shal find a way for us to be together tonight,”
    Vanessa said under her breath, watching the room as she
    Vanessa said under her breath, watching the room as she
    studiously avoided his gaze. “Do you stil want that?”
    “Of course,” Oliver responded, worried he’d frightened her
    away from further involvement with them. God knew that was
    the last thing he wanted. “More than anything.”
    “Together,” Nick said, his voice rough and low. He, too, was
    looking out at the room as if commenting on what he saw. “Al
    three of us. I have an idea how it can be done.”

Chapter Seven

    “This way,” Nick whispered, puling Vanessa through the door
    behind him. She was wearing a voluminous cape that covered
    her from head to toe, although there was no one in the vicinity
    who might see her. They were sneaking in a back door of
    Steven’s Hotel, where Nick and Oliver were staying. Vanessa’s
    heartbeat sounded so loud in her own ears it was difficult to hear
    Nick.
    Steven’s was wel known as the hotel of choice for officers and
    former military men. Vanessa hoped and prayed they didn’t see
    any. She may not be a notorious beauty, but because of who she
    was, she was relatively wel known by a large number of people.
    What had she been thinking to agree to something so foolish?
    She had gone mad, obviously. What if Aunt Grace came looking
    for her in the middle of the night? True, she did not make a habit
    of checking on Vanessa in the wee hours, but there was always a
    first time, wasn’t there? Vanessa had pleaded exhaustion after
    they returned from the Tarrants’ dinner party, however, so that
    they returned from the Tarrants’ dinner party, however, so that
    should keep her away.
    Getting out of the townhouse had been torture. Never before
    had Vanessa realized how many floorboards creaked and doors
    squeaked. She’d planned to try to sneak out the kitchen door
    into the yard, but Nick said it would actualy be easier to leave
    by the French doors in her father’s study. He and Oliver waited
    in the