Sweetest Little Sin by Christine Wells

something happens to Radleigh by your hand. You will not win me by eliminating him.”
    She turned on her heel and left the clearing, blindly seeking the path that Max had brought her down.

    WELL, that had gone bloody swimmingly, hadn’t it? Jardine dragged hands through his hair in frustration, then stalked off in the other direction, keeping a careful eye out for watchers.
    He’d spent hours before this meeting getting rid of two surveillance operatives who had dogged his steps for days. He was certain no one had followed him here, but he’d left Nick to keep vigil, in case he’d been mistaken.
    He’d had to take the risk, hadn’t he? Needed to warn her what Radleigh was.
    A mistake to do it in person, perhaps. He ought to have allowed Nick to speak with her. Nick would not have helped her enact a damned Cheltenham tragedy, nor could she accuse him of telling her lies out of jealousy or spite. Badly done, Marcus . But he’d been desperate to see her.
    The hell of it was that his threat against her fiancé had been an empty one. He couldn’t kill Radleigh. He needed Radleigh to get to that agent list.
    He came to the stream where Nick stood with their horses, waiting, silent and alert.
    Nick raised his eyebrow and jerked his head in the direction of the copse.
    Jardine gave a quick shake of his head. Dammit, even Max would have handled that situation more diplomatically.
    But Jardine couldn’t regret any time he stole with her. He’d needed to touch her. Kiss her. Remind her how they were together. How they always would be.
    He clenched his teeth as the memory of that rising tide of passion swept over him. Despite the years of torment, he couldn’t regret a second of knowing her. But it would be so much easier for her if they’d never met.
    Did she hate him now? Despise him so much she didn’t even trust that he had her safety at heart when he’d warned her against Radleigh?
    Without a word to Nick, Jardine headed to his horse, stroking one hand down the mare’s soft neck while he struggled against the urge to go back. Unless he told Louisa his true reasons for rejecting her, she would not allow herself to be swayed. But he couldn’t give her honesty, not now. If she knew his plans to rid himself of Smith once and for all, she’d want to help. He couldn’t afford the distraction.
    The agent list was bait. Smith would give anything for that list. Imagine the power a man like Smith would have if he knew every operative employed by the British secret service. Once Jardine retrieved the list from Radleigh, he could lure Smith out into the open and finish him, once and for all.
    To acknowledge Louisa as his wife now would be to make her a target of Smith’s revenge. And if he failed, if he perished in the attempt, Louisa would be better off believing Jardine had rejected her. She’d be free.
    He swung himself into the saddle and urged his horse to a walk, winding along a little-used path until they came to the edge of the copse. Once he and Nick found open ground, Nick spoke.
    “I have news from Radleigh’s camp.”
    “News? From the little clerk?” Jardine’s instinct bristled. He hadn’t been mistaken in Nick, then. He’d turned someone in Radleigh’s employ. “Good man.”
    “He’s Radleigh’s secretary, actually,” said Nick. “Nervous, but there’s a good mind there, I think. I ought to qualify this by saying it’s entirely possible the man is laying bets on both sides. He informed me that Radleigh’s putting up that list of agents to the highest bidder. He’s had offers but nothing that tempts him. He’s going to drive a hard bargain.”
    “We need to get our hands on that list.”
    Nick tilted his head. “Steal it? We have no idea where it might be. He might not even keep it on the premises.”
    Jardine squinted, as if he could bring Radleigh’s estate into focus. “I think he’ll keep the document close. Do we know who will be at that party?”
    “My source wouldn’t divulge