Please return at a later time.”
The captain pushed a finger in Gabriel’s chest. “Listen, you rude slip of a man, I am on the King’s business and I have matters to take up with Braxton himself, so if you will kindly move aside.”
Defiant, Gabriel shook his head. By the scowls on the soldiers’ mouths and creased brows, they weren’t going to turn and retreat either. Any moment now the soldiers would override Gabriel’s tactics, Mercedes realized.
“What is your business, Captain Wilkes?” Gabriel demanded.
“Late last night a mob of men, who we think are part of the Sons of Liberty, attacked one of our soldiers.”
“And what does this have to do with Mr. Braxton?”
“The injured officer thought he recognized Braxton.”
“Impossible.” Gabriel snickered. “My master is as loyal to the King as you are. Besides, he was in this house all evening. Last night he played with his children and had dinner with his wife, who, I might add, was born and raised in England. After dinner, they retired for the night and Mr. Braxton has been in his room ever since.”
Mercedes gasped, then quickly covered her mouth. That was an out-right lie!
“Well then,” Captain Wilkes snapped, finally pushing past Gabriel and entering the house, “Mr. Braxton will not be too upset if we ask him a few questions, will he?”
Fearful, Mercedes’ heart hammered. William had left last night, and although she didn’t know what time he returned, she prayed he’d have enough sense to keep himself away from a mob like that. Giving him an alibi would not only help him, but help her. She didn’t want William to be arrested by the soldiers yet. She needed more time to discover the truth. Perhaps doing this for William would also allow him to trust her.
Without another thought, she ran down the hall to his bedroom and entered. The drapes were pulled closed and very little light helped her find his bed. After stubbing her toe on the corner of a chair and then again on the end of the bed, she reached the side. She threw off her robe before crawling in next to him.
“William, wake up.” In desperation she shook him. Moaning, he turned toward her and his muscular arm pinned her down. Just like last night when he’d touched her, tingles spread throughout her body. She put aside the glorious feeling for now.
“William, please wake up.” Her heart hammered. “The soldiers will be here at any moment.”
She blinked, adjusting her eyes to the darkness until William’s face came in focus. He raised his head and looked at her. It was his turn to blink and he shook his head.
“William, it is I, Mercedes. Now wake up.”
Quick as lightning, he bolted up straight and cursed. He grasped his head as if it were going to explode.
“William, be silent and listen. There are soldiers downstairs trying to force their way into the house. Gabriel is keeping them away for now, but he cannot overpower them. I heard the captain say you were with a group of men last night who attacked a soldier.” His forehead creased and she continued, “I want to believe you were not part of that mob, but because you left last night, I cannot be certain.”
He scowled, his lips pursing.
“William, I can make them believe you were here all night, but you have to promise you were not part of that group.”
“I was not part of that group,” he rasped.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, but now I need to know where you were. If I lie and say I was with you, I have to know those soldiers will never discover the truth. If they find out, my very life would be at risk.”
“I am aware of that.”
Out in the hallway, pounding feet running up the stairs echoed.
She gasped. “So? Will you tell me?”
He looked away, but a small growl came from his throat. “I was at a tavern.” His eyes darted back to hers. “But it is not the way you are thinking.” He grumbled again and shook his head. “I know not why I am telling you. You do not care,
The captain pushed a finger in Gabriel’s chest. “Listen, you rude slip of a man, I am on the King’s business and I have matters to take up with Braxton himself, so if you will kindly move aside.”
Defiant, Gabriel shook his head. By the scowls on the soldiers’ mouths and creased brows, they weren’t going to turn and retreat either. Any moment now the soldiers would override Gabriel’s tactics, Mercedes realized.
“What is your business, Captain Wilkes?” Gabriel demanded.
“Late last night a mob of men, who we think are part of the Sons of Liberty, attacked one of our soldiers.”
“And what does this have to do with Mr. Braxton?”
“The injured officer thought he recognized Braxton.”
“Impossible.” Gabriel snickered. “My master is as loyal to the King as you are. Besides, he was in this house all evening. Last night he played with his children and had dinner with his wife, who, I might add, was born and raised in England. After dinner, they retired for the night and Mr. Braxton has been in his room ever since.”
Mercedes gasped, then quickly covered her mouth. That was an out-right lie!
“Well then,” Captain Wilkes snapped, finally pushing past Gabriel and entering the house, “Mr. Braxton will not be too upset if we ask him a few questions, will he?”
Fearful, Mercedes’ heart hammered. William had left last night, and although she didn’t know what time he returned, she prayed he’d have enough sense to keep himself away from a mob like that. Giving him an alibi would not only help him, but help her. She didn’t want William to be arrested by the soldiers yet. She needed more time to discover the truth. Perhaps doing this for William would also allow him to trust her.
Without another thought, she ran down the hall to his bedroom and entered. The drapes were pulled closed and very little light helped her find his bed. After stubbing her toe on the corner of a chair and then again on the end of the bed, she reached the side. She threw off her robe before crawling in next to him.
“William, wake up.” In desperation she shook him. Moaning, he turned toward her and his muscular arm pinned her down. Just like last night when he’d touched her, tingles spread throughout her body. She put aside the glorious feeling for now.
“William, please wake up.” Her heart hammered. “The soldiers will be here at any moment.”
She blinked, adjusting her eyes to the darkness until William’s face came in focus. He raised his head and looked at her. It was his turn to blink and he shook his head.
“William, it is I, Mercedes. Now wake up.”
Quick as lightning, he bolted up straight and cursed. He grasped his head as if it were going to explode.
“William, be silent and listen. There are soldiers downstairs trying to force their way into the house. Gabriel is keeping them away for now, but he cannot overpower them. I heard the captain say you were with a group of men last night who attacked a soldier.” His forehead creased and she continued, “I want to believe you were not part of that mob, but because you left last night, I cannot be certain.”
He scowled, his lips pursing.
“William, I can make them believe you were here all night, but you have to promise you were not part of that group.”
“I was not part of that group,” he rasped.
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, but now I need to know where you were. If I lie and say I was with you, I have to know those soldiers will never discover the truth. If they find out, my very life would be at risk.”
“I am aware of that.”
Out in the hallway, pounding feet running up the stairs echoed.
She gasped. “So? Will you tell me?”
He looked away, but a small growl came from his throat. “I was at a tavern.” His eyes darted back to hers. “But it is not the way you are thinking.” He grumbled again and shook his head. “I know not why I am telling you. You do not care,
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