he didn’t succeed,” Black said. “And now you should have no difficulty locating him once you reach Manchester.”
Callie frowned. “The last time you thought he would be in Manchester, he was right here under our noses. What makes you think he’ll go there now?”
“He’ll go to Manchester because he broke into the War Office for a reason,” Jasper interrupted. “The files he stole…he’s still after the doctor, isn’t he? And now he knows where you’ve hidden him.”
Chapter Six
They were given only one hour to pack another bag before leaving again. This time Callie insisted on taking the train, and General Black agreed to transport the three of them to the station. She could only hope that steam travel meant less likelihood of fire and falling to one’s death, but given her luck lately she wasn’t going to bet on it.
As they waited to board, Jasper turned to her. “It isn’t what you thought it would be, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“The spy business. None of this is very exciting, unless you consider near-death disasters exhilarating.”
“I suppose I assumed our first mission together would be filled with thrilling political intrigue. That we would dash off somewhere romantic like Italy or France under cover of night and wear exotic disguises in order to infiltrate the enemy and recover stolen information vital to our country.” She laughed. “Instead, here we are riding the train to Manchester on a sunny afternoon to apprehend a wanted fugitive of our own government.”
“Despite the lack of seductive intrigue, don’t underestimate the potential for danger. If the degeneration of the nanites in Dunsmoor’s blood has affected his brain and made him as unhinged as Black says—”
She wasn’t able to hide her wince and clenched her hand into a tight fist. “Do you think the doctor will be able to reverse it?”
“I’m certain of it,” he said. Did the conviction in his voice sound forced, or was it only her own doubt that made her think so? “Have you experienced any of the symptoms Peabody mentioned?”
She shook her head quickly and glanced away. It was hard to keep lying to him, but she was afraid admitting the truth would be worse. If Jasper knew what was happening to her, he would either force her to submit to the doctor’s examination, or let fear convince him she should be locked away safely at home for the rest of her days. All the ground she’d gained in her fight to be his equal partner would be lost…and their marriage would be over.
Callie watched a woman drag a large chest on wheels, holding the hand of a small child as they weaved slowly through the crowded terminal. Was she meeting her husband? How long had they been parted? Were they a happy family? Even as she wondered, a man several feet away called out. He lifted his arm, waving madly until the woman saw him. The relief on her face was unmistakable, as was the big smile of joy that brought out a pair of dimples in the little boy’s cheeks. The man pushed his way to them until he could lift the child up with one arm and wrap the other around his wife’s shoulders.
“Thank God,” Jasper said.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I said I’m glad you’re all right.” He smiled. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
She swallowed a pang of bitterness. She wasn’t so certain, and she really didn’t believe he was, either. With the threat of this degeneration problem hanging over her head, it was a good thing she would not be able to bear children. The thought of transferring her problems to an innocent…no. That she would not contemplate.
But to never know the joy of holding her own child? Never look up to see the smile of tenderness on Jasper’s face as he watched her with their baby? Never to have a child run on tiny little feet into her arms and hear a sweet voice call her “mama”? It hurt. Combined with all the other things she would never do and never have, what did she have
Callie frowned. “The last time you thought he would be in Manchester, he was right here under our noses. What makes you think he’ll go there now?”
“He’ll go to Manchester because he broke into the War Office for a reason,” Jasper interrupted. “The files he stole…he’s still after the doctor, isn’t he? And now he knows where you’ve hidden him.”
Chapter Six
They were given only one hour to pack another bag before leaving again. This time Callie insisted on taking the train, and General Black agreed to transport the three of them to the station. She could only hope that steam travel meant less likelihood of fire and falling to one’s death, but given her luck lately she wasn’t going to bet on it.
As they waited to board, Jasper turned to her. “It isn’t what you thought it would be, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“The spy business. None of this is very exciting, unless you consider near-death disasters exhilarating.”
“I suppose I assumed our first mission together would be filled with thrilling political intrigue. That we would dash off somewhere romantic like Italy or France under cover of night and wear exotic disguises in order to infiltrate the enemy and recover stolen information vital to our country.” She laughed. “Instead, here we are riding the train to Manchester on a sunny afternoon to apprehend a wanted fugitive of our own government.”
“Despite the lack of seductive intrigue, don’t underestimate the potential for danger. If the degeneration of the nanites in Dunsmoor’s blood has affected his brain and made him as unhinged as Black says—”
She wasn’t able to hide her wince and clenched her hand into a tight fist. “Do you think the doctor will be able to reverse it?”
“I’m certain of it,” he said. Did the conviction in his voice sound forced, or was it only her own doubt that made her think so? “Have you experienced any of the symptoms Peabody mentioned?”
She shook her head quickly and glanced away. It was hard to keep lying to him, but she was afraid admitting the truth would be worse. If Jasper knew what was happening to her, he would either force her to submit to the doctor’s examination, or let fear convince him she should be locked away safely at home for the rest of her days. All the ground she’d gained in her fight to be his equal partner would be lost…and their marriage would be over.
Callie watched a woman drag a large chest on wheels, holding the hand of a small child as they weaved slowly through the crowded terminal. Was she meeting her husband? How long had they been parted? Were they a happy family? Even as she wondered, a man several feet away called out. He lifted his arm, waving madly until the woman saw him. The relief on her face was unmistakable, as was the big smile of joy that brought out a pair of dimples in the little boy’s cheeks. The man pushed his way to them until he could lift the child up with one arm and wrap the other around his wife’s shoulders.
“Thank God,” Jasper said.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I said I’m glad you’re all right.” He smiled. “I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”
She swallowed a pang of bitterness. She wasn’t so certain, and she really didn’t believe he was, either. With the threat of this degeneration problem hanging over her head, it was a good thing she would not be able to bear children. The thought of transferring her problems to an innocent…no. That she would not contemplate.
But to never know the joy of holding her own child? Never look up to see the smile of tenderness on Jasper’s face as he watched her with their baby? Never to have a child run on tiny little feet into her arms and hear a sweet voice call her “mama”? It hurt. Combined with all the other things she would never do and never have, what did she have
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