Read Online His Lady Spy (The Star Elite Series) by Rebecca King - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rebecca King
Ads: Link
she was clearly horrified at having killed someone for the first, and hopefully the last, time in her life.
“Portia, darling, I need you to listen to me,” Archie whispered gently, not certain if he was getting through to her. “You had to do what you had to do. I know it is horrifying, but the man is a traitor. He was a French spy who had already cold-bloodedly killed many innocent people, including women and children.” He sighed deeply when she didn’t respond and didn’t appear to have heard him. Taking her shoulders in a firm grip, he shook them gently before grabbing hold of her chin and tipping her head backward until she was looking up at him. The sight of the tear-filled gaze she lifted to him almost unmanned him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, knowing that right now, she was in a dark place that nobody could help her out of. He knew because he had been there many years ago when he had first killed someone. It wasn’t that killing got easier the more you did it. Archie had lost count of the number of lives he had taken, and although each death would remain with him, he had become more dispassionate about the act of putting someone to death. He had to sternly remind himself that he was killing to fight for king and country, and the safety and security of the people living in the country of his birth. It still didn’t ease the lingering horror, but it helped his conscience a little to know that these people would kill innocents if they weren’t removed. Innocents like Portia and Cecily.
“Right now, we need you to be strong and get a hold of yourself, Portia,” Archie warned, his eyes locked upon hers. “Cecily needs you to be brave so we can get out of here and to a place of safety.” Archie had no idea where that place of safety would be right now, but he had to get her out of the church, preferably without witnessing the macabre scene she had created. “We need to move – now.” Archie knew he was being harsh on her, but had little choice.
“I killed him,” Portia whispered, feeling her stomach churn at the sight of the Frenchman’s shock as the wound opened up in his neck. “Oh Lord, forgive me,” Portia gasped.
“Please, Portia, you have to be strong and get through this, sweetheart. Stand up,” Archie ordered, pushing to his feet and dragging her up resolutely beside him. The motion of standing upright seemed to snap her out of her daze and she instinctively moved to turn around. Whether she was intending to take a look at Manton, or her sister Archie wasn’t sure, but he stopped her and kept her facing him with a firm hand beneath her chin. “I have no idea how many more of the Guards are in the area, so we cannot risk staying here a moment longer. I don’t want them coming back with reinforcements or there will be many more deaths. It is imperative we leave, Portia.” Archie glanced over at Cecily and nodded toward the door to the vestry. “Walk on, I’ll carry her.”
Cecily nodded, carefully keeping her gaze averted from the growing pool of blood in front of the first pew as she scurried toward the door. “Check the room before you enter it,” Archie cautioned, pleased when Cecily did just that. Quickly closing the door behind them, he shared a look of relief with Cecily aware that clearly, looks were deceiving. Of the two of them, Cecily looked the more delicate; the one more inclined to wilt under the burden of responsibility and fear, but it was Portia who was the one who was struggling to keep a toe-hold in reality.
Still, she had just killed a man in cold blood, Archie reasoned to himself. He was lucky she hadn’t dissolved into a fit of hysteria , and couldn’t find it within him to be harsh on her and criticise her in any way.
Portia took a hiccupping sigh and lifted her head off Archie’s shoulder. The change in room temperature did little to ease the chills she could feel right down to her bones, and she wondered if she would ever be warm again. The horror
“Portia, darling, I need you to listen to me,” Archie whispered gently, not certain if he was getting through to her. “You had to do what you had to do. I know it is horrifying, but the man is a traitor. He was a French spy who had already cold-bloodedly killed many innocent people, including women and children.” He sighed deeply when she didn’t respond and didn’t appear to have heard him. Taking her shoulders in a firm grip, he shook them gently before grabbing hold of her chin and tipping her head backward until she was looking up at him. The sight of the tear-filled gaze she lifted to him almost unmanned him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, knowing that right now, she was in a dark place that nobody could help her out of. He knew because he had been there many years ago when he had first killed someone. It wasn’t that killing got easier the more you did it. Archie had lost count of the number of lives he had taken, and although each death would remain with him, he had become more dispassionate about the act of putting someone to death. He had to sternly remind himself that he was killing to fight for king and country, and the safety and security of the people living in the country of his birth. It still didn’t ease the lingering horror, but it helped his conscience a little to know that these people would kill innocents if they weren’t removed. Innocents like Portia and Cecily.
“Right now, we need you to be strong and get a hold of yourself, Portia,” Archie warned, his eyes locked upon hers. “Cecily needs you to be brave so we can get out of here and to a place of safety.” Archie had no idea where that place of safety would be right now, but he had to get her out of the church, preferably without witnessing the macabre scene she had created. “We need to move – now.” Archie knew he was being harsh on her, but had little choice.
“I killed him,” Portia whispered, feeling her stomach churn at the sight of the Frenchman’s shock as the wound opened up in his neck. “Oh Lord, forgive me,” Portia gasped.
“Please, Portia, you have to be strong and get through this, sweetheart. Stand up,” Archie ordered, pushing to his feet and dragging her up resolutely beside him. The motion of standing upright seemed to snap her out of her daze and she instinctively moved to turn around. Whether she was intending to take a look at Manton, or her sister Archie wasn’t sure, but he stopped her and kept her facing him with a firm hand beneath her chin. “I have no idea how many more of the Guards are in the area, so we cannot risk staying here a moment longer. I don’t want them coming back with reinforcements or there will be many more deaths. It is imperative we leave, Portia.” Archie glanced over at Cecily and nodded toward the door to the vestry. “Walk on, I’ll carry her.”
Cecily nodded, carefully keeping her gaze averted from the growing pool of blood in front of the first pew as she scurried toward the door. “Check the room before you enter it,” Archie cautioned, pleased when Cecily did just that. Quickly closing the door behind them, he shared a look of relief with Cecily aware that clearly, looks were deceiving. Of the two of them, Cecily looked the more delicate; the one more inclined to wilt under the burden of responsibility and fear, but it was Portia who was the one who was struggling to keep a toe-hold in reality.
Still, she had just killed a man in cold blood, Archie reasoned to himself. He was lucky she hadn’t dissolved into a fit of hysteria , and couldn’t find it within him to be harsh on her and criticise her in any way.
Portia took a hiccupping sigh and lifted her head off Archie’s shoulder. The change in room temperature did little to ease the chills she could feel right down to her bones, and she wondered if she would ever be warm again. The horror
Similar Books
