CC knew she should run.

“Noah…I have to go… Please, let me…we shouldn’t…” Her protests were feeble, and Noah overruled them with but a single kiss.

She knew she should not allow this to happen, but the touch of his hand and the warmth of his closeness drove all thoughts of flight from her. She loved him and soon he would be gone. There could be no tomorrow for them, but at least she could have tonight…

Hungrily she returned his kiss, her lips parting beneath his, her heart pounding erratically in her breast. She had not thought she would have the opportunity to be with Noah ever again, and yet here they were, locked in each other’s arms, lost in the splendor of their mutual need. It was her longed-for paradise.

She wound her arms around his neck, hugging him to her as she molded herself to his hard-muscled strength. Every fiber of her being longed for oneness with him, and she clung to him, weak with desire.

Noah was enthralled as his mouth sought to press kiss after heated kiss upon her waiting lips. No nectar had ever tasted so sweet or filled him with such rapturous joy. Exhilarated, he felt the need to be joined with her, to clasp her to him and merge their bodies into one perfect unity. His hands moved restlessly to the soft curve of her hips and pressed her full against his throbbing desire. Noah and CC were so absorbed in the excitement of the embrace that they did not hear the door open or close.

Matt had entered the taproom shortly after Noah had headed for his room with CC in pursuit, and Polly had intercepted him at once with Noah’s message to come right up. Matt had hoped to have a long talk with Noah this evening about their plans for the future and so he hurried on upstairs to speak with him. Since Noah was expecting him and the door was unlocked, Matt did not bother to knock but simply opened the door, walked in, and pushed the door shut behind him.

The sight that greeted him shocked and disgusted him. There in the middle of the room stood Noah locked in an embrace with what looked to be a young boy. It was something he had never suspected of his brother, not even in his wildest imaginings, and he could only gape in outrage.

“Noah! Dear God!” His voice was a hoarse croak and he backed toward the door in an effort to escape the tawdry scene.

Reality did not intrude upon CC and Noah until the sound of Matt’s voice so very near and so very filled with loathing pierced their Elysian interlude and shattered the moment of bliss. Jolted out of his reverie, Noah suddenly realized that in his overwhelming need to possess CC again, he’d forgotten the message he’d left for Matthew, and more important, he’d forgotten to lock the door.

“Matt…” Noah’s voice was sharp as he tried to stop his brother from leaving. When CC would have turned to face Matt and relieve Noah of the necessity to explain a most embarrassing situation, Noah held her tightly to him and murmured, “Keep your face averted.”

“I’m leaving…” Matt ground out, his tone terse with condemnation. “I hadn’t meant to intrude. Polly just said that-”

CC could almost feel the violent emotions that were being barely held in check by both brothers, and with a supreme effort she twisted quickly in Noah’s shielding embrace.

“Matthew…wait… It’s all right…really…”

“CC, damn it!” Noah swore. He had wanted to protect her from recognition and yet she had openly and willingly given away her identity.

“CC?”

A kaleidoscope of comical emotions ranging from censure to understanding to humorous crossed Matt’s face as he stared at CC dressed in her boy’s disguise.

“CC…Miss Demorest, I presume.” The jarring tension that had seared him when he’d first entered the room faded quickly away, leaving him feeling slightly foolish, and he grinned in self-derision. “Thank heaven it’s you; I should have remembered…”

“What?” Noah looked questioningly from CC to his brother. “What should you have remembered?”

“CC’s disguise, of course,” Matt answered easily.

“You knew about the disguise?” Noah was astonished.

“Yes, CC and I ran into each other at the meeting at Faneuil Hall and I vowed to keep her secret.” Matt suddenly looked thoughtful. “That explains my knowing, but just how did you find out?”

“He discovered my involvement the night of his first rendezvous with Graves,” CC supplied, moving out of the circle of Noah’s arms the moment he loosened his grip. “You do know about all that, don’t you?”

“Yes, he knows about it,” Noah snapped, suddenly irritated and not quite sure why.

“You’re a member of that group?” Matt was astounded to find out that she belonged to the innermost decision-making group.

“Yes,” she answered with pride. “I have been almost since the beginning.”

Everything quickly came together for Matt now that he better understood the relationship that existed between Noah and CC. No wonder she’d sounded slightly embittered when they’d spoken of Noah the other night. If she cared for him, as she obviously did or she wouldn’t have just been in his arms, his refusal to become involved in the revolutionary movement and his determination to return to England had no doubt hurt her terribly.

“So that’s how you knew so much about-” Matt began, and CC flashed him a warning look.

“Knew so much about what?” Noah demanded, wanting to know everything about Matt and CC’s acquaintance.

“Oh, nothing. Listen, I can speak with you any time, Noah. I’ll just-” He started for the door to allow them time together, but CC spoke up quickly, halting his progress.

“No! I’ll go…I must…” She rushed to the door. “Good-bye, Noah.” Her eyes were filled with sadness as they met his across the room, and without another word she fled the room.

“CC…” Noah started after her, but when he emerged into the hall she had already disappeared down the steps, and he knew it would not do for him to race from the inn in hot pursuit of a messenger boy. Slowly, unaccountably miserable, he turned back inside and closed the door.

“Noah…what was that all about?” Matt was frowning, not understanding CC’s haste to be gone.

“CC was sent by Ryan Graves to deliver the first half of our payment for the arms.” He gestured toward the table, where the money lay untouched.

“Oh.” Matt was disappointed, for he had hoped that there might be more to her visit than that. “I thought she might have had another reason-”

“There was no other reason for her visit, Matt.” Noah cut off his insinuation.

“That’s too bad. CC is a very special woman.” Matt admired her very much, and he let his feelings for her show in his tone. “A man could do far worse.”

“Perhaps.” Noah refused to reveal anything of his feelings for CC, and Matt finally let the matter rest.

As Matt considered the whole scenario for a moment in silence, he thought it odd that a woman had been sent on such a potentially dangerous mission, and he asked, “Why in the world would the leaders send CC to you with the money? Wasn’t that slightly dangerous? One woman…alone…unprotected?”

“I asked her the same thing, and all she would tell me was that there was a letter in the packet that would explain everything.” Noah quickly unwrapped the parcel and, with little interest, set the money aside in favor of the envelope enclosed. “Let’s see here…”

Silently he read the missive, and his jaw tensed in explosive anger. “I don’t believe this…” He looked up at Matt, stunned.

“What?” Matt took the letter.

Lord Kincade-

It has come to our attention that your every move about town is being watched. We have no idea why, but certain precautions must be taken from now on in our dealings, and I will no longer be able to meet with you personally. Please understand, and if you can explain the surveillance, send word.

Graves

“Damn! We’re being watched, Matt…or at least I am,” Noah snarled, striding to the window and staring out at the seemingly deserted street below.