Fortune's Flames (15 page)

Maren began breathlessly, “If you think I’ll become your mistress to repay a de—”

Jared interrupted. “My wife, Maren. You repay me or you marry me. That’s the only deal I’ll accept. While I’m at sea, you had best keep that wedding dress locked in a trunk. If you wear it to wed someone else, I’ll see that you’re put in jail for theft. Shall we say you’ll repay your debt to me one way or another
on January first?”

Maren was stunned. He had vowed she could not escape him. Was this just a clever way to entrap her? And why marriage? Was his offer real or a disarming trick? “This is madness, Jared.”

“Not to me. It would settle all of my problems.”

“What about my problems?” she asked, utterly confused.

“It should settle them, too. You’ll be getting all you need and want. Blame yourself, Maren; you’re the one who enticed me with promises of becoming my willing captive, and you rashly indebted yourself to me. January first, Maren, one way or another,” he said, grinning. “That is, unless one of us dies. In that case, Lady Luck goes to the survivor. If you’re lucky, I might not return from this war.”

Maren wondered what was going on with Jared Morgan. Her mother had told her about men’s desires, urges, and unsated frustrations, and she had mentioned the games men played with members of the opposite sex, men’s fears of losing their freedom. Maren had been advised to chase her heart’s desire until he surrendered, believing he had ensnared her. But things were topsy-turvy with Jared Morgan. She, the cunning woman, was supposed to subtly pursue him, the elusive and intimidated man; she was supposed to flirt, entice, and beguile—to fight to attain her heart’s desire. But Jared was doing the pursuing and capturing! Maren wasn’t sure how to deal with this upside-down situation. If he wanted to marry her, why didn’t he just ask her? Why did he
play this elaborate game? Was it only a ruse to beguile her?

“What about your suspicions of Eric? If you really work for the President, why are you trusting me with such a dangerous secret? How do you know I won’t expose you to Eric or someone else?”

Jared knew he had made her think his pursuit of Eric was more important to him than she was. He had given her reason to be wary and suspicious. “It’s the only way I can earn your trust and help. You said you weren’t at war with your English family and friends, but America is—I am. You said you couldn’t take a stand against them. What if you have to do that someday, Maren? If someone asked you to aid the Brits, would you? If someone asked you to defend America against them, would you? Don’t answer now, just think over those questions. Maybe you haven’t been forced to make such a difficult decision yet. But what if Eric has? And what if he’s involved you without your knowledge? How would that appear to American authorities? After all, you have English roots, your fiancé was an Englishman slain by Americans, and your parental ties to America are gone. If you are my wife, I can protect you.”

Maren mulled over the points he’d made. What if Eric was a British spy and Jared was an American agent? Did Jared distrust her? She really did not want to discuss such crucial matters at that time, so she asked, “What about the ruby necklace as payment?”

“Keep it for an emergency, or as a stake if you decide to elude me. Believe me, Maren, there are
worse fates than marrying me.”

“Such as?”

“Marrying a Brit like the one who hung my brother Jeremy,” he replied unwittingly. “What happened to your Englishman? Who was he?”

Maren caught Jared’s bitterness over his brother’s grim fate. Yet her grandparents and her father were British; she was partly British. Did he bear resentment toward her? “Are you sure you want to hear about my colorful past?”

He hated being jealous of a dead man, but he was. “Eventually you’ll have to tell me about it.”

“If you insist…His name was Daniel Redford, Lord Redford’s son and heir. We were to be married in September of 1812, but he went to sea before my arrival. You men seem to think war is so much fun that you embrace it eagerly. Soon after the fighting began, his ship, the
Merry Maiden,
was attacked by an American privateer and everyone aboard was killed. Is that sufficient for now, sir?”

“Did you love Daniel Redford?”

Maren wondered if the truth had been noticeable in her eyes and her voice, but she did not want to vow or disavow love for her deceased fiancé. “Does it matter to you now? He’s dead, his body is lost somewhere in the sea.”

“Do you still love him?” Jared altered his question slightly, for he was the privateer who had sunk the
Merry Maiden.

Reflecting on and talking about Daniel had changed Maren’s mood. She was now thinking of
death, of the deviousness of men, of her many losses, of lies and broken dreams, of silly mistakes. “I think I’ll get dressed now. Make yourself at home, but since Mary is out for the day, you’ll have to eat elsewhere or prepare your own meals. I have a previous engagement.” She headed for the kitchen door.

“What about our deal, Maren?”

She halted and looked at him. “Will you put our deal in writing, just in case some British privateer prevents you from returning to collect? I wouldn’t want you willing your share to another conquest.”

“We’ll handle everything tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow is July fourth. Some people make a holiday of it. What about Tuesday?”

“That’s fine. I’ll see you tonight. Oh, how about having dinner with me at the hotel? We have to eat, so why not dine together?”

“I have other plans for today and tonight, but thank you.”

Jared spent the afternoon searching Maren’s rooms for clues. He found the letters from her parents, and after reading them, he could understand why Maren was protecting Eric James: their past friendship, their kinship, her parents’ feelings about Eric, and her cousin’s alleged patriotism. She undoubtedly felt he was risking death for treason or espionage. The letters had mentioned Cameron James’s intention to make Eric a partner in James Shipping. They had spoken of Eric’s secret work for
America, and they had mentioned a “special fund,” which meant Maren had already known of it. He hated to realize how easily and frequently she had deceived him. He had to teach her to trust him.

Jared knew something which Maren did not; there was a hidden compartment behind the bookcase by her bedroom fireplace. He went over the papers hidden there, and learned some grim facts. Cameron had given Eric legal authority to handle his business, but he had been about to revoke it. There was a letter there for Jared, a shocking one. It began, “If you find this letter, please take care of my daughter Maren for me. Protect her from her cousin Eric James. How could I have been so wrong about him? He’s evil, Jared, evil and sly. I’ll tell you what he’s done and what he’s planning to do….”

He left the papers with the “special fund” he had found in the secret compartment. After reading about Eric’s deception and hearing about how he had begun to act shortly before the Jameses’ deaths, he suspected that Eric had had something to do with their sudden demises. Of course, he couldn’t reveal such dark suspicions to Maren; they would put her in danger and would break her heart. Aware of how dangerous Eric could be, especially to Maren, Jared must wait for the proper moment to use this grim evidence. Maren was vulnerable, and he wanted to protect her. He decided to see Dan Myers to gather more facts. He realized that he must let Maren discover this terrible truth on her own; if he forced it on
her, she would resist him. But he would guide her to it, and he would defend, comfort, and love her.

Maren walked around in the sitting room of the old James townhouse, the one Eric now “rented.” She had arrived there just as Marc was returning home, so he could not avoid her. She informed her younger cousin that she had discovered who her partner was and that the man had moved into Lady Luck. She knew if Eric kept to his schedule he should return to New Orleans around the end of the month or the beginning of the next one, and the impending confrontation between Jared and Eric worried her. It would reveal the truth.

Jared had told her that he would resist her until he decided whether she was as important to him as his country, yet he was yielding to her. Did that mean he had decided she was vital to his happiness, or was he tricking her because he had realized she was not important to him? Jared had confided so many things to her, secrets she found hard to believe: tales of treachery and treason. She had to think.

“Do you mind if I stay here today, Marc? Mary isn’t home and I don’t want to be alone with that man.”

“I guess it’s all right.”

“I’m sure Eric wouldn’t mind. I loved this place,” she murmured, glancing around the room. “Eric’s kept it much the same. I’m glad he was able to rent it. He lived here while working for my father, didn’t
he?” she asked casually.

“Yes. Why didn’t you move in here with us?”

Maren replied deviously, “I wanted to live at Lady Luck and take care of myself. How long have you been living with Eric?”

“He brought me here after your parents died. Murray didn’t want me around, so Eric takes care of me.”

That told Maren why Marc was obedient to his brother, gratitude and the fact that Marc was afraid of Eric James. “That’s nice of him. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Would you like to visit me?”

“That man, your partner, is he the one who came to the office and asked me all those questions?”

Maren decided to learn whether Eric had recognized Jared as Captain Hawk during the raid on the
Martha J
and had mentioned it to Marc. “Worse, Marc, he’s the awful pirate who attacked us at sea. Eric will be furious when he gets home and finds that beast living at Lady Luck. I tried to persuade Mr. Morgan to sell his half to me, but he refused. Imagine, me in business with the notorious Captain Hawk!”

“I don’t like him. Eric won’t like him either. I’d better stay away from him or Eric will be mad. He doesn’t like people nosing around here.”

Maren did not want to argue the point with the sulky youth. She had other things on her mind. In fact, she intended to spend the night here and avoid Jared until her head cleared. It might do that cocky rogue good to suspect she was with another man.

“You relax, Marc, while I prepare us a nice dinner. We’ll talk and play cards afterward.”

By midnight, Jared was worried about Maren. There were many lowlifes abroad in New Orleans, and he had upset Maren. She might not be thinking clearly. He tried to imagine where she had been all day. Mary Malone had returned after four, and he had had a long talk with her. He liked Mary, and she appeared to like him. She had cooked him a delicious meal, and they had eaten together. However, when he had questioned her about Maren’s absence, the woman had known nothing and had been just as worried as he was.

A knock drew his attention, and going to the door of his suite, he found Mary standing before it. “She isn’t home yet, Mr. Morgan. She must be in trouble.”

“Can you think of any place where she would go to be away from me?”

“To be away from you? Whatever for?” the woman inquired.

“I gave her a good start today. I may as well confess that I’ve been pursuing her for a long time and I’ve asked her to marry me. I think she wants to say yes, but this mystery partner stuff has her annoyed and baffled. She’s probably off somewhere pouting.”

Mary was pleased by that news because she had been impressed by Jared Morgan. She replied honestly, “I hope she says yes, but she is a headstrong, independent girl. What about her
cousin’s place? She could be there. He lives in Mr. Cameron’s old townhouse.”

Jared recalled the address, and hurried over there. When he peeked through the sitting room window, he saw Maren and Marc at a game table. He knocked on the door until Marc responded, looking frightened. “Tell Maren I’m here to take her home.”

Maren suddenly appeared behind her cousin and asked, “What are you doing here, Mr. Morgan? How dare you follow me about and give me orders! I’m staying here tonight.”

“No, you are not. Remember that precious reputation you have to guard? When people see you returning home in the morning, how are they to know you stayed the night with your cousin? Your behavior is rash and childish. Mary is worried sick about you.”

Maren conceded on this point. “I should have left her a note. We were having such fun that I lost track of time. When I saw how late it was, I decided to stay the night. How did you find me?”

“Mary suggested I check here before scouring the city for you. Fetch your things and let’s return before she becomes more frantic.”

Maren didn’t argue further. She retrieved her shawl and reticule, and joined the tawny-eyed man at the door. “Good night, Marc. I’m sorry to leave in the midst of our game. I’ll see you on another day.”

Marc did not respond; he just kept staring at Jared Morgan.

When Jared mounted his borrowed horse and
reached for Maren, she tried to back away, but he seized her arms and lifted her up before him. She protested, and he ordered, “Be quiet, woman. You’ve caused me enough discomfort tonight. It’s late, so no one will notice us.”

To prevent the clattering of hooves, Jared walked the animal back toward Lady Luck. “Next time you pull something like this, you’d best let us know where you’ll be. And don’t try to provoke me. Those bayous are filled with pirates and smugglers who would love to get their hands on a treasure like you. I won’t tolerate such recklessness. You’ll do as you’re told or our deal is off.”

“Just what am I being told not to do, Mr. Morgan?”

“Since you’ve agreed to my terms, you’re promised to me if you fail to repay your debt. That means you may not see other men or try to irritate me at every turn.”

“I wasn’t seeing another man. Marc is my first cousin.”

“But you wanted me to think otherwise, didn’t you?”

“Why would I do that?” Maren asked, lowering her lashes.

Jared reined in the horse. Grasping her chin, he raised it, and his gaze bored into hers. “Either to make me jealous or to punish me.”

“Don’t be silly,” she chided, trying to free her chin.

“Do not toy with me, Maren,” he warned, then his mouth closed over hers. The kiss was swift, to the
point, staggering.