Hart's Passion (Pirates & Petticoats Book 2) (31 page)

Landon leaned forward and grabbed Brendan’s forearm then nodded toward Keelan. “Brendan, this is—”

But Brendan was already talking to his cousin. Landon sat forward and placed his chin in his hands. Apparently, this was important enough to cause his friend to forget his good manners.
 

Brendan continued, “I started to read bits and parts of my father’s journal.” His eyes were focused on Conal. “It’s about the stolen child Da used to talk about, remember?” He looked at Landon then grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. “Remember, Landon?”

“Yes, dammit!” Conal responded first even as Landon was nodding his head. “Kidnapped from the crib while my family was visiting my aunt in London. I know that much, I was eight or nine at the time.”

“Yes, but there’s more,” Brendan’s eyes gleamed and he squirmed in his chair like a young boy in church. “A few years ago Da overheard a conversation in a pub. A bo’sun was talking about the coin he’d made stealing a babe from the lady who jilted his disgraced commander, and how he was feeling guilty about the deed.”

Conal gave Brendan an exasperated look. “Ye can’t possibly think—”

“Just wait a moment, Conal, let me finish,” Brendan began flipping through the pages. “Listen to what my Da wrote.” He pressed open the journal and began to read.

Curious, I offered to buy the man a drink to hear his tale. Since he was already half in his cups, he spilled his story quite liberally. According to the man, he was instructed to enter the residence of a home at the same cross street as my brother-in-law’s in England. The child he took was approximately a year in age with curly auburn hair and an energetic temperament, (the same as young Cailyn’s). It would be too great a coincidence that my niece Cailyn and another child, baring the same age, hair and character would be stolen from the same cross street. I was convinced I’d found the man who had taken my sister’s child from her cradle. I did not let on I was in any way involved in the matter, as I didn’t want to scare the man away. So, I inquired about his commander.

When I asked his commander’s name, the gentleman became quite agitated, saying his commander had been a good commodore and lead an effective crew. He wouldn’t divulge the name. However, I later found out the man was none other than Commodore George Grey.
 

Several years ago, Grey had doggedly pursued my sister’s hand and took the matter quite badly when she refused him. He eventually married and purchased a small country house and a shop in Chatham. He wrongly ordered an attack upon a civilian passenger ship a thrice of years ago. Unfortunately, Grey disappeared shortly after his court martial. The bo’sun mentioned the name of a titled gentleman who’d been good friends with the commodore. I shall research this further, but my first assumption is that Grey had Cailyn stolen as a means to punish my sister for refusing his hand in marriage.
 

Upon hearing the name
Commodore George Grey
, Landon glanced at Keelan. Her face had paled beneath the fading dye and her gaze flew to his and widened. With a shaking hand, she fumbled for her wine and knocked the glass over, interrupting Brendan’s narrative. Landon tossed his napkin over the spilled wine and gestured for another glass while keeping a watchful eye on his wife.
 

Brendan turned the page and shoved the book across the table to Conal and jabbed the next page. “Read this.”

Conal began reading then turned the page. He paused, flipped the page back, and reread it then looked at Keelan and swallowed. It was a long still moment before he spoke, gesturing to the book. “Uncle Fynn believed the bo’sun expected there would be a ransom. He took a gold ring and a locket as proof of the child’s identity and gave them to Grey when he handed over the child.”

He turned the page and continued reading.

“The bo’sun described the locket as a miniature portrait of a beautiful woman with hair like a sunset on one side and a dark-haired gentlemen on the other. He broke the locket in two, leaving one half in the empty cradle and wrapping the other half in the blanket with the child.

 
Conal removed the ring from his finger and put it on the table. “
Along with a ring which had four lions carved on the crest.
”
 

Keelan reached inside her shirt and tugged the red ribbon holding the locket miniature and pulled it over her head. She placed it on the table. The image next to the signet ring caused the table to go silent. Brendan looked from the ring to the locket to Keelan, and a sudden dawning of realization rippled across his face.
 

Landon leaned forward and put his hand on Brendan’s shoulder. “Brendan Ahern, please allow me to introduce you to my wife, Keelan Grey Hart, of Chatham, England, raised as the daughter of the late Commodore George Grey of the Royal Navy
and
I believe, your cousin.”

“C’mon, Landon.” Brendan said irately, taking in Keelan’s clothing and darkened skin. “I’m being serious.”

“As am I,” Landon said.

“He’s telling the truth,” Conal said, staring at Keelan. “I witnessed the vows. She’s in a disguise to protect her from Gampo’s assassins.”

“Well, I’ll be…” Brendan leaned back in his chair, cocked his head and studied Keelan for a moment then studied Conal, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Keelan since he placed his ring on the table.

“We’d all given up,” Conal said hoarsely, shaking his head in disbelief. “But Fynn hadn’t. He’d promised my ma he’d never stop searching. He finally found you. He found our sister.” Conal’s eyes glistened with tears.

Keelan’s throat constricted at his words and her lungs felt twice their normal size.
 

Sister.
 

She was a
sister
! Her ears started to ring. Conal had said
our
sister
. She had more than a father. She had a mother and Conal, and Brendan, her cousin.
 

She had a
family
.
 

 
A large tear fell unchecked to the table, followed by another. Conal wiped the third away from his chin before it could fall, his eyes still wide. “You’re not my father’s bastard daughter. You’re my baby sister, Cailyn. The one who was stolen from her bed when I was a lad.” His face broke into a wide smile. He slapped his hands on the table then jumped to his feet.

Conal lifted Keelan off her chair and enveloped her in a tremendous hug. They were both laughing and crying at the same time. Conal pulled Landon up, hugged him, clapped Brendan on the back then grabbed Keelan again and kissed both her cheeks. She laughed and her heart swelled with both glee and love for her husband and her brother and the family she had yet to meet. Never would she dream her life would turn out this way. She was with the man she loved. She was part of a family. She was finally
home
.

“Now, dear one,” Conal was saying, pulling her hand, “sit ye down again and let me tell ye about your kin. You got yer lovely red curly locks from our mother. In fact, I’m a bigger idiot, fer not seeing the resemblance. You resemble her, except for your eyes and chin. Those come from our da. Now, about your older, twin sisters. Ciera, she’s married with a wee one of her own. Carina is…well…she’s an adventuresome sort.” He shifted in his seat as if he’d just sat upon a burr. “She’s not home much, and
 
it’d probably be best if ye learned about her later. Then there’s Aislyn, she’s almost sixteen. Lastly, there’s our brother Ian, who ought to be thirteen by now.”

Brendan cleared his throat and Conal quickly added, “And there’s Brendan, of course and his brother, Ronan, your cousins. I’ll not go into the rest of your cousins just yet, it’ll only confuse you.”
 

She had so many questions! Where to start? “Where do they live in Ireland?”

“Our family lives in Philadelphia now,” Conal said, eyes brightening. “As soon as this fog lifts, our fleet is heading north. You’ll meet them soon. I canna wait to see their faces when they see you.”

Keelan couldn’t stop smiling. It was like a dream. Better. Reaching over, she gripped Landon’s arm, and he nudged her with his knee under the table in response.
 

Conal and Brendan talked to Keelan for almost an hour about her kin. Landon added a story here and there where he could before he finally stood and gestured to Keelan.
 

“I made a promise to my bride that I would arrange a wedding, and provide legal documentation of our marriage.” He took Keelan’s hand, not giving a damn who noticed. “And I have done so.”

Her heart nearly stopped. A wedding?
 

Conal nodded. “Good, then. I knew ye’d make good on yer promise to me sister.”

A moment ago, she didn’t think she could feel happier, yet she did.

“We are to be married at Christ Church at dusk.” He nodded at the two other men at the table. “I’d be honored if the two of you would join us as witnesses.”

“Of course!” Conal picked up his mug in salute. “I’ll be havin’ to give away the bride, of course.”

Keelan
 
grinned at her brother. “Then, I beg your leave, to prepare for the ceremony.”

Brendan and Conal stood. Brendan grinned and stuck out his hand to Landon. “Congratulations, my friend, I wish for you and my cousin a long and happy life.”

Conal wasn’t looking as happy as Brendan. He took in his own stained breeches and scarred boots. “This won’t do. I have a much finer coat and breeches in my locker on the
Seeker
.” He glanced at Landon. “If I take the canoe, I can get to the ship quickly and retrieve my best.” He chanced a sideways glance at Keelan. “Our ma would expect it,” he added in a chagrined tone.

Brendan was staring at Conal’s boots. “Do you have
any
boots with a shine on them, Conal? If not, I can lend you a pair of mine.”

Conal frowned. “Of course I do, you lame-brained dolt. I bought them the same time as you bought yours.” He froze, then gave Keelan a sideways grimace. “Yer pardon for me language, Keelan.”

He looked like a guilty child, and Keelan couldn’t hold back her laughter. “We shall await your return,” she said. Keelan caught Landon’s gaze before she continued, “I’m sure Landon will demand a longer soak, since his last bath was disrupted most tragically.”

Conal chuckled while Brendan sat back, looking from one to the other, in confusion.
 

“Aye to that,” Conal responded. “Aye to that.”

Landon was true to his word, and Keelan enjoyed a long, leisurely soak at the hotel. At least, it was leisurely until he joined her in the tub. It was some time later before they emerged, quite flushed as well as pruned. To Keelan’s delight, the additional time in the bath had soaked off several shades of the dye, leaving her skin the color of clover honey, and her wet hair a deep amber.
 

Thanks to Landon’s nimble fingers and patience, she stood before the mirror at last,
 
in the grey satin gown her husband had purchased for her in Charleston. The natural tint of her hair was beginning to show and the result was breathtaking.
 

Landon wore black breeches, shined boots, a new white linen shirt, and a deep, navy waistcoat. He’d contained his dark, satin locks with a black ribbon. For a second, Keelan forgot to breathe as she studied her husband. He was so handsome, she could barely remember what she should do next. Her love for him, which pulsed with every beat of her heart, seemed to be the only source of balance in her body. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

“Keelan.”

Landon’s deep baritone broke into her reverie and she lifted her lids. The apparition standing near her could have been a Persian prince with crystalline blue eyes.
 

“You’re so beautiful.” He took her hand in his and spun her to him. The warmth of his lips on her fingertips made her stomach quiver. “This isn’t a traditional path to the altar.” He gave her that boyish grin which used to infuriate her. “However, you and I haven’t had a traditional type of courtship have we?”

She smiled, shaking her head, then reached up and touched his cheek. “No, we haven’t and I’m glad.”

“Well, our vows will be more traditional when we speak them before the priest,” he said, tucking her hand under his elbow. “It’s only a short walk to the church from here. Conal and Brendan will meet us downstairs and then we’ll walk to there together.”

When they descended the stairs, Brendan was already sitting at a table in a corner and sipping a mug of ale. Upon catching sight of Landon and Keelan, he rose to his feet, and gestured for them to join him. He had on tan breeches and tall chestnut-toned boots. His broad shoulders seemed to be barely contained by a light grey waistcoat. She made a mental note to ask Conal about family stature. How could she be so petite when her brother and cousin were as big as trees?

Landon reached out and shook his hand. “So you really
do
know how to dress for an occasion. I must admit, I was skeptical.”

Brendan laughed. “You’ll find I have a few polite characteristics, as well.” He gave Keelan a deep bow. “Greetings, Mrs. Hart. May I say you look radiant today?”
 

Keelan curtsied in return and bestowed a brilliant smile upon him in return. “Thank you, sir. You are quite dashing yourself.”

“Very smart boots,” Landon added.

Brendan grinned. “I expected you’d be jealous. It’s the reason I purchased them. Wait until you see Conal’s. You’ll turn greener than a field in May.”

Landon pulled out a chair for Keelan, then ordered a couple glasses of wine and another ale for Brendan. Raising his glass, Brendan said, “A toast to the happy couple on this special day.”

Keelan raised her glass. A shadow fell across the table.
 

It was Henry. He was disheveled, as if he’d just been roughly awakened. Were the effects of the drugged wine still taking its toll on the poor man? She paused mid-sip. Hadn’t they left him aboard the
Seeker
to rest and rehabilitate?

“Captain Hart, Captain Ahern,” Henry nodded to each man then snatched his hat off his head as he faced her. He stepped forward and squinted his eyes, as if she wasn’t quite in focus. After a second, he blinked and gave her a slight bow. “Uh…Hello, Miss.”