Pirate of My Heart: A Novel (16 page)

Her uncle barked out a laugh. “Do you think us wild, my dear?”

“Not at all.” Though her relatives’ life had shocked her at first. Working the land, no servants to cook and clean for them, eking out a living. It wasn’t that she abhorred what they did; on the contrary, she admired it. But they weren’t content in it and so many Americans—like John and Victoria, the Colburns, and some others she had met—loved the freedom and independence that was available to them as Americans. She didn’t want to explain it out loud to the people at this table but she had seen a satisfaction, a faith and hope in those people that her relatives did not seem to have. A knot formed in her throat but she pushed it down. Amelia and Franklin were bitter with their lot in life but she was determined not to be. “I find America to be stirring . . .” she hesitated, not wanting to share her heart with this stranger she didn’t trust. “I find it fascinating,” she finished with a shrug.

Martin had paused as she spoke. He was watching her face very closely, too close for comfort. Kendra looked away, down at her plate. Some inner strength gathered inside her, in her stomach. She met his eyes and challenged, “What do you think of America, Mr. Saunderson? I’ve heard you make your living in the gambling establishments. Do you enjoy fleecing your fellow countrymen for a living?”

Everyone gasped except for Martin. He turned that sly smile upon her and narrowed his eyes. “I assure you, my lady, that there are moments I enjoy very . . . very much. Mayhap I can introduce you to some of them.”

It was Kendra’s turn to gasp, but she stifled the impulse, narrowing her eyes back at him instead. “I have a pastime that I enjoy, sir. Would like to know what it is?” She smiled a small smile and looked up at him through her eyelashes.

His eyes turned heated.

Kendra tried not to laugh. She shot a glance at her aunt and uncle and let out a tinkling laugh. “I would like to share it with all of you!” She took a bite of bread and laughed around it, suddenly happy, confident that indeed, her God could save.

“I’d like to take you all to church with me!”

All three faces fell. Kendra just nodded and chewed.

Two hours later and after quoting Scripture verses whenever possible and once even bursting out in a hymn, Kendra was able to escape the evening.

“Time for my bedtime prayers!” She sighed with overbright eyes and a big smile, then stood and waved good-bye to the three of them. It was hard not to feel a little smug as she closed her bedchamber door with a sigh of relief. The evening hadn’t been so very different from the evening with Lord Barrymore after all. To repel a man, one only had to find out what a man disdained and make it one’s main passion. She squashed a giggle as she unbuttoned her gown, hung it back on the hook, then slipped into her nightgown.
Not that I don’t truly love You like I said I did, Lord. I just exaggerated the demonstration of it a bit.

She slipped into bed, pulled the covers up to her chin, and let out a contented sigh. Sleep came easy. Sleep came sweet. The sleep of the victorious.

Or so she thought.

Chapter Sixteen

K
endra twisted her gloved hands in her lap as the carriage swayed and jerked over the rutted road toward Yorktown. Would he be there? She had good reason to believe that he might from the inquiries she had made of Faith Colburn the night of the ball. Grace Church. The church the entire Colburn family attended every Sunday and the church she had finally convinced her aunt and uncle to take her to.

She leaned out the open window of the ancient coach and yelled up to her uncle, “Do hurry, Uncle. We don’t want to be late on our first visit.”

Franklin scowled down at her. “This horse doesn’t go any other speed. We shall arrive when we arrive.”

Kendra pulled her head back in and chewed on her bottom lip. Her aunt reached over and patted her restless hands. “No good will come from all this fretting. A body would think you were on your deathbed and needing last rites, the way you’re carrying on.”

Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away, out the window at the rolling countryside. It was unseemly, the way she thought of him, well, constantly. She drew a deep breath and commanded herself to relax. She was going to church, after all, to hear about God. Not to moon like a daft cow over a sea captain.
Lord, forgive me. I am foolish at times! It’s no wonder You compare us to sheep. My brain feels full of wool!

Sooner than expected they ambled to a stop at one of the many hitching posts lining the street in front of the church. It was crowded but the big clock tower in the center of town had only reached five minutes until nine so they weren’t late. Kendra didn’t wait for her uncle to climb down and open the door, but sprang out on her own, causing a grumbling noise from her aunt. The people from the town and the surrounding countryside were decked out in their Sunday best and heading toward the front doors. Kendra smiled. It was good to be back at a church.

Her uncle came around the side of the carriage with Aunt Amelia’s arm linked in his and looked around the churchyard. “Ah, this way then, ladies.” Kendra followed in their wake as they merged with the crowd entering the large, one-roomed building.

Kendra tried to keep her eyes on her uncle’s back or at her feet, trying not to gawk and make a fool of herself. Uncle Franklin led them to a long bench and she followed them down it to almost the middle point and then sat down. From the corner of her eye she thought she saw Faith and another of Dorian’s sisters. Her heart sped up a little but she kept her eyes downcast, determined to be good. A pair of men’s elegant shoes came into her line of vision. She pressed down a smile. The shoes turned in the direction of facing the front and then she saw him settle in, quite close, beside her. Surprised pleasure filled her. She looked aside and up, allowing the happiness she felt to sparkle in her eyes.

Martin Saunderson grinned back at her. “So good to see you, Lady Townsend. As you can see, I’ve taken your advice and decided to become a reformed citizen. Your words, nay, your passion for the church has convicted my black soul to the very depths of my being. I owe you eternal thanks.”

Kendra clamped her gaping mouth shut and doubted it to the
depths
of her being. But she couldn’t say so. She only turned her head toward the front where the service was beginning. “I’m so glad, sir. I pray your many sins be forgiven and you remain . . . reformed.”

Martin leaned close and chuckled into her ear. His warm breath made her recoil. “Ah, but I fear that will require a constant dose of your goodness, my lady. Perhaps even . . . a daily dose.”

Kendra sucked in a breath. Would he declare himself right here as the service was beginning? She turned toward him, eyes flashing with warning. “You are mistaken if you think me a paragon of virtue, sir. It is our Savior, Jesus Christ, who makes a way for all sinners, me included.”

She turned forward and pressed her lips tight together, determined not to speak to him any longer.

The dark chuckle reached through her meager shield and sent a chill of fear through her spine. He murmured words, a low hiss of sound, as the preacher instructed them to open a hymnal. “I daresay I should like to see the sinner’s side of you. I should like that very much.”

Outrage burst like flames through her as she stood and opened to the appointed page. The blackguard! What man would accost a woman in church? The man had no scruples whatsoever. She took a step away, crowding her aunt and gaining a frown and dig from her aunt’s elbow as she began to sing. The words barely registered as the skin on one side of her body crawled where Martin stood.

As soon as the song was over she looked up and saw a slight wave from someone on the other side of the room. Faith was smiling and waving and then as Hannah leaned over and said something, she quickly lowered her hand and turned toward the front. Kendra smiled as the pretty young woman glanced back at Kendra and winked. The look and the wink reminded her so much of Dorian that the familiar longing rose up and she took a moment to scan the room for his dark head. Nothing. Her heart sank a little. He wasn’t there.

As soon as the service was over Kendra ignored Martin’s attempt at further conversation by brushing past him and rushing over toward Faith. Faith’s eyes brightened as she hurried to meet her, grasping her hands in a tight squeeze. “I’m so glad you’ve come! You must meet the rest of the family.”

Kendra nodded happy agreement. “I should love to. Is, ah . . .”

Faith giggled and leaned in, saying in a low voice, “No, Dorian’s not here. Some mission to look over horseflesh in Fredericksburg. But you must meet Louisa, Charity, and Marjorie. They’ve been dying to meet you.”

Kendra allowed herself to be dragged over to a tall woman who looked very much like Clayton Colburn. She carried a little girl on one hip and two boys only slightly older than the next clung to her skirts. One of them was sucking on a thumb. Kendra paused, taking in the scene of the harried mother. A knot formed in her throat and she didn’t know why—couldn’t fathom why it was suddenly hard to swallow—except that they were the most beautiful children she had ever seen.

“Lizzie, this is Lady Kendra Townsend,” Faith gushed as if she were presenting the queen of England. “Lady Kendra, this is my eldest sister, Louisa Fairchild.”

Louisa grinned with a broadness that took up most of her face. “You must forgive me, Lady Townsend.” She twisted around until she had a grip on one of the boys. “Thomas, you’re going to suck that thumb right off if you don’t give it up, my dear,” she admonished in a tone that said she was crazy in love with him. “As you can see these children are like living shackles. I can’t even offer you my hand.”

“Please, there is no need.” Kendra smiled down at the wide, brown-eyed boy with his curly mop of white blonde hair who had ignored the parental advice and was doggedly working on his thumb. “Your children are so . . . beautiful.”

Lizzie laughed and then shared a look with Faith. “You’ll not think they are so angelic after an hour or so, I promise. But thank you. I can see that you mean that.”

Faith took her arm and squeezed, looking at her sister as she said in an excited whisper, “I told you, didn’t I?”

Lizzie nodded, her eyes happy and thoughtful as she stared at Kendra. “I didn’t think it would ever happen to him. I shall have to revise my opinion on miracles. They do occur in modern days after all.”

Faith giggled and admonished at the same time. “Shush. We are standing in church after all!”

“As if the good Lord doesn’t know my every thought anyway.” Lizzie shrugged, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

Faith gave Kendra’s arm another excited squeeze. Kendra didn’t understand what they were talking about but she was almost certain, by the way they were both stealing such pleased glances at her, that they were talking about her.

With a wave of her hand Faith rounded up the other sisters, Charity and Marjorie. Charity was blonde, short, and plump like her mother while Marjorie had the darker looks of Clayton and Dorian. They both eyed her, up and down, Charity bubbling with laughter as one of her nephews plowed into her demanding candy, and Marjorie looking shy and stealing glances at Kendra. Kendra smiled encouragingly at her and wondered if these two sisters were married with children also.

Before she had time to ask, she heard a shriek and turned to see Angelene staring at her, her eyes wide and face gone white. “Lady Townsend.”

Kendra raised her brows. “Miss Monteiro. I didn’t know you attended services here.”

“For quite some time.” Her red lip curled. “I didn’t know you were interested in
church
.”

“Oh yes, back home in Arundel I attended every Sunday. I’ve missed it since coming here and was so glad Faith invited me to come here to Grace Church.”

Angelene’s gaze flickered down to Faith’s arm entwined with Kendra’s. She looked up at Faith, but not quick enough to extinguish the slash of betrayal. “I see that the two of you have gotten quite chummy. Faith is such a dear soul to anyone in need.”

“You sound as if you don’t approve, Angelene.” Lizzie jumped into the fray. “I assume you agree that anyone can attend church?”

Kendra pressed her lips together as a wave of compassion swept through her. It must appear to Angelene that she was taking her place in the Colburn family.

Angelene looked away from them and shrugged. “Of course. I was just curious as to why she chose this church. There are several closer to that
farm
where her ladyship lives. It is so . . . out of the way.”

“I doubt it’s a further distance than from my home!” Lizzie seemed to grow another inch and her chin jutted out. It wouldn’t be wise to be on the other side of that ire, Kendra realized as she eased away from Faith. Even though Angelene had been nothing but a thorn in her side, Kendra couldn’t bear to feel that the three of them were ganging up on her.

Turning toward the dark beauty she held out a hand. “Miss Monteiro, let us begin again.” Kendra smiled with genuine warmth. “It is so good to see you. I’ve only a few minutes before my relatives drag me back to that
farm
.” She laughed, making fun of it too. “Would you show me around the church?”

Faith let out a little gasp but Lizzie just raised her eyebrows and inclined her head toward Kendra in a brief move that seemed to say,
touché
.

Before Angelene could react, Kendra took her arm and led her away, chatting about the service and the choir and inquiring if Angelene liked to sing. She would look so wonderful on stage, she must love to sing.

As they eased through the crowd Kendra heard Faith’s excited voice, “Our brother will be the veriest fool if he lets her get away.”

“Mayhap he’ll need a little help,” Louisa’s voice answered. “Sometimes God lets us participate in His miracles.”

Feminine laughter followed Kendra and Angelene out the door.

Once outside in the open sunshine, Angelene cast a glance toward Kendra, her chin cocked to one side, her eyes narrowed. “Have you seen Dorian since the ball, Lady Townsend?”

“No, I haven’t. Why?”

Angelene looked down, her cheeks filling with a becoming rose color. “I didn’t know if you’d heard the news.”

“News? I was just visiting with his sisters, as you know, and they didn’t mention any news.”

Angelene glanced aside as if embarrassed. “Well, it was something of a scandal really. I’m sure they don’t wish it common knowledge.”

Always these games with this woman. How was she to handle her?
Patience, kindness, goodness, self-control.
La! She would need all of the fruit of the Spirit to keep her head above these choppy waters. Kendra tried not to grind her teeth. “Why don’t you just tell me? You seem to want to.”

Angelene shrugged a slim shoulder. “It’s just that I know you imagine yourself having particular feelings for him and I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. But after what happened that night, after you left the ball . . .”

“What, exactly, happened?”

“We danced and he strolled with me in the garden. I—” She clasped her gloved hands in front of her skirt and looked up at Kendra with big innocent eyes. “I let my emotions get away with me and allowed him kiss me. And then—”

Kendra’s stomach plummeted with each word. It was the same as what Dorian had done with her. “And then?” She couldn’t help but ask.

“Oh dear. It’s very bad of me, I’m afraid. I was just so swept away. I don’t even know how it happened but I ended up in his room. We were caught. My father caught us. He’s demanding a wedding.”

She had the audacity to stare at Kendra with a broad smile and glowing eyes. “I’ve already bought the dress. I’m just waiting for him to return from that trip north to see some horses.” She waved a hand in the air. “You know men, he just had to go, and what could I say? I do plan to be a very accommodating wife.”

Kendra couldn’t speak. Her breath caught in her throat. Was it true? If so, why hadn’t Faith told her? Would Angelene really make up such a monstrous lie? Would anyone?

Before she had a chance to regain any semblance of composure, Aunt Amelia spotted her and hurried over to Kendra’s side. “There you are, Kendra. Come along. Your uncle is past ready to go.”

Kendra nodded good-bye to the smirking Angelene, unable to get a word through her stiff lips, and turned to follow her aunt to their carriage. Her heart thudded dull and heavy, her legs seemed unable to take the next step. She glimpsed Faith and her parents coming out the church door. Her gaze locked with Faith’s, the silent question in her eyes. Faith bit her lower lip and turned away.