The Bartered Bride (23 page)

"As a boy I raced over the Scottish hills on my pony as if I were immortal," he admitted. "But I've not ridden regularly since going to sea."

"The skill will come back quickly." Catherine adjusted the veil of her dashing top hat. "How badly was Alexandra mistreated? Rape? Torture? Beatings?"

Shocked by the bald question, Gavin involuntarily tightened his grip on the reins, making the chestnut shy with confusion. "What makes you ask a thing like that?"

"Don't be a fool, Gavin." Catherine's aqua eyes were ice cool. "I'm her mother. Don't you think I can see how much she's hurting?"

Wishing he were somewhere else, he said, "Alex doesn't want to talk about what happened. Last night was the first time she's spoken even to me about what she suffered in slavery."

"The truth may appall me, but I won't be shocked." Her mouth tightened. "I spent a dozen years nursing in countries at war. I know how vile men can be, and how women are used when social rules break down. If you don't tell me the truth, my imagination will conjure up worse horrors than whatever happened."

Seeing her expression, he asked, "Have you been ... ?" He stopped, knowing he had no right to ask.

"Raped? No, though it was a near thing more than once. I ask again, Captain Elliott-what happened to my daughter?"

"Rape, and more than once," he said bluntly. "No deliberate torture, but beatings because she would never surrender. No permanent physical injuries, but the emotional wounds are still raw."

"I see. Thank you for telling me." Catherine swallowed hard. "Don't you dare pity her. She would hate that more than anything." That was good advice-the pride that had kept Alex from breaking would despise the condescension of pity. "I said earlier that I hoped Alex would be like you when she gets older. I now find the prospect terrifying. You're an alarmingly perceptive woman, Catherine."

"I've made mistakes, and learned from them." She glanced at him again. "Do you love my daughter, Gavin?"

He hesitated as he searched for the right words. "I was married before, and losing my wife and infant daughter left me so numb I thought I could never marry again. With Alex, everything is different. She inspires respect, desire, friendship, and a yearning to protect. I care for her deeply. That's a kind of love."

"Not the unequivocal answer I hoped for, but thank you for your honesty." Catherine's gaze was shrewd. "You'll do, Gavin. Alex was fortunate to find you."

"I'm benefiting as much as she is," he said with dry humor. "I've always wondered what it would be like to have a large family prying into my business. Obviously I'm going to find out." Alex was happy to see that by the time she and the colonel had galloped off their high spirits, Gavin and her mother were well on their way to becoming friends. If her husband and parents hated each other, she'd be in a devil of a position.

As the party headed back to Ashburton House, she fell in beside Gavin. "That was wonderful. I've missed riding dreadfully."

"Is this a way of saying that we need to look for a house with decent stabling?"

"If we can afford it, yes," she replied. "You like riding too, don't you? You're doing rather well for a sailor."

"I do enjoy it, but I'm going to ache all over tomorrow."

As Gavin smiled at her, the sun emerged from behind the clouds and gilded him with light. The sheer physical beauty of his fair hair, tanned skin, and powerful shoulders sent a swift surge of desire burning through her.

It was gone in an instant, suffocated by her revulsion with sex. Yet for a few heartbeats, attraction had been uncontaminated by fear and anger.

It was a beginning.

After they stabled the horses and entered Ashburton House, the butler approached with a note for Gavin. He broke the seal. "Wrexham has invited us to dine with him and his wife today. Would you like to go, Alex, or do you have other plans? I think you'd like them."

"Of course I want to meet your friends." She made a face. "I'll have to borrow still another dress from my mother. I'd forgotten how tiring it is to always be changing clothes. There is something to be said for a simple sarong and kebaya."

"I'm beginning to suspect that requiring different costumes for different activities is how the upper classes fill their time," he agreed. "Like you and Katie, I'll need to add to my wardrobe. What I have was not made for London's society or weather."

Their gazes met with amused understanding before she turned to climb the stairs. Who could have guessed that she would come to yearn for the clothing of the Indies? Those months had shaped her in good ways as well as bad.

But for now, she needed to borrow another gown.

As a ducal carriage took them to Wrexham House, Alex asked, "How do you know Lord Wrexham? And how did you overcome your distaste for his title?"

"I was doing my best to get drunk in a rather low-class establishment in Calcutta. I must have been looking grim about it, because Maxwell invited himself to sit down." Gavin chuckled at the memory. "I thought Maxwell was his family name, or I might have said no. But he was good company, so when he asked what was wrong, I told him how Elliott House was on the verge of bankruptcy."

"How did that happen? The company is prospering now, isn't it?"

"After Helena died, I was fairly useless for months, and at the same time Elliott House hit a run of bad luck-a lost ship, legal persecution in a South American port, misjudgments about some large cargos. We were weakened but would have pulled through, until a British merchant decided to drive me out of business. Then Maxwell appeared. He rather liked the idea of becoming part owner of a trading company, so I sold him a quarter of Elliott House for enough money to weather my financial problems."

"He's done well from his investment?"

"We both have. He spent time in Macao and Canton and knows the business, so he's been useful here in London." Gavin grinned. "I think it appeals to him to continue active trading. Very anti-aristocratic."

"No wonder you get along well." Alex's brows drew together. "The merchant who tried to drive you out of business-is that the man you told Sultan Kasan to avoid? Pierce, I think the name was?" She was already as perceptive as her mother. "He's the one. Given the circumstances, I'm surprised you remembered that."

"It seemed so unlike you to go out of the way to criticize someone. I presume the fellow is quite dreadful."

"He is." Gavin hesitated, wondering how much to say. But Alex was part of his life now, and she should know, particularly since there was a chance she'd meet the man here in London. "Barton Pierce is the worst kind of villain-the sort who appears smooth and honest. He can be quite charming, but he's ruthless when he thinks his interests are threatened-and he is a man who feels easily threatened."

"What did he do that caused so much trouble?"

"He offered to buy a large amount of tea from me at a price that would keep the company going. The deal was done on a handshake, which made it easy for him to repudiate later. I was left with a lot of tea very late in the season with no chance of getting the price I needed."

"A nasty but effective tactic. Your word against his, and if you complained publicly, you'd look weak and foolish."

"Exactly. Later I investigated and found that he'd played similar tricks on other men, and destroyed at least one company that way." Gavin thought of his despair on the night he'd met Maxwell. He'd lost his family and was about to lose everything else. It would have been easy to throw his life away as well.

"Pierce had no reason to ruin me-there was profit enough for both of us. I think he enjoys destruction."

"Appalling man. Where is he based-Macao? "

"The last I heard, he was planning to return to London so he could settle down and enjoy his fortune."

Alex's eyes narrowed. "Is there a connection between his returning to England and your deciding to move here?"

"There's a connection," he admitted, "but I have no colorful plans for revenge. Merely a bit of ... justice."

Alex bit her lip. "It isn't good to pick fights with snakes, Gavin. They are so much better at being venomous. What do you intend to do?"

"I really don't know. If I have the opportunity to act against Pierce in a lawful way, I'll take it, but I'm not about to challenge him to a duel." Gavin smiled. "That's another aristocratic custom I have no use for."

"Why do I find your declaration less than comforting?" Because his wife was entirely too perceptive.

Before Alex could pursue the subject of Barton Pierce, they arrived at their destination. The situation disturbed her. Though she had faith in her husband's competence, unscrupulous men had an advantage when dealing with those who were honest. A merchant who crushed opponents for sport would be a dangerous adversary.

But that was a topic for later. As they were admitted to Wrexham House, a beaming dark-haired man emerged from the drawing room and took Gavin's hand in a hard clasp. "So you're really here! I never quite believed you'd make it to London."

"I ran out of excuses not to come." Gavin returned the other man's handshake with equal fervor. "But I was sorry to hear about your father."

"I never would have guessed how much I'd miss the old devil. But his last years were good ones, and he died quietly in his sleep. We're all grateful for that. Now, please introduce me to your wife." Wrexham turned to Alex, and his brows rose. "Actually, we know each other already. Aren't you Miss Melbourne, Ashburton's niece?"

She offered her hand with a laugh. "I was a dozen years ago. We danced together several times, as I recall. You were dreadfully serious." He'd been stiff anctrather intimidating, actually, the kind of rich young man she'd had no interest in marrying. She barely recognized him in this relaxed man with the warm smile.

"I was bored beyond belief, and plotting how to escape to see the world. Succeeding at that did wonders for my disposition."

Alex rummaged through her memory. "Don't you have a twin brother? I once mistook him for you. He was rather offended at the mistake, I think."

Wrexham laughed. "We hated being confused with each other then, but we've mended fences since. Please come and meet my wife." As they entered the drawing room, a slender woman rose. To Alex's surprise, she was Chinese. No, Eurasian. As tall as Alex, Lady Wrexham was stunning, stylish, and as exotic as a tropical orchid. Laughing, she gave Gavin a hug. "Honorable Elliott! It has been far too long."

"Jin Kang, just look at you!" Gavin hugged her with the warmth of long friendship. "Or should I call you Mei-Lian?"

"Troth will do."

Alex was intrigued to hear that the other woman had a faint, charming Scottish accent rather like Gavin's. London seemed much more interesting than it had been a dozen years earlier. Gavin said, "Troth, allow me to present my wife, Alexandra Elliott."

"I am pleased to meet you, Mrs. Elliott." Troth's calm face showed recognition of the fact that not everyone would approve of a Eurasian countess.

Thinking this was a woman she wanted to know better, Alex said, "I gather you know Gavin from Macao? I do hope you can tell me wicked stories about his past."

Troth's brown eyes danced. "I shall be delighted to do so."

The men looked at each other. "It was a grave error to get them together," Gavin said soberly.

"Disastrous," Wrexham said with equal gravity. "Let us hope that dinner will prevent them from plotting mischief."

The meal did delay plotting, as well as giving Alex the chance to learn more about the Chinese past the others shared. She liked discovering pieces of Gavin's history. The excellent food included rice and several Chinese dishes in addition to the usual English fare. The countess's graceful hand also showed elsewhere, in furnishings and arrangements that added a dash of elegant East to luxurious West. As dinner ended, Gavin said, "I've never been fond of the custom of men lingering over the port, but Maxwell-sorry, Wrexham-and I have business to discuss. Will you ladies excuse us if we promise not to talk too long?"

"Of course." The countess rose and collected Alex with a glance. "Mrs. Elliott, would you by any chance like to meet my little boy?"

"How did you know the exact entertainment that would please me most?" Alex exclaimed as they left the room.

"I didn't. Selfishly, I wanted to visit him."

"What could be more natural? I have a nine-year-old daughter." She smiled. "I never knew how thoroughly one falls in love with one's child."

"How can a woman know before she becomes a mother?"

The women shared a glance of perfect understanding as they headed upstairs together. By the time they reached the nursery, they were on a first-name basis.

When they entered, a very small boy looked up from his toy blocks, then ran to his mother with open arms. "Mama!"

"Dominic, my darling!" Troth scooped the child up, making nonsense sounds as she cradled him. No, not nonsense, she was speaking Chinese. Alex couldn't understand a word, but the intonation was unmistakable.

After Troth and her son finished their greeting, the countess asked, "Would you like to hold Dominic?

My small viscount is very sociable."

"I'd love to." Alex took the warm little body into her arms. He blinked up at her for a moment, then planted a smacking kiss on her chin. "Pretty." Alex laughed as the boy latched onto her necklace. "I think he approves of me."

"He knows welcoming arms when he meets them."

There was a hint of the Orient around Dominic's eyes. Alex thought of the almond-eyed child she might have had, and had to blink back tears. "He's beautiful."

"Thank you." Troth hesitated. "I'm sorry-is something wrong?"

"I had a miscarriage on the voyage home. Seeing this little fellow makes me feel the loss." Alex detached her necklace from the child's fist and returned him to his mother.

"I'm so sorry," Troth said with compassion. "I also had one several months ago. The physician assures me there is no reason to suppose it will happen next time, but that does not cure the sadness for what might have been."

It was another strand of understanding in what Alex hoped was the beginning of a real friendship. Troth kissed her son and handed him to the indulgent nursemaid. As they left, Alex asked, "You're teaching Dominic Chinese? "