The Raider (10 page)

“Of the Raider?” he gasped.

“No, of Ethan. A lot of young women in town watch Ethan wherever he goes. You have to understand that when you court a woman, you may be competing with Ethan and, well, Ethan doesn't…I mean he's…” She was trying to be tactful but it was difficult. She looked pointedly at Alex's belly and hair.

For a moment Alex glared at her, then he lowered his eyes. “I want to tell you something, Jessica, something I've told no one else in Warbrooke, not even my father…Only my body servant, Nicholas, knows this. You see, after the ship I was on went down off the coast of Italy, I had a fever, a very high fever. I nearly died.”

He looked at her through his lashes. “As a result of my illness, some of the muscles of my body were affected.” He put his hand on his stomach. “You see, because of the fever, I can't lose weight. I can't control the muscles, they were too weakened.”

Jess couldn't speak for a moment. Waves of guilt washed over her as she remembered all the times she'd laughed at him. “And your hair?” she asked.

“My hair? Oh yes, I lost that, too. The wigs cover my bald scalp.”

“Alex,” she whispered, “I'm really sorry. I had no idea. I guess your illness made you weak, too. That's why you can't ride or work or even walk very well.”

“Yes,” he said.

“But your clothes,” she said. “Perhaps if you wore—”

“It's the only thing I have left,” he said. “Take away my silk clothes and all you have is a fat, bald, weak-muscled former sailor.”

“I…I guess so. Alex, I'm so sorry. If only those idiot women knew.”

“Women?”

“The ones you're trying to get to marry you. If they knew, surely one of them wouldn't mind being a nurse rather than a wife. Have you tried Nelba Mason?”

“Nelba Mason!” he gasped. “She makes toads look pretty. Does she have a mouth under that nose of hers?”

“Yes, a small one, but no lips. Alex, her father has two hundred acres of good farmland. All right, forget Nelba. Surely one of the girls must like your money.”

“Not compared to Ethan's arms,” Alex muttered.

“That's a good point. But surely, there is someone who'll have you.”

“Here,” Alex said abruptly. “This is for you.”

Jess took the wooden chest from him, then opened it to see a blue cotton dress inside.

“It was my mother's,” Alex said. “Hardly worn at all.”

“But, Alex, I can't accept this.”

“My sister married Pitman and gave him power in the town and Pitman's the reason the Raider appeared and the Raider tore your dress—Eleanor told me—so I owe you a dress.”

“But Alex—”

He put his hand on hers. “Please take it, Jess. And I brought oranges for the children. They're there in the chest under the dress.”

“Oranges?” Jess whispered and she remembered something that had happened when she was a little girl. She'd always thought Adam Montgomery was the most fascinating of men. Even when he was just a tall, long-legged boy, she used to follow him. Once, when she'd been hurrying after him across the wharf, she'd fallen and scraped her knee. She had had no idea Adam even knew her name, much less that he knew she was toddling after him. But he'd turned, picked her up, set her on a post, examined her knee, then smiled at her and said, “I'll walk slower.” That night he'd sent Alex over to deliver a precious pineapple just for her.

“Jess?” Alex asked. “Are you all right?”

She looked up at him and smiled. “You might make a Montgomery after all.”

“Might?” he asked, his eyes widening. “I see, as compared to one of my illustrious brothers.”

“Now, Alex…” she began, seeing that she'd managed to make him angry again. “I'll accept the dress and the oranges. Thank you for them.”

“Shall we return?” he said stiffly.

Jessica hadn't meant to hurt his feelings and, as compensation, she took his arm while they walked.

He turned to smile at her and put his hand over hers for just a moment.

“Don't worry, Alex, you'll get someone. You'll see. I'll talk to Eleanor and we'll see who we can find. I'm sure that between your father's wharf space and that big house of his we'll find a pretty young woman who doesn't mind fat, bald men. Of course we may have to search in the south, since we don't have a chance with the women who've met Adam and Kit. But we'll find someone. Don't you worry.” She smiled up at him in the darkness, but he had his head turned away and he didn't say another word all the way back to the house. He handed Jess the wooden chest and politely, and rather coolly, Jess thought, took his leave.

The next day, Eleanor insisted Jessica remain at home again. The talk of the Raider was still strong and there was much speculation as to who he was. Jessica's name was mentioned frequently. Eleanor didn't tell her sister that Jessica's name was always accompanied by laughter. The pretty girl had become a source of amusement.

By nightfall, Jessica was anxious to get out of the house. She kept imagining the bottom rotting off her boat or English soldiers being ordered to seize it. Eleanor said she was flattering the boat, that only the rats seemed to want the vessel.

Jessica left the house to empty a trough of dirty water and for a moment stood on the edge of the forest and breathed the cool night air.

Suddenly, an arm went around her waist and a hand covered her mouth.

“Don't move, don't make any noise.”

She'd have known that accented voice anywhere. She shook her head and tried to get rid of his hand.

“I'll take my hand away if you'll not scream. You could bring the English down on both of us if you scream.”

Jessica didn't like to agree to his blackmail, but his big hand was cutting off her breath. She nodded.

He removed his hand, she took a deep breath and, in one motion, he turned her around so that her back was hard against a tree, one of his legs wrapped securely around hers and one arm pinning her head and hair against the tree. His other hand was free to roam.

“What do you want?” she gasped, looking into his eyes behind the mask. “Why are you here? What have the English done now?”

“I came only to see you,” the Raider said, moving his body so that it touched hers. His free hand was on her waist, his fingers and thumb caressing her ribs. “I watch you, Jessie. I think about you.”

“I don't think about you,” she said and tried to move away from him, but she was pinned too securely.

He leaned forward and kissed her neck just below her ear. “You never think of me? You don't remember the time we were in the blackberry patch?”

“No,” she lied, feeling herself sinking into the tree as his warm lips roamed all over her neck.

His hand encircled her neck, his thumb touching just under her chin, then his long, sensitive fingers traveled downward, his fingertips moving under the scarf that filled the low, square neck of the dress.

“Is this a dress to replace the one I tore?” he asked, his fingers lightly caressing the round, soft tops of her breasts.

“Yes.” Her voice was hoarse and shallow as she felt his hand beginning to massage the back of her head.

“Where did you get it?”

“Alexander,” she whispered. His lips were traveling downward.

The Raider lifted his head to look at her. “I saw you two together in the dark. What is he to you?”

“My friend.”

“Put your arms around my neck, Jessica,” he commanded in a low voice.

Jessica was too weak to disobey him. She lifted her arms and put them about his neck as he drew her closer to him, no longer needing to pin her to the tree. She could feel his body against hers, so warm and hard. Her breath was coming more quickly.

“You are mine, Jessica,” the Raider whispered. “You are mine.”

She could feel the silk of his mask as it caressed her skin just above her lips. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted his lips on hers, but he was denying her that touch.

“I belong to no man,” she managed to say.

He caught her hair again, pulled her head back, and then took her mouth with his.

Jessica responded in spite of her intentions. This man had no right to touch her, no right to say that she was his, but as his lips touched hers, she didn't give another thought to right and wrong. Her arms were strong around his neck and when he pulled her to him, she responded in kind, wanting her body closer and closer to his.

“Jessie,” he whispered, pulling her head into his shoulder until she couldn't breathe. “I can't bear to see you with other men.”

“Who are you?” she whispered. “Tell me that. I'll keep your secret.”

“No, my darling, I'll not risk your life.”

She tried to push him away but he didn't budge. “You can't keep appearing in my life, ridiculing me, holding me against trees, mauling me in blackberry patches and expecting me to…to…I don't know what you expect from me. I don't know who you are, nor do I want to know. I wish you'd go away and never come back. The English are going to catch you and they'll hang you on the spot.”

“Would you care?”

Her hands tightened on him, her cheek buried in the silk of his shirt, feeling his heart beat in her ear. “Why should I care?” she lied. “I don't even know who you are. Choose some other woman for your attentions.”

He put his finger under her chin and lifted her face. “Do you really mean that? I came tonight only to see you. I know you're being hidden because you helped me and I wanted to thank you for it.”

“You humiliated me before everyone, making all of them laugh at me.”

That mouth of his, with lips of finely sculptured flesh, slid into a smile, a slow, secret, knowing smile. “A kiss is a humiliation?” He briefly, sweetly, touched his lips to hers. “A kiss isn't a reward?” His teeth playfully caught her lower lip, the tip of his tongue running over the fullness of it. “I couldn't resist kissing you that day, in spite of the danger. If I hadn't stopped to kiss you, I wouldn't have needed your help.”

“Then you were a fool. To risk hanging merely to kiss a girl…”

He kissed her four times. These short, quick kisses were somehow more intimate than a longer one. “It depends on the girl.”

“Jessica!” they heard Eleanor call.

Involuntarily, Jess clutched at the Raider, and since she was looking toward the house, she didn't see him smile. “You must go.”

He put his hands on both sides of her face. “Promise me you'll stay out of what I do. I can't bear to see you taken again. Don't risk your pretty neck for me. If I hang, I mean to hang alone.”

Her hands slipped down to touch his neck. She could feel the wariness in him and she guessed that he was alert to the possibility of her trying to remove his mask, but she was only interested in touching his neck, so warm and alive. She truly hated the idea of a rope about that neck.

“Jessica,” Eleanor called again, this time closer.

“Go,” Jess whispered. “Go before someone sees you.”

He smiled at her again, quickly kissed her and then was gone. Jessica stood there for a moment, missing his warmth. Her mind told her she should be glad he was gone, but her body wanted more of him. She straightened the scarf tucked in her dress and was refastening her hair as Eleanor appeared.

“Where have you been?” Eleanor demanded.

“Right here,” Jess said dreamily. “Not far.”

All evening Jessica was only half with her family. How could a man she didn't even know mean anything to her? How could she mean anything to him? But the Raider talked as if he cared about her.

She didn't, of course, care about him. Just because he was more courageous than a hundred men together, because he risked his life to help others, because he kissed her until she couldn't breathe, because he'd chosen her out of all the women in Warbrooke—no, that was no reason to give him a second thought.

“Jessica,” Eleanor said sternly, “if you aren't going to eat those turnips, give them to someone who will.”

“Yes,” Jess mumbled. “I'm eating.” But she didn't eat and Nathaniel gave her plate to Molly and Sarah. Jess didn't even notice.

Y
OU
are to come with me,” the young English soldier said, staring straight at Jessica.

“She hasn't done anything,” Eleanor protested, three children clinging to her skirts. “She was an innocent bystander to the raids.”

“That will be determined by His Majesty's appointee, John Pitman.”

“It's all right, Eleanor,” Jessica said, determined to not allow her voice to shake. Pitman had only to accuse her and it would be as good as being convicted. She gave a quick look of encouragement to her family and then followed the four soldiers sent to fetch her.

Nathaniel walked beside her. “I'll protect you, Jess,” Nate said, his young eyes looking very old.

She gave him a weak smile and kept her head aloft.

The soldiers led her to the sprawling Montgomery house, not going through the door to the common room but through a side door she'd never entered before. It led to the office that had for years belonged to Montgomery men. She'd often seen Adam there, sitting by his father, quietly learning how to manage the extensive Montgomery holdings.

John Pitman sat behind the desk that had serviced generations of Montgomerys.

One of the soldiers pushed Jessica's shoulder, so that she sat heavily in a chair before him.

“Mistress Jessica,” Pitman said after he waved the soldiers away. They were alone in the room. “I have been told that you have knowledge of this criminal who calls himself the Raider.”

“I know nothing about him. Neither who he is, where he lives, nor anything else.”

“Yet he kissed you.”

Jessica moved uncomfortably in her chair. Too vividly she remembered the night she'd stumbled across Pitman in the woods. He'd told her that he didn't sleep with his wife, and he'd tried to kiss her. “Many men try to kiss me,” she said in a low voice, looking him in the eye. “I don't invite such attention.”

His eyelids lowered a fraction, showing that he remembered what she was referring to, but then his eyes strayed to the front of her dress.

Jessica suddenly realized that this man had never paid her the least bit of attention until the Raider had noticed her. “I know nothing of the Raider,” she said again, this time louder.

Pitman stood and walked around the desk toward her. “I don't know whether I believe you or not. You saved him the last time he appeared.”

“I merely tossed a rope to George Greene. How was I to know your English soldiers would be so clumsy?”

He looked at her for a long moment. “Yes, that is what I was given to believe.”

Jessica wondered if Alex had paid his brother-in-law to get her released.

Pitman moved closer to her, put his hand on her shoulder. “I never realized until recently how pretty you are, Mistress Jessica.”

“Not until the Raider pointed it out to you?”

He moved his hand away. “You have a sharp tongue on you. Perhaps too sharp. If you continue helping this brigand—”

“You'll what? Punish me because you can't catch him?”

Pitman drew his breath in sharply and Jessica wished she hadn't spoken. He opened his mouth to reply but the door burst open.

“What is the meaning of this?” Alexander demanded, slamming the door open against the wall. His heavy wig was flying out behind him. “I was told you've been arresting women.”

Pitman moved behind the desk. His face wore an expression of boredom. “I did not arrest them, I merely had them brought here for questioning.”

“I'll not have it,” Alex said, his voice becoming higher by the second. “Do you understand me, I'll not have it. Come along, Jessica.” He held out his hand for her as if she were a child.

Jessica took it, never looking back at Pitman, and followed Alex out of the room. “Who else did he talk to?”

Alex didn't answer but began pulling her down the corridors of the house.

“Alex, where are we going? Who else did he question?”

At last Alex opened a door, pulled her inside and shut it behind them. He let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“Alex,” she said again. It was a large room with furniture covered with yards of muslin to protect it from the dust.

Alex sat down in a chair, a cloud of dust and powder from his wig wafting about him. He lifted a sheet behind him, opened a drawer and withdrew an embroidered fan that perfectly matched his green satin vest. “All right, Jess, tell me everything.”

“There's not much to tell. He wanted to know if I knew anything about the Raider.”

“And you don't, of course.”

Only his kisses, Jess thought.

“Do you?” Alex persisted.

“Not anything that will help Pitman execute him, I don't. I really should go home and tell Eleanor that I'm all right.”

“Eleanor knows; I sent Nate. What
do
you know about the Raider? Sit down and quit wandering about.”

Jessica removed a dust cover and sat on a small, pink tapestry-covered chair. “I don't know who he is or how to contact him. I know nothing about him.” Except his hands on my body, she thought and she wasn't about to tell Alex or anyone else about that.

“Have you seen him again?” Alex asked softly, his gentle eyes suddenly turning intense.

“I…Alex, why are you interrogating me, too?”

“I told you, I feel responsible for you. I don't want this Raider around you. I don't trust him. There's too much of the braggart about him.”

“He's all right,” she snapped. “At least he's trying to help. Everyone else in town sat on their backsides and did nothing while Josiah's ship was stolen out from under him.”

“I thought you considered this Raider a coward, too frightened to stand on his own without hiding behind a mask.”

“He'd shot if he protested openly.” She wanted to change the subject. “Isn't that a picture of your mother?”

Alex seemed to want to ask more questions, but instead he fanned himself awhile longer and then stood. “This was my mother's room. I wanted to show you something.” He went to a large painted chest against one wall and opened it. Inside, carefully folded, were many dresses.

“These were my mother's and they're just lying here rotting. I thought maybe you and Eleanor would like to have them.”

Instinctively, she pulled back from him. “Charity to the Taggerts? Just because I took one dress from you doesn't mean I'll accept this. I don't want your pity, Alexander Montgomery. You always did think we were nothing but dirt.”

“No, Jess, I didn't mean—”

“What is going on here!”

Both of them turned to see Marianna Montgomery Pitman standing in the doorway. It was a formidable sight. The Montgomerys' tall, broad-shouldered physique looked great on the men, but it left something to be desired on a woman. Marianna stood six feet tall, wide-shouldered, deep-bosomed, slim-hipped—she had a body any man would envy. With her big body went a personality that was a cross between a typhoon and a newborn baby. No one ever knew whether Marianna was going to be domineering or try to snuggle in your lap.

“Alexander, I asked you a question.”

It looked like it was Marianna's day to be stormy and Alex was beginning to cower before his sister. Jess stepped forward. “I was brought here for questioning by…by your husband and Alexander so kindly brought me in here to show me your mother's lovely things. We were just leaving.”

“Oh,” Marianna said and sat down heavily as the wind seemed to leave her sails. “My husband. I did make a mess of that. I didn't know he was like this before I married him. I don't want anyone hurt because of me. I sent for Adam and Kit, but I guess they never received my letters. I'm sure they'd come if they could.”

Jess patted her on the shoulder. Marianna made her feel so small and light. “They'll be here when they can. In the meantime we have the Raider.”

“Yes,” Marianna said. “He has been a help, but John means to kill him.”

“Marianna,” Jess said, “if you hear of anything the Raider should know, tell me, I may have a way to reach him. I might be able to—”

Alex, whom she'd almost forgotten, grabbed her elbow and half pushed her from the room.

“I will,” Marianna called. “I'll tell you, Jess.”

“Of all the foolhardy things,” Alex said as soon as they were out of the house. “She's
married
to Pitman, don't you realize that? What if she let him know what you said? What if Pitman thought you could contact the Raider?
Can
you contact him? Why haven't you told me of this?”

“Alex, you're hurting my arm. For somebody whose muscles are weakened, you can certainly grip.” She rubbed her bruised arm. “I think Marianna hates Pitman more than anyone and I'm not sure I can contact the Raider, but I might…I might see him again. Could we walk to the stream, Alex? I'm thirsty.”

He caught her arm again but without so much force. “When did you see the Raider again?”

“Last night. I don't know why I'm telling you this.”

“What did he want?”

“It was a purely social visit.”

“Social?” Alex gasped, stopping at the stream edge. Jess cupped her hands and drank, then removed her shoes and began to bathe her feet in the cool water.

“Yes, social. Alex, aren't you warm in all that clothing? There's no one here, take off that wig. I don't mind seeing a bald head.”

“But you'd rather see the Raider's black hair, wouldn't you?”

She had her skirt to her knees. “What is wrong with you today? Did you get turned down in marriage again? First you treat me with pity, then you yell at me.”

“Put your skirt down. You may not think I look like one, but I am a man.”

“Ah,” she said, smiling, smoothing her skirt. “Too long at sea. We'd better get you married. Have you tried Sally Bledman? She lives about ten miles south of—”

“I know where Sally Bledman lives. If you're through, I'll walk you home. I don't trust you to stay out of trouble on your own.”

She stood and started walking beside him, bemused by his kittenish fit. When they reached the road, she saw Ethan Ledbetter approaching, a fifty-pound sack of grain on each shoulder. Her heart started beating faster. Was this man the Raider? Was this the man who held her in his arms at night?

“Wait,” she said to Alex as she smoothed her hair and tucked her scarf in neatly. It was the same scarf the Raider liked to remove, she thought, and her hand began to tremble.

“Good morning,” she said as Ethan passed.

He slowed and smiled at her, obviously somewhat astonished at her unusual display of attention. He almost dropped one of the grain bags. “Good morning, Mistress Jessica.” He walked backward for a ways, until he stumbled over a rock and nearly fell. He watched her until she was out of sight.

Alex clamped down on her elbow again. “Utterly disgraceful. You should be locked away somewhere.”

“Who asked you to be my father?” she snapped.

“Father? Father!” he gasped, then pushed her arm away so hard that she nearly lost balance. “Walk yourself home and if you get into any trouble, I hope your Raider saves you.”

“So do I,” she called after him as she watched him waddle down the road. “So do I.”

*   *   *

“Jessica!” Eleanor said for the fourth time. “Are you listening to me at all?”

“She's listening to the outside,” Nathaniel said.

That brought Jessica out of her lethargy. She turned and gave Nathaniel a quelling look, but the boy ignored her.

“What does that mean, Jessica? For two days now you've been acting strangely, as if all of your mind weren't here.”

“I'm just trying to finish these ledgers and stay out of trouble. Just what I'm supposed to be doing.” She glared at Nathaniel who was giving her an adult look, as if he knew what was on her mind.

It had been two days since she'd left the cove where the Taggert house was set, and her imprisonment was voluntary. Since the day Pitman had questioned her, she had felt the Raider nearby. There were nights when she lay in bed and knew he was close. She'd even heard a low-pitched whistle outside and known it was him—but she refused to go to him.

Eleanor told her that the talk of the Raider had begun to die down. The consensus was that Pitman had frightened the man away and that the Raider had returned to wherever he had come from. Eleanor said the townspeople were beginning to believe that the Raider was a sailor and his ship had left port.

Jessica didn't make any reply, since she knew all too well that the Raider was still in Warbrooke. She wanted to deny her attraction to him and so she ignored his calls to her, ignored his presence in the forest that ran behind their house. She never stepped outside without one or more of the children with her, hoping the Raider would keep hidden from the children. How in the world Nathaniel knew about the Raider waiting outside for her, she didn't know, but she'd long ago given up trying to second-guess Nate.