The Ransom (23 page)

“He refers to the
Midnight Fortune
,” Mr. Abbot interjected, sensing her angst. “She sailed into port two hours ago.”

“Ah, indeed, I … Father has been expecting her arrival.” Juliana made no move to show him to the sitting room. “What, pray thee, is the problem, sir?”

Mr. Kinder flattened his lips and studied her as if wondering whether her female brain could assimilate the information. “The customs agent refuses to unload her goods. Can you believe it? I’ve been waiting months for their arrival, and my customers will buy from someone else if they aren’t soon satisfied. Tallow, tapestries, lacquer panels from the Orient, silks, ivory … ah yes, and pearls for Lord and Lady Salem from Rio De La Hacha.”

“I am aware of your shipment, sir.” Juliana bit her lip. “I mean to say, Father has discussed it with me. And I assure you, ’tis quite safe here in port.” Though she couldn’t know that for sure. As soon as the man left, she would send Abbot to deal with the stubborn customs’ agent and ensure the safety of the cargo. “I am convinced my father will straighten out this misunderstanding before the sun sets.”

He narrowed his eyes with a snort. “I should hope so. Regardless, I should like to see him. I fear our friendship suffers from lack of attention. ” He gave her a look that said their business would suffer the same fate if she couldn’t produce her father forthwith.

Miss Ellie drifted down the stairs and stood before Juliana, hands clasped before her.

Thankful for the interruption but fearing bad news, she faced the maid. “Yes?”

“Beggin’ your pardon, miss, but you must prepare for Lady Cransford’s birthday celebration tonight.”

Oh, fie!
She’d forgotten all about it. And she couldn’t get out of this one like the past two soirees she’d managed to evade. This affair was being held at Munthrope’s house, so as his fiancée, she was obligated to be present. But she’d so wanted to head down to The Black Dogg to check on Abilene before it got dark
.

Hiding her frustration, she faced the merchant. “As you can see, Mr. Kinder, I cannot entertain guests at the moment, so if you please.” She gestured toward the door.

“Mayhap I can meet your father here later. If he won’t be attending Lady Cransford’s with you?” he asked.

“I’m afraid he will,” she lied. “I’ll tell him you came by.” She moved toward the door.

“I’ve a better idea.” He took his hat from Abbot. “Get me an invitation to this soiree, and I shall see him there!”

The audacity of the man!
“I fear I cannot. ’Tis a private affair.” She nodded to Mr. Abbot, who opened the door, letting in a swish of sea breeze, a burst of sunlight, and Rowan, who sauntered in and greeted Mr. Kinder with exuberance.

“What’s this about a celebration?” Rowan said. “Ah yes, at Munthrope’s. Mr. Kinder, you simply must come. I’m sure Juliana’s beau would love to have you join us.”

If Juliana were not a lady, she would have kicked her beef-witted brother in the shin. Now, how was she going to explain her father’s absence at the soiree to Mr. Kinder? The successful merchant was no fool, as evidenced by the suspicion flitting across his eyes. If he discovered her ruse, all would be lost.

♥♥♥

Sitting across the rum-syrupy table of The Sign of the Mermaid tavern, Alex studied his most trusted crew members: his quartermaster, Jonas Nash; his sailing master, Larkin Slayter; and his bosun, Jeremy Riggs. Trusted, yes, but also possessing more brains between them than the rest of his crew put together.

“Are you quite sure?” he asked, studying their expressions as a lantern centering the table sent oscillating threads of light over their faces.

“Aye, Cap’n.” Riggs rubbed his bristly chin. “Pearls is what I heard. At least fifty o’ ’em, they say.”

The other men nodded. Larkin gestured toward a barmaid for another drink. “The news is trustworthy, Captain. It hails from a reliable source who is a friend of one of the crew.”

“An’ they be just sittin’ there on the brig, aptly named the
Midnight Fortune
.” Riggs adjusted his red neckerchief, which looked more brown than red. “Ready t’ be plundered.” A gold front tooth made up for two missing ones on the bottom as his grin turned greedy.

The wench returned and began pouring rum into their mugs. “Leave the bottle.” Alex flipped her a doubloon, which she expertly caught before leaning over and giving the men a peek of her boundless figure. “Can I git ye gentlemen anythin’ else?” Her sultry gaze drifted between Alex and Larkin.

“Later, love,” Larkin replied, winking.

With a satisfied smirk, she sashayed away as Larkin took no time tossing his rum to the back of his throat.

“It will be well guarded,” Jonas said, raking back his light hair and meeting Alex’s gaze with one of reservation. Someone began playing an out-of-tune harpsichord in the corner as men gathered around to sing.

“I would expect nothing less.” Alex sipped his rum. “And not only by the shipping company, but also by marines.”

Jonas sat back with a huff. Riggs gulped his rum, eyes wide, and Larkin snapped hair from his face and grinned. “The marines? Not the night watch? Pray tell, Captain.”

“Word is Captain Nichols is behind the rumors.” Alex stretched out his legs.

Jonas snorted. “If you already knew, why ask us to keep our ears open?”

A quarrel rose at the table next to them as chairs scraped and two men stood to face each other in a challenge.

Alex gave them a cursory glance before continuing, “Because I wanted to know if you heard the same thing. Seems you did.”

“But why would a Navy cap’n do such a thing?” Riggs asked. “Surely every pirate in town will be lickin’ his chops to get the loot.”

Jonas snapped accusing eyes toward Alex. “Because only a fool would attempt to board such a well-guarded ship.”

“Yet fools are so underrated.” Alex grinned.

Curses were spewed and punches thrown beside them. One of the pirates went flying across their table. Larkin picked up the bottle of rum just in time as the man sped across the stained wood, knocking over the lantern before thumping to the floor on the other side.

Upon seeing Alex, the man scrambled to rise and wiped the blood from his mouth. “Beggin’ yer pardon, milord.” He circled the table and charged his assailant once again. The mob broke into cheers.

Larkin replaced the bottle on the table as if they hadn’t been disturbed. “If Nichols is behind this, then it’s a trap.”

Alex nodded. “So it would seem.”

“An’ there may be no pearls at all!” Riggs cursed.

“They’ll be there,” Alex said. “Of that you can be sure.” Nichols’s impudence would demand it.

Jonas snorted and gave him an incredulous look. “You aren’t considering it?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Alex tossed rum into his mouth, then sighed as the spicy warmth sped down his throat. “We are pirates, after all.”

“Indeed, we
are
pirates”—Jonas’s jaw tightened—“but pirates with discretion, plundering French and Spanish goods, but never our own.” He glared at Alex. “’Tis a British ship, is it not?”

“I have no idea whose ship it is,” Alex shot back, irritation rising. “Nor do I care. Nichols has laid down the glove, and I intend to pick it up.”

“To the Devil with your pride,” Jonas spat. “I want no part of it.”

“To the Devil with your impertinence. I am still your captain!” Alex poured himself more rum, if only to keep from pounding his fist on the table. A few men around them turned to stare. Riggs scratched his whiskers, while Larkin’s gaze shifted betwixt Alex and Jonas, a smile on his lips.

Alex glared at him. “Then don’t join us.” Finishing off his rum, he turned to Larkin. “Gather twenty more of the crew and arm yourselves. We’ll meet outside The Three Mariners.”

Jonas sat back in his seat, a frown on his face.

Riggs rubbed his hands together. “When? At nightfall?”

“Nay. I have something I need to do.” A soiree, in fact, at his house. Bad cess to the timing, but it couldn’t be helped. The brig might very well be unloaded on the morrow. And he couldn’t resist the temptation to outwit his dear nemesis.

“We’ll meet at midnight. The guards should be lulled into complacency by then.” And the celebration at Alex’s house should be well over.

“Aye. Midnight then, Cap’n.”

Larkin poured himself another drink and raised his glass to Alex. “Egad, sounds like a fun night.”

“Let that be the last of the rum.” Alex fingered the hilt of his cutlass. “I need you all sober.”

Larkin huffed his displeasure and brazenly sipped the liquor, eyeing Alex over the rim of his glass. “Whatever you say, Captain.”

Alex spun and marched from the tavern. Regardless of his sailing master’s effrontery, tonight should not only offer a distraction from Alex’s usual boredom but teach that clodpole Nichols that he was no match for the Pirate Earl.

Chapter 19

All liars go to hell. Isn’t that what the Good Book said? Hell was exactly the place Juliana felt she entered as she mounted the stairs to the Munthrope home, her goose-brained brother by her side. She’d long since berated him for his invitation to Mr. Kinder. He’d long since apologized. Yet now she must face the consequences of her lying heart.

As she greeted friends on either side of her, she breathed a silent prayer for a merciful punishment for her deceit, not one that revealed the true condition of her father and tossed all of them onto the streets.

But how was she to trick the pernicious Mr. Kinder into believing her father was an invisible guest at this soiree? How was she to detain him from storming back to their home to seek her father out for himself? All while she played the doting fiancée to a bloated fool. It was too much.

A headache formed between her eyes, and she squeezed the bridge of her nose. She had no time for pain or fear or exhaustion or despondency—all four of which battled for dominance within her. She must be strong or all would be lost.

“Sister dear.” Rowan, ever dashing in his black suit lined in crimson taffeta, escorted her through the crush of people at the front door. “No need to fret. I told you I would come to your aid. As soon as Mr. Kinder arrives”—a passing lady fluttered her lashes at him above a silk fan, distracting him for a moment—“I will entertain him, get him drunk, whatever it takes.” He patted her hand. “All is well.”

All might be well if she believed her whimsical brother. “Pray, Brother, for once I hope you mean to follow through. I truly need you tonight.”

But her pleading tone seemed lost on the young man as a flock of befeathered young ladies flew by, giggling and casting him looks of interest.

He tugged from her, but she held him fast, giving him a stern look.

He offered with a wink. “Mr. Kinder has not yet arrived. Mayhap he won’t even come.”

“Oh, God, be merciful.” She breathed out a prayer and gazed above.

“In the meantime”—Rowan flashed his brows at a passing coquette—“I intend to enjoy myself.”

Whimsical laughter resounded from the top of the stairs, and all eyes lifted to see their host, Lord Munthrope, descend the grand staircase. With both hands raised to his sides, his bell sleeves hanging nearly to his embroidered shoes, he regally strutted down to the reception room in a dazzle of white satin and silver brocade. He scanned the crowd, his eyes alighting on Juliana.

“Ah, there you are, sweetums.” He extended a leg, one hand on his heart, and bowed before her. But as he went down, his eyes held a glimmer of delight that could not be denied. Had he missed her the last seven days? Surely the man was not forming an attachment. She could not bear another complication in her already troubled life.

Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips. The surrounding ladies sighed at the exchange.

“You look ravishing.”

Juliana gazed down at her clothing. She’d been so numb with worry while Miss Ellie assisted her in dressing, she barely noticed what she had put on. The bodice of her red velvet overgown sat low across her shoulders and extended down her arms to belled sleeves adorned with ribbons. A single pearl hung around her neck, matching her earrings. She supposed her attire was lavish enough to be His Lordship’s fiancée. Even though, much to Miss Ellie’s dismay, Juliana refused the itchy white paste on her face. Just a crescent moon patch on her chin, labeling her discreet.

For the next hour, she greeted guests alongside Munthrope, until her feet ached and her heart began to settle, for there was no sign of Mr. Kinder. She was about to thank God for the reprieve, when the wealthy merchant strolled through the front door. Heart in her throat, Juliana dragged Lord Munthrope back through the arched doorway into the ballroom, then through another side door to a large dining hall, where refreshments were being served. She must keep him out of sight of Mr. Kinder, who would no doubt wish to greet him, and therefore inquire after Juliana’s father. A crowd of punch-laden guests immediately swamped him.

“Oh, Munny, there you are! Do tell Miss Halen the story of how you were attacked by smugglers off the Carolina coast.”