Too Far to Whisper (18 page)

“I arrived at the port late this afternoon and spoke with several of the people there,” he answered, allowing himself to relax somewhat as Adam finally sheathed the knife. “That is when I learned that my father and brother had passed this way earlier and found nothing. Just as I was beginning to feel completely defeated in my efforts to find my Rosalind, one man suggested I seek you out, Mr. Stoddard. He assured me you were the local authority on Indians – that you could second-guess their actions. So I hastened over here to seek your advice about how best to track the murdering savage who took my future bride. You can well imagine my shock when I found her here, within your very walls!”

Adam moved toward a cabinet where he withdrew a flagon of wine and three cups. After pouring equal amounts of the red liquid into the cups, he extended one to Nathaniel and another to Rosalind. “Aye,” he finally said, his eyes narrowing. “I do know a great deal about the Indians in these parts.” He straddled a stool and sat facing Nathaniel. “But I fear I cannot offer you any suggestions about catching your particular man, for I know naught about him nor the way his mind works. They do not all think alike…just as we do not.”

“Is there a village near here where he may have gone?” Nathaniel persisted.

“There are several,” Adam said. “But none that would harbor an outcast. He will remain on his own…and on the move.”

Nathaniel sighed and shook his head. “’Tis difficult for me to think I may never find him, for my desire to make him pay for what he did burns within me. I shall not be happy until I see him swinging from a noose.”

Both Adam and Rosalind remained silent, for fear their voices might betray their true feelings for Shadow. They knew that if Nathaniel sensed they had aided him in any way, they would be spending the rest of their lives looking at the world through the bars of a gaol.

“Sir,” Nathaniel said to Adam, “I do not mean to impose in any way, but I am so weary, I barely can keep my eyes open. May I stay here tonight? I wish to escort Rosalind back to Eastwell early in the morn, and I promised her I never would allow her out of my sight again.”

From the corner of his eye, Adam noticed Rosalind’s stricken expression.

“I do not think it would be proper,” he answered, shaking his head, “especially after witnessing what I did when I walked in here this eve. I suggest you seek a room at the inn for the night. You have my word I shall take good care of Rosalind ere your return on the morrow.”

Nathaniel’s lips tightened. “I understand, sir.” He turned his attention to Rosalind. “I shall return for you at daybreak – a new man. A hot meal, a pint of ale, a bath, a shave and a good night’s sleep should do wonders for me. I also will collect some supplies for our journey. Do you feel fit to travel?”

Rosalind nodded, then drained her wine in one gulp.

“Fine, then.” Nathaniel set his empty cup on the table. “I shall take my leave now. Tonight I anticipate I finally shall sleep like a babe, knowing you are safe.”

Nathaniel moved toward Adam and extended his hand. “Thank you so much, sir, for seeing to Rosalind’s care and comfort. My family and I are in your debt.”

Adam accepted his hand for a brief, perfunctory handshake. “’Twas no trouble at all.”

Nathaniel then turned to face Rosalind. “Until the morrow, my love, may your dreams be pleasant ones.” With a smile and a nod, he took his leave.

The door barely had closed behind him when Rosalind, her eyes brimming with fresh tears, said, “What am I to do, Mr. Stoddard? I do not wish to make the journey home in the company of that man…unchaperoned! The mere thought of having to sleep in the forest alone with him does naught but frighten me.”

Adam seated himself on the edge of the bed and carefully regarded the distraught girl. “Am I to assume then that this is an arranged marriage?”

Rosalind laughed humorlessly. “Aye, but ‘tis Nathaniel who is doing all of the arranging.” When she noticed Adam’s look of puzzlement, she added, “Nathaniel has threatened to take my mother’s house and land for an unpaid debt of my dead father…unless I wed him.”

Adam’s brows creased together. “I see,” he said. “That would explain why someone with your obvious intelligence would consent to wed a rake like Corwin. I wish I could help you, child, but I have little money to speak of.  Nevertheless, you are welcome to take what I have if it will help ease your father’s debt.”

“You are too kind,” Rosalind said. “I am extremely grateful for your offer, but my father’s debt appears to be nothing short of a king’s ransom. I fear Nathaniel has me exactly where he wishes me to be.”

“Although my meeting of the man was but a brief one,” Adam said, “My dislike of him was instant. In all good conscience, I cannot allow you to journey alone with such a lusty young bull. I fear he allows his loins to rule his actions.”

Rosalind blushed at Adam’s crude assessment of Nathaniel, even though she agreed with his every word. “Then you will help me find someone else to escort me back to Eastwell?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” he said. “It all depends upon your decision.”

She stared at him. “Decision?”

“Whether to allow the captain to continue to blackmail you, or to fight for what you truly want.”

Rosalind continued to stare.

“You
are
in love with Shadow Runner, are you not?”

Rosalind’s mouth fell open. “Why ever would you assume that?”

Adam chuckled and shook his head. “My dear child, ‘tis as obvious as the nose on your face. Whether or not you are willing to admit it, you and Shadow share a bond that goes much deeper than friendship. I have been on this good earth long enough to recognize love when I see it.”

Adam’s words caused the now-familiar lump to form in her throat. “Aye,” she softly confessed. “I do love Shadow…more than I ever thought possible.” She moved to kneel on the floor at the foot of the bed, then gazed up at Adam. “I feel so lost without him, Mr. Stoddard.”

Adam’s eyes were sympathetic when he looked at her. “Only you can decide which path is best for you, child. But I can tell you from my own experience that if you truly want something desperately enough, some way, somehow, you
will
find a way to make it yours.”

“Not in this instance,” Rosalind said. “Shadow never has given me reason to believe he shares my feelings. And even if he had, none of it matters now. He is gone.”

“Oh, I can assure you, Shadow does love you,” Adam said, smiling gently. “I have known the lad for years and can plainly read what is in his eyes. And he is
not
gone. The
Conway
does not set sail until morning.”

“And what do you propose I do?” Rosalind frowned at him. “Climb aboard the ship and politely ask the crew if perchance they have spied an Indian lurking about?”

Adam smiled at her. “When I left the tavern less than an hour ago, the sailors barely had begun their celebration. ‘Tis unlikely they will return to the ship for several more hours. Shadow spoke of hiding in the cargo hold.  ‘Twould not be difficult for someone to sneak aboard and convince him to return.”

“What would be the point?” she asked. “If I ran away with Shadow, Nathaniel surely would seek his revenge by punishing my family.”

“Not if I tell him the Indian returned for you in the night and dragged you away.” Adam said. “As long as the Corwins continue to believe you are a victim and are with Shadow against your will, they will do naught to further distress your family.”

“Never attempt to second guess what a Corwin will do,” Rosalind muttered. “I can ill afford to take any risks with them.”

“Is it not worth taking a few risks to gain the happiness you deserve?” Adam asked. “Are you so willing to accept your fate? Have you no fight left in you?”

When Rosalind offered no response, he added, “Does the thought of spending the next thirty years sharing a bed with Nathaniel appeal to you? When I entered the house this eve and witnessed the fear in your eyes and the hunger in his, I saw only an animal and his prey, not a loving couple. Tell me, child, how will you endure the man’s touch night after night when it is Shadow’s you crave?”

“Please, be silent!” The anger that flashed in Rosalind’s eyes surprised the old man. “My happiness is not worth the guilt of abandoning my family and casting them to the wolves!  ‘Tis my responsibility to go through with this wedding! Perhaps, in time, I may even come to love Nathaniel. Stranger things have occurred. What I feel for Shadow could prove to be naught more than an infatuation because he protected me.”

“So be it,” Adam surrendered with a long sigh. “But keep this in mind. On the morrow, Shadow’s ship will set sail and you will never see him again. Also on the morrow, Nathaniel will arrive to escort you back home…to plan for your wedding. After this eve, Rosalind, there will be no turning back. The decision you make tonight will be the one you must forever live with.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

In the tomb-like darkness of the cargo hold, Shadow changed into dry clothing. Gaining access to the
Conway
, as he had anticipated, had been accomplished with relative ease.  Holding his pack above his head with one hand, he had sliced sideways through the icy water as quickly and as silently as an eel, the night’s blackness concealing his approach. Upon reaching the stern, he had removed the long coil of rope from around his neck and used it to climb up to the deck. The few crew members who had remained aboard the vessel were gathered at the bow. None noticed the Indian as he crept along the deck and quietly disappeared through the main hatch.

The cargo hold was stacked with thick timber, mostly pine, Shadow guessed, judging from the scent of it, for the darkness severely restricted his vision. In a far corner of the hold, well concealed behind a wall of timber, he spread out his blanket and lay on it. Silence, save for the scurrying patter of rats, and dampness hung about him. No English gaol, Shadow decided, could be worse than this self-made floating prison. He was thankful his confinement was to be but a brief one. Had his destination truly been England, he held no doubt he would have jumped ship only minutes after he had set foot on it.

Locking his hands beneath his head, he closed his eyes and attempted to shut out all but the gentle rocking of the ship as the waves rolled into shore. Rosalind’s image immediately invaded his thoughts and senses, filling him with an aching need to touch her silky skin…to taste the sweetness of her lips. Too vividly he recalled the tear-filled blue eyes that had watched him depart, and a pang of remorse stabbed at him. Although he had left her barely an hour ago, already he was missing her more than he ever could have imagined.

* * * * *

The light of the moon silhouetted the three women, chattering and giggling like a group of young schoolgirls, as they approached the gangplank of the
Conway.

“Who goes there?” the boatswain who was positioned at the top of the plank called out. He held a lantern at shoulder height, to gain a better look. He was a giant of a man with a pocked complexion and auburn hair pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck. His arms seemed as massive as tree trunks.

“We ladies got to thinkin’ how lonely you might be, left here on the ship while your mates are makin’ merry in town,” the tallest of the trio, a striking raven-haired young woman, said to him. Her long lashes fluttered demurely. “Might you be cravin’ a bit o’ company?”

His interest piqued, the boatswain arched a thick brow at the trio. “There are five of us aboard,” he said.

The raven-haired woman chuckled. “Why, ‘tis barely enough to keep
me
busy, ne’er mind my two friends, here.”  She waved her hand in the direction of the two attractive blondes. “We even brought a bit o’ libation with us from the tavern.”

Licking his thick lips, the boatswain hesitated, his expression etched with indecision. Turning his head, he shouted over his shoulder, “Frederick!  Thomas!”

The two men answering to those names immediately appeared, flanking the auburn-haired giant on either side.

“It appears we have guests,” the boatswain informed the men as he nodded toward the women. “They wish to…entertain…us on our last night here in port.”

Two pairs of hungry eyes devoured the unexpected guests.

“How much?” the shorter sailor, round-faced with a thick mustache, inquired.

The raven-haired woman shrugged and smiled seductively. “Any gratuity, kind sirs, would be gratefully accepted.  But truth be told, on this special eve, we shall deny no man, whether he has coin or not.” Her eyes burned into the boatswain’s, all but promising him a night of passion far beyond his most erotic imaginings.

Following brief, sidelong glances at his two shipmates, the auburn-haired man swooped into an exaggerated bow and announced, “Welcome aboard the
Conway,
ladies. I am Joshua Ward.”

The procession of hip-swaying females quickly ascended the gangplank. Upon reaching the top, the raven-haired woman extended a gloved hand to Joshua and cooed, “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Ward. I’m Molly.” She turned to nod over her shoulder. “The buxom one is Kate and the younger one is Rachel.”

Beneath the men’s unblinking perusal, Kate opened her cloak and flashed a brief, yet sufficiently enticing view of her ample bosom, which strained against her low-cut bodice. Rachel offered no more than a shy smile.

“Allow us to escort you below deck,” Joshua offered, his voice husky. “Scant time remains ere the rest of the men return.”

Molly slipped her arm through his and pressed her hip against his side. “Ooh, you are so big and strong,” she said. She ran her hand down the inside of his massive arm. “You must be
very
powerful!”

“Aye,” Joshua answered, his chin rising. “You will soon come to know the full extent of my power.” He paused to call over his shoulder, “Frederick, remain up here on deck and keep watch. When I get below, I shall send up Caleb to take your place.”

Frederick, his arm firmly around Kate’s waist, halted abruptly and frowned. “I do not want to remain up here!” His voice sounded like a childlike whine. He was a lanky man who looked barely twenty, with thick black hair, tiny eyes, and a nose that overwhelmed his slender face. “I want to go with you…and the ladies.”

“And leave the deck unguarded?” He cocked a brow at him. “I think not!”

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Frederick pulled away from Kate and folded his arms. His bottom lip jutted forward in a pout. “I had better not be kept waiting long,” he grumbled.

“Fear not.” Joshua’s tone held amusement as he continued to walk across the deck. “Your sweet Kate shall remain untouched until your arrival.”

Laughing, Joshua raised his lantern and then he and Thomas led the three women down to the crew’s quarters, a dark, dank chamber lined with what appeared to be built-in wooden shelves or platforms with mats on them – the crew’s beds.

Joshua immediately shouted orders at the two young men within, sending them scampering off to the main deck. He then climbed onto one of the beds and pulled Molly down on top of him. The platform seemed far too narrow and short in length to accommodate the sailor’s bulk.

“Now, now, do not be so eager!” Molly scolded, flashing a teasing smile at the giant as she playfully shoved at his chest. “’Tis only fair that we wait for Frederick.”

“And share a bit o’ drink first!” Kate added, retrieving a flask from beneath her cloak and holding it up.

“’Tis not a drink I crave,” Joshua responded, his lust-filled gaze fastening on Molly’s full, red lips. Grasping the woman roughly by the back of the neck, he planted a wet, open-mouthed kiss on her. Not wishing to incite the brute’s ire, Molly returned the kiss with feigned passion, running her fingers through his hair and moaning into his mouth.

“Have I missed anything?” Frederick’s breathless voice interrupted. Molly welcomed the diversion, using it to temporarily free herself from Joshua’s iron grasp.

“I missed you,” Kate cooed, extending her arms toward him.

He smiled and moved to slide his arm around her waist, his eyes fastening on her cleavage. “I am eager to discover just how greatly you did.”

“First, a drink, to properly celebrate!” Kate said, thrusting the flask into Frederick’s hand and leading him to one of the beds.

Molly followed her lead, withdrawing her own flask and pressing it to Joshua’s lips. Propping himself up on one elbow, he grabbed the flask from her hand and drained half of its contents before returning it to her. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gazed hungrily at the raven-haired temptress. “Now, let us see how well you can pleasure me on my last night here in port!” His voice invited no argument. “I can wait no longer.”

He lay back. “Remove my breeches,” he ordered.

Molly complied, moving to stand next to the platform and then lifting Joshua’s shirt well above his waist before her slim fingers set to work on loosening the ties that held his breeches. When the task had been accomplished, she tugged at the garment, which refused to budge beneath the man’s enormous bulk. “Lift up your bottom,” she demanded.

Her request was met with a loud snore.

“Joshua!” Molly called, gently shaking him by the shoulders. “Are you asleep?” His even breathing and lack of response confirmed that he was.

Slowly, Molly turned to look at her two companions. “Well?” She arched a painted brow.

“Mine’s asleep!” Kate said, smiling.

“How about yours?” Molly’s eyes cut toward Rachel.

“Out like a candle flame in a windstorm,” she said, releasing a long sigh of relief. “That sleeping potion works quickly!”

“An old Indian recipe!” Molly said with a wink. “When I first set eyes on Joshua here, I thought I might need a bucket of the potion to fell him!” She tossed a brief, wary glance at his snoring form. “Nevertheless, I believe ‘tis best if you hasten from here while the opportunity presents itself, Rachel. Once you have fled, we shall make certain the two men up on deck are given the same fond attention their mates received.”

“Are you certain you will be all right?” Rachel asked, hesitating.

“Do not concern yourself,” Kate assured her with a chuckle. “Molly and I shall be fine. We have had years of experience in handling sailors.”

“I cannot thank you enough for your help,” Rachel said, turning to look at each woman. “I only wish I could return the favor in kind.”

“Shoo now!” Molly ordered, waving her hands in a gesture of dismissal. “Your time grows short!’ She narrowed her eyes at Rachel. “You have not changed your mind, have you?”

“Nay,” Rachel answered. “I hold no doubt whatsoever that my decision is the right one.”

* * * * *

Shadow awakened abruptly from his fitful sleep and sat up. Something had disturbed the silence of the cargo hold – not a noise or a movement, but a presence. He could feel it surrounding him, yet, as he squinted into the inky darkness, could detect nothing. Resting his hand on the knife at his waist, he held his breath and waited. Why anyone would choose to roam the hold at this late hour without the benefit of a lantern or candle made no sense, but Shadow’s instincts rarely were wrong. Someone was there.

He heard it then, a footfall, followed slowly by another one. The intruder, Shadow deduced, was not familiar with the layout of the hold. Could it be possible, he wondered, that it was another stowaway?

“Shadow?” a voice whispered. It clearly contained fear. “Are you in here? I cannot see a thing.”

Shadow shook his head to clear the fragments of sleep that still remained. The voice sounded like that of his sweet Rosalind, yet he knew it could not be. He wondered if his self-imposed isolation already was taking its toll on his sanity.

“Shadow?” the voice again whispered from a good distance away, its pitch markedly higher. “Please, if you are within, answer me!”

Silently, Shadow rose to his feet and felt his way around the pile of timber that formed the barrier of his corner hideaway. “Rosalind?” he softly asked, still thinking he might be hallucinating. He kept his hand on his knife.

“Aye!” the voice returned with breathless relief. “Dear Lord, where are you?”

“Make your way to the wall at your left,” he instructed. “You will find a narrow aisle there. Follow the wall to the rear of the hold.”

Rosalind did as she was told, carefully feeling her way along the wall as she futilely struggled to see. At one point, she felt something scamper across her foot, forcing her to bite back a scream, but even the fear of vermin did not weaken her determination to be with Shadow. She had come this far, and she was not about to turn back.

Minutes that seemed like hours passed before Rosalind at last reached the rear of the hold. She paused, her hand pressed against the wall to brace herself. “Shadow?” she whispered, suppressing a sudden shiver of fear.

“I am here,” he answered. Although she could not see him in the darkness, she felt his hand grasp her arm.

“Oh, Shadow!” she breathed, reaching out to embrace him. “Thank God I am not too late!” The moment she felt his arms tighten around her, his warm breath against her hair, she knew she was where she belonged.

Without speaking, Shadow broke away from her and took her hand, then led her to his blanket. He seated himself and pulled her down beside him. The darkness prevented Rosalind from seeing his expression, so she was unable to determine whether he was pleased or angered by her unanticipated arrival.

“How came you to be here?” he asked her, his voice revealing little.

Rosalind giggled nervously. “I do not think you will approve of my explanation once you hear it.”

“Probably not,” he said. “But tell me.”

“Nathaniel once mentioned to me,” she began, “that every time his ship docked in a port, ladies would visit his cabin and offer their…favors.  So when I was attempting to think of some way to gain access to this ship, the idea came to me that I could pretend to be one of those…ladies.  Adam provided me with the money and I sought the aid of two…doxies…to help me carry out my plan. I told them my name was Rachel, and my betrothed, a sailor, had been falsely accused of a crime and was imprisoned in the ship’s brig…and I wanted to free him ere the ship set sail.”