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didn't leave me nothing to do." Fieldstone was on the floor, a ball in his shoulder, a hundred-pound dog on his chest drooling in his face. Carey had a streak of blood across one cheek, and an armful of Rowanne dabbing at the scratch with her handkerchief. Hearing Rudd's voice and recalling the others present, she leapt away. Carey grinned and reloaded. Mrs. Reardon was rubbing her arm, and an exultant Woody was holding her pistol while Suzannah cheered. Rudd nodded at the youth approvingly. "Guess he's smarter than he looks." To which Carey mumbled for Rowanne's ears only, "Toodles is smarter than Woody looks." Aloud he congratulated the young man on his quick thinking. "Although I think we shall discuss later precisely what you intended by bringing Miss Wimberly into danger, without even a proper weapon." Woody looked abashed, but Rowanne claimed it was all her own fault, for she would insist on rushing off without a groom, in hopes of protecting Suzannah's name. Unfortunately that reminded Carey of his sister, being happily untied by Woody, now that Rudd guarded the Reardon woman, "You and I, miss, shall certainly have a conversation about traipsing off on your own." Carey spoke slowly, fixing the girl with a cold stare that promised he would make up for whatever lapses in her education an indulgent papa had allowed. "Hell and tarnation, Suky, don't you ever think of your reputation?" She just grinned at him, that same Delverson smile, dimples and twinkling eyes. "But the wife of a country squire does not have to guard her name so closely, Carey. Who's going to care, back in Dorset, that the soon-to-be Mrs. Jeffers went to visit her noble relations and took a walk without her maid? It wasn't as if I were going to be a duchess or anything, you know," she added slyly, bringing roses to Rowanne's cheeks. Carey grinned back. "Minx. By the by, how come neither you nor Emonda told me that Fieldstone had visited Delmere with our cousins after the governor passed away? That would have saved a lot of pother, Suky." "Because you'd ordered us never to mention his name again, remember? And I always try to obey orders, Major," she answered with a giggle. Carey looked at Woody, pityingly. "Are you sure you want the brat?" Woody just smiled, ear to silly ear. Carey shrugged. "Suzannah, why don't you and the hero go upstairs and see about the child, while I take care of some loose threads here." "He's hungry," Mrs. Reardon wearily told Suzannah. "We sent the nursemaid off for the day." "Good. Come on, Woody, let's go practice. And see what else is in the kitchen." The two skipped out as if there had never been any shots fired, never been any danger. Rowanne sank into a chair. "Poor puss," Carey sympathized, coming behind her to quickly grasp her shoulder. Then he kissed the top of her head and put a pistol in her hand. Carey whistled Scratch away and bent to heave Fieldstone onto another chair. He tore away the man's coat and shirt, wadding the latter to press against the wound. "You'll live, unfortunately." "No thanks to you, you miserable " Carey pressed a little harder. Fieldstone bit his lip and subsided. Carey removed his own neckcloth, none too fresh after the day's events, but better than Fieldstone deserved. As he wrapped the makeshift bandage, he asked, "Why, Larry? I offered Mrs., ah, Fieldstone, I assume?" The woman nodded. "A fair deal, and you had ample funds from Harry. Why did you have to be so blasted greedy?" "It wasn't just the money, damn you. It was you, the way you always treated me like dirt because I was base-born." "You were mistaken, Larry. I never disliked you for being a bastard, I despised you for acting like one." He tied the ends of the bandage off in a knot and stood back. "Now what would you have me do? Welcome a kidnapper, extortionist, near murderer to the family fold? I think not." Carey touched the new mark on his cheek, then turned to the woman who was his father's mistress, his bastard cousin's wife. "My offer still stands," he told her, "with minor variations. I have some unwanted property in Jamaica. The slaves have already been freed, but the land is profitable. It is yours, along with passage there for you, the boy, and this piece of trash. An account for the boy shall be opened in Kingston. In two days' time there shall also be a warrant issued for your arrest, both of you. If you are found, if you ever set foot in England again, it will be served. You may take your chances with the law, but I do not suggest that course. I have money, witnesses, your forged letters, and a definite limit to my compassion." It was better than she hoped. The woman agreed. "We'll stop at that inn and have them send for a doctor. I'll see you get the proper papers tomorrow." He called for Suzannah and Woody, and shepherded his valiant troop out the door. Then he turned back. "One last thing has been bothering me. Tell me, was there ever a Mr. Reardon?" She threw a candy dish at his head. Carey laughed. Chapter Twenty-six « ^ E veryone was chaperoned for the ride home. Rudd led off driving the Wimberly curricle, with Suzannah and Woody on the seat with him. It was a tight squeeze, but neither Woody nor Suzannah complained. A bit behind, Carey held the ribbons of his own equipage with one hand, Miss Wimberly with the other. Old Scratch played dogsberry, balanced on the tiger's bench behind, his tongue tasting the night air and only occasionally drooling on his master's shoulder. His ears caught the breeze and the fond words as the carriage dropped farther and farther behind the other vehicle. The words did not begin quite so tenderly. "If you ever put yourself into danger like that again I'll thrash you to within an inch of your life. Do you know how I felt, seeing that gun pointed at you?" Carey squeezed her closer, as if to keep her from harm. Rowanne felt safe and warm, warmer indeed than the cool evening warranted. "I couldn't very well just sit around and wait, not when Suzannah might need help. And I did tell you I was a managing sort of woman." "Good," Carey told her, looking into her eyes, seeing stars reflected in their depths. He smiled, that heart-stopping smile that made her toes curl. "I need managing," he went on. "Rudd cannot do the job alone." "Ah, about Rudd& " She fussed with the blanket across their laps. "Don't worry, sweetheart, he understands. Of course I had to promise him the new ivory leg he's had his eye on, as a wedding present." "Oh, is he getting married?" Then the curricle came to a halt altogether, while Carey demonstrated to Rowanne exactly who should be getting wed and why. Scratch had time to jump off and visit a bush before the horses were moving again. "You will marry me, won't you, my dearest Rowanne?" Carey begged when he could speak again. "I have loved you so long, but things kept getting in the way. Wars, wicked women& It seems I have been wanting forever to ask." "And I have been waiting forever. I think I loved you from our first dance," she told him, which required another long halt and a few deep breaths afterward. "You were so graceful, like a swaying rose in my arms." Carey sighed, clucking the horses to motion. "Do you mind that we'll never have another dance like it?" "Why, silly, because of your injury? The memory of our first waltz will be that much sweeter." "You remember, then?" "Everything. Every word, every smile, even that first night at Almack's when you were so gay and dashing." She watched him now as he watched the horses, memorizing every inch of his splendid profile, thinking he was even more handsome now, if that was possible. "And you were so sweet and lovely. I still have the cameo, you know. I carry it always." "For luck?" "No, for love." Scratch was getting tired, jumping on and off the vehicle. They were going so slowly, when they moved at all, that he could just amble alongside. Carey had other things on his mind. "You do understand it will mean giving up some of the Town life you are used to, don't you? St. Dillon's has [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ] |
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