Wicked Angel (Blackthorne Trilogy) Page 22

  The expression on Barbara's face was shock. "You met an innocent girl and seduced her? After you were wed?"

  "I didn't meet her—it was dark—I've never even seen her face. Oh, hell, I was drinking too much that night as well," he said in misery.

  "It would appear that a temperance vow would most probably be a salutary way to begin setting your life in order," Barbara replied tartly. "Pray continue."

  He combed his fingers through his hair and tried to unscramble his brain. "1 came home late one night and was surprised to find her asleep in my bed. When I awakened her...well...one thing led to another." He dared not look up to see how his mother was taking this. "It was only the next morning that I realized she'd been a virgin. One of my friends must have sent her. I made inquiries everywhere but she vanished without a trace. I have no idea who she was."

  Barbara was beginning to have a pretty good idea about his virgin's identity, but she held her peace for the present. Men are such idiots! "And you've not been able to forget this lone encounter?" she prompted.

  "It doesn't mean I love Joss less," Alex replied at once. "But it's not the same thing as...the other," he added lamely.

  "And Jocelyn's feelings about...the other?" Barbara drawled sweetly, not the least bit embarrassed.

  Alex was embarrassed enough for both of them. "We have, that is, Joss has indicated no desire, er, no wish to..."

  "You waited for her to indicate such! Pray, Alex, did you expect her to come scratching on your bedchamber door?" Her tone was contemptuously sarcastic.

  Hell, he had all but confessed the nature of his agreement with Joss to his mother—although in recent weeks he had been growing increasingly unclear of what that relationship was himself. He stood up slowly and was rewarded when his head stopped spinning after a mere half dozen revolutions. Cursing Jonathan Russell for the tenth time in the past hour, he said, "I am not going to discuss my relationship with my wife any further, Mama. The matter is private, for Joss and me to work out."

  As he stalked from the room, struggling to walk a straight line, Barbara's voice carried after him. "See that you do work it out."

  * * * *

  Alex soaked in a hot tub, then collapsed for a few hours of troubled sleep, which were all too soon interrupted by an urgent message from the charge d'affaires. Feeling utterly out of charity with the whole of the United States government, he sat at the table in his dressing room and tore open the sealed envelope.

  "Bloody hell! Foxworthy, bring me a clean shirt and breeches," he instructed the valet, who stood deferentially in the doorway of his dressing room.

  A short time later he leaped from Sumac's back in front of Joss's school and strode swiftly inside the gray stone building, making his way toward the sound of children's laughter. He was nearly trampled by a hoard of stampeding urchins when the clang of a bell indicated their dismissal. Seeing Joss gathering up her books, he froze in the doorway, stunned.

  She was different—deliciously different. Her hair caught the sun from the window, gleaming a tawny bronze blond. The style was not elaborate, just a few soft curls about her face and the rest tied back with a blue ribbon that matched the dress she wore. The supple cotton revealed the sweet curves of a pair of small high breasts and flowed over softly rounded hips. She was not thin at all, just long-limbed and slender. His mother was a miracle worker—or had he simply been too blind a fool to see what lay beyond the tip of his nose?

  Joss sensed his presence and looked up. The same shy, startled expression she'd worn when she saw him last night swept across her face, then vanished, replaced by the pink flush of embarrassment. Her clear blue eyes met his in spite of it. Joss was nothing if not self-possessed.

  "Alex, what are you doing here?" She could tell he'd been studying her and fought the urge to smooth her hair back or wrap her arms about her waist protectively. Did he think she was an utter cake, an old tabby dressed like a debutante?

  "Joss." Every thought fled from his head as he stared into her eyes. "The spectacles...they're gone. How can you see?" he finally managed.

  "Your mother took me to see a marvelous physician who gave me some drops to put in my eyes. I still cannot see clearly enough to read, but for distance it's really quite liberating. I can observe Willie Balum and Pug Wilson misbehaving in the back of the classroom and stop the worst of their mischief." She was babbling, she realized, as she pulled her eyeglasses from her pocket and placed them on her nose to give her a sense of detachment, but somehow the spell was not broken. He continued to stand staring at her in a most unnerving way.

  "What do you want, Alex?"

  The question finally penetrated and he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him so as not to be overheard by Mrs. Breem.

  "First of all, I wish to apologize for my abominable behavior last night," he said, stiffly. "My mother was waiting to ring a peal over me when I returned home this morning." He smiled ruefully then, trying to gauge her reaction. "I know there is no adequate excuse, Joss, but I had good reason for leaving the ball."

  "I'm certain you did, Alex. Mrs. Chamberlain is exceedingly beautiful." The moment she said it, she wanted to call back her words. "I sound a perfect shrew and I have no right—"

  "Yes, you do have the right. I gave my word to escort you and I broke it—but not because I was pursuing Cybill Chamberlain or any other woman. I was working for the American charge d'affaires, Joss."

  "The chargd d'affaires?" she echoed in amazement. That was the last thing she would have imagined.

  "I was a spy of sorts for him," he confessed.

  Joss felt a weight lift from her heart. She began to smile.

  "I'm not such a patriot that I feel constrained to turn you in, Alex."

  "When you hear the news, you might change your mind," he said grimly. "I have just received word that our Congress has declared war, Joss."

  "War?" Her voice was a hoarse croak. What she had feared and dreaded for the past two years had come to pass.

  "I shall have to leave at once before Mr. Russell delivers the formal documents to Whitehall. It might be difficult to secure permission to sail for America after that."

  I shall have to leave at once. The words tore at her heart. She swallowed and nodded numbly. "You plan for me to remain behind then?"

  "I.. . hell, Joss, I wasn't certain what you'd want to do." He began pacing across the floor, running his fingers through his hair nervously. "You're so very English... I can't imagine you living anywhere else. I'll provide funds to support you if you choose to stay. It's up to you, Joss." He stopped pacing and stood facing her, waiting.

  What should she do? If he wished to be rid of her, this was the perfect opportunity. She tried to read his expression, which seemed wary—or was it confused? Uncertain? This morning before she left for school Barbara had insisted she not give up on Alex. Her mother-in-law had scolded her, in fact, for not having the courage to fight for the man she loved.

  Taking a deep breath she said, "As you pointed out, Alex, we are married—even though it isn't a conventional arrangement. What would your mother think if I refused to go home with you? I believe I am resourceful enough to survive America. I shall accompany you, Alex ... but only if you wish it."

  He had not realized that he was holding his breath until she agreed to come with him. He smiled broadly then and reached out to take her hands. "I should have missed your friendship, Joss, if you'd stayed behind."

  Friendship. Her heart squeezed. Was that all that would ever be between them? In spite of her pain she returned his smile. "Speaking of friends, what shall you tell Drum? He will be most upset with your leaving."

  He looked at her with a surprised expression on his face. "Why ever should that occur to you? I thought you detested Drum."

  "Once I did, but...let us just say we have come to an understanding. After all, he did save your life."

  "We have no time to spare, but I shall try to locate him for a proper farewell after I inform Mama we must leave. There
will be precious little time to pack, Joss. Can you be ready to sail by dawn?"

  She laughed merrily, suddenly exhilarated by the adventure ahead of her. "La, I suspect I shall have our household ready in half the time it takes Barbara to repack all those trunks she brought from America!"

  "You know her well," he said with a chuckle and turned to leave, then paused in the doorway. "I'm very glad you're going with me, Joss." With that he was gone.

  As Sumac's hoofbeats echoed down the cobblestone street, Joss went in search of Mrs. Breem to let her know the Mission Society would have to find another teacher.

  As Joss had predicted, she supervised the packing of all Alex's and her belongings and had the servants unload them on the deck of The Muskogee Maiden two hours before Barbara arrived. Alex had not returned from his search for Drum. The authorities were not yet aware of the state of hostilities between His Majesty's government and the brash young republic across the Atlantic, Captain Broderick informed them, but as soon as Mr. Blackthorne was aboard it would be wise to sail.

  "I hope he won't be long," Joss fretted to Barbara. "I have no idea about how he wishes to assign quarters for the trip," she said, indicating the huge pile of chests and crates sitting on the deck of the schooner.

  Barbara cocked her head inquisitively. "Assign quarters? Why, that shan't be at all a problem. Come, let us decide right now." She seized Joss's hand and led her toward the stairs below deck.

  "But...but I can't do that!" Joss said, aghast. They stood inside the small first mate's cabin adjacent to the captain's quarters. "This will serve for Alex. I shall share your cabin."

  "Do not be a cake, Jocelyn. That would quite give away the game Alex plays, would it not?" Barbara replied in exasperation.

  "Oh!" Joss pressed her fingers to her lips. "Then he has not...confessed our situation to you?"

  Barbara shook her head, choosing her words with great care. "His exact words were 'Mother, I will not discuss my marriage with you!' You would be a wise wife not to force him to do so."

  "But I cannot just...just crawl into bed with him."

  Barbara arched one eyebrow and studied Joss. "You did so once before with rather felicitous results—or did you not like it?"

  Joss blurted out. "Oh, yes! It was divi..." She flushed furiously and her mind raced in circles. "It was all an accident...there was a fire ... I was asleep in his bed, in the dark, when he came home..."

  "Hmm. I've heard the story before—the little blond girl and the bears."

  Joss's flush deepened. "Barbara, this is no child's tale."

  Her mother-in-law nodded. "I warrant that, darling, not at all suitable for children. Pray continue."

  "At first, I thought I was dreaming, but then I awoke. Alex...Alex was doing things to me, and I tried...to get him to...to..."

  Barbara coached, "Stop?"

  Joss nodded, then continued. "But after a bit, I didn't want him to...to..."

  "Stop?" Barbara added helpfully.

  Joss nodded. "Even worse than that. I began to...to..."

  "Respond?"

  “Yes,” Joss whispered quietly, as she stared at the floor.

  "So you are Alex's mysterious virgin. He's combed London looking for you, you know."

  "He told you?" Joss could not believe it. Still, how else could Barbara have known about that night?

  "As a matter of fact, he did confess that much—not altogether willingly, but I had him at a disadvantage. He was quite properly foxed and had not slept in two days."

  "Thank God. Then he doesn't know it was I."

  "No, and I see no reason to enlighten him yet. Once things take their proper course, he'll figure it out soon enough," Barbara said dryly.

  "Their proper course?" Joss echoed dubiously.

  "Whatever do you think will occur now that you will be forced to actually share the same living space?"

  "How shall I explain my temerity? I am really a coward, you know, when it comes to Alex," Joss confessed.

  "Nonsense. You just need a wee bit of encouragement. You must simply point out the obvious—we were fortunate in securing passage on the only Blackthorne sailing vessel currently in London. There is little provision on a cargo ship for passengers, so we must make do with what quarters are available. Besides, he won't want me to know the exact nature of your arrangement, will he now?" Barbara asked manipulatively.

  Joss looked exceedingly dubious. "There are two bunks," she said, walking into the small cabin. "I suppose we could work something out."

  Barbara smiled and nodded. "Of that, I have no doubt, my darling."

  When Alex finally reached the ship, Joss had all their belongings secured. She sat perched on the edge of the room's lone chair, like a rabbit ready to bolt, clutching a book that she pretended to read.

  Alex knocked, then entered. Standing in the cramped quarters he seemed larger than life, bronzed as a great golden lion in the flickering candlelight. He closed the door behind him and stared at Joss with unreadable eyes.

  Joss swallowed a lump the size of Eastcheap and said, "I was worried about you. Did you find Drum?"

  "No. I searched everywhere but it seems the bloody bounder is off in the country somewhere. I shall have to send him a letter before we sail, bidding farewell." He paused, then said, "My mother informed me about our, er, cramped sleeping arrangements."

  "I'm quite certain we shall deal famously once we set a schedule for retiring and arising to preserve each other's modesty," she replied, trying to sound matter-of-fact.

  "Oh?" He leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest.

  "Yes, well, I am by habit an early riser and go to bed accordingly. You have always preferred the nights and arisen late. So—"

  "You will be all tucked in with the candles doused when I return each evening," he supplied helpfully. Damn but she looked fetching in spite of the bloody eyeglasses that perched on the end of her nose.

  "Unless you would prefer a different arrangement?" she said hesitantly.

  Alex blinked, then realized what she meant—or at least, what he thought she meant. Doubtless, she wanted to share his mother's cabin...but maybe...He quickly dismissed the ridiculous idea. "The arrangement suits, Joss," he replied coolly.

  "Do you prefer the upper bunk or the lower?" she asked, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue.

  His mouth felt dry as dust. "Lady's choice, Joss, but I'd imagine with a night rail, you'd find the bottom one easier to deal with."

  She nodded. "Very well. It's all settled then."

  He looked at her for a moment without saying anything, then strode over to the writing box sitting on top of his trunk. "I must dash off something to Drum."

  Drum dropped Alex's letter on the small table next to his chair. What absolutely damnable luck! His friend had searched for him in all their usual haunts, but he had been out of the city, forced to visit his father to placate the old man and insure the continuance of his allowance.

  The dandy closed his eyes and rubbed his temple. Still and all, perhaps it was for the best. A public good-bye would have quite unmanned him. Alex, Alex...

  Opening his eyes, he fingered a smaller envelope that had been delivered along with Blackthorne's, then tore it open and extracted the note.

  My Dear Drum,

  Perhaps you are correct about the females of our species possessing the traits of the spider. I am already becoming devious. I intercepted the footman whom Alex sent to deliver his letter and will add this missive.

  Of course, I did not presume to read his sentiments. However, if my husband is as inept as most men in expressing their love for another of their gender, then he has made a most miserable parting with the truest, most loyal friend he has ever had. I cannot chance such a failure when it concerns one to whom both Alex and I owe so much.

  Therefore, Drum, should you find your life as unsatisfactory as I would find mine without the nearness of Alex, I shall welcome you to America.

  I expect that we will mee
t again...soon.

  Yours in friendship,

  Joss

  Drummond smiled. "My Amazonian friend! What a remarkable creature you are. And what a superlative choice our Alex has made...hmmm...well, stumbled upon. Nonetheless, what a delightfully ridiculous idea. A Drummond in America!"

  Alvin Frances Edward Drummond laughed, and the lamp on the little table seemed to burn brighter.

  Chapter Sixteen

  "Have a care and close your mouth lest a gull fly in," Barbara said merrily to Joss, who stood staring up into the rigging where Alex climbed into the sun and wind.

  She turned to her mother-in-law with a startled gasp. "He's going so high I fear he'll fall into the ocean," she said, looking once again at the bronzed half-naked figure moving with sensuous grace and skill.

  "La, I'd not worry. Alex first stowed away on a ship bound for the China trade when he was twelve. He was gone for over a year before one of our captains was able to bring him home tanned and toughened as seaman's hardtack."

  "He does seem to know what he's about. He told me he'd run off to sea," Joss replied, forcing herself to look away from Alex's mesmerizing figure. The amused yet sympathetic understanding in Barbara's eyes made her cheeks bloom with color. "Am I all so obvious, then?"

  "You're his bride. People expect you to look a bit lovesick."

  " 'Tis a sadly one-sided lovesickness," Joss replied with a touch of wistfulness in her voice.

  "How is the sleeping arrangement working out?"

  Joss sighed. "Quite smoothly. We've scarcely seen each other the past two days."

  "Not precisely what I had in mind when I proposed it," Barbara said dryly. "Perhaps 'tis time to reschedule things a bit."

  Joss, who was once again drawn to observe Alex's descent from the crow's nest, only half heard Barbara's remark. Once he reached the deck and disappeared among a crowd of sailors, she turned back to Barbara. "Reschedule what?" she asked vaguely.

  "I have an idea ..." Barbara replied, taking her aside.