Captive Hearts Page 29

  “I know she does, but she did have her heart set on my wearing her wedding gown.”

  Morris motioned to one of the maids serving drinks.

  She set aside the tray and rushed to bring him a parcel.

  He handed it to Amelia.

  “I hope you shall be able to use these to draw with while on your journey to Charleston,” Amelia said as she presented Katherine with the paper wrapped gift.

  Katherine pulled the ribbon tied around the parcel.

  Her gaze fastened on the pale blue strip. She blocked out the memories that threatened, and folded back the paper.

  A smile leaped to her lips. Two fresh quills, a bottle of ink, several sticks of charcoal, and two sticks of sepia colored chalk lay in a protective cushion of paper.

  “Thank you, Lady Amelia. This is a very kind and generous gift.”

  “It is just a token of our thanks and our support.” Morris spoke for the first time. “We have both been most impressed with the courage you have shown in your pursuit of justice, Mrs. Hamilton.” His eyes moved about the room. “There are quite a few here who feel the same.

  If it is support you need, all you need to do is ask for it.” Surprised and amazed, Katherine extended a hand to Morris. “Thank you.”

  “Who is that young man?” she asked Matthew when the couple drifted back to Amelia’s parents.

  “His father is Lord Hallowell, an advisor to the King,” he said as he helped her bundle the gifts back inside their wrappings. “You could probably gain the King’s ear if you wanted it. What was it Amelia meant about your saving their wedding from disaster?” Katherine crumpled the ribbon in her hand as Matthew motioned to one of the maids. The woman took the gift away with instructions to put it in their room.

  “Lady Abington desired to pass down her wedding gown to Amelia. It was an ugly creation and completely unsuited to her. I just stated the obvious to the lady and drew a gown more flattering to Amelia.”

  “Which I doubt made you very popular with her

  mother.”

  “Actually, Lady Abington was very open to my suggestions once she saw how thrilled her daughter was with the drawing. She even thanked me later for having saved her from pressing the matter and causing Amelia unhappiness.”

  Matthew shook his head. “I didn’t realize you had such a gift for diplomacy.”

  She laughed. “At the time, I was not intent on diplomacy, just honesty. I did not think I had anything to lose by being honest with Lady Abington, since I had already been rejected as unsuitable by the ton anyway.”

  “It seems that tide has turned now,” he commented as other guests came forward to greet them.

  For a time, Katherine found it difficult to track Edward’s movements about the room. She worried that he might find a way to slip away and avoid the coming confrontation. She experienced a wave of relief when Hampton appeared at the door and announced dinner.

  Edward’s displeased frown looked fierce as he held her chair for her at the table and waited for her to sit down. He turned away from her immediately to speak to the woman at his right.

  Her gaze wandered around the room taking in the subtle lighting of the candles overhead, the minute care that had been taken with the centerpiece on the table. For a moment, she wished that the occasion could be one of celebration, instead of one fraught with tension and subterfuge.

  Hampton slipped into the room and bent over Talbot’s left shoulder to murmur something in his ear.

  Katherine looking down the table at him, saw his brief nod of encouragement. She laid the crumpled ribbon beside her uncle’s plate and smoothed it out.

  She caught Garrett Drake’s attention focused on the ribbon. His green gaze touched her, his square-jawed features taut, his mouth compressed. She shivered as Jaime Stone’s features came to mind.

  Edward reached for his wine glass, spied the ribbon, and jerked his hand back. “What is that?” He pointed to the ribbon with equal parts revulsion and anger in his expression.

  She dragged her attention back to him. “It is the ribbon Jaime Stone tried to strangle me with,” she lied without compunction. “I carry it in hopes that it will help me remember what happened that night.” Edward’s expression smoothed. “That is not the ribbon. It was discarded.”

  “I am not speaking about the first time, Edward, but while we were in Birmingham. He broke into our room at the inn and tried to strangle me. Matthew fought with him and Jaime attempted to stab him, would have stabbed him, had I not shot him. I killed one of the men responsible for my mother’s death.” She focused on Edward’s face searching for any hint of guilt or regret. His gaze held nothing but a glassy, startled look. Katherine purposely touched the ribbon with her finger.

  “You-you must not dwell on what happened, Katherine.”

  “I could understand the enmity others felt toward my father. But my mother never hurt anyone. She was gentle and kind and loving. Johnny’s one fault was his insatiable curiosity. What harm could he have done to anyone?” She pressed her finger up and down the ribbon.

  Edward placed a hand over hers stopping the movement. “They were just in the wrong place at a most inopportune time, Katherine. Their deaths were not punishment for any action they took.” His touch made her skin crawl. It took all the control she could muster not to jerk her hand from beneath his.

  “It was my mother who was punished, Edward. I heard her begging them not to hurt her.” She pulled her hand loose from his to rub at her temples as though in pain. She looked from the ribbon to Edward’s face. She saw the rising panic in his expression and rose to her feet.

  “I saw you there, Edward. I know it was you.” Edward grasped at her arm, and she jerked aside.

  Conversation died at the table, and every face turned in her direction. “You were standing amidst them, buttoning your pants. Did you take your turn upon my mother before you allowed Jaime Stone to strangle her?” A slurred voice came from the doorway. “He is not man enough to do that.”

  Katherine turned to see Avery Rudman standing in

  the doorway. His sparse hair stood on end and his clothing appeared wrinkled and stained, as though he’d worn them several days. He weaved on his feet as he took a step further into the room.

  Matthew rose to stand close to Katherine.

  Hampton stepped forward to intercept the inebriated man. Rudman raised a flintlock and pointed it at his chest. The butler came to a halt, his eyes round. Rudman waggled the flintlock, and Hampton backed away.

  “You assured me the man was only after Katherine and Hamilton, Edward. There would be no danger to anyone else. I wanted to believe that. I wanted rid of him,” Rudman pointed the flintlock at Matthew.

  Katherine’s heart skipped a beat as the man’s focus came to bear on her husband. “I knew I would never be able to live up to Jacqueline’s memories of you. I just wanted a chance.” His bulldog-like features crumpled and tears of self-pity filled his eyes. He wiped them away with his coat sleeve.

  “It is not your fault she is dead. It is mine. And his.” Rudman poked the flintlock in Edward’s direction. “I am going to kill you, Edward then I will end it for myself.” Edward grasped at Katherine’s arm and jerked her in front of him. She stumbled, and he looped an arm around her throat holding her back against him. “It was Jacqueline’s fault.” His voice rose in pitch to a falsetto.

  “The randy whore could not do as she was told. She would not have been touched had she not continued to chase after him.” He threw out an arm to point at Matthew.

  Rudman’s complexion took on a heated red, and his finger tightened against the trigger.

  Matthew lunged against both Katherine and Edward, shoving them off their feet. They tumbled sideways to the floor. The loud report of the flintlock going off rang through the room. Screams and shouts erupted, and the guests, frozen by Avery Rudman’s appearance, moved to take cover.

  Matthew’s weight pressed down on Katherine, and for a moment, she feared he was injured.
Edward wiggled in an attempt to crawl from beneath them. Matthew shoved up on one knee. He grabbed Edward by the jacket.

  She scrambled from between the two men and

  hastened to her feet. Talbot stood against the door, shielding Clarisse with his body. Others peeked from beneath the edge of the table.

  Lord Harcourt stood at the door. Two of His Majesty’s guards held Rudman against the wall, disarmed. “My apologies, Captain Hamilton. We did not know of his escape, until just now.”

  His features taut with rage, Matthew frog-marched Edward toward the guards and shoved him forward. The man stumbled and would have fallen had one of the men not caught his arm. “We know you arranged for your brother and his family to be killed, Edward. We know you hired someone to forge a will leaving everything to you.

  Why would you purposely spread lies to destroy Katherine’s reputation? What possible motive would you have for that?”

  Edward stared at Matthew, his eyes wild with fear.

  “You know nothing.”

  “Yes, we do Lord Leighton,” Lord Harcourt motioned for his men in the hallway.

  Heavily shackled, Badger shuffled forward between them, his chains clanking noisily. His hair hung in greasy strands down his face. His clothing and boots, smeared with mud and other matter, smelled so bad Katherine’s eyes watered.

  “Is this the man who accompanied you the night Lord and Lady Leighton and their son John were killed, Badger?”

  Badger stuck his face close to Edward’s and laughed when the man jerked back with a look of distaste. “Aye, that’s the bloke. ’e were so scared ’e couldn’t get it up when it were ’is turn on ’er. Nearly wet ’is breeches when the girl came out of the coach and mounted one of the

  ’orses. ’e should ’ave killed ’er when ’e ’ad ’er under ’is roof.

  ’e wouldn’t be in this mess if ’e ’ad. None of us would.” His beady black eyes settled on Katherine and he winked at her. “Tough little wench. Ye survived Jaime’s shot and his special ways. ’e regretted ’e never ’ad a taste of ye before hand, like he did yer mum.” Katherine shivered for there was no regret or compassion in his ferret-like face, only pure evil. Matthew stepped to her side and drew her close.

  Lord Harcourt motioned for the men to remove the prisoner. “We will see if we might arrange accommodations for you to spend some time with your accuser, Lord Leighton.”

  “No-no” Edward protested and began to struggle against the guard’s hold. His gaze reached out to Katherine, beseeching her for help.

  She turned her face against Matthew’s waistcoat and locked away any compassion she might be tempted to feel for Edward.

  ****

  “I do not suppose your aunt and uncle will be eager to have another dinner party for us any time soon,” Katherine said as they climbed the stairs to their room some time later after the guests had gone. Her talent for understatement brought a smile to Matthew’s lips and he shook his head. “No. I don’t believe so.” “Your hand is trembling,” She observed.

  “It’s just a reaction from having a loaded flintlock pointed at my wife’s chest. I thought for certain Avery Rudman had succeeded where Jaime Stone hadn’t.” His heart seemed to clench every time he thought about it.

  One brief hesitation and the shot would have struck her, instead of the sideboard. He was suddenly impatient to get her behind a locked door where he could hold her, touch her, feel the life pulsing within her, and draw comfort from it. He scooped her up and carried her down the hall, his long strides eating up the distance.

  He kicked the door shut and leaned back against it as he lowered her feet to the ground.

  “Whatever is wrong, Matthew?” she asked.

  “A man just tried to kill you, and you’re being damned calm about it. My insides are still jumping about like a netted fish on a hot deck.”

  “I am fine, Matthew.” Her smile was laced with warmth as she cupped his face and rose on tiptoe to kiss him. He spread his feet to draw her close, welcoming the weight and shape of her against him.

  “He shot at you, Katherine.”

  “He did not mean to shoot me, but Edward.” She nibbled his ear lobe sending shivers down his spine, and

  hot blood racing to other parts of his anatomy.

  “You are trying to distract me,” he accused.

  “Is it working?”

  “Yes.” She drew back to look up at him.

  He shook his head ruefully. “I love you. I’ve been trying to tell you all day.”

  Katherine’s violet eyes looked deep as a midnight sky. He cupped her cheek, and she held his hand against her face. ”You have been showing me what love is since we first met, but I was too blinded by my need for justice to recognize it. By the time I did, it was too late to back away from the course I had chosen. Every time you have been in danger, my insides have jumped about like netted fish on a hot deck as well, until you were safe again.” She rubbed her cheek against his bandaged palm. “I will never again risk you, or your love, for any purpose, Matthew.

  The price is too dear.”

  “And what of yourself, Katherine? You reached past my grief and showed me how to love again. Every time you’ve put yourself in harms way—” She covered his lips with her hand. “Never again, I swear it.” She drew his hand downward to cover her heart. “I love you. I will try my best to spare you grief, or worry, in future.”

  He knew she truly meant it, but knowing her adventurous nature… He loved that part of her, as much as everything else. It was what had drawn him to her in the beginning.

  His fingers toyed with the teardrop shaped pearl that rested in the hollow of her throat. It had captured the warmth of her skin and reflected the tone of it, just as he had thought it would. “When I bought this necklace for you, I had something in mind.”

  “What was that?”

  “Seeing what you would look like in it, and nothing else.”

  A slow smile tilted her lips and she drew his lips down to hers. “Lets find out.”

  EPILOGUE

  Katherine watched from the doorway of the warehouse as Garrett Drake swung down from the hired hackney. He paused to speak to the driver then strode down the cobbled street that ran parallel to the docks, After walking only a short distance, he paused to look at the ships anchored in the harbor. The heavy falling snow powdered the shoulders of his cloak and tricorn..

  Lord Harcourt spoke from beside her. “You were right, Katherine. You said it would be impossible for him to stay away.”

  “Knowing I am truly gone from England, would be very important to him.”

  A shouted call to action rang out across the water.

  “Hoist the main sail.”

  Sing-song answers echoed like a round. The small brigantine began to move down the channel under full canvas. The name Caroline painted in black lettering on her hull was clearly legible. “I’m sorry our departure has had to be delayed again, Matthew.” She glanced up at him. “As the ship clears the bend in the channel, and she is gone from sight, Carson will stay their progress and wait for us. It is important for you and me to see this done.”

  His understanding brought quick tears to her eyes even as the pressure of his hand against her waist soothed her.

  Lord Harcourt turned to instruct the small band of soldiers behind them. As Drake continued to stand and watch the ship, Harcourt motioned to Katherine and Matthew to follow him. He approached the hackney and quickly climbed atop the conveyance to speak with the driver, while Matthew ushered Katherine inside the vehicle.

  “You have the drawings?” Harcourt asked as he

  joined them inside the cab.

  Matthew removed some papers from the inner pocket of his great coat and handed them to him.

  Harcourt unfolded them to look at them then shook his head. “Had you not noticed the resemblance, Katherine, we might have never known about Drake’s involvement.”

  “Edward would have eventually incriminated him, had Badger not done s
o before him.” Matthew said taking Katherine’s hand in his, and giving it a comforting squeeze.

  “Edward did lead us to a house Drake had purchased for Jaime. It would seem, the man felt some responsibility for his son. Perhaps if he had known of his existence while he was still young—but who knows.” He gave a shrug. “As much as it has bothered me to arrange it, Badger’s willingness to testify to the Drake’s involvement with the gang has earned a bid for mercy. Badger will spend some time in prison, but will not see the hangman’s noose.” As Drake’s voice came from outside the coach, Harcourt grew silent and still.

  Drake brushed the snow from the shoulders of his cloak as he swung aboard the conveyance. His eyes widened as he spotted them, and he quickly turned to jump back out the door only to have it slam shut in his face. “Hello, Mr. Drake,” Lord Harcourt spoke and cocked the pistol he held at the same time. “Won’t you make yourself comfortable? We have a few things to discuss.” Drake looked over his shoulder at Katherine and Matthew, then turned slowly to take a seat beside the lord. When Harcourt proffered the drawings, Drake set aside his tricorn to accept them. He studied them for a long silent moment. His green gaze, so much like his son’s, rose to Katherine’s face and a brief smile touched his lips. “You are very gifted, Mrs. Hamilton. You have captured Jaime exactly.”

  The cold knot of tension eased inside Katherine and her fingers tightened in triumph around Matthew’s. “Yes, I believe I’ve done justice to you both.”