Darkest Dreams (6 page)

“Alex was there?” If possible Sean's voice grew even louder and more incredulous. Cassie and I both winced. Considering all that stood between Sean and Alexander, we'd stand a better chance conquering the whole of the British Empire than the brothers.

“Yes. He received a delivery of a prized horse at the same time as Mr. and Mrs. Andrews's ship set sail and took a moment to exchange a few pleasantries.”

“Indeed,” Sean said. “I'll trust, Father, that you'll let him know his efforts to associate with my wife and her sisters are
unnecessary
and
unappreciated
.”

Cassie sighed, a soft whisper of despair that tugged at the very center of my heart. She had her hand pressed to her stomach, as if she could already feel the babe within. Concerned, I set my fingers upon the back of her hand and heard the cry in her heart.

Twins. Dear God, what if I have twins?

“Hush,” I whispered. “Don't borrow tomorrow's worries. The Killdaren stubbornness has yet to encounter the Andrews sisters' forces combined as one. The Trojan Horse Plan begins tomorrow.”

“He agreed to let you catalogue the antiquities, then?”

I only nodded, unable to give breath to my lie. She clasped my hand in hers and drew comfort from my words. Comfort I couldn't find for myself later that night, for I dreamed of myself unclothed and bound, a prisoner of Captain Black's on the high seas where he ruled as a pirate king.

Chapter Four

At first light, I sent a footman to Dragon's Cove, informing the viscount that I would be arriving at his castle midmorning, for I needed to speak with him about a matter of importance. His return message said that he would await my visit.

I then spent the next two hours pacing, trying to determine how to best approach him. Any other time I'd seen him, we'd always been accompanied by a number of people, which afforded very little opportunity for conversation—exactly what I didn't want to occur today. I had things to say that I knew my family would not understand, and would only be hurt by. For the Trojan Horse Plan now not only had meaning for my sister Cassie, but for me too.

In light of the incident with the man on the boardwalk, I desperately needed to face the reality of my situation. After my sensual thoughts of Alexander and pirates, my dreams had turned ugly, to a scene so nightmarish I'd awakened early, drenched in perspiration and shivering. I'd had a vision of myself trapped within a cage where strangers came, constantly touching me, drowning me in their thoughts. I became completely lost, no longer knowing who I was, or who anyone else was either.

Had the dream portended that madness was to be my fate if I didn't find a way to shelter myself? I shuddered.

I had to live alone, and I had to support myself. The only thing I knew of life was antiquities and how to catalogue them, which meant I would need to seek employment in a museum or, as Alexander had suggested earlier this summer, and as my father had alluded to by the gift of Aphrodite's ring, I could be paid to catalogue individual art collections in private homes. Employment in a museum would most likely put me in a position of having to interact with more people on a daily basis than working in a private home. By living alone and frugally, it was possible I would not have to take many assignments to survive.

To this end, I would need references, thus I
needed
a job. And that was exactly what I planned to ask Alexander for today. He'd offered before, so it wasn't too outrageous for me to approach him about the matter today. Still, my heart fluttered at the idea of going to meet him alone, even if he was, in fact, now family. Working for him could be the path to my independence.

Living in the wilds of Cornwall, far from the eagle-eyed confines of Oxford's proper society, afforded both Gemini and I more freedom than we'd ever known, and now having a married sister had—in a number of ways—expanded those strictures. I knew the viscount had a housekeeper, a widowed sister of Mrs. Murphy's, who lived at the castle. I knew he had a number of servants as well. So, in truth, I wouldn't exactly be alone with him. It wasn't as if I was a society miss with a reputation to keep sterling, either. Marriage was not in my future. Besides, a woman employed did not have need of a chaperone. Cassie herself had gone alone to Killdaren's Castle months ago to work as a maid, and
she
didn't bring a chaperone along. I could do the same.

With my mind made up, I hurriedly finished dressing. The family usually gathered for a late breakfast, and I wanted to be gone before they started to head down the stairs for that meal. Careful not to wake Gemini, Prudence, Rebecca or Bridget, all of whom slept in the same wing as me, I slipped quietly from my room and went down the servant's staircase that led directly to the kitchens and the back door leading to the stables. My chances of encountering Cassie were limited that way.

The huge hearth blazed with a welcoming fire as the rich aroma of kidney pies and fresh scones filled the air. Maids scurried to follow Mrs. Murphy's jovial instructions, and she turned my way as I exited the stairs.

“You're up a bit early, lass.”

“Yes,” I said, pasting a confident smile on my face. “I've a number of important errands to attend to, and I'm not exactly sure when I'll be back.”

Mrs. Murphy's brows arched. “Then you'll be missing the morning meal?”

“Unfortunately. And most sorry I am. It smells delicious.”

“No need to worry. I'll wrap a few scones for you to carry with you.” She told a maid to ready a basket for me, then turned back. “Will Miss Gemini or Mrs. Killdaren be joining you?”

“No.”

Her brows lifted again before she stepped a little closer to me and studied my face. “Not to be intruding where I shouldn't, lass, but is everything all right with you? I heard about the events in town yesterday. I can imagine ye'd be a mite upset over it.” Her warm eyes were just as inviting as the kitchen and almost tempted me to spill everything that I had locked up inside of me. But I also knew Mrs. Murphy would then feel compelled to tell Cassie, and the last thing my sister needed now was to shoulder my burdens.

“I'm fine, but thank you for your concern. And when you see Cassie, tell her I've gone to see about the errand we spoke of, will you?”

“I'll be sure to.” Mrs. Murphy stepped back, and the maid handed me the warm package of wonderful smelling scones, but I was too nervous to eat. Smiling and waving my thanks, I hurried from the kitchen to make my way to the stables, a little unsure of what to do next.

In Oxford, my family and I most often walked the short distance we needed to go, or if there was need of a carriage, we'd send a servant to hire one for the event. We hadn't the funds or the space to afford horses. Since coming to Killdaren's Castle, we'd always had the carriage brought to the house. I'd ridden a horse once or twice, but was nowhere near comfortable enough on horseback to attempt riding alone.

The best I could do was go to the stables and make my need known. Stepping into the bright sun of the morning, I drank in the tangy scent of the sea and fresh scents of forest and flowers. Morning always dispelled the darkest dreams of the night, but it seemed to me here on the coast that was truer than anywhere else on earth. The salty air washed the day to a brighter shine, and the pulse of life beat in tandem to the constant music of the sea. A flock of pelicans swooped overhead, going out to find their morning meal amid the energetic blue waves.

Edging along Killdaren's rich gardens and the dark shadow of the maze, whose legacy I deliberately ignored any time I was alone, I hurried to the stables. Blinded by the sun, I stepped into the open door, unable to see, and ran right into Bridget. The words in her mind shouted at me, shocking me.
Bloody, stubborn arse of a man! It'd serve him right if found myself another man. A vampire lover!

Bridget was Miss Prudence and Miss Rebecca's lady's maid and my sister Cassie's dear friend. She'd been an unfailing ally for my sister when Cassie had come to Killdaren's Castle as a maid at the beginning of the summer. The turmoil in Bridget's mind jolted mine. She warred between elation and despair, happy that she loved Stuart Frye and that her brother and her mother now lived at the castle since her mother had been declared consumption-free, and yet hurt and saddened over Stuart's noble rejection of their love and the continued silence from her sister Flora. Flora had left in the spring for a new performing career in London and had yet to write.

With both his mother and brother under arrest for Mary's death, Stuart refused to allow Bridget to involve herself with him. Bridget also wondered if Stuart would be so quick to reject her if he found her naked in his bed.

I immediately backed away before I could see more.

She blinked. “Miss Andrie, forgive me. I didn't see you.”

“Nor I you, Bridget. I've some errands to attend to. Who should I see about a carriage?”

“That would be me.” The deep voice came from just a few feet away. Stuart Frye stood with his back against a stall and his arms crossed tightly, as if in the midst of weathering a storm. I didn't doubt that Bridget's red-haired fury was a force to be reckoned with, but cut from the same cloth as Sean and Alexander, Stuart had the appearance of a man who could withstand anything life chose to burden his broad shoulders with.

“I don't mean to intrude, but if you could have someone ready a small conveyance and a footman to drive me, I would be grateful.”

“You're not interrupting at all, Miss Andrews. Bridget and I are
through
.” He ended his sentence there, not adding anything, like
through
carried a wealth of meaning, and Bridget gasped in response.

I bit my lip at the sudden sheen of tears I saw in her shadowed blue eyes. Stuart's jaw clenched much as a doctor's would when administering a painful but necessary treatment. I noted he fisted his hands tightly, as if he was trying to keep himself from reaching out, and his dark eyes were full of mixed emotions.

After a moment or two of silence, Bridget left without saying a word.

Stuart cleared his throat, making me think that he had trouble finding his voice. “It'll take just a moment. Where will you be going? Just the short distance to Dartmoor's End or further?”

I swallowed my lump of apprehension, realizing this was my first step to a life alone, one that would likely defy many notions of propriety. “Just a short distance, but I won't be going to Dartmoor's End. I'm going to Dragon's Cove.”

Stuart froze in midstep, then turned to me. “You're going to Viscount Blackmoor's?”

“Yes.”

He glanced at the castle, clearly wondering who else would be going with me.

“I am traveling alone,” I said. “And I would appreciate as little attention as possible be given to this.”

“In other words, the fewer who know the better?”

“Exactly.” Even though I saw concern rather than judgment darken his gaze, my insides still twisted as tightly as my lace-gloved fingers.

“Very well, Miss Andrews. I hope you know what you are doing.”

“I do.”

He shook his head. “I wonder. Tread carefully, Miss Andrews. The viscount isn't a man to be trusted in some ways.”

I met his gaze and resisted the temptation to ask exactly what he meant. After a moment he nodded and went to secure my transportation. By responding to Stuart's warning, I would have opened the door for more conversation, which I wanted to avoid. Whatever he was cautioning me against, I didn't want to know. I didn't want anything to deter me from the course I had set upon.

Twenty minutes later, I questioned my wisdom. Perhaps I should have come armed with everything I could find out about Viscount Blackmoor and his past. The dark castle spires on Dragon's Cove came into view, and I shivered at how their sharp points stabbed at the heavens, at how black the stone of the walls was against the bright beauty of the distant sea. Unlike Sean's castle, which nestled cozily along the open coast, Alexander's domain rose amid cliffs of jagged rock where the sea could be heard crashing violently against the earth rather than lapping the shore.

More fortress-like than any structure I'd seen before, with fanged dragons carved menacingly upon its battlements, the castle loomed over the cove like a preying beast, ready to devour all who dared to enter its lair. As the buggy drove up the long stretch of road, I could readily see why the rumors about the Killdaren brothers were so rampant. The castle was not a vision of wealth from a family blessed, but an outward warning of a family cursed beyond redemption.

More than a few doubts about the success of my venture burned in my mind, as if the dragons encircling the rooftop had set fire to them. I couldn't fail, I told myself, refusing to give in to the worry. Instead, I focused on the heat I'd seen sparking in Alexander's gaze yesterday. On some level I interested him, and I needed to use that to my advantage.

The road between Killdaren's Castle and Dragon's Cove was rough from disuse, giving me a rather bumpy ride. Just before the driver came to a stop before the black doors, I tugged my dress and fichu into proper place. Only my lace fichu caught on Aphrodite's ring and jerked from its nesting place, leaving the décolletage of my lavender tea gown scandalously low. The emerald eyes of the serpent ring glinted in the sunlight, as if laughing at my predicament. Exasperated, I tried to inconspicuously stuff it back, but gave up as the driver halted.

I managed to shove the lace into my pocket before the driver reached to help me exit. Wild thoughts ran through my mind as I stood at the top of the stairs with my basket of scones and studied the black doors to the castle. They were carved with images, as was customary with most impressive buildings, but somehow the dragons on these glass-like obsidian doors looked startling real. A great attention to detail had been given to each rough scale and needle-point fang. Even a starburst etched the pupils of each of their dark eyes, but the most shocking fact was that each dragon had stabbed the other in the heart with a forked spear. I snapped my eyes closed, somehow feeling the pain roaring from the dragons' wide mouths.