Fortune's Flames (16 page)

“Toy with you, Jared?” she scoffed, though dazed by the kiss. She wanted nothing more than to rush home and get into bed with him, but she could not. Even if he were being honest, he had to be taught how to treat her properly and fairly. She must not allow him to take her for granted, to think only of his wishes. Her mother had told her that a man had to learn how to treat a woman, that he must not be allowed to get away with even a minor offense. Yet, this training had to be done carefully and gently and slyly. “Why did you wait four days to reveal our partnership? And why are you making these crazy demands?”

He ran his tongue over his lips for another taste of her. “I wanted to look things over, to see how you were handling the place, and yourself.”

“And?” she prompted. “Were you satisfied or disappointed?”

“Both.”

“Would you mind explaining that answer?”

“You’re doing great with the place, and business is wonderful.”

“And?” she said impatiently. “You only covered satisfied.”

“Well, on the other hand, I seem to be out of a lot of earnings. We both know you can’t possibly repay so much money, no matter how you scrimp or how many games you win. If I take over to cover what’s due me, Cameron James’s daughter will be out in the
cold. I can’t do that to the offspring of my old friend and partner, so I will lose the money but I will gain a wife.”

“Leave my father out of this. And don’t feel sorry for me. I can take care of myself. I may surprise you by coming up with the money. If I can’t, I’ll marry you before I’ll give up Lady Luck.”

“That sounds like the perfect compromise. Think about it, Maren. You’re twenty and single. I’m twenty-nine and single. Most people are married at our ages. You love Lady Luck, and I need someone to manage my half while I’m at sea. We both need a home, money, and respectability. And it doesn’t hurt that we’re attracted to each other, just in case we might want children some day.”

Maren stared into his eyes and murmured sultrily, “When you add up the facts, Mr. Morgan, it does sound like a perfect arrangement. But I wonder… perhaps I could find a better one with someone else.”

As they covered the remaining distance, he ordered, “Just make certain you don’t seek one out until your debt to me is settled.”

After Jared eased her feet to the ground, Maren inquired saucily, “Does that stipulation also apply to you when you are in ports, Captain Hawk?”

Jared dismounted and grinned. Before heading for the stable, he reasoned in a playful tone, “Why should it? I’m not the one in trouble.”

“Until January first, I’m not either,” Maren informed him; then she went inside while he tended
to the horse. After making a quick explanation to Mary, she hurried to her room.

On Monday morning Maren asked Mary Malone to send Dan Myers to her room. She told Mary she would talk with her later over tea, but first there were some matters she had to settle with her manager.

Maren hated to put Dan on the spot by asking him whether Jared Morgan had talked privately with him since his arrival, so she did not. She hoped Dan would be loyal enough to tell her anything so crucial. After explaining that Jared Morgan was her previously silent partner, but that he was planning to make public his half-ownership this week, she told Dan about the missing money that Jared had claimed was due him even before the war had begun.

“I told him I wasn’t responsible for his understanding with Papa, but I have to find a way to pay him everything he’s got coming since Papa died. If he discovers Eric’s theft, there’s no telling what he’ll try to pull.”

“Jared Morgan isn’t a devious or cruel man, Miss Maren.”

“That’s what you think, Dan. He’s asked me to marry him. Or, I should say he demanded it. He ordered me to repay him by January first or to marry him. I’m not sure which prospect is worse.”

Dan looked shocked and dismayed. “Why would Jared Morgan try to force you to marry him?”

“He says it’s because we’re partners, we’re too old
to be single, and we both need homes and respectability. He made it sound like a business deal instead of a marriage. He’s so arrogant and bossy! I have to repay him, Dan, so I won’t be indebted to him.”

Myers remarked, “From what I observed the other night, you two were attracted to each other.”

“I
don’t have to marry a man just because I’m attracted to him. You don’t marry every woman who catches your eye. But this isn’t a simple matter. To be honest, Dan, I don’t really know what I want to do. Can I ask you a question?”

“Certainly.”

“Did you know about Jared’s claim on Lady Luck before he arrived last Thursday?”

“If I had known who your partner was, I would have told you.”

“Have you talked to him privately since he came here?”

Dan answered her truthfully. “Yesterday. If you want to fire me, you can, but I told him the truth about the missing money.”

“Why, Dan?” she asked sadly. “He hates Eric.”

Dan thought it wise to say, “Because I didn’t want him blaming you for taking it. Plenty of people suspect that Eric James stole you blind, and Jared claims he only wants to help you.”

Yes,
Maren scoffed silently,
help me right into his bed!
“You might trust him, Dan, but I don’t. There are some things I must learn about the infamous Captain Hawk. For one, what did he say when you
told him about Eric taking his share of the money? For another, is he going to send him to jail?”

“He promised not to do anything about your cousin or the missing money until you agree to proceed based on
the
evidence.”

“It is more likely he won’t make any move until he gets Eric trapped like I am. What kind of man blackmails a woman into marrying him?”

“You can always repay him or reject his proposal and marry someone else,” Dan suggested, observing Cameron’s daughter closely.

“You call those choices, Dan?” she murmured dejectedly. “If only he weren’t so damned cocky and secretive! I don’t even know if this so-called deal is a genuine offer.”

Outside the door, Jared suppressed a chuckle. But when he heard someone heading for the stairs, he hurried to his room.

Maren looked at Dan and said, “You’re right about one thing; I do want to marry Jared Morgan. I have wanted to since I was fifteen. But if you tell him, I swear I’ll break your neck before I fire you and vanish!”

The manager hated to imagine how such a marriage would alter his life, yet he could not speak against it and remain here. He wondered how Eric James was going to take this news. Dan was wary of Jared Morgan because of his sudden arrival during wartime, his pursuit of Maren James, his revelation of half-ownership in Lady Luck, and his interest in Eric James. Dan knew he needed to think over these matters, and he had to think carefully.

Maren did not know where Jared had vanished to that morning, but she had not seen him. She had just decided that he might have gone to his ship, when a note from Lilibeth Payne was delivered.

Maren was already wearing a lovely promenade gown of sky-blue muslin, so she put on a straw bonnet trimmed with ribbons and flowers, took her parasol and string bag, and left Lady Luck. All she told Mary Malone was that she would return before nightfall.

July fourth celebrators were in a festive mood, and Maren James quickly cast her worries aside. As she went to meet her best friend for lunch, the poised, young brunette smiled and nodded at everyone she met.

When she was seated at the restaurant, Maren said, “I’m so glad you’re here, Beth. How are your parents, and how is everyone at Payne’s Point?”

Her blond friend laughed merrily. “Everyone is fine. Papa came to town to amuse himself, and I persuaded him to let me come along to visit with friends and have a little fun. But you know Mama; she despises the heat and the insects so she remained at home.”

Beth’s Southern accent became more pronounced as she asserted, “I do declare, Maren, life will leave Mama behind for she only sits around sewing and reading. I’ve heard Papa tell her she’s as boring as a faded strap on a cotton bale. It’s true, Maren; she’s like an old sow. If I were Papa, I would stick a cocklebur in her drawers and liven her up. If Mama isn’t careful, Papa’s going to become too entangled with one of those fancy little piglets he sneaks off to see. Can you imagine the proper Mr. Payne having several tarts?” Beth giggled, but Maren tried to keep a straight face.

“There’s so little to do at home,” Beth wailed. “I wish we lived in New Orleans, or Baton Rouge. There’s always so much going on here, so much to do and see; and I sorely need distractions while Bart’s away. I’m going mad at home, but I plan to have lots of fun today. I hope you’ll join me,” she coaxed. “It seems to me that these celebrations get larger each year, especially since this nasty war began.”

“It’s probably a show of defiance,” Maren suggested. Then, in order to let Beth ramble on while she collected her thoughts, she asked, “Have you heard from Bart since we talked?”

Beth’s green eyes glowed with love before they were
dulled by worry. “No, and he couldn’t be much farther away; he’s in Maine. He told me not to fret, but he said there’s heavy fighting there. Men,” she scoffed in annoyance. “They act like little boys playing a game. But war isn’t a game, Maren; it’s lethal. I do wish he would return soon so I can see for myself that he’s all right. Sometimes I think about going after him and dragging him home by the ears,” she whispered.

Maren smiled at the petite girl with the fair skin. “I don’t blame you, but it would be very reckless. You might be captured and used against him. I’m afraid that women always get left behind.”

“I know, but it isn’t fair. I’d bet you and I could fight as well as most of the men on the front lines. And I would be with Bart. I do miss him so, Maren. I shall wither and die if anything happens to him.”

“He’ll be careful, Beth. He has you waiting for him.”

“But I am dampening our festive mood,” she scolded herself. “I promise to be cheerful the rest of the day.”

As they dined, they talked about old friends, past occasions, and their plans for the day. Slowly they consumed a crisp salad, steaming shrimp creole, hot bread, and a dry white wine. Later as they sipped dark coffee with a heady aroma and savored rich slices of cake, their conversation shifted to the future.

“Now that you’re back, will you stand with me at my wedding?” Beth asked eagerly.

“You know I will,” Maren replied quickly. “It will
be wonderful. I’m so glad you snared Bart. I know you’ll be happy.”

“Have you met anyone to spend time with, someone special?”

Maren had been waiting for this moment. “Do you remember when we talked about my secret partner?” she asked, and Beth nodded, fully anticipating Maren’s next words. “He appeared last Thursday and made his claim. Yesterday, he moved into Lady Luck without even telling me first. He took over Dan’s old suite. Oh, I didn’t tell you; Dan moved out last Sunday. He feared there’d be gossip about us living there together, and that would hurt me and the business.”

“Well? Are you going to keep me in suspense? Tell me who he is.”

Maren did not laugh with the bright-eyed Beth. “Would you believe it’s Jared Morgan, alias Captain Hawk?”

Beth’s mouth flew open, and she gaped at Maren. “You’re jesting!”

When Maren shook her dark head, Beth clamped a hand over her mouth and tried to suppress her giggles.

“What’s so amusing, Lilibeth Payne?”

“For years you’ve wondered where he is and if you’d ever see him again. Now he’s suddenly thrust into your life. First he attacks your ship and then he strolled into your home and moves in with you. It’s perfect, Maren. You have him right where you want him, right where you can work on him. How
romantic and tantalizing. Whatever did you say when he appeared? And what did he say when he realized his partner was a victim of his last raid?”

“This might be funny to you, Beth, but it’s very serious to me,” Maren declared. She told her friend about the money she owed Jared and described his proposition.

“You mean he actually said you must marry him or go to jail?”

“That’s his proposition. I must repay him by the first of the year. Heavens, Beth, that’s less than six months away, and I owe him a lot of money. I thought he was just joking at first, trying to get…”

“To get you into bed with him?” Beth teased after her friend fell silent. “What’s wrong with that, Maren? You’ve craved him for years.”

“Lilibeth Payne,” Maren whispered sternly, “that’s wicked.”

“How so? You love him, and he’s asked you to marry him. I’ve made love to Bart several times,” the blond young woman confessed shamelessly. “It’s the most natural and wonderful thing in the world to share yourself with the one you love. Don’t be a coward; that isn’t like Maren James.”

“Your situation is very different from mine. You and Bart know all about each other; you’ve spent so much time together. I’m just learning about Jared Morgan. But sometimes I forget he’s practically a stranger to me. When we’re together, it seems we’ve always known each other, and I end up acting foolish and bold, like a flirt or a tart.”

“Obviously he doesn’t mind; he’s determined to win you. Why not let him? At least give him a chance to woo you properly. Mercy, girl, you’ve got him snared, so why cut him free?”

“But how will it look with us living in the same house?”

“You can’t spend your life worrying about what other people think. Mercy, Maren, are you going to risk losing him when you’ve just found him? Don’t reject him without ever giving this romance a chance to bloom.”

“That’s good advice, Beth, but following it can be dangerous.”

“What do you mean, dangerous?”

Maren worried over how much she should confide to her best friend. After all, they had been separated for two years, even if neither of them seemed to have changed much. “He’s a privateer, almost a pirate, Beth, and I don’t know what else. How would you feel about being blackmailed into marrying an arrogant, domineering rogue?”

Beth sighed. “You’re right, Maren. He could be dangerous, and he could be after more than your hand in wedlock.”

“Yes, like my share of Lady Luck. He’s already tried to purchase it, but I refused to sell. And he was here for days before he dropped the stunning news that he is my partner. He claimed he was checking things out before enlightening me. There’s something about Jared Morgan that I can’t put my finger on. He questions me all the time, as if I were a
criminal. He seems very suspicious of my British roots and of my sudden return home. Like you, he hates Eric and wants to know everything about him. He’s admitted that he’s hanging around to study my cousin. And would you believe, he and his father were friendly with Papa? He claims that’s why he wants to marry me, to take care of Cameron James’s daughter.”

“Criminal…a spy, a traitor, a thief, or what?”

“All of them. He’s ordered me to prove that I’m innocent of any wrongdoing or to become his slave. What shall I do, Beth?”

“First of all,” she said seriously, “don’t tell anyone what you’ve just told me, particularly Eric James. Second, I would prove myself to Jared Morgan. You must admit, Maren, your recent adventures would sound a mite curious, especially to a certain Captain Hawk. I think the best course to pursue is the one you’ve already decided on, to learn more about him. Get close to him. Let him get close to you. It’s surprising how much you can learn from a man when his head’s next to yours on a pillow.”

“What if I discover he’s all wrong for me, even dangerous?”

“Do you honestly believe either of those possibilities could be true?”

“I guess not, but I’m so afraid I’ll fall prey to temptation.”

“From where I’m sitting, Miss Maren James, that’s already happened,” Beth declared. “Jared has dropped his apple at your feet; you’ve picked it up
and studied it. Now, decide on whether you want to bite it or not.”

“Wanting to bite it isn’t the problem. What happens afterward is.”

Following their lengthy lunch, Maren and Beth strolled about, observing the holiday activities and enjoying the beauty of New Orleans. They halted here and there to peer into shop windows; and they chatted as they walked. After a while they stopped to have tea and cookies at a sidewalk café which was surrounded by numerous flower boxes. Refreshed, they then strolled on. New Orleans was a city which enlivened the senses with its unique blend of sights, sounds, smells, and people; and both women were delighted to be part of it.

It was after five o’clock, and they stood watching dancers in the street, when Beth reminded Maren that she had to be back at the hotel by six, “Papa said things could get wild on the streets tonight, so I promised I would have dinner at the hotel with the Bleakers and would stay in tonight. I wish I could sneak into Lady Luck with you, but Papa might be there or someone might tell on me. Until I get away from home, I have to obey him, at least as far as he knows.”

“Good evening, ladies.” The skin-tingling voice came from behind them.

Both women turned and gazed at a handsome face, tawny eyes, and a stirring smile. Jared’s unexpected nearness made Maren quiver, and her smoldering heart melted.

“I thought you might enjoy a fresh one, Maren,” he remarked, holding out a lovely nosegay as he had done years ago in this same city. “If you like, we can escort your friend to her hotel; then I can walk you home. It’s getting a bit rowdy on the streets for ladies to be alone.”

Beth smiled. “I take it you’re Captain Jared Morgan. I’m Lilibeth Payne, Maren’s best friend.”

A broad grin captured Jared’s lips and eyes. Executing a half-bow, he told her, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Payne.”

“Beth, please,” she corrected genially.

“Only if you call me Jared,” he replied, impressed with the blond Lilibeth.

She, too, was impressed, and she understood why Maren was so smitten by this attractive man. No. He was more than a man; he was a male animal and it showed in his gaze and stance. Hoping to help her friend discover more about Jared through observation, she remarked, “Maren tells me you’re her partner in Lady Luck. Is it too presumptuous to ask whether you plan to remain here to help her run
the
business or you intend to go back to sea?”

“I intend to do both, depending on Maren’s needs,” he replied rather boldly. “My crew is taking a much-needed rest while my ship is being repaired and resupplied. While I’m here, perhaps you would join Maren and me for dinner one night.” He glanced at Maren.

She immediately said, “That sounds wonderful to me. Would it be possible for you on this trip, Beth?”

Lilibeth’s disappointment was evident. “I’m afraid Papa insisted we return home the first thing in the morning. But I’ll be coming back in two weeks to stay for several days. I’ll send word ahead so we can make plans. I’ll be getting some things I’ll need for my wedding when Bart returns.”

Maren turned to Jared. “When the war began, Beth’s fiancé was attacked by a severe case of patriotism, and to soothe his ailment, he sailed away to fight the British. As with so many eager patriots, he left before their wedding, so when he returns he and Beth plan to be married. Perhaps you’ve met him, Barton Hughes?”

“I’m pleased to say I have met Bart. I’ve done business with him. I don’t know who is luckier, Beth or Bart. This appears to be a very good match. I’m certain you both will be very happy.”

Maren added, “Bart is fighting near Maine, but he manages to get messages to Beth every so often. You know how it is, Jared, some people will do anything to earn money during a war.”

Jared chuckled. “Including buying a wife,” he jested. “Did Maren tell you I proposed to her yesterday?”

“Proposed? Is that what you call it?” Maren protested.

Jared winked at Beth. “I know she wants to say yes, but she’s stubborn and proud. I think she’s more afraid of giving up her freedom than I am. Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”

“Me? Surely you jest, Cap—Jared. I’ve never been
able to control this wild seed, especially where that blasted Er—Whoops!”

Maren frowned at Beth, who shrugged her shoulders and made a wry face. “I think you’ll be late for dinner if we don’t hurry, Miss Payne,” she said in a frosty tone.

“You’re right, dear friend. I’ll take one strong arm and you take the other,” Beth suggested, then slipped an arm through Jared’s.

Jared smiled at the petite woman to his right and then cocked an elbow toward Maren. She sighed resignedly as she laced her arm through his. Then the three of them walked jauntily down the street, Jared and Beth chattering away like old friends.

At the hotel, Maren asked Jared to wait outside while she went in with Beth to speak with the Bleakers. Assuming Maren wanted to have a few private words with her friend, he did as she asked. He hoped Lilibeth liked him and spoke in his favor, and he wondered if he could sneak back later to ask Beth why she detested Eric James.