Gregory, Lisa (34 page)

Matthew's
winnings grew, even though he squandered much of his money on whiskey, good
food, and ladies of the night. He luxuriated in his freedom, in the good taste
of food and liquor denied him in prison, in the pleasures of soft, eager bodies
that didn't struggle or stiffen at his touch. His enjoyment was lessened,
however, by memories of his fight with Katherine and by the realization that he
would have enjoyed London much more if she had been with him. He missed the
feel of her soft form cuddled up against his back at night, the sight of her
lovely face and amber eyes, her sharp, witty comments, her interest and easy
understanding, even—yes, he even missed their battles.

The
third day Matthew pulled himself out of bed by noon and went shopping for
something for Katherine. He had made up his mind to change the situation
between them when he returned. He had treated her too roughly, he realized. To
hell with her spoiled ways and stubbornness; maybe he didn't even really want
to tame her. From now on he would woo her, win her, seduce her. And he would
begin with presents. First he bought her material for dresses: yards of pale
gold satin for a ball gown, emerald-green wool and a deep rose cotton for every
day, with ribbons and delicate underthings, an ivory fan thrown in for good
measure. The crowning glory was a thin, shimmering, almost-transparent
nightgown, virginal white, with a deep neckline, the sides slashed from top to
bottom and caught here and there with delicate loops of ribbons.

Next
he went to the jewelry stores. Once he would have lavished jewels on her, and
he chafed at his present lack of funds. After much searching, he managed to
find a fragile gold chain to encircle the slender column of her neck, beautiful
in its delicate simplicity. He could imagine it lying soft as a breath against
her ivory throat, and he felt a sharp stab of longing for her. Perhaps he ought
to return to Liverpool to see if she was all right; after all, he was just
marking time here until Redfield came through with his orders.

He
made his way back to his hotel room, his mind busy with departure plans, only
to find Redfield waiting. The little man looked worried and nervous; he was
sweating profusely. At the sight of Hampton he jumped to his feet.

"Captain
Hampton, this is the outside of enough. Kidnapping some genteel Yankee girl.
Really, don't you raiders realize that you are not pirates! I won't have it,
sir; I won't have it."

Hampton
stared at him stonily. "Whatever are you babbling about?"

"Katherine
Devereaux, that's what I'm talking about."

The
captain's eyebrows rose lazily. The devil!—had that wretched girl managed to
escape?

"Don't
play the innocent with me, Hampton. Oh, I fobbed off that Englishman with just
the same air of wounded innocence. But it sounds like just the sort of thing
you would do."

"Would
you please calm down and explain yourself?"

"You're
the
one who needs to do the explaining. Some old fool of a doctor is kicking up a fuss
with the police in Liverpool, claiming that you kidnapped a young lady and are
holding her captive aboard your ship. Katherine Devereaux, yet—whose father
happens to be a very wealthy shipbuilder. My God, man, if you must go about
abducting females, couldn't you choose an ordinary one? Must you take someone
so influential?" He paused, red in the face and panting with anger.

Matthew
smiled, his eyes lighting with a cold flame. "Ah, but I didn't want an
ordinary girl; I wanted Miss Devereaux."

"Don't
you understand?" the little man exploded. "You've created an
international incident. I spend every waking hour trying to influence the
proper British that we too are proper and staid and sound, and then you pull a stunt
like this! The English can't ignore Rackingham if they intend to be neutral.
Why, they are threatening to search your ship!"

"I'll
be damned if I let them search my vessel!"

"Oh?
And how do you plan to stop them? Are you going to declare war on Great
Britain? Dr. Rackingham is on the train to London right now and he'll be here
within the hour; the English insist that he confront you with his charges. And
you cannot deny them."

"Why
not?"

"Do,
and they'll search your ship. You could touch off a spark that could blow up
all our friendly relations with England! Damn it, there's only one course open
to you."

"And
what is that?" Matthew grinned sardonically.

"Let
the girl go. We shall turn her over to the British with our profuse apologies
and hope for the best."

"I
certainly am glad that you aren't in the military: you haul down your flag
before a shot's been fired."

"Captain,
we are not at war with England."

"Mr.
Redfield, you're a diplomat—you should be able to lie. Deny everything, and
leave the rest to me. If I ruin it, then you just shrug and say I deceived
you."

"But
what about Rackingham?"

"I'll
telegraph Peljo and tell him to take Miss Devereaux off the ship and hide her
in town. When the good doctor gets here I shall simply give in to a search of
my ship and lie through my teeth. In fact, we'll go back to Liverpool on the
next train."

Redfield
looked at him skeptically. "I shall be very surprised if you pull this
off. However, as you say, I can disclaim all knowledge."

Hampton
grinned. "You won't have to, Mr. Redfield. Remember, just put up a good
bluff, and half the battle's won."

"Someday
that attitude's going to get you killed, Hampton."

After
Redfield left, Matthew cheerfully packed to return to Liverpool, carefully
concealing his presents. It wouldn't do to let Rackingham see those. He dashed
off a wire to Peljo, informing him of his impending arrival and the necessity
of hiding Katherine. Then he sat down to await the doctor's arrival.

When
Dr. Rackingham did arrive an hour later, he found Hampton as calm and poised as
ever. He quirked one eyebrow at the doctor, the faintest trace of a smile on
his lips.

"Dr.
Rackingham. Good to see you again."

"Captain
Hampton, this is Major Revington."

"Tenth
Hussars, sir, detached," the man with Dr. Rackingham said in crisp British
tones, and saluted.

Hampton
returned his salute. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The
pleasure is mine, Captain. I've admired your exploits for some time."

"Whatever
Captain Hampton may be militarily, Major, in his personal life he is a low
violator of innocent women!" the old man snapped, annoyed at his
companion's friendliness.

Hampton
smiled and exchanged a glance with the Englishman. He was a dashing young
gentleman officer. Beneath his fierce waxed mustachios his lips twitched
slightly, and his blue eyes twinkled.

So,
Hampton thought, he is on my side already. He thinks that the doctor is an old
fool and that we are fellow gentlemen whose indiscretions are to be winked at.

"Come
now, Doctor, don't tell me you still believe that rubbish?" Matthew said
indulgently.

"Captain
Hampton, you know that it is no rubbish, just as I do. You kidnapped and
ravished Miss Devereaux."

Hampton
laughed. "The chit sold you a bill of goods, my dear doctor. She is a girl
of ordinary virtue, which fact she tries to conceal. She was afraid of your
disapproval, and so no doubt she made up this silly story of abduction, just to
gain your sympathy. Katherine, I am afraid, is afflicted with that dreadful
middle-class morality, and since she cannot control her actions, she just
denies them. The fact of the matter is, I asked her to come, and she did. And
just as I told you, she decided to stay with me. But, alas, I brought her to
London and lost her to a young baronet, I'm afraid."

The
major's lips threatened to burst into laughter, and he covered his mouth with
one hand.

"That,
sir, is a damnable lie," the doctor exploded.

"If
you were not so old, I would call you out for that insult, sir," Matthew
said coldly.

"She
is a prisoner on board your ship!"

The
Southerner sighed and said, "I see it's useless to argue with you. You are
making a fool of yourself, and it's an insult to me. However, I see the awkward
position our British friends are placed in; so, to clear the entire thing up, I
suggest that we return to my ship and let you discover for yourself that she
isn't there."

Rackingham
stared at him suspiciously; Major Revington looked relieved.

"What
game are you playing, Hampton?" the doctor asked.

"Oh,
come now, Dr. Rackingham. The captain's being very obliging," the major expostulated
indignantly.

Hampton
chuckled. "Don't be hard on the poor man, Major. Had you ever met Miss
Devereaux, you would know the kind of spell she can work on a man."

The
major grinned back at him. "A high stepper, eh?"

Matthew
felt a sudden urge to smash his fist into the Britisher's leering face, but he
swallowed his inexplicable anger and smiled. "A beauty, Major, a
beauty."

They
took the night train to
Liverpool;
the doctor was suspicious and reluctant but could hardly refuse the search he
had been requesting. Hampton could not help but feel some respect for the old
man. He was no fool and not so negligible an opponent as Hampton had first
thought. If nothing else, he was persistent. And he had escaped from the grasp
of Peljo's criminal friend.

"Tell
Captain Hampton about your escape from those rascals in Liverpool,"
Revington prompted the doctor in an attempt to create a convivial atmosphere at
their late supper aboard the train.

"Oh,
were you set upon by thieves?" Hampton asked blankly. "I should have
had one of my men escort you to your hotel."

"Not
thieves, sir, kidnappers." Rackingham looked meaningfully at him.

"Another
kidnapping?" Hampton's lips twitched with amusement. "I never
realized before how much abduction went on in this world."

"Certain
types seem to be quite fond of it."

"Well,
what did these kidnappers want—money?"

"I
believe not; I think they wanted only to silence me."

"Silence
you?" Matthew looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I
think you know."

Hampton
looked at him, his face perplexed, for a moment, then shrugged. "Well,
never mind. Go on—how did you escape the scoundrels?"

"They
locked me in a room with boarded-up windows. However, I managed to pry one of
the boards loose with the fireplace poker. Then I attracted the attention of a
young urchin in the alley below and persuaded him to come up and open the
door—for a suitable price, of course. He was a resourceful young man and soon succeeded
in unlocking my door without a key. For another reward he led me to the nearest
constable."

"Remarkable,
Doctor, quite remarkable. I can see you're a good man to have on one's
side."

Rackingham
just looked at him silently. Matthew returned his gaze steadily, and the doctor
soon gave up the battle. He retired early, claiming age and fatigue. Revington
and Hampton, however, stayed up a good many hours more, growing quite comradely
over card games and whiskey. Though he gained the major's confidence, Hampton
awoke the next morning with a fierce headache and a jaundiced outlook on the
day. It annoyed him almost past endurance to see the doctor's chipper attitude,
and he felt a churlish pleasure in anticipating the doctor's defeat.