Jo Goodman (43 page)

He didn't think she heard the last.

* * *

The jail where Mercedes was taken was a small block building at the edge of the village. The other occupants included a man arrested for lifting purses at a recent fair and another being held for drunk and disorderly conduct. The drunk was moved to share quarters with the thief and the cell closest to the sheriff's office was made available to Mercedes.

Mr. Patterson apologized for the conditions but there was little he could do to make the stark block cell more comfortable. The odor of the previous occupant lingered even after the stained cot was turned and the chamber pot was emptied. Fresh air was available from a small, recessed opening in the stone. It was set too high for Mercedes to see out, but it did permit a small beam of sunshine to slip into the room.

It was the turnkey who closed the solid oak door and locked it. Mr. Patterson let his assistant do what he could not bring himself to do. There was a bottle of rum confiscated from the drunk that he had put away in his desk. Once Mercedes was secured, he got it out and began drinking.

The assizes were scheduled for the county in three weeks. The time until these court sessions, where civil and criminal cases were heard, represented Colin's own small window to the outside. While Mercedes sat alone wondering about her future, Colin was planning it.

His first order of business took him to London. He met with his own solicitor and they settled on a barrister to represent Mercedes at the assizes. Mr. Richard Roundstone came highly recommended and Colin liked his thoughtful manner as Mercedes's predicament was presented to him. He agreed to meet with her the following day and begin to prepare for the trial.

Colin had a meal and a pint at the riverfront inn owned by Mr. Ashbrook. He did not introduce himself to the innkeeper, choosing instead to simply observe him managing the Imp 'n Ale. It was Colin's opinion that talk was largely overrated and that much more could be learned by the thoughtful study of a man. This was more difficult to accomplish with Mr. Deakins. The agent for the Garnet Line was a good-natured sort, friendly and verbose, and he wanted to talk at length about Boston when Colin purchased two passages. Still, there was something to be learned from the encounter.

Colin's activities in London kept him away from Weybourne Park for the entire day, but one more task made him pass the Park and head for Glen Eden. It was dark by the time he arrived in the village, and he did not make himself known to Chloe's fiancé until the following morning. Mr. Fredrick's aunt graciously received him in her small cottage and entertained him until the vicar returned from visiting an ill parishioner. Colin had no idea how Mr. Fredrick would react to the news he brought or the favor he was asking. It was well within the young man's rights to rethink his offer to Chloe. Mercedes's arrest was a scandal that touched her family and therefore the vicar by association.

Colin wondered how much of his relief was visible when Mr. Fredrick merely inquired how he could help.

Upon his return to Weybourne Park Colin met with the family to discuss his intentions. They were remarkably quiet during his short speech and predictably noisy following it, though none of the excited voices offered objections.

Mercedes had enough for all of them.

"How dare you," she said quietly. She was standing at her cell's small, recessed window. Her face was raised toward the opening. A shadow crossed her features as a cloud passed in front of the sun. The tilt of her head gave her a proud, regal air, but her arms crossed protectively in front of her spoke to her vulnerability. "You had no right to do this without my permission."

"I'm asking your permission now," Colin said. He started to approach her, saw her stiffen as she sensed his intent, and sat on the narrow cot instead. "Everyone's agreed it's a good idea."

"I'm so glad everyone has an opinion," she said caustically. "Forgive me if I think mine's the only one that counts."

Colin was silent. He knew from speaking to the turnkey that she already had met with Mr. Roundstone and that the barrister's visit had been a long one. He could see she was discouraged rather than hopeful. His eyes wandered around the cell. There was a small basin and pitcher of water on the floor. A damp cloth lay over the rim of the basin. Fresh straw had been laid in the corner and the chamber pot was pushed out of sight. Except for the flash of sunshine when the clouds rolled on, the cell was without light. Etchings in the stone walls spoke to the boredom and frustration of previous occupants.

He had not given any thought to her distress at being seen in these surroundings. None of it mattered to him, so it hadn't occurred to him that it may matter to her. He knew she had refused to see Mrs. Hennepin earlier in the day when the housekeeper brought a basket of food. He hadn't understood what lay behind her self-imposed isolation. Now he did.

Here, more than at Weybourne Park, Mercedes's mourning clothes suited her.

Mercedes turned away from the window to find Colin studying her. She ducked her head self-consciously. "Marcus came to see me today," she said.

"You're changing the subject," he said.

Her eyes finally met his and challenged. "Yes."

Colin smiled narrowly. "All right. Tell me about Severn. You refused to see him, didn't you?"

"Yes. Mr. Patterson was here then. Severn made a fuss but Mr. Patterson made him respect my wishes." She hesitated. "What do you think he wanted?"

"I don't know." He waited. The subject could not be changed for long. There wasn't much left to talk about.

"Why?" she said finally. "Why would you want to do it?"

"I thought I explained that."

She waved that aside. "I know what you said."

"But you don't believe it." Colin realized then that he had gone about the thing badly. He should have appealed to her practical side. "I understand your reservations," he said at last. "If you can't marry me for love, then you should consider what our marriage could mean to your future. Mr. Patterson was the first to point out that as your husband I couldn't be compelled to testify against you. That offers you some protection. You've had time enough to realize that as word of your arrest gets out, certain people are likely to come forward."

Mercedes
had
thought about it. "You mean Molly, I suppose. And the innkeeper at the Passing Fancy."

He nodded. "It's inevitable that a sketch of you will appear in the
Gazette.
If Molly or the innkeeper recognizes you I imagine they'll have something to say. Your late-night visit to the inn on the eve of my duel with the earl speaks to your character. And what you tried to do that night demonstrates your willingness to—"

Mercedes put her hands over her ears. "Stop it! I don't want to hear any more."

He went on relentlessly. "Your willingness to use violence to solve problems. How will that be heard by a judge and jury? Did you tell Mr. Roundstone about it? If others know you intended to kill me, do you think they would be more or less persuaded that you're capable of murdering your uncle?"

Her hands dropped to her sides, her fists clenched tightly. "Are you threatening me?" she asked. "If I don't marry you, you'll tell that story?"

"It's not a story, is it? And it's not a threat. If questioned, what recourse would I have but to tell the truth?" He paused and allowed her to take that in. "I told you why I wanted to marry you, Mercedes. You're the one who wanted to hear another explanation. Which is more difficult for you to believe: that I could love anyone or that I could love you?"

For the first time she was able to hear his uncertainties. Her heart swelled. Remorse softened her eyes. At her sides her fingers unfolded as she took a step toward him. "I've watched you with my cousins," she said. "Britton and Brendan follow you like puppies and you're never impatient or cruel with them. Chloe and Sylvia seek out your advice and you give them your time and your thoughts. I'm not certain when they stopped seeing you as a guest at Weybourne Park and started thinking of you as family, but I don't doubt that they have. And I don't believe you set out to make that happen. I think you found a home there because you have a great capacity for loving others and for whatever reason, you finally feel free to do it.

"As for loving me?" Mercedes's smile was gentle, even sad. "I think you mistake your feelings."

"I see," he said after a moment. "And you know what's in my heart."

She missed the edge of sarcasm in his tone. "You've shown yourself to be generous and kind and forgiving and it would be easy to confuse your—"

Colin came to his feet, cutting her off. "Those words have never been applied to my nature," he said. His voice was clipped and cold, as if he found her description insulting. "Generous? It's the generosity of a selfish man, one who gives for his own pleasure and because he enjoys the pleasure of others. You, above anyone, should know I'm not kind. A kind man would not provoke you just to see your eyes flash like lightning when you turn on him. And forgiving? What wrong have you or your cousins ever done me that required forgiving?"

"I tried to stab you."

"You
did
stab me," he corrected her. "But it's healed."

"I threw a drawer at your head."

"Also healed."

"I encouraged my cousins to lock you in the tower room."

"So you finally admit it." He smiled as she shifted uneasily, realizing her mistake. "No matter. You let us out."

"I stole two thousand pounds from you."

"I gave you that draft."

"I lied about the flask."

"You thought you were helping me."

"You said I was putting the noose around your neck."

"And you proved me wrong by putting it around your own." He watched her slender frame shudder in reaction to this last statement. When he took a step toward her she didn't back away. By the time his arms came around her, Mercedes was leaning into him, her body unconsciously seeking the shelter and strength her mind would deny her. "Let me do this for you, Mercedes, because I want you in my life."

What could have been a tender moment was cut short by two raucous cries, "MARRY HIM!"

Colin immediately suspected the twins of eavesdropping, but that thought was short-lived as he realized the voices were both baritones, and more pertinent, Britton and Brendan were at Weybourne Park. Mercedes had already jumped back, startled by the intrusion, and Colin made no move to pull her close again.

"What the hell?" he asked, glancing around the cell. "Where did that come from?"

There was the chilling sound of stone grating against stone, then a bit of loose mortar at eye level on the dividing wall crumbled and fell to the ground. Colin walked to the wall and bent his head just enough to peer through the opening.

"Hello."

Colin was not amused by the bright blue eye staring back at him. The single eye appeared to be gleeful enough for both of them. "Are you the thief or the drunk?" he asked.

There was no lessening of Blue-eye's amusement. His eye actually crinkled at the corner and indicated his smile had deepened. "The thief, I'm afraid. And the drunk's quite sober now but not much in the way of good company. I find myself quite bored."

"Perhaps you should try tunneling through the outside wall," Colin suggested dryly.

"Tried that. Not a loose stone to be had. This seemed a good way to pass the time."

"How long have you been listening?"

The blue eye didn't waver. "All morning actually. Heard most of what the lady told her barrister. Doesn't look good, if you want my thoughts on the matter."

"I don't."

"Still, you'd do well to get her out of here. I understand you're some kind of clipper captain. Seems to me that you should be able to steal her away before she stands trial. Take her around the world."

"I'll consider that," Colin said, not mentioning he already had.

"That's what I would do." Blue-eye pressed his face closer to the small opening. "Would you mind moving to one side," he said. "I'd like a look at the lady."

"I don't think—"

"Is she as lovely as she sounds?"

It was the youth and wistfulness of the disembodied voice that caught Colin's attention. He glanced over his shoulder at Mercedes. A soft, slightly embarrassed smile tugged at her lips. "Lovelier," he said. There was a heartfelt sigh from the other side of the wall.

"I was afraid of that," Blue-eye said.

Colin stepped aside. Mercedes smiled uncertainly in the direction of the small opening in the wall and raised her hand in a tentative greeting. Colin counted to three before he stepped in front of her again.

"Oh my," Blue-eye was moved to say.

"Exactly."

"In your position I'd be selfish, too."

Colin didn't comment on that. "How much can you hear when the hole's closed?"

"Some. Most actually. But a lot's muffled."

"And when it's open?"

"Like I was in there with you."

"That's interesting."

"Might even be useful," Blue-eye offered.

Colin took out his handkerchief. "I'll keep that in mind." He started to plug the hole with the cloth. He paused when Blue-eye cleared his throat.