My Lady Vixen (36 page)

“With one exception, my dear. As long as you are demanding, I shall make two demands of my own. One, you must keep your hair blond, it excites me.” Alexa nodded warily. “And when you see your husband you must promise not to tell him about our agreement. You are to tell him that you are going with me of your own free will and that you intend to divorce him and marry me.”

“My God, Charles, he’ll never believe me!” exclaimed Alexa, anguish creasing her lovely features.

“Then you must do all in your power to make him believe it.”

“I can’t, he’d know I was lying!”

“Do you want him to die?”

“No, of course not.”

“Then what is your answer?”

“You agree to my terms?”

“Aye, I give my word, you can keep your child and I’ll wait to take you to my bed. I’d not enjoy it anyway knowing you had another man’s brat in your belly.”

A long, painful silence ensued. A silence in which Alexa carefully considered all her options. Even if she agreed to all Charles’s terms, it did not mean she intended to live by them. Anything was possible once Adam was free. She’d make him believe she no longer loved him but she knew in her heart that once he was free he would come looking for her, and when he did everything would be explained. In the meantime she would hold Charles off indefinitely. Once she was back in England maybe she could enlist her father’s help. He owed her. Her own happiness meant nothing as long as Adam and her baby were safe.

“You win, Charles, I’ll go with you. After I’ve seen Adam and know he’s safe.”

Alexa spent a long miserable week in the house Charles had rented for his foul purposes. He was making arrangements, he told her, for Adam’s release. She was aghast when he informed her how much it was costing him for bribes, but she knew money was no obstacle for him. She was giving up more than money to see Adam free. He would probably end up hating her without ever knowing just how much she was giving up for him and the suffering she would endure because of it.

It seemed that Charles was full of surprises. A trunkful of her own clothes appeared at the house the day after she arrived. Charles told her all Adam’s property had been confiscated in the name of the crown, and that he had gone to the house himself, which was locked and
deserted, and packed her clothes without anyone the wiser. She was grateful to him for he had thoughtfully included those gowns that were designed for her during her last pregnancy, but she was not gulled by his attempts to please her.

Though Alexa was technically not Charles’s prisoner, she was not allowed to leave the house. When Charles told her why she agreed with him totally. “All of Savannah is looking for you. There are patrols out searching the entire area and environs. For your own safety you must remain hidden.”

“Charles, what about Adam? Are you seeing to his release?”

“These things take time, my dear, but the arrangements are nearly complete. The bribe has been settled and both Bates and Grubbs agreed to bring him out to my ship. After you’ve spoken with him the rest will depend on his own ability to leave the city undetected and make his own way.”

“Bates and Grubbs! My God!” Alexa cried, distraught. “How can you possibly trust them? Bates tried to rape me while I was a helpless prisoner, and would have succeeded had Adam not intervened.”

“Don’t worry, Alexa,” Charles assured her, “there is too much involved here for them to betray me. I am making rich men out of them.” Charles fidgeted nervously as he talked, shifting his eyes often from Alexa’s searching looks, but somehow he managed to convince her everything would take place as planned. It’s too bad she wasn’t present to overhear the conversation between Charles and the two disreputable guards later that night.

“Is everything all set, men?” Charles asked as they sat at a table littered with empty bottles in a shabby dockside inn.

“Tomorrow night,” Bates answered in a low voice. “Are you sure we won’t get in trouble for this? The Governor is set on hanging the man.”

“What does it matter how he dies as long as he no longer lives to harass us?” Charles scoffed.

“I don’t understand why we’re to bring the Fox aboard your ship,” Grubbs grumbled, scratching his thatch of shaggy hair.

“You don’t need to understand,” shot back Charles sharply. “I’m paying you enough to do as you’re bid and ask no questions. You are to row Fox to my ship and leave, but remain hidden near the docks where you can watch and wait for him to return.”

“Then we’re to follow him and kill him,” grinned Bates evilly.

“After he’s out of sight of the ship,” added Charles, exasperated by the low mentality of the men he had chosen to do his bidding. “That’s very important. Wait until he turns the corner before you attack him. Are you certain the two of you can handle him?”

Grubbs snorted gleefully. “Are you kidding? The man is weak as a kitten. He’s still recovering from the wounds he received when he was taken and he’s been beaten daily besides. The man can barely walk.”

“Ease up on him, men,” Charles advised thoughtfully. “I want him on his feet and fairly lucid when you bring him to me.”

“I can’t see …” complained Bates bitterly.

“Don’t question me, Bates,” Charles warned icily. “You’re not being paid to understand. In keeping with our agreement you’ll receive half of your money now and the rest after the job is done. You are to collect it from my lawyer whose name you already know. There will be no problems or questions from him for he knows the money is to go to you.”

Bates grumbled crossly and Grubbs complained about the arrangements, but Charles was adamant. “What if neither the Governor nor the General believe Fox was killed trying to escape?” Bates was emboldened to ask.

“You’re being paid to make them believe it.” Charles snapped disgustedly. “Must I do your thinking for you? Tell them anything, but that bastard better be dead or I won’t sail until the both of you are made to pay for bungling the job.”

“Don’t worry.” Grubbs flushed angrily. “The man is as good as dead. The moment the deed is done we will signal the ship with the lantern just like we agreed.”

Charles smiled slyly. He was going to a lot of trouble just to possess a woman he lusted after, but in truth all he was doing was cheating the hangman out of his due by hastening the Fox’s death a mere day or two. He dared not risk leaving Fox alive for fear he might by some miracle escape the gallows and find his way to England where Charles expected to be living with Alexa.

“You won’t forget the words you’re to say to Fox before you kill him, will you?” he asked anxiously.

“We remember them, word for word,” promised Bates, “you can depend on us. We won’t fail you.”

A few minutes later Charles handed over a heavy bag to Bates, shook hands all around and went back to his rented house where Alexa anxiously awaited word of Adam’s release. That night he told her all the arrangements except for the cruel ending he had planned for Adam. Charles sounded so sincere that Alexa did not doubt him, accepting everything he told her as the truth. Had she bothered to examine her conscience, Alexa would have realized that she did not want to suspect that Charles might betray her, or that he might wish Adam dead. She effectively blocked out all but the thought that Adam would live as long as she did as
Charles wished.

“I’ll take you aboard my ship late tomorrow night. Alexa,” Charles confided. “In a closed carriage. You’ll be heavily veiled. I don’t want anyone to see your face, not even my own men.”

“When will I see Adam?”

“Around midnight. Are you certain you can convince your husband you no longer love him?”

“I’ll do what I must,” Alexa gritted out from between clenched teeth.

“I’ll make it up to you, Alexa, I swear it,” Charles promised. “I’ll make you happy, you’ll see. You were prepared to marry me once.”

“So I was, Charles, but you wouldn’t have me.”

“I must have been crazy. You’re the loveliest, most exciting woman I know. I want you, Alexa, any way I can get you.”

Charles had deliberately kept his distance from Alexa these past days for he did not trust himself around her. He had given his word he would not touch her until after her baby was born and the only way he could honor it was by remaining apart from her. He did not wish to destroy the fragile beginning they had made by forcing her, but she looked so appealing standing before him, so soft and feminine, he could not resist her.

“Alexa,” Charles groaned hoarsely, pulling her clumsily into his embrace, “I want you now. I can’t wait.” His lips were soft and fleshy and Alexa nearly gagged when he kissed her, wondering how she could have ever considered marrying him and how terribly young and inexperienced she must have been at the time.

Alexa struggled, pushing against his chest with all her strength. “You promised, Charles! Surely you can’t want me now that I’m carrying another man’s child!” she temporized, playing for time.

At the mention of the child, Charles’s ardor cooled perceptibly. His pride would not allow him to take a woman with another man’s seed growing in her belly. And since the man was the contemptible traitor, Fox, the act was even more reprehensible to him.

“You are right, Alexa,” Charles uttered disdainfully, shoving her aside rudely. “I wouldn’t have you now. I can wait, but once you’re free of that bastard you carry you won’t find me so easily appeased. And don’t think you’ll escape me once we get to England,” he added nastily, “for I can still turn you in to the authorities. Then what will become of your precious brat?”

“My baby is no bastard!” Alexa defended hotly. “He has a father. My marriage to Adam is legal and binding.”

“Until death do you part, eh, my dear?” He laughed with malicious humor. “Or divorce. Whichever comes first.” His laugh chilled Alexa to the bone.

“So help me, Charles, if you fail to keep your word, you’ll live to regret it. I was the Vixen far too long to be taken advantage of by the likes of someone like you. I’m doing what I must for Adam, and for no other reason. I’m giving you fair warning, don’t even think of betraying me.”

Charles experienced a shiver of apprehension. They fury that filled her violet eyes was not one he cared to see directed at him should she find out what he really intended for her traitor husband. Composing himself, Charles lied smoothly. “I’ll keep my part of the bargain as long as you keep yours. It’s up to you. You must convince Fox you no longer care for him and never want to see him again.” Alexa nodded grimly, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

The night was moonless, as dark as the deepest Hell. A storm was brewing offshore, perhaps one of those
damned destructive hurricanes so prevalent this time of year. It was nearly midnight, the watch had just disappeared around the corner of the Governor’s mansion and the lights in the barracks housing the guards had just winked out. All was quiet.

Dressed all in black, their faces and hands darkened with charcoal, hats pulled low, Mac, Drake, and six of their strongest and most trustworthy men hugged the shadows. Mac had found out only today that Fox was being held in the same dungeon-like cell that he had occupied months ago. For nearly a week Mac’s men, those he knew wouldn’t be readily recognized as privateers, prowled Savannah for some word of Fox. Nothing had been heard about him since he was taken from his home by soldiers. Nor of Alexa. Mac began to fear that they were both dead, executed immediately by the vindictive English in fear that they might escape the hangman once again.

But a few nights ago, through a stroke of good luck, one of Mac’s men overheard two privates talking in an inn near the docks. Both were well into their cups and appeared to have more money than they should have given their occupation and rank. Each man had his arms around a doxy and was haggling over the price of their favors. The man called Grubbs left immediately fondling the posteriors of both whores as they climbed the stairs together. The other man, Bates, remained behind long enough to buy an extra bottle to take above stairs. Mac’s man, Drew, sidled up to Bates.

“Could I buy you a drink, mate?” asked Drew, flashing a toothless grin. “It gets a mite lonesome drinking alone.”

“Not tonight.” Bates smiled foolishly. “I’ve more important things on my mind.” He leered wolfishly toward the stairs and at his departing comrades. Then, much to Drew’s chagrin, he took his bottle and turned to
follow his friends. Almost as an afterthought he whirled about to face the disappointed seaman. “You look like a good sort, mate. Meet me back here tomorrow night, late, and you can share a bottle with me and Grubbs.”

The next night Drew arrived early at the inn in time to see both Bates and Grubbs seated at a table with an English officer. Drew sat in a far corner, hat pulled low over his forehead, until the officer left, then he approached the pair. Both men appeared extraordinarily pleased as Bates weighed a hefty bag in his large hands.

“How about that pint now, mate?” Drew asked innocently.

Bates peered at him a few minutes as if searching his memory, then broke into a wide grin. “Aye,” he agreed amicably, nodding toward the chair Charles had only recently vacated. “Seat yourself.”

Drew let out his name, then ordered ale all around, carefully counting out the coin. Both guards responded by revealing their own names plus the information that they were important men charged with guarding a desperate criminal. Drew became immediately alert but wisely exhibited nothing but mild curiosity and a measure of awe. But as the drinking became more serious, the men loosened up, boasting of their importance in order to impress the insignificant seaman.

“What’s your ship, mate?” Bates asked, swiping at the line of foam gathered on his lower lip.

“Sea Lion,” said Drew, replying as he had been instructed. “A merchantman out of Liverpool.”

Bates nodded, evidently satisfied. What he did not know was that both the
Lady
A and
My Lady Vixen
, along with Fox’s
Ghost
, rode at anchor in the harbor, all three flying the Union Jack and with new names painted across their hulls. There were so many English ships cluttering the harbor that three more raised little interest.