Sea of Fire (18 page)

Again, she was expressionless. “Adam never shared this part of himself, either?”

“If he had, would I be asking? I’m done with my questions. Quits.” She rose.

He grabbed her wrist and prevented her from leaving his side. “Not so fast.”

“The game is over,” she said. “I fulfilled my part as you have fulfilled yours.”

“Not quite. You have to pay an exit fee since you entered my room without invitation.” He sat on the edge of the bed with his fingers locked on her wrist.

“Nay. You’re not playing fair. You never said.”

“It just occurred to me.”

“You can’t be changing the rules after the game has started and finished.” She tried to pry his fingers from her wrist. “Besides, you know I have only a few coins with me.”

“I don’t want coins. I want a kiss.”

“Well, I don’t want to kiss you.” She lowered her gaze.

“Little liar.”

“Stop.” She squirmed to get free.

“One kiss. That’s all I ask, and I’ll let you go if you choose.”

She paused. “I don’t suppose one kiss would hurt. I will hold you to your word though.”

When at last she stared deep into his eyes, he drew her down next to him into his embrace. She kissed him, but it wasn’t the chaste kiss he was expecting. Instead, she kissed him with an urgency, a passion. He moaned in pleasure. His hands roamed freely over her thin nightwear and caressed her back. Gently, he rolled her to her back so he was partially on top of her. His loins ached with want against her hip.

She moved closer to him, pressing her taut breasts against his bare chest. He stroked the side of one breast a few seconds before he took the nipple between his thumb and finger and tugged on it. She sighed in pleasure and squirmed against him. He lowered his mouth to the pert nipple and sucked it through the material.

She released a breath of pleasure. He kissed a path from between her breasts up to her neck, earlobe, cheek and claimed her mouth with a fierce kiss. At last, he lifted his lips and watched until she opened her eyes. They stared at each other, wordless and breathless. He wanted her, and from the desire in her passion-filled eyes, she wanted him. By God, he’d have her.

Next instant it was as if another Elizabeth, another person came to life and took over. She shoved at his chest. “Get off me. This is not right.”

No sooner did her plea leave her lips, than he released her, rolled to his side as far away from her as possible and pulled the covers up over him. “Get out. Next time I may not be able to control myself.”

She scrambled from his side and seconds later the door to his bedchamber slammed shut. He rolled to his back. The lady was attracted to him. That pleased him, and he had to admit, he was attracted to her, yet he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was about her that appealed to him. He never would have pursued a woman like her despite her prettiness. It had to be the auburn hair, or merely the fact he had always stayed clear of red-haired women. Perhaps, it was to satisfy his curiosity or the element of the forbidden. She had been betrothed to Adam. No matter. By the time this entire business with Adam and her father was straightened out—he had every intention of being in Florida in mid-April—he would have bedded her and eased the ache in his loins as well as the curiosity. With those thoughts of encouragement, he closed his eyes and hoped the goddess would visit him once more.

Elizabeth declined Christian’s offer to take her to dinner. It was already one o’clock in the afternoon. She knew Hannah would worry if she didn’t get home soon. At least that was the excuse she gave Christian before she left his town house and headed to Roderick’s.

How could she sit across the table from a man who charmed her to the point where she was willing to lose her maidenhead to him. Had thoughts of Adam’s treatment of her not popped into her head, she might have succumbed. Christian was, after all, Adam’s brother. He was using her—albeit in a different way—but using her all the same for his own purposes, just as Adam had done to abduct her father. She could never trust a man whom she considered a potential enemy and whose brother was indeed her adversary. She had to behave more cautiously. It was time to cooperate with Christian, but she needn’t put herself in awkward situations where her weak body could overrule her mind. If only she knew where her father was, she’d rescue him and end this misery.

She had worried about what Roderick might do. Christian advised her to wait until Roderick contacted her. When he arranged another meeting time, she was to send word to him.

She balked at the idea, but he warned her to do as he told her. For his benefit, she complacently agreed at the time, but she knew full well when she departed, she’d do otherwise. How could the man ask her to wait? What if Roderick was angry or wondered if she had arranged to have the other friar at the cemetery? Her father’s safety was still in his hands. Before she returned home, she wanted the issue resolved. Christian would never know.

She juggled the portmanteau, or overnight trunk, in her arms and turned the handle to enter Roderick’s Silversmith Shop. As usual, the bell tinkled her arrival. Moments later, Roderick strolled into the front.

“Why, Elizabeth, this is grand. You’ve saved me a trip.” His blue eyes sparkled like Charlotte’s when she became excited. His bobbed, fair hair was mussed like he’d been working hard.

“Where were you last night?”

Roderick gave his silly wave. “I was there until I almost mistook another friar, who had wandered into the cemetery, for you. Goodness.”

She placed her portmanteau on the floor beside her. “You could have waited. The friar didn’t stay long.”

“I could have gone to your home, too, so don’t tell me what I could have done.”

God in heaven. She didn’t want to get Roderick angry. She merely wanted to let him know she had kept her part. He had threatened her once before about raising his temper. “All I meant was that the night would not have been wasted for you.”

“It wasn’t, sweet Elizabeth. You’ve proven to me the extent you’d go to on behalf of your father. I expected you to complain over the location of our meeting point.”

Relieved that Roderick was not upset, she said, “I’ve been telling Hannah that I’ve been spending the night with Charlotte. She’s been wondering why Charlotte never visits us. Whatever your next directive, may we take care of business during daylight hours?”

Roderick tensed. “You haven’t told Charlotte about us?”

“Nay. Nay, of course not.”

Roderick studied her a moment and apparently decided she was telling the truth. “Actually, in light of last eve, I’m waiting to receive word what is planned next.” He grinned his stupid grin. “However, timing is on my side. This will be a grand opportunity for you to do a task strictly for me, while we wait for further instructions. What I need you to do can only be done when the shops are open anyway. That may ease your Hannah’s suspicions for a few days.” He laughed at himself. “We’ll still have to meet on some nights as necessary, but if the job can be done in the daylight, I’ll consider it. You know there’s more risk during the day.”

She nodded her understanding.

He rubbed his hands in excitement. “What a team we’ve become.”

She hardly shared his enthusiasm. If she had listened to Christian, she wouldn’t be doing what Roderick was about to ask her to do.

“I want you to make some purchases for me,” he said. “Nothing difficult. And, here’s the thrilling part. You’ll use the spurious coins made from your drawing. The only disadvantage is that these coins are less than perfect. The dies weren’t exactly in line with each other, so the face of each coin is a bit off center.”

She wasn’t surprised to learn that she was to pass coins. What distressed her was that the coins were flawed. “Aren’t you taking a big risk, using coins that are defective?”

“Not me. You.”

He was right. It would be her neck in the noose. She remembered the lad who had passed a bad coin and the constable’s words about how the boy would hang until his face turned blue. “Can’t you redo them?”

“Time spent is cost spent.”

It would do no good arguing with him. “Where are the coins and what shall I purchase?”

“Wait here,” he exited to the back room and a few minutes later returned with a pouch. “Here you go.”

She took the pouch from him. It was similar to the pouch she had dropped off at the ship the first time.

“You can check the coins later. For now, put them in your trunk,” Roderick said.

She did, and again asked, “What shall I purchase?”

She watched him cross his arms and hold his chin in his hand while he surveyed the shelves and display windows.

“Some niceties for the shop—glassware, china, pretty trinkets. I should carry other items.” He straightened up and gave her an exaggerated smile.

“Wouldn’t it be better to pass a few coins at a time? I don’t think ‘tis wise to flood Dublin with too many, especially flawed coins.”

“That is what we plan to see. If you can pass coins with a slight flaw, the perfect ones will be as easy as the snap of your fingers. I’d be able to make larger purchases,” he said wistfully. “It would be grand to have a larger shop. Don’t you think?”

“Grand,” she said, as a hopeful idea came to her. “If we get you a shop with more space, will you release my father?”

“That is not for me to decide. Adam makes the final decisions.”

“I must speak to Adam then. When can I meet with him?”

“I’ll see that he gets your message.”

“Roderick, please. I don’t even know if Father is well.” The impatient expression on his face told her she’d best not press him further. Frustrated, she turned to leave the shop.

“You’ve got three days,” he warned her.

She waited for more, but kept her back to him.

“Bring the purchases directly here,” he added. “Say midnight? And make sure you’re not followed. I’ll deny everything, if you’re caught.”

Midnight. The little toad was ignoring everything she had said. Bewildered, and with Christian’s words, “wait for Roderick to come to you,” haunting her, she left the shop.

Chapter Thirteen

Damn the obstinate woman. Christian silently cursed from where he sat inside his carriage while he spied on Elizabeth. As he had suspected, she had ridden to Roderick’s shop instead of going home like she told him. How was he going to help her and find Adam, if she didn’t trust him enough to follow his instructions? Besides this fact, it was nearly the end of March. His mother would not be put off much longer and if he didn’t set sail by mid-April, the Florida deal would be lost forever.

Though irritated by her disobedience, he relaxed and puffed on a cheroot until he saw her leave the shop. He crushed the smoke. Should he approach her now, or follow her a ways?

He opted to wait until she cleared the next roadway, signaled for his driver to halt and fairly leaped from the vehicle.

“Taking the long way home, are you?” He fell into step with her pace.

She slowed at his voice, apparently masked her surprise and continued to walk. “I had some purchases to make first,” she casually explained.

“At Roderick’s?”

She ignored him.

He grabbed her by the shoulder to stop her. Several pedestrians gave them curious stares. He smiled and said, “A lovers’ quarrel.” They smiled in return and strolled away.

“I didn’t purchase anything. So what? I’m going inside this shop,” she motioned to the Wicklow Glassware Company. “Are you planning to traipse inside behind me?”

“You disobeyed my orders, and you lied about going home to Hannah. What are you about, Elizabeth?”

“I’ll tell you after I make my purchases.”

She hurried through the doorway before he could say any more. He entered the shop on her heels.

“Good day,” a grey-haired woman greeted them. “Welcome to our shop. Are you together?”

Elizabeth said, “Nay.”

At the same time, he answered, “Aye.”

The elderly lady frowned in confusion.

He waved Elizabeth off and said, “We are together.”

Elizabeth accepted this though he knew inwardly she fumed.

Politely, she said, “I’d like to see one of those goblets.” She approached the counter, studying several of the glasses displayed on a shelf behind the older woman.

“Of course, my dear.” The lady reached on tiptoe for a blue-tinged glass with a floral pattern and placed it on a white satin pad on the counter.

Elizabeth held the piece to the light and next ran her finger over the rim appreciatively, “I’ll take sixteen.”

“Marvelous,” the woman said. “I’ve never had anyone make a decision so fast.”

“The lady has been hunting for the right piece for weeks,” Christian said. He casually stood with his hands behind his back.

“Only because I have discriminating taste,” Elizabeth said and gave him a quick smirk.

“These goblets are our most popular,” the woman said. She wrapped the glasses and asked, “Do you wish to start an account with us, or will you pay now?”

“I’ll pay you.” Elizabeth opened her portmanteau, fumbled inside a few seconds, and started to count out a goodly number of shillings instead of crowns or another larger denomination.

She acted nervous and anxious. It was as if the simple task of settlement with the elderly woman was a tremendous feat for her.

He watched as the clerk gathered the stack of coins. He waited for Elizabeth to make eye contact with him, but she avoided doing so. Why was she so jittery?

No sooner had he asked himself the question, did he come up with the answer. She was passing spurious coins. Christ! Did she want to end up in gaol?

“Wait,” Christian said, prompting the older lady to spin around and face him

“Give her those coins. This is my gift.”

The lady made to return them to Elizabeth, but she gently pushed the woman’s hands aside and told him, “Thank you, but I cannot accept your generosity.”

“I insist,” he said.

Once more, the woman tried to return the stack of shillings to Elizabeth. Once more, Elizabeth shoved the lady’s hands away. “Nay.”

“Let’s not make a scene, sweet cakes. Take the coins.”