Stormy Persuasion (24 page)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

N
ettie finished preparing Judith for the ball, then hurried off to help Jacqueline
with her hair, too. Judith remained sitting at the vanity in her room, staring in
the mirror at the necklace around her neck. Nettie had helped her put it on, but had
left the matching bracelet and rings for Judith to don herself. She had borrowed the
jewelry from Amy, but it didn’t matter who owned it. She had a feeling that anytime
she ever put on jewelry again, she would be reminded of Nathan.

She gasped when she suddenly saw his reflection in her mirror standing right behind
her as if the thought had conjured him. She touched the glass, but it wasn’t her imagination.
He
was
there. She knocked over her velvet-padded stool, she stood up so fast, in time to
see him angrily toss a handful of gold coins behind him on her bed.

She had no idea if he’d used the door or one of the open windows to get in here, but
if he was discovered . . . “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I couldn’t leave the country without setting the record straight. I didn’t steal
your jewelry. I don’t need anything from you Malorys.”

He’d risked getting caught to tell her that? She could have pointed out that his having
money could merely mean he’d already sold some of the jewelry. It proved nothing,
and yet she didn’t need proof. She’d known, deep down, that he couldn’t be guilty,
at least not of stealing from her.

Still incredulous that he was even there
and
looking so angry, she asked hesitantly, “Have you been hiding in Bridgeport all this
time?”

“No, I’ve been busy getting my ship back.”

“So you really own one?”

She shouldn’t have said that! He sounded even angrier when he replied, “
The Pearl
is real and I’ve almost finished putting a crew together for her. She’s anchored
just a few miles east of here.”

“And after you have a full crew?”

“I’ll be heading home to Hampshire.”

“So you really own that house?”

“Did you only
pretend
to believe me?”

She winced at his tone, as sharp as it was. Everything she said seemed to make him
angrier, but she couldn’t help it, she was so nervous—for him. Her father was just
down the hall, could stop by at any moment to collect her to go downstairs. She should
warn Nathan to leave, but she didn’t want him to leave! How could she have a single
clear thought with him standing so close to her?

She searched desperately for a subject that wouldn’t strike a nerve with him. “Are
you looking forward to seeing your nieces again?”

His expression softened slightly. “Of course.”

She tried to further lighten his mood. “Did you remember to get them some ribbons?”

It didn’t work. He was suddenly glowering at her, what was on
his
mind finding voice. “How could you believe I stole from you?”

“I was shocked by the robberies, and you never did directly deny that you’re a smuggler.
You were always so cryptic or evasive whenever I asked. So I didn’t know what to think,
but when I calmed down, I realized you couldn’t have done something that awful. But
you must admit how bad it looked. It had even occurred to me briefly, as it did to
members of my family, that you’d been paying attention to me because you wanted to
keep me quiet about my suspicions that you were a smuggler, and so you could gain
access to my cabin and help yourself to my jewels.”

“Underestimating your own attractiveness, aren’t you? Let me give you a little advice
as you begin your come-out season, darlin’. You are one woman who doesn’t need to
worry about ulterior motives in the men you meet. You’re as fickle and pretentious
as all those other aristocratic women, but never doubt that you’re beautiful.”

His tone was so scathing she was completely surprised when he grabbed her by the shoulders
and pulled her up against him. His mouth claimed hers in a deep, angry kiss that conveyed
even more depth of feeling than his words had expressed. But Judith didn’t care why
Nathan was kissing her so passionately, only that he was. Her heart soared as everything
she felt for him was drawn to the surface. But he gave her no chance to reciprocate,
no time to even put her arms around him! He simply let go of her and walked away.

“Happy husband-hunting, darlin’,” he tossed over his shoulder before he climbed onto
the ledge of one of the windows and actually leapt toward a nearby tree.

Judith ran to the window to make sure he didn’t get injured in that jump. She saw
him just before he dropped the last few feet from the tree to the ground and disappeared
into the darkness.

Judith moved back into her room and picked up the vanity stool she’d knocked over.
She caught her reflection in the mirror and laughed at the silly grin she was wearing.
He’d come to find her before he left the country, even climbed a tree for her! He
was angry, yes, still hated her family, true, but she didn’t care. At least she still
had a chance with him, and if he didn’t find her in England, she’d find him. Finally
she had something to look forward to.

Chapter Forty

T
he receiving line at the ball was long with so many Andersons and Malorys present.
Clinton stood at the head of the line with Georgina and Jacqueline next to him so
he could introduce his niece to old friends of the family’s. The Willards, who were
renowned for hosting their own balls each winter, came through first.

Reverend Teal was next and paused to say to James, “I’m delighted to see you and Georgina
are still married.” When James had shown up bruised and battered at the private marriage
ceremony that Teal had been asked to perform all those years ago, the reverend had
been quite sure that James had been forced to participate, so his remark tonight was
genuine.

“We tried to undo that, Reverend,” Warren said on James’s right. “Really we did. Unfortunately,
James couldn’t be coerced twice.”

James raised a golden brow at Warren. This Anderson used to have the worse temper
of the lot, had tried to hang James. But Warren’s temperament had changed completely
when he married Amy, so much so that James couldn’t get a rise out of him no matter
how often he’d tried over the years.

“Feeling brave on the home front, are you?” James said drily to his brother-in-law.
“If I’d known that’s all it took, I would have visited more often.”

Warren grinned. “Like hell you would have. It’s too bad you didn’t figure out a way
to avoid this. We hoped—er,
thought
you would!”

“The thought of taking on you and your brothers again at the scene of your brief triumph
was too much to resist, dear boy, I assure you. Of course, George will insist it be
one-on-one this time—not five on one.”

“She won’t allow it and you know it,” Warren rejoined confidently.

“We can wait until she goes to bed.”

But Georgina overheard that and leaned forward to tell her second-oldest brother,
“Don’t bait him, Warren. James has promised me that he’ll be on his best behavior
tonight.”

“More’s the pity,” James said, waiting only until Georgina turned away to jab Warren
with his elbow, hard. “But do take this up again tomorrow, Yank.”

Once the last guest arrived, James and Anthony took to the floor with their daughters
to start the ball off. Their dark formalwear was the perfect foil to the girls’ sparkling
gowns, Jack in pink silk, Judy in pale blue. Drew and Warren joined Georgina on the
side of the floor.

“He actually knows how to dance?”

“Shut up, Drew,” Georgina said without glancing at him, wiping away a tear as she
watched her husband and daughter twirling by.

“But you must admit, this is just
so
not like him,” Warren said on her other side.

“Tonight it is. He’ll do anything for Jack, including adhering to traditions he would
otherwise thumb his nose at—including bringing us here.”

“
That
was writ in blood long ago,” Drew reminded her.

Georgina rolled her eyes. “Remember who you’re talking about, as if something James
said on the day of Jack’s birth, when he was so overwhelmed with emotion, would make
a jot of difference now—particularly considering
who
he said it to.”

Drew laughed. “
James
overwhelmed?”

She tried to swat his shoulder, but Drew was adept at staying out of his sister’s
reach when he saw it coming. “It was Jack who wanted to come,” she told them. “She
didn’t want to disappoint you, so we came.”

Warren put an arm around her waist and squeezed. “We know how much he loves her, Georgie.”

On the dance floor, Jacqueline was having nearly the same thought as her uncles. “I
didn’t expect this, you know.”

James smiled. “Didn’t you?”

“As if I don’t know how much you hate dancing? You could have claimed a sprained foot.
I would have backed you up and helped you hobble around.”

“Hobble? Me?” He rolled his eyes before he stressed, “
And
I don’t sprain feet. But I am exactly where I want to be, m’dear. Besides, now these
young bucks know who they have to get past to get to you.”

She beamed a smile at him, whether he was serious or not. Dancing past them, Judith
was smiling at her father, too, which made Anthony comment, “Your mood seems remarkably
improved, poppet. I hope it’s not because one of these Yanks has caught your eye already.”

She laughed at his less than subtle attempt at slyness. “D’you really think I’d mention
it if they did?”

“I promise I won’t kill him.”

He said it with a grin, which she returned. “I know you won’t. But, no, no one here
has caught my interest yet.”

“Not even young Denison? Amy was so sure you’d like him.”

Raymond Denison was supposed to be there tonight, but she couldn’t recall having met
him yet. “He wasn’t able to come to the soiree last night. Perhaps he couldn’t make
it to the ball, either.”

“Judy!” Anthony said, looking at her incredulously. “He gave you three compliments
in the receiving line. If he had spouted one more, I was going to forcibly move him
along. You really don’t recall?”

She blushed slightly, but then grinned. “I was probably distracted, remembering Mama’s
admonishment to enjoy myself here without falling in love with an American. But if
you want me to form an interest in Mr. Denison, you can take me to meet him again
as soon as we finish this dance.”

“Bite your tongue. If he wasn’t memorable enough for you, we’ll keep it at that.”

She did meet Raymond Denison later, though, and danced with him. He appeared to be
quite the catch. Jacqueline even pouted that he was more handsome than her Quintin.
Judith wasn’t sure if she was teasing. But Raymond was the equivalent of an English
gentleman, an American man of leisure. His family apparently owned long-established
businesses not just in Connecticut but all over New England, and he was the young
heir to it all. He was amusing. She laughed quite a bit with him, much more than with
the other young men she danced with. But she had a feeling even bad humor would have
made her laugh tonight, she was feeling so bubbly inside. And no matter whom she danced
with, she wished it were Nathan instead. . . .

Amy was ecstatic. As the evening wound down, she’d received so many compliments it
was clear her first gala event was a resounding success. Even her first attempt at
matchmaking appeared to have worked. She said to Jacqueline when she joined her at
the refreshment table after dancing with Andrássy, “Judy seems quite taken with Raymond
Denison. Have you noticed how often she’s laughed with him tonight?”

Jack grinned. “Like Jaime, it just took a new man for her to stop lamenting over the
wrong one.”

“Then she said something to you about Raymond?”

“She hasn’t stopped dancing long enough for me to ask!”

“If you mean Judith, I quite agree,” Catherine said as she stepped up to them. “I
was hoping to get her opinion about this wonderful man I’ve met.”

“Who?” Amy asked, but amended with a laugh, “I’ll ask again later! I must find out
why the champagne is running low.”

“But the night is almost over!” Jacqueline called after her cousin, not wanting to
be left alone with Catherine, but Amy didn’t pause as she hurried off.

“Will you join me in the garden for a moment to meet him?” Catherine continued. “I
just want to see what another young woman thinks of him before I consider delaying
my trip even longer—because of him.”

“Is this the man you met in town while shopping?” Jack asked.

“Why, yes, it is.”

“Then why don’t you bring him inside?”

“Because he wasn’t invited. But we danced in the garden. That was quite romantic.
I’m surprised you haven’t tried it with your young man.”

Now
that
was a sore subject. Jacqueline had twice tried to get Quintin out to the garden tonight,
but both times he got distracted by one of his many friends. Maybe if she disappeared
for a while, he’d get the idea. So she agreed to accompany Catherine, but spotting
Quintin, she still waved at him so he could see where she was going.

The terrace was well lit with the pretty lanterns Amy had decorated it with for the
ball, but that light didn’t extend far. The extensive garden did have old lampposts
though, interspersed along the many paths. But a few had gone out, leaving long stretches
of darkness between them. Catherine kept moving deeper into the garden.

“For a party crasher, he’s doing a good job of staying out of sight,” Jacqueline remarked
impatiently.

“He
must
still be here,” Catherine whispered beside her. “I assured him I would return.”

The man suddenly stepped out of the shadows and smiled at Jacqueline. She drew in
her breath. He was handsome, very handsome. Black-haired, dark-eyed, wearing a double-tiered
greatcoat and an oddly shaped hat with feathers drooping off to the side of it. She
guessed that Catherine didn’t want an opinion about him at all. She just wanted to
show off that she’d found the most handsome man in Bridgeport!

But Catherine suddenly whispered, “Hurry!”

That
broke through Jacqueline’s momentary surprise. With a frown, she turned toward Catherine,
only to get a gag shoved in her mouth and a steely arm clamped over her chest. But
she also saw Andrássy running toward them, his sword in hand. Thank goodness! Whatever
Catherine was up to, her brother wasn’t going to let her get away with it.

“Let Jack go, Catherine!” Andrássy ordered furiously. “I warned you—”

Jacqueline’s eyes flared as someone else snuck up behind Andrássy and hit him over
the head. The sword fell to the ground. So did Andrássy, and he didn’t move again.
They’d killed him?! But it was the last thing she saw. Without a word from these men,
she was bundled up and carried away.