Sylvie Sommerfield - Noah's Woman (21 page)

It was not surprising that the queen was no longer slim, Charity thought. After all, she had borne the tall and surprisingly handsome man behind her nine children.

When the queen reached her and Noah made the formal introduction, Charity emulated the deep and graceful curtsies she had seen the other women make. When she slowly rose, her eyes met the queen's and a sense of relief flowed over her. There was warmth in the depths of the monarch's eyes.

"We have not seen you at court before." Victoria spoke with the calm, authoritative tone only a queen could carry.

"No, Your Majesty. I have lived a great distance away and have never had the opportunity for such an honor."

"But you live in London now?"

Charity was quite aware that Noah was watching her, that his strong arm brushed hers, that the power of his presence seemed to reach out to shelter her.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The queen's eyes turned to Noah and Charity would have sworn she saw a gleam of mischievous amusement in her eyes.

"Lord Morgan, it has been some time since you have visited Windsor. We have missed you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"See that you and your family pay us an informal visit soon, and" her eyes returned to Charity and Charity was sure they were smiling now"bring Miss Gilbert with you."

"It will be my pleasure, Your Majesty," Noah replied.

The queen and her entourage moved on but Charity could hardly get her breath. The queen actually wanted her to visit again. She was so awed she didn't hear Noah's soft laugh. Then he was taking her arm and they were moving into the crowd.

"Oh my," Charity said softly, and Noah laughed again. Charity looked up at him and had to smile.

"You'll find Her Majesty most charming. She is very proud of her family, has a delightful sense of humor, and"he winked and grinned"loves to play cards and games and be amused."

"I should think she would like to be amused. Wear-

ing a crown must be tedious at times. The weight of it all, I imagine, must become very heavy."

"You are very astute," Noah said quietly. Charity glanced at him, not quite understanding the look in his eyes.

Before Charity could speak again, a deep voice came from behind her. Gregory. As she turned to face him she caught a look in Noah's eyes that alarmed her. It was feral . . . like a tiger gazing at its next meal. Beneath Noah's calm exterior lurked a devastating force.

"Hello, Hamilton," Noah said. His smile was controlled. "Lord Van Buran . . . and the always enchanting Eleanor. May I present Charity Gilbert."

Charity smiled and acknowledged the introduction. Eleanor was even more beautiful close at hand. Charity gulped back both her curiosity and her insecurity.

"Noah." Van Buran's voice was deep and resonant and his eyes were a penetrating gray. "I have not seen your friend Charles for over a week. Nothing is amiss is it? I have not known him to be absent from the queen's side for such a long time."

"He is quite well"Noah's grin widened"and busy as usual, protecting the queen from any . . . distractions."

No one's smile slipped, but there was an atmosphere of such palpable hatred that Charity could feel it to the center of her being. She had just began to understand what Kathy had been talking about when she spoke of undercurrents at the royal court.

Gregory, as soon as it was socially possible, asked

Charity to dance with him. Once they were away from the group, his smile warmed.

"Charity, you look remarkably beautiful. You seem to belong here, as if you were raised at court. I was watching as you were presented. Even the queen seemed impressed."

"Thank you." Charity tried to smile, but a tingle of annoyance moved through her. How condescending he sounded, how . . . snobbish. "The only difference between me and the other people here is circumstance and clothes . . . and attitude."

"I didn't mean to imply . . . Charity, what's wrong? Has something happened?"

"Gregory" She decided a straightforward question was best. She needed to know the truth. "What does Eleanor Van Buran mean to you?"

"Lord van Buran is my friend and mentor. I've been friends with Eleanor for over ten years. Charity, can I hope this is a bit of jealousy on your part?" His eyes revealed his pleasure at this thought.

"She . . . she is very beautiful," Charity remarked, feeling a bit foolish. Yet . . . what she felt wasn't really jealousy. But what it was she really didn't know.

"Yes, Eleanor is beautiful. Her father is very powerful as well. He has done a great deal for me and I will be forever in his debt. As far as Eleanor is concerned, I'm sure she feels toward me as she would toward a brother."

"Rumor says you want her as your wife."

"By now you should know better than to listen to rumors. Charity, if you choose not to go through with this, I'll understand. I will just have to find a way to

. . . perhaps negotiate with Noah, give him whatever he wants. I shall have to live with the idea of betraying the queen and Parliament's trust.''

"No, Gregory, I didn't mean that. I suppose it was a bit of jealousy."

"It wasn't Noah who whispered that little rumor into your ear, was it?"

Her expression told him he'd guessed right. "Of course. Leave it to Noah to be so clever. He wants no competition. The man wants you all to himself. Please, Charity, talk to me when you feel . . . unsettled."

"I . . . I sound so foolish."

"No, my sweet. Just like a woman in love, I hope. You couldn't have pleased me more. Come, smile for me . . . and forgive me."

"Of course." She did smile, but she still fought an unnamable, dark, and insidious feeling that was building inside her.

Before the dance was over and the music had stopped, Gregory had whisked Charity into the shadows of an alcove where they were alone.

"Charity, you must tell me what you have found out. Is there any sign of where the packet might be? What progress have you made?"

Charity needed warmth and reassurance. She needed to be held and to hear Gregory say he loved her. She fought a feeling of disappointment. Of course Gregory was worried, and he
had
given her a great deal to perform this one act for him. She struggled to exchange disappointment for understanding.

"I haven't found it, but now I think I know where

it is. I just need a little more time to find out how to get it."

"Wonderful! Charity, what an actress you are. I knew if anyone could get the elusive Noah Morgan to trust it would be you. That innocence you have is exactly the quality to capture a man like him."

Charity was silent, annoyed that what Gregory had just said made her feel guilty and . . . unclean. Noah did trust her, as did his mother and sister, and Elizabeth. She hated the thought of using that trust and betraying it.

"Charity, this will be over soon. Once I've defeated him, all my plans for a brilliant future will come true."

Desperate for some words to banish her guilt, Charity was about to ask more about the future they were to share, when a shadow fell between her and Gregory. Both turned to see Noah.

"Charity, I hope you haven't forgotten that you promised this dance to me."

"No . . . no, of course not." Charity placed her hand in Noah's, quite unaware that he had been watching her from the moment she had left his side, that he had watched her and Gregory dancing together, and that he had seen Gregory draw her into the alcove.

He had started in their direction with murder in his eyes, but Kathy had stepped between him and his goal. "Noah!" she'd hissed. "Don't be a fool. The queen is here, for God's sake. Think of the consequences. Everything you've planned will be for nothing."

Fiercely Noah had struggled for the control he so rarely lost.

"One day," he'd said with grim coldness. "I will have that bastard at the point of my sword or in the sights of my pistol."

"I agree. But not if you ruin yourself tonight."

"You're right." Noah had finally smiled. "Thank you, Kat. That was a mistake."

"Only part of it," she'd replied. Her smile was teasing as she slowly stepped aside. "Good hunting, brother. There is more than one way of skinning the proverbial cat."

Now he was well aware of the fearful look in Gregory's eyes and it pleased him immensely.

But Noah could hardly keep Charity at his side all evening. The dance had barely finished when she was whisked away by another man. Still he kept a close eye on her, making sure there was not another opportunity for Hamilton to get her alone.

Charity thoroughly enjoyed herself, storing up sights, sounds, smells, and tastes to relate to Amiee later. The insidious voice deep inside warned her that this situation, beautiful as it might be, was a fragile one. She was determined to enjoy it as much as she could.

It was only after the queen had retired that Noah told Charity they were leaving. He had enjoyed her enthusiasm and her laughter. He realized he had not seen her laugh often. He meant to remedy that.

Beth and Charity had little time even to talk, for Beth, like her friend, found herself the object of much masculine interest.

But Beth was quite prepared to go when she saw that Charity and Noah were leaving. She didn't be-

lieve Charity would want to be at home alone with Noah too long. It was Kathy who, very deliberately, kept her mother and Beth at the ball quite some time after Charity and Noah had gone. She felt they deserved time alone to talk. She was mischievous enough to want to play Cupid.

Actually, Kathy had prayed that someone like Charity would come along and brighten Noah's life, give him something to consider besides his involvement in furtive and often dangerous affairs. She wished Noah could be freed of his responsibilities, and his penchant for finding danger.

Maybe Charity was the answer. It was the first time she had seen Noah react to a woman this way.

Kathy was also keeping her eye on Gregory Hamilton. But he displayed no sign of leaving. He was dancing now with Anne Ferrier, and she wished in vain that she could overhear their conversation.

"She's quite lovely," Gregory said. "I can see why Noah is so captivated."

"Captivated," Anne repeated angrily. "She's another toy. He'll tire of her pretty-faced innocence soon enough."

"Don't be jealous, Anne. The time will come soon when Noah will be pleading for your favors."

"Not until I've found a way to rid myself of Rodger."

"In time . . . in time. He will go with Brandywine. Who knows, he may share the same fate."

"Then you've made all the plans!"

"Be quiet, and don't look so pleased. Things are moving along."

"Who has found what you lost?"

"I did. And I will have it back long before Noah, or anyone else, can decode it. As far as who found it . . . that's not your concern. You need only keep me informed of Rodger and Lord Brandywine's plans, and if any suspicion has fallen on either."

"No, there is nothing."

"Then things will go on as planned. You, sweet Anne, will make a charming widow and Noah will be much easier to pluck once you are. I . . . I will be Van Buran's right arm and have more power than you can dream of. I will be able to make Noah dance to your tune. Do you want to wed him?"

"Oh, yes. It would be fun to put him in Rodger's place."

"What a wicked thought."

"He has it coming. Gregory, who is that chit anyway? She seems to have come from nowhere."

"I don't really know. But if you like, I'll investigate."

"Yes. I'd like to scratch her eyes out. Find me some answers and I'll take care of her."

Gregory smiled. Anne's jealousy was a tool he meant to make use of . . . once he had what he wanted.

The carriage would have been dark had it not been for a full and bright moon in a totally cloudless sky. Noah could see Charity quite clearly. They rode together for a few moments in silence. Surprisingly, it was Charity who broke the quiet, because she sensed a tension in Noah.

"Noah . . . are you angry about something?"

"Angry? No, whatever gave you that idea? I'm

pleased that you seemed to enjoy yourself tonight. You were quite the center of attraction, and I can't blame any of the gentlemen for wanting to dance with you. You put every other woman there in your shadow. You are utterly lovely, Charity."

Charity should have felt a satisfying sense of power. Instead she felt a kind of longing she could not name.

"Actually, Charity," Noah said softly, and as he spoke he turned toward her so that the moonlight fell across his face. "I've been considering how to say what's on my mind for hours."

"I've never known you to be at a loss for words, Noah." She tried to laugh, but her heart had begun to beat rapidly. She was afraid of what he was going to say.

"Maybe it's because I've never felt so strongly about what I want to say."

Charity turned toward him, struggling for the confidence to handle this. Noah took one of her hands between both of his. It surprised him that they seemed chilled, and trembled a bit.

He reached one hand to gently touch her cheek. "Charity, I know you feel something for me. I could tell by the way you returned my kiss. Do you care enough to consider becoming my wife? I will not rush you, but I find it very difficult to think of the future without you. I'm very much in love with you."

"Oh, Noah . . . I . . . this is a surprise."

"Is it really? Can't you tell how you've filled my life? I never realized it was so empty until you came into it."

"But . . . marriage . . . I . . ."

"You needn't say yes or no right now. But I want

you to consider it, and to give me time to convince you that I can make you happy," Noah said, shaken by the thought that she meant to refuse him.

Charity was just as shaken. Shaken by the knowledge that she wanted to move into his strong arms, that she wanted to say yes to him. When had she fallen out of love with Gregory? More important, when had she fallen in love with Noah? Time was what he wanted, and time was what she needed to search her own heart.

"All right, Noah, time is what we both need."