The Guise of a Gentleman (17 page)

“The younger set appears to have fully accepted Mr. Amesbury.”

Elise hoped her expression betrayed nothing. “Indeed.”

“He seems a decent sort, despite his lack of restraint.”

A brief flash of annoyance surged at the unintended word of censure toward Jared. Then shame flooded her cheeks with warmth as she realized she’d recently echoed those same sentiments—especially his lack of restraint. But now she welcomed those endearing qualities.

“Lady Standwich thinks highly of him,” Elise replied calmly. “As do Mr. and Mrs. Greymore.”

Lord Druesdale sauntered up. “A fine afternoon, Mr. Bradford. Even the weather cooperated.”

“Nice of it to be so obliging.” Mr. Bradford’s voice remained cordial, but his stance stiffened.

With Colin perched on one shoulder, another boy on the other, and a third hanging down his back, Jared staggered to Elise, exaggerating every motion, drawing squeals from his passengers and the boys who danced around him. Jared swung the boys from his shoulders to the ground.

Colin’s hair was mussed and his cheek smudged, but the happy glow in his face dissuaded any scolding. He threw his arms around Elise. “Mother, did you see my winning hit?”

“A fine showing, my love.” Elise gave him a squeeze.

Jared shooed the boys off in search of drinks. They scattered, followed by a cluster of giggling little girls.

Mr. Bradford winced. “I must speak with my daughters about not chasing boys.”

Elise laughed. “I don’t think you need be concerned yet.”

Grinning, Jared pushed his hand through his tousled hair, but failed to arrange it into any sort of order. A light sheen of sweat shone on his forehead, dampening a few strands that clung together around his face. His cravat lay in sad creases. He looked wholly male and thoroughly pleased with himself. No man had ever looked so blatantly desirable.

He accepted his coat from a footman and donned it. The muscles in his chest and arms flexed as he pulled on his frockcoat over his shirt and waistcoat. He glanced at the men flanking her with one eyebrow raised slightly in amusement. Despite his lazy grin, a brief flash of annoyance appeared in his eyes as he looked at the others. Tension crackled in the air as the three men squared their shoulders and shifted to wider stances.

Elise nearly choked. Could it be possible they were posturing over her?

Charlotte Greymore and her husband arrived. “What a lovely party, Mr. Bradford,” Charlotte said. “How kind of you to invite us.”

Mr. Bradford replied appropriately as the Greymores made their excuses and made ready to depart. With one hand tucked in the crook of her husband’s arm, Charlotte smiled at Elise in farewell.

Elise called to Colin, who came reluctantly. They both bid their host a good day.

Mr. Bradford held Elise’s hand a moment longer than necessary. “I’m so glad you came.”

“I had a lovely time. Thank you for the invitation.” Elise gently extracted her hand and glanced at the other men nearby. “Lord Druesdale. Mr. Amesbury.”

They answered with perfect civility and shot deadly glares at one another.

Mr. Greymore extended his free arm. “Shall we escort you to your carriage, Mrs. Berkley?”

Elise nodded and linked her arm through his. Holding onto Colin with her free hand, she walked with them toward the carriages lined up along the drive.

“I thought they were going to come to blows.” Smiling, Charlotte glanced back. “They still might.”

“Quite a competition is lining up for you, Mrs. Berkley,” Mr. Greymore said.

Elise focused on the ground, secretly glad that Jared had shown animosity toward the other men. Surely that meant interest in her at some level. “It was rather awkward, I’m afraid.”

Charlotte’s smile broadened. “I realize that you are unaccustomed to such attention, but you cannot be entirely surprised by it. They are all attractive men. Are you going to choose one?”

“I’m not sure what it is they want.”

Greymore chuckled softly. “I believe they all want your favor, Mrs. Berkley. The question is, to what degree? That may vary from man to man.”

Elise had no answer. Lord Druesdale’s interest no doubt involved nothing more than an empty affair. She wondered if Jared and Mr. Bradford wanted her for a wife, or a lover, or merely a friend.

No. She was certain none merely wanted her friendship, more’s the pity. Friendship would be so much more convenient.

Colin sighed dramatically. “I wish Mr. Amesbury could play with me every day. He makes me feel like I do everything good!”

“As though you do everything well,” Elise corrected.

“That, too.”

Elise moved toward her carriage further down the line. A hand appeared under her elbow and a familiar presence awakened her senses. She turned to face Jared.

He offered a brief smile, but his eyes slid over her almost as a caress. “I went home.”

She blinked. “Oh.”

“For the funeral. I should have sent you word. I meant to. That’s why I’ve been gone so long.”

She looked down. “You owe me no explanation.”

“I felt that I did after—” he glanced at Colin “—after your aid the last time I called upon you. I didn’t want you to think it meant nothing to me.”

The warmth from his gloved hand seeped through her afternoon gown into her arm. It continued to spread until his touch bathed her in warmth. She met his gaze and fell into his aquamarine eyes.

“It meant more to me than you can know. You saved me.” His voice, hardly more than a whisper, brushed against her very soul.

She wanted to ask which part of the night meant so much to him. The things he confided to her? The way they held each other? The kiss? All of it? It suddenly mattered a great deal.

And worse, she wanted nothing more than to be back in his arms, needed and desirable as no man before him had made her feel. Unable to drag her eyes away, she remained captured by his gaze and tried to look deeply enough into his eyes to see all the way to his heart, not even caring if he saw hers. Not caring if he saw that she did, indeed, love him.

She stilled. She loved him. Her heart turned warm and liquid.

His lashes hid his eyes as he ruffled Colin’s already disheveled hair. “Well done today, Young Master Colin.”

Colin threw his arms around one of Jared’s thighs and hugged him. “Thank you for playing with us. You made it so fun.”

Jared patted Colin’s back. “Glad to be of service.”

She loved him. She swallowed hard.

He helped them into the carriage. For another lingering moment, his gaze held hers. In that instant, his shields lowered and she saw uncertainty, desire, and determination all warring inside. She wondered what he wished he could tell her, what he feared to reveal.

“Good day, Mrs. Berkley. Master Colin.” He shut the door and stepped back.

Elise leaned back against the seat. She bit her lip and wondered if she had the courage to piece together the puzzle of Jared Amesbury.

She had no doubt the finished picture would be worth the trouble, the picture of the man she loved.

Jared bid a good evening to the Greymore’s after enjoying a delightful dinner with them, and climbed into the curricle. They’d managed to bring up the subject of Elise Berkley during every course. He’d feigned disinterest at first, but finally gave in and listened to anything they would tell him. Secretly, he was flattered that the elegant Charlotte Greymore thought him worthy of her friend. Still grinning, he glanced at José perched behind the seat in his role as tiger.

Jared waved him over. “Come sit up here on the seat with me.”

The lad clamored over and settled in next to him. Jared snapped the reins and guided the curricle down the moonlight-bathed road. José remained silent for so long that Jared glanced at him to see if he’d fallen asleep.

“Captain?” José asked in Portuguese, his young face solemn.

“What is it, lad?” Jared replied in the same tongue.

“Are we going back to the ship soon?”

Jared looked down at him. “Do you miss the sea?”

“A little, I suppose. But I like it here. I feel safe.”

“Safe? After that incident with Leandro?”

He nodded. “Even so. I don’t fear any of the servants. The stable hands treat me well and I like the horses. I muck out the stalls a lot, which I don’t like, but the head groom is also teaching me how to care for the horses. He thinks I could be a groom someday. I’d like that.”

“You didn’t feel safe at sea?” he asked gently.

“The boatswain terrified me. And some of the others, too. Sometimes I wondered if the storms would finish us. And every time we went into battle, I always wondered…” he trailed off, tears welling up in his eyes.

“What? You wouldn’t have been hurt; I never let you fight.”

“If you’d be killed.” He sniffled. “Like Father.”

Jared wrapped an arm around José and pulled him against his side. He held the boy as well as he could and still maintain control over the reins.

Circling overhead, a night bird called and glided away. Moonlight flitted through the trees. The steady clop-clopping of the horses’ hooves broke the stillness.

Jared’s heart felt leaden. On board the ship, he’d tried to care for the boy, to shield him from the ugliness of their life, and indeed José seldom voiced any complaint. But Jared had failed. No child his age should be subjected to that kind of life. He’d seen deceit, thievery, violence, death.

Jared drew a steadying breath. “I have no plans to return to the sea. In fact, I plan to give up piracy forever.”

José looked up at him, hope glimmering in his dark eyes. “Could you?”

“I’m making every effort to do just that.”

José wiped his nose on his sleeve. “You were a fierce pirate. But you’re different from the others. More honor.”

Jared snorted. “Honor?”

“You never hurt your enemies who didn’t fight back. You were never cruel to your crew like Captain Macy was.”

In pure astonishment, Jared looked down. He gave José a little squeeze. “You honor me.” His father had been a good friend, a good man, and Jared had mourned his death. He’d be proud of his son. “If I’m forced to go back to sea, I’ll see to it that you remain here with someone who will care for you until I can return. This I vow.”

José rested his head against Jared’s shoulder and snuggled in close. Jared tightened his arm around the lad. It was unseemly to be so familiar with one’s servants, but at the moment, Jared cared little. Within minutes, José fell asleep.

Guided by moonlight, Jared drove silently and worried over the boy’s fate. He could take him with him when he left Brenniswick, of course, but he hated to drag the lad all over until he found a place to settle down. The boy needed stability. Jared only had the estate for the summer and it was entailed, so he couldn’t purchase it. He didn’t know if he could arrange for José to continue to work in the stables for the owners. He’d have to check into that. If not, perhaps Elise’s overprotective groom would be willing to take him as a stable lad.

He grinned at the mischief José and Colin would no doubt combine. Imagine, if José ever confessed he’d lived all his life aboard a pirate ship! Colin might die of rapture. Either that or his fascination with pirates would be cured once he heard the truth from José’s mouth.

A lone rider galloped down the middle of the road toward him. Jared eased his gun out and cocked it. Then, recognizing the rider, he slowed the team.

José stirred and lifted his head. “It’s all right, lad. Dubois is here.”

José rubbed his eyes. When Jared’s first mate pulled abreast, he gave a nod. “
Bon soir, Monsieur
,” José said.

If any good had come from his life at sea, the boy had picked up a goodly amount of foreign tongues besides his native Portuguese.

“
Bon soir
, to you, you little imp.” Dubois gave a toothy grin. He sobered as he turned to Jared.

“Leandro’s still looking for you. Two of his men tried to sneak on board the
Mistress
and cause trouble. Apparently, he wanted to hold the ship and crew on board hostage until you arrived.”

Jared cursed. “Do you know where he is?”

“No. He and Santos have been seen in Port Johns, at the Wild Boar, but he’s not staying there. We didn’t find where his ship put down anchor. She may have gone further out to sea and will rendezvous with him later.”

Jared loosened his cravat. “At least that means he doesn’t yet know where I am. Is it possible he found me by chance that last time?”

Dubois shrugged. “
C’est possible
.”

“Find him. Then send me word. I need to finish this.”

Dubois nodded and spurred his horse to a gallop. Jared snapped the reins.

José’s gaze settled heavily on Jared. “You’re going to kill Leandro, aren’t you?” His sober tone made Jared’s heart heavy.

“I showed him mercy last time, and he’s tried to kill me twice since then,” Jared replied quietly. “And you. Neither of us will be safe until he’s dead.”

And if he hoped to have any kind of future with Elise, he’d have to somehow eliminate all his enemies.