The Raider (19 page)

Nick groaned. “So, you'll marry her but not sleep with her.”

“Oh, I'll sleep with her all right—as the Raider. Alex will support her and put up with those damn kids, and the Raider will enjoy her.”

“So Jessica will think she's an adulteress.”

“It's only for a while. Until I think it's safe to tell her. Or maybe I'll go to Boston and get cured of my disease. Alex will lose weight and the Raider will be no more.”

“I hope it works out as well as you plan. Are you ready to return? I don't like this place at night.”

“The Raider will protect you,” Alex said in a deepened voice, making Nick laugh.

Together, they rowed back to the mainland.

All evening, Alex kept hoping Jessica might come to him, might apologize for her remarks, but she didn't appear.

Eleanor walked into the common room. “They're all in bed at last. She hasn't shown up yet?”

“No,” Alex said, looking down at his empty mug.

“I guess everything's ready for the wedding tomorrow,” she said.

Alex nodded glumly.

Eleanor patted his hand. “Alex, it'll be all right. Jessica really does have some brains and someday she'll see what a good man you are. You just have to wait for her to come to her senses.”

“I don't think I'll live that long. Do you think she's with the Raider?”

“I think she's at home sulking and hoping the Raider will come to her.”

Alex slammed his fist on the table. “I don't want her to see him. If she sees him tonight, she'll
never
marry me tomorrow.”

Eleanor clasped his hand. “I wouldn't be too sure of that. There are more things to life than…babymaking.” Her face turned red.

Alex grinned at her. “Not to a young, healthy woman like Jessica.”

“A woman who has helped me clothe, feed and house seven children for several years,” Eleanor reminded him. “You underestimate Jess.” She looked around the room. “Do you know where Nate is? He should be in bed.”

“I sent him over to see if Jess needed anything.”

“Oh no,” Eleanor breathed. “You sent Nate to Jessica? Don't you know how much Nate
adores
Jessica? She sheds one tear and—” Eleanor stopped at the puzzled look on Alex's face. “If Jess does something really stupid like decide to run away, Nate will help her. Alex,” she said, standing, “you have to go find Nathaniel and see what's going on.”

Alex stood rather abruptly, then remembered his disguise. “I don't want to go out in the cold. I think it's going to rain again. You know how wet I got last night. Can't you send someone else? Someone healthy like Nick.”

“Nicholas is
too
healthy. No, Alex, you have to go. Take your father's horse. It hasn't been ridden in months.”

“That brute?”

“Then take Adam's stallion, whatever, but
go.”

Alex started to protest but the urgency in Eleanor's voice spurred him on. He turned and left the house. There was, fortunately, no one in the stable to see the supposedly feeble Alexander saddle his father's horse with lightning speed. He skirted town and rode hard, through the rain, to the Taggert house.

Nathaniel was asleep on the floor, the fire almost dead, a half-eaten apple by his hand.

“Nate, where's Jessica?”

“Hello, Mr. Alex,” Nate said, blinking and sitting up and starting to eat his apple.

“Where's Jessica?” Alex repeated.

“She was crying about the Raider, so I told her.”

“Told her what?”

“Told her that the Raider's camp is on Ghost Island and he keeps his horse there.”

Alex was speechless, his mouth open.

“But I didn't tell her you were the Raider.”

Alex sat down on a stool hard. “Who else knows?” he whispered.

Nate swallowed, then crossed his fingers behind his back. “Just me. And Sam. We followed you. I mean, I followed you. Sam just slept. I think that's why Sam likes you so much, but, don't worry, he can't talk.”

“But you can, you little spy.” Alex pulled Nate to him. “I ought to raise a few welts on your backside. How long have you known?”

“Since the second raid.”

Alex leaned back against the stones of the fireplace. “You've known all this time and not told anyone?”

“I told Jessica,” Nate said, skirting a direct answer.

Alex was looking at the boy with new respect. “So,” he said slowly, “you told her the Raider camped on Ghost Island?”

Nate's dilemma showed in his eyes. “She was so sad. She wanted to see you before she married you.”

Alex was amazed that this boy could keep these characters straight and keep this information to himself. “All right, she shall see the Raider tonight. I want you to go home and see Eleanor, she's worried about you. Tell her I've gone looking for Jessica.”

The boy nodded solemnly.

“And, Nate, don't mention to Eleanor about Ghost Island.”

“Of course not,” he said with dignity. “If too many people know, you could be captured and killed.”

Alex found the idea of his life being in a nine-year-old's hands a sobering thought. But Nate had only broken the trust for his beloved sister. “Go on, go home,” he said gently. “And, Nate, tell Eleanor to give you a piece of apple pie.” Alex smiled. “And a flagon of ale. If any man deserves a drink, you do.”

Nate grinned fit to crack his face in two. “Aye, aye, sir,” he said and went out into the rain.

*   *   *

“Jessie,” she heard him call. “Jessie.”

Jessica brushed her tears away and then began running, blindly, knowing only that she was running toward
him.
Her foot caught in a broken branch. She tugged at it frantically.

“No, Jessie, be careful,” she heard him say and then she was in his arms. He was kissing her hungrily, his lips all over her face and neck, while she just clutched at him, holding him to her, afraid to let him go. Her fingers dug into the flesh over his ribs.

“Jessie,” he said, his voice full of wonder and laughter. “Did you miss me?”

She was too glad to see him to mind his laughing at her. “I didn't mean it. You
are
a successful Raider. You were magnificent when you delivered the handbills. You gave the people hope. You—”

He kissed her to silence, and when she was breathless, he knelt and unfastened her ankle, then lifted and carried her to the shack that sheltered his horse.

“Promise me you'll not come here again.”

“How did you know I was here? Did Nate tell you?”

He put his fingertips to her lips. “Don't you know that I watch you, that I see you wherever you go?”

“Then you've seen all the men? You know about the marriage? You must—”

He kissed her again as he began untying the laces of her dress. His long, lean fingers slipped under the edges of her scarf and slowly pulled it away. “Such beauty so lightly covered,” he murmured as he put his face against her breasts.

Jessica leaned back against the pile of hay, feeling his hands and lips on her flesh. He quickly unfastened the front of her dress, exposing her breasts to his touch, his hot hands running over her cool skin.

He lifted her in his arms to kiss her while he slid the dress off her shoulders, then removed her underwear until she was bare to the waist, exposed to his sight and touch.

Only this man did she trust, no one else in the world. Only here in this man's arms did she feel safe, as if she could give control to someone else.

Her hands began touching his body, pulling at the silk shirt until she could feel his skin. He shed the piece of cloth easily, as if his natural state were one without clothing.

He laid her down on the hay and easily slipped the skirt over her smooth, round hips, his lips moving downward, following his hands, pausing to nip lightly at the soft curve of her buttocks. He kissed her knees, her calves, then the arch of her foot and when he returned to her lips, he wore no clothing except the black mask.

Jessica gasped at the feel of his skin against hers, his long legs rubbing against hers.

There was no pain when he entered her, only joyous passion. She was eager for him and she was willing to show it.

He laughed with pleasure at her exuberance and rolled with her until she was on top, smiling as he watched the pleasure and surprise on her face. He guided her for a few moments, then rolled again until she was underneath, but this time he lifted her legs about his waist, holding her bottom up as he plunged deeper and deeper.

He forgot about watching her but thought only of his own pleasure. He pushed down and she clung to him, arching to meet his final, frantic thrusts.

She gave a quick, short, sharp scream at the end but then buried her open mouth in the smooth, hot skin of his shoulder.

“Jessie, my love,” he whispered, his sweaty body holding hers very tightly.

It was a long time before Jessica felt the cramping in her legs and moved to ease her body. But the Raider held her close.

“Cold, my love?” he whispered.

“No,” she said, smiling, kissing his arm thrown across her, almost as if he thought she might try to leave him. “I thought I wasn't going to find you,” she murmured, relaxed and drowsy. “I didn't think it was going to happen. Alexander will be hurt, but I'll soothe him.”

He didn't say anything as he nuzzled his face against her hair. “Alexander?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling in the dim light. “I'll have to tell Alex that I can't marry him.”

“Marry?” the Raider said, sounding rather stupid.

“I thought you said you watched me. Surely you know about the admiral's decree. I'm to marry someone tomorrow. I waited for you as long as I could, but then Alex offered and for a while I thought I was going to have to marry him. You
are
willing to take the children, aren't you?”

The Raider didn't loosen the hold he had on her. “Jessie, I can't marry you.”

“Well, of course I know you can't very well stand before the congregation wearing a mask. I'll tell people I met you while I was fishing and you've been away at sea. That way no one will suspect that you're—”

“Jessie, I can't marry you.”

“Because of Alex? He knows about you. Alex is very understanding. I'll explain—”

“Jessie, please don't make this worse. I cannot marry you.”

When what he was saying finally began to penetrate her brain, she tried to pull away from him but he held her fast. “Release me,” she said through her teeth.

“Jessie, you have to understand that there are reasons why I can't marry you.”

“One,” she said, trying to get away from him. “All I need is one intelligent reason.”

“You'll have to trust me.”

“Ha!” She pulled her head away enough to look at him. “Now I understand what I am to you. Are you married? Do you have children of your own? What do I know about you? How easy I must seem to you. Do you laugh about me with your friends? How many other women do you—”

He kissed her mouth and held the kiss until she stopped struggling. “Jessie, you have every right to your anger. I deserve everything you say. But please believe me that I love you and only you.”

“Then don't let me marry someone else,” she whispered.

“Montgomery can't make love to you.”

It took Jess a moment to understand what he was saying. “You bastard,” she said under her breath. “You'll let me marry Alex because he can't do the only thing you
can
do?”

“I couldn't bear another man touching you. Jessie, I love you.”

She pushed hard at him, but he held her in the hay. She glared at him. “Alexander was right about you. He said you weren't much of a Raider and, now, I don't think you're much of a man.”

“You didn't doubt my manhood a moment ago,” he said indignantly. “Jessie, let's not fight.” He began to kiss her neck.

“So,” she said quietly, “tomorrow you'll let me marry another man.”

“I have no choice. Westmoreland made his ultimatum and I can't marry you, so, if it must be someone, Montgomery is the best choice. At least he won't be touching you.”

She relaxed her body, and when she felt his grip loosen, she rolled away from him. “And neither will you be touching me.”

“Jessie,” he said, reaching out his hands for her.

She grabbed her clothes and almost returned to him when she saw a shaft of moonlight touch his nude body, but she thought of what he'd said and her anger surged. She began pulling on her clothes.