Trade Winds (Choc Lit) (42 page)

Governor-General van Cloon drew in a deep breath. ‘Very well. I must say I’ve had enough of Swedes – or Scotsmen whichever you prefer – for one morning.’ He turned to the guards. ‘These people are free to go. Please convey them to their ship. And no more violence, that’s an order.’

As if by tacit agreement, they said nothing on the way back, but when Killian took Jess’ hand, she hung onto it as if she’d never let go again. She still couldn’t believe everything had been so easily resolved, and could only be extremely grateful. Killian winced a few times and Adair clutched his head, muttering to himself. Jess wondered what they’d gone through in order to reach her. She longed to tend Killian’s wounds, but had to wait a little while longer.

They found the ship mostly deserted, with only a few Dutchmen posted as guards. The blond man was nowhere to be seen, which was a relief. They made their way down to their cabin straight away after sending Adair off to his hammock. As soon as they were inside, Killian bolted the door while Jess put Brice down in his makeshift crib. Then she turned around and threw her arms around Killian’s neck.

‘Oh, Killian, I’m so glad you’re safe. I’ve been so worried, I thought I’d never see you again.’ Her eyes filled with tears and she tried to blink them away. She put up a hand to touch his bruised cheek. ‘What did they do to you?’

Killian smiled and put his arms around her, holding her tight. ‘I’m fine. A few scratches that’s all, but did it really matter to you I might not come back?’ He searched her eyes with his gaze.

‘Of course it did. I …’ Although she knew without a doubt that she loved him, she still couldn’t get the words out. What if he just laughed at her? He had only married her for convenience after all.

‘Could it be you love me just a little, my wife?’ The old teasing note was back in his voice and she felt herself blush.

‘It could be, but I know it wasn’t part of the bargain we struck ...’

‘To hell with the bargain! Jessamijn, sweetheart, please tell me the truth, for so help me God, I love you more than I can say and I don’t think I can bear it if you don’t love me back.’

She stared at him, surprised at the vehemence in his voice. ‘You … you do? Well, of course I love you. I have done from the start, only I was too afraid to tell you. I didn’t think you’d want to hear that.’

Killian groaned. ‘Of all the hare-brained … why wouldn’t I? I realised early on I didn’t want to follow your silly agreement, but you were so adamant I had no choice.’ He grinned at her. ‘Well, now we can make up for lost time and be damned to everyone on this ship.’

‘What do you mean?’ Her question ended on a little squeak, since Killian began to kiss her deeply and passionately until she felt as if her legs were melting. He ran his hands down her back and cupped her behind, pushing her close so she was in no doubt as to what he wanted, and she gasped.

‘Killian, someone might come.’

‘Let them. I don’t care if the entire world watches. I’ve waited long enough. Please tell me you’ve recovered enough from childbirth?’

‘Yes, of course I have. It’s been four months or more, but
 …’

He cut her off with another kiss and this time he didn’t let up until she was long past making any more protests. When he carried her to a bunk and pushed her skirts up, she was only too happy to help him. Their only concession to propriety was to stifle each others’ cries of pleasure with searing kisses.

Afterwards, she lay in his arms in the cramped bunk, sated and content as never before. ‘I’m sorry for lying to you,’ she whispered.

‘Hmm? About what?’

‘I did enjoy your lovemaking that first time. Too much, in fact. That’s what frightened me. All you’d have to do was make me desire you and I’d do anything you asked. Like Mama with Robert. I didn’t want you to have that sort of control over me.’

Killian started to laugh and hugged her close. ‘You really are a goose sometimes,’ he chuckled. ‘Haven’t you noticed by now that you have the same hold over me? Just a brush of those luscious lips over mine and I’m on fire. I’ll do anything for you.’

She blinked at him, dumbfounded by this revelation. ‘Really? I’d never thought of that.’

‘Well, you’d better believe it. And speaking of luscious mouths …’ He bent to kiss her again.

‘But we just …’

‘That was at least ten minutes ago. I told you, I’ve waited a long time.’

He didn’t have to work very hard to persuade her, thus proving both their points.

Chapter Thirty-Five

At last they were able to set sail for home, but because of the delay caused by the Dutch, they almost missed the necessary trade winds and ha
d a miserably long journey. It seemed to everyone on board as though it would never end and even the home stretch across the North Sea went unbearably slowly. Only one incident roused them from the general despondency − as they reached the passage between the Orkney and Shetland islands, a rather familiar ship was sighted.

A sailor came running to find Campbell. ‘You wouldn’t believe who it is, sir,’ he panted, ‘none other than the
Hertogh van Lorreynen.
The Ostenders!
’

‘You’re joking?’ Campbell and Killian went up on deck and sure enough, there was the ship which they had last seen in Canton. Killian watched while they sailed near enough to exchange news and a feeling of dread came over him. Somewhere on that ship was his cousin and soon Killian would have to write to his grandfather to ask him to make arrangements to collect Farquhar from Ostend. It wasn’t something he was looking forward to.

John Ley, the first supercargo, was on deck and shouted greetings to Campbell.

‘What an extraordinary coincidence! I thought you long home as you left before us.’

‘We were detained in Batavia. It’s a long story, won’t bore you with the details. Most inconvenient though. And what of you, have you had a good journey?’

‘The usual. We’ve lost a lot of men to various illnesses and I’m sorry to have to report that our prisoner passed away two weeks ago. Died of dysentery, although I think in part he willed it on himself. Refused to eat for much of the time, so he was already weak. Nothing we could do for him, I’m afraid.’

Campbell looked at Killian, who swallowed hard and tried not to show any emotion at this news. ‘Thank you for letting me know,’ he called over to Ley. ‘I’ll tell my grandfather as soon as I can.’

There seemed nothing more to say, and the two ships sailed on in different directions, while Killian went down to the cabin to share the news with Jess.

‘I feel as if a weight has been lifted from my mind, but at the same time I’m filled with sadness,’ he said. ‘It should never have gone this far. I’m sure we could have come to some agreement.’

Jess put an arm round him and leaned her head on his shoulder. ‘But he wouldn’t have been satisfied with that. For him it was all or nothing. Some people are like that, there’s nothing you can do to change them.’

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’ Killian sighed. ‘Still, what a waste. I wonder what grandfather will say?’

In the afternoon of the twenty-second of August, they finally came within sight of Vinga, the westernmost island in the archipelago outside Gothenburg. The relief on board was almost palpable and a cheer went up from the crew, which was echoed by everyone else. Unfortunately, the weather was so bad they were forced to anchor outside Marstrand, a small port north of Gothenburg. Although the purser was sent overland with news of their arrival, it wasn’t until four days later that they were finally able to sail into the Göta river estuary.

‘At last, we’re home.’ Jess breathed a sigh of relief. ‘I don’t want to even
see
a ship for a very long time.’

‘I second that,’ Killian said with feeling. ‘I can’t wait to be on dry land and have you and Brice safe.’

Their homecoming wasn’t quite the joyful event they had envisaged, however. Going straight to the Van Sandt & Fergusson warehouse, where they hoped to find Albert before they saw anyone else, they were greeted by a totally unexpected sight. Albert was standing in the office looking utterly stunned, his lean body slumped as if in defeat. The place appeared to have been ravaged by something akin to a
tai-fun.
There were papers scattered everywhere, ledgers flung onto the floor and the strongbox stood wide open, its contents strewn all over the place.

‘Albert! What on earth is going on here?’ Killian stopped dead inside the door and reached behind him for Jess’ hand, pulling her in next to him.

Albert looked up, the expression on his homely face a strange mixture of joy and sadness. ‘Ah, Jess, Killian, there you are! I’m so pleased you made it back. We had the news from the purser, but …’ He spread his hands out to indicate the mess all around him and shook his head. ‘I’m so sorry. This wasn’t how I’d planned to welcome you.’

Killian went over to shake hands. ‘But what’s happened? Was the place burgled?’ he asked, while Jess greeted Albert with a fierce hug.

‘No, if only it were that simple.’ Albert passed a hand over his eyes and sank onto a chair. ‘Fergusson must have done this. Look, he’s been through all the papers and taken any important ones. They’re gone, every last one, and all the money too of course. This is all my fault.’

‘How can it be?’

‘When Jess disappeared, I decided not to tell him about us finding the will. Well, there seemed no point. Then when I received your letter from Cadiz, I thought I’d wait until at least one of you came back safely. But then this morning, Milner and I thought it was safe to confront him when we knew you’d both returned, but he threw us out of his house. Utterly refused to listen to reason.’ Albert sighed. ‘He must have come straight here afterwards. I should have waited until you were here. I’m so, so sorry …’

Jess put a hand on Albert’s shoulder. ‘You couldn’t have known, don’t worry. At least he won’t get his hands on the profit from the China venture.’

Albert turned bleak eyes on her. ‘But that’s just it, don’t you see? He will, because you can’t prove you’re the owner now. He’s taken everything.’

‘Not quite,’ Killian put in. ‘We’ve still got the original will. At least I think we do.’

‘Really?’ Albert looked up. ‘I thought you left that with Milner and I’m afraid the same thing’s happened to his office. I just had word from him.’

Killian gritted his teeth. ‘No, I left it with Mrs Ljung and she promised to keep it safe for me. We’d better go and make sure she’s all right. He’s bound to look in my lodgings, although hopefully he won’t think to check hers.’

‘Let’s hope not. He must be desperate to destroy it. He’ll probably ransack my house too.’

‘Then there’s no time to lose. Albert, you go and make sure he’s not at your place, then check on Milner. We’ll take Adair with us. Come and meet us at Mrs Ljung’s as soon as you can. And be careful.’

‘Very well.’

‘What about Brice? Should I take him to my mother’s first?’ Jess asked, her eyes wide and anxious.

‘No, it’s not safe. Fergusson might have gone back there. I want you both where I can see you,’ Killian gripped her hand, fear for her safety and that of their son making him squeeze it so tightly she winced.

‘Who’s Brice?’ Albert looked confused, then gasped as Jess turned around to show him the baby who was sleeping in his sling on her back. ‘Well, I never …’

Jess smiled briefly. ‘Our son, Brice Aaron Kinross. I’ll introduce you later. For now, we’d better hurry.’

All seemed quiet at Mrs Ljung’s house and at first they didn’t think she was even at home.

‘Adair, check her rooms carefully. We’ll keep watch here,’ Killian whispered, and Adair crept into the old lady’s parlour on silent feet, pulling a long dagger out of his boot as a precaution.

Killian and Jess waited in the small hallway at the bottom of the stairs, their ears straining for any suspicious sounds. Brice began to stir and to prevent him from grizzling, Killian quickly extracted him from the sling and gave him to Jess to hold. She bounced the baby in her arms and shushed him.

Adair soon came back and shook his head. ‘Empty,’ he breathed.

A muffled noise from upstairs made them all look up. Putting a finger to his lips in warning, Killian tip-toed up, trying not to step in the middle of each stair tread where the wood creaked the most. The door into his rooms was slightly ajar and he peered around with caution. He caught sight of something on the floor and froze, swallowing an exclamation of outrage.

Lying on the floor was poor Mrs Ljung, her face almost unrecognizable with blood pouring out of her nose and her hair all matted. She wasn’t moving, so Killian assumed she was either dead or unconscious.

In case it was a trap, he pushed the door open slowly and checked behind it before advancing into the room. He signalled for Adair to look in the second room, keeping Jess behind him just in case, but the youth soon came back. ‘Nae one there,’ he said. ‘The bastard must’ve gone.’ He looked at Jess, whose face was white with shock at seeing Mrs Ljung’s battered face and added. ‘Here, gie me Brice. Gang sit doon the noo.’

Killian threw himself down next to Mrs Ljung and knelt on the floor, checking for a pulse. To his relief, the old woman stirred when he touched her wrist and opened her eyes with a moan. ‘Hell and damnation,’ he gritted out, ‘is this Fergusson’s doing?’