Once Upon a Diamond (3 page)

Drat
her brother and his plans to send her to England. Soon, he would be on his way
to the Mediterranean with his cargo. London wasn’t a major port town, but he
had insisted on making the journey up the Thames instead of having her travel cross-country
from Portsmouth.

If
she weren’t so ill, she would have refused to set foot in England altogether. But
it probably would have done no good. He would not have listened. She should
have never agreed to come here in the first place.

What’s
more, she thought angrily, he needed her now as much as she needed him. But Matthew
wasn’t about to expose any chink in his manly armor, especially to her. He had
proved that the day she’d heard her strong-willed, no-nonsense big brother cry,
something she had never heard him do in his entire life. It humbled her.

Oh,
he was a wonderful sibling in many ways, but she wished he would confide a bit
of his worries to her. They only had each other now, and he seemed to be hiding
something. It was more than his fears about the cargo that bothered him.

She
glanced over her shoulder and took one last look at the
Princess
, one of
the Wilcox ships bobbing gently on the Thames. A tiny frisson of fear tickled
the back of her neck.

What
is it, Matthew? What secrets are you trying to conceal from me? 

She’d
already hugged her brother good-bye, but she’d seen the sheen of worry in his
eyes when he’d let her go. At the last minute, guilt had compelled Matthew to
buy her a scarlet parrot from one of the vendors near the docks. She couldn’t
say no. Tears had tightened her throat, but she had forced another smile.

He
had always been kind and considerate, perhaps even a bit forceful at times, but
she loved him. She didn’t need him worrying about her. And good grief, she
didn’t need him choosing a husband for her now. For all she knew, he might find
her some man he knew in England. Though she felt weak, she had to show him some
semblance of strength.

The clatter of carriages and the hum of men working on
the docks
snapped her to the present.
The mixture of loud voices and hazy shapes seemed like a dream.

Biting back tears, she held the yellow-draped cage holding
her parrot, and plodded toward the hired carriage, struggling to peek past
London’s thick fog.
She
turned
her mind to her two feathered friends, the parrot and Mrs. Hollingsworth.

The latter was garbed in a flaming orange cloak, along
with a coordinating orange ostrich plume sticking out of her head. Kate raised
a bewildered brow as the lady munched on a scone, but Mrs. Hollingsworth
continued to be sideswiped by her hideous orange plume that refused to stand to
attention. A
fraid she would laugh out loud and embarrass the poor
woman,
Kate
kept her eyes to the
ground as she walked toward the hired carriage.

Perhaps
the ride to Ridgewater would be entertaining after all.   

A
pitiful whimper sounded behind Kate. She spun about, surprised to see a small
shadow hovering near the lamppost. It was a mutt. Her heart twisted. It was quite
ugly, but adorable in a queer sort of way. She bent down, dropped her cage and
stretched out her hand. “Come here, pup. Come now. I shan’t hurt you, boy.” 

The dog let out a hungry whine and inched forward. Kate
pulled out a piece of bread, feeding the poor creature a few crumbs. It looked
lost, alone, and very hungry. If someone just
–

“Katherine!” Mrs. Hollingsworth’s screech cut through
the fog. “My dear, I implore you. Do not set yourself too close to that thing! Mercy,
only look at the beast. It has only half an ear and barely a tail at all. I
daresay the animal’s been in every filth hole in London. Now come along before
you are bitten, or worse, catch some fatal disease!” 

Kate bit her tongue. Mrs. Hollingsworth meant well, but
sometimes the lady could be a bother that Kate could well do without, and that
was why she had made her own plans. Plans Matthew knew nothing about.

A swirling mist enveloped the orange lady as she stepped
into the carriage. Kate turned her attention back to the mutt beside her. The
pitiful creature didn’t smell as bad as it looked. A little food and rest, and
the dog would be in tiptop shape.

With a gloved hand, she stroked the dog’s back as it
finished the bread. “There you go, Handsome. Feeling better, boy?”

“Animals of any kind are not allowed inside, Miss,” the
driver announced, his pointy nose lifted high into the air.

Frowning, Kate fell to her knees and pulled the dog
close to her breast. She wished she could take the mutt along with her and keep
the animal safe. The poor thing looked like it needed a friend right now and so
did she.

“Forgive me, Handsome. But I can’t take you with me. If
you were smart, you’d hop on the back of my carriage for a lift. Keep well
now.” She patted the dog away, then hid the parrot behind her skirts and
mounted the carriage. Flashing a weak smile toward her companion, she plopped
onto the seat opposite her and set the birdcage onto the floor.

The vehicle rolled along, its squeaky wheels barely
making a dent in Mrs. Hollingsworth’s ceaseless chatter. The barking of a
lonely dog waned in the distance, lost in the fog just like her thoughts.

“Oh, Katherine.” Mrs. Hollingsworth clasped her chubby
hands together in excitement. “You are simply going to love England, my dear. Particularly
the Season in the ton. It’s divine. Simply divine.” 

Kate gave the woman a weak smile as the dreaded orange
plume wilted across the lady’s face. The ton? How could she have forgotten
about the cream of English Society? Her aunt was a duchess. That meant a
multitude of parties and balls. How would her body ever heal?

Mrs. Hollingsworth leaned closer, bringing her nose
within an inch of Kate’s. “My dear, I see you’re still feeling under the
weather. If I do say so myself, your color is something resembling dead
seaweed, and your beautiful blond hair has lost its luster completely.”

Kate knew all too well that she wasn’t the same woman
who left home. But dead seaweed? “My health is quite on the mend. Nothing to
worry about, I assure you.”

With two matching orange gloves, the older lady touched
Kate’s hand in a worrisome pat. “I’ve been thinking it over. Your plan, that
is.” 

The woman sniffed and pushed the plume out of her face. “I
simply do not have a good feeling about leaving you to ride to Ridgewater alone.
The duke’s grounds are hours from London. Your brother wanted me to make
certain you arrived safely.” She eyed Kate’s body with a tut-tut frown. “And
you did take quite a beating along the way,
ma petite
.”

Though Mrs. Hollingsworth was a dear, even with all her
eccentricities, Kate couldn’t last another hour with this lady. “Rest assured,
ma’am, I shall make it to my destination without complication. We already
agreed. Matthew has nothing to do with this. Remember, we are self-reliant
women and do not need a man to tell us what to do.” Especially brothers!

Mrs. Hollingsworth giggled. “So right, my dear. We women
must stick together. I shall let you go on by yourself as long as you promise
me you will go there straight away.”

Kate’s eyes perked up in amusement. “Are you by chance
suggesting I would go somewhere besides my aunt’s?”

“Of course not, dear. But you must beware of the
highwaymen who travel these roads.” 

The lady shivered and peered out the window as if there
were someone on horseback ready to shout,
Stand and deliver
. “Thieves,
cutthroats, Katherine, every last one of them. I’ll have you know that it was
almost a year ago today that a gentleman highwayman robbed my cousin on this
very route. Silver buttons and all.”

Kate had heard about highwaymen in England. But it was
rare for them to attack a hired coach, was it not?  She held the elder lady’s
hand in a friendly embrace and smiled. “No need to worry about me. We will drop
you off in London, and I can be on my way.”

“Oh, very well. It seems you have everything under
control.” 

Mrs. Hollingsworth leaned back against her seat and let
out a puff of air, trying to persuade her plume to stay out of her face. “But
remember, Katherine, I will invite you to one of my cousin’s balls during your
stay and find a host of gallant gentlemen to dance with you. My cousin, the one
who was robbed, why she’s the Countess of Brackshire, you know.”

Kate turned her head toward the window. “I won’t
forget.” Gallant gentleman indeed. Matthew must have spoken to Mrs.
Hollingsworth about his list of suitors as well.

If
Matthew had already shuffled her to London and closeted her in a carriage with
Mrs. Hollingsworth for an entire day, heaven knows what breed of man he would
find for her. But she would find a husband before he did. None of those
poppycock Boston marriages of convenience for her.
No, she would not be lonely, and she would not be sorry.

No, indeed. She would marry for love.

An hour later Mrs. Hollingsworth was on her merry way. All
Kate needed now was a little peace. She stretched her legs across the seat,
searching for a comfortable position.

Her gown hung loosely on her body, making her all too
aware of the weight she had lost on the voyage. Sighing, she bunched her cloak
into a ball, stuffing it beneath her head for a makeshift pillow. Every hour
brought her closer to her destination. She realized that facing her past was
inevitable. She drew in a tired sigh and closed her eyes.

As
soon as she packed her fears away, the clattering wheels lulled her into a
deep, needed sleep. She had no idea that her dream of a ship tossing her to and
fro in an angry sea matched her swaying carriage, fighting a savage storm of
its own.

When the ship came to a grinding halt, she shot from her
seat, banging her head against the side of the carriage. She rubbed her head
with her hand, then pulled the curtain back from the window, peering out into
the stormy night.

Clouds darkened the sky as if it were midnight. Rain
hammered against the carriage while thunder roared through the walls. It was
impossible for travel. In the back of her mind, a little voice whispered that
maybe she should not have left Mrs. Hollingsworth back in London.

A shudder of fear swept through her. Perhaps Matthew had
known what he was doing all along. Her ears lifted to the frightened nicker of
horses. Beside her the parrot began to flap wildly. Where was her driver? And
what had made them stop so suddenly?

Taking her cloak, she wrapped it around her body,
pulling the hood tight. She reached for the carriage door, opened it, and
squinted past the sheets of rain slapping her face.

She managed to make out the shadowed outline of another
carriage stopped alongside them. Her heart skipped a beat. What if it held a
caravan of cutthroats? What if Mrs. Hollingsworth was correct about the
highwaymen? What if her driver had been hurt or killed? 

She took a hesitant step forward, caught her cloak on
the door, and fell into the mud with a splat. Her hands slid against the muck
as she tried to pull herself up, only to slip again with the mud pushing up her
sleeves. Anger soon replaced any fear as she tried to stand. Drat England and
its weather. Drat Matthew and his plans. Drat everything! Drat
–

The hair on the back of her neck prickled with unease
when a male voice pierced the air.

Before she could turn to see who it was, a steel arm
wrapped around her waist, hoisting her to her feet.
She
barely caught her breath when her gaze locked on a
large figure dressed in a flapping black cloak. The man
held a
small lantern that cast an eerie mask about his features.

She
didn’t have to know what he looked like to know who he was. The way those
silver buttons winked against the light instantly told her the truth.

Heaven
help her! He was Mrs. Hollingsworth’s highwayman!

Chapter Three

H
orror filled Kate
as she struggled against the man’s grasp. With a groan, she gave him a swift
kick to the shin, causing him to release her.

 “Whoa there,” he shouted, his baritone voice ringing in
her ears.

 “I am not a horse,” she snapped as the water pummeled
her face. She had no intention of being his next victim. But where was her
driver? Had this man killed him?

“A horse, no. A mule maybe.” 

The storm seemed to drown out most of his chuckle, but
she’d heard his words clearly enough. She had no time to react when he grabbed
her elbow and ushered her forward. Her stomach coiled in fear at the strength
she felt emanating from the man.

“Your carriage...blocked by a fallen tree and so is
mine.” His words carried over the thunder, swooshing against the wind that had
suddenly picked up. “We can...rest of the way...storm won’t let up...won’t be
going anywhere for a time.”

  He continued to shout beneath the roaring thunder,
dragging Kate along with him as if she were a drowned cat. She dug her heels
into the muddy road and stood motionless.

The rain continued to spit against her body. Slowly she
was beginning to understand. “
What
did you say?” 

“I
said there’s an inn up the road... not far from my home.” His finger directed
the way just as the wind began to die down. “We can stay there for the night. Your
driver can bring the trunks along after us.”

Again,
he tugged her toward his desired destination. Kate’s eyes closed into two
narrow slits of anger. Had she heard correctly?
We?
She could have sworn
the heavens exploded with laughter just as the situation finally hit her.

To
her dismay, the man’s face was still shadowed from the storm. The lantern was
beginning to dim, fading into the surrounding darkness. “We?” She jerked her
arm away and gave him a condescending stare.

Oh no, he was not a thief. He was an abominable rake. She
had met men like him in Boston. A few sharp words and a cool glare from her
usually did the trick. But in this rain it would be hard to create that
scenario. However, her driver was probably somewhere near, inspecting the
carriage, so she wasn’t entirely alone.

 “How
dare you think that I would go with you! My driver is somewhere near and he
will
–
”
Will what? She had no idea.

She
didn’t finish her little speech. She spun on her heels, returning to the safe
confines of her carriage, her boots plodding through the mud while the man’s
rumbling laughter rang in her ears.

She saw
her driver inspecting the road and bit the inside of her cheek, fisting her
clammy hands against her cloak. She absolutely hated England. This entire trip
was a nightmare, and when she saw Matthew again she was going to tell him that
she
was going to find
him
a bride and see what he said about that!  

Thirty
minutes later, after returning from examining the blockage down the lane,
Kate’s driver finally opened the door to the carriage and peeked inside. Kate
was wet and freezing. She only hoped the man could perform a miracle and get
them moving again. If not, she hoped the driver could at least find some
shelter for them other than that inn!

“It don’t look good, Miss. Roads are flooding and the
tree is too big to move on me own. Best you stay at the inn up there. Not
another one within walking distance. Looks warm, but you stay beneath that hood
of yours when you ask for a room. Some of those men ain’t looking too pleasant
for the likes of me. Don’t think there’s a private room for dining, but if
you’re hungry, you could probably ask for a tray to be sent to your chambers.”

 Kate was amazed the driver had uttered more than ten
words to her. He hadn’t seemed at all that pleased with his position in the
first place.

“Thank you. You must be feeling poorly being out in the
rain like that.” She reached into her pockets and pulled out some coins. “I
would appreciate it if you brought my trunks inside after me and then obtained
a good meal for yourself.”

The man shook his head and pushed the money back into
her gloved hands. “Your brother already paid me, Miss, and I’m sorry to say,
one of them wheels don’t look so good. I should have stopped a while back. But
you see, me wife and I had a bit of a spat this morning, and I came to be
thinking about her instead of me driving.”

Kate pressed the coins into his large hand, realizing
the reason for his snooty behavior earlier. “Take them. Please.”

“Thank you kindly, Miss. Now, if you want to be waiting
until I can escort you there
–
”

“No, no,” Kate said, clasping her hood and birdcage with
each hand, “I can see to it myself.”

The man pursed his lips just like Matthew would have
done when Kate did something wrong. Kate felt the color rise in her cheeks. It
was obvious she had left her chaperone back in London, and the man didn’t
approve.

She lifted her chin. “Truly, I am quite capable.”

The man rubbed his red nose with a gloved hand and
glanced at the yellow draped cage. “I’ll be along as quick as I can, Miss.”

With birdcage in hand, Kate plodded down the muddy lane
to the inn. She squinted at the sign above her,
The Hunting Fox Inn
,
vaguely remembering the quaint little place from when she’d visited her aunt
and uncle ten years ago.

It was less than a half-day’s ride from Ridgewater Manor.
Oh, why hadn’t the storm waited another few hours? But then again, if she
hadn’t dropped Mrs. Hollingsworth off at her cousin’s townhouse, she probably
would already have been situated at Ridgewater Manor for the night. Matthew
would have an apoplexy if he could see her now.

Kate took a last glance over her shoulder at the fallen
tree that had decided to interrupt her plans. The rain slapped against her
face, and her bottom lip trembled. Her predicament was partly of her own making.
Her impulsive nature always seemed to steer her into trouble, her father would
say.

And at this point, she realized she would rather take
her chances with Matthew and his list of insufferable suitors than go into that
ghastly place where
that man
was staying. She had no wish to meet up
with him again.

Drawing
in a courageous breath, she opened the door of the inn, stepping across the
threshold. A strong gust of wind whipped across the tables.

Scowling,
she whirled around to push the heavy door closed.

The
rowdy customers, all men, except for the servants, stared at her as if she were
Napoleon himself. Still dazed, she tried to focus her gaze inside the dimly lit
taproom.

An
unpleasant taste filled her throat as she caught sight of the questioning eyes still
peering her way. Smoke, sweat, and spirits filed past her nose. Her knees began
to weaken, but pride forced her to stiffen her spine and hold her chin high.

Her eyes darted about, searching for a seat before she
fainted from pure exhaustion. Observing an empty table near the fire, she
skirted past the ogling men and sat down, the covered birdcage resting beside
her. She needed a room, but first she needed to catch her breath.

She
could remember sitting in this same inn with her father and uncle years ago. The
place had been overflowing with people.

Surely,
someone would know the duke. Yet it was not as if she wanted anyone to know she
had traveled without a chaperone. If Matthew found out about her little
escapade, she would be married in no time. She would have to keep her name a
secret, at least for now.

Heaving a tired sigh, she lifted her eyes from beneath
her soggy hood. Her stomach rose to her throat. She had not seen the
dark-haired man opposite her until it was too late. And the lady! Well, not
exactly a lady.

Kate’s eyes widened. But then again, maybe some would
call her a lady of the night with her painted cherry lips, fiery red hair, and
that expanse of plump, creamy flesh spilling out of her scarlet gown. This
female certainly wasn’t here ten years ago!

“Time’s up Maggie, my girl.” 

The man across from her whispered so low that Kate
almost didn’t hear him. He patted the lady’s bottom and sent her on her way,
Maggie’s giggles assaulting Kate’s ears like the pounding storm. Then the
well-dressed man turned his narrowed gaze upon Kate, his lips slowly curving
into a wry smirk. She noted the twinkle in his emerald eyes, and her heart
stumbled.

He looked about Matthew’s age, and if she guessed
correctly, the man did not need any padding in his jacket to add to his
athletic build. He had blue-black hair and a slash of brows to match. Some
might call him handsome. Kate felt just plain ugly sitting in front of him.     

“I’m s-s-sorry sir.” The words came out shaky like the
rest of her. “I th-thought this table empty.” She hoped he would not send her
away, at least not until her driver appeared.

Not having the strength to move, she decided not to try.
An icy chill skidded down her back, seeping its way into her bones. Sinking
lower in her seat, she pushed back her embarrassment, meeting the man’s
intensive gaze.

Something tugged at her brain, but she wasn’t sure what.
She felt so tired. He reminded her of someone. One of Matthew’s friends
perhaps? Someone she had seen at the inn long ago? Oh, that would be just what
she needed to finalize her day! 

But whoever he was, she hoped the gentleman would have a
bit of sympathy and not chase her away. She had no wish to bump into that
scoundrel from outside. And where was he? She hadn’t noticed that black cloak
anywhere or those silver buttons.

It took all her will power to lift her chin higher and
heave an authoritative posture. She caught a whiff of something that drifted
between pines and leather. His scent. She didn’t know why, but she liked it
instantly. Perhaps because pines reminded her of home and her father.

The man’s gaze lingered on her disheveled form, and he
opened his mouth to speak when suddenly the proprietor of the inn, a short
pudgy man with white whiskers, scampered across the room, waving his hand
within an inch of Kate’s face. “Move wench! Out! His lordship ain’t needing the
likes of you. Off with you now.”

Before Kate could utter a single word, the fine looking
gentleman cocked a black brow toward the owner. “The lady’s with me.” His
announcement was loud enough to let the rest of the men in the tap comprehend
the situation as well.

A small murmur rumbled throughout the room.

The proprietor turned red with embarrassment. “Didn’t
know she was a friend of yours, your lordship. I would never…er…if I had known
she was a friend of an earl
–
” 

The plump man wiped a hand across his sweating forehead,
searching for the words that would not make him look like a fool.

The earl crooked his finger toward the proprietor. “Get
a bed and a warm bath ready for her. Clean sheets, her own chamber, and bill it
to me.”

The proprietor stared back at him in astonishment, then
threw a puzzled look at Kate. “Certainly, your lordship.”

Flabbergasted, Kate held tight to her seat. She would
recognize that baritone voice anywhere, even without the silver buttons! It was
just her luck to choose the one table where that hideous man from outside had
found a seat as well.

Had the arrogant oaf just announced that she was with
him? And an earl at that? It would be impossible to keep this from Matthew if
anyone discovered who she was.

She would have to stay on her guard now. She was tired,
but she wasn’t dead. That finely chiseled face belonging to that huge frame and
fashionable blue brocade coat would not be taking her anywhere. She would be
going alone, or she would be going nowhere.

The inn door flew open, and her driver fumbled forward,
carrying her trunks. He searched her out. “Where do you want them, Miss?” 

It seemed the earl had caught a glimpse of her lost
expression and turned toward the driver. “Send them upstairs.” He gestured to
the proprietor to direct the man to the appropriate room.

Kate stood and shoved her hands on the table to follow
her belongings. Enough was enough. But the earl stopped her by placing his
large hands over hers. A warm sensation flooded her senses. Their eyes met and
a brief shiver swept through her.  

He squeezed her hand in a sympathetic gesture. “No
reason for you to be afraid,” he said softly. “I only want to help. Would you
care for some food?” 

Her stomach growled, and she realized that food would be
wonderful. For the first time in a long time, she was starved. But could she
eat with this man? Could she trust him? She could always ask for a tray to be
sent up, but the man was already billing the room in his name. What a mess she
had made leaving Mrs. Hollingsworth back in London!

He pulled back his hand, as if sensing her fear. “We
seemed to get off on the wrong foot. Literally, I believe.”  The corners of his
eyes crinkled into a boyish smile.