Seacrets (32 page)

“I say we pay dear
Freddy
a little visit, right now and get ta the bottom of all this mystery.”

Godsey tossed the barkeep a few coins to cover the cost of the ales and off the three went in search of
Frederick
.

Daniel and Godsey waited a ways back from Freddy’s home. Aiden rode up to the front gate. There was an elderly woman standing in the doorway of the cottage. She stepped forward
, “Can I help ya with somethin’?

“Evenin’ to ya Mrs. I’m lookin’ for ya son Frederick. Is he about?”

“Mayhap, depends who’s askin’. Is he in trouble?” She asked.

“No ma’am. I’ll just be wantin’ a word with him, is all.” Aiden feigned a smile to throw off her suspicion.

The old woman said not another word, but disappeared into the cottage and in her place reappeared Frederick. “Oh, hello Mr. Hargendon. How are ya this fine evenin’, sir? What can I do for ya? Tis a bit early for the mail delivery, eh?” Freddy had a nervous laughter about him.

“Yes, yes, Freddy. Look son, the reason I’m ridin’ out here so late is I was wonderin’ how ya were ta be knowin’ right where ta be at the right time, today, eh? What were ya doin’ out in that desolate part of the country?” Aiden pressed Freddy
.

“I, I’m havin’ no idea what ya are talkin’ about, sir.” He was sweating, now, from being so nervous.

“Let me explain it ta the boy, Aiden.” Daniel stepped out of the darkness, with Godsey in tow. “My brother is wantin’ ta know how it is that ya have come ta know so much about an event that had not yet occurred?” Daniel spoke though clenched teeth.

“Easy, brother. Do
naught spook the boy. He’ll tell us what we’re wantin’ ta know, won’tcha boy?”

Frederick was wide
-eyed and full of fear.

“How did ya come ta know about my brother being shot?” Aiden continued with his interrogation
.

“Do ya have knowledge of who shot me? Answer me, boy! Daniel was incensed. He was very close to losing control and throttling the pup.

“If only she would have stopped chasing after you I would not have had to shoot you.” Freddy blurted out his confession. You see Captain Hargendon, Mallory had paid Mr. Kilern to get rid of Miss McCoveny so it would be clear sailin’ for you and she again. But
I
love her.
You do naught
. I wanted the chance ta show her what real love was all about. So, yes, I shot you! I shot you!” Freddy began to laugh an inhuman laughter. It was the laughter of a mad man. His knees buckled beneath him and he continued endlessly with the same insane laughter.

Aiden walked past Freddy and into the cottage. He spoke with Freddy’s mother of the incident and asked her to hold him in her custody until the magistrate could be contacted and they could figure out what could be done. Freddy obviously was having a breakdown of sorts.

Frederick’s mother offered her apologies to Daniel and his brother for the trouble her son has caused and promised not to let him out of her sight.

Aiden looked at Daniel squarely and said the next visit is to
Miss Mallory.

Ӝ

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

Mallory had been pacing the front porch for hours. She had gone back to Kilern’s holding and found the place in a shambles with blood on the walls and floor, but no Maura and no Kilern. Having been to Aiden’s estate earlier and finding no Daniel, Mallory could only guess what the scene was like if Daniel in fact was the one that discovered Maura in the clutches of his quartermaster. She told herself she must remain calm. If Daniel knew any of her involvement, he would have been here by now, questioning her.

“Just calm down, Mal.” She told herself. “No one has proof of anything.” Mallory continued to pace and flick her thumbnail across her top teeth in her nervousness.

“Just calm down from what Mallory, my poisonous little cobra.” Daniel’s voice shot out from the darkness.

“My God Danny you scared me half to death!” Mallory’s cheeks were burning red.

“Why look at you. Up and out of bed already. You must be feeling better to be able to call on me in the middle of a hot summer night.”

Daniel walked up onto the front porch and stood inches from Mallory.

He stared her down. Even though she hadn’t a clue what to expect from this encounter she was utterly aroused by his presence and close proximity. “Well
you
are
feeling better.” Mallory trailed her fingers down Daniel’s chest to the ties on the top of his trousers.

Daniel leaned in even closer and was just inches away from her lips. His piercing blue eyes were intently affixed on hers.
Mallory’s thick velvet lashes were just beginning to close down over amber colored eyes. Mallory sighed in anticipation of a long awaited kiss from her lover. “Oh Danny, I’ve waited so long for you to…”

“I’ve just come from Freddy’s house.” Daniel sarcastically sighed back at her.

Mallory’s eyes flew open. She knew that it was all over. “I had nothing to do with that little twit shooting you, Danny, I swear it!” Mallory pleaded with Daniel to let go of her arms. “You’re hurting me, Danny, let go!”

But ya did have somethin’ ta do with the kidnapping’ of Maura, did ya n
aught?” Daniel’s booming voice was so loud it caused a stir and Leif came out onto the front veranda.

“See here Hargendon, what is the meaning of this outrage
? Unhand my daughter, this instant!” Leif demanded.

“Here ya go, Gilmore. Have at her while ya can. I plan ta have her investigated by the magistrate for kidnappin’ and attempted murder.”
Daniel turned his back to them both then climbed atop Demon and casually sauntered down the bridle path away from the Gilmore estate, Mallory crying and screaming and blaming her father for every wrong-doing in the world.

Daniel met up with his brother and Godsey at the end of the bridle path.
“Thanks, brother, for lettin’ me handle Mallory my way. “Now we’ve got ta find Maura.”

“Look Cap’n I’ve got word out all over the docks not ta allow any female travelin’ by herself, ta buy passage aboard any ship. They’re supposed ta hold her there and come for us. That hasn’t happened yet so, she’s got ta be hidin’ ‘round here somewhere. Don’t ya be worryin’ Cap’n, we’ll find her.
Why don’t ya go back ta ya brother’s house and get some rest. In the mean time, I’ll go down, hang out by the docks, and speak with some o’ my ‘old cronies. I’ll send word if I find her.” Godsey placed a hand to his Captain’s shoulder and gave a gentle shove.

§

Daniel and Aiden finally reached Aiden’s estate and the two went into the library to take a few shots of brandy before trying to get some sleep. Aiden was out cold, stretched over the divan snoring, before he even finished his first flask.

Quinn entered the library, candle in hand. “Oh thank God you’re alright.
Ya mother has been worried sick over ya, Daniel.” Quinn placed a woolen lap blanket over her husband and offered Daniel the same.

“No thanks, Quinn, I’m too wound up ta sleep yet.” Daniel walked back over towards the liquor cabinet and poured himself another flask of brandy. It was going to take a lot of brandy to put him down, tonight.

“Alright, then, I’ll let ya mother know ya are alright.” Quinn kissed Daniel on the cheek and disappeared into the darkness of the foyer.

Daniel took his flask of brandy and walked out to the front porch. He noticed a line of smoke curling up and above the tree line. Daniel thought he was seeing things. He undid Demons reigns from his hitching post, mounted him and cautiously proceeded toward the guesthouse. As he
gained closeness, he could see a tiny flickering of light from a candle in the window. When finally he reached the guesthouse, he dismounted Demon and tied him to the fence. Daniel entered the garden area and very cautiously looking around not wanting to leave his back door open again, he slowly mounted the front steps of the cottage. The front door was slightly ajar. Daniel entered the foyer and quietly closed the door behind him.

He
continued through to the sitting room. His breathe was caught in his throat when he laid eyes on an angel…
his
angel. Sleeping peacefully, curled up on the divan, a book at her hand.

He approached her quietly and slowly not wanting to startle her. At the same time, if he were dreaming he was not yet ready to awaken.
Daniel knelt beside her and just stared at her for a long few minutes. He reached out to touch her face, to caress her cheek and to run his thumb across her full, soft, pink lips. He could wait no longer to know if he were dreaming or not.

“Maura, love, wake up, darlin’” Daniel whispered in her ear, while kissing the side of her face and breathing in that wonderful fragrance that was uniquely hers
.

Maura slowly began opening her eyes. She brought her hands up to wipe the sleep from them.
“Daniel, Oh my love, I thought I would ne’er see ya handsome face again or feel ya arms holdin’ me tight.” Maura placed her arms about Daniel’s neck and squeezed him ever so tight. She kissed him on his neck, his cheek and then finally on his mouth. Like it was the last kiss, she may ever taste from him. Daniel kissed her back with such ferocity that he scared his own self with the level of passion he felt for this woman.

“Daniel I have so much to tell y
a and a lot of it is so awful that I don’t know if I can speak of it. It may take a lifetime for me to be able to speak of the horror I have endured. But Aiden assured me ya do love me and ya will forgive me my sins.” Maura turned her eyes away from Daniel.

He lifted her chin and forced her to look into his eyes.
“My love, ya have nothin’ ya should be ashamed of with me.” Daniel kissed each tear soaked cheek and then on her mouth he placed another deep and gentle kiss. “Aiden told me what happened.”

“But He prom…”

Daniel placed a finger over her mouth. “Shh, shh, shh, Maura, he had to tell me. When he thought you had gone inta hidin’ ta protect me from knowin’  Kilern had violated ya he felt  he was wrong ta have made such a promise. And in the offing we also discovered who shot me in the garden that night.”

“Who was it?” Maura was shocked they had found out so soon.

“It was Frederick, the mail carrier. It seems he’s had a passionate infatuation about Mallory for quite some time and apparently she gave inta the lad’s wishes and he took it ta heart. So much so he would kill to have her. The lunatic thought if I were out of the way then…, well let’s just say he and Mallory will be in prison for a long while when I get through with them.”

Maura placed her hand to her chest in shock of the whole sorted affair.

“Well she and Kilern were in partnership with one another. She came out ta the house where Kilern was holding me captive and paid him ta get rid of me and make sure I never came back. He was goin’ ta …ta I canna talk about it. There is one thing that I do have ta speak about, with ya, though.” Maura nervously continued. She would not know how Daniel would accept the fact another man had taken her. She needed to find out just how strong their love really is.

With a stammer to her voice, she went on with her nightmarish tale. “The night all of this happened, the night that we were…
intimate in the carriage house. Well somethin’ happened that next day, between Kilern and myself. Oh I’m so disgusted I canna speak it.” Maura covered her face in her hands.

Daniel pulled her hands away from her face. He sat on the divan next to her, covered them both with his leather duster and held her tight.
“I know what happened, Maura. Aiden told me that, as well.” Daniel was gentle in his tone, brushing the stray hairs away from her face then lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “He also told me Kilern is no more. So ya need never speak of it again, Maura.” He squeezed her even tighter within his arms to affirm to her he would be able to get past the circumstances of her rape.

Maura instantly felt his acceptance of the matter and felt safe to continue.
“My greatest fear is that I’ve gotten with child and I won’t know for sure who’s child this really is, yours or his. I don’t want ta bring any shame upon ya family name.” Maura wiped yet a few more tears from beneath her eyes.

“Ya could never do that, lass.” Daniel gave his assurance.
“My love for ya is not that shallow. Ya fought with honor, woman, and then avenged ya self. How much more
shameless
is that? If ya are with child it will be
our
child. I’ve loved ya before I ever met ya, Maura McCoveny. I want ta marry ya and have lots of children. If it were not for you I would never have found out what a heart is for.” I only
existed
before I met ya, and now I am
livin’
.”

“I know this thing we share between us is a rarity in one’s lifetime. Ta me it feels right and just.

Tell me Maura, why did ya decide ta come back and not runaway?”

Maura placed her hands in his and looked him straight in the eye.
“I decided to trust in our love. To unearth the strength and depth of our relationship and know that it could withstand the storms behind
and
ahead of us. I didna want any ghosts ta be in between us when we finally came together.  Then she leaned in close and allowed Daniel to cradle her in his arms.