Silver Sea (48 page)

Hortie led the way through a grove of palm trees, and soon the square white mansion with its castellated roof came into view. Nearly every window was dark; Adrienne realized that she didn't know the time. It could be midnight, or later! From a distance came the sound of the waves breaking on the beach.

"Look," Hortie breathed. She was just far enough ahead to have a view down the moonlit lawn toward the shoreline.

Adrienne looked, and her heart began to thump. Barely visible were dozens of dark figures wearing the short white pants favored by male slaves. They were partially illuminated by the lanterns that they were hanging on the palm trees and even from the horns of cattle. Terror spread through her body as she realized that the party of wreckers was lying in wait for the
Golden Eagle.

"Come!" Hortie pulled on her mistress's arm and led her up some verandah steps and into the rear door used by servants. The house was very quiet and very grand. Adrienne could smell furniture polish and see the outlines of great, gilt-framed portraits hanging on the walls.

Turning down a narrow corridor, Hortie signaled Adrienne to set Angus down at the foot of the back stairway. When the terrier was free, they waited nervously for him to lead them up to Lady Thomasina. However, Angus turned away from the stairs and started quickly and quietly to retrace their route until he had reached the reception rooms again.

The magnificent tall-case clock at the base of the hand-carved mahogany staircase struck one, startling Adrienne so that she covered her mouth to keep from gasping aloud. When Angus trotted up the stairs, the women had no choice but to follow. Adrienne felt weak with fear, and when she reached for Hortie's hand, she found that the housekeeper was shaking.

It was madness for them to just march up Crowe's Nest's grand staircase in full view! Why couldn't Angus have gone the way they'd originally pointed him?

Upon reaching the top step, he turned right and began sniffing at the doors, one by one. Adrienne and Hortie hung back, waiting for him to make a decision. Then, unexpectedly, Angus lifted his leg, relieved himself on a door frame, and strutted back in their direction. Adrienne turned to her companion with a look of horrified disbelief, and Hortie, nearly smiling, leaned up to her ear and whispered, "Lord Harms's room."

Angus had stopped by then, in front of a room on the other side of the staircase. His tail was wagging madly but he didn't make a sound. Hortie nodded confirmation, and Adrienne gently tried the door. Her heart beat so hard she thought it must burst. Slowly the door eased open and she could see a rather plain room with a high four-poster bed. Lying in the middle of it was Lady Thomasina, and Adrienne's first thought was that the bed's height would not allow her to get up or down without assistance. The bed was a prison in itself!

Angus scampered across the floor, nails clicking, leaped lightly onto the feather tick, and began to lick Lady Thomasina's face.

"My little darling!" she murmured hoarsely. "You have come back to Mummy."

The terrier snuggled onto the pillow beside her while the women hurried to her bedside. "My lady, it is Adrienne and Hortie." Her voice was clear and soft. "We brought Angus—and we are going to take you away from this place."

"They are poisoning me," Lady Thomasina gasped. "The middle of the night is the only time my mind clears."

Although shocked by her puffy eyes and bedraggled appearance, Adrienne was heartened to realize that Lady Thomasina had her wits about her—and perhaps a bit more physical strength than at any other time of the day. Hortie took her ladyship's swollen hand and began to weep.

"We haven't a moment to lose," Adrienne said crisply. "We must get you out of bed, my lady, and then out of this house."

"But Hunty...!"

"He's not here. Don't worry," she lied, "we'll send for him when you are safe at home with Nathan and me."

While Hortie was helping the old woman to sit up, Adrienne hurried over to the windows that faced the ocean, compelled to look. Pushing back the drapes, she saw that the coconut palms ringing Long Bay were hung with more bright lanterns. Adrienne shifted her focus to the sea. When she saw the sails of an approaching ship in the distance, waves of panic took her breath away.

"Nathan!" Her voice was scarcely audible, yet seemed to be a scream inside her. It was Angus, tugging at her skirt, that brought her back to the moment.

"Ma'am—" Hortie called. "We need your help."

"Of course." She rushed back to the bed and together she and Hortie got Lady Thomasina on her feet and helped her into a loose robe. "My lady, we must be very quiet, or we shall be discovered. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" she cried tearfully, then peered at Adrienne's costume. "Why are you wearing your hair in a kerchief? And that dress! Are you a slave here too?"

Adrienne nearly laughed, and was grateful for it. "I am in disguise, my lady." They started slowly toward the door.

"Hmm." Lady Thomasina sniffed. "Rather ridiculous, since you're clearly not colored."

"Perhaps, but I was just trying not to be noticed."

They had come to the door, and Adrienne peeked into the long corridor. It was thick with shadows, but there was no sign of anyone moving, so she nodded, and they shuffled forward. Lady Thomasina was a tremendous burden, for she leaned heavily on both women, breathing loudly and moaning from time to time.

Angus lightly trotted ahead, sniffing the air, and ducked into the room he'd marked earlier with his scent. Just as the others reached the top of the stairs, he reemerged, one of Huntsford Harms's new blue gloves dangling from his mouth.

Suddenly he stopped, teeth bared. "Grrrrrrr!"

At the other end of the corridor, a door flew open and a boy's voice shouted, "Auntie, look! I was right! I can see the intruders, and they have a wild animal who is growling at me!"

They were teetering on the top step, and a speedy escape was impossible. To ward off a possible assault, Adrienne called back through the darkness, "We aren't intruders. I am Adrienne Raveneau. We have come to take Lady Thomasina with her consent. And the animal is her little terrier, Angus."

A light shone in the doorway. The oil lamp haloed the face of Eloise Crowe and, lower, a young boy with dark curly hair. She took the boy's hand and they walked down the corridor, stopping a few feet away from Lady Thomasina and her rescuers.

"You see, Martin, there's no cause for alarm," Eloise said gently.

Adrienne picked up the growling Angus and petted him. It was hard for her to look into Eloise's haunted eyes. "Will you let us go, please?"

"Only if you take us with you." Her tone grew firmer as she spoke. "I don't want to stay here with Xavier any longer, and I want Martin to have a fit life for a boy his age."

"Auntie! I don't—" Then, abruptly, he fell silent, staring at the carpet. "I shouldn't betray Uncle."

"It's your welfare that concerns me, my dear," Eloise replied. "Your uncle is used to taking care of himself... and I don't believe he has earned our loyalty. He'd never let us go—"

"We should be delighted to assist you," Adrienne said.

"Good show!" Martin exclaimed. "A moonlit escape!"

"How kind you are, Mrs. Raveneau. We are deeply in your debt." Eloise smiled into Adrienne's eyes before urging, "Let us make haste before my husband returns and discovers us!"

Lady Thomasina gave her a faint smile of approval. "Brave girl. I like you."

The younger woman was unable to reply. In the shadows, her luminous eyes swam with tears of guilt for her part in Lady Thomasina's suffering. Could anyone ever forgive her?

As they helped Lady Thomasina down the stairs, Martin and Angus ran ahead to scout their path and to signal Philip to bring the carriage around. All went smoothly until they looked through the double doors downstairs and saw a familiar figure pacing on the front verandah and smoking a cheroot.

Martin waited for Adrienne. He was tellingly pale as he whispered, "Uncle is watching the ship that's sailing toward the reef. Perhaps he won't notice us—"

Adrienne glanced down at the boy, surprised by his knowledge of Crowe's clandestine activities. She led them on then, entering the rear corridor. Escape was in sight when the verandah door clattered behind them and Xavier Crowe's voice broke the silence.

"Eloise! Is that you?" His cheroot smoke wafted into the stairhall. "I can smell your perfume!" He paused, then took a step forward on the marble floor, calling slyly, "Don't make me hunt you, my beauty!"

All six of them, including Angus, froze in sheer terror. Martin grasped Eloise's arm, but she freed herself. "I'll join you outside," she commanded softly. "Go!"

Adrienne realized that, with Lady Thomasina in tow, they had no choice. They exited through the rear door, while Eloise retraced her steps, and the sound of her voice as she spoke to Crowe had a nightmarish quality as it followed them into the night. Martin did his duty and ran to signal Philip. Even as the carriage rolled toward them, Adrienne knew she couldn't leave Eloise behind so quickly.

Hortie and Martin were pulling and pushing Lady Thomasina into the carriage, and Adrienne caught Philip's arm. "Take them back into the sheltered area and wait—only a minute or two. I must see about Mrs. Crowe—"

"Go den, Mistress."

Looking into Philip's wise eyes, she knew that he would use his best judgment. With that, Adrienne lifted her skirts and hurried back inside. Raised voices immediately reached her ears.

"If you're looking for Raveneau, Madame," Crowe was saying, "I can assure you he won't be riding to your rescue tonight or any night. He lusts for his bride, not you."

"I told you, the moonlight woke me. I just wanted some air."

"Must I lock you in? Would you like to join her ladyship?" Biting laughter followed this suggestion. "Thank God for laudanum. It's the only way to keep my women docile!" There was a pause, then, "You didn't forget to give Lady Thomasina her special tea, did you? You know what will happen to Martin if you dare to defy me!"

"I know better than to defy you," Eloise said in a voice thick with tears. "I'll do anything you say if you just let me keep my mind clear. All these years, I haven't known which was worse—starving myself to be free of the laudanum, or eating your food and remaining a prisoner of that poison!" She began to sob. "Do you have any idea how much I despise myself for inflicting the same torture on Lady Thomasina?"

"Of course. Why do you think I chose you to take her the tea each day?"

"No, tell me—why?" Eloise's voice teetered on the verge of hysterics.

"Because it amuses me. Amusement is my
raison d'etre."
Crowe's tone was bored. "You, however, do not amuse me, and you are keeping me from this night's real entertainment. Go back upstairs and stay there."

From her hiding place, Adrienne recognized the threat in his voice. Sickened by the revelations in their conversation, she was determined not to leave without the tragic Eloise. She tiptoed lightly up the stairway and called down in a high voice, "Mistress, de ladyship callin' you! Come quick!"

Crowe barked, "Who's that?"

"Oh—" Eloise stopped, then exclaimed, "It's the new maid, Addie. She's been helping me with Lady Thomasina!" She started toward the stairway. "No, no, I'll go up—Xavier, don't trouble yourself." And still he was behind her.

Adrienne stepped back into the shadows so that only her headtie and fichu were identifiable. "Hurry, Mistress!"

As Eloise ascended, Xavier Crowe peered upward, puffing on his cheroot. "Addie, hmm? Are you one of our lovely quadroons?" And then a gust of wind rattled the verandah doors, reminding him of the adventure unfolding on the beach. "I'll be back... later," he promised, and turned on his heel.

The two women clung together on the top step, weak-kneed, each taking strength from the other. When the door had banged shut behind Crowe, Adrienne whispered, "Now. We'll have to run."

Hearts pounding, they went racing down the stairs. Eloise nearly tripped at the bottom, but Adrienne pulled her along, and then they were out the rear door, skirts lifted, running barefoot over the gravel toward the carriage hidden among the palm trees. Philip was waiting with the door open, and when they were inside, he climbed onto his perch and flicked the reins.

Exhausted, Adrienne fell back against her seat and pulled the headtie from her damp hair. "Thank God that is over. Now—"

"Now," Eloise interjected, "we must travel a few miles north to find Huntsford. He is searching the cove at Cave Bay for a treasure that doesn't exist. I heard Xavier talking about it today, and laughing. Not only is it appalling that Huntsford has spent hours digging, but I shudder to think what fate awaits him if he returns to Crowe's Nest after all of us are gone!"

"No!" Hortie protested. "No more adventuring!"

"I am inclined to agree," Adrienne said. "We are utterly fatigued, and I—"

"I want my son," Lady Thomasina said suddenly. Moments before she had appeared to be dozing, but now her eyes were open and her chin jutted out. "If you won't save my Hunty, you needn't bother with me!"

Angus took up howling again, and Adrienne threw up her hands. "All right! As soon as we've gained the open road, I'll instruct Philip to turn toward Cave Bay. I just hope that we all live to tell this tale!"

* * *

The wind was warm against Nathan's face as he leaned over the rail and studied the moonlit water. "I think I see Cobbler's Reef," he told Crenshaw. "Call my father."

Instantly Andre appeared. Zachary Minter was right behind him. "If you're certain, we must drop anchor—"

"You can't risk actually hitting the reef with this ship," Zach cried. "There's no time to lose!"

Nathan straightened and fixed both of them with steel-blue eyes. "We also can't risk backing off too soon and giving ourselves away. Xavier Crowe is profoundly shrewd. He'll smell it if we don't seem to be the genuine article."

"Why the devil would he suspect anyone of going to so much trouble to trap
him!"
Zach asked. "I mean, it's hardly a lark. We could die!"