Rapture's Tempest (28 page)

Reentering the house, he found his wife having tea in the front parlor.

“Good morning, darling,” he greeted her, kissing her cheek.

“Where have you been, Martin? You didn’t leave word with anyone where you were going,” Clara asked, irritated that he had been so inconsiderate.

“I’m sorry. I had thought to be back before you awakened. You were sleeping so soundly that I didn’t want to disturb you when I left,” he responded smoothly. Then, producing the small gift he’d purchased on his way home, he handed it to her. “I’ve brought you a present.”

Martin was aggravated by his wife’s demands, but he knew that she had to be kept happy. He had originally intended to give Sue the small locket, but he could always pick up another trinket for her later. Right now, he had to please Clara.

Sitting down beside her, he helped her to put on the necklace.

“Oh, thank you, Martin.” Clara seemed delighted with the gift and she turned to kiss him for it.

Pulling him to her, she kissed him deeply, hoping to encourage him, but Martin stiffened at her bold ploy.

“My dear, it’s broad daylight!” He tried to sound scandalized.

“I know,” she murmured throatily. “We’re all alone in the house, save for the servants, and they wouldn’t dare interrupt us.”

The last thing Martin felt like doing was going to bed with his wife. He felt no desire for her at all anymore, but he knew that he had to perform or she would think something was wrong between them.

Pretending a passion he certainly wasn’t experiencing, he pulled her to him and kissed her. With his eyes closed, he could imagine she was Delight, and he felt the familiar stirring deep within him.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Clara said, standing up and drawing him up with her.

Without another word exchanged between them, they headed up the front staircase. Just as they were disappearing around the curve, Martin looked back down to see Sue watching them with knowing eyes. He stifled a groan and continued on to the bedroom, thankful that soon he would be more in control of his life.

After leaving Jim and Ollie, Delight and Rose stopped at one of the small shops on Veranda Row to make a few quick purchases, in order to give their story about going shopping credibility, and then they headed home. Both had been excited about their day with Jim and Ollie on the steamer, but both knew that they couldn’t say a word about it in Clara’s presence. They had been anticipating a scene with Martin when they returned, and they were greatly relieved to find that he was closeted in the study with some gentlemen on business. Glad for the reprieve, they visited with Clara for a few minutes, Delight informing her of her dinner invitation before going upstairs to get ready.

Martin shook hands with Nathan Morgan and Gordon Tyndale. “I trust you find everything I was able to give you satisfactory?”

“Absolutely,” they replied, unwilling to say any more.

“Gentlemen, I understand your reluctance to speak freely, and I applaud you for it. Thank you for this.” He indicated the neat pile of Union dollars they had just given him. “And if I can be of any help in the future, just let me know. Especially where Westlake is concerned,” he added viciously.

“Good day, Mr. Montgomery.” Nathan and Gordon quickly left the study and the house.

Martin recounted the money he’d received after they’d gone and then hid it in the false bottom of his desk drawer. When the time came, he might need that money in a hurry, and he wanted to make sure that it was in a safe place.

Straightening his cuffs, he strode from the room, feeling
very self-assured and confident. In less than forty-eight hours, he had made himself a small fortune and arranged for Jim Westlake to be blown right out of the Mississippi River. Not bad for a couple of days’ work….

Nathan sent word for Wade to meet him at home as quickly as possible. Annabelle was curious at her father’s agitation and questioned him as he stood nervously in the parlor.

“What did you find out today, Father?”

“Nothing, darling, nothing.” His tone was distracted and she knew he was avoiding telling her something.

“What is it? I think I have a right to know. I’ve been involved in this thing since the beginning. This is no time to start shutting me out.”

Nathan looked at her, seriously considering her words. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I was only trying to protect you from further hurt.

“There are two things. First, Westlake has announced his engagement to another woman…”

“What?!”
Annabelle was stricken.

“That’s right. Yesterday he and Delight de Vries announced their betrothal.”

“I don’t believe it…why, that bastard!” She was livid. It had been bad enough to live with the broken engagement, but to live down his marriage to someone else so soon afterward…well, that was another story.

“I knew you’d be upset and I’m sorry.”

“No, you did the right thing in telling me, Father. Thank you.” She spoke slowly, controlling herself with an effort. “What else?”

“There’s a bit of intrigue to this part. Elroy was contacted today by Martin Montgomery. It seems he had some information that he wanted to sell to the right group of individuals. Namely—us.”

“What kind of information?”

“Montgomery overheard Marshall Westlake verifying that
they were carrying gold and that Jim’s next trip would be sometime later this week.”

Annabelle was instantly cautious. “Why would Montgomery want to give that information to us?”

“That’s what we were wondering. But from what he said, I think he hates Jim Westlake and wants him dead.”

“A man after my own heart…” she said coldly. “But why this hatred for Jim? I find that a bit difficult to swallow.”

“Do you want my personal opinion?”

“Of course.”

“I think the man hates Westlake because he got engaged to Delight.”

“You mean…you think Delight and Martin have a thing going on?”

“I don’t know if it’s gone that far, but, as you well know, Martin Montgomery is far younger than Clara and when they married he didn’t know too much about Delight. All he knew was that Clara had a daughter.”

“A h…so along comes Delight, all sweetness and virginity, and Martin thinks he’s in love…”

“Something like that. Anyway, for one reason or another, the man wants Jim Westlake out of the picture, and we’re going to try to take care of that for him when we go after the gold on his next trip.”

“Admirable,” she said with calculation.

They were interrupted then as the maid announced Wade’s arrival. When they had explained the circumstances of what they’d learned that day, Wade was certain that the time was right.

“I’ll do some checking on my end and even pull rank on Clayton if I have to. But, one way or another, I’ll have everything he told you verified by Tuesday morning.”

“Sounds good.”

“First, though, I think I’ll start with an unexpected visit to Dorrie Westlake. Maybe I can pick up something useful there tonight.”

“We’ll be waiting to hear from you,” Nathan told him.

“I’ll have my information to you no later than Tuesday.”

Pausing with Annabelle in the front hall, he drew her close and kissed her fervently. “Don’t let Westlake get to you. You are still the most beautiful woman in town.”

Annabelle needed his reassurances and kissed him back, “Thank you, Wade. If you get a chance to come by…”

“I’ll be back,” he told her fiercely. “It may be late, but I’ll come to you tonight.”

And, with that promise, he was gone on his quest for more information on the gold.

“Dinner was wonderful, Renee.” Jim leaned back on the sofa next to Delight, a contented man…almost. Very shortly, they would be alone, and then he would be completely satisfied. His eyes wandered hungrily over her as she sat demurely next to him.

“Thanks, Jim. I’m glad we had this chance for all of us to get together before you leave again.”

“Have you made any wedding plans yet?” Martha Westlake asked Delight.

“Nothing specific. We really haven’t had much time to talk about it.” She looked up at Jim adoringly.

“Well, if you need anything, Mother and I will be glad to help,” Dorrie offered enthusiastically.

Their lighthearted conversation was interrupted by a knock at the front door. Marshall went to answer it and he was more than surprised to find Wade MacIntosh on his doorstep.

“Good evening, Wade.”

“Marshall.” Wade knew that Marshall did not like him, but
at this point he didn’t care. “I was wondering if I could speak to Dorrie for a few minutes?”

“Of course, come in,” Marshall replied, with a graciousness he hardly felt. “We’re all in the parlor. Would you like to join us for an after-dinner drink?”

“Yes, that’s very kind of you.” Wade handed his coat to a servant and then followed him from the hall.

“Dorrie, you have a visitor,” Marshall told her.

“Wade, it’s so nice that you dropped by.” Dorrie smiled. “Come in and meet everyone. You know my brothers, and this is my mother and father. Marshall’s wife, Renee, and Jim’s fiancée, Delight de Vries.”

“Hello,” Wade said to everyone in the room generally. “Congratulations on your engagement Jim, Miss de Vries,” he told them cordially. While his manner was sincere he was, in reality, angry with Jim for causing Annabelle so much embarrassment.

“Thank you.”

“You’re deserving of congratulations, too,” Marshall reminded him. “We heard about your promotion.”

“I am pleased by it,” Wade told them truthfully, for he now had access to information concerning payroll shipments. “I feel I’ll be more greatly challenged where I am now.”

“What would you like?” Marshall asked as he moved to the liquor cabinet.

“A bourbon will be fine.”

“Sit down and join us.”

“Thank you.” Wade made himself comfortable on the chair nearest to Dorrie’s, knowing that he had to keep up the charade for just a few more days. He listened quietly to their chatter, adding a word now and then when they discussed something he knew about, but mostly Wade was an observer trying to pick up facts about when the shipment was going out.

The rest of the evening passed slowly for him, with little real information being bandied about. Only Delight’s obscure
reference to how much she was going to miss Jim when he had to leave again came close to telling Wade what he needed to know. Finally, realizing how late it was getting, he rose to go, and Dorrie accompanied him out into the hall.

“It was a lovely evening. I hope I didn’t spoil anything by coming by unannounced,” he said, courting her solicitously.

“Of course not. It was good to see you again.”

“Would you like to spend the day together, tomorrow?”

“I’m afraid I’ve already made plans with Mark, but thank you for asking,” she refused him gently.

“I’ll be in touch,” he told her easily, making a mental note to arrange extra duty for Mark Clayton tomorrow.

Kissing her gently on the cheek, he left the house, eager to return to Annabelle’s waiting arms. He made the ride to the Morgans’ house in record time and he was relieved to find that Nathan had already retired for the night and they were alone.

“How did it go?” Annabelle asked him as she brought him a drink. She had changed into a burgundy velvet dressing gown that clung to her figure suggestively, emphasizing the delicacy of her curves.

“I would rather have been here with you. I learned absolutely nothing of value. No reference was made concerning the next shipment or Jim’s upcoming trip.”

“Damn!” She sat down next to him on the sofa, frowning in concentration. “We’ll just have to assume that this next shipment is it, unless you can get us any conflicting reports by Tuesday.”

“Right.” He drank deeply from the bourbon she’d given him.

“Have you figured out how to get on board yet?”

“Gordon is working on that. We’re meeting Tuesday night to review the entire operation.”

“I want to go, too.”

“I’m sure your father won’t object. After all, you were instrumental in getting the information.”

Annabelle’s eyes gleamed at the thought of her revenge
against Jim. Love and hate are but a wit apart, and Annabelle had crossed over that line.

“I’d like Martin Montgomery to be totally satisfied with the raid,” she told him, her tone chilling as she visualized the attack on the
Enterprise
and Jim’s death.

“I’ll do my best for you, love.” Wade set his empty glass aside and pulled her into his arms. “I’d do anything for you…anything.”

“I know, Wade,” she said, before rewarding him with a kiss.

Reluctantly, they moved apart. “I have to go. I have duty first thing in the morning.”

“I wish you could stay,” she said with an honesty that had been lacking in her previous declarations to him.

“Annabelle. You know how I feel about you. Say the word and I’ll marry you tomorrow.”

“I know, Wade.” Annabelle paused. “When all this confusion is over and you’re back safely, I want you to ask me again.”

Wade embraced her and then kissed her tenderly. “I will.”

Jim closed the cabin door and turned slowly to face Delight.

“Alone, at last!” he grinned. “I thought the night would never end.”

Delight moved straight into his arms to kiss him.

When the kiss ended, she unbuttoned his shirt and slipped her hands under it to caress the hard muscles of his chest. Resting her cheek against him, she listened to the pounding of his heart. “I’ve been wanting to do this all night….”

“You’re not alone….” His fingers found the fastening at the back of her dinner dress and he worked to free her from the bothersome garment.

He bent to kiss her, his lips taunting hers with gentle, sweet caresses as his hands pushed the dress from her shoulders. “You’re going to have to help me with this thing,” he finally complained when he couldn’t free her from it.

Delight smiled, finding joy in his frustration. It felt wonderful
to know that he loved her so deeply and that his passion equaled hers. With slow, easy movements, she shed her dress and underthings, all the while keeping her eyes on Jim’s face.