Drake led his borrowed mount, Valiant, toward a sandy path that ran along the gently lapping river. A breeze blew from the east, ruffling his hair. Black clouds warned of a storm’s rapid approach. He’d heard of the fast-moving rains that swept over this part of the South Carolina coast. With the humidity high and the temperature rising, he’d be grateful if a good soak brought respite from the heat.
He followed the trail into a copse of tall oaks dripping with musty Spanish moss and edged by a thick growth of spiky, fan-shaped shrubs.
Thunder rolled in the distance. Valiant neighed and stamped his hoof, spraying sand and sending a lizard skittering into the undergrowth. Drake stroked the horse’s sleek gray muzzle while he studied the surrounding area. He meant to find a divergent path or hidden means of travel that might aid the covert operations of the Fox. Kirby had scouted much of the plantation’s rice fields and outer acreage the previous day. To Drake’s disgust, the lieutenant had found nothing suspicious.
Drake’s brow furrowed with frustrated anger. The narrow trail seemed to stretch out before him into another dead end, but he was certain there had to be something to give the brigand away. He only had to find it.
Three days had passed since his arrival at Brixton Hall. Three more days the Fox had been allowed to live unpunished while Anthony lay in a grave. It galled him that neither he nor any of Beaufort’s spies had made any headway in locating his prey. The trail grew colder by the hour.
Lost in his thoughts, he reached out and plucked a leaf from a nearby bush. Spring green, it reminded him of Elise’s lovely eyes. A twig snapped behind him. He turned and saw her peering around an overgrown shrub. For a moment, he wondered if his will had conjured her up. Obviously caught staring at him, she blushed and lowered her lashes before flashing him a beguiling smile.
He tied Valiant’s reins around a low branch and met her halfway as she walked toward him. Before either of them spoke, he drew her into his arms, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to hold her.
Elise didn’t resist, though she knew she should. It felt wonderful to abandon herself to the bliss of simply being with him, to forget the troubles that plagued her life if only for a few moments.
Watching him as she had been for the last several minutes, she’d realized she might try to deny her feelings to Prin, the Sayers, or even herself, but this Englishman fascinated her. The awareness terrified her, waged an internal war that confused as much as stimulated. How could she have fallen into the trap of wishing to be with this man when every instinct she possessed warned freedom should be her ultimate goal?
Drake brushed a light kiss across the top of her head. “Good morn, sweet. Seeing you here has turned this already fine day into sheer perfection.”
His words warmed her heart. “Sir, you’re a shameless flirt.”
“Hardly, love, I simply state the truth.”
Thunder rumbled again and Valiant whinnied nervously in protest of the portentous sound. Elise had been intent on Drake and hadn’t noticed the darkening sky. She suddenly wished she could hide. “I hate storms. You need to fetch Valiant. We’re in for a downpour. We should head back to the main house before it hits full force.”
The black, fast-moving clouds drew Drake’s attention. “I don’t think we’ll make the house before the deluge begins.”
A loud clap of thunder drowned out her reply. Her heart lurched with fear even as the first fat drops of rain hit the dusty path.
“Elise, don’t fret. Come with me. I’ll return you indoors.”
He reached for her hand just as another deafening blast of thunder boomed like a cannon above them. In her mind, she saw her burning home. She heard the screams of loved ones, smelled the horrible stench of scorched flesh and bone. Pure fear propelled her into action. “No time! The slave cabins are around the next bend.”
Drake rushed to collect Valiant. He leapt into the saddle, then leaned down to pluck her up and deposit her in front of him. Elise clamped her arms around Drake’s waist. She ducked her head and pressed her cheek to the center of his chest, drawing comfort from the steady beat of his heart. At Drake’s command, the horse sprang forward in an agitated race for escape.
The storm intensified. Bright bolts of forked lightning split the raging sky. Wind whipped through the trees and the rain struck like cold, sharp needles on Elise’s exposed skin. Desperate to calm her terror, she prayed for mercy, begging God to help them reach cover.
Drake reined Valiant to a halt outside the first structure in a long row of rustic cabins. He helped Elise dismount, jumped down beside her and set Valiant free to find his own shelter. Lightning flashed overhead and thunder crashed around them. A slave woman, her head wrapped in a kerchief, opened the door and bustled Elise inside as if she knew her well.
Inside the hovel, wind whistled through the parchment-thin walls, but at least the cabin provided a meager haven from the storm. Drake slammed and bolted the door against the wind. He ducked his head to keep from bumping it on the slated ceiling. In one quick glance he noted the dirt floor, simple table, bench and rolled mats along the wall. Disgusted by the rough treatment the slaves endured, he turned to find a dozen sets of large, wary coffee-colored eyes peering at him from the next room. Wanting to relieve the women’s anxiety, he started to offer his thanks for their shelter, but the door closed abruptly, leaving him and Elise alone.
Violent thunder shook the cabin. Elise spun to face him, her soft lips curved in a wobbly frown.
Drake gathered her close. Her arms locked around him as though she worried the wind might pick her up and steal her away.
When her trembling subsided, he lifted her chin. “Elise? How do you fare?”
“I’m so glad you’re here with me,” she whispered. “I never feel safe, but when I’m with you all the fear fades away.”
“You can stay with me forever if you wish.”
She pressed her cheek to his chest. Outside lightning flashed and the wind howled. Its cold fingers rattled the shutters. She shivered against him.
He held her tight, enjoying the way she fit against him. Never before had he felt as though a woman had been made just for him.
Outside, the storm continued to rage, but Elise no longer noticed. Her world had shrunk to include just the two of them, and her senses revolved solely around the man who held her with such protective care. The first man who’d made her feel secure. The first man she’d ever loved.
Ice spread through her veins. She didn’t want to love Amberly. He’d said she could stay with him forever, but he couldn’t truly be hers. Hadn’t Christian warned mere hours ago that Drake would soon leave for England? If she didn’t start using her head, she would be left with nothing but empty arms and a shattered heart.
She pulled away, a lonely ache forming in her chest that same moment.
“What is it, sweet?” Drake reached for her hand. “Come back to me. Don’t go.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “What must you think of me?”
“That you’re the most intriguing woman I’ve ever known.”
“Silly, you mean. I know it’s childish to fear storms.”
“I don’t think you’re silly. Tell me why you’re afraid.”
Elise clasped her arms around her middle and fought the temptation to lean on a person other than herself or Prin. She wanted to open up to him, to share a deeper bond, but what could she say that wouldn’t spur more questions and the revelation of her darkest secrets? She wanted to trust him, but in reality he was little more than a stranger.
“Tell me, sweet.”
Wind whistled through the shutters. The strength to fight him drained away. What would it hurt to tell him just one event in her past? She took a deep breath and related the story in a dull voice as if it had happened to someone else. “Two years ago my father’s farm was hit by a terrible storm. Lightning struck our home and burned it to the ground. Most of our slaves, all people I held dear, died trying to escape or extinguish the flames.”
Her throat constricted until her voice became a rough whisper. “That same night we suffered through all manner of violent weather. A tornado passed over and destroyed the outbuildings, including the slave cabins. Many of our people were found in the ensuing weeks, their bodies mangled as though the winds had carried them away and dropped them from a height.”
He urged her to sit on the rough-hewn bench and took the seat next to her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, he tucked her close against his side. “My darling girl, I can’t imagine what you must have suffered. I’m glad you’ve found safety here with the Sayers.”
She swallowed the bitter taste of denial. She could never tell him just how unsafe it was for her at Brixton Hall. Without examining her need to do so, she moved closer to him, like an orphan finding shelter on a bleak night. “You said you want to know my secrets. Few know this one. Indeed, I shouldn’t tell you if the truth be known, but...once the war ends, I plan to leave Brixton Hall for good.”
He frowned against her brow. “Why? Are you very unhappy here?”
The storm began to relent. Muted voices drifted in from the next room as she allowed her silence to speak for her.
He brushed his lips against her temple. “You’re not planning to leave alone, are you? If so, ’tis foolish to entertain such dangerous notions.”
“I’m not surprised you’d think so, but I don’t believe it is foolish. I’ve relied on myself since that horrible night. If the Lord made a way, I’d leave Brixton Hall today, but I have nowhere else to go.”
He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. “Why do you wish to leave? Are the Sayers cruel to you?”
“No.”
Drake’s tone turned chilly. “Is the puppy pestering you?”
“Puppy?” she asked, confused. “You mean Christian?”
“If he is, it will be my pleasure to persuade him otherwise.”
“There’s no need. Christian is my friend, not my dilemma.” Bemused by Drake’s unexpected display of irritation toward Christian, she wondered what her friend had done to encourage Drake’s dislike.
“Sayer had the nerve to warn me off you the night of the ball. I didn’t care for his presumption.”
Aha. She smiled against his damp shirt. “No, I don’t believe you would.”
He grunted, then said seriously, “If you want to leave, come with me. I’ll keep you safe.”
Hope bloomed inside her...then wilted. “And be what, your mistress?” She laughed with ill-concealed contempt. “Never. I promise you, I won’t ever be any man’s strumpet.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Long moments passed with only the rain dripping off the trees outside to mark the time. He’d meant to offer marriage. He realized the prospect was sudden, but why wait when he’d found a woman he could truly care for? He didn’t care if she agreed because she wished to leave the Sayers; at least she wouldn’t have chosen him for his wealth and title. He knew she was as drawn to him as he was to her. As far as he was concerned anything else could be dealt with and he would have a lifetime to convince her to love him.
“You said the Sayers are good to you.”
“They’re kind enough.” She glanced to their linked fingers, and eased her hand from his grasp. “But I wish to be away from here, to have a home of my own.”
“How do you plan to accomplish your goal? What of funds? If you refuse to be a mistress, how will you afford a home with no husband to secure one for you?”
“That’s why I’m still here.” Bitterness crept into her voice. “Brixton Hall is like quicksand. I’m up to my chin in it and no one cares.”
“I do.” Her face registered her distrust. He took both of her hands in his. “What can I do to make you realize I have only the best intentions toward you, Elise? What can I say to make you realize how quickly and completely I’ve come to care for you?”
She bit her lip. Her eloquent eyes spoke of her inner struggle to believe him.
“I don’t want you for a mistress. I want you for my wife.”
Elise couldn’t mistake his sincerity. Her heart began to race. For one brief moment she allowed herself to forget the suddenness of their situation and to imagine spending a lifetime with him. The vision made her lightheaded. She wanted to throw her arms around his neck and shout, “Yes, yes, yes!” Instead, she willed her pulse back to normal and shook her head, determined to stay planted in reality. “You’d marry me because I’m unhappy at Brixton Hall? You...you can’t just decide to wed a person on a whim.”
“Who says it’s a whim?” He shrugged as if they were discussing the most tepid topic, but his eyes were intense, expectant. “Can’t you tell when a man has fallen madly in love with you?”
Her heart did a peculiar little flip, then almost stopped beating altogether. Blood rushed in her ears. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. But no, she’d heard him quite distinctly. He loved her? Her own declaration of love sprang to her lips, but she bit her tongue. She couldn’t leave with him. It would be cruel madness to encourage him when she was chained to Brixton Hall.
She swallowed the painful lump in her throat and reached up to brush a soft black curl off his brow. “I wish I could marry you, Drake, but I cannot.” He started to speak, but she forestalled him by pulling away and placing her fingers over his lips. “Let’s talk of it no longer.”
“Don’t change the subject, woman. You can’t deliver the news you wish you could marry me, then forbid me to speak of it. I won’t have it.”
“Then we have nothing left to say. I won’t discuss marriage any longer.”
His expression proclaimed his displeasure. Clearly, he wasn’t used to being rejected. “You’re the most obstinate female imaginable.”
“So I’ve been told.” She traced his angular jaw and the long scar along his jaw. She hated the idea of him experiencing the least bit of pain. “What happened here? Did you fall?”
He released a frustrated breath and clawed his fingers through his damp hair. “No, if you must know, nothing so mundane. My younger brother, Anthony, had a ferocious temper. He was always trying to best me at fencing. I was seventeen at the time and refused to let him win. One day, unbeknownst to me, a young lady he fancied came to watch our practice. Naturally, I won.”
“Naturally,” she mocked, poking fun at his arrogance.
He laughed. “Cheeky girl. As you can imagine, Anthony’s pride was on the line. He flew into a rage, deciding to take off my head in the process. Fortunately, he missed my jugular and nicked my jaw instead.”
“He sounds like an animal.” His mouth tightened and she realized her faux pas. She wouldn’t like it if someone spoke ill of Prin. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t condemn a man I didn’t know.”
“No matter. Anthony’s temper was his worst quality, but he had a sharp sense of humor as well. I wish you could have known him.”
A horse whinnied outside and Elise jerked in surprise. She’d forgotten the world beyond the cabin, and she resented the reminder. “I don’t want to go, but perhaps we should head back to the house. Zechariah and the others will soon notice our absence and wonder what’s happened to us.”
“I suppose you’re right, although the idea of someone finding us here does hold some merit.”
“How can you think so?”
“Simple, my girl. If I claimed I compromised you, it would put an end to this game of fox and hound we’re playing. All I’d have to do is sit back and wait while Zechariah convinced you to wed me.”
She tried to laugh, but his reference to her as a fox made her quail. “Sadie and the other fine women of this cabin would vouch for my good name. Besides, do you really want a wife who must be forced to wed you?”
His jaw clenched. A flash of some unnamable emotion crossed his face before he could bury it behind a glib facade. He stood, straightened to his full height and wrenched open the door. “Good heavens, no. I had such a wife and it’s not a circumstance I’d care to repeat.”
Stunned by his announcement, Elise stared at the cabin door he’d shut on his way out. A spasm of unreasonable hurt pierced her chest. She saw how much her thoughtless comment wounded him. Obviously he held deep emotions for the woman who’d been his wife.
His wife.
He’d had a wife. Why the knowledge stung, she didn’t understand. He was a full-grown man. Of course he’d had a life before meeting her, but the thought of him in love with someone else cut to the quick.
A knock on the connecting door drew her attention. Sadie peered around from the next room. “You be all right, Miss Lisie? I knows you afraid of them sto’ms.”
“I’m fine,” she assured the older woman, “Thank you for loaning us your room.” With a hug and a wave to the other women, she left and hurried to find Drake.
The rain had stopped and the sky was blue again. Raindrops glistened on the leaves and pine nettles before dripping to the drenched earth. She breathed in the fresh, sweet air, hoping Drake hadn’t wandered off too far without her.
When she found him checking Valiant’s saddle, she heaved a sigh of relief. He didn’t bother to look up from his task and she ended up addressing his back. “Drake, please forgive me. I had no idea I’d be reminding you of hurtful memories.”
He paused in stroking the horse’s satiny neck. Somewhere in the trees overhead, a bird chirped for its mate. “There’s nothing to forgive, Elise. You didn’t wound me. My wife died years ago. Her memory is no longer a cause for grief.”
She wasn’t convinced, but his manner shouted his unwillingness to discuss the topic further. Renewed tension stretched taut between them. If not for the singing birds and the croak of a bullfrog nearby, they would have been stranded in silence.
He grasped the reins. “We should be on our way.”
“Yes, I suppose we must.” As they walked along the path, she watched him from under her lashes. He’d retied his shoulder-length hair at the nape of his neck with a cord of black leather. In spots, the dampness of his thin cotton shirt stuck to his thickly muscled back and arms. Truly, he was splendid, exceptional to look upon, and the gentlest man she’d ever met. Forced or not, the woman he’d wed would have been an imbecile not to adore him.
He turned his head and winked at her. Caught staring at him yet again, she pretended not to see his smug expression, and lifted her chin. The sharp movement caused her loose hairpins to rebel and several of them slipped free, sending the damp mass of her hair in a tumble down her back.
She heard him chuckle and saw him stoop to retrieve the mutinous pins.
She tried to arrange her hair into some semblance of order, but the pins refused to hold. “I never could do much with my own hair.” She brushed several thick strands back from her face. “Do I look presentable in the least?”
Elise caught her breath as Drake appraised her. His eyes were the color of molten gold in the sunlight and she wanted to bask in their warmth all day.
“You look stunning, love.” He took her hand and entwined their fingers, golden-brown and creamy-white. “I could admire you forever.”
She laughed nervously as they rejoined the path that led to the main house. “You must be addled.”
“Hello there!” a voice called out. They turned to see Christian meandering up the shaded trail.
Her friend was perfectly dry except for his sodden riding boots. His dark brown hair ruffled in the light breeze. He must have passed the storm in the shed near the dock. She’d forgotten he was so close by, that she’d been sent to ensure Drake didn’t discover him inspecting the weaponry she’d brought up from Charles Towne the previous day. She grimaced inwardly. Drake was making her lose her concentration as well as her heart.
“Hello, Sayer.” Drake eyed Christian with a mix of impatience and irritation. “How did you happen to sneak up behind us and miss the downpour as well?”
Christian shrugged, though he glared at their entwined hands. “By having the wits to go inside, Amberly. There’s a small shed near a dock upstream. Too bad neither of you had the same good sense. Why didn’t you head back to the house when you heard the storm’s approach?”
“We did start back.” Elise stepped in to diffuse the male aggression. “But we didn’t make it.”
“Obviously, Elise. You look like a drowned rat.”
“You must be blind,” Drake said. “Miss Cooper couldn’t help but look like a spring morning even on her worst day.”
“If you say so, Amberly.” Christian laughed. “So where did the two of you ride out the storm?”
“Sadie’s cabin.”
Christian smirked. “In a pinch, I suppose Sadie is an acceptable chaperone.”
Elise narrowed her eyes and tamped down the urge to box her friend’s ears. “Where’s your mount, Christian? It’s difficult to believe you intended to soil a fine pair of boots.”
“Of course not. I had to let Apollo find his own shelter when the storm hit. The sorry beast didn’t bother to return.”
“Intelligent animal,” Drake said cheerfully. “We had no such trouble with good Valiant here.” With eyes only for Elise, he said to Christian, “Don’t let us keep you, Sayer. We’ll meet you later, up at the house.”