Authors: Susannah Merrill
Far from immune to his friendliness, Sarah’s spirits recovered with the balm and she answered brightly, “It must have been quite a shock to you both to see Stew – Mr. Chamberlain here. I can understand her excitement.”
Ross bent his head to her ear, murmuring, “Between you and me, I think the shock was seeing him with such a lovely lady. ‘Licia is insanely jealous, especially of beauties with youth on their side.”
Sarah laughed nervously as a blush rose to her cheeks. “Your sister is far from old and it’s clear Mr. Chamberlain adores her.” Unfortunately that seemed to be true, Sarah thought as Ross seated her where she could see the handsome couple approach. Stewart’s hand rode her small waist as Felicia cuddled against him, a look of pure bliss on her aristocratic features. He, too, was easily, as if Christmas had come early.
Felicia practically moving her chair onto Stewart’s lap, a waiter appeared with a fresh pot of tea, cakes and extra cups for the new arrivals. Felicia poured as if she were born to hostessing, which must serve her well at Court, and the conversation hummed gaily, although Sarah found it difficult to match the lively mood of the three friends.
Felicia cleverly directed the flow of words toward mutual friends and the goings-on at Court, subjects of which Sarah cared precious little. But Ross was kind, finding ways to include her even though his sister refused to change her tactics. Occasionally she looked up from her teacup to find Stewart’s gaze on her, but he never spoke directly to her, and that was the most alienating thing of all, as if she were suddenly an unwelcome stranger to him.
Howithappened,Sarahcouldnotrecall,but all at once the conversation shifted to their abduction and the pirates’ way of dealing with them. Felicia was suddenly most interested in Sarah’s welfare and began pressing her for details.
“I’ve heard the most hideous stories about what ugly men do to women they capture. However did you survive?” The woman’s eyes fairly danced with curiosity.
“But that is incredible,” Felicia probed. “I would think they would go mad to have a lovely girl like you.”
At Sarah’s shocked expression, Stewart interrupted sternly, “Felicia, Sarah was spared but the ordeal was very difficult. Aren’t you being rude to press her?”
“Oh my dear,” Felicia babbled apologetically. “I did not mean to upset you. It is just that I have never met any woman abducted by pirates, though I daresay it could happen to anyone who sails these beastly waters. I only thought that if you could tell me how you were spared, it might help should I ....”
Again Stewart cut in. “We convinced them that Sarah and I were married. I knew the leader and he respected our situation.” Shocked by his admission, Sarah gulped as Felicia gasped, but whether in outrage or merely surprise, Sarah could not tell.
“Why, this is fascinating!” the black-haired beauty finally uttered, her violet eyes flashing. “The two of you posing as man and wife. How terribly clever of you, Stewart,” she cried with a slightly malicious gleam before turning her full attention to Sarah. “Did you actually share the same quarters?”
It was impossible for Sarah to stand this malevolent interrogation and to the surprise of all, she abruptly rose, stammering, “I-I really am feeling – rather tired. If you will excuse me ....” She bolted for the exit, oblivious to the sounds of Felicia’s feigned concern and Ross’s quiet but angry rebuke.
Just as she reached the area of the registration desk, realizing that she might have nowhere to go if her suite were not yet ready, Sarah felt the rock hardness of a sinewy hand on her arm. She whirled about, a furious expression contorting her smooth features, crying, “Don’t touch me!” to her tall, grim-faced captor. But Stewart’s grip was immovable as he silently pushed her toward a vacant cloakroom off to the side of the hotel lobby.
With resolute firmness, he pinned her shoulders against the wood-paneled wall and held her there until, with an angry moan, she ceased her struggles, glaring at him with naked anger. “You shouldn’t have run off like that,” he said coldly, his brown eyes piercing.
“What?” she screeched, livid over his insensitivity. “You heard her! She was dying to embarrass me with her scurrilous insinuations,” she hissed, her breasts heaving. “I do not have to take that from the Queen herself!” she spat as her blue eyes turned molten. “And you! Admitting our ploy as if you wanted to make her jealous! How could you compromise me so?”
Stewart’s demeanor was as though he had not heard her barbs. “You shouldn’t have run,” he repeated quietly. “Had you stayed, I would have handled everything. Now Felicia thinks you have something to hide.”
“That is all you care about,” she sobbed, furious with herself for starting to cry. “Would Lady Amberling be so glad to see you if she had known you were unfaithful to her?”
“Thatwas not my concern,” he rejoined sharply. “You are the one who worries about appearances. You could have spared yourself Felicia’s suspicions if you hadn’t acted so rashly ....” For a moment he stared at her. “Whatever happened to that clever woman I was captured with?” His sudden switch to cajolery did more to destroy her composure than his anger, and with a swift yank, she pushed his hands away, covering her bleary eyes with shaking hands.
“Sarah?”hemurmured,hisdeepvoicea mixture of surprise and concern. “What in the world is bothering you? Surely Felicia’s cattiness was not that devastating, unless ...” he speculated aloud, his fingers brushing a curling tendril from her shoulder, “there’s a bit of jealousy involved ....”
“Your arrogance astounds me, sir!” she bit back as her head snapped up to glare into his gently mocking brown eyes. “You would love to believe that, wouldn’t you? Well, you are wrong! I don’t care who has shared your bed, only that I was unfortunate enough to be one of them!”
Her barbs seemed to have no a ffect on him. In fact, a teasing smile played on his firm lips. “Perhaps I should remind you that you once assured me you felt no regret over our affair. Indeed, you were a most happy and eager lover, and my memories of those moments are quite good.” He paused, holding her gaze. “I think yours are too.”
He was making love to her right there in the cloakroom, with his soft words and caressing eyes. They seemed to penetrate her very soul. Sarah knew if she were not vigilant, she could easily lose herself to his overpowering mastery. But if nothing else, she had learned to be careful. “You knave,” she spat. “Bringing that up when your – your mistress is in the very next room!”
“Our relationship is none of your business, you know,” he warned. “Neither is what happened between us any business of Felicia’s as she is quite aware.”
“Do you think for one moment I would have tumbled into your bed had I known you were ... involved?” she whined, feeling overwhelmed by his rational mien.
“Only you can answer that, Sarah,” he answered quietly. “But I tell you this: Felicia is my concern, not yours. And I have no regrets, I assure you.” Before she could level another retort, he said, “Come now. Let me take you back to the others.”
“No!” she hissed, pulling away the hand he had tried to capture. “I cannot go back now. Don’t you understand?”
His insistence was infuriating, but his logic was sound. “It will be worse if you don’t. Felicia isn’t the only one who’ll be asking you questions about our ordeal. Though,” he admitted, “I daresay she is the most indiscreet. Now is as good a time as any to learn to manage these inquiries.” With a brotherly squeeze, he encouraged her, “I have seen you handle yourself better under more trying circumstances. I have every confidence in your abilities.”
He was right, of course, though she was loathe to admit it to his face. With a fearsome look and an angry sniff in his direction, Sarah pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve, dabbed her eyes, then squared her shoulders and marched ahead of him out of the cloakroom. But she almost lost her nerve when, as they reentered the dining room, her eyes fell on the hostile, jealous stare of the ravenhaired beauty across the room.
It was obvious she had counted on Sarah not returning. But Stewart’s broad hand was pushing into the small of her back and she was forced to suffer Felicia’s insulting gleam until Stewart had seated her again next to Ross.
“Iapologize,”shesaidbeforeanyoneelse had a chance to speak, “for making a scene.” Fortunately her voice was unaffected by her wildly beating heart, and this gave her the confidence to continue. Looking directly at Felicia, who was eying her with new interest, she explained, “My maid, a very dear woman, was killed during our ordeal, and it’s rather difficult for me to discuss our captivity without remembering her misfortune ....”
“Sarah ...” Ross interrupted sympathetically, but she held up her hand to quiet him, giving the handsome man a soft, pleading look.
“Were it not for Captain Slade, who suggested that Mr. Chamberlain and I pose as newlyweds, I would surely have suffered a similar fate.” She glanced at Stewart and was encouraged by his admiring gaze. “Our charade made it possible for Mr. Chamberlain to protect me from harm ... and I am grateful to him for his sensitivity to my plight.”
With a charming blush that only she and Stewart knew was born of a lie, she added, “I have led a very sheltered life, and was embarrassed by Mr. Chamberlain’s admission of our ploy, although I have no reason to be.” She awarded him with a sweet smile, as one would give a kindly uncle. “He was most understanding and spared us both a great deal of awkwardness. And, of course, I cannot understate the fact that he saved my life.”
“Whydarling,howgallantofyou!”Felicia cried, delightedly, patting Stewart’s check with a well-buffed hand. “Sarah, I am so sorry if my inquiries disturbed you. And your poor maid. Please forgive my terrible faux pas,” she churned. “Stewart is quite the devil at times. I naturally assumed ....”
“Would you like more tea, Sarah,” Ross quickly intervened, giving his sister a killing look, though Felicia’s expression of triumph remained.
“No thank you,” Sarah replied, returning Ross’s kindness with a grateful smile. “I really am quite tired. Mr. Chamberlain, do you think perhaps our rooms are ready now?”
Ross stood up, too. “It has been a pleasure meeting you, Sarah. Will we see you at dinner? I believe serving begins at eight.” Sarah’s eyes went to Stewart, noticing the tiny frown that creased his brow.
“I thought Sarah might prefer dinner in her suite. There’s a dress maker coming to help her replenish her wardrobe, since we weren’t able to take much with us. But if you’d rather ....” he turned questioning eyes to Sarah.
“Perhaps we can dine together tomorrow?” she begged Ross sweetly, pleased that Stewart had offered a perfect excuse to avoid Felicia. Too bad that Lady Amberling suddenly looked so satisfied. “Maybe by then I will have another dress to wear,” she grinned sheepishly at her own vanity, but Ross’s manner was understanding.
“May I ask who is doing your clothes?” Felicia inquired, perfectly at ease in her chair while everyone else stood around her.
“A Madame Petit, I believe,” Sarah replied, glancing at Stewart for verification. His nod was accompanied by a faint tic in his cheek muscle, and Sarah soon learned the reason for his tension.
Felicia dimpled provocatively. “Madame Petit! Why darling, isn’t she the one you had design that positively wicked gift you gave me for my birthday?” Ignoring his stern look, she bubbled, “Of course. I do so love it. Sarah, if the woman is half as good with a bolt of muslin as she is with a foot of lace, then you shall be well pleased, I’m sure!”
Without flinching at her immodest revelation, Sarah replied, “I will let her know she comes so highly recommended. Now if you will excuse me?” With a pleasant nod to Ross, she departed, not giving a damn whether Stewart followed her or not.
He did, of course, and she waited until he had secured the keys to their rooms before giving him a disapproving look, her ire slightly cooled. “Your lady friend is quite out to disarm me. If it is impossible to avoid her, might you suggest that she sheathe her claws? Her possessiveness is nearly as tiresome as her lack of breeding.”
To her surprise, Stewart gave a hearty laugh. “I daresay Lady Felicia would be outraged to hear your opinion of her. Her breeding is impeccable as she will be glad to tell you,” he said, guiding her up the main staircase. “Believe it or not, she is the darling of the Queen’s court. The ladies can’t wait to hear what she’ll say next.”
As they made their way to the Carolina Suite, Sarah mused, “Perhaps the Queen finds her amusing, but it is beyond me to picture you with a woman like that. She seems rather ... overwhelming and frivolous.”
“Don’t let Felicia’s poor manners deceive you. She is a very strong woman, and a sharp judge of character, not that I expect you to become fast friends,” he grinned, seeing her lip curl distastefully. “Here we are.”
CHAPTER 32
The Carolina Suite was an elegant oasis after Felicia’s barbs, Sarah mused later as she padded noiselessly on thick pile carpeting in the main salon. Fresh from a soothing bath and a languorous rest, she perused the stately suite as she finished a meal of fresh lamb and vegetables prepared especially for her. Pale ivory walls and rich cotton drapes of cream and black toile de Jouy gave the suite a decidedly European flare. The sitting room was made comfortable by furniture crafted of fine native woods. A cream and black striped silk sofa faced the lighted fireplace and thickly cushioned chairs of cream velvet banked either side. An elegant scriptoire nestled in one corner of the beautiful room, while a well-supplied liquor cabinet lined the opposite wall. Fresh flowers spilled from delicate crystal vases and a welcoming bowl of fruit and nuts sat just out of reach on the small dining table.
As her large blue eyes took in the elegant paintings of Southern gardens adorning the walls, Sarah found it hard to believe all that had happened to bring her to this comfortable setting. The serenity and cheerfulness made it difficult for her to fully comprehend what a dangerous existence she had been living. And if anyone had ever suggested that she would have tasted the fruits of a forbidden romance, or worse, would have fallen so hopelessly in love with a man she could never have – well, it was simply beyond her powers of understanding. She was not the type to have brought this sort of folly upon herself.