Marrying Christopher

A Hearthfire Romance

Copyright © 2015 Michele Paige Holmes

E-book edition

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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles. These novels are works of fiction. The characters, names, incidents, places, and dialog are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

Interior Design by Heather Justesen

Edited by Angela Eschler, Michele Preisendorf, Cassidy Wadsworth, and Jennie Stevens

Cover design by Rachael Anderson

Cover Photo Credit: Lee Avison/Trigger Image

Cover Photo Copyright: Lee Avison

Ocean Background Photo: Shutterstock.com #113710504

Published by Mirror Press, LLC

eISBN-10: 1941145426

eISBN-13: 978-1-941145-42-5

Counting Stars

All the Stars in Heaven

My Lucky Stars

Captive Heart

A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection

Timeless Regency Collection: A Midwinter Ball

Hearthfire Romance Series:

Saving Grace

Loving Helen

Marrying Christopher

To LuAnn—

Whose patient corrections and sometimes brutally honest words

taught me so much about writing.

I will always hear your voice in my head and be thankful of it.

Christopher Thatcher leaned casually against the mantel in Mr. Samuel Preston’s drawing room. A smile played upon his lips as he studied the room’s other occupants— his two sisters, Grace and Helen, and their husbands— and thought of another night, not long ago, when he had stood in this same spot and contrived a plan to unite his sisters with the men they loved, Lord Nicholas Sutherland and Mr. Samuel Preston.

Nicholas’s transformation over the past months had been nothing short of miraculous, but then Grace had always been a worker of miracles, raising her younger siblings alone as she had. That she had brought the tall, handsome, dark-souled earl to his knees had not surprised Christopher, and he felt inordinately pleased to be witness to not only Grace’s happiness but to Nicholas’s release from the grief that had too long consumed him.

Samuel, on the other hand, had a more gentle nature and was the perfect match for Helen. Samuel had coaxed her from years of shyness and timidity, and she had truly blossomed these past months so that her personality shone as much as her outward beauty.

Brilliant work
,
Christopher silently congratulated himself.
In spite of a few glitches along the way, all had turned out to be the happiest of endings for his sisters— almost. There was one more item to be resolved before he felt he could go about his life and no longer worry about their welfare.
Sir Edmund Crayton
.

The pirate had to be dealt with. Since Grace’s and Helen’s recent weddings, they had all been somewhat on edge, aware as they were of the vile transaction that had taken place between Crayton and their late father. Though the £3500 Crayton had paid— Christopher still shuddered at the many depravities their father’s gambling debts had brought into their lives— for the “right” to Helen had been returned to the scoundrel, neither she nor Grace would be completely safe until he was permanently
relocated
. So long as Crayton remained in England, Christopher felt that his protection must remain also— a situation that he felt had become almost unendurable.

It was not his sisters he wished to escape. He loved them dearly and felt it was his sacred duty to protect them from Crayton, just as Grace had protected him as a child. But his sisters had husbands now, and despite the fact that he had lost much of his sense of purpose when they’d gained safety and love, Christopher still could not pursue a new purpose— or sense of self— until the threat was vanquished entirely. And yet, he was impatient to leave England.

In spite of my sisters’ husbands’ generosity.
The two had gone so far as to even offer him a fair piece of property, a parcel of each of their own adjoining estates. His sisters had been most disappointed when he did not accept the offer. He wanted property, yes. But he wanted to earn it on his own, not have it handed to him. He wanted to make something of himself, to be free to pursue whatever he may, to make his own name and fortune. America had freed herself from England, and he intended to do the same.

But first…

Christopher caught Lord Nicholas Sutherland’s eye and gave him an almost imperceptible nod. It was time to present their plan. Christopher had chosen to share his idea with Nicholas first, as, of his two brothers-in-law, Nicholas was the one more likely to take risks and action.

“I have the weekly report on Crayton,” Nicholas said when there was an appropriate break in the conversation.

Helen tensed at once, and Samuel, ever attentive, took her hand in his.

“Crayton’s activities this week have not taken him from London. He had several meetings— a few with his own solicitors, one with a ship’s captain, and two with… ladies of ill repute.”

Samuel shot a look of disapproval at Nicholas. “You needn’t share
all
the details. Telling us that he was not in Yorkshire is sufficient.”

Nicholas ignored him. “Crayton also attended the theatre this week.”

Helen gave a resigned sigh. “It is almost as if he knows we are tracking him and shows himself at the theatre just to mock me. I fear we shall never be able to go again.”

“You won’t,” Christopher said. “Unless something is done— something more
permanent
.”

“What have you got up your sleeve this time?” Samuel asked, his eyes narrowing as he studied Christopher.

“You act as if my past schemes have come to no good,” Christopher said, feigning offense. “And yet, look at you— sitting there with my lovely sister fawning all over you.”

“I am not—” Helen straightened quickly, blushing as she extracted her arm from beneath Samuel’s.

“What did you have in mind, Christopher?” Grace asked, likely more to draw attention away from Helen than from anything else. Her instinct to protect her younger sister still ran strong.

“Nicholas will tell us.” Christopher left his place before the fire and drew up a chair closer to the four of them. Glancing over his shoulder, he checked to make sure the drawing room doors were still closed and no servants had entered. He did not want the conversation to leave their circle.

Nicholas cleared his throat once, then began in a strong, assertive tone. “Christopher has proposed that we trap Crayton at his own game.”

“You would like us to purchase him and plan for his abuse just as he did for Helen?” Grace teased.

“This is no trivial matter,” Nicholas gently reminded her. “At the very least your sister remains in danger. And I do not doubt Crayton would take any opportunity to snatch you as well.”

“Not to mention the bounty price still on Christopher’s head,” Helen said quietly.

“Yes.” Nicholas nodded. “You’ll recall that, in addition to debauchery, Crayton has also, for some time now, been quite adept at using his fleet to overrun merchant ships. These he boards and takes control of, slitting the officers’ throats and taking the rest of the crew captive, to be pressed into service for the Royal Navy.”

“The cargo he keeps as his own,” Samuel said. “At a great financial loss to those it belonged to.” He spoke from experience, Christopher knew.

“I have a friend,” Nicholas said. “Captain Merlow has his own fleet and a vested interest in the East India Company. And— as he both owes me a favor and is only too eager to remove Crayton’s threat from the seas— he is willing to assist us.” Nicholas paused, his gaze traveling around to each of them, as if to judge how they were receiving the plan thus far.

“Continue,” Samuel said.

Christopher took over. “On Monday next, Crayton will be delivered of the news that the second Saturday in August Captain Merlow will be crossing through French waters with a rather
valuable
cargo.” Nicholas and Samuel exchanged a knowing look.

“Opium,” Samuel guessed, his expression grim. “Crayton’s taste for it was mentioned in the solicitor’s report.”

“I thought the opium trade went south,” Grace said, “to China. Grandfather called it the Crown’s futile attempt to keep English silver at home.”

“It is futile because there are plenty of Englishmen— Crayton included— who are addicted to it as well,” Samuel said.

“And while much of the opium does travel from India to China, a fair amount makes its way to European ports and here as well,” Nicholas said. “Though Captain Merlow isn’t actually going to be in possession of the opium when he meets Crayton. He’ll leave port with it, and Crayton will no doubt have a man in place to verify that. But once at sea, Captain Merlow will be transferring the opium to another vessel that
is
headed south. During this exchange, his ship will take on arms and additional men, employing twice the usual protection for a ship that size.”

“That’s a rather large expense to incur on the off-chance Crayton will bite.” Samuel leaned back against the sofa as if he’d just dismissed the validity of their plan.

“Oh, he’ll bite, all right,” Nicholas said assuredly. “Aside from wanting some for himself, Crayton knows how and where to sell the opium, so it’s as good or better than a shipment of gold. And switching the cargo in exchange for men and weapons isn’t costing Merlow a penny.”

Grace turned to Nicholas abruptly. “How much?” she demanded. “How much has this cost
you
?”