Pirate's Golden Promise (40 page)

Kneeling beside him, Wynter kissed his fingers. She looked up at him. “If you hadn't been a privateer, Cort, we'd have never received another chance. I'd never have seen you again. The day you stormed the
Mary Jack
was the most important day of my life.”

“My pirating days are behind me. I'm master of nothing.”

“You're master of my heart.”

He bent down and kissed her on the lips. “And you're mistress of mine.”

Two weeks later, New Amsterdam was officially turned over to the English. Fort Amsterdam was renamed Fort James and the town was called New York, after the Duke of York.
Governor Stuyvesant
had
retired to his country home.

Wynter left the governor's house to shop one hot, bright September morning. Her gown swished along the cobblestone streets and was the color of the sky. She purchased a wooden doll for Lyntje and jackstones for Mikel. On the following morning she and Cort would leave for Lindenwyck, and she couldn't wait to hold their daughter again.

It was when she was a few feet out of the shop doorway that a hand clasped familiarly on her arm, Her head turned, her mouth dropped open.

Adam!

He smiled at her, his eyes a bright green and very luminous. “It is you,” he said, not bothering to hide his surprise. “Wynter, my beautiful love, whatever are you doing here?”

She pulled away until he was forced to drop his hand. “I might ask the same question of you.” She eyed him coldly.

“I'm a lieutenant of Nicholls' ship, the
Guinea.”

“Congratulations. You've received a commission.”

“Perhaps we can dine together tonight,” he said.

Wynter shook her head. “I'm returning home with my husband in the morning. I have no time.”

“Not that Fletcher Larkin, Wynter? Are you still married to a servant?” His gaze flickered over the richness of her clothes. Could the boy have made a fortune? But the boy's wealth was far from Adam's mind. He knew it would be quite easy to take Wynter from such a stupid fellow.

“Fletcher died over a year ago. I'm married to Captain Cort Van Linden. I trust you remember him?”

Adam colored. The arrogant man who'd nearly called him out at Wynter's birthday ball he remembered very well. He decided it wouldn't be so easy to take Wynter away from such a man. But Adam smiled. “A lucky man indeed.”

Wynter moved away from Adam, intent on walking back to the governor's house, but Adam fell into step beside her. “Have you no word from Lucy?” he asked.

Wynter stopped walking. Surprise and aggravation mingled on her face. Adam must truly not love Lucy or care about her at all, if he didn't even know where she was. “Lucy is staying with Cort and me at Lindenwyck. She has filed for divorce from you.”

Adam's face fell. “I didn't know that.”

“You shouldn't be surprised that she wants to be free of you. I understand that because of you, my family lost McChesney Manor and Somerset House.”

“No recriminations, please. I should like to see Lucy again. Perhaps we can reconcile.”

Wynter laughed. “She hates you, Adam, as do I. If you attempt to reconcile with my sister, I shall do everything within my power to thwart you.”

“You're welcome to try, but I should like to accompany you and your husband to this Lindenwyck. I do have a right to visit my own wife.”

“Wife for not very long,” Wynter muttered. “No, you shall not accompany us home. I don't intend to destroy Lucy's happiness by bringing you to Lindenwyck. Now, good day, Adam.”

She swept past him, aware of his appraising smile, of the lecherous way he watched her. Her thoughts were on her poor sister. What would Lucy do if Adam showed up at Lindenwyck? She must warn her sister, she decided, and prepare for the inevitable visit which Wynter felt certain would occur.

“What shall I do?” Lucy wailed and buried her nose in a rose-scented kerchief. “Adam can't be in New Amsterdam. He can't be.”

“He is,” Wynter told her sister and sat beside her on Lucy's bed. “I saw him only yesterday morning, and he will visit here, Lucy. I'm positive of that. Cort said that if you don't want to see Adam, he shall be turned away upon his arrival.”

Lucy groaned, and Wynter shot her an apologetic smile. “Cort told me it was your idea that he and I be alone for a while. I'm sorry that our sojourn to New Amsterdam has brought back Adam into your life.”

“Not half as sorry as I will be,” Lucy said pessimistically. “He'll attempt to bleed me dry of the small amount of funds I have. And, Wynter, Dirk will be furious. As much as I detest Adam, I don't want Dirk to hurt him, or for Dirk to get into trouble. I love Dirk so much that I can't bear him to suffer.”

“Dirk feels the same way about you. Have confidence in him. He won't do anything to destroy your love or your future. I've known Dirk for quite some time, and he has a level head, Lucy.”

As Lucy paced the length and breadth of her room, both women were unaware that at that moment Katrina was entertaining Adam in the sitting room.

“Your wife shall be in for a treat to see you again,” Katrina said and smiled prettily as she poured Adam a cup of tea. “I had never thought of her as having a husband, though Wynter did mention that Lucy had married. Of course, I assumed she was a widow.”

Adam took the proffered cup from Katrina's hand. “As you see, Vrouw Van Linden, I am very much alive.”

Katrina saw. She found Lieutenant Lord Adam Somerset to be a handsome man, a bit weak in the jaw line, but quite good-looking nonetheless, and from a good blood line. She could always tell a person of the aristocracy by the straight line of the back, the slightly haughty tilt of the head. If Somerset had had less of a pedigree, she'd not have taken the time to bother with him. But his sudden appearance at Lindenwyck intrigued her.

Since Rolfe's “disappearance” and apparent death by drowning, the household had been thrown into turmoil. Lena grieved herself sick and had taken to her bed the last month. Even now she still lay abed, barely eating enough to sustain her, Cort was with her to offer comfort. Katrina thought that Cort should have extended his sympathies to herself upon learning of his cousin's supposed demise when he returned that morning. Instead he'd bounded up the stairs to Lena's room, barely bestowing a sympathetic look upon Katrina. But she took comfort in the fact that Mikel was now heir to Lindenwyck. Cort would act as administrator until Mikel was of age. There was only one person standing between Katrina and the realization of all her dreams—Wynter.

Though Katrina had been put out by Cort's attitude towards her, sitting here with Somerset assuaged her hurt. Something about the man set off a warning note within her that he was not quite as respectable as he appeared. She curled her fingers around her teacup and flashed him a blindingly beautiful smile and wondered how she could put such a man to her own gain.

“You must have been quite lonely,” she said. “How long has it been since you've seen your wife?”

Adam mentally calculated. “Oh, about eight months, I think. I don't know. Time slips away from one so fast.”

“I imagine you're pleased to be reunited with Lucy and her sister.”

“Yes, yes I am. I haven't seen Wynter in 17 months.”

Katrina shot him a sly look which Adam didn't fail to see. “How very strange that you can calculate exactly how long since you last laid eyes upon Wynter but can hardly recall when you last saw your wife. Am I to assume from this that Wynter is more important to you?”

Adam hesitated. He sipped his tea, draining the cup. “Wynter and I were betrothed before I married Lucy. It was an unfortunate alliance, my marriage, but I am stuck with it.”

Katrina leaned forward, a wicked glint in her cool, blue eyes. “In other words, you're still in love with Wynter.”

“A hopeless love.” Adam sighed. “She thinks she is enamored of Cort Van Linden, a true blackguard if there ever was one, but I'm resigned to my fate in life.”

A cruel laugh escaped Katrina's lips as she kept her gaze on Adam. “Dear sir, if that were true, you wouldn't be here. Lucy isn't your purpose in coming to Lindenwyck. You're here to claim Wynter, but I admit you're in for a tough fight. Cort will never willingly release her. Not unless she is unfaithful to him. Does such a prospect fill you with hope?”

Adam smiled. The bright gleam in his eyes matched Katrina's own. “Indeed, madam, it does very much. But I fear I am but a poor officer in his majesty's navy and have very little to offer Wynter. She is used to only the finest clothes and houses. On my salary, she'd be quite unhappy. You do understand my dilemma?”

Katrina understood only too well. However, her desire to have Wynter out of Cort's life was too strong for her to resist. As Rolfe's widow, she had money of her own. A great deal of money. As Mikel's mother, she would rule Lindenwyck, and with Wynter gone from Cort's life, Cort would turn to her for comfort. Yes, she decided, any price she had to pay this unscrupulous man was worth it.

“A pity his majesty doesn't see fit to pay his officers their worth. However, I think, sir, that you're worth a great deal to me. Have we struck a bargain?”

She held out her hand to Adam. He clasped it warmly. “Indeed, madam. You're a woman after my own heart.”

“I hope not,” Katrina pronounced. “Just make certain that Wynter leaves Lindenwyck within a month. She has overstayed her welcome.”

The sound of Lyntje's crying wakened Wynter. Brushing sleep from her eyes, she quietly left the bed as not to waken Cort and padded down the hall to the nursery. Opening the door she saw that the room was empty except for the baby crying in her crib. Where was Gerta? she wondered.

She picked up the baby and rocked her until she fell asleep. Then she placed her back in her crib, delighting in the child's perfect features.

She started to leave the room, but then tapped on the door to Mary's room. Mary's muffled “Come in” embarrassed Wynter for waking her. “Have you any idea where Gerta has gone?”

“No, ma'am,” Mary said sleepily.

Wynter apologized for waking her and closed the door. She stood in the nursery and thought it very odd that Gerta wasn't sleeping in her bed next to the baby's crib. But then Wynter thought she might have been taken ill. The woman had been acting strange lately, rather nervous, and this was unusual since Gerta was such an outwardly composed person.

Kissing Lyntje's fuzzy head, Wynter tiptoed out of the room and spotted Gerta coming up the stairs, carrying a small pouch.

“Gerta, where have you been?” Wynter asked when Gerta reached the landing. “Lyntje was crying, but I rocked her to sleep. Not that I mind taking care of my own baby, but it's quite unlike you to be gone. Are you ill?”

“So sorry, vrouw. I took a walk.”

“At three o'clock in the morning?”

Gerta smiled nervously and clutched the little velvet pouch. “I couldn't sleep.”

“I hope this doesn't happen again, Gerta. What if the baby had been sick? Please, if you must go off somewhere, at least tell Mary, or come for me.”

“Ja, ja, I will.”

Wynter left her and went to her own room. Gerta waited on the stairs until she heard the gentle closing of Wynter's door before she entered the nursery. Then she took the pouch, which contained the vial of remaining medicine that the doctor had given to Lyntje during her illness, and placed it beneath the pillow of her bed. She lay down but knew she wouldn't sleep. Her thoughts were with Rolfe, the man she loved.

But in Katrina's room, Katrina's thoughts never dwelled on the man who had hated her so much that he attempted to kill her. Instead she listened to Fredrik's steady breathing and snuggled against his young and virile body. Very soon, Somerset would seduce Wynter, or at least make it appear that she had been seduced. Katrina didn't care how he did this, as long as the goal was achieved.

However, there was a problem she hadn't counted on. Cort, as administrator of Lindenwyck, must sign over a draft for her monies, and when she had requested a rather large payment all at once, he told her it was unwise, that he wouldn't do it. He'd signed a draft for a very small sum instead.

Well, Somerset would have to make do with that, she decided, and convinced herself that he would. Didn't all men do what she wanted? She closed her eyes and fell into a blissful slumber.

In the weeks that followed, Cort ruled Lindenwyck with a gentle hand. Rolfe had been cruel sometimes to the tenants who were indentured until they could earn their own way in the world. Many of them chose to stay on at Lindenwyck and pay rent to the patroon. Cort instituted a plan whereby any tenant who wished to buy the land he worked could put his rent towards the purchase price of the farm.

As a gift to Dirk for his service to him over the years, Cort presented him with land on the south side of Lindenwyck. Cort knew that Dirk wished to build a home for Lucy, to provide for her, and that Wynter wanted her sister to remain near her. So, as soon as Dirk could finish a proper house for Lucy, Dirk determined to marry her. But the question of Somerset still remained.

Cort couldn't fathom why the man had come to Lindenwyck. He had stayed on, much to his consternation, but he felt unable to insist that he leave since Lucy hadn't pressed him to do so. Instead, whenever Somerset was present, she'd smile and be polite to her estranged husband. Wynter had told him that Lucy was frightened that the man would make things unpleasant for Dirk. Therefore, Lucy cajoled him in the hope that he'd give her a divorce and would leave Lindenwyck before the cold winter weather set in.

Cort had his doubts Somerset would ever depart. He doubted that the man cared a whit for Lucy, and believed that he wanted Wynter. He'd noticed the hungry looks thrown her way, and if Wynter had been a morsel of food, the man would have devoured her by now. However, Adam's behavior was impeccable, and Cort really couldn't fault the man. Still, he wanted him gone from Lindenwyck.