The Shipmaster's Daughter (26 page)

Mrs. Peters’s appearance at the shop had thrown her for a loop. The news of Jack’s departure, Reed’s new firm in London, and Esther’s governess was too much to handle. Knowing such things made her want to go back and fix it all. That is, if she could fix it. She would have no idea where to begin and Reed would never consider for a second opening the door to her. Even so, Yellow Brook had been her home. Hearing that it was once again falling to pieces made her heart hurt all the more.

“Oh, Sam, maybe I shouldn’t have come here,” she whispered. “Maybe I should have left Eastbourne.”

Sam scoffed. “What? And let him win? No. No, you did the right thing by staying here. You’ve got to show him—show
all
of them—they can’t get under your skin.”

She didn’t say anything. There wasn’t anything left to say. Like always when it came to Reed, she was conflicted. She wanted to move on, more than anything, but something told her there would always be a part of her that belonged to him. He treated her kindly when he had no need to; he had given her a home and shown her love.

But there was nothing she could do to change the past. She must accept it and move on.

Sighing, Luciana ran her hand down her face. When she stood, she wobbled. “I think I should go to bed.” She clutched the back of the chair to keep from falling.

“I don’t think you should walk home, Lucy,” Sam said, rising from his seat. “Not in that state.”

“I’m not drunk.”

Sam laughed. “Brandy is strong stuff, girl. I’d say you’re nearly drunk if not completely drunk.” He took her elbow. “Come, you can sleep in my room. I’ll sleep in my chair out here.”

Luciana pulled her arm out of his grasp and shook her head. “I couldn’t take your bed. I’ll make it home fine.” She stumbled toward the door.

How much brandy
did
she drink? No more than two glasses, but those glasses had been quite full. Her head was a little fuzzy and her limbs felt sluggish, but she was sure she could make it to the shop all right.

“You won’t make it home in one piece if you try,” Sam said.

Luciana grasped the door-knob and faced her friend. “I appreciate your words of encouragement,” she said dryly. He snorted. “But I will make it back just fine. I’m not drunk.”

He wagged his finger at her, but smiled. “Oh, but you are. And when your face is in the newspapers come morning it won’t be my fault.”

Luciana opened the door with a flourish. While Sam might be right and staying might be safer, she wanted her own bed, as uncomfortable as it was. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts and wallow in self-pity for one night more before picking herself up again. Besides, she could make it. She could see the shop sign from the doorway.

“Sam, I am leaving you for the comforts of my own room, but
grazie
for your generosity.”

“I expect you to be fighting fit tomorrow morning, you hear? I’ll have no whinin’ or complain’ if you drink yourself into oblivion. That’s of your own doing and I don’t want to hear about your heading hurting after I warned you.”

Luciana mimed locking her mouth shut. “No more drink,
te lo prometto
.”

He shuffled to the doorway. “Good. Now get out. I’ll watch until you wave from the doorway.”

She kissed his wrinkled old cheek and stepped onto the street. She made it to the doorstep of the shop after only stumbling twice. As promised, she waved to Sam when she got there, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. She relocked the knob and took the stairs two at a time before collapsing into bed.

She had told Sam her reason behind leaving Yellow Brook now. There was nothing left to do but forget the house and its inhabitants. She had Sam and her job and she was happy. And if Reed walked through the front door tomorrow, asking her to return, she doubted she would, even if he begged.

Luciana Renaldi deserved someone who trusted and believed her word. And whoever said she needed to feel romantically inclined toward such a person? She found Sam, hadn’t she? She trusted him and he her and he believed her every word. Yes, she would be all right. She had everything she needed.

Sighing contentedly, Luciana soon fell into a peaceful sleep.

Chapter 28

L
ondon air was filthy. It stunk of refuse and smoke and nothing fresh. Still, Reed breathed deeply, filling his lungs with the foul stuff.

He glanced upwards and his chest expanded with pride. There, on a blue sign above the door were the words “Hargrave Investment.” Having only been open three weeks, Reed had yet to pick up any serious business, but he knew that with time and effort he could do it. Of course, putting in the right amount of effort meant he was rarely at home these days. He hadn’t been back in two full weeks. But that was a price he was willing to pay. It wouldn’t be forever.

And time away from home would do him some good. Yellow Brook was filled to the brim with too many painful memories. He could hardly stand it.

Pushing open the door, he stepped into the office building. It consisted of one large room and two smaller offices, one of which Reed claimed as his own. With the help of Wilkins and Harper, he was able to rent the building and its few amenities. His primary concern was finding a partner. He knew he couldn’t do this alone, especially with his limited knowledge on finances. He simply had the money and determination, now he needed someone with the brains willing to help and teach him.

Jack was out of the question. He’d left the morning after the party when Reed was forced to tell him the truth about Luciana’s deception. Jack was beyond flabbergasted. He couldn’t bring himself to believe she would ever say such things, but Reed reassured him that, yes, she had lied to them all. Jack had never been one to handle disappointment well. He and Reed were alike that way. More than likely he’d gone to the continent for more frivolous spending.

Reed sat in his chair and withdrew a sheet of paper from the desk drawer. On the paper was a list of names both Wilkins and Harper claimed would be fit for the job as Reed’s assistant. It was up to him, though, to contact and convince them. He had located the address of a Mr. Rodger Cooper when he heard the front door open.

“Hello?” came a muffled voice. “Anybody here?”

Reed skirted around his desk and opened the door to his office. He kept his eyes glued to the piece of paper bearing the address of Mr. Cooper. “How can I help you, sir?” he asked.

“Actually, this is about how I can help you.”

Reed looked toward the door and barked out his laughter. “Jack Lipold, you damn scoundrel!”

Jack had the decency to blush. He wrung his hands on the rim of his hat, shifting from foot to foot. “Reed,” he said, his voice curt and low.

“Well, come in, come in. Sit down.” Reed plopped in his own chair, motioning to the one before him. “Where on earth have you been? I tried to contact you.”

Jack sat, his movements hesitant. “I figured as much.”

“Would you like something to drink?”

“No, but thank you.”

“You were the last person I expected to see walking through that door, but I am relieved it was you.”

“Business booming yet?”

Reed snorted. “I’ve been open three weeks, Lipold.”

“Oh, right, right.” Jack glanced over his shoulder and wrinkled his nose.

“What’s wrong, Jack? You seem agitated.”

“I came by to explain things,” Jack said, lowering his eyes to the floor. “I acted like a real fool when you told me about—about what Luciana did.”

Reed leaned back in his chair. It creaked under his weight. “You did run away with that girl without saying goodbye.”

Jack smiled ruefully. “Marybella.”

“You want to tell me why you left in such a hurry?”

He nodded. “I guess I took it as a shock. She was so—so—”

“Kind?”

Jack snapped his fingers. “Yes, kind. She was so kind I never thought she would be capable of saying such horrid things. I guess we’re lucky Aliana was around to hear it all.”

“Luciana denied it, you know. She denied having ever said any of it. She said Aliana made it all up.”

“But Aliana wouldn’t do a thing like that either.”

Reed shrugged. “I’m not so sure. She would have reason to want Luciana out of the way. She wanted to marry me, for God’s sake.” He hesitated. “Do you think I could have been wrong?”

“No.” Jack shook his head. “You weren’t wrong. We’ve known Aliana Martin longer than we’ve known Luciana Renaldi. And how much did we really know about Luciana? She never said much about herself. For all we know she could have been faking her Italian accent.”

Reed looked away, biting on his knuckle in thought. Over the past few weeks, his stomach had been in knots. He hadn’t been in his right mind when he sent Luciana away. Then all he could see was red. But now the fog had cleared and he could see what she tried to tell him. Aliana easily could have made the whole story up just to finagle her way back into his life and get Luciana out of the picture. Day after day that seemed much more plausible than Aliana’s claims.

But there was nothing he could do about it now. Aliana was gone. He had asked her leave the day after the party. He would never marry her and he made sure to make himself clear this time. Luciana was gone, too. Though he knew she was still in Eastbourne, even if he apologized for letting his knack for jumping to conclusions get the better of him, she would never take him back.

“You always jump to conclusions about everybody.”

Her words rang clear in his ears. He was no longer fixated on the fact that she had called him a beast. He might try to hide it under good intentions and handouts to his clients, but, deep down, he thought he knew everyone before truly knowing them. He had jumped to conclusions about her on more than one occasion. And he’d lost her for it.

“Well, despite what the truth is,” Reed said, “what’s done is done.”

“Let bygones be bygones, as they say.”

Reed sighed. He’d made a royal mess of things. Him and his stubborn pride. He shook his head, tossing the regret away. Like he’d said, what was done was done. Luciana was gone and he had his firm in London. He would have no reason for seeing her again unless he bumped into her in Eastbourne and he doubted he would be traveling there anytime soon. Time healed all wounds and regrets. So instead of wasting his thoughts on what could of been, he would focus on what he could control: his firm and his bank account.

“Where were you anyway?” he asked.

Jack smirked. “Eastbourne.”

“Eastbourne?”

“I holed myself up in Marybella’s cottage.”

“For more than three weeks?”

He shrugged. “Times flies, doesn’t it?”

“And Marybella?”

“Oh, she kicked me out. You are one of the only people capable of standing me for long periods of time.” He titled his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. “Which is why I was wondering if you’re in need of a partner?”

Reed bit back a smile. “You want to be a partner in my firm? Jack, the most work you’ve ever done is walk from house to house giving poor tenants a decreased rent payment. And that was five years ago.”

“I know, and I enjoyed the work. Come on, you know you know nothing about handling people’s finances. I know that sort of thing; I went to school for it. Let me help you. I want to see you succeed, Reed, especially after this whole debacle with a certain Italian woman.”

He thought before raising one long finger. “You can be my partner, but one condition.”

“Anything.”

“We never speak of Luciana Renaldi or Aliana Martin again.”

Jack stuck out his hand, grinning. “Deal.”

Over dinner that evening, Reed broke his one condition.

“You know, Jack, I’ve been thinking.”

“Last time you started thinking you created an investment firm. Please don’t tell me you want to start a haberdashery.”

He shook his head. “No, I was thinking about Luciana.”

Jack groaned and set his fork aside. A couple at the table next to them glanced over, disturbed. “We had one condition, Hargrave: not to speak of her again. It’s barely been six hours!”

Pushing his fork around his plate, Reed stabbed a bit of meat. “Apologies, but it just won’t leave me alone.”

Jack let go of a sigh, his shoulders slumping. He rolled his eyes. “Because you love her.”

Heat rose to Reed’s cheeks, but he held Jack’s stare. “Yes.”

“But she betrayed you.”

“I can’t be certain of that anymore,” Reed said. He dropped his fork and it clattered to his plate. The same couple that stared at Jack turning their leering eyes to Reed. “Let’s look at the facts for a moment.”

“I really don’t want to.”

Reed ignored him and continued. “We both know what Aliana wanted in coming to Yellow Brook.”

Jack waited a moment before nodding. “To seize the day and grab your heart among other things, I suppose.”

“So what would stop her from fabricating a story that Luciana detested my family?”

Jack considered this. “Nothing.”

“Exactly. She knew a story like that would make me angry even if I hadn’t already been angry with her.” Reed leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “But I did kiss her in—”