Part 16 (1/2)
”When you become more acquainted with Miss Hughes, you will discover that she is not the kind of woman to be pitied.” He almost smiled, thinking of her courage and her absurdly independent nature.
A silence fell.
Devlin turned and found Sean staring, his gaze wide and searching. He said, ”You almost sound fond of her.”
He actually hesitated. ”I am hardly fond of her, Sean. But frankly, her courage is amazing-reckless though it may be.”
”So you admire her, then,” Sean said quietly.
Devlin became impatient. ”Enough of Miss Hughes! The subject grows tiresome. When Eastleigh pays her ransom, she goes back. Until then, she is our guest.” He stressed the plural p.r.o.noun deliberately and stared. He softly added, ”Your loyalty to me does precede your n.o.ble sense of honor and your disapproval, does it not?”
Sean folded his arms across his chest, staring grimly in displeasure.
”Sean?”
He spoke roughly. ”You know I would never betray you, in spite of my outrage over what you think to do.”
Satisfied, Devlin stalked back to the silver tray of decanters and gla.s.ses on the sideboard, pouring himself another, far stiffer drink. The silence lengthened. He finally sighed and glanced up. ”All right. What is it? What is it that you wish to say?”
”If Eastleigh is so impoverished, what makes you think he will even wish to pay a ransom for his distant American niece, someone he has probably never seen and does not care for?”
Devlin stared. ”He'll pay.”
”And if he doesn't?” Sean prodded.
Devlin felt his entire being tense. ”Then I will have to provoke him publicly until he has no choice but to rescue our little guest, until it becomes a matter of honor.”
”To destroy Eastleigh, you will have to destroy her, will you not? How can you live with yourself?” Sean cried.
”Rather easily,” Devlin said, but even he knew there was nothing simple about his life and that his answer was a lie.
”You b.a.s.t.a.r.d,” Sean said.
CHAPTER NINE.
THE MANOR SEEMED terribly quiet and felt almost empty, Virginia thought, pausing in the grandiose hall. She had spent the afternoon exploring the grounds and visiting the stables, where Devlin had some very fine horses, especially a sweet bay mare. Now dusk was quickly approaching. Virginia had bathed in scented water-Connor had filled her tub-and changed into one of her mother's fine evening gowns, one altered hastily by Tillie before she had left Sweet Briar. The gown was a bright rose silk, with small puffed sleeves and a low-cut bodice. Virginia had gone to great lengths to pin up the heavy ma.s.ses of her hair. If she were fortunate, the pins would stay in place until she retired for the night.
She wondered where her captor was.
Virginia walked through the hall, admiring several very old tapestries hanging on the walls and the huge crystal chandelier. She paused before two open doors that led to another salon, this one smaller and more intimate, with moss-green walls and green, pink and lavender molding on the ceiling. A man rose from the dark brocade sofa-it was Sean.
”Oh, I didn't realize anyone was in the room,” Virginia said quickly. ”I hope I am not intruding.”
He came forward in a formal blue evening coat, pale britches and stockings. His gaze was openly appreciative as he smiled at her. ”You are not intruding, Miss Hughes, not at all. After all, supper is almost upon us. Would you like a sherry or some champagne?”
She had to admire him as well. With his midnight hair and pale gray eyes, he was every bit as handsome as his older brother. Like Devlin, he was tall, broad of shoulder, long of leg and lean of hip. His body looked every bit as muscled and toned. ”I would love a gla.s.s of champagne,” she said.
He quickly poured two flutes from the chilled bottle on the sideboard, handing her one. ”You are fetching, Miss Hughes, in that lovely dress,” he said.
She wondered if he was blus.h.i.+ng, as she remarked two slight spots of color high upon his cheekbones. ”You must call me Virginia, Mr. O'Neill, and thank you very much.” She hesitated. ”This dress belonged to my mother.”
”I am sorry about your parents,” he said instantly. ”And please, it's Sean.”
She started, meeting kind and concerned gray eyes. ”You know about my parents?” she asked.
”Dev mentioned that you are an orphan.”
She nodded. ”It was a carriage accident last fall.”
”Sometimes there is no comprehending G.o.d's will.”
”I'm not sure I believe in G.o.d,” she said.
His eyes widened. ”Then that is a shame. But there have been moments, I confess, when I have had my doubts, too.”
She smiled at him. ”Then we must both be intelligent and human.”
He laughed.
She stopped smiling, enjoying his laughter, which was warm and rich and so different from the odd, croaking sound Devlin had made on the few occasions when he seemed to try to laugh. ”You and he are nothing alike, are you?”
”No.” Sean studied her.
”How is that possible? Aren't you both close in age?”
”I'm two years younger,” Sean said. ”Devlin a.s.sumed responsibility for me when our father died. That is one reason for the difference between us.”
”And the other?” she asked, determined now to learn everything she could about her captor.
He smiled wryly and shrugged.
”I do not understand him,” she said. ”He is very brave, that much is clear, almost fearless, I think-” she recalled how he had defied gale winds to rescue his s.h.i.+p ”-and that's not very human, is it?”
”He is fearless,” Sean agreed. ”I think he doesn't care if he lives or dies.”
Virginia stared, Sean's theory stunning. ”But no one wishes to die!”
”I didn't say he wished to die, merely that the thought doesn't frighten him as it does us other mere mortals.”
Virginia considered that and immediately she felt certain that Sean was right. ”But why? What kind of man would be indifferent toward his own life?”
Sean was silent.
Virginia suddenly comprehended the only possible answer-only a man deeply wounded or deeply embittered would be so indifferent. She was shaken. She quickly sipped her champagne, which, she saw, was also contraband, as it was French. How complex Devlin O'Neill was. ”His men respect and admire him,” she mused aloud, almost to herself, ”and the town seems to think of him as a hero. I have seen myself how effective he is on the high seas, so I understand why his men admire him. But the town?”
”You are very curious when it comes to my brother,” Sean remarked.