Part 19 (2/2)
”I lied. I really didn't hear anything!”
”Liar. Pretty little liar.” He had yet to ask his mount to move. ”Why didn't you kiss me when I told you to? Your life hung in the balance and that was an order, not a request.”
”I don't take orders from you,” she managed.
He finally looked very irritated, indeed. Then he asked, ”And why did you cry?”
”I had dirt in my eyes,” she flung.
He stared searchingly. ”You are a terrible liar. I would not recommend dishonesty, Virginia, as you are as easy to read as a children's book.”
”Then why am I angry?” she asked with false sweetness.
His prying gaze never wavered. ”I don't know. But I will find out.” Abruptly he spurred the gray forward.
Virginia would have fallen off except for his strong grasp, which tightened as the horse surged forward. She bit off her cry, as she refused now to give him any satisfaction at all. They rode the rest of the way back in a charged and uncomfortable silence.
SEAN WAS WAITING FOR HIM when he came into the library. He had his hip balanced against the edge of the desk, his arms folded across his chest. He was almost scowling. ”What did you do with her?”
”She's in her room. Connor has orders to watch her every move.”
”Maybe she should be kept under lock and key,” Sean said tersely.
Devlin was almost amused. He poured himself a brandy, offering his brother one, who declined. ”I thought you were her champion.”
”How much did she hear?” Sean asked tersely, not amused.
”I don't know precisely, but I intend to find out-one way or another.”
”d.a.m.n it!” Sean suddenly exploded, coming off the desk and pacing. ”What the h.e.l.l was she doing at Canaby's farm?”
”Probably following us,” Devlin said.
”Now what are you going to do? For G.o.d's sake, you can't return her to Eastleigh now!”
Devlin sat down in a huge leather chair, stretching his legs out in front of him, gla.s.s in hand. ”I'll have to return her sooner or later.”
Sean stared, his gaze wide. ”That meeting was treasonous and you know it, even if nothing has been planned. We could lose everything-and you, an officer in the navy, could wind up swinging from the nearest yardarm for this, never mind the d.a.m.nable ransom you intend!”
”It's more likely they would chop off your head and stick it on a pike. You're their leader.”
”Is that funny?” Sean was disbelieving. ”They are looking for hope, Devlin, and I am trying to give it to them.”
He sipped. ”No, but it's odd, isn't it? Like father, like son.”
”And now you choose to be morbid? I will not allow a rebellion. But Devlin, you are holding Virginia against her will. She has terrible information that she could use to bring us both down.”
”What do you suggest? Should I send her to the bottom of the sea?” But Sean was right. Virginia needed to keep her mouth closed and her lips sealed, even though what she had seen looked far worse than what it was. He knew from Sean's letters how angry and desperate their people were and that once or twice a year they held local meetings. His arrival home had precipitated this one. Even if he hadn't been invited to attend, he would have done so. But the men were not planning an uprising. They were farmers and cotters, more interested in feeding their families than losing their lives. And while free speech was sedition in wartime Great Britain, everyone was encouraged to speak freely at these meetings. Tim McCarthy and the others had called a meeting mostly because they desperately wanted to hear what Devlin had to say. As Sean had said, they desperately needed hope.
Sean was pacing. Devlin wanted to calm his brother down. ”Sean, you need not worry. I will not allow Virginia to bring the British down upon you and the others. If I have to, I will tell Virginia the truth. Our people are frustrated, angry and hungry, but we will not allow a futile armed struggle.”
Sean did not appear rea.s.sured. ”I do not think Virginia is in the mood to listen to anything that you might say.”
”She'll listen,” he said, instantly grim. What had been wrong with her that afternoon? Why had she been crying?
Sean hesitated. ”Devlin, I have a solution, I think, as far as Virginia is concerned.”
”Pray tell.”
”One of us should marry her.”
Devlin spilled his drink.
”I'm deadly serious.”
He quickly placed the snifter on a small end table, wiping his hand on his britches. ”And who is to have the honor of making Virginia a happy, loving, loyal wife? Oh, let me guess! That honor would be yours?”
”I would marry her if she were willing. But it's not me that she wants.”
”I am not marrying that penniless American orphan, Sean,” he warned. His heart was racing with alarming speed, as if he were about to sail his s.h.i.+p into a hurricane.
”Why not? After all, you are the one victimizing her, and only you can make this just.”
”Are you serious?” Devlin could not get over his brother's suggestion. It was beyond absurd. Virginia was going to Eastleigh directly upon his receiving his ransom, and if her plantation home was sold, she would undoubtedly reside in England with her family.
”I said I am. I do not wish to lose Askeaton, and you certainly do not need to lose your head.” Sean gave him a grim look, then continued the pacing he had left off.
”The one thing I am not about to lose is my head,” Devlin said wryly. ”Cease worrying. There will be no accusations from Miss Hughes.”
Sean stared.
Devlin didn't like the unwavering look. ”What is it?”
”If you will not marry her, then I want permission to court her.”
Devlin started.
Sean began to flush. ”I know you've had her in bed. I could lie and say I don't care, but I do. However, if it stops right here, I can live with that. Give me permission to court her, to win her over, to marry her.”
”No.”
Sean flinched.
Devlin hadn't even thought about it before refusing, and now, as angry as he was, his mind began to tell him that if the little American wanted to cause problems, Sean's idea wasn't a bad one. First he could ransom her and break Eastleigh, then Sean could marry her, undoubtedly winning her loyalty and love. The two of them could live happily ever after at Askeaton while he was gone.
But Sean could do better, and Devlin intended for that to be so.
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