Part 29 (1/2)

Now Devlin didn't answer her. They stood in the front hall of the Eastleigh mansion, Virginia aware of how miserably unkempt she was and how desperately she needed any help that her uncle could offer. She could not help but wring her hands, and she so wanted to make a good impression.

What if the entire matter of her ransom was instantly resolved? She dared to look at Devlin, oddly disturbed. If that were the case, she would be spending the night at Eastleigh and she doubted she would ever see Devlin O'Neill again.

Her heart lurched, leaving her in no doubt as to the state of her true feelings.

I am asking you to save my brother.

Virginia felt like telling Sean that she could not save his brother if he would not even have a decent conversation with her. ”Devlin? I really need to freshen up,” she said.

”Virginia, your appearance is fine,” Devlin said, his attention clearly elsewhere. He had not glanced at her even once, he was so hugely preoccupied.

She trembled. ”I so want to make a good impression,” she whispered. ”Not that you care.”

He finally faced her and his eyes held hers. ”Why? Eastleigh is nothing but a murderer and you know it for a fact.”

She swallowed, queasy now with the impending affair, and said, ”I need his help, which you know, or Sweet Briar will be lost. And Devlin, I don't know all the details of your father's death, but I doubt it was deliberate. I'm sure it was an accident, one that, with the pa.s.sage of so many years, you have re-created to be a deliberate act.”

Devlin's eyes blazed. ”When a man uses his sword to decapitate his victim, that is deliberate, Virginia,” he said coldly.

She was so stunned that she was paralyzed. Images of a grotesque beheading a.s.sailed her. ”Your father-he was beheaded?”

His face was flushed. But his tone continued to drip venom. ”Yes, that is correct. I did not re-create the act with my imagination. I witnessed it firsthand, as did my poor mother.”

”Oh, G.o.d,” she gasped, reaching for his hand and squeezing it tightly.

For one moment he gazed at her palm as it covered his, and then he shook it off. ”This is neither the time nor the place to discuss my father's death. Am I clear? You may greet your uncle and cousin as you will, but I will do most of the speaking.”

She remained shocked. Her compa.s.sion for both Devlin and his mother knew no bounds. And her uncle had done this? But how could this be?

And now she really began to understand the depth of Devlin's scars. And Sean thought there was hope?

Suddenly a handsome man with regal bearing in a burgundy coat entered the room. His pale blue eyes were cool as he strode toward them, his air one of authority. Virginia flinched but knew he could not be her uncle; after all, he was only thirty or so, if that. ”Captain O'Neill,” he said, smiling, and it was more a baring of his teeth. ”Welcome to Eastleigh.” He bowed.

Devlin inclined his head. ”Good afternoon, my lord,” he said politely. ”We have just arrived in Hamps.h.i.+re as we are on route to my estate, Wideacre.” His mouth twisted into what might have been a smile, except Virginia knew it was a mere contortion of his lips. ”However, your cousin expressed such an eagerness to be reunited with her family that I simply could not refuse her. Come, meet Miss Virginia Hughes.”

William glanced at her, his expression mildly astonished, both dark brows lifted. ”But I had heard, dear G.o.d, I had heard that she drowned aboard the Americana!” he cried. ”I heard that there were no survivors!”

”You are mistaken. As you can see, Miss Hughes is very much alive.” Devlin's eyes seemed to dance with glee.

”It is I, your cousin,” Virginia managed, wis.h.i.+ng she was not there. ”I have hardly drowned, as you can see.”

William looked at her, his expression comically arranged-his eyes were hard but his face was not, it was arranged into the angles of surprise. ”But how can this be?” Clearly mockery was in his tone. ”The navy has said the Americana foundered in a gale. The statement was an official one. There were no survivors.”

Now Devlin appeared incredulous. ”You accuse Miss Hughes of treachery, of fraud?”

Virginia felt her cheeks heating.

”I have accused no one of anything,” William said, his smile wide and fixed. ”And I do apologize, Miss, er, Hughes, if I have given that impression.”

”There was one survivor,” Devlin returned smoothly, before Virginia could speak. ”I know it for a fact, as I am the one who conducted her from the Americana to my s.h.i.+p.”

”Well.” William smiled again. ”How odd this is! Two contradictory claims, it seems!”

”I suggest you summon the earl,” Devlin said. But it was not a suggestion; clearly it was a command.

”I think I will do just that,” William said, and relieved, he hurried from the hall.

Devlin glanced at Virginia, his gaze narrow with speculation and satisfaction. But Virginia was mortified. ”He thinks I am an impostor,” she whispered.

Devlin smiled. ”He knows you are his cousin. He will insist until kingdom comes that you have drowned, however, in order to avoid any ransom and any future financial support which you are rightfully due.”

”Can't this wait?” she pleaded.

His gaze hardened. ”It cannot wait. It has waited too long. Surely you wish to meet the earl? Surely you wish to embrace your freedom?”

She inhaled harshly. ”Not this way. Look at how impoverished they are!” she cried, gesturing at the hall. Some of the marble in the floor was cracked and chipped, the walls badly needed repainting, and a glance into an adjacent salon showed her a room filled with family treasures and heirlooms, but nothing was new, everything was tired and worn. How could her uncle possibly pay off Sweet Briar's debts, much less ransom her? Virginia was devastated. There did not seem to be any possible way now to save her home.

Footsteps sounded on the broad staircase to their right. Virginia turned and saw a tall, heavyset man with a gray complexion descending the stairs, William following. His gaze was on Devlin, and Devlin had turned and stared back. For one moment, she felt a seething tension in the room, a hostility that sizzled between them. And then her uncle smiled, his expression benign. ”Captain O'Neill,” he said, coming forward. ”How good of you to call.”

”My lord,” Devlin said calmly, bowing slightly.

He turned to Virginia, who hastily curtsied. ”And this is...my niece?”

Virginia leapt forward. ”My lord! Yes, it is I, Virginia Hughes, your brother's daughter and only child!”

His gaze was piercing. Instantly Virginia stiffened, instinctively alarmed. But he continued to smile. ”I was told that there were no survivors,” he said softly.

She inhaled but could not dwell on her odd reaction to this man, her uncle. ”Captain O'Neill saved my life, my lord, not once, but twice. He...he took me aboard his own s.h.i.+p when it became clear that a storm was at hand and that I would be safer upon it.” She would never tell anyone that he had attacked the Americana. ”Had he not done so, I would now be dead! And the storm was so violent I was almost blown overboard-but he rescued me then, too. I am incredibly indebted to him,” Virginia said in a rush, aware of Devlin staring at her in surprise.

She refused to look at him, but now he knew she would never tell the world what he had really done.

Eastleigh looked her over. ”And all this time, you have been the guest of my friend, the captain. How wonderful, truly.”

She hesitated. ”I am hardly a guest,” she whispered, but Eastleigh did not seem to hear. She glanced at Devlin. His arms were folded across his chest and his eyes gleamed with a predatory light.

”Sir...my lord...uncle!” She could not help herself and she grasped his plump, damp hands. ”Please tell me that Sweet Briar hasn't been sold! Please tell me my home is intact!”

Eastleigh removed his hands, glancing at his son. ”Have we sold the plantation yet?”

”Unfortunately, no.”

Virginia almost cried out, and she covered her racing heart with her hand.

All three men looked at her. Then Devlin said, ”I wish a word with you in private...my lord.”

Eastleigh continued to smile. ”I am afraid we are late for a supper engagement. I suggest you call later in the week.”

Devlin now smiled and it was chilling. ”I insist upon a moment of your time.”

Eastleigh seemed to be a statue until he spoke, so quickly that Virginia had to strain to hear. ”I grow tired of your games,” he said softly. ”I grow very tired, indeed.”