Part 11 (1/2)

Harrietas eyes flew open. aDid you hear that?a she whispered.

The noise sounded again.

aOh no!a She struggled beneath him. aWe must rise.a Chase obligingly moved to one side and smiled down at her, secure that she wouldnat hop out of bed too quickly since her hair was firmly beneath his elbow. He felt amazingly invincible. Strong and powerful.

She tried to lift her head. aYouare on my hair.a aIf you rise, they will only catch you standing nude in the center of my room.a Not that that was a bad thing. Chase rather liked the thought of Harriet standing naked in the center of his room, her thick chestnut hair falling over her shoulders, her firm bottom within reach.

aWe canat stay here forever.a He bent and kissed her chin. aWe can try. Stay where you are and when they knock, Iall send them away. If I use a large enough voice, they wonat dare come in.a A soft knock came at the door. aMr. St. John?a Harriet looked up at Chase, her eyes wide. aItas Sophia,a she whispered.

aI know,a he whispered back, a little amused by the alarm in Harrietas normally calm gaze.

aMr. St. John?a Sophia asked again, this time rattling the doork.n.o.b.

Harriet gasped.

aWho is it?a Chase growled the words rather than said them, as if he was a pirate. aIam just getting dressed for bed.a He paused, then added, aIam naked.a There was an audible gasp inside the door, so comical that Harriet pressed a hand over her mouth, her eyes crinkled as she fought back a laugh.

Chase grinned at her and winked.

aOh dear,a Sophia was heard to say. aI didnat mean to interrupt you. And I wasnat going to open the door or anythinga”I just wanted to see if Harriet was about.a aSheas not in here, if thatas what you mean.a aOf course I didnat thinka”that is, I was just trying toa” Oh, bother!a Sophia sighed loudly. aI must find Harriet.a They never let the poor girl alone. Chase was aware of a strong desire to fix that, to take some of the burden off Harrietas slender shoulders.

But meeting her gaze, he realized that she would not thank him for such interference. He bit back a sigh.

He smoothed back a thick strand of Harrietas brown hair from her cheek, noting the silky texture. The light from the lamp glistened on her chestnut locks, bringing out hints of red and gold. She glinted a faint smile up at him, her lips quivering slightly.

Sophiaas voice sounded again, this time closer as if she was pressing her cheek to the door. aIam sorry to bother you at all, Mr. St. John, but itas important. Harriet must come downstairs right this moment.a aThis late? It must be ten oaclock.a aI know. But Mr. Gower has arrived and he says he must speak with Mother immediately. The bank will not wait another day for their payment.a

Chapter 21.

Gambling comes in many forms. Some people wager on cards. Some on horses. And some on their own hearts.

Mrs. Brandon St. John, newly returned from her honeymoon, to her husband, as they made their way to Treymount House for an emergency family meeting A short time later, Harriet paused outside the sitting room and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked as she always did, except a trifle flushed.

Perfectly plain and proper, her gown smooth and unruffled, her hair pinned neatly on top of her head. No one would look at her and know that shead just been seduced by the most handsome man in the world.

Well, the most handsome man in Sticklye-By-The-River, anyway. Who was to say that there werenat more handsome men out and about?

She thought of Chaseas blue eyes, of his thick black lashes, of the way his hair fell over his brow, of his muscular arms and shouldersa she shook her head ruefully. What was she thinking? There simply could not be a better-looking man in the entire world.

aHarriet!a Mother bustled up, a worried expression on her face. aThank goodness we found you.a Sophia joined them. aThere you are, Harri! Where were you? I looked everywhere.a Harriet offered a casual shrug. aI was in my room doing some mending and I forgot the time.a There. That sounded plausible.

Sort of.

Sophia frowned. aNo you werenat. I looked there. I even looked in your dressing room and in the kitchen and in the barn and in thea”a aOh for heavenas sake,a Mother said as if exasperated, ait doesnat matter where sheas been. All that matters is that sheas here now.a Harriet frowned at her motheras concerned tone. aWhy the uproar?a aItas Mr. Gower.a Motheras eyes were troubled. aHarriet, I believe he has proof that our guest is not the captain.a Harrietas throat tightened. aHas he said something?a aHe began to, but I told him you really needed to be present and then I left him to find you.a That was probably a good idea. Mother didnat have the calmest disposition under pressure.

aGower didnat come alone,a Sophia added. aHe has two members of the board of directors with him. They look as solemn as Sunday.a Harrietas heart sank. aOh no.a aMy thoughts exactly,a Mother said. aWhat a horrid night. First Lady Cabot-Wells grilled the poor captain over dinner, then Mr. Strickton comes roaring in about Stephen, and now this.a aI spoke to the captain about Stephen. Apparently my mutton-headed brother mistook something that was said about Lochinvar as an invitation to behave like a barbarian.a aLochinvar?a Sophiaas mouth dropped open. aI never thoughta”why that is what Lochinvar did, isnat it? He rode right into the gates of the castle and stole his beloved away. Only not on a plodding farm horse. And I rather doubt he lost his grip and dropped her on her head into a muddy field.a Motheras mouth folded with disapproval. aYour brother has no sense whatsoever, especially when it comes to the fair s.e.x. Iam only sorry that the Stricktons had to witness Stephenas outrageous folly.a Harriet smoothed her skirts, aI cannot believe Mr. Gower would visit so late in the evening. It is quite rude.a aSo I thought,a Mother said. She hesitated, biting her lip. After a moment, she said, aDo you think we might prevail upon Mr. St. John toa”No, of course not. We couldnat ask him. Heas done so much already.a Her cheeks touched with pink. aI didnat mean to cause him any pain, and I hope heas aware of that. It just seemed that, since head already lost his memory, it wouldnat hurt if he thought he was someone important, even ifa”a aMother, Mr. St. John never lost his memory,a Harriet said.

Mother blinked. aNever? Then why did he agree to be the captain?a aI thinka I think he thought to help us. He was on his way out of the country when the attack occurred, leaving some unpleasant business behind.a aMy goodness!a Sophia said, her eyes bright. aWhat unpleasant business?a aI donat know. He hasnat offered to tell me. But he has been so kind as to agree to stay and play the part of the captain until the shearing is finished.a And then head be gone. Harrietas heart ached at the thought.

aHow kind of him,a Mother said. aWhatever Gower has to say, it will seem far less relevant while there is a live, breathing man standing before him, at least claiming to be the captain.a aPrecisely.a Harriet straightened her shoulders and glanced at her mother and sister. aAre you ready?a Mother patted her white hair while Sophia smoothed her skirts. aI think so,a Mother finally said.

Harriet went to the door and opened it.

Mr. Gower immediately turned from where he was standing in conversation with two other men. aMiss Ward.a He bowed. aMrs. Ward. And Miss Sophia. Allow me to introduce Mr. Picknard and Mr. Silverstone from the bank.a Harriet curtsied, as did Mother and Sophia. aWhat a lovely surprise,a Harriet said, though it took all of her persuasive powers to keep her expression pleasant. aTo what do we owe the honor of this visit, late though the hour?a aIam sorry about the time.a Mr. Gower seemed to grow taller as he glanced at his two companions from the bank. aThere is a problem with the extension.a Mr. Picknard s.h.i.+fted uneasily. aYes, aha as you know, the extension was granted based on Miss Wardas supposed fianc, Captain Frakenham.a aSupposed?a Mother said, blinking. aWhat do you mean asupposeda?a Mr. Picknard rubbed his red nose. Large and heavy-set with reddish hair and a large, drooping moustache, he resembled an untrimmed sausage stuffed into a black coat. aBy supposed we mean to say that there are some questions as to just who and if Captain Frakenham actually exists.a Goweras expression gleamed with triumph. aSomeone has been guilty of fraud. Someone has attempted to trick the bank by falsifying reports. Someone hasa”a aOh for the love of G.o.d,a puffed Mr. Silverstone. Taller than either of the other men, and dressed with quiet distinction, Silverstone appeared far better bred than either Gower or Picknard.

In fact, Harriet had the impression that here was the man who made all the decisions at the bank.

He shot a hard look at Mr. Picknard from beneath heavy gray brows, then turned back to the ladies, paying special attention to Mrs. Ward. aI hope you will pardon our intrusion this evening, but Mr. Gower has uncovered a seeming discrepancy in the stories weave been hearing about this Captain Frakenham. Iam certain you can straighten this all out. I thought perhaps we should wait until tomorrow, howeveraa”he shot a sharp glare at Gowera”aI was informed that it would be foolhardy to let this situation go on another day as certain individuals could disappear.a Harriet smoothed her damp palms on her skirts. Everything was at stake. aMr. Silverstone, I a.s.sure you that no one has attempted to defraud your establishment. Indeed, within the week, we should have the money for the payment anda”a The door opened. Mother gave a sigh of relief. aCaptain Frakenham!a Chase bowed. Only it was not the man Harriet had grown used to seeing these last few weeks, wearing Stephenas discarded clothing and a floppy brimmed hat. Chase had gathered his own garments and now stood before them dressed exactly as he really wasa”a London gentleman of fas.h.i.+on. And not just any gentleman of fas.h.i.+on, but obviously one raised amidst untold wealth and privilege.

For some reason, the sight made Harrietas heart sink.

Oblivious to her feelings, he smoothed his sleeve as he walked forward. It would have been difficult to suggest an improvement on the man before thema”his blue coat was perfectly cut, smooth across his broad shoulders and tapering to his narrow waist. His buff breeches fit his long, muscular legs, his black boots were s.h.i.+ned until they resembled gla.s.s. His snowy white cravat was knotted and tied in a way Harriet had never seen, but she recognized the touch of a master when she saw it.

aThere you are, Captain!a Mother said, breaking the awkward silence as she bustled forward.

He took her hand and bowed over it. aIndeed. I was just enjoying a gla.s.s of port in the library when I heard that you had guests.a aIndeed. This is Mr. Gower, whom I believe youave met. And this is Mr. Picknard and Mr. Silverstone. Theyare from the bank.a Harriet noticed that even Mr. Silverstone stood a little straighter when Chase nodded briefly in his direction.

aGentlemen,a Chase said in a bored tone. He looked back at Mrs. Ward and offered a glinting smile. aI hope Iam not intruding.a She laughed nervously. aOf course not! Weare always glad to have you with us, Captain.a aIndeed,a said Sophia, casting a sly glance at the bankers. aI donat believe we will be detained much longer now that youave arrived.a Mr. Gower stepped forward, his gaze on Chase, a superior smile curving his wide mouth. aI would greet you, as well, but you are not who you say you are. There is no Captain Frakenham.a Harriet held her breath, but Chase merely lifted his brows. aWhat do you mean by that?a Mr. Goweras superior att.i.tude thickened. aI did some research. There is no record of a Captain Frakenham or of a s.h.i.+p coming to port in Whitby. None.a Every eye turned to Chase. He shrugged. aNo?a aNo.a aWhat exactly are you suggesting, Mr. Gower? That I am an apparition?a Chase held out his hands. aDo I look like an apparition?a Silverstone cleared his throat. aMr. Gower, perhaps there is a better way toa”a aWho are you?a Gower said, his sharp gaze on Chase. aTell us now.a Chase laughed softly, genuine amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice.

Harriet relaxed at the sound. He wasnat the least intimidated and she took comfort in that fact.

Gower scowled. ad.a.m.n it, sir! This is not a cause for levity. You are not who you say you are.a aNo?a aNo.a Chase tilted his head to one side, a smile still warm on his lips. aPerhaps I should ask you the same questiona”who are you?a aI am a banker, sir. My credentials are impeccable.a aAnd I am a sea captain. Until proven otherwise.a Triumph flickered across Goweras face. aIt has been proven otherwise.a He reached into his pocket and pulled out two folded sheets of paper. He held out the first one. aI wrote to the harbormaster at Whitby. He has never heard of your s.h.i.+p, nor you.a Chase took the paper and scanned it. aHarbormaster? By the name of Crenlin? Youave been fooled, Mr. Gower. The harbormaster at Whitby is a Mr. Johnston.a aThat cannot be.a aI hope you didnat pay this man for his information.a Chase fixed his gaze on Goweras face. aDid you?a Silverstone and Picknard waited. Gower turned deep red. aI only gave the man two s.h.i.+llings to pay for posta”a aTsk. Tsk. I fear youave been taken for a fool, Mr. Gower. I daresay this man is a resident of one of the pubs along the waterfront and takes great pleasure in thieving from men making inquiries.a Chase shook his head. aJust look at the poor spelling in this missive.a aSpelling? What difference does that make?a Chase held the ragged letter up to the light, a look of distaste on his face. aIt is horridly stained, too. No doubt by cheap gin of some sort.a He held the letter out to Gower, who almost s.n.a.t.c.hed it from his hand. aI would not believe a word I received from this man, whoever he is.a Silverstone and Picknard appeared uneasy.

aCaptain,a Harriet said, aplease do not take offense. Iam certain Mr. Gower did not mean to imply anything unsavory about you.a Silverstone held out his hand. aGower, let me see that missive.a Face red, Gower handed the letter to the banker.

Silverstone peered down his nose at it, squinting in the dim light thrown off from the three lamps that illuminated the room. After a moment, he sent a steely glare at Gower from beneath his bushy brows. aDid you meet the man who sent this?a Gower mutely shook his head.

aA sad business, this. Iam afraid I have to agree with the captain.a Silverstone handed the missive back to Gower. aI hope you have some other proof that the captain is not who he says he is.a Goweras face turned so red that for a moment, Harriet thought he might explode into a boiling ma.s.s of invectives. Instead, he stuffed the missive into his pocket and held the other one out to Mr. Silverstone. aOf course I have more proof. I think even you will believe this one.a Silverstone took the letter and read it, his lips moving slightly. Harrietas heart sank when she noticed how the manas brow lowered with each word.

After a moment, Silverstone looked at Chase, a considering expression in his eyes. aThis letter is from Admiral Hawkins-Smythe. He states that he is familiar with every captain in the naval service and that he has never heard of you.a Picknard snorted. aWell, there you are! The admiral lives not ten miles from here and is very well known. He served almost forty years in His Majestyas service and knows every s.h.i.+p that England has ever put to sea.a Harriet rubbed her brow. What a mule. She knew the admiral well and she was certain he could discredit Chase.

Undeterred, Chase shrugged. aThe admiral has never heard of me, and I have never heard of the admiral.a aWhat?a Silverstone asked.

aI captain a merchant s.h.i.+p, owned by a private company. The only way your admiral would know me is if he had, at some time, boarded my vessel to search for contraband or some such nonsense. Which has never happened to a s.h.i.+p under my command.a Silence fell on the small group. Finally, Silverstone sighed. aHeas right.a The banker sent a hard look at Gower. aI think weave taken enough time away from these good people.a aYes, but what abouta”a aDo you have any more evidence?a Silverstone asked, his lip curled with distaste as he waved the letter in the air. aSomething more than this.a Goweras mouth whitened. He struggled as if to say something, but no words would come out.

Harriet almost pitied the man. Almost. aMr. Silverstone, Mr. Picknard, Iam so sorry you wasted your time this evening.a Mother nodded, her white hair s.h.i.+mmering softly in the light. aI hate to see you leave so quickly. Perhaps you would like to stay for some port? My oldest son coulda”a aThank you, but no,a Mr. Silverstone said. aI apologize again for interrupting your evening. We will see you in a week when the payment is due.a He sent a glare at Gower. aWell, sir. Are you ready to leave?a For a moment, Harriet thought that Gower would argue, but he gave a sharp nod instead and stepped back to allow the two older men access to the doorway.

Mother and Sophia led the way out into the hall, Silverstone and Picknard following close behind.

Gower remained in the center of the room, his eyes narrowed on Chase.

Chase, of course, didnat back away. Instead, he stepped forward until the two were almost toe to toe.

Harriet sighed. They looked like two rams, blowing steam out their nostrils as they circled one another in a field. aMr. Gowera”please. I think youave done quite enough tonight withouta”a Chase waved a hand. aBeloved, allow the man to speak. I can tell he has something of great import to say to us both.a Gower had stiffened at Chaseas endearment. His jaw tightened and he said through clenched teeth, aI do not know who you are, but you are not Captain Frakenham.a Harriet managed a pleasant smile, though she felt far from such a thing. aMr. Gower, Iam certain that in time all of this willa”a aListen, Gower,a Chase said. aI donat know what you hope to gain by this, but leave the Wards alone. If your complaint is with me, then we will settle it as men.a Harriet closed her eyes. Didnat Chase realize that her future, the future of the Wards, the future of Garrett Park, quite possibly rested in this manas hands?