An Officer but No Gentleman (20 page)

“Jayne!  I’m going to tell Mother.”

“And I’ll tell her you gave me the books.”

They laughed companionably.  It was Jayne who suddenly stopped remembering why the family was gathered together.

“Charlie, I want you to meet my favorite younger sister, Jayne.”

“Imelia is his favorite older sister and Grace and Sloane are his favorite twin sisters,” she said quietly not looking at Charlie.

“But I like you best because you’re the quietest.”

Jayne smiled, but kept her head down. “They can wear you out with all that chattering.  It’s nice to meet you, Charlie.”

“I have a feeling you and I will be best friends,” Charlie said.  “Do you ever lend your books?  I would love to read
Tom Jones
and
Moll Flanders
.”

“So would I,” Jayne admitted quietly.

“Jayne!” Jaxon interjected with feigned horror.

“Well, I didn’t want to read them until you said they were naughty.”

“Jax has lots of books in his library. You should come by and see if there’s anything you’d like to read.”

“He’s never invited me over.  Are you sure it’s all right?”

Jax put his arm around her shoulder. “How can you say I never invited you over?  We’re family.  The invitation is implied.  You are always welcome.  And,” he added.  “I think there is a book of fairy stories for you to read.”

“It’s probably the only book there you’ve read.”

Jayne elbowed him in the side making Jaxon grunt in pain.  She caught him right in his injured side.  He tried not to react further, but Charlie realized his sister had hurt him, and he didn’t want Jayne to know.

“Jaxon, if Grayson is going to go to Charleston
, there are some letters I need to write for him to take with him.”

Jaxon pulled his sister against his side and kissed her temple.  “I always miss you the most.”

Jaxon and Charlie got up and went through the house saying their good-byes to his family members.  When they were back in the rented carriage, Charlie asked him about his side and he insisted he was fine.

“I can see why you like Jayne. She’s
sweet.”

“She’s really shy and it takes effort to draw her out
, but once she gets comfortable with you, you’ll find she’s incredibly quick-witted.”  Jaxon leaned toward Charlie.  “Five years ago, when I got hurt, she would come to my bedside and beg me not to die. Sometimes, I’d wake up and she’d be sleeping at the foot of the bed or on the floor.

“I was twelve when she was born so we really had littl
e connection. She was the shy little girl the children at school called
Plain Jayne
.  I think I may have threatened to beat up a couple of them.  It wasn’t until after I was hurt that I really understood how special she is.  But she is so quiet, she gets lost in the clamor of a large family.”
              “I can’t believe anyone would ever call her Plain Jayne.  I think she may be the prettiest young lady I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?  She’s my sister.
I guess I never noticed.”  Jaxon put arm around her. “I know someone prettier.”

20

Jaxon waited in the foyer as Charlie rushed to the library to retrieve the letters she had written the night before.  Three of the letters were to Dr. Kirk and were all the same.  Each letter told how t
o find her and explained what happened to the ship after he had been shanghaied.  One was to be left with the harbormaster, one at the bank and the third at the post office.  It was the only thing she could think to do.  She wrote a letter to the harbormaster asking to be informed if the
Arcadia
showed up there.  She thought it was a possibility since they tried to come back for her.  Charleston was their homeport and several of the men’s families lived there, so at some point the ship should return to Charleston.  Unfortunately, Lionel Byron was an Aussie.  Since he had assumed the captaincy, he could take the ship anywhere and it would be lost to her forever. 

It upset her to think about never seeing the
Arcadia
again. She was mad because it was her ship—well, half anyway—and it didn’t belong to him.  She wanted to hire a new captain and continue running the shipping company.  Her father and Brody Kirk had put away enough money to commission the building of brand new ship, but when the Atlantic Ocean became so dangerous, they decided to wait.  It saddened her to think her father would never see that ship.

For now
, she would leave half that money in the bank in Charleston with a letter to Dr. Kirk.

Just as Charlie rejoined Jaxon in the foyer
, there was an urgent knock on the door.  A teenaged boy stood on the stoop.

“Your sister
, Imelia, asked you to come right away. I was told to tell you it was an emergency.”

“Did she say what was wrong?” Jaxon asked anxiously.

“No sir, I was just told to tell you it was an emergency,” the boy said breathlessly.

Jaxon handed the boy a coin and pulled the door closed behind them
after they stepped out.

“Bad timing,” Jaxon said to Charlie as the boy scampered off down the street.  “You go ahead and meet with Grayson.  I’ll be along as soon as I can.  Do you remember where his office is?”

She thought about it.  “I’m not sure.”

“I’d walk you there
, but Imelia’s home is in the opposite direction.  Go two blocks past the dress shop.  Take a right and it’s another block down on the corner.”

“She said it was an emergency.
Go. I’ll find his office. Should I tell Grayson about the emergency?”

“Aye, but tell him I’ll send for him if he’s needed.”

He gave her a quick kiss before they head off in opposite directions.

Charlie wended her way to Grayson’s office.  It was Sunday morning and all the shops were closed and there was almost no one on the streets or sidewalks. 

Grayson greeted her at the door. “Good morning, Charlie. I thought you’d bring Jaxon.”

“There was an emergency at Imelia’s.  He’ll send word if you’re needed.”

“Fine, let’s get started. Come inside. This is Judge Brady and this is my secretary Robert Evers.” 

Each man shook her hand.
“Robert will witness your signature and Judge Brady’s signature will be required to declare your father legally dead so you can inherit.”

“Can we get on with this, Bloodworthy,” the judge said.  “My wife will never let me hear the end of it if we’re late for church.”

Grayson handed her a quill and opened the inkwell on his desk.  He briefly explained each paper before she signed it, then Robert Evers signed each paper after her.  The judge asked her to place her hand on the Bible and swear to tell the truth. He explained the consequences of perjury then asked her to tell him about her father’s death.  Within a few minutes, everything was done and the judge left with Robert Evers close on his heels leaving Charlie alone with Grayson.

“I want to c
ongratulate you on your story. I thought it was more convincing than the first time you told it. I guess you’ve had time to practice,” he said in a condescending drawl.

“You still think I’m lying?”

“I’m no fool. There is no way you can convince me that you met my brother two weeks ago and now you are going to marry him. I am not going to stand still while you take advantage of him. Over the last five years, he has been through too much rejection and heartache and I’m not going to stand by and watch while you lead him on and blow through his money.”
              “You disgust me, Grayson,” Charlie gritted. “How dare you? What you’re saying is because he has a scar on his face, I couldn’t possibly love him?  Is it just me or can no woman love him?”

Grayson looked thoughtful for a moment as though carefully considering the question. “There’s a woman out there who could overlook his scars.  But that relationship is going to start as a frien
dship and grow into a fondness. This ‘attraction’ you have doesn’t ring true.”

“Grayson, just because you can’t see past that scar, you think nobody can.  When I look at Jax, I only see his eyes and his features.  To me that scar is like a moustache, I see it
, but it’s just there. It doesn’t detract from his looks and it certainly is not who he is. I can’t believe you’re questioning my love for him. You should be happy that we found each other.”

“I’m questioning more than that. I don’t believe any of it; not
the ship, not the money. I think you are some man’s cast off who saw an opportunity to better your situation. You saw Jaxon and knew just by looking at him he would be an easy mark and you took advantage of the situation,” he said tersely. “I’m leaving for Charleston immediately and I’m going to prove you aren’t who you say you are.”

“Then why even have me sign these papers?”

“In a court of law, one must have proof of wrong doings.  When you signed these papers and swore in front of the judge, you put the nails in your coffin, sweetheart.  I’m going to prove if there is a Charlie Sinclair, you are not her or him.”

“That’s fine, Grayson, go.   The harder and deeper you look,
the more you’re going to find. Talk to the old-timers. Talk to the doctors and find the one who delivered me, and the one who treated my burns after our house burned down.”

Grayson met her gaze. “And whe
n was this supposed house fire? I would think something like that would have made the newspapers. And most newspapers have archives.” 

Charlie paled. She hated to think that there was
a written record of that fire. She’d always thought her secrets were safe as long as she kept them to herself.

“It-it would have been seventeen years a
go—sometime in the autumn,” she said casually.  If she sounded upset, she knew he would pick up on it and that would be exactly where he would start.

  “Find the orphanage where I stayed until my father came home from sea. I know there are people in Charleston who knew me before the fire and after my father forced me to pretend I was a boy.  You just have to find them. And when you find your proof, I want you to go to the harbor and find out if my ship has come home. Leave these two letters with the harbormaster, one with the post office and this one leave at the bank. Leave half the money from the business account. I don’t want Dr. Kirk to think I’ve stolen anythi
ng from him when he comes back. It’s a long shot, but I have to hope that someday the English will release him and he’ll make his way home.”

“What names are these supposed accounts under?”

“Mine is under Charlie Sinclair.  My father’s should be under John Sinclair and the business was run under the name Sinclair-Kirk Shipping Company.”

“It would be under Charlie, not Charlotte or Charlene?”

Charlie’s expression went blank as she tried to remember if she was called something different when she was a toddler. She could only remember being called ‘Honey’ by Gertie, their housekeeper. It was irrelevant. That account had been opened when she was much older. 

“It’s under Charlie unless someone at the bank wrote it down as Charles since I was a boy when I opened the account.  If I were you, I’d always refer to me as ‘he’ when you’re in the bank.  No reason to make this more difficult than it’s going to be.”

Charlie had just stepped out of Grayson’s office when Jaxon appeared walking as fast as his uneven stride allowed.  His brow was knitted and his expression angry.

“Was everything all right at Imelia’s?”

“Imelia didn’t send for me.  Grayson sent that boy so I wouldn’t be at this meeting.  He didn’t…?”

“No, nothing like that.”  She hesitated.  “Grayson doesn’t believe me.”  She debated how much to tell him.  She didn’t want to make his relationship with Grayson any worse, but she also didn’t want to have secrets from Jaxon.  She took a deep breath and decided she would not protect his twin.  “He thinks I’m using you and I don’t really love you.”

“Son of a….”  Jaxon charged into Grayson’s office.  “G
rayson, I’ve had it!”

“Am I supposed to sit idly by and let this woman take advantage of you?”

“How is she taking advantage of me?”

“Just look at the bill she’s accumulated at the dress shop.  I’ve heard it rumored that she ordered two dozen dresses.”

“I ordered those dresses.  She’s going to be my wife.  Does my future wife deserve less than what our sisters wear?  Shall I buy her two dresses and make her wear those all week long?  She came onto my ship with nothing, but the clothes on her back and I had those taken from her and put on our cousin’s corpse.  She’s been wearing Jimmy’s garments since.”

“You’re obsessed with her not in love with her.  How can you possibly be in love in two weeks’ time?  She must be great in bed.”

“No!” Charlie shouted, jumping between them before Jaxon could hit Grayson.

“When you get back, you are going to apologize to Charlie,” Jaxon shouted bowing up on his brother. The vein in Jaxon’s forehead bulged and Charlie could visibly see his pulse.

“When I get back, I’m going to have enough proof to throw her in jail—if she hasn’t run,” Grayson stated with a smirk.  “You are so blinded; you just refuse to see what’s right in front of you.”

“For once in our lives, I’ve got something you don’t have and you can’t steal from me.  And you can’t stand it.”

“Come now, surely you’re not so naïve that you think she loves you?  You were just in the right place, at the right time and ripe for the picking.  The whole family tiptoes around you and pretends everything is the same as it was before you were scarred, but it’s not the same.  You’re not the same.  Then this little chit pays you a little attention and poof, you’re in love.  Well, I have news for you.  She is never going to fill the hole those scars left in you.”

Jaxon’s lips straightened into a line and Charlie could feel his already tense muscles tightening as he clenched his fists.

“Jaxon, let’s go,” Charlie said pushing him towards the door.  “The sooner he leaves, the sooner he’s going to find out the truth.”

“And the sooner he’ll be apologizing!” he shouted at his twin over her shoulder.

~ * ~

They walked nearly all the way home in silence before Jaxon spoke.

“Be honest with me; is he going to find anything I should prepare myself for?”

Charlie looked pensive. “I mentioned the fire to him. He may find out the truth.”

“That was hardly a crime, Charlie.  That fire was an accident.  That’s not the sort of thing he’ll
be looking for.  He’ll try to prove you have a history of being with men for their money, or you were posing as a man to swindle people, or you owe people money and you ran off without paying.”

“When you mess up with such dire consequ
ences, you try to toe the line. I rebelled a little when I was older, but I’ve never been in any real trouble.”

Jaxon’s eyebrows lowered, knowing that she rarely volunteered information. If he wanted to know something, he had to specifically ask her.
              “I’d like to know what you call rebelling.”

“Getting drunk, smoking cigars, bar fights, wenching with my friends,” she said with a mischievous grin.

His eyes opened wide. A lopsided grin crossed his countenance as his imagination pictured it. “Wenching?”

“I couldn’t let the men think of me as wet behind the ears
, so I would take a woman to her room and pay her to keep her mouth shut.  When I was angry with my father, I would take the women back to my cabin on the ship.”

“And were you often mad at your father?”

The smile died on her lips. “He was a hard man to please.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“The last few years I really began feeling trapped.  So, aye, I was often mad at him.”

Jaxon’s grin left as quickly as it came.

“Have you ever thought that maybe it’s not me you love, but the freedom from being trapped in a situation you couldn’t control?”

She interlaced her fingers with h
is. “Jaxon, never doubt my love for you,” she said stopping. “You’re not having second thoughts?”