Love's Fiery Jewel (34 page)

Despite Damien's word given at the. Inception of the
voyage, Amethyst was uncertain as to her fate once they
dropped anchor in Philadelphia. The last week of the
voyage had found Damien becoming more and more
pensive, the former lively manner he exhibited at
mealtimes replaced by long bouts of silence that wore on
her nerves. Unwilling to question his long silences,
Amethyst remained as silent as he, her mind conjuring
up wild, frightening visions of her fate should he decide
to renege on his word. But the time was fast approaching when she would no longer be in doubt.

Gliding smoothly into berth, the Sally touched the
dock, Amethyst's heart hammering as the men rushed to
secure her lines and perform the last minute details of
docking. Realizing they would soon be going ashore,
Amethyst turned to go below. She had packed her few
possessions the previous night, laughing at the supreme
inadequacy of her wardrobe in the chill climate of a
Philadelphia winter. Her lightweight cotton skirt and
blouse, and her one cotton dress had proved small
protection against the chilling ocean breeze, and she had
taken to wearing Damien's heavy woolen sweater over
her attire while in the cabin. Aware that she was a
ludicrous sight in the dark sweater that reached almost to
mid-thigh, the shoulders of the huge garment reaching
almost to her elbow, allowing the cuffs to hang a good five
inches past her fingertips, she had determinedly rolled
back the cuffs deciding her vanity would have to suffer in
deference to her health. Her costume for topside was
even more ridiculous, consisting of Damien's muchabused cape, the ample folds of which provided heavy
insulation against the biting wind, and Damien's peculiar
woolen stocking cap, which she wore pulled down tight
around her piquant face, the dangling tail wrapped
around her neck for added warmth. Oh, what a
fashionable sight she would provide for curious Philadelphian eyes!

Stepping inside the cabin door, Amethyst immediately
snatched up the small bundle of personal belongings, and
preparing to leave, sent one departing glance around the
room. Strange, as foreign and hateful as it had appeared
when she had awakened that first morning, it now
seemed a haven of security against the unknown that was
to come. Having had no recent assurances of his
intentions, Amethyst could only assume Damien would follow through with the plan he had outlined the first day
aboard, publicly declaring her his ward, no matter the
position she privately played in his life. She assumed...
but assumption provided little reassurance.

Turning, she walked out the cabin door, and closed it
quietly behind her, her former excitement gradually
replaced by anxiety as she made a slow ascent to deck.

The chill January wind nipped sharply at her face
when she reached topside, and clutching her billowing
cape closer against her, Amethyst was caught by several
anxious stares aimed in her direction. Following Ezekiel
Bellows's furtive glance as it moved'from her to a spot at
the head of the gangplank that had been put in place after
her descent to berth deck, Amethyst saw the reason for
the crew's discomfort. Her heart turning to a lump of ice
in her breast, she saw Damien in passionate embrace with
a slender woman whose arms were wrapped possessively
around his neck. So engrossed were they in each other
that they were unaware of her presence on deck. Her
expression stiffening, Amethyst watched as the enthusiastic reunion continued. Suddenly aware of movement at her elbow, she turned to meet Jeremy Barnes's
sympathetic smile. With a valiant attempt at lightness,
the dark young man said encouragingly, "Here, let me
take your bundle for you, Miss Greer. I think it will be a
while before you are able to go ashore, but I'm sure
Philadelphia will be to your liking."

Nodding oncommittally, Amethyst managed a small,
stiff smile in his direction, her eyes moving to follow his
gaze as it snapped unexpectedly toward the gangplank.
Turning, she saw Damien's eyes on her, as well as the
startled, somewhat mocking glance of the woman he still
held in his arms. Releasing the woman, Damien advanced
toward Amethyst, drawing her with him, allowing
Amethyst full assessment of his companion's ample charms as they drew nearer. Struggling to disguise her
reaction, Amethyst was all too aware of the woman's
beauty and fashionable attire. Light chestnut hair peeked
out from the hood of a magnificent maroon velvet cape,
becomingly framing her lively, if somewhat haughty face
as she walked with a graceful sway, possessively tucking
her arm under Damien's as they drew near.

His light eyes sharp, keenly assessing her reaction of
his companion's appearance, Damien spared only the
briefest glance for Jeremy Barnes still standing resolutely
at her side. Turning to his companion, Damien's voice
was courteously formal, "Merrell, I would like you to
meet my ward, Miss Amethyst Greer."

Her delicate brow raised in a manner which, Amethyst
was certain, was calculated to appeal to the male instinct,
Merrell coyly tilted her head to gaze provocatively into
Damien's face. "Your ward? Well, I suppose that's as
good a title as any you could find for her. But that's
alright, darling," she continued without awaiting comment, "now that you're back, you'll have no further need
for any of your ...wards."

Amethyst's face flamed brightly, simultaneous with
the small choking sound issuing from Jeremy Barnes's
throat as he stood stiffly beside her in obvious
embarrassment. About to turn on her heel and walk
away, Amethyst was stayed by Damien's hand as it shot
out to block her exit. His voice as frigid as his expression,
Damien turned and addressed Merrell Bristol with a dark
look.

"You have made an error in judgment, Merrell. Miss
Greer is the daughter of a dear friend I transported to the
islands eight years ago, and whose passing I deeply regret.
I have over the years felt a great responsibility toward
Amethyst's mother and her, and since her mother's
death, have accepted total responsibility for Amethyst's future. You have deeply offended Miss Greer with your
unwarranted assumptions, and since the situation is too
delicate to be smoothed over with a few words, I will
allow Mr. Barnes to escort you to the dock so you may go
home and contemplate an adequate gesture of apology."

Her eyes flaring wide with indignation, Merrell gasped,
"Damien! Certainly you are not asking me to apologize to
this wh..."

"Mr. Barnes!" His own complexion becoming slightly
livid, Damien interrupted Merrell with undisguised
anger. "You will escort Miss Bristol to the dock!"

Refusing the courteous arm offered by a smiling
Jeremy Barnes, Merrell turned in a huff and stamped
toward the gangplank. Turning back only once when she
reached the dock to throw a supercilious sneer in their
direction, Merrell walked toward the carriage which
within moments was moving with undisguised haste
away from the ship.

Damien turned back to Amethyst. Surprisingly a small
smile covered his lips. "You needn't worry about
Merrell, Amethyst. She's a jealous bitch, but she'll come
around to apologize when she realizes there's no other
way back into my good graces."

Suddenly realizing that Damien fully intended to
fulfill his end of their bargain, Amethyst experienced a
flush of relief and inexplicably angered by her own
reaction, Amethyst mumbled for his ears alone, "Insufferable, conceited boor! It would serve you right if she
threw you over!"

His smile broadening, Damien replied with a slight
raising of his brow, "Oh, you needn't worry about that,
Amethyst. You may take my word that the possibility is
extremely unlikely."

Openly amused at her heated reaction to his statement, Damien offered his arm with a gallant gesture.

"Come, my dear. I will leave Mr. Barnes to secure the
ship while I introduce you to your new home."

Directing a deadly look into his grinning countenance,
Amethyst accepted the arm proffered her with as much
dignity as she could muster, and walked stiffly to the
gangplank.

PHILADELPHIA

The hired carriage moved slowly through the frozen
Philadelphia streets, affording Amethyst a leisurely view
of the city. Despite her mother's numerous recitations of
Martin Greer's brilliant reception at the Southwark
Theater when Amethyst was very young, at first sight
nothing about the city was at all familiar. Her eyes wide,
Amethyst missed nothing in her avid perusal of the
passing streets. The city was obviously huge, many of the
buildings graciously constructed of brick, the streets
bustling with people despite the frigid temperatures. The
further they progressed from the docks, the better
dressed the pedestrians appeared to become, with many
of the women wearing extremely fashionable at tire. More
conscious than ever of her own ridiculous appearance in
the oversized man's cape and ludicrous stocking cap,
Amethyst drew back further into the corner of the
carriage, her concentration on the sights outside the
window interrupted only briefly.

Sitting beside her, his own attention intent on the
myriad of emotions passing over the face of the beautiful
child/woman at his side, Damien frowned. Why had she
drawn back so furtively into the corner of the carriage?
Surely she was not frightened of the unfamiliar city!
No.. .Amethyst had proved time and time again that
very few situations proved her master. No, she would not
allow a city to intimidate her. Then what...? A smile
dawning on his face, Damien suddenly noted the self conscious manner in which Amethyst fingered her cap
before sliding an inch further into the corner of the
carriage. Realizing her peculiar attire to be the cause of
her discomfort, Damien could do no more than shake his
head. Leave it to a woman to surmount all kinds of
difficulties, only to have an inadequate wardrobe master
her confidence. Did the girl not realize that no manner of
clothing could dim the radiance of her beauty.. .hide
the brilliance of her dazzling smile? Even in her present
admittedly horrendous costume, her lovely face stood
out like a perfect rose in a field of weeds. The tense knot
in his chest tightening at the silent admission of his
enduring fascination with the slight woman beside him,
Damien frowned. Damn!

He had handled this whole affair poorly from the
beginning, and now the situation had grown completely
out of hand. What had ever possessed him to say he was
going to introduce Amethyst to Philadelphia society as
his ward? Honesty forcing himself to finally admit it had
been his own certainty that he would find himself
disenchanted and anxious to conclude their arrangement
by the end of the voyage, Damien gave a disgusted snort.
He had been wrong again! He had not tired of Amethyst,
and in fact found himself so fiercely possessive that he
had come to resent more and more with each passing day
the license her introduction as his ward would afford her.
But he was at a complete loss for an excuse to negate his
promise. On the other hand, claiming Amethyst his ward
would allow him the opportunity to privately enjoy her
charms while allowing him to openly indulge his fancies
with other Philadelphia maidens. The only catch in the
arrangement, as his recent encounter with Merrell
Bristol had proved a short while previous to his utter
dismay, was that the possibility provided little allure.
Merrell Bristol's kiss had left him cold, her calculated
sexuality too practiced and false to his taste. Having experienced Amethyst's quick mind and spontaneous
personality-not to speak of her other attributesMerrell's affected posture had dulled into insignificance
in his eyes. Reluctant to admit it even to himself, he
found he could not remember a woman who had appealed
to him sexually since setting eyes on the matured
Amethyst, damn her beauteous hide!

Engrossed in these disturbing thoughts, Damien was
frowning darkly as Amethyst turned to speak for the first
time since the inception of their carriage ride. They were
turning off Dock Street onto Walnut and she was
becoming increasingly apprehensive as to their destination.

"Is it much further to your house, Damien?"

Her anxiety was apparent, the blatant vulnerability
inadvertently displayed on her face effectively bringing
home to Damien the realization that she was indeed still a
child of sixteen, despite the veneer of maturity forced
upon her by circumstance. Managing to subdue the
driving desire to pull her onto his lap and reassure her
that no matter their destination, he would protect and
care for her, Damien muttered gruffly, "No, we are
almost there."

Accustomed to his vacillating moods, Amethyst was
unaffected by his gruffness and resumed her study of the
street outside the carriage.

Within moments they were pulling up before a brick
house of impressive size, its gleaming oak door opening as
they arrived to reveal a tall, thin, gray-haired woman in
her mid-years, whose narrow, lined face was composed
into a professional welcoming smile. Alighting ahead of
her, Damien turned to swing Amethyst down to the
ground before acknowledging the welcome of the slender
woman in gray.