Moontide Embrace (Historical Romance) (49 page)

She opened her arms wide and turned her face to the
heavens, embracing the dying sun and wishing this day
would never end. Her heart was so filled with happiness that she couldn't imagine being anyone but herself. She
pitied any woman who did not have Judah for her husband.

"Land ho!" came the cry from atop the crow's nest. "Home port dead ahead."

Liberty's eyes excitedly moved to the west, where she
saw an island that appeared to be a huge green emerald
sparkling in the sun. She turned to Philippe who had just
come up beside her. "Did he say 'home port,' Philippe? I
assumed Boston was still home port to the
Winged Victory."

"No, not since Judah's cousin had the authorities looki
ng for him."

"Oh,
oui,
of course. Judah has still told me very little
about this island."

Philippe smiled, loving the childlike shine in her eyes.
He bowed gracefully to her. "May I offer my services,
Madame?
What would you like to know?"

"Everything."

Philippe's laughter reached Judah's ears, and Judah
smiled, appreciating the close relationship that had developed between his first mate and his wife. Philippe kept a
protective eye on Liberty.

"I will try to cover as much as I can in the limited time
we have before we anchor," Philippe replied. "With all due
modesty, however, I admit to being very informed about
this island."

"What crops does she produce?" Liberty asked, for she
was a planter's daughter.

"Ah, demon rum is her chief export. It is made from
sugar cane that is produced here. Besides that, there are
coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, and mahogany."

"I'm impressed. Tell me about the terrain."

"You will find it ranges from salty, barren land to rocky, mountainous terrain, and even arid rain forest."

"Tell me where we are going?" she pressed.

"Oh, no
Madame.
If the captain has not told you about that, he must want to surprise you. Therefore, I will not be a party to ruining his surprise."

As the
Winged Victory
drew nearer to Martinique,
Liberty feasted her eyes on the breathtaking scene. The
island appeared to be sleeping lazily in the sun. From its
rock-strewn shores arose spectacular mountains —volca
noes. In the distance she could see palm trees and lush green vegetation.

She expected Judah to drop anchor, but instead he skirted
this side of the island and made for the west side. While
he stood at the helm to navigate due to the tricky tide,
Philippe remained at Liberty's side and directed her atten
tion to points of interest. "You will find Martinique as
French as New Orleans,
Madame?
he said. "The Creole
girls are very beautiful here." His eyes danced merrily. "I
have always found French women most beautiful."

Liberty's laughter was musical. "I am sure that would have nothing to do with the fact that you are French, would it, Philippe?"

"Perhaps . . . perhaps it would have a great deal to do
with it," he admitted.

"Are you from France, Philippe?"

"Oui, Paris."

"Do you ever want to go back?"

"No. I have all a man could want in life. If I had stayed
at home, I would have become a cobbler, and I'd never
have known the adventures I have experienced aboard the
Winged Victory.
I am a contented man."

"But you must have family still living in Paris."

"I have a brother and a sister. My sister lives in Boston, while my brother, Pierre, is the captain's foreman here on
Martinique."

Liberty looked up at her husband, who was issuing
orders which were speedily obeyed. "Some men were born
to the sea, weren't they, Philippe?"

He followed her eyes. "If you are talking about the captain, don't be too sure. I believe a gentle hand could keep him on land and make him like it."

Her eyes were wide and apprehensive. "Do you really
believe that?"

"If I did not, I would not have said it," Philippe
assured her. Gently taking her chin, he turned her to face
the quiet cove the
Winged Victory
was now entering. "You are home,
Madame."

Liberty watched in amazement as brown-skinned na
tives dove into the water and swam to meet the ship. She laughed delightedly when they did tricks in the water to
amuse those aboard.

"Who are they?" Liberty asked Philippe.

"They work for the captain," he informed her.

"Are they slaves?"

"No, the captain does not approve of slavery, and there
is no slavery on this island."

"Oh," she said, not really understanding. There were
some fifty heads bobbing in the water. Why would Judah
need so many men to work for him? Her eyes followed
the path that led up the grassy slope, and she caught her
breath at what she saw. The house that dominated the
small cove looked very much like many of the plantation
homes of Louisiana. It was built of white rock and had
galleries all the way around the first and second floors.
Belvederes topped the roof to give panoramic views of the
surrounding countryside and the harbor.

Her eyes sought Judah's, and he smiled down at her.
She took a step toward him and another. Then, forgetting
where she was, and that there were many pairs of eyes
watching them, Liberty ran up the quarterdeck and threw
herself into Judah's arms. "It is beautiful, so beautiful," she cried.

He laughed delightedly as he hugged her to him. "Welcome home, my lady wife," he told her.

23

Sebastian glanced around the elegant salon of the Purple Peacock, without really hearing the sound of
babbling voices. This had once been the favorite gambling
establishment for the young Frenchmen of New Orleans.
Now Sebastian hardly recognized anyone. Since the
American victory over the English, the place had become
overrun with the American rabble. Creoles now sought
their pleasures where they would not have to be under the
same roof with the ungentlemanly Americans.

Sebastian leaned into the table and lifted his glass to his
lips. He still frequented the Purple Peacock, because he had found it easy to take money from the Americans.
They seemed to fancy gambling with a real Creole, and he
had been only too happy to oblige them.

Sebastian had bitterness in his heart, and a need for
revenge still burned inside his gut. Everything he had ever
wanted was now lost to him. He had talked with his attorney that day and had learned that Bandera had no
chance of inheriting Briar Oaks, even if Liberty were to
die. The plantation would go to Judah because he was her
husband.

Raw smoldering anger dominated Sebastian's every thought. It was not fair that Judah had everything and he
was left with nothing. His lip curled in contempt when he
thought of Bandera. Too late he had discovered that no
one ever possessed Bandera. She was shallow and self-
centered—a real bore when it came to intelligent conver
sation. And she was even more boring in bed, never seeming to acquire new tricks from her varied lovers.

Sebastian's eyes sparked with desire as he thought of
the beautiful, desirable Liberty. She was everything a man
could want in a wife. He imagined the heights a man could reach if he were to possess her. Yes, Judah had it
all, and Sebastian had been left with nothing—nothing!
Sebastian knew his days at Briar Oaks were numbered.
He would have to be gone before Judah returned, because
his cousin would demand satisfaction from him. Sebastian had no intention of facing Judah over a dueling pistol.

Suddenly, Sebastian's attention was drawn to the stairs, and his eyes widened in admiration of the beautiful,
auburn-haired woman who had just entered. She ap
peared to be in deep conversation with a gentleman who
looked vaguely familiar. The pair turned to look at Sebastian, and then the man left and the woman de
scended the stairs with such grace that she seemed to float
on air. Sebastian decided that she must be new in town, because he had never seen her before. He watched her
pensively look around the room, and then to his surprise,
she walked in his direction. As she approached Sebastian's
table, he saw that she was not as young as he had first
thought, but beautiful nonetheless.

Her eyes darted nervously over his face, and then down
to her clutched hands. He saw her distress, and he rose to
his feet to offer her a bow and a smile.
"Mademoiselle,
how can I be of assistance to you?"

Adriane Pierce had been apprehensive about approach
ing Sebastian, and she was relieved to find him to be
responsive to her. "My name is Adriane Pierce. You were
pointed out to me as Mister Montesquieu, Judah Slaught
er's cousin, sir. I wonder if I might sit and talk to you for
just a moment? I promise I will not take up much of your
time."

Sebastian was at his most charming. "I can assure you
that my time is yours. Please be seated."

He held a chair for her, and she sat down; then he snapped his fingers to summon a waiter. Sebastian gave his order in French, and, when the waiter departed,
turned his attention back to Adriane Pierce. "So you are a
friend of my cousin, Judah? Did you come here from
Boston?"

"Yes, I arrived only yesterday. No one seems to be able
to tell me where I can find Judah. The proprietor of the
inn where I am staying was kind enough to point you out
to me. He said you might be able to help me—I am desperate!"

Sebastian smiled inwardly. He didn't have to be told that Adriane Pierce was, or had been, Judah's mistress
back in Boston. The lady didn't seem to know Judah was
married, or she did not care. "Have you heard nothing from my cousin,
Mademoiselle?"

"No, nothing. Not since he left Boston three years ago.
Several months back, I heard indirectly from his mother, and it seemed she didn't know where Judah was either. I
fear he may have met with some terrible fate. I could not go on not knowing what had happened to him . . . and I
could hardly contact his mother."

Sebastian saw the anguish in Adriane's eyes, and he leaned forward, placing his hand on hers. "Let me put your mind at rest. Judah has come to no harm. In fact my wife heard from a friend only yesterday that Judah is in Martinique."

Relief showed on Adriane's face as she shook her head.
"Where is Martinique?" Her clipped Boston accent mas
sacred the French name.

"It is an island in the East Indies."

"Oh, I see."

"We expect him to be away for some time."

"I wonder if it would be proper
...
no, I could never
consider going to this island to see Judah."

Sebastian was trying to think of a way to turn this
meeting to his best advantage. This lovely charmer just
might be the tool he needed to lay another trap for his cousin, but this time he would have to proceed very
carefully. Sebastian did not want to make mistakes that
would again give Judah the advantage. Apparently Adriane had not heard that Judah had taken a wife. His eyes gleamed brightly as he began to spin his lies.

"Adriane Pierce," he said thoughtfully. "I have heard
Judah speak of you often." He smiled and released her hand. "He is very fond of you, you know?" Adriane Pierce would help him destroy Judah!

"I do not delude myself about that, Mister Montes
quieu. If Judah cared anything about me, he would surely
have gotten in touch with me before three years had passed."

"I happen to know he would welcome you with an
open heart. How would you like to travel with me to
Martinique?"

Adriane looked at him suspiciously. "I do not know what you think of me, Mister Montesquieu, but I do not go off with gentlemen I do not know."

"Oh, no, no,
Mademoiselle,
you misunderstand me. I am a happily married man. It is just that my cousin has
been most unhappy lately. I believe you could bring joy to
him again."

Sebastian's lies made Adriane's eyes sparkle. "Do you
really think so?"

"Indeed I do." He lowered his eyes and stared at the large diamond on her finger. "Of course, it will cost a great deal of money, and I am not a wealthy man."

"Mister Montesquieu, I am a singer by trade, and I
have never wanted for money." She stood up, her elation
evident. "How can I thank you for your kindness? You
have given me new hope." Adriane had never been able to
forget Judah. No other man had fulfilled her as a woman, and she could not wait to be reunited with him.

Sebastian came to his feet and took her hand, raising it
to his lips and softly kissing the tips of her fingers. "I always like to see a lovely woman smile."

"I must be off so I can make arrangements right away.
Thank you again for your kindness, Mister Montesquieu."

Sebastian felt a plan forming in his mind, a plan that
might help rid him of Judah for all time. He would strip
Briar Oaks to the bare walls to get money for passage to
Martinique. "As it happens,
Mademoiselle.
I have been
wanting to see Judah, myself. I believe I will go to Martinique with you, so you will have an escort."

"But your wife—"

His eyes narrowed to slits. "My wife has the same
feeling for my cousin that I do. We both would do all in
our power to see that he has all he deserves."

Liberty discovered that the house had just recently been
built and that Philippe's brother, Pierre, had sparsely
furnished it just prior to their arrival. As she moved from
room to room, making notations on what furniture was
needed, she felt she was doing something to please Judah.
He had asked her to furnish the house as she saw fit, and
had assured her that money was no object. She had
decided on lemon yellow walls in the dining room, and a
mahogany table and buffet, made by the local furniture
makers, would add just the right touch.

Liberty was bent over the paper, making notations, when Judah came up behind her and planted a kiss on her neck. She turned to him and a happy smile lit her eyes. "I did not expect you home so soon."

"1 have been thinking about you all day, Liberty. I came home to see if you were also thinking about me, and I find you busy, not missing me in the least."

"I always miss you when you are away."

Judah stood before her, not as the sea captain but as lord of the manor, a plantation owner. He had so many different sides to his personality, and Liberty was fascinated by them all. His golden hair was slightly windblown, and he wore a white shirt, tan trousers, and brown English riding boots. When his sun-browned hand covered hers she melted against him.

He smiled down at her and thought how adorable she looked with an ink smudge on her cheek. "Are you putting my house in order, Mistress Slaughter?"

"I am attempting it. I do hope you will like what 1 am doing."

He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. "If you are satisfied with it, I know I will like it," he assured her.

"Do you not think we should talk over the details so you can tell me if there is something you don't like?"

"No, the house is your domain. I leave it all in your capable hands. 1 have something else on my mind."

Liberty smiled up at him in amazement. "It is the middle of the day!"

His laughter was warm as he gathered her close. "No, that is not what I had in mind at the moment." He arched an eyebrow at her. "However, it might not be such a bad idea." A devilish glow lit his turquoise eyes, and a smile played on his lips.

Liberty's face flamed red, and she buried it against his chest. But Judah lifted her face and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "How would you like to go exploring with me today?"

"I would love it. When can we leave?"

"You go upstairs and get into your riding habit, and I will have Hayman prepare us a basket of food." Staring into her seemingly bottomless eyes, Judah resisted the urge to take her upstairs to their bedroom. "Hurry,
Madame Slaughter, you are wasting time, and keeping the
horses waiting."

As Liberty's horse followed Judah's down the steep rocky trail, she had a magnificent view of the countryside. The bluest sky she had ever seen hung above an
equally blue sea, and puffy white clouds floated lazily
overhead. While below a bower of wildflowers marked the
landscape with vivid colors as if an artist's hand had
painted them there. The air was crisp and clean, scented
with the mixed aroma of hibiscus and wild orchids, but
Liberty could see fields laid out in orderly furrows, a
testament to man's intrusion on nature's world. This touch took something away from the wild beauty and serenity of this island paradise.

Judah had reached the bottom of the incline, and was
waiting for Liberty to join him. When her horse drew even with his, she caught her breath at the beauty that
met her eyes. They were in a cove, surrounded by the high
rock formations that cut it off from the rest of the world.
The only access to it the way they had come, or by sea. A lovely lagoon shimmered in the sunlight, and wild orchids
grew everywhere, their scent dominating the air.

Her eyes were shining as she gazed at her husband.
"Oh, Judah, this is the most perfect place on earth. I can
almost imagine that we are the only two people left on earth. Who owns this land?"

Judah found joy in viewing life through his wife's eyes.
She had such a zest for living, she found beauty where it
was overlooked by others. Judah could remember the heavy feeling of loneliness he had experienced the first time he had come upon this grotto. Now, with Liberty beside him, it felt like a paradise.