Silver Sea (47 page)

"Did you do as I asked and have Clarice get a turtle and make soup?" he asked.

"Yes." She felt sorry for the turtles. "Where is Lord Harms today?"

Sipping rum, Xavier showed his teeth in a feral smile. "Why do you ask? Do you find his blue gloves unaccountably appealing? No, never mind, your kind replies are predictable. Harms is taking a stroll up the coastline."

"A stroll?"

"I've sent him to hunt treasure." Once again he grinned. "I thought that he needed a project to occupy his mind! That's the trouble with those London beaus, don't you think? They need projects."

"I am worried about Lady Thomasina, Xavier. She seems to be failing more each day."

"By jove, I do hope so!" His eyes glittered. "The old cow ain't any good to us, is she? And I hear that she's rich. If she dies, Harms won't have to hunt treasure any more!"

Watching her husband laugh, Eloise couldn't decide if he were drunk or simply more evil than she'd imagined. When Crowe spotted his favorite slave, Abraham, walking nearby with Owen Horner, he turned and walked away from Eloise without a word of parting.

Curious, she wandered to the other end of the verandah and paused behind a thick bougainvillea vine. As long as they didn't keep their voices too low, she would be able to overhear.

"Well, did you uncover more information? Is it really true about the Dutch ship?" Crowe demanded.

"I hear it, Master Crowe," Abraham said. "A ship from America just come into the Careenage, and we hear them on the docks say a Dutch packet close behind."

Owen Horner was nodding his sunburned head. "Yes, it's true. I didn't just hear the rumor in the pub, but I paid a young fellow named Crenshaw for information, on the docks. He said that there was a splendid Dutch packet, weighted down with fine goods, and his ship had passed it perhaps two days ago. Crenshaw said his captain was informed that the packet would be sailing around the south coast into Carlisle Bay, and they hoped they wouldn't get lost since this was their first time to Barbados. When I wondered aloud how soon Crenshaw thought the packet might come into port, he estimated tomorrow morning."

"Which means they would sail down the eastern coast during the night. It's rather too good to believe, hmm?" The sound of Crowe's heavy breathing carried to the verandah where Eloise listened. "How could we not have heard before?"

"Perhaps this is an unscheduled stop, off their planned course. They may have gotten greedy and decided to buy up more goods."

"Oh, Christ! If they have a hold filled with not only goods but gold as well, it would be more than I could resist!"

"Master, you like to plan so you far from the island when we strike! This is danger!" Abraham shook his head doubtfully.

"Nonsense. No one except the American ship even knows that the packet is coming this way, and there are many reasons why it might not reach Carlisle Bay. You've already heard that the Dutch captain is unsure of his way, so trouble could befall them, or they could change course again!"

"I for one would enjoy the adventure!" Owen Horner exclaimed. "I've been waiting for a night like this ever since I came here, sir!"

"What you going to do with that other one?" Abraham asked.

"You mean Lord Harms?" Crowe laughed and drank down the rest of his rum. "Oh, I've found a diversion for him. I have him looking for the treasure marked on the Stede Bonnet map."

"We already dug for that!" the slave cried.

"A pirate treasure?" Owen Horner's voice rose at the thought.

"Don't fly off into the boughs, old man," Crowe cautioned. "You'll have your real treasure tonight, if all goes well. Meanwhile, I've sent Harms to Cave Bay to dig for a treasure that doesn't exist. I found the map a few years back and, as Abraham has said, I gave it a try and had the slaves do some digging. Didn't really expect to find anything, after a century, and sure enough, it turned out to be the grave of three of Bonnet's pirates!"

Abraham shuddered at the memory. "Bad, real bad!"

"What makes you think he'll stay there and dig into the night?" Horner asked.

"I told him I had heard that the land, which used to belong to a Frenchman, has been purchased by someone on Barbados. That part is true, but I have no idea who the fellow is. He may not set foot on his property. However, I lied to Harms and said that the new owner is going to take possession tomorrow morning, so he has only this one night to find Bonnet's plunder!" This speech was followed by caustic laughter, and Eloise felt ill.

"Hard to imagine that peacock of a lad digging by the light of the moon!" Horner rejoined, and all three men laughed together. "If he finds one of those skeletons, he'll jump right out of his soft, pale skin!"

Crowe put one arm around his overseer and the other around his favorite slave. "Abraham, you'll have to assemble the crew and prepare them for this night's work. I'm counting on both of you to make our adventure a success! I must say, I'm glad to be at home for once. I find that I am ready to join in the fun myself!"

Chapter 24

By the light of a guttering candle, Adrienne dressed in one of Retta's old gowns and fastened a green fichu around her shoulders. After covering her hair with a coral-and-white-striped headtie, she surveyed the results in the pier glass. She could see Angus in the reflection, sitting beside Hortie on the bed. The terrier's head was cocked to one side as he watched intently.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Will I blend in?"

"Are you expecting to be mistaken for a white slave?" Hortie thinned her lips. "Captain Raveneau would be furious if he knew what you were doing. I don't feel right at all about involving myself in such a scheme."

"I told him quite plainly that I wanted to rescue Lady Thomasina, and I asked for his help. However, we couldn't find time to make plans before he had to go off with his father and Minter." Adrienne turned back to her housekeeper and fixed her with an imploring gaze. "What about your loyalty to Lady Thomasina?"

Suddenly Angus began to howl mournfully. Hortie cried, "Hush up, you infernal beast!" She shook her head. "I vow that animal understands English. He's been in mourning for her ladyship ever since we left her, and any time she's mentioned, he begins to make that hideous noise! Every piece of clothing I have that she might've touched, he finds and hides in his bed."

"But that's very sad! Don't you see, then, we must go to her aid—and bring her back here to be reunited with Angus!"

The terrier rushed to lay his head on Adrienne's hand while looking up imploringly. "Ahh-ooooooo!" he cried. "Wooo-wooooo..."

Hortie rolled her eyes. "Do I have any choice?"

"Oh, good! I'm so pleased! You won't be sorry, and I promise you a rare adventure!"

"I can see why you and Captain Raveneau are married," she grumbled. "You're both fire-eaters. I only hope you don't meet untimely deaths because you've taken one risk too many."

"How kind you are to say that." Still smiling, Adrienne clenched her teeth. "I'm quite certain we'll both live long and happy lives. In the meantime, let us be on our way. It's a rather long journey to the southeastern side of the island, and Philip is waiting. I've had him bring the carriage around, since Lady Thomasina will be returning with us and we'll need plenty of room."

"I just hope I can remember my way around that great maze of a house. There were times I couldn't remember which room was her ladyship's when I was there, in broad daylight! I don't feel right about this, ma'am...."

"Everything will be fine."

The two women left the bedchamber, discussing their plan, and Angus hopped from the bed and scurried after them down the stairs. Philip was waiting with a closed carriage behind the house. The great sandbox tree shielded him from the evening's intermittent showers, and when Adrienne and Hortie appeared at the back door, he rushed to meet them.

"Dere you are, Mistress." He looked shocked by the sight of her in Retta's clothing.

"Philip, are you certain you can leave Orchid tonight? Is she resting?" Adrienne's brow was etched with concern for his brave wife. Lately, although Orchid had continued to work in the house and pass on as many of her secrets and skills as possible, it was clear to those who knew her best that her health was worsening by the day.

"She say dat I mus' see 'bout you, Mistress. Dat what Captain want."

"It's raining!" Hortie cried as she stepped into the darkness.

"No more dan mist, Miss Hortie," Philip replied.

"Are these primitive roads safe for travel? Perhaps we ought to postpone this mad undertaking—"

"No" came Adrienne's firm reply. "If Nathan's plans come to fruition tonight, there's no telling what will happen next at Crowe's Nest. And if something goes awry and Xavier Crowe escapes, Lady Thomasina's lot could be worse than ever. We cannot wait."

Angus began to howl again, higher and louder than ever, and dashed through the open door. Before anyone could catch him, he had jumped into the carriage and was sitting on one of the upholstered seats.

"Wait, Philip—let him stay. Hortie tells me that Angus can track Lady Thomasina's scent, so we may need his help at Crowe's Nest!" She looked at her housekeeper, grinning. "I knew I would think of something!" And with that, they joined the terrier in the carriage. Philip climbed up to the driver's perch, flicked the horses' reins, and they set out for Crowe's Nest.

The journey to the easternmost parish of St. Philip was tedious by carriage. Adrienne curled up to one side and dozed, dreaming of pirates and shipwrecks and a house with corridors that were more confusing than the maze at Harms Castle. It was the sound of Angus snoring that brought her awake at last. The carriage was jouncing over a bumpy road and Adrienne looked out to see that they were skirting cliffs that dropped to an angry sea. The rain had stopped. The air was fresh, and the light from the full moon was broken only by dark clouds that hurtled across its face.

She shivered with excitement.

Hortie cowered in the other corner of the carriage. "I wish I'd never left Hampshire." She paused for a moment, then added sulkily, "I can't even find a man here."

"Oh, now, Hortie, it isn't as bad as all that. Wouldn't you rather be working for Nathan and me than be back at that dreary Harms Castle?"

Just then Philip tapped on the box to let them know their destination was in sight. Angus began to howl again, and Adrienne wrapped a hand around his muzzle.

"You must be quiet, darling cur, or we'll never be able to find Lady Thomasina." When she took her hand away, he stared at her in attentive silence. Adrienne decided it couldn't hurt to test Hortie's theory that Angus understood English. "You do want to find Lady Thomasina, don't you?"

The terrier whimpered pitifully.

"Then I shall let you help us—but you must be very quiet, Angus. Do you understand? Good. When we go into the house, you will lead us to Lady Thomasina. It's an enormous house, I think, so you must be careful. And I may pick you up if we need to hide! Some people there would harm us, so we can't make a sound, and we have to be prepared to escape at a moment's notice!"

Angus rested his chin on her lap and seemed to nod. He made a small wheezy sound.

She nearly told Hortie how foolish she felt, but now there was a chance of hurting Angus's feelings, so she merely smiled and petted his head.

Tall casuarina trees lined the approach to Crowe's Nest, their feathery, silver-green tops silhouetted against the moonlit sky. When the wind blew through them, the leaves made a whistling sound so eerie that Hortie hugged herself in the sultry air.

Philip slowed the horses to a walk when they drew near, and it was agreed that he should stay back in the trees until it was time for him to bring the carriage closer for Lady Thomasina. One of the greatest dangers they faced stemmed from the old woman's age and weight. Clearheaded, she could scarcely get out of a chair unaided, so they could hardly expect her to run across the wide drive and through the palm trees during their escape. The probability that Lady Thomasina was drugged merely multiplied the risks they faced.

Adrienne's palms were clammy, but she decided that there was no room in her mind for fear tonight. If she let fear in, there was no point in going on, since danger lurked at every turn.

Since her tearful farewell to Nathan early that morning, it had occurred to her that she might be undertaking this rescue mission in part to distract herself from the dangers
he
faced tonight. It was not in Adrienne's nature to wait dutifully at home, worrying and wringing her hands.

When they had come to a stop, Philip opened the carriage door. Adrienne was holding Angus in her arms, and Hortie followed her out into the breezy night.

"I watch for a sign to come wit' carriage," Philip whispered. "I wait 'nuff time, den I go in an' save you."

"You are very dear," Adrienne said with feeling, and shocked him by kissing his cheek. "We are so fortunate to have you and Orchid at Tempest Hall, Philip."

"We de fortunate one, Mistress," he replied gravely.