Take My Heart (Heroic Rogues Series) (5 page)

The children halted on the steps, their heads snapped her way. The little girl’s face lost all color, and the boy’s jaw hardened.

The boy turned and stepped down one step. “Good day, Mercedes. It pleases us to know you are home safe. We worried when Papa said you were lost.”

She sucked in her breath. Two things worried her. First—why did they act as if they cared when Kat said William’s children hated her? And second—why were they using her real name? William called her Kat, yet the children had said the name Mercedes. As much as she wanted to know, she couldn’t ask without drawing suspicion.

Through her panic, she smiled. “Is something amiss?” She stared at the little girl. “Did you hurt your leg?”

The girl nodded, her curls bouncing all around her face, but she didn’t speak.

Wearing a stern expression, the boy stepped in front of his sister, acting the protector. “I know you told us not to run, but we couldn’t help it. The mean dog came after us again, and
Lizzy
couldn’t run very fast.” Big tears welled in the boy’s eyes. “Please, don’t be mad at her. I tried to stop the dog, but—” He paused, turning to show the rip on the back side of his breeches. “The dog got me, too.”

Mercedes’ heart crumbled at the tender display and she rushed to the children, kneeling on the step in front of them. She reached out to touch them and they flinched.

“Let me examine your knee,
Lizzy
.” Mercedes gently lifted the soiled pink dress to the scraped bloody skin underneath. “You are bleeding. We should clean that cut. It will make you feel better.” She moved to pick up the four-year-old, but the little girl darted behind her brother.

“I will do it,” the boy said with authority.

Lightly chewing on her bottom lip, Mercedes narrowed her gaze on the pair. She nodded. “If you do not mind, I would like to watch. Is that permissible?”

The boy’s brows creased as he stared back at her. “Aye.”

She followed the children up the wide staircase to the second-floor. Why were they so afraid of the woman who’d married their father? And they had yet to behave in the manner Kat had described.

A nursemaid scurried from one of the rooms and swept
Lizzy
up in her arms. “Oh, Mrs. Braxton, don’t you worry about these two. I will take care of them.”

“Nonetheless, I would like to assist,” Mercedes said.

This time all eyes widened. The maid finally nodded. “If you are certain, Mistress?”

“I am.” Mercedes smiled.

While she helped the maid tend to
Lizzy’s
knee, she listened to the boy tell about the accident. She discovered his name was James. Though she had no clue to why the girl didn’t speak. After
Lizzy’s
knee had been bandaged, the maid pushed James off to his room to change his breeches.

“James,” Mercedes called after him. “If you want to bring your breeches back to me, I will mend the rip and they will be like new.”

Once again, all three stopped and stared with wide eyes, but James appeared more confused than the other two with his creased forehead.

“It is all right,” she assured. “Make haste, and I will repair them.”

James glanced at the older woman who shrugged. He started to his room, but then turned back to Mercedes. “Thank you.”

She smiled. “For what?”

“For not scolding us.” He grabbed his sister’s hand and they turned and ran to their rooms.

Her heart twisted. Could her sister have lied again? What had Kat been doing to William’s children? Unless, of course, Kat had reprimanded them because of the way their father had instructed them to treat her. Yes, that must be it.

“And I thank you, Mrs. Braxton.” The maid bobbed, then turned, but Mercedes grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“Would you please explain something to me before you leave?”

“What might that be?”

“I wonder why the children call me Mercedes?”

Confusion marred the maid’s face, her forehead wrinkling her expression. Perhaps Mercedes shouldn’t have asked, but she really needed to know.

“Have you forgotten, Mrs. Braxton?”

“Apparently so.” She massaged her temples. “I think my mind has been scrambled from my long and tedious journey.”

“Well, you specifically instructed us not to use the name their father calls you. They see how upset you get when he uses that name, so they call you by your given name.”

Mercedes released an agitated sigh and trailed her fingers down to rub the back of her neck. So, that was the reason William called her Kat. It was meant to upset her. Yet, why would her sister use Mercedes’ name at all? William should be calling her Katherine.

Certainly another mystery to unravel.

“I am sorry I have frightened those poor children. I shan’t do it again. After you help them change, have them come to the parlor. I wish to speak to them.”

The maid nodded and hurried into
Lizzy’s
bedroom.

Mercedes took slow steps down the stairs, her heart so low as to scrape the floor. She walked into the parlor and sank into the closest chair. Before condemning their father a traitor, she had so much work to do. First, she needed to repair the hearts of those two adorable children. She couldn’t have them thinking she was a bad person. Indeed, she may be the only family they have, and if their father was hanged as a traitor to the Crown, Mercedes might be the one caring for them.

* * * *

Staring at herself in the full-length mirror, Mercedes groaned and twisted her mouth in distaste. The indecent rusty-red evening gown trimmed with white lace looked horrid on her. Besides exposing a lot of her shoulders and bosom, it was much too tight. The stays nearly squeezed the breath right out of her. Several times she struggled to lift the shoulders so they wouldn’t drop down her arms so far, but they refused to go the way she wanted. No way would she be seen like this. She couldn’t even look at herself without blushing. How would she react when others rested their eyes on her?

“Beth? Could you choose another gown for me?”

Kat’s maid scurried around the room picking up articles of clothes, then stopped with her arms overloaded. “Why?
‘Tis
the dress ye like to wear when ye entertain dinner guests.”

Mercedes frowned. She’d only been here a day and William informed her of their dinner guests tonight. She wanted to tell him how inappropriate that was since she was fatigued from her journey, until she remembered her arrival had been a surprise to him. Since Mr. Braxton was the monster her sister had described, he wouldn’t cancel just because his wife was tired.

The maid dropped the clothes on the bed before coming to Mercedes, stopping behind her. Beth ran her fingers over Mercedes’ hairstyle.

“Mrs. Braxton, I must say I do like
yer
‘air when it’s wound up tight like this, so refined and sophisticated. It be different from ‘
ow
ye used to wear it.”

Mercedes brushed the tip of her finger across one of the tendrils by her ear. “I want to look my very best for our company tonight.” She bit her lip in hesitation, then asked, “Remind me again who is in attendance this evening?”

Beth giggled. “I think
yer
mind is still jumping around on the coach from
yer
trip.”

“Yes. I believe that is the reason.”

“Well, I ‘
ope
ye regain
yer
quick wit soon. I’d ‘ate for Mr. Braxton to yell at ye again, although
ye’ve
‘
andled
‘is temper before.
T’night
‘is business partner, Mr. Kennedy, and ‘is wife are
yer
guests. Ye know ‘
ow
fidgety the master gets whenever Mr. Kennedy comes to dine.”

Mercedes turned to assess the maid. “I wonder why Mr. Braxton acts in such a manner?”

“I could not guess. Probably ‘cause Mr. Kennedy owns most of the business and can drop Mr. Braxton like a boulder in the ocean if ‘e doesn’t approve of ‘is work ethics.”

Tilting her head, Mercedes narrowed her eyes toward the maid. “How do you know so much about Mr. Braxton and Mr. Kennedy?”

Another giggle. “Ye ‘
ave
left
yer
memory in New York to be sure. Do ye not remember teaching me ‘
ow
to listen to their conversations without being seen?”

Shock vibrated through Mercedes, and despite her effort to hide it, her jaw dropped. She closed her mouth and smiled. Apparently, Kat had assistance in her search for answers about William. “And you are doing exceptionally well, Beth.” She paused then asked, “Is there any more you want to tell me?”

Beth’s forehead crinkled, as if searching her mind for answers. “I don’t think so.” Then her eyes widened. “But Mr. Braxton kept attending those secret meetings after ye left. I know ‘e promised ye ‘e would not go, but after ye left I think ‘
e
just didn’t care.”

Secret meetings?
This was the very thing Mercedes needed to know. She wanted to ask the maid but didn’t want to look the fool, either. Watching William closely was the key to finding what she wanted. “I understand. I suppose I will have to talk to him about that.”

“Just as I knew ye would.” Beth took a step back and glanced over Mercedes’ attire again. “Ye look mighty fine, Mrs. Braxton. It will please Mr. Kennedy, that’s for certain.”

Mercedes gasped, placing her hand on her neck. “Why should I want to please Mr. Kennedy?”

Beth’s brows pulled together. “Because
yer
the reason ‘e made Mr. Braxton ‘is partner, which by the way, doubled
yer
‘
usband’s
wealth. Do ye not remember? If not for
yer
influence, ‘
e
would still be working ‘is fingers to the bone at that small company ‘e owned. Oh, for certain ‘e made good money, but it was pure genius to ‘
ave
Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Braxton become partners.”

Mercedes recovered, dropping her hand and squaring her shoulders. So that was why William was so wealthy. Still, she’d bet anything he was also obtaining money from being a spy. “Well, I only wanted what was best for my husband. What I meant to say was that I do not want Mr. Kennedy to think I dress this way to please him.” She gave an uneasy laugh. “I would hate to distress Mrs. Kennedy.”

Beth’s sudden bark of laughter surprised Mercedes yet again. She anxiously awaited the maid’s response.

“Ye must be jesting. Ye ’
ave
seen ‘
ow
unattractive ‘is wife is. I think Mr. Kennedy would be ‘
appy
for
yer
attention, especially when we all know ‘
e
can’t stop from feasting ‘is eyes upon
yer
loveliness.”

Mercedes cleared her throat and turned toward the mirror. “Whomever I impress tonight, I better hurry so I do not miss the dinner party.” She glanced down at her bosom again and frowned. “Beth? Can you locate a scarf that matches this dress?”

“Whatever for?”

“To hide the most daring décolletage I have ever seen.”

Beth laughed again. “
Yer
acting strangely, Mrs. Braxton. Besides, I think Mr. Kennedy prefers ye in less,
if’n
ye knows what I mean.”

Mercedes’ legs weakened, and she grasped the chair next to her to steady herself. Could she have heard wrong? Oh, please, say Katherine wasn’t involved in a love tryst. Mercedes squeezed her eyes closed.
Somebody please tell me something good about my sister.

Mercedes composed herself and stood straight, meeting the maid’s gaze. “Nonetheless, I would like something to place in my bodice to help me feel a little more covered up. This sheer fichu tucked around the edges will not suffice.”

Beth shrugged and moved into the next room to look through Katherine’s accessories. Within minutes, she came back with a white lace handkerchief and gently stuffed it in the bodice.

“I think that’s better, don’t you?” Mercedes studied her reflection in the mirror.

“
Yer
just lovely, Mrs. Braxton.”

Although the handkerchief hid a lot of her cleavage, it still didn’t hide her bare shoulders. She shrugged. She couldn’t have everything perfect. After all, tonight she was Kat.

She exhaled and gave the maid a nod. “I think I am presentable now.”

Wringing her hands, Mercedes made her way downstairs to William’s guests. Her legs wobbled like a newborn calf’s, but she forced herself to stay strong. Voices floated from the parlor. She took a fortifying breath and entered. All eyes turned her way, and she feared her legs would collapse.

Mr. Kennedy’s gaze combed over her in a disgustingly slow leer. Her stomach revolted, and she took a calming breath to keep from embarrassing herself in front of William’s guests.

Mr. Braxton’s friend appeared older than William by at least ten years, but Mr. Kennedy was handsome, nonetheless. Streaks of silver highlighted his black hair. His tailored knee breeches fit him to perfection. He smiled at her as if they shared a delicious secret. Her stomach twisted again. Right now she wanted to forget her sister and this man may have had a past together.

She studied Mrs. Kennedy and realized Beth spoke the truth. Poor Mrs. Kennedy didn’t have a single redeeming feature. Exceedingly plain, the skittish woman acted as if she were afraid of her own shadow. Mercedes only let her focus linger on the other woman long enough to nod a silent greeting, vowing to be as kind to the woman as she possibly could be.