The Duke's Lady (Historical Romance - The Ladies Series) (17 page)

“Can you provide a description of your niece?”

“She was very pretty, a small girl with brown eyes and black hair.”

Adam wasn’t sure he liked the way this was turning out. “Well, that does fit the description of the lady I’ve found.”

“Praise the Lord if it is! When can I get her?” Lee’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. At last something was going his way. He looked into Trent’s eyes and started to fidget. The man had an evil stare.

“If this is your niece, tell me why she was beaten so badly,” Adam demanded.

“Surely you don’t think
I
did it!” The captain feigned an innocent expression. “The girl has always been headstrong. It’s really a long story, and I don’t want to bore you,” Lee said.

“I’ve plenty of time, sir,” Adam said dryly.

“I see.” Lee knew he had to come up with something and it had better sound good. “She ran away and got in a bit of trouble. The way she had been beaten, I’d say she was caught pilfering. She’s such a bad child. That’s the very reason I was bringing her home to my poor sister. And I appreciate all you have done, Your Grace. I’ll be glad to take her off your hands now.”

The man was lying through his teeth. Adam felt it deep in his gut.

“She’s been no trouble, which leaves me to wonder if in fact we speak of the same woman.” Adam rubbed his chin in thought. “I’ll tell you what I will do.” He withdrew a slip of paper from his jacket. “There will be a party held at Foxmore on Christmas Eve. I’ll write an invitation so that you may attend.” Adam scribbled the necessary information before sealing the note with his ring, which bore the Trent crest.

Handing Lee the note, Adam said, “If she recognizes you and wants to go with you, Jewel will be free to do so. Otherwise, she will remain under my protection.”

“She’s my niece!” Lee protested. “You can’t keep her from me!”

Adam stood, slowly coming to his full height. He slammed his hands down on the desk and leaned forward. “Captain, I can do anything I damn well please!”

Captain Lee’s face flushed red as he swallowed hard beneath the force of Adam’s glare. Adam wondered if Lee would challenge him, but he stayed mute.

Adam turned to leave. “I will see you on Christmas Eve.” He looked back and raised a brow when he heard no response.

“I’ll be there,” muttered Captain Lee.

After the door had shut, Lee sat down behind his desk, trying to devise a plan. He would get to Jewel even if he had to kidnap her. It might
mean disposing of His High-and-Mighty Lordship, but it could be done with enough men.

He gritted his teeth, deep in thought. Slowly, his lips curled into a smile as a plan formed in his mind. He would sail his ship,
The Rose,
to Cornwall and lay anchor at Land’s End. Then he would go to the party. If the duke didn’t agree that Jewel could leave with him, he would make plans to pay them a visit on Christmas Day.

One way or another, the girl would be departing with
him.

Anxious to get out of the city, Adam decided to leave that afternoon. Even though it was late, he knew he could ride at least hal
fway, spend the night at an inn, and be home the next day.

As he rode, Adam’s thoughts troubled him. He wasn’t quite sure how he felt about his meeting with Lee. A clue to Jewel’s identity should have made him happy, but he found it hard to believe that she could be related to that riffraff.

Besides, many things didn’t add up. If Captain Lee knew she had been badly beaten, then why was Jewel out of her cabin, and especially in a storm?

No! The man was definitely lying.

But why? Did he hope to marry her or perhaps gain wealth?

Adam remembered the map. Wealth! That had to be the answer.

Well, no matter what the reason, Adam decided he wouldn’t mention his meeting to Jewel. He would wait to see if she recognized Lee.

Adam frowned and pulled his coat tighter. He should have taken his coach, and then he wouldn’t be out in this biting cold wind.

But what if she
did
recognize Lee? Adam’s thoughts hammered back at him. He’d have no choice but to let her go.

He was hard pressed to put his feelings into words at this moment. Would he miss her when she was gone?

Yes, he admitted, he’d definitely miss her.

Giles entered the sitting room, startling Jewel. “His Grace said to convey that he’d arrive tomorrow.”

Jewel’s stomach fluttered with excitement. Maybe Adam would come home early and be here tonight.

Giles turned to leave, and he didn’t notice the puppy until it was too late. He tripped over the dog and landed sprawled across the floor. The pup yelped and scampered out of the way.

Jewel and Annie each took an arm and dragged Giles to his feet while Duke barked, thinking this was all a big game.

“Who let that bloody beast in the house?” Giles lost his composure. “Get that mutt out!”

Jewel, having grown out of her shyness, replied, “I’ll do no such thing. The puppy’s name is Duke, not mutt,” she added. The shocked expression on the servant’s face made her want to laugh.

Giles glared back. Jewel could see he didn’t care for the way she’d spoken to him. He evidently held no illusions that she was a grand lady or good enough for Adam. And that hurt her pride just a little.

“Well, His Grace won’t like it,” he said.

“I’ll worry about Adam when he gets home.”

Giles turned and stomped off, and Jewel picked up her puppy and stroked his head. In turn, he pulled on a lock of her hair with his teeth. “You’ll have to be careful to stay away from the old codger, little one.”

Annie burst into a fit of laughter. “ ’Tis one of the best Christmas presents ye could have given o
l’ Annie. The bloke has been tryin’ tae boss everyone around, especially when Adam’s away.” She winked at Jewel. “I guess he just found one he couldn’t.”

Jewel placed Duke back on the floor with a stern warning to stay put. He was so adorable with a brown nose and a black mask around his face. His long brown ears dragged the ground, causing him to trip quite frequently. He’d been a Christmas present from Jonathan, and she had decided to name him Duke. Jonathan had teased her for her choice of names.

The hour grew late while Jewel sat in the drawing room alone watching the fire. She felt tired and a little disappointed that Adam hadn’t made it home today. He was so strong in her thoughts lately that she jumped when the door opened. She turned in anticipation, but it was only Annie.

“I thought ye would like a wee bit of warm milk before ye went tae bed.” Her gaze went to the puppy curled up at Jewel’s feet.

“’Tis a sleepy pup who’s had a hard day.”

“I think we all have.” Jewel sighed. “Christmas will be here before long.”

“Why don’t ye go tae bed, lass,” Annie said when Jewel had finished her milk. “ ’Tis sure I be bettin’ Adam has spent the night elsewhere, and will be here tomorrow. Ye dunna want tae meet him with pufly bags under those pretty eyes. Besides, we’ve some decoratin’ tae be done.”

Jewel smiled. “Okay, I’m going to bed. But Annie, something has been bothering me.”

“And that bein’, lass?”

“I don’t have a present to give Adam for Christmas.”

“He won’t be expectin’ one. This is the second Christmas he’s been home and I fear the last.” Annie looked sad. “Besides, what can ye give a mon that has everythin’? Adam always gives us presents, but I think his rewards are seein’ how happy he makes us. There is one thin’ ye could do.”

“What?” Jewel eased to the chair’s edge and listened.

“For Christmas, ye could make him a few rum buns. He dearly loves them, and ’tis been a while since he has had any.”

“That’s a great idea! Thanks, Annie.” Jewel went over and kissed her on the forehead. She was beginning to love this kindhearted woman more every day. “See you in the morning.”

After a good night’s sleep, Jewel awoke refreshed and excited. Today she would get to see Adam.

She took special care with her wardrobe, picking out a green day dress that reminded her of Christmas. The dark forest-green material had long, tapered sleeves, and the bodice came to a point at the waistline, accenting her waist. The skirt was bell-shaped and had a very wide hem. Jewel tied red and green ribbons in her hair, letting them flow down her back.

She felt a tug on the hem of her dress, and looked down at an anxious puppy. “Okay, fellow, let’s go and see what we can get into today.”

Together they went down the stairs. The puppy was on the very last step when he stepped on his ear, sending him tumbling. Jewel snickered. “You’re as clumsy as I am, Duke.
We make a good pair.” He followed her to the kitchen, where she opened the back door and let him outside. Moving back into the kitchen, she took a seat on a wooden bench with Annie and Marie to eat breakfast, which had become a custom with her since Adam had left.

“What smells so good, Marie?” Jewel asked, propping her chin in her hand.

“I’m fixing a roast and potatoes for His Grace’s return.” Marie clanked the lid down on a pot and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.

“If I have to smell that heavenly aroma all day, I’ll be starving by dinner,” Jewel admitted.

“If that be the case, we’ll just have tae keep ye busy,” Annie said. “Let’s start decoratin’ the staircase with greenery.”

Around noon they had finished the stairs. Their hands were sore from wiring the garland they had strung across the banisters. Annie had gone off to another part of the house to finish what she called a kissing bush, while Jewel prepared the finishing touch. She tied a big, red velvet bow to the banister and arranged the tails of the ribbons, making sure they hung just right before turning to see what else could be done.

Spotting a few green sprigs of mistletoe, Jewel decided to hang them from the chandelier in the foyer with a little of the greenery they had left from the banister.

She moved a ladder from where one of the servants had been using it, and positioned it under the chandelier. Hiking up her skirt, she carefully climbed the ladder until she stood on the next-to-the-top step. She reached up, but was still unable to touch the chandelier. Putting the twine in her mouth and the mistletoe in her pocket, she placed first one foot and then the other on the very top of the ladder.

There, now she could reach the cut crystals.

Being cautious to keep her balance, Jewel reached in her
pocket and withdrew the mistletoe and evergreen. Taking the twine out of her mouth, she tied the greenery to the center of the light and smiled at her handiwork She had almost finished when Duke began to bark somewhere behind her. “Be quiet, Duke. I’ll be down in a moment.”

But the pesky animal kept on. Jewel twisted to look over her shoulder at the yapping puppy. The ladder started to wobble. She gasped. And the next tiling she knew her left foot slipped and she lost her precarious footing.

Cold hard marble loomed beneath her as she fell through the air to her impending doom.

Chapter
Thirteen

The urge to return to Briercliff nagged at Adam like a thorn in his side. By the time he reached the inn, he stopped for merely an hour to eat and rest his horse, then continued on his journey. He couldn’t remember when the need to return home had driven him so hard. He also knew if he spent the night, the snow would be deep by morning, prolonging his journey.

He rode all night. Fortunately, the snow fell lightly until daybreak. By the time Adam finally saw the stables of Briercliff, the flakes were falling heavily. His ears felt more like ice chunks than human flesh, he thought, his gaze all the while on Briercliff. He’d been gone much longer than he’d planned, and he wondered what changes he would see in Jewel. Would she still be the naive woman he remembered, or would she have regained her memory and become a complete stranger to him?

Stopping in front of the ba
rn door, he handed the reins to the groom with instructions to walk Star before feeding him. Then he ducked into the barn to pick up Jewel’s Christmas presents, which he had instructed Giles to leave in the tack room.

With the silver boxes tucked under his arm, he started for the main house, a slight smile touching his lips as he thought of the look on Jewel’s face when she opened her gifts. Even though tiredness bit him to the bone, he suddenly felt much younger as a burst of energy filled his being at the image of Jewel.

Stepping up on the porch, he noticed large evergreen wreaths tied with bright red bows adorning his front doors. Apparently someone had been busy. He brushed the snow from his coat and stomped his boots before turning the brass knob and pushing the door open.

One very frisky puppy met Adam, barking and wiggling all over with the excitement of meeting someone new. Adam bent down and scooped up the pup, scratching him behind the ears. “And where, pray tell, did you come from, little one?” He chuckled as the dog licked his chin. “I bet Jonathan had a hand in this.” Just as Adam set the puppy back on floor, he heard a gasp and looked around the comer in time to see Jewel lose her footing on a high ladder.