Jack had wondered why her father wasn’t sitting with her and her mother, but had assumed he was keeping his brother company while Tony waited to walk his daughter down the aisle. But that was done and Judy was standing at the altar next to Nathan taking her vows. So it wasn’t at all clear why the five men were behaving so furtively.
James did not join his wife and daughter, but casually sat down in the first pew next to his brother, the father of the bride, instead. Jason, their oldest brother, sat down next to Roslynn, who was seated on Anthony’s other side. And their second-oldest brother, Edward, as well as Nicholas Eden and Jeremy, moved into the pew behind them, squeezing in next to their wives, Charlotte, Reggie, and Danny. The men were so quiet and unobtrusive about it that Tony, who appeared to be listening closely to every word being said at the altar, didn’t notice them or feel James put his arm on the back of the pew, not quite touching Tony, but obviously ready to if necessary.
The wedding guests’ frowns turned into smiles and grins, and instead of whispers a few discreet chuckles were heard. It was clear now that the five men had positioned themselves to restrain Anthony if he made any objection to the marriage when the clergyman raised the question. They obviously thought he still might!
Jacqueline admired their heroic deed, though it wasn’t necessary. Moments later, without any interruptions, Judith and Nathan Tremayne were pronounced man and wife, and Nathan was kissing his bride. Jack smiled despite the tears on her cheeks. She had started crying the moment Judy had entered the church because she was so happy for her best friend. They were cousins but had been closer than sisters their entire lives.
And it had been such a beautiful wedding ceremony with the children in the family, including Nathan’s nieces Clarissa and Abbie, scattering rose petals down the aisle, and Jacqueline’s twin nieces carrying the long train on Judith’s exquisite gown. Judy was breathtaking in that silk and lace gown with its bodice glittering not with sequins but actual diamonds, one of Roslynn’s many extravagances. And Jack knew her cousin was quite in love. Judy was supposed to wait a year for love to show up, the way Jack was waiting, but getting stuck on a ship with that smuggler she’d lost her heart to had made it impossible for her to avoid him.
The plan was to adjourn immediately back to Haverston for the wedding party since it would get uncomfortably tight in the church if everyone tried to wish the happy couple well there. Sometimes the size of a family had to be taken into account, and there were so many Malorys now that it was a wonder they’d all fit into the church. In fact, it had been quite a few years since the entire family had gathered at Haverston. Jason, the eldest of the family and third Marquis of Haverston, used to insist they all come for Christmas, but that was before there were so many Malorys that he no longer had room for them all despite the huge size of the ancestral mansion.
Judy’s mother, Roslynn, had solved that problem last year when her immediate family had arrived late for the annual gathering and ended up staying in the hotel in Havers Town. So she’d found a young solicitor who didn’t know her family and had him handle the details of buying the property next to Haverston, which she completely refurbished and added many more bedrooms to, then secretly deeded it over to Jason with the stipulation that he not tell his brother Anthony about it. It was her bane that Tony only allowed her to spend her enormous fortune on frivolous things. She knew he wouldn’t consider a big house frivolous and would have been quite put out about it if he’d found out.
Everyone who had arrived for the wedding yesterday had rooms at Haverston. Those who had arrived this morning had been directed next door. The children shared rooms, the nursery had a few babies in it, including Jacqueline’s new nephew, who was not quite a year old yet. But Jack had already been made an aunt when her oldest brother Jeremy’s wife, Danny, had had twin girls seven years ago, the third set of twins in the family!
As Jack left the church with her parents, Amy caught up to whisper in her ear, “I can guess who will be next to the altar.”
Jack started to bristle until Amy actually pointed at their cousin Jaime, Judy’s sixteen-year-old sister, who they both knew flirted with every young man who wasn’t family.
Jacqueline chuckled. “She’ll never make up her mind about who to marry. I can’t keep up with how many times Jaime thought she was in love.”
Just ahead of them, Katey was trying to cheer up her father, Anthony, and her husband, Boyd, tried to console him by pointing out, “At least Judy didn’t marry a Yank!”—which only got him a dark look from his father-in-law.
“Jack, wait up!” Brandon Malory called as he ran up behind her and steered her toward his coach. “Ride back to the house with me? I’d like a chance to talk.”
Jacqueline didn’t object. She hadn’t seen her cousin Brandon since she and Judy had visited his ducal estate just prior to departing for their American debut. The last night of their stay in Hampshire, Judy went ghost hunting one last time—and was successful. She’d not only caught a ghost, who turned out to be Nathan Tremayne, hiding his smuggled goods in the ruined old manor house his grandmother had left him, but a husband!
Brandon’s sister, Cheryl, caught up with them and exclaimed to Jack, “I can’t believe Judy married her ghost!”
Cheryl started to get into the ducal coach to ride with them, but Brandon told her, “It’s bad luck for girls to ride with their brothers after a wedding; it raises their chances of becoming old maids.”
She looked aghast and ran off to find her mother. Jacqueline chuckled. “Did she just believe that nonsense?”
Brandon grinned as he helped Jacqueline into the coach. “She’s still gullible at her age.”
“She’s only two years younger than you!”
“Every year makes a difference. I shudder to think what she’ll be like next year when she’s Jaime’s age.” But as soon as they were seated, he said, “Everyone keeps telling me, ‘Don’t ask,’ it will make you lose your temper. But you won’t with me, will you?”
She didn’t need to ask what he was referring to. The family had been tiptoeing around the subject of her kidnapping because she got angry every single time her ordeal was mentioned. She rarely stopped thinking about it—and him. Only the Seasonal parties had been a distraction. But she didn’t feel angry now. Maybe the memories were finally going to stop plaguing her.
“I’m fine,” she assured her cousin.
“Tell me about the pirates.”
“There’s not much to tell when I never saw any of them other than the captain and his paramour, Catherine. You have heard about her, right? The damned liar who plotted her way aboard The Maiden George?”
“Yes, and her supposed brother they tried to convince the family was a relative of ours.”
“They were good liars. Most of the family believed them. Only my father and I had doubts about them prior to our learning the truth. But while Andrew—that was Andrássy’s real name—helped with the theft of our jewelry aboard ship, he had no part in the kidnapping, even tried to stop it, only to get dragged along with them for that effort. And he helped me escape, so I’ve forgiven him for being in Catherine’s thrall. He was her lover, too—she does spread herself around.”
Brandon blushed at her bluntness. “And the captain?”
The captain. Bastard. Too handsome with his long black hair and dark turquoise eyes. That handsomeness had distracted her a number of times she’d been on a tirade, which had made her even more furious.
Her tone was contemptuous when she answered, “He was handsome, but an idiot.”
“Because he kidnapped you, of course he was, but—”
“No, because he tried to do it at sea!”
“With both ships moving?” Brandon said in surprise. “Is that possible?”
“Well, it didn’t work, so I don’t know. Nathan found the man they had planted on our ship to hie off with me. We thought he was a stowaway. No one realized that was their first attempt to kidnap me.”
“Bastard was
talkative, eh, to tell you all that?”
“Not really.” Then she grinned. “I was frustrating him to the point of anger because I refused to eat the first four days they had me on their ship. He inadvertently said it would have been much easier if his friend had gotten me off our ship before he was discovered and had to abandon that plan.”
“So they tried again in Bridgeport and succeeded—partially.” Brandon looked angry.
“They were working for Catherine’s father, and apparently he’s not known for his patience. As soon as I became their hostage, he expected my father to be hand-delivered to him. But Bastard failed.” She ended with a smirk. Maybe Bastard was already dead for returning to his boss empty-handed. For a moment she relished the thought.
“Well, you’re a brave woman, Jacqueline Malory. I’m glad you’re all right. Still, I’d like to get my hands on those pirates!”
“Don’t worry, Brand. My father will take care of them. You should come to London for the rest of the Season. You certainly look like you’re old enough to be there.” He did, too. Already as tall as his father, Derek, strapping of build, he looked several years older than seventeen.
“Wish I could. But the title causes too much of a stir.”
She grinned. “So don’t mention it. It’s not like the ton knows you by sight yet. And there are so many Malorys, who can keep track of all of us? Sneak in, have some fun, sneak back home.”
“I can’t be like our fathers, so don’t even suggest that, Jack. Dukes can’t be rakes.”
“Who says they can’t?”
At the party, James and his four conspirators got ribbed quite a bit for thinking Anthony might ruin his daughter’s special day. A pact was made not to let Judy find out about it, though Tony was quite annoyed when he heard.
Anthony even cornered James to promise, “We’ll be meeting at Knighton’s as soon as we get back to London, and it’s going to be a particularly grueling round in the ring.”
James, feeling a tad guilty by then for doubting his brother’s professed acquiescence to his daughter’s marriage, still said drily, “Does this mean I’m going to have to let you win?”
Nicholas Eden heard that and started laughing, which provoked glares from both brothers and had Regina, Nick’s wife, rushing in to whisk her husband out of harm’s way. Usually, the brothers’ long-standing dislike of the man who had married their favorite niece was merely expressed in disdainful remarks, but with Anthony currently annoyed, Regina wasn’t taking any chances.
And Jack was told one time too many at the party that her “special day” would be next. Not bloody likely, but she smiled anyway, determined not to do or say anything that might ruin the happy occasion. But the moment she caught sight of Judith slipping away from the party to run upstairs to change into traveling clothes for her wedding trip, Jacqueline followed, wanting a last few private moments with her best friend.
Judith, turning to see who closed the door behind her, asked, “Are you here to call me a traitor again?”
It wasn’t an unfounded question, though Jack had stopped calling Judy a traitor a while back, and she had only said it in jest a few times anyway. They had sworn to each other that they would have fun together this Season without its ending in matrimony. But so many of their family members had assured them both that love happens when it happens, insisting Jack’s intention to hold it off was quite unreasonable. But Jack was stubborn, whereas Judy wasn’t. Besides, there was also the simple fact that Jack’s interest wasn’t getting piqued this Season, not enough for it to matter. Nor would she be stuck on a ship with a handsome young man as Judy had been. Actually, Jack had been stuck on a different ship with a handsome young man, but all she’d wanted to do with Bastard was kill him, so that didn’t count.
So she smiled at her dearest friend. “No, I’m here to tell you how incredibly happy I am for you.”
“Oh, Jack!”
They both started crying and hugging each other at once, which had Jacqueline saying gruffly after a moment, “Stop it, really. You don’t want red eyes when you’ll soon be using them to ogle your husband.”
Judith stepped back with a grin. “Do I really do that?”
“Course you do. Everyone has noticed—even your father.”
Judy laughed. “Maybe that’s why he gave in so graciously and allowed the wedding to take place.”
“Was it gracious? Thought it was kicking and growling.”
“There were only a few threats in the end; yes, that was definitely gracious behavior for him.”
“I’ll trust your word on it, since I didn’t get to see it.”
Jack wasn’t going to get to see much more of her cousin either after today. Judy was going to be living in Hampshire with her husband in the house he’d inherited from his grandmother, and Jack would be living miles away in London. She could visit, but she couldn’t visit year-round!
“I’m going to miss you so much!” Jack suddenly burst out.
“We’re not going to be on different sides of the world, Jack.”
“I know.” It was just going to feel like it!
“What you need is a distraction.”
“I have one. My father will be sailing to the Caribbean on The Maiden George after we return to London, and I haven’t been thinking about much else.”
“I heard, but I meant a romantic distraction. Not one of your beaus has caught your fancy yet?”
“No, but I do like them all. I just don’t love any of them.”
“Maybe because you haven’t tried to.”
Jacqueline laughed as she started helping Judith out of her gown. “I didn’t know I was supposed to work at it!”
“You know what I mean. If you’d just put that nasty kidnapping behind you, the anger will go away, then your heart might open to new possibilities.”
With Judith’s back to her, Jack rolled her eyes. She understood that Judith was happy and wanted everyone to be as happy as she was. It even made Judith forget that Jack would be happiest if she didn’t find love this year.
But rather than remind her of that, Jacqueline said, “I’m still worried about my father, now that he’s sailing this week to take care of Bastard and his boss.” In fact, she was sure a Malory family meeting to plan the attack would be taking place soon, maybe even there in Haverston tonight, since both Warren and Boyd were here for the wedding. But, of course, she wouldn’t be included!
“So he knows who is responsible now?”
“I don’t know!” Jack complained angrily. “They won’t tell me anything!”
Judith turned around, frowning. “But you were sure Uncle James would know exactly who the culprit was as soon as you gave him—oh, Jack, tell me you’re not still keeping it a secret! You have to tell him about the original, more goading ransom note you found on the pirate ship.”
“Since he’s sailing to the Caribbean anyway, there was no point in keeping it from him. I gave him the copy I made of the note the same day he got Drew’s letter.”
When she’d discovered that note in Bastard’s cabin, she’d thought that he hadn’t left a ransom note in Bridgeport and her family would have no clue where to look for her. She’d been livid about that. She’d tried to kill Bastard that day—well, and many other times—and with her usual lack of success. The bloody sod had been far too strong for any of her attacks to do anything other than make him laugh. But he’d actually assured her that he’d penned a more polite version of his boss’s note that would be delivered to her father. As if that would matter in the scheme of things.
“I even explained to my father that I didn’t mention the original note to him sooner because I was sure he’d be walking into a trap if he sailed back to the Caribbean right away. He read it and just smiled without saying another word! It made me so angry!”
Judith tsked as she stepped out of her gown and turned back around. “Jack, enough time has passed that there won’t be any trap. So let your father do what he does best, while you enjoy the rest o
f your Season.”
Jacqueline sighed. “I know. I’ll try to.”
Judy rolled her eyes. “You don’t try, you do or die. Isn’t that your motto?”
Jacqueline laughed. “Something like that. Very well, I will get back to having fun in London.”
“Promise?”
“For you, yes.”
Nathan chose that moment to step into the room, making Jacqueline realize why Judy’s maid hadn’t been waiting for her there to help her change into her traveling clothes. Because her new husband must have wanted to assist. And he took one look at his bride wearing only her chemise and petticoats and crossed the room to gather her close for a passionate kiss.
Jack was quite sure he hadn’t even noticed her in the room! She smiled as she slipped out and quietly closed the door behind her.
Chapter Three
JACQUELINE MUCH PREFERRED EAVESDROPPING at doors—except at Haverston. The doors in that old mansion were much too thick, some even reinforced with metal, so it would be hard to hear through them unless there was shouting on the other side, which there wasn’t. She did check first, but only for a second. And since members of her family could traverse the halls at any moment, she couldn’t have stood there in plain sight with her ear to the study door anyway.
She hurried outside instead, leaving unnoticed through the back door of the house, and ran around to the study windows. She expected them to be open on that warm summer night and they were. She even peeked inside to confirm who was in there with her father—her uncles Warren and Boyd.
Anthony arrived just as she ducked below the window ledge. He wasn’t sailing with James, so what input he might have Jack couldn’t guess. Or he might just be there to provide moral support. No matter how angry Tony might be with James, he would still stand firmly with his brother against the Yanks, as her father and Tony called the Anderson side of her family. But there wasn’t going to be any sort of confrontation with Boyd and Warren tonight, verbal or otherwise, not when James had accepted their help on this mission.