“CC, darling, whatever is the matter with you tonight?” Caroline asked sharply as she noticed her friend’s lack of interest in their discussion.
“Yes, CC. Is something wrong?” Marianna pursued. The Winthrop’s ball was certainly among the high points of the social season, and yet CC seemed to be distracted, as if her thoughts were elsewhere.
“Nothing’s wrong,” CC answered quickly, annoyed that she had let her disquiet show. “Why do you ask?”
“You seem rather vague this evening. It’s almost like you’re here, but your thoughts aren’t,” Margaret observed. “I noticed John isn’t here yet. Is he coming later?”
“I wouldn’t know,” she replied flatly.
“CC! You’re not telling us that you’ve thrown John over?”
“No, I’m not telling you that. You seemed to have guessed it all by yourselves,” CC snapped.
Her friends looked genuinely perplexed by her manner.
“CC, we hadn’t meant to pry. It’s just so unusual for you to be so…oh, I don’t know…quiet, I suppose.” Marianna tried to make amends.
Instantly contrite for revealing too much of her own inner turmoil, CC turned a warm smile on the three women who’d been her closest friends for as long as she could remember. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so sharp with you.”
“It’s perfectly all right, dear,” Caroline assured her. “We all have our days.”
“Indeed we do,” Margaret agreed, and then urged, “But tell us. What happened with John? You two had been so close for so long.”
“I know.” CC knew it would do no good to try to avoid telling them the truth, for one way or the other they would eventually find out. “I care for John very much, but he wanted to get married. I’m just not ready for marriage yet.”
“You could have done far worse,” Marianna said.
“That’s true, Marianna, but I don’t love John,” she said with very real conviction. As much as she thought of John and had tried to love him, Noah Kincade was the only man who would ever hold her heart.
“I suppose we might as well drop the subject then,” Caroline sighed, “although I was hoping for a spring wedding for the two of you.”
“You’re just going to have to wait a little longer,” CC replied, making an effort to keep her tone teasing.
Margaret, who’d been keeping an eagle eye on the entry way to check on late arrivals, broke into the conversation in hushed tones. “Look! There’s Eve… And, well, my goodness…tonight she’s with Lord Radcliffe! The way things had gone at your ball, CC, I would have expected her to show up with Lord Kincade.”
All eyes turned in the widow’s direction and watched her grand entrance into the ballroom.
“My goodness, she certainly does spread her favors around, doesn’t she?” Caroline put in sarcastically as she gazed disdainfully in Eve’s direction, critically assessing the other woman’s low-cut, stylish gown of deep rose silk.
“I wish the woman would make up her mind!” Margaret sniped. “But, of course, as long as she’s dallying with both of the Englishmen, the rest of our men are safe. I doubt she has time for more than two…”
“I hadn’t thought she could best her last gown for outrageousness, but she certainly gives it a try with that one,” Caroline supplied, noting how dangerously close Eve’s bosom came to being fully exposed.
“I hope she doesn’t sneeze or bend over,” Margaret added, giving the others a quick, mocking smile, and laughter rippled softly through their midst. “Of course, it might just be the highlight of the evening if she did.”
CC watched Eve with Radcliffe and was greatly relieved to discover that she had not come with Noah. A knot of apprehension tightened in her stomach, though, as she regarded the slender beauty, her hair powdered and piled high in another stunning design, her hips swaying suggestively in her full-skirted gown. There was no doubt about Eve’s attractiveness, and just because the other woman hadn’t come with Noah didn’t mean she wouldn’t make a play for him once he arrived.
Nervously anticipating seeing Noah again, CC kept her eyes trained on the hall and wondered when he would finally get there. She knew it was going to be difficult approaching him. She had ended her involvement with him and had hoped never to speak with him again. Yet she knew she had to make the sacrifice for the sake of the revolution.
“Oh, look…” Marianna spoke up. “Lord Kincade’s finally arrived, and he’s come alone. Do you suppose he asked Eve and she turned him down for Geoffrey?”
“Hardly,” CC remarked. “There’s no comparison between them.”
“Do I detect a note of interest in Lord Kincade on your part?” Caroline was quick to note her defense of the handsome Englishman.
“No,” she denied. “I just find Geoffrey totally obnoxious.”
“Ah, the lesser of two evils, CC?” Margaret questioned.
“Something like that.” CC’s reply was vague.
The subject was dropped, yet the other women couldn’t help but notice that CC was watching Noah Kincade’s every move. And indeed she was. He looked so magnificently attractive in his black velvet coat, dark breeches, and snowy white ruffled shirt and cravat that she couldn’t tear her gaze away. She found it difficult to believe that she had actually shared Noah’s passion, and she knew in that moment that she would never stop loving him. CC had hoped that by staying away from him her feelings for him would lessen, but now she knew her love for him was for all time and would never cease. Her going to him for the cause would not be a sacrifice of her body, but a sacrifice of her soul, for it would devastate her to love him again and then have to be parted from him.
CC wasn’t quite certain of the best way to approach him, and she worried at what his reaction to her would be. Excusing herself from her friends, she moved to the refreshment table to sample the punch, hoping to fortify herself before the big encounter.
Eve was casually making the rounds of the ballroom on Geoffrey’s arm, greeting and being greeted by the other guests, when she first saw Noah enter the room alone. Her heartbeat quickened at the sight of him. He was so darkly handsome, and his perfectly tailored clothing clung to his tall, masculine frame. She longed to be free of Geoffrey and in Noah’s heated embrace, but she knew she had to be very cautious this evening. She had managed to convince Geoffrey of her devotion, and she could not risk revealing her true feelings to him. Not yet. Not until she had the information that could help Noah. Though she had been seeing Geoffrey regularly since the Demorest ball, she had not yet managed to secure even one thread of information from him about Noah’s so-called dangerous activities. Eve felt trapped now by Geoffrey’s manipulations and by the power of her own desire for Noah. There was nothing she wanted more than to become Noah’s lover and, ultimately, his wife, and she was furious at her own inability to achieve that goal. When Geoffrey’s arm slipped possessively about Eve’s waist, it took a major effort for her to maintain a politely civil demeanor and gaze up at him seemingly with affection.
Noah glanced about the crowded ballroom, his expression carefully schooled to reveal none of his displeasure at being there. Had it not been necessary for his business dealings, he would have remained at the inn to await word from the rebels. He had still not heard from Graves. With the Pride due in port at any time, he was growing concerned as to whether or not the deal would be concluded. Certainly he had a market with the government, but his profit would suffer considerably, and that was one thought that did not sit well with him. Damn the rebels anyway! he thought viciously.
Noah looked about, searching for a familiar face, and to his dismay, his gaze collided with CC’s as she stood alone at the refreshment table. Anger surged through him as he felt his desire flare to life at the sight of her. He didn’t want to care about CC. He didn’t want to feel this unending need for her, yet he did. It annoyed Noah to no end that he had been unable to dismiss his feelings for her. She was only a woman. He’d had many before and, no doubt, would have many after her. He had proposed. She had refused him. That ended it. He had been a fool to offer her marriage, and he was thankful now that she’d turned him down. She had made her feelings for him perfectly clear, and they had both finally recognized that what had existed between them had been sheer animal lust. Surely, he reasoned as he turned coldly away from her direction, the passion he felt for her would fade with time.
“Lord Kincade! Good to see you.”
At the sound of Edward Demorest’s warm greeting, Noah faced the older man and shook his hand. “Edward, it’s good to see you, too.”
“Has Matthew come with you?” Edward glanced around, wondering at the younger nobleman’s absence.
“No. He had other plans for the evening.”
“Pity. I would have enjoyed seeing him again. He’s a good lad. I like your brother.”
“I’m sure he feels the same way about you, Edward,” Noah replied honestly.
“Shall we join the others?” Edward suggested, drawing him toward a small group of guests.
“By all means,” he agreed, hiding his displeasure at finding Eve and Radcliffe in the gathering, along with Percival Thornhill and his host, Harley Winthrop. “Good evening, Eve…Radcliffe.”
“Kincade.” Geoffrey returned his greeting.
Noah watched Geoffrey surreptitiously for a moment, wondering if news of his brother’s death had reached him yet. He was relieved to discover that there was no change in the man’s demeanor toward him.
“Good evening, Noah.” Eve boldly used his first name as she fought to keep her desire for him from showing.
“Eve. You’re looking lovely this evening.” His gaze dropped to the tops of her lush breasts, so daringly exposed. He toyed with the idea of taking up with her. Certainly, after CC’s erratic behavior, a warm and willing woman would be wonderful. The thought held some appeal.
“Thank you.” She smiled faintly, aware of Geoffrey’s presence at her side and knowing that it would not be wise to push things at this time.
Noah nodded his greeting to Winthrop and Thornhill. “Gentlemen. Thank you for the invitation, Major.”
“It’s an honor to have you,” Winthrop replied. “Your brother didn’t come?”
“No, but he sends his regrets.”
“Give him my best.”
“I shall.”
“Harley…have you any more information about the raid on the ships?” Edward asked, resuming their earlier conversation. He was worried about the possible disruption of trade by the renegade colonists.
“We know who did it,” Winthrop replied levelly, his tone deadly.
“Then why don’t you prosecute?” Geoffrey demanded, puzzled by the government’s lack of action in the case. It had been an outrage against England that these backwater “Americans,” as they were beginning to call themselves, had dumped three shiploads of the finest tea in the harbor.
Harley’s lips thinned into a smile that seemed more of a grimace. “We aren’t prosecuting, Lord Radcliffe, because we can’t find any witnesses willing to testify.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Geoffrey sneered. “Surely you have some means of making them talk!”
“Are you suggesting violence?” Edward’s eyes widened as he looked to the aristocrat.
“Whatever it takes. These rabble-rousers cannot be allowed to continue to run the city! Destroy them now, before they cause even more damage.”
“Lord Radcliffe, while your suggestion is valid, I’m afraid we’d end up arresting most of the population of Boston. There were thousands of people at the wharf that night…thousands!”
“So you’re not going to do anything?” Edward was dismayed.
“We are going to act, but not until we have direction from Parliament. Dispatches have already been sent.”
“In the meantime, we sit and wait and hope the rebels don’t riot again,” Edward complained. “Mobs controlled this city once before, and I don’t want to see that happen to us again.”
“The colonials are so stupid,” Geoffrey remarked disdainfully, hoping to prod Kincade into revealing something incriminating here before Winthrop and Thornhill.
“They can’t be too stupid if they dumped the tea and managed to get away with it,” Noah remarked dryly. He was surprised to find himself angered by Geoffrey’s attitude and defending the dissidents.
“They haven’t managed to get away with it!” Thornhill countered.
“Oh?” Noah quirked a brow questioningly at the officer. “It seems to me, from the tone of your conversation, that they have.”
“They’ll be punished for their outrage, mark my words,” Harley put in seriously.
“Indeed they will be, eventually,” Edward agreed, disappointed that action against the rebels wouldn’t be immediately forthcoming, but knowing that certain channels had to be followed.
Noah looked at Edward and wondered what he would say if he knew of his daughter’s involvement with the rebels. “As you say. But if you can’t prove anyone’s involvement, I don’t see how you can exact retribution. Unless, of course, you decide to punish the entire city.”
Winthrop and Thornhill nodded. “It will probably be our only alternative, considering our current situation.”
“The entire city?” Noah was surprised.
“Indeed. If so many people were actually witnesses of the dumping of the tea and yet not one of them will come forth with information, then I think a general punishment is definitely in order. That is, if there’s no way for the military to handle it,” Geoffrey added as he opened his ornate snuffbox and took a pinch, enjoying that small vice to the fullest. “I think it’s essential that we teach these insurgents a lesson, once and for all. They shouldn’t be allowed to disrupt things.”
“If a plan of that sort is enacted, I hardly think it’s the colonists who are the stupid ones.” Noah felt certain that any retribution against the town of Boston would inevitably lead to tragedy. There was much more involved here than just a few shiploads of tea. Still, he found himself wondering at his need to debate the point.
Geoffrey stiffened, his face growing pale in light of Noah’s remark. “Kincade, perhaps your defense of the revolutionaries is because you’re one of them!” he challenged. He had not meant to reveal any of what he knew, but his temper was flaring over Noah’s remark.
“I beg your pardon.” Noah arched one brow in question, his mocking look causing Radcliffe to flush.
“I said, perhaps you’re one of them. You’ve certainly been most vocal in their defense tonight.”
A collective gasp escaped those present. Eve was distressed as she realized that the damning evidence Geoffrey claimed to have against Noah must be proof of his involvement with the rebels.
Noah’s smile was strained. “I don’t think there’s anyone here who could possibly question my loyalty to the Crown.”
“I do,” he snarled viciously, driven on by his embarrassment.
Noah’s expression was stony as his gaze rested on the other nobleman. Before this night, he had had little feeling one way or the other toward the man. Now, however, after listening to him, Noah knew that Geoffrey personified everything he despised about the English ruling class. He was a fop and a spoiled bounder. Noah had met many men like him during his years on the ton. They were a useless, ornamental breed, dedicated solely to their own pleasure…
The thought abruptly occurred to him that, in a way, not too long ago he had been one of them. The realization jarred him, and he knew an instant of true soul-searching as he tried to understand why he was suddenly so disdainful of British society. Hadn’t his whole existence, up until now, centered on reclaiming his lost fortunes so he could return to their midst? He frowned slightly as he suddenly realized that he didn’t care about being accepted by them any longer.
“Geoffrey.” Eve noticed Noah’s expression and thought that trouble was about to erupt. She tugged on his arm, hoping to draw him away from what was developing into an ugly confrontation. “I’d like a cup of punch now.”
Radcliffe shook off her hand, his eyes glowing with an inner fervor. “Oh no, my dear. I’m not quite through yet.”
“Geoffrey…please.” Eve was suddenly very worried. She knew of Geoffrey’s reputation as a swordsman and did not want to think that Noah might be hurt, or even killed, in a useless confrontation between them.
Her defense of Noah only served to infuriate Geoffrey more and revived all the earlier jealousy he’d felt toward the other man. “Shut up, Eve,” he silenced her cruelly. “You can’t protect him.”
“I hardly need protection,” Noah said sarcastically, “female or otherwise.”
“Ah, but I say you do,” Geoffrey sneered insultingly, suddenly wanting to force him into a duel. Before he’d left England, he had been renowned for his swordsmanship, and the thought of running Noah through gave him immense pleasure. With him dead, he would finally be sure of Eve’s affections.
“Then that is your sadly mistaken judgment of my character,” Noah answered smoothly, refusing to take his bait. After his bloody, deadly duel with Geoffrey’s brother, James, months before in England, he had sworn never to cross swords over an insult again.
Fury gripped Geoffrey as Noah’s evasive answer left him the fool before Demorest, Winthrop, and Thornhill, not to mention Eve. Out of control in his anger, desiring only to redeem himself before these colonists, he backhanded Noah viciously.
A sudden hush fell over the ball as all attention was riveted on them.
Noah flinched at the blow, and his eyes glittered dangerously at the direct challenge. Still he held himself in check, staring at Geoffrey in frigid silence. “As I said before, the dissident colonists are not the dullards here in Boston. If you will excuse me?” With a small, formal bow, he turned his back on Geoffrey and walked with dignity from the ballroom and the house, leaving the other nobleman red-faced and helpless in his outrage.
Edward looked to both Percival and Harley in confused disbelief over what had just happened as Geoffrey shook with rage.
“He refused my challenge!” Geoffrey bellowed in bewilderment. “You saw him! He’s a cowardly-”
“You were goading him and trying to push him into it.” Edward defended Noah. “He merely refused to be drawn into your deadly game.”
“But he’s involved with the rebels!” Geoffrey blustered, hoping to salvage something by besmirching Noah’s reputation.
“Do you have proof of your accusation?” Harley asked quickly.
“Nothing positive, but I’m sure of it!”
“Thinking something is true is one thing; having definitive proof is another,” Winthrop added.
“You shouldn’t make statements you can’t back up, Lord Radcliffe. Besides, I am certain that Lord Kincade would do no such thing. I personally will vouch for his integrity,” Edward told them.
“You’re wrong, Demorest!” Geoffrey countered heatedly as he found himself cornered. He longed to tell them about Matthew Kincade’s connection, but he wasn’t certain that he could produce any witnesses to back up the charge. The information Bartley provided, while it might be accurate, could not always be substantiated by reliable testimony.
Edward eyed him distastefully. “Speaking hypothetically, Lord Radcliffe, if what you say is true, then why would Lord Kincade be selling a shipment of war materials to the Crown?”
Geoffrey was left speechless by the news. How could it be? Everything he’d managed to find out about Noah had pointed to his being involved with the rebels. Yet Demorest was now saying that Noah’s business interests were all legal and aboveboard…
“Geoffrey, why don’t we…” Eve broke in, wanting to distract him from his anger, but he would have none of it.
Embarrassed and feeling decidedly emasculated before those he’d lorded himself over, he glared at her malevolently, and then he, too, stalked from the house, vowing silently to himself to have revenge upon Noah.
Eve knew a moment of true consternation as she tried to understand what had just happened. One moment the conversation had been pleasant, and then the next, Geoffrey and Noah had been insulting each other. Her ego was such that she could only allow herself to believe that, beneath all the open exchanges about “rebel involvement” and such, she was the true reason for their heated words. A small, self-satisfied smile curved her lips as she envisioned the two handsome noblemen vying for her favors.
“If you gentlemen will excuse me, I think I’ll mingle a bit,” Eve said sweetly as she moved away from the three remaining men.
“Of course, Eve,” they answered with little real interest.
CC had been standing alone at the refreshment table when Geoffrey had slapped Noah. She had been unable to hear any of the conversation that had preceded it, and she wondered what had been said to precipitate the exchange. In dismay, she watched as Noah turned coolly from Geoffrey and strode purposefully from the house. Before she could hurry to her father’s side to try to find out what had happened, Caroline joined her.
“Did you see that?” Caroline was in a dither as she touched CC’s arm in barely concealed urgency.
“Didn’t everyone?” CC replied a bit sarcastically as she noted all those present watching Geoffrey with open interest.
“What were they discussing that could have caused such trouble?”
“I can’t imagine,” she responded honestly, and then both women tried to keep from gaping as Geoffrey stormed off then, leaving Eve alone with the other men.
“You don’t suppose they were quarreling over her, do you?” Caroline was obviously distressed at the thought. She thought Eve obnoxious enough without having the two aristocrats fighting over her.
CC’s heart ached at the possibility, and she answered in a low voice, “Lord, I hope not.”
“Me, too! Go find out from your father,” Caroline urged as she glanced back to where Margaret and Marianna were still sitting. “We’re just dying to know the truth of it.”
“Yes…all right…” CC had not wanted to think that Noah might have been arguing with Geoffrey over Eve, but now that the question had been raised, she had to know the truth. Leaving Caroline at the refreshment table, she hurried to her father’s side just as Eve moved off to mix with the other guests. “Father…what happened?”
Edward took his daughter’s arm and guided her slightly away from the others. “I’m not sure.” He was truly puzzled by Radcliffe’s personal attack on Noah. “We were discussing the rebel movement, and then suddenly things got out of hand…”
“What do you mean? Why would they argue about the revolutionaries? They’re both loyal Englishmen…”
“That’s what’s confusing. Radcliffe was incensed over the dumping of the tea, and he was calling for retribution against the entire city. Lord Kincade remarked, in so many words, that it would be a stupid thing to do. Radcliffe took exception to his statement, and one thing led to another…”
“They weren’t arguing over Eve then?”
Edward chuckled, “Eve was trying her best to prevent the argument, but Radcliffe would have none of it. In fact, her defense of Kincade only made him angrier.”
CC sensed, in irritation, that Eve was the primary cause of the whole thing, even while nothing had been openly said. “Are they going to duel?” CC’s eyes reflected her worry as she stared up at her father.
“Amazingly enough, no,” her father informed her.
“He refused the challenge?” She was truly shocked, for such behavior was unheard of.
Edward nodded. “Lord Kincade walked away, even though Radcliffe had accused him of being involved with the rebels.”
“Radcliffe accused him of that?” CC was stunned. Had Geoffrey been jealous of Eve and Noah and subsequently had Noah followed? “Is there any truth to it?” she asked with forced innocence.
Again Edward gave a confident, manly laugh. “No, my dear. I vouched for Lord Kincade myself. I imagine the closest he’s come to being involved with the rebels was the discussion we had that first night he joined us for dinner.”
CC felt her stomach lurch at that news. If the truth about Noah’s double-dealing was ever found out, it was possible her father would be ruined. She forced a pleasant smile, even as her thoughts were troubled.
“Well, at least they’re not coming to any violence.”
“Radcliffe, I’m sure, wanted to fight him, but Lord Kincade would have none of it.” Edward frowned. “It does seem rather odd, though, that a nobleman would ‘turn the other cheek,’ so to speak. Still, Kincade doesn’t seem the cowardly type.”
CC quickly found herself defending Noah. “I’m sure he’s not.”
“Well, whatever else, they’ve certainly given us something to talk about for the rest of the evening.”
Harley looked at Percival, his expression troubled. “I’ve never seen anything like it…”
“Neither have I,” the other military man agreed. “If a man’s challenged publicly, it seems he should take up the fight.”
They both fell silent for a moment as they took deep drinks of the whiskey they’d just procured from a passing servant.
“You don’t suppose there’s any truth to Radcliffe’s accusations, do you?”
Harley shook his head in mild confusion. “Heavens, no! He’s a peer of the realm, and with Edward’s testimony to Lord Kincade’s business dealings…well, I most certainly would think not. What bothers me is Lord Radcliffe’s charges. Why in the world would he accuse him of such treasonous misdeeds?”
“Perhaps there’s more to this than we’ll ever know.” Percival let his gaze drift pointedly in the direction of the beauteous widow as he remembered Eve’s defense of Kincade, and Radcliffe’s reaction to it. “If you get my meaning.”
Harley gave a low laugh. “Indeed, you may very well be right.”