A hand clapped him on the back. Blake turned and met Captain Henrick’s gaze. “You look like someone is tearing out your heart.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The accuracy of Captain Henrick’s analogy stunned him. When had he grown so transparent? And what did his inability to hide his thoughts say about being able to return to the gambling tables? His future didn’t look very hopeful. What was a washed-up gambler supposed to do? He couldn’t stay here. Being around Lily without being able to claim her was harder than he’d thought it would be.
Captain Henrick shrugged. “If you say so.” His glance went to the carriage that was pulling away.
Time to change the subject. “Why aren’t you going to Les Fleurs with them?”
“I’ve spent a great deal of time on my knees since I turned to God, and I’ve learned a lot from that position.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the way God uses weakness to His benefit.”
He had Blake’s full attention. “What kind of God wants weak followers?”
The smile on Captain Henrick’s face widened. “The kind of God I serve.” He closed his eyes as though thinking hard about his answer. “‘And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’”
Frustration boiled in Blake’s chest. “That makes absolutely no sense.”
The captain opened his eyes. “Think about it like this, son. God is eternal. He doesn’t think like we do. If you took the strongest person in the world and multiplied his strength a hundredfold, it would be as nothing to the God I serve. When Paul asked for the strength to overcome his weakness, God gave him the answer I just quoted to you.”
“Then what’s the point of striving for anything? Why not rely on God for everything we need?”
“Exactly right.” Captain Henrick clapped his shoulder. “I knew you were close to understanding.”
Blake had not expected the man to agree with him. He didn’t understand why Lily’s father was grinning, but then the truth hit him. He didn’t have to control anything. All he had to do was turn to God. The God who was stronger than his doubts, his questions, his weaknesses, and even his strengths. Hope sprang up inside him, choking out the doubt and anger that had controlled his life for so many years. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
“That’s all I need to hear.”
Blake wished Captain Henrick’s eldest daughter felt the same way. But perhaps if he continued searching for the truth, perhaps God would show him the way to Lily’s heart, too.
Jean Luc’s father pulled his pocket watch from his waistcoat. “You’re late … again.” He snapped the silver cover closed and replaced the timepiece.
One of the other clerks snickered.
Jean Luc wanted to turn on his heel and walk out. Why did he have to be so humiliated? Most fathers would appreciate his exemplary behavior. Jean Luc had taken such pains to please the man since the disastrous night when he’d lost his interest in the Hattie Belle. Yet all his father did was embarrass him in front of his employees. Tamping down his irritation, Jean Luc removed his gloves and hat. “I’m here now.”
His father blew out a harsh breath. “None of my other employees arrive as late as you.”
“Any time you want me to stop working, I will be most happy to oblige.” Jean Luc sauntered to the small desk tucked into a corner of the office. He sat and pulled forward a sheet of paper, pretending to study it while his father continued to fume. A list of goods was handwritten in the margin of the bill of lading he held, but he had no idea whether someone had delivered the goods to Natchez or if they were being ordered from some other port. Nor did he care.
“I don’t know why I put up with your impudence.” His father stormed out, slamming the door.
Jean Luc sat back in his chair and crossed his ankles. A large window on the front of the office building showed passing carriages, carts, and horses. How he wished he were outside instead of stuck in this office. But as long as he needed funds, he would have to pretend to work for his father.
He hoped his pretense wouldn’t be necessary much longer. His mother had told him they’d been invited to a party at Lily Anderson’s home tomorrow evening. He needed to meet with Steenberg and arrange for another unfortunate incident. Perhaps something a little more damaging. He would offer to comfort Lily and see if he could convince her to give up her dangerous lifestyle. If he could present himself in the proper way, he should be able to convince her to turn over the management of her boat to him. It would only take a matter of weeks for him to cement his control. Then he could take his proper place in local society.
“Aren’t you going to begin listing those goods in your ledger?” Another clerk, Randolph something-or-other, pointed to the pile of papers someone had stacked on his desk.
Jean Luc shook his head and leaned his chair back until only the back two legs touched the floor. “My eyes are crossed from trying to make sense of that top one. Why don’t you be a good friend and take care of these for me?”
Randolph swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple moving up and down. “I have a stack of my own.”
Letting his chair fall forward, Jean Luc picked up the neat stack and held them out to the fellow. “I’m sure you’ll do a much better job than I.”
A slight lift to Randolph’s shoulder indicated acceptance.
Jean Luc dusted his hands and reached for his gloves. “I believe I’ll go check on the ships that are supposed to be arriving today.”
He left the office and whiled away the morning being fitted for a new pair of boots. After a leisurely lunch, he purchased a newspaper and took it to the park for perusal. After he finished his reading, Jean Luc strolled across the park, renewing acquaintance with several of the ladies he’d met over the past months. He managed to escape without too much trouble and decided he should visit his tailor to see if the new suit he had ordered would be ready for tomorrow evening’s party.
When he finally made his way back to Champney Shipping, the office was closed. A pity. But what was he supposed to do? A gentleman had to keep his priorities straight.
As the sun was setting, Jean Luc made his way down to the docks, pleased to note that the Hattie Belle’s berth was at the far end of the waterfront. It shouldn’t be difficult for his men to board her without being spotted.
He found Steenberg standing in an alley next to a waterfront warehouse, the brim of his hat pulled low over his face. “Do you have the money?”
Jean Luc ignored the ill-mannered question. “The party is set for tomorrow night. The whole family will be in attendance. Blake Matthews, too. Are you ready to get back on board?”
“All I need is the cash.”
“I want you to make sure they cannot leave the next day.” Jean Luc wished he could hire someone else. But at least the man in front of him knew how to keep his mouth shut. No one suspected that either of them was involved in the earlier robbery. “And make sure no one gets hurt.”
“That guy sprung up out of nowhere.” Steenberg put out his hand for the money. “But I managed to knock him out before he could see who I was.”
“This time wear masks.” Jean Luc counted out three bills.
“That’s not enough money.”
“Be glad I’m giving you anything, given your incompetence. You’ve failed me twice. Next time, I won’t be as forgiving.”
“But you need me.” Steenberg stepped closer. “You don’t want to get your hands dirty.”
Jean Luc refused to be intimidated. “You’ll get the rest when I am satisfied with the results.”
Steenberg looked like he was going to argue but then shrugged and accepted the cash, tucking it into the pocket of his trousers. “Tell me exactly what you want done. I can wreck the boat so she won’t move for a month or more.”
Jean Luc considered the options. “Stay away from the paddle wheel. Those things take too long to repair. I’ll leave it u
p to you. Just make sure the damage is not irreparable. I need Lily Anderson to turn to me for help. Then I’ll be able to convince her to relinquish her interest in my boat.”
“I’ll make sure she comes crying to you.” Steenberg’s laugh was as irritating as his greed. “Did you write another love note for me to leave for her?”
“No.” Jean Luc turned to go home. Then he stopped and looked at Steenberg. “Remember, if you do your job right, you won’t need to be looking for any more handouts. I’ll reinstate you as captain of the Hattie Belle as soon as the ownership reverts to me. But if you fail me one more time, you won’t work on the river again.”
Steenberg’s face twisted, and for a moment Jean Luc feared for his life. His heart pounded as he wondered if he had been a fool to come here alone. What would stop this man from killing him and taking the rest of his money?
Jean Luc straightened his shoulders. If he allowed his fear to show, nothing would stop Steenberg. He wished he’d been smart enough to bring his pistol, but he hadn’t thought of it as he was getting ready to go to his father’s office.
Someone stepped out of the warehouse, breaking the hold the other man had on him. Jean Luc began walking away, his shoulders twitching as he wondered if he was about to be attacked.
He was halfway down Silver Street before he looked back over his shoulder. Steenberg was still looking at him, wearing a grin made up of equal parts greed and malice.
Wondering if he had made a terrible mistake, Jean Luc headed back up the hill. He would be glad when this was over.
Chapter Fourty-eight
Blake loved holding Lily close. He wished he had the right to do so all the time.
She was wearing the same outfit she’d worn the night they kissed—well, the night he kissed her. But he had thought for a moment she had responded to the touch of his lips. Maybe that was why it hurt so much when she pushed him away.
“I hope you’re enjoying yourself this evening.” Lily’s brown eyes searched his face. “I know you don’t know many of the townspeople.”
He wanted to laugh out loud at her naïveté. “You might be surprised how often I’ve sat opposite some of these men.”
Her pink cheeks made him want to cut out his tongue.
He hadn’t meant to make her feel bad. “I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “I should have realized.”
They danced in silence for several minutes. Blake searched for something to talk about. What was wrong with him? He never had trouble making conversation. But Lily was a different matter. “Your sister seems to be having an exciting time.”
Lily nodded and favored him with a crooked smile. “The young men are lined up to ask for her hand in a dance. I knew she would be popular. She is so beautiful.”
“If you have a liking for porcelain dolls.” Blake bent his head closer to hers, his mouth almost touching her ear. “I prefer a woman with determination, courage, and intelligence. A woman who can take on the world with a smile on her face.”
She caught her breath, and her cheeks darkened, but this time he didn’t regret being the cause for her discomfort. It was proof she did care for him. “You are quite the flatterer, Mr. Matthews.”
“I am simply expressing my taste, Miss Anderson.” He turned his head slightly, his lips ever so close to her cheek. She was adorably awkward and would have stumbled if he had not held her so close. Taking pity on her, he straightened, allowing a few inches between them. He didn’t want to make her a target for the gossips.
When the music ended, he wanted to whisk her out to the veranda, but someone else was waiting to partner her. Jean Luc Champney. Smothering a snarl, he let her go and turned to find another partner. Maybe he could keep Lily’s attention better if she realized other women found him attractive.
One dance led to another. Too bad Blake could not recall a single name of his dance partners. His brain had been numbed by all their banalities, flirtatious glances, and suggestive movements. None of them stood out in his memory, none except Lily.
Mrs. Blackstone, Lily’s grandmother, had managed to introduce him to half the young ladies in attendance at what she was calling her “little dinner party.” Where he came from, this evening would be described as a formal ball. From the full orchestra providing the music to the chaperones sitting in chairs along one wall of the ballroom, this evening had little in common with a simple dinner party.
A familiar voice hailing him made Blake’s jaw tighten. He didn’t want to have to exchange pleasantries with Jean Luc Champney, not after he’d had to watch the man fawn over Lily.
“I wanted to congratulate you on your success.”
Blake bowed. “That’s kind of you since it was born on your ill luck.”
A polite smile camouflaged the scowl Blake’s words had caused. “I hope all of that is behind us now. I have taken a position in my father’s office to learn the shipping business from the inside. By the time I take to the water, I should know enough to make my own fortune.”
“Good. Then perhaps we’ll see you on the river soon.”
“I hope so.”
When Blake would have turned away, Mr. Champney put a hand on his arm. “I heard about the incident when you were docked here a few weeks back. I trust no lasting harm was done to the boat.”
The hair on Blake’s arm rose. How had this man heard of the burglary? Lily, Jensen, and he had decided to tell no one. Suspicion filled him. “Yes, but we have decided it was a random act of bored young aristocrats. The only thing they managed to do was destroy a couple of barrels of wheat. Since then, I have hired several guards to keep watch.”
Jean Luc shook his head. “It’s a shame you have to take such precautions. Perhaps one day the waterfront will be safe for everyone. Lily is so adventurous, but I worry about her remaining in that environment. I have tried to convince her that the river is no place for a lady.”
Thinking of the note he had discovered in Lily’s room, the one he had crumpled and later tossed overboard to keep Lily from seeing it, Blake gritted his teeth. “You need not worry about her or her sisters. Their safety is my primary concern.” He glared at the other man, wondering what role he had played in the burglary.
“Forgive me, I didn’t mean to insult you.” Surprise raised Jean Luc’s eyebrows, but the emotion seemed false to Blake.
He tried to temper his dislike of the man, but it was difficult. When he’d first met him, Jean Luc had been nothing more than a young man with more money than sense. Then Lily had put so much stock in Jean Luc’s advice while she managed to ignore his at every turn.
He looked across the crowded room for her brown hair and gray dress, a fierce pain in his chest. Even though she had spurned him, his love burned as intensely as ever. “I’d better not catch you anywhere near the Hattie Belle. If I do, you’ll find yourself treading water.”
The polite mask disappeared as Jean Luc’s face filled with bitterness and hatred. “If you were a gentleman, I would call you out for that threat.”
“Lucky then that I am not.”
“One of these days your luck will run out.” Jean Luc’s voice was little more than a growl. “I only hope I am there to see it.” He turned and pushed his way through the crowd.
Blake watched him then decided it was time to make his excuses to Lily and return to the Hattie Belle. He had a sudden urge to make sure their boat was safe. He moved toward Mrs. Blackstone.
“Is there someone else I can introduce you to, Mr. Matthews?” Her widow’s dress seemed dull in this room of pastel-skirted debutantes.
“Not at all.” He bowed and reached for her hand. “I’m afraid I must take my leave. I need to check on the men I left aboard my boat.”
“What is this about our boat?” Lily put extra emphasis on the word as she joined them.
Mrs. Blackstone put an arm around her granddaughter. “I won’t have the two of you arguing in my home.”
All of them laughed, and Blake winked at the two women. “I stand
corrected.”
“I’ve enjoyed meeting you, Mr. Matthews.” Mrs. Blackstone’s smile included both of them. “I hope you will not be a stranger. Anytime you and my granddaughter are in Natchez, I will expect to see you.” She turned and left the two alone.
“I wish you would not go by yourself, Blake. I will be glad to join you.”
Blake shook his head. “I don’t think I need a protector.”
“At least promise you will be careful.”
He tweaked her nose. “Don’t worry. Jensen is there, as well as the two men we hired. I’ll be safer there than I have been amongst these matchmaking matrons.”
Her frown lingered as he headed for the door, but Lily would probably forget about him when the other guests claimed her attention. He only hoped she avoided Jean Luc Champney. The thought of her dancing with him again made Blake’s jaw harden. The self-absorbed Monsieur Champney was not a man to be trusted.
During the quiet ride to the dock, Blake began to think his overreaction could be attributed to a lack of sleep. Water lapped at the bank, its surface reflecting the light of the moon above. Natchez Under-the-Hill was rarely quiet, but sometimes in the hours before dawn, the community slumbered, exhausted by its wickedness. Even the stray dogs that normally wandered the streets had found safe places to rest.
Blake had to wake the liveryman to return his hired horse. After settling his account with the sleepy man, he walked the dark street to where the Hattie Belle was berthed, relieved to see her as quiet as the town.
“Jensen, where are you?” He crossed the gangplank and headed for the galley. He needed a cup of strong coffee if he was going to stay awake until the sun rose. The boat rocked under his feet, setting off a warning in Blake’s mind. He brushed the feeling aside. Probably just a guard making his rounds.
Opening the door to the galley, Blake was blinded by bright lantern light. He raised his arm to shield his eyes and tried to look into the room. “How many lanterns do you—”
“What are you doing here?”
The voice sounded familiar, but Blake couldn’t match it to any of the men he’d hired for the evening. He squinted, trying to see who was in the galley. He was so focused on who was in front of him that a blow to the back of his head caught him by surprise.
Lily (Song of the River) Page 32