Had this Mr. Simons been a suitor? Or perhaps he’d had more nefarious ideas. Lucas hated the thought of Miss Hawthorne alone and having that man pay a visit. Why did the man not bring a chaperone if he had noble plans?
“I’m hungry. Are we about there?” Jamie rubbed his stomach.
“Yes son, it’s not much farther.” Maybe he should have hired a coach, but the day was fair and he’d thought the walk would be good for them all. He slowed his pace so that Jamie didn’t have to work so hard to keep up.
Charleston was bustling this morning with women out shopping before the heat of the afternoon arrived. Businessmen stood chatting, while slaves and common workers hauled various items in wagons and handcarts. Lucas loved this town and hoped his son would come to feel the same way.
“Well now, ‘re ye not a sight for sore eyes?”
Off to his right, a woman dressed in near rags pushed away from the door of a tavern. He looked around but saw no one other than himself and Richard close enough for her to be addressing. She took three quick steps and leapt in front of him so that he had to stop or knock her down. Jamie peered up at her then pinched his nose to ward off her foul odor.
“Don’tcha remember me?” She reached out and felt the edge of Lucas’s frock coat with her grimy fingers. “Ye clean up quite good, ye do. ‘Re ye pretending to be a gentleman?”
Richard slowed and turned, lifting his brows as if to ask, Who’s that?
Lucas shrugged and motioned to Jamie. “Go with Richard, son, and I’ll meet the two of you at McCrady’s shortly. Your aunt Heather may have already arrived.” He handed the boy off to Richard. “See that you obey Mr. Madison.”
“Aye, sir.” Jamie watched over his shoulder with a worried expression as Richard led him down the street. For a child who’d not had a father until now and had lost his mother at such a young age, he was quite well behaved and compliant.
“What’s the matter, dearie? Ye forget me purty face already?”
Lucas refocused on the trollop. “I’ve never before laid eyes on you, madam.”
She swatted her hand in the air. “It’s Lilly. Ye cain’t forget what a fine time we had aboard yer ship, can ye?”
Lucas bristled. Until now, he’d thought she was just a beggar out to earn a coin, but she must be confusing him with his brother. When had Marcus been in Charleston? A shiver charged down his spine. He couldn’t let his brother learn about Jamie.
“I fear you are mistaking me for someone else, madam.”
The woman cackled, revealing yellowed teeth with a good number missing. Though filthy, she hardly looked old enough to be losing her teeth. Perhaps a few had been knocked out by less accommodating men.
“Ye cain’t fool me.” She leaned in closer, bringing her wretched scent along. “Ye’re the Black Mark, ain’tcha?”
Lucas straightened and glanced around to see if anyone had heard the woman. “I am not. But can you tell me how long ago he was here? Is he returning?”
Her hazel eyes narrowed. “Hmm … I don’t reckon ye’re him, after all. Ye have the look and speech of a real gentleman.” Her gaze softened, and she leaned against his arm. He stepped back, causing her to stumble, and he reached out to steady her.
“If ye ain’t Marcus Reed, then ye must be his twin brother.”
Lucas blinked, surprised at her comment. Did she mean that factually, or was she just making a random comment that he closely resembled Marcus? “Does the man you talk of have a twin?”
“He has a brother—or so says the Black Mark—but I know not if he be a twin.” She peered over her shoulder to the spot where he’d last seen Jamie before he went around the corner. “But he never mentioned that brother having a son that looks just like ‘im.”
A fear he’d never before encountered enveloped Lucas. What if his brother learned about Jamie? Would the boy ever be safe?
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two gold coins. The woman’s eyes sparked as her hand slithered out. He lifted the coins above her head. “For your silence, madam.”
Her gaze narrowed but lifted toward the coins. She licked her lips and nodded. Lucas dropped the bribe into her filthy hand then hurried toward McCrady’s. Paying a bribe was wrong. He knew that. But he could not let his unscrupulous brother get his hands on an innocent child.
five
Heather watched the last vestige of Charleston disappear as the ship glided around a bend in the Ashley River. She was silly to fear venturing into the unknown again, but she couldn’t shake her nervousness. Just as it had happened on the Charlotte Anne, civilization fell away, and she entered an unfamiliar world. She tightened her grip on Jamie’s hand.
“Ow, that hurts.” He tugged his hand away and stood on tiptoes to see over the ship’s gunwale.
Behind them, Mr. Reed barked orders to his men. She rubbed Jamie’s hair, her heart aching. This journey inland was the beginning of the end of their time together. On her return trip, she’d be alone—truly alone for the first time in her life. How could such a wee lad have been her lifeline?
“Look at that bird!” Jamie swatted her skirt with one hand and pointed toward the shoreline with his other.
Caroline Madison left her husband’s side near the middle of the ship and sashayed toward them. “That’s a heron. One of the larger species.”
As if annoyed at them for invading his territory, the bird turned toward the ship, opened its long beak, and screeched out a call that sounded somewhere between a croak and a hack. Jamie giggled and attempted to shinny up the topsides and onto the gunwale to get a closer look. Heather grabbed him before he toppled over and into the water and hauled him back down.
“We have birds like that in Nova Scotia,” he said.
“It may be from Canada. Some birds migrate down here,” Caroline said. “There are many interesting creatures in the marshlands. Just mind that you don’t go near the river’s edge. Alligators inhabit the waters around here.”
Heather’s gaze snapped to Caroline’s. “Are there any at Reed Springs?”
“I don’t recall ever seeing one there, but take caution if you go near any of the ponds or the river.”
The two men joined them. “Yes,” Mr. Reed said, “we have alligators. ‘Tis my greatest concern for the workers in my rice fields. That and snakes.”
Heather’s hand lifted to her neck. Snakes and alligators. What kind of place was Mr. Reed taking his son to?
He glanced at her and smiled.
Her stomach lurched.
“Have no fear, Miss Hawthorne. Jamie will be quite safe. It may sound as if we live in the wilderness, but I believe you will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of our plantation home.”
“Yes, Reed Springs is a fine, sturdy place.” Mrs. Madison said. “Amazingly, it survived our fight for independence when many of our fine homes did not. The British burned so many of them. What a dreadful shame.”
Heather winced but tried to ignore the comment. Caroline did not know her past.
Jamie tugged on the bottom of Mr. Reed’s frock coat. Heather reached for the boy, but his father hoisted him up in his arms. “What is it, son?”
“This ship is smaller than your other ones. Why didn’t we take one of the big ones?”
“Ah, an excellent question.” Mr. Reed waved his free hand toward the middle of the vessel. “This is a cutter, and the reason we’re taking it is because the river is fairly shallow and the draft of a cutter is less than a ship.”
“What’s a draft?” Jamie stared at the man with blank eyes.
“‘Tis the vertical length of the keel.” Jamie blinked. “What’s a keel?”
Mr. Madison chuckled. “You’re going to have to teach the boy all about sailing vessels, Lucas.”
“That is something to which I look forward.” Mr. Reed smiled. “And there’s no better time than the present.” He turned with Jamie in his arms and walked toward the center of the cutter. “A cutter is a fore-and-aft rigged vessel with a single mast with two
headsails….”
“You need to speak in terms a boy can understand, Lucas. Jamie is not a sailor yet.” Caroline chuckled and shook her head as father and son walked away. “I’ve never seen Lucas so happy. Jamie is good for him.”
“I agree. For the most part, Lucas has been a somber type for as long as I’ve known him,” Mr. Madison said.
“And how long has that been?” Heather asked, keeping her eye on Jamie and his father.
Mr. Madison looked at his wife. “What say you? Four years?”
She nodded. “We met him shortly after we bought the neighboring plantation. We call it Madison Gardens.”
“Perhaps I’ll get to see it before I leave,” Heather said.
Caroline laid her hand on Heather’s arm. “I would love that. You’ll have to encourage Lucas to drive you and Amelia—that’s Lucas’s mother—over for tea one afternoon.”
Heather couldn’t help wondering how long she’d be at Reed Springs. “That sounds lovely, but I’m not sure how long it will take Mr. Reed to find a permanent governess.”
“Excuse me, ladies, but I shall take my leave and join Lucas and Jamie.” Mr. Madison gave a brief bow and moseyed away.
“You should probably be prepared to stay awhile. Lucas would have had far better luck at finding a governess in Charleston than he will at Reed Springs. I still think it odd that he seemed in such a hurry to return to the plantation. We weren’t scheduled to leave Charleston for another week.”
Heather focused again on the landscape. Mr. Reed had seemed quite anxious ever since the day they’d ordered clothing and had eaten at McCrady’s. He’d wanted to leave that very same day, but Mr. Madison had said it would be impossible for him to go before the end of the week, and Caroline had reminded him that the clothing they’d ordered wouldn’t be ready before then either. So they’d waited, but Mr. Reed hadn’t seemed able to completely relax until this ship set sail. Had something happened that day?
“Perhaps he is just anxious for his mother to meet Jamie,” Heather offered.
“That is probably the truth of the matter. Amelia will adore her grandson. She longs to see Lucas married and the past put behind him.”
What past was she referring to? Did his mother know of his relationship with Deborah?
“Look over there.” Caroline pointed to the far shore. “See that white bird?”
Heather’s gaze searched the shoreline then landed on the creature. White as snow, it was. She nodded.
“It’s called a snowy egret.”
She studied the large bird with thin, black legs and odd yellow feet. “Why, its eyes look yellow.” “They are. Isn’t that odd?”
Heather nodded and watched the bird get smaller as they moved past.
The next hour sailed by. Lucas returned with Jamie, who chattered about the various parts of the ship. Heather smiled over his head at Caroline. They returned their attention to the shoreline, playing a game of counting how many different birds they could see.
“Is that a turtle swimming over there?” Heather squinted her eyes and pointed across the sun-glistened water toward the shore.
“No!” Caroline clutched Heather’s arm. “That’s an alligator’s head. See his wide-set eyes?”
“Where? I can’t see!” Jamie tried once again to climb onto the gunwale.
Heather hauled him up into her arms, knowing she could only hold him for a few moments. When had he grown so heavy? “Right there under that branch that sticks out over the water. See it now?”
“Aye! It’s so big.” He put one hand on the edge of the rail and lurched forward, nearly slipping from her grasp.
Heather gasped and grabbed his pants at the waist, hauling him back. “You must be careful, lad. If you were to fall in, you might become fodder for that beast.”
“Miss Hawthorne is right.”
Heather jumped at the nearness of Mr. Reed’s voice. She turned, and he took his son. Would he harshly scold him for his overeagerness?
Caroline left them and joined her husband, who was seated on a wooden crate, studying a paper in his hand.
“Jamie, look at me.”
The lad leaned back in his father’s arms and stared at him, his blue eyes filled with worry.
“You must always be careful and alert aboard ship. Accidents have killed many a good sailor. Do you understand?”
Jamie nodded his head. “Aye, aye, Captain.”
Heather bit back a smile at his nautical response. Mr. Reed grinned and looked at her. Something hitched inside her as they shared their delight in the lad they both cared for. She and this colonist had something very precious in common. But soon Jamie would belong only to him. Turning around, she focused on the serene setting, shoving back her melancholy thoughts. Perhaps it would have been better had she not agreed to be Jamie’s temporary governess. Jamie was adapting to his father far more easily than she’d expected. Hiking her chin, she blinked back the tears burning her eyes. Soon he wouldn’t need her at all.
Holding his son’s hand, Lucas guided him across the deck to where his first mate stood talking with the helmsman. “I thought Jamie might enjoy seeing below deck. Would you mind giving him a tour?”
The man nodded. “‘Twould be my pleasure, Captain.”
Jamie glanced up. “Aren’t you coming?”
“No, son. I need to keep an eye on things up here, and I want to have a word with your aunt Heather. You’ll be safe, and you can return whenever you’ve seen all that you want to.”
“All right.”
Lucas watched the two go below deck then strode over to where Miss Hawthorne stood. She was a comely woman. Small in stature but like a she-bear when it came to defending her adopted cub. He liked the way her brown eyes snapped when she was upset and how she hiked that pert little nose in the air. In fact, the only thing he didn’t like about her was that she planned to leave.
He hadn’t been so attracted to a woman since Deborah. He should be interviewing for a governess instead of rushing back to Reed Springs, but ever since that woman confronted him near the docks, he’d felt an urgent need to get Jamie out of Charleston. He hoped the woman would keep silent. Please, Lord.
Lucas slowed his steps and approached from an angle, so as not to frighten Miss Hawthorne again. “So, what do you think of our fine country?”
She scowled but kept her focus somewhere other than on him. “I can’t deny its rugged beauty. So many unusual birds and flowers.”
“Wait until you see my mother’s garden. You’ve not seen the likes of her flowers anywhere.”
A soft smile tugged at her lips. “Sounds lovely. The growing season up north is so short that I crave things of beauty like flowers. I can see why you are fond of this region, although I don’t know how you handle the abysmal heat.”
“It can be hard at times, but we adapt. Evening events are held late, generally after the sun sets, and it’s not uncommon to rest in the heat of the day.” He boldly fingered the sleeve of her new day dress, causing her to look up at him. “We also wear clothing made of cooler fabrics. There are many things one can do.”
She held his gaze uncommonly long. “You will be good to Jamie? You promise not to let anything happen to him?” She blinked her eyes then swatted at a tear. “I couldn’t bear it.”
He laid his hand over hers. “I’ll do everything within my power to keep him safe. I already love him.”
She continued to stare, as if measuring his sincerity, then nodded and tugged her hand out from under his. “And what of your mother? Will she accept an … illegitimate child?”
Ah, so that’s what bothered her. He watched the black needlerush grasses swishing in the breeze. On shore, birds chirruped a chorus, and midstream, a fish leaped out of the water and then disappeared again. “Mother will adore Jamie. Her only regret will be the same as mine—that we were unable to have him sooner.”
Heather stiffened, and her chin lifted. “I thought I explained that.”
“You did, and I understan
d, but it doesn’t change the fact that we missed out on years of Jamie’s growth.”
“Perhaps you should have thought about that before you walked out on his mother.” She hung her head, as if embarrassed by her outburst. “I wasn’t sure that you’d even want him at all,” she whispered so softly he barely heard her.
He heaved a sigh, wishing he could tell her the whole truth. But if Deborah hadn’t, then he didn’t feel he should. He still didn’t know whether to tell his mother or not. She would love Jamie no matter which son sired him, but the truth was he dreaded having her think less of him—that he was capable of doing such a heinous deed.
But didn’t she have the right to know?
He’d better make up his mind fast, because Madison Gardens was around the next corner, and another mile down the river, Reed Springs awaited.
six
“Oh, my goodness.” Heather gazed past the dock as the ship slowly veered toward it. Her first glimpse of Reed Springs all but took her breath away. A well-used path led up to a wide, green lawn, the centerpiece of which was a three-story, red brick house. This structure wasn’t as ornate as the Charleston house, but its massive size made it every bit as daunting. The first level looked to be partially underground with windows that seemed to grow right out of the grass. A wide stairway led up to the second level, which she assumed was the main floor. On the sides of the massive white front doors were three widely spaced windows, also trimmed in white, and on the floor above were three larger windows in the center with two smaller ones on either side.
The ship bumped against the dock, and sailors cast heavy ropes to two Negroes on the wooden ramp. Lucas turned to Jamie. “Are you ready to see our other home, son?”
Jamie glanced at her then nodded. Lucas escorted Jamie down the gangplank then lifted his gaze to her. Heather’s heart thumped. She didn’t want to be attracted to him. She had despised him for years for neglecting Deborah and her son, but the man had already effectively disarmed her with his kindness.
Mutiny of the Heart Page 4