The Wicked Heir (Blackhaven Brides Book 12)

by Mary Lancaster

  “Allow me to introduce my husband,” she said to Lord Viscral. “Mr. Alban Lamont. Alban, Lord Viscral who is Barnaby’s father, and his ward, Miss Fordyce.”

  So this, at last, was the famous Captain Alban, a man with a rugged, weather-beaten face and hard eyes. However, his gentleness with his wife was not lost on Jess. Nor was the quick, easy grin with which Jonathan greeted him. He bowed over Jess’s proffered hand and shook hands with Lord Viscral before nodding more casually to Kate Grant, clearly an old acquaintance.

  “Join us, if you have a moment,” Jon invited, pulling over a chair for him and summoning the waiter for another cup.

  Alban glanced at his wife, who smiled. “I am not tired.”

  “Then I will be glad to join you for a moment,” Alban said civilly. He accorded Jon a brief slap on the back. “It’s a pleasure to meet this man’s family at last.”

  Lord Viscral’s nostrils flared. “I can only imagine what he told you.”

  “Very little,” Alban said. “On my ships, a man earns respect for his work rather than his name. You’ll be glad to know your son quickly won mine and that of the other officers and crew. He’s my youngest captain and my most trusted lieutenant.”

  His lordship glanced at Jon and then Alban. He rubbed the back of his neck. “I suppose I am glad,” he said grudgingly.

  Jon laughed.

  But Alban did not appear to be offended. In fact, there was a certain amount of understanding in his rather hard face. “I disappointed my father, too. It’s hard for strong-willed sons to fall in line. For myself, I’m not sorry I did what I did, though there are some things I would have managed differently. But however long I was away, my family never stopped being important to me. And perhaps, now that I have a son of my own, I have more understanding of my father’s point of view.”

  “Does he understand yours?” Jess asked curiously.

  Alban turned to her. “I’ll never know. He died several years ago. But I like to think he would have appreciated the responsibility I learned at sea. It’s a useful skill in every walk of life.”

  He stayed another few minutes and then rose with his wife to say goodbye. “Come and see the baby tomorrow, if you wish,” Bella said to Jess.

  “Thank you, I will!” Jess said.

  Kate departed at the same time as the Lamonts. Jess expected her uncle’s first comment to be on Captain Alban, but perhaps he was still mulling over that surprising gentleman’s words and character, for he said only, “So, that’s Wicked Kate Crowmore.”

  “Not since she married the Reverend Grant,” Jon said. “Now she’s the soul of the Blackhaven community, in terms of both charity and entertainment. People change.”

  “Hmm,” Jess said. “I don’t precisely know why they called her wicked, but I doubt she ever was! She’s great fun and kind to boot. I like her.”

  Lord Viscral snorted. “Well, she’s more amusing than our vicar’s wife at home.” He sat back in his chair, regarding her. “So, these are your new friends. Alban’s wife and Wicked Kate?”

  Jess lifted her chin. “Yes.”

  “Can’t think why Kelburn’s daughter would have married such a creature.”

  “Because he’s an honorable man and a gentleman,” Jon said stiffly.

  “Do honorable men go by quite so many names?” his lordship demanded.

  Jon laughed. “Like me, you mean?”

  “Yes, like you.”

  “Maybe you will find out,” Jon said, meeting his gaze. “If you look.”

  “For my part, I found him both unexpected and likeable,” Jess declared, rising to her feet. “But I shall leave you to quarrel while I go in search of Crabby.”

  She found her old governess just waking from a nap.

  “You missed tea,” Jess informed her. “With the vicar’s wife who used to be called Wicked Kate, and Captain Alban, himself! Oh, and Crabby, I have four—four!—new gowns! And I’m going to the assembly room ball next week!”

  As Crabby sat up, exclaiming and asking questions, Jess stood by the window to catch the last of the fading sunlight. Below, Jonathan emerged from the hotel and strode up the street. She liked the way he moved, with his easy, long-legged stride. She could imagine him moving thus about his ship, at once quick and steady, issuing orders that would be instantly obeyed, despite his youth and the hint of humor in his manner. Watching him gave her an odd, secret sense of excitement that she didn’t quite understand. Although she had never imagined she would like her guardian’s run-away son, she did.

  She had begun to answer Crabby’s stream of questions when she noticed the other man slouching along the street behind him. He was a working man of some kind, in an old, military coat, and his leg dragged quite badly when he walked. She would have thought little enough about him, except that he was probably one of the many soldiers returned from the late war with an injury. Only ahead of him, Jonathan paused to speak to some acquaintance, and the man stopped, too, immediately turning toward a shop window. And when Jon moved on with a friendly wave to his friend, the man immediately followed again.

  That is odd… Did the man mean him harm? Somehow, she guessed Jonathan could take care of himself, but nevertheless, it made her uneasy.

  Chapter Seven

  The following morning, Jess received several cards of invitation, including one to a musical soiree that very evening from one Mrs. Prescott, who had scrawled at the bottom: Forgive the short notice, and I know we have not yet met, but dear Mrs. Grant told me this was something you would enjoy.

  On account of never having met the woman, Lord Viscral vetoed the event. For once, Jess made no effort to change his mind, for it was to be held in the hotel, in the same hall she had first met Jonathan. She had doubts about the propriety. However, she hastily dashed off a note to Mrs. Grant, asking if she had indeed asked Mrs. Prescott to invite her.

  By then, both her day dresses and her evening gown had been delivered, and Crabby exclaimed over their beauty in a most gratifying manner.

  “Am I to go to the pump room on my own?” Lord Viscral roared into these transports.

  “Oh, no, sir,” Jess said with alacrity. “Give me five minutes, and I shall happily go with you.”

  With Crabby’s help, she donned the smart, new walking dress with the velvet spencer and, a new spring in her step, sallied forth with her uncle. It was another cold but sunny day, perfect for walking. Jess would have liked to go further, but she accompanied Lord Viscral into the pump room with good grace, and ran after him for an hour, fetching water and being polite to the other frail and elderly patrons with whom he had become acquainted. For the first time, one of the younger men accompanying his mother, contrived to be introduced to her, although he had totally ignored her on previous visits.

  “What a difference a few new feathers make,” she observed cynically to her guardian as they left. He, however, was looking thoughtful and did not reply.

  After an early luncheon, Jess and Crabby took one of the hired carriages outside the hotel to the Lamonts’ house. There, they discovered Lady Bella kneeling on her drawing room floor, tickling her small son who giggled and crawled away from her at high speed, clearly for the pleasure of being caught again.

  Her ladyship welcomed them without embarrassment and Jess, who found the scene rather charming, immediately joined them on the floor to be introduced to young Master Lamont.

  “Alban will be in shortly,” Bella said. “He’s busy on the farm.”

  “Then he enjoys being a country gentleman again?” Jess asked.

  “He likes the variety. And he prefers to be on land when it’s difficult for us to join him at sea.”

  “You go with him?” Jess asked in surprise.

  “Not always, but often.” She raised her gaze from the baby, who was falling asleep on the carpet. “Why, do you not wish to go with Barnaby?”

  Jess flushed. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”

  “Well, I understand The Albatross won’t be ready to leave
now for several weeks, so you could be married in March and accompany him to South America if you chose.”

  Among the guilt and embarrassment, Jess felt an unexpected leap of longing for such an adventure, to travel to the other side of the world… And if her desires stretched to spending time with the oddly fascinating Jonathan, then that was yet another secret. But it felt too uncomfortable to be lying to the kind Lady Bella, and so she scrabbled for something to say, to change the subject even a little.

  “Was he truly married before?” she blurted.

  “Yes. Before I met him,” Bella answered, lifting her son in her arms and rising to her feet in one practiced movement. “Izlan. Her death was a tragedy.”

  “She died?” Jess asked in dismay.

  Bella, laying the baby in the cradle under the window, glanced over her shoulder in surprise. “Didn’t he tell you.”

  Jess dropped her gaze, shaking her head. “He doesn’t talk about her.”

  “It was a sudden fever, I believe. Barnaby was devastated, according to Alban, but after the first day, he never showed it. He went back to sea within the week and threw himself into work. He can only have been twenty or so years old.” She straightened, smiling. “This is one reason I am so pleased for his new happiness.”

  Out of the frying pan and into the fire. There was very little she could say to that without lying even more. Perhaps she could justify deceiving Lord Viscral because of his infamous scheme to force her into marriage, but Lady Bella was Jonathan’s friend and had shown Jess nothing but kindness.

  Fortunately, Captain Alban came in shortly afterward, and refreshments were served. At the sound of his father’s voice, the baby woke up again and chortled with glee to be marched around the room on Alban’s shoulders, clinging to his head.

  In the midst of the general laughter, Jonathan walked in. “What are you doing to my godson?” he demanded, dropping to the floor and lying flat.

  Alban immediately swung his son down and dropped him on Jonathan’s chest, where he giggled and dribbled and held on while Jonathan rocked from side to side like a boat on a stormy sea.

  Jess could not help laughing at this new vision of her “betrothed”. It was Crabby who nudged her, a silent reminder of the passing time.

  “Oh!” Jess jumped up. “I had not realized it was so late. We must go.”

  “I’ll order the carriage to take you back,” Bella offered.

  “Oh, no, thank you, there is no need. I told the hackney to come back for us.”

  “It’s waiting for you,” Jonathan said, sitting up and tumbling the child into his lap. “Sorry, forgot to say. In fact, give me five minutes and I’ll ride with you to Blackhaven. I just wanted a quick word with Alban.”

  “In private?” Alban asked.

  “No need,” Jonathan replied with a shrug. “Just, I believe I’ve found at least one of our thieves. A warehouse worker desperately trying to buy the affections of a certain actress, though it’s possible his friend is involved, too.”

  “At least they’re not our men, then.”

  “No, but they’re old Royal Navy seaman. The one I’m after is injured. Drags his leg quite badly.”

  At that, Jess’s head snapped up from the gurgling baby to Jonathan. “Truly? But I saw such a man following you up High Street yesterday afternoon.”

  “And so the hunter is the hunted,” Alban said, amused. “What are you going to do about that?”

  “What I was always going to do,” Jonathan said dryly. “Have a word. Do I have discretion to act as I see fit?”

  “Of course.”

  Jonathan nodded and rose to his feet, depositing his godson in Alban’s lap before brushing down his coat and pantaloons. “Then I’ll be on my way! Ladies?”

  The Lamonts waved them off from the doorstep, Jess and Crabby waving back from the carriage, while Jon rode on horseback beside them.

  “Charming people,” Crabby pronounced. “Most kind, whatever anyone says about him. And what a dear little baby! I am so looking forward to you having babies of your own, Jess.”

  Appalled on any number of counts, Jess flushed and opened the carriage window to cool her burning cheeks. Of course, this brought her too close to Jonathan, trotting along beside the carriage.

  He bent to speak to her. “All well?”

  “Oh, yes,” she said, hastily dredging up the things she wished to ask him about. “I just wanted to inquire…a Mrs. Prescott invited us to a musical soiree this evening. She says she’s a friend of Mrs. Grant’s.”

  “I was invited, too. I’ll be happy to escort you—unless you don’t want to go?”

  “Well, his lordship isn’t keen since we don’t know this Mrs. Prescott. Also…it’s in the hotel.” She lowered her voice in the hope Crabby wouldn’t hear. “In that room?”

  His eyes danced, though the rest of his face remained perfectly grave. “You may rest easy. Many unexceptional events happen in that room. And outside it.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Are you being outrageous?”

  “Not yet. I’ll have a word with my father if you’d like to go.”

  In the end, he didn’t need to have a word, for Kate had replied to her earlier note, informing her and Lord Viscral that Mrs. Prescott was indeed a friend and that Kate and her husband would also be attending that evening. As a result, his lordship withdrew his objection, although he refused to go.

  Jess, in her new evening gown, accompanied by Crabby and her “cousin” Jonathan, descended the staircase and crossed the hotel foyer to the flung open double doors at the back.

  From its appearance, she would scarcely have recognized this as the same room which had enticed her only a few nights ago. Then, from the inside, it had looked little better than her idea of a gaming hell. Now, it was decorated with potted plants and early daffodils, with rows of seats arranged in a semicircle around an empty space at the front. The space at the back was crowded with bright, wealthy people and expensive scents, discussing music in knowledgeable and reverential tones.

  “Have you not heard him, yet?” said a lady with nodding feathers in her headdress just to Jess’s right. “My dear, he is sublime. Such lightness of touch, such exquisite sensitivity.”

  “But where has he come from?” asked her companion. “No one mentioned him in London last week.”

  “I do not believe he has been in London yet. I understand Harriet Prescott heard him playing outside the theatre in York and has combined with Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Winslow to let us hear him in Blackhaven. I heard him play at Henrit Manor House on Saturday afternoon, and I absolutely agree that he must be heard.”

  “What do you think, ma’am?” someone else murmured close beside Jess. “Will he be the next Paganini? Or even Mozart?”

  Jess glanced around and found she was being addressed by an extraordinarily handsome young man with raven-black hair and a scar down the side of his neck. He gazed down at her with a bold yet cynical smile.

  “I’m not perfectly sure who Paganini is,” Jess confided. “But I see no reason why not, if he is as good as everyone says. Is he? Have you heard him?”

  “Interminably,” replied the bold young man. “And sometimes not, sometimes yes. Allow me to tell you, mademoiselle, that you are the most beautiful young lady I have ever seen.”

  Jess laughed. “Go and flatter the violinist, sir. He is bound to be more receptive.”

  The young man blinked in surprise, but after a stunned instant, he smiled, his dark eyes growing more intense. But before he could speak further, Jonathan was at her side, presenting her with a glass of champagne.

  He smiled amiably at the young man. “I wouldn’t.”

  The young man seemed to understand, for he let out a rueful laugh, bowed with a hint of mockery, and sauntered away.

  “I see you have already met our exquisite discovery,” Kate said, appearing beside Jon.

  “Him?” Jess exclaimed. “He is your violinist?”

  “Alessandro de Rizzo,” Kate said, watchin
g his back. “Don’t be offended. He ignores convention, but he is quite harmless, and his playing is divine. Come, shall we sit? I think we’re about ready to begin. Oh, you haven’t yet met my husband, have you? Tris, this is Miss Fordyce and Miss Crabtree.”

  The tall, handsome man beside Kate bowed and smiled. This was, apparently, the vicar of St. Andrews in Blackhaven, but on first glance, he was as unlikely in the role as Kate seemed to be in hers. However, he was friendly, and Jess was glad to see him pay attention to Crabby, who tended to be neglected in public gatherings.

  As the stout but fashionable Mrs. Prescott stood in front of the audience to introduce her “discovery”, Jon leaned closer to Jess. “Just to the left of Mrs. P. is where you almost found yourself playing hazard.”

  “Hush!” Jess said severely. “Don’t you like music?”

  “It’s well enough when played with skill.” With apparent reluctance, he straightened, and the young man she had spoken to earlier, walked across the floor, now carrying his violin and bow, and bowed to the company.

  It became obvious almost immediately that Alessandro de Rizzo was not short of skill. He played Bach exquisitely and followed it up with traditional tunes she had never heard before, but which made her want to dance. And from there, he slid into another unknown piece that both pierced the soul and filled the heart with passion. He had talent that raised him above mere skill. He didn’t simply touch the emotions, he took hold of them, wrenched them free, and made them soar.

  Only as the last note died away into rapt silence, could Jess move. Impulsively, she turned to Jonathan, wishing only to communicate her wonder and joy in the piece. But Jon was staring straight ahead, most of his face carefully expressionless. His eyes were full, a trace of dampness on his cheek.

  Stunned, Jess looked away again. She hadn’t suspected him of such deep emotions. He didn’t wish to be seen, for as he stood to applaud with the rest of the enraptured audience, he brushed his cheek surreptitiously against his shoulder.