Rapture's Tempest

by Bobbi Smith

  “For you.” He handed her the liquor and sat down easily beside her.

  Taking the goblet with both hands, Annabelle swirled the potent liquid, warming it with her palms. “Thank you.”

  Their eyes met and locked as they both sipped the heady brew. Silently, Wade admired her delicate beauty, marveling that such a fragile-looking woman could be such a formidable foe. He was glad that they were working for the same side in this war.

  “How did I do?” she asked.

  “You were magnificent.”

  “Good. I do detest pleading my case before those imbeciles, but we really will need their help with this one.”

  Wade nodded his agreement. “They’re all we have. I wish I could tell you that they’ll be there when we need them, but, apart from Gordon Tyndale, I don’t think there’s a real man among them.”

  “I had that impression, too. The war’s been going on for three years now, and not once have they taken any action.”

  “Well, under our direction, that’s all going to change.”

  Raising her glass in a toast, Annabelle spoke, “To the Cause. May it never die.”

  As their glasses met, their fingers touched, and thoughts of the war faded from their minds. Wade took her snifter and put it on the small table with his, then, without speaking, he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. Passion, long suppressed, flamed to life as Annabelle strained against him.

  “My darling.” Wade spoke breathlessly as they broke apart. “I love you.”

  He bent to kiss her again, not caring that her father slept upstairs, not caring that the door was open and anyone could have walked in on them. When he was in Annabelle’s arms, nothing else mattered…

  “Annabelle?” He spoke softly when he ended the kiss, but his expression was worried.

  “About We stlake.”

  Always aware of Wade’s thoughts, Annabelle was instantly alert to what was coming, and it irritated her. She knew that Wade loved her, but he had no right to feel that he had any claim on her. Why couldn’t he just accept it?

  “I don’t want to share you, Annabelle.”

  She met his gaze without wavering. “I have no intention of marrying Westlake.”

  “God, I hope not.”

  “But what about you?” She quickly distracted him. “Are you still going through with your plans?”

  “You mean courting his sister?”

  She nodded.

  “I think it’s important. That way, if for some reason you’re unable to get the information out of Jim, we’ll have another option.”

  “That’s a good idea. You’ll have to let me know how you’re doing.”

  “Just be careful. Remember, I’m an engaged woman now. Whenever you stop by, it will have to be to see my father.”

  “I’ll remember.” Giving her one last devouring look, he left to return to duty. But the fact of her engagement to Westlake haunted him. Wade couldn’t shake the feeling that, somehow, he was losing her. And worst of all, he didn’t know what to do to prevent it.

  Chapter Five

  Delight followed the two men across the slippery cobblestones of the riverfront and up the slush-covered gangplank. On the main deck, the captain stopped abruptly, and she skidded to a halt behind him.

  Jim motioned Ollie aside. “Take care of Murphy. There’s no need for him to start work until he’s had something to eat and some sleep. Fix him a cot in your room for now and he can move into my cabin tomorrow.”

  “Fine, Jim,” Ollie agreed.

  “I’ll need you again about eleven.”

  “All right. We’ll see you then.” He turned to Delight. “Come on, Murphy. Let’s go get some sleep.”

  Delight watched as Jim Westlake strode off down the deck, and the female in her couldn’t help but admire the proud, confident way he carried himself. She remembered well what Renee Westlake had told her about him. In her opinion, Renee had been too modest in her description of her brother-in-law. To Delight, Jim was her knight in shining armor. Tall and powerfully built, with dark eyes that could warm your soul, he was certainly handsome enough. He had rescued her from a fate worse than death, and for that she would be eternally grateful to him. Her musings were interrupted as she realized that the older man was waiting for her, and Delight fought to keep from smiling. What if Mr. Fitzgerald had known her real thoughts?

  “Are you coming?”

  “Oh—yes, sir!” She hurried after him.

  “Murphy, there’s something you need to know,” Ollie began, his tone earnest.

  “Yes, sir?” she replied nervously.

  “My name’s Ollie. Use it.”

  “Yes, sir…I mean—uh—Ollie, sir.”

  “No, no,” he laughed, leading the lad on to the companion-way. “The captain, now he’s a sir, but I’m just Ollie.”

  Delight grinned at him as she finally began to relax a little. But her relief was short-lived as he led her up to the texas deck and into his own small cabin.

  “You can sleep in here with me for now. The captain says that you can move down to his cabin later on.”

  “Sleep?” Delight eyed the single bunk with trepidation, her heart sinking. “Here?”

  “Sure,” Ollie continued. Oblivious to her distress, he began to undress.

  Delight stifled a groan of misery. Now what? Just as she was about to bolt and run, he stopped unbuttoning his shirt and moved to pull a cot out from beneath his bunk.

  “Here’s your bed. There are blankets in the chest.” He indicated a big wooden chest near the door.

  “Thanks.” She breathed more easily for a moment.

  But once again, her relief was short-lived as Ollie unbuttoned his trousers and let them drop. Turning away lest he see her blush, Delight gave a prayer of thanks for the woolen long-johns that had just saved her from a quick lesson in male anatomy. Busying herself, she made the bed, and then, with her back still to Ollie, she shed the coat and shoes Rose had given her. Lying down, she quickly pulled the covers up to her chin.

  It was only when Ollie turned out the lamp that she looked over toward him again.

  “Ollie?”

  “Yes, Murphy?” his voice was good-naturedly gruff.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, son,” his reply came. “Get some rest. We’ve got a lot to do in the morning.”

  Turning over, he was soon fast asleep.

  Rest did not come easily to Delight, as she lay reviewing the events of the past day…events that had changed the course of her life forever. She shivered as she remembered the two drunks chasing her, and she wondered what would have happened to her if Jim Westlake hadn’t come to her aid. But the outcome didn’t bear thinking about—especially if she wanted to get any sleep.

  Rolling to her side, she thought briefly of her mother. It had hurt her to leave, but there had been no help for it. Delight only hoped that she would understand when she found out. Tired of worrying, she thought instead of Renee Westlake and the many times they’d talked at various parties and balls. But even these distracting thoughts couldn’t keep her from the looming recognition of Jim Westlake as a man and the certain knowledge that, under normal circumstances, she would have been attracted to him. But then, these were not normal circumstances. In fact, after her ordeal with Martin tonight, Delight wondered if she’d ever feel that way about a man again.

  Struggling to keep her thoughts away from that trauma, she tried to imagine what her life was going to be like on board this steamer. Keeping to her disguise was going to be the most difficult part. She had no doubt that she could do the work…but just how long she could carry off playing a boy…well, that was another matter.

  Finally, her exhaustion overpowered the shock of the past few hours and she slept, her dreams filled with a nerve-racking chase that ended in the safety of an unknown pair of strong arms.

  Delight was relieved to find that Ollie was already up and gone when she awoke the next morning. Relishing the privacy, she took the fe
w minutes to complete her toilet and to try to smooth some of the more stubborn wrinkles from her loose-fitting trousers and flannel shirt. Peering into the mirror, she paused before the washstand to skeptically survey her appearance.

  Delight’s biggest worry was that someone would see through her disguise, and she frowned at the thought. Glancing at her reflection, she was pleased to note that the frown hardened her features, making them seem less feminine. Determined to maintain that look, she practiced several expressions until she felt she had it right. Then, running her hands through her tangled mop of curls, she slipped into the too-tight boy’s coat and headed out to face the blustery day.

  As luck would have it, the first person she came face-to-face with was none other than Jim Westlake.

  “Morning, Captain,” she greeted, keeping her eyes humbly downcast. She didn’t want to take any chances at this stage of the game.

  “Murphy,” Jim acknowledged as he passed by on his way up to the pilot house. “Ollie’s waiting for you in the saloon.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied respectfully and started down the companionway to the lower deck.

  The morning passed in a blur of activity for Delight. Struggling to maintain her boyishness, she spent all the time with Ollie learning everything she could about her new job. It pleased her to find out that, as the captain’s cabin boy, her duties would be more varied and more exciting than the usual cleaning work.

  Finally, as midday approached, Ollie and Delight paused for a moment in the bar.

  “You seem to have caught on quickly, Murphy. That’s good.”

  “Thanks, Ollie.”

  “Just remember, though, that the captain is the boss. If you take care of your work and get it done on time, I can guarantee you’ll be well treated. The captain is a fair man.”

  Delight nodded, “I’ll do my best.”

  “Good. You’ll be paid on the first of the month. As the captain’s cabin boy, you’ll be making three dollars and twenty-five cents per month.”

  Her eyes widened. She hadn’t even considered that she’d actually be making money. While it wasn’t much, maybe her future wouldn’t be so bleak, after all.

  “Murphy…”

  The sound of Ollie’s voice dragged her away from her thoughts.

  “Yes, Ollie. Sorry.” She hung her head in a good imitation of youthful embarrassment.

  Ollie watched her pensively for a moment, wondering at her thoughts, and Delight, feeling his gaze upon her, quaked inwardly with the fear of being discovered.

  “Tell me about yourself.” Ollie felt a protectiveness toward the youth they’d rescued and he was curious to know more of his background. “How old are you?”

  “I’m fourteen,” she lied, not eager to offer any more.

  He sensed Murphy’s hesitancy and smiled, “It’s been rough for you, has it?”

  “Yes,” she affirmed. “It has.”

  The past twelve hours had changed her entire life. Gone was the security of her loving family. She’d found out the hard way what kind of a man her stepfather really was, and that knowledge left her uncertain as to whether she could ever return home again. She was still distressed at having left her mother, but there was no way she could have stayed…not with Martin wanting her as he did.

  The opening of the Grand Salon door and the laughter that followed drew her attention, and she looked up to see the captain striding toward them with a Union officer at his side.

  “Join me in a drink, Mark,” Jim was saying to his companion as they entered the bar.

  “I will. It’s been one long morning.”

  “What’s wrong?” Jim recognized the tension in his friend’s manner.

  Captain Mark Clayton flashed Jim a warning glance, not willing to speak openly in front of Ollie and Delight.

  “It’s all right, Mark,” Jim assured him.

  “You’re sure? Who’s the boy?”

  “Del Murphy, my new cabin boy.” Jim dismissed the boy as insignificant. “Murphy, bring us two beers.”

  Ollie went behind the bar to draw the brew for the men, and Delight quickly served them, hoping to bring as little attention to herself as possible.

  “Beer?” Mark questioned, knowing Jim’s usual drink was scotch.

  “It’s too early for anything heavier…and besides, I haven’t been to bed yet.”

  Mark grinned. “One of these days you’re going to have to stop this wild lifestyle of yours.”

  “I think I’m at that point,” Jim admitted.

  Mark almost choked on his swig of beer. “You’re what?”

  Shrugging, Jim looked at him, his expression serious. “It’s not enough any more. I feel it’s time to settle down.”

  “You’re tired of being the most sought-after bachelor in town? I didn’t think I’d live to see the day. Who’s the lucky woman?”

  “Annabelle Morgan.”

  Mark gave a low whistle in appreciation of Jim’s success. “I don’t believe it! She’s the most beautiful woman in town.”

  “I know,” Jim said smugly.

  “You’re amazing.” Mark shook his head in disbelief. “There are men who have been after her for months. And you’re the one to finally win her hand. Well, just remember to throw your castoffs in my direction. I’ll be glad to help them recover from their broken hearts.”

  Jim laughed. “You know you love Dorrie.”

  “I know that and you know that, but Dorrie…well, she’s got different ideas.”

  “Giving you trouble again, is she?”

  “You’d better believe it. She’s so afraid of being hurt. You know how devastated she was when Paul was killed.”

  Jim nodded, remembering well his sister’s sorrow after the death of her fiancé.

  “Just give her time. She’ll come around.”

  “Lord, I hope so.”

  They fell silent for a moment, enjoying the beer and each other’s company.

  “So you still haven’t told me what’s troubling you,” Jim prodded. “Is there a problem with the next shipment?”

  “No—not yet,” Jim replied. “We’re all set to go. Be ready to leave some time after midnight tonight.”

  “Why so late at night?”

  “Things are growing more dangerous by the hour.”

  “This sounds ominous.” Jim tried to keep his tone light, but he recognized Mark’s very real concern.

  “It could very well be. We’ll be doubling the guard from now on.”

  “All right.”

  “And, I want to know if you hire any new men. We both know it’ll take an inside job to get the bullion.”

  “I know. But don’t worry about the boat. Murphy there is the only new crew member and I doubt he’s capable of stirring up any trouble.” Jim eyed the skinny youth with little interest.

  “Well, take it for what it’s worth. Just keep your eyes open and let me know if you see or hear anything suspicious.”

  “I will,” Jim assured Mark.

  “We’ve been lucky so far. If the weather holds up North, the river may remain ice-free for another few weeks.”

  “You’ll never hear me complain about that,” Jim grinned, grateful that his steamer hadn’t been threatened yet by the hull-crushing floes of ice that plagued the Mississippi every year about this time.

  “I’ve got to get going. If I hear any news about the shipment I’ll get in touch; otherwise, I’ll just see you late tonight.”

  “We’ll be ready.”

  When the two men stood and left the bar, Delight finally let herself relax, and Ollie noticed her obvious relief.

  “Murphy? Anything wrong?”

  Delight jumped nervously at his inquiry. “Oh, no, Ollie. There isn’t anything wrong.”

  No, she thought, not anything—everything is wrong. Oh Lord, why of all the steamboat captains on the Mississippi did Jim Westlake have to be the one to rescue her? And then, to find out that he had dealings—both business and personal—with Mark Clayton! Delight could
only gird herself and try to stay out of their way. For, though she hadn’t met Jim before, she most certainly was acquainted with Mark. They had been introduced after her return to St. Louis and had danced and flirted casually at numerous parties since then.

  “Well, let’s get back to work. Later, we’ll have to go up to the captain’s cabin and get your sleeping quarters ready.”

  “I’m going to sleep with the captain?” Her tone was incredulous.

  Ollie was puzzled for a moment, but then shrugged Murphy’s reaction off, attributing it to youthful nervousness around the captain. Ollie wasn’t overly concerned, for there were many on board who held Jim in awe.

  “There’s a small room with a connecting door to his cabin. You’ll have a cot in there. So you’ll be close by if he needs you.”

  “Oh.” She trailed after him as they left the Grand Salon and looked worriedly about, hoping they wouldn’t run into the captain and Mark again. When she was sure the coast was clear she was relieved, and she hurried to keep up with Ollie on his way up the companionway to the texas deck.

  Chapter Six

  Cold, wet, and totally thwarted, Martin approached his home. He had never considered the possibility that he wouldn’t find Delight, and now he was faced with the awesome prospect of explaining her absence to both Clara and Sue. How could he make it seem plausible that she would pick up and leave home in the middle of the night? As he trudged up the unshoveled walkway, idea after idea occurred to him, but, just as quickly as they came, he discarded them. What ever story he used would have to be totally believable, and something that couldn’t be readily disproven.

  Pausing on the porch to knock the snow from his boots, Martin unlocked the front door and let himself in. At another time the warmth of the house would have seemed inviting, but this morning it felt stifling…almost as if he had just walked into a trap from which there was no escape.