Moss Forest Orchid (Silver and Orchids Book 1)

by Shari L. Tapscott

  Adeline picked a beautiful gown for the ball, one covered in thousands of tiny, sparkling crystals instead of her usual lace and ruffles. The velvet material hugs my chest and abdomen like a glove, and like last night’s dress, the neckline is fashionably low. The gown flairs out in a full skirt just below my hips, forfeiting a farthingale for a more natural silhouette.

  I was quite taken with it yesterday, but with Sebastian looking at me this way, now I’m not sure.

  “It’s fine.” He turns to Adeline. “I sent my payment by way of courier this afternoon. Did you receive it?”

  Adeline, looking as concerned as I feel, nods. “Yes, thank you.”

  “We need to go, Lucia.”

  The seamstress and I exchange a worried look, but she squeezes my hand. “Have a good time.”

  I gulp and nod. “Thank you.”

  We’re just walking out the door when Sebastian nods to Flink. “Lucia, the dragon?”

  “Oh, right!” I turn back to Adeline, who’s standing in the middle of the shoppe with her hands clasped, disheartened by Sebastian’s reaction to her creation. “Can you watch the dragon for me? He won’t be any trouble.”

  “What?” she asks, startled, and begins to shake her head. “I’m not really an animal—”

  I’m already waving a goodbye and closing the shoppe door. “I’ll pick him up tonight.”

  “But—”

  “Oh—don’t feed him cheese. It gives him horrible indigestion. And whatever you do, make sure he stays nice and calm.” I laugh. “We don’t want him burning down your shoppe!”

  “Lucia!”

  “You’re fabulous, Adeline. Thank you!” I grin at her and close the door.

  I meet Sebastian on the walkway outside the shoppe and look at our hired carriage uncertainly. The footman opens the door and gallantly motions me forward, offering his hand to assist me inside. Unsure, I look back at Sebastian.

  He glances at his pocket watch, a gift from his grandfather on his twenty-first birthday, and motions me in.

  I wrestle with my skirts and accept the man’s offered hand. Somehow, I make it through the door without tripping on the fabric.

  Without a word, Sebastian settles into the seat opposite me and knocks on the back panel, alerting the driver that we’re ready. The carriage jerks forward, and we skim down the street. It’s my first time in an actual carriage, though I’ve ridden in my father’s wagon a dozen times. Sebastian doesn’t seem to be in the mood for banter, so I stare out the window and watch the village pass by.

  Sebastian’s disapproval shouldn’t hurt this much. I’ve never cared before. Finally, when I cannot take it any longer, I turn toward him. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. Why?” He looks up from the window.

  I shrug. “You’re quiet, is all.”

  “I’m hoping we’ll have a chance to view the duke’s map early in the evening. I’d like to leave before it grows too late.”

  “Oh.”

  He knits his brows. “What?”

  “It’s a lot of dress for a fifteen-minute social event.”

  Again, his eyes skim over the gown, and he frowns. “There could be a little more of it.”

  I resist the urge to cover myself with my hands. “I knew you didn’t like it.”

  “Like it?” he asks, his eyes meeting mine. “I have no idea how I’m supposed to keep my eyes off you. How will I pretend you’re my sister?”

  I go warm, and my stomach clenches in the most pleasant way. Before I can answer, the carriage comes to a jarring stop. I tumble forward, right into Sebastian’s arms. I blink at him, shocked to find myself here. He smells too good, looks too good. He shaved for the ball, and his jaw is strong and smooth.

  My chest is pressed against his, and his arms hold me in place. “Sebastian—”

  The door opens, and Sebastian hastily returns me to my bench. As the footman waits to escort me out, Sebastian watches me, his eyes intent. My heart hammers in my chest, and I draw in a deep breath through my nose, willing my muscles to relax. I sweep from the carriage, hoping no one will notice the flush that’s traveled from my cheeks to my neck and chest.

  Behind me, Sebastian thanks the driver, and then he takes my arm. I try to look distant, like I would if one of my brothers were escorting me toward the castle entry. I’m afraid I’m failing.

  We’re not even to the door when Avery finds us. He stands near a pillar, the picture of ease with his shoulder resting against the marble and his boot-encased feet casually crossed. He wears tan trousers that are sure to make the girls swoon and a black jacket that brings out the emerald in his doublet. His eyebrows shoot up when he sees me, and his mouth stretches into a lazy, roguish smile.

  Cool as the sea, he strides toward us, just enough swagger in his step to betray the fact that he’s a little more wicked than proper. He stops in front of me and bows, taking my hand. “Lucia. You are…” He pauses to let his eyes wander over me in a lingering manner. “Looking well.”

  Sebastian clears his throat, seeming more like a jealous lover than a perturbed brother. “Captain Greybrow.”

  “Sebastian,” Avery answers, smiling. “You don’t mind if I escort your sister inside, do you?”

  There are enough people nearby that Sebastian doesn’t dare refuse. “Of course.”

  Avery offers his arm to me. “Lady Thane?”

  He says it just to throw me, to send me off kilter.

  “You are incorrigible,” I whisper as we make our way up the stairs to the door where a small line has formed, the courtiers waiting to be introduced inside.

  “And you walked out of that carriage, blushing like a girl who just received her first kiss, which tells me Sebastian has already won the game for your heart.” He looks at me and smirks. “Please don’t deprive me of a few simple pleasures at his expense.”

  “There is no game.”

  Avery meets my eyes. “There’s always a game. Games of gold, games of love, games of war and betrayal and scandal.”

  “Again…spoken like a pirate.”

  He laughs, and we wait as the herald announces us to the ballroom below.

  “Captain Avery Greybrow and Lady Lucia Thane,” he calls out.

  I almost stumble when the name is announced, and I feel Sebastian’s eyes on me. What does he think when he hears it? What crosses his mind?

  I doubt he thinks of an impossible future. He’s too practical for that.

  Before I can dwell on it further, Avery leads me to Sir Arthur and Olivia. The cartographer’s daughter is even more lovely tonight, if that’s possible. Again, she wears a pastel gown, this one salmon, that complements her fair complexion and hair. She’s swept half of her golden locks up and held them in place with a pearl clip. She looks at Sebastian as if he’s the sun. Her face lights, and she sucks in a breath, holding it as she watches him stride down the steps behind Avery and me.

  She acknowledges me briefly with a smile. “Hello, Lucia.”

  “Olivia.”

  Her eyes are on Sebastian as he walks toward us. “Forgive me, but I’m going to have to be forward to keep your brother’s attention in this multitude.”

  She breaks away from us, meeting Sebastian halfway. She returns his polite smile with a radiant one of her own and touches his arm in a come-hither fashion. I find myself clutching the fabric of my skirt in a fist.

  Avery gives my arm a light squeeze and whispers in my ear, “Staring daggers at Olivia will have people questioning the relationship between you and your brother. I’m not sure Sir Arthur would be willing to help Sebastian if it weren’t for the fact that he’s eligible…”

  I turn my eyes on the captain and glare at him.

  He smiles. “Whether Sebastian likes it or not, you are mine tonight. It’s his fault, and there’s nothing he can do about it.”

  “And what if I were to walk away, find someone else to pass the evening with until we have a chance to look at that map?”

  Avery steps closer,
the side of his hip touching mine. “Then I’m sure Sir Arthur would be disappointed you snubbed such a good friend’s son.”

  I laugh, startled. “Are you blackmailing me into spending time with you, Captain?”

  He grins, and if my heart weren’t trailing Sebastian around the room, following his every movement with Olivia, it would probably skip a beat.

  “I am,” he answers, shameless.

  “Fine. Dance with me—but know I’ll be thinking of someone else.”

  His smile dims, and I feel bad for a moment. I hadn’t really thought Avery cared at all—that he’s in it for the game, just as he said. But perhaps he’s not completely heartless.

  The captain leads me into the dancing. He’s attentive and warm, but I catch my gaze wandering to Sebastian often.

  Hours go by, and the duke still hasn’t given us the cue to look at the map. I begin to wonder if the man forgot.

  The evening grows late, and my feet ache. I’ve danced with dozens of men, but mostly Avery. I’m not sure I can last much longer. The players in the corner take a much-appreciated break, and just as Avery is leading me to a table holding a feast along the wall, a man intercepts us, telling Avery he must speak to him briefly about business.

  Avery looks like he wants to decline, but he nods. “Will you excuse me, Lucia?”

  “Of course.” In truth, I am glad for the respite.

  Alone, I make my way toward the side of the room and look at the picked-over platters. Boar and ham and all manner of fowl grace the table, but most are only carcasses at this point. Well-trained wolfhounds stare at the tables, waiting impatiently for servants to clear the mess and toss them the bones.

  My stomach growls, but it’s too late to eat anything heavy. Instead, I wander to a hall that leads to the balconies that overlook the city. Just as I’m rounding a corner, an arm captures me from behind and pulls me into a storage cubby. I whip around, ready to attack my assailant, but all the fight leaves me when my back is pressed against the cool stone wall.

  “Sebastian,” I snarl, angry from the scare. “What are you doing?”

  He almost smiles as he settles his hands on the sides of my waist. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

  “Getting yourself into trouble.” Even as I reprimand him, I relish his touch. “Have you talked to the duke?”

  “No, he’s been surrounded all night. I’m hoping as the crowd begins to thin, we’ll have a chance.”

  “I thought perhaps you were so distracted by Olivia, you forgot why we’re here at all.”

  “You’re one to talk. Captain Greybrow has had his hands on you all night.”

  “Jealous?”

  “Of course not. You?”

  “No.”

  He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, and his finger trails along my skin. Delightful shivers travel down my spine. Not trusting myself, I angle away. “We should go back.”

  Sebastian makes a noise of agreement, but he doesn’t move.

  “Do we need the map?” I ask, almost breathless. “Perhaps we could wander the wilds idly until we find the orchids.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

  “Not really.”

  The door opens, and we jump apart.

  Avery leans against the door frame, looking impartial to his discovery. “Sir Arthur sent me to find you. His Grace is ready to show you the map. Unless you’d like me to tell him you’re busy…”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Dip in the Moat

  The map lies on a piece of black velvet in a glass-covered case. I glance at my companions—Sebastian, Avery, Olivia, Sir Arthur, plus the duke and a few of his entourage, including the duchess. Apparently, no one but me thinks it’s odd to treat the map as if it is invaluable. It’s just a thin piece of leather, after all.

  “The only map of the wildlands,” His Grace says, proud enough to be the cartographer himself.

  Sir Arthur beams and regales us with stories of the harsh wilderness, but all I see when I look at the map is five thousand denats. Once we return the cuttings to Baron Malcomny, it will be as if that day at the bank never happened. Sebastian and I can move forward, and the whole ordeal will finally be behind us.

  Sebastian studies the thin leather, his eyes sweeping over every burned-in detail. His hands are clasped behind his back. Olivia hovers behind him, but she has no interest in her father’s creation. Her eyes are only for Sebastian.

  Avery stands to the side, seemingly uncaring but his eyes, too, are on the case.

  “A dragon colony?” Sebastian asks, gesturing to a section in the north.

  “One of many,” Sir Arthur answers. “And here, there’s an area of swampland. All kinds of nasties there.”

  Sebastian nods. “And the Moss Forest orchids? Where will we find those?”

  Sir Arthur points to a section to the southwest of the wildlands, a valley denoted on the map with clouds. “This is the Moss Forest, where they grow. I wasn’t fortunate enough to find one in bloom, but you certainly won’t miss them.”

  The cartographer laughs to himself, enjoying a private joke of some sort. He’s a bit odd, this mapmaker. I suppose traipsing about, alone in the wilds, will do that to a man.

  Sebastian nods, thoughtful. “We’ll find them.”

  “And you’ll bring back several cuttings for our greenhouse,” Duke Eldemyer none-too-subtly reminds him.

  “We will.”

  His Grace nods, satisfied.

  “We’ll need a copy of the map,” Sebastian says. “Nothing elaborate.”

  The duke is just asking Sir Arthur to draw something up when a mountain of a man walks through the door. My mouth falls open when I recognize him.

  “We’re out of the fine ale again in the storerooms—” Our friend from the dock’s eyes go wide when he recognizes Sebastian and me. “You.”

  Duke Eldemyer looks at the man and then back at us. “Are you acquainted with my son?”

  His son? The man towers over the duke, and he’s twice as burly. It would probably be best not to mention to His Grace that I mistakenly thought the man was a local blacksmith.

  The not-a-blacksmith crosses his arms, making his impressive muscles bulge. “I told you to get out of Mesilca.”

  “Yancey!” the duchess exclaims, looking contrite.

  “Your name is Yancey?” I snort before I can think better of it.

  Olivia’s eyes go wide, and she looks horrified for me.

  I try to backtrack. “It’s a nice name. I mean, it’s just that you’re so large—”

  Sebastian glares, and I come to an abrupt stop. Perhaps it’s best to leave it alone.

  “These are the two who had the audacity to bring an elemental dragon into our city,” Yansey declares.

  Eldemyer turns to Sebastian. He doesn’t look quite as friendly as he did a moment ago. “Is this true?”

  “In our defense, it’s a very little dragon.” I hold my hands apart about shoulder width.

  Avery stands to the side, impartial, arms crossed, watching the exchange. He cracks a smile at my words, and I realize I’m not helping the situation.

  Yancey narrows his eyes at me, likely remembering our less than pleasant meeting. With venom in his expression, he turns back to Sebastian. “How dare you bring your she-cat into my home.”

  At that, both Sebastian and Avery tense.

  “Yancey!” the duchess cries again, horrified.

  “That’s no way to talk to a lady,” His Grace says, finally acting embarrassed for his son’s behavior. “You must apolog—”

  “That is no lady,” Yancey exclaims. “The sea rat attacked me on the docks! Wearing trousers, no less!”

  Both Sebastian and Avery take immediate insult. They both press toward Yancey, but the captain is closer. His hand settles on the hilt of his rapier. “I think you’ve taken this too far.”

  Sir Arthur stands with Olivia, looking perplexed. “I, for one, cannot believe Lord Thane allows his sister to wear trous
ers, Yancey. You must be mistaken.”

  I blink at the titled cartographer, almost amused that’s what he decided to latch onto.

  “Sister?” Yancey sneers. “Not likely. She was waiting tables last night at Madella’s. She’s a common harlot, and that one” —he draws his sword, spits on the floor, and points at Avery— “is a pirate.”

  It all happens so fast; it’s hard to tell who attacks first. All I know is Avery and Sebastian are rushing forward, and Yancey’s swinging fists. Olivia and the duchess both scream. Two of the dogs who were lying in the corner are now barking, circling the chaos, unsure how to assist their master. A guard leaps into the fray, and from the way the duke is yelling into the hall, I know more are on their way. I step back, determined not to get involved this time. I’ll be good. I’ll be demure. I’ll be gentle—

  And then Yancey elbows Sebastian in the face.

  I yank a sword off the wall and leap in. More guards burst through the door, and it becomes a mad house. Someone steps on the hem of my gown, and I cringe as the sound of ripping fabric meets my ears. Adeline’s going to be livid.

  A man fumbles for me, but I duck out of his grasp. Thankfully, he didn’t resort to pulling me back by my hair. Outnumbering us eight to three, the duke’s guards surround Sebastian. They disarm him and pull him off his feet. It takes three of them to subdue him.

  “Sebastian!”

  “Go, Lucia!” he yells. “Get out of here.”

  More men filter into the room—Avery’s crew. He must have had them infiltrate the ball. It’s a mess. There are at least eighteen men now, all fighting. The duke’s shouting for someone to take me into custody. Avery leaps in front of me, sword drawn. Over his shoulder, he hisses. “Get the map.”

  “What?”

  “The map! Break the glass, take the map!”

  “But Sebastian’s—”

  “Lucia!”

  Running on adrenaline, not thinking, I do as I’m told. I wrap my hand in the fabric of my skirt and punch through the glass.

  Somewhere behind me, in the chaos, the duke yells frantically for his guards to apprehend me, but it’s too wild. Avery grabs me around the waist and tucks the map into the safety of his jacket. “Do you swim?”