by Lynsay Sands
Page 8
"Mighty finedigs, "One-Eyecommented, glancing about the room. "We stayin'? "
"Aye, " Henry announced, drawing himself up and facing Valoreeas if expecting an argument. "We're stayin'. "
When Valoree merely shrugged, he continued. "We'll be needingsomemore things from the ship, though. Some more men toact as servants. And Petey. "
"Petey? "One-Eye raised his eyebrow. "Who's gonna cook for the men if webring Peteyout here? "
"They can fend forthemselvesfor a bit. "
"We shall need thegowns, " Meg interjected. "In fact, if you expect her to attract a husband, she will need several more gowns. "
"Moregowns? " One-Eye gaped at the woman. "Why? She's alreadygotthree of them. "
"One evening gown and two day gowns will not do, " Meg informedthem primly. "She shall need at least adozen of each. "
"A dozen!" Valoree looked no more pleased by that announcement than the men. "Why the hell wouldI need a dozen dresses? There's only the oneof me. "
"A dozento start with, " Meg repeated firmly.
"Now just a minute - " Henry began, but Meg cut himoff.
"She isseeking marriage. She must make as good an impression as she can. She cannot beseen twice inthe same gown, else she willbe thoughtto be too poor to be able to afford the proper accoutrements and thereforeless desirable as amate. Believe me, Valoreeneeds all the help she can get. She has none of the social graces considerednecessaryina wife in this day and age. She has grown up and spent her life around a bunch of rum-guzzling, tobacco-spitting, foul-mouthed pirates andit shows. Just lookat her. "
Silence followed as the men glanced guiltilyat Valoree. She sat pretty much sideways in the chair, legssplayed, onethrown over thechair'scushionedarm, andthe other upon the floor. Herskirt was hitched up to reveal the boots and breeches she wore beneath. The men groanedas one at the sight, knowingthatevery word Meg said was true.
"Well, maybe if someone had told us that she was a girl. "
One-Eye glared at Henry as he spoke. "Maybe then we would have donesomethings different. "
"What? " Valoree asked dryly. "Like mutiny? "
"Nay, " he snapped, affronted. "Likemaybe throwin' some of themthere grace lessons in along with the sword handling and fisticuffs. "
"Oh, aye, " she said with a sneer, but was suddenly uncomfortable under theircensuring eyes as they tookin the way she was sitting. For the first time in her life she felt quite inadequate. She was the captain. She led some of the most ruthless, notorious pirates in the land, and they followed her orders. Yetshesuddenly felt like anignorant, uneducated child.
And shedidn't likeit.
Slamming both her booted feet flat on the floor, Valoree stood andglared around the room. "Well, I'll beleavingall this decision making up to youto 'vote' on. Me, I'm going togo takea nap. "
**** She didn't sleep; shesat in thewindow seatin thebedchamber she had chosenand stared out at the passingpeople. Valoree had never seenso many peoplein one spotin her life. London was just bustling with activity. It was also overcrowded, and noisy, and it stank. She missed theopen sea:the breeze in her hair and salty spray on her face. She missed thesoundof the men singing their shantiesinto the wind asthey worked. Shemissedher cabin with its constant rolling sensation, and the safety she felt there.
And more than any of those things, she missed the feeling of beingin charge, ofdeciding whatto do, and where togo, and what should happen next in her life. Itseemed that her life had somehowgotten out of control, and shedidn't much like that.
Trying not to think ofsuch things, she watched through the window as the men left together inthe carriage. Some time later, she saw Henry return alone on foot, a young boy followingwith several packages. Shortlyafter that, thecarriage returned with Skully and One-Eye onthedriver'sseat, and Bullriding atop, seated ontowering stacks of goods. When the coachhad rolled to a stop in front of the town house, its door popped open and several moremembers of hercrew piled out. Shewatchedmutely as Bull began to hand down sacks of flour, salt, sugar, andother miscellaneous goods from his perch, accepting unhappily that her men expected alengthy endeavorand obviously intended to stick it out.
Once the lastof the culinary goods were removed, the men turnedto unpackingthe last two items, a pair of chests - asmall coffer, no doubtstuffed full of the coins they planned tospend on this foolishenterprise, and a larger chest. She recognized the latteras thecontainer she hadstuffed her gowns intowhenthey hadbeendelivered. Moments later sheheardthemen banging their way down the hall towardher room.
Sighing, shestoodand movedto the door, pulling it open and stepping asideforHenryto enter. He was followed byOne-Eye and Skully and the clotheschest. Settingthe chest on the floor, they straightened, grinningfromearto ear.
"Yer gowns is here, "Henry announced withdetermined cheer.
"Ye'd bestget ready. "
"For what? " sheasked, bringing frowns toeach man's face.
"For the sortietonight. "
"Soiree, "Valoree corrected, thenshook herhead. "Haven't you noticedany of the women passing by the house? "
There was a hesitation as the men exchanged glances; then Henry shookhis head. "Whatof them? "
"Theyare allwearing heavy white gook ontheir faces, then some sort of red stuffon their cheeks and lips, and thick black stuff on their eyes. "
"She isright. "They allturned to glance at Meg, who stoodin the door to the room surveying them all. "The fashion has becometo wear thickmakeup onyour face, lips, and to even wearkohlon youreyes. " Her gazewent to Valoree. "I take it you have noneof that? "
Valoree shook her head, though she was not overly disappointed at the fact. Maybe this would be away out.
"Well. . . " Henry frowned. "We'll gether some of that onthe morrow. But she'll just haveto do without tonight. Every shop willbe closedby now. "
"You cannot really imagine that you can take her to the Beecham soiree without it? "Meg exclaimed in dismay.
Henry frowned ather. "Course we can. Who knowswhenthe next invite willcome iffen she don'tshowup tonight? "
"Well, ifyou insist on her goingtonight without it, I will not be involved. " Turning onherheel, the woman marched out of the room.
"What do you think? "One-Eyeasked, andHenry scowled.
"Wedon't have no makeup fortonight, but we don't have no invitesfor tomorrow. That's whatI think. "
"Hmmmm. " One-Eye made aface. "MaybePetey can come up with something. He's gotlots o' white stuff in thekitchens. Red stuff, too. "
Henry brightened at once at the suggestion. "Aye. Gotell him tosee what he can do. "
Valoree sighed. It seemed therewas no escape.
Chapter Four
A buzzgoing around the ballroom drew Daniel'sattentionfrom John Beecham's liturgy on the importance of wise investments andrenting unused properties.
Beecham was like that. Money was his mainpriority in life, a stricture he'd had pounded into his head by his father, who, disappointed in love, had settled for a loveless marriage and instead had poured his energies into the art of increasing his wealth. Riches, the older Beechamhad often saidwhile he lived, wereneverknown tobetray aman.
Thephilosophywasrathervulgar as faras the membersof the ton were concerned. For them, money was to be spent, not earned, and if itwasearned, one should never be so crass as to discuss it. Beecham's obsession with itwas the reason he was considered beneath the majority of the ton. Andyet, the amount ofwealth his family had was the reason no one missed one of their balls.
Thoughtsof Beecham fled Daniel's mind as the murmuring began. Turning, he let his eyes follow the direction everyone seemedtobelookingin, to thedoorway of the ballroom. They immediately widened on the youngwomanstanding there. She was tall and slender, wearing a simple gown ofmidnight blue and anexpressionof dismayon her face asshe took in the gathering.
It took him a moment to recognize her as the woman from Whister's salon, and then al
lhe felt was disappointment of asort.
He had thought her attractive at the lawyer's office; she'd had a sun-kissed face and natural beauty. Now she sported the death's-mask white face that was so popular, with red cheeks drawn on. Her hair hadflowed down her backnaturallythen, but wasnow looped and tied and knotted atopherhead. Well, sort of. Actually, it looked to be unraveling somewhat and sliding down her face. That was the reason everyone was abuzz, he supposed. Most of the nobility cropped their hair and wore wigs, but this woman's brilliant red hair was obviously allher own - and ifhe wasnotmistaken, it had been arranged using nautical knots. He couldn't be sure of that, though, for it was already escapingitsconfines.
"Lady Ainsely, "Beecham murmured nearby, drawing Daniel's startledgaze.
"Did you say Ainsley? " Whister had never mentioned her name.
"Yes. She and heraunt rented my cousin'stownhouseforthe season, " Beecham explained.
"Her aunt, hmm? " Daniel glanced back toward the woman.
"That isnot her aunt with her. Who is that fellow? "
**** "This is a small soiree? "Henry whispered in disbelief.
Sighing, Valoree glancedat the mansympathetically. He was all dressedupin thepoofy - ashe described them - clothes of a nobleman. He was "Uncle"Henry tonight, thanks to "Aunt" Meg having cozied herself up to a bottle of rum while the men were busy solving all theproblems that attending this"littleparty" had presented. Rum, of all things! Andafter she'd made such astink about Valoreedrinking it.
Still, Valoree herself was much more uncomfortable than Henry, especially with her hair. Henry had tried to wakeMeg to dress it, but the woman had been well sauced and beyond waking, so the sailor hadseen to thetaskhimself, snapping and cussing the whole while. At lastValoreehadsuggested he fix it up in nautical knots - she didn't know the first thing about style or fashion, and reallycouldn'tcare less, anyway - andafter half anhour ofhis tugging at her hair and swearing, she had suggested he try somethinghe knew. At least if he tied her long tresses up in knots on herhead, they would stay. Soshe'd thought.
Her coiffurehad lookedgood when hehad finished the task, or at least allthe men had saidso. But theride in the carriage had been quite jostling, and all the bouncing and bobbingaroundin the airless hack hadloosenedthe knots. Shecouldfeel theheavy tresses sliding slowly to one side of her headand was positivethe whole messwould come tumbling downatany second.
"Oh, just a moment. " Henry reached outto brushsomething from her cheek with one finger. Valoree forgot her hair and scowled. Her face was even worse.
"There's just this piece . . . "Henry frowned. "Araspberry seed, I think. "
Valoree grimaced. Petehad comeup withsome sortof white gooey substance to slather on her face as makeup, but had apparently not been able to come up with something for red cheeks andlips. One-Eye hadreturned from the kitchens with a bowfulof raspberries, announcingtheywould do the trick. . . . And theyhad, she supposed, though she could havedone withoutthe men smooshing themon her cheeksandsqueezingand rubbing them on her lips. Shecould also havedonewithout the hour of picking at herface toremove the seedsafterward. Apparently they hadn't gotten quite allof them.
Her eyes dropped to his hand as he pulled it away from her cheek. A seed surrounded by white and pinkgookstucktothe end of his pink-stained finger. Sheshook her headin disgust. "I suppose you've messed up my face, now. "
"Nay, nay, " he saidquickly, surely realizing that shemight use it as achance to escape. However, his frown as hepeered at her was less than reassuring.
Valoreeeyed himbriefly, then gestured to his hands. "Try to keep those out of sight. Thosestainsare - What the devilare you frowning at? "
His eyes shot to hersnervously. "Oh, nothing. "
He'd answered too quickly, she decided, scowling at him suspiciously. "You'd best tell me. You know I don't like surprises. "
"It's nothing, " her quartermaster repeated, then wrinkled his nose. "It's only that yourface appears tobe cracking somewhatin the spots that it's drying. "
"What!"
"Don't!" he cried, butit wastoolate; her handshad already, risen instinctively to her face. She pulled her fingers away covered with the muck Pete had made as substitute makeup.
"Nowyou'vedoneit, " he muttered, and reachedoutwith his finger again to pat andsmoothher face. "Standstill. "
Valoree tried todoashe asked, forcingherself toremain still, butshe couldn't withhold the question that was now on the tip of hertongue. "How can my face be cracking when it's still wet? "
"It'sdryingaround the edges, " he informed her, a frown of concentrationon his face ashe worked at hers. "Andon your bosom. That's where it'scrack - "He paused, cursing when she glanceddownto see that, indeed, themuck they had insisted on spreading on herneckand bosom, where it wasn't covered bythe dress, was now dryand beginningto crackand flake.
"Nowlook what you made me do. You've a streakwheremy finger was. Itold yeto stand still, " Henrychided, usinga fingerat herchin toforceher face up so he could repair this new damage.
"I don't know how I got talked into this, " he grumbledas he worked. "Wearing a monkey suit and playing lady's maid - "
"You? " Valoree scoffed. "You and themen are theones who voted tomarry me off. Don'twhinenow about whatit takesto do so. 'Sides, if you want something to whineover, you should try wearing this damn dress. It's about as comfortable as an iron maiden. "
"Well, at least you aren't wearing these damn ribbons everywhere. I look ridiculous. "