Savage Deception (Liberty's Ladies)

by Lynette Vinet

  “Keeping me down here isn’t accomplishing anything,” she told him. “Please allow me to go upstairs.”

  He shook his head, and incredible pleasure shone in his eyes. “You’re wrong, my dear wife. The longer I keep you here in the cellar, the more your soul is purged of the wrongs you committed against me with that half-breed.”

  “I never did anything against you, Kingsley.”

  “Ah, but you did. Kindly remember the night of our engagement ball, when I found you writhing beneath the bastard like a bitch in heat. And then after we were married you were pining away for him, I know you were. Sometimes you’d get a dreamy look in your eyes, and I knew you were thinking about him. After I was declared dead, you wasted little time in marrying him. Tell me you never wronged me, Diana. Lie to me now.”

  Kingsley grabbed her and pulled her against him, startling her with the suddenness of the action and frightening her immeasurably with the potential violence that hovered below the surface. “Yes, you should look afraid, you should tremble from fear. At this very moment I could lay you down and have my way with you and no one would hear your pitiful cries for help. This time my father can’t come to your rescue, and that’s another wrong you’ve committed against me. He loved you more than me. He put your welfare over mine, and I was his son.” He smiled wickedly and whispered into her ear. “Now you might have a son — Tanner’s child. I’d say it would be poetic justice that I take the child as my own, and as for you, dear Diana, you belong to me already. I’m your husband still, not Tanner.”

  “Don’t … don’t,” Diana begged. She knew she was begging but her pride deserted her. She recognized the lust in his eyes, felt the heat of his hands upon her arms, tightening around her like freshly forged steel. Kingsley was insane and strong enough to rape her. He could harm her, force her to miscarry, and if she lost her child, she’d lose her mind. She had to think of something, anything, to prevent the inevitable and unendurable pain that would follow. Suddenly she knew what it was that aroused Kingsley to act like this. It was her fear of him that gave him power. If she didn’t act afraid …

  Diana yawned in his face, somehow able to control her shivering, her voice, and her facial features. “Heavens, you’re a tiresome fellow with all of this silliness. And I’m quite exhausted playing along with you.”

  “What do you mean, playing along with me? I’m the one who has the upper hand here, Diana.”

  Suspicion crossed his face, and Diana realized what a weakling Kingsley truly was. “I’m a different woman than I was when we were married. To be honest with you, Tanner has taught me a number of things about passion that you overlooked, Kingsley. Perhaps instead of your having your way with me, I should give you a few pointers about how to please a woman, because either your Charlestown whores were inept in their tutorship or else you were a poor pupil. So take your hands off me. I’m not the cowering wife you remember.”

  Diana was more than stunned when he let her go and backed away from her. “No, you’re the same,” he remarked. “Maybe you’re not as frightened of me as you used to be, but you still hate me. You think that I’ll let you out of here if you’re no longer afraid of me, but I won’t. You’d go blabbing to everybody about me, and I can’t have that. But I wouldn’t turn you out into the cold with a child growing in your belly. Your defiance leads me to believe that I want your little bastard more than I originally thought. You know how much I wanted an heir, and now, my dear, you’re going to give me one.”

  The breath caught in her throat, nearly choking her. “What … what are you going to do with me, with my baby?”

  “Well, I’ll tell you,” he said and rubbed his hands together. “There are two choices, and I trust you’ll think on both of them well. You will have the child and I’ll claim it, and maybe allow you to stay on at Briarhaven and be my wife, servicing me with the new tricks Tanner taught you. A fit punishment since you detest me so much. Or, if you don’t behave by keeping your mouth shut about me, and that includes never back talking or insinuating by word or deed your unhappiness, you’ll find yourself in one of the fanciest whorehouses in Charlestown. And I know the high regard you hold for those ladies. Maybe, if you get very good at your trade and aren’t too used by the gentlemen who frequent you, I might even take a turn with you myself.”

  “I’ll run away and take the baby with me.” From where did the courage come to say that? Her body quivered with disgust and fear, but she wasn’t going to give in like a docile dog.

  “You may, but I’ll find you, and I guarantee you’ll never make it home alive.”

  “Kill me now, then. I’d rather be dead and take my child with me than ever give in to you!”

  “Think it over, Diana,” he commented with more calm than she expected.

  Kingsley left the cellar, locking her inside. For once she was too overcome with hatred and despair to try the knob or beat upon the door.

  ~

  Annabelle was unprepared for the sound of voices coming from downstairs so late at night. She looked at the clock on the mantle and noticed the time was quarter past twelve. Curious, she got out of bed and pulled on her robe, but she grew even more curious when she noticed that Tanner’s door was ajar and that he wasn’t in his room. Just then Cammie came bustling up the stairs, followed by two little girls and a boy.

  “These are Mrs. Sheridan’s sister’s children,” Cammie explained when she saw Annabelle’s puzzled look. I’m taking them up to the attic bedroom to settle them in for the night. Their folks are downstairs in the parlor with Mr. Tanner, but I wouldn’t go down right now.”

  “Why ever not!” Annabelle was affronted that this servant woman, who was little better than a slave, should tell her what not to do.

  Cammie’s eyes flashed. “Because he’s telling Mrs. Richmond about her sister and I don’t think he wants you down there at a sad time like this.”

  Annabelle’s hands clutched at her white throat. “Have … have they found Diana yet?”

  “No, Miss Hastings.” Without further word, Cammie ushered the three sleepy children forward but waited for an old black woman to catch up with them. The woman wept into a kerchief and Cammie put her arm around the woman’s shoulders. “Don’t cry, Ruthie. Mr. Tanner’s doing all he can to find Mrs. Sheridan.”

  “I know,” Ruthie said brokenly. “But I held that child in my arms before her own mama. Miss Diana is like my baby girl. Oh, poor Miss Anne. What she gonna do without her sister? They loved each other so much.” Cammie comforted Ruthie again and they disappeared up the attic stairway.

  Annabelle couldn’t help but groan. Now she had to contend with a houseful of Diana’s relatives, who’d be constantly there to remind Tanner of her. She clenched her fists, rushed into her room, and slammed the door behind her.

  ~

  In the parlor, Anne wept softly against David’s shoulder.

  “We didn’t have any idea we’d be coming home to such tragic news,” David explained to Tanner, who sat across from them as still as a brooding, morose statue. “And we wouldn’t have returned now, with the British still being here. As it was, we had to sneak into town. But Anne,” he looked at his wife and kissed the top of her head, “Anne wanted to see Diana. God, I can’t believe any of this!”

  “I don’t believe any of it!” Tanner exploded and jumped up from his chair and paced the room restlessly. “People tell me to stop hoping that she’ll turn up alive, but I can’t. I don’t feel that she’s gone — in here.” He roughly tapped the spot by his heart.

  Anne lifted her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “Is anyone searching for her?”

  “I have people scouting the area, under the direction of a man named Mike Candy. But so far no one knows anything.”

  “She isn’t dead, Tanner.” Anne’s face brightened with hope.

  “Anne, now don’t start imagining…” David began.

  “David,” Anne’s tone was frosty, “I’m not imagining anything. Tanner’s hopeful
and so am I. Diana isn’t dead, I know she’s alive somewhere. And we’re going to find her, we will, but until that time, we’ll stay here with Tanner. He needs looking after, and I know Diana would want me to see to him while she’s gone.”

  Tanner couldn’t help smiling. Anne made Diana’s absence sound almost as if she’d gone on a short sojourn from which she would soon return. Yet Tanner didn’t dispute Anne. Evidently that was her way of dealing with the tragedy, and he approved. At least Anne had hopes of finding her sister, unlike Annabelle, who hoped Diana was dead. He shivered to recall Annabelle’s heartless remarks.

  Tanner sat beside Anne and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Anne. I very much appreciate your care, and you’re all very welcome to stay here for as long as you like.”

  David acknowledged Tanner’s invitation, but he shook his head regretfully. “We’re returning to our home on the morrow.”

  “No, you aren’t,” Tanner told them. “Brace yourselves, but some British soldiers are quartered there. The city is overrun with them, now that they’ll soon be leaving our shores.”

  “Oh, no!” came Anne’s strangled cry.

  “It will be over soon.” Tanner comforted her. “Within the next few days, they’ll all be gone.”

  “I hope so,” Anne said, and that sentiment was silently echoed by Tanner and David as well.

  ~

  “Looks like we’re going to be in for a spell of bad weather,” David commented two days later as he and Tanner sat on the piazza.

  Tanner had noticed the dark clouds that malevolently pushed aside the blue ones. He felt about as black inside. No word of Diana yet, but he wouldn’t give up hope, even though with each day the possibility that she was alive faded. Clenching his hands into tight fists, he braced himself from moaning aloud his torment. “We need the rain,” he said instead. “This sudden heat wave’s been oppressive.”

  Tanner felt David watching him. “Diana will be found,” David told him and smiled.

  “If I were able to search for her…”

  “You’ll be able to soon. Remember what the doctor said, any vigorous activity might start you bleeding again. You need time to heal, but I’ll admit that you’re healthier looking today than when we arrived. Your color is better and your face is fuller, probably because of all that tonic Anne is force-feeding you.”

  Despite his preoccupation with Diana’s plight, Tanner laughed. “That has to be the most awful tasting brew this side of the Atlantic, but Anne means well and I appreciate the fact that she cares about me.”

  “She does. We all do, Tanner. In case I never adequately expressed my gratitude to you for what you’ve done for my family, for me, let me do it now.” David extended his hand and Tanner shook it.

  Tanner smiled, finally feeling as if he were part of a family, as if he truly belonged. If only Diana was found, then his life would be perfect.

  After a few moments more in conversation, Tanner excused himself from David and walked around the grounds. He decided that David was right about his looking better. He felt stronger. Soon, soon, he’d search for Diana himself.

  “Tanner, darling,” came Annabelle’s well-modulated tones as she came up behind him as he neared the carriage house. Dressed in a mauve-colored gown, Annabelle presented a very pretty picture, with her long curls swept atop her head. When she took his arm in hers, her eyes glowed brighter than the garnet earbobs and ring she wore, but she made a mock pout. “I’m so peeved with you. Ever since the Richmonds’ arrival, you’ve ignored me.”

  “Sorry, Annabelle, but don’t you think it’s time you left here?”

  “Oh, no, darling, don’t be absurd. I’m your nurse, you know. You need looking after, a great deal of looking after.” Annabelle wrinkled her nose. “And I’m just the person for the job.”

  “I appreciate your efforts,” Tanner remarked, weary of Annabelle’s constant hovering over him and her proprietary attitude. Why didn’t he just throw her out? he asked himself but he couldn’t do it. For all her brazenness, Annabelle had nowhere to go, and Tanner knew how it felt not to have a home to call one’s own.

  “I’m so glad to hear that. That woman told me I was being too bold and should restrict myself only to periodic visits.”

  “What woman do you mean?”

  “Anne Richmond, that’s who!” Annabelle placed her hand on her hip and sneered. “She had the nerve to tell me that I shouldn’t be caring for you, a married man, that it isn’t the proper thing to do. For heaven’s sake, Tanner, why don’t you tell her that we were lovers once, that we may be again if—”

  “Enough!” Tanner pushed her away from him. “Diana will come home — soon. And Anne is right. You really shouldn’t be looking after me.”

  Annabelle started to mouth a retort, but Mike Candy appeared and hailed Tanner. He grinned broadly. “Got some news for you, Mr. Sheridan. Two blokes from Rawdontown been arrested by Captain Farnsworth for cutting you up and killing your driver.”

  Tanner’s face brightened at the news. “I’ve got to speak with them. They can lead me to Diana.”

  “Hmm, not too sure,” was Candy’s assumption. “But I’ll drive you to see Captain Farnsworth.”

  Without another word to Annabelle, Tanner immediately joined Mike Candy and left. Worry was deeply etched into Annabelle’s face. She didn’t care for Candy’s news. Those two men, if they were the same ones hired by Kingsley Sheridan, could implicate her in Diana’s disappearance — not that she’d had a direct hand in it — but just the same, Annabelle’s mood was very glum indeed when she joined Anne for tea in the parlor some minutes later.

  “I notice that you aren’t your usual chattering self,” Anne mentioned as she stirred her tea. “Is something wrong?”

  “No, Mrs. Richmond, everything is fine, I find that I have nothing to talk about this afternoon that would interest you.”

  “On the contrary, Miss Hastings, I find you most interesting.”

  “You do?” Annabelle was on her guard. She didn’t like Anne Richmond or her polite assessment of Annabelle’s person.

  “Oh, yes, why shouldn’t I think you’re interesting? You’re quite pretty and wear such lovely things. Those earbobs and that ring, for instance. Tell me, where may I get a duplicate set? I’ve always been partial to garnets.”

  Annabelle touched the garnets at her ears for merely an instant. I bet she believes Tanner gave these to me, she thought and ached to viciously wipe that smug smile from Anne’s lips. “Thank you, but these can’t be duplicated. You see, they belonged to my grandmother and have been passed down to me.”

  “Ah, a family heirloom. I understand exactly, my dear.” Anne inspected them more closely. “And you’re right, they can’t be duplicated.”

  ~

  “Don’t be downhearted, sir. We’ll find your lady. Those two buggers just don’t know nothing about where she’s at, but they’ll be swinging for their crimes on the morrow. Captain Farnsworth promised you that.”

  Tanner barely heard Candy’s speech, a speech meant to comfort him, he was certain. However, Tanner didn’t feel any sense of comfort. He identified the two men as the ones who’d attacked him and killed Curtis, but the man who was behind the plot to kill him, the man who had kidnapped Diana, was gone. Neither of the men knew his identity, and their description of him was general at best. Candy said the clean-shaven and well-dressed man who had kidnapped Diana didn’t seem to be the same one he knew as Mr. King. So Tanner still didn’t have a clue as to where to go or who to go after.

  But the hope had strengthened inside him that Diana was still alive.

  He’d no sooner arrived inside the house than Anne and David pulled him into the parlor and securely shut the door. “Tanner, I want you to do something about that Annabelle Hastings,” Anne pronounced, and David nodded solemnly in agreement. “She’s wearing stolen property. Those garnet earbobs and the matching ring she wore today belonged to Diana.”

  “But Diana didn’t leave any of her jewels behin
d when we packed to leave for Briarhaven. Anne, calm yourself, you look ready to burst.” Tanner calmly folded his arms as Anne’s face crumbled.

  “Those … jewels … are Diana’s. Believe me, they are. I’d know them anywhere because they belonged to our mother. Mother gave them to Diana in her will. I remember that I was rather jealous, but I couldn’t begrudge Diana the jewels because I knew how she always asked Mother if one day they’d be hers, and Mother had assured her they would be.” Anne gained her composure and looked directly in Tanner’s eyes. “The setting is one of a kind, garnet with gold filigree. And on the back of the earbobs and inside the ring is an engraved letter M for Montaigne. Diana was quite distressed when her jewels were stolen.”

  Tanner raised an eyebrow. “Stolen by whom?”

  “By Kingsley Sheridan, on the day he was thrown out of Briarhaven by Harlan.”

  24

  Tanner knocked on Annabelle’s door with a mixture of anger and sadness. Not for a moment did he doubt Anne’s word about Diana’s jewelry, but he felt like a fool for trusting Annabelle. Oh, he thought she might be up to something, but it never crossed his mind that she knew about Diana’s disappearance or that she was involved in it. He still wasn’t certain about that, but he couldn’t help but wonder where she got the jewels. Could Kingsley still be alive and holding Diana?

  “Darling, come in,” Annabelle offered and practically dragged Tanner into the room after she’d found him standing on the threshold. “I was watching the lightning outside on the piazza. Come join me.”

  Dutifully, Tanner followed Annabelle through her room and out the french doors to the covered piazza. The ebony night’s calm was disturbed by periodic flashes of jagged silver streaks in the Atlantic, but with each ear-shattering roll of thunder it became more and more apparent that the storm was fast approaching. “Can you smell the rain in the air? I can,” Annabelle told him and tucked her arm through his. At that moment he noticed the garnet ring on her finger. Just then lightning sparked, and when she turned to look up at him, the matching earbobs gleamed like two scarlet teardrops.