“I sent them to buy the White Horse Inn.”
“What?” she said surprised. “But why?”
“The war won’t last forever.”
“But that’s good.”
“For you, because you have money, not for me and my kind. When the war is over, the money we are making by smuggling will dry up. I have gotten used to eating every day.”
“You know you will always have a position here at Ravenstone.”
He laughed. “As your servant.”
“You mistake me.”
“Do I?” he asked his voice filled with derision.
“I would miss you should you leave here,” she said, equally angry. “Is that so terrible?”
The words seemed to surprise him as much as they did her, and she stood and moved away but he caught her arm and made her sit down again.
“You would miss me?” he said slowly, holding her hand in his.
“Yes,” she said nodding and looked at the floor. “I have grown fond of you all and the idea that you are taking the boys away is hard for me to accept. I realize they were always more yours than they were ever mine, and it’s the way it should be, but it doesn’t mean I won’t be sad when you go.”
He let go of her hand and she looked at him.
“You protect your revenue with an appeal to emotion,” he said angrily.
“Will you ever trust anyone?” she asked sadly, wondering why she had angered him again. “I would never harm you.”
“A sound business scheme.”
“You are infuriating,” she said frustrated.
“Like a young annoying brother?”
“Exactly,” she said.
He watched her a moment and she wondered at his thoughts.
“I’m not going,” he said finally. “I am, however, going to need a partner.”
“What for?”
“I want to buy a bigger boat.”
“We already have a boat,” she said. “What’s wrong with the one we have?”
“It’s too small.”
“Too small for what?”
“For a growing business.”
She stood up and began to pace in front of the bed.
“I want to buy a ship,” he said, confirming what she feared.
“You want to buy a ship,” she said, incredulous, and stopped pacing, her hands on her hips. “A boat is small, Peter, and not many people can see boats on the great big ocean, but a ship is big, big enough to be seen.”
“So let them,” he said.
“I don’t follow.”
“We go legitimate.”
“Taxes, Peter? You mean we are to pay taxes, don’t you, on the goods we bring across?”
“Yes,” he said and smiled. “We will have to, if we want to be legitimate.”
“And the inn, where does it fit in?”
“We need a brewery.”
“We do?” she asked and began pacing again. “Why do we need a brewery?”
“So we can hide greater amounts of alcohol. The excise men are getting cleverer all the time. Only last month we lost two shipments because we didn’t hide it well enough. And when the war is over the soldiers will come home and many will find positions as excise men. The place will be crawling with them and we will have to be cagey about hiding the contraband.”
“But I thought we were going legitimate?”
“Half of it will be. The other half won’t.”
“I see.”
“And you need a partner because ships are expensive.”
He nodded. “And in case something happens to me, so the business can continue without me.”
“What’s going to happen to you?”
“Why, will you miss me again?”
She frowned at him.
He sighed and smiled. “It’s over, then. Such a fickle creature you are.”
She studied him and realized something suddenly. She had never known him to smile so easily. He had always been so quiet and serious. She liked his smile.
“What,” he asked, concerned by her sudden stillness.
“I was just thinking your smile makes you look younger.”
He scowled again. “Just what I had hoped for.”
“What’s going to happen to you?” she asked.
“Nothing,” he sighed. “But in light of the last few months, I think we should set up this new venture so that if something does happen to me or even you, others can continue.”
“Now something will happen to me?”
“It’s just a precaution.”
“Dear Lord, Peter, for one so young, you are so pessimistic.”
“Stop saying that,” he shouted.
“Shhh,” she said. “Do you want the whole house to know you are here?”
She watched him wondering what it was that had so upset him.
“What did I say?” she asked, concerned.
He remained silent, having returned to his reserved look.
“If we do this, you must promise never to shut me out.”
He still did not look at her.
“We should at least shake hands on it,” she said and held out her hand to him.
He took it after a while, and then closed his eyes again.
“I’m tired.”
She watched him a moment, then left his bedside and strolled back to the window, glancing back at him once. He had been through an ordeal, she told herself, and he was allowed to behave strangely.
She turned to look out the window. James had dug the hole deeper and Rupert still sat beside it. He pulled his face into an imitation of a smile and kept it that way. She wondered if, like James, she was digging the hole she was in even deeper by agreeing to Peter’s idea for expansion.
She did not like the fact that so many knew of the smuggling or that she was involved. This had been made clear to her by Harriet only that morning. A more legitimate enterprise was probably a better idea and she trusted Peter, she realized. She was fortunate in him.
She watched Rupert and realized suddenly that the hole they were digging was to bury a treasure. She smiled and wondered what treasure Rupert would bury there. It made her think of another treasure. She had not been able to find any paperwork on the money Edward had received from the French, which meant he had not kept it in a bank.
She remembered his leaving the house at night and walking off into the woods. Perhaps he had his gold hidden in the forest, and she looked out beyond the walls to the woods.
She felt a flutter in her belly and placed her hand on it. The baby was kicking. She smiled and thought of Nicholas, wanting to share it with him. That moment and all the rest that would follow, but he was gone for good. She looked out toward the ocean wondering if she would ever see him again. She still loved him. She had tried hard not to think about him but it was impossible.
She was heartbroken but it was not a feeling that would remain, she knew. She loved and was loved and it was more than she could have hoped, for she was truly fortunate. She picked up her book and continued to read Robinson Crusoe, content to know that spring was on its way and Charles was bringing the girls to Ravenstone for a week. She hoped he had received her letter in time before their departure.
14
“It’s over,” Charles said and swung his sister in a circle as he gave her a hug. “We have taken Paris and won the war with Napoleon.”
“Charles, do be careful with her,” Grace said from behind him.
Georgiana laughed as he set her down gently and kissed her cheek.
“Then Napoleon has surrendered?” she asked.
“We must celebrate,” he said. “I don’t suppose you have any champagne left? It is in short supply in London.”
“But of course. Bring us champagne, Elton.”
“Very good, madam,” Elton said and left the drawing room to find a bottle in the cellar.
Grace left to fetch some glasses. A carriage drew up outside and Georgiana left the drawing room to meet the new arrivals. Jane and Margar
et hurled themselves straight into her arms. She kneeled down and hugged them to her, admiring the new dolls Charles had bought them for their birthday. It was not actually until the following day but they had managed to get him to give them a present early. She had spent a good part of the morning in the kitchen with Grace, making them a birthday cake. Rupert had sat sullenly by, watching and refusing to help while James licked sugar frosting from his fingers.
Rupert moved closer to her now and wedged himself between her and the girls, glaring at them. Jane smiled politely at him while Margaret pulled him out of the way. This set him into a rage and he lifted his hand to strike her, but Georgiana caught his arm and pulled him close to her side, holding him tight.
This seemed to calm him and he remained at her side until Jane and Margaret became more interested in playing in the garden with James, and he followed them out.
“You have won Rupert,” Charles noted as they watched them leave.
She shrugged and said, “He has become more possessive after his father’s death.”
“That’s to be expected, I suppose,” Charles said frowning. “And how are you? Is there anything of comfort I could do for you?”
She smiled and ran a hand over her growing stomach. “You could inform me that you received my letter before your departure.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Indeed, I did.”
“Were you able to do it?”
“Yes,” he said. “I was able to ask a few higher ups in the military to have Major Price transferred to Australia. It’s not quite the end of the earth as you requested but I believe it will have to do.”
She gave a small jump for joy and it was her turn to kiss him on the cheek. “Oh, Charles, that is the best news I have had in a good long while.”
“Better than Mama’s refusal to visit a social pariah.”
“Oh Lord, bless her small mindedness.”
“I wager you never thought you would be glad for her need for social conformity.”
“No, indeed,” she laughed.
Elton arrived with a bottle of champagne.
“Shall I pour, sir?”
“No, just give the bottle to me,” Charles said and proceeded to open it. The cork came out with a loud pop and the liquid spilled onto the floor.
He handed the bottle to her first.
“Here’s to the end of war, to brothers in high political positions and to social pariahs,” she said and lifting the bottle to her lips, she took a good swallow of the bubbling liquid and handed it to him.
“And to smugglers with unlimited champagne in their cellars,” he added and lifted the bottle to his mouth.
Grace returned with three glasses and Charles poured the light golden liquid, and then they strolled into the garden enjoying the first sunshine she had seen in months. Grace hurried to help Jane extract herself from a muddy puddle Rupert had pushed her into, while Margaret chased him with a big stick she had found. Mud joined Jane in the puddle thinking it was a game, and barked while James laughed at the scene until Margaret turned on him.
“Have they abandoned the search yet?” Georgiana asked.
“Quite,” Charles said, taking a sip of his champagne and watching her closely. “Have you located him?”
“Located the Lieutenant?” Georgiana replied.
“That is the fellow under review, is it not?”
“Yes.”
“You have located him?” Charles persisted.
“No, he is the one under discussion.”
“I see,” he replied and allowed a silence between them as they continued to stroll through the gardens.
“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it, Charles,” she smiled happily.
“Very pleasant indeed,” he allowed, glancing up the cloudless day. “Tell me, Georgiana, am I ever to know the truth of it?”
“I do not follow, Charles,” she said pausing. “Fine weather is self-evident.”
“Very well,” he smiled. “Keep your secrets. I fear my faint heart has grown weaker with your confidences. Only promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Order more cases of this champagne. It really is marvelous.”
She laughed. “Charles, you are a brother beyond measure, a truly generous spirit of great worth to me. No sister could be more fortunate than I.”
“I fear asking,” he sighed. “But does this sentimental moment perhaps lead to another favor?”
“It is no great concern,” she promised taking his arm. “It seems I have, or rather Edward has, misplaced something of value, and we must needs find it.”
“Did he now,” Charles said. “Rather inconvenient considering the poor chap is dead.”
“Rather,” she agreed. “You will help me then?”
“I am, madam, forever at your service,” he smiled. “And what exactly is this item of value we are to locate?”
“Gold.”
“Gold?” he asked and paused.
“Yes, Charles, gold,” she said and drew him on toward the woods. “We are treasure hunting.”
“Georgiana, I am both fearful and impatient to see what new direction we are to take in this new quest, but have you considered that perhaps Mother was right, and you really are a headstrong, foolish girl?”
She paused at the edge of the dark woods and looked at him.
“You would prefer to return to the library to read a book then?” she asked.
He hesitated and she took a step into the darkness of the woods, and then turned to wait for him.
“Georgiana, no one could ever accuse you of being prudent.”
She beckoned to him as she had done so often when they were children. He stepped forward and took her hand.
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Acknowledgments
Most of all I’m indebted to Marian Jensen, whose smart advice, good humor, and endless patience have seen me through. Thank you for your incredibly insightful reads and always swooping in to help me focus. You are a wonderful friend.
My editor, Margaret Diehl: Thank you for your subtle hints and for cheering me on. I continue to strive for shorter sentences.
Much thanks to Luanne Thibault for the support and endless energy to get it just right.
Gratitude also to Vanessa Maynard: Thank you for an amazing cover.
Finally, thanks to the best people in the world: those who read my books.
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Raven's Shadow (Book 2, the Ravenstone Chronicles) Page 25