Uncertain Alliance

by Davis, Mary

  He widened his eyes. “I could never do that.”

  “Yes, you can. Just use a little restraint.” Conner put his hand on Ian’s shoulder. “This is what you’re going to do: Just before closing time, you are going to go over to Tilly’s Millinery and ask Miss Dempsey if you can walk her home.”

  At the thought, Ian’s lungs seemed to stop. “What if she turns me down?”

  “Then you will ask her again tomorrow and the next day and the next until she weakens and says yes. Then you will tell her about yourself, where you grew up, and how you became interested in pharmaceuticals. Then she will likely tell you about herself.”

  “You make it sound so easy.”

  “It is. How did you meet Azalea and what did the two of you talk about?”

  “We bumped into each other on the street. Her parcels fell to the ground. I helped her with them and walked her home. She did most of the talking.”

  Conner thinned his lips and shook his head. “A vixen. She manipulated you from the start.”

  “You think so?” He didn’t want to think badly of Azalea, so he tried not to think of her at all and succeeded most of the time.

  “I’ve seen it before. It was no accident that you ran into her that day. But Miss Dempsey is no vixen.”

  “Just because Miss Dempsey isn’t—as you put it—a vixen, doesn’t mean she will ever hold any affection for me. She’s more likely to be interested in you.”

  “If I am such a detriment to your romantic endeavors”—Conner folded his arms—“why did you hire me and let me move into one of the back rooms?”

  “You needed a job, and I found you trustworthy from the start.” He folded his arms as well, but it didn’t have the same daunting effect as it did on Conner. “If you find Miss Dempsey so attractive, why haven’t you asked to walk her home?”

  Conner squared his broad shoulders. “First of all, you’re sweet on her. I wouldn’t cross that line even for a lady I was loopy for. I’d clear out before I’d try to take a friend’s sweet-heart. No woman is worth the cost of a good friend.”

  “Alice isn’t my sweetheart.” Not that he didn’t wish it so.

  “Close enough for me. Second reason is I’m not interested in Miss Dempsey or love right now. I want to start my own business. I want to have a way to provide for a wife and family first.”

  It was easy enough to think you had control of love, another altogether to actually control it and choose with whom and when to fall in love. “I was determined never to fall for a lady again. What if love sneaks up on you as it has me?”

  Conner considered that a moment then smiled. “I guess I’ll have to kick myself in the head.”

  That was not a solution he’d want to try.

  The bell over the door jingled, announcing the arrival of a customer and ending their conversation, but Ian could definitely ask to walk Alice home. Her answer would tell him a lot.

  Two

  Alice glanced at the clock over the door as her fingers nimbly worked the needle in and out of Mrs. Brown’s new velvet hat. She should have it completed just in time for closing. Mrs. Brown would be in early tomorrow to either approve it or request changes.

  She stood and stretched her back. Miss Tilly, a fleshy woman in her fifties, stepped through the curtain into the workroom and glared at her. She quickly sat back down, but before she could pick up her needle, Miss Tilly said, “Don’t bother sittin’. You’re wanted out front.”

  She stood. “Me?”

  Miss Tilly frowned. “Be quick about it. That hat needs to be finished today.”

  She ducked through the curtain and saw a police officer. Oh no. Burl. What else could it be? Not something wrong with Grandpa.

  She walked up to the officer. “I’m Alice Dempsey.”

  He turned his hat in his hands. “Officer Blake, ma’am. Do you know a Burl Martin?”

  Her heart sank. “He’s my brother.”

  “He’s been cutting didoes down at the docks. I’ll need you to come with me.”

  Mischief, mischief, mischief. Must he always land himself in a lick of trouble? She sighed and hurried to the back to get her handbag and shawl.

  “You leaving?” Miss Tilly said with her hands on her hips.

  “It’s my brother. I have to.” She swung on her shawl.

  “What about Mrs. Brown’s hat?”

  “I’ll come in early and finish.”

  Miss Tilly just shook her head.

  Alice snatched up her handbag and hurried back out to the officer.

  ❧

  Ian escorted stoop-shouldered Mr. Piedmont to the door and held it for him while he shuffled out. It was amazing that Mr. Piedmont could even make it down to the lower-level shops. Ian appreciated a faithful customer but wondered if a street-level business would be more beneficial.

  The light was fading from the overhead skylights. Clouds were building. By the intensity of the light, he could just about always tell what the weather was up above. He’d better grab his umbrella before he offered to walk Miss Dempsey home. He didn’t want her getting wet.

  As though the thought of her had conjured her up, Miss Dempsey came out of the millinery—followed by an officer of the law. “Alice? I mean Miss Dempsey.”

  She glanced his way then hurried off. Where was she going? He wanted to follow, but Conner wouldn’t return for another half hour and he still had a customer inside. Lord, please be with Alice in whatever trouble she is going to find.

  ❧

  Alice pulled her shawl tighter and tried not to breathe too deeply. The pungent smell of dead fish and rotting debris polluted her lungs. The wind coming off the sound was chillier than in town and helped to cleanse the air a little. She climbed the plank up onto the ship to a floor that rocked beneath her. Burl sprang to his feet when he saw her approach, but the sailor next to him put a hand to Burl’s shoulder, pressing him back down onto the barrel.

  She hurried over to Burl. “What have you done?”

  Burl looked down at his worn brogans with a hole in one toe. “Nothin’.”

  “He and his two buddies threw a couple of lard barrels overboard. Wanted to see if they would float.”

  She spun to the sound of the surly voice behind her. The captain stood tall and lean in his neatly pressed uniform. A handsome cut of a man if it weren’t for his intimidating scowl. She wanted to cower like a lost kitten.

  “This is Captain Carlyle, captain of this vessel,” Officer Blake said.

  The captain stood broad shouldered, towering over her. Thick brown whiskers covered the lower half of his face and matched his wavy brown mane. He narrowed his gray eyes, intending to intimidate her, she was sure. It was working.

  “I’ll pay for any damages my brother has caused.” Her voice barely squeaked out, making her sound like a lost kitten.

  The captain glowered at her then at Burl. He seemed to be waiting.

  “I don’t have any money with me, but—”

  “Then what good is your promise? I prefer to work the debt out of the boy. He’s the one who caused the trouble.”

  Her insides clenched at the thought of losing Burl to a life at sea. “He’s just a child.”

  Captain Carlyle’s hair stirred in the breeze. “He’s big enough for a cabin boy.”

  Burl sail away on a ship? She’d never see him again. “What about the other two boys you mentioned? Maybe their parents will pay you the damage and I can pay them back.”

  “Ran off faster than greased lightning. Shoved this one behind to get away.” He inclined his head toward Burl. “He stays on my ship until he has worked off the debt. I sail at the next high tide.”

  By the tide schedule Grandpa had read this morning and adjusting for the few days later it was, today’s high tide should be early this evening. “You can’t keep him on this ship and sail with him.”

  “I can and I will.” He narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to her. “Unless you want to be sailing with us as well, I suggest you make your way back
to land.” The captain tossed his gaze to the sailor beside Burl. “Keep a strong hand on that one until we are well out to sea.” He turned and walked away.

  Burl’s blue eyes were wide and his face paler than his hair. “Alice, don’t let them take me!”

  What could she do? Maybe Miss Tilly would give her an advance on her pay. Could she go and get back in time? She went to the bottom of the stairs where Captain Carlyle had ascended to a smaller upper deck. “Captain, I’m going to go get money. Please don’t sail until I return.”

  The captain didn’t acknowledge her in any way but continued to talk to a sailor with large, tattooed muscles.

  “Captain? Captain?” She could not allow him to ignore her. She climbed the stairs and approached from behind him. The sailor facing the captain glanced at her. He widened his eyes and shook his head.

  She took a deep breath. “Captain.”

  The captain stopped talking then flipped his hand toward the sailor. The sailor gave a small nod and retreated to the other side of the small deck.

  “I’m going to get money. Please don’t sail before I return.”

  The captain turned slowly to her. His cold gray gaze pierced her. “The tide waits for no man.”

  She swallowed hard. “Tell me how much, and I’ll return swiftly.”

  He studied her a moment. “Is your brother as tenacious as you are?”

  She wasn’t quite sure what he was getting at. “What do you mean?”

  He leaned a little closer and spoke softly. “Will he try to run away?”

  She hoped so. But she wasn’t about to tell the captain that.

  “What did you say your name was, miss?”

  “Dempsey. Alice Dempsey.”

  “Miss Dempsey, I no more want to see you back here than I want to have that troublesome little rat of a boy on my ship. He would only get in the way and probably cry for mama. My men would likely throw him overboard for the sharks before we reach the horizon.”

  She gasped. “Then why take him with you?”

  “I’m not.” The captain gave her a genuine smile that reached clear to his eyes as he winked at her.

  “But you said—”

  “I said what I said to scare the boy. Maybe this will teach him never to let older boys rope him into doing something like this again. At the very least, he’ll never step foot on my ship again.”

  She held her breath, daring to hope. “So you are going to let him go?”

  “No.”

  Her heart sank. “But. . .”

  “We are going to keep a close eye on him just until we sail.” The captain glanced toward Burl. “As we make preparation to get under way, he’ll be left unguarded. So, my earlier question still stands: Will he run away?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good. Now I’m going to raise my voice to you; then I’m going to order my first mate to remove you from my ship. Forcibly of course.”

  Captain Carlyle wasn’t the scoundrel she first thought he was. “You will let Burl go?”

  “He has only to run away when given the opportunity.”

  “What if he doesn’t?”

  “I’ll have one of my men help him escape.”

  “Thank you, Captain Carlyle. I won’t forget your kindness.”

  He nodded. “Remember not to go quietly.” He scowled then and raised his voice to a booming volume. “I said the boy stays!”

  Even though she knew he was only playacting, he was still scary. She put her hands on her hips. “I’m not leaving without my brother.” Her voice shook and was not nearly as convincing as the captain’s.

  “Isaac, see that this wench finds her way off my ship,” the captain ordered.

  She quickly scooted down the stairs and headed for Burl but was grabbed from behind.

  “Cap’n said you was to leave. . .off the reel.” Isaac turned her toward the boarding plank, almost shoving her against another man.

  “Miss Dempsey.” A lanky man with brown hair reached out for her. His attire suggested a landlubber like herself rather than a seaman.

  He looked familiar. “Do I know you?”

  “Conner Jackson. I work for Ian MacGregor next to the millinery.”

  She could place him now. She’d seen him inside the pharmacy when she spoke with Mr. MacGregor on the boardwalk.

  Mr. Jackson scowled at the sailor who had a grip on her arm. “Release her.”

  “Cap’n said to escort the lady off the ship.”

  Mr. Jackson looked up toward the captain. “Randolph, what’s going on here?”

  “Mr. Jackson,” she whispered, “please, it’s all right.”

  Mr. Jackson looked from her to Captain Carlyle, who was suddenly with them. “Randolph, what’s the meaning of this?”

  “Isaac is seeing to it that Miss Dempsey makes it safely off my ship.”

  “Alice!”

  The foursome turned toward Burl.

  “Don’t leave me here!”

  Mr. Jackson turned back to the captain. “And the boy?”

  The captain lowered his voice. “Just putting a bit of a scare into him. He thinks I’m going to sail with him aboard.”

  “Captain Carlyle promised to let him escape before they set sail,” she whispered.

  Mr. Jackson frowned and spoke softly but sternly. “Randolph, the boy looks plenty scared now, and must you have Miss Dempsey manhandled?”

  “Well, she wasn’t willing to leave her brother behind.”

  Mr. Jackson’s gaze darted from her to Burl and back again. “I think you’ve made your point. Let them both go.”

  Captain Carlyle nodded to Isaac, who took his beefy hand off her arm.

  She thanked the captain and Mr. Jackson then ran to Burl. The sailor released him. She took Burl and hurried down the plank back onto solid land. She wanted to get as far from the docks as quickly as possible before the captain changed his mind. She was glad Mr. Jackson had come along so she didn’t have to wait around until high tide for Burl to escape.

  ❧

  Ian looked over his glasses as Conner strode through the door of the pharmacy. “Sorry I’m late. There was trouble down on the docks.” Conner had been running an errand for him and usually stopped by the dock when his friend the captain was in port.

  “It doesn’t matter. Miss Dempsey left work early with a police officer. I wish I knew what that was all about. I hope she’s not in trouble.”

  “Well, let’s close up, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  Conner knew something? Ian quickly locked the door and pulled the shade down. “How do you know about Miss Dempsey?”

  “She was involved with the trouble on the docks.”

  “I can’t believe that.” Miss Dempsey would never do anything to warrant trouble.

  “It seems she has a mischievous younger brother whom she’s responsible for.” Conner conveyed the whole story as he’d heard it from his friend the ship’s captain.

  He threw up his hands. “Well, that fixes my flint.”

  “What does?”

  “You and Miss Dempsey. I reckon she’ll be setting her cap for you now.”

  “If you’re insinuating that I’m going to take up with Miss Dempsey, you’re mistaken. She doesn’t even know me.”

  “But you rescued her from the evil pirate captain.” He hated to think of her on a ship with a bunch of rough sailors. She was so delicate and beautiful. There was probably more than one of the sailors who fancied ideas of her, maybe even the captain himself.

  “Randolph is no pirate.”

  “But you said he was surly and having her physically thrown off his ship; she’ll likely view him as kindly as she would a pirate. With one look, she would probably swoon into your arms.”

  Conner shook his head. “Don’t hang up your fiddle. I am not going to try to court Miss Dempsey. I told you she holds no interest for me.”

  “If not you, then it will be some other handsome bloke.” He opened the cash register and began counting the money.r />
  “You are really death on Miss Dempsey, aren’t you?”

  He ran a hand over his thinning hair. “Since the first time I spoke to her, God put her into my heart.”

  Conner eyed him from the other side of the counter. “You really believe God put her in your heart?”

  He nodded. “I was never so happy that Azalea ran off with another man as the day I met Miss Dempsey.”

  “Let me make sure we are talking about the same God. God who made the heavens and the earth. God who made all the plants and animals. God who made all of mankind. That God, right?”

  He nodded again. The main reason he got on so well with Conner from the start and trusted him almost immediately was their common faith.

  “God’s pretty powerful. More powerful than man?”

  “Of course. Do you have a point, Conner?”

  “If the God of the universe put Miss Dempsey in your heart, how could a mere mortal like me steal her away? Who can change the plans of God?”

  “I never thought of it that way.”

  “So do you believe God put her in your heart?”

  He thought he did but hesitated. “Yes.”

  Conner smiled. “I promise to be here tomorrow so you can walk Miss Dempsey home.”

  Once again Conner had proven himself a true friend. Ian would be sorry when the day came that Conner moved on.

  Three

  Ian caught a glimpse of Miss Dempsey as she hurried by his pharmacy window earlier than usual. His pulse quickened. He went to the door, hoping to catch her and talk with her before she entered the millinery. He stepped outside but stopped when he saw her boss talking to her outside the shop.

  Miss Tilly Morgan’s fists were planted firmly on her fleshy hips. “Irma had to stay late to finish your work. This is the fifth time you’ve left work undone.”

  “I’m sorry. It was an urgent family matter.”

  “I’m sorry, too.” Miss Morgan’s voice was even, yet firm. “You are a very good seamstress, but I have to let you go. I have no other choice. I have a business to run.”

  “But I need this job.” Alice’s eyes widened, and he could see fear in their blue depths.