But to Nicholas, standing with blackened brow in the opened doorway, there was nothing innocent about it. It looked like a kiss of passion.
“Excuse me, but I did knock,” he said in a cold voice as the Swede released Mara. “I had no idea you’d already started your evening’s entertainment, Swede,” Nicholas said as his green eyes ran insolently over Mara’s flushed face. “You should have a most enjoyable evening, Swede, for I can swear from personal knowledge that she’ll be worth every penny you pay her.”
At Mara’s gasp of disbelief and the Swede’s look of outraged confusion, Nicholas smiled and said, “Didn’t she tell you we’d been lovers? A pity. You really should remember to try and tell the truth, my sweet. I guess I won’t be seeing you at Delmonico’s later,” he said to the Swede. With a pitying glance, he left the room, closing the door firmly behind him.
Mara bit her trembling lip, her eyes full of pain and longing as she stared at the closed door. The Swede took her arm and turned her around to face him, staring down kindly at her mortified face.
“I’m so sorry, Mara. I didn’t know it had been that serious between you and Nicholas. I knew there was more to your relationship than either of you told me, but I had no idea…” he let his voice trail off lamely.
“As far as Nicholas was concerned, there never was very much to it,” Mara said bitterly, her voice muffled by the Swede’s chest as he comforted her. “I’m a fool to still be in love with him, but I can’t seem to help myself, Swede,” Mara confided hopelessly. “I love him so much I ache with longing, and I know I’m just tormenting myself because he’ll never return my love. He loathes me.”
The Swede shook his head. “I don’t understand Nicholas. He’s never acted quite this way before. It’s that damned Creole pride,” the Swede said savagely. “I think he doesn’t hate you as much as he’d like you to believe, Mara, and that’s why he’s so angry. Maybe he’s even jealous of us. You confuse him, and he doesn’t like that. Maybe if you two had more time together, to really get to know each other, you might be able to start fresh. But you don’t have any more time,” the Swede sighed, “for you’re headed to London and he’s going back to New Orleans.”
Mara stared at the Swede. It stunned her to know that Nicholas was leaving San Francisco as well. She’d accepted the fact that she’d never see Nicholas again once she’d left San Francisco, but somehow it comforted her to know that she could at least imagine him here in the city, picturing him in familiar places, among people she knew.
“He was my first lover, Swede, and he knows that. He knows I’m not what he tried to make you believe just now. Well, he’ll never know of my love now, and maybe one day I’ll be able to forget him,” Mara said. She looked at the Swede and managed a slight smile. “Good-bye, Swede.”
Mara hurried back to the boardinghouse, hoping Jamie would have Paddy dressed and ready to leave for the ship without much delay. She pulled off her bonnet and gloves as she entered the hall and called out into the cold silence.
“Jenny? I’m back. I hope we have time for a cup of tea before we have to leave. I’m sorry it took longer than I thought, and—” Mara broke off as she walked into the dining room and found the dinner dishes still crowding the table.
“Miss O’Flynn?” a hesitant voice spoke behind Mara’s back.
Mara spun around, her heart pounding at the suddenness of the sound. “You gave me a fright, Gordie! Where is everyone? It’s so quiet in here.”
Gordie’s lower lip quivered and a huge tear fell as he sniffed. “Upstairs. A man hurt my mama. Took Paddy too. He was real mean. He made everyone cry, and kicked Jamie real hard. I been hiding on the stairs waiting. Mama told me to watch for you, Miss O’Flynn,” Gordie confided importantly.
Mara’s eyes widened in horror as she listened. With a groan of despair she ran past Gordie and up the stairs to Jenny’s room. She could hear crying and voices coming from within.
Mara pushed open the door and stood staring in disbelief at the small group of people huddled together protectively, her eyes quickly taking in the dishevelment of both Jamie and Jenny, who was rocking a hiccupping Peter on her lap, tears still streaking his chubby face.
“Oh, my God,” Mara spoke beneath her breath as she gazed in stricken fascination at Jenny’s swollen right eye and bruised lip, then at Jamie who was holding her arm at an awkward angle, her eyelids partially closed in pain.
“Mara!” Jenny cried out as she became aware of Mara’s cloaked figure standing in the doorway. “Thank God you’ve come back!”
Mara walked slowly into the room, Gordie shooting past her as he entered the room and rushed to Jenny. Paul was standing on the other side of the chair, like a soldier at attention.
Mara glanced between the two women with a feeling of dread, knowing already what she would hear.
“They came in here and asked for Paddy,” Jenny said huskily. “I recognized them from the time before, only this time the Swede wasn’t here to stop them.”
Jamie began to wail, cradling her arm to her chest as she rocked back and forth. “Took Paddy, they did. They took Master Paddy, and him kickin’ and screamin’ bloody murder all the while, till suddenly he was quiet. What did they do to him, what did they do to him?” she cried. “’Tis that she-divil’s fault. Never did trust her. May her soul be damned to hell for what she’s done!” Jamie cursed as she began to sob.
“We tried to stop them, Mara,” Jenny added with a frustrated look that caused her to wince in pain. “I’m sorry, if only there’d been someone here, but I’ve lost so many guests. With spring here, they’re all back at the mines, and the ones still here never stay in at night. We just couldn’t stop those two men. What do they want?”
Mara couldn’t believe this was happening. Molly had sent Jacques and the Count to kidnap her own son, holding him for ransom. They had beaten two defenseless women who had never harmed anyone. “There’s going to be the devil to pay for this,” Mara said in a hard voice, her eyes glowing with a murderous rage. “Are you all right?” she asked abruptly.
“A little shaken up, but I’ll be all right,” Jenny reassured her. Then, with a worried look at the older woman, she added, “But I think they broke Jamie’s arm, Mara.”
Mara nodded and walked over to where Jamie was sitting, staring at the floor as she continued to mumble Paddy’s name. Mara knelt down before her, looking into her reddened eyes. “I’ll find him, Jamie. I swear this on Brendan’s grave. I’ll bring Paddy back safely to you.”
Jamie sniffed and glanced up, staring deeply into Mara’s hardened eyes as a look of relief began to settle on her haggard face. “You will get Master Paddy back? You’ll get him away from her?” she asked, then nodded as if reassured by what she saw in Mara’s face.
“I’ll be back soon. I’m going to get a doctor first. His office is close-by,” Mara said as she started to go. “You’ll be safe now. They have what they want.”
“B-but, Mara,” Jenny called after her disappearing figure, “shouldn’t we call the authorities? Get the Swede, he’ll help us. Mara! Come back!” she cried, but Mara was gone.
Finding the doctor in his office, Mara sent him to Jenny’s boardinghouse and now stood across from Molly’s house. Finally satisfied that all was quiet, she ran across the street and into the blackness of the alley beside the house. Slipping around to the back of the house Mara stumbled over discarded boards and rotting garbage as she searched for the entrance to the back staircase.
She held her breath as she opened the door and peered up into the darkness of the stairwell, the stale air rushing over her as she stepped inside. Barely making a sound, Mara slowly climbed higher into the house, catching her breath in panic when a rat ran across her foot. She forced herself to keep going higher, taking each step one at a time until she stood before the door that opened into the room she had escaped from only the day before.
Taking a deep breath, Mara opened it carefully and slid inside. She frowned, realizing they might not be he
re. Walking faster now, she crossed the room, pausing at the door to Molly’s boudoir as she listened for voices. She could hear nothing. It was too quiet. Pulling out her derringer, Mara pushed open the door, noticing for the first time the splintered wood around the door knob as she looked inside. Molly’s bedchamber was dark and chilly.
Mara’s hand fell to her side as she looked around helplessly. The house was deserted. They hadn’t brought Paddy back here. She’d been so certain she could rescue him. It had never entered her head that they might take him somewhere else.
“Nobody’s here,” the voice seemed to shout from the darkness behind her, causing Mara to scream in fright as she whirled around to face the sound.
“Who are you? Where is Paddy? What have you done with him?” Mara demanded.
“Dunno who you’re talking about, but I saw you crossing the street from my window and recognized you,” the voice continued. Then a match was struck, and Mara blinked as one of the oil lamps was lit and the owner of the voice was revealed.
Ellen stood silently staring at Mara across the room. Then, a smile curving her mouth, she said, “I did hear them talking about taking the little boy to a warehouse down on the docks.”
Mara’s shoulders sagged wearily as she was overcome with feelings both of relief and apprehension. Now she had an idea of where he was being held, but she also knew she couldn’t possibly rescue him without assistance.
“Did you hear the name of the warehouse?” Mara asked hopefully, thinking of the rows and rows of plain wooden buildings lining the waterfront.
But Ellen shook her head. “You was nice to me, that’s why I’m telling you what they said. Anyway, I hate her—Miss Velazquez,” Ellen said bitterly. Then she added, a pleased expression lighting her lackluster eyes, “Did hear one of them say something about putting him in a keg of nails if he started causing trouble.”
With a quick thanks to the pitiful creature Mara hurried from the house and out into the fresh air, taking deep breaths as she ran toward Portsmouth Square. She had to find the Swede. He would help her; he would save Paddy. As Mara reached the plaza and heard the raucous, discordant music blaring out from the gaming halls as the beckoning lights streamed out onto the square, she remembered Nicholas’s last biting words when he’d misinterpreted her farewell to the Swede earlier that evening.
Nicholas had said he guessed he wouldn’t be seeing the Swede at Delmonico’s later. That was where she’d find him, Mara thought in elation as she walked on past the Parker House and left the plaza, hurrying down Merchant Street to Montgomery and Delmonico’s restaurant.
The restaurant was as crowded with diners as the last time she’d dined there. She glanced around nervously but could see no sign of the Swede, or of Nicholas. With a frustrated sigh she turned around and was about to leave when she saw a waiter placing a bottle of champagne in a silver cooler of packed ice and walked over to him with desperate determination.
“Have you seen a large man with blond hair? He’s called the Swede and I need to find him. It’s of the utmost importance,” Mara told him.
The waiter carefully wiped his hands on a linen towel and eyed her with a supercilious look as he disdainfully informed her that he had no knowledge of the gentleman in question. Mara ground her teeth as he haughtily turned his back on her and continued with his careful preparations.
“Then have you, perchance, knowledge of a certain gentleman called Nicholas Chantale? I am dining with him this evening, and he does not care to be kept waiting, m’sieu,” Mara lied in a last, desperate attempt.
The waiter turned back to her with a knowing smile that Mara longed to wipe from his face. “Why didn’t the mademoiselle say as much in the first place? Monsieur Chantale is dining upstairs in one of our private dining rooms. You should have used the other entrance, madame,” he advised her insolently. He snapped his fingers and a young waiter came running. “Show this lady to Monsieur Chantale’s table,” he said with a discreet gesture to a door at the back of the hall.
Mara followed the waiter up the stairs and into the dimly lit hallway of the second-floor suites. Here, a man and his dinner partner could dine in luxurious privacy and then enjoy a few hours of dalliance on cushioned sofas.
Mara stood nervously behind the waiter as he knocked discreetly on the door, her fears for Paddy overcoming her reluctance to face Nicholas again. He might hate her, but he could at least tell her the whereabouts of the Swede.
Mara heard Nicholas’s deep voice bidding them enter. She did so, the door closing firmly behind her as she stood facing an incredulous Nicholas Chantale.
Dressed in her heavy cloak, with her bonnet still covering her head, Mara felt horribly overdressed. She stared at the embarrassing dishabille of the blonde reclining languorously on the velvet cushions, a glass brimming with champagne held in one hand as she looked up dreamily. The softness left her eyes as she became aware of Mara.
“Who the hell is she?” she demanded angrily as she struggled to pull up her bodice. “Lord, but you should’ve warned me you had a jealous wife who might come barging in.”
The sound of Nicholas’s rich laughter filled the room as he moved away from the sofa to where Mara was standing. He stood silently in front of her for a moment, watching her. He had discarded his coat and vest, and his finely ruffled, linen shirt was partially open, revealing the dark hair covering his muscular chest.
“I should really be surprised to see you here, but knowing you, I’m not,” Nicholas remarked softly. “What do you want? Not looking for the Swede, are you? I am surprised you’d let him get away from you. You’re losing your touch.”
“I don’t care what you think, Nicholas. I’ve got to find the Swede, he’s the only one who can help me,” Mara cried, her hands clenching in front of her. “Jacques and the Count have kidnapped Paddy. They’re holding him in a warehouse down at the docks. I’ve got to get him back, Nicholas. Molly won’t believe that Brendan spent all his money. There’s nothing to give her. I don’t know what she’ll do when she finds out,” Mara told him, the story spilling out in tangled confusion. “Where’s the Swede? Damn it, Nicholas, tell me!” Mara begged as she raised her fists in a fury of frustration.
Nicholas grabbed her arms and held her away from him as he stared into her panic-stricken face, trying to read the truth. She’d lied to him so many times in the past that he didn’t know what to believe.
“Nicholas,” Mara whimpered. “Please. Help me. I’ll do anything you ask, but please, please help me.”
Nicholas looked deeply into her eyes for a moment longer before nodding thoughtfully. “All right. I believe you, Mara. Come on, let’s find the Swede,” he said abruptly. Gathering up his coat and vest, he started from the room.
“Hey! What about me? A fine gentleman you are to leave a lady in the middle of dinner! I’ve got half a mind to—” she began, only to fall silent as Nicholas threw a bag of coins into her lap.
“For wasting your valuable time, mademoiselle,” Nicholas apologized gallantly. He pulled Mara after him, out of the room and down the hallway to another room. Without bothering to knock he stepped inside, leaving Mara in the hall.
Mara opened her mouth to complain, then stopped abruptly as she remembered the state of undress Nicholas’s dinner partner had been in. She heard voices beyond the door, and a second later fell back as the door opened and Nicholas and the Swede stepped into the hallway.
“Are you all right, Mara?” the Swede demanded as he took her arm and guided her down the back stairs and out into the noisy street below. “Paddy was kidnapped, is that right?”
Mara nodded in the darkness. She was helped inside the carriage Nicholas had signaled to. As she settled down between Nicholas and the Swede on the carriage seat, the Swede asked, “What happened, Mara?”
“Yes, would you care to tell me exactly what I’m becoming involved in?” Nicholas asked quietly. “You weren’t too explicit when you interrupted my dinner.”
“The person causin
g all the trouble is Molly. She was Brendan’s wife, only she abandoned us years ago. Paddy is her son. We never thought we’d see her again, and we didn’t until a couple of weeks ago here in San Francisco. She demanded money from Brendan, said she’d cause trouble, spread false rumors about us if we didn’t give her the money she wanted,” Mara explained quickly. As they passed a gaily lit building, the light shone through the carriage window and revealed her pale, haunted face. “Then Brendan died, and no sooner had he been laid to rest than she demanded his fortune, but, Swede, Brendan spent it all. There isn’t any fortune to give her.”
“You mean you’re penniless?” the Swede asked in growing amazement.
“Not quite, but close to it. I spent most of it for our passage on the ship. I was desperate. You see, I knew they wouldn’t believe me about there being no money. Yesterday, Molly sent Jacques and the Count to bring me to her, and that’s when she demanded the fortune. I tried to tell her there was none, but she wouldn’t believe me. I managed to escape from them, but I had no idea they would take Paddy,” Mara said in a trembling voice. “I knew they would continue to cause trouble. That’s why I decided to leave San Francisco immediately. It was while I was saying good-bye to you tonight that they went to the boardinghouse and took Paddy. They broke Jamie’s arm and beat Jenny,” Mara told them, her voice throbbing with anger.
“My God!” the Swede expostulated, his fist bunching with suppressed violence, “they hit the old woman? And Jenny?”
“They’re animals, and Molly’s the worst, to do this to her own son,” Mara cried in despair. “I’ve just got to find him.”
“How do you know where to look?” Nicholas asked as he glanced outside the window. They were nearing the wharves.
“I went to Molly’s house, thinking they would have Paddy there. I knew a back way in.”
Nicholas looked over at her in surprise, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her profile. “You went to rescue him by yourself? And just what did you hope to prove by that fool stunt?”
Laurie McBain Page 36