by Wendy Vella
“I will tell you what I told your sisters,” Dev said, looking serious. “Be on your guard, use your senses if you think it necessary to do so, but for Christ’s sake don’t alert the Duke. He’ll have us tied to a stake in seconds.”
“I would never do anything to harm this family and I hope you know that,” Cam said quietly before he turned and climbed the stairs to his room.
“Perhaps if you go a little easier on him, he will not be a man hell bent on securing his own destruction.”
“What?” Devon said, pulling his eyes from the top of the stairs to face Eden.
“He needs your guidance, Dev, not your continual censure.”
“I do not have time to coddle him, Eden. This family is only just staying out of the poorhouse, and with a little help from him its turnaround would be hastened.”
Sighing, Eden watched her elder brother stalk out the front door. Hopefully a change of scenery would help her brothers rekindle the close bond they’d once had, and if that didn’t work, securing an eligible suitor with pots of money for Essie or herself would sort things out nicely.
“We are ready!”
Eden watched her little sisters come down the stairs. Even though the hour was early, they had made sure Essie and Eden dressed their hair exactly as they wished. Beneath their bonnets black ringlets bobbed and their green eyes sparkled with excitement. Eden sank into a curtsey as they reached the bottom, which produced a burst of giggles.
“Are you ready to meet the Duke’s sister?”
“Yes!” they cried in unison.
Taking a hand of each, Eden led them out the door.
“Oooh, the carriages are grand, Eden, we will not be bumped about in those!” Dorrie gasped. “And there are three, not two.”
They were indeed grand, Eden thought. Polished until they shone, even in the early morning light she could see they were the very finest money could buy. Bertie and Josiah were securing luggage, with help from the Duke’s men. The Duke stood beside one of the carriages; the door was open and he had his head inside. Eden could hear his words clearly.
“The Sinclairs will not harm you, Samantha. Please come out and greet them.”
Eden could hear the frustration in his voice as she and her sisters approached.
“Excuse me, James.” Eden tapped one of his shoulders.
He pulled his head out of the carriage to glare at her, stepping slightly to the left, which gave her enough room to slip in front of him and tug her sisters inside the carriage behind her. Lamplight allowed her to see a small child. Sitting huddled in one corner, with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, was the Duke’s sister.
“Hello. Aren’t brothers annoying? My name is Eden, and these are my sisters Dorrie and Somer.”
Samantha looked nothing like her brother. She was slight and pale, and her big blue eyes were filled with tears. She was dressed in yards of ill-fitting gray fabric, her clothes seeming to wear her instead of the opposite.
“Hello, Samantha, I hope we can be friends,” Somer said, climbing onto the seat beside her while Dorrie moved to stand before her.
“We have a basket of food with Josiah’s favorite cherry cake, and books and toys for our journey. Do you know how to play chess?” Dorrie asked.
Eden watched as Samantha straightened in her seat. Her eyes grew rounder as they darted between the twins.
“Never mind, we’ll teach you,” both girls said at the same time and then giggled.
“They do that a lot,” Eden said. “I’ll leave you alone now so you can become acquainted while we finish the packing, ladies, and then we will begin our journey.”
Backing out of the carriage, Eden heard her sisters chattering and smiled. Turning, she bumped straight into the Duke. He steadied her, then his hands fell away, leaving her with two large imprints of heat on her arms.
Two nights ago she had believed him handsome and nothing she saw changed that opinion. His strong, dark hawklike features were breathtaking. An angry purple bruise ran the length of his jaw, and one of his eyes was slightly bloodshot, yet even with these things he was still disturbing. Dressed in a black overcoat, he seemed even larger than he had in her brother’s bed.
“Thank you.”
The wealth of frustration in those two words tugged at Eden’s heart.
“Change is always hard on the young. We just have to give them lots of love and support and in time they adjust.”
Running a hand through his hair, the Duke winced and Eden suspected his ribs were still causing him pain. In fact, she imagined his body hurt all over, but of course, he would never admit that.
“The problem is we have only known each other such a short time, and she is still wary of me. I have no experience with young children, Eden. We are both struggling with the changes forced upon us.”
Eden was confused—hadn’t he said that Samantha was six years old? “I don’t understand, James. Your sister is six years old. Have you not spent much time in her company?”
“My father did not tell me I had a sister, Eden. I found out after he died last year, and I instantly resigned my commission to travel here and be with Samantha.”
“He must have been a terrible person to keep that information from you.” How could anyone be that cruel?
“It is not a moment I like to remember. My only regret was that my father had passed away before I could confront him over the matter.”
Eden saw the anger that still smoldered deep in the depths of his brown eyes.
“I understand your rage, James.”
“I think not. You come from a family that obviously loves each other—”
“Appearances are not always what they seem.”
“Meaning?”
Eden shook her head, wishing she’d kept her mouth shut. “I am sure given time you and your sister will form a strong relationship.”
“I pray you are correct, yet given the distance between us I am not as optimistic as you.”
“Children are resilient, James, it is adults that struggle to adjust to change.”
His eyes lingered on her face before he looked away, and it was only then she was able to draw in a breath.
“Have you recovered fully from your plunge into the ocean, Eden?”
“I have, thank you. And you also? How do you fare after such a traumatic experience?”
“Very well, thank you.”
The fatigue evident in his face contradicted these words. His ribs, Eden guessed, were aching every time he moved, and, like her, he had not slept well.
“If you are having trouble sleeping, Essie could mix up something to aid you.”
“I need no help, thank you.”
Men, Eden thought. Why could they just not admit they needed help? Her brothers were the same.
“Are you ready to leave, Raven?” Dev appeared at her side.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Your face is very colorful this morning. How do your injuries feel?”
“I am more than capable of riding a horse, Sinclair, if that is your question.”
“Pride comes before a fall, James,” Cam said, joining them.
“Does every member of the Sinclair family use idioms to prove a point, like Cambridge?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Excellent,” the Duke snapped. “I shall endeavor to keep conversations to a minimum in that case.”
Eden watched the Duke’s eyes travel between the three siblings. He looked bemused and irritated but merely nodded before stalking back toward the carriage.
“Perhaps for the sake of a harmonious journey, we shall not continually annoy the Duke, as he is not used to siblings or indeed Sinclairs.”
“Now where would the fun be in that, sister?” Dev’s eyes were on the Duke’s rigid back.
“And I thought you my serious-minded stable elder brother,” Eden muttered as she too left Cam and Dev to see if her sisters had everything they needed.
“The man takes himself far too seriou
sly,” she heard Dev say.
She was not about to divulge what she had learned about James and his sister only recently becoming aware of each other. Her brothers were good men; they would hopefully not do anything to outrage the Duke overly in the next few days.
“You can hold Lucy for the journey, Samantha, and I shall have Tibby and Dorrie can look after Bonny.” She heard Somer’s words as she arrived at the carriage behind the Duke.
“Well I’m glad that’s settled,” Eden said as she looked in the window, the Duke filling the doorway. Samantha seemed to have relaxed in the company of the twins and even offered a small smile when she was handed the doll made of rags.
“If you will step to one side please, James, Essie will join the girls inside. Here is our basket filled with wonderful things for the journey!” Dorrie clapped her hands and then pointed to where she wanted Essie to place it.
“Samantha, this is our eldest sister, Essex. She does not like to ride on horseback like the others, so will travel with us,” Dorrie said.
“And she is the best reader, Samantha, she makes wonderful voices and is a whiz at chess,” Somer added.
“There are so many of you.” Samantha’s voice was awed.
The Sinclair sisters all giggled at that. The Duke silently followed the conversation between the little girls from his position in the doorway
“Seven in total.” Essie smiled. “And I am very pleased to meet you, Samantha. We are going to be such friends by the end of our journey.”
“Well, I will have to leave you ladies to your fun,” Eden said, nudging the Duke to one side once more. She lifted her skirts to kneel on the carriage floor and give her little sisters a hug good-bye. Each planted a loud smacking kiss on her cheek. She took Samantha’s hands in hers and gave them a small squeeze.
“Samantha, do you have need of Miss Billerson before we leave?”
Samantha tensed at her brother’s gruff barked question. Did the man not know he was scaring Samantha? Good Lord, the girl was terrified of him, anyone could see that. The smile had fallen from the child’s lips and her tiny hands clenched the doll close to her chest.
“No, Duke,” Samantha whispered. “I have no need of Miss Billerson.”
“That’s silly, he’s your brother so you should call him by his name, not his title, Samantha,” Somer said, looking at the duke and completely unaffected by his dark scowl. “What is your name?
“James.”
Eden could hear the surprise in his words. He was not used to being questioned by a child.
“Do you mind if your sister and my sisters call you James?”
She should intervene; it was wrong of Somer to be so presumptuous, but in this instance, she wondered if the informality may help the Duke and his sister in some small way. Eden decided to remain silent for now, as Essie was doing the same.
“I-it would be an honor, Miss Sinclair,” the Duke said bowing elegantly, which Eden was sure wasn’t easy in a carriage doorway and with bruised ribs.
“There you see, Samantha, your brother wants to be called James. And, James, I am Somer and this is Dorrie, and I think you know Essie and Eden,” Somer finished with a wide smile that no one but the Duke could resist.
“If you need me, Samantha, then just look out the window, I will be there.”
His tone had softened, and Eden noted that Samantha had relaxed the grip she had on the doll. His words were telling to her. If you need me, I will be there. As he had not been in the past. It was obvious the man’s guilt sat heavily on his shoulders, and he was desperately trying to make up for the neglect he had unintentionally inflicted upon his sister.
“I will call you at once if Samantha requires anything, James,” Essie said, breaking the silence when Samantha did not reply. “And I am sure we can cope without your sister’s companion for part of the journey at least, is that not right, ladies?”
The girls all nodded, Samantha vehemently.
Giving his sister one last look, his face once again composed, he nodded to Essie then held out his hand to Eden.
“Come, Eden, it is time to depart.”
Eden took his hand and the contact traveled up her arm. Really, she must stop this; no man had ever had that effect on her, and she did not want to start with a duke, even if he was so handsome it made her teeth hurt. Pulling her hand free once she was clear of the carriage, she hurried to where her brothers waited.
“Good-bye.” She hugged Bertie and Josiah and fought the tears of leaving them and the only home she had ever known. “We shall return to you soon.”
“Enjoy every moment, Miss Eden,” Josiah said, and she saw that the brothers were battling tears also.
After several aborted attempts and cries of “Oh I forgot that!” the procession finally left Oak’s Knoll.
“I find laughing helps, James,” Cam said, “and then if that fails, a large swig of whiskey.”
Ignoring Cam, the Duke took up his position beside Samantha’s window. Warwick rode with Eden and chattered about anything and everything with all the enthusiasm that a seven-year-old boy could muster. Cam slouched in his saddle beside her while Devon took the lead. The Sinclairs waved to Josiah and Bertie for as long as they could see them, the twins leaning out the carriage windows and shouting their farewells.
“Enough now, girls,” Dev said when he, like Eden, saw the Duke’s expression turn thunderous.
“Yes, Dev,” they parroted and withdrew back into the carriage.
“He takes himself very seriously,” Cam whispered to Eden.
“I should imagine being a duke would come with serious responsibilities.”
“True, yet the old Duke did not die until a year ago. Therefore he cannot have come into those responsibilities... What?” Cam queried as Eden started to giggle.
“Dorrie just told Samantha that if she wanted to make James laugh, she should tickle him.”
“Christ, can you imagine anyone getting close enough to his snootiness to touch him?”
I can, Eden thought before she could stop herself. The man disturbed her and perhaps that was because she had never met another like him before. So arrogant and aloof, and yet she had glimpsed the vulnerable man beneath the stern facade. She could still feel his arms around her, the touch of his hand on her skin, and that would just not do, Eden reminded herself. This foolishness stopped right now because nothing could ever come of it, and what’s more, she did not want it to.
Warwick moved between his siblings, but eventually as hunger took hold he succumbed to the carriage.
Eden had felt the Duke’s eyes on her often, yet not once did he try to converse with any of the Sinclairs. Like a dark cloud he just rode silently behind them, yet she could no more ignore his presence than pluck the sun from the sky.
“You have to admire him, really. It would kill any one of us—with the exception of Dev maybe—to keep that quiet,” Cam said then yawned loudly with his mouth wide open.
“Perhaps you could shut your mouth while doing that.”
“I could, but then it wouldn’t annoy you quite— What?” Cam whispered as Eden lifted a hand to stop him talking.
“What?” Dev said, moving to her other side.
Still holding the hand up, Eden did not speak, just listened. When she rode with her family she never wore earplugs, wanting to know if any danger lurked nearby. The usual sounds filled the air, the gentle hum of servants’ conversation in the second carriage, the twitter of birds and rustle of leaves—yet there was something else. She heard it again, the snap of a twig. Eden sought the noise, yet it was still too far away.
Pointing left, she made the gesture of a branch snapping. Her brothers moved closer, their legs now touching, instantly alert. Eden watched Dev close his eyes briefly and when he reopened them his pupils were dilated. Cam lifted his chin and sniffed the air.
“Is there a problem?”
Shaking her head at the Duke as he drew near, Eden motioned for him to be quiet, which made his brows lower. Pe
ople obviously did not shush dukes.
“I can see them,” Dev said softly. “Three men mounted with guns. Tell us what you hear, Eden?”
“I smell spirits and foul body odor,” Cam added.
“They are discussing how best to rob us.”
Chapter Five
James looked around him as the Sinclairs conversed quietly. He could not hear each word, but understood that Eden believed there was a threat ahead of them. The road was not exceptionally wide, but he would still be able to see another carriage or horse approaching, yet he saw and heard nothing. To the left ran a paddock as far as the eye could see and to his right a row of trees.
“Where is this danger?”
Ignoring him, Eden moved slightly forward of the line they had formed, and his impulse was to pull her back if danger lurked. However, her brothers did not appear overly concerned with her movements, so he kept his thoughts to himself. From the corner of his eye, he noted Sinclair nudge his brother and look at James. What the hell was going on?
“And I repeat,” James kept his voice low, “where lies the danger?”
“If you will be quiet please, James, I shall ascertain that very thing.”
James couldn’t believe she had just told him to be quiet. His eyes studied the rigid line of her spine, as he had done so many times today.
Her cloak was deep green with a wide ruffled hem, and it fluttered behind her as a gentle breeze rustled the trees. He had watched the way she teased her brothers and cared for the youngest with firm gentleness. Two fat curls had escaped her straw bonnet and bounced on her spine as she rode. He had almost asked her to tuck them back inside, as his fascinated gaze had been drawn to them again and again. He wondered at their texture. Would they be like silk against his fingers? Cool or hot to the touch?
“They plan to ambush us as the first carriage draws near, Dev.”
“Someone explain to me what the hell is going on?” James said.