A Taste of Paradise (29 page)

Sophia lay awake long after Chris fell asleep. She wasn't going anywhere until she spoke to Lady Chester. Was this Chris's way of saying he wanted to rid himself of her?

The earliest opportunity Sophia found to visit Lady Chester was a week after her conversation with Chris. Three days of soaking rain had left the roads a quagmire, but three more days of sunshine had dried up the muck. Sophia and Kateena set out for the Chester plantation shortly after luncheon.

After days of being stuck inside with two lively children, Agatha was happy to see Sophia. Kateena visited with the servants while Sophia sat on the veranda with Agatha and Amanda.

“What brings you out this sunny day?” Agatha asked.

Sophia took a sip of fruit juice from a crystal goblet as she considered her answer. Upon entering the house she had noticed boxes and crates piled up in the foyer.

“Are you going on a trip, my lady?”

“Perhaps, but I'm not sure yet. I'm preparing just in case my dear Chester decides the slave situation is getting out of hand and sends us home to England.”

“Oh, pooh,” Amanda scoffed. “I'm not going anywhere. If Aunt Amanda leaves, I intend to remain and see to the household for Uncle Chester. What about you, Sophia? Will you be leaving Jamaica? If you do, rest assured that I will do my very best to take care of your husband in your absence.”

Agatha sighed. “I've tried to convince dear Amanda to leave with me and the children, but she adamantly refuses.” She spread her hands in defeat. “There is nothing more I can do.”

“You'll be happy to know, Lady Amanda,” Sophia said, “that I fully intend to remain at Sunset Hill no matter what. My husband's welfare comes before my own safety.”

“How admirable,” Amanda said sourly.

“I feel the same way, but neither of you have children to worry about. Their safety must come first. When Chester says it's time to leave, we will go.”

“As well you should,” Amanda agreed. “So should you, Sophia. What if you are carrying Captain Radliff's heir? Shouldn't you have a care for your health and welfare?”

“Amanda is right, my dear,” Agatha concurred. “I know the captain would want you safe. He must have mentioned his wishes on the matter to you.”

“Oh, indeed he did, but I have a mind of my own. I don't always do as he says. I am of the opinion that Sunset Hill will remain safe from marauders.”

Agatha let out a gusty breath. “I admire your courage, but I must warn you that no one is safe in these troubled times. When slaves revolt, madness takes over. Plantations are burned and people are killed indiscriminately. It happened before, late in the last century.”

“Nevertheless, I'm not leaving Chris,” Sophia insisted, sending an unspoken message to Amanda.

“Then you and dear Amanda can keep each other company,” Agatha maintained, “unless I can convince Amanda to leave the island when the time comes.”

Agatha shot from her chair when a child's scream echoed through the house. “Oh, dear, it's one of the children. I must go; I'm sure dear Amanda will entertain you in my absence.”

Amanda studied Sophia through narrowed cat's eyes. “I finally remembered why your name sounded familiar. Though I don't recall the details, the scandal you caused set London on its ear several years ago.”

“You have a good memory, my lady, but you have little room to talk. I doubt your reputation is as pristine as Lord and Lady Chester believe. I assume you and Chris were lovers at one time,” she said bluntly.

“We were intimate friends,” Amanda purred. “Make of that what you wish.”

“I know exactly what to make of it.”

“I know enough about you to go to your husband with the facts. He might not be as forgiving as you think. He may send you away after he hears me out.” Amanda's smug voice set Sophia's teeth on edge. “And I will be here to relieve his loneliness.”

Sophia stifled a smile. Amanda didn't know as much as she thought if she wasn't aware that Chris had been involved in the scandal himself.

“Be my guest, my lady. Tell my husband whatever you wish. Nothing you can say will cause a rift in our relationship.”

Lady Agatha returned. “Motherhood has its rewards, but it's also trying. Are you looking forward to providing your husband with a family, Sophia dear?”

“I hope to have children one day,” Sophia replied.

“You've been married several weeks; perhaps you're already increasing.”

Sophia was saved from replying when a servant arrived to announce that Captain Radcliff had arrived.

“Chris is here?” Sophia said, half rising from her chair.

“Remain seated, Sophia. I'll invite him to join us, then send for Chester.”

Agatha gave the appropriate orders. Sophia noted with some irritation that Amanda fluffed her blond hair and tugged at the neckline of her bodice in anticipation of Chris's arrival.

Chris strolled onto the veranda, stopping abruptly when he saw Sophia. “Sophia—I had no idea you were here.”

“Obviously,” Sophia muttered darkly. Had he come to see Amanda?

“Chuba said you and Kateena had taken the carriage, but I assumed you had gone to Kingston.”

“Please sit down and join the conversation, Captain,” Agatha invited. “Chester will be here directly.”

“Something has happened,” Sophia said when she noted the worried expression creasing Chris's brow. “What is it?”

“Please do tell us, captain,” Agatha said. “I'll hear it from Chester sooner or later.”

“I'd prefer to wait for Lord Chester.”

“I am here,” Chester said as he joined them. “What is it, Radcliff? Have you news?”

“Are you sure we should discuss this in front of the ladies?”

“If this is something that will affect all of us, then please speak freely, Captain,” Agatha said.

“Very well. I received word that marauding slaves burnt a plantation near Spanish Town. The violence could spread down here.”

“That settles it,” Chester asserted. “My family will leave Jamaica on the
Mary Deare
. She's due in port next week.”

“Oh, pooh, Uncle, I'm not afraid,” Amanda scoffed. “I shall remain and see to things here while Auntie takes the children to safety.”

“You should leave with your family, my lady,” Chris said. “I'm sending Sophia to my brother until the danger is over.”

“You can try,” Sophia warned, “but it will do you no good. I'm staying, Chris.”

“We'll discuss this at home, Sophia.”

Though Chris appeared determined, Sophia refused to be coerced into something she didn't want to do. And she most definitely didn't want to leave him.

“I think you should leave, Sophia,” Amanda said, breaking the tense silence stretching between Chris and Sophia.

“Why should you remain behind when I cannot?” Sophia shot back.

“I'm the logical choice to see to the men. Auntie has her children to protect, and you may be carrying your husband's heir.”

Chris's head shot up. “Sophia, is that true?”

“It's time I left,” Sophia said, rising and smoothing out her skirts. “I'll find Kateena while you and Lord Chester discuss this latest development.”

“I'm going with you. From now on, I don't want you leaving the plantation without a guard.”

“Chris, really—”

“He's right, my dear,” Lord Chester concurred. “Things are fairly quiet for the time being, but one never knows. Rest assured that my family will be aboard the
Mary Deare
when she leaves Kingston.”

Chris and Sophia took their leave. Once Kateena joined them, there was no opportunity to continue their argument.

Riding beside the carriage on Atlas, Chris pondered Amanda's startling words. Was Sophia carrying his child? If so, he had to convince her to return to England. Chris's emotions were bewildering. How did he feel about becoming a father? He searched his heart for an answer and was surprised at what he found. He hadn't felt anything so emotionally exhilarating in more years than he cared to count.

Three days later, Rayford arrived at Sunset Hill after Chris had left the house for the distillery.

“I've come to bid you good-bye, Sophia,” Rayford said.

“You're leaving?”

“Sir Rigby offered me employment as his overseer, but I refused. I might have accepted if I hadn't learned what he and other plantation owners are planning. I wanted no part of it. I'm not putting my life in danger for them. I've booked passage aboard the
Mary Deare
. Most of the planters are sending their families home, and I wondered if you were going with them.”

Sophia's mind was focused on what Rayford had said about the plantation owners' plans. “What do you mean? What are the plantation owners planning?”

“You mean your husband hasn't told you about the militia?”

“What militia?”

“Rigby and some of the other planters have formed a militia. They intend to flush the Maroons out of the foothills and kill as many of them as they can find.”

“No! That's inhuman. When is the attack supposed to take place?”

“Soon, I think. They believe Sam Sharp is behind the recent problems they have been having with their slaves. They think he's inciting the slaves to act against their masters. I know nothing about slavery and care even less. Why should I place my life in jeopardy when none of this means anything to me?”

“I think you should go home, find gainful employment and beg Claire to take you back,” Sophia advised. “Your unsavory vices are ruining your life. Associating with men like Sir Oscar was a big mistake.”

Rayford's shoulders slumped. “I know that. He's a vindictive man. He won't let me rest until I redeem my markers from him.”

“How do you intend to raise the funds to pay him? I'm surprised he's allowing you to leave, knowing you have no way of getting your hands on that kind of money.”

Rayford looked away, but not before Sophia noted the guilty look on his face. “Tell me the truth, Ray.”

“Be careful, Sophia—that's all I'm going to say. The man never gives up. The
Mary Deare
arrives in a couple of days, so I doubt I will see you again. I hope I'm gone from this cursed place before violence erupts.” He spun on his heel and strode off.

“Damn you, Ray, you always were a coward!” Sophia called after him.

But Sophia didn't have time to waste on her stepbrother. She had to warn the unsuspecting Maroons before the militia struck. She considered sending for Chris but decided against it. He probably knew what the planters intended and had purposely kept it from her. If he wasn't going to do anything about it, she would.

Sophia told no one where she was going as she headed to the stable. The stable lad saddled her mare without asking her destination. It wasn't his place to question the mistress.

Though Sophia wasn't sure she could find Udamma's hut in the foothills, she had to try if she wanted to prevent a massacre. She rode along the main road until she reached what she guessed was the halfway mark between Sunset Hill and Kingston. Then she turned her mare into the jungle, riding but a short distance until the underbrush grew too dense to continue. She dismounted, tied her mount to a tree branch and set off on foot toward the foothills.

She walked quite a while before she spied the footpath she'd been looking for. Her face glistened with sweat as she swatted at insects buzzing around her head. She wished she had worn long sleeves but hadn't thought that far ahead in her rush to leave. Abruptly the footpath disappeared. With a start, Sophia realized she had wandered off the trail and was hopelessly lost. She couldn't see the mountains for the trees.

Nevertheless, Sophia trudged on. The shimmering sun rose high in the sky; it filtered through the trees, burning her face and arms. She took a step, heard a rustling sound ahead of her and froze. A man carrying a cudgel stepped out of the brush, blocking her path. Sophia stifled a scream. The man was tall and huskily built, his dusky face covered by a beard.

“What you doin' here, lady?”

Sophia swallowed the lump of fear lodged in her throat. “Can you take me to Udamma? It's important.”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Who are you, lady?”

“Sophia Radcliff.”

“Captain Radcliff's woman?”

“His wife, yes.”

“Why do you want to see Udamma?”

“I must speak with her. It's a matter of life or death.”

She must have convinced him, for he nodded and said, “Follow me.”

They trudged through the forest for what seemed like hours before reaching the Maroon campsite. Udamma was carrying water from a nearby stream when she spotted Sophia.

“Mistress, what are you doing here? Has something happened? Are you in trouble?”

“No, but you are.”

“Come inside and rest, mistress. After you have refreshed yourself with a cup of cool water, you can tell me what is troubling you.”

Sophia entered the hut and was offered the only chair. She took it gladly and accepted a cracked cup filled with cool water. She drained the cup and handed it back to Udamma.

“I've come to warn you, Udamma. You must alert your people immediately.”

Udamma's dark brow furrowed. “Warn us about what, mistress?”

“The planters have formed a militia and are preparing to raid Maroon campsites. They blame Sam Sharp for inciting rebellion among their slaves.”

“Daddy Sam preaches passive resistance. He would never condone violence.”

“That's not what the planters think. The raid will come soon; you and your people must flee into the mountains. I'm sure you have hiding places where no one can find you.”

“We do, mistress. Are you sure about this?”

“Very sure. They will bring firearms, Udamma. Do your people have weapons?”