Blackhearts (29 page)

I do not wish to be disturbed until supper this evening. Please

instruct Margery that I would like my tea to be delivered to my

room and left by the door.” He headed in the direction of his

dressing room, his weary footsteps echoing in the chamber.

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Clutching the back of the chair in his hands, Teach barely managed to stifle his shout of aggravation. He knew very

well that his father would not discuss it with him further. If

Drummond was to rest until the evening meal, Teach would

have no opportunity to speak with him privately. It was as

if the older Teach became, the more Drummond tightened

the noose.

If only they had a few days, Drummond might have time to

mull over what Teach had said. Then they could speak reason-

ably, just like they had when Teach had convinced his father to

let him sail on Andrew Barrett’s ship.

After closing the door to his father’s bedchamber soundly

behind him, Teach headed down the stairs. His heartbeat roared

in his ears as he struggled to understand how he had so com-

pletely lost control of his life, and when he would get it back.

Anne, unaware of his presence in the doorway of the library,

sat in a chair with a book in her lap. She stared out at the rain as it continued to fall. A log broke in the fireplace, and part of it fell from the grate, sending a plume of white sparks into the air.

Teach paused, watching her until she turned. Setting the

book aside, she stood and took several quick steps forward.

Teach met her in the center of the room. Before he could say

anything, she smiled.

“I heard. I’m sorry, but I stood outside your father’s door for

a moment and listened.” Anne reached for one of his hands, and

her fingers warmed the chill in his. “I heard him say it was over.”

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Teach looked down at their clasped hands. “Yes. It’s over.”

Glancing up, he saw her smile fade.

“What’s wrong? What else did he say?”

Teach’s only reply was grim silence. It was clear she hadn’t

listened for long.

Anne stumbled back a step, her skirts rustling. She gave

a slight shake of her head, her brows furrowed as she looked

about the room. “I should go.”

“Do you wish to retire? I’ll escort you to your—”

“No. I must leave England. At once.”

Pain unfolded in Teach’s chest. “You can’t leave. I won’t

let you.”

“Once I have the three thousand my father left me, you

won’t be able stop me. I will not stand idly by and watch you

marry her. If I can leave before that happens, I will.”

He knew it would do him no good to argue with her, but

he couldn’t help himself. She was his only source of pleasure at the moment, and it frightened him how much he depended on

her to achieve his happiness. “Don’t do it, Anne.”

Their gazes caught and held. Her blue eyes, usually so

bright, were now bleak.

“Don’t do anything rash,” he said.

“I have no other choice.”

“Yes, you do. Come away with me. I’m no longer a wanted

man. We could leave, just the two of us.”

“And then what? I won’t be a kept woman like my mother

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was. And where could we possibly go where people won’t look at me and immediately assume that’s what I am? Or worse.”

“Marry me, then. We’ll leave England and find a place.

We’ll
make
a place.” Teach watched her intently, hoping for a sign of consent. But she took another step back, her shoulders

straight, her lips set.

“You might want to leave now, but in time you would come

to resent me. You would be giving up your inheritance and this

lifestyle. I won’t have you blame me for losing everything.”

“I would never resent you. Or blame you. I just spent a year

at sea. I’ve seen what it’s like to be without.”

“Yes, but it was an adventure. You always knew you would

come back. I’ve experienced what it’s like to truly be without,

and I would not wish that on anyone. Least of all you.”

“That’s my choice to make, not yours.”

“I’m sorry,” Anne said. “But when I leave, I will go alone.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

Anne stepped around him, heading for the door.

Desperation caused his voice to rise. “I’ll tell my father

about us. I’ll tell him I wish to marry you.”

She stopped with her hand on the knob and turned, her

blue eyes flashing. “If you do that, he will not hesitate to throw me out. He tolerates me now, but if he believed I came between

you and Miss Patience, he would not be kind. Or merciful. You

should not wish his wrath on anyone. Least of all me.”

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Sitting in the darkened captain’s cabin of the
Deliverance
, Teach toyed with an open bottle. It had been several hours since he’d

left the estate. After the disastrous evening meal, he hadn’t

trusted himself to stay under the same roof as the others.

Despite his request, Anne had retired to her room and

stayed there. Teach had been forced to share a tense supper with Patience, Lord Hervey, and his father.

“Remind me, if I’m ever in trouble, your father would be a

handy one to have in a pinch,” John said.

Teach had told him the outcome of the inquiry.

“Yes, well, my father might have cleared up that problem,

but he’s the reason for another, even greater problem. He and

Lord Hervey set the date for the wedding. In two weeks, they

say I am to wed, the day after the launch of the
Deliverance
.”

John studied Teach’s expression, a sympathetic look in his

eyes. “You fancy her, don’t you?” John said. “This Anne you’ve

mentioned. The one who tossed the bucket on me.”

Teach trusted his friend well enough to tell him the truth.

“Lord help me, but I do.”

“I could tell. You haven’t stopped talking about her since

you arrived.”

Teach took another sip from the bottle.

“And yet your father expects you to marry a fancy peacock

with a pea brain.”

Perhaps Teach had been a bit harsh in his criticism of

Patience, but she offered little in comparison to Anne. “I can’t 2 7 7

do it, John. I can’t go through with it,” Teach muttered. “My father has already lived his life. Mine has just begun, and yet he would sentence me to death, for my every breath shall be stifled if I am forced to spend the rest of my days with that girl.”

It was John’s turn to take a sip from the bottle. “Have you

told your father you don’t want to marry Patience?”

“Yes.”

“And what did he say?”

Teach scowled, his anger stirring at the memory. “He said it

wasn’t my decision to make.”

John gave a low whistle. “What other options do you have?”

Teach held up the bottle.

“Sorry, mate, but that won’t solve anything.”

Taking a large swig, Teach shrugged. “Perhaps not, but it

can make me forget for a while.”

“What does Anne have to say about any of this?”

“What can she say? She’s living in my father’s house, as his

guest. How can she go against his wishes?”

“Does she love you?”

“I know she does.”

“Well, then. You’re your father’s son. Let’s see you do some-

thing about it.”

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C H A P T E R 2 8

Anne

The next morning Anne opened the door to the dining room,

only to discover that Mr. Drummond and Teach were both

already seated. Neither of them spoke, which was why she had

assumed the room was empty. The house was silent, except for

the occasional noise coming from the direction of the kitchen.

She stopped, cursing herself for not ordering another tray to

be sent up to her room. So far she’d done a fair job of avoiding the other members of the household, but she knew it couldn’t

last forever.

Teach looked up and saw her, his mouth tightening. Ten-

sion thickened the air. She should have gone for a walk in the

gardens instead.

“Good morning, Anne,” Drummond said, motioning her

in. “I wished to speak with you. Come, join us.”

Nodding in Drummond’s direction, she walked to the

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buffet and took a plate. Bypassing the poached eggs and the crisp fried bacon, she took only a handful of blackberries and

a hot scone, not sure if she could even stomach that much.

She had not slept well, and her insides were tied in knots.

“Bring me some juice, would you?” Drummond asked, his

question intended for her.

Anne bristled at his words, as Teach pushed back his chair.

“Father, she’s no longer a maid. I will get it for you.”

“Nonsense. The other maids are busy. You don’t mind, do

you, Anne?”

He would never have asked Miss Patience to fetch him a glass.

After a moment’s hesitation Anne set her own plate down,

tempted to walk out of the room altogether. But she intended

to ask for the three thousand pounds, and so she remained,

reaching for the pitcher at the same time that Teach did. His

fingers covered hers.

I’m sorry,
his gaze seemed to say.

Anne picked up her plate once more as Teach poured the

juice. Once they were seated, she looked at Drummond, her

hands clasped in her lap. “Yes?” she asked, wondering what he

could possibly wish to discuss.

“I would like you to go to the party with Edward tomorrow

night,” Drummond said.

It was the last thing she’d expected to hear. “I had not

intended to attend—”

“Nevertheless, you shall go. You are of age.”

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Alarmed, Anne glanced in Teach’s direction, but his expression was masked. She turned back to Drummond, determined

to plead her case. “Please, sir. I prefer to stay home—”

He shook his head. “No. I’ve already given it much thought.

At the party we will announce that you are coming out.”

“But I don’t want—”

“Father, you cannot announce Anne’s coming out at the

same time that you declare an engagement. It wouldn’t be

appropriate.”

Anger flared in Drummond’s eyes. “How else will she find

herself a husband? You can’t expect her to stay here for the rest of her days.
That
would not be appropriate.”

Anne barely managed to keep her own anger in check. “I

have no intention of staying here.
When
I choose a husband, I would like it to be when
I’m
ready. I’m not ready now. And I have no desire for it to be announced this week.”

“Nonsense. You are . . . lovely.” Anne noticed his hesita-

tion. Miss Patience was clearly Drummond’s ideal of beauty.

“And your father has left you not without means. Edward is to

marry a baron’s daughter, and your association with him will be

advantageous.”

She braced herself against the ache caused by his words.

“You cannot make me,” she said, no longer caring about

holding her tongue. All she could think about was the agony of

having to watch Teach swear his allegiance to Patience publicly.

“Father, it’s too soon,” Teach said, his voice louder.

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“Your mother was seventeen when I married her,” Drummond said, shooting his son a silencing glare, before turning once more on Anne. “When do you turn seventeen?”

It took her a moment to answer. “I . . . In two months’ time.”

“There, you see. This is for her own good.”

“And if no one will have me?”

Drummond didn’t meet her gaze when he answered. “Once

I attach a handsome dowry to your head, someone will speak

for you. Tell her, Edward. Tell her she’ll make a fine match.”

Teach looked Anne straight in the eyes as he spoke. “The

man who wins Anne’s heart will recognize in her the answer to

his dreams.”

The color was high on Teach’s cheeks, but his father didn’t

pay attention. He merely waved his fork at Anne after taking a

bite of his eggs. “There, you see. Edward believes you will not

have a problem.”

Anne felt trapped, caught between the two men who

appeared to hold the happiness of her future in their hands. It

was time to take control of her own fate.

An icy calm overcame her, and she sat back. “All right. I’ll go.”

Drummond smiled, clearly pleased, but Teach was motionless.

“But I would like the money my father left me to be trans-

ferred to an account with my name.”

A muscle worked in Teach’s jaw, but Drummond nodded. “Of

course. When you turn eighteen—”

Anne was sure they could hear the pounding of her heart.

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“No, not when I turn eighteen. I would like the money now.”

“But that’s not possible,” Drummond said.

“Then I request that you make it possible. I will attend

the party. All that I ask in return is that you do this for me.” It wasn’t as if he needed the money. She did.

Drummond studied her, clearly surprised by her boldness.

For the first time since entering the house, Anne was not

afraid of Richard Drummond. She had nothing left to lose. “I’d

like to at least know that I can purchase a small cottage some-

where, sir. I have no desire to inconvenience you any further.”

“All right,” Drummond said, after another moment of

silence. “Given your past experience, I can understand why you

make such a demand. I will contact my solicitor to have the

funds transferred to an account in your name. You will have

access to it. I will not stand in your way.”

“But, Father—” Teach began, but Drummond held up his