Bobbi Smith (25 page)
Authors: Heaven
Matt descended first and started up the walk, leaving Winn to help Alex down and pay for the carriage.
Winn’s hands at Alex’s waist were warm and strong, and she rested her hands on his shoulders as she climbed out. After so many days of being unable to touch him openly, she savored the chance. Her eyes met his as he set her lightly down, and they shared a knowing smile.
Matt was glad that Alex and Winn were busy with each other. Being alone for a few minutes gave him the time he needed to come to grips with entering this orphanage.
He stopped on the walkway to stare up at the structure. There was something familiar to him about the building. The place looked almost sad to him, as if it were haunted by the loneliness of its mission. It was obvious that St. Joan’s was low on funds and had too many children. But as the memories of his own solitary childhood threatened to overwhelm him, he noticed that there was something very different about this place from the miserable home where he’d spent his younger years. At St. Joan’s, there was laughter. The children playing in the yard might be poor, but they were full of joy.
A dark-haired boy who looked to be about twelve sat on the top step. His manner was almost like that of a castle guard as he watched Matt approach. A petite, blonde-haired girl who couldn’t have been more than six or seven sat beside him, playing quietly with a doll.
Matt stopped on the step just below them when the boy spoke up.
“What are you here for?”
“We need to speak to the director of the home. Could you tell me who it is?”
“Mrs. Sutherland,” he answered.
“Is she here right now?”
“Yes, sir. Just go on inside. Her office is the first door on the left.”
“Thanks. . .. By the way, I’m Matt McKittrick. What’s your name?” Matt asked, meeting the youth’s eyes and seeing the curiosity and intelligence mirrored there.
“I’m Tommy, and this is Lisa.”
“It’s nice to meet you Tommy. You, too, Lisa,” he said looking at the little girl and thinking how angelic she looked. The innocent beauty of children was truly a sight to behold. The girl gazed up at him with clear aquamarine eyes, the color of which he’d never seen before. He returned her gaze, momentarily mesmerized, then remembered why he was there. “Thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome.”
Matt entered the building ahead of Winn and Alex, and the darkness of the hall immediately returned him to the days when he’d been a virtual prisoner in the institution where he’d been raised. The meals had consisted of little more than stale bread and weak gruel. Mr. Stanton, the director of the hell hole, had seemed to take pleasure in beating the children, especially the little ones who couldn’t fight back. Matt had tried to help the others for a while, but at thirteen he’d still been too small to defy Stanton’s authority. Instead, he’d run away the first chance he’d gotten, and he’d never looked back.
Matt fought off the feeling of abandonment that often came whenever he remembered the prison of his childhood. His parents had died when he was five, and, with no living relatives, he’d been put in the only orphanage around. Abandoned, poor, and helpless, he’d suffered the loneliness and the loss of his parents by himself. He’d made a few friends, but mostly he’d kept to himself, reading and fantasizing about mysteries, lost treasures, and the like. Matt had been enchanted by tales of the lost continent of Atlantis, and when he’d finally escaped the abusive system, he’d known what he was going to do. Somehow, some way, he was going to search for the lost places of old. Matt hadn’t know if it was some part of his deep-seated need on his part to find his own past, but he wanted to search for what had been lost, so he could save it. Also, he had no real home, so the constant traveling to new and unusual places have never bothered him. As long as he was free to come and go as he pleased, he was content. Finding the lost and hidden treasures had become his one and only way of life, and even his feelings for Valerie hadn’t allowed him to give it up.
“What did the boy have to say?”
Winn’s words broke through Matt’s memories, and Matt was glad to shake off the dark mood that threatened him. “The director is a woman named Mrs. Sutherland. Her office is in here on the left.”
Matt found the door with her name on it and knocked.
“Come in.”
The voice that called out to them sounded soft and cultured, and Matt wondered just what this ‘Mrs. Sutherland’ looked like. In his mind’s eye, he had an image of her as sixty-five years old, gray-haired, short and stodgy with a quick, mean temper. He opened the door, expecting a matronly, demanding woman. He was expecting to get little if no cooperation from her. Then he came face-to-face with Catherine Sutherland for the first time, and he was rendered speechless.
“Yes? What is it? Can I help you?” Catherine asked, looking up from the stack of correspondence spread out before her on her desk. She and Milly had been working almost non-stop for two days now to get the letters ready for her campaign to raise the money to buy the building. Whatever needed her attention, she wanted to deal with quickly and get it over with so she could go back to the letters that would mean life-or-death for St. Joan’s. She found herself looking at one of the most good-looking men she’d ever encountered, and she blinked in surprise. She’d expected Milly or Tommy or one of the children. “Yes?” she repeated when the stranger didn’t speak right away.
Matt stared at the slender, blonde beauty, completely enchanted. He’d expected a battleax. He’d got an angel. Her hair was the color of moonlight. He could tell her hair was long, but she was wearing it in a bun at the nape of her neck. Suddenly, he found an unbidden fantasy intruding on his thoughts of loosening her hair from its confines and raking his fingers through the pale silken length. Her eyes were blue in color, and he was lost in their open, honest depths. Her features were delicate without seeming fragile, and her mouth was infinitely kissable. He stared at her lips, curving now in a slight, curious smile as she stared back at him.
“Yes, sir,” she repeated. “Is there something I can do for you?” Catherine had no idea who this tall, good-looking stranger was, but his presence there bothered her. She suddenly feared he’d been sent by Markham, and she rose behind her desk feeling more confident standing eye-to-eye with him.
Her movement jerked him back from the realm of enchantment that had possessed him. Gathering his wits, he quickly responded. “Yes, I’m Matthew McKittrick and these are my traveling companions, Alexandra Parker and Winn Bradford. We’re friends of Lawrence Anthony.” He paused, watching her expression and waiting for her response. He’d noticed the flicker of recognition immediately in the mother superior, and he wondered what this lady’s reaction would be. He hoped she knew Anthony for that would give him a reason to stay. Having just seen her for the first time, he certainly didn’t want to leave yet.
“Lawrence Anthony . . . ?” she repeated the name a little puzzled, and then suddenly her eyes lit up. “Of course, I remember him. He was here a few years ago. I knew his name sounded familiar.”
“So Lawrence did come here?”
“Yes. Isn’t he with you now?”
“No, I’m sorry. Lawrence passed away just a short time ago.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that. We’ll have to tell Tommy. Did you meet him on the way in?”
“Tommy? You mean the boy sitting out front?”
“Yes,” Catherine smiled. “He believes he’s the protector of the orphanage. He and Mr. Anthony became close friends during the short period of time he was here in New Orleans. He was a very generous man. He helped us with some of our expenses. Mr. Anthony also had quite a way with the children and befriended many of the boys and girls. Whenever he came by for a visit, he brought penny candy for everyone. Tommy’s often asked me about him since he left, but we never heard from him again. I’m sure the news of his death will upset him, but it’s important that he know the truth. He did care so much for the old man.”
“Did Mr. Anthony say anything to you about the fact that we would be coming after him?”
“No, why?”
“No reason. Thank you for your help.”
“If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know,” she offered.
“Do you mind if we have a look around after we talk to Tommy?”
“Not at all. Come with me. We’ll find him and tell him the news together.”
Catherine led the way out into the hall and moved toward the main entrance. Tommy was having a serious discussion with the little girl.
“Tommy? Could you come here for a moment?”
“Sure Miss Catherine.”
“Tommy, this is . . .”
“Mr. McKittrick. I know, he told me who he was on the way in.”
“Well, Mr. McKittrick is a friend of Lawrence Anthony’s. Remember the elderly gentleman who visited you regularly a few years ago?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied cautiously.
“They have some news about him that I’m afraid isn’t happy. It seems your friend has passed away.”
“No . . .”
“Lawrence died just a few months ago. He left instructions for us to come here to St. Joan’s in search of a path to follow.”
“A path? That doesn’t make sense,” the boy remarked.
Matt, Winn, and Alex all felt their spirits plummet at the youth’s statement. They’d hoped this orphans’ home was their connection. They’d hoped it would be a simple thing to get the final clue to the crown’s whereabouts and be on their way. It looked like it was going to be more difficult to solve.
“Was there anything in particular that Mr. Anthony liked about the orphanage or any place around that he enjoyed a lot?”
“No. He just liked to sit and talk to us,” Tommy answered. “I’m sorry he’s dead. He was a nice man.”
“We liked him, too,” Alex spoke up. “Are you sure he didn’t say anything about our coming after him?”
“No. Why?”
“I just wondered, that’s all.”
“I don’t know a whole lot about Mr. Anthony. We just talked and stuff, and then he left, and I never saw him again.”
“Thanks, Tommy,” Catherine told the boy.
“Was there anything else you needed to know about St. Joan’s that I can help you with?”
“I don’t think so. Do you mind if we just walk around the grounds?”
“Not at all. Make yourself at home here.”
“We appreciate your help.”
“If you need anything at all, just let me know.”
“Thanks.”
Tommy watched as Matt, Winn, and Alex moved off, then turned his attention back to Lisa.
“What do you think?” Alex asked as they left the building. “Why do you suppose things seem so old and falling apart?”
“It’s not what I think, it’s what I know. There’s no money. Every cent Mrs. Sutherland takes in, she spends on food and care for the children. Taking care of a building is the last thing on her list of important things to do. First come her children, and she looks to have a pretty full house.”
“Why do you suppose Lawrence wanted us to come here? What does ‘see the unseen’ mean? What are we supposed to be seeing that we’re not?”
“If I knew that, we’d have the crown already.”
They checked out the surroundings, but found nothing that seemed to be a clue. Finally, in disappointment and confusion, they went back to their hotel.
Fourteen
When they reached the St. Charles, Matt went to the men’s saloon to relax for a while, and Winn escorted Alex upstairs to her room.
“I’ll be back for you in an hour,” he said as they reached their door.
“What are we going to do?” Alex asked.
“It’s a surprise,” he told her gently. “Tonight, you’re mine.”
“What about the Crown? Shouldn’t we be working on the next clue?”
Winn stepped closer, creating a greater sense of intimacy between them. “Not tonight,” he said, his voice deep with meaning. “Tonight, Miss Parker, Lord Bradford is coming to call.”
His gaze was warm upon her, and she felt a thrill of excitement as she stared up at him.
“I’ll be ready.” Her voice was a whisper of anticipation.
Winn’s gaze dropped to her mouth for a moment. He wanted to kiss her, to taste the sweetness of her lips again, but an elderly couple was coming down the hall, and he was forced, for propriety’s sake, to control himself. The power of the need he felt for her kept surprising him. No other woman had ever affected him this way. “I’ll be back in a little while.” He tore himself free of her intoxicating nearness and moved off down the hall.
Alex remained where she was, watching him until he’d disappeared into his own room. Winn greeted the older couple as he passed them and Alex heard the old lady say, “What a nice young man,” after he’d gone by. Alex smiled and went into her room.
Eagerness filled Alex as she thought about the evening to come. Lord Bradford was coming to call! The days of denying her feelings for him were over. They were going out publicly together, and there would be no more deception.
In the midst of her light-hearted mood, though, thoughts of the Anthonys and her own deception slipped into her mind. Guilt gnawed at her, but she pushed it away. Tonight was her night. Tonight, she was going to be with Winn, and they could laugh and smile and enjoy each other. She would worry about the rest of it later.
Alex couldn’t remember ever being so excited about seeing a man. She had only an hour to get ready, so she quickly ordered a bath and started going through her limited selection of gowns. She’d never been one to care much about fashion, and tonight, she regretted it. She wanted to look her best for Winn, but the most fashionable gown she had was the demure, turquoise one she’d worn to dinner on the steamer. With a dreamy smile, she realized that she’d been wearing it the first time he’d kissed her. Alex pulled it out and smoothed it on the bed, then began to get ready for his coming.
Winn was smiling as he got ready to begin his official courtship of Alex. While it was true that he was going about everything just a little bit backward with her, somehow it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she come to know him as himself. His wardrobe was scant for he’d concentrated on priestly clothing when he’d packed so quickly that night, but he had thrown in one good suit of clothes, and he took them out now.
Winn was prompt in calling for her for he didn’t want to waste a moment of the time they had together. No one knew where the search would lead them next, so they had to take their moments of happiness while they could.
“Alex?” he called her name as he knocked on the door.
Alex was brushing her hair and at the sound of his call, she went still. He was there . . . at last. Giving her curls one last stroke, she put the brush aside and hurried to admit him. Her cheeks were a bit flushed with excitement as she opened the door.
“I’m ready,” she announced with a smile as she looked up at him.
She hadn’t thought it possible for Winn to look any more handsome than he usually did, but this first sight of him dressed as a gentleman took her breath away. His suit was dark gray. The jacket was casually cut, yet fit his broad shoulders like a dream. The waistcoat he wore was dark green and lowcut over his snowy white shirt, high collar, and dark gray bow tie. His pants were straight-cut and hugged his powerful thighs in a tantalizing embrace. He wore black, highly polished boots. Alex blinked. Any and all traces of Father Bradford were gone forever as she saw Winn now in his true light. Lord Winston Bradford, the man of her dreams.
“You look lovely,” Winn told her, smitten. She was wearing the dress she’d had on the night he’d kissed her, and he couldn’t resist kissing her again, right then.
“I wanted to dress up for you, but . . .” She started to apologize.
He silenced her with another kiss. “You couldn’t look any prettier. Let’s go to dinner, I’m starved.”
Taking her arm, Winn escorted her downstairs, through the hotel’s spacious domed lobby to the opulent dining room. The dining room was elegant, surpassing even the splendor on the steamer. They were given a quiet, secluded table. After they’d ordered and the waiter had poured their wine, Winn lifted his glass to Alex in a toast.
“To our quest,” he said softly, his eyes holding hers across the candlelit table.
“Our quest.” She matched him in that toast, her eyes never leaving his as she drank from the crystal wineglass. Guilt played around the edges of her conscience, but she ignored it.
Winn watched transfixed as she sipped the wine. Had they not been in such a public place he would have kissed her then just to taste the sweet liquid on her lips. Before he could indulge himself in too many fantasies, their first course arrived.
The meal was sumptuous, and they savored every bite.
Alex was mesmerized by the new Winn. She thought about the night they’d waltzed together, and she remembered how foreign she’d thought the collar had looked on him. She smiled to herself now as she realized how right she’d been.
“What are you smiling about?” he asked.
“I was thinking about the night we danced on the steamboat.”
“What about it?” His gaze darkened as he thought of that night.
“I remember feeling that somehow the priest’s collar didn’t seem right on you.”
“Did I do something wrong?” He frowned.
“Oh, no. You played the priest to perfection. It was just that you’d seemed so relaxed and confident when we’d waltzed . . . almost as if you’d been in your element.”
He grinned at her. “I was. I didn’t lie to you when I told you my uncle was a great influence on me. He was always trying to get me to change my ways, since I spent most of my time gambling or making the rounds of the social set. Coming on this search has been an adventure for me in more ways than one.”
“I’m glad you did.”
Their gazes met and locked in understanding. “So am I.”
When they’d finished their meal, Winn led her from the hotel. After instructing the doorman to get them an open carriage, he took her for a romantic ride through the streets of New Orleans.
The moon hung high overhead, and the stars were shining their brightest. They rode through the Vieux Carré, past Jackson Square and the Cabildo. When they passed the opera, Winn promised to take her there the next night.
“It’s lovely here,” she murmured, nestling close to his side.
“It is a beautiful city, but I love London even more. One day, I’ll take you there.”
“I’d like that. Whenever Father and I are in London, we’re usually working so hard that I don’t have much time to enjoy the city.”
“It will be my pleasure to introduce you to the delights of my town,” he said gallantly. “Tell me about your father, Alex. You’ve never said much about him.”
“He’s a wonderful man,” she began slowly, the pain of knowing he was in prison hurting her desperately. “History is his life, and he raised me to feel the same way. I deeply regret that he couldn’t be with us on this trip . . .” As she spoke, tears filled her eyes.
“Alex, what’s wrong?” Winn saw the emotion in her eyes and wondered at it. It seemed odd that she would get teary just talking about her father. He reached out to her with a gentle hand and lifted her chin so he could see her more clearly. “You know if there’s anything troubling you, you can come to me. I’ll do everything in my power to help you.”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just regret that Papa isn’t here with us,” she denied. “Finding the crown was his dream.”
“Did you leave him a note in Boston? It could be he’s there right now, eagerly awaiting your return with news of the crown.”
“I hope so. I truly do,” she managed. Lifting her gaze, she studied Winn in the moonlight. She loved him, and she wanted to believe with all her heart that one day they would see London together. But the knowledge that she would soon betray him haunted her.
Winn was unaware of her thoughts as he kissed her. His mouth sought hers in a sweetly passionate exchange that told her without words just how much he wanted her.
“Let’s go back,” she whispered, wanting to be in his arms again, wanting to taste of his love while she still could.
Winn gave the order, and the driver headed back to the hotel. When they arrived, Winn climbed out first and then helped Alex down, his hands at her waist. Even through her layers of clothing, she could feel the heat of his hands, and she could hardly wait to feel them on her bare flesh. She rested her hands on his shoulders and met his eyes as he lowered her to the ground.
Hers was a telling look, and Winn felt a jolt of excitement slam through his body. He was hard pressed not to sweep her up in his arms and carry her through the lobby straight to her room.
“Flower for your lady, mister?” a young boy asked as he stood near the main entrance, holding small bouquets of fresh flowers.
“Yes, please,” he said, stopping to buy one.
“Thanks . . .”
When the boy had moved away, Winn gallantly presented them to Alex. “For you . . .”
She held them close and inhaled their sweet fragrance. “They’re lovely, thank you.” Her eyes were glowing as she looked up at him.
“You’re welcome.”
Her obvious joy over his simple gift surprised and pleased Winn. In London, when he’d gifted some of the society beauties he’d dated with bouquets of the finest roses, they’d merely thanked him perfunctorily and handed them over to a waiting servant to be disposed of. Alex looked as though this small gift was the finest present she’d ever received.
Taking her arm, Winn escorted her through the lobby and back upstairs to her room. The hallway was deserted, and he was relieved. He wanted to protect her reputation and would take every precaution to keep her safe. After unlocking the door and opening it for her, he waited for her to go in. Alex stepped inside the darkened room and pulled him in after her, quickly closing the door.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since this afternoon . . .” Winn murmured, drawing her to him.
“I’ve been waiting all my life,” she said, linking her arms around his neck and drawing him down for a kiss.
At the touch of her lips on his, he shuddered, then tightened his arms around her, crushing her against his chest. The desire he felt for her erupted into a flaming inferno as he held her close, their bodies touching from thigh to breast.
Alex gasped as she felt the hard heat of him. The sensation was electrifying. It thrilled her to know that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
“Wait . . .” she whispered, pulling away a little.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, puzzled.
“No. Everything’s wonderful . . . just wait here.”
Alex moved away into the darkness. He heard the scratch of a match, and she lit a lamp on the nightstand.
“I wanted to be able to see you,” she said simply, returning to his waiting arms.
Winn had been with many women in his time, but none of them had ever affected him as Alex did. There was something so seductively innocent about her that it rendered him nearly senseless with the need to be one with her. With slow precision, he shed his coat and hung it on the back of the chair nearby.
“Let me . . .” Alex said with an almost brazen smile as she came forward to unbutton his vest. She ran her hands over the width of his chest as she helped him take it off, and she enjoyed the feel of his hard muscles beneath his shirt.
Alex tossed the vest on the chair with his coat, then came back to loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt. He stood before her, thrilling at her touch. He remained unmoving for fear that if he did move he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from throwing her on the bed and claiming her right then and there. When she’d loosened all the buttons, he shrugged out of the shirt and waited as she tossed it aside, too.
“You have the most beautiful chest . . .” she told him.
Alex didn’t know if it was the wine she’d had at dinner or just her desperate hunger for Winn that drove her, but she couldn’t seem to touch him enough. Her hands skimmed over his chest, tangling in the crisp mat of hair as her lips sought his throat. She heard the sharp intake of his breath as she pressed hot kisses to his neck, and she smiled. Emboldened by the knowledge that she was pleasing him, she began to trail kisses along the path her hands had forged across his chest.
Winn had remained quiet as she’d undressed him, but at the touch of her mouth on his body, he could be still no longer. With a growl of pure animal need, he picked her up and stalked to the bed. There was no patience in him as he stripped away her gown. There was only need and want and desire.
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