Her Pirate to Love: A Sam Steele Romance (29 page)

“And me?” added the other twin.

“Yes, you may all go.”

Shouts of glee pierced Grace’s ears as three small bodies raced past her and hollered their way up the stairs. Grinning, Mrs. Davis followed.

“And don’t give Mrs. Davis too much trouble,” Claire called as she turned. Her face flushed when she saw Grace. “Oh.” She blew out a breath, smiled. “I hope that lot doesn’t scare you. There truly are moments of peace. Of course, it’s usually when they are asleep.”

At ease with Claire, Grace stepped further into the dining room. “’Tis sorry I am I wasn’t down earlier to help. If you need me, you’ve only to ask.”

“You’re a guest in my home, Grace. Please sit.” She glanced at the woman who fussed with covered dishes on the sideboard. “Mrs. Wingate, now that the little devils have left, I’ll have my breakfast. And a plate for Grace as well.”

The woman nodded, took two plates from the cupboard and began dishing out eggs, ham, and biscuits. Meanwhile, Claire filled two cups with tea from the pot sitting on the long table. She placed one in front of Grace before taking a seat opposite her. Grace grabbed her cup just as Mrs. Wingate slid a plate before her. The smell of ham was a welcome one and she inhaled deeply, her mouth watering as she did.

“Oh.” Claire gasped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think to ask if you were hungry. I was ravenous when I was carrying but I know Alicia suffered terrible morning sickness with hers. I can take—”

Grace laughed, grabbed the plate before Claire could snatch it away. “I get tired easily, but me apatite has not yet suffered.”

“Oh, good. Then let’s tuck in, we’ve a busy morning planned.”

“’Tis happy I am to lend a hand with whatever you’ll be needing done for the festivities.”

Claire paused in cutting her meat. “I’m not putting you to work, Grace. Mrs. Davis has the children well in hand and her niece will be here later to help when the others arrive. Mrs. Wingate’s sister is coming to help in the kitchen. Mrs. Davenport will be here to prepare the rooms. You and I,” she said, “are going into Santo Domingo.”

“But you’ve company coming.”

“Which is why I have help.”

The rest of the meal was spent in easy conversation and before Grace knew it her plate was empty. She leaned back, hands folded over her stomach. ’Twas lovely to feel comfortable and welcome. Safe.

She’d always imagined her return to Ireland would be the same. She’d be welcomed back amid her kin. They’d help her find work and give her shelter. But after Cale’s words on the matter, and her own considerations, she now knew there was no such guarantee. The truth was, she had no idea how ravaged her country was, or what her relatives had endured these past dozen years. How many had survived? How many had remained in the area she knew as home? What if she couldn’t find any or she did but they weren’t in any position to help her?

She knew now she’d had a young girl’s vision of what awaited her, but she wasn’t the young girl who’d left Ireland all those years ago. She was a woman and it was past time she thought as one. Nothing certain awaited her in Ireland. She couldn’t know where her relatives were or how they’d treat her. Would she able to find a home, work?

Here she was guaranteed both shelter and work. She wouldn’t have to worry about keeping her child warm through a cold and miserable winter.

Claire pushed back from the table. “Shall we go?”

Grace shook off the troubling thoughts. She’d think more on it. After all, she had plenty of time. It wasn’t as though she could board a ship for Ireland today if she wanted to.

“Are we going to the orphanage?”

“That will have to wait until tomorrow, I’m afraid. Cale thought you might like to have a nice gown for the party.”

Grace wasn’t sure if the blush burning her cheeks was embarrassment or pleasure. ’Twas bold of Cale to say such a thing as it implied a certain amount of intimacy. But it showed he cared about her feelings and that touched her deeply. He didn’t want her to feel any less when she met the others. However, she couldn’t simply walk into the dressmakers and buy what she wanted.

“Claire, I have no—”

Her friend took one of Grace’s hands and dropped a small bag of coins into it.

“I’ll not be taking your money,” Grace protested, already reaching for Claire to take it back.

“It’s not mine, it’s yours.”

Understanding dawned. “Cale gave you this.”

“He said it came from the treasure they’d taken off Roche’s ship. He said it was the least the cad owed you.” Claire smiled, her blue-green eyes sparkled. “Truth be told, the word he used wasn’t quite as mild as ‘cad’.”

No, she imagined it hadn’t been. Grace pulled the bag close. He’d known. He’d known she’d have struggled accepting his charity but by saying it was Roche’s money she’d have little trouble taking the coins. Oh, and how she’d relish spending the money knowing it had been taken from that foul man.

“I’ve brought you a shawl.” Claire lifted the garment from the seat next to her. “It’s too hot outside to need one, but I thought you might want one anyhow.”

Knowing how she must look with Cale’s shirt over her worn gown, Grace appreciated Claire’s forethought.

“Thank you. And I promise I’ll hurry to pick something. I don’t want you to miss a moment with your friends.”

“We have time. They don’t usually arrive until mid-afternoon. Besides,” she added, tucking her arm through Grace’s and leading her outside into the bright sunshine, “I truly don’t get the opportunity to do this very often.”

There was a carriage waiting out front and four men were gathered round it, speaking to the man perched in the driver’s seat. Grace had hoped to see Cale and thank him, but he wasn’t among the men waiting outside. They turned as they heard the door to the house close. Grace recognized Nate and three men from the
Revenge
including—

“Aidan!” Claire let go of Grace’s arm and, skirts in hand, raced down the few steps and flung herself into Aidan’s waiting arms.

As Aidan spun her around, Nate looked on, a warm smile upon his face. His smile never wavered, even when Aidan set Claire down and Nate curved an arm around her shoulders and said, “Get your own wife.”

“I will, when I find one as nice as yours,” he teased.

Grace stepped toward them. “Sure and that shouldn’t be a problem with all your charm.”

Aidan grinned, winked. “Maybe I’m waiting for a nice Irish lass.”

She rolled her eyes. “Aye, that be the charm I was talking of.”

The horses shook their necks, rattling their harness and reminding everyone time was wasting.

“We should be on our way,” Claire said.

“Don’t rush back. The meat is roasting and Aidan suggested we take the boys swimming, wear them down so they have a nice long nap this afternoon.”

“Thank you.” Claire rose on her toes, kissed her husband’s cheek then did the same to Aidan. “And you.”

“Go. With any luck you may even meet up with Samantha and Luke or Blake and Alicia at the docks.”

“They don’t come in where we did?” Grace asked.

“No need. Blake’s a privateer and Luke’s been pardoned. They come in from the main port.” Nate explained. “Besides, it’s easy enough to tuck one sloop in our little estuary, but hiding three ships would be impossible.”

While Nate helped his wife into the carriage, Grace turned to Aidan and whispered, “Is Cale all right?”

Aidan tucked his tongue into his cheek. Amusement filled his eyes. “He’s…cleaning, you might say.”

“Cleaning?”

“Are you ready, Grace?” Claire asked.

“Aye.” She accepted Nate’s hand into the carriage but the entire way to town she couldn’t quite erase the sight of Aidan chuckling as they rolled away.

*

Grace was upstairs
in the same bedroom she’d slept in last night. In the end, with Claire’s enthusiastic encouragement and reassurances they had time to spare, she had bought herself three day dresses, nightclothes, shoes and undergarments. Then there’d been another stop where she’d purchased more personal items, such as a hairbrush and soap. Everything lay spread over the bedcovers and the sheer amount of what she’d spent made her feel sick. That it was Roche’s money eased her conscience a little.

From outside the window came the sound of pounding hooves. Claire’s squeal of delight rang from downstairs. “They’re here!”

Claire’s hurried footsteps were barely heard over the children’s shrieks as they too rushed for the door. Wanting to give them some time alone, but curious to see whom she would meet first, Grace stood to the side of her window, drew the curtain and peered out.

The driver was opening the carriage door when Claire raced outside, followed by her three excited children. Four children sprang from the carriage. The younger two seemed to be similar in age to Claire’s twins but the others, a boy and a girl, were a few years older. Yet it didn’t stop them from running around, screaming and chasing each other. Claire didn’t seem to mind, her attention was on the carriage as she all but danced on the spot.

The woman came out next, an infant in her arms. Five children; it had to be Alicia. It was hard to see her clearly as Claire was there, wrapping her arms carefully around Alicia and the babe. They were still embracing when Alicia’s husband stepped out. Blake was handsome, no question, but it was the expression on his face—the same one Nate had when he looked at his wife—which pulled at Grace.

As did the fact that the moment Alicia was free of Claire’s embrace her hand reached for Blake’s. He wove his fingers through hers even as he leaned forward to kiss Claire’s cheek. Watching them, hearing their excited voices, Grace felt an overwhelming wave of loneliness.

She missed being surrounded by familiar faces, by people who loved her and whom she loved in return. She missed going to sleep at night knowing the people who mattered most to her were nearby, that she’d see their faces come morning. She’d had that. Even in Montserrat she’d had that with her parents and she’d tossed it away as though it hadn’t mattered.

When, really, it was the only thing that did.

Before Grace could get too lost in her melancholy, Claire yelled over her shoulder, “Grace, we have company!”

*

As Cale drew
on his shirt and looked around the cabin, he no longer saw his surroundings as simply a place to live. He saw them as the place which had sheltered him, given him a purpose. He’d been drowning in grief until Nate and Blake had found him. By being Steele, he’d been able to go on. Perhaps not as himself, but at least he’d survived.

Now he intended to live.

While there were a few things he needed to do before he could well and truly let the past go, at least the darkness he’d been living in was gone. His heart felt light and, for once, the future didn’t loom dark and endless before him. He’d done his duty to Vincent. He saw now that he could honor his wife’s memory more by being the man she’d married than by being Steele. He had no intention of leaving her and Caden’s memories behind, but he’d carry them in his heart and cherish them, rather than use them as an excuse to hide.

A smile pulled at his lips as he took the steps up the ladder to the main deck. Everyone was in for a surprise and he couldn’t wait to get started. Tossing the hatch open, he stepped into the sunlight.

“I was about to come get—” Aidan stopped; his eyes went wide.

“What?”

Aidan’s brows furrowed. He tilted his head.

“What?” Cale ran a palm down his freshly shaven cheeks.

“You look…” He shook his head, swallowed. “Nothing. You look different.”

“You knew I would since you came earlier just as I was preparing to shave.”

Aidan didn’t seem to be able to stop staring. “It’s more than the difference.” He leaned forward, his gaze searching Cale’s face.

“What were you coming down to tell me?”

“Oh.” Aidan blew out a breath. “I was coming to tell you most of the crew has gone and I was going ashore.”

“Then your timing was perfect. I was about to go myself.”

“
You’re
going ashore?”

“Yes.”

“You haven’t forgotten that by now Luke, Samantha, Alicia, and Blake are there. Not to mention Alicia’s
five
children added to Claire’s three.”