Moontide Embrace (Historical Romance) (43 page)

Liberty sat down on a chair and stared at Bandera as if
seeing her for the first time. "We could never have been friends, but it wasn't because of my father. You and I are
worlds apart. There was a time when you had it all,
Bandera—beauty and popularity. You could have married
anyone you wanted. Look how low you have sunk by
marrying Sebastian. I pity you."

"Save your pity for yourself, Liberty. You are the one
who is going to need it." Bandera left and slammed the door behind her.

Liberty threw herself on the bed and lost herself in tears of misery. What was going to happen to her? What was she going to do?"

The Christmas dinner Bandera had brought her remained uneaten because Liberty cried herself to sleep.

Judah looked at his first mate and his eyes narrowed
with fury. "Are you sure, Philippe? Could there be no
mistake?"

"I saw it with my own eyes, Captain. Me and Rojo were
just pulling away from the pier at Briar Oaks, and we saw
a large floating barge coming out of the mist. We rowed
around the bend and watched them go ashore at Briar Oaks. There were about fifty of them, counting the
walking wounded and those that were carried on a litter. I
stayed long enough to find out they were setting up a hospital there."

"Did you see Liberty?"

"No, Captain, but I believe I saw a man who fit your
cousin Sebastian's description. He was laughing and act
ing like he was great friends with the British."

"Damn." Judah clenched his fists. "I should never have
allowed Liberty to go back there. I should have insisted
that she go to Bend of the River and stay with my mother."

"Judging from the brief encounter I had with your wife
on the
Winged Victory,
I'd say she has a mind of her own,- Captain."

"Yes, she is the most stubborn, hot-tempered . . . kindhearted, adorable woman I have ever come up against."

Philippe threw up his hands. "Save me from men who
are in love. I never thought to see the day you would give
up the free and easy life to concentrate on one woman,
Captain. I know several ladies who will not be too happy
about that turn of events."

Judah fixed his first mate with a disagreeable glance. "I
have no time for your little jests, Philippe. I have to know
what is going on at Briar Oaks."

"I don't see how you are going to do that. The place is
crawling with the enemy and is a veritable fortress, with
guards posted about fifty yards apart."

Philippe was surprised to see the smile on his captain's
face. "I know someone who can get past the guards and they wouldn't dare challenge her," Judah said. "No one
would dare challenge Zippora."

"Are you referring to that old woman you told me about, the one with the yellow eyes?" Philippe asked.

"Yes. I believe you and I will just pay a little visit to her
this afternoon."

"Are you sure you can find her place? You said it was
deep in the swamps."

Judah laughed and clapped his friend on the back. "I have a map Liberty drew for me." He sobered, and his jaw came together in a stubborn line.

"No one had better touch Liberty. If they do, they will
answer to me."

20

A strange noise caught Liberty's attention, and moving
to the window, she pushed the draperies aside. At first she
was too stunned to feel rage. It appeared that one of the
British soldiers was in the magnolia tree outside her window, and he was cutting off the branches!

Liberty pushed open the window, and called down to
him. "Who gave you permission to cut my tree? I insist that you stop this instant."

The young soldier smiled at the pretty young woman.
"I'm sorry, madam. I am just following orders."

"Who gave the order for my tree to be butchered?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I am sorry, madam. I was told,
that if you asked, I was to say that your sister informed
the colonel that you have often used this tree to leave your
bedroom. The colonel ordered it trimmed back so you
couldn't reach it."

Liberty was so angry that she could not find her voice,
but anyway she realized nothing would be gained by
arguing with the man. He was only carrying out orders. It
was Bandera who drew her anger. How could her own sister betray her?

Liberty watched as the big overhanging branch that
grew next to her window splintered and fell to the ground.
She couldn't understand why the British officer would want to keep her a prisoner in her room.

There had been only the sound of intermittent gunfire all day, and Liberty did not know what was happening. For all she knew, the war might have been lost.

A knock on the door caused Liberty to start. "Come in," she called out, hoping it would be Oralee, because she yearned for a familiar face. Instead, when the door was pushed open, she saw the young soldier who had been sawing the limbs off her tree.

"Begging your pardon, Mrs. Slaughter, but Colonel
Newman would like to see you downstairs right away."

"If he wants to see me, let him come to me," Liberty
said, raising her chin haughtily. She was not in the least
happy about being summoned in her own home.

The young man smiled at her, and his eyes looked
kindly into hers. "Ma'am, if you wouldn't mind a sugges
tion, you should do as Colonel Newman says. He's in a position to make things a lot easier for you
...
or more
difficult, if you know what I mean."

Liberty picked up her shawl and pulled it around her
shoulders. She would very much like to keep her pride
and demand that the colonel come to her, but the truth of
the matter was, at this point, she would do almost anything to get out of this room. "It would seem I have little choice. Lead the way," she said.

As they descended the stairs, Liberty asked, "What news of the war,
Monsieur?"

"I don't believe I'll be giving away any secrets if I tell
you it's a stand-off, Mrs. Slaughter."

At least that is something, she thought. The war has not been won, but it isn't lost either.

Colonel Graham Newman was a man in his early
thirties, and already he was a seasoned veteran, having
served in two campaigns — one in France, and now here in
this godforsaken country, called America. Nothing had
prepared him for the kind of war the Americans waged; they called it Indian warfare. The Americans could strike
anywhere and anytime, leaving their enemies confused
and bleeding, and they disappeared as quickly as they had
come. They seemed to do their best fighting at night, a fact the British had been forced to adjust to.

He shuffled the papers on his desk and leaned back,
closing his eyes for a moment, trying not to think about
the loneliness that weighed on his shoulders. He had been
away from England too long, and he yearned for his home. Soon it would be spring, and the roses in his mother's garden would be in full bloom.

Aside from the many problems which had plagued
Colonel Newman, there was the lady of the house to deal
with. If her sister and her brother-in-law were to be
believed, the lady had two heads and breathed fire. If the
lady was indeed the wife of Judah Slaughter, the notori
ous pirate who had preyed on British shipping and British
naval vessels, it was a stroke of luck that she had fallen into his hands.

The Admiralty would give much to get their hands on
Judah Slaughter. He was responsible for the sinking of
the
Royal George,
the capture of the
Freemont,
and the
seizure of Admiral Sills and his crew. Word had come
from headquarters that Colonel Newman was to use the
lady, in any way he felt necessary, to obtain Admiral Sills's freedom.

Newman's eyes dimmed. It was distasteful to him to use
a woman. But he was a professional soldier, and he would
do what he must to help win this war. He could always hope the woman was a simpleton so he could easily maneuver her to his best advantage. Perhaps he could induce her to write a frantic note that might bring her
husband to her rescue. Newman would like nothing better
than to catch Captain Judah Slaughter in a trap. The man
that captured the notorious captain would gain great
recognition.

The door was pushed open, and Colonel Newman
caught a flurry of pink and a flash of golden hair. He sat
up straight, as a lovely young woman advanced toward
him, anger burning in her glorious, blue eyes. He was
stunned as he waited for the beautiful vision to speak,
wondering if she was real or if he had conjured her up out of his loneliness.

"I assume I am addressing Colonel Newman," Liberty
said, raising her chin and glaring at him even as she wondered why he was staring at her so strangely.

Her French accent was as lovely as she was. If this was
the lady of the house, she did not fit her relatives'
descriptions. She was barely more than a child. Perhaps
there was some mistake.

He stood and bowed to her politely. "I am Colonel Graham Newman, at your service, Mrs. Slaughter."

"I am surprised you know my name, Colonel. I had
thought myself all but forgotten by the intruders who occupy my home."

"You will excuse me, ma'am, but I arrived late last night. I did not learn about your detention until that
time." He smiled, thinking to win her confidence with
kindness. "As you can see, I made you my first order of the day."

"That is not quite true, Colonel. Your first order of the
day was to cut the branches off my magnolia tree. I
demand to know the reason you think you can come into
my home and treat it as if it were your own?"

He was enchanted by the way her eyes changed color
when she became incensed. "Alas, Mrs. Slaughter, war
makes warlords of us all. I like the idea of forcefully
using your house no less than you do. No one as lovely as
you should be forced to remain in her room. We would all
enjoy your company at dinner tonight."

Liberty was not appeased. The colonel had pretty manners, but she was not one to be won over by charm.
"I do not desire to dine with you. May I assume I am still
free to choose with whom I dine?"

"Indeed, the choice is yours, but I would hope you
would reconsider. It will all be quite proper, if that is your
concern. Your sister and her husband will be dining with
me as well."

She looked at him through veiled silky lashes. "That is
just another reason for me to decline. I have no wish to be at the same table with Bandera and Sebastian."

"But I assumed that your sister—"

"Do not assume anything where my sister is concerned,
Monsieur.
However, I have no intention of discussing my
private family matters with you."

He seated himself at the desk and waved her to a chair.
Liberty ignored his gesture, choosing to stand instead. "If
you do not wish to dine with me, what can I do for you?"

"You can vacate my house."

"Aside from that?"

"You could always remove the guard from in front of my door."

He smiled. "After seeing you, I believe I will leave him
there for your own protection. You are far too lovely to be left unguarded with so many men in the house."

"Is that meant to be amusing?"

The smile left his lips, and he leaned forward, thinking
the direct approach was the best way to proceed. "Tell me
about your husband, Mrs. Slaughter."

"I would be glad to, Colonel. My husband is an American, who, like thousands of his countrymen, resents your trespassing on land that does not belong to you."

Instead of being angry, Colonel Newman was further
intrigued. "You French, in Louisiana, must be more than
confused as to what country you belong to since it has
changed hands so many times."

"We belong to ourselves, and we have the right to
choose who will represent us." Her eyes flashed like blue
ice. "I would like to stand here chatting with you, Colo
nel, but I have better things to do with my time."

"Such as returning to your room?"

"Is that an ultimatum?"

"That depends. If I allow you free access to the house
and grounds, will you give me your word that you will not
try to send word to your husband?" Colonel Newman thought he was being very clever. He wanted Judah
Slaughter to find out his wife was being held against her
will. But it must be handled in such a way that Captain Slaughter wouldn't suspect a trap. After seeing the lovely
Liberty, Colonel Newman had very little doubt that
Slaughter would come for his wife if he thought she was
being detained.

Liberty was quiet for a moment as she pondered his words. If she told him she would not try to see Judah, would he let her out of her room? No, she could not lie to gain her freedom. She would do everything in her power to try to get in touch with Judah.

"I am sorry, Colonel. I cannot promise you that. I will do everything in my power to contact my husband."

"You see my problem then?"

"If that is all you have to say, I wish to return to my room. I have no desire to talk to you any longer."

Liberty had already started across the room when he
called out to her. "Wait. I have another matter to discuss
with you. I have been pestered all morning by some
strange women who says her name is Zippora. She refuses
to leave until she sees you. I am told she has camped on the front steps and hasn't budged since early this morning. Your brother-in-law informs me that she is some
kind of a witch, but I doubt that. Would you like to see
her?"

Liberty spun around.
"Oui,
I would like very much to see her, Colonel. Zippora is a good friend of mine."

"An odd friendship," he mumbled under his breath.
Standing up, he flashed her a smile. "If you will agree to see the woman in my presence, I will allow her to come
in."

"I would much rather see Zippora alone in my room. I
am not accustomed to having my conversations overheard
by a complete stranger."

He chuckled and moved to the door. "I understand how
you feel, but I must insist that you remain here with me. I
would not like you to pass on any information to her that
might be used against us by the Americans."

"Zippora hardly has Andrew Jackson's ear," Liberty
argued.

"That may be true, but I'm not sure she hasn't Judah
Slaughter's."

Liberty thought it better not to press the issue. It was
enough to know she was not alone and that Zippora had
not forgotten her.

As Colonel Newman spoke to the orderly who stood
just outside the door, Liberty went to the bookshelf and
pulled out a volume and casually turned the pages. She didn't want the colonel to know how anxious she was to
see Zippora. She had a feeling the man was up to something, but she didn't know what it could be.

When the door opened and Liberty saw that dear face,
she dropped the book and ran across the room to be held
in Zippora's comforting arms. She had forgotten to act
with restraint. "I am so glad to see you," she cried, letting
her emotions pour out. "I have never felt so alone."