The Forbidden Lady (21 page)

“Oh, that’s sweet of you, but I hope he’ll be released tomorrow. I wish they would let me see him. Where
is
Aunt Mary?”

Caroline winced when she dropped a stitch. “Now look what you made me do.”

Virginia frowned, suspecting her sister knew more than she was telling. “Where is she?”

“She’ll be back soon. There’s no need to worry.”

“She
left
? Edward will be furious.” Virginia clutched her middle when her stomach twinged.

“Ginny, are you ill?”

“I don’t think so. I . . . I wanted to talk to Aunt Mary. I believe I’m with child.”

Caroline flung her knitting to the side. “Ginny, that is marvelous news!”

“ ’Twill not be marvelous if the child has no father. Or if he grows up with all of Boston thinking his father’s a criminal.”

Caroline reached over to squeeze her hand. “Everything will be fine.”

“It is not fine. Edward told us not to leave the house. Why did Aunt Mary disobey him?”

“She’s determined to pay Edward back the money he gave her, and Josiah told her about these shops where you can sell your jewelry. So she took Josiah and her old wedding ring. No one will know.”

“I think Edward should know about this.”

“Oh, no, Ginny, you mustn’t tattle on Aunt Mary. She’ll be so vexed with you.”

“Then she can stop talking to me, too.” Virginia limped into Edward’s study.

After hearing about Mary’s escapade, Edward threw on his coat and charged to the door.

“That woman! She’ll learn to mind me.” He slammed the door shut.

Virginia winced. Caroline stood at the entrance of the parlor, shaking her head.

They returned to the parlor and were deep in a discussion about making things for the baby when a loud banging on the front door interrupted them.

“Good Lord!” Virginia jumped in her seat. “Who could that be?”

“I’ll find out.” Caroline dashed to the front door.

Virginia rose to her feet. “Be careful.”

When her sister squealed, Virginia hobbled into the hall and stopped short. “Papa?”

Jamie Munro released Caroline from a big hug and strode toward Virginia. “Ah, lass, ’tis happy I am ye’re all right.” He enveloped her in his arms. “I thought I’d never find you two. I went to Mary’s house, and ’twas all locked up. What is happening here?”

Virginia leaned against his strong chest, breathing in his familiar scent of pipe tobacco and wool. “ ’Tis a long story. Oh, Father, I’m so glad you came.”

“How are Mama and Fergus?” Caroline asked.

“Yer mother and brother are fine. They send their love.” Jamie pulled Caroline toward him so he had an arm looped around each daughter. “Thank God ye warned me, Caroline. I came as fast as I could. Ginny, how could ye marry the bastard who tried to purchase you?”

Virginia stepped back. “Father, he’s not a bastard.”

“Well, actually, he is.” Caroline shrugged when Virginia glared at her.

“Doona fash yerself, lassie. I’ve come to take care of the matter.”

Virginia frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Now, doona look all sour-faced at me, Ginny. I’ve come a long way, and I’ll no’ be thwarted.” He planted his fists on his waist. “I mean to kill the bastard.”

Virginia groaned.

Caroline snorted. “You’ll have to wait in line.”

“H
ave you seen a lady, about so tall, accompanied by a boy?” Edward asked the shop owner.

“Aye.” The shopkeeper spit on a grubby glass case and smeared the grime around with a tattered cloth. “She would have sold me the ring, but that wretched boy told her to try elsewhere. Thought he could force me up on me offer, the little bugger.”

“Thank you.” Edward proceeded down the narrow lane, weaving through piles of snow-covered garbage. At least, most of the refuse was so frozen it didn’t stink. He passed a millinery shop that, by the looks of the half-naked woman in the window, masked a brothel.

How could Mary do this? Her childish behavior put herself and the boy at risk. She must have suffered greatly in the past to be so touchy.

A snowball hit him on the chest. He stopped and watched a group of young boys dressed in ragged clothes run away. Out of a doorway stepped two familiar forms, Mary and Josiah.

“Mary! What are you doing? This is no place for a woman—” He forgot his anger when she ran toward him, her green eyes sparkling.

“Edward, I’m so glad you’re here!”

He smiled. “You’re talking to me again.”

“Of course, this is important. When Josiah and I were in the shop down the street, I noticed a diamond brooch in the glass case. Then, Josiah and I tried this shop, and I saw a ruby ring.”

Edward shrugged. “Do you want me to buy it?”

“No! I recognize it. ’Tis the ring that was stolen from Mrs. Higgenbottom. And I believe the diamond brooch down the street must be the one stolen from Mrs. Oldham.”

Edward stared at her, then laughed. “Do you know what you’ve done, Mary? You’ve saved Quin!” He grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a kiss on her mouth.

It took a little time, but Edward convinced the two shop owners he was willing to pay a reward for the capture of the real Boston Burglar. To collect the reward, they were to come to the courthouse the next day and tell what they knew.

Edward escorted Mary and Josiah back home. She had remained silent since he had kissed her. “Are you all right, Mary?”

“Oh, I almost forgot.” She fished out a handful of coins from her purse. “This is the first payment for what I owe you.”

“I don’t want your money.” Edward mounted the steps to his front door.

“But I sold my wedding ring to do this. I’m serious, Edward.”

“I’m serious, too.” He opened the door with a sly smile. “I’ll buy you another.”

“Another what?”

“Another wedding ring.”

Her mouth dropped open. A grinning Josiah slipped past her into the house.

Edward touched her shoulder. “Come in, Mary. ’Tis too cold out here.”

She ambled inside with a dazed look.

He shut the door and called out. “Ginny, I have good news!”

A huge, redheaded man barreled out of his parlor. “There ye are, ye bastard!” The man raised his fists. “Prepare to defend yerself.”

“Who the hell are you?” Edward asked.

Mary gasped. “Jamie! What are you doing here?”

Jamie glared at her. “Stand aside, woman. I’ve come to kill the man.”

Mary leapt in front of Edward. “Ye’ll no’ hurt him!”

Edward leaned over to whisper in her ear, “As much as I love this sign of devotion, Mary, I can fight my own battles.”

“Father.” Virginia tugged at her father’s arm. “He’s not Quincy.”

Jamie glowered at Edward. “He looks like him. But ye’re a wee old for my daughter, don’t ye think?”

“I’m Quincy’s uncle, Edward Stanton.”

Jamie turned to his daughter. “This is no’ the bastard ye married?”

“No, I married another one.” Virginia winced. “Quincy is a fine man.”

“Aye? Then where is this fine man?” Jamie asked.

Virginia glanced at Edward. “Well, he . . .”

Caroline grinned. “He’s in prison.”

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY

Tuesday, February 6, 1770

“C
an you describe the man who sold you the ruby ring?” Obadiah Winkle asked as he crossed the courtroom.

The shopkeeper pushed a greasy strand of hair from his face and hooked it behind an ear. “Aye, I can.” He glanced sidelong at the judge. “I didn’t know the ring was stolen.”

“Of course,” Winkle agreed. “The man’s description, please.”

“Well, he had black hair, cut short, like he might wear them fancy wigs, and he was dressed in real fine clothes.”

Colonel Farley rose to his feet. “Your Honor, this man is describing Quincy Stanton. I assure you, I arrested the right man.”

“I’m inclined to agree with you, Colonel.” The judge eyed Quincy with a look of disgust.

Sitting behind the defendant’s table, Quincy kept his face carefully blank and his posture stiff. It was hard to appear calm and dignified when he hadn’t slept or bathed in days. With his dirty, rumpled clothing and unshaven face, he knew he looked every inch a criminal.

“Mr. Stanton, will you please stand?” Winkle asked.

Quincy rose to his feet. He was too exhausted for anger, but still capable of shame. Why had Edward brought Virginia here to witness this? And if circumstances weren’t bad enough, she had her father with her. The large redheaded man was scowling at him as if contemplating different methods of torture.

“Is this the man who sold you the ruby ring?” Winkle asked the shopkeeper.

“No, he ain’t.”

The colonel gaped, then quickly regained his wooden composure. “The witness is mistaken, Your Honor.”

“No, I ain’t.” The shopkeeper twisted in his chair to face the judge. “The man what sold me the ring was shorter and broader. His skin was pale.”

“I see.” The judge frowned at Quincy. “How do you explain the ring found in your clothespress?”

Quincy cleared his throat. “Your Honor, my wife and I were out of town for the month prior to the search. Anyone could have planted the ring during that time in order to incriminate me.”

“Your Honor.” Edward stood up beside Quincy. “We have a second shopkeeper who will corroborate the first one’s testimony.”

The judge nodded his head. “Quincy Stanton, do you know who would wish to set you up in this manner?”

“Aye—”

“We have no idea,” Edward interrupted. He sat and pulled Quincy into his chair.

Quin whispered to his uncle, “What are you doing?”

Edward laid a hand on Quin’s shoulder. “You’re like a son to me, but Clarence is still my nephew.”

Quin shrugged off his uncle’s hand. “I cannot believe this.”

“You wish to see your own brother hang?”

“He deserves it.” Quin gritted his teeth. “ ’Tis what he planned for me.”

“I am prepared to rule,” the judge announced. “In light of the new evidence, I’m dismissing the charges against Quincy Stanton. Colonel Farley, I suggest you look elsewhere for the Boston Burglar. Perhaps, if you start with an accurate description of the man, you will have better success.”

Colonel Farley nodded, his face reddening. With a final glare directed at Quincy, he pivoted and marched from the courtroom. As the judge rose to his feet, everyone stood.

Quin leaned toward his uncle. “Edward, if you don’t turn in Clarence, I will. He’s still a threat to Virginia and our business.”

“Don’t worry. I have a plan.” Edward motioned to their solicitor. “I need to talk to Winkle. Why don’t you give your wife a hug?”

Because I don’t deserve her.
Quincy watched Virginia rush toward him, smiling. He groaned inwardly when he saw the slight limp in her steps. It was his fault for placing her in danger.

“Quincy!” She wrapped her arms around him.

He held her tight and breathed in the scent of lavender he had missed as much as sleep and warmth. “Thank God you’re all right.”

Edward had described her escape from Clarence, thinking the news would cheer him during his stay in prison. It had, for a few moments. Then guilt and shame had crept in like the icy drafts through the thin walls to settle into his bones. He had endangered her. He had failed to protect her.

He eased away from her embrace. “I need a bath.”

“Aye, ye do.” Mr. Munro towered behind his daughter. “I’ve met polecats that smelled better.”

“Father, please.” Virginia frowned at him. “Quincy cannot help his condition. He’s been in jail for several days.”

“Humph. So I hear.” The huge Scotsman narrowed his eyes.

“How do you do, sir?” Quin extended a hand and restrained from wincing when Mr. Munro tried to crush his bones.

“Congratulations.” Mary Dover kissed him on the cheek.

“Thank you.” Quin accepted another hug, from Caroline. “Can we go home, now? I think I could sleep for a week.”

Wednesday, February 7, 1770

“I
beg your pardon. I didn’t realize you were here.” Having just entered the study, Quin turned toward the door to leave.

“Doona fash yerself. Come in, lad.” Virginia’s father sat up on the pallet by the hearth and stretched. “All the bedchambers are full, so I’m sleeping in here. Would ye care for a wee dram?”

“Yes, thank you.” Quincy approached the warmth of the glowing coals and sat down. After sleeping all night and most of this day, he felt better equipped for this confrontation. He had no doubt Virginia’s father wanted a few words with him.

Mr. Munro poured two drinks and handed him one. With a yawn, the Scotsman settled in another chair. “Feeling better, are ye now?”

“Yes.”
No.
He could hardly face his own wife.

“Ginny and yer uncle explained the situation to me, how yer father wants to steal yer business.”

“Mr. Munro, I assure you, if I had realized beforehand the danger to Ginny by ceding the business to her, I would never have agreed.”

“Call me Jamie. Would ye have preferred to lose yer life’s work?”

“I would prefer anything other than endangering my wife.”

Jamie Munro sipped his whiskey and studied Quin with narrowed eyes. “After I finish my drink, I’ll be wanting to bash you around a wee bit.”

Quin sighed. “I deserve that much, no doubt.”

“Aye, ye do, for whining like a wee bairn. Do ye think I raised my children to be helpless fools? If ye insult their intelligence, I’ll be taking it personally.”

“Excuse me?”

“I raised my children to take care of themselves. My lassies are quick and clever. They doona need a man to look out for them.”

Quin gulped down some whiskey. “It is my duty to protect my wife.”

“Aye, and ’tis also yer duty to protect yer land, or in yer case, yer business. But ye’re no’ alone, lad. Ginny can fight alongside you. She has the blood of Highlanders in her veins.”

Quin set his glass down with a clunk. “No offense, sir, but I do not wish to rely on Ginny’s bloodlines to keep her safe. Nor do I expect her to fight like a man.”

Jamie banged his glass down. “Doona ever underestimate a Highlander. She has intelligence and bravery to see her through. Just look how she handled that Clarence bastard when he kidnapped her.”

“I know she saved herself.” Quin jumped to his feet and paced across the room. “I should have been there. Dammit, I should have been honest with her. She had no idea Clarence would come after her.”

“Why did ye no’ tell her?”

Quin halted, staring at the bookcase before him. Ledgers for the last twenty years of Stanton Shipping filled the shelves—ledgers he had painstakingly learned to keep in order to please his uncle, even though as a young boy he had hated it. He had lived with the fear that Edward would reject him. Just like his father had. “I was afraid she would leave me.” He heard Jamie pouring himself another drink.

“I may still have to bash you in the nose.”

Quin turned to face the Scotsman who appeared to bark more than bite. “What have I done now?”

“Hasna Ginny said she loves you?”

Quin shifted uncomfortably. “Aye.”

“Do ye think I raised my children to be liars?”

“No, of course not.”

Jamie downed his drink and settled on his pallet in front of the hearth. “Lad, when the woman says she loves you, ye should believe her. She’ll no’ be leaving you.”

Quin ambled over to where the huge redheaded man stretched out on the pallet. “I expected to hear something to the effect that I’m not good enough for your daughter.”

Jamie yawned. “That goes without saying, but ye’ll do.”

“You think so?”

“Oh, aye, I knew that when I heard ye were in trouble with the British authorities. To a Highlander, that’s a positive trait.” Jamie rolled onto his side. “Good night, laddie.”

“W
hy should I listen to you, Stanton? You were wrong about your brother. Quincy Stanton is not the burglar.” Colonel Farley took a seat behind the desk in the Ashfords’ study.

Clarence calmly sipped his Madeira. “Has it occurred to you, Colonel, that Edward Stanton may have paid for the testimonies from those shopkeepers? You saw them. Those types could easily be bought.”

“Damn!” The colonel slammed his fist on the desk. “These Americans have embarrassed me for the last time.”

Clarence studied his buffed fingernails. “There have been other times?”

“Aye, blast them. I had two of those damn rebels in my grasp after the destruction of
The Sentinel
, but they escaped.”

“A pity.” Clarence rose to his feet and sauntered over to the sideboard to refill his glass. In spite of his cool demeanor, he fully sympathized with the colonel’s desire to curse and hit furniture. He had sacrificed a valuable piece of jewelry in order to trap his brother, and the blasted plan had not worked. That damned wench, Virginia, had put a knot on his head the size of an apple, and now Quincy was free. “These Americans are far too arrogant.”

“I agree. My men cannot go anywhere without the Colonials flinging mud and curses at them.”

Clarence returned to his chair. “How did the two rebels escape?”

“ ’Twas the night of your brother’s wedding. We were to deliver the men to a British frigate, which we did, but then the two men disappeared.”

Clarence gripped his glass tighter. “It happened on Quincy’s wedding night?” He had ordered Samuel Millstead to watch his brother, and that had been the night when Samuel had seen Quincy sneak home through the back gate dressed in common clothes. Had Quincy helped the two rebels escape? “Did you ever discover who destroyed
The Sentinel
?”

“No. But since he handled that submersible so well, I believe him to be a sailor.”

Or a sea captain, Clarence thought, sitting up in his chair. That was the night Quin came home late with the story he had been with Virginia when, according to the Millsteads, he had been at the harbor with Josiah. “Your men chased someone onto Quincy’s ship, did they not?”

“Aye, but we found no one.”

“Think, man. Have there been any other odd occurrences?”

The colonel leaned back in his chair. “Yes, an important letter disappeared off this very desk, and the next day it was in all the papers. At first I suspected one of Mrs. Ashford’s servants, but none of them can read. So I can only conclude it was one of her guests.”

“Do you remember which night that was?”

“Of course. ’Twas the night of the ball when that damned burglar robbed Mrs. Ashford.” Colonel Farley sipped his drink. “You remember. Captain Breakwell and I searched the men. ’Twas your suggestion.”

“And the missing paper was not found.”

“No, nor the jewels. Whoever it was, he must have sneaked out and hidden—I say, do you think the Boston Burglar stole the paper, too?”

“An interesting notion.” Clarence thought back. That was the night Quin and Virginia had dashed from the party in a great hurry. When they returned, he had stashed the jewels in Quin’s carriage. And a very interesting carriage it was, with the hidden rod in the ceiling and compartment under the backseat.

Clarence nodded his head slowly. He could still be rid of his brother. The title would be his. The business, the fortune, everything. And Father would never threaten to disown him again.

Smiling, Clarence lounged back in his chair. “I think you are on to something, Colonel. My brother is much more than the Boston Burglar. I believe we can prove he’s a spy.”

Thursday, February 15, 1770

“I
believe I’m with child.” Virginia stopped when she saw the surprised look on her aunt’s face. “I’m amazed Caroline didn’t tell you.”

“No, not a word.” Mary gave her an excited hug. “This is marvelous news! I’m so happy for you. I always wanted to have children.”

“It may not be too late for you, Aunt Mary.”

“Och, now, doona be silly. Certain things require a husband.” Mary busied herself pouring them two mugs of hot chocolate.

Virginia smiled. “I believe there’s a willing candidate here in this house.”

Mary blushed. “Enough of me, lass.” She handed a mug to Virginia and sat across from her in Edward’s parlor. “Now, how did Quincy take the news?”

Virginia curled her fingers around the pewter mug. The heat seeped through the metal into her cold hands. “I haven’t told him.”

“Why not? It might cheer the man up. He seems a wee grim these days.”

“I know.” Virginia chewed her lip. Quincy’s behavior had been much on her mind the past week. He insisted she stay home, where she could be safe, but rarely spent time with her. She had an odd feeling he was embarrassed in her presence. His lovemaking had a tinge of desperation to it that disturbed her. “I believe it is very difficult for him—the way his British family treats him. His own brother wanted him to hang.”

“Aye, poor Quin,” Mary agreed. “But Edward tells me he has a plan to send Clarence home to England for good. With the testimonies from those shopkeepers, he can threaten Clarence with exposure if he doesn’t leave.”

“I see.” Virginia lifted her mug of chocolate and breathed in the comforting aroma. “We will certainly rest easier then.”

“Aye.” Mary nodded and sipped from her mug. “The only problem is Edward cannot threaten Clarence ’til he finds out where the man is hiding. My stars!” Mary stared at her brother when he sauntered into the parlor. “What have you done, Jamie?”