The Heavens Shall Fall (10 page)

The influential and affluent of Charles Town had a way of embellishing
, even in the midst of a war. About twenty families had been invited, mixed in with a group of army officers, to enjoy the festivities. Landor had spared no expense, ensuring an abundance of food and wine.

At times like these, Charles Town seemed more of a small village than a major seaport for the colonies. Although the city was the fourth largest in the colonies, the community itself was close-knit.

The harbor was situated between two major rivers, the Cooper and Ashley. The city was laid out in a lovely scene littered with beautiful brick buildings, broad streets, fine gardens and luxurious homes…large, magnificent mansions. White church steeples outlined the sky and served as a welcome for any returning by sea.

On the Cooper River side sat docks, ship chandleries
, and mercantile stores. Jonathan found the classes of people well-defined, and etched into their society. Charles Town society was set around the upper class, which lived life to the fullest. Before the war, women frolicked and attended theater on Dock Street; men drank, gambled, played cards, raced horses and hunted.

This night
, society grasped back to that time and gave little thought to the war that raged around them. The war that had not yet truly touched them, but it was coming. The signs pointed to the fact the war was at their doorstep.

Jonathan was tired, even before the carriage pulled under the arches at Landor
’s entrance. He had had little sleep the last few days. General Lincoln was in discussions to make an assault against Savanah. Lincoln had sent for General Macintosh, commander of the American forces in Georgia. Much to the chagrin of Landor, Lincoln would not be attending tonight.

Jonathan helped his wife out of
the carriage and up the granite steps into the brightly lit foyer. Rebekah looked enchanting in an emerald gown with cap sleeves and a bodice that was far more immodest than he would have liked for her to wear. Her shoulders and bosom were white above the green, unlike her tanned face, which betrayed she had forgotten her hat more than once while she tended her garden.

The house buzzed with voices, high laughter of women,
and the deeper, more serious tone of men. Jonathan quickly lost his wife upon their arrival. Katy swept her away in one quick motion. Left on his own accord, he found himself bombarded on his every step. If he wasn’t being congratulated upon his splendid marriage, it was questions about General Lincoln’s strategy. Both subjects had him sorely tried.

His eyes softened when they lit upon his wife. Her hand strayed to the strand of pearls around her neck. He had bought them for her earlier in the week. In the haste of their marriage, he had not bought her a wedding gift. He would have liked to have replaced her wedding ring, but Rebekah insisted on keeping it.

It was nothing more than a simple gold band. At the time, his choices had been limited, but he had had it engraved, which Rebekah held to her heart. It touched him she had done so.

He supposed most thought he had married Rebekah for her wealth. In truth, he had never thought along those lines with Rebekah. He himself was comfortable
…more than comfortable he supposed, but he had not thought upon finances in such a long time. Not since before the war…

Rebekah had become wealthy upon the death of Ian Cahill,
 her fiancé. Jonathan had never met the man, but had heard Rebekah was a dear friend of the invalid. Unfortunately, before their announcement, Rebekah had been abducted by the notorious raider, Black Rory.

The thought of Rebekah at the mercy of that man drove Jonathan mad with rage. She had been released, but not before Black Rory had taken her innocence and left her with child. When Ian had died shortly after Rebekah
’s release, it was Jonathan who stepped in to protect her, having only just arrived in Charles Town.

He felt it his duty. He supposed he proposed to Rebekah
as more as a marriage of convenience. She needed his name, and he owed her father. Though even then, he could not deny his attraction to her. It was only…Rebekah had been so stubborn. She thought herself in love with that raider.

Only after another botched abduction did Rebekah turn to him. She rekindled feelings within him he thought he had buried with Catherine.

He had known of Rebekah’s confusion. He, too, felt it, but there was a pull that neither of them could deny. He gave her daughter his name, thinking he would send both mother and child to Williamsburg. Plans changed when his deranged cousin, Georgie Boy, tried to murder Rebekah.

It was soon discovered
that it had been her uncle who wanted Rebekah dead. Adam Reed had been the one to set up her abduction, not Black Rory. Black Rory had thwarted the plan, using it fully to his advantage, and as a plot for revenge against Adam Reed. In the end, Black Rory had his revenge against the man and killed Reed in his own study.

Jonathan knew the fact well. He had helped arrange it. He had to protect Rebekah. Adam Reed would not have stopped until she was dead. Reed had almost succeeded. Georgie Boy had almost killed her,
had plunged a knife in her thigh. She had almost bled to death, but Jonathan had been there and had been able to contain the bleeding.

By the grace of God, she had been spared, but had been severely injured. It had taken
her months to recover. Even now, he worried about her health. She was too thin and pale. Moreover, he had sent her child, her baby, Eliza, away.

He had deemed the best solution
was to send Eliza to his sister-in-law, Lydia, back in Williamsburg. Best for both Rebekah and Eliza. If Eliza had been found out to be a bastard, not only would have Eliza suffered from the label, Rebekah would have been ruined.

It would have matter
ed little that it resulted from a kidnapping. No, society was unforgiving. He, also, had their safety to worry about. Jonathan had no doubt what Georgie Boy would do if he discovered it had been Jonathan who thwarted his attack on Rebekah.

Georgie Boy was a madman. He hadn
’t a rational thought in his head. It had been the reason Jonathan had kept his marriage a secret until now. The reason that Eliza was with Lydia, Lydia who posed no threat to Georgie Boy. She was only the widow of Jonathan’s brother, who had remarried. Georgie Boy had no vendetta with her.

But it wasn
’t only Georgie Boy who endangered Eliza. She was the daughter of Black Rory. That alone placed her in untold danger in the Carolinas, should it be discovered.

Rebekah had been furious that Eliza had been sent away while Jonathan let jealousy of Black Rory
singe his soul. He had almost walked away from the only good thing in his life…almost.

The war had worn on his being and tried his character. He needed Rebekah to remind him of the good in the world
: to remind him of what he fought for, and that he made a difference. He had her now. His doubts evaporated.

He watched her from across the room with Katy. Rebekah wore her emotions on her sleeve. Her face
was radiant with her joy. She caught his eyes with a hint of rising excitement.

“
I have never seen Rebekah happier.”

Jonathan turned to the voice. Daniel, Rebekah
’s oldest brother, stood by his side. A tall, rugged man, he had the look of his father, Rodger Morse.

“
I told her, if she wanted, she could throw a party to announce our marriage. She said it was enough to say we had married before the raid when she was wounded.”

“
I believe she is content to be your wife,” Daniel said in an easy laughing manner. “It is good to see her laugh again.”

“
It will be hard when she has to leave. She is confident you will be able to get her out if the British start a march toward Charles Town. I want to make sure that is the case.”

“
As long as I have warning, I will be ready.” Daniel turned to face his brother-in-law. “You believe the British will come.”

“
I have no doubt they will try. I want to know she will be safe.”

“
I see you want her to go now, but you hesitate.”

“
I hope I do not come to regret that decision. I find I want her here. In a way, I need her,” Jonathan said. “I’m depending on you to help me with her, if the time comes.”

“
Jonathan, you worry too much. Can you not enjoy the moment? At least for the night.” Daniel nodded toward the back rooms. “Come. Rebekah is in good hands.”

A mug of beer was pressed in Jonathan
’s hand as he entered into the smoke-filled room. It seemed most of the officers had gathered around a buffet of meat and cheeses. Jonathan recognized most in the room.

Immediately, Lieutenant Ernest Sherman ha
iled Jonathan from across the room, drink in hand. He wore his militia uniform, fringed deerskin hunting shirt and leggings, with his bicorne hat adorned with the insignia of the American army, the black cockade. His hat tilted to the side, his reddened cheeks: all gave evidence that the lieutenant had already indulged in his fondness for rum.

Ernie pushed his way through the room of assorted uniforms. The army that protected Charles Town was varied. The militia wore hunting shirts such as Ernie
’s; the Continental Army wore dark blue, although a few of the officers still wore the brown.

“
Gentleman,” Ernie shouted and clapped for attention. “Welcome my friend! Dr. Jonathan Corbett! The sly devil up and married my Katy’s best friend, Rebekah Morse! Not supposed to mention it tonight. No, not tonight. It’s my Katy’s night!”

Ernie clasped Jonathan
’s back. “I cannot but congratulate the man. Snatched up one of the richest women in Charles Town.” Ernie turned to the crowd. “Who would have imagined shy, forlorn Rebekah would have been an heiress? I did not! Of course I should not complain. I have my Katy, but if I had known…”

Jonathan jerked back from Ernie
’s grasp and joked, “I believe I would stop on that admission. You would not want me to take offense.”

All in t
he room laughed, as did Jonathan, but he hoped that Ernie took it not as a joke, but as a warning.

“
Daniel, why don’t you take your friend to the buffet? I believe he needs to eat to compensate for the rum he has drunk.”

Jonathan glanced back over his shoulder to see Pierce Cutler walk up beside him. He found himself grateful for Pierce Cutler
’s interference once again. Although at times, Cutler wore on his nerves with his authoritative manner, Jonathan owed the man. Cutler had been a true friend to Rebekah. He had helped save her from Black Rory’s clutches and again from her uncle.

Pierce Cutler was a true
Patriot. He had been born a fourth son of an Irish baron, and bought, as most aristocrats in his position, a commission in the British army. He had been assigned to Boston back in 1770, when the turmoil escalated, but a year later he found himself married to Mary Polly Hamilton, daughter of one of the elite of Charles Town. He sold his commission, settled down to the life of a colonist, and sided plainly with the Patriots when the war broke out.

With the British breathing heav
ily down their necks, Cutler had much to worry about. He had a price on his head, a high price. Ironic, Jonathan thought, considering he heard that he himself also had worn on the British nerves. He, too, had been warned that the British wanted to silence him.

“
Foolish boy,” Cutler muttered under his breath for only Jonathan to hear. “Sherman doesn’t have an intelligent thought in his brain. The idiot! He hasn’t a clue what is going on around him.”

“
Ernie is only reveling in his good fortune, a bit too much, but good news has been sparse as of late.”

“
He needs to tread carefully. Landor only accepted him because of his need to silence the scandal his son-in-law has brought against his house. Moreover, Sherman is making an ass of himself. He is being played by the lovely Randa. Did you not see them when you first came in? He was hanging on her arm, not his intended’s. I have seen the look in her eyes. She is nothing but trouble.”

Jonathan grimaced, but he understood. He had noticed Randa the moment he entered into the drawing room. Her creamy-white gown
, accented with silk ribbons of turquoise, draped the rounded curves of her breasts, and hugged her narrow waist. The candlelight highlighted the gold in her russet hair, pulled back in fashionable ringlets by a matching silk band. Indubitably, she batted her long dark lashes coquettishly and smiled at Ernie in the most fetching fashion.

It was a shame. Jonathan was fond of Katy, but he knew her sister
’s story. He was friends with Sumner Meador, the man who lost his wife and mother in a raid. Sumner, as well as half of Charles Towne, blamed the raid on William Peyton, Randa’s husband.

Randa had been humiliated
, and she was a woman who did not take well to the thought. Nor was she one to suffer alone.

“
But that is not what I wanted to talk with you about this night,” Cutler said, abruptly. “Come. Let me replenish your drink. We have business to discuss now that your marriage has become common knowledge.”