Auggie cleared his throat. “Devon, Penny, Clare, and Melissa, this is Kassie, Cohen’s intended fiancée.”
She fought back tears when Cohen’s brother, as identical as if they were twins, kissed the back of her hand. The only difference between the two she could see was the light feathering of white hairs at his temple.
After introductions were made and everyone was seated, Auggie paced back and forth in front of the fireplace. “I have something to tell ye all. I guess I should start at the beginning.”
Kassie stared at the teacup in her hand as he began his tale. The cup rattled against the saucer, and she placed her other hand on the rim to steady it, trying to block out Auggie’s words. This was the moment she dreaded. Would they hate her? Would they cast her from their house in anger? She could not blame them if they did; after all, she was a fallen woman and the indirect cause of their brother’s death. Her subconscious registered their gasps and she steeled herself for their outrage. She looked up as Auggie finished the tale, and the women began to weep.
Tears rolled down Emily’s face as she turned to look at Kassie. “Oh, Kassie! You poor dear, to lose my brother and your son must be heartbreaking.”
Kassie blinked, astonished at the other woman’s compassion.
Emily stood, hobbled across the room and enveloped Kassie in a fierce hug. “Never fear, you will stay with us and we will look after you.” She pulled away, looking over her shoulder at her three sisters and brother. “Right, Devon?”
Cohen’s brother wiped his misty eyes with his handkerchief and nodded. “Ashtons always take care of their own.”
Her heart swelled at their compassion. Even in the midst of their own grief they opened their hearts to her as though she was truly part of their family.
The rest of the family came one by one and hugged her, and then Emily summoned the butler. “Perkins, please show Lady Everton to a guest room in the right wing. I am sure she would like to rest after her long journey.”
Kassie stood and followed the butler from the room. The bedchamber she was shown to surpassed even her wildest imaginings. The white stone walls were covered with rich tapestries depicting various medieval scenes that added color and warmth to the room. A footman was already lighting a fire in the large stone fireplace flanked by an upholstered armchair and settee. The bedchamber itself was a separate room. A large canopied bed covered in pillows took up the center of the room, opposite it stood an oriental screen, dressing table, and wardrobe. Tall glass doors led to a private balcony with the garden and the frothy sea beyond.
She wandered over to the glass doors and looked out. Bits of green already poked through last year’s dried brown vegetation. The waves crashed against the jagged rocks, spraying vast fountains of spray and foam into the air. She leaned her head against the cool glass. Where do I go from here?
Her maid hurried into the room followed by a footman with the small trunk of clothes purchased in the little village of Lands End. “My lady, I will unpack right away. Is there anything I can get for you?”
Kassie smiled at the girl. She missed Sally. Not to say the new maid was not as good, but she did not seem to be at all interested in being friends. “No, thank you.”
The girl gave her a solemn look. “The butler informs me dinner will be served at seven. I have taken the liberty of ordering you a bath.”
Kassie nodded. She never smiles. She turned back to the view. It was probably for the best. A real lady did not fraternize with the help, or so the earl had often lectured.
The maid entered a small door opposite the bedchamber, and within moments, water gurgled into the tub. It seemed Cohen spared no expense in making the old castle as modern and comfortable as possible. Movement beyond the garden wall caught her attention. A lovely spotted deer wove its way along a narrow trail at the edge of the greenery where it met the sand of the beach. It paused, tail flicking, foot frozen in mid stride, and looked to where she stood.
Even in her sorrow Kassie appreciated its grace and beauty. Its ears twitched before resuming its journey across the brown and green tufts of grass. She watched it until it disappeared from sight over a mound.
“My lady.”
She turned from the window.
The maid gestured to the bathing room. “Your bath is ready.”
Kassie followed her into the room. A large raised tub sat in the center, the likes of which she had never seen before. The maid helped her undress, and then she slipped into the warm jasmine-scented water. She leaned back with a sigh, enjoying the luxury of a hot bath denied her since before the night of the shipwreck. The sight of the deer and the soothing water eased her tortured heart and mind, bringing her to a place of calm acceptance. God had exacted his punishment. There is nothing to do now but try to live a pious life and move on.
An hour later she was bathed, dressed, and filled with a renewed sense of determination. She adjusted the hem on her simple, dark green velvet evening dress, and glanced up at the mirror.
The color made her appear pasty and frail looking, but it was the only thing suitable for a mourning gown. At least the bodice was not as tight as her former dresses; no longer nursing, combined with her lack of appetite, had diminished the size of her breasts. She pressed a hand against the tender ache in her chest.
A knock on the door made her turn. The maid opened it. Auggie stood on the threshold, dressed in a black dinner suit with a tartan wrapped across his chest. Kassie smiled. Even dressed in immaculate style the man still looked out of place. He smiled back at her and shuffled his feet. “May I escort ye down to dinner, lassie?”
She nodded and took the arm he offered. They walked down the stairs to the dining room. Kassie hung back as they entered. It seemed like an entire village had come to dinner.
Emily hobbled forward to greet her. “Please, do not be put off by the size of our family.” A small child darted between them, before being scooped up by a nursemaid. “We all have dinner together, it is a chaotic affair, but Cohen would have it no other way.” Her eyes took on a soft sadness, but a small quivering smile graced her lips.
Devon stood from his place at the head of the table and tapped his spoon against his wineglass. This seemed to be the cue for everyone to be seated as parents and children alike scrambled to their seats. Auggie pulled out a chair for her beside Emily. Once she was seated, he took the empty chair next to her.
Devon raised his glass. “Tonight, we welcome Kassie to our family.” A baby gurgled and a chubby-faced toddler tossed his spoon to the floor with a clatter. Devon smiled. “I hope you will feel at home here, Kassie. I suppose proper introductions need to be made. You have met my sisters, Penny, Clare, Melissa, and Emily. Penny is married to William and those three delightful cherubs across from them are their children. Clare is married to Michael, the little darling who just threw his spoon and the baby next to him are their son and daughter. Finally, Melissa is married to Raoul, and those two wigglers there are their boys.” He smiled at a pretty blonde girl beside him. “This is my new wife, Ann Marie.”
Kassie nodded, overwhelmed by the introductions. One of the little girls giggled, and popped her thumb into her mouth. Her mother made an exasperated sound and pulled the appendage out.
Everyone raised their glasses as Devon finished his toast. “To Cohen, beloved brother and friend, we wish you a peaceful journey into heaven and to Kassie, we hope together we can help you heal and embrace life again.” Everyone took a drink from their glasses, and then Devon returned to his seat. Serving girls passed around various dishes and the dining room returned to a controlled mayhem of voices.
Kassie placed a little bit of each food on her plate as it was passed to her. Somehow, a continent away she had stumbled upon a place that reminded her of home. She looked around the table. Mothers, fathers, and nursemaids worked together to tame unruly toddlers. Conversation flowed with laughter and seriousness. This is a family.
“What are ye thinkin’ lass?
She smiled at A
uggie. “I was just thinking this feels like … home.”
He smiled back at her. “I thought it might, that’s why I brought ye here.” He glanced around the room. “I think ye will be safe and happy here while I’m gone.”
“Gone? Where are you going?”
“I have to commission a new ship, and there is still the dig in Sicily.” He patted her hand. “Rest assured lass, I will be back, for I would not abandon ye when I ‘ave made a promise to keep ye safe.”
Kassie looked around the room. “I understand, Auggie. I think I shall be all right here.”
Emily reached out and squeezed her hand. “Do not worry, the time will fly by. I am looking forward to your company, everyone else is always so busy with their family…” her voice trailed off, a remorseful look passing over her pale features. “Forgive me, I did not mean to be insensitive.”
Kassie smiled at her. “It is all right, I understand what you mean. You and I can keep each other company.” She was rewarded with a bright smile. As the meal continued, Kassie relaxed and listened to snippets of conversation around her.
“Surely, Napoleon will come to his senses before an outbreak of war.” Raoul said, shaking his fork for emphasis.
Devon shook his head. “Things will get bad between France and England if he does not. His greed for power will cost this country dearly.”
Clare looked up from spooning potatoes into her son’s mouth. “Will we have to flee back to England if war is declared?”
Michael shook his head and placed a comforting hand on his wife. “No, dearest, we are French citizens through marriage and Cohen’s title.”
Clare looked relived and returned her attention to her son.
Kassie frowned. “What about me? If England and France go to war I will not be safe here.”
All eyes turned to her. Devon looked thoughtful for a minute. “What say you, Auggie, since Kassie was not married to Cohen would she be in danger if she stayed?”
Auggie set down his fork. “I think it would be wise to keep her presence here a secret for now. If war were to break out, then perhaps we should consider havin’ documentation forged to support a claim of French citizenship.”
Kassie shook her head. “I cannot let you do that. If you were caught you would all be in danger.”
“I’m sure ye will be safe until I return. If it appears ye are in danger I kin take ye with me to Sicily.” Auggie patted her hand.
The talk at the table turned to Auggie’s dig. Emily squeezed Kassie’s hand. “Do not worry—you will be safe from Everton and Napoleon here.”
The meal finished as nursemaids gathered the sleepy children and ushered them off to bed. The men headed off to the study for after dinner port and cigars. Emily linked her arm with Kassie’s and led the way to the parlor, then sat at the piano and began to play a soft haunting melody. Clare handed Kassie a glass of dark liquid; she sipped and found the bitter almond and peach-flavored beverage to her liking. Leaning back in her chair, she listened as the four women sang a sad tune in French. The final notes of the music faded away by the time the men joined them.
Devon hugged his wife as they sat together on the settee. “I think tonight, in honor of my brother, we shall devote the evening to fond remembrances of him.”
Everyone raised their glasses. “To Cohen.”
Chapter Twenty
Auggie inched his way along the hedge to the back gate of Everton’s mansion, pausing for a moment to listen. All was quiet except for the incessant chirping of crickets. He groped for the lock he was sure would be on the gate, but could find nothing. When he pushed on the iron clasp it swung open. He froze for a moment, suspicious the entry seemed too easy.
A shadowy movement along the garden path caught his attention. Was it his imagination or was someone lurking in the dark? He drew his dagger, preferring its stealth compared to the noise of a pistol shot, and eased his bulk through the gap, cringing as his foot brushed a cluster of dried grass. The resulting tiny crackle sounded like a riotous boom in his mind. He slunk forward, his eyes trained on the spot where he had seen the mysterious shadow.
An arm closed around the column of his neck and squeezed. Before he could react, the click of a pistol being cocked against his temple warned him not to move. He froze. A low voice whispered in his ear. “Drop the knife.”
Auggie let the blade slip from his fingers. When the stranger’s grip relaxed he seized his opportunity. With a mighty heave he latched onto the arm and flipped his attacker over his shoulder. The man grunted as he landed on his back at Auggie’s feet. Before he could scramble to his feet, Auggie leaped on him. They struggled, rolling around, each trying to gain the upper hand on the other. Finally Auggie got a hand free and aimed a punch at the other man’s jaw.
“Bloody hell!” the man howled when the punch connected.
Auggie held back a second blow, his fist cocked in midair. The voice sounds familiar.
His hesitation was enough for the man to gain the upper hand. His fist struck Auggie’s jaw. Auggie rolled to the side, his ears ringing from the force of the blow. “Ye addle-brained bastard!”
“Auggie?”
Auggie shook his head to clear the ringing and rolled to his feet, sure now of the voice.
“Cohen? What the hell? I thought ye were dead!”
“Hush or we will both be dead!”
Auggie lowered his voice. “What happened to ye? I saw the cannonball hit where ye was standin’.”
Cohen chuckled. “It did. The force of the blast shot me out over the water. The wind was knocked out of me, but I managed to crawl up onto a floating piece of debris. When I came to I heard the baby crying. By some miracle Lucca was floating a few feet away in his basket, damp and unharmed.”
“Oh dear God! Kassie will be elated the wee bairn is safe.”
“Kassie is alive?”
Auggie reached for his friend in the dark and squeezed his shoulder. “Aye, she is alive and well. I took her to Marseilles. She is there with yer family.”
He registered the relief and emotion in Cohen’s voice as he clapped his hand on Auggie’s shoulder. “Thank you, my friend. I am forever in your debt.”
Auggie choked back his elation. “What are ye doing here?”
“I came for vengeance.”
“Me, too.”
Both men laughed.
Auggie stood up. “What’s yer plan?”
Cohen clambered to his feet. “I was going to break into his safe and steal everything of value the bastard has, you?”
Auggie clenched his teeth together. “I was gonna’ kill him.”
There was understanding in the silence stretching between them. Cohen’s voice broke the quiet. “So what do we do now?”
Auggie scanned his mind for options. “We scare the bastard straight. Come on.”
They crept forward until they came to the veranda and paused to listen. All was quiet. Auggie waited as Cohen slipped up the steps and crouched down in front of the double doors.
The house was silent, not a light glowed anywhere inside that he could tell. Auggie shifted with impatience. Finally his ears detected the tiny click of the lock as Cohen manipulated the tumblers to line up in order. Cohen motioned him forward as he eased open the door. Together they made their way inside the earl’s study. When Cohen crossed to the painting on the wall behind the desk, Auggie slunk to the study door. He opened it and glanced both ways down the hallway beyond. There was no one in sight. He kept his vigil as Cohen lit a candle and worked to open the safe.
“Auggie.”
He looked over his shoulder at Cohen.
“Come here and hold the bag.”
Auggie took one last peek out into the hall, and then hurried over. He picked up the satchel and held it up as Cohen swung the door to the safe open. Inside, artifacts of different countries were stacked, along with jewels of many shapes and sizes. Auggie was not surprised to see the famed French ‘Tears of God’ necklace, the elaborate piece consisting of t
hirty-one blood red rubies, reportedly stolen five years before from Napoleon’s mistress.
Cohen removed piece after piece of stolen jewels and ill-gotten artifacts from their hiding place. Auggie noted he did not touch any of the money. Knowing Cohen like he did, the jewels and artifacts would be returned to those who lost them, for financial gain to the Emperor, of course. When the last piece was placed in the satchel he closed the top. Cohen shut the safe and grinned.
The gas lights flickered to life. Both men spun toward the door. The earl and his butler stood framed in the doorway, the latter with a pistol pointed in their direction.
“I would say it is nice to see you again, Ashton, but I would be lying.” The earl sneered.
Cohen’s eyes flashed. “Why stop lying now, Everton?”
The earl’s sneer grew broader. “You are awful cocksure of yourself for one who will soon be swinging from the hangman’s noose.”
“You are the one who will hang, Everton. All of the stolen jewels I just found in your safe prove beyond a doubt you are a thief.”
The earl strolled into the room. “I have to hand it to you, Ashton, you are a first rate cracksman. Too bad you wanted to play above one’s touch. I could have used a man like you.”
Cohen’s fists clenched, the muscles along his jaw twitching in irritation. “I may be of humble birth, but I draw the line at working for a lecher like you.”
“A street rat with honor. How droll.” The earl chuckled, hobbling forward and snatching the satchel from Auggie’s hand. “Too bad your honor will not save you this time. Where is the girl and the child?”
“She is dead. You killed her just like you killed your last wife, Everton.” Cohen’s facial expression did not change.
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