The Mysterious Merriana

by Carolynn Carey

  They turned to see Merriana’s cousin approaching them. He stopped by Merriana’s side. “I’ve just talked with Horace, the ship’s doctor,” he said. “He’s optimistic about Charles’s condition. Charles apparently sustained a couple of cracked ribs that will cause him some discomfort over the next few weeks, but, according to Horace, his other injuries are superficial. The swelling and bruises will be gone soon, and he should be his old handsome self again.”

  “Thank goodness,” Merriana said, tears of relief rushing to her eyes. “I can’t tell you how worried I was, Damien. Charles and I had become acquainted with each other just a short time ago, and I feared I would lose him before we had really had time to get to know one another well.”

  Her cousin’s expression grew solemn. “I know now,” he said, “why you were kept hidden all of those years, Merriana. But please don’t think I was aware of your precarious situation and did nothing to try to make it safer for you. It was only after you left France and moved in with the duke that I became aware of your existence. My father, I am ashamed to say, had never told me about you, although he’d known of your birth for many years. It was only when I came back from America and began to watch his activities that I learned you existed and that he was trying to end your existence.”

  The anguish in her cousin’s voice touched Merriana, and she reached to take one of his hands in her own. “You mustn’t blame yourself for what your family has done, Damien,” she said. “As for myself, I know I can never thank you enough for the protection you’ve managed to provide for me. Not only did you intercede to keep your father from kidnapping me in that inn in Portsmouth, but you also made him promise not to kill me. He told me about that promise himself, and I’m positive that is one of the reasons I’m alive today.”

  A sad smile touched Damien’s face. “You’re very kind, Merriana,” he said, “and very generous. I’m fortunate to have such a loving, forgiving cousin, and I shall never forget you.”

  “You make that sound so final,” Merriana said, “but surely we’ll see each other in England from time to time.”

  But her cousin shook his head. “England’s not for me,” he said in a positive tone. “I’ve made a life for myself in America, and I fear I could never be happy anywhere else. So, just as soon as I get the various problems created by my family cleared up, I plan to return to my home in the new world.”

  Merriana smiled at him through her tears. “I’ll miss you, Damien. For all that we’ve known each other for only a few hours, I feel close to you. I’m positive, should we have the opportunity, that we would grow to be friends.”

  “I think so too, Merriana,” he replied. “And who’s to say? Perhaps someday we’ll have the opportunity to become better acquainted. In the meanwhile, I’ll remember you as one of the kindest and most courageous ladies I’ve ever had—”

  “Cap’n! Cap’n!” An urgent call sounded from the opposite side of the ship, and Damien’s demeanor quickly changed from that of a fond cousin to that of a ship’s captain.

  “Excuse me,” he murmured, turning to run across the decks toward the sound of what was now a babble of loud voices.

  “What in the world?” Merriana gasped as she started to follow her cousin, but Justin gently pulled her back.

  “Whatever it is,” he told her quietly, “it will be the business of the captain of this ship to resolve. You and I could very well get in his way or witness some problem that should not be seen by an outsider.”

  “But I don’t feel like an outsider,” Merriana objected. “He’s my cousin.”

  “True,” Justin agreed. “But he is first and foremost a ship’s captain. If he needs us, he’ll send for us.”

  Merriana understood this reasoning, although she longed to let her cousin know that she stood ready to assist him in any way she could, realizing as she did that he had ranged himself against his own family in order to protect her.

  Merriana and Justin could see very little of the incident that was taking place on the far side of the ship, but they could hear the angry shouts and see sailors running about on what appeared to be urgent errands. At last, when the shouting had quieted and the crewmen had gone back to their posts, Merriana’s saw her cousin returning. His head was lowered, as though there was need for him to watch each step carefully, and she sensed that something had gone very wrong.

  He stopped before her, glancing first at Justin and then looking directly into Merriana’s eyes. His lips were a thin line in his now-pale face. “I won’t try to wrap this up in clean linen,” he said. “My brother-in-law, Luc, has managed to escape from the cabin in which he was imprisoned. From all appearances, he’s thrown himself overboard and is now lost.”

  Merriana felt Justin’s arm tighten around her as her breath rushed from her lungs in a quick gasp.

  “Are you certain he went overboard?” Justin asked quickly.

  “As sure as I can be without having seen him do it with my own eyes. One of my men, one I trust implicitly, swears that Luc threw himself over the side and went under so quickly that no one could have saved him. I’ve had the ship searched and there’s no sign of him, so I must assume he is indeed lost.”

  “But how?” Merriana cried. “How could he have escaped?”

  Her cousin shook his head glumly. “It’s my fault. I gave the order that his hands were to be untied when he was locked in the cabin. Apparently he was able to pick the lock with some piece of metal he either found in the cabin or had hidden on his person.” He shook his head again. “I can’t believe I allowed this to happen. It’s unforgivable, I know.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Justin said. “No one is going to find it unforgivable except you. I certainly don’t blame you, and I’m sure Merriana doesn’t either. So don’t be too hard on yourself, Damien.”

  But the younger man merely shook his head again. “There is certainly one person who will find it impossible to forgive me for my role in this, and that’s Jennie.”

  “Jennie?” Justin looked confused.

  “His sister,” Merriana explained to Justin quickly as she moved to lay her hand on Damien’s arm.

  “I’m so sorry, Damien. I can understand, I think, a little of how you must feel. It must be terrible to be torn as you have been between family members such as your sister whom you love and other family members such as me that you felt the need to protect. If there’s anything I can do to help, please tell me.”

  He looked at her with eyes that had suddenly grown old, and Merriana realized that his youthful appearance had hidden from them a man who was more experienced than most in the ways of the world.

  “There is one thing, Merriana,” he said.

  “Name it,” she replied. “If it’s in my power, I’ll do it.”

  “I want to be the one to tell Jennie about Luc’s death. She worshipped him, you see. I don’t mean that she loved him deeply, the way you and Justin love each other. She cared for him with such unmitigated fervor that she could never see any wrong in him. If I believed in warlocks, I would swear he had cast a spell over her. Her whole world—her reason for being—revolved around Luc. But now she’s going to have to face the rest of her life without him, and although I don’t blame myself for his death, I must still assume the responsibility for telling my sister how it happened.”

  “Of course you must,” Merriana said. “So far as I know, you’ll find her with our uncle Sylvester.”

  Her cousin nodded once, then spun and strode away while Merriana turned to Justin. “I feel sorry for him,” she murmured.

  “So do I, my love,” he responded, pulling her close. “He faces some difficult days, but he’s strong. I know he’ll be all right.”

  Merriana sighed. “I hope so,” she said, reveling in the warmth of Justin’s embrace. “I certainly hope so.”

  Chapter 34

  Although the Duke of Daughrity’s town house was to be only a one-night stopover on their return to London and before their departure for the country, Merrian
a breathed a deep sigh of relief when she, Charles, Justin, and Tom arrived on the doorstep in Grosvenor Square. She felt as though she’d come home again, especially when Daniels opened the door and greeted her and Charles with the warmth he reserved for family members.

  “Miss Merriana! And Master Charles! Oh dear. What has happened to your face, sir? I’ll send for the doctor immediately.”

  “No thank you, Daniels,” Charles responded. “I’ve just been checked over by one doctor. I certainly don’t need another. What I do need is a glass of brandy and a visit with my friends. Justin! Tom! Don’t leave yet. I’ve missed out on a good many things in the last few days, and I want you to fill me in on some details.”

  Daniels, who had not noticed Justin and Tom standing in the background, quickly opened the door wider and motioned for a footman to come take their hats.

  “We’ll be in the library for a while,” Charles told the butler as he moved toward the back of the hall.

  “But Charles—” Merriana protested, having envisioned getting her brother settled in his bed immediately upon their arrival.

  “Don’t argue with your brother,” Justin interrupted with a grin. “I would feel just as he does under the circumstances. Tom and I will be glad to come in for a short visit and describe our adventures for Charles. As a matter of fact, there are a few details about his own experiences that I would appreciate knowing. After all, I spent several frustrating days searching all over London and half of England for him.”

  “Very well,” Merriana agreed. “I might as well give in gracefully, for I can see that I’m badly outnumbered in this little quibble.”

  “True,” Charles said with a grin. “But I’m forgetting my manners. There are plans to be made regarding tomorrow’s trip. Do you need any help?”

  “I believe I can manage such a simple task without your assistance,” Merriana informed him with feigned hauteur. “Run along and visit with your friends.”

  Justin gave her a fond smile and a surreptitious wink before hurrying to follow her brother and Tom down the hall.

  “Miss Merriana,” Daniels began as soon as the three had disappeared into the library. “Is Master Charles really all right? I would feel so much better if he would allow me to send for His Grace’s doctor.”

  “So would I, Daniels,” Merriana said, “but for the moment let’s allow him to have his head. He will be surly anyway, I have no doubt, because he won’t be well enough to accompany us tomorrow.”

  “You’re leaving so soon?” A frown settled on Daniels’ forehead.

  “Only to visit Uncle Sylvester in the country. Have you heard from him recently? Is he well?”

  “His Grace is well, Miss Merriana, but he’s been quite worried because he hasn’t received any word about you or Master Charles for the last few days. He’s been sending a messenger almost daily to see if we have had news of you here.”

  “Then I’m glad I’ll be seeing him soon,” Merriana said. “We’ll need the carriage about mid-morning tomorrow. The Earl of Cardleigh, myself, and my cousin Damien will be traveling to see Uncle Sylvester.”

  “Cousin Damien?” Daniels repeated blankly.

  “It’s a long story, too long to go into now. Suffice it to say that Damien has saved my life on more than one occasion and I owe him a great debt. I begged him to spend the night here tonight, but he felt he had too many responsibilities in making preparations to leave his ship for a few days.”

  “Ship?” Daniels repeated again, but Merriana only smiled. “I promise to tell you the entire story someday, but for the moment we have work to do. I must check with Cook to see what can be prepared for our dinner on such short notice, and also with the housekeeper to make sure that Charles’s room is prepared for him. Then I really must order a bath for myself. No doubt I smell of sea spray.”

  “Sea spray?” Daniels repeated once again, a questioning look in his eyes, but Merriana was already hurrying away to begin her chores.

  The evening passed quickly, for there was much to talk about, and even Tom had his adventures to describe. But Charles grew tired early, and Justin announced that he and Tom must leave. It had been agreed that Tom would depart early the next morning for the Belcour farm to inform the interested parties there about Merriana’s safe return before he went back to the Drake and Cock.

  Merriana gave her former employer a fond hug and kiss before he left, thanking him again for all he had done for her and promising to visit him and Luke again at her first opportunity. Tom blushed and brushed aside her thanks but begged her to visit them as soon as possible. “For Luke ain’t goin’ to forgive me anytime soon for havin’ all this fun without him, and I may need you to help me talk him around.”

  Justin left Merriana with a chaste kiss on her hand, although his eyes communicated promises of passion for the future. He assured her that he would return around ten o’clock the following morning so they could begin their journey, and Merriana promised to be ready.

  She was, in fact, up early the next morning, looking through her closet to see what remained that she could wear to her uncle’s country residence. For the first time, she really missed the lady’s maid that her uncle Sylvester had hired for her and who was now, one assumed, waiting on Merriana’s cousin Jennie. Merriana would have welcomed the woman’s services this morning, however, because she wanted to look her very best for Justin. Finally she chose a simple blue traveling dress that was cut along rather severe lines but which highlighted the color of her eyes.

  She was in the process of choosing among her few pieces of jewelry when a commotion sounded from the entrance hall. She hurried down the stairs just in time to see her uncle Sylvester handing his hat, cane, and gloves to one of the footmen. His luggage was being carried inside by several other burly footmen.

  “Uncle Sylvester,” she cried, dashing to throw her arms around him. “How delighted I am that you are here. We were coming to the country this morning to see you. How are you?”

  Her uncle, Merriana noticed, looked as though he had aged in the weeks since she had last seen him but his eyes sparkled with pleasure as he grasped her hand in his.

  “I’m well enough, considering what you and that young jackanapes, your brother, have put me through,” he grumbled. “You have both played least-in-sight for the past few weeks, causing me no end of worry.”

  “I’m so sorry, Uncle Sylvester,” Merriana replied. “I would never have wished to cause you worry, but some things are unavoidable.”

  “Well, I suppose that is true. Coming to see me were you? How is that? I understand from Daniels that Charles has gotten himself hurt again and is upstairs in bed recuperating.”

  “Charles wasn’t coming, Uncle Sylvester. Just me, Justin, and Damien.”

  “And who,” the duke demanded, may I ask, is Damien?”

  “I’ll explain all, sir, but perhaps you would like some refreshments first?”

  “No, child. I’m not to be foisted off. But we can get out of the entrance hall if you like.” So saying, he turned and led Merriana to the doorway of a nearby saloon, just as Justin appeared in the entrance hall.

  “Justin,” Merriana cried, her tone of delight causing her uncle to look around with piercing eyes. “As you can see, Uncle Sylvester has just arrived. Please join us. We were about to sit down so I could tell him what has taken place. Sir, do you recall meeting the Earl of Cardleigh?”

  Justin bowed deeply. “Your Grace,” he said formally. “It is a great pleasure to meet you again.”

  “Hump,” the duke replied. “That’s as may be. What I want to know is why my niece was planning to travel without a chaperone in your company and that of some man I’ve never heard of.”

  “I will soon be requesting an audience with you, Your Grace, to discuss my feelings for your niece. But there are matters that must take higher priority at the moment. Did your other niece—the one claiming to be Merriana—return with you?”

  The duke glared at Justin for long seconds before replyi
ng with a question of his own. “What do you know of my other niece, Cardleigh, and how are my affairs of interest to you anyway?”

  “Uncle,” Merriana responded to her uncle’s straight speaking. “I must tell you that Justin has risked his life to save Charles and me from almost certain death at the hands of your brother’s family. We owe him a great deal.”

  “Well,” the duke said, “if this is true, then you have my sincere thanks, Cardleigh. But I still do not see that our family affairs should be of unusual interest to you.”

  “Uncle,” Merriana said firmly, “you must allow me to explain the situation to you. You see—”

  “Forgive me, Merriana,” Justin interrupted. “You forget that Damien will be here at any moment. We must find out about his sister.”

  “You’re right, of course. That must be our first priority for poor Damien’s sake. Uncle, where is—”

  “Who in the devil is Damien?” the duke interrupted in a querulous tone, “and why should this man, who is unknown to me, not to mention his sister, take priority?”

  “Because, Uncle Sylvester,” Merriana replied softly, “Damien is your brother’s son and his sister is the woman who has been impersonating me.”

  “And he’s coming here?” the duke shouted. “You expect me to receive that whelp of Ernest’s who has no doubt schemed with his father to see you and Charles cut out of your rightful inheritances? No, I will not see him, and you may tell him for me that I’m sorry his sister ran away before I could bring charges against her.”

  “She ran away?” Justin demanded, culling from the duke’s tirade the one piece of information that was pertinent at the moment. “When?”

  “Last night sometime. She was there at dinner, and this morning she was gone, along with quite a bit of the silver. Good riddance, if you want my opinion. I never liked the girl, and I would have given twice that amount of silver to be done with her.”

  “But why?” Merriana wanted to know. “Why would she have run away now?”