“Oh, Matthew.” A laugh gurgled from her lips.
“Anyway, I want you to know; in case I die.”
“Don’t say that.”
“I love you. I have never loved any other woman in my life.” He nuzzled her neck. “You are the most beautiful, intelligent, brave, desirable creature I have ever met.”
“Matthew,” she breathed, and raised her lips to his.
His mouth consumed hers hungrily. “Katherine, please, let me love you. Give me my last night—the one you offered me the other night.” His lips roamed her neck. “Did you mean it?”
“Oh, yes, Matthew; but you shouldn’t—your ribs!”
He grinned wickedly. “You shall just have to be gentle with me, my love.” His hands tugged at her nightgown and eagerly she helped him pull it off. “Kathy,” he breathed. “You are so lovely. It’s worth the pain; I shall welcome it, enjoy it.”
His hand traveled her body; she quivered beneath his touch, shy and uncertain as a virgin. “Matthew, I don’t know what to do—to please you, I mean. I’m not resisting. I want to please you. It’s just that I don’t know how.”
“Just relax; that will please me. Relax.” He kissed her deeply as his hands caressed her. His mouth strayed down her body, his lips searing her skin, while his hand found and aroused her soft, secret places. Katherine, for the first time letting her defenses down, trembled with passion at his touch. She returned his caresses and smiled to hear him moan with desire at her inexperienced touch.
She groaned at the almost painful delight he brought to her. “Matthew, I love you; I want you. Love me, please. Please,” she whispered.
His voice was incoherent, muffled against her skin. Greedily he took her mouth in a fierce kiss as he entered her, their bodies blending in a shattering explosion of pleasure, one blinding moment of death and rebirth and perfect unity.
Chapter 18
Softly Matthew kissed Katherine awake; she smiled at him shyly and glanced away. He chuckled deep in his throat.
“My demure little girl,” he teased. “You were less inhibited last night.”
She buried her face in his shoulder. “Was I—were you—disappointed?”
He stared down into her eyes. “No, my love; it was the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me.” Then it was he who felt embarrassed and looked away.
“I love you,” she whispered and kissed his shoulder. “I would do anything for you. I am sorry for all those times I was so stubborn and refused you.”
“No, I was a brute to force you.” He smiled briefly. “Shouldn’t rush your fences, as Shelby would say. I was just so impatient to have you; you drove me mad with desire. You still do, you know. That clean, rose-petal smell of you; your hair; those wild golden eyes. Did you know how wide and inviting your mouth is? Cries out to be kissed.” He suited his action to his words, covering her mouth with his.
When at last he pulled his lips away, she said shakily, “No, Matthew, the house is awake; they will hear us. And Pegeen will be here with breakfast.”
“Are you refusing me?” he mocked.
“No, oh, Matthew, no.” She covered his face and neck with kisses until it was he that pulled away.
“Oh, girl,” he said unevenly. “When we sail, I am going to lock us into our cabin and do nothing but make love to you. And we won’t have to be quiet anymore; I intend to make you moan and whimper and scream with desire. But for now, you are right; this is no time to give ourselves away. So you hop out of bed and get dressed before I forget our safety and take you here and now.”
“Yessir,” she saluted, and scrambled out of bed.
He watched her dress, a faint smile on his lips. She blushed a little at his warm gaze, but did not turn away. It was still a little embarrassing, but also pleasing. She felt proud of her ability to stir him.
Matthew felt bombarded with new sensations. It was scary, this new, fragile little thing nestling in them both; he could so easily break it with a careless word or action. He hardly knew how to tenderly nurture their seedling love. It made him feel immensely strong and powerful and at the same time weak and bound. It fogged his thinking, made him take her with him when it was safer for her to stay, and made him revile himself for thus exposing her to danger even though her plan made sense. What a tremendous responsibility lay on him now—to protect her, think of her, control his selfishness, his temper.
“Katherine,” he whispered fiercely and she hurried to him. “I love you; trust me; believe me. Even though I act stupidly or unkindly, please don’t turn away.”
“Matthew.” Her throat felt too full to speak, and tears glistened in her eyes. She took his hands and squeezed them tightly.
Pegeen’s entrance with their breakfast interrupted their communication of silence, and both of them suddenly discovered that they were starving. When they finished, Katherine went downstairs to tell Angela that she had decided to leave the next day, as she was absolutely unable to sleep a wink for fear they would all be murdered in their beds. Angela grew quite agitated at the idea that she would be left alone, and the house soon hummed with the activity of two hurried departures.
Katherine wrote a letter to her father, and gave it and a bundle of money to her maid. “Now promise you will go home and not give this to Papa until two weeks have passed.”
“Oh, yes, mum, never fear,” Pegeen answered stoutly.
The maid packed up Katherine’s clothes and hers in the trunks, then stuffed a dress and a few other necessities into her own worn carpetbag for Katherine to take to Philadelphia. Katherine quietly added the flimsy nightgown Matthew had given her. When we get out to sea, she said to herself determinedly, then I will wear it; and we will get there.
The household retired early after their hard day. Katherine, forcing herself to remain still as Pegeen brushed her thick hair, knew she was far too nervous to sleep. Tomorrow they might be heading straight for their deaths. And the responsibility lay on her shoulders, for Matthew would be sightless and vulnerable with the bandages over his eyes. She had not realized before just how much she depended on him to master all the crises. She bit her lower lip and looked over at him.
He smiled at her, that warm, lazy smile that seemed to melt all her bones, apparently concerned only with watching her hair being brushed out.
After Pegeen helped her into her nightgown and left the room, she turned and crossed the carpet toward him.
“Take off that silly nightgown,” he ordered, and she obeyed him, teasingly lingering over the buttons.
“You vixen,” he laughed as she crawled into bed beside him.
“Any complaints?” She pretended to be aloof.
“Not one.” He pulled her to him and murmured against her hair, “Tomorrow night I shall have to play lady’s maid and brush your hair, with Pegeen not around.”
She smiled at the thought, her gold eyes darkening seductively, and he drew in his breath sharply. Slowly, tenderly, he began to make love to her, patiently building the fires of her passion, until she had to clench her teeth to keep from sobbing out her desire. Expertly his fingers enflamed her, brought her to a shuddering ecstasy, his mouth on hers muffling her involuntary moan. She clung to him, limp with satisfaction.
Katherine blushed at her own wild passion, and his eyes glinted with amusement. “Wanton,” he whispered, his voice making it a caress.
Before dawn, Matthew rose and dressed in his private’s uniform, then eased himself out the window. Clenching his teeth against the stab it caused in his ribs, he swung down the limbs and dropped to the ground. Katherine tossed down the carpetbag, blew him a kiss, and closed the window. He picked up the bag and began his walk to Saint Patrick’s, their agreed meeting place.
Upstairs in the house, Katherine anxiously waited for the time to pass. She paced the room, started dressing a hundred times and stopped, and checked and rechecked her reticule to make sure the wad of notes and pouch of gold coins were still there. When at last Pegeen came in with the breakfast tray,
she was too nervous to eat a bite. After crumbling a roll and sipping at a cup of coffee, she shoved the tray aside and began to dress. For the sake of anonymity, she wore one of her old gray dresses and a plain bonnet; catching sight of herself in the mirror, she grimaced. How had Matthew ever seen through all that to the wilder creature locked inside her?
And then at last, there was Adam to carry down her trunks, and she and Pegeen were scurrying down to the carriage, stopping only to hug Angela goodbye and tip the staff. The ride to the train station seemed interminable, and then Adam insisted on seeing them onto the train and into their seats before leaving.
“I thought he was going to stay until the train began to move!” Katherine exclaimed, jumping to her feet.
Pegeen, now that the actual moment of parting had arrived, began to cry. Katherine gave her a quick, fierce hug.
“Don’t cry, Peg; I shall be all right, truly. Matthew always wins. And think how happy I will be. Remember to wait two weeks. Oh, Pegeen, I shall miss you; you have been my dearest friend.”
“You better go now, Miss Katherine,” the girl said tearfully. “And may Saint Christopher watch over you and keep you safe.”
Katherine fled, almost in tears. Hurriedly she returned her ticket to Boston and purchased two to Philadelphia. There was a two-hour wait for that train, and she forced herself to make her way slowly and calmly to the cathedral. Mass was over and the huge church nearly empty; it was easy to spot Matthew kneeling on one of the back rows, to all appearances deep in prayer. Quietly she slipped in beside him.
“Thank God,” he hissed. “My knees were about to give way.”
“Don’t be flip,” she said severely and squeezed his hand.
They found a hiding spot behind the confessionals, and Katherine pulled a swath of gauze from their bag and quickly began to wrap it around his eyes. Soon all of his head above his nose was encased in white.
“I can’t see a damn thing,” he complained.
“Matthew, please, we are in a church.”
He chuckled. “Boston-proper to the end.”
“Oh, hush, and take my arm. Carry the bag with your other arm. Ready?”
“Lead on, MacDuff.”
They had to wait an hour in the station for the train to arrive. Though Katherine carefully schooled her face to look only sorrowful, without fear, she squeezed Matthew’s hand until he winced. He, however, now that he was in the midst of danger, was possessed of his battle calm. Katherine marveled at him. Had it been she who was sitting helplessly blindfolded, surrounded by enemies, she would have been reduced to abject terror by now.
The journey turned out to hold no fear except that which their minds imposed. Katherine trembled at the sight of a blue uniform, and her stomach churned with trepidation at every stop. Each new passenger made her tense, and any look cast their way made her sure they had been discovered. She felt every single minute of the long day; it seemed as though it lasted for years.
When they reached Philadelphia, they found a hansom cab and Katherine directed it to the address Matthew had given her. It was the office of a shipping merchant, Mercer & Sons, seemingly a very prosperous one. Katherine told the secretary of their desire to see Mr. Mercer, and the secretary haughtily told them to wait.
“May I inquire your names?” he asked.
“I represent a shipper from Havana; Hampton is the name,” Matthew said. “I believe Mr. Mercer has dealt with my firm a few times before.”
The secretary returned moments later and ushered them into Mr. Mercer’s office. The man behind the desk was a portly gentleman, at the present a trifle pale.
“See here,” he began to bluster as soon as his secretary left, “what the devil are you doing here? Next week is my last load; I absolutely refuse to run any more risks.”
Matthew calmly unbandaged his head. “Indeed?”
“Yes. It’s a losing proposition now, and you know it. You fellows can’t last much longer, and I think the authorities are on my trail.”
“Well, don’t worry. I have not come to ask you to sell us any more goods. What I need is passage for two on your next ship.”
Mercer peered at him. “Oh, is that all?” he said sarcastically. “My God, man, what are you doing here? I thought you escaped from Fort Warren months ago.”
“And so I did. But I returned, you see, and now I need passage out. Anywhere will do. Bermuda. Cuba. A Confederate ship.”
“Are you insane? Do you realize what would happen to me if they found out I helped you escape?”
“I know what will happen to you if you do not help me,” Hampton returned easily.
The man glowered at him. “Don’t threaten me, Hampton. Turn me in and your goose is cooked.”
“No, I shan’t run to the Navy with the information,” Matthew said judiciously. “But if I am unable to get out of the country and am captured, believe me, your name will be the first word on my lips. I will have nothing to lose, after all. Unlike you.”
“The first ship I have doesn’t leave until next Tuesday. It sails for Nassau; the Sea Nymph, under Daniel Josephs.”
“Ah, then it is a load for us?” Matthew said, and, at Katherine’s puzzled look, explained, “Only one of his captains knows of Mr. Mercer’s connection with us. Greatly reduces the risks. Besides, some of his men show a bothersome tendency toward patriotism.”
“I should hope so,” Katherine said, glaring at Mercer as if he were some loathsome, crawling creature.
“Please, dear, be a little more forgiving,” Matthew said, amused. “He is helping to save our necks, you know.”
Mercer returned her glare. “And who might you be, Miss High and Mighty?”
“That’s none of your business,” Matthew snapped. “She is with me, and that is all you need to know.”
“All right.” Mercer raised his hands pacifically. “I shall tell Josephs. He will leave at dawn on Tuesday.”
“We shall be there,” Matthew promised, and rose. “Very nice to have finally met you face to face.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Mercer said dryly.
Katherine gave vent to her feelings as soon as they reached the street. “That man—he is a spider, a gruesome thing that preys on both sides! Traitor to his own country, and gouges your side with ridiculous prices, no doubt. A snake—that’s what he is.”
“Calm yourself, please. You ought to be grateful to him. Without him, we would be in a much worse plight.”
Katherine grimaced. “I am not so sure. It is days until Tuesday, and here you and I will be all that time, just like sitting ducks.”
“Well, frankly, Katherine, we do not have much choice.”
“I know,” she said grumpily and fell into a brief silence. Then she began again, more cheerfully this time, “Well, what are we to do now?”
“Get a hotel room, I suppose, and hide for a few days.” He looked down at her devilishly. “I think we shall be able to find something to occupy our time.”
Katherine laughed and blushed and turned to look in a shop window to hide her awkwardness. “Matthew,” she said, stopping dead-still. “Look at this.”
“What? That hat? Not your style at all.”
“No, silly. See that man in the gray suit? Looking so intently into that haberdashery? See his reflection in this window?”
“What about it?”
“Well, when I stopped and looked in this window, I saw him. He was looking at us, and when he saw us stop, he whirled and started looking into that window.”
Hampton frowned. “You think he is following us?”
“I don’t know. It’s just that he acted so peculiarly.”
“Well, it won’t hurt to lose him. Come along.”
They quickened their pace; behind them, the man in the gray suit quickened his. They made several turns and still he followed. Matthew’s frown grew.
“There’s something wrong here,” he said. “We better get back to Mercer and tell him. I think perhaps his office was being wat
ched. It is almost dark now, so we should be able to lose him. See that alley ahead? When we reach it, turn into it and run. But don’t make a move until we are in it.”
“All right.” She tightened for flight and dropped her hands to her sides to lift her skirts to run when the chance came. As the alley loomed beside them, Matthew took her hand and hissed, “Now!”
They tore down the alley, the carpetbag Matthew carried banging awkwardly against his leg. He dragged her along, twisting and turning down dark streets and alleys. Katherine concentrated on just running and trusted Matthew to elude their pursuer. At last he came to a stop and pulled her into a dark doorway. They waited, trying to catch their breath. There was no sign of the man in the gray suit.
“Now, to tell Mercer,” Matthew said and started off again.
Mercer had left the office, but a night watchman was able to give them his address—for the proper monetary inducement, of course. They quickly caught a cab and gave the driver the address. Soon they found themselves in a pleasant area of tree-lined avenues and spacious houses.
The cab pulled up before a fence-enclosed house, and the two disembarked. Matthew paid the driver, and as the cab clattered off, they stepped up to the gate, but Matthew stopped Katherine with a hand on her arm. She looked up, puzzled, then followed his gaze. The front door of the house had just opened, and a blue-coated officer stepped out. He was followed by Mercer, who was flanked by two armed guards. Katherine gasped and turned to Hampton. He nodded grimly.
“He must be under arrest. Take my arm and let us take a casual stroll down the street.”
Her heart pounding, Katherine obeyed him. They walked briskly and were soon out of sight of the house. “Oh, Matthew, what are we to do? If they have arrested him, they’ll stop his ship from sailing. And he will doubtless tell them about us.”
“First thing is to head for the docks and find the Sea Nymph. Perhaps it has not yet been impounded and, if it hasn’t, we can persuade Josephs to sail immediately. I have dealt with him; I think he will recognize me and believe our story.”
Gregory, Lisa Page 34
