Midnight Masquerade

by Shirlee Busbee

  He wasn't wrong, but he was surprised at the direction of Jason's thoughts. Dinner had been pleasant—Josh, an affable, congenial host; Sally, serene and slightly bemused as usual; Royce, amusing; Morgan and Leonie affectionate; Jason and Catherine, charming; and the inclusion of Zachary, a welcome and not unexpected guest.

  It was only afterward, when Jason, having made previous arrangements with Josh, commandeered the library at Oak Hollow, that Dominic discovered the reason for the dinner. There were only four gentlemen in the library, Royce, Dominic, Jason and Morgan, and as they sipped some of Josh's finest brandy, Royce remarked, "What did you tell my fattier and Zachary to make them so willing to leave us alone?"

  Jason smiled, his dark face sardonic. "Merely that I needed to discuss something of great importance with you."

  Dominic grimaced. "And have you really something of 'great importance' that Royce and I must know? Couldn't we remain in blissful ignorance?"

  "Well, I haven't that much to tell you, but I'm hoping you two can tell me something." At the expression of wariness that crossed the faces of the two younger men, Jason's green eyes gleamed with amusement. "Rest easy, it is nothing very personal. I wish to know about the Englishman, Julius Latimer. I understand that you two are acquainted with him?"

  "In a manner of speaking," Dominic conceded, carefully setting down his half-filled snifter of brandy on a polished mahogany table. "But whether we can be of any use to you..."

  Leaning forward in his leather chair, his bold features intent, Jason asked, "What sort of a man is he?"

  Without hesitation, Dominic said, "A scoundrel, a liar and a cheat."

  He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth before Royce echoed them, saying bluntly, "Unscrupulous, dangerous and not to be trusted."

  Jason's thick black brow arched. "That much of a blackguard?"

  Two heads nodded in swift unison. But it was Dominic who spoke. "His reputation in England is not the best—it is only because of his family connections that he is, or was, tolerated by the ton. I'm sure his family breathed a sigh of relief when he came to America."

  Morgan, who had remained silent up until now, entered the conversation, asking, "Your opinion of him is based on rumor and gossip?"

  Royce and Dominic exchanged glances. "No," Royce said when Dominic showed no sign of explaining. "Latimer and your brother have faced each other on the dueling field—I was Dom's second. I don't think that you need to know all the reasons why they fought, but one of the causes of the duel was the fact that Latimer had vilified Dominic's character and spread outright lies about him, painting him as a libertine and a fortune hunter and all manner of nonsense—so we know that he is a liar. As for the other... Dominic gave him a nasty wound and Latimer was carried from the field swearing revenge. Something that might be discounted if it weren't for the fact that two days afterward, in one of the most select areas of London, not a place where one would expect to find rascals and thieves, Dominic was set upon by several rogues whose only intention seemed to be to kill him."

  Morgan's blue eyes narrowed. "That doesn't prove that Latimer had anything to do with it."

  Wearily, Dominic said, "No, but that's the way in which Latimer works—no one has ever proved anything against him—there had been other, similar incidents connected with him. Fortunately for me, Royce and a few other friends showed up in time to save me from having my skull bashed in, and we were able to capture one of the bullies." His face reflective, Dominic went on, "He was a crafty fellow, and while he would not name who had hired him, he did admit that he had been hired to kill me and that it had been a 'fine swell' who had done so. Now, I don't go around making that many enemies, so we all came to the same conclusion—Latimer had to have been the 'fine swell'."

  "But you didn't question the rogue further?" Jason asked sharply.

  Dominic shrugged. "We turned him over to the watch and he was taken to Newgate. We intended to, er, convince him to tell us the name of the man who had hired him, but the fellow just happened to get into a fight while waiting to appear before the judge and was stabbed to death."

  "I see," Jason murmured."Our charming Englishman does not seem to be the sort of man one would like at one's back in a tight situation...."He glanced across at Dominic and Royce. "Is he very wealthy? He has given that impression and I would like to know how he manages to keep himself in such an elegant style so far from home."

  Thoughtfully Royce said, "In England, neither Julius nor his sister had much of a fortune; it was common knowledge that were hanging out for a rich husband or wife." Royce did not look at Dominic as he continued, "His sister, Lady Deborah, was able to snare a wealthy old man, but it did her little good. When he died she discovered the estate was entailed, and she was left with only a small sum of money. As for Julius, I don't think he wants to find his fortune in the marriage bed. In London it was the gaming halls that held his attention, rather than the rooms at Almack's. He is a very good gambler, although there are those, myself among them, who would say that he is also a very clever cheat. I know what I say because I watched him one night gull a young cawker up from the country out of a sizable sum. And as for what Latimer may or may not have inherited from his uncle, Weatherby, gossip has it that the only thing he got from that estate was the gaming voucher of Hugh's... and a paid trip to America."

  Jason and Morgan looked blank at the mention of the voucher, and briefly Dominic and Royce explained about the debt that Melissa and Zachary had inherited upon their father's death. When they had finished speaking, Jason nodded , as if their words confirmed some inner conclusion of his own. "So it would appear that our Latimer has found some way of living elegantly without any money."

  His face sardonic, Dominic muttered, "That has changed—he was able to collect on Hugh's note."

  "And," Royce added, "he has not had to expend a great deal of money while he has been in this area—he and his sister have been staying with Colonel Grayson down the river."

  "Ah, yes, Colonel Grayson," Jason murmured. "The dear colonel who was once an officer in the King's Army and whose outspoken Tory sympathies caused him to be driven out of Virginia at the beginning of the War for Independence. A most interesting situation, wouldn't you say?"

  Both Dominic and Royce were startled as the implication of Jason's words occurred to them. "Are you hinting that you think that Latimer is a spy?" Dominic asked incredulously. "He would make a poor tool, I would think."

  "Think again, my young friend," Jason replied. "Unscrupulous, a liar and dangerous; these would be virtues in a spy. And his supposed advocacy of our cause would give him a perfectly legitimate, even admirable excuse to be here in the United States for the duration of the present unpleasantness with England. And since he appears to have unlimited funds, he is also able to move about the country at will, traveling here and there... visiting with this one and that...."

  His skepticism apparent, Dominic remarked, "You have more information than that on which to base this theory of yours."

  Jason grinned. "And I thought I was going to impress you with my omnipotency."

  Gray eyes dancing with laughter, Dominic admitted, "Ten years ago, yes, but not now." The laughter fading from his eyes, he said, "Now tell us what you know."

  "Very little, but it is because of a letter I received from our former President Thomas Jefferson that my suspicions have been aroused about Mr. Latimer's activities. It seems that from other sources Jefferson has been alerted to Mr. Latimer's discreet visits to many former Tories who since the war have ostensibly thrown their lot in with the Republic. The visits that most concern him, however, are here in Louisiana, where so many previous British officers have chosen to settle. Mr. Jefferson, as you know, has a great fondness for Louisiana. It was his administration that brought about the purchase of these vast lands, and he wouldn't want anything to happen that would see even a portion of these lands fall into British hands...."

  Into the tense silence that fell, Jason said quietly, "If rebell
ion could be fomented here in the north to coincide with a British attack of the city of New Orleans, we all might find ourselves under English rule before we had time to realize what had happened. Defending New Orleans is going to be difficult enough, but if we have to fear betrayal at our back..."

  The conclusion was obvious, and Dominic growled, "I could kill him." He threw Royce a glance. "And while I have been advised to greet him politely, it still shouldn't be difficult for me to find an excuse to challenge him to a duel."

  "No," Jason said forcefully. "We don't want him dead—yet. We want to find out just how serious his activities really are and who may or may not be agreeable to his treasonous talk. We need you and Royce to keep an eye on him for us and to find out what you can."

  Dominic pulled a face. "Royce will be far more likely to be of any help to you. Latimer would be suspicious the instant I acted toward him in a friendly manner."

  "But you are quite friendly with the sister, aren't you?" Morgan asked slyly, reentering the conversation.

  If it were possible for a man of Dominic's years and sophistication to blush, he did so. Feeling like a youth caught in a misdemeanor, he sat there wishing he could simply sink through the floor or deny Morgan's statement. A spot of dark red color burning high on his cheekbones, he muttered, "That was a long time ago. She is a mere acquaintance now."

  "Ah, that doesn't seem to be my understanding of the situation," Morgan persisted, the sapphire eyes alight with affectionate amusement. "At your wedding, I spent some time with the young lady, and she made it clear that she considered you a dear friend and that she had been overjoyed to make her re-acquaintance with someone for whom she had once harbored, er, warm feeling."

  Dominic was not about to discuss his relationship with Deborah with Jason and Morgan. His chin set at a pugnacious angle, he demanded, "And? Is it a crime to have known an attractive woman in the past?"

  "Absolutely not," Jason said. "But since you cannot claim a friendship with Latimer, I suggest that Royce attempt to insinuate himself into the Englishman's circle and that you concentrate on making yourself agreeable to the sister. She may not know everything that her brother is up to, but I'm sure that she will prove a fount of information about his activities."

  Distaste displayed on his handsome face, Dominic asked levelly, "Are you suggesting that I commit adultery? That I start an affair with her?"

  Understanding in his eyes, Jason said gently, "No. But it would be helpful if you could remain on good terms with her and keep your ears and eyes open. I realize that I'm asking a great deal of you, especially since you have not even been married a month, and I would not want you to do anything that would endanger your marriage, but if you could encourage Lady Deborah's interest in you and keep up some sort of intimacy with her, it would be a good idea." Commiseration in his voice, Jason continued. "I know that the timing is deplorable, but the situation is urgent. If it is any consolation to you, this particular facade should not entail more than a few weeks, perhaps just a month or two of your time." When Dominic's face remained hard and set, Jason added quietly, "Ask yourself whether you would prefer to participate in this unpleasant little charade for a short while or possibly see Louisiana lost to the Republic...."

  There was only one answer to Jason's question, and Dominic snarled, "I'll do it—I just hope to God when this is over I still have a wife!"

  Chapter 19

  If Melissa noted her husband's surly mood after the dinner at Oak Hollow, she wisely made no mention of it, but she was curious about what the gentlemen had discussed. She was even more curious since Josh and Zachary had been banned from the discussion. Her attempts to find out what they had been talking about had been met with such a scowl that her curiosity was even more aroused.

  Melissa had enjoyed the evening at Oak Hollow. She'd dreaded this first public appearance since her wedding, particularly because the situation between her and Dominic was so unsettled, but whatever reservations or fears she might have held were quickly dispelled as she was enveloped in Josh's hearty embrace and he boomed out his pleasure at seeing her. Josh's greeting set the tone of the evening which followed, and she relaxed and entered eagerly into conversation with the other guests; and since, except for Jason and Catherine Savage, the others were all members of the family, it was a lively and informal evening. Thinking back over it and how much she had enjoyed talking with Leonie and Catherine, she was a bit saddened to realize that in a few days her new friends would be leaving—Catherine and Jason, in fact, had bidden the newlyweds good-bye that evening, extending a warm invitation for them to come and visit at Terre du Coeur when time allowed. And all too soon, Leonie and Morgan would be returning to Chateau Saint-Andre in the southern portion of the state.

  The next morning, as she and Dominic enjoyed a cup of coffee on the gallery at the front of the cottage, Melissa asked almost wistfully, "Do you think that we shall visit Terre du Coeur and Chateau Saint-Andre someday?" The notion that Dominic might intend to sequester her at Thousand Oaks had not been entirely dispelled, although she felt certain that he would never be deliberately cruel to her.

  His thoughts on last night's conversation with Jason and Morgan, Dominic growled, "It'll be a damned long time before I see that sly brother of mine and his crafty friend again, I can tell you!"

  At Melissa's look of astonishment, he added hastily, "Merely jesting, my dear. If you like, we may spend our first Christmas together at Chateau Saint-Andre. The house at Thousand Oaks will probably be only half put together, and I'm sure that you will enjoy shopping in New Orleans for some new furnishings and whatnots."

  It was the first time that Dominic had mentioned Thousand Oaks in several days. Setting down her china cup, Melissa asked, "When do you intend for us to go to Thousand Oaks?" Shyly she added, "I should very much like to see my new home." Then, afraid that she might have slighted their present abode, she said, "Not that I am not quite happy right here." Twisting slightly in her chair, she gazed with open pleasure at the front of the cottage. "It's such a dear little place, and I am sure that I shall miss it at times."

  For reasons of his own, Dominic suddenly found the idea of going to Thousand Oaks appealing, and pushing aside the thought that he might be acting in a craven manner, he said brightly, "What a splendid notion! I should have thought of it sooner. Of course you want to see your new home. We can leave just as soon as possible."

  Nearly prattling at the prospect of putting several miles between himself and Deborah Bowden and the danger she represented to his fragile marriage, he stated, "The house there is in utter shambles, but you can make up a list of the most immediate items that you need, and then we shall travel to Natchez and see what is available. You may buy whatever you like."

  Melissa might have been taken aback by his enthusiasm, but she harbored no suspicions of an ulterior motive being at the root of his agreement to remove to Thousand Oaks. Her eyes alight with mischief, she murmured, "You should not be so free with your promises—I may prove to be a very greedy wife." She said the words in jest, but at the cynical expression that crossed his face, she wondered if she had been unwise. Some of her lightheartedness fading, she added, "You need not fear that I shall be a spendthrift." Her soft mouth tightened. "My father's way of life taught me to be careful with money—I will not be wasteful with yours."

  The subject was dropped, but her words gave Dominic much to puzzle over, and leaving her a few minutes later, he walked away with a frown on his face. One moment it seemed that she was indeed a grasping harpy, and the next... A tender smile tugged at the corners of his lips. And the next she disarmed him, making him believe that the ugly idea of marrying him for his fortune had never occurred to her. Which, he wondered, not for the first time, was the real Melissa?

  Wasting no more time in fruitless speculation on her motive, his thoughts turned to more pleasant topics, such as their removal to Thousand Oaks. It was an excellent solution to many of his problems—he and Melissa would be so busy making the house
habitable, it would eliminate some of the strain that presently existed in this intimate setting... and it would place him out of Deborah Bowden's path. Which particular aspect of the situation appealed to him more was hard to say, and he was whistling cheerfully by the time he reached the small stables.

  His optimistic mood did not last, and before ten minutes had elapsed, as he rode toward Oak Hollow to tell the family of their plans, he realized that he and Melissa could not leave for Thousand Oaks. To do so would be tantamount to ignoring a call to duty, and no matter how distasteful he found the prospect of encouraging Lady Bowden's friendship to learn what he could of her brother's activities—activities that could endanger his country—it was a task that must be done. How would he feel, he wondered heavily, if Jason's fears that Latimer was inciting rebellion here in the northern reaches of Louisiana proved to be true and he had turned his back on the situation and run away to hide at Thousand Oaks? His mouth twisted. He had never run from a duty or a fight in his life, and he knew that he could not and would not run from this one—no matter what strain it put on his marriage.

  Perhaps it was just as well that they stay near Baton Rouge for a while longer, he finally concluded. Until he had settled all his doubts about Melissa and her reasons for marrying him, it might be best if he allowed her to intrude no further into his life. Thousand Oaks was at present untainted by her presence; he had no memories of her there, nothing of her to haunt him, should she prove to be the calculating creature he had called her.

  Then, too, it would be easier to observe her here, where her family and friends were and where she would be more at ease, less careful in their company, and he might discover some clue to explain her inconsistent conduct around him. Certainly she would feel less isolated, less cut off from all that she knew than she would in the half-tamed wilderness area of Thousand Oaks.