by Bobbi Smith
Chapter Twenty-One
Noah was shrugging into his frock coat when the knock came at his door. “Who is it?”
“It’s Marty from the Lorelei, m’lord,” the young cabin boy answered respectfully. “I’ve got a message for you from Captain Russell. He says it’s important.”
“Come in, Marty,” Noah called out, glancing toward the door as the youngster came inside.
“Thank you, Lord Kincade.” Marty, a small, skinny lad raised in the slums of England, was in awe of Noah, and he bobbed a nervous nod in his direction. He found the fact that he was even speaking to the nobleman amazing, and he was determined to do a good job of it.
“What is it Captain Russell felt was so important?” he asked, picking up his greatcoat, ready to depart as soon as their conversation was at an end.
“He said to tell you that the Sea Pride has been sighted and that she should make port within three days.”
Noah smiled widely in confident satisfaction. “That’s excellent news, and I appreciate your delivering it to me, Marty.”
“Yes, m’lord.”
“Take this for your trouble and tell your good captain that I will be speaking with him very soon.” Noah handed the boy a coin and then saw him to the door.
“I’ll do that, sir, and thank you.”
When the young man had gone, Noah moved back to the washstand to check his appearance one last time in the small mirror there. Satisfied that he looked his best, he donned his greatcoat and started on his way to the Hammond house. Noah had been invited to dinner tonight in honor of Matt’s birthday, and now it looked as if they had even more to celebrate. Within a matter of days his negotiations would be completed, and he’d be well on his way to rebuilding their lost fortune.
Noah’s spirits were high when he arrived at their home, and he was welcomed warmly by Faith, Matthew, and Ruth. The meal was enjoyable and the conversation flowed easily as he and Matt both chose to avoid the issues that caused problems between them.
“I have news that will be of interest to you, Matthew,” Noah finally told him as they retired, alone, to the parlor after dinner. “Oh?”
“Just as I was leaving the inn to come here tonight I received word that the Pride has been sighted and is within three days of port.”
Matthew was pleased but solemn as he answered, “It’s not a moment too soon, considering what’s probably going to happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“Since the ‘tea party’ last week, rumors have been flying that there definitely will be reprisals against us. Dispatches carrying the news of our actions are already on their way back to Parliament.”
“Do you have any idea what might be done?”
“It’s hard to say. Whatever happens, the colonists…” Matthew paused, realizing that he could no longer talk about the revolutionaries from an outsider’s standpoint, for he was one of them now. “We’re not going to stand for it.”
A sardonic smile curved Noah’s mouth. “That’s quite a change from the argument you gave me in the beginning about how I was betraying my country by selling war supplies to the insurgents.”
Matt knew he should be angered by his brother’s sarcastic comment, but he chose to ignore it. “Yes, I suppose it is,” he agreed, “but I’ve learned a lot since then.”
“Such as?” Noah had thought Matt might argue with him, and his brother’s capitulation surprised him.
“Such as, a man must have justice if he is to survive.”
“How noble,” he replied.
“I’m not being noble, Noah,” Matt stated sharply. “I’m being realistic. It’s not fair for Parliament to try to keep such strict control over the growth and activities of the colonies. If the Crown decides to punish us for our attempts to put things to rights, then there will be trouble.”
“And you’re now willing to take up arms for that cause?”
“Yes. I am,” he answered with firm conviction.
“I find it totally contradictory that you condemned me for selling the arms to the colonists, and yet now you’re willing to make use of them yourself.”
“I am willing to fight, because I truly believe in what I am fighting for.” Matthew fixed him with a penetrating regard. “You, on the other hand, are making the sale out of a pure love of money, not for any finer moral principle. You profess to be loyal to the Crown, yet you show no hesitation in making a fast profit dealing in goods that will most assuredly be used against representatives of the very government you say holds your devotion. That was what I found distressing originally, and now that I know the truth of things here…”
Noah’s gaze turned cold as he shrugged. “What is there about this movement that everyone is so ardent in its defense?”
“It’s a matter of justice, Noah,” Matt replied slowly.
“For you maybe, but not for me,” he replied bluntly when Matt had finished speaking. “You know my only reason for coming to this godforsaken land was to recoup our losses. I am not interested in your cause. My goal has not changed, and I see no point in discussing this. We have agreed to disagree. We each have different goals in our lives. I have come to accept yours. I would expect the same consideration from you.”
“I don’t like feeling that we’re at odds with each other. I thought if you came to understand my…our point of view, it might help you to decide….”
“Decide?” Noah looked at him in amazement.
Matt looked him straight in the eye as he answered, “Decide to join with me and work for the revolution.”
“My life is in England, Matthew. You know that.”
“But it doesn’t have to be! You could live here. We could continue Kincade Shipping on a small scale and work right here, out of Boston.”
“No.”
“Don’t you care about anything except reclaiming our ‘lost’ heritage? What about CC?”
“What about her?” He was suddenly on the defensive. He did not want to think about her or talk about her.
“I had thought that there was something between the two of you.”
“You thought wrong,” he answered harshly. “CC means nothing to me.” Even as he said it, he knew it was a lie, for CC was the first and only woman he’d ever actually asked to become his wife. The memory of her refusal still had the power to hurt him. “Nor do the colonies.”
His determined response quelled any hope Matt had of encouraging him to his own way of thinking, and he sighed deeply to himself, feeling more discouraged than ever.
“Now, back to the subject of business.” Noah quickly dismissed the other discussion, not wanting to dwell any further on their differences. “Since it’s not safe for me to make direct contact with Graves or Smith, I want you to send word to them that the shipment will be here probably by the week’s end. I expect the balance due me delivered before I turn over the supplies.”
“I’ll tell him. Do you want CC to be the one to bring the payment to you at the inn again?”
“No!” Noah’s answer was abrupt. He wanted to stay as far away from CC as he could. She was the last person in the world he wanted to see.
“No? Is there a problem?” Matt asked, wondering at his reaction.
Noah glowered at him. “No, there’s no problem. I just think it’s too dangerous for her to be involved. Have them think of another way to get the money to me, but I want to have it in hand before we go any further with this deal.”
“All right,” he answered, finding his brother’s protectiveness of CC curious if, as he said, she meant nothing to him. “How do you plan to get the arms to them? Are you going to have them smuggled in?”
“Smuggling’s no good. Demorest already knows that the Pride is due in port at any time and that she’s carrying arms. I thought it would be more convincing if the goods were to be stolen off the ship while it’s in the harbor. If the rebels were brazen enough to dump the tea, certainly they’d be willing to board a merchant ship carrying arms, don’t you think?”
&
nbsp; Matt nodded thoughtfully. “We’ll just have to be very careful. Violence was avoided when we dumped the tea, and I want to make sure there’s not any trouble when the arms are taken.”
“I don’t foresee any problems.” Noah was confident that his idea would work. When all was said and done, he and Matthew would come out of it looking the innocent victims. “Just tell them to get the money to me, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
The women rejoined them then, and the conversation drifted to other things. Noah brought up the subject of the party to be held the following evening at Major Winthrop’s home.
“We received the invitation before your elopement. Do you plan on attending?” Noah asked.
Matthew stiffened perceptibly at the thought of attending a ball in the home of the man who’d made so light of the attack on Faith. “Please extend our regrets.”
“You won’t be going?”
“I wouldn’t grace Winthrop’s funeral with my presence,” Matt disdained. “I have little use for the man. He’s an ass.”
“I find your assessment most accurate,” Noah commented dryly, “and would prefer to beg off myself, but image is everything at this point. I must show my loyalty to the Crown at every opportunity if the arrangement with the rebels is to come off smoothly. I certainly can’t give the authorities any reason to doubt me, especially since we still don’t know who it is who’s having me followed.”
“I’m sure you haven’t given them any reason to worry. I can’t help but wish you had.”
Sensing another confrontation, Noah cut him off curtly. “Matthew!”
“Think about all I’ve said, Noah. My life will be here now.” He gazed fondly at Faith before looking back up at his brother. “I’d like yours to be, too.”
Noah stood up, “You know my plans. I don’t intend to change them. If you’ll excuse me? It’s getting late.”
“Of course.” Matt realized that he had pushed him too far.
“I’ll bid you all good night. Ladies…”
Matt did not regret his attempt to reconcile Noah to his own way of thinking, but he knew that he should say no more at this time. He walked with him to the door and watched as his brother pulled on his greatcoat.
“I’m glad you came to dinner, Noah.” It was a heartfelt statement.
“Thank you for the invitation.” His answer was brusque, the pressure he’d felt at Matt’s effort to convert him from his own goals having taken the comfortable glow from the evening. “You’ll be in touch?”
Matt nodded. “I’ll give Graves the information as soon as possible and then get back to you with his reply.”
“I’ll be waiting. Be sure he understands that time is of the essence. We have to work this right or all could be lost.”
“I’ll tell him.”
Ryan Graves looked at Joshua Smith, his expression strained. “There’s no way we can do it.”
Smith stared blankly at the closed door through which Matthew had just exited. “I know. I had thought there would be more time…. What can we do?”
“There’s only one thing we can do, and that’s ask him to let us take delivery on the arms and then trust us to come up with the rest of the money later.” Graves was desperate.
“Kincade’s a hard one,” Smith observed. “He’s not going to give a damn about our motives or our promises. He’s already threatened to sell to the redcoats, and I don’t doubt for a minute that he would.”
“If he does, we’ve lost everything…including the first half of our payment.”
“It was a dangerous agreement from the start.”
“I know, but I was so positive that we’d have the funds by the time the materials arrived.”
“What are you going to do?”
“There’s only one thing I can do. I’ve got to go to him and ask him for an extension in the payback.”
“And if he says no?”
Graves looked defeated. “I’ll worry about that when it happens.”
It was late, and the taproom of the Green Dragon Inn was almost deserted. Seated at a table in a secluded, dark corner, Noah faced Ryan Graves. His expression was stony as he regarded the rebel leader.
“Graves.” His tone was deadly. “We had an agreement. The balance was to be due and payable upon the delivery of the merchandise.”
“Yes, we did, Lord Kincade,” Graves agreed miserably.
“And now you’re telling me that you can’t meet those terms?”
“Not exactly…” he hedged.
“What, then, are you telling me exactly?”
“When we made the agreement, I thought there would be more time to get the money together.”
Noah was cold and indifferent to his problems. He wanted the cash due him, and he wanted it now. He had made the deal in good faith. “I’m sorry if I’m not particularly sympathetic to your problem, Graves.”
Graves paled at his statement. “Lord Kincade,” he began earnestly, “we will pay you the full amount due. You have my word on it.”
“I had your word before that you would have the money by the time the merchandise arrived,” Noah told him. “I’m afraid there isn’t any reason to continue our discussion. The Pride will probably make port late tomorrow or Sunday. Have the money to me by then, or the deal is off.”
“But Lord Kincade…!”
Noah got to his feet, his gaze dispassionate upon the other man. “I expect to be hearing from you soon.”
Girding himself, Graves looked up. His eyes locked with Kincade’s silver ones and he thought the nobleman’s eyes the coldest he’d ever seen. “I’ll do my best.”
With a curt nod, Noah left him.
Graves was a defeated man as he faced those gathered in the back room of the Green Dragon’s stables the next day. “I have news for you, and I’m afraid it’s not encouraging.”
Everyone turned their attention to him, wondering what terrible thing had happened.
“What’s wrong?” John asked worriedly.
“It looks as if our deal with Lord Kincade is going to fall through,” he answered succinctly.
“Why?” CC couldn’t stop herself from inquiring.
“The Kincade ship carrying the arms we needed is due in port in a matter of hours. According to our agreement, we were to pay him in full upon taking delivery of the goods.”
“Yes. So?” another member wondered.
“So we’re short. We don’t have the full amount we agreed to, and Lord Kincade has threatened to call off the arrangement if he doesn’t receive payment in time.”
“Did you tell him we were good for it?” CC spoke up again.
“Of course, but he wasn’t buying. It’s cash before delivery or nothing. Does anyone have any ideas?”
CC’s thoughts strayed from the conversation at hand. She could imagine Noah’s mercenary attitude. He cared only for his own pleasure and profit. Obviously Noah wanted money, and just as obviously, he intended to get it. Nothing else mattered to him. Nothing else except…A shiver shook her as she remembered their last encounter. There was one thing Noah had wanted that he hadn’t gotten. Her.
From the very beginning, he had accused her of trading her favors for the rebel cause. He had been wrong those times, but maybe this time it would be a risk worth taking. CC’s mind was racing as she began to plan.
CC said no more as Graves continued to discuss the issue with those present. Tonight Noah would be at the Winthrop ball, as she would be, and she was going to make him an offer. It was an offer she felt reasonably confident that he wouldn’t refuse. Surely, as much as Noah had said he wanted her, he would not turn her down.
Geoffrey Radcliffe stared at his servant, his expression one of outrage. “What do you mean, Kincade’s managed to elude your man twice?”
“I’m sorry, my lord,” Bartley was apologetic. “The best I can figure is that he’s aware of the surveillance.”
“How could that be?”
“I don’t know. All I know is that he disappe
ared from the Red Lion the night of the disturbance at Griffin’s Wharf. The man watching him didn’t even realize he’d gone until he saw him returning late that night.”
“And?”
“He disappeared yesterday for several hours.”
“You have no idea where he went?”
“No, m’lord. I’m sorry.”
“Well you should be!” Geoffrey raged as he imagined Kincade sharing Eve’s bed, tasting of her passion. “I expected competence, Bartley!”
“I know.” He was suitably humble. “I do have some new information on his brother, if that’s of any consolation to you.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Young Matthew Kincade is deeply involved with the dissidents.”
“He is, is he?” Geoffrey’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he considered how he could use the information.
“Yes. I don’t have positive identification on this, but my sources are reasonably certain that he was one of the ‘Indians’ at Griffin’s Wharf.”
“I see…. And that’s the same night that Noah Kincade was gone from the inn, correct?”
“Yes, Lord Radcliffe.”
“Did your informants indicate that Noah Kincade might have been one of the ‘Indians,’ too?”
“No. There was nothing said about that possibility.”
Bartley’s answer was not the one Geoffrey had wanted to hear, and his mood grew black. “Have the surveillance continued,” he told him abruptly.
“Yes, m’lord.”
“That will be all, Bartley,” he dismissed.
When the servant had gone, Geoffrey settled back in his chair to ponder all he’d just learned. He had been seeing Eve regularly, yet he still did not trust her completely. She had capitulated to his way of thinking much too quickly for him to believe the validity of her professed change toward Kincade. Perhaps Eve was still interested in the other man and had warned him to take care when coming to see her. That possibility bore consideration.
The other possibility—that of Kincade being involved with the rebels in some illegal way and its resulting ramifications—would certain spell disaster for the arrogant nobleman, if only he could prove it. Geoffrey swore under his breath at his lack of vital information.
