Heart of Fragile Stars (Rakes & Rebels: The Beauvisage Family Book 1)
Page 11
He smiled behind the thin curls of smoke which drifted up and dissolved into the darkness.
“Ah, yes, I imagine you must be filled with questions. We are going to Philadelphia, where I live. I’ve decided that after we arrive I shall install you at my parents’ home. It wouldn’t help you at all socially to be living at my house! As it is, if I were any sort of gentleman at all I’d marry you as soon as we encounter a parson.”
Caroline’s eyes were wide with astonishment.
“Marry me! Whatever for?”
“Why, to make an honest woman out of you. Moral codes don’t allow men and gently-bred women to spend the night together without a chaperone—no matter how innocent the circumstances may be. And in our case, I have a feeling we’ll be alone together for more than one night.” He was smiling at her as if the prospect intrigued him, and Caroline shifted uneasily. “However, no one needs to know what our circumstances have been before we arrived in Philadelphia. I will solve this problem by explaining that I am your guardian…” He grinned again, looking to Caroline like a scoundrel. “I am not a particularly honorable man in my dealings with women. Take that as my warning, cherie! Also, I have no intention of ruining both our lives with a marriage neither of us wants, just for the sake of propriety. You are young and very beautiful, Caro, and I’m certain that there will be scores of young swains in Philadelphia who will be eager to win your affections. Besides, we must make sure that you are not already married!”
Caroline’s eyes had been growing larger with each sentence Alec spoke, but with his last words her mouth dropped open.
“Married! Me?”
“It is entirely possible that you were running away from a husband.”
Alec had no doubt that she was old enough, for he had become quite familiar with the attractive curves beneath her smock during their ride on Ivan that day. There was no doubt in his mind that she was indeed a fully grown woman.
Caro—how she liked Alec’s version of her name!—sat quietly for a few minutes, her profile pensive in the firelight. Finally, he broke the silence.
“You look like you’re trying to remember something.”
“I am.” She paused. “You know, I feel as if I know all about myself, but for the moment it all eludes me. It’s as though my memories are there, but I just can’t reach them.”
“Or perhaps you don’t want to,” he offered gently.
“What do you mean?”
“Only that whatever is in your past may be painful to you and you’ve blocked it out without even realizing it.”
Their eyes met, and though she did not speak, Alec knew that she understood what he was saying. Her face was so lovely, and in it he could see bewilderment and fear.
The air was growing colder and Alec moved forward from the shadows to add more wood to the fire. Caro observed him with interest, uneasily aware of his nearness. He turned to look at her, reaching out to grasp one of her hands.
“Are you warm enough? Here, put this on.” He wrapped his own heavy blue wool coat around her shoulders. It was a handsome garment with a rich satin lining, wide lapels, and brass buttons. Then Caro found herself leaning back against the tree next to him, his arm around her, her cheek against his chest. A sudden feeling of well-being flooded her, and she began to ask him more questions. At length, as the conversation turned to his family, Alec grew animated.
“My father descended from French nobility, but as a young man he became a pirate known as the Sea Rogue. You see, I was telling you the truth! He did a great deal of illegal trading with the colonies during the days when trade with England was so expensive and troublesome. Actually, it was all quite respectable then. Father tells wonderful stories about the rounds of entertainment from the merchants of New York town, when he would put into port with his cargo. He really led a wild, adventurous life, but I believe he met my mother just in time.”
“Where did they meet?”
“Quite classic circumstances, I assure you! My father captured her ship.”
“Her ship!”
“Yes, she was on board a fine vessel of the era, bound from Russia for the colonies to visit her brother. Father confiscated all the valuables from her ship, foremost among which was my mother.”
“Oh my goodness,” Caro exclaimed. He was chuckling in amusement. “What happened then?”
“No doubt he had his way with her since, after all, he was as much a libertine as I am. However, my mother appears to have tamed his wild ways, for soon Father had not only returned all the stolen goods, but also married my mother there at sea. She accompanied him on his pirate ship’s last voyage to America and they settled down in Philadelphia to live happily ever after. I stand with my siblings as proof of that.”
Caro looked up to see the flash of his white grin.
“Your father gave up his pirating?”
“Oh, yes—the only voyages he makes now are with my mother to visit Russia and France and to inspect some family vineyards in the Loire Valley. After my parents married, Father began ship-building, and as the business grew he branched out into several other interests. These days, when I am home, I am his partner in the ships.”
“When you are home?”
“I have been quite occupied these last years in the War for Independence.”
“Oh—of course!” Caro felt something click in her mind, but even though she squeezed her eyes closed, she could not catch it in time.
“Do you remember anything about the war?” Alec queried, looking down at her face.
“Yes, I seem to, though I hadn’t thought of it until you said the words. Suddenly now, I can remember it all but rather indistinctly—the deaths, and women all alone, and living with hardships. But it’s all a blur.”
They were silent for a moment, then Caro, eyes wide with frustration, blurted: “I don’t even know where we are!”
“That is easily enough answered. We are in Connecticut, nearing its western border and the Hudson River. We will follow that to New York town, and then journey on south to Philadelphia.”
“But, if you are a man of means, why are you here in the woods with only a horse? Isn’t the war over now?”
“Yes, it’s over. And you mustn’t let Ivan hear you speak of him as though he were of no consequence!” He had lowered his voice conspiratorially. “You see, he believes he is absolutely the finest horse ever born—the superior of any man.” He paused. “Except me, of course.”
“Of course!” Caro laughed, and Ivan peered at them suspiciously from the other side of the fire. Alec squeezed her shoulder and continued:
“To answer your question, I was inspecting a farm I recently acquired in northern Connecticut. It was left to me by one of my comrades who died at Yorktown. I am used these days to traveling light. It’s been a pleasure to be responsible to only myself; to go at my own pace and to enjoy the woods in autumn before returning to city life. Also, I have friends in this area that I enjoy visiting. We’ll be staying with them in the Hudson River Valley and I’m hoping to borrow a horse for you.”
“We will go on horseback all the way to Philadelphia?”
“No, my coach will meet us in New York town.”
“I have one more question. Who will you say I am?”
Alec smiled. “Actually, it all fits together brilliantly. You are the poor orphaned daughter of my friend from the war. Much to my surprise, you were there alone at the farm since your father’s death. How could I leave you there without servants! You’ll be my ward, and it will all be cozy and respectable.”
Caro felt her eyelids drooping and she smiled to herself contentedly, snuggling against Alec’s broad chest.
“Well,” she murmured drowsily, “I suppose I shall have to trust you….”
If you enjoyed this sample of CAROLINE, you may purchase the ebook on Amazon!
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~ Meet Cynthia Wright ~
Cynthia Wright is the Ne
w York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the two Rakes & Rebels series, 11 intertwining historical romances starring the irresistible Raveneau and Beauvisage families. She has also written beloved series set during the Renaissance and in the American West. Romantic Times Magazine hails Cynthia’s novels as “Romance the way it was meant to be.”
Cynthia’s newest novel is THE SECRET OF LOVE, set in 1808 Cornwall and France. Lady Isabella Trevarre and Gabriel St. Briac join forces (and stir passions) while searching for a priceless Leonardo da Vinci painting stolen by Napoleon’s henchmen. THE SECRET OF LOVE will be published in December, 2016.
Currently, Cynthia is at work on the story of Mouette Raveneau and Justin St. Briac, her first “older” couple, who come to their tempestuous relationship with plenty of baggage, defenses, and hidden longings. HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE will be published in the summer of 2017.
Cynthia lives in northern California. She enjoys riding a tandem bike and taking road trips in an airstream trailer with her Colombian-born husband, Alvaro and their corgi, Watson. She is also devoted to her two adorable grandsons who live nearby.
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~ Books by Cynthia Wright ~
The Rakes & Rebels novels featuring the Raveneau and Beauvisage families intertwine, and many readers enjoy them in chronological order:
1 – HEART OF FRAGILE STARS (1749)
2 – SILVER STORM (1781)
3 – CAROLINE (1783)
4 – TOUCH THE SUN (1789)
5 – SPRING FIRES (1793)
6 – SMUGGLER’S MOON (1798)
7 – THE SECRET OF LOVE (1808)
8 – SURRENDER THE STARS (1814)
9 – HER DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (1814)
10 – HIS RECKLESS BARGAIN (1818)
11 – TEMPEST (1903)
~
~ ROGUES GO WEST ~
BRIGHTER THAN GOLD
IN A RENEGADE’S EMBRACE
(formerly FIREBLOSSOM)
THE DUKE AND THE COWGIRL
(formerly WILDBLOSSOM)
~
~ RENAISSANCE ROGUES ~
YOU AND NO OTHER
OF ONE HEART
~
~ BOXED SETS ~
RAKES & REBELS: THE RAVENEAU FAMILY
(Silver Storm, Surrender the Stars, His Reckless Bargain, Tempest)
RAKES & REBELS: THE BEAUVISAGE FAMILY
(Caroline, Touch the Sun, Spring Fires, Her Dangerous Viscount)
THE COMPLETE RAKES & REBELS SERIES
(A 9 Volume Set of Raveneau & Beauvisage Family Historical Romances plus Smuggler’s Moon)
ROGUES GO WEST
(Brighter than Gold, In a Renegade’s Embrace, The Duke and the Cowgirl)
RENAISSANCE ROGUES
(You and No Other, Of One Heart)
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