Skylark
Page 32
“So I decided to return to England. I would find a place for Des to live and then present myself at Caldfort, the dutiful son returned from the grave. Once reestablished, I would find a way for Des and me to be together as friends. You see, at this point I wasn’t sure that Des’s desires were the same as mine or simply part of Abdul-Alim’s training. He deserved the chance to choose.”
Des moved then and looked up at Henry, shaking his head. “He took some persuading, if truth be told.”
Henry gave him a look, but wrapped it in a smile. “As it was, the briefest enquiries showed that it was too late for the return of the son. I was Lord Caldfort by right, but would have to wrest my property from my uncle. If I wanted it, which I didn’t. Once I knew that Des shared all my feelings, I saw how that life would be torture. We would live under constant scrutiny and the ton would question his origins. I would be hunted by ambitious young women and under endless pressure to marry, as well as living in the shadow of the law. We would be almost as severed as in Algiers. So I decided we would make a new life, but I needed part of my heritage.”
“What did you send as evidence?” Laura asked, fascinated by the couple, who had lived a romance more dramatic than anything Byron had written.
“A detailed description of the house, including places unlikely to be seen by outsiders.”
“So simple. I am truly sorry you had to go through so much, Cousin Henry, but are you sure you don’t want the viscountcy?”
He hesitated for the slightest moment, and his eyes flickered away, but then he said, “Completely sure.”
Did part of him long for England and his home? She hoped for a moment, but then he became strong again.
“I have lived a long time in a foreign land. England seems strange to me now, and the climate is far too cold.”
“This is autumn,” Stephen pointed out. “You may like summer better.”
“But there is autumn, and winter, too.” He gave a theatrical shudder, but a smile lightened his lips and Laura saw a hint of the Henry Gardeyne of the portrait, but only a hint. He was right. He was a different person now.
She wanted him to take up the viscountcy to make Harry safe, but she could not try to impose it when he and Des had been through so much and would risk so much here.
“Where will you go?” she asked.
His smiled his thanks of her acceptance. “Somewhere warm. Perhaps we will wander the equatorial regions until we find a home. But,” he added, “we do need money.”
Her decisions to make. Laura looked around, then said, “My father says that Lord Caldfort has taken a turn for the worse, so there seems no purpose in distressing him. He must soon learn of Jack’s injury, but it can be presented that Jack went to find out the truth, that the fire was complete accident and he a hero. If you are determined not to claim the viscountcy, Cousin Henry, then I would like you to write a letter admitting that your purpose was fraud and giving up your plan out of fear. That will lift a burden from him, allowing him to die in peace, for I fear it will come to that.”
“Certainly, but we still need money. Des and I are now destitute. What small amount of money we had left went with the fire. We don’t even own our clothes.”
“I agree that you are entitled to support from the estate, but I can’t see how to arrange it now. I have very little.” She looked to Stephen for help.
“A lump sum now,” Stephen said, “and quarterly payments thereafter? My friends and I will arrange it until such time as it can be drawn on the estate.”
Henry looked between him and Nicholas. “A philanthropic society dedicated to the succor of rescued slaves and reluctant viscounts?”
“Something like that. You will have to take my word for it.”
After a silent communication with Des, Henry inclined his head in thanks. “We are free to go?”
“Of course.”
“But,” said Nicholas, “you would much oblige me, sir, by paying me a visit at my estate of Redoaks. It is not far away, and as you said, you are temporarily embarrassed for funds. I would only ask to learn more of Algeria and Arab ways.”
Henry looked a little nonplussed but then said, “We would be most grateful for your hospitality, sir.”
“The gratitude will be entirely on my side. I will make arrangements.”
He went out, leaving Laura and Stephen with Henry and Des.
It would seem that they were thoroughly Rogue-entangled, but Laura was glad of it. “I am happy to know you, Cousin Henry,” she said, “and sad that we will see little of you in the future.” She hesitated, then said, “Would you like to visit Caldfort House before you leave England? I could discreetly arrange that.”
His face softened. “You’re very kind. Yes, I would. I was happy there as a boy, and I would like to show Des my old home. There are few things I would treasure, too, if they are still there. Nothing of any particular value.”
“Of course.”
“And I would like to visit my father’s and mother’s graves.”
“You have a stone there, too, you know.”
He laughed, and she realized it was for the first time since she’d met him. “How strange. I should definitely see that.”
Laura turned to Des, who was looking brightly, if hesitantly, happy. “Is there hope that you will walk again, sir?”
He smiled. “Oh, yes. If I rest,” he added, reminding her with a mischievous look of their discussion in Draycombe. “I can walk a little now, but it pains me and I hate to hobble in public. So ungraceful. But it gets better day by day.” He cocked his head. “Do you think anyone at this Redoaks knows how to play casino?”
“I know how to play casino, Des,” Henry said. “Is that what you were doing with Mrs. Penfold? I can teach you more complicated games. Piquet, for example.”
“I will enjoy that. I will enjoy exploring everything in the wider world.” He smiled up at Laura in a frank, delightful way. “Thank you, Laura Gardeyne. You were kind to me even when you thought me a villain. You have a legendary aura.”
“What?” she asked, wrinkling her brow at him.
“She has,” said Stephen, equally puzzled. “She is known as Labellelle.”
But Laura had realized. “It’s an anagram!”
In a little while, Nicholas took Henry and Des down to Kerslake Manor to arrange transport to Redoaks. Sharing a secret smile, Laura and Stephen had made an excuse to linger, and no one had argued.
They went back up to the George and the Dragon Room.
“This is very wicked,” she said as he locked the door.
“And everyone will guess,” he agreed. “Do you care?”
“Not at all. But, sir, this dress fastens down the back, so I will need your assistance . . .”
He came to her and turned her, and then she felt his fingers working at the buttons for the first time. Another matrimonial moment, and sweet.
“A corset, too,” he said, as if his throat was tight.
“Yes.” Her heart was speeding and breath seemed precious. “An inconvenience. Perhaps I should take to wearing the soft garment Eleanor favors.”
“If you wish.” He spread her gown so cool air touched her back. “But there are times when a corset is part of the pleasure. I confess, however,” he said, his fingernail scratching down plain linen, “that when I allowed myself wicked dreams, I imagined your intimate garments to be somewhat more adorned.”
Laura chuckled but then felt herself sway, felt his hands catch her, support her. “Silk,” she breathed. “And lace. Ribbons.” She swallowed so she could attempt coherence. “I have a corset of red silk, very low in the back.”
He began untying her laces and loosening them, taking his time, each touch sweet torture. “To wear under that red dress? I hope you still have that.”
“Yes, but it’s very grand. Not suited for a quiet life.”
“You plan to live a quiet life?”
She remembered their earlier discussion and smiled. “Now and then.”
“Whether I want to or not?” she asked, knowing he would hear the teasing pout.
“I will be the proud possessor of Labellelle, and will expect you to play your part.”
“Tyrant.”
“Master. Consider yourself my slave, required to please me in every way.”
Her corset loosened and her clothing began to slide. She wriggled to help it as she turned so she stood before him in only shift and stockings.
“Indeed?” Laura began to tear the clothes off him, buttons flying, cloth ripping. “Or I could make you my slave in all things.”
“Do you think so?” But his breathing was deep, his erection strong, so she laughed as she tossed away her shift, backing toward the bed.
“Come to me,” she commanded, and he obeyed.
When the bed hit her thighs, she lay back on it. “Now pleasure me, sir, and pleasure me well.”
He lowered himself over her. “Tyrant.”
“Mistress.” She ran her nails lightly down his flanks.
He shuddered and smiled. “Beloved.”
She smiled back, swept suddenly through by pleasure so intense that she could weep. “Come to me, Stephen. Love me and let me love you. Let us be one.”
His eyes closed for a moment, but then he looked at her again. “Always, and forever. I promise it. Ah, Laura . . .” he sighed, watching her in daylight as they did indeed become one.
If you are new to the Company of Rogues series, I hope you want to read more. Here is a list of the other titles. They are all available now except for Dangerous Joy, which will be reissued in December 2004. If your bookstore doesn’t have them they can order them for you, or they are available through online stores.
An Arranged Marriage. Nicholas and Eleanor
An Unwilling Bride. Lucien and Beth
Christmas Angel. Leander and Judith
Forbidden. Francis and Serena
Dangerous Joy. Miles and Felicity
The Dragon’s Bride. Con and Susan
Connected books from NAL are:The Devil’s Heiress
The novella “The Demon’s Mistress” in In Praise of Younger Men
Hazard
St. Raven
“The Demon’s Mistress,” The Dragon’s Bride, and The Devil’s Heiress will be reissued in June 2004 in an omnibus trade paperback edition, Three Heroes, with the most perfect cover. Look for it.
For details on these and my other books, please check my Web site www.jobev.com. There is an author’s note on the next page with background information on Skylark.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The seed for this story came while I was writing Winter Fire, my most recent Malloren book, set in 1763. The heroine of Winter Fire is a naval captain’s daughter and has spent time traveling with him. Now and then people will mention that Miss Smith “fought Barbary pirates.”
Of course I did some research about this but I wasn’t planning on using it again-—until I set to write Stephen’s book and realized I was in the autumn of 1816.
The newspaper item at the start of Skylark is my invention, but there was excitement and furor in the fall of 1816 over the liberation of the Christian slaves of Barbary. Since my tentative storyline already required the return of a lost heir—bingo!
Barbary was the old name for the states of the north coast of Africa—Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripoli—that had been notorious for centuries for piracy. The corsairs, as their maritime pirates were called, hunted down ships for cargo, but especially for slaves.
The harsh lands of North Africa required a lot of cheap labor, but the corsairs’ religion, Islam, forbade the use of Muslim slaves. As they were close to Christian Europe, the solution was obvious, and as well as raiding shipping, the corsairs raided the shores, scooping up young, healthy workers.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries they raided more widely, even pouncing on the shores of Britain, but improved navies put an end to that. By the early nineteenth century the Barbary states limited themselves to attacking crippled ships and the coasts of the weakest Mediterranean countries. In fact, by then most of their wealth came from ransoms and from protection money.
Most countries paid the Barbary pirates to leave their shipping alone, including Britain and the United States. For example, in 1812, Portugal paid over a million Spanish dollars for release of Portuguese slaves held by the corsairs and for immunity. The latter was guaranteed by an annual payment of twenty-four thousand dollars.
However, in 1815, the United States was the first to realize the weakness of the Barbary states and turned the tables. They refused to pay protection money and sent a fleet with a demand for the return of all American slaves and property. They were victorious.
There were not many American slaves, however, and the countries who had lost the most people to the corsairs had no naval power to use. It was Britain, Europe’s naval champion, who was called upon to continue the fight.
The Annual Register for 1816 says: “It has long been a topic of reproach, which foreigners have brought against the boasted maritime supremacy of England, that the piratical states of Barbary have been suffered to exercise their ferocious ravages upon the inferior powers navigating the Mediterranean Sea, without any attempt on the part of the mistress of the ocean to control them, and to reduce them within the limits prescribed by the laws of civilized nations.”
You have to admire such a long but coherent sentence, don’t you? The writer goes on to point out that competition with the upstart America was one of the motives for action. There were others, however. The end of the war meant that Britain had time, a war-trained navy without much to do, and a leadership position to cement.
In late 1815 Britain sent Lord Exmouth to begin negotiations, backed by the threat of force, on behalf of some of the smaller and more vulnerable powers such as Sicily and Sardinia.
Tunis and Tripoli were “persuaded” to abolish Christian slavery and release all their captives, but diplomacy went out the window in April 1816 when a Tunisian corsair raided Sardinia. Not only did this violate the agreement, but Caroline, Princess of Wales—yes, the estranged wife of the Regent—happened to be there and only just escaped.
With British guns trained on Tunis, the dey of that country signed a treaty totally abolishing Christian slavery. Tripoli followed suit. Exmouth and the navy moved on to the toughest nut—Algeria.
The dey of Algiers resisted, and as mentioned in Skylark, treated the British consul and his family, and some naval officers sent to aid them, badly. This was an affront that could not be tolerated, and battle commenced on August 27, 1816.
The city of Algiers could not hold out for long, and soon the dey had to surrender and sign a treaty that ended Christian slavery in Algeria and released all those then held as well as repaid recent security monies. There were 1,642 slaves, most of them Italian.
The number of British is uncertain. Some sources say none, some up to eighteen. I failed to find any account of a returning British slave, which makes me think that none is the correct number, but for the purposes of this story I chose to go with a few, even though it doesn’t affect the situation Henry Gardeyne found himself in.
As Stephen says, the Battle of Algiers was not particularly popular in Britain because the slaves were nearly all peasants from southern Europe, and Catholic to boot, and the cost, especially in casualties, was quite high. However, a victory is a victory, and when it was presented as Britain liberating the downtrodden that everyone else had abandoned, it went down well enough.
Is Henry and Des’s story likely?
It is certainly possible.
Young male captives did become sex slaves, so a male harem is likely, and conditions there would be luxurious to an English farm lad.
As for Henry, slaves were used for everything from the hardest labor in the salt mines to housework. Gene
rally constrained by an iron ring on their right ankle and a heavy dangling chain, some slaves were allowed to move about the area and even to run small businesses on the side. Some ran taverns for other slaves, even though devout Muslims do not consume alcohol.
In a strange way it was a tolerant society, and some slaves who earned enough from their enterprises to buy their freedom chose to stay. Don’t forget that conditions at home were harsh for many, as Stephen points out when telling Laura that some soldiers in the army in India tried to get transported to Australia in hope of a better life.
The Christian slaves in Barbary had their own hospital and even chapel. They were not persecuted for their Christian religion, but if they chose to convert they were automatically set free. It was, however, slavery. Some slaves were kept in harsh conditions and worked to death, and the punishments for disobedience and especially for attempting escape were cruel.
So that is the background which I found waiting for me as I began to discover this story, and it created a fascinating story for Henry and Des as well as Stephen and Laura. I hope you enjoyed it. If you want to catch up on the other Rogues stories, and my other novels, please check the page before this author’s note.
I also write romance novels set in the 1760s, centered on a family called the Mallorens. The titles are:My Lady Notorious
Tempting Fortune
Something Wicked
Secrets of the Night
Devilish
Winter Fire
I have written a few medieval romances:Lord of My Heart
The Shattered Rose
Dark Champion
Lord of Midnight
Now for something different. In February 2004, I had a science fiction romance novella, The Trouble with Heroes, published in a trade paperback collection called Irresistible Forces. This will be published in smaller paperback early in 2005.