“Allow me.” Juli unfastened the garter, one eye on the hawks as they watched her every movement. “See, we’ll fasten it higher and move it to catch on this link. The little tail will be on the inside of your arm. No one will notice. . . . There! It’s perfectly exquisite!”
Pilar’s wings rustled and fanned out as she lifted herself up to hover above Juli and Fury. Gently, one wing tip lowered to tickle Fury’s cheek. Gaspar flapped his wings until he, too, had a suitable draft to rise, and then both birds swooshed through the open doors leading to the balcony. Juli sighed with obvious relief as she ushered Fury to the bedroom door.
“Have a wonderful time, Miss Fury,” she said, giving her a hug. “I’ll try to peek from the landing.”
Fury blessed herself as she walked out to the staircase that led to the wide central foyer. She told herself she was a make-believe fairy princess on her way to a ball where she would meet a handsome prince—and that was exactly what she was doing, she thought triumphantly.
Fury drew a deep breath when the von Klausners’ houseman announced, “Señorita Furana van der Rhys. . . .” She heard the collective gasp as she made her way down the receiving line—and she reveled in it. Head held high, she moved off to the right side of the room so designated for ladies, where she was immediately claimed by a gallant Spanish don who insisted on fetching her a glass of wine. While she waited for him to return, she allowed her eyes to search the room for a glimpse of Luis Domingo.
At the moment of Fury’s announced entrance to the ball, Luis Domingo was being introduced to the board of governors from the Dutch East India Company and their charming escorts. He made a show of bowing elaborately over Naula’s hand and received a brazen wink in return. Chuckling, he straightened—just in time to witness Fury’s entrance.
“Regan’s daughter,” murmured one of the governors.
A second nodded appreciatively. “Exquisite creature. More beautiful than her mother. . . . ”
“Magnificent gown, and I know nothing about women’s clothes,” pronounced a third governor.
The ladies, too, had much to say with their eyes and low-voiced mutterings.
“The gown must have cost a fortune. . . .”
“Absolutely nothing underneath . . .”
“Flawless gems . . . worth a king’s ransom . . .”
“Scandalous use of face color . . .”
And then Naula’s statement put it all in perspective for Luis:
“If that gorgeous silk were mine, I’d have made it Chinese style with an opening up to here.” She pointed to the middle of her slender thigh. “Just high enough for a garter to show through the opening when I took a step.”
Instantly Luis excused himself and made his way across the room to Fury. His heart pumped furiously as he bowed low over her hand, his dark eyes glittering with admiration. Christ, she was beautiful. More beautiful than any woman he’d ever met. And possibly more dangerous as well. It was time to find out.
“Señor Domingo, how nice to see you again,” Fury murmured. Her blood wasn’t just singing, it was boiling in her veins.
“And I you,” Luis said gallantly. “But don’t you think it’s time you called me Luis?”
The laughter around his eyes puzzled Fury, but she smiled and nodded. “Will you be in port long?” she asked. The handsome don, approaching with a long-stemmed goblet, glowered at Luis, then abruptly changed course and drank the wine himself.
Luis smiled. “I think I just intimidated the man who was fetching your wine. My apologies. Would you like me to—”
“No, thank you. He was merely being polite. It must be obvious to you, Señ—Luis, that the ladies here this evening are . . .”
“Jealous? But of course. They pale beside you, and isn’t that something no woman wants to have happen?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Fury said airily.
Luis laughed. “Come now, I thought every woman”—he emphasized the word—“recognized envy as the highest form of flattery, particularly when exhibited by members of her own sex. Would you like to hear a bit of gossip concerning your gown?” he teased.
“Oh, dear, am I perhaps too . . . ?” She glanced down at herself in sudden apprehension.
“On the contrary. All of the . . . ah, governors’ escorts were breathless with their comments. The one with black hair said if she had a length of silk, she would have fashioned it Chinese style, with a slit up to here, and worn a garter. The others seemed to agree with her taste.” Luis watched Fury’s eyes for any sign of agitation.
“How interesting,” Fury said coolly. “And what is your opinion?” My God, he knows, and he’s baiting me. Damn you, Gaspar, if it weren’t for you, I would have forgotten to wear this bauble.
Luis pretended embarrassment. “I like a length of thigh as much as the next man. I think I’d vote for the garter. They must be all the rage in feminine wear. The Sea Siren wears one. But then,” he added lightly, “women are creatures of whimsy, and fashions change so quickly these days. Don’t you agree?”
“Absolutely.” By now Fury wanted desperately to flee but knew she had to brazen this out and pretend to take Luis’s words at face value. “I think I would like that wine after all, Luis. If you don’t mind . . .”
“It will be my pleasure,” Luis said, and moved off to the far corner of the room.
By God, she was the one! He had her now and the place where she kept her ship. As he waited for a white-liveried waiter to pour wine into two long-stemmed crystal goblets, he began to laugh, remembering the look on Fury’s face when he mentioned the garter. She thinks I suspect, but she isn’t sure, he reflected. By God, it was the coup of the century!
Suddenly he sobered, recalling that whatever her game was, Fury van der Rhys—the Sea Siren of the diamond garter and black birds—hadn’t harmed him when they’d met at sea. She’d merely said she had come out of retirement to seek the woman posing as herself, and he hadn’t believed her. It was the other one, the impostor, who’d plundered his ships and then accosted him a second time. Christ, he was going mad with all this subterfuge!
“Thank you,” Fury said demurely when he returned with her wine. “I don’t believe you responded when I asked how long you’ll be in port.”
“Another day at least. I have something I must do tomorrow, and if I finish, I’ll sail with the tide.”
Fury smiled. “You make it all sound so . . . mysterious.”
“I suppose it is in a way. I think I’ve discovered, and this is just between us”—Luis lowered his voice—“the Sea Siren’s lair.”
Fury’s fingers clutched the stem of the wineglass in a white-knuckled grip. “How . . . how interesting. Perhaps you might confide in me? Of course I won’t breathe a word. I did live here for some of my younger years. I might know where this lair is.”
“Would you believe it’s possible to navigate the River of Death? I think that’s how the Siren gets away. The volcanoes create a mist, and the steam from them mixes with the river to form a black mist they say she disappears into. Of course, my maps say the mouth of the river has been blocked for years. The volcanoes erupted during the Siren’s reign of the seas. That’s why she retired; she couldn’t travel the river any longer.”
“You almost make me believe you, Luis,” Fury said sharply. “But everyone knows the river is still blocked. No one is brave enough to take a ship up that river. I think your theory is interesting, but not feasible.”
“Tomorrow I plan to test it. The Dutch East India Company has a new sloop that will sail through with ease. I think the river’s been open for years now. The currents and tides . . . you see, it’s the only explanation.”
“Tomorrow, you say?” Fury purred.
Luis nodded. “Tomorrow.”
Fury sipped her wine. “Tell me, have you spoken of your theory to anyone else?”
“Good Lord, no. Do you think I want to give away the biggest coup of my life? Then there’s the reward, of course, and handsome it is. But I know I can
trust you.”
Fury smiled grimly. “Have no fear, Luis, my lips are sealed.”
“Not forever, I hope,” Luis said lightly. “Someday I should like to kiss those lips.”
Fury’s throat closed, and her eyes smarted with tears. Frantically, she glanced toward the stairway for some sign of Juli.
“Oh, there’s one other thing,” Luis said, watching her intently. Again he lowered his voice. “Apparently the Siren sails with two huge black birds, deadly creatures. This afternoon I saw them fly overhead and nest not far from this very house. That can mean only that the Sea Siren is in one of the coves or inlets off the river. Don’t you agree?”
Fury shrugged. “What would I know about such things? Deadly black birds, diamond garters, the River of Death . . . I only hope you aren’t wasting your time. They say the Siren can outthink and outmaneuver any man.”
“I’ve heard that, too,” Luis said mockingly. “I’ll keep it all in mind. Now, would you care for a stroll in the garden? It’s much too warm in here. You can walk in that dress, can’t you?”
“Not very well, but yes, I would like to take a stroll. First, however, I’d like to go to my room for a handkerchief. If you’ll wait for me, I’ll join you on the veranda.”
It seemed to take Fury forever to make her way across the room and out to the candlelit foyer, where she spotted Juli talking in rapturous tones to the von Klausners’ houseman.
“I have to talk to you. Now!” she spat out, taking Juli by the arm.
“What is it?” Juli asked, alarmed.
“Luis Domingo knows. He’s been baiting me all evening. Somehow he’s figured it all out. You have to go to the cove and tell your brothers to take the ship out and down the river. He knows it’s no longer blocked, and he said he’s going upriver tomorrow. We can’t wait until then—it has to be done now! I hate to ask you to do this, but I can’t leave, he’s too suspicious as it is. I wouldn’t put it past him to leave now just to satisfy his own curiosity. For all I know, he may already have been to the cove.”
“Where should I tell my brothers to take the ship? I see you haven’t given that any thought. Well, give this some thought, Miss Fury, the man on the steps is starting to make my blood sing.”
“Tomorrow is another day,” Fury said airily. “I expect you to bring back information. Your brothers have always lived here. Surely they know places. . . . I’ll leave it to you, Juli. I have to get back before Luis suspects something. Oh, and Juli, take Gaspar and Pilar with you. Simply tell them to follow you and they will. Go along now,” she said in her mother’s firm voice.
“Dear Aldo, there’s something my mistress wants me to do. I’m afraid we’ll have to postpone our dinner in the kitchen. Perhaps we could breakfast together if you have a mind to. My mistress is soooo demanding,” Juli simpered as she backed herself up the stairs. It wasn’t till she was all the way to the top of the stairs that she realized she would either have to go down over the balcony or descend the stairs and go past Aldo, who would surely wonder where she was going at that time of night. And where was she to find the damn black birds?
He was so close, she could smell the faint scent of cigar smoke on his clothing, a scent reminiscent of her father. He had her elbow in the palm of his hand as she took dainty little steps in the tight gown. She could feel herself shivering in the warm air, shivers that had nothing to do with the balmy air.
The garden was exquisite, with colorful lanterns illuminating the intricate footpaths. A slight breeze carried the heady scent of jasmine to Fury’s nostrils. She began to relax, savoring the feel of the air and the touch of the handsome man walking by her side.
They would miss the board of governors’ announcement if they stayed in the garden, she thought, then realized she didn’t care if she missed it or not. This was what she wanted. And she didn’t want it to end.
Be bold and brash, Fury decided. She bent down to pick up her skirts only to realize there was no excess silk to hike above her ankles. She gave a light tug at the clinging wrapped silk—and immediately toppled over to land flat on her face in the grass. A furious flapping overhead in the darkness made her bury her head in the lush greenery to stifle her laughter. She knew the hawks would circle harmlessly and then return to their perches.
Luis was grinning from ear to ear as he reached down to help her up. “I guess I have to thank you for wearing that scandalous dress, for if it weren’t for the dress, I wouldn’t be about to . . .”
His lips were so close that Fury could feel his warm breath on her cheek. She closed her eyes in anticipation of the kiss she knew was coming. She wanted him to kiss her, expected it; after all, that’s what this evening was all about. Another moment and his lips would be on hers. She would swoon, be all light-headed and warm all over. What was taking him so long? Perhaps he was staring at her, memorizing her face or simply drinking in her beauty. She opened one eye and then the other. He wasn’t drinking in her beauty or memorizing her features at all. He was staring at something behind her. Something that was high in the air. The birds! She turned and almost lost her footing a second time. She should have fainted, she thought sourly.
“Isn’t that your housekeeper hanging from the balustrade?” Luis drawled.
“My housekeeper!” Fury shrilled. “Absolutely not! Why would my housekeeper hang from . . . that woman doesn’t look anything like . . . my . . . my housekeeper. How can you think such a thing? It’s a trick of lighting, the lanterns . . .”
“Something seems to be attacking her . . . do you hear that noise?” Luis chuckled deep in his throat, a sound Fury took to be fear. “It must be those damn killer birds! You stay here while I get help!”
“That’s not my room!” Fury lied brazenly.
“I don’t think that matters right now. What matters is getting the poor woman down before she kills herself. Do you want her death on your conscience?”
“Well, no, but . . . look, she’s got a foothold and is ... she’s over the side and back on the balcony. See, your anxiety was for naught. Poor woman was probably trying to get away from . . . from someone,” Fury said weakly.
“Did you see those damnable birds?” Luis asked gruffly.
“No, I didn’t see any birds, and I could barely see the woman,” Fury said huffily. “I think we should go indoors. I feel a chill and I think I have a headache coming on.”
“I wonder why that doesn’t surprise me,” Luis drawled.
“I beg your pardon, what did you say?” Fury asked fretfully as she started to mince her way on the garden path.
“What I said was we should get back to what we were doing before that ridiculous woman decided to escape from her lover.”
Fury could feel herself stiffen as Luis gathered her into his arms. She closed her eyes, knowing this time he was memorizing her features. His lips were so close, almost on hers. She could feel her heart begin to pound—or was it his? His lips were soft, gentle, and full of promise. She could feel his hand on her bare arm, the fingers trailing down, down . . . And then those same gentle fingers were on her back and working their way down her draped arm. Another second and they would find their way to the inside portion of her arm.
Suddenly, deep inside her a warning sounded. She didn’t want to heed it, she wanted to remain in Luis’s warm embrace, their bodies pressed tightly together. But some instinct prompted her to tear herself away. She took a few steps backward, a flustered look on her face, and then ran—ripping at the confining fabric of her gown, loosening it slightly. At the French doors she stopped to regain her composure, then smoothed back her hair and walked into the ballroom.
No one was paying attention to her; all eyes were on the dais, where the governors were about to make their announcement. She heard the words, and later they would sink in, but not now. Dykstra had been passed over for the governorship, and some faceless man she’d never heard of was being mentioned for the position.
He knows, he knows, he knows!
In her room, Fur
y unwrapped the shimmering emerald silk from her shoulder, tied it to the bedpost, and then twirled until she was standing naked in the darkness. She’d never felt this hot, this burning fire that was consuming her. Fear? Luis Domingo? In minutes she was dressed and on the balcony, peering into the darkness for a vine or trellis. There were none. Heart thudding in her chest, she climbed over the balustrade. Poor Juli. Poor Fury, she thought grimly as she closed her eyes.
Luis Domingo stood in the shadows, his dark eyes narrowed in amusement. Did she dare to jump? She could kill herself. When he saw her kick off her slippers, he moved out of the shadows and ran, knowing he didn’t want the young woman to hurt herself no matter who she was, no matter what she’d done.
Fury squeezed her eyes tight and leapt, her arms flailing the air. At the same moment Luis stretched out his arms and caught her, his body jerking backward with the force of her weight.
“My God . . . what . . . ”
“I have to assume this is a new cure for a headache,” Luis drawled from beneath her.
“My God . . . what . . .”
“You already said that. . . . I think an explanation is in order, but if you prefer to . . . ah, ignore this situation, I can and will keep my lips sealed.”
He knows and he’s laughing at me. Sparks spewed from Fury’s eyes. Damn, what would her mother have done in a situation like this?
She realized then that her body was literally covering his. She was so close to him, her lips almost on his. “Actually,” she murmured in a shaky voice, “I was . . . was looking for you. Obviously you were closer than I realized.” She cradled his dark head in her hands and brought her lips to his in a searing kiss that sent shock waves through her entire body. Luis’s arms tightened around her, straining to bring her even closer.
Captive Secrets Page 24
