Shipwrecked with the Captain

by Diane Gaston

  Lucien returned to the tea room where the concert had resumed, but he remained in the back, avoiding encountering Lady Rebecca. When the concert was over, he followed Lady Rebecca and her party in their sedan chairs back to the Royal Crescent, just to make certain that the stranger did not accost her.

  When the chairmen dropped them off in front of Lord Stonecroft’s door and Lady Rebecca was safe inside, Lucien walked back to Sir Richard’s.

  One thing he knew—he would not leave Bath until he was certain Lady Rebecca was safe from this strange man’s interest in her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The next morning Claire had planned to sleep late and miss breakfast, the time of day she was almost certain to be alone with Lord Stonecroft, but she woke even earlier than usual.

  From the nightmare that plagued her over and over during the night.

  She’d dreamed about the red-haired stranger who’d approached her at the Pump Room, disturbing dreams mixed with the vision of the little girls at a schoolroom table. He loomed over her in the dream and the sense of danger woke her each time.

  The sun was up, though, and leaving her bed was less undesirable than risking one more nightmare. She padded over to the dressing-room door to peek in on Ella, but the girl’s cot was empty and neatly made. The maid must rise before the sun.

  She walked back to the bureau and poured water from the pitcher into the basin. With a nice piece of scented soap—soap Lucien had purchased for her—she removed her nightdress and washed herself.

  She’d donned her shift and was brushing her hair at the dressing table when Ella walked in.

  ‘Oh, you are awake early, m’lady!’ Ella carried a pail of coal over to the fireplace. ‘And looks like you are half-dressed, as well.’

  ‘I could not sleep more.’ No need to tell Ella of her nightmares. She’d only hear more about premonitions. And she did not wish to worry the girl.

  ‘What dress would you like to wear today?’ Ella asked, crossing over to the dressing room.

  She’d like to wear the sprigged muslin that Lucien had bought her, but did not wish to hear Stonecroft’s complaints. ‘Any one of the new walking dresses.’

  Ella chose a blue printed cotton that the modiste had delivered the day before. ‘You might as well wear this new one.’

  After Ella helped her into the dress, she again sat at the dressing table. ‘Arrange my hair simply today, Ella. I do not feel up to a fussy do.’

  ‘Whatever you say, m’lady.’

  She put Claire’s hair into a knot atop her head, but could not resist pulling a few curls out to frame her face.

  Claire went down to the sitting room where breakfast was served and was not surprised to see Stonecroft already seated there.

  ‘Good morning, sir,’ she said.

  He stood and gave her an assessing scan. ‘Good morning.’

  ‘Please sit,’ she said.

  Each day started the same.

  She chose her food from the sideboard and sat opposite him as she had every day of the past week. She was no closer to knowing this man—or he, her—than she had that first day.

  Was this what the loss of love did to a man?

  She wanted to feel something for Stonecroft, but it became more and more evident that his guard would never be lowered. As she nibbled on her toasted bread, she again ran through her plan to run away to Bristol where, if she could not find herself there, she could at least find someone who knew her and could perhaps help her find employment.

  ‘It is time to announce the banns,’ he said behind his newspaper.

  She glanced up at him. ‘My lord, I have asked—’

  ‘I know what you have asked.’ He lowered his paper. ‘But I fail to see what recovering your memory will do to alter the matter. At present there is entirely too much talk about you and your rescue. Perhaps your Captain Roper will leave Bath if you are a married woman. Then the talk will cease.’

  So that was it. ‘Captain Roper is not your rival, sir, I assure you.’

  ‘I believe he has aspirations.’

  Her brows rose. ‘Aspirations?’

  ‘To wed into the aristocracy,’ he said.

  She almost laughed. ‘Oh, no, my lord. I can assure you he has no wish to marry into the aristocracy. His attachment to me is merely one of duty.’

  He gave her a sceptical and patronising look. ‘He is everywhere you are,’ he said. ‘Even at the concert last night. A man of his background certainly would not come for such elevated music.’

  He’d been there? She’d had no idea. ‘I did not see him.’

  Stonecroft lifted his paper again. ‘Nevertheless I will have the banns announced next Sunday.’

  That left her three days to make her decision and take action.

  She stood. ‘If I may have your leave, sir.’

  ‘As you wish.’ He did not stop reading his paper.

  She rushed out of the room, past the stony-faced footman who’d heard the whole exchange. In the hall she looked around, feeling as if the walls would close in on her. She hurried up the stairs to her bedchamber.

  Ella was straightening the room. ‘M’lady. That was a quick breakfast.’

  ‘Where is my Kashmir shawl?’ She opened the bureau drawer. ‘I am going to take a walk before I turn mad.’

  Ella stepped into the dressing room and emerged carrying the shawl. ‘Are you walking with Lord Stonecroft?’

  ‘No.’ She wrapped herself in her favourite possession. ‘No one. I just need some air.’

  ‘Wait a moment, then,’ Ella said. ‘You should not go alone. I will go with you.’

  They put on hats and gloves and walked down to the hall.

  ‘If Lord Stonecroft or Miss Attwood should ask for me, I am taking a walk,’ she told the footman in attendance.

  ‘Yes, m’lady.’ He opened the door for her.

  Like all days of that summer, the air was chilly. The sky was grey, but it did not look like rain was imminent.

  ‘Do you want to walk through the fields?’ Ella asked.

  ‘Not with the cows grazing there.’ The green fields in front of the Royal Crescent were a piece of the country in that city, but Claire did not want to view the Crescent. She wanted to escape it. ‘Let us wander the streets.’

  They walked to Church Street towards Cottles Lane, away from the Crescent.

  ‘So, what is this about, m’lady?’ Ella asked.

  ‘Nothing.’ She knew Ella did not want her to marry Stonecroft, but her emotions were too raw to discuss. ‘I am restless, is all.’

  As they turned on Cottles Lane, Ella gripped Claire’s hand. ‘M’lady! I think a man is following us.’

  Claire immediately thought of the stranger, the man in her dreams. Though an occasional carriage or sedan chair passed them, there was no one else on the street. They quickened their pace and when Claire had an opportunity, she turned and saw the man, who stopped abruptly.

  It was the red-haired man from her dreams.

  ‘He is the man who approached me at the Pump Room,’ she told Ella.

  ‘Oh, I do not feel easy about this.’ The girl shuddered.

  They came to an alleyway connecting Cottles Lane to Rivers Street.

  ‘Come with me!’ Ella cried.

  They raced down the alley and ran to Rivers Street, ducked down another alley and another until they reached the mews to the Circus. Ella guided them through the mews to the back entrances of the terrace houses.

  She knocked on one of them. ‘This is Sir Richard’s house. The servants know me because of Cullen.’

  One of the kitchen maids answered the door and saw it was Ella. ‘Oh, it is you.’ The girl then spied Claire and looked puzzled.

  Ella pushed them both past the girl and entered the house. ‘We were out for a walk, Lady Rebecca and I, and
a man was following us. Is Sir Richard here? Or Captain Roper?’

  The kitchen maid curtsied. ‘I am sure I do not know, miss, but best you take her ladyship above stairs and ask there.’

  ‘Come on, m’lady,’ Ella said. ‘I know the way.’

  She took her up the servants’ stairs to the hall where a surprised footman rose to his feet from the chair where he ought not to have been seated.

  ‘Miss Kiley? You’ll be wanting to see Cullen?’ He also noticed Claire. ‘Beg pardon, ma’am.’

  ‘We need Sir Richard or Captain Roper. Tell them it is Lady Rebecca and Ella.’

  ‘Sir Richard went out,’ the man said.

  ‘Then Captain Roper,’ Ella demanded.

  The footman nodded and hurried up the stairs. A few moments later he returned with Cullen in tow. ‘Captain says he will meet you in the drawing room directly.’

  Cullen looked concerned. ‘What is it, Ella? What has happened?’ He glanced at Claire. ‘Lady Rebecca, I forget myself.’ He bowed to her.

  They no sooner entered the drawing room than Lucien appeared. He walked straight to Claire. ‘What has happened?’

  She wished she could fall into his arms.

  ‘I am sorry for the intrusion, Lucien. Ella brought us here,’ she said. ‘We were on a walk and that stranger from the Pump Room started following us.’ She did not wish to show him how shaken she was.

  ‘That stranger.’ His voice dipped. He turned to Cullen. ‘Would you and Ella arrange for some refreshments to be brought to us? And find some refreshments for Ella, too.’

  Cullen nodded and he and Ella left the room.

  He led Claire to a sofa and sat next to her. ‘I do not comprehend this. You told him at the Pump Room that you were Lady Rebecca, not the woman for whom he searched. Why is he persisting?’

  ‘Could he be in my memory?’ she asked him. ‘I dreamed about him.’ Frightening dreams. ‘If he was in my memory, it would make sense.’

  He stood and rubbed his forehead. ‘I need to find him. Talk to him. I almost had him—’ He broke off.

  ‘What do you mean, you almost had him?’ What had he done?

  He paced. ‘I attended the concert last night. He was there, but noticed me approaching and ran out. I chased him. Had him in my grip, but he managed to get away.’

  So he had been at the concert, like Stonecroft said. ‘Lucien, did you attend that concert because of that man?’

  He shrugged. ‘It occurred to me he might seek you there.’

  ‘You were watching over me, then.’ As he’d done since she’d woken up on the raft.

  He did not respond, but his expression told her yes.

  She stood and faced him. ‘Are you staying in Bath because of me?’

  He glanced away.

  She put her hand on his arm. ‘You are delaying your trip to the Admiralty because of me.’

  He met her gaze, but still did not answer.

  More than anything she wanted him to stay with her. More than anything but his happiness, that was. And his happiness was being at sea. Suddenly she could see how selfish she’d been to want him to stay.

  ‘You must not remain in Bath for me, Lucien.’ Her guilt cut into her. ‘I have burdened you enough.’

  He frowned. ‘A few more days will not matter. I want to find this man first. Make certain he is no threat to you.’ He glanced towards the door. ‘Wait here a moment.’

  Before she could say another word, he strode out of the room.

  * * *

  Lucien went in search of Cullen and Ella, finding them below stairs in the servants’ room.

  Cullen rose at his entrance. ‘Sir?’

  ‘I want you both to go out, wander around and look for that man,’ Lucien told him. ‘If you can, bring him to me. If not, find out where he is staying. It is time we discovered what his business with Lady Rebecca is.’ He turned to Ella. ‘Will you be comfortable doing that?’

  ‘Yes, sir!’ She smiled and gazed up at Cullen.

  He nodded.

  As he left the room, he encountered the footman carrying a tea tray with biscuits. ‘I’ll take that,’ he said.

  He carried the tray to the drawing room and placed it on the table in front of Lady Rebecca. ‘I’ve sent Cullen and Ella out to look for the stranger. My guess is he is still wandering around in hopes of discovering where you are.’

  She poured the tea for him, not needing to ask him how he liked it, after all the time they’d spent together.

  She took a biscuit. ‘I did not have much breakfast.’ After eating it, she said, ‘Perhaps he is simply mistaking me for someone else. Maybe he is not a threat at all.’

  She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself not to worry.

  ‘Let us hope Cullen can find him and we’ll discover for sure.’

  She took another biscuit.

  Sitting here with her felt comfortable. They had spent so much time together since the shipwreck that it felt strange not to be in her company.

  ‘How are you faring?’ he asked after a time. ‘Besides this matter with the stranger. The truth, please.’

  She placed the biscuit on her saucer. ‘I am trying to accustom myself to my situation.’

  ‘That is no answer,’ he said.

  She stared into her tea for a time before speaking. ‘Stonecroft is not cruel. Neither is Miss Attwood. No one is unkind. I do wish for more time, though.’

  ‘More time?’

  She released a breath. ‘Lord Stonecroft says he will have the banns announced beginning this Sunday, but I am not ready for it.’

  Lucien stiffened. ‘Then you should stop him.’

  ‘Yes, I should do that,’ she said without conviction.

  Meaning she would not stop him, he thought. Meaning she intended to go along with the plans made for her.

  She glanced around the room. ‘I should return to Lord Stonecroft’s house.’

  He did not want her to go, but he extended his hand. ‘I will escort you.’

  She picked up her shawl and allowed him to help her up. Theirs gazes locked for a moment and he kept hold of her hand. But he released it as soon as she stepped away from the sofa. When they reached the hall he told the footman, ‘I am walking Lady Rebecca home. If Cullen returns, tell him to wait for me. I’ll be back shortly.’

  When they left the house, Lucien scanned the area. There were a few people about, but none looked like the stranger. Some of the people they passed, people he’d met at the various entertainments he’d attended, greeted them.

  ‘I suppose we will be gossiped about,’ she said, glancing back at them.

  ‘Will that distress you?’ he asked.

  ‘No.’ She slanted him a look. ‘I know you have always behaved honourably towards me. You’ve proved it over and over.’

  He, on the other hand, remembered almost taking her to bed and almost giving in to his desire for her.

  They reached Stonecroft’s house.

  ‘Do I knock?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes,’ she responded. ‘I am not really a member of the household.’

  He sounded the knocker and stepped away.

  A footman answered and seeing it was Lady Rebecca, opened the door wide for her.

  She turned back to Lucien. ‘Thank you once again, Lucien.’

  ‘Promise me you will not venture out alone,’ he said.

  ‘I won’t.’

  He started to turn away, but turned back. ‘I will let you know what we discover.’

  She nodded and disappeared inside the house.

  As Lucien turned towards Church Street, he spied a man who quickly ducked behind some buildings. The stranger. And now he knew where Lady Rebecca lived.

  He ran to the spot where he saw the stranger disappear, but there was no sign of him.

>   ‘Blast!’ Lucien swore.

  * * *

  When Claire walked inside Stonecroft stood in the hall.

  ‘Do you mind telling me what you are about?’ His voice was stern, but his eyes showed no more interest or emotion than any other time.

  She would not tolerate being scolded like a child. She removed her hat. ‘I took a walk with my lady’s maid and we saw the man who approached me at the Pump Room following us. We were near the Circus so we knocked upon Sir Richard’s door.’

  He raised his brows. ‘And where is your lady’s maid?’

  ‘She is with the Captain’s valet. Captain Roper asked them to try to search for the man and discover who he is and where he is staying.’ She started to climb the stairs.

  ‘So, you were with Captain Roper.’ He followed her on her heels up the stairway.

  Had he not heard the most important part? That this stranger was following her?

  She could not keep the annoyance from her voice. ‘Captain Roper escorted me so I would not have to walk alone when there is a stranger who might threaten me.’ She turned to face him. ‘What else would you have had me do?’

  He pursed his lips. ‘I merely want the talk about you and Captain Roper to end.’

  She continued up the stairs. ‘And what of this man who is following me?’

  Did that not matter to him?

  He responded, ‘You said he believes you are someone else. There is no reason to think he wishes you harm.’

  How could he be certain of this?

  When they reached the first floor, he said, ‘Come to the drawing room. I wish to speak with you.’

  She gritted her teeth as she followed him to the drawing room. He gestured for her to sit.

  She chose a chair. ‘Well?’

  He remained standing. ‘As you know, I expect you to produce an heir. That is the reason for our marriage. That is why I want the banns.’

  Had she agreed to that?

  ‘If you discussed that with me before, I do not remember it.’ She drew an irritated breath. ‘You have said nothing to me since. You want the banns, but I believe you do not understand how difficult it is for me not to have any memory of those agreements we made about marriage. I want to remember those things before posting the banns.’