Race to World's End (Rowan and Ella Book 3) (23 page)

“This wouldn’t
have happened if I hadn’t followed your advice.”

She looked at him
with surprise. He had never spoken to her sharply. He was looking at her now
and she realized that the enforced sitting under the circumstances were not
doing him any good. While his leg was crossed, a foot jiggled frenetically as
if involuntary.

“My advice?”

“Yes! You said to
go through her things and ‘clip her wings,’ I believe your words were. I wish
you could have seen her face when she caught me in her room! She looked as if
I’d…I’d…” He looked out the window too, as if searching for his words outside.

His profile was
classically beautiful, Adele thought. Like the ancient Romans or perhaps a
Greek god. Up until last week, she had believed that his lips, though thin and
sharp, were the font of all that was glorious and perfect in the world. The
thought of them on her own mouth was enough to drench her undergarments within
seconds.

Yet it was, in
fact, those selfsame lips that had spoken the words to her—in this very
room—that served to destroy her world and any hope she had of happiness
when he told her he was engaged to be married.

She watched him
now as he flipped peevishly through the book on his lap.

“I know you’re
upset, Lawrence—”

“Upset? Yes, I’m
upset! My fiancée is wandering the streets of Thompson Island with a tropical
hurricane bearing down on us.” He jumped up and moved to the window, abandoning
all pretense of the lesson or calm.

Adele decided
this wasn’t the moment to remind him that Ella was no longer his intended. Yet
it was becoming increasingly tiresome to have to reassure him about the woman’s
safety. “I’m sure she will return soon,” she said soothingly. “She’ll be hungry
and want her dinner. I promise you—”

“
This
is where your promises have gotten
me. I should be out there right now looking for her. Or going to fetch the
constabulary.” He stomped back to his chair and slumped into it, looking at
Adele with all the petulance of a cranky child. “My precious girl might be
lying under a wagon wheel or in a ditch this very minute. And we are doing
French verbs!”

It was clear he
was only going to get worse if she didn’t stop it.
 

Adele put her
book down and stood, straightening the kirtle of her dress. He watched her approach
him, and as she had been careful never to touch him before, he could have no
hint or idea of what she might be about to do. She dropped to her knees before
him and, without breaking eye contact, pulled her blouse apart, baring her
small breasts. He gasped and jerked upright.

But not away.

When she reached
for the front buttons on his trousers and pried his member, stiff and hard,
from his pants she gripped it tightly in her hand and beheld the wonder in his
glazed eyes.

“My dear girl…”
he whispered and licked his lips.

It was then she
knew she had him.

Lawrence would
not be thinking of runaway fiancées
this
afternoon.

Daisy stepped
away from the hinge of the door that led to the library. The image of her bare-breasted
mistress kneeling before her tutor was emblazoned across Daisy’s mind.

The craven slut. No better than a hoor from the docks.

Not that she was
much surprised. No, it would be fitting
whatever
the pirates had in mind for her. That was the plain truth. And if Daisy and
Georgie were to benefit from what happened to her, well, that was just fine
then.

Daisy crept
silently into the dining room and beyond into the kitchen so the witch wouldn’t
know she’d seen what she had.

Besides, the best laid plans were always them that came as a
surprise.

***

Ella looked up
from the plate of crab cakes and conch fritters Rowan had fetched from the
tavern below. She literally could not get her fill of gazing at her husband and
marveling that she had really found him once more across time.

I did it, Tater
,
she thought.
I’m bringing your daddy home
to you.

Rowan drank
deeply from one of the two tankards of ale he had brought upstairs.

“Don’t get hooked
on that stuff,” Ella said, teasingly. “You know you can’t get it back in 1925.
At least I hope you can’t.”
 

He grimaced over
the rim of his mug. “I’d kill for a Coke.” He looked out the window. “I hope
that’s an exaggeration but I’m not really sure any more.”

Ella knew he was worried
about how they were going to get back. They needed a plan. And so far they had nothing.

“Is there a way
you could
buy
the lighter back from Sully?”

Rowan made a face.
“Maybe. Although I was kind of getting attached to the idea of putting a gun to
his head and just taking it.”

“Let’s work with
the buying-it-back approach, shall we? The problem is, I’m broke. Do you have anything
to trade that he might want?”

“No. But I might
be able to get my hands on something.”

“Something that
doesn’t belong to you?”

Rowan gave her a
wide-eyed look.

“Rowan. You do
remember you’re a US Marshal in another life, right?”

“Don’t worry. I’d
just be stealing something that was stolen in the first place.”

“Do I want to
hear this?”

“When they
grabbed me, they already had a prisoner in their hold—”

“The Dutchman?”

Rowan grinned. “You
really were hot on my trail, weren’t you? Yeah, his name was Jan. He tried to
buy his freedom by saying he’d give ‘em a treasure he had in Casablanca.”

“I actually heard
this part. Did they let him go?”

“At first I
thought they did but I’ve since had information to the contrary. Besides, you’re
here and you never got a letter from me, did you?”

“A letter? You
sent me a letter?” Ella’s brow puckered in a frown.
 

“Exactly. Well, it
doesn’t matter now. But it does kinda confirm that Jan didn’t live long enough
to mail it.”

“I’m sorry,
Rowan. Sounds like you liked him.”

“He was a good
guy, just trying to make his family proud of him and make a life for himself.”

 
“Did he really have a treasure?”

“
That
is the million dollar question,
isn’t it? Sully said no, but you won’t be surprised to learn that pirates
aren’t really a trusting bunch and most of the crew thinks he pocketed the
treasure for himself.”

“Based on what?”

“Based on the
fact we dropped anchor in the Dry Tortugas and he went ashore alone. General
consensus is he went there to bury his bling. If I can find it, I’m pretty sure
he’ll trade the lighter to get it back.”

“Rowan, you can’t
be serious. Isn’t Dry Tortugas crawling with every manner of degenerate cutthroat—each
of whom is probably intent on finding the same buried treasure?”

 
“Probably.”

 
Ella felt the euphoria of the last
several hours begin to wane. Her bottom lip trembled. “You don’t think just
hanging onto me would do the trick?” she said.

He shook his head
sadly and put a reassuring hand on her knee to soften his words. “Olna said we
need a talisman. That lighter is the only thing I have in this timeline. If I
don’t get it back, I can’t leave.”

22

The pure joy of
awaking and seeing Rowan lying next to her filled Ella until she thought she
would weep with the pleasure of it. He was too tan, too thin and there was a
hardened look in his eyes that hadn’t been there before, but it was still him.

The first several
times that they had made love had been rushed—nearly violent. It was as
if he needed to prove to himself that she was real and wouldn’t disappear, that
she really was in his arms. But there was something else too. He was rougher
and more insistent as he claimed her, almost as if he were angry with her. Or
maybe himself? She wouldn’t try to understand it.

Sometime deep in
the middle of the night he’d awakened and reached for her and he’d made love to
her as tenderly and gently as if he’d never left and he’d never experienced any
of the horrible things she now knew he had.

It will take awhile
,
she thought as she grazed a light hand down his cheek, watching his thick dark
lashes flutter open sleepily. Before the
good
morning
was out of her mouth, he was pulling her to him, his hand dropping
between her legs, his fingers probing her slickness there.

“Well, I guess
that’s one way to wake up,” she said, pulling herself on top of him. He reached
for her breasts, kneading the nipples between his thumbs and forefingers and
then in a rushed movement took his cock and slipped it hard into her. She
gasped at how he filled her so completely and the first thrust ignited an
immediate orgasm that made her cry out.

“There ya go,
baby,” she heard him say as the waves of intense pleasure wracked her core and
left her quivering. “Almost there, almost there.” She felt his hands on her
hips as he encouraged her to move up and down on him. When she did, he groaned
and then flipped them both over, pinning her beneath him. He drove into her
over and over again, his noises animal and raw until he roared his own release.

When he fell from
her onto his side of the bed, her heart was pounding with the exertion, the
pleasure and even the fear.

“You know we
can’t carry on like this back in our real life,” she said to him. She watched
him open one eye and a grin played across his full lips.

“Just making up
for all that I missed,” he said.

“I don’t think it
works like that.”

“Well, that’s how
it’s gonna work at least for a while,” he said, yawning.

“Wow, you
certainly got bossy in the last five months,” she said, kissing his lips. “I
was so worried, Rowan. So afraid.”

He opened his
eyes and drew her into his arms. The feel of his strength and hardness gave her
a rush of pleasure even more intense than her orgasm.

“I know, babe,”
he whispered. “Although I always knew I’d somehow get back to you.”

“Same here,” she
said. “It was the
how
part of the
equation that made me afraid.”

“Yeah.”

He kissed her
gently and pulled a strand of hair from her face. “Why did you cut your hair?”

“I kind of played
a role when I was in 1825 Casablanca to try to find you.”

“Do I want to
know about it?”

“I’m almost sure
not,” she said. “But I’ll tell you one day. Besides, it all worked out. And the
hair will grow back.”

He ran a hand
down her back. “I hate to take my hands off you,” he said. “I definitely don’t
want to let you out of this bed, and you can forget ever leaving this room.”

Ella laughed.

“But I guess we
do need to get things set up for living here?”

Ella sat up and
saw how Rowan watched her naked breasts as she spoke.

Dear God, would he ever get enough?

“I need to run a
very quick errand,” she said, “and pick up a few things so we can move to a
place without bedbugs or rats in the walls.”

He grinned. “You
didn’t used to be so picky.” He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. “But
you’re right. And I’ve got a little something I need to do, too.
 
I hate to leave you…” He reached out and
cupped one of her breasts.

“There is no way
you’re ready to go again, Rowan Pierce, and I’m so sore I’m going to be walking
bowlegged for a week so just cool your jets, me bucko. Plenty of time for that
when we meet back up at the hotel. If there
is
one in this one-horse berg.”

“You always were
the sensible one.”

“I guess you’re
being funny now?”

He laughed.
“Yeah. Everyone knows you’re impetuous and foolhardy.” He leaned over and
kissed her on the mouth. “It’s one of the things I love about you.”

Ella slipped into
his arms and laid her head on his shoulder. “I love you, too, Rowan,” she said.
“No more separations ever again.”

***

Daisy felt her
grip on the feather duster slick with her own perspiration. She stood near
Adele as the young woman gazed at herself in the salon mirror that faced Main
Street. The heat was even more oppressive today than usual. A rivulet of sweat
drove down the crease between Daisy’s breasts.

“Get that thing
away from me,” Adele snarled, without looking at Daisy. “I’m allergic to dust.
And go start my bath. Why do you make me ask you twice for everything?”

Daisy licked her
lips. She couldn’t just give up. She couldn’t just let it all collapse like
this.

“Miss,” she said.
“You are to visit the seamstress today to finish the final alteration of your
gown at the—”

Adele whirled
around and snatched the duster from Daisy’s slippery fingers and flung it into
her face. “I said get it away from me!” An explosion of dust erupted across the
front of Daisy’s starched apron and she staggered backward at the assault,
covering her mouth to contain the cough she couldn’t help.

 
“Yes, Miss,” she said. “It’s just that
you so loved this frock when you had them start it and I know you’ll want to
have it ready in time for the Planter’s Ball next month.”

She has to go to the seamstress today! The men are waiting
for her at precisely two o’clock on the corner!

 
“I have plenty of time for that. I don’t
feel like going out today. It’s too hot. Which is why…” Adele turned slowly
away from the mirror, her face gnarled into a scowl that distorted her normally
pretty features. “…I want my bath
now
.”

Not waiting for
the slap that would punctuate the command, Daisy bobbed a quick curtsey and,
snatching up the duster from the floor, fled the room. As she hurried up the
stairs, her heart was pounding.
Would
they kill Georgie today?
When Daisy didn’t show with Miss Adele, would they
give her a chance to explain?
 

Georgie had been
very clear. Daisy was to have Miss Adele at the corner of Whitehead and Fleming
Streets at as near to two o’clock as possible. When Daisy saw two men approach she
was to feign dropping her bag so that, when questioned later, she could
honestly say she had not seen their faces.

And now it was all ruined!

She stopped on
the landing to catch her breath and tried to force herself to calm down and
think clearly.

Was there any way at all it could still work?

Before she
reached Adele’s bedroom, she heard the sound of the doorbell below. She knew
Adele wouldn’t answer it—and their major domo was sick with yellow fever,
likely not to recover. Daisy caught a quick glimpse of herself in Adele’s
vanity mirror and tucked a few errant strands of hair into her bun. She quickly
untied her apron and placed it on the bed. She would be back in plenty of time
to remove it before Adele came up for her bath. She ran downstairs in time to
hear the sounds of the swish of a heavy skirt as it disappeared into the
library.

Daisy hurried to
the door and opened it.

“Oh!” she said
with surprise. “Miss Pierce.”

“Hello, Daisy,”
Ella said. “May I come in? Is Miss Morton at home?”

“Yes, of course,
Miss,” Daisy said, opening the door for her. “If you’ll just wait in the salon,
I’ll tell her you’re here.”

“Sure. Thanks.”
Ella entered the sunny foyer and followed the maid into the salon.

After Ella seated
herself, Daisy walked to the library, where she found Adele flipping through a
book on the divan.

“Yes, Daisy, who
was it?”

“Miss Pierce,
Miss,” Daisy said.

Adele dropped the
book on the floor and jumped to her feet. “Miss Pierce?” she said, her face
white with shock. “Where?”

“She is waiting
in the salon, Miss. Shall I bring in tea?”

She watched as
Adele gathered her wits.

Now this is strange. Why is a houseguest we’ve had for a
full week suddenly causing such ado?

“What? Yes. No,
wait.”

“Yes, Miss?”

She could see
Adele was thinking hard. Her eyes were darting about the room as if she were
looking for something.

To imagine that my Georgie might need to die so that this
calculating wretch could continue on!

Adele walked over
to Daisy and grabbed her arm. Daisy gasped in surprise.

“I’m afraid,
Daisy,” Adele hissed, “that I’ve discovered a fairly serious crime has been
committed in the house and all evidence points to you.”

Daisy’s mouth
fell open.

“Yes, and as you
know, what with this being the household of a Federal Judge, you wouldn’t be
able to expect any leniency, which is why I’m frankly astounded you would have
the nerve to steal from me.”

“Steal from…”
Daisy looked at her employer as if it might be possible the woman had gone mad
before her eyes. “You are accusing me of—”

“I have proof,
Daisy, that you stole a diamond bracelet from my jewelry box.”

Daisy put a hand
out to touch the wall to try to steady herself. The room felt like it was
shimmering.

Could this be happening?

“I’m afraid,”
Adele continued, “that I’ll have to contact the police immediately and you’ll
be imprisoned, probably for the rest of your life. Unless…”

Daisy’s head
snapped back to look at Adele. Her eyes searched the young woman’s face.

Of course.

She cleared her
throat. “Unless, Miss?”

“You will take
Miss Pierce to the wharf. You will see to it that she doesn’t come back—that
she never comes back.” Adele stared at her, her eyes dark and unreadable. “Can
you do that, Daisy?”

“You want me to…to
kill her.”

“I don’t care who
does it. I’m doing this for your sake, Daisy. Of course, if you tell anyone,
I’ll deny it and you
will
go to
prison. You don’t doubt that, do you?” Adele patted her coif in place, her eye
now on the door. “Get your hat and meet Miss Pierce in the foyer in ten
minutes.”

As Adele swept
from the room, rudely brushing Daisy’s shoulder as she left, a wave of euphoria
engulfed Daisy that at first she didn’t understand until she stood in the
library alone for several moments more.

And then it came
to her.

It was twenty
minutes until two o’clock. She was going to be at the corner of Whitehead and
Fleming with a young woman.

Georgie wasn’t
going to die. And
she
wasn’t going to
prison.

***

Ella had never
heard the Morton house so quiet but for that she was glad. Although she
wouldn’t mind giving Lawrence a piece of her mind, all she really wanted to do
was grab the derringer, reassure everyone that she was alive, and get back to
Rowan.

She knew she was
going to have to tell Rowan about Lawrence, but she had enough on her plate at
the moment without worrying about the assault charge that would surely follow
when Rowan throttled Lawrence within an inch of his life.

There was plenty
of time to tell him later.

Much later.

She looked out
the salon window that faced Main Street and saw that the storm was definitely
building up outside. She had never seen so many dark roiling clouds in the sky
since she landed in Key West.

“Ella! You’re
back!”

Ella turned to
see Adele rushing into the room, her face flushed bright with color.

“Hey, Adele.
Sorry about leaving so suddenly.”

“Not at all. I’m
just glad you’re safe. You won’t be surprised to know Lawrence was very
worried.”

“Yeah, right.
Listen. There’s a thing or two I left upstairs that I’d like to retrieve.”

“You’re not
leaving us?”

“Actually, I am.
I’m…taking a room at a hotel. So that’s where I’ll be.”