The Fancy (25 page)

of his middle to later fifties, of course he couldn’t be

sure of that – the man had an imposing presence no

one could ignore.

Shaking his hand, Quinton introduced himself

as Dr. Caine.

“Nice to meet you, please, cal me Manny. Ms

Lena tel s me you are in need of a double booking?”

Quinton smiled, he needed to tread careful y,

he was about to take a chance based on hearsay,

and prayed that it was al true. He’d heard from

various sources that this man had married a

princess, who just so happened to be his former

slave.

It was said that she’d been taken from her

father’s island as a young girl; and he, the king had

offered a great treasure as reward for her return,

Maynard Webster had been the man to return her,

after
he’d made her his wife.

There was quite a bit more to their story

circulating about; as for Quinton, he hoped al had

been true, because he was about to ask for this

man’s help – based on
that
information. He wasn’t

completely in the dark; the stunning dark beauty who

had greeted them, and brought him to Manny’s

office, matched the description given of her – it had

long been said, she was rare in her looks of gold

eyes, tawny hair and regal presence. He would bet

al that he had, that she was indeed his wife, after al ,

he hadn’t missed the furtive glances between them,

the subtle gleam in their eyes when they met – right

or wrong – he was going for it, he’d promised Sarah.

“Indeed yes sir, I am. And if I am al owed to

explain, you wil find that my needs go beyond what

has been stated.”

“I’m al ears.” Manny returned, leaning

comfortably in his office chair. He and his wife were

in transit, they’d just arrived from the south and would

be spending a bit of time there with their daughter

and her husband – as wel getting to know their 2

year old grandson, only to find that their daughter

was expecting again. The mansion, Ramsey Manor,

was his gift to his daughter. She ran it and had

expanded it to serve as a resting place for those

who traveled with him. Her genius was partly the

reason for the ever rising success of Ramsey Fleet –

few offered such amenities and for that reason, they

were always ful y booked and he was in the midst of

taking on two more ships, the seven merchant ships

he had, simply weren’t enough.

Quinton took a deep breath, hoping that he was

right because he was about to spil al , “To begin sir,

I would like to assure you in what I ask – al extra, I

wil gladly pay you and then some to see the end of it

successful y.”

Manny nodded, his cheek resting against his

left hand, his index finger and thumb extended to

cradle his chin. “And…” He prompted Quinton.

“First order, at al cost, my wife must be

protected. In our journey south with her – it wil be

risky, yet I have little choice because she is stubborn

and slippery. I must keep my eyes on her at al times

– at a moment’s notice, she would be off, into the

woods. You see, from the moment I found her, rather,

from the moment she was given to me as a gift –

and wel – that is because she was known as a

fancy. I’m certain you are familiar with the term – a

most dreadful state of affairs; that aside, I did not

keep her as my fancy, but have made her my wife.”

He paused, waiting for Manny’s reaction.

“I see, go on…”

Quinton exhaled, “You see sir, from that

moment, if you must know, we have become

inseparable. She refuses to stay put where she

would be safe, for fear of something happening to

me, and then wel – should something happen - who

would take care of her? For that reason, she wil not

leave my side, nor I hers.”

“I see.” Manny nodded once more, fighting

back a grin, yet he could not help the smile that

spread across his features.

“No, not entirely sir – in truth, to protect her, I

decided that we must return at once to England, to

my estates. Although I am a doctor, I am also Earl of

WhistHirst – on my estates, in England she wil be

safe – and accepted as my wife. There is however

one hitch to this plan….”

“Em, and that is…” Manny asked.

“Her mother; you see, I gave her my word, that I

would gain possession of her so that she too may be

free; thus, the need for double passage. One trip

along the east coast to Virginia where she is a slave

at a plantation there;

I must keep my wife safe and seek to gain her

mother as wel . Once she is secured and in our safe

keeping, we wil proceed onward to the final leg of

our journey which wil see us off to Plymouth,

England.” Quinton sighed, “In truth sir, once we arrive

England.” Quinton sighed, “In truth sir, once we arrive

at this plantation, I haven’t a clue of how I might

convince her master to sel her to me. There, you

have it as it is.”

Quinton sat quietly, waiting, watching the man

across from him think things over, however before

Manny could speak, there was a tap at the door, it

opened with Quinton’s brother rushing in, panicking

it seemed.

“She’s gone! Bloody vanished she has,

yer’lass went into t’woods, I can’t’ find her!”

Quinton stood with Manny doing the same,

“Explain vanished?” Quinton was not immediately

rattled, regardless of the way his brother stood as if

hyperventilating.

“After that bleedin’ mongrel! She took off, I

could not keep up with her! A bleedin’ boar might’ah

gotten her, heard it squeal!” He urged in between

breaths.

Manny came quickly from around the desk, “I

would think this would be better done while

searching for her.”

Quinton sighed, it seemed, the moment his

back was turned, off she went – he thought that

maybe he should be worried, but he wasn’t; instead

he turned towards the door, making his way out and

down the hal with the other two men on his heels –

he rushed only because they thought it a matter to

rush to.

Sarah gutted the wild boar as quickly as she

could, tossing its liver, the heart and other plugs of

meat at her monstrous hound – whom she

considered her baby. The moment she tossed the

meat at him, it was gone – caught in his mouth and

then down, tail wagging for more, “There is plenty

here, we’l leave the bones for wolves, wel – I wil cut

you both hind legs, that wil last you, with plenty of

meat.” She spoke as she made quick work of

carving the pig up, trying to keep as much blood off

of her gown as possible, wondering where Evan

went.

In no time, she had it completely skinned; piling

chunks of meat on the skin which she would take

back with her for Moose. But she would make sure

that he had his fil , this she knew when she tossed a

bit at him and he watched it fal to the ground, sniffing

it and then making digging moves with his nose as if

to bury it.

“Ful ? Good, we must hurry and get the rest

back and hidden before Quinton comes looking for

us.” Wrapping the extra meat and hind bones in the

skin, she pul ed her hemp rope from under her gown

where she’d hidden it and tied the bundle of meat

securely within the skin, looking down at herself;

there was blood on her skirt and sleeves – it could

not be helped. Standing, she hefted what was left of

the fur, skin and meat bundle over her shoulder and

took off at a trot for the grounds, feeling the blood

soak through her dress, “He’s going to kil me, I’ve

ruined this gown!” She worried, rushing as fast as

she could to the back of the mansion, hoping there

would be few to no guests around.

At a woman’s startled scream, as wel a few

shocked shouts from some men, Sarah groaned

with dread - too many couples and a smal group, al

stopped, shocked. She knew her little venture was

blown. Moose gal oped happily at her side - the size

of a smal bear, growing beyond what they’d

imagined he would be, content to fol ow Sarah

anywhere, seeing her as his mother. One of the men

they passed on the grounds, startled by her blood

stained clothing, shouted, “Stop right there!” and

made the mistake of going for her.

Moose turned instantly, barking a strong

warning at an ear shattering volume, growling and

showing teeth no one wanted to test – especial y the

man who froze in fright, not daring to move. Sarah

clicked her tongue, snapped her fingers and Moose

was back against her hip as she lead the way to the

veranda. She looked up the top of the stairs, and

froze.

There to meet her, were several people, one of

them, her husband; beside him, Evan, and another

white man, very tal and broad – next to him, Lena

and a young woman who looked exactly like her, al

except in coloring. One was a brown/gold, and the

other, fair/gold, both stood with their mouth’s

dropped open.

Sarah didn’t know who to explain herself to

first, and thought it should be to their hosts, “My

apologies madam, I only meant to hunt for his food; I

did not mean to gain such attention, if you would

please – can this be placed on the floor in your

storehouse, for him. He is now ful .”

She dropped the heavy bundle of meat on the

steps.

One of the women, who had screamed when

she came forward, squeaked once more and

fainted. Thankful y, her husband saw her fal ing and

caught her.

Quinton was not amused, nor for that matter,

surprised.

“That he is ful , is certainly good news.” Lena

returned, smiling. Manny could not believe his eyes,

and reflecting on Quinton’s words, now made sense

of it al , he couldn’t help himself, he barked with

laughter, the sound of it deep and catching. Lena

smiled and turned to the woman next to her, “Wel Ms

Hope, have you room for the dogs fare?”

Smiling, tickled, Hope nodded, “Yes, we do

indeed. I wil get someone to take it away,” Before

she finished her sentence, one of the stable boys

rushed forward picked it up and dashed off with it.

With her pretty head nodding in thanks, Sarah

gave her husband a quick glance and rushed in by

them, with Moose on her heels, to their suite to get

out of her blood and mud stained clothing.

“Bleedin’ hel ! She’s as wild as the boar!” Evan

blasted in stunned disbelief; “She kil ed that boar!

Bleedin’ Hel !”

Quinton cut him a warning glare and turned to

Lena, “Madam, if you would please, water for her

bath?”

“Right away sir, right away.” Lena turned away,

chuckling to herself; she looked up at Manny who

stood beside her, stil laughing. Shaking his head, he

turned back to the sun deck, making his way inside

and then to his office where he would await

Quinton’s return to finish their discussion, and their

plan for getting his wife’s mother.

Now more than ever, he wanted in – just for the

heck of it, his wife was a hit in his book.

In the privacy of their room, Quinton sat on the

edge of the bath, rinsing his wife down. They were

both quiet; she was waiting for his disappointment in

her; he was thinking. He knew that what he was

doing was Aislin’s job, but he was reluctant to give it

up to her.

Now that she was clean once more, Quinton

held a towel up for her to step into. He wrapped the

towel around her and his arms – and was in no hurry

to let go.

She stood naked, wearing only the large cloth

and his arms, her head down, quiet stil , unwil ing to

give an explanation for what she’d done, what in truth

could she say?

Quinton’s arms tightened even more around

her, pul ing her closer stil , he kissed her brow, “What

am I to do with you?” He asked rhetorical y not

expecting an answer. Slanting his head, he sought to

make eye contact with her, “Look at me.” He coaxed

softly.

Sarah glanced up, “He was hungry,” was her

only explanation. Quinton began laughing, shaking