The Notorious Lady Anne: A Loveswept Historical Romance (42 page)

Winston cleared his throat again. “I wouldn’t have bothered you with this, my lord. I would have sent her on her way, but she’s quite insistent. She, uh, threatened to make a scene at the doorstep, so I had to let her in, you see.”

Nicholas stilled and he barely dared to breathe. “Did she give a name?”

“She did, my lord. She says she’s … Well, she says she’s Lady Addison. Your wife.”

Sebastian’s gaze zeroed in on Nicholas and Claire made a sound but didn’t move. Certainly it couldn’t be … There was no way … She was ill, injured.

“You might want to meet with the lady,” Sebastian said softly.

“Yes. Of course.” He shot out of his chair and ran down the steps, taking them two at a time, and paused at the bottom to collect himself. He looked around the entryway, but it was empty, and he’d forgotten to ask where Winston put this woman who claimed to be his wife. He opened the first door he came to and there she was, standing in a ray of sunlight, dressed in a sapphire gown, her hair pinned up. Relief nearly buckled his knees. She was alive. Thank you God, she was alive.

Slowly, she turned from studying the painting above the fireplace. She’d lost weight. Her cheekbones were more pronounced and her waist too slim, but there was color in her face.

Those green eyes, so serious and sad, took him in. Did she know about their child? Yes, he saw the grief in her eyes, the knowledge lodged there. He wanted to go to her, to take her in his arms and hold her close and never let her go, but he held back, sensing she wasn’t ready for that.

“Hello, Nicholas.”

Ah, God, her voice that so enchanted him. ’Twas the most beautiful sound he’d heard in a long time. He forced his legs to move, to enter the room. “Emmaline. You’re looking well.”

She looked down, smoothing the skirts of her gown. “My thanks, my lord.”

So, she was back to my-lording him.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better. Stronger.”

Even in the beginning, when they didn’t get along, they’d always had something to say to each other, but now he was at a loss. This wasn’t the Emmaline he’d fallen in love with, the woman with fire in her heart. Her injury had changed her. He should have expected it, shouldn’t have been thrown off guard by it.

Someone cleared his throat behind him, and Emmaline’s gaze jumped to a point beyond his shoulder. Sebastian strode in and quirked an eyebrow at Nicholas.

“Emmaline,” Nicholas said. “This is my brother, Sebastian Addison, Earl of Claybrook. Sebastian, Lady Addison.”

Her face lost all color and she swayed, her gaze riveted to Sebastian. Quickly, she executed a curtsy, but Sebastian took her hand and helped her up. Nicholas was grateful, for she looked ready to fall over.

“Pleased to meet you, my lord,” she mumbled.

“Call me Sebastian. We are related now.”

She swallowed and hesitated. Eventually she dipped her chin in acknowledgement.

Claire entered as she always entered a room, with the energy of a newborn colt.

“Oh, my.” She raced toward Emmaline, who took a step back and braced herself as if
preparing for a blow, but Claire stopped short and looked her up and down.

“Emmaline. My sister, Lady Claire. Claire, my wife, Lady Addison,” Nicholas said.

Emmaline gathered her skirts to prepare for another halfhearted curtsy, but Claire flung her arms around her and gave her a big hug. Emmaline’s eyes went wide and her arms hung limply at her sides for a moment, before tentatively moving to Claire’s shoulders, where she awkwardly patted her.

“It will be so
nice
to have another woman in the family,” Claire said, pulling away. She tossed her head in Nicholas and Sebastian’s direction. “They are insufferable to live with and don’t understand what it’s like to be a woman.”

Emmaline’s wide gaze went to Nicholas in a silent plea for help. However, Sebastian was the one who stepped forward and took Claire’s arm. “I’m sure you two have much to talk about. Claire and I will leave you be. Emmaline, I look forward to getting to know you. Please accept my dinner invitation for tomorrow evening.”

“I …” She licked her lips and looked beseechingly at Nicholas.

“That will be fine, Sebastian,” he said.

His brother nodded at him and dragged Claire away. Nicholas waited until the front door closed before saying anything, but Emmaline beat him to it.

“You told them about me?”

“Of course.”

Her brows drew down in apparent confusion.

“Would you like to sit down? Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
Did you miss me as much as I missed you? Do you want to touch me as I want to touch you?

She shook her head. “I can’t stay. We’re setting sail tomorrow.” She looked away.

“I see.” He didn’t see until now, but he should have. “And you came because …”

She set her jaw and her eyes flashed with defiance. “I’d like to sell the plantation and house.”

“Why?”

She looked away and pressed her lips together.

“Why would you like to sell the plantation, Emmaline?” He could see it was killing her to ask for permission to do what she wanted with what she considered her property. And, in truth, it bothered him as well. She shouldn’t have to get his permission.

She lifted her chin. “It’s time to move on. Time for another adventure.”

He refused to allow the hurt that knifed through him. She was fighting back, protecting herself from her own pain.

“I … I’m grateful you killed Blackwell, though I’m sorry you had to do it.”

“I was glad to do it.” If there was one thing he didn’t regret, it was Blackwell’s death.

“I don’t wish my father’s demise on your hands.”

“He nearly killed my wife. Of course I was going to kill him.”

She fiddled with the sleeve of her gown. “Well, thank you anyway.” She dropped her arm and looked toward the window. “I should be going. I need to find a new home now and … Well, I couldn’t let things end the way they did. I wanted to say good-bye.”

“I see,” he said again, the picture becoming more and more clear. “I was finishing some business before you arrived. Are you able to wait a few days before we leave? I’ll have to instruct Winston to close up the house.” He looked around at his surroundings. At the house that had never been a home, because it lacked Emmaline’s presence. “I’ll have to talk to my solicitor about selling it. Or maybe we can keep it for when we visit London.”

She was looking at him with wide eyes, her lips parted.

“And, of course, I need to inform my family where we’re going. Where are we going, by the way?”

“I don’t … I … What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about moving. You said we have to find a new home.”

“But I didn’t mean with you. That is …” Her face colored and it took everything inside Nicholas not to smile. For the first time since he’d met her, he’d flummoxed his lady pirate.

“What did you mean, then?” He stepped closer. Close enough that he could touch her, but
he refrained, although it nearly killed him.

“I know we can no longer remain married.”

“Why?” He moved a half a step. She moved back.

“Why?” She licked her lips and he nearly groaned.

“Why can we no longer remain married?” He touched her cheek with the back of his hand, the skin so soft, so silky and so warm. She’d always been warm. ’Twas as if she soaked up the sun’s rays and stored them within her.

Her breath hitched at his touch. “Because my father was a traitor to the Crown. And I’m a bastard.”

He tilted his head and studied her rounded eyes, the need residing inside them. She spoke the words, believed them, but didn’t want to believe. She wanted hope again.

“Surely …” She stepped back, but was crowded against the fireplace and had nowhere else to move. “Surely there are ways to annul our marriage. I’ll do whatever you wish.”

“Why would I annul our marriage?” His anger churned inside him. This was what Daniel Blackwell had done to his daughter—destroyed her confidence, shredded her self-assurance. If he wasn’t already dead, Nicholas would kill him all over again. The bilge-sucking bastard.

She tugged on her gloves and he suddenly remembered she hated wearing them. He took her hand and pulled her glove off, finger by finger, while she looked up at him with that hope shimmering in her eyes. That’s all she wanted in life, hope for a better future. A happy future. Finally her fingers were free and he dropped the glove to the floor, covering her hand with his and raising her knuckles to his lips. She breathed deep, the color rising to her face.

“Your father was the bastard. And you are not your father.”

“Aren’t I?”

“Blackwell sided with Spain, not you. In fact, you helped uncover the plot and the king is grateful.”

She swayed. He tightened his hold on her hand, ready to catch her if she should fall. Damn it, she was weaker than he thought, still not recovered from her injury, and here he’d been
thinking of tumbling her to the floor and showing her how he was going to keep her at his side.

“You told the king about me?”

“Of course I did. He wanted to know the entire story.”

“Does he know about …”

“Yes,” he said softly.

“What did you tell him?”

Distracted by her soft, warm skin, he looked at her. “Him?”

“The
king
.”

“I told him you acquired the Lady Anne persona when you suspected Blackwell of treason in order to bring him down. The king is very grateful.”

She swallowed and grabbed hold of the back of a chair for support. “You didn’t,” she whispered.

“I did. And you are completely exonerated. Well, except for one small thing.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What one small thing?”

“He couldn’t completely exonerate you without some punishment. So he’s confiscating your ships. And the plantation.”

Emmaline drew in a deep breath while Nicholas held his own. He hadn’t known how she would react to losing her ships and her home.

Slowly she let her breath out and nodded. “That seems a fair price to pay. I would have liked to have kept the ships, but I can always acquire new ones.”

Nicholas smiled instead of shouting with joy as he wanted to. He also refrained from asking exactly how she planned on acquiring new ships. They would discuss that later.

“I also told him you are the widow of James Sutherland, a privateer and plantation owner, and the woman I love.” Nicholas might also have mentioned a certain Peter Lansing and his unwanted advances on Emmaline, and the threat he posed by almost halting the mission to catch Blackwell. The king was not pleased.

“Love?” Her knees almost gave out, but she caught herself.

“Damn it, Emmaline, you’re ready to fall down.” How hard had she pushed herself to get well? No doubt she hadn’t allowed Phin to take over any of her duties on the ship.

“I love you, Emmaline Addison. Know that and nothing else. I will do what it takes for you to be happy and for us to be together. Even if it means embellishing a tale or two for the king.”

She grinned that mischievous grin he loved so much. For the first time since seeing her standing in his home he was able to take a complete breath. “And you’ve found a new home, Emmaline. No use looking for one.”

“I have?” The hope in her eyes flamed bright, hope but still not belief. That was fine, he had many, many years to make her a believer.

“Yes, you have.” He glided his fingers up her arm. She shivered. He looked into those green eyes that reminded him of the Caribbean darkening. “Right here. With me.”

He kissed her and those warm lips responded. Finally, he felt like he was home himself. “If you don’t want to live here, we’ll find a place we both like, as long as we’re together.”

She pulled back, her brows drawn in a frown. “I’m sorry about the baby.”

He squeezed her hand. “So am I. But there will be others, when the time is right.” He hoped many others, but he was willing to wait. To spend time with his wife.

“I love you,” she whispered. “I was afraid you left.”

“I’m sorry for that. I wanted to be with you, but I needed to clear your name and I needed to return the gold to the king before it was discovered.”

She lifted her chin. “I understand. You were right to do so.” She smiled, her first real smile. “And I’m sure my crew wasn’t happy you took their gold.”

“I took the king’s gold, and no, they weren’t happy.” He pulled her closer. “I should have stayed with you. But you need not worry, my lady. You will forever be plagued with me, I’m afraid. I’ll never leave your side again.”

Her chin trembled, but she managed to blink away her tears. His Emmaline, such a strong woman. “Thank you for everything.”

“No need to thank me. Especially once you hear my other bit of news.”

Her look turned guarded, wary. “What?”

“We have an appointment in a few weeks.” He cleared his throat, shifted from one foot to the other. “The king would like to thank us.”

She pulled away. “
How
would he like to thank us?”

“In a small,
very
small, ceremony.”

Her eyes widened. “I can’t go.”

“You have to go. Your king requests it.” More like demands it, but he wasn’t saying that. It was a sure way to make her do the opposite.

“See the king? Nicholas, this is madness. I’m a pirate.”

“Are you? All I see is my wife, Lady Addison. Oh, and that is going to change as well.”

She looked like she was about to fall over, but his strong wife refused to let anything bring her down. “What is going to change?”

“He would like to bestow a title on me. Us. Just a small one.”

“A small title during a small ceremony? Why do I not believe you? What is this title?”

“Earl.”

She drew back, her eyes going wide with panic. “Earl?
Earl?
I’m to be a
countess
?”

“It seems so.”

She laughed, and the sound was like music to his ears. Better than music, a siren’s call.

“The notorious Lady Anne,” she said. “A countess. Whoever would have thought?”

Certainly not Nicholas, but then he never thought his life would sail in this direction. And he’d thank God every day that it had.