The Raider (25 page)

“It's nice to meet you,” Jessica said at last. “And we have plenty of room for you. I'll get the luggage.”

Alex leaned heavily on Sophy and she didn't say a word until they were in a room in the Montgomery house. Then she turned on him.

“I demand that you tell me what is going on.” She reached forward and snatched the wig off his head. “I thought for a moment you'd shaved it. Alex, whatever have you gotten yourself into now?”

Smiling, running his hands through his hair, Alex sat down in a chair. “Sophy, you don't know how good it is to hear that question. You can't imagine how wonderful it is to hear a woman accuse me of not being what I appear.”

“I'm glad you're happy.” The countess was tapping her small foot impatiently. “Alex, you may be receiving pleasure, but I am not. I am supposed to be in Boston in two weeks to see my husband and our children. He will be very angry if I am not there.”

“Like the last time, when I climbed out on the balcony?”

Sophy smiled. “In the rain with not a stitch on. And when he was gone you were nowhere to be found. I was frantic. I thought the dogs had you. Instead—”

“A housemaid had. Could I help it if she felt pity for me? And then I had to show her my gratitude. Of course, since I had no clothes on, I fear my gratitude was self-evident.”

“You!” she said but she was laughing. “My husband will never believe what I say if he finds out I've been here with you.”

“With me and my wife and a house full of the nosiest people on earth.”

“That wife of yours is a beauty, a little slow perhaps, but what does that matter in a woman? Her beauty is what counts. Is she why you're dressed like that? Alex, that disgusting thing isn't actually your belly is it?”

Alex stroked the protuberance fondly. “It's cotton, a little string, a pistol and knife and not much me.” He glanced at the door as he heard a sound. “It's Jess.” He grabbed the wig, slammed it on his head in a practiced gesture, then slumped until he was S-shaped.

“In here,” Jess said, directing men in stacking the countess's many trunks. “I thought you'd put her in your mother's room.” Jess kept standing there after the trunks were stacked.

“Jessica,” Alex said in a voice of great tiredness, “could you leave us? We are old friends and have so much to talk of. Perhaps you could finish the accounts of four years ago. Or see to Sophy's maids' comfort.”

Jess looked from one to the other, then nodded and left the room.

Sophy turned on Alex. “Of all the—! If my husband ever spoke to me that way, I'd remove his ears and his—”

Alex bent and kissed her. “Yes, you would and so would Jess if she thought I was a man.”

“A man? What does she expect from a man if
you
can't fulfill it?”

Alex kissed her again. “Sophy, you are making me feel better by the minute. Did you see the way Jessica looked at you? If you don't have to be in Boston for two weeks, then you have a few days. I'd like to ask a favor of you. I'd like you to stay here and make my wife jealous.”

“You do not
try
to make a husband or wife jealous, you try to prevent it.”

“But you don't know the whole story.”

Sophy sat in a chair, arranging her skirts about her. “I'm an excellent listener.”

*   *   *

“What an absolutely vile, despicable trick, Alexander Montgomery,” Sophy said with passion. “That poor woman has two men after her but she doesn't have one whole one.”

“She plays her own tricks. She tells the Raider she wishes he'd never come to Warbrooke and then she tells Alex the Raider is the town's only hope. She doesn't know what she wants.”

“It sounds to me like she knows exactly. She loves her country, so she helps the Raider; she loves her family, so she marries a man who she thinks can help them, a man who can never make love to her. She took a vow of chastity to save her family. And you have condemned her to this. That poor, poor girl.”

“She was the one who started it. I never meant to play the Raider here, but Jessica laughed at me and made everyone believe I was fat and effeminate.”

“I don't blame them. You look dreadful. No wonder no woman wanted to marry you.”

“You
didn't believe me.”

“Yes, but it wasn't long ago that you and I—” She stopped and glared at him. “What is it that you want from this girl?”

Alex took her hands. “Sophy, I love her. Maybe I've loved her forever. I know I used to see her following one of my older brothers when she was a child, then I'd play some prank on her. Everything she did enraged me. My mother thought Jessica was wonderful. She constantly told us that Jess was the strength in the Taggert family. I wanted them to know that if I were faced with a similar situation, I'd be the family's strength. But I was the baby, with a father and two older brothers. Jessica never even looked at me—no matter what I did to get her attention.”

Sophy touched his cheek.

“I can't tell her I'm the Raider. She'll do something utterly stupid, I know she will.”

“It seems to me she's doing that already.” Sophy squinted her eyes at Alex. “What's your
real
reason for not telling her you are the Raider?”

Alex smiled and kissed her hands. “I want her to love me. Me, Alexander. I want her to love me for myself, not because I wear a black mask and ride a black horse. Jessica's love is very important to me and I want to know that it's mine. I want to know that she'll love me even when I'm too old to mount a horse. If I end up like my father, I don't want to think that my beautiful Jessica is going to go running off with the next dashing figure.”

“Alex, you're asking her to love only half the man.”

“I guess I am, but she did leave the Raider and come to me. Of course she was bleeding and had to get help, but it was better than nothing. But then she told the Raider she'd as soon go to bed with a woman as with me.”

“Alex, you ask so much of a woman. First of your Jessica and now of me. If you want Jessica to love something other than the physical side of you, how will jealousy help?”

“Spend some time with me. Jess only comes near me when there's a child that needs attention or when she's hurt. Maybe if she saw another woman, a beautiful, intelligent, wise woman who liked to spend time with me, perhaps she'd be curious.”

Sophy laughed. “I think I might love Alexander, even if she doesn't. Of course I haven't seen you as the Raider. Are you terribly dashing and romantic?”

“And fearless. There is no danger too great for the Raider to face. Except Jessica, of course. Say you'll stay and help me.”

“All right.” Sophy sighed. “Perhaps I feel the woman should sense that her husband is also her lover. I'll help you make your wife jealous.”

J
ESSICA,
” Eleanor was saying, her voice straining to remain calm, “that woman is making a fool of you.”

“She's making Alex happy.”

“Very
happy. Don't you care that they spend hours locked together in his room?”

“Our
room,” Jessica snapped. “The room belonging to Alexander and me.”

“Ah, then, so you
do
care.”

“Eleanor, what would you do if a woman flirted with that big Russian of yours?”

“Remove any part of her body that I could reach.”

Jessica played with the food on her plate. “But the countess is really such a nice lady. Yesterday she took care of Samuel all afternoon.”

“And thus freed Nathaniel to get into mischief. Do you know where he got that dory?”

“What dory?” Jess asked listlessly.

Eleanor took a seat across from her sister at the table. “You
are
concerned about that woman, aren't you?”

“Absolutely not. You know Alex and I don't have a real marriage. He said he…”

“What?”

“He said he loved me, but I guess that was before he remembered his love for the countess.”

“Jess, why don't you fight her? Why don't you go to Alex and tell him you love him and that you'll set fire to that woman's hair if she isn't out of your house in thirty seconds.”

Jessica stood. “Me in love with Alex? What a preposterous idea. He whines and complains and he—”

“Saves your life and waits up for you and takes care of you and—”

“Yells at me all the time. Where's the countess now? Maybe I can get rid of her another way.”

“Sitting by the kitchen garden, the last I saw. Jessica, what are you planning?”

“To help my country,” she said before leaving the house.

Jessica wasn't about to let Eleanor or anyone else see how the countess's presence bothered her. When in the world had she fallen in love with Alexander? She thought love was that wild beating of the heart. Love was closer to what she felt for the Raider—or at least once she'd thought so. But lately she'd been much happier to see Alex than she'd been to see the Raider.

Twice the Raider had come to her window since the night she'd been wounded, but each time she'd felt less inclined to leave with him. She knew she'd have a wonderful night in his arms but that was all. In the morning she'd wonder what had overtaken her and she'd look forward to Alex's company.

Since Alex had returned to Warbrooke, they had spent a great deal of time together, and it seemed to Jess that she'd never cared much about Alex. At first she'd resented the way he always wanted her near him, but gradually she'd come to enjoy him. And, now that she wanted to be with him, he wasn't there.

Jess couldn't blame the countess for wanting to be with Alex—after all, he could be charming. He could read sea stories with such gusto that you felt the wind on your face, and he could read romances in a way that made you blush.

Slowly, he was repairing the damage Pitman had done to the Montgomery fortunes. In the few weeks of their marriage, she and Alex had been able to put the Montgomery household in order. Together, they'd been a good team.

But now here was this countess, hanging on Alex's every word, looking up at him with big eyes that told him how strong and wonderful he was. And Alex acted as if all the Taggerts had disappeared. His attention was now solely on the beautiful Italian woman.

Jess stood at one end of the kitchen garden and watched. The countess was sitting under a tree, a thick shawl about her shoulders, a book open before her. Jess wanted to tell her to get out of Warbrooke and to leave her husband alone, but she couldn't do that. First of all, Alex would laugh himself to death if she did something that foolish. And later, he'd never let her live her jealousy down. He'd gloat and brag and do all the obnoxious things men do when they think they've won.

No, she had to be more clever than that. There had to be a better way to get rid of the countess.

“Hello,” Jess said and the woman lifted her pretty face. “I hope you're enjoying your stay in Warbrooke. I haven't had much time to look after you, but perhaps Alex has been caring for you.”

“Yes,” the countess said cautiously. “He has been caring for me quite well, thank you.”

Jess smiled and sat down on a low wall near the countess's chair. “Has Alex told you about what is going on in Warbrooke? About the opression we're under?”

The countess's eyes widened. “No, not really. I'm sure he mentioned it but…”

Jess leaned forward and the countess moved back sharply, as if she thought Jess might strike her. “I wondered if you might help me,” Jess said. “You're so very pretty and I need help from a pretty woman.”

“Oh?” the countess asked, obviously interested. “Help doing what?”

“You've heard of Admiral Westmoreland? He was sent here by the English to stop the Raider, but so far he hasn't succeeded.” Jess smiled. “The Raider's had some help from a few of us.”

“Alexander told me about your participation in what he called a raid. The English soldiers—” She halted at the look on Jess's face. “He didn't tell me much.”

So! Jess thought, Alex told you about that night, did he? She kept smiling. “Yes, we do what we can to help the Raider. Since that raid the admiral has been punishing Warbrooke by seizing cargo. Once, a man's ship was taken and I'm afraid that's about to happen again. I need your help to find out.”

“Me?” Sophy asked. “What can I possibly do?”

“The admiral is boarding with Mrs. Wentworth and she has invited me to tea. Yesterday the admiral received a sealed document from England and I'd like to see what's in that document.”

“But where do I fit in?”

“The admiral likes pretty women and you are beautiful. I want you to keep his attention on you while I search his office.”

Sophy smiled at Jess's flattery, then her face changed. “What if you're caught? What if this man realizes I was helping you?”

“We get hanged.”

“Oh.” Sophy took time to digest this.

“Sophy, if I may call you that, you can do it. Look at what you're doing with Alex.”

“What could you possibly mean by that? Alex and I are old friends.”

“Yes, and I'm so glad he has you. Alex is my friend, too, and I like my friends to be happy.”

“You aren't, perhaps, jealous?”

“Not at all. He deserves any happiness he can get. He has so little.”

“Maybe there's another man you'd be jealous of,” Sophy said. This time, she was the one leaning forward.

“Alex is my husband.”

Sophy smiled. “What of this Raider I hear so much of? Is he really so virile and handsome as people say?”

“More so.” Jessica grinned. “Would you be willing to help us with the admiral?”

“The Raider isn't at all like Alexander?”

“Not even remotely. If you're frightened, say so. I'll understand. If I'm caught, I'd never tell on you.”

“Mmmm. Wouldn't it be nice if you could combine Alexander's intelligence with the Raider's virility? You'd have yourself quite a man.”

“There is no such human. You either get brains or beauty. Not both. Do you want to help or not?”

Sophy gave Jess a critical look. “Only if we have a suitable gown made for you. What must that husband of yours be thinking? Haven't you a single decent dress?”

“Alex gave me all his mother's clothes.”

The countess said something emphatic in Italian.

“Alex did once promise me a red dress.”

“Did he? And you never got it? Come along, Jessica, we have work to do. We must find the six best seamstresses this town has to offer.”

“Six?”

“The better to get the work done quickly. When do we go to tea to meet this admiral of yours?”

“At four tomorrow afternoon.”

“Difficult, but not impossible.”

As Jessica and Sophy went through the common room, the countess chattering a mile a minute, Jess winked at her sister.

*   *   *

“What have you done to Sophy?” Alexander demanded of Jessica.

“I have no idea what you mean, Alex,” Jess said innocently. “I merely invited her to tea at Mrs. Wentworth's. I know you don't trust me, so I thought your pretty lady could act as a chaperone.”

“No, I don't trust you and with good reason. And I don't think Sophy should be allowed out under your care. There's no telling what will happen.”

Jess widened her eyes. “I have no idea what you mean. I merely invited your guest to a social event, nothing more.”

Alex squinted his eyes at her. “I don't trust you.”

“What a terrible thing to say to your own wife. Have you seen the dress Sophy's having made for me? It's red silk.”

Alex was rubbing the back of his neck where, as usual, sweat and powder were making an itchy paste. “I'm going with you.”

“What!?” Jessica gasped. “I mean, how good of you.”

“You're up to something, Jess, and I'm going to be there to prevent your participating.”

Thirty minutes later, Jess was asking Sophy, “Can you keep both the admiral
and
Alex occupied?”

“Of course,” the countess said with confidence. “I can sustain a roomful of men.”

“Good,” Jessica said, breathing a sigh of relief.

But the countess had not bargained on Jessica. After Sophy's maids finished arranging Jess's thick hair and dressing her in the low-cut red dress, there was the possibility that no other woman would be noticed.

Jess went to show herself to Alex. “Do you like it?”

Alex didn't say a word.

“Alexander?” Jess said. “Are you feeling all right?”

Alex sat down.

“Come along, Jessica, we'll be late.” Sophy pushed Jessica toward the door, then turned and hissed at Alex. “Control yourself and don't act like a fool. She is your tiresome wife, remember?” Sophy looked at Jess standing in profile just outside the door. “Beauty like hers could inspire hatred. I will
never
allow my husband to meet your wife. Come on, now, control yourself. Celibacy is your choice. No wonder you have no strength in your legs.”

*   *   *

Jess had some difficulty at Mrs. Wentworth's tea. For days, Alex had hung on every breath Sophy had taken but now he didn't seem aware that she existed. He watched his wife's every movement with a glazed expression that she found quite annoying. Sophy was telling one amusing story after another, but Alex seemed oblivious to her presence or anyone else's—he just kept staring at Jess.

Jessica gave Sophy a look of exasperation, nodding her head toward Alex.

“Alexander!” Sophy said sharply. “Why don't you tell the story about fishing in the canals in Venice?”

Alex was reluctant, but Sophy leaned forward toward the admiral, showing off her cleavage, and the admiral asked Alex to tell his story. As soon as Alex began, Jess excused herself to Mrs. Wentworth and headed in the general direction of the outhouse.

Once she was out of sight of the guests, she went upstairs and into the admiral's room. She knew she had only minutes to search, so she tried to be as thorough as possible. She was about to give up when she saw a corner of white protruding from between books on a shelf. She pulled it out, glanced at it, and started to open it when a voice sounded behind her.

“I knew I would find you.”

Jess whirled to see one of the admiral's lieutenants standing in the doorway.

“When you took so long to return, I knew you were waiting for me.”

Jess held the paper in her hand, concealing it in the folds of her dress. She didn't remember having seen this man before, but he seemed to be convinced she desired him. Jess bit her tongue on a sharp comment about the vanity of men and, instead, smiled at him.

“I was on the way to the necessary and saw this window was open. It looked like it might rain, so I came in here to close the window.”

The lieutenant was across the room in seconds. “We need have no secrets between us. You have wanted me for a long time. I've seen the way you look at me when we meet on the street. I've seen the longing in your eyes. You must hunger for a man after being married to that weakling husband of yours.”

Jessica moved away from him, backing around the desk, the lieutenant getting closer by the second.

“Tell me where I can meet you.”