“Hell’s bells,” Jeremy protested.
“Do it,” James ordered sternly. “You can see more of your cousin in the morning if you can mind your manners and remember she’s your cousin, not some tavern wench.”
After that set-down the boy might have been expected to leave shamefaced. Not Jeremy. He grinned roguishly at Reggie and winked.
“I’ll dream of you, sweet Regan, tonight and every night hereafter.”
She nearly laughed. The audacity! She gave him a pert look and said, “Don’t be obnoxious, cousin. You held me close enough to tell I’m very much married.”
Reggie groaned, damning her heedless tongue. Jeremy cast one look at his father and ran for the door. She steeled herself, sure James had taken her meaning quite clearly.
“Is it true?”
“Yes.”
“Damnation take him! How did this come about, Regan? How the devil did you come to marry that—that—”
“You sound as bad as Tony,” she cut him short. “You each want a piece of Nicholas. So find him, divide him up between you, cut him into pieces, shoot him, kill him. What do I care? He’s only my husband and the father of my child.”
“Easy, squirt,” Conrad said softly. “Your uncle gave up his plans for the lad the moment he learned you were married to him.”
“What plans?” she demanded. “What is this all about, Uncle James?”
“It’s a long story, sweet, and—”
“Please don’t treat me like a child again, Uncle James.”
“Very well,” he said. “The short of it is I thrashed him soundly for some insults he had dealt me. For this I ended up in jail.”
“And nearly hanged,” Conrad added.
“No,” Reggie gasped, “I can’t believe Nicholas—”
“He gave Hawke’s name to the authorities, squirt. TheMaiden Annemight not fly the Jolly Roger anymore, but England never forgets. Hawke was tried for piracy. He managed to escape, no thanks to Montieth.”
“You see why the lads were careful not to mention my name in front of you,” James said. “I had to arrange my death; otherwise I would have had to leave England immediately. I’m sorry, Regan,” he added gently. “I would have preferred you didn’t now what kind of mess your husband has been involved in.”
“Don’t apologize, uncle,” Reggie said tightly. “It only amazes me how often I am reminded of how wrong I was about him. I just don’t understand how I could have fooled myself into thinking I loved him.”
“Don’t you?”
“No. And don’t look at me that way. I really don’t love him.”
“Does she protest too much, Hawke?” Conrad grinned.
“Oh, you think so?” Reggie said heatedly. “Well, wouldyoulove a wife that deserted you the very day she married you? I will never forgive him, never. Even if he didn’t want to marry me, even if he felt justified in leaving, he’s hateful for not…well, he’s simply hateful.”
The two men exchanged a glance. “Where is he?” asked her uncle.
“He left England. He couldn’t even stand to be in the same country with me.”
“He has estates elsewhere?”
She shrugged, lost in her own misery once again. “He once mentioned owning property in the West Indies, but I don’t know if he went there. What does it matter? He has no intention of coming back. He made that perfectly—”
She stopped as a commotion started downstairs. James nodded to Conrad to see what it was. The moment Conrad opened the door it was clear the scuffle was going on nearer than the floor below. James followed Conrad out, Reggie right behind the men.
A fight was taking place on the stairs, between Henri and—Tony?Good Lord, itwasTony! Artie already lay sprawled at the bottom of the stairs. Henri was about to join him there.
