Caroline’s words echoed in Elise’s thoughts. The more she came to know Nick, the more she felt certain he wouldn’t feel whole again until he held the command of a ship. But her father would never give up the water and command of his own vessel. It was a dichotomy she found herself thinking about more and more. What could she do? To say yes to one was to deny the other.
“There you are,” Uncle James said as Elise came down the stairs. “Your father and Nick are ready to return to the ship. They plan to leave by midnight. We were just starting to look for you.”
“I was telling Caroline good-bye.” Elise embraced her uncle. “And now I will bid you the same.”
“Just remember, you are always welcome here. Your sister too, although I know she wants to be as far away from here as possible. Poor girl. I’m afraid society will not be kind.”
“Probably not, since they don’t know the truth.”
Uncle James shrugged. “They probably know about Nelson and his mistress, but I doubt they care. Things like that are done all the time by men of power and wealth.”
“Well, it isn’t right, and it’s certainly not of God.” Elise glanced back up the stairs. “It’s my deepest desire that you can keep Nelson Worthington from doing any further damage to her. The rest will heal in time. Caroline is a lot stronger than you might think.”
He chuckled. “Oh, I know how strong she is. You’re both your mother’s daughters, and you inherited her strength and love.”
A pounding sounded at the front door, and Mrs. Cavendish appeared in her mobcap and pinafore apron. Without waiting to be invited in, Nelson Worthington crashed through the door as the housekeeper started to open it. Mrs. Cavendish fell back against the wall, and Elise rushed to her side. She steadied the old woman as Nelson began to rail at her uncle.
“I will sue you for every dime you have for alienating the affections of my wife and keeping the knowledge of my unborn child from me,” he yelled as he shook his fist at Uncle James.
Elise felt her stomach tighten. Duran was responsible for this. But why? This information was his only hold over Elise. It must have become more beneficial to him to tell the news, and that somehow made the situation all the more worrisome.
She let go of Mrs. Cavendish and stepped forward. “My sister isn’t with child. You can ask the doctor who was here earlier.”
“I don’t believe you. I have it on good authority—”
“You have it on the authority of a man who is most likely wanted for murder in at least two states,” she countered. “Booker Duran is nothing more than a vicious beast who enjoys threatening those who seem weaker and helping those who appear as evil as himself. Especially if money is involved.”
Worthington looked at her in surprise. “I said nothing of Mr. Duran.”
“You don’t have to. I already know it was him. He overheard Caroline and I discussing something and took it upon himself to use it as a threat to get me to do what he wanted. But Caroline is not with child, and I am not going to allow him to force me into any compromise.”
“But he said that she admitted she was pregnant. He overheard it himself.”
By now Louis, Nick, and Elise’s father had joined them in the foyer. They all seemed more than a little surprised by the discussion. For their sakes, Elise explained.
“Caroline feared she might be with child because she hadn’t bled since before marrying you. Added to that, she was frequently vomiting and thought it was morning sickness. But the doctor examined her and assured her she isn’t with child. The condition is something she’s dealt with most of her teen years and into adulthood. When she is suffering a large amount of stress and fear, she has problems in these areas. She is not, however, expecting your baby, Mr. Worthington.” Elise looked around at the men and decided it didn’t matter that she was going to be shockingly bold. “Furthermore, unless you want her going verypublic with the circumstances of her wedding night, I would cooperate and give her a quiet annulment. Otherwise, I fear we will have no choice but to share the story with the newspapers. After all, Caroline has nothing to lose.” She smiled. “It seems to me that you’re the only one who has anything to lose.”
Worthington paled at this. “You wouldn’t dare. A scandal like that would ruin me—ruin my family.”
“You should have thought of that before you took a mistress, then raped and beat my daughter,” Elise’s father said, stepping forward. “I’ve only remained silent out of respect for Caroline, but don’t think I wouldn’t like to beat you to a pulp. Now, I suggest you leave before I forget my manners.”
Elise took hold of her father’s arm, hoping to calm him.
Worthington backed a couple of steps toward the door. It was clear he didn’t want to have to deal with the well-muscled ship captain.
“I’ll send the lawyer around tomorrow first thing,” Uncle James said. “With assurance from the doctor that your wife is not in a family way, as well as the papers you’ll need to sign for the annulment on grounds of misrepresentation.” He stepped to the door, and Worthington eased across the threshold to the porch beyond. “You will sign the agreement for annulment, or our next meeting will be with the owner of theOswego Daily Palladium.”
Worthington held Uncle James’s gaze for only a moment more before turning on his heel.
Elise’s uncle shut the door and turned to the others. “I’d say we have him right where we want him.”
“Well, there are other places I can think of to throw him,” Elise’s father declared, “but I suppose this will have to do.”
Elise crossed her arms, still contemplating why Duran would give up the information about her sister. “I was surprised Booker Duran has played what he supposed to be his trump card.”
“Your father fired him. Put him off the ship,” Nick explained.
Papa looked at her. “He threatened you and you didn’t come to me?”
