Beautiful Tempest(14)

If he would admit that much, then it must be true, but she still wanted to know, "Then what was it?"

"I don't make confessions to strangers. D'you?"

"Only about marriage. Don't want to give them hope when there isn't any."

"If I'm only destined to be a friend-for a year or two-perhaps you will meet me after the ball so we can start getting better acquainted?"

Instead of being affronted by such a breach of etiquette, Jacqueline chuckled. She was pleased that one of her guesses appeared to be on the mark. "So you're a rake of the more daring sort? Much as I'd like to be one m'self, I'm not going to tempt my father into killing you. So, no, I shan't meet you so late at night."

"A stroll on the terrace then, where I won't have twelve pairs of eyes frying me?"

She chuckled. "What you would get is my father tossing you over the railing out there, or did you think his eyes aren't also watching you like a hawk? But you might find me riding in Hyde Park tomorrow afternoon, should you care to join me-without your mask."

"Then until tomorrow."





Chapter Six






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THE NEXT DAY, JACQUELINE didn't doubt her mystery man had deliberately left the ball prior to the unmasking. She'd kept track of him in the crowd for a while, noting that he didn't ask anyone else to dance after he returned her to her parents. They'd been surprised when James had asked him his name and the fellow replied, "Your daughter is amused by mysteries so I'd prefer not to tell you right now." He'd bowed to the ladies and walked off, and since James had taken off his own mask by then, Georgina and Jack had laughed at his thunderous expression.

She couldn't get out of her mind the man's risqué suggestion that they meet after the ball. Daring stuff, his willingness to risk her father's finding out that they'd gone off together. Which made her think again that her mystery man didn't really know her or her family, and, more to the point, the many rumors of the more lethally unsavory sort that still abounded about her father.

But then one of her other beaus finally got up the nerve to draw her away from her parental shield, and once he did, the others formed a solid barricade on the edge of the dance floor to request their dances before she could return to her father's side. She found that so amusing she forgot about the daring stranger for a while. Until the unmasking and finding out that he wasn't there for it.

She was still intrigued and incredibly excited about her rendezvous in Hyde Park today. She was also glad to have the ride on her agenda to distract her from her father's having left for the Caribbean early that morning. A fait accompli, so she shouldn't still be miffed that he hadn't let her go along, but she was. After all, she was the one who'd been directly victimized by those damned pirates, so she should have a chance to get her own sweet revenge against Bastard, while her father took care of the culprit who'd pulled Bastard's strings. But so much for her wishes . . .

She was already dressed for her rendezvous in a deep blue riding habit, the only darker-colored outfit she was allowed to wear. Carrying the feathered hat and jacket into the dining room, she wondered if she could manage to eat anything before she left the house. She scoffed at the notion of being nervous about meeting the stranger again. She might be heaping more importance on this ride than she ought to. The stranger might have a physique to admire, but he might also have the visage of a toad.

That thought made her laugh aloud, which was when Amy Anderson appeared in the doorway, still removing her gloves. Amy had brought her twins, Glorianna and Stuart, with her, but then she would never have heard the end of the complaints if she hadn't. They were the same age as Jacqueline's twin brothers, and those four loved getting into trouble together when Amy and Warren were in London. Stuart and Glory were already rushing past their mother to the stairs. 

"Eating alone?" Amy said as she took the chair next to Jacqueline.

Amy was Jacqueline's cousin and had become her aunt as well when she'd married Jack's uncle, Warren Anderson. Amy sailed with her husband, even raised her children at sea, bringing along first their nannies, then their tutors. But Warren's ship had departed that morning, along with Boyd's and Georgina's, all sailing with James back to the Caribbean, and none of them were taking any women along.

"You missed my mother. She's off having lunch with Aunt Roslynn."

"I did think she might need cheering up, which is why I stopped by, but I'm sure Ros will see to that."