Beautiful Tempest(63)

"Nothing droll to say?" Conrad asked.

James lowered the spyglass to the other ship's deck and after a moment burst out laughing. "I suppose we can drop the sea anchor and turn about to let him reach us. You could have just told me, Connie, instead of letting me think the Americans were pestering me again."

"I could have." Conrad grinned and sauntered off, whistling a jaunty tune.


JAMES WAITED IMPATIENTLY BESIDE the ladder that was lowered. A good twenty minutes later, the new ship was beside his, a rowboat had been lowered from it, and he was helping his brother aboard. "So you changed your mind after all, Tony?" James was smiling.

Anthony wasn't. "No. Jack's gone, Jeremy's gone, even that dunderhead Percy is gone."

A thunderous expression replaced James's smile. "You thought I had them? I don't. Jack was standing on the wharf with George when I sailed." Then in a growl: "Come with me."

James returned to his cabin and headed straight for the brandy decanter to pour two glasses. He handed Anthony one. "What happened?"

"You left," Anthony said accusingly. "Everything goes to hell when you leave."

"The devil it does."

"It does and only a day after you sailed, too."

"Tony, if you don't spit it out immediately-"

"They were taken out to sea, James, all three of them kidnapped. We suspect it's the same men who took Jack before-"

"What did the ransom note say?"


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"I left before one was delivered. We felt the first priority was to let you know."

"Is your captain going back to London?"

"Yes, and-"

Anthony didn't finish because James was already stepping out of his cabin, bellowing, "Connie!"

It took only a few moments for the first mate to run up to the quarterdeck and guess, "You want me to toss him back over the side?"

"As if you could. Tell his captain to return to London immediately and let George know that I'll bring Jack, Jeremy, and Percy home. They're out here somewhere-"

"How the bloody hell did-?"

"I'll explain later. But I want all eyes watching for other ships, and find out if any have passed us this week. I may need to blast one out of the water."

James slammed the door shut before Conrad could delay him with more questions and, pinning his brother with a dark look, said, "Now that I've heard the end, start at the beginning. I need to know how this could happen again."

"I was going back to London with my ship," Anthony said testily, having heard James's orders.

"Now you're not, and this is not a good time to argue with me, Tony. If you haven't noticed, I need to kill something."

"Can't very well mistake that look-all right! It was evening, the second day after you sailed. George didn't know Jack wasn't in the house until she didn't show up for dinner. Jack's maid said she'd gone out with Jeremy and that she'd be home for dinner, but she wasn't."

"Leaving without letting George know where and why doesn't sound like my daughter. She'd at least leave a note so George wouldn't worry."

"Even if she thought she'd be home before George noticed her absence?"

"Did anyone look for a note from Jack?"

"The house was searched from top to bottom, first thing. I even looked for the notes from her mysterious suitor who'd been sending her single roses that week in case she'd gone off to meet him. Found the roses in her room, but no sign of his notes."

"There was a fellow at that masked ball they dragged me to who annoyed me because he refused to introduce himself to any of us before he took Jack out to dance. If- I'm going to kill that bastard! Did you search her jewelry box for his notes?"

"Of course."

"And the secret drawer at the bottom of it?"

"What secret drawer?"

James sighed. "Never mind. Jack wouldn't leave a note for George in that, anyway, since George doesn't even know about it." 

"But you do?"

"I gave her the box. She started collecting tiny rocks when she was six, ugly little things, but since they sparkled, she thought they were special and hid them all over the house. But the servants started finding them and throwing them away, which led to Jack having quite a few tantrums-bloody hell, never mind all that."

Anthony still rolled his eyes. "You gave your daughter a hiding place for rocks?"

"It was a matter of diplomacy. The servants didn't like it when she screamed at them. It's too bad I never got around to mentioning it to George, since that drawer has a hidden latch in the back to release it. There could be something in that drawer that indicates what Jack was up to."