Rescued By A Viscount(59)

“You did not return, and I grew worried.” His anger did not seem to scare her, as it did the men.

“God, woman, you would try the patience of a saint,” Simon hissed, taking her arm and hauling her into his side, thereby declaring she belonged to him. “And you were given orders not to let her leave the carriage, Merlin,” he added, turning on his driver.

“It is not his fault, Simon. I told him I needed to have some privacy, if you know what I mean.”

“She was right convincing, my lord. Ben held the horses whilst I accompanied her, and then she picked up her skirts and ran across the street towards the Anchor.”

Merlin should have been outraged by Claire’s actions. Instead, Simon could

see only admiration. Resigned, Simon looked down at the woman at his side. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Is the man you were talking to the one, Simon?”

“Yes, and he believes I am your brother, so play along. In his possession is a letter he states is from Anthony. You will ask to look it over and then confirm it is your brother’s handwriting. Merlin, stand at our rear whilst Miss Belmont and I go and talk to the man.” His driver mumbled his agreement, and they made their way back across the room.

“This is my sister, Miss Belmont. Claire, this man has not furnished me with his name.” She sat in the seat Simon held out for her.

“My brother has informed me you have a letter from Anthony, sir. I wish to see it, if you please.” The hand she held out shook slightly and then steadied as she began to read. Simon watched as her eyes followed each word. She then folded it precisely and handed it back to the man. “Your sister obviously meant a great deal to my brother if he wrote that note for her.”

Claire’s confirmation of the authenticity of the note told Simon that if there was a child, then it was possibly Anthony’s.

“My sister gave her favors too freely,” the man growled and then spat out a foul curse.

“I would ask you to watch the way you speak in front of my sister, sir. Our brother meant a great deal to us, and I will not have his name blackened.”

He was not foolish enough to antagonize Simon further, so he clamped his mouth into a grim line.

“Now as I’m sure you will not just hand the child over without payment, how much do you want?”

The man’s eyes darted from Claire to Simon before he spoke. “My brother and I want money for our future, and in case we get hurt and can’t sail no more.”

“How much?” Simon put his hand over Claire’s as her fingers clenched. The man told him an amount that was high but not excessively so. “I will not give you a penny until I see the child.” He squeezed the hand beneath his as it tensed.

“I want half now.”

Simon stared at the man silently for several seconds and hoped Claire would hold her tongue, too. “Not a penny until I see the child, and then you will have it all.”

“I want half now.”

“Then we have nothing further to say to each other.” Simon said, regaining his feet and lifting Claire from her chair.

“Simon.” He could hear the desperation in that single word, but he held strong.

“Trust me,” he whispered, propelling her forward. They made it to the doorway before his voice reached them.

“All right, I shall bring the child here in one hour. We will meet down by the the Bonny Rose.”

Simon simply nodded and walked Claire through the doorway, with Merlin now at their heels.

“It’s all right,” he soothed, placing an arm around her waist. “It will be over soon.”

“Do you think Anthony cared for that woman and that is why he left her the note, Simon?”

All around them, noise sounded, people brushed by, but he was as focused on her as she was on him. “I’m sure he did, Claire.”

Simon saw a tearoom, and, ushering her inside, he motioned for Merlin to come, too, and then ordered food and drinks. Simon watched her as they ate. She did not speak, and her eyes kept looking to the tall masts in the distance. As the minutes ticked by, her pallor increased.

“Simon, what if the child is not Anthony’s?”

“You’ve just endured possibly the most trying three days of your life during which you’ve told me constantly that it is, and the note confirmed your brother knew the woman, so why, suddenly, do you think it isn’t?”

Her eyes were shadowed with uncertainty. “Doubts are suddenly plaguing me, now the time draws close. Doubts that I am doing the right thing, doubts that I will never know if the child is Anthony’s.”

“You’ll know.”

“If someone sees us or hears of the time we spent alone, I will be ruined and your name will be blackened, Simon. Please, dear lord, let my niece or nephew be waiting for me so I may confirm, if only to us, that what I have done is the right thing.” Her face was pinched and her eyes shadowed as she spoke.