Tempest(18)

One side of his mouth bent sardonically. “You must be joking. Have you forgotten that Tempest Hall is tumbling down and your father is paying for the restoration? It’s a wonder I’m able to perform at all in bed, I’ve so little manhood of my own left.”

“Don’t say that. Money doesn’t make a man. The pursuit of money is just an excuse to avoid the real character-building issues in life, I think.” Cathy warmed to her topic. “I’ve never known one person in my parents’ circle who had a character I admired. They’re all superficial and judgmental.”

“Except for your own father.”

She pressed her lips together, trying to block from her mind the image of Jules Parrish kissing his lover. “I suppose so, but who knows what might go on when he isn’t at home? That’s most of the time, after all. He may have just as many dark secrets as any other man.”

“I was afraid you hadn’t let go of that subject,” he remarked in tones of amused irony. “If you keep pestering me you’ll hear something that you’ll wish you hadn’t.”

“Such as? I would like to know what your definition of a dark secret is!”

“What about a mistress?”

Their eyes were inches apart but his were unreadable. Cathy’s breath burned in her throat. “Are we speaking of a hypothetical mistress? In England?”

“Perhaps. But, what if she were on Barbados? A woman of color?”

Suddenly, she knew that she had probed too deeply and this was his way of warning her away. Certainly, if it were true that he had a mistress on Barbados, he wouldn’t taunt her with it!

Would he? She managed a faltering smile. “I know what you’re doing. I apologize for stepping on your privacy. You needn’t make up any more hurtful examples to teach me this lesson.”

Adam could see that she wanted him to reassure her now but he couldn’t. “Look, it’s more than my privacy that’s at stake. I’ve sold myself. I’m floating along on this cursed steam-palace with a lot of your parents’ servants bowing and scraping before me, and I’m going home with a pocketful of your father’s money to rebuild my ancestral home. It’s bloody humiliating! Worst of all, it’s my own doing. I’m the one who kept gambling long after a more sensible fellow would have stopped. I lost everything, and now I’ve lost even the choice whether to marry or not.” He felt her back off his lap but his words continued to flow, like blood from an angry wound. “Can you imagine how that feels? Have you any idea how it might then feel to have my heiress bride demand that I divulge my darkest secrets? I don’t know anymore what I’m doing out of an attempt to show you affection, or out of obligation because your father paid me so damned much money! Do I have the right to refuse you anything?”

Cathy backed up until she almost sat down on a potted palm before finding her way into a rocking chair. “Can’t you forget about the money?” She was about to ask why he couldn’t pretend that he’d married her for the usual reasons, but lost her nerve. After all, it was ridiculous to imagine that someone like Raveneau would have chosen Cathy if she were poor...

As he read her mind, his expression changed. “Come here.”

“No.” Her eyes brimmed with hot tears that she was embarrassed for him to see. “I wish that you would leave me alone for a little bit.”

“On our honeymoon? You can’t get rid of me yet.”

He closed the distance between their chairs and knelt before her. The sight of tears, trickling down her cheeks despite her efforts to blot them with a wispy handkerchief, stung his heart. “For God’s sake, don’t cry. I am a beast.”

She shook her head. “Don’t look at me.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“Liar.”

Unable to bear another moment, he swept her into his arms, murmured “Stay” to Alice, and carried his bride off.

“What are you doing?” Cathy demanded. To her astonishment and secret delight, he had no trouble maneuvering them both down the companionway ladder.

“Clearly, I shall have to solve this problem with deeds, not words.” Ignoring the crewmember who watched from a distance, he added, “How many times a day must I make love to you before you’ll believe my heart’s in it?”

“Once more, at least,” she dared to murmur.



In the end, Cathy’s nerve failed her, at least when it came to making love in broad daylight. As much as she loved being held, kissed, and caressed by Adam, there was always a moment when she began to feel anxious and wished they were on the other side, lying together in the aftermath. Even though he often dozed off, she was content to remain in his arms, soaking up the warm strength of his naked body.

The next afternoon, Cathy stood in the glass-enclosed upper saloon, watching as the lush mountains of Jamaica faded from view. They’d dropped anchor there that noon, going ashore for luncheon and fresh supplies, and the sight of Adam in his West Indian element made her realize how little she knew about his life in this exotic locale. Perhaps he really had been serious when he’d warned her that life on Barbados wouldn’t be the romantic fantasy she imagined.

Wandering over to the piano that dominated the room, Cathy sat down and began to play a Bach sonata. It was soothing to lose herself in the music, and it wasn’t until she heard the sound of Alice barking on the afterdeck that she raised her fingers from the keys.

Woodrow appeared. “Sorry to interrupt, my lady—”

“What’s upset Alice? I’ve never heard her make such a fuss, not even when those sea gulls were attacking her!”

“It seems that we have a guest. His lordship spotted a small craft that was taking on water, and he ordered the lifeboat lowered to rescue the occupants. They are coming aboard at this moment.”

“Really!” She could scarcely believe her ears. “I suppose I ought to go and greet them.”

“Lord Raveneau suggested as much, my lady,” Woodrow replied, nodding.

The Caribbean sun was beating down on the yacht’s teak decks as Cathy made her way back to join Adam. He stood at the rail, watching as the lifeboat rose to the point where its occupants could disembark. Alice was sitting obediently at her master’s side, ears perked, ready to growl if either of their unexpected visitors dared misbehave.

“Ah, there you are,” Adam murmured when Cathy touched his crisp white sleeve. A faintly ironic smile played over his mouth. “‘Twould seem that the honeymoon is ended.”

She felt a pang of alarm. “Please don’t say that!”

The two men were clambering onto the deck, shading their eyes against the blinding sun, and looking hopefully toward Adam and Cathy.

“Awfully kind of you to take us on,” said the taller of the two. He extended his hand. “My name is Theo Harrismith. I’m on my way from Boston back to Barbados, where I was raised, to take on the management of the Ocean Breeze Hotel in Christ Church.” Gesturing toward his companion, Theo continued, “Allow me also to present Sutton O’Leary, my accountant. Are you two bound for Barbados on a pleasure cruise?”

While Adam made introductions and explanations, Cathy surveyed the newcomers. She was drawn to Theo’s lively blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and dandified clothing which included white duck trousers, an emerald-green bowtie, and a straw boater. When he removed the hat, she saw that his reddish-gold hair was thinning prematurely. She guessed that he was in his mid-twenties.

Sutton O’Leary looked equally youthful with his head of curly dark hair. Wiry and agile, he had a thin, pale face with a sunburned nose and a sparse mustache. His own white pants were paired with a bright striped vest. When he spoke, his accent told Cathy that he was a native of Boston.

Woodrow appeared along with a pair of stewards bearing trays of cold beverages and a variety of tempting snacks. Adam suggested that they go into the saloon to take refreshment since the two men had probably had enough sunshine for one day. When they were all seated on the lavish sofas and Theo had drunk a tall glass of water and a taller one of champagne, he said,

“Are we dreaming?” He looked around at the grand piano, the beautiful palms and flowering plants, and the bright cushions that filled the sofas were reflected in the room’s glass walls. “Perhaps we’ve drowned, Sutton! Might this be heaven?”

“Have some more champagne,” Adam offered. “Are you all right? Were you in trouble long?”

“Only a few minutes,” Sutton said.

“But it seemed much longer!” Theo exclaimed, holding out his glass to accept the sparkling wine. “That sun is quite terrifying, I don’t mind telling you.”

“Won’t you please tell us more about yourselves?” Cathy found herself enjoying the fanciful Theo Harrismith. “You couldn’t have been sailing on that small boat all the way from Boston, could you?”

“God, no!” cried Theo. “We went to Jamaica in May, intending to merely visit, but so many people invited us to house parties that the months just slipped away.” He paused. “And, there was the matter of the smallpox epidemic that was just ending after more than a year. As you know, Barbados was quarantined, and even though that was lifted last April, I must confess to waiting a bit just be certain the danger had passed...”