forgotten,” he said. “I’ve also not forgotten the woman I’m pledged to.”
“We can appeal this,” Drew countered. “I am married and a suitable chaperon. They cannot force you to marry as well.”
“Appeal to whom?” Josh asked. “The whole blasted council is standing right here. Besides, think. While I am investigating the whereabouts of Mary’s husband, I can also notify the earl about Constance’s kidnapping. He’s bound to be frantic.”
Drew combed his fingers through his hair. “But it’s already late June and the Randolph is empty with nothing here to load. Josh, she’ll be sailing up and down the coast and maybe even to the West Indies before she’s full. Add that to the months needed for locating Greyhame and Robins, and you are sure to be tardy. What then? What if you return too late to factor our tobacco harvest? With no broker for our tobacco, the whole year will be lost and our plans for a plantation with it.”
“I’ll be back come spring,” Josh said. “In plenty of time to transport and sell our tobacco.”
“But the war!”
“I’ll be back.”
Hopkin tapped his hat down on his head. “So be it. Councilmen, our business here is concluded. Let us away.”
Drew’s lips thinned with visible anger.
Colonel Tucker extended his hand to Drew’s. “I’m sorry. I’m as unhappy about this as you are.”
Heaving a sigh, Drew accepted Tucker’s hand. “You did what you could, and I thank you for that.”
Tucker nodded and turned to join the other men. Constance watched them follow Hopkin like a flock of crows. The king would hear of this as soon as she returned home.
Home. She glanced at the man who had pledged his life to hers. His brother wouldn’t be back until spring? Sweet saints above, would she ever return home? Surely there was a regular schedule with ships arriving every third week or so.
She furrowed her brows. If they were all slavers, though, she had no desire to risk boarding another without protection. And she certainly had no desire to go to the West Indies.
Straightening, she pushed back the bothersome curls surrounding her face. She would return to England. She must. For Uncle Skelly. For the women of Europe. For herself.
Drew rubbed the back of his neck. His rugged muscular body shifted beneath his shirt. She swallowed. Dear Lord, please let Josh return before spring.
chapter S IX
“ARE YOU MY GAMMA NOW?” Sally asked.
Constance continued to slice her carrots. Ah, how to explain this?
“No, dear. I’m … well … your sister, I suppose.”
Sally’s violet eyes widened. “I used to have sister. She got real sick. She went to heaven.”
Constance paused. “I’m sorry.”
“Mama and Papa live there too.”
“I see.” Constance laid down her knife. “What was your sister’s name?”
“Sister.”
Constance blinked. “Oh. I have a sister too.”
“She live in heaven?”
“No, she lives in a place called England. It’s not quite as wonderful as heaven, but almost.”
“She call you ‘Sister’ or ‘My Lady?’ ” Constance bit her lip. “She calls me ‘C.C.’ ”
“Sissy?” Sally’s eyes lit up. “I call you Sissy too?”
Placing her hand on top of Sally’s, she gave it a gentle squeeze. “That would be lovely.”
An enchanting smile spread across the child’s face. With it came two charming dimples.
Constance picked up the knife and glanced at Mary, who bustled around the fire. Due to the council’s visit, they were late in preparing the midday meal and Mary had not stopped moving since Drew and Josh left to retrieve the indentured men.
“Knives are very dang’russ.”
“Yes,” Constance agreed. “Don’t ever touch one.”
“Or I might hurt me? Like you did?”
Constance nodded, glancing at two of her fingers, now wrapped with strips of cotton. It wasn’t that cutting vegetables was so difficult; it was just that the gold band on her fourth finger kept drawing her attention away from the
“We can appeal this,” Drew countered. “I am married and a suitable chaperon. They cannot force you to marry as well.”
“Appeal to whom?” Josh asked. “The whole blasted council is standing right here. Besides, think. While I am investigating the whereabouts of Mary’s husband, I can also notify the earl about Constance’s kidnapping. He’s bound to be frantic.”
Drew combed his fingers through his hair. “But it’s already late June and the Randolph is empty with nothing here to load. Josh, she’ll be sailing up and down the coast and maybe even to the West Indies before she’s full. Add that to the months needed for locating Greyhame and Robins, and you are sure to be tardy. What then? What if you return too late to factor our tobacco harvest? With no broker for our tobacco, the whole year will be lost and our plans for a plantation with it.”
“I’ll be back come spring,” Josh said. “In plenty of time to transport and sell our tobacco.”
“But the war!”
“I’ll be back.”
Hopkin tapped his hat down on his head. “So be it. Councilmen, our business here is concluded. Let us away.”
Drew’s lips thinned with visible anger.
Colonel Tucker extended his hand to Drew’s. “I’m sorry. I’m as unhappy about this as you are.”
Heaving a sigh, Drew accepted Tucker’s hand. “You did what you could, and I thank you for that.”
Tucker nodded and turned to join the other men. Constance watched them follow Hopkin like a flock of crows. The king would hear of this as soon as she returned home.
Home. She glanced at the man who had pledged his life to hers. His brother wouldn’t be back until spring? Sweet saints above, would she ever return home? Surely there was a regular schedule with ships arriving every third week or so.
She furrowed her brows. If they were all slavers, though, she had no desire to risk boarding another without protection. And she certainly had no desire to go to the West Indies.
Straightening, she pushed back the bothersome curls surrounding her face. She would return to England. She must. For Uncle Skelly. For the women of Europe. For herself.
Drew rubbed the back of his neck. His rugged muscular body shifted beneath his shirt. She swallowed. Dear Lord, please let Josh return before spring.
chapter S IX
“ARE YOU MY GAMMA NOW?” Sally asked.
Constance continued to slice her carrots. Ah, how to explain this?
“No, dear. I’m … well … your sister, I suppose.”
Sally’s violet eyes widened. “I used to have sister. She got real sick. She went to heaven.”
Constance paused. “I’m sorry.”
“Mama and Papa live there too.”
“I see.” Constance laid down her knife. “What was your sister’s name?”
“Sister.”
Constance blinked. “Oh. I have a sister too.”
“She live in heaven?”
“No, she lives in a place called England. It’s not quite as wonderful as heaven, but almost.”
“She call you ‘Sister’ or ‘My Lady?’ ” Constance bit her lip. “She calls me ‘C.C.’ ”
“Sissy?” Sally’s eyes lit up. “I call you Sissy too?”
Placing her hand on top of Sally’s, she gave it a gentle squeeze. “That would be lovely.”
An enchanting smile spread across the child’s face. With it came two charming dimples.
Constance picked up the knife and glanced at Mary, who bustled around the fire. Due to the council’s visit, they were late in preparing the midday meal and Mary had not stopped moving since Drew and Josh left to retrieve the indentured men.
“Knives are very dang’russ.”
“Yes,” Constance agreed. “Don’t ever touch one.”
“Or I might hurt me? Like you did?”
Constance nodded, glancing at two of her fingers, now wrapped with strips of cotton. It wasn’t that cutting vegetables was so difficult; it was just that the gold band on her fourth finger kept drawing her attention away from the
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