follow you to the village.”
“Really?” She frowned. “We can’t let them leave before morning. Papa is sailing for France at midnight tonight.”
Lani did not look surprised. “Then you’re right—we must make sure he gets away and out of their reach.”
Cassie suddenly realized Lani might be hurt that her father had been so near and made no attempt to bid her farewell. “He was in a great hurry. He’ll be back as soon as he can. He needs to find a man who can—”
“Hush.” Lani smiled. “You don’t need to defend Charles to me. I know he would not desert me. He’s a good man and he cares for my happiness.”
Cassie felt a rush of relief. Of course he would not abandon Lani. She had not realized until this moment how Danemount’s words regarding her father’s relationship with Lani had disturbed her. She would never have been as tolerant as Lani in the same circumstances. “He made arrangements for us to be cared for by Kamehameha.”
“Which is not going to be necessary,” Lani guessed shrewdly. “Is it?”
She shook her head. “But he won’t let me go with him, and France is far away. It’s going to be difficult.”
“We will find another way.” Lani moved toward the door. “I’ll go tell the old one the English have fallen asleep out here and not to disturb them. It’s fortunate she wishes not to displease them; she may actually obey me. I’ll be back soon and we’ll take turns watching them.”
“No, I’ll do it. You stay inside and make sure Clara doesn’t come out to the veranda.”
Danemount suddenly stirred.
Cassie stiffened in alarm, but he didn’t open his eyes. Thank the Lord. She was not prepared to confront him yet. “Lani, would it be possible for you to go to the stable and bring some rope?”
Lani nodded. “Good idea. I’ll see if I can get past the guards in the garden.”
After Lani left, Cassie slowly sat down in a cushioned chair and gazed at Danemount’s face. Even in sleep he looked guarded and dangerous. What would he be like when he woke?
She would have to worry about that later. She had other concerns right now. She leaned her head against the back of the chair and tried to relax. She had a little time before the Englishman woke, and she would spend it trying to find a solution to the problem facing them.
Danemount stirred three times in the hours that followed. Cassie tensed on every occasion but then relaxed when he returned to sleep. It was near three in the morning before he finally opened his eyes.
She held her breath as she saw his drowsiness vanish. “My God, you poisoned me.”
“I did not,” she said quickly. “I only drugged you.”
“Only?”
“It was necessary.”
“I’m sure Lucrezia Borgia said the same after she used her poison ring.”
Lucrezia. That was whom he had meant when he had called her by that name. “Lani said that there’s some doubt Lucrezia Borgia ever used poison, and I certainly did not. I only used a few drops of laudanum in the syllabub to put you to sleep.”
“Laudanum? That can be a dangerous potion. How did you know how much was safe to give us?”
She squared her shoulders, prepared for battle. “I didn’t know. I took a chance.”
“I suppose I should count myself fortunate to wake at all,” he said with lethal softness. He glanced at the still-slumbering Bradford. “Is he alive?”
“Of course he is. He should wake soon.”
“He had better.” His gaze moved back to her. “Or you’ll join him in his sleep.”
Dear God, he was angry. His voice was low, almost silky, his face without expression, but she could sense an icy rage beneath that composure. “Threats will do you no good. I’m not afraid of you.”
“You should be. If you knew my— What the devil!” He had started to sit up and discovered the cords around his wrists. He went rigid. “You’ve bound me!”
His rage was no longer controlled, and she tried to ignore the fear that spiraled through her. “Yes,
“Really?” She frowned. “We can’t let them leave before morning. Papa is sailing for France at midnight tonight.”
Lani did not look surprised. “Then you’re right—we must make sure he gets away and out of their reach.”
Cassie suddenly realized Lani might be hurt that her father had been so near and made no attempt to bid her farewell. “He was in a great hurry. He’ll be back as soon as he can. He needs to find a man who can—”
“Hush.” Lani smiled. “You don’t need to defend Charles to me. I know he would not desert me. He’s a good man and he cares for my happiness.”
Cassie felt a rush of relief. Of course he would not abandon Lani. She had not realized until this moment how Danemount’s words regarding her father’s relationship with Lani had disturbed her. She would never have been as tolerant as Lani in the same circumstances. “He made arrangements for us to be cared for by Kamehameha.”
“Which is not going to be necessary,” Lani guessed shrewdly. “Is it?”
She shook her head. “But he won’t let me go with him, and France is far away. It’s going to be difficult.”
“We will find another way.” Lani moved toward the door. “I’ll go tell the old one the English have fallen asleep out here and not to disturb them. It’s fortunate she wishes not to displease them; she may actually obey me. I’ll be back soon and we’ll take turns watching them.”
“No, I’ll do it. You stay inside and make sure Clara doesn’t come out to the veranda.”
Danemount suddenly stirred.
Cassie stiffened in alarm, but he didn’t open his eyes. Thank the Lord. She was not prepared to confront him yet. “Lani, would it be possible for you to go to the stable and bring some rope?”
Lani nodded. “Good idea. I’ll see if I can get past the guards in the garden.”
After Lani left, Cassie slowly sat down in a cushioned chair and gazed at Danemount’s face. Even in sleep he looked guarded and dangerous. What would he be like when he woke?
She would have to worry about that later. She had other concerns right now. She leaned her head against the back of the chair and tried to relax. She had a little time before the Englishman woke, and she would spend it trying to find a solution to the problem facing them.
Danemount stirred three times in the hours that followed. Cassie tensed on every occasion but then relaxed when he returned to sleep. It was near three in the morning before he finally opened his eyes.
She held her breath as she saw his drowsiness vanish. “My God, you poisoned me.”
“I did not,” she said quickly. “I only drugged you.”
“Only?”
“It was necessary.”
“I’m sure Lucrezia Borgia said the same after she used her poison ring.”
Lucrezia. That was whom he had meant when he had called her by that name. “Lani said that there’s some doubt Lucrezia Borgia ever used poison, and I certainly did not. I only used a few drops of laudanum in the syllabub to put you to sleep.”
“Laudanum? That can be a dangerous potion. How did you know how much was safe to give us?”
She squared her shoulders, prepared for battle. “I didn’t know. I took a chance.”
“I suppose I should count myself fortunate to wake at all,” he said with lethal softness. He glanced at the still-slumbering Bradford. “Is he alive?”
“Of course he is. He should wake soon.”
“He had better.” His gaze moved back to her. “Or you’ll join him in his sleep.”
Dear God, he was angry. His voice was low, almost silky, his face without expression, but she could sense an icy rage beneath that composure. “Threats will do you no good. I’m not afraid of you.”
“You should be. If you knew my— What the devil!” He had started to sit up and discovered the cords around his wrists. He went rigid. “You’ve bound me!”
His rage was no longer controlled, and she tried to ignore the fear that spiraled through her. “Yes,
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