Wild Lord Taggart Read online

  “That we can both agree on,” Dandridge called out.

  “Good to hear you say so. No hard feelings?”

  “No hard feelings.”

  The words were repeated back to him, but Reese almost detected a sinisterness to them. Shaking his head, Reese turned to leave when he heard the loud pop of Dandridge’s pistol firing and seconds later felt the impact of the bullet.

  * * *

  “I’m sorry, but this is too funny,” Matthews said, laughing heartily.

  “Can you shut up, leave, or preferably both? And can you not be so ham fisted?” he looked over his shoulder as he directed his questions at his best friend.

  “I’m sorry, but there is quite a bit of debris embedded in the wound. It must come out or you risk infection.”

  “Just hurry it up,” Reese grumbled, gripping the pillow beneath his face. “And you don’t sound very apologetic.”

  “Relax your buttocks. You’re making it much more difficult to work on the wound.”

  Reese snarled when he heard Matthews sniggering. “Shut it, Matthews.”

  “I can’t help it. He shot you in the arse!”

  “And if I hadn’t turned my back on him when I did, he would have shot off something much more valuable!” Matthews paused what he was doing and doubled over in laughter as Reese shot him a withering glare. “I can’t believe you would consider that remotely funny.”

  “It’s hilarious,” Carson Matthews replied, chuckling.

  “Do I need to send for another physician, or are you going to be able to finish this?”

  “I’ll finish.”

  “Hurry it up,” Reese growled.

  He tried to ignore the physician’s ministrations. He still had difficulty believing that Dandridge had shot him in the arse, but knew he should be thankful that it had only been his arse. If he hadn’t turned around to walk off, he would be a eunuch now. A fine sheen of sweat broke out over his body at that thought. Reese perched his chin on his folded forearms and stared out the window. The sun had completely risen, and the fog had burned off, a typical London day.

  He winced when he felt a tug as Matthews began the slow process of stitching the wound. I should write-off the female population all together, he thought somberly. It would save me so many issues.

  “I should, but I won’t.”

  “Pardon?” Matthews asked.

  “Nothing, just thinking out loud.”

  “Oh.”

  “No, I definitely won’t.” His grin quickly turned to a grimace when Carson pulled the thread tight. “But perhaps I will wait a bit,” he conceded.

  “There,” Carson said when he was finished. “Change the bandage every day. Do not put any pressure on it. If it feels feverish or overly sore, send for me immediately. Otherwise, I’ll be back in a few days to check on you. Oh, and laudanum for pain, as needed.”

  “Thank you,” Reese muttered.

  “Of course. Oh, and stay away from the ladies for a while.”

  “Go away.”

  Carson’s laughter could be heard until he left the building where Reese currently rented a room.

  Reese lay on his stomach, underneath a sheet, thinking about the path his life had taken the last few years. He wasn’t proud of everything he had done. He regretted what he had done to his brother, but in the end, Duncan had found a happiness with Penelope that he never had with Isabelle. Even now, they were rusticating in Yorkshire, awaiting the birth of their first child. Reese felt a sadness that he wasn’t there, but it was for the best. Mayhap in the future he would once again be able to join his extended family without feeling like an outcast and a failure.

  A piece of paper wedged in the bottom right corner of the mirror over the washstand caught his eye. It had been there for years, mocking him. He struggled to his feet and hobbled across the room to retrieve it, wincing with every step. He removed it, opened it up, and read it. With a smirk on his face, he refolded the piece of paper deciding he held his future in his hands and perhaps the fresh start he was looking for.

  Chapter 1

  Circe Marie Hayhurst and her chaperone, Elizabeth Tunnell, boarded the ship, the Mary Anne, with anticipation. Well, perhaps Circe was excited. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was unsure and anxious.

  “Miss Hayhurst, are you certain you wish to continue on with this trip? Barbados is a very long way away.”

  Circe looked at the woman scrunching her nose. “Elizabeth, I’ve told you over and over that you do not have to go on this trip.”

  “Your father has already paid me for my services. Of course I must go,” she said, sounding offended.

  “I did not mean to offend. It is just that I am aware a long sea voyage, such as this one, is more than most people are willing to face. Even I am a bit leery and sorely wish my uncle lived somewhere closer.” She began to replay the tearful goodbye she had shared with her parents but cut herself off for fear of bursting into tears once more. Circe had insisted her parents not stay to watch her departure, declaring that it would be that much harder for all of them. She already ached with homesickness but still believed that this was something she had to do. Elizabeth had followed suit sending her family on their way as well, but she seemed melancholy in a way that was due to more than just missing her family. “Elizabeth, you never told me why you were leaving England.”

  The women followed a sailor across the ship’s deck to a hatch that led below. They then walked down a very steep and narrow flight of stairs.

  “These be yer two cabins,” the man said.

  “Thank you, sir,” Circe said, as she passed him a few coins.

  “Let me know if ye need anythin’ else. Yer trunks’ll be loaded soon.”

  “Thank you, again,” Circe nodded her head as he left them alone in the narrow hallway. In its protective dock, it was difficult to tell you were no longer on dry land. She gave a winsome smile as she thought about the adventure ahead of her. “Come, sit, and tell me why you want to go on this adventure with me.” Circe moved to the small table in the middle of her cabin. She tried to pull the small stool out, but found it would not budge. “That’s odd.”

  “What?”

  “This stool is attached to the floor.”

  “What?” Elizabeth asked, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

  “Watch.” Circe attempted to lift one of the stools. “It is stuck.”

  “That’s for your safety,” an older gentleman said from the door. “I’m Captain Adams.”

  “I am Circe Hayhurst and this is my companion, Elizabeth Tunnell.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you both. I would like to speak with the both of you about this ship and what to expect during our journey.”

  “Of course. Would you care to sit?” Circe asked, indicating one of the two stools.

  “No, the two of you should sit.” He waited until they had done so before he continued. “This is not a passenger ship, but rather a working vessel that takes on the occasional passenger. I ask that you stay below deck as much as you possibly can. This will both keep my men from being distracted from their jobs and the two of you safe.”

  “I had no idea,” Circe said. “Perhaps I should find another ship.”

  “Miss Hayhurst, you will be hard pressed to find another captain willing to take on two single women, even though you are properly chaperoned. Sailors are superstitious and tend to think women aboard a ship is bad luck.”

  “Bad luck? That’s just silly,” Circe said.

  “Silly or not, I could not sail this ship without those men, so I will do everything in my power to keep them happy.”

  “I understand,” Circe replied stiffly.

  “Good.”

  “I do have a question, though. You said this is a working ship. Is there not a passenger ship that is sailing to Barbados?”

  “Miss Hayhurst, we are in the midst of two wars. You would be hard pressed…”

  “I know, to find a ship not serving in His Majesty’s Royal Navy or as a privateer. A
m I correct?”

  “Yes. Your meals will be plain but hearty fare. They will be served to you here. As I said before, I would prefer you stay confined to your cabins for as long as you possibly can. Should you need to go on deck for some reason, please seek me out so that I can make certain you have some sort of protection.”

  “You make it sound dangerous, Captain Adams,” Elizabeth said.

  “It is. I don’t normally take on two single women, but your father offered me a handsome sum, and this year has been a hard one. The money he paid me to keep you safe will go far.”

  “I see,” Circe said. “Well, I do thank you for your sacrifice.” She was pleased to see the man actually looked uncomfortable at her barb. “We will do all you have asked of us. Is there anything else my companion and I should do to make the trip more acceptable for you and your crew?” She watched as he paused to consider.

  “I believe that’s all.”

  “May we at least say goodbye to England?”

  “Of course, Miss Hayhurst. I hope you don’t consider me an ogre. I’m merely concerned for your welfare.”

  “I realize that, Captain Adams,” she grudgingly said. “You are interested in running a harmonious ship, and I can’t blame you for that. When do you expect us to arrive in Barbados?”

  “In about six weeks time. If we encounter bad weather it’s anyone’s guess.”

  “Thank you, and thank you for being concerned for our safety.”

  “I hope you find your trip enjoyable.”

  Circe waited for the Captain to leave her cabin then she turned to Elizabeth and said, “Shall we go above and wish England farewell?”

  “Of course,” Elizabeth agreed.

  There was something in her companion’s voice that had Circe looking at her curiously. “Elizabeth, do you not wish to go on this trip?” Circe saw the hesitation in the other woman’s face. “You must tell me the truth,” she urged.

  “I’m escaping England.”

  “Whatever for? You haven’t committed some heinous crime, have you?”

  “No, nothing like that.”

  “What is it, then?”

  “The man I love is set to marry another today.”

  “What?”

  “It’s true. I simply could not bear possibly seeing him with his new wife. My heart is not strong enough.”

  The two women walked to the rail. “Perhaps you will find someone else to love.”

  “Not like my Franklin,” Elizabeth pledged. “We’ve loved one another for what seems like forever, but his parents pledged him to this woman when they were mere babes.”

  “He doesn’t love her?”

  “No.”

  “Why doesn’t he stand up to his family?”

  “Miss Hayhurst, you may come from a family where that is acceptable, but for the majority of the beau monde that ideology is considered barbaric in the extreme. One does what is required by one’s family because it is expected.”

  “You are right. This juncture I find myself in is rather difficult, Elizabeth. I want the normalcy of marriage and a family, yet I find myself fighting against some of society’s rules and dictates. Why can’t there just be a nice balance of the two?”

  The two women stood in silence because neither one had an answer to the question.

  * * *

  Sometime later, what felt to be hours, the ship’s moorings were removed and it was being maneuvered away from the docks. Elizabeth had long since gone below, but Circe had remained above to look ahead at what was to be her future. Excitement coursed through her body as she wondered what Barbados would look like in person. How would the tropical climate feel compared to England? Her uncle had written that there were slaves from both Africa and Ireland that worked the sugarcane plantations. She understood the need to have workers, but felt it wrong to own another person in that manner. Perhaps this was something she could discuss with Uncle Robert once she arrived and settled in.

  It had been so long since she had seen Robert, that she wondered if he had changed a great deal. He had always been great fun when she was growing up, and then several years back he decided to try his hand at running a plantation. He left on a great adventure, but Circe had missed him so much and wrote to him often. It seemed he had found great success. The most surprising letter they had received from the confirmed bachelor was the one stating that he had fallen madly in love with a woman named Dorothea Flowers and had made her his wife. He had written that he affectionately called her “Dot” and could not wait for the family to meet her. There was so much about her new aunt that Circe found fascinating, including how she had convinced Uncle Robert to give up his bachelor’s life and marry her. She was certain Dorothea would be a wealth of knowledge on how to lure a man into marriage without using trickery.

  “Lizzie!” a man yelled from the docks, waving his arms madly.

  “Are you Franklin?” Circe called back.

  “Yes. Is my Lizzie with you?”

  “Yes. I’ll be but a moment.” Circe picked up her skirts and raced across the deck to the hatch that would lead below deck. “Elizabeth, gather your things and come up here right this moment,” she ordered

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Do as I say.” Circe heard mumbling, but smiled imagining the reaction of the other woman when she saw her beloved. “Do you have everything?” Circe asked when she saw her.

  “Yes.”

  “Your reticule? Your small bag?”

  “What is this about?” Elizabeth demanded, her hands planted on her hips.

  “If you don’t go back to your room and get them, I will.”

  “Hmph,” Elizabeth muttered as she spun around and flounced into the room once more.

  “Is that everything?” Circe asked a few minutes later.

  “Yes, but I do not understand. What is going on? Why do I need to bring this?”

  “Because you are leaving the ship.”

  “What?”

  “Come see.” Circe took her by the arm and dragged her across the deck to the rail. “Look,” she said, pointing to the dock that was growing farther away.

  “Franklin? What are you doing here?”

  Circe looked amusedly between the couple.

  “Lizzie, don’t leave me! When I tried to imagine the rest of my life without you in it, I couldn’t go through with it! I couldn’t marry Louise when I’m in love with you! She’s a dear friend, but nothing more. I raced to your house, but your butler told me you had already left. Please tell me it isn’t too late, that you’ll marry me, even if we have to run away to Gretna Green!”

  “I have a better idea,” Captain Adams said from behind the two women.

  “What is that?” Circe asked.

  “What if I marry the happy couple?”

  “A shipboard wedding!” Circe exclaimed, clasping her hands to her chest. “How romantic.”

  “But how?” Elizabeth asked.

  “We’ll get your young man up here, marry you, and then remove the both of you, if you do not wish to make the trip.”

  “You would truly do that, Captain?” Elizabeth asked, her voice full of hope.

  “My wife and I have been married over twenty years. I may often be on this ship, but I still remember what it is like to be held in her arms every time I return home.”

  “You are a romantic, Captain,” Circe chided.

  “Don’t let it get out,” he whispered and gave her a wink. “Men, get that young man on this ship!” he yelled the orders.

  “Aye, Cap’n,” sounded from several different directions.

  Elizabeth turned to Circe with excitement, love, and just a hint of uncertainty dancing in her eyes. “Miss Hayhurst, I do not know what to say.”

  “Say the two of you will have a happy and full life together.”

  “Of course, we will. Here,” she rummaged in her reticule and pulled out a small wad of bank notes.

  “No, those are yours.”

  “But I did not complet
e my job.”

  “You absolutely did. You escorted me from England.” Circe gave her a warm smile. “I suspect it will be difficult to unload your trunk in the middle of the Thames. Use that money for a trousseau, perhaps one that will allow for an expanding waistline within the coming year.”

  Elizabeth blushed to the roots of her hair. “If we are lucky enough to have a daughter, when the time comes I will name her after you.”

  “That is so sweet of you, and let us take a moment to be thankful my name is not Myrtle or Bertha.”

  “My mother’s name is Bertha,” Miss Tunnell said.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

  “I’m only teasing,” Elizabeth said with a quick smile.

  “Oh, good,” Circe sighed. “I was afraid I had really said the wrong thing this time.” The two women hugged one another and awaited Franklin’s arrival.

  The whole thing happened surprisingly swiftly and efficiently. Franklin was brought on board the ship, the wedding vows were exchanged, and the happy couple were put ashore, waving to the crew and Circe. Circe watched the couple slowly grow smaller as they walked towards the warehouses, and the ship moved towards the mouth of the Thames.

  “That was very kind of you, Captain,” Circe said when she felt the older man’s presence at her shoulder.

  “Are you certain you want to continue with this trip, Miss Hayhurst? I mean, you are now without a chaperone.”

  “It is too bad that your wife does not accompany you on these trips.”

  “She tried. She doesn’t have sea legs.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She gets horribly ill. Isn’t that funny, a sailor and a landlubber?” he chuckled and shook his head. “But still, she is with me on every trip I make. You see, the ship is named after her.”

  “You are a romantic. Do you have any children?”

  “Five. My oldest son will join me on the ship next year.”