Virginia watched it disappear.

DEVLIN STOOD ON THE quarterdeck, the oddest urge to look back at the retreating shipyard within him. It was his habit to stand at the helm and search the horizons ahead; still, he could not shake the need to look back, as if in doing so he might glance at his bride one last time.

"A fine day for sailing, Captain," Red said, his hands on the helm. His grin was stained and yellow.

"Yes, indeed." They had a fresh breeze of about eighteen or nineteen knots, causing the seas ahead to foam with dancing white horses. They would make good time today, and after being on land for so long, he should be thrilled with the departure. He was not. Finally, Devlin sighed and looked back.

But the shipyard was just a jumble of shapes and colors now. Then a flash of light from the deck below caught his eye. Devlin turned-as a seaman pointed a musket at him.

Time stood still. He knew an a.s.sa.s.sination attempt when he saw one and he knew he would die. And as he told himself to dive, sensing it was futile, he knew that the a.s.sa.s.sin had been sent by his mortal enemy, the Earl of Eastleigh.

And as the shot rang out, the ship lurched with a sudden gust of wind. Devlin was already diving across the bridge, a burning sensation along his upper arm.

He had just used up another life. And as he slid across the wood deck, savage anger filled him. The a.s.sa.s.sin had missed, but only because of the fresh breeze. Still on the deck, Devlin drew his pistol, shouting, "Seize that man!" He rolled to his side, quickly loading the gun, glancing in the direction of where he thought the a.s.sa.s.sin might be, and he was right. The man was frantically reloading.

From behind, Gus and another sailor were charging the a.s.sailant.

Devlin got to one knee as the a.s.sa.s.sin aimed again and almost simultaneously, they fired at each other.

The a.s.sailant was struck in the lower leg and he cried out, falling. Devlin threw his pistol aside, drawing his saber, racing across the quarterdeck and leaping down to the main deck. "I want him alive," he shouted as Gus and the second sailor seized the wounded man.

He was struck over the head and his hands were shoved behind his back but he remained half-conscious, on his knees, bleeding all over the deck.

Devlin paused before him, filled with fury.

"Captain?" Gus cried, as more sailors encircled them. "How badly are you hurt?"

"It's a graze," he said grimly. With his boot, he kicked the a.s.sa.s.sin under his jaw, snapping his head back, hard enough to flip him onto his back but not hard enough to break his neck. Gasping in pain, the man stared up at him with wide wild eyes. "Mercy, Captain, sir! I only did what I was told to do! What I was paid to do! Have mercy, I beg you, I got a wife, three boys, all hungry, please-"

Devlin stepped on his chest with most of his weight.

Ribs cracked. The man screamed.

"Who sent you?"

Frantic eyes met his. "I don't know. He never said his name! Wait-"

Devlin stepped on him again.

"I suggest you think very carefully," Devlin said.

"He never told me his name," the man panted. "Wait!"

Devlin decreased the pressure of his foot. "Continue."

"But I know who he was! It was a lord, Captain, sir, a lord-I saw the coat of arms on the coach, and I asked, I asked who it was after he was gone!"

"Who was it?"

"Eastleigh, it was Lord Eastleigh, Captain. Please, please spare my life!"

Devlin coldly debated the request. "Put him in the brig. Have the ship's surgeon attend him."

"Aye, sir," Gus said.

Devlin turned away. He was inwardly shaken-and furious with himself. He had been mooning over his bride like a school-age boy, thinking about her bed, thinking about love and almost feeling joy, when he had a blood enemy to destroy. His behavior had almost cost him his life.

The reminder was a timely one. He was married now, but it changed nothing.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE.

HANNAH KNOCKED ON VIRGINIA'S door. "Mrs. O'Neill? It is Lady de Warenne, she is downstairs." The girl smiled uncertainly at her.

Virginia had returned from her failed attempt to say goodbye to Devlin and had instantly retreated to her rooms. Grief had overcome her and she had sought her bed, trying to tell herself that six months was not that long, and instead missing him more and more with every pa.s.sing moment. Fear had warred with her confusion. What if he was injured, or worse, in the war he was soon to attend? And how could he go to war against her country? Fortunately, her exhaustion was so great that she had finally collapsed and fallen asleep.

She had awoken an hour ago, feeling more composed and somewhat refreshed. She had bathed and dressed, preparing to go downstairs and take a solitary dinner. She was pleased that her mother-in-law had called; she was so acutely aware of Devlin's absence and the house felt spectacularly empty.

She hurried downstairs and found Mary seated in one salon, sipping a cup of tea. The moment she saw Virginia she stood, her gaze searching.

All of Virginia's composure vanished. She stood there and felt the tears stream down her face.

"Oh, dear," Mary whispered, hurrying forward. "Whatever has happened, child?"

Virginia turned away. "Forgive me, I'm so sorry!" But this woman was too kind and she could not stop the tears, no matter how she choked.

As if she were Virginia's own mother, Mary embraced her. "Oh, I thought to find you happy today! Oh, please do not tell me he has behaved despicably to hurt you again!"

Virginia managed to shake her head. "No, no, he has done nothing wrong-I mean, he left this morning and did not say goodbye, but that is not why I am distraught. I miss him, Lady Adare, I miss him terribly and I do not know how I can survive the next six months until he returns!"

The two women stared. Virginia wiped her eyes, breathless and shaking. "I am so foolish, I know."

Mary cupped her face. "You are not foolish, you are in love, and that thrills me, my dear."

Virginia bit her lip, her heart daring to defy her and soar. "I am in love, my lady, more so than ever, I think."

Mary smiled, pleased. "Do not think too much of his hasty departure. Men can be such fools. I am sure he was trying to be kind by not waking you at dawn, or there was some other such nonsense in his mind. We will probably never know what he was thinking. And Devlin is not romantic, not in the least-but I do think he loves you. In fact, I am almost sure of it."

Virginia was seized with hope. "You think so?"

"He could barely keep his eyes off of you during the wedding ceremony. I never saw a man so mesmerized."

Virginia thrilled. "I think he may feel warmly toward me, too," she confessed. "But how will I get through the next six months?"

"Very easily," Mary said. "You shall move into Harmon House, as it is impossible for you to stay here alone. Rex will not leave for his next post until after the New Year, and Cliff is staying in town for the winter. And then there is Eleanor. She is your sister now and the two of you should become acquainted before she returns to the Hinckleys at Bath." Mary smiled, her eyes sparkling. "There is simply no other alternative, my dear."

Virginia felt warmed to the bone. She dared to take the other woman's hand. "You are so kind, my lady. May I speak frankly?"

"Please do," Mary said, the twinkle remaining in her eyes.

"I already feel as if I am truly your daughter."

Mary hugged her, hard. "But you are, my dear, you are."

"WE SEEM TO HAVE CALLERS," Mary murmured wryly as they entered the grand foyer of Harmon House.

Giggles and laughter, all of it feminine and quite coy, sounded from one nearby salon. Virginia glanced at Mary in some surprise.

"There has been a parade of eager young women coming through this house ever since Rex and Cliff arrived." She gave Virginia a look. "Neither one are spoken for and they both have fine inheritances. But they are both randy sorts, and instead of taking these young women seriously, I do believe it has become a simple source of entertainment for them both, especially for Cliff."

Virginia glanced into the salon where they had held the wedding reception. Rex was darkly handsome in his army dress uniform, yet there was little correct about him-his posture was indolent and his dark eyes were distinctly bored as he listened to a plump blonde regale him with some chitchat. His gaze wandered repeatedly about the company and finally to the doorway where Virginia and Mary stood. His expression brightened as it settled on them and he slowly smiled.

Virginia felt certain that he had broken many hearts. She smiled in return and glanced at Cliff. He was not bored, oh no. A gorgeous brunette woman, quite older than the three young ladies present, had him in a corner, her heavily ringed hand on his arm. Cliff was leaning very close to her, quite intimately, as she whispered in his ear, obviously flirting. He might have been the youngest brother, but he seemed the most sardonic and the most jaded. Suddenly he realized that new company was present; he straightened without haste, and rather lazily took a single step back, putting a more appropriate distance between himself and the brunette.

Mary said, low, "That is Lady Arlette. She is widowed and not suitable for any of my sons."

"I dare say Cliff is rather fond of her."

Mary made a derisive sound. "He is fond of her bosom and her penchant for discreet affairs."

Virginia had to bite back her gasp of surprise. She glanced at Mary, whom she had never heard utter an unkind word.

Rex approached, bowing. "The lovely bride saves the day." He smiled warmly at her. "Has my ign.o.ble and reckless brother taken to the high seas, then?"

Virginia recognized the warmth he felt for Devlin and she liked him very much. "Your n.o.ble and reliable brother has set sail, indeed."

He laughed. "But how could he leave such a lovely bride behind so quickly?" He gave her a look.

Did he dare flirt with her now? "My lord, I feel certain it was a most difficult matter."

He bent and took her arm, whispering, "I have no doubt. You must rescue me, little sister. I should go mad if I have to listen to another marriage-minded maid prattle on about my medals and my honor."

She looked up at his hard, handsome face. There was some annoyance in his eyes-and something dark she unfortunately recognized. "Will you walk with me?" she asked. "I long for a turn in the gardens." She wondered why he found female pursuit so distasteful and what ghosts haunted him.

He gave her a wink. "Of course." He kissed his mother's cheek. "I am escorting Virginia outside. You may think to rescue Cliff soon." With that, he tucked Virginia's arm in his and they crossed the room and stepped out onto the terrace. Once there, she felt his large body relax.

"Most men would love to be so chased," she said.

He smiled a little at her. "I am not most men."

"I doubt any man in this family is like most men." She thought of Devlin and her heart skipped.

He eyed her as they strolled down the steps and to the frosted lawns, following a stone path there. "That is very flattering...I think."

"I meant it as flattery," she said.

"Yes, I am aware of that. And how does it feel to be a married woman?"

Her heart skipped wildly again. "I haven't changed-but then again, I have changed completely. I suppose I make no sense."

He grinned. "None at all. You are not what I would have expected Devlin to land."

Her brows lifted. "Is that an insult?"

"No, it is flattery."

They both smiled.

"I expected him to one day settle for an heiress, the matter a strictly financial one. I never expected him to lose his heart to a little American orphan who once tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate him from the deck of a ship while he was seizing it."

For one moment, Virginia was swept turbulently back in time. She paused. "How did you hear about that?"

"The other night we dragged him off to a club. A little bachelor's farewell fte. He waxed rather eloquent when prodded. An interesting beginning-and apparently, an auspicious one, as well."

"I hated him on sight," she whispered.

"Did you?" He stared.

She smiled. "The truth?"

"If you dare." He was no longer smiling.

"I was so afraid I don't know what I thought or felt. But I knew from that first moment that I had never met a man like him before-and that I never would again."

Rex de Warenne grinned. "I am glad to hear it," he said.

THERE WERE TWO DINING rooms in Harmon House. The family gathered in the smaller one for supper, a room with gold paper on the walls, a huge chandelier above, a long trestle table set with gold candlesticks, gilt flatware, gold-and-white china and linen and lace. Mary and Edward sat at opposite ends of the exquisitely set table, formally dressed. Virginia found herself seated between Cliff and Tyrell, with Eleanor, Rex and Sean across from them. The conversation ran rampant around her, Eleanor conversing across Sean with her mother, Tyrell and Edward discussing rents, Cliff and Rex the state of Napoleon's finances. Virginia smiled happily to herself. Devlin had a wonderful family and she was a part of it. There was so much warmth in the room that she could feel the affection between everyone present, a vibrant, tangible thing.

She caught Sean looking at her and she smiled at him. He smiled back and looked away, toying with the fish on his plate. Eleanor suddenly said brightly to her, "I heard you spent quite a bit of time at Askeaton when Devlin was in London," she said. "Did you like it there? I think it is one of the most beautiful places in Ireland."

Virginia laid her fork down, smiling back. "I liked it very much. And I agree, Askeaton is beautiful."

"Is it as nice as your home in Virginia?"

"Yes." Virginia was touched briefly with wistful longing. "Sweet Briar is a wonderful place. But the riding trails are better at Askeaton." She smiled at Sean, remembering all the long country rides they had shared.

Eleanor glanced between them with confusion. "I forgot...while Devlin was away, you only had Sean for company."

Virginia became uncomfortable. She didn't know what to say.

Sean ignored the conversation, concentrating on his food.