Chapter Thirteen
Selina bit her bottom lip, fearing Wolf would be driven away before she could coerce Papa into paying him an exorbitant sum to rescue Owen. He stood rigidly beside her as the two men—her father and her betrothed—debated her condition as if she was nothing more than livestock to be sold at auction.
The old Selina would retire, desiring to please Papa, and allow the two men to scheme how to best control her life. No longer. They didn’t realize that she wasn’t the same woman who’d been kidnapped on her wedding day. She never would be again. She’d been given a taste of freedom aboard the Sea Wolf, the very same independence Owen had urged her to seek out. Wolf had given her no reason to fear him, he’d risked his life and those of his crew for her, and he’d lost part of his valuable cargo in order to purchase her release. He’d given enough, hadn’t he? It was selfish to ask for more.
Yet, she needed his skills, his ship, his crew . . . She needed Wolf.
Selina put her hand to her forehead, growing dizzier by the moment with indecision. Emotions she’d suppressed weighed heavy on her chest—pride, desire, passion, and dreams of a family of her own. Her knees quaked, and she shook her aching head as nausea made her wrinkle her nose. There was one person the two men had forgotten in their argumentative state—Owen.
“The two of you should marry quickly, and in private,” Papa said loudly to Lord Gariland. “The banns have already been read, so there is no need to delay.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” Lord Gariland slanted a look at Selina, then smiled apologetically. “It would be unwise to wait to marry until . . .” He cleared his throat, clearly hesitant. “Oh, this is indelicate. What I mean to say is that gossip is surely spreading widely as we speak. Your arrival on a pirate ship in Portreath has been witnessed.”
Selina felt her legs begin to give way as understanding dawned on Papa’s face. He blanched and glanced her way.
“We should heed the moment. If I may be coarse—Nay, do not rise to anger,” Lord Gariland insisted as blood rose to Papa’s face and he took a step toward Wolf. “My prudent willingness to marry your daughter immediately will help ease suspicions that she is carrying a bastard in her belly.”
Wolf fisted his hands and growled. “I should—”
“No, Wolf,” Selina shouted. Wasn’t the situation already dire enough? She didn’t need Wolf releasing his blades, too. She grabbed him by the arm before he skewered Lord Gariland or broke the man’s neck. “I beg you. Don’t interfere.”
“La!” Lord Gariland smiled sheepishly. “Withdraw your claws, good sir. I am just saying what we all know to be true. And I think since I have a large stake in this marriage . . .”
“A large what?” Selina asked. She cut her gaze to Lord Gariland, resisting the urge to let Wolf do what he pleased.
“Nay.” Lord Gariland inclined his head. “Do not think ill of me, sweet lady.” He pursed his lips as he studied Wolf’s carnal posture with aplomb. He leaned toward Papa. “I only hasten to add that Selina is a Herding, thus highly respected in the parish. My title will provide the protection and cloak of discretion she needs at this awkward time.” He smiled broadly and wiggled his fingers at Wolf before addressing Papa again. “Unless you consider this brutish pirate adequate substitution.”
Selina’s heart skipped a tremulous beat. All Wolf had to do was straighten out his arms and press a lever. His blades, and the skill it took to use them, were lethal. Lord Gariland would be cut to ribbons.
“Lord Gariland,” Selina said, “I remind you the captain has a name—it is Wolf. And your insinuation that he is not good enough reveals the deficit in your character, not his.”
“Let us not quibble about trivial matters, Selina,” Papa said.
Trivial? Heat suffused her cheeks, her anger bubbling up.
“There, there,” Papa said, uncharacteristically choosing the comforting words to ease the tension. “This is a joyous occasion, is it not? We should be celebrating my daughter’s return from the dead.”
“I did not die, Papa.” But there was a time she’d wished she had. She glanced at Wolf, suddenly confused. She didn’t want him to leave her. She needed him to take her to Cadiz. He was the only man she trusted to help her. “Owen is still being held against his will. If you would just allow me to—”
“Silence!” her father shouted, his true nature finally exposed. He gave Wolf an apologetic nod. “If you please, Captain, you have gifted an old man with the return of his only daughter, who can now be wed to her intended. One disaster averted. I do not want to seem ungrateful.” He bowed his head slightly. “Please, join us for dinner, at least. I am sure we can come to an understanding on how to proceed over dinner. Since you were able to bring my daughter home—” he paused “—unscathed, I am led to believe you can handle the men who are responsible for Owen’s plight. And I am equally hopeful that you will rescue my heir, as my daughter suggests.”
“I shall contribute a handsome sum for the return of Mr. Herding’s son,” Lord Gariland added with a forced smile.
“I didn’t help your daughter for money,” Wolf ground out.
Papa cackled loudly. “You are a mercenary, are you not? I deal with greedy men on a daily basis. I can read it in your eyes. You wanted to kill Lord Gariland just now, do not deny it.”
Lord Gariland pressed his hand to his cravat in a display of surprise.
“What I do and what I want to do is none of your business,” Wolf said sternly.
“Ah, but you see we do have a combined interest—my daughter. She wants to rescue her brother, and bringing my son home is paramount. But I would be remiss if I did not restore Selina’s reputation first. And in this, you are just as important to me, are you not?”
“Wolf has been a gentleman in every way, Papa,” Selina objected.
Her father moved to her side and placed his hand in the crook of her elbow. His unexpected touch filled Selina with unease and mounting frustration. His strange show of emotion was nothing more than a performance to placate Lord Gariland and calm Wolf. He hadn’t touched her since the day she was born.
Her heart hitched cruelly. The hope that her kidnapping and the thought of losing another woman in his life had awakened his fatherly affections was an empty one. Papa never did anything without benefit to his own existence. Selina swallowed back the lump that rose in her throat and inhaled a steady breath.
“Come inside, won’t you, Captain?” Her father ignored the visible tremor that raced through her and glanced up at Wolf. “There are some people I would like you to meet. We have much to discuss.”
“What people?” Selina asked, eyes narrowing. “I thought—”
“What?” Papa managed to look struck by the accusation perched on the tip of her tongue. He never used to invite visitors to Trethewey. “I have guests, Daughter. My fellow mineral lords and I are celebrating a successful yield at the mines. Lord Basset took ill this morning and removed himself from the hunt, however, so Lord Gariland graciously offered to accompany me.”
“Lord Basset is here?” she asked softly. She closed her eyes trying to comprehend her father’s behavior. He was jealous of Lord and Lady Basset. What was he up to? “You are entertaining while Owen and I . . . While we—” She couldn’t go on. They’d suffered unimaginable cruelty and her father was enthralling revelers?
Wolf turned abruptly. “Let’s go, Selina.” He grabbed the reins of their mounts and held hers out to her.
She wrenched free of her father’s grasp, the anger sparking inside her nearing combustible levels as she accepted the leather straps and moved to her horse. She would leave Trethewey and never look back.
“Selina?” Lord Gariland’s voice sliced through the air.
Wolf glanced at her, and a shiver snaked down Selina’s spine. This was the first time the lord had used her given name. She smiled timidly at Wolf, prepared to follow him back to his ship.
“I demand to know why you are allowing their familiarity to continue, Herding?” Lord Gariland asked.
Papa raised his palms and spread them between Wolf and Lord Gariland. “Do not rise to anger, my lord. This can all be explained, I assure you.”
“The fault does not lie with you, sir,” Lord Gariland said, “but with this man who seems to have some sort of influence over Selina.”
Wolf frowned, looking completely put out. She could see he wanted to leave, but she also saw raw anguish in his eyes.
“I have tried valiantly to ease your father’s worry, my dear,” Lord Gariland continued, dabbing his nose. “You have no idea how beside himself he’s been since your kidnapping. He’s been inconsolable.”
Papa had the audacity to lower his gaze to the ground and pout. “Excruciating despair.” After a lengthy pause, he raised his face and locked eyes with Wolf.
“Do join us, Captain,” Lord Gariland had the arrogance to request.
“It would be an honor to thank you properly, Captain, to offer you sustenance before your journey back to Portreath. There will also be ample opportunity to discuss my son’s return,” Papa said.
Gooseflesh rose on Selina’s skin as Wolf nodded. “Very well,” he said.
Wolf took her by the arm and directed her toward the wide staircase leading to Trethewey’s entrance. Puzzled by the current of heat traveling from his body to hers when they touched, she dared not look up at Wolf for fear any of the men would be able to read the yearning in her eyes.
“Allow me,” Lord Gariland said, reaching out his hand to guide Selina to the door.
“Wolf,” she said, offering him a fainthearted smile. Fear gripped her as she removed his hand from her arm. Would he mount his horse and ride away if she allowed her fiancé to escort her indoors? Would he follow?
Nothing good would come from remaining at Trethewey. A reckoning was coming. Lord Gariland just didn’t know it yet. Wolf wasn’t the sort of man who allowed others to demean him. The fierce expression contorting his features warned that he would only allow them to push him so far.
Selina’s heartbeat raced, but not out of fear for Lord Gariland. She’d seen Wolf in action. More than anything, as she dragged her palms down her thighs, she wanted Wolf to make a good impression on her father so that the deal Papa offered him would be tempting enough to change his mind about London. And if Wolf agreed to search for Owen, she intended to be on the Sea Wolf when it sailed out of Portreath.
The stained oak door to the big house eased open, and the footman who’d been with them since before Selina was born emerged. Polke bowed his head and stepped aside, allowing the entourage to cross the threshold by twos.
“Thank you, Polke,” Papa told the footman as he passed. “See to it that my braces are delivered to the cook. She’s expecting them for dinner. And take care of the horses, won’t you?”
“As you wish, Mr. Herding.” Polke bowed his head. When he rose, he caught sight of Selina. “Welcome home, Miss,” the footman’s tone hinting at his joy in seeing her safe and sound.
“Thank you, Polke.” She offered the loyal man a warm smile, but nothing more so that Papa wouldn’t punish him for expressing emotion. Owen, Polke, Mrs. Gribble—the cook—Mary Burt, who was Selina’s lady’s maid, Mrs. Soady—the housekeeper—and the stable master, Worden, were among the select few who’d shown her any affection at Trethewey. She’d had many governesses through the years, but of course, they didn’t last. None could abide Papa.
“Do keep up,” Papa said as he walked through the large marble foyer to the chinoiserie-papered drawing room.
For years, he’d drummed into her not to dally with the help. It wasn’t done in polite society. Selina cared more for people than for their stations in life. Without the hard work of their servants, Trethewey would cease to exist.
At the drawing room door, Velly, Trethewey’s butler—dressed impeccably in black from head to foot, except for the starched white shirt that peeked out from behind a black cravat—held the door wide. “Good evening, sir. Miss,” he said, noticing her immediately. “We are delighted you have returned, and safely so.”
“Thank you, Velly. It is good to be home,” she lied. She didn’t have to, though. Velly knew how she felt, but he gave no indication of such a thing. Without Owen, Trethewey was a prison.
“Velly, we now have two more guests joining us for dinner. How large will that make our festivities?” Papa asked.
“At present count, fourteen, sir.”
“Proceed.” Her father nodded and swooshed Velly away with his hand. “See to it that Cook dresses out the fowl I hunted today.”
“Yes, sir.” Velly turned to leave but then hesitated. “Excuse me for disrupting your homecoming, Miss, but will you and your guest require refreshments, Miss Herding?”
“Of course they will,” Papa shouted. “Away with you.”
Holding back her anger, Selina tore herself away from Lord Gariland. “Thank you for your kindness, Velly,” she said, trying to soften her father’s brutal sting. “The captain and I could use a good bracing beverage. We’ve had a long journey.” She winked, knowing that the butler understood what she needed—hot tea laced with rum.
“As you wish.” Velly glanced over his shoulder, his hand poised on the door handle. “Miss?”
“Yes?” she asked, fearing the butler would suffer another one of Papa’s infuriating protests.
He shook his head. “Dinner is at nine. Mary will have a bath ready and a fresh gown pressed for your use. Will the gentleman require the same?”
“A gown for Wolf?” she laughed at the absurdity.
Wolf grumbled incoherently behind her as Velly’s jaw dropped. He quickly snapped it closed.
“Be at ease. I am jesting.” Selina fought the urge to squeeze Velly’s arm. He’d received his training in Truro and came from a long line of men’s men that originated from Devon. He would never insult a member of the family, especially a guest.
Velly quirked his brow, nodded, and produced a feeble smile.
“Come, Selina. Sit.” Lord Gariland paraded toward her and gently guided her to the settee.
She produced a disingenuous smile as she took her place on the settee, opposite him.
Papa moved to the liquor cabinet, as was his usual habit. “Would you partake of refreshment, Captain?” he asked over his shoulder. “Will brandy suffice?”
Wolf nodded and entered the room looking entirely too broad and ruggedly handsome as he took a seat in an overstuffed chair beside her. A keen ache throbbed in her belly, and her heart pitter-pattered at his nearness. The tips of her fingers itched to reach across the divide between them. She longed to feel his touch, to have him soothe her worries. She needed the cure for Papa’s insensitivity and Lord Gariland’s crude insinuations. She needed to know that someone in the room cared about her. But allowing her true feelings to show would only confirm Papa’s and Lord Gariland’s suspicions.
Wolf drummed his fingers on the armchair, the tendons in his hands flexing back and forth. His body dwarfed the furniture. His shoulders concealed the cushioned backrest, and his legs stretched outward until they came in contact with hers. Awareness shot through her, but she didn’t protest. Fearing any slight adjustment in her posture would draw Lord Gariland’s attention, she continued to listen to their idle chitchat, hoping the proximity between her and Wolf would go unnoticed.
Minutes passed on the longcase clock with excruciating slowness, its ticktock ominous in her ears. Papa recounted the hunt he and Lord Gariland had participated in earlier that day, complimenting her betrothed on his equestrian skills. He needn’t have bothered. Selina was quite aware of the man’s qualities. As early as last month, he’d found her on the moors and refused to allow her to ride astride.
Wolf remained silent as he accepted the drink her father extended to him. With him so near, legs touching, her breath hitching, Selina heard little more of the tiresome dialogue rebounding in the room. She valiantly resisted the urge to glance at Wolf, knowing any attention she gave him would only feed Papa’s animosity.
When her maid, Mary, finally arrived to announce that all was ready for Selina and Wolf to prepare for dinner, Selina eagerly made her excuses and led Wolf out of the drawing room.
He waited until they were out of earshot, then spoke. “I don’t have time for this nonsense.”
“I know,” she replied. “But you cannot deny you need to eat. I promise the wait will be worth it. Papa will offer a large sum for my brother’s rescue. You’ll see.”
“You cannot promise that.” He rolled his shoulders and appeared to wrestle with an emotion she couldn’t quite determine. “Besides, my course is set for London.”
“I know that, as well,” she said. She raised her chin sharply as a painful lump in her throat threatened to cut off her voice. “But what about your crew? Would they not benefit from my father’s purse?”
His brow furrowed. “You speak of things you do not understand.”
“I understand what the promise of coin can do to a man. Just look at Papa.”
He slowed her down so Mary wouldn’t hear. “There are worse things that can happen to a man, Selina.”
The possibility of losing her brother made Selina grow bolder. “Name them.”