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"A mere nine months away, " Meganswered.
"Oh, dear!" Lady Thurborne exclaimed, again. "Well, then you must get to work on it at once. " Her eyes moved to her son speculativelybefore announcing, "Danielis in asimilarsituation himself. "
"Is he? " Meg askedwithinterest, andValoree turned to glareat themanin question, silently willing him todo, or say, something tostop anyone from suggesting whatobviously camenext.
Daniel peered backinnocently for amoment, then intercepted hismother asshe opened her mouth to speak. "I suggested to Lady Valoree thatwe team up to solve both our problems, " he claimed, makingValoreegasp in horror. "Butalas, she refused me. "
"What? " Both women gasped asone, gapingfrom Daniel to Valoree. Even Lady Thurborne's maid looked shocked that Valoreehad refused the man. Lady Thurborne shook her head.
"Well, Daniel. 'Tis no wonder sherefused. Nogirl wishes to be proposed to so cavalierly. Theylikeromance, sweet words, and charming gifts. No doubt those gentlemen Bess and I saw parading down the hallaswecame out of thekitchen will offer thosethings if you will not. There must have been a dozen men - were there not, Bessy? " She glanced toward her maid, her eyes suddenly widening as they landed on the bowl the girl stood patiently holding. "Oh! Thesalve!"
She wason her feet at once and hurrying overto dip a fingerin the bowl's contents. "Ithink itisstill all right, "she saidat last.
"But, really, weshould have applied itatonce. "
"Aye, before it putrefied. " Daniel chuckled, suddenly at Valoree's side. Glancing up athim, Valoree found herself staring withfascinationat his eyes. They sparkled withlife, and actually seemed to twinkle in hishandsome face.
"Well, shall wedo it over here? "
Forcing hergaze away from the woman's son, Valoree saw that Lady Thurborne had moved to achair by the fire and was now waiting for her expectantly.
"Come, Valoree. Sit here and we shallhaveyou looking and feeling betterinno time. "
Valoree's gaze slid from the bowl to theseat the woman was encouragingly patting. She really didnot want any more stuff on herface.
"Mother's concoctions are really quite miraculous, " Daniel announced, his eyes alight with laughter. "She is infamous among the tonfor them. "
"I have helped quite a few people over the years with one ailmentor another. " Lady Thurbornesmiled modestly. "Come, dear. Sithere. "
"Ido not think - "Valoree began, only to be interrupted by Meg.
"Oh!A brilliant idea, andso kind of you to think of it. " The woman was suddenly at Valoree'sotherside, giving her apoke.
"Hey, that hurt!" Valoree exclaimed, glaringat her. Sheturned that glare towardDaniel as alaugh slippedfromhim.
"I am sorry, dear. Why do you not sit over there as Lady Thurborne suggested? " Meg urged, adding under her breath so onlyValoree could hear, "OrshallIfetch Henry andthe men to vote on it? "
Furiousbut unwilling to be further humiliated, Valoree moved reluctantly to the chair andtook a seat. The moment she did so, the three women closed inon her, blockingany possibility of escape as Lady Thurborne's maid dipped her fingers in the bowl of goo.
Craning her neck slightly, Valoree examinedthe contents. It was graywith reddish chunks in it. She opened her mouth to ask what it was, thensnapped her lips closed and leaned back as far as she couldin an effort to avoid the maid's hand - it had come out of theguck witha nasty glob of salveon thefingertips and moved toward her face. Unfortunately, seatedand surrounded as she was, there wasno escaping. It was coldand slimy as the maid began to smooth it around.
Valoreeimmediately wrinkledhernose atitssmell. "What is it? "
"An old family recipe, " Lady Thurborne told her, watchingthe application closely. "It is passedon only to family members. "
"What a shame, " Valoree lied. Not that Lady Thurborne seemed tonotice. Daniel did, though, and she was gratified by a snort of amusement from him. She found herself thinking that she liked it whenhe laughed. Especiallywhen she'd made himdo so.
He had a nicelaugh, fulland deep and robust. His eyes sparkled, andhis teeth flashed. And hehad all histeeth - withnot a brown, gray, orblack one among them. Pretty impressive, she thought.
He wasa handsomeman. She had seenprettier men, perhaps, but there was just something about him that appealed to her.
"You couldhaveit if the two of you married. "
Valoree blinked at Lady Thurborne's sly words, her mouth dropping slightly. Then Meg added, "Oh, would that notbe nice, "
in a vaguelyamused tone. Valoree glared at the older woman, quite positiveMeg knew that She had no interest atall inmaking Daniel her husband. He was too . . . Well, hejust wasn't right for whatshe had in mind! "You should not grimace, dear. Youwill getwrinkles, " Meg lectured sweetly. Valoree glared at her silently as her face was quicklycovered in chunkyslime.
"Oh, my, Mother. What wondrous stuff this is. Ibelieve I see an improvement already, " Daniel said as he peered over the woman's shoulder at Valoree's face. Her eyes immediately snapped to him, spitting fire, but he merely winked inresponse.
His mother turned andslapped him playfullyon the arm.
"Oh, do behave, Daniel. You shouldnot even be here. Why do you not go visit with the men? "
"Because this is far more interesting, and even educational. "
"You know, " Lady Thurborne murmured, drawing Valoree's gaze back to her expressionas she peeredthoughtfully at Meg, "you look terribly familiar, my lady. Is it possible wehave metin the past? Perhaps ere your journey to the Caribbean? "
"Me? " Meg stammered. "Oh, nay. Nay. I have been in the Caribbean since I was quiteyoung. Quite young. " Sheglanced around a bit desperately; then hergaze settled on thedoor. In a voice strident with sudden anxiety, she added, "I had best go and seeto those refreshments. Our cook appearsto betaking histime with them. "
"Oh, nay!" Valoree shot outofher chair, herfirst opportunity to escape presentingitself. "I shall tend tothat. Youshould stay and visit. Who knows, mayhapyou and Lady Thurborne knew each other aschildren. "
Meg looked quite upset inthe glimpse Valoree had of her face as she slid out of the room - distraught even, almost ina panic. It was enough to make Valoree feel a touch guilty. Almost. Not being used to the sensation, she shrugged her shoulders uncomfortablyasshestrode down thehall. It did not help. The guilt remained solidly across her shoulders like a cloak. This nobility business wasreally starting to irritateher. Nothing was fun anymore, not even a littlegood-natured spite! Cursing underher breath, shepushed through the doors into the kitchen. She hadbarely registered the empty room andthe open back door whensomething slammed into the back of her head. Lights exploded behindher eyes, nausea rolled up from her stomach, andthenthose lights faded to darkness.
Thehue andcry coming fromsomewherenear the backof the town house was the first indication Daniel had that anything was wrong. Aware that thewomen were following, hemoved swiftly out of thesalon toward the shoutsandcries of alarm downthe hall. There, a good half-dozenofValoree'ssuitors were clogging the entranceto the kitchens.
"What is it? Let me through, " heordered, makinga path where therehad been none even beforethe men began to shift out of the way. Reaching the front of the pack, he found himself staring down ataneven tighter circlethat consistedof Valoree's uncle andthemen who passedfor her servants. They were bent over an unconsciousValoree. Kneeling beside the girl, her uncle reached for her shoulderand turned herontoherback. A horrified gasp immediately wentaround the men.
"MyGod! Look at what they done toher face, "theservant with the eye patch criedas Valoree'suncle sat back in dismay.
"That is salve, " Daniel explained, pushingthrough the servants tokneel beside her. "Did she faint? "
"The captain don't - " An elbow in his side silenced the one-eyed fellow's scornful comment.
"My niece is not prone to fainting fits, " Meg said quickly, drawing Daniel'sattention from the servant.
"Aye, and n
otonlythat, she just don'tdo it, " thefellow missing hisnose muttered.
"And she didn'tthis time, unlessshe hit her head on the way down. " Henry announced thatashe pulled thehand thathe had cradledher head with away, revealing a stain ofblood.
"Onsomething like this, maybe? " the cook said sarcastically, bending to pick up abloodyrolling pin.
"Seems more likely it would fall on herthan her falling on it, "
One-Eye said grimly, turning to coldlyeye thesuitors. "AndI'm wondering which ofyou helpedit fall. "
" 'Tweren't none of them, " Henry snapped as Daniel pulled a hankie outto press toValoree's head. "Couldn'thave been. They were in the dining salon with you, me, and Bull. Petey - you found her, didn't you? Where were you? "
"Out hagglingwiththefishmonger. " He gestured to aspilled basket on the floor by the door. He hadobviously dropped itin hisrush toget tohis mistress's side;his purchases were spilled out ontothefloor.
Henry nodded, then glanced at Daniel and the women questioningly.
"We were inthe salon. LordandLady Thurborne, her maid, andmyself, " Meg said quietly.
"Yedidn't hear or see anything? "
"I was the first one out the door, and did not see or hear anything exceptyour cook shouting, andyou men rushing into the kitchen, " Daniel said impatiently, lifting Valoree into his arms. He stood. "I am taking her into the salon to be attended to.
I suggest you have theservantssearch the house. It is doubtful you will find anything, but it cannothurt to be sure. "
"Aye-aye, " Valoree'suncle agreed, risingas well. "Bull, seethe men into thedining salon, I'llbe along directly. One-Eye, Skully, No-Nose, you start searching the house. Whoever it was is probablylong goneby now, but lookanyway. Petey, cleanthis mess up. " Daniel heard the orders being issued as he carried Valoree out of the kitchensandback down thehalltowardthe salon. Meg, his mother, and her maidimmediatelyfollowed.
Chapter Nine
"Captain? "
Valoree murmuredgroggily, wincing as herhead protested her return to consciousness. Blinking her eyes open, she moaned, then quicklypressed themclosed again.
"Ye'dbest call the others. "
"Aye. "
There was a rustle as someone left her side, then a door opened. A high, piercingwhistlerent theair, and she recognized Skully's voiceshouting. "Hoy! She'sawake!"
Groaning, Valoreeraisedher hands miserably to press them to either side of her head. Shefelt as though someone were doing a dance on it. If she'd hadthe strength, she wouldhave risenfrom herbed and ripped the man's tonguefromhis mouth.
"Captain? " One-Eye's voice sliced through her head, and she let her handsdrop away in despair.
"Aye. I'mawake, " shesaid in disgust, just toshut the two men up. Then, forcing her eyesopen, she straggled to sit upas she saw that she was lying in bed. Reaching out, One-Eye quickly propped pillowsbehind herand grasped her under the arms to assisther in leaningagainst them. Hadshe beenin a better mood, Valoreemighthavethanked him. As it was, she didn't bother.
Instead, she granted as Henry and Meg rushed into the roomwith the other crewmen at their heels.
"How're yefeeling? "Henry asked anxiouslyashe reached her bedside.
"Likehell, " Valoree snapped, then scowledaround at thefaces surrounding her. "What happened? "
"Yedon't remember? "he asked. Valoree sighed.
"Would I askif Idid? The last thing I remember is that Meg wanted togo checkon the tea. I said, nay, I'd doit. I walked into the kitchenand then . . . what happened? "
"Someoneknockedyou out, " Megsaidquietly.
"Koshed ye over the head with Petey's rolling pin, " Henry added.
One-Eyeleaned forward. "Didye see anything? "
Valoreefrowned, then shookherhead. "Not much. Iopened the door and had abrief glimpse of the openback door. I thought the room was empty, stepped in, and . . . " She shrugged.
"Open? " Petey scowled. "I closedthe door behind me when I went out to meet the fishmonger at thegate. It was still closed when I cameinto find you on the floor. "
Valoree's eyebrowsrose, thenwrinkled in pain. "Noone passed you at thegate? "The Greekshook hishead. "Who was thefirst person through the kitchen door? "
"That'd be me, I think, " One-Eye answered. "We were inthe diningsalon, heard Petey'sshout, and came running. "
"Didyou see anyone in thehall as you came out of the dining room? " Valoree asked. The man shook his head. Sighing, she peeredaround at the rest of her men and Meg. "Did any of you seeanyonewho didn't belonginthehouse? "
"Nay, " her aunt murmured. "Lord Thurborne, hismother, and her maid were all in the salon with me when we heard the shouting. By thetime we got into the hall, it wascrowdedwith your suitors. "
The men nodded in agreement. No one hadseen anything.
"Ihad the men search thehouse afterward, but theydidn'tfind anything. "
Valoree nodded at Henry's announcement. "Is everyone still here? "
"Nay. I finished with scheduling appointments nigh on an hour ago, and Lord and Lady Thurborne left about the same time.
Right afterthefirsttimeyou wokeup. "
"The first time? " She peered at them blankly. "I have been awake before? "
"Aye, but you were pretty groggy. "
Valoree felt shockedby that news. "So what was decided? "
"Aboutwhat? " Henry askedblankly. Valoreemade a face.
"Unless I missmy guess, Thurbornewouldn't have left unless he had decided what had happened and ensured to his satisfaction that itwouldn'thappenagain. What did he decided? "