Bobbi Smith - Captive Pride

Eve wasn’t certain whether or not there was a barb to her words, but she couldn’t resist a parting shot. “Don’t keep him dangling too much longer, darling. I doubt John will wait for you forever,” she sniped before sweeping away toward the ballroom.

John greeted Eve as they passed, and then approached CC, his brown eyes alight with interest. “Do I note a possible change in your attitude toward our marriage, my love?”

“John…we’ve discussed marriage between us and-” she was answering when she heard her father behind her speak.

“Lord Kincade! How good of you to come.” A chill of apprehension shook her as she heard his deep, mellow response.

“Good evening, Edward. May I present my brother, Matthew. Matthew, this is Edward Demorest.”

“A pleasure to meet you, my lord,” Edward greeted him.

“Thank you, sir, but please call me Matthew.”

“Matthew, then.” He was most pleased at being allowed the familiarity. “CC, darling…” Edward spoke to his daughter, who was standing with her back to them and appeared to be in deep conversation with John. “Lord Kincade and his brother Matthew have arrived.”

Tensing, she forced the semblance of a sweet expression on her face as she turned from John to welcome him, but even as she spoke, her gaze remained hard and suspicious. “Lord Kincade.”

“Miss Demorest…a pleasure to see you again.” He read the distrust in her green-eyed gaze. Knowing the reason for it, he delighted in taking her hand and, with slow, gentlemanly ease, bringing it to his lips for an innocent-looking, yet very sensual, kiss. Noah deliberately let his gaze rest upon her bosom before rising up to look her in the face.

The hot brand of his mouth upon her hand, and the penetrating heat of his silvered regard as it seared her decorously clad breasts sent a thrill of remembered desire through her, but it was a sensation she was determined to resist. CC struggled not to give in to her indignity. She knew why Kincade was doing it. He was taunting her, daring her. He had told her that night that it was not through between them, and now she knew he meant it. It took nerves of steel for her not to snatch her hand from Kincade’s grasp, and she was greatly relieved when he finally released her, his smile mocking and knowing.

Dragging her eyes away from his, she turned as quickly as politeness allowed to the younger man at his side. “This is your brother?”

“Matthew, may I introduce Miss Cecelia Demorest.”

Matthew’s smile was real in appreciation of her beauty, and he, too, took her hand and raised it to his lips. “Miss Demorest.”

How odd, CC mused distractedly as she considered the effects of Matthew’s touch compared to his brother’s. The emotions she’d experienced when Noah Kincade had touched her were foreign and very frightening; yet when the younger Kincade touched her in the very same manner, she felt no threat at all. Glancing up at him, CC found warmth and cheerfulness in his blue eyes, eyes so unlike his brother’s glacial gray ones. She responded to that glow of kindness as a flower responds to the sun.

“Lord Kincade.” She smiled brightly. There was a great physical resemblance between the two brothers, but Matthew had a friendly openness about him that encouraged the same response in others.

“I would beg you to honor me by calling me Matthew.” Matt found Cecelia Demorest enchantingly lovely.

“Matthew.” She spoke his name softly and then realized that John was still standing there awaiting an introduction. “Lord Noah Kincade and Matthew, this is John Robinson.”

Noah had heard John’s remark to her about “our marriage, my love,” and he stiffened as he eyed him askance. He recognized John almost immediately as one of those who’d been in attendance at the secret meeting, and he wondered how any man could allow the woman he professed to love to take part in such dangerous activities. Her father, he was certain, knew nothing of her involvement with the rebels, but this man, who was obviously her fiancé, was supporting her participation. The thought rankled, and Noah found himself wondering why. What did it matter to him that Cecelia Demorest was risking her life by working with the revolutionaries? Probably, he thought with age-old male cynicism, this John encouraged her in her pursuits and maybe even directed her to use her lovely body to help further their “cause.” His expression hardened as he acknowledged Robinson with distant disdain.

“CC, you and John stay and welcome any latecomers while I introduce Lord Kincade and Matthew to our other guests,” directed her father. He then escorted them down the hall, leaving CC behind with John.

“Why didn’t you tell me that Lord Kincade was an acquaintance of your father’s?” John hissed for CC’s ears only when Edward had guided the two Englishmen into the ballroom. “Is he the reason why you disappeared from the meeting the other night?”

“Yes, I was worried about being found out,” she answered, glad to have that as an excuse.

“But why didn’t you tell me about him before you left?”

“He had only been to the house once on business.” Her tone was hushed, but sharp. “You know that Joshua checked him out. He’s not a spy, though it would probably be easier to stomach his company if he was.”

“Why?” Her remark mystified John.

“Because knowing he’s not a spy reduces him to nothing more than a money-hungry double-dealer!”

“Aren’t you reacting a little strongly?” he wondered.

“Hardly. The man’s amoral. He has no true interest in our cause, save how much he’s going to make off of us. If we don’t meet his price, I have no doubt that he’s going to turn around and offer the shipment, lock, stock, and barrel, to my father for the British troops. I know for a fact that they’ve already spoken of it.”

“Then we’d better not allow Graves to waste any time in giving him our answer. Somehow we’re going to have to raise that money before his ship comes in!” John knew a moment of anxiety, for he was certain that they would never get another opportunity to purchase military goods like this one.

“John, I don’t want to think about this anymore tonight.” CC sounded weary. Her nerves were stretched taut at the thought of being in the same room with Kincade all night long.

“All right,” he agreed reluctantly, though his thoughts were still on Kincade and how to raise the necessary funds to meet his demanding price. “Shall we join the others?”

“Please,” she agreed after looking to see if any more carriages were arriving.

Edward made the rounds of the ballroom, introducing Noah and Matthew to all present. The music and dancing had already begun by the time he led them to where Major Winthrop and Lord Radcliffe stood in earnest conversation near the refreshment table.

Winthrop noticed their approach first, and he smiled broadly in welcome. “Edward…wonderful party…”

“Good evening, Edward,” Geoffrey greeted his host.

“Good evening, Lord Radcliffe, and thank you, Harley. My Lords Kincade, may I present Lord Radcliffe and Major Winthrop.” Edward made the introductions easily. “Lord Geoffrey Radcliffe and Major Harley Winthrop, this is Lord Noah Kincade and his brother, Lord Matthew Kincade.” He was pleased to have such notables in attendance and hoped his distinguished guests would find that they had much in common.

“I’m honored, my lords.” Winthrop, a tall, stout man in full military regalia, bowed in form.

“Major.” Noah and Matt both returned his greeting.

Though he was careful to disguise it, Geoffrey eyed the Kincades with some displeasure. He remembered that Noah Kincade had had a reputation as being quite a ladies’ man in England, and he did not like the thought of him being in competition for Eve’s favors. Certainly Eve was the most beautiful woman at the ball, and he had no intention of sharing her…not with Kincade…not with anyone.