Bobbi Smith - Captive Pride

CC wasn’t quite certain of the best way to approach him, and she worried at what his reaction to her would be. Excusing herself from her friends, she moved to the refreshment table to sample the punch, hoping to fortify herself before the big encounter.

Eve was casually making the rounds of the ballroom on Geoffrey’s arm, greeting and being greeted by the other guests, when she first saw Noah enter the room alone. Her heartbeat quickened at the sight of him. He was so darkly handsome, and his perfectly tailored clothing clung to his tall, masculine frame. She longed to be free of Geoffrey and in Noah’s heated embrace, but she knew she had to be very cautious this evening. She had managed to convince Geoffrey of her devotion, and she could not risk revealing her true feelings to him. Not yet. Not until she had the information that could help Noah. Though she had been seeing Geoffrey regularly since the Demorest ball, she had not yet managed to secure even one thread of information from him about Noah’s so-called dangerous activities. Eve felt trapped now by Geoffrey’s manipulations and by the power of her own desire for Noah. There was nothing she wanted more than to become Noah’s lover and, ultimately, his wife, and she was furious at her own inability to achieve that goal. When Geoffrey’s arm slipped possessively about Eve’s waist, it took a major effort for her to maintain a politely civil demeanor and gaze up at him seemingly with affection.

Noah glanced about the crowded ballroom, his expression carefully schooled to reveal none of his displeasure at being there. Had it not been necessary for his business dealings, he would have remained at the inn to await word from the rebels. He had still not heard from Graves. With the Pride due in port at any time, he was growing concerned as to whether or not the deal would be concluded. Certainly he had a market with the government, but his profit would suffer considerably, and that was one thought that did not sit well with him. Damn the rebels anyway! he thought viciously.

Noah looked about, searching for a familiar face, and to his dismay, his gaze collided with CC’s as she stood alone at the refreshment table. Anger surged through him as he felt his desire flare to life at the sight of her. He didn’t want to care about CC. He didn’t want to feel this unending need for her, yet he did. It annoyed Noah to no end that he had been unable to dismiss his feelings for her. She was only a woman. He’d had many before and, no doubt, would have many after her. He had proposed. She had refused him. That ended it. He had been a fool to offer her marriage, and he was thankful now that she’d turned him down. She had made her feelings for him perfectly clear, and they had both finally recognized that what had existed between them had been sheer animal lust. Surely, he reasoned as he turned coldly away from her direction, the passion he felt for her would fade with time.

“Lord Kincade! Good to see you.”

At the sound of Edward Demorest’s warm greeting, Noah faced the older man and shook his hand. “Edward, it’s good to see you, too.”

“Has Matthew come with you?” Edward glanced around, wondering at the younger nobleman’s absence.

“No. He had other plans for the evening.”

“Pity. I would have enjoyed seeing him again. He’s a good lad. I like your brother.”

“I’m sure he feels the same way about you, Edward,” Noah replied honestly.

“Shall we join the others?” Edward suggested, drawing him toward a small group of guests.

“By all means,” he agreed, hiding his displeasure at finding Eve and Radcliffe in the gathering, along with Percival Thornhill and his host, Harley Winthrop. “Good evening, Eve…Radcliffe.”

“Kincade.” Geoffrey returned his greeting.

Noah watched Geoffrey surreptitiously for a moment, wondering if news of his brother’s death had reached him yet. He was relieved to discover that there was no change in the man’s demeanor toward him.

“Good evening, Noah.” Eve boldly used his first name as she fought to keep her desire for him from showing.

“Eve. You’re looking lovely this evening.” His gaze dropped to the tops of her lush breasts, so daringly exposed. He toyed with the idea of taking up with her. Certainly, after CC’s erratic behavior, a warm and willing woman would be wonderful. The thought held some appeal.

“Thank you.” She smiled faintly, aware of Geoffrey’s presence at her side and knowing that it would not be wise to push things at this time.

Noah nodded his greeting to Winthrop and Thornhill. “Gentlemen. Thank you for the invitation, Major.”

“It’s an honor to have you,” Winthrop replied. “Your brother didn’t come?”

“No, but he sends his regrets.”

“Give him my best.”

“I shall.”

“Harley…have you any more information about the raid on the ships?” Edward asked, resuming their earlier conversation. He was worried about the possible disruption of trade by the renegade colonists.

“We know who did it,” Winthrop replied levelly, his tone deadly.

“Then why don’t you prosecute?” Geoffrey demanded, puzzled by the government’s lack of action in the case. It had been an outrage against England that these backwater “Americans,” as they were beginning to call themselves, had dumped three shiploads of the finest tea in the harbor.

Harley’s lips thinned into a smile that seemed more of a grimace. “We aren’t prosecuting, Lord Radcliffe, because we can’t find any witnesses willing to testify.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Geoffrey sneered. “Surely you have some means of making them talk!”

“Are you suggesting violence?” Edward’s eyes widened as he looked to the aristocrat.

“Whatever it takes. These rabble-rousers cannot be allowed to continue to run the city! Destroy them now, before they cause even more damage.”

“Lord Radcliffe, while your suggestion is valid, I’m afraid we’d end up arresting most of the population of Boston. There were thousands of people at the wharf that night…thousands!”

“So you’re not going to do anything?” Edward was dismayed.

“We are going to act, but not until we have direction from Parliament. Dispatches have already been sent.”

“In the meantime, we sit and wait and hope the rebels don’t riot again,” Edward complained. “Mobs controlled this city once before, and I don’t want to see that happen to us again.”

“The colonials are so stupid,” Geoffrey remarked disdainfully, hoping to prod Kincade into revealing something incriminating here before Winthrop and Thornhill.

“They can’t be too stupid if they dumped the tea and managed to get away with it,” Noah remarked dryly. He was surprised to find himself angered by Geoffrey’s attitude and defending the dissidents.

“They haven’t managed to get away with it!” Thornhill countered.

“Oh?” Noah quirked a brow questioningly at the officer. “It seems to me, from the tone of your conversation, that they have.”

“They’ll be punished for their outrage, mark my words,” Harley put in seriously.

“Indeed they will be, eventually,” Edward agreed, disappointed that action against the rebels wouldn’t be immediately forthcoming, but knowing that certain channels had to be followed.

Noah looked at Edward and wondered what he would say if he knew of his daughter’s involvement with the rebels. “As you say. But if you can’t prove anyone’s involvement, I don’t see how you can exact retribution. Unless, of course, you decide to punish the entire city.”

Winthrop and Thornhill nodded. “It will probably be our only alternative, considering our current situation.”

“The entire city?” Noah was surprised.