Jack burst out laughing. “No, you don’t.” Jeremy helped Jack into the coach and, once inside, sat near to his wife, across from Jack.

“I don’t doubt he did,” Danny put in. “I’ve never seen him this angry.”

Jacqueline raised a brow. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised when I feel the same way.”

Jeremy suddenly unrolled a map, put it on Jack’s lap, and pointed at an island. “That’s where Father’s fleet is going. And this is where he captured Pierre Lacross all those years ago.”

She stared at the spot Jeremy was pointing to. “But there’s nothing there.”

“Because that island is unnamed and too small to appear on this map. There are many tiny islands in the Caribbean where criminals of one sort or another can hide. Like I told you before, I know those islands well.”

Danny leaned back with a sigh. “He’s obsessed with this mission, if that’s not clear to you yet, Jack. I’m having a hard time talking him out of catching the next ship that’s heading that way.”

Jacqueline debated for a moment whether to say she’d go with him, then said instead, “For what purpose, Jeremy? To catch up with Father so he can lock you in a cabin for the duration of the voyage—and be furious that you didn’t obey him and stay out of it?”

“See?” Danny said, gloating only a little. “I said nearly the same thing, didn’t I, Jer?”

“You two do know that I’m not still the teenager he found in that tavern all those years ago, don’t you?”

Danny suddenly chuckled. “I do wish I could have seen James’s face that day when you told him you were his son, yet you stood there the spitting image of his brother Anthony when Tony was that age.”

Jeremy still looked uncannily like their uncle Anthony, but then Anthony and Jeremy shared the black hair and cobalt eyes of their Gypsy ancestors, while James didn’t. Tony’s wife had actually accused Tony of lying about Jeremy’s parentage. Even James found that to be amusing—mostly.

“So he didn’t believe me at first, at least, not until I told him who my mother was,” Jeremy said. “All beside the point, which is he still treats me like that child.”

“It couldn’t have been pleasant, growing up in taverns,” Jacqueline remarked. “At least, until he found you.”

“It wasn’t that bad, though I would have much preferred taking to the seas with him. And I got to for a while, until that sea battle with Nick. Father bought that plantation in Jamaica so he could have a place to park me after I nearly got injured in that battle. But at least he took me with him when he went back to England to get even with Nick, and you know what a surprise that turned out to be, with Nick having married our cousin Regina. Then Father left me with Uncle Tony while he went back to the Caribbean to dispose of that plantation. Of course, you never would have been born, Jack, if things hadn’t played out that way.”

“I still find it amazing that your father was actually a pirate,” Danny said.

“Gentleman pirate,” Jeremy and Jack said at the same time, then laughed because they’d both corrected Danny.

But Jeremy continued, “It was just a game to him, bedeviling any ship that appeared to offer a challenge so he could test his skills. And I had it straight from his first mate, Connie, that the only reason he went to sea was because he’d gotten so jaded being one of London’s most notorious rakes that nothing stirred his emotions anymore, not even duels.”

“So it took a full decade for him to start feeling again?” Danny asked.

“No, he was gone that long because his brothers ended up disowning him. But his time on the high seas was his salvation, too. He enjoyed it and might never have returned to the fold if he hadn’t found me.”

“Your father’s decision to return to England is directly responsible for quite a few marriages,” Danny remarked. “His, mine, Amy’s. Even three of Jack’s uncles wouldn’t have met their wives if your father hadn’t brought their sister to England. Think of all that happiness he created for himself and the rest of us by making peace with his brothers—for you. We should start calling him Cupid.”

“Bite your tongue,” Jack choked out.

“Hell’s bells, Danny, you don’t want to insult m’father,” Jeremy said with a groan.

“I was joking.” Then with a wink at Jacqueline, Danny added, “But kindly remember how a few minutes ago you were ready to make him angry at you for hying after him. I believe I’ve made my point?”

Jeremy said no more about it, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t silently stewing. But they’d arrived at the home of Gladys Marshall, who was hosting tonight’s soirée, where there was to be music and a buffet. And Jack’s curious stranger wasn’t there. If he was, he didn’t make himself known, and after glancing around the room for a few minutes, she was pretty sure she knew every man there.

She came up with dozens of excuses why he appeared to be giving up the pursuit. He couldn’t get an invitation because he wasn’t even gentry. He was so hideously ugly that he was ashamed to show her his face. He was a coward after all who didn’t want to bother with someone who had such a dangerous father. He didn’t want to settle for just friendship, which she had assured him was all she was offering this year. All of her other beaus knew that, too, and only a few had given up early on. The rest were confident they could change her mind given enough time.

There was still no gossip about her mystery man either, though a few debutantes mentioned to her that they’d noticed him at the masked ball and wondered who he was. But even they were more interested in asking her about her father, since he was still the prime tidbit for the week.

Giles was the first of her beaus to approach her. He was one of the more handsome young lords pursuing her, and she liked his wit and humor. She even hoped he’d still be unattached next year when she would get around to choosing a husband. It was likely he would be since he was a professed rake.

“Are you ready to marry me yet?” he whispered beside her so Jeremy wouldn’t hear.

“You can’t maintain your rakish reputation if you keep asking me that,” she scolded with a smile.

“I’ve sworn I’ll give up everything for you, Jack.” But then he glanced around, no doubt to make sure James wasn’t there, before adding, “I couldn’t help but notice how intimidated my competition was last night by your father. I’m not, you know. In fact, I was thinking about inviting him for a round or two at Knighton’s Hall to get to know him better. I’ve heard he enjoys exercising there occasionally.”