The Raider Read online

  “Alex, you ask so much of a woman. First of your Jessica and now of me. If you want Jessica to love something other than the physical side of you, how will jealousy help?”

  “Spend some time with me. Jess only comes near me when there’s a child that needs attention or when she’s hurt. Maybe if she saw another woman, a beautiful, intelligent, wise woman who liked to spend time with me, perhaps she’d be curious.”

  Sophy laughed. “I think I might love Alexander, even if she doesn’t. Of course I haven’t seen you as the Raider. Are you terribly dashing and romantic?”

  “And fearless. There is no danger too great for the Raider to face. Except Jessica, of course. Say you’ll stay and help me.”

  “All right.” Sophy sighed. “Perhaps I feel the woman should sense that her husband is also her lover. I’ll help you make your wife jealous.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  JESSICA,” Eleanor was saying, her voice straining to remain calm, “that woman is making a fool of you.”

  “She’s making Alex happy.”

  “Very happy. Don’t you care that they spend hours locked together in his room?”

  “Our room,” Jessica snapped. “The room belonging to Alexander and me.”

  “Ah, then, so you do care.”

  “Eleanor, what would you do if a woman flirted with that big Russian of yours?”

  “Remove any part of her body that I could reach.”

  Jessica played with the food on her plate. “But the countess is really such a nice lady. Yesterday she took care of Samuel all afternoon.”

  “And thus freed Nathaniel to get into mischief. Do you know where he got that dory?”

  “What dory?” Jess asked listlessly.

  Eleanor took a seat across from her sister at the table. “You are concerned about that woman, aren’t you?”

  “Absolutely not. You know Alex and I don’t have a real marriage. He said he…”

  “What?”

  “He said he loved me, but I guess that was before he remembered his love for the countess.”

  “Jess, why don’t you fight her? Why don’t you go to Alex and tell him you love him and that you’ll set fire to that woman’s hair if she isn’t out of your house in thirty seconds.”

  Jessica stood. “Me in love with Alex? What a preposterous idea. He whines and complains and he—”

  “Saves your life and waits up for you and takes care of you and—”

  “Yells at me all the time. Where’s the countess now? Maybe I can get rid of her another way.”

  “Sitting by the kitchen garden, the last I saw. Jessica, what are you planning?”

  “To help my country,” she said before leaving the house.

  Jessica wasn’t about to let Eleanor or anyone else see how the countess’s presence bothered her. When in the world had she fallen in love with Alexander? She thought love was that wild beating of the heart. Love was closer to what she felt for the Raider—or at least once she’d thought so. But lately she’d been much happier to see Alex than she’d been to see the Raider.

  Twice the Raider had come to her window since the night she’d been wounded, but each time she’d felt less inclined to leave with him. She knew she’d have a wonderful night in his arms but that was all. In the morning she’d wonder what had overtaken her and she’d look forward to Alex’s company.

  Since Alex had returned to Warbrooke, they had spent a great deal of time together, and it seemed to Jess that she’d never cared much about Alex. At first she’d resented the way he always wanted her near him, but gradually she’d come to enjoy him. And, now that she wanted to be with him, he wasn’t there.

  Jess couldn’t blame the countess for wanting to be with Alex—after all, he could be charming. He could read sea stories with such gusto that you felt the wind on your face, and he could read romances in a way that made you blush.

  Slowly, he was repairing the damage Pitman had done to the Montgomery fortunes. In the few weeks of their marriage, she and Alex had been able to put the Montgomery household in order. Together, they’d been a good team.

  But now here was this countess, hanging on Alex’s every word, looking up at him with big eyes that told him how strong and wonderful he was. And Alex acted as if all the Taggerts had disappeared. His attention was now solely on the beautiful Italian woman.

  Jess stood at one end of the kitchen garden and watched. The countess was sitting under a tree, a thick shawl about her shoulders, a book open before her. Jess wanted to tell her to get out of Warbrooke and to leave her husband alone, but she couldn’t do that. First of all, Alex would laugh himself to death if she did something that foolish. And later, he’d never let her live her jealousy down. He’d gloat and brag and do all the obnoxious things men do when they think they’ve won.

  No, she had to be more clever than that. There had to be a better way to get rid of the countess.

  “Hello,” Jess said and the woman lifted her pretty face. “I hope you’re enjoying your stay in Warbrooke. I haven’t had much time to look after you, but perhaps Alex has been caring for you.”

  “Yes,” the countess said cautiously. “He has been caring for me quite well, thank you.”

  Jess smiled and sat down on a low wall near the countess’s chair. “Has Alex told you about what is going on in Warbrooke? About the opression we’re under?”

  The countess’s eyes widened. “No, not really. I’m sure he mentioned it but…”

  Jess leaned forward and the countess moved back sharply, as if she thought Jess might strike her. “I wondered if you might help me,” Jess said. “You’re so very pretty and I need help from a pretty woman.”

  “Oh?” the countess asked, obviously interested. “Help doing what?”

  “You’ve heard of Admiral Westmoreland? He was sent here by the English to stop the Raider, but so far he hasn’t succeeded.” Jess smiled. “The Raider’s had some help from a few of us.”

  “Alexander told me about your participation in what he called a raid. The English soldiers—” She halted at the look on Jess’s face. “He didn’t tell me much.”

  So! Jess thought, Alex told you about that night, did he? She kept smiling. “Yes, we do what we can to help the Raider. Since that raid the admiral has been punishing Warbrooke by seizing cargo. Once, a man’s ship was taken and I’m afraid that’s about to happen again. I need your help to find out.”

  “Me?” Sophy asked. “What can I possibly do?”

  “The admiral is boarding with Mrs. Wentworth and she has invited me to tea. Yesterday the admiral received a sealed document from England and I’d like to see what’s in that document.”

  “But where do I fit in?”

  “The admiral likes pretty women and you are beautiful. I want you to keep his attention on you while I search his office.”

  Sophy smiled at Jess’s flattery, then her face changed. “What if you’re caught? What if this man realizes I was helping you?”

  “We get hanged.”

  “Oh.” Sophy took time to digest this.

  “Sophy, if I may call you that, you can do it. Look at what you’re doing with Alex.”

  “What could you possibly mean by that? Alex and I are old friends.”

  “Yes, and I’m so glad he has you. Alex is my friend, too, and I like my friends to be happy.”

  “You aren’t, perhaps, jealous?”

  “Not at all. He deserves any happiness he can get. He has so little.”

  “Maybe there’s another man you’d be jealous of,” Sophy said. This time, she was the one leaning forward.

  “Alex is my husband.”

  Sophy smiled. “What of this Raider I hear so much of? Is he really so virile and handsome as people say?”

  “More so.” Jessica grinned. “Would you be willing to help us with the admiral?”

  “The Raider isn’t at all like Alexander?”

  “Not even remotely. If you’re frightened, say so. I’ll understand. If I’m caught, I