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.”Thorn walked over to a cringing George Cross, reached down and yanked him out of bed.“And take your lover with you,” he said, shoving the man with such force that he slammed into the wall and landed on the floor, gasping for breath.Wilhelmina tossed her head defiantly.“You cannot make me leave.”“Oh, can’t I? What if I told you that Cappy located a certain Mr.Deavers who is willing to tell the authorities how you and this man tried to poison my father, and how you hired Deavers to kill Brittany?”Wilhelmina lowered her eyes.“I have no place to go,” she said, knowing she would get no sympathy from Thorn Stoddard.Thorn’s eyes were cold, and there was a look of distaste on his face.“Perhaps you can persuade your lover to take care of you.”Thorn turned his gaze on Dr.Cross, who had managed to scramble to his feet and pull on his trousers.“For the good of your practice, Doctor, I suggest you might find another state more to your liking.” Thorn’s expression hardened.“If it were not for my father, I would see you both hanged.But, make no mistake about it, if I ever find either of you in South Carolina again, I will turn you over to the authorities.”Cappy watched the color drain from Wilhelmina’s face, for she knew she was beaten.Finally she had been caught at her bold game.There was no pity in Cappy’s heart either for her or the doctor, for they had conspired to do murder.After Thorn and Cappy left the room, Wilhelmina slipped out of bed, her face a mask of rage.“I will not have it,” she cried out.“Thorn cannot put me out.”A chastened George Cross tucked his shirt into his trousers.“You have no choice, Wilhelmina.It’s either leave, or be arrested.Thorn Stoddard meant what he said.”She made a wide sweep with her hand.“I cannot give all this up.”“You will have me,” he reminded her.“I will take care of you.”Hysterical laughter bubbled out of her mouth.“I have you! Good Lord, man, do you know what I will be losing?”“But you have lost, Wilhelmina,” he reminded her.Her shoulders slumped, and she dropped down on the bed.Yes, she had lost everything.She tried not to think about that night so long ago, when she had stood in a moonlit garden with Thorn, and he had pledged her his love.That was the night she had lost.That night she had the world at her fingertips, and she had thrown it all away.A short time later, a buggy pulled away from the house and rattled down the dusty road.No one had come forward to wish Wilhelmina good-bye, and no one would grieve at her leaving.As the buggy pulled out of the gate, she turned back to look for the last time upon Stoddard Hill.Chapter Thirty-twoCappy was raising the new sails over the Victorious, because Thorn had insisted that she be shipshape when she was handed over to the Turks.Out of the corner of his eye, Cappy watched the Turkish ship approach Charleston Harbor.It was close enough for him to see that the name of the ship was the Marmora.With a feeling of dread, he sent Francisco to keep an eye on the Turks while he finished the last task he would perform aboard the Victorious.The United States government had ordered Captain Stoddard to turn his vessel over to the Turkish government.More than likely, the crew aboard the Marmora was here to take command of the Victorious.After the sails were in place, Cappy instructed the crew that the decks were to be swabbed until they gleamed.This was a grand old ship, and she would be clean from fore to aft when she was relinquished.“Cappy,” Francisco called out, hurrying up the gangplank, his eyes darting back behind him.“There is a Turk and a woman coming on board.I don’t know who they are.”Cappy looked first at the tall, distinguished man, who was dressed in long, flowing robes.He appeared to be someone of importance.His eyes went next to the woman at the man’s side, and Cappy was taken by surprise with her delicate beauty.She was like a golden angel in the white gown that flowed with each graceful motion.If Cappy had ever seen a more beautiful woman, he could not remember when.As she drew closer, he saw her green eyes, and he knew immediately who she was.“The English Rose,” he whispered to himself.“May I come aboard?” the man called out.Cappy also knew who the man was.“Yes, Lord Simijin, come aboard; but have a care, for the deck is wet.”“You know who I am?” Simijin asked in surprise.“I figured it out [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]