first place. What did you hope to learn by spending a year at sea? Nothing has changed since you’ve been gone.”
“Everything has changed! When will you realize I am no
longer a boy and start treating me like a man?”
“When you behave like one,” was the cold response.
“How can I behave like one when you’re still making my
decisions for me? It’s time you allowed me to determine my
own fate, Father.” Although Drummond didn’t know it, Teach
planned to be aboard the Deliverance when it set sail, with or without his father’s consent.
Drummond drew himself up to his full height, forgetting
that his son had surpassed him long ago. “What nonsense.
The baron and I have discussed this at length, and even Miss
Patience is in agreement. The sooner the two of you are wed,
the better it will be, for everyone involved.” Not waiting on his son’s response, he turned on his heel and strode away.
Left alone in the hallway, Teach watched his father’s back,
resentment boiling within. He should have known it would
be like this. His father had always pushed him to be more
mature than his friends. Perhaps that was why Teach had always
enjoyed William’s company. Although he carried the title of an
earl, William acted every bit like the eighteen-year-old he was, and his father, the duke, did not seem to object.
Richard Drummond did. He claimed he wanted only the
best for his son, and no child of his would work on a merchant
ship. He’d eventually agreed to let Teach try it out for a year, 2 7
thinking it would rid Teach of his “unhealthy obsession” with the sea.
But his father’s plan had backfired.
Teach was more determined than ever to set sail once more.
The boy looked longingly out the window at the swirling gray
sky, wishing for the hundredth time that the storm had postponed his return for at least one more day.
2 8
C H A P T E R 4
Anne
Downstairs in the kitchen Anne was having the same thoughts,
but for entirely different reasons. Anne pulled up sharply at the look on Margery’s face, her heart pounding in her chest.
“They’re here! They’re here! The baron and his family are
here. Quick, make sure Sara and Mary have the chambers ready.
No, wait, have you added the shrimp yet? The water is boiling.”
Margery turned in a circle, wringing her hands in her apron, her limp more pronounced than ever. “No, no. First I need you to check the pheasants. Oh, we should have venison. The master
wanted— Stop! What in the world happened to your dress? You
were supposed to set a bath for the master’s son, not take a dip in it yourself.”
Margery’s mouth continued to run, and Anne had a hard time
concentrating. Anxious, she constantly checked over her shoulder, convinced the young Mr. Edward would come charging after her.
2 9
It took considerable effort on her part to focus on the tasks at hand. Her movements were jerky as she took the birds from the spit. She nearly dropped them, and burned her thumbs in
the process. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she dunked her seared flesh into a bucket of water near the door.
The chaos surrounding her matched her insides, and it was
all she could do not to run from the house.
He was here. The ragged sailor whom she’d hoped never to
see again had reappeared, to live in this very house.
He was the master’s son.
And he was angry.
How long could she hide from him? How long would it be
before he exacted his revenge?
The next hour was torture, as Anne was forced to listen
to Sara’s and Mary’s constant chatter with a combination of
pity, fear, and disgust. They went on and on about how they
wished they were a baron’s daughter and how they’d heard that
the young master had come downstairs to await dinner, looking
very sharp, and what a fine pair he and Miss Patience would
make, as they were both so handsome.
By the time the platters of food stood ready and waiting,
Anne’s head pounded. Margery had already spoken with the
master about the meal. While he wasn’t pleased, Margery said
he hadn’t said much else, occupied as he was by his houseful of
guests.
Anne was grateful for the distraction they created.
3 0
Five months ago Henry Barrett, her half-brother from her father’s marriage, had brought her to the Drummond household to work. Given a choice between starvation and employment,
she’d naturally stayed. Henry had said he would make her pay
if he heard she’d caused any problems for Master Drummond.
Hitting the master’s son between the legs with a pail was certainly problematic.
She wondered how Henry could possibly carry out his
threat. No one knew they were related. Henry’s mother had
died when he was an infant, shortly before Andrew Barrett had