Fortune's Flames Read online

  “You can’t live here, Jared. People will gossip. You might not care about your reputation, but I must protect mine. Vicious rumors can ruin me and my business. After you sail away, I’ll be living here. What are you really after?”

  “Why, my rightful earnings, among other things. Perhaps I’ll use the money to make an investment while I’m waiting for Eric’s return. I’m not one to let money sit in a bank.” When Maren shifted apprehensively, Jared asked, “You do have my money, don’t you?”

  Maren knew she had to think of a way to delay him until she could replace his stolen earnings. If she told Jared that Eric had taken them, it would make her cousin vulnerable to this clever deceiver. Obviously Jared had come here about Lady Luck and Eric, not to locate her. Maybe he had known who she was all along! Perhaps he had been playing mischievous games with her! No, she decided, not unless he had been pretending on that first night. But, her warring mind argued, what if he had discovered the truth after his arrival but before he saw her that night?

  “You’re not answering me, Maren. Your father said he was keeping my share in a special fund.

  Surely you were told that you have a partner?”

  “Special fund.” Maren thought of her father’s letter. Things looked worse now than before; there were not two years’ earnings and records in the bank box! “I spent some of it. The rest is in a box at the bank, and it’s closed on Sunday.”

  “Why would you spend what isn’t yours?” Jared inquired. He walked to the stove and removed the hissing kettle. After calmly preparing two cups of tea and placing them on the table, he took a seat.

  Maren remained standing so she would not feel more trapped in the chair than she felt on her feet. “I used some of it to buy wine and liquor from pirates, privateers as you call yourselves. We can’t run this place without a supply, and they charge heavily because of the blockade. I recorded my expenses. I had to pay my hotel bill and buy some new clothes. They don’t come cheap during these times either. After my father’s death, I had nothing left except this place, and you know how much money I had with me when I left London. It was all in that little pouch you so generously didn’t steal,” she said sarcastically. “And since you recall my wardrobe, you know I couldn’t wear those prim gowns in a gambling house. It made my customers nervous to see me dressed like a proper lady. I reminded them of their wives and daughters or of a church social. Don’t worry, Mr. Morgan, you’ll get every dollar coming to you. But there is one problem.”

  “What is that, Miss James?” he asked, barely controlling his mirth.

  “I have no record of your earnings before my father’s death. I didn’t even know he had a partner until my return on June eighth. Whatever your arrangement with him was, I know nothing about it. Eric was the one who started putting my mysterious partner’s share in a bank box, and he told me to continue to do so every week to prevent trouble or a takeover in case the half-owner of Lady Luck ever appeared. I’ve followed his advice. It’s all there except for the expenditures, which are noted in your records. Now I would like to see the paper which confirms your claim to the partnership. And I advise you not to settle in here until I have a lawyer study your partnership agreement.”

  “I can give you the same advice, Miss James. I only have your word you’re Cameron’s daughter and heir,” he teased merrily.

  Maren frowned at him as he chuckled. “How do I know you didn’t steal that deed from the rightful owner during one of your raids?”

  “Because it has my signature on it, as well as your father’s. You see, my lovely siren, we had the papers drawn up again after my father’s death to make certain there was no misunderstanding. I’m sure you’ll recognize your father’s handwriting. You’re fortunate I believe you’re Cameron’s daughter. Still, during the last two years he could have willed his share of the place to someone else to cover a debt. I have proof Lady Luck is half mine. Do you? And I wonder what the law would have to say about you… borrowing my earnings without permission.

  It sounds a wee bit like fraud and theft, don’t you think?”

  Anger and alarm surged through Maren, and her golden brown eyes revealed it. “How could I obtain your permission when I didn’t even know who you were?. And if I had known, what if you had been killed or captured at sea? What if you had never showed up to make your claim? Did you expect me to allow Lady Luck to go bankrupt or fall into disrepair while that money stayed nestled in the bank like a fragile egg?”

  “How can I be sure you spent my money as you say? You might have lost it playing cards? And why should I trust you to run this place for us? You’re a woman, Maren James, a very young one, inexperienced and a temptation to our patrons.”

  “I’m a damned good card player, one of the best. Ask the patrons; I’ve lost very few games, only small ones. Not that it matters to you, Jared Morgan, but I’m using my winnings to repay you. Check the books since I took over. You’ll see that I’m more than qualified to run Lady Luck. If you don’t trust me or believe me, check with Dan Myers.”

  “How do I know he wouldn’t cover for you? He did move out to protect your name, and he came to your rescue on the street.”

  “I’m not going to answer any more of your questions until you prove you have a right to ask them. Why did you keep your partnership a secret?”

  “Cameron James and Benjamin Morgan were the original partners; we inherited their shares when they died. My father bought into this place to give me an inheritance. He knew my older brother would get Shady Rest, the family’s plantation in Savannah, so he wanted to give me a business to fall back on when I had to quit the sea. I didn’t know about this for a while; he wanted to make certain Lady Luck was successful before he told me about it. My ship, the Sea Mist, was purchased with earnings from this place, but over the years, things changed. My father remarried—he’s dead now—and my brother Jeremy was hanged by the British after he was impressed. He refused to bend to the Royal Navy, so he was killed. A lawful execution, I think they called it.”

  Jared sipped the hot tea to wash down his bitterness. Maren remained silent and watchful. “My father didn’t want anyone to know about his interest in Lady Luck, not until the business was prosperous and it was time to hand it over to me. He might have wanted to make sure I had settled down enough and had the brains to keep it going. Since you met me years ago, I don’t need to tell you I was a wild and reckless youth. Nonetheless, my father willed his partnership to me and asked me to keep it as long as I could. So far, I’ve had enough money to live on without selling my share, and I’ve had no reason to disclose my partnership. Besides, as long as people here thought your father owned this place, it made him appear more prosperous, more of a man to trust with their business. And if anything happened to me, no one could approach your father about my debts.”

  A playful tone laced Jared’s voice when he added, “There was another reason to keep the partnership a secret: your protection. If you didn’t know who to contact and couldn’t sell without my signature, you would always have a source of income. That would prevent a greedy husband, or cousin, from selling this place and leaving you penniless and homeless. Admit it, Maren, if it were not for this secret, you wouldn’t have Lady Luck today. I’ve heard that Eric sold Cameron James’s holdings and took over the shipping firm. Why haven’t you tried to recover your fortune?”

  “Who told you such things? Are you spying on me?”

  “Why, Miss James, it’s common knowledge he’s cheated you out of a fortune. Or I should say, cleverly beguiled you into giving up one.”

  “Then you must also know how and why he sold everything. It was done legally, and out of necessity. My father loved and trusted Eric; he gave my cousin the authority to manage his holdings. Eric wouldn’t have sold anything of mine if he had known I was… That’s all you need to know. I’ll turn over your money and records tomorrow.”

  “And then we can discuss how you plan to repay your debt to me.”

  “Stop worrying abo
ut the blasted money. You’ll get it back.”

  “I assume it’s a great deal or you wouldn’t be so upset about it. Have you asked Eric about that money and the earlier records?”

  “How could I? I didn’t know they were missing until you told me. Besides, I only have your word that you haven’t been paid since the war began. What did Papa say he would do with your earnings?”

  “He said he would keep them in a safe place, in a special fund.”

  Maren couldn’t reveal that she knew anything about a “special fund” without letting Jared read her parents’ letters, and she could not do that. When Eric returned, she would straighten out these dismaying matters with him, then deal with Jared. “I left here in June of 1812 and had no contact with my parents during my absence. When I returned, I went through their belongings, which were stored in Eric’s warehouse, but I found no money or records among them. That’s all I can tell you, Jared.”

  Jared noticed how softly she had spoken his name, although she had done it unconsciously. He could tell something was troubling her, something she could not or would not share with him. “We can question your father’s lawyer when you have him go over my deed. He might know something about this matter.”

  “Papa’s lawyer! Why didn’t I think about that? It’s just that things have been so hectic since my return. It was harder to visit their graves and go through their things than I had imagined. And trying to get settled in this place… Why am I telling you all of this? You can’t live here, Jared. Please, itcould hurt me and our business.”

  “With Dan Myers gone, you and Mrs. Malone need a man here to protect you. People won’t talk after we announce our partnership.”

  “You’re going to tell everyone?”

  “Why not? There’s no need for secrecy anymore.”

  “But people will think you’re running the place because you’re a man. They’ll give you all the credit for our success. I was doing fine before you showed up; I don’t need such an intrusion. Go back to sea and leave me alone. You’ve been nothing but trouble since we met.”

  “Is that a fact, my tempting siren?”

  “Don’t start that again, Jared Morgan. I know why you came to New Orleans, and it wasn’t to look up Maren Slade!”

  “I swear you are one of my main reasons for being here, Maren.”

  Maren declared curtly, “Because you think you can trick me into turning Lady Luck over to you, that you can charm me into betraying Eric?”

  “Why is it that Eric James always seems to be coming between us? I think he owes you about as much as you owe me. Why don’t you sell me your half of Lady Luck and settle down?”

  “Never!” she shouted at him. “It was a gift from my father, and it’s all I have left. I don’t want any man taking care of me as if I were one of his possessions. I like being on my own.”

  “How much do you owe me, Maren? Enough to permit me to legally take over Lady Luck, like Eric took over your firm and your plantation?”

  “You’re trying to scare me or to trap me into helping you, aren’t you?”

  “I’m only trying to force you to see the truth, Maren. You owe me a sizable amount.”

  “If you take Lady Luck, I won’t have anything, Jared. Why are you doing this to me? You were my father’s friend, his partner.”

  Jared recalled that she had admitted dreaming of him for years and he thought of how she had behaved since finding him again. He wished it hadn’t been so long since he had seen Cameron because so much had changed. And he wished he had met Eric so he would have an idea of what the man was like. For that matter, he felt if he and Maren had met long ago matters wouldn’t be so difficult to settle. He deliberated on how he wanted to use the edge he had over her because of the debt. Maren had lost her fiancé and her parents, and most of her inheritance. She was afraid, by her own admission, to trust him. He had confused and angered her. To win her, he had to be sly and firm, to play the devilish rake. He had not meant to handle things this way, but doing so could be helpful to both of them. Yes, there was only one course to sail….

  “You can have the ruby necklace, the one I hid from you on the ship,” Maren offered. “I’ll sign a paper stating how much more I owe you, and if I can’t repay you within a year, I’ll sell you my half of this place. Is it a deal?”

  “No,” Jared replied. He watched her become pale.

  “No?” she echoed hoarsely. “Then, what do you want from me?”

  “It isn’t what I want from you, Maren. What I want is you.”

  A sharp inhalation left her dry lips. “You can’t be serious. I know I behaved wickedly on the ship and the beach, but I’m not a harlot. It may sound stupid, but I had reality and fantasy all mixed up. If any other raider had attacked our ship, I would never have acted that way. Believe what you will, but that’s the truth.”

  Jared realized that she had misunderstood him. She thought his only interest in her was physical; that was not true. Oh, he wanted her badly, but he had to make certain she wanted to belong to him in all ways before he possessed her. His father had told him over and over that sex did not prove love, only desire. She was embarrassed by her past behavior, and he didn’t want her to be uncomfortable about their special attraction. He had to make her aware of how much, and of how seriously, he craved her. “I believe you, Maren, and I’m glad those girlhood dreams caused you to respond to me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have chased you. I’ll give you six months to repay me. If not, I get you. Everything about you, Miss James, including all you are and know.”

  Maren began breathlessly, “If you think I’ll become your mistress to repay a de—”

  Jared interrupted. “My wife, Maren. You repay me or you marry me. That’s the only deal I’ll accept. While I’m at sea, you had best keep that wedding dress locked in a trunk. If you wear it to wed someone else, I’ll see that you’re put in jail for theft. Shall we say you’ll repay your debt to me one way or another on January first?”

  Maren was stunned. He had vowed she could not escape him. Was this just a clever way to entrap her? And why marriage? Was his offer real or a disarming trick? “This is madness, Jared.”

  “Not to me. It would settle all of my problems.”

  “What about my problems?” she asked, utterly confused.

  “It should settle them, too. You’ll be getting all you need and want. Blame yourself, Maren; you’re the one who enticed me with promises of becoming my willing captive, and you rashly indebted yourself to me. January first, Maren, one way or another,” he said, grinning. “That is, unless one of us dies. In that case, Lady Luck goes to the survivor. If you’re lucky, I might not return from this war.”

  Maren wondered what was going on with Jared Morgan. Her mother had told her about men’s desires, urges, and unsated frustrations, and she had mentioned the games men played with members of the opposite sex, men’s fears of losing their freedom. Maren had been advised to chase her heart’s desire until he surrendered, believing he had ensnared her. But things were topsy-turvy with Jared Morgan. She, the cunning woman, was supposed to subtly pursue him, the elusive and intimidated man; she was supposed to flirt, entice, and beguile—to fight to attain her heart’s desire. But Jared was doing the pursuing and capturing! Maren wasn’t sure how to deal with this upside-down situation. If he wanted to marry her, why didn’t he just ask her? Why did he play this elaborate game? Was it only a ruse to beguile her?

  “What about your suspicions of Eric? If you really work for the President, why are you trusting me with such a dangerous secret? How do you know I won’t expose you to Eric or someone else?”

  Jared knew he had made her think his pursuit of Eric was more important to him than she was. He had given her reason to be wary and suspicious. “It’s the only way I can earn your trust and help. You said you weren’t at war with your English family and friends, but America is—I am. You said you couldn’t take a stand against them. What if you have to do that someday, Maren? If someone asked you to aid the
Brits, would you? If someone asked you to defend America against them, would you? Don’t answer now, just think over those questions. Maybe you haven’t been forced to make such a difficult decision yet. But what if Eric has? And what if he’s involved you without your knowledge? How would that appear to American authorities? After all, you have English roots, your fiancé was an Englishman slain by Americans, and your parental ties to America are gone. If you are my wife, I can protect you.”

  Maren mulled over the points he’d made. What if Eric was a British spy and Jared was an American agent? Did Jared distrust her? She really did not want to discuss such crucial matters at that time, so she asked, “What about the ruby necklace as payment?”

  “Keep it for an emergency, or as a stake if you decide to elude me. Believe me, Maren, there are worse fates than marrying me.”

  “Such as?”

  “Marrying a Brit like the one who hung my brother Jeremy,” he replied unwittingly. “What happened to your Englishman? Who was he?”

  Maren caught Jared’s bitterness over his brother’s grim fate. Yet her grandparents and her father were British; she was partly British. Did he bear resentment toward her? “Are you sure you want to hear about my colorful past?”

  He hated being jealous of a dead man, but he was. “Eventually you’ll have to tell me about it.”

  “If you insist…His name was Daniel Redford, Lord Redford’s son and heir. We were to be married in September of 1812, but he went to sea before my arrival. You men seem to think war is so much fun that you embrace it eagerly. Soon after the fighting began, his ship, the Merry Maiden, was attacked by an American privateer and everyone aboard was killed. Is that sufficient for now, sir?”

  “Did you love Daniel Redford?”