boyish, and he was much less intelligent than his brother.
He surged forward and hugged Maren, kissed her cheek and asked countless questions, behaving more like a youth of fourteen than a young man ofnineteen. Maren smiled and tried to calm him, but Marc was too stimulated to settle down. She related what she could without saying too much in a public place.
Eric clasped his brother’s shoulders and lightly shook him. “Let her breathe, Marc. There’ll be plenty of time to learn the news.”
Marc obeyed his older brother, but he shifted about restlessly. Maren laughed, caught his arm, and cuddled him for a moment as if he were a small child. “You’re still the same, cousin Marc,” she teased. “Relax, we promise to tell you everything.”
The James brothers escorted Maren to the finest hotel in town, and left her there to unpack and rest before they joined her for dinner downstairs. Before closing her door, Maren affectionately embraced both men, but once she was alone she sighed deeply. What now, Maren James? This isn’t London so you can’t become Eric’s ward. You have to decide what you’re going to do with your life. She must put to use all her parents had taught her, she decided. To get through the difficult days ahead, it would be essential to draw on the courage and strength that had been instilled in her.
As she unpacked, Maren daydreamed of Jared Morgan and of what might have happened between them in Jamaica. She had lost her heart and head to him—she would have proven it that morning if Fate had not intervened—and she was concerned because she had not warned him about the British warships en route to the island. Hopefully he had sailed awayas they had… but she did not know where Captain Hawk’s loyalties lay.
A business problem came up which prevented Eric from dining with Maren and Marc. During their meal Maren related everything she and Eric had agreed to reveal to the immature Marc; then she asked him about things in New Orleans.
In response, Marc told her the tale Eric had ordered him to relate. He didn’t know why his brother was lying to their lovely cousin, but he knew better than to cross Eric. When he was obedient, Eric was very good to him; but when he was not, Eric was cruel. Since Murray didn’t want him around in Baltimore, Marc had to depend on Eric to take care of him. Besides, he had told only little lies which couldn’t harm Maren or anyone….
“Are you planning to sell Lady Luck?” Marc asked.
Maren’s head jerked upward, and she stared at the man who was stuffing a rich dessert into his mouth. “I thought Eric had already sold it.”
Marc guzzled his drink, then told her, “He tried, but he couldn’t. Uncle Cam had a secret partner, so it can’t be sold without his signature and agreement. Eric couldn’t find out who he is.”
“Are you certain about this, Marc? I still own Lady Luck?”
Marc failed to realize that she had not been told of this matter. “Of course I am. Now that you’re home,you can tell Eric who the secret partner is and he can sell your half for you.” Marc’s attention went back to his cake.
Maren was bewildered by this news, distressed by its implication. During the voyage, Eric had not mentioned the fancy gambling house that her father had owned so she had assumed it had been sold. With Lady Luck earning money, how could Eric claim her parents had lacked income for nearly a year? She could not help but wonder if this partnership of her father’s was why Eric had come for her. He couldn’t sell the gambling house without the consent of the unknown partner. Other questions now troubled her. Had Eric given her the necklace to win her favor so she might agree to sell Lady Luck? And just who was this partner? Why had her father never revealed that he had one? Secrecy was foreign to him, so there had to be a good reason for his resorting to it.
Lady Luck was a beautiful gambling establishment, and a prosperous one. Or it had been
He surged forward and hugged Maren, kissed her cheek and asked countless questions, behaving more like a youth of fourteen than a young man ofnineteen. Maren smiled and tried to calm him, but Marc was too stimulated to settle down. She related what she could without saying too much in a public place.
Eric clasped his brother’s shoulders and lightly shook him. “Let her breathe, Marc. There’ll be plenty of time to learn the news.”
Marc obeyed his older brother, but he shifted about restlessly. Maren laughed, caught his arm, and cuddled him for a moment as if he were a small child. “You’re still the same, cousin Marc,” she teased. “Relax, we promise to tell you everything.”
The James brothers escorted Maren to the finest hotel in town, and left her there to unpack and rest before they joined her for dinner downstairs. Before closing her door, Maren affectionately embraced both men, but once she was alone she sighed deeply. What now, Maren James? This isn’t London so you can’t become Eric’s ward. You have to decide what you’re going to do with your life. She must put to use all her parents had taught her, she decided. To get through the difficult days ahead, it would be essential to draw on the courage and strength that had been instilled in her.
As she unpacked, Maren daydreamed of Jared Morgan and of what might have happened between them in Jamaica. She had lost her heart and head to him—she would have proven it that morning if Fate had not intervened—and she was concerned because she had not warned him about the British warships en route to the island. Hopefully he had sailed awayas they had… but she did not know where Captain Hawk’s loyalties lay.
A business problem came up which prevented Eric from dining with Maren and Marc. During their meal Maren related everything she and Eric had agreed to reveal to the immature Marc; then she asked him about things in New Orleans.
In response, Marc told her the tale Eric had ordered him to relate. He didn’t know why his brother was lying to their lovely cousin, but he knew better than to cross Eric. When he was obedient, Eric was very good to him; but when he was not, Eric was cruel. Since Murray didn’t want him around in Baltimore, Marc had to depend on Eric to take care of him. Besides, he had told only little lies which couldn’t harm Maren or anyone….
“Are you planning to sell Lady Luck?” Marc asked.
Maren’s head jerked upward, and she stared at the man who was stuffing a rich dessert into his mouth. “I thought Eric had already sold it.”
Marc guzzled his drink, then told her, “He tried, but he couldn’t. Uncle Cam had a secret partner, so it can’t be sold without his signature and agreement. Eric couldn’t find out who he is.”
“Are you certain about this, Marc? I still own Lady Luck?”
Marc failed to realize that she had not been told of this matter. “Of course I am. Now that you’re home,you can tell Eric who the secret partner is and he can sell your half for you.” Marc’s attention went back to his cake.
Maren was bewildered by this news, distressed by its implication. During the voyage, Eric had not mentioned the fancy gambling house that her father had owned so she had assumed it had been sold. With Lady Luck earning money, how could Eric claim her parents had lacked income for nearly a year? She could not help but wonder if this partnership of her father’s was why Eric had come for her. He couldn’t sell the gambling house without the consent of the unknown partner. Other questions now troubled her. Had Eric given her the necklace to win her favor so she might agree to sell Lady Luck? And just who was this partner? Why had her father never revealed that he had one? Secrecy was foreign to him, so there had to be a good reason for his resorting to it.
Lady Luck was a beautiful gambling establishment, and a prosperous one. Or it had been
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