court.’
‘Do you often visit the court?’
‘I think perhaps I have in the past,’ he replied and his gaze slid away from hers. ‘I am beginning to remember a few things. I think my family has a house in the country, but spends time in London—and if they are of any consequence, therefore, at court.’
‘You do not seem the kind of man who would come here simply to sketch the views,’ Morwenna said. ‘I wish I knew who you really were and why you were here.’
‘I mean you no harm, believe me.’
She lifted her eyes to his. There was sincerity in his voice but his eyes were shadowed by doubts. She sensed that there were things he would not tell her, things in his past, perhaps, but what of his reason for being here?
‘What of my brothers? What do you mean for them?’
‘Why do you fear for them? Why should you think I might seek to harm them?’
‘What makes you think I do?’
‘You are defensive about them, as though you think they may be in trouble—or danger.I believe you care for them and particularly Jacques?’
‘Jacques is the closest to me, but I would not see harm come to Michael. He is not always kind, but he is my brother—at least, my half-brother. My father married again after his first wife died and I sometimes think that Michael resents me because of it.’
‘But you are close to Jacques?’
‘Jacques is my full brother and loves me—even though he teases me at times.’
‘As last night?’
‘Yes. I was foolish to be upset. He said nothing that mattered.’
‘Yet you fear for him—for both of them.’
‘I could not bear it if Jacques …’ She shook her head, trying to clear the memory of the militiaman’s malicious hints that her elder brother was in trouble. ‘Captain Bird tried to blackmail me into allowing his kisses. He spoke of danger, particularly to Michael.’
‘If your brothers have nothing to hide, they must be safe from whosoever concerns themselves in their business. They are safe from me. Do you imagine I would betray those who had helped me and saved my life?’ His eyes wereon her now. ‘Will you come to meet me later this afternoon?’
‘Perhaps.’ Morwenna faltered. ‘This is where we part. You take the path to the right. I go straight ahead.’
‘Please come.’
‘Yes, if I can.’ She hesitated, then caught at his arm. ‘Take care, sir. I would not have harm come to you either. Michael…’
‘Are you afraid of him?’
‘He has a violent temper. He uses his fists and some of the men he works with are more violent.’ She shook her head. ‘I shall say no more. I have said too much already.’
‘You’ve told me nothing I had not already guessed, Morwenna. This part of the coast is well known for the smuggling that goes on here. Be at ease, your brothers’ secret is safe with me—though they run the risk of trial, imprisonment or death every time they bring in illicit cargo.’
‘I know it and I fear it will lead them to trouble. But I suspect there are other things, though I must say no more. Thank you for helping me.’ She shook her head and turned away, the sudden tears stinging her eyes as she fought to hold them back.
Climbing the steep path to her house, Morwenna’s throat was tight with emotion. She was torn between loyalty to her family and the strange new emotion that had implanted itself in her heart. She was even more certain that he was hiding something from her and her head told her that she must not meet him that afternoon, but something inside—a need so strong that she could not deny it—was telling her that she should go.
Adam walked on towards the village, his thoughts whirling in confusion. His mind was crowded with pictures that made no sense to him and yet the talk of smuggling had triggered a warning bell. He was sure that he had known the Morgan brothers were involved in the illegal carriage of goods that had paid no tax before Morwenna’s manner made it so obvious. Was it a part of the reason he
‘Do you often visit the court?’
‘I think perhaps I have in the past,’ he replied and his gaze slid away from hers. ‘I am beginning to remember a few things. I think my family has a house in the country, but spends time in London—and if they are of any consequence, therefore, at court.’
‘You do not seem the kind of man who would come here simply to sketch the views,’ Morwenna said. ‘I wish I knew who you really were and why you were here.’
‘I mean you no harm, believe me.’
She lifted her eyes to his. There was sincerity in his voice but his eyes were shadowed by doubts. She sensed that there were things he would not tell her, things in his past, perhaps, but what of his reason for being here?
‘What of my brothers? What do you mean for them?’
‘Why do you fear for them? Why should you think I might seek to harm them?’
‘What makes you think I do?’
‘You are defensive about them, as though you think they may be in trouble—or danger.I believe you care for them and particularly Jacques?’
‘Jacques is the closest to me, but I would not see harm come to Michael. He is not always kind, but he is my brother—at least, my half-brother. My father married again after his first wife died and I sometimes think that Michael resents me because of it.’
‘But you are close to Jacques?’
‘Jacques is my full brother and loves me—even though he teases me at times.’
‘As last night?’
‘Yes. I was foolish to be upset. He said nothing that mattered.’
‘Yet you fear for him—for both of them.’
‘I could not bear it if Jacques …’ She shook her head, trying to clear the memory of the militiaman’s malicious hints that her elder brother was in trouble. ‘Captain Bird tried to blackmail me into allowing his kisses. He spoke of danger, particularly to Michael.’
‘If your brothers have nothing to hide, they must be safe from whosoever concerns themselves in their business. They are safe from me. Do you imagine I would betray those who had helped me and saved my life?’ His eyes wereon her now. ‘Will you come to meet me later this afternoon?’
‘Perhaps.’ Morwenna faltered. ‘This is where we part. You take the path to the right. I go straight ahead.’
‘Please come.’
‘Yes, if I can.’ She hesitated, then caught at his arm. ‘Take care, sir. I would not have harm come to you either. Michael…’
‘Are you afraid of him?’
‘He has a violent temper. He uses his fists and some of the men he works with are more violent.’ She shook her head. ‘I shall say no more. I have said too much already.’
‘You’ve told me nothing I had not already guessed, Morwenna. This part of the coast is well known for the smuggling that goes on here. Be at ease, your brothers’ secret is safe with me—though they run the risk of trial, imprisonment or death every time they bring in illicit cargo.’
‘I know it and I fear it will lead them to trouble. But I suspect there are other things, though I must say no more. Thank you for helping me.’ She shook her head and turned away, the sudden tears stinging her eyes as she fought to hold them back.
Climbing the steep path to her house, Morwenna’s throat was tight with emotion. She was torn between loyalty to her family and the strange new emotion that had implanted itself in her heart. She was even more certain that he was hiding something from her and her head told her that she must not meet him that afternoon, but something inside—a need so strong that she could not deny it—was telling her that she should go.
Adam walked on towards the village, his thoughts whirling in confusion. His mind was crowded with pictures that made no sense to him and yet the talk of smuggling had triggered a warning bell. He was sure that he had known the Morgan brothers were involved in the illegal carriage of goods that had paid no tax before Morwenna’s manner made it so obvious. Was it a part of the reason he
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