happening.”
“You’ll see.” Lani sat down on the bed. “Now we must talk about your father before they know you’re awake.”
Cassie’s gaze flew to the door. “The Englishman’s still here?”
She nodded. “He’s been here since he brought you back. He told me to call him when you woke.” She grimaced. “There are also two of his sailors from the ship wandering about the grounds ‘for our protection.’ ”
“They think Papa will come back.”
“Will he?”
Cassie shook her head. “I told him to go to Kamehameha, and I’d come to him. Can we count on the king to rid us of Danemount?”
Lani frowned. “Kamehameha has a fondness for Charles, but he won’t help him against the Englishman. He wants British guns to fight his wars.”
“But he’ll hide Papa until the Englishman leaves the island?”
“Unless it proves uncomfortable for him. But how do you know Danemount will leave? I’ve rarely seen a more determined man.”
“He’ll grow tired of looking for Papa,” she said with a confidence she didn’t feel. The man she had met on the shore was not the kind who gave up easily.
“And what if Charles becomes worried about you and comes here?”
That possibility had also been Cassie’s concern. “Can you send him a message?”
Lani shook her head. “I doubt if it would reach him without leading Danemount to Charles. The Englishman is watching us closely.”
“Then I’ll have to go to him.”
“You can’t even get to your feet.”
“Then you must watch for him until I can. I should be fine by tomorrow.”
“I will go to him.”
Cassie shook her head. “He’s expecting me. I have to talk to him and decide what we’re going to do.” She whispered, “He’s so afraid, Lani.”
Lani glanced at the door. “He has a right to be afraid with that man as a foe.” She got to her feet. “I’ll get you water for bathing and a little broth. I’ll keep Danemount from coming to you until later this evening. Try to rest.”
Rest?
Cassie lay back against the pillows. She was not likely to rest, but she had to try. She would need all her strength for the battle ahead. From what Lani had said, Danemount had been busily weaving a cocoon to imprison them here at the cottage. A cocoon that could prove a deadly trap if her father tried to reach her.
Cassie felt much better after the bath and meal, but not well enough to try to get out of bed until later that afternoon. It was the sound of loud male voices just outside her window that finally stirred her to the attempt.
She slowly sat up and swung her feet to the floor. No dizziness. Good.
She slipped on a dark-blue dressing gown over her nightgown and stood up. A slight feeling of nausea, but nothing she couldn’t deal with. She carefully made her way to the window and threw open the shutters.
Two roughly dressed men were strolling about Lani’s garden. She decided they must be the sailors from the
Josephine
Lani had mentioned.
“I see you appear to be doing much better than I was told.”
She whirled away from the window to see Jared Danemount standing in the doorway. He looked slightly raffish, and the lack of elegance made him appear even more threatening. He was without a coat, his shirt was open at the throat, and a day’s growth shadowed his lean cheeks.
But his eyes were just as cool as she remembered them. She instinctively drew the dressing gown closer about her. “Good evening, Your Grace.”
“Were you contemplating leaving through thatwindow?” He came into the room and shut the door. “I wouldn’t advise it.”
“This is my home. Why should I leave it as if I were a thief in the night?” Her knees were beginning to feel weak, so she crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I was just looking out at the intruders blundering around the grounds. They’re ruining Lani’s vegetable garden.”
“I’ll give her adequate compensation.”
“Can you compensate her for her distress and
“You’ll see.” Lani sat down on the bed. “Now we must talk about your father before they know you’re awake.”
Cassie’s gaze flew to the door. “The Englishman’s still here?”
She nodded. “He’s been here since he brought you back. He told me to call him when you woke.” She grimaced. “There are also two of his sailors from the ship wandering about the grounds ‘for our protection.’ ”
“They think Papa will come back.”
“Will he?”
Cassie shook her head. “I told him to go to Kamehameha, and I’d come to him. Can we count on the king to rid us of Danemount?”
Lani frowned. “Kamehameha has a fondness for Charles, but he won’t help him against the Englishman. He wants British guns to fight his wars.”
“But he’ll hide Papa until the Englishman leaves the island?”
“Unless it proves uncomfortable for him. But how do you know Danemount will leave? I’ve rarely seen a more determined man.”
“He’ll grow tired of looking for Papa,” she said with a confidence she didn’t feel. The man she had met on the shore was not the kind who gave up easily.
“And what if Charles becomes worried about you and comes here?”
That possibility had also been Cassie’s concern. “Can you send him a message?”
Lani shook her head. “I doubt if it would reach him without leading Danemount to Charles. The Englishman is watching us closely.”
“Then I’ll have to go to him.”
“You can’t even get to your feet.”
“Then you must watch for him until I can. I should be fine by tomorrow.”
“I will go to him.”
Cassie shook her head. “He’s expecting me. I have to talk to him and decide what we’re going to do.” She whispered, “He’s so afraid, Lani.”
Lani glanced at the door. “He has a right to be afraid with that man as a foe.” She got to her feet. “I’ll get you water for bathing and a little broth. I’ll keep Danemount from coming to you until later this evening. Try to rest.”
Rest?
Cassie lay back against the pillows. She was not likely to rest, but she had to try. She would need all her strength for the battle ahead. From what Lani had said, Danemount had been busily weaving a cocoon to imprison them here at the cottage. A cocoon that could prove a deadly trap if her father tried to reach her.
Cassie felt much better after the bath and meal, but not well enough to try to get out of bed until later that afternoon. It was the sound of loud male voices just outside her window that finally stirred her to the attempt.
She slowly sat up and swung her feet to the floor. No dizziness. Good.
She slipped on a dark-blue dressing gown over her nightgown and stood up. A slight feeling of nausea, but nothing she couldn’t deal with. She carefully made her way to the window and threw open the shutters.
Two roughly dressed men were strolling about Lani’s garden. She decided they must be the sailors from the
Josephine
Lani had mentioned.
“I see you appear to be doing much better than I was told.”
She whirled away from the window to see Jared Danemount standing in the doorway. He looked slightly raffish, and the lack of elegance made him appear even more threatening. He was without a coat, his shirt was open at the throat, and a day’s growth shadowed his lean cheeks.
But his eyes were just as cool as she remembered them. She instinctively drew the dressing gown closer about her. “Good evening, Your Grace.”
“Were you contemplating leaving through thatwindow?” He came into the room and shut the door. “I wouldn’t advise it.”
“This is my home. Why should I leave it as if I were a thief in the night?” Her knees were beginning to feel weak, so she crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I was just looking out at the intruders blundering around the grounds. They’re ruining Lani’s vegetable garden.”
“I’ll give her adequate compensation.”
“Can you compensate her for her distress and
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