Read Online For Love Alone by Shirlee Busbee - Free Book Online

fact that there was a wager,” Roxbury said quietly. He made a face. “A wager that even the most tactless fool would be unlikely to mention in view of the tragic results. But there was a wager, a wager that had been written in the betting book at White’s several weeks prior to the tragedy. It clearly stated that on December 10, 1807, Lord Harrington would set sail on the Elizabeth and no matter what the weather, would make the run from Weymouth to Worthing in a specific time. The time was known only to Lord Harrington and Lord Grimshaw, the other man involved in the wager. Your uncle had claimed that he had done it before in the same amount of time, and Grimshaw had declared that he did not believe it.” Roxbury flashed a wintry smile. “They almost met on the dueling field over it, before the wager was decided upon. Everyone knew of the wager. It was common knowledge that your father and Adrian and Thomas were going to be on board that day—Harrington honor was at stake. Not surprisingly, the wager had drawn quite a bit of interest. For a week before the race, talk in the clubs was of little else.”
    â€œSo the Fox could be certain his prey would be on board,” Ives said flatly.
    â€œThat is my belief. And it also shows you the caliber of man we are dealing with. It did not matter to him how many men died, as long as the ones who were dangerous to him did. Remember, not only were members of your family lost, but your uncle’s entire crew as well. Six men in all went down with the Elizabeth.”
    Ives frowned. “If the race aroused such interest, weren’t there other yachts and boats in the area? Didn’t anyone see what happened?”
    Roxbury studied the contents of his snifter. “Yes, there were several vessels scattered about when your uncle’s yacht left Weymouth. Some had intended to race alongside the Elizabeth, but the weather, while not dangerous, was unpleasant, and, in the end, there were only two within sight of the Elizabeth when she went down. Strangely, all the men on those boats agree that for some time prior to her sinking it was obvious something was not quite right. The Elizabeth was sitting lower and lower in the water, and her tacking and direction were most erratic . . . almost as if she were drifting . . . almost as if no one was minding the sails and helm.”
    â€œAnd when she sank? Neither of the two boats was close enough to rescue anyone who had been on board the Elizabeth?”
    â€œRather interesting that you should mention that . . .” Roxbury met Ives’s hard gaze. “There was never a sign of any survivors—the vessel went down with everyone on board.”
    â€œI have always found that impossible to believe,” Ives growled, rising impatiently to his feet. Pacing back and forth in the room, he said, “Even if the ship sank, all the men were experienced enough to swim free. There should have been someone in the water near the sinking.”
    Roxbury tipped up his snifter. “There was no one,” he said softly. “No one at all.”
    â€œYou have a theory.” It wasn’t a question, and the dangerous glitter in Ives’s green eyes would have given a lesser man pause.
    Roxbury nodded. “Indeed I have. I have not said anything before now because I wanted you to have time to deal with the deaths of your family. I wanted you to be firmly settled into your new estates. I wanted you to have no distractions. I would have preferred to give you more time. In fact, I’d as lief not involve you at all, but the situation is such that you are the only man I feel I can trust fully with the truth.”
    He hesitated a moment, then said bluntly, “It is my belief that not only did the Fox sabotage the Elizabeth so she would sink well away from land, but that he also took out, er, insurance. I think he drugged the barrel of grog which he knew all the men on board would be drinking.