The Raider (Montgomery/Taggert 9)

“Punishing the horse again?” Nicholas asked as he walked up behind Alexander. “That could only be caused by your lady Jessica.”

Alex kept brushing the horse with vigor, making the stallion’s black coat shine. Absently, he swatted at mosquitoes as they sought his sweaty, bare skin. “The last I heard, you weren’t faring too well yourself. Did you wash the kitchen floor?”

Nick grunted in response as he eased his big body onto the driest spot of ground he could find on the marshy island. “That woman will find herself being used as a mop.”

“I know what you mean. Jessica is going to be the death of me. One minute she’s as cold as winter; she has frost on her lashes. The next minute I’m getting sunburned.”

“Eleanor wanted me to clean the fireplace. I told her I put things in the fireplace but I take nothing out.”

“Of course Jess did risk her life to help the Raider. He would have been caught if it hadn’t been for her. And then for the Raider to treat her with so little respect! It wasn’t right.”

Nick rubbed his hand on his jaw. “I’ve always been told that I have the bearing of royalty. Many women have told me that they would know that I was the czar’s cousin even if I were wearing nothing. Or perhaps especially then. So why does this Eleanor Taggert not know that I’m Russian royalty? How can she dare treat me as…as a scullery maid?”

Alex began to comb the coarse mane of his horse. “She’s really very courageous. Did you know that everyone in town was laughing at her for getting herself thrown in the hold? George Greene was a hero, the Raider was a hero, but Jessica Taggert was a foolish girl.”

“Eleanor must be blind. She has the bluest, clearest eyes ever made by God but they are useless.”

“They laugh at her for her clothes, and for that old boat of hers, and for all those kids, but she’s doing the best she can. Little Molly told me Jess has the trousers she wears and that single ugly old green dress.” He stopped brushing. “And the Raider tore that.”

“Eleanor said—” Nick broke off. “I thought you were the Raider. Did you tear her dress?”

Alex frowned. “Yes, I guess I did. I didn’t mean to, it was all Abigail’s fault. ‘Do with me what you will’,” he mocked. “And then there was Jessica, lying on the ground. She was asleep, but at first I thought she’d been hurt and the Raider—I mean me—I grabbed her and she hit me and…”

“Her dress was torn. I understand. Did you tear it completely off?”

“Of course not! Even the Raider, blowhard that he is, wouldn’t hurt a virtuous woman.”

“You should have used your sword. The women like that. I once sliced a gypsy’s dress off, layer by layer, while she danced. And later—”

Alex threw down his brush and started toward Nick. “She’s not like that! She’s brave and generous and intelligent and—”

“But the Raider took advantage of her. Perhaps you should challenge him to a duel.” Nick’s eyes were laughing, his mouth twitching.

Alex stood over Nick, his muscles straining with anger, and he began to see the absurdity of what he was saying. He turned back to his horse. “I may be the Raider but I am Alexander also.”

“Ah, the dilemma, whether a woman loves the man himself or what she thinks he is. Or perhaps she is torn between a man’s mind and his kisses. Which do you think she’ll choose?”

Alexander didn’t answer his friend because, at the moment, he wasn’t sure which man he wanted her to choose.

He laughed aloud at his thought. “What do I care what Jessica Taggert does? I’m grateful she helped the Raider. Helped me, I mean. She’s pretty and desirable, but so are half the other single women in the world. My father informed me last night that it was time I married and produced an heir or two. He says he doesn’t want to die without grandchildren. I think he’s spending too much time with young Nathaniel.”

“Don’t mention that boy’s name to me!” Nick said. “He never leaves Eleanor’s side. Yesterday I—” Nick stopped, smiling at some memory he seemed to want to keep to himself. “I would not have so much trouble if I did not have that boy around.” His head came up. “Why don’t you marry your Jessica?”

“As who? The Raider or Alexander who she thinks is fat and lazy? The Raider would marry her while leaping from one yardarm to the next so the soldiers couldn’t catch him, and Alex would never be able to make up his mind which coat to wear. I doubt if she’d have either man.”

“Ah,” Nick said.

“And what does that mean?”

“Ah. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Alex gave a final brushing to the horse. “Tomorrow Alexander Montgomery shall go courting. There are other women in this town besides Mistress Jessica. Sweet, docile, lovely women, women who judge a man by what’s inside him. I may not look so good when I’m padded and wigged but there is a man underneath. Jessica will see that when she knows there are women who can see beyond a few yards of satin.”

“You have more faith in women than I do.”

“I have faith only in Jessica. She has more sense than most women.”

“As has her sister. Except now and then—”