Rogues, Rakes & Jewels

“We shall see … but trust, my dear, is something that must be earned by those that seek it …” He put up his hand. “Ah, Jimmy is waving to us …”

Ten

THE SUN PEEPED between fingers of gilt-edged clouds, and the sky turned bright azure. A breeze stirred the flounce of Jewelene’s spencer and played with Sir James’ open buckskin riding coat. His uncovered brown hair curled about his fair face, and he smiled broadly.

“Put him through his paces, and I tell you, girl, he did splendidly. Lord, but he’ll do.”

Jewelene smiled. She had wanted to go walking on her own this morning and was but giving him half her attention. She hadn’t seen Ryker since dinner last evening.

He and his cousin Robby had left for town, and she and Jimmy had taken an early breakfast in the kitchen with Cook this morning before they made

their way to the stables. She had grimaced at herself for giving in to convention and donning a pretty day gown of blue muslin with a dark blue spencer for warmth against the morning wind.

She wanted to just take a long walk down to the seaside and think. She was so confused about so dashed much these last few days. She smiled at her brother, however, and said, “I am well aware of Lightning’s prowess, my pup. Ben tells me he has looked into the other horses that will be going to Derby. From what he hears tell from talk at the Silver Heart, none come close to our boy’s speed.”

Jimmy’s eyes lit up. “Deuced relieved to hear that! Well, I have another matter I wish to discuss with you …”

She looked up at him in puzzlement. “What, Jimmy …?”

“I want to set your mind at ease. Methinks, girl, you have had enough on your plate these two years! Don’t want you to sell Mama’s emeralds. She gave them to you … and you should have them. Arthur and I have thought of a solution.”

Arthur was Jimmy’s dearest friend. He was a good lad, and with any luck the two of them would be off to school in the fall, but whatever scheme he was up to was not something she wanted them to be taking on without supervision. “Give over, Jimmy … what have you done?”

“Nothing yet, and can’t tell you. I’m off tomorrow for the mainland.”

“What?” she almost screamed. “But, Jimmy, you can’t … we have a house full of guests, and they don’t look like they mean to leave anytime soon …”

“Can go and must. It is time I started helping you, sis …” He touched her shoulder. “You must not worry—this is nothing that will cause you a problem. Can’t give you any details as it is not the sort of thing a man tells a woman,” he said mysteriously.

“Jimmy!” Jewels shrieked. Whatever was he involved in with Arthur? This sounded dangerous.

“Won’t be gone above a week, and when we return, we’ll be set right and tight, see if we won’t.”

“But, Jimmy, it isn’t necessary,” she put in hurriedly. “I have the emeralds for the entrance fee, and it will also leave us enough to carry us through the year … and … and we shall do … for Ben also has a plan.”

“Much as I love Ben, not having Henshaw problems thrown at the feet of Ben Clay. Lord, girl … I’m a man full grown for all you treat me like a moonling. ’Tis my problem to deal with, and so I shall.” He chucked her shoulder roughly. “Besides, those emeralds are for your dowry. Need to marry you off—you aren’t getting any younger, you know!”

She laughed in spite of herself and gave him a rap. “One and twenty is not quite past my dotage, dear.” Hands on hips, she told him, “You may not be a moonling, but you are still somewhat green, and greener still if you won’t admit it!”

He smiled ruefully. “You are out there, you know. Maybe I’m not as downy as you, Jewels, but I know a thing or two. And you, after all, are just …” He stopped for dramatic affect. “… a woman …” He ducked her hand. “And some things should be left to a man.” He moved away from her then, saying over his shoulder, “I’ve a host of things to do …”

“Jimmy—Jimmy … this discussion is not over …”

He turned and walked backwards away from her, a big boyish grin on his face. “Don’t fly into the boughs, m’girl. What, did you think I had no more pluck than dunghill cock? Did you? Well, it won’t serve. I am every bit a Henshaw and mean to have at this problem. We need the entrance fee, and by God, I am going to see that we get it!”

“Yes, but how …” she begged.

He stopped and took a moment’s pity on her. “Arthur knows someone—if you must know. It is … something in the nature of a loan …”

“No! No loans … no …”

“Buck up, old girl …” He then moved away. “I’m off, so let’s have no more talk of it. I leave in the morning, and that is final.”

She watched him stalk off and wrung her hands. He was right—he was a Henshaw with his father’s stubborn streak—but what they didn’t need was another loan with outrageous interest rates.

She needed to run, and for a time she did, towards the west and the sea, but a call at her back stalled her.

Ryker stood at the peak of the hill—the lengths of his black cloak flapping in the wind, his dark blond hair blowing—with the blue sky and tall grass all around, he looked like a mythical god. He called her name, and she suddenly realized that it made no sense: she knew so little about him, and yet she wanted him with every fiber of her being.