The Captain of All Pleasures (Sutherland Brothers 1)

Derek had learned this information himself just hours earlier. He'd left Lassiter to stew for the morning but had returned to the constabulary to drop the charges. The constable, a different man from the night before, told him firmly that Lassiter, as an American, would have to be formally arraigned for the crime of assault and battery. Even though Derek did not want to press the charges made against Lassiter, the man told him that they had evidence against him of other crimes and expected him to be jailed for another two weeks. Derek had scrutinized the man and come away with the strong belief that he was lying.

Evidently Lassiter had made some very serious enemies in London, which was to be expected considering the man. But it appeared that Derek had given them the perfect weapon against the American.

Damn it, he didn't want to think that his strongest competition would be unable to race because Derek had trifled with his daughter. How had he ever mistaken her for a whore in the first place? And recalling the snide comments he'd made just before the fight to Lassiter about his daughter, well, he could understand why the man had gone mad.

It would gall Derek if he won knowing it was over lesser competition; so even though it was unpalatable to aid Lassiter in any way, he'd nevertheless offered very healthy bribes to have him freed. But with no success. Even with Derek's clout and money, the official never wavered, which led him to believe that somebody very high up had decided Lassiter would stay in jail.

The situation wasn't fair, and though Derek knew well that life rarely was, he wanted to help Nicole. He also found it strangely important that she not think he had something to do with this.

Prodding his horse forward, he maneuvered to flank her and cleared his throat, but she was lost in thought and continued walking. He noted with satisfaction that her troubled expression was rapidly dimming, replaced by one that could only be termed mutinous.

"Nicole," he called. She jumped, startled at the sound of his voice.

"Captain Sutherland!"

He touched the rim of his hat in greeting.

She flushed, and he found himself enjoying the look of her finely boned face and the way the blue scarf accented her eyes--until she turned abruptly in another direction.

Derek reined his mount around and was right beside her. "Nicole," he began in a low voice, "I dropped the charges against your father. I have nothing to do with his being held."

She froze.

Facing him again, she came closer, eyes narrowed as she studied him.

"I also know your father's bail was denied."

She reached out and stroked his horse's muzzle in what was probably an unconscious gesture. He liked seeing her small, gloved hand against the horse's black coat.

"How could you know that?"

"I think I might have information that could help you," he said, glancing around.

She leaned forward and raised her eyebrows.

"Not here, Nicole," he said with a patronizing smile. "You'll have to come to my ship if you want to learn more."

He expected her to say something cutting. She certainly looked like she would. Instead, she paused, erased her irritated look, and cast him a wide smile brimming with charm and false pleasure. "Fine. My large friend--you know, the one from this morning--and I can come around nine or so--"

His lips turned up in an indulgent expression. "Just you."

"Well, of course I won't--"

"You will, Nicole, because the curiosity will torment you."

He left her alone in the street, a baffled look on her face that was probably similar to his own. When she'd smiled before, a great change came over her face. He'd seen it the first night on his ship, but hadn't fully appreciated the effect. Now, in the daylight with her glossy hair shining around her face, all her unique features teamed up on him with that smile.

If the wind had blown at that moment, he'd have fallen off his horse.

She wouldn't go, Nicole told herself for the hundredth time. She knew better than to return to Sutherland's ship. So why was she already contriving a plan to get Chancey away for the night? As if to punctuate her guilty thoughts, he walked into the salon.

"How was it with yer gram?" he asked as he took off his coat and slumped in a large, rough-hewn chair. He'd been making all the last-minute preparations by himself, and his already wizened face bagged with exhaustion.

"She wasn't that bad," Nicole said, but then amended, "Well, she was fairly bad. But not as I've feared all these years. Of course, she bad-mouthed Father for three hours, cackled about his incarceration, and derided my manners. But she did gruffly tell me wonderful stories about Mama."

"I'm glad for that, at least. I didn't like ye goin' against yer father to go there, but it was time." He pulled out his pipe and tobacco. "Did she give ye the blunt?"

"On the condition that I marry a man of her choosing within a year, but yes, she did." She sank down in a chair beside him and briefly closed her eyes. "I tried for bail. But it was denied."

Chancey didn't hide his disbelief. "Fer what?"

"They told me a lot of lies about other crimes he's allegedly committed. Added on some nonsense about citizens from other countries being detained much longer."

"Well, ain't this crackin' up to be a bad day."

"What else happened?"

"Clankson came by lookin' for yer pa."

"Clankson of Clankson Emporiums?"

"That's the one. Seems he got caught up with the rest o' London. He's bettin' the race with the Bella Nicola to win. Bettin' heavy. And if Jason don't win, Clankson's pullin' his accounts."

Nicole's breath whistled out. Clankson Emporiums constituted half their business. "If he pulls out, our company is dead in the water." She gave a shaky laugh that held no humor. "And that would be literally."

She'd known how important a win would be, but until now she'd had no idea that their very existence depended on this race. Everything her father owned was leveraged to the penny, and if Clankson pulled his accounts, the shipping line would collapse like a house made of cards. And considering how Nicole's mother had died, her grandmother wouldn't raise a finger to help save their ships.

Chancey grew quiet, his pipe forgotten. "Nic, I gotta tell ye, I just don't know what our next move should be."

She swallowed hard. "Sutherland approached me today."

"And?"

"He said he'd dropped the charges against Father, and that he'd learned the bail was being denied. He told me he had information about it."

Chancey put his elbows on his knees and edged forward. "Well, go on...."

"He wouldn't tell me there. Chancey, it has to be him who's doing this. How would he know otherwise?"

"It don't look good for him, I'll say that. But men like Sutherland often have their fingers in a lot o' people's pies. He probably knows just about everythin' what goes on about the quay from hauntin' the taverns as he does."

"If not him, then who?"

"Lord Tallywood," he answered. He sat back and crossed his thick arms across his chest as if defensive about his answer.

"That popinjay?" She thought of the effete dandy who for some reason liked racing clippers as much as fashion.

"Popinjay or no, he's atop yer father's list o' who's behind the damaged ships. The more I think o' it, the more me gut tells me that whoever's doin' this now is in on the sabotage, too, and it makes sense that it's one man. Yer father was supposed to be a prime target in that, too. And he's been expectin' some kind o' assault since the first one. This is as damagin' to the line--and easier, to boot."

Nicole called up the image of the pale, doughy-fleshed captain and shook her head. "I've seen Tallywood--I admit he had a shifty demeanor, but he also looked as if he'd faint being around Clive and Pretty, much less being the 'boss' they talked of." It had to be Sutherland. Tallywood's greatest crime would be wearing the same waistcoat as another fop to a soiree--the horror! "Why won't you even consider Sutherland?"

"Yer father hates the man, but even he don't think it's him.

All that's gone on is underhanded. Sutherland may be a dangerous man, and he may not be a good man, but I'm not gettin' the feelin' that he'd do a low thin' like this."

Nicole stood and walked to the grate. She frowned--they were completely out of fuel. Were circumstances that dire here? She turned back to him, standing against the dying heat of the stove. "Father's bail is denied, and Sutherland just happens to know of it on the day it happened? He had the information before I did. I can't see why you won't believe he's a suspect. Is he or is he not Father's worst rival?"

"Aye, he is," Chancey answered reluctantly. "But--"

"And wouldn't he benefit the most from Father not sailing?"