Page 85 of Master of Paradise
"I just bought gunpowder and medical suppliesfrom New York. I'll sell to the army at a reasonable price. I wasplanning to make another trip, but now you've brought news of ablockade, we'd do better to get that cotton to Liverpoolimmediately."
"It might be dangerous," Bernard warned.
"We've painted the ships gray, and they sitso low in the water they're almost invisible. Fast too, but just incase, we'll carry all flags then if we can't outrun a vessel we'llstrike whatever colors suit our purpose."
"We plan to set up a Confederate Navy,"Bernard said, "but it will all take time. The ironclad warshipswill have to be built in England. If you're sailing within a week,I'll send a message to Captain James Bullock. He plans to contracta ship-builder in Birkenhead for six stern-propeller ships capableof high speed and long cruise."
"That should cost a pretty penny."
"A million. I'll get that message straightoff. Will you travel to Charleston with me tomorrow?" he askedNicholas hopefully.
"I'll take you in the boat. Be there in justover an hour if we catch the ebb tide. You can use my house onTradd Street. I'll tell Charles to be ready to go to the Charlestonhouse for a spell. There are no servants there at the present."
Jennifer totally monopolized Beau Hampden,luring him to the summer house with sidelong glances that promisedwhatever he desired.
He came up against her back and wrapped hisarms about her breasts. She could feel his hardness rubbing againsther buttocks and her mouth curved into a satisfied little smile."Beau, has your daddy made out his will?"
Beau, his mouth nuzzling her neck, protested."Ah didn't come out here to talk about my daddy."
Firmly, Jenny removed his hands from herbreasts and turned to him. "We must talk about it. Do you realizewith your daddy at the head of the South Carolina Cavalry you couldbecome the owner overnight of the largest plantation in fourcounties, if anything happened to him?"
His mind was blurred by his sexual arousal,and he groaned because she was not about to fill his needs. Somehowthe battle he'd been involved in had given him an insatiable needfor a woman. He could think of nothing else.
"Why, even Brandon has left me the breedingfarm in his will. He's leaving those black twins in my care when hegoes to Virginia."
"Twins?" he said thickly. "You got thosetwins here?"
Jennifer heard the eagerness in his voice andpressed home her trump card. "He'll probably give them to me for awedding present."
"You want to get married?" he puzzled.
"Why Beau, darlin', I'd love to! Let's askDaddy right now." She pulled him along by sheer force of will backto the house. "Listen everybody." She blushed happily. "BeauHampden has just asked me to marry him and I told him I'd behonored to be his wife."
"Now hold on a minute, Jennifer Joy,"admonished her father, "I know you young people are in love and warchanges all the rules, but I think it would be best if you werejust engaged for the present. Let us all get used to the idea for aspell."
Beau shook Bernard's hand vigorously andagreed with him that they would be content to become engaged. TheHampdens shouldn't put up any objections since they were allowingJulia to marry Ty Caldwell.
Nicholas opened champagne to toast theflushed couple and even poured enough for Samuel and Mammy Lou tobe included in the toasting.
Nick's eyes met Amanda's with such intensitythat she realized he had been watching her for some time. As hestared across the room at her, there was a naked hunger in hiseyes, and she feared that anyone who saw would know them forlovers.He might as well have shouted it across theroom.
He lifted a dark brow in invitation andmouthed silently, "The maze."
After a moment Amanda put her glass aside andstepped into the garden.
Inside the high labyrinth of the maze, shetook a flower into her hands and smelled its fragrance. Then he wasbeside her. As she had done with the flower, he cupped her face andgazed down at her. "Amanda, I love you so much, and I must leaveagain tomorrow. Let me come to you, tonight?"
"Nicholas we can't, not with Father here,"she protested.
He looked deeply into her eyes. "My love, letme tell him. I want you in my room, not in another wing."
"No, no, Nicholas. He looks so tired and soworried. I don't want to upset him when he's got so much on hismind. Besides, he confides in you so easily, I don't want yourrelationship to be strained.
He kissed the tip of her nose. "By God,ourrelationship is strained," he teased.
"You'll be back from Charleston in a fewdays," she assured him.
He hesitated, then confessed, "Yes, but thenI've decided to take the Rattlesnake to England."
