Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

you believe it? As if I’d just give her to him. I sent him my demands. Have I heard from him since then? Not a word.” He moved toward Lady Anne and Valdez stepped in his way. “You’ll not marry that man without ample payment, girl, and that’s final.”

“I do not like your tone, Baron. Your wife deserves better.” Jeremiah’s own tone was as cold as a winter’s night. “As does Lady Anne.”

“What would you know about what my wife deserves?” Clyne’s sneer made me want to slap it off his face. “Or her mewling daughter?”

Jeremiah moved so fast the other women blinked. Flo and I grinned when he grabbed Clyne by his cravat and jerked him off the floor until his feet dangled. The baron’s face turned red, then purple as the cloth tightened.

“Your wife deserves better than a hard-drinking wastrel who has run through her fortune. I have heard about you, Clyne. You talk of payment. What is your price to leave her here and disappear from her life and that of her daughter? Take a ship to France and not come back?”

“Jeremiah.” I touched his shoulder. “I don’t think the baron can answer you until you release him.”

It was true. Clyne was struggling to breathe, trying to pull Jeremiah’s hands from the cravat that was strangling him.

“Are you planning to kill him?” I kept my hand on Jeremiah’s back but wasn’t about to intervene. He was lord of this castle and had every right to defend it and the people in it.

“It’s tempting.” He glanced at Lady Rose. “What do you wish, my lady? That would solve your problems.”

“I, I am a good Christian, Lord Campbell.” Lady Rose took a moment to think about it. “France you say?”

“Is that far enough?” Jeremiah twisted the cravat and Clyne squeaked and managed an imploring look toward his wife as he kicked weakly.

“Yes, spare his worthless life and send him away.” She put her arms around her daughter. “I never want to see him again.” She buried her face in Lady Anne’s shoulder.

“Very well.” Jeremiah dropped Clyne, who gasped and fell into a chair. He leaned over and coughed as if he couldn’t catch his breath. Gradually, the baron straightened but he still had flushed cheeks.

Jeremiah watched him closely. “This is what will happen now, Clyne. I will give you an adequate purse to see you to the nearest port so that you may take ship to France. You will not bother Lady Rose or Lady Anne again. Is that understood?”

“Why should I—" Clyne was jerked up again, this time by his coat, a dark wool that looked expensive but was sadly out of fashion. He was clearly in need of funds. “I am owed something for the girl, am I not?” He had courage to say that in the face of Jeremiah’s glare.

“She is not a girl, Clyne, but the widow of a hero. I will pay you a portion of what was due Lord Ralph for his sacrifice but not a penny more.” Jeremiah shook him for emphasis. “That is on the condition that you take horse now, this minute, and ride for Edinburgh. I will send one of my men with you as escort to make sure you are on the first ship leaving port when you get there.” He threw him away and he landed near the window.

Clyne took a moment to set himself to rights. His face was still florid but he was clearly thinking.

“How is this your business, Campbell?”

“Your wife sought sanctuary under my roof, Clyne. That made it my business.” Jeremiah wasn’t backing down. “Make your decision, sir. If you want any money at all, this is your only option.”

The baron stared at his wife. “Rose, are you truly going to let me leave here? Never to see you again?” He actually seemed upset at the thought. Could he love her?

Lady Rose pulled away from her daughter. I wondered if she was tempted as she studied the man she had married. He had been handsome once, but lines of dissipation had taken a toll. He smoothed his thin hair and stared at her. She shook her head.

“Henry, you have gamed away everything my late husband left me—a tremendous fortune and my beautiful home. When I see you at a gaming table, it’s as if you’ve gone mad. You cannot seem to stop until our coffers are empty! I will not go on this way. You are simply not the man I thought I married.” She wiped her damp cheeks with her handkerchief. “If you love me… Would you promise to never touch a card again?”

“Rose, what’s the harm in a simple game of hazard?” Clyne edged closer, his hand out.

“Bah! You have just answered my question. Be gone! I never want to see you again.” Her chin quivered but she never broke down. “Thank you, Lord Campbell. I don’t know why you are being so kind, but I will never forget this.” Lady Rose kept her dignity as she turned and walked into her daughter’s bedchamber.

“Mama!” Lady Anne obviously wanted to follow her. “Thank you, Lord Campbell, but by letting me stay here you have done more than enough. Clyne should not benefit from my husband’s sacrifice. Ralph was a hero. Clyne certainly is not.” She gave her stepfather a hard look.

“Sir, you courted my mother and made her believe you loved her. Then you proceeded to ignore her while you threw away everything my kind and generous father left her. I cannot wait for you to disappear from our lives. Why you should get a groat more from us is a mystery to me.”

She walked up to Jeremiah. “Escort him to a ship. But do not give him an ample purse, sir. He is not worth it.” She met my gaze. “Gloriana has been a wonderful friend to me. And now you are being the same. I will never forget this.” She hurried into her bedchamber and closed the door.

Clyne started to