A Ghost of the Rose (Season of the Furies Book 3) by Stephanie Patterson

Author:Stephanie Patterson [Patterson, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Stephanie Patterson
Published: 2018-08-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The Amalfi Coast, 1864

Sarah stared in horror at the men assembled on the deck. The sailors looked, at best, confused that she’d punched their captain in the nose and at worst, ready to throttle her. She’d be lucky if Kingsford didn’t order her tied to the mast and flogged. Like a fool she’d played squarely into his hands. Stowebridge grinned irreverently at her.

“Belle is going to love this,” he chuckled, earning a glare from his friend.

Rafe pulled another handkerchief from his pocket adding it to the one Stowebridge gave him in an effort to staunch the blood flowing from his injured nose. “Mr. Jenkins,” he barked, “Get us underway, now. Stowebridge, please show the contessa below.” The earl gave him a mock salute and offered Sarah his arm.

“Let’s leave him to his sulks, shall we, Sarah?” he said, giving her a jaunty grin. Sarah took the earl’s arm while firmly holding onto her son with her other hand, relieved to escape the curious looks and outright glares of the other men. Agata hurried to follow her mistress.

After ushering them across the deck and down the companionway, the earl led them along a passage to a surprisingly spacious aft cabin. Sarah swayed at the sudden motion of the ship as its sail caught the wind, and she reached out her hand to steady herself. Tano ran to the bank of windows along the stern and peaked out through the heavy curtains into the gathering morning light. His eyes were filled with excitement. It had been a long time since he’d been sailing, Sarah reflected, and he loved it so. She remembered how Aristide used to lift him onto his shoulders so he could help steer their yacht. The boat, like everything else, had been taken into ‘safekeeping’ by Rudolpho. Sarah’s heart ached for her husband and the brevity of his life. He was a courageous man who’d loved his country. If only he’d survived the poisoning, but his health had always been frail. If only he were here with them though, she wouldn’t feel so alone, so frightened of what lay ahead for her and her son.

Why on earth had Belle and Katherine sent Rafe Kingsford along on this rescue? What could they possibly have been thinking? Panic made her heart beat rapidly in her chest. He must have known the second he saw Gaetano – if not known to a certainty, then strongly suspected that the boy was his son. She prayed the man’s need for vengeance had long since been satisfied. He’d already shamed her in front of all of British society and destroyed her relationship with her own family in the bargain. Rudolpho and his men were enough of a threat at present. She didn’t need the added complication of Rafe’s plotting on top of everything else. He might well denounce Gaetano’s birthright to the world and then all of Aristide’s sacrifices would have been for nothing.

Sarah smiled gently at her son as she knelt down and gathered him into her arms.

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