Jamaican Sunset by Linda Chaikin

Author:Linda Chaikin [Chaikin, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8024-8347-8
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Published: 1997-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Unable to locate Jette in the garden, Baret climbed the wall and entered Carlotta’s room to discover that she was gone. He made a quick survey of her possessions and gathered what he’d expected all along—that she’d managed to escape, was on her way to rendezvous with Jasper, and Felix was unaware. But Carlotta, at the moment, was the least of his concerns. Where was Jette?

He returned to the terrace. Emerald was not where he had left her. At first thinking she might be waltzing with his grandfather or one of the other gentlemen, he scanned the floor with its dancing couples until it became obvious she was not among the guests. He checked her room. She was not there.

Back in the ballroom, Baret casually glanced about to see if Felix looked suspicious. But he was conversing with Governor Modyford, still undoubtedly trying to get him to change his mind about giving the buccaneers commissions against Spain’s shipping.

Baret ignored the curious gaze of Lavender, who was waltzing with Grayford.

Minette had not seen Emerald since the ceremony.

“Could she have gone to her room?” Erik asked.

“No, I went there.”

Minette frowned. “Maybe she found out Jette wasn’t in the garden. Him and the twins like to go to the manor house and play hide and seek, and maybe she went looking for him. Shall I go see, m’lord?”

Baret had already considered that. He wasn’t satisfied. Something was amiss.

“She wouldn’t have walked,” he said. “Her buggy is parked in the carriageway. And Zeddie isn’t there. No one has seen him all evening.”

Erik’s alert gaze met his as he followed Baret’s line of thinking. “Carlotta hasn’t shown up tonight.”

Baret’s wordless glance was enough to warn Erik to silence. He was to do nothing to cause Minette to display alarm to any who might be watching, especially Felix.

Erik seemed to know what to do. He took Minette’s arm. “We’ll make another search through the garden,” he told Baret and led her away as though casually interested in little more than visiting the refreshment table, followed by a stroll for a breath of evening air.

Baret was turning to leave when Lavender walked up, smiling sweetly. Grayford wasn’t with her. She laid her fan on his arm.

“I should at least have one waltz with the viscount on the eve of his betrothal.”

He was on the verge of refusing, anxious to search for Emerald and Jette when her low voice said, “Are you looking for Emerald?”

His eyes searched hers and saw no resentment there, only a flicker of strange curiosity.

He obliged her with the waltz, noting that Felix turned to look toward them. Then his gaze left them abruptly. Had he sensed something was wrong?

As they waltzed, Lavender pretended to smile and chat, but her words were anything but casual.

“I saw her leave soon after Henry delivered her a message. She looked concerned.”

“Which way did she go?”

“Through the parlor. Then the garden, I think. And Baret—before the betrothal, I saw someone arrive by way of the back garden. There were four or five men I’ve never seen before.

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