Jessica opened the door to Alex’s room with eagerness on her face.
Alex shut his book. “What’s happened?
”
“Nothing.” Jess was digging in a trunk in a corner of the room. “Oh, Alex, I wish you’d bought me a red dress like you promised.”
Alex was out of the chair in seconds and grabbed her arms. “Are you meeting the Raider?” he asked, his eyes hard.
“I don’t have time for your jealousy now. Marianna says a ship has come from Italy and Adam might be on it.”
“Adam? My brother Adam?”
“Yes, of course that Adam. Alex, go tell your father.”
“Tell him that Adam the perfect will be here soon?”
She shut the trunk. “Alexander, would you please tell me what is wrong with you? You’ve been biting my head off for days.”
“But that’s the only thing of yours I bite, isn’t it, my chaste little wife?”
Her face softened. “So that’s it. You’re remembering when you were a man. Alex, I swear to you that I won’t sleep with the Raider or Adam or anyone else. There’s no reason for you to be jealous. Have you seen that blue fan that belonged to your mother?”
“You’re wearing satin to meet my brother? You’re going down to the dirty, smelly wharf wearing a satin dress?”
She counted to ten to calm herself. “Alex, you wear satin each and every day. Now, will you help me dress?”
“Like hell I will,” he said and stormed out of the room.
“Men!” Jessica said with contempt and left the room to search for a sister to help her dress.
By the time the ship docked, most of Warbrooke was there to greet the oldest Montgomery son—but he wasn’t on board. The captain had never heard of Adam Montgomery and had no news of him.
As a group, the faces of the crowd fell.
Jessica moved away from Alex three times because she couldn’t bear his jealous mutterings. Of course, she did feel sorry for Alex because his brother would get the attention Alex should have received. No one was going to laugh at Adam. A disappointed Jess watched as the sailors brought twenty-three leather-bound trunks down the gangplank, followed by three maids.
“Perhaps I should go back so my father can cry on my shoulder,” Alex was saying in her ear. “Or maybe you feel like crying.”
Jessica was about to say something to her husband when they heard a woman’s pretty voice call.
“Alexander? Is that you?”
Alex looked past Jess, then his lips curved into a smile of delight. “Sophy,” he whispered.
“Alexander, it is you.”
Jess turned to see a tiny, exquisite, dark-haired woman with a pretty face shaded under a pink, frilled bonnet. She was looking at Alex with anticipation, laughter on her pretty lips.
“Alex, I barely recognized you. Whatever are you doing wearing that wig? And why are standing that way? And that coat—”
She didn’t finish because Alex took her in his arms and kissed her to silence.
That effectively brought the crowd to a halt.
“What a welcome,” Sophy murmured.
“Play along with me. Whatever happens, play along with me,” Alex whispered. He pulled away from her.