“If ye knew he was watching us, then why on earth did ye say yer name where he could hear it?” Nick snapped. “Fool woman, yer infamy’ll be the death of me.”
She faced him square, fists on hips. “If ye’d let Boone marry us, I’d’ve had a different name to give.”
Nick leaned down, looking her in the eyes. “Would that really have stopped ye from using yer surname against him? Yer only thought was in terrifying that scoundrel.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “If Lizzy felt threatened by him, then he’s an enemy to me.”
“Ah, it’s Lizzy now, is it?”
“That’s what Mr. Bennet calls her. It suits her.”
Nick gritted his teeth. Alex was loyal to a fault. He couldn’t stay agitated at her for that. He didn’t realize Richard and Miss Rothschild stood nearby until Alex addressed the colonel. “What’d that awful knave do, anyway?”
Richard took a deep breath. “Wickham grew up with Darcy at Pemberley, the son of the land steward and godson to Darcy’s father. He was given a gentleman’s education, and all the advantages that came withan attachment to an established, respected family. He became accustomed to living beyond his means and of always being provided for.”
Nick had no respect for men of that sort. Always with their hand out, and ungrateful, besides.
“Mr. Darcy provided a living for him in his will,” Richard continued, “but Wickham was not interested in the church or the stability the living represented. He sold it for a healthy sum, which Darcy generously paid.”
Alex made a noise. “He spent it all, didn’t he?”
“He appealed to Darcy for more money and, when Darcy refused, he disappeared for a while. Long enough for us to believe ourselves rid of him.” Richard took another deep breath, seeming to weigh his words. “The easiest way for a man such as him to gain a fortune is to marry into one, and he set his sights on Georgiana.”
Nick’s body tensed; fire burned through his veins.
“Darcy’s little sister?” Alex gasped.
Nick ground his teeth. Georgiana was barely out of the schoolroom. The idea of that rakehell trying to taint her innocence made his rage boil over. “Had I known, I’d have run him through.”
“And have you hang over it?” Richard, too, spoke through his clenched jaw. “Wickham is not worth ruining your life. It is a fact I have had to repeat to myself many times.”
“I could make it look like an accident,”Alex offered. She glanced up at Nick. “We could make him disappear easy. Tie a rock to his middle and dump him in shark-infested waters. Nobody’d ever find him.”
Nick kissed her forehead. It was a lovely thought and he was sorely tempted, but it’d mean returning to the life he had worked so hard and suffered so much to leave. Richard was right. Wickham wasn’t worth ruining his reputation with his family—almost, but not quite. “Tempting, but me days of revenge are through.”
Miss Rothschild asked, “Is not your ship calledThe Revenge?”
Nick, Alex, and Richard turned to her, mouths agape.
“What?” she shrugged. “Is a lady not allowed to read anything entertaining?”
Richard tried to hide his smile, but Nick knew he was pleased with Miss Rothschild’s spiritedness.
In his mind’s eye, Nick saw his beautiful ship, his glory, his haven. “Aye, she was.” He looked at Alex. “I hope yer brothers have her. Maybe they’ll forgive ye for blasting the side out of their fastest ship if they gainedThe Revenge.”
Alex wiggled her fingers between his and squeezed his hand. “We’ll get her back, Nick. I promise.”
He shook his head. It was dangerous to entertain such thoughts. “I’m done plundering and pillaging.”
“Ye’d only be reclaimin’ what’s rightfully yers. Surely, there’s nothin’ wrong with that.”
He pressed her hand against his chest. “So long asye’re with me, I’m happy. I was never more miserable than when I thought ye were lost to me forever.”
She grinned. “Is that why ye threatened to kill me?”
He returned her grin. “Ye get under me skin like nobody else.”
Behind her, he saw Connell move to another stall. Like a wet blanket over a fire, Nick’s contentment dampened, yielding once again to anxiety. If anything happened to him, he could bear it. But if Connell realized what other prize dangled in front of him, Nick’d never forgive himself for endangering Alex. “Let’s get back. Mr. Bennet and Lord Matlock’ll worry if we don’t return before dark.”
