Page 14 of The Captain’s Valentine (The “Other” Trents #3)

Though he could have accepted one of the many invitations on his desk, Harrison decided that what he needed was a night by himself, and not at an entertainment.

However, he did not find peace sitting by himself at White’s.

“Ah, another gentleman that does not want to be forced to endure yet another ball.”

He looked up to find Felding and Captain Storm standing by his table.

“It was my intention to have a brandy at a quiet establishment.”

“Us as well,”

Storm announced and took a seat at the table without being invited and joined by Felding.

What were the two about?

“I was kicked out of my house,”

Felding admitted.

Did he dare ask why?

“I am not allowed in,”

Storm grumbled.

“Have the two of you done something to offend your wife and betrothed?”

In that moment, Harrison realized that if he did pursue Perdita, these two men could become his brothers-in-law. He never thought to have those, outside of the man who had married his sister.

“Here you are,”

Benedick Valentine announced as he approached. “They almost did not let me in.”

Harrison assumed that a man with the Thames River Police would not have a membership at White’s, not that he cared one way or the other.

“Will Orlando or the others be joining us?”

Felding asked.

“We are here,”

a gentleman announced.

“Mercutio has a fight and Petruchio has a performance but promised to be present tomorrow.”

Were these Perdita’s brothers. He already knew Benedick, of course.

“Trent, let me introduce Dr. Orlando Valentine, Mr. Demetrius Valentine and Mr. Benedick Valentine,”

Storm announced. “Soon to be my brothers-in-law.”

“Captain Trent and I are acquainted,”

Benedick answered as he took the last empty seat at the table while Orlando and Demetrius borrowed chairs from other tables.

“He is also acquainted with Perdita,”

Felding informed them.

Harrison stiffened. It was not up to Felding or anyone else to tell Perdita’s brothers of their friendship.

“They met when Trent took the child to Westbrook House,”

Benedick explained.

“What child?”

Demetrius asked.

Benedick grew somber for a moment, but when he spoke, talked directly to Orlando and Demetrius about the woman being stabbed and the child with her, and how they could not be mother and son, and why he believed that to be the case.

Orlando and Demetrius were quiet, staring at him, and Harrison had the distinct impression there was silent communication between the three of them.

What did they know that Benedick had not shared with anyone else?

As he could not ask that question since it likely would not be answered, or they would have done so, Harrison changed the subject from Perdita before Felding said anything further.

“Why can you not be at home and why is Storm not allowed inside?”

“Isabella and I are to be wed tomorrow.”

He knew the two were betrothed but he did not know the wedding was so soon.

“I am in the way,”

Felding announced as he lifted a glass of brandy.

“I am a distraction,”

added Storm and he toasted his soon-to-be brother-in-law.

Harrison looked at Benedick.

“We are here to celebrate our sister’s marriage and to remind Storm that Isabella has five brothers that love her very much.

Bloody hell! If his heart truly turned to Perdita, they could also one day be his brothers-in-law and one was a pugilist.

Yes, he needed to be very careful in how he moved forward.

The wedding was beautiful. The wedding breakfast was lovely and the ball, a crush.

Yesterday had been a blur of activity from the moment they rose, through the vows, wedding breakfast and until the last guest had left.

Perdita was happy for her sister. Truly, truly happy, but she was also exhausted by the time she had fallen into bed. Now, she wandered the house, not certain what to do with herself.

She was not used to having free time. Either she was at Westbrook House or Rosalind had planned an outing or she was with her sisters. Except, Isabella would not be around again for months. She and Captain Storm sailed for Barbados this morning to holiday on his brother’s plantation until the first of the year. Bianca and her husband were also gone. They had traveled to his inherited estate and would then spend the winter months also in Barbados. Bianca’s husband and Captain Storm’s brother were friends and owned neighboring plantations. They had returned to London only because His Grace had become the Duke of Roxburg. He now intended to live in England only so long as he was forced to be here.

As Perdita wandered the lower rooms of the house, not finding Rosalind or her aunt anywhere, she stepped out into the gardens.

Where had everyone gone and what was she to do?

“Captain Trent has come to call,”

the housekeeper announced. “Are you at home?”

A thrill of excitement rushed through her. Harrison had never called on her here. Their encounters had always been chance meetings. “Please, show him in.”

Oh dear, she should request tea. That was what would be proper and it was the afternoon, except the housekeeper had already gone.

She shook out her skirts then brushed her suddenly sweaty palms against them then stepped into the parlor just as he entered.

“Captain Trent, it is a pleasure to see you again,”

she greeted politely, addressing him in a formal manner since the housekeeper lingered.

“Could you bring us tea, Mrs. Clark?”

She nodded and only then did she leave them alone.

“It has occurred to me that each time we meet it has been by chance. Therefore, as I did not know when I might see you again, I thought to properly pay a call.”

“Then I am sincerely happy that I was at home for I was just now thinking that I should return to Westbrook House since there was little to occupy me here.”

Had she left, she would have missed him. “Please, come in and have a seat.”

She crossed to the settee and settled on one end, not certain if he would sit next to her or take a chair. Much to her happiness, he joined her.

“Is there a reason you wished to see me?”

She was quite curious as to why he was here. This was not the type of relationship they shared though she wished to.

“You are my friend and I wish to spend time with you before I leave.”

Knowing that he would be gone soon, and for months, caused her heart to constrict painfully.

She would miss him terribly, and feared that he would forget her, but there was nothing she could do about the future. She could only enjoy now.

“When do you sail? You never did give me a date.”

“On the ninth.”

Panic seized her stomach. It was too soon. She wanted more time with him.

To what purpose, she did not know, but Perdita was not ready for him to be gone from her life.

“Barbados then Jamaica, correct?”

“Yes,”

he answered just as a footman entered with a tea service and placed it in the center of the table.

As she poured, she told him how her sister had sailed just this morning, and who else lived on the island.

Harrison frowned. “I did not make the connection, though I should have.”

“What?”

“It is from Storm that I am to obtain the sugar casks. Bridges has contracted with him.”

Perdita chuckled. “Sometimes the world can seem larger than comprehension and other times smaller.”

“That it is.”

“Well, I hope you find my sisters well, if you chance upon seeing them. If they are not, then I charge you with returning them home.”

Harrison chuckled. “I will call on both and inform them of your order.”

“You are truly a good friend, Harrison.”

With those words, his smile slipped and her stomach sank.