Reclaimed Love: Banished Saga, Book Two (9 page)

“Clarissa,” Savannah said by way of including me in her conversation. “I am having the most fascinating conversation. Please join us.” She held out her hand to me as I walked toward her. She squeezed my hand in welcome, and I examined her. Her eyes held an impenetrable sadness, but only if you looked deeply and knew that she had not always been this way.

“Mr. McLeod, might I introduce my cousin, Miss Sullivan?”

“Mr. McLeod?” I repeated.

“Yes, ma’am. Mr. Aidan McLeod. It’s nice to meet you,” he said, nodding his head. He looked around the room at the other guests as though looking for someone more interesting to speak with.

“Brother to Ian McLeod?” I asked.

His gaze jerked back toward mine, his intense blue eyes now fully focused on me. He squinted and faint lines around his eyes crinkled. “What did you say?” he whispered.

“Are you Ian’s brother?” When he remained silent, I continued. “Uncle to Gabriel, Richard and Jeremy McLeod?” His blue eyes blazed with emotion, and I worried I had erred in saying their names.

“How do you know about them?” he asked, tilting his head to the side as I had seen Gabriel and Richard do so often.

“Gabriel speaks of his uncle Aidan, who was an adventurer. I doubt Gabriel could have imagined a well-dressed society man such as you. If you are his uncle,” I said with a questioning look.

He nodded a few times, appearing at a loss for words. “Yes, yes, I am.”

At that moment, Jonas joined us. “Ah, Aidan, I see you have had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Montgomery’s cousin. Let me introduce you to the other guests.” He walked away, expecting Aidan to follow him. However, Aidan hesitated.

“Will I be able to speak with you again?” he asked.

“We’ll find a way,” I said with a warm smile. I watched him join Jonas to meet a group of businessmen.

“Sav, how?” I asked.

“Jonas shared the guest list with me. I had hoped, rather than knew, that he might be a connection with your Gabriel,” she said with a small smile. “It’s why I insisted on inviting you tonight.”

“Sav, Jonas will wish to keep me separated from him. I must have an opportunity to talk with him.” I watched Aidan surrounded by men dressed in starched suits discussing trades on the New York Stock Exchange and other business transactions. I could not imagine interrupting such a group.

“Don’t worry, you will,” Savannah said with a cryptic smile before leaving me to greet other guests.

I spent the time in the parlor before dinner examining the portraits on the wall rather than openly studying Mr. McLeod. On the few occasions I glanced in his direction, I found him watching me. He stood as tall as Gabriel, although he was not as broad shouldered. His raven hair had begun to turn salt-and-pepper. I glanced again and caught him smiling. My breath caught. It was Gabriel’s smile.

As we were called into dinner, I discovered Savannah had risked Jonas’s wrath by having Mr. McLeod accompany me into the dining room and seating him next to me. I saw Jonas’s censorious glare in her direction and smiled my thanks toward her. For the first part of the meal, I tried to feign interest in the business concerns of Mr. Marday. I soon realized I needed to give little input other than a well-timed “Oh, really?” or a “How interesting,” when he paused for breath. I wondered how Savannah managed to survive these mind-numbing events.

Finally Mr. Marday turned to his other dinner companion as a new course was served, and I focused on Aidan.

“Mr. McLeod, please pardon the impertinence, but I am very curious about you.”

“And I, you, Miss Sullivan,” he said.

“Why did you never visit your nephews after their parents’ death?” I asked.

A flash of pain sparked in his eyes as he spoke. “I did come to Boston. I was informed the entire family had perished in the fire,” he murmured.

“Who would say such a cruel thing?” I asked. “Mrs. Masterson?”

“Yes, exactly,” Aidan replied in a grim tone. “Do you know where my nephews are now?”

“Gabriel is in Montana, Jeremy is in the Philippines, and Richard lives here in Boston.”

“Will you introduce me to Richard?” Aidan asked, unable to hide the eagerness from his voice.

“Of course,” I said. “Will you call tomorrow evening? I will invite Richard.”

“Of course. You have no idea what it means to realize, in an instant, that you have family again,” Aidan murmured. “I have thought for so long that I was completely alone in this world.”

***

THE FOLLOWING EVENING I sat in the parlor next to Colin, waiting for Richard and Aidan McLeod to arrive. I squirmed on my once-favored chair, now lumpy and uncomfortable. It was also tea stained, the rose floral ecru no match for my clumsiness. I looked at the ornate gold-gilted clock on the mantel every few minutes, suddenly thankful for one of Mrs. Smythe’s extravagant purchases. Mrs. Smythe watched me although she kept her silence. We had reached a fragile truce that could persevere only if we refrained from speaking to each other.

At the heavy knock on the door, Mrs. Smythe frowned. “Who would have the gall to call at this hour?” she asked, though it was only a little past seven. She fanned herself and her protruding belly as she neared the final month of her pregnancy.

Bridget entered the room and addressed Da. “There be a Mr. McLeod here to see the family, sir,” Bridget said.

“There can’t already be another letter,” Mrs. Smythe snapped. Da threw her a warning glance.

“Please show him in,” Da said.

Aidan followed Bridget into the room, pausing at the entranceway. The crisp black of his evening jacket and the stark white of his tie enhanced his salt-and-pepper hair. The well-tailored black pants partially covered black leather shoes polished to a high sheen.

Da stood, tugging on his waistcoat as he reached out his hand. “Mr. McLeod?” he asked in confusion with a glance in my direction.

“Yes, sir. Aidan McLeod of San Francisco. I believe you know my nephew, Richard.”

“Aye, and Gabriel too. You are very welcome,” he said motioning for Aidan to enter the room.

“Miss Sullivan, it is a pleasure to see you again,” Aidan said.

“Colin, this is Aidan McLeod, Gabriel’s uncle,” I said. “Mr. McLeod, Colin Sullivan. And my da and stepmother.”

Aidan nodded. “It’s very nice to meet you. Has Richard not arrived?”

“No, but he will soon,” I said, shooting Mrs. Smythe a censorious glare as she sniffed again at Richard’s name.

“Do you mind me asking why you are having a meeting of sorts in my drawing room?” Da asked as he settled on the settee next to Mrs. Smythe with Colin seated across from them.

“Da, both Richard and Gabriel believed their uncle dead or lost to them in some way after the fire that killed their parents. And Mr. McLeod was led to believe that they too had died in the fire. He did not know until last night that they were still alive.”

“Imagine that. But who would tell such lies to family?” Da asked.

“Mrs. Masterson,” I said.

“Now stop right there, young lady. I will not have you maligning my good friend when she is not present to defend herself. How dare you besmirch her good character, after all she has done for this family? I would think you would give thanks to her. Instead, you try to find fault,” Mrs. Smythe bellowed, finally pausing for breath and blushing as Aidan studied her. She continued to fan herself as she rubbed her belly.

“Ma’am, she has never done right by my family. I find it hard to believe she would have done right by yours if my nephews were involved,” Aidan said in a firm, unyielding tone.

“Well, I never! And you just arrived into my home. If this is the sort of hospitality they show in the West, then I am thankful I shall never have to travel there.” She pursed her lips and snapped her fan closed, heralding her displeasure.

“They are actually quite friendly in the West. Though there is more of a belief of ‘live and let live.’ Do you know what that means, Mrs. Sullivan?”

“I am sure it has nothing to do with me,” she said.

“I think it has everything to do with you and your good friend,” Aidan said. His attention was turned as Richard entered the room.

I stood, walking quickly toward Richard. He spoke before I could tell him the news. “Miss Sullivan, I received your message to call tonight. Is everything all right? Have you had concerning news from Gabriel?”

“No, Richard. Please forgive me for alarming you. I have wondrous news and wanted to tell you in person.” I placed my hand on his arm and led him toward Aidan.

“Richard, I would like you to meet Aidan McLeod.”

Richard shook his head from side to side as though trying to discern what I had said. “You must be mistaken. He … died.” His hungry gaze took in Aidan’s tall frame, broad shoulders and long limbs.

“I did not die, Richard. And you didn’t either,” Aidan said with a broad smile.

Richard took a step back at the smile, shock and unease flitting across his face.

“Richard, what is it?” I asked.

“You look like my da,” Richard gasped out. “Just like him, when you smile.”

Aidan gave a half smile again, watching Richard. “And you look like Ian when he was young.”

“You’re really my uncle Aidan?”

“Yes.”

Richard reached out his hand but was caught in a strong hug by Aidan. “God, it’s good to know you boys are alive!”

Richard stepped back with a dazed expression on his face. “Wait ’til Gabe hears. He’ll be overjoyed and then distraught that he missed meeting you.”

“Mr. Sullivan,” Aidan called out to Da who sat avidly watching the reunion. “Do you mind if we sit and converse here for a while longer?”

“Of course not. The McLeods are always welcome in my home,” Da said.

“Miss Sullivan, thank you,” Richard said to me, gripping my hand for a moment. I smiled and led them to the comfortable area of the sitting room near the piano, listening to them learn more about each other as Colin rose to join them.

“You live in San Francisco?” Richard asked.

“Yes. It’s a lovely city by the Bay. I run an import-export business.”

“And by all appearances, a quite successful one,” Colin said.

“I’ve done well professionally.”

“San Francisco,” Richard murmured, cutting off anything more Colin might have said. “If only Gabe had known, he would never have gone to Butte.”

“I think he is coming to like Butte,” I interjected.

“That’s because you are an optimist,” Richard said. “And so is Gabe. But he only went to Butte because he had made a friend on the train, and he knew he wouldn’t be alone there. If he had known you were in San Francisco…”

“Well, there’s nothing to be done about it now,” Aidan said. “Though I will see if he would like to join me.” After a short pause, he said, “Butte? Montana?” At my quick nod, Aidan murmured, “I’ve always wanted to go to Montana.”

“It seems you haven’t lost your adventuring ways,” I said.

Aidan laughed. “No, if there is an adventure to be had, I will try to join in.”

“I fear Gabriel takes after you,” I said with a wry smile.

“What do you do for a living?” Aidan asked, focusing on Richard.

Richard held up his battered hands that still appeared dirty. “I’m a blacksmith.”

“A wonderful profession,” Aidan said with a nod of approval.

Da grunted his agreement and relaxed against his chair.

Aidan looked to Colin and Da. “You’re all blacksmiths, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sir, we are,” Colin said. “Well, except for Rissa.”

Aidan smiled toward me. “Have you had any word from Jeremy?”

“The last we heard, he was ill in the Philippines,” Richard said. “We haven’t any further word in months.”

“Well, I just pray he returns home safely,” Aidan whispered. He stared at Richard for a moment, a deep emotion glinting in his blue eyes. “Ian would have been so proud of you three boys. Grown men with professions.”

Richard nodded, appearing overcome and unable to speak.

Aidan glanced around the parlor. “I fear we may overstay our welcome. Would you mind if I walked home with you, Richard? I’d like to see where you live.”

“That would be fine, Uncle,” Richard said.

Da led them out and then retired to his study.

After they left, Mrs. Smythe speared me with a glare. She tapped the fingers of one hand on the arm of her chair before settling against the back of her lady’s chair. Her golden brocade dress with lace overlay shimmered as she settled. The gold of her dress enhanced the dyed-blond color of her hair. “In the future, Clarissa, if you are thinking of inviting such people to our home, I believe you should warn us.”

“They are upstanding gentlemen who are friends of this family,” I argued.

“Clarissa, you must begin to accept how little you understand society. Neither of those men will ever be considered upstanding, and there is nothing gentlemanly about them. Proper clothes and an attempt at social niceties do not make the man. Only good breeding suffices.”

“If that is how you truly feel, I’m surprised you deigned to marry into this family,” I said.

Mrs. Smythe’s smile set my nerves on edge. “All in good time, Clarissa. All in good time,” she said smugly as she waddled out of the room.

CHAPTER 7

“HEY, McLEOD!” NIALL CALLED OUT at the end of the workday. “We’re heading out for a drink. Why don’t you join us?”

Niall, Morgan, Larry and Gabriel formed a unit working on the fine cabinetry and finishing details for the public areas of the hotel, including the restaurant and saloon. They each had their own workbenches where they studied drawings, drafted ideas and then created ornately carved finished products. Around them, men hammered and sawed, completing the rough-finish work. As Gabriel glanced about, he envisioned the completed space, gleaming with highly polished mahogany.

Gabriel looked up from tracing a piece of wood to carve to find Niall, Morgan and Larry waiting. “I am to have dinner tonight at the Egans’ home, but I have time for a drink or two before then,” Gabriel said with a quick stretch to his shoulders. He set aside his pencil and the piece of wood, and rose, pulling on his coat.

“We can talk about that fancy photo I saw in your room,” Larry said with a wink as they made their way onto the street. “Let’s head to Daly’s Place.”