Conquered by the Commander (The Conquered Book 2) Read online

  "My father is not convinced Mr. Picou had anything to do with the pirate attack. He also didn't believe me when I told him Mr. Picou took out an insurance policy for two hundred and fifty thousand American dollars before the ship went down." Bella walked around the room, eyeing the shelves of books lining the walls. "Mama admitted it was Mr. Picou who had convinced my father to send me aboard the Charlotte at the last moment. She thinks Papa feels a sense of guilt but refuses to acknowledge it." She sighed. "In her opinion, men are quite peculiar creatures. They often say one thing but mean another."

  The two women exchanged a silent moment before their laughter escaped and filled the room. "We must be the only two women blessed with husbands who have no trouble speaking their minds and conveying their displeasure," Lily managed, after a few minutes, but she was still giggling. It took a while for her to regain her composure.

  "Tell me, Bella," she continued. "Have you heard anything else about Miller surviving the sinking of the Charlotte?" Lily asked. "I'm positive he was the man we saw in New Orleans, the day your calm and serene husband beat Claude Picou to Hell and back."

  Bella's laughter followed Lily's at the thought of Gregory being calm and serene. Miller had gotten too familiar with Lily when she wandered below deck on the voyage to America. He had been quite intoxicated and tried to seduce her, but Bella and Chloe had interrupted his efforts and he'd ended up in the brig. Darby had been quite angry at finding all three ladies down below deck, as well, and had smashed his fist into Miller's jaw.

  Miller had come through, however. When pirates attacked their ship, Miller had done everything he could to protect the ladies on board. He'd even misdirected Poche when he'd demanded to know where they were, and he'd killed the pirate captain to save Gregory's life.

  "I still cannot believe Gregory resorted to violence when we confronted Mr. Picou. He generally is such an even-tempered man. He still takes exception to me wandering about, even though we're not aboard the ship right now." Rubbing her backside absentmindedly, she continued. "But back to your question, Gregory is quite insistent there is no way Miller could have survived, even though I assured him you and I saw him clear as day, safe and sound, in New Orleans."

  "It had to be him, Bella. He still bore the scars of Cooper's scratch across his face." Lily felt ashamed she had thought so little of the man who'd been willing to go down with the Charlotte. However, the mill had occupied most of her time these days, that much was true.

  Bella confided to her friend what Miller had said in the last moments before the ship sank. "Miller's last words were about the incident which led to him being thrown in the brig. He wanted Gregory to apologize to you for his behavior. Hero or villain, I will never forget Miller saving our lives." Bella tilted her head, studying Lily's face curiously. "But you didn't bring me here to discuss Miller, my friend. Something's on your mind. Tell me."

  Showing Arabella to a nearby lounge chair, Lily sat down nearby.

  "I need to talk to someone, Bella, and I don't feel I can bring it up to Darby. Here he is, working so hard to prove to everyone—especially his own mother—that I'm a lady. The last thing I wish to do is to worry him about my past coming back to haunt both of us. I know, however, I can talk to you, and you'll understand."

  Arabella sat, studying her in silence for a long time, but when it became obvious that Lily was going to remain mute, she leaned forward. "Spill it, Lily. It's obvious this is worrying you. Is marriage not agreeing with you? Lord Darby seems the perfect man for you. Why, then, do I see sadness in your eyes?"

  "Darby is perfect. His father is a delight, too. Now, his mother is a challenge, to be sure, but I can handle her disapproval…well, mostly. Tell me, Bella, what do you know of textile mills?"

  The question seemed to take Bella by surprise. "The mills?" She shook her head. "I daresay I hardly even considered them. They have been around for ages, I believe, though my father never spoke of them, other than to say once that their success depended upon the owner, and some owners were crooked. I don't believe my mama has ever mentioned them at all. From what little I do know, it seems to me they are sort of like a dirty little secret the town has to bear with but prefers to ignore."

  With a dry laugh, Lily nodded. "I know about the mill here, from both sides of society. Before the convent sent me to work there, I turned away whenever passing the area where it stands. Later, as one of the laborers, I noticed others doing their best to pretend they didn't see our plight. Then, when I was injured and turned out, a woman in west Yorkshire offered me a place to live in a cabin on the back of her property, and I moved there and took in laundry for a living. That was long before I met Mr. Picou. But I didn't see the mill again here until Darby and I came back."

  Bella rested a comforting hand on Lily's arm. "Continue, dear friend."

  Lily looked miserably away. "Bella, one of the countess' friends here has a daughter, Amelia. She knew me before my parents died and I went to the orphanage. We had been close friends before, but she refused to even acknowledge me after I was sent to work at the mill. The countess invited her for tea one day, shortly after Darby and I came. But she did not invite me, her own daughter-in-law."

  Bella gasped. "I am so sorry, Lily! And what about Amelia? Does she not give you your due respect as Darby's wife when she visits?"

  "To a fault," Lily assured her. "At first, I feared she would fill the countess with tales of my past. I even confronted her, one day, telling her to either get on with exposing my connection with the mill, or I would do it for her."

  "What did she say?"

  "She said so long as she is always welcomed in Darby manor, she does not care about the past. Suddenly, I am acceptable again in her eyes. I swear to you, Bella, if there was a crow's nest nearby, I would cause her to be stranded up there—and I'd just leave her this time."

  "I'll get you back for that, Lillianna. The spanking I got after that event was one of the harshest yet."

  "Trust me, Earl delivered a most memorable encounter with his strap that evening, too."

  "I shall take that into consideration when I seek my revenge, then." Arabella was grinning. "Now tell me about the mill. How is it impacting your current situation? Is it fear of people finding out you worked there?"

  Rising, Lily began to pace around the room, feeling embarrassed and unsure—the two things she hated others seeing in her the most. Even at her lowest point in life, she was a proud person, preferring people to think her a bitch over pitying her. "I have nightmares often. At first, I thought it was because I was worried about being accepted here."

  "Darby knows of your past, Lily. It means nothing to him."

  "Yes, he does. I doubt my time there would surprise or upset the earl, either. The countess is another story altogether. Knowing my past would no doubt be another bit of proof I could never belong here. But as I said before, so long as Darby loves me, his mother is just a nuisance I must learn to endure."

  "So what concerns you, then?"

  Lily was silent a moment before staring back at her friend. "I can no longer look the other way when I pass there. I know the horrors which lay within. It's not just ladies who are slaves to the mill, either. There are children, Bella. Young, innocent children work long hours under the most atrocious conditions." She paused for a moment, wondering how much she should share.

  "The owner scouts out the homes of any children he sees and offers their families money—not much, mind you—if they will come to work at the mill as carders. The families are poor and need the money. Most of the children have only rags to wear on their backs. They have no shoes. Because of their small size, they are considered quite convenient to have about. They are often forced to cross under the equipment, even inside of it, to help fix moving parts which don't work properly."

  Bella stared in disbelief. "But that's horrible! They would get hurt," She was moved to tears.

  "They do get hurt. But being injured is the least of their worries, I fear. Once you are deemed a liabili
ty, you are turned out, with little hopes of another job to put food on the table. Even when they work, there isn't much food sent from home for them to eat to sustain themselves during the day. They don't get the opportunity to go to school, so they eventually have no chance to better themselves. I have been there, Bella." Lily turned back and sat down, facing her. "The conditions are far worse now than I remember them. The children are starving; everyone working there is, in fact. I have to do something for them, but I don't know what to do to help."

  "Darby allowed you to go there? Gregory would never allow me such freedom."

  Lily chewed her lower lip thoughtfully and sighed. "Allow is such an arbitrary word, don't you think?"

  Bella's sea-green eyes widened. "You've been going behind his back? That cannot be healthy for your backside, my friend. He will catch you, sooner or later. Surely, you realize that."

  "He's certainly forbidden it. But have you forgotten my gift for stealth? I am quite the master of sneaking about, though I believe, on board the Charlotte, you were much better at it than I."

  "For which I spent a few sessions over Gregory's knee. What can I do to help, Lily?"

  "Oh, Bella, I wish I knew. I'm collecting as much as I can to give a friend inside the mill. He cares for the children, and he will see it goes to feeding them. But the thing is…" she threw her hands up in the air "…it's a drop in the bucket to what they need. They need safer conditions, more time for lunch, education, better pay than what they're getting… At present, however, it seems to the be the best I can do."

  "It's more than anyone else is doing," Bella pointed out, handing over the funds she had with her. "I would warn you against returning to the mill, but we both know you will. Use this to help. I will find a way to get you more."

  "Oh, Bella, you are such a dear friend. Thank you." Lily felt her eyes glisten but managed not to cry.

  "I care about you, Lily. But, as a friend, I must point out that it is never a good thing to keep secrets from your husband. You might not wish anyone to know that you worked there and that the conditions are so bad, but Darby cannot hope to help you unless you confide in him."

  Darby watched as Rebekah helped to put the finishing touch of color into his wife's pale cheeks. As they dressed for the evening meal, he insisted on brushing out Lily's long red curls as he asked, "Having Lady Arabella here brings you joy, doesn't it?"

  "It is nice to have someone to confide in." She smiled, regretting it when sadness crossed her husband's face. "We talk about ladies' problems, Charlie. Having another female about is refreshing."

  "I realize my mother is still standoffish, my love. But is that the only worry you have? Are there others you are hesitant to speak to me about?"

  She hesitated, meeting his eyes in the mirror of the vanity. "I am fine, Charlie, really."

  "If you are in trouble, Lillianna, you must talk to me about it. I can't promise I won't punish you for misbehavior, but I could also help you handle the situation. That's what husbands who love their wives do."

  Tell him. Don't chance losing him, her heart was calling out to her. But her brain prevailed, and she changed the subject, giving him a coy smile. "I do believe you enjoy spanking me. Are you disappointed I have been so well behaved of late, robbing you of the chance?"

  Her tease didn't work, however. Darby turned her in his arms and looked sadly into her eyes. "I'm disappointed my beloved wife does not trust me enough to help her." He waited a moment, as if hoping she would say more, but sighed aloud with frustration when she did not. "We'd best hurry, my love. Everyone will be awaiting us to start the meal."

  The earl retired early that night, so Darby and Gregory enjoyed a glass of brandy alone in his study. Darby decided he needed someone to confide in, himself.

  "Remember," he said quietly, staring into his glass. "How, on board the Charlotte, the times we all longed for Lily to stop talking so much?"

  "I am unlikely to forget, my friend. The last voyage I made with Arabella was quiet. I was forced to make her tell me about her worries. We do talk frequently, but when it comes to her concerns, she's afraid she will burden me with them. Bella and Chloe are often together. Chloe is a wonderful lady's maid to Arabella." He took a sip and looked across at Darby. "I don't see Chloe holding that position forever, though. We are discussing sending her to college. She has such potential. What I meant to say, however, is perhaps when she is no longer there, Bella will be more inclined to talk to me."

  Darby frowned. "Many times, Lillianna sits through a meal and doesn't speak a word. Surely, you noticed as much? Part of that is due to my mother's being there."

  Gregory leaned back, his head cocked to one side. "Excuse me for being blunt, Charles, but your mother seems a bit cool towards your new bride. Perhaps Lily is responding in kind. Women are such strange little creatures. They rarely say what is really concerning them. As their husbands, sometimes it is necessary for us to step in and demand explanations."

  "I've done that. Lily says she can handle my mother. I've threatened to spank her, but even that doesn't help." Darby was glad Gregory was there. He was at a loss, not knowing who else he could go to for advice. "Before we arrived, Lily's main goal was to be a lady. Now, I believe she has some other, secretive mission—nay, a duty, she feels responsible for. At first, I thought it was winning over my mother. While I am sure her rejection weighs heavily on Lily, she is too proud to show her true feelings about it. Yet, there is a determination in her eyes, these days, that goes beyond gaining my mother's approval." He poured another drink and then held it, staring through the bottom of the glass, before looking across at Gregory. "And there is one more thing."

  Gregory leaned forward, frowning, and Darby's expression grew sad. "She has taken the coach and gone to town, several times, recently. Once, she came home ill. And another time, the groom tells me she got away from them, even though she'd promised not to. He didn't know where she had gone on that occasion."

  Gregory's expression grew into a scowl. "Have you had her followed?"

  Darby's head came up at that. "No. And I've no intention of doing so."

  Their eyes met, and Darby's looked so fierce, the captain shook his head. "I'm sorry for suggesting it. And I'm sure you are right. Lily loves you, my friend. She would never betray you." He glanced out the window, into the darkness. "Lily's past still strongly influences her future. With patience and a firm hand, you will eventually gain the details you seek and be able to act accordingly."

  "You speak from experience?"

  One side of Gregory's mouth quirked up. "Convincing Bella to take me as a husband was a challenge. She felt duty bound to honor her father's promise of marriage, even after she realized Picou was such a cad. At the time, I refused to listen to her thinking, deciding I knew what was best for her. It was only when I gained her trust and reasoned with her that she changed her mind."

  Darby nodded. "Naively, I assumed most of our trouble would be behind us once I wed Lillianna. I had to spank her just to get her down the aisle; I'm sure you remember that. It should have been an indicator of the trouble ahead. But no matter what is going on or how long it takes her to open up to me, Lily needs to learn to trust me."

  An attempt at revisiting

  It was early when she awakened, and the bed was empty. This would be the perfect time. The last thing Bella had said to her the night before was to be careful and safe. She dared not even think about what Darby had said; to think of it made her bottom clench. She rose and called Rebekah to help her dress. The gown she would wear today buttoned up the back, and since Darby wasn't here to do it, Rebekah would have to. She had funds tucked into her purse to deliver to Ashton at the gate. She wouldn't even try to see Colin, today. She had put both of them into a bad position by even speaking to them. If they knew she was the daughter-in-law of the earl, neither of them would ever trust her again.

  Rebekah put her head in, a moment later. "May I help you, my lady?"

  "I only need help with my corset and gow
n, Rebekah. That's all."

  Her maid came quickly forward and began helping her into the corset, tugging at the laces in the back.

  "Rebekah?"

  "Yes, my lady?"

  Lily studied her reflection in the mirror. "Tell me about Finnian?"

  A broad smile broke out on Rebekah's face. "He's such a lovely lad, so smart and so caring. I wish he could go to school. I had high hopes that someday…"

  Lily waited, listening. "That someday…what?"

  Rebekah shook her head. "I'd hoped that, someday, I would have enough money that he could come live with me and go to regular school, like other boys. Papa is dead, and Mum hasn't much. Finn feels like he has to bring in what he can to support her. Fenwirth came by and offered a sum if Finn would come work, but when it came time to pay, he didn't send what he agreed to. Finn tells me stories when I visit home, about how they make him climb into—"

  "The looms," Lily finished for her, and she nodded.

  "He doesn't tell Mum that, though. She'd worry." She was finishing up the top button on the gown, now, and stopped. "You're ready, my lady. Have you need of me this morning?"

  "No, Rebekah, but thank you. Perhaps later?"

  Was it Lily's imagination, or had Rebekah looked saddened? She watched as the girl curtsied and turned away, leaving the room.

  Lily sighed. Today was not the day to have Rebekah along. She needed her solace. The children at the textile mill called to her. The two little boys who had been ordered to help with one of the looms weighed heavily on her mind. She was sure Rebekah's little brother was the child called Finnian. And Annie, the frightened little girl, had been in Lily's dreams since the first day she'd gone inside the mill.

  She went to breakfast but ate quietly. She was not fooling her husband at this point; she knew it. She could feel his eyes on her as she ate, and even the countess kept watching her curiously.