Surrender of a Siren (The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy #2)(99)

“Why, my brother.”

Sophia blinked. Was there a third Grayson brother with square-tipped ears?

“You probably call him Gray,” the young lady continued, giving her a cautious smile. “Most people do.”

Dolly was Gray? Oh dear. No wonder his sister was the sole lady on earth permitted to address him by his Christian name.

The soldiers began shackling his legs now, working awkwardly to fit the bands around Gray’s ankles.

“I thought his name was Benedict,” Sophia murmured.

“Oh it is, but that was our father’s name. He’s always gone by his middle name, Adolphus. Dolly.” Miss Grayson turned to her. “You know my brother quite well, then. Forgive me the lapse in etiquette, we haven’t even been introduced.” She dropped a little curtsy. “I’m Isabel Grayson. Were you a passenger on the Kestrel?”

“No, I left England on the Aphrodite. Didn’t Joss mention me?”

Miss Grayson shook her head. “We didn’t have much time to speak. But if Dolly says I’ll be glad to meet you, I have a fair guess …” Suddenly she grasped Sophia’s hand. “You must be one of Mr. Wilson’s friends, with the West Indian Missions League. I’m so glad you’ve come. We’ve so many plans for the sugar cooperative. And we can take you to the judge. Even if he won’t believe Dolly, surely he cannot discount the testimony of a missionary.”

A missionary? Sophia’s mind whirled. Of all the preposterous assumptions … oh, but if only it were true. Then she might have been some help to Gray. But she, a fallen woman, a liar and a thief, walking into a courtroom to speak on his behalf? She could do his cause nothing but harm.

Oh God. He was better off without her.

Finally, the soldiers finished their task. At the sight of her brother in chains, Miss Grayson began to weep.

“All right, Jenkins,” Gray muttered, his voice seething. “I’m wearing your shackles. I’ll come willingly. Surely you can spare me a minute first.” At the command in his eyes, the men fell back a few paces.

Gray turned to his sister. “Bel,” he said quietly, “there’s a handkerchief in my breast pocket. Take it.” She obeyed, and wiped her eyes. He smiled down at her. “Now is this any way to greet your prodigal brother? I’d planned to come home a respectable tradesman.” He glanced toward Sophia. “Not just that, but a family man. Instead, I stand before you as a pirate in chains.”

He laughed, but Sophia wanted to cry. Once again, his best efforts at brotherhood had been twisted and distorted by fate. She could see in his expression how it wounded him. The thought of tainting Miss Grayson’s prospects, being the cause of that pain …

“Just the same,” he teased his sister, “I’d rather hoped for a kiss.”

Miss Grayson gave him a tremulous smile and went up on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek.

“That’s better. Now don’t worry. I’ll have this straightened out directly.” His eyes went back and forth between Sophia and his sister. “In the meantime, the two of you can become acquainted.” He rattled his chains, adding a self-deprecating roll of his eyes. Then he walked a few paces back, toward the men.

Sophia’s dizziness increased, and the dock seemed to roll beneath her again. She felt as though she would become ill, or fall. And with Gray chained like a criminal, who would catch her?

She closed her eyes. If she ran now … he couldn’t catch her. She had to go. If she were a better person, a good person, she might have gathered the courage to tell the truth and accept her fate. She might have even been able to help him. But if she were a good person, she would not have been here in the first place. She didn’t know how to change her colors, any more than a dolphin-fish knew how to change its iridescent scales.

She knew how to lie. She knew how to run.

There was only one way she could set Gray free.

She rushed after him as he ambled down the dock, joking with his captors.

“Gray,” she whispered, clutching his bound wrist.

“Don’t be anxious, sweet,” he murmured, low enough that only she could hear. “I know these men. I’ve lined their pockets for years. They’re not going to hang me. I’ll have it all sorted out soon enough.”

“I’m certain you will.” She swallowed back a wave of nausea. “But … I won’t be here when you do.” He deserved this much, to hear it from her. Just as Toby had deserved the same. Gray was right. She didn’t regret the things she’d done, but what she’d left undone.

He tensed. “What do you mean?”

“I have to leave.”

He stared at her, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“My courses came,” she whispered. “There’ll be no child.”

“You know that’s not the reason—”

“No, it’s not the reason. It’s not why I’m leaving.”

His expression hardened to anger. “What the devil are you saying?”

Be strong, she told herself. Cut the line cleanly; don’t dangle false hope

. “I just have to leave. Gray, please don’t make this harder than it is. You don’t understand.”

His hand encircled her wrist, like a cuff. “You’re damned right I don’t understand. And I’ll be damned if I’ll make it easy. Were you lying to me when you agreed to marry me? When you told me you …” He lowered his voice. “When you told me you loved me?”