Blackhearts (Blackhearts, #1)(88)

father would see it.

Without a wedding to plan, Drummond had thrown himself into preparations for the launch of the Deliverance and was hardly ever at home. Teach was glad, for it left him time to spend with Anne alone. They dined together at the house and

took walks through the garden, talking about everything and

nothing. When they were silent, it wasn’t the awkward silence

of two who had exhausted their conversation. It was simply

companionable, each one at peace with the other.

Now Teach hurried his pace, oblivious to the busy city

streets. He was supposed to meet up with Anne and Elizabeth

within an hour, and nothing was going to make him late.

Anne had been reluctant to go into the city, ever since the





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party, and he’d told her he would meet her near the docks in an hour. Anne had shaken her head at him. “I shouldn’t have let you talk me into this. You’re like a young boy on Christmas Day.”

“And you are my gift. Just so you know, I was never very

good at sharing.” Laughing at the shocked look on Elizabeth’s

face, Teach had left the two of them at the dressmakers.

He could not wait to see Anne again. She was more honor—

able than most landed gentry he knew. Including his ex-fiancée.

Once he and Anne were married, he would show everyone just

how remarkable she was. The fact that Anne’s skin was a shade

darker than most should not exclude her from anyone’s drawing

rooms.

Teach quickened his pace as he neared his destination,

unwilling to let anything ruin his plans or his mood. He pulled the heavy wooden-and-glass door open and stepped inside.

The shop gave off a clean, sharp scent of linseed oil. Teach

glanced around at the simple interior. Several chairs were

arranged in groups of three at small desks, a curtain hanging

between each grouping, giving the occupants privacy.

Teach nodded to the shopkeeper, who withdrew into a back

room, only to return with an ornate velvet box in his hands and a shiny gold object.

“Please sit down,” he instructed Teach.

Teach settled into his chair, his heart racing. Anne was

right. He hadn’t been this excited since he used to wake up on Christmas morning, waiting to see what gifts he’d been given.





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“Here is the watch you asked to be repaired.”

Teach held the familiar object in his hand, clicking it open.

“Thank you. Excellent work.” He slipped it into his pocket.

“Now for the other matter. I took the liberty of picking

these out myself, once I read your message.” With a deft movement the shopkeeper opened the velvet box, and Teach smiled

at what lay before him.

Rings in all shapes and sizes lined the interior, covered in

diamonds and pearls. “Which one shall it be?” the jeweler asked.

Teach was momentarily overwhelmed and shook his head,

wondering if he should have brought Anne along with him. “I

can’t pick. They’re all so beautiful. That would be like picking a favorite child.”

The shopkeeper smiled indulgently, no doubt used to such

astonishment. “Perhaps it would help if you held them up to

the light.” He reached out and picked up a gold ring with a

large pearl, then slipped it into Teach’s hand.

Teach held it up, admiring the ring as it shimmered in the

sunlight streaming through the windows. “It’s . . . quite large,”

he said at length.

The jeweler’s eyebrows drew together.

Teach sensed his displeasure and placed it back in the tray.

“How about this one?” the jeweler asked, picking a large

diamond ring.

Teach frowned and held it up as well. It didn’t feel quite

right for her. “I’m afraid she would cut me with this,” he said





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after a moment. “Or scar me for life.”

The shopkeeper was clearly not amused. “I have some other

rings I could show you,” he said haughtily.

Teach nodded. “Please.”

The jeweler probably thought Teach was too cheap to buy

anything this extravagant. Quite the contrary. He wanted to

show the world how much Anne meant to him, but he also

wanted to prove it to her. A large ring might impress the residents of Bristol, but it wouldn’t impress Anne.

She already had several new dresses and gowns. Teach was

even worse than his father when it came to dressmakers. He’d

gone so far as to have an ivory gown made, to replace the one

that had been ruined at the party. She’d protested the entire

time, but Teach had managed to override her objections.

As the shopkeeper left, his back stiff with his displeasure,

Teach drummed his fingers on his knee. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction when he presented her with a ring.

The jeweler was back. He set the box down in front of

Teach and snapped open the lid. “Perhaps these are more to

your liking,” he said.