Lani shrugged. "Why should I bother him with something he cannot change?"
"She's a servant," Jared suddenly bit out with leashed violence. "He could change it if he wished. Why do you defend him?" He whirled on Cassie. "Why do either of you defend him, dammit?"
"Here it is!" Clara sailed into the room with Uma trailing behind her bearing a tray. "I'll wager you won't find anything tastier even at Brighton. It has a fine, tart bite."
Jared pulled his eyes away from Cassie as Uma set the plate before him. "I'm sure you're right," he muttered. "Tartness appears to be the rule of thumb on this island."
"You could hardly expect anything else," Cassie said.
"I expect nothing." He dipped his spoon into the syllabub and tasted it, then smiled at Clara. "Excellent."
She beamed. "I told you. My mother taught me the recipe. She was a cook for the Earl of Belkarn."
Cassie experienced another ripple of surprise. Clara had never spoken of her background before. "I didn't know that."
Clara's smile faded and her expression became guarded. "Did you think I would have been accepted into your mother's household without proper recommendation? I grew up in service."
"Wonderful," Jared said. He glanced meaningfully at Bradford. "Try it. It's superb."
Bradford hesitated, then shrugged and began to eat the dessert.
Clara looked at him expectantly.
"Very good," he said without expression. He eyed Cassie's untouched dessert. "You're not eating."
"She and Lani have no liking for my cooking," Clara said. "And no manners to make the pretense."
"We're more accustomed to island fare now," Cassie said. "You seldom honor us with your efforts."
"No doubt you've noticed her deplorable lack of civilized schooling. I've done the best I can but to no avail. I've told her father he must send her to a convent in England."
"An interesting solution," Jared said impassively. "But not one I'd judge entirely suitable."
"My father refused to send me away from him." Cassie defiantly met his gaze across the table. "He cares as much for me as I do for him."
He smiled coolly. "We shall see."
He meant that if her father truly cared for her, he would walk into the trap, she realized with a shiver. It would not happen. She would not let it happen.
"More syllabub?" Clara asked, hovering over Jared.
Cassie held her breath.
He shook his head as he finished the last bite. "Too dangerous. I'm afraid I'll become too spoiled to enjoy even the most elaborate repast when I return to England."
Cassie's breath expelled in a rush, and she jumped to her feet. "I'm going to my room. I'm suddenly feeling tired. Lani, will you come and help me?"
"Of course." Lani stood up and followed Cassie to the door.
Both men rose to their feet.
"Good night," Bradford said. "Pleasant dreams."
Jared bowed slightly.
Cassie said over her shoulder, "Clara, perhaps you could serve the gentlemen their after-dinner brandy on the veranda? They seem to find it pleasant out there."
"I don't need your suggestions. I was going to do just that."
"Of course you were," Cassie murmured, and fled the room.
Lani caught up with her as she reached the door of her room. "What's happening?" she asked. "And don't tell me nothing when you're shaking like this. You wouldn't have put us through an evening this uncomfortable without reason."
"Come!" Cassie pulled her into the room and slammed the door. She collapsed against it and took a deep breath. "I need your help."
"That's why I'm here." She wrinkled her nose. "And clearly not to help you into bed. You're going to your father tonight?"
"Can you distract the two seamen watching the house?"
Lani nodded. "But you still won't be able to reach the road without being seen from the veranda."
"Yes, I will," she whispered. "I hope. If I gave them enough."
Lani stiffened. "Enough?"
"Laudanum. The laudanum that we had left after I had the fever last summer. Remember? It was in the medicine chest in the back of my armoire."
Lani's eyes widened. "Mother of God.!'
"I slipped it into the lemon syllabub when I was in the kitchen talking to Clara. I know you never eat syllabub, and I hoped the strong taste of lemon would disguise it."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know how much laudanum to use. I thought I remembered how much the doctor had given me, but I couldn't be sure. I tried to be careful, but I was afraid I'd-" She broke off, unwilling to put the dread into words.
"Kill them?"
She shivered. "I had to take the chance."
"But you didn't want me to take it with you." Lani shook her head. "You shouldn't have done it. We could have found another way."
"There's no time. What if Papa comes tonight?"
She shrugged. "Well, there's nothing else to be done now. I'll distract the sailors, and you get to your father."
Cassie grabbed her shawl from the bed. "Lani…"
Lani smiled understandingly. "I know. Don't worry. I'll watch over the English and make sure the sleep is not too deep."
Relief surged through Cassie. "I know they're Papa's enemies, but I don't want them to die. I don't want anyone to die."
"Then get to your father and tell him he must hide until the English leave."
"I will." Cassie gave Lani a quick hug. "I'll be back before they wake. I won't leave you alone to take the brunt of their anger."
"I've survived Clara for years; these English are nothing." She opened the door, looked both ways before pushing Cassie down the hall in the direction of the veranda. "Give Charles my love and tell him… Never mind. The decision must be his alone this time."
"What decision?"
"We cannot do everything for him this time, Kanoa," she said gently as she moved swiftly toward the back door. "There comes a time when a man must come to terms with himself."
Cassie stared after her in puzzlement. They had always protected her father in every way, and now Lani was saying there were limits. Well, there might be limits for Lani, but not for her.
Cassie braced herself and then walked slowly toward the veranda, dreading what waited for her. If she had given them too little, then all her plans were for naught. If she had given them too much… No, she did not even want to consider that possibility.
She stood in the doorway of the veranda. Both men were slumped in their chairs. Asleep? Dear God, they were so terribly still. Dead?
She moved slowly toward Jared until she stood before him. No, he was breathing, she saw with profound gratitude.
Then his eyes opened and he stared up into her face. Shock held her riveted. His eyes were ice-blue, cold as a sword striking at her.
"Luc… rezia," he muttered. "What a… fool…"
His lids closed again.
She backed away from him, afraid he would wake again and fix her with that accusing stare. It was unreasonable to feel that she had betrayed him. He was the enemy, and she had done the only thing possible.
She ran down the veranda steps and fled along the path toward the road.
Four
"Cassandra!" She skidded to a halt, her heart leaping with terror when she saw the man coming up the path toward her. "No!"
Her father stopped in his tracks. "Are you all right, Cassandra? Lakoa said you'd had a fall."
"It was nothing. Just a bump on the head." She glanced over her shoulder at the cottage. "You shouldn't be here."
"You were hurt," he said simply. "Where else should I be?"
"The English are here."
"I know."
She ran forward and dragged him into the underbrush beside the path. "You have to leave. Go back to the village."