HE stallion left a trail of dust as it galloped over the plantation road. New spring flowers of the European variety joined with tropical blooms along the roadside to create a profusion of wild color. To the right of the road, less than a mile away, the ocean cast huge waves upon a sandy beach. The hot sun glinted off blue waters as far as the eye could see.

Nicholas noticed none of the beauty around him that sultry early April day. He was returning from the island’s small harbor and a meeting with Captain Bowdler, who had reported that his ship would be ready to sail with the morning tide. Nicholas was going home to England, home to Regina.

Six months away had not helped to get her out of his mind. He had tried. He had spent months turning a broken-down plantation house into the showcase of the island, months more in getting the land ready for crops and planting. Nearly every moment had been spent in hard work, but his continuing mood was still dangerously maudlin. A hundred times he had decided to go home. As many times he had talked himself out of it. The situation there would not be changed. Miriam and her threats were still hanging over him and Regina.

But in all this time, Nicholas had overlooked the obvious. Regina probably already knew. Miriam could not live six months with the girl and not try to turn her against him. Yes, she must know by now.

That likelihood had been pointed out to him last week when he got thoroughly foxed with Captain Bowdler and poured out his soul to the man. It took someone objective and just as drunk to make him see that he was sitting on the island brooding like a child because he didn’t have the woman he wanted. Well, he’d brooded long enough. It was time to go home and see what was what. If his wife detested him, then that would be the end of that.

But if she didn’t? Captain Bowdler asked him that, too. What if she scorned public opinion and judged him on his own merits? Well, the truth was, he had treated her abominably and that was all she had to judge him by. Too, she had buckled under one scandal, causing her to want to marry him. He would like to believe that she had married him for reasons other than propriety, but it wasn’t likely.

So where did that leave him? Nowhere. Until he got home, he couldn’t know how much damage had been done.

A barefoot, chocolate-skinned boy ran out of the large white house to take Nicholas’ horse.

That was the only thing Nicholas hadn’t gotten used to here, owning slaves. It was the one thing about the islands he hated.

“Guests you have, sir, in de study,” his housekeeper told him. He thanked her and moved off down the wide, open hall, a little annoyed. Who was calling? He had packing to do yet and another meeting with his estate agent. He didn’t have time to chitchat.

He stepped into the darkened study, where drawn shades kept out the noon heat. He scanned the occupied chairs surrounding his desk. Rather than believe what he saw, he closed his eyes. This was not to be borne.

“Tell me I’ve imagined you, Hawke.”

“You’ve imagined me.”

Nicholas crossed the room and sat down behind his desk. “Then you won’t mind if I ignore you?”

“See what I mean, Jeremy? He’d spit in the devil’s eye.”

“Is he the best you could do for a third?” Nicholas asked dryly, indicating the young man. “I don’t go in for hurting children. Can’t you and your red-haired cohort manage without help?”

“You don’t seem surprised to see me, Montieth,” James said evenly.

“Should I be?”

“Why, yes. You left England before the hanging.”

“Ah, the hanging.” Nicholas leaned back, smiling. “Did it draw a big crowd?”

“You find it amusing?” Jeremy demanded.

“My dear boy, all I find amusing is my own stupidity. If I had known this fellow was going to make it his life’s mission to plague me, I’d never have arranged for the guards to turn their backs so he could get away.”

“Bloody liar!” Conrad joined in heatedly. “Those guards were unbribable! I offered them enough to know that.”

“Connie, isn’t it?”

“It’s Mr. Sharpe to you!”

Nicholas chuckled. “You should know money isn’t always the answer. It also helps to know the right people.”

“Why?” James asked softly.

“Oh, never doubt that my reasons were selfish, old man,” Nicholas replied. “Since I wasn’t going to be around to attend the hanging myself, I decided to deny the rest of the populace that pleasure, too. If I could have arranged a postponement until my return, you can be sure I’d have done it. So don’t feel you have to thank me.”

“Let me have him, Hawke.” Conrad’s fury was overtaking him. “She’ll never have to know.”

“If you mean my housekeeper, the old girl’s probably got her ear to the door right now. But don’t let that dissuade you, old man.”

Conrad came out of his chair like a shot, but James motioned him to stop. The captain stared thoughtfully at Nicholas for several moments, probing those honey-gold eyes, and then he laughed.

“Damn me if I don’t believe half of what you’ve said, Montieth.” He was probing Nicholas’ eyes with his own riveting gaze. “But I wonder,” he went on slowly, “what your real motive was. Did you figure if you got me out of the mess you’d got me into, I would call it quits? I wouldn’t have.” Nicholas didn’t answer and James laughed again. “Don’t tell me a man of your nature has a conscience? A sense of fair play?”

“Not bloody likely,” Conrad mumbled.

“Ah, don’t forget, Connie, I wasn’t to hang for what I did to him, yet he was responsible for my arrest.”

“Very amusing,” Nicholas said coldly. “Now may we dispense with these pointless speculations? Play your hand, Hawke, or get out. I have things to do.”

“As do we. You don’t suppose I enjoy hunting you down, do you? It seems that’s all I ever do anymore,” James sighed. “The last six months have been most tiresome.”

“You’ll understand if I don’t sympathize?”

“How much of his lip are you going to take, Hawke?” Conrad growled. “Are you ready to reconsider now?”

“Connie’s right,” Jeremy put in. “I can’t see what Regan ever saw in him.”

“Can’t you, lad?” Conrad sneered. “Look at that pretty face.”

“Ease off, both of you,” James warned. “Regan has more sense than to fall for good looks. She had to have seen more in him than that.”

“Well, he’s certainly not what I imagined,” Jeremy grumbled.

James smiled. “You can’t judge him by this visit, Jeremy. He’s got his defenses up.”

Nicholas felt he’d been pushed far enough. “Hawke, if you have something to say to me, say it. If you want another go at me, get to it. But if you three just want to have an argument over some doxy, you can do that elsewhere.”

“You’ll take that back, Lord Montieth,” Jeremy cried. “She’s not a doxy!”

“Who the bloody hell is this boy?”

James chuckled. “My son, don’t you know. I tried to get him to remain behind on the ship, but he would have none of it. Determined to be here to see how you took our news.”

“I doubt you have news that concerns me.”

“Your wife is no concern of yours?”

Nicholas stood up slowly, his eyes locked with the captain’s. “What about her?”

“She’s very lovely, isn’t she?”

“How could you—?” With a growl of rage, Nicholas launched himself forward, flew over the desk, and grabbed James by the throat. It took Conrad and Jeremy together to pull him away from the captain. They held Nicholas, each grabbing an arm.

“If you’ve laid one hand on her, Hawke, I’ll kill you!”

James rubbed his sore throat, but there was a twinkle in his dark eyes. He was satisfied. “What did I tell you, Connie? Is this the reaction of man who doesn’t care?” he crowed.

“My wife,” Nicholas snarled before Conrad could think what to say, “what have you done with her?”

“Oh, this is famous,” James chuckled. Conrad and Jeremy clutched Nicholas tighter. “What sweet revenge it would be, lad, to invent a tale to torment you with. I could tell you I had kidnapped your dear wife, which is quite true, as a matter of fact. I had meant to use her to bring you to me. We didn’t know you had left the country, you see. And… unfortunately, I didn’t know who your wife was.”

“Don’t tell me the fearless Captain Hawke was intimidated by her family?”

This was greeted by such uproarious laughter from the other three that Nicholas was taken aback. He was able to throw off Jeremy’s tight hold, then aim a stunning blow to Conrad’s midsection. It gained his release for a moment, but only a moment.

“Easy, lad.” James put up a hand to stop Nicholas from any more fighting. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He grinned. “Especially since it took me weeks to recover from the last time.”

“Is that supposed to pacify me? It took me just as long to recover, and it prevented me from discouraging Regina… well, that is none of your business.”

“Depends on how you look at it, lad. I know you tried to get her to jilt you. A shame she didn’t,” he sighed, “but that’s beside the point.”

“Get to the point!” Nicholas snapped. “What have you done with Regina?”

“My dear boy, Regan would never come to harm through me. You see, she’s my beloved niece.”

“Regan? I don’t give a damn—”

“Don’t you?”

There was so much insinuation in his manner that Nicholas stiffened, searching his mind. Suddenly, what he hadn’t noticed before came clear as he stared at Hawke. Hawke and the boy bore a distinctive resemblance to each other and to…

“James Malory?”

“The same.”

“Bloody everlasting hell.”

James laughed. “Don’t take it too hard. Imagine how I felt, finding out you had married into my family. That put an end to my plans.”

“Why?” Nicholas retorted. “As I recall, your family doesn’t acknowledge you.”

“That was before our reunion. My brothers and I have patched things up, thanks to Regan. She does have a way of getting what she wants.”

“Doesn’t she,” Nicholas murmured, his voice heavy with irony. “What are you doing here then? Came to congratulate me, did you?”

“Hardly, dear boy.” James smiled. “I’ve come to take you home.”

Nicholas’ eyes shot fire. “Not bloody likely.”

James’ smile turned sharklike. “You will come with us, one way or another.”

Nicholas looked from one to the other of them. He saw that they were serious. “Your escort is not necessary.” He decided to try the truth. “My own ship is ready. I am sailing on the morning tide. I had already decided to return to England, you see, so you won’t be needed, gentlemen.”

“If you say so, dear boy,” James replied doubtfully.

“I am telling you the truth.”

“Sailing out of this port on your own won’t guarantee your reaching England. No, I must insist you come with us.”

Nicholas’ temper was beginning to simmer again. “Why?”

“My brothers don’t like it that you have deserted your wife. They want you back where they can keep an eye on you.”

“Of all the absurdities! They can’t keep me in England if I wish to leave.”

“What you do after you get home is of no concern to me.” James shrugged. “I’m just following Jason’s orders. He said to fetch you home, and so I will.”

As they escorted Nicholas out of the room, Jeremy whispered to his father, “Uncle Jason never said you were supposed to bring him back. He only said you were supposed to tell him about the baby if we found him.”

“I haven’t done my brother’s bidding since I came of age, lad,” his father whispered back. “I don’t want to start now.”

“But if he knew, he might not put up a fuss.”

James chuckled. “Did I say I wanted him to enjoy the crossing?”