“I know everything I need to know about him,” she bit out.

“Do you know the reason for our coming to Boston in the first place?” Matt’s gaze met hers, and she could read there pure honesty and openness.

“No, Matthew, and I don’t want to. I’ve had enough dealings with Noah, and I think I understand him quite well. He is selfish, greedy, and amoral. He has no interest in our bid for independence. He just wants to make a fast profit off our grief and misery and then go back to England.”

“I don’t argue with your assessment of Noah. I’m sure from your point of view, that’s the way he appears, but there’s a reason for it.”

“Please, spare me…” she began frostily, but Matt refused to let it drop.

“Noah and I came to Boston because we had lost everything we owned in England,” he started, and CC glanced up at him questioningly.

“You’re rich… Everyone knows that,” she scoffed. “You own Kincade Shipping and-”

“We were rich,” Matt emphasized. “You see, we discovered when our father died that he had been a gambler. His debts were so extensive that by the time the estate was straightened out, all Noah and I had left were the two ships, the Lorelei and the Sea Pride. Everything else was gone. Our money was gone. Our country estate and our London town house had to be sold to pay Father’s outstanding debts. Our social position was forfeited. Noah was made a social pariah. Where once he’d been celebrated as a glorious member of the bon ton, he was suddenly an outcast. His pride suffered immeasurably, and he vowed that somehow, someway, he was going to reclaim it all. He became hardened to everything except his need to recoup our losses. He became a man possessed.” Matt shrugged. “I didn’t realize how much he had changed until the duel…”

“Duel? What duel?”

Matt continued, “An insult was publicly issued by James Radcliffe, Geoffrey’s older brother, and Noah challenged him to a duel. The whole ordeal was so painful that it’s something we will never speak of again.”

“What happened?” CC was caught up in his story.

“Noah killed Radcliffe.”

CC gasped. Was this the reason why Noah had refused Geoffrey’s challenge at the Winthrops’? And did Geoffrey know of the fateful duel?

Matthew went on, “It was a fair fight; there were witnesses to attest to it. But, CC, I’d never seen anything so brutal in my life, and I hope I never do again. It was then that I realized how deeply Noah had been affected by all that had happened. He was a changed man.”

“I had no idea…”

“I know. We’ve spoken of it to no one, yet I’m sure the news will be out soon. I’m positive that Radcliffe has now found out about Noah’s connection to his brother’s death.”

“How do you know?”

“There was an attempt to murder Noah tonight.” Matt’s purpose in telling her was to gauge the depth of her feelings for Noah.

“What?” CC paled and went still at the news.

“And Radcliffe was the one who hired the two men. They were given explicit instructions to see Noah dead.”

CC’s eyes widened in fear for the man she loved, and her hand was trembling as she reached out to clutch at Matt’s sleeve. “Is Noah all right?”

Inwardly, Matt was pleased to see the truth of her emotions reflected so openly in her expression. “He’s fine. We managed to fight them off together.”

“How do you know it was Geoffrey?”

“With a little applied persuasion, the men confessed as to who’d hired them,” he explained.

“Where’s Noah now? Is he safe?”

“After we turned the thugs over to the authorities, he told me to take care of working out the rest of the arms deal while he went on to Radcliffe’s.”

“He went to see Geoffrey? But why? Why didn’t you just tell the authorities everything you knew and let them take care of it?”

“Noah wanted to handle it himself. He was going to face Geoffrey down with his knowledge of the planned attack, and then tell him that, rather than turn him in, he was going to accept the challenge he’d issued at the Winthrops’.” Matt’s tone was icy with hatred for the cowardly aristocrat.

CC had heard of Radcliffe’s reputation with a sword. “Radcliffe is known for his expertise with a sword…” Her emerald eyes darkened as she worried about Noah fighting him.

“Do I detect a note of concern in your voice, CC?” he asked, feeling most pleased with himself for having evoked such a response from her.

“Matthew! Don’t toy with me!”

“You love Noah, don’t you, CC? Why don’t you tell him how you feel?”

“I have told him, and that’s precisely why I know there’s no future for us. Now tell me,” she went on anxiously, “is Noah good enough with a sword to best Radcliffe?”

“Noah won’t have any trouble handling Geoffrey,” Matthew told her confidently, wanting to reassure her.

CC felt little relief at Matt’s trust in Noah’s ability. Instead she could only worry that something terrible might happen to Noah. All it took was just one mistake…one error in judgment…and he could be killed.

“You must let me know when the duel is to take place…I have to be there for him, even if he doesn’t care…” CC insisted.

“Believe me, CC. He cares,” Matt confided.

His declaration surprised her, and she glanced at him, puzzled. “How can you be so sure of Noah’s feelings for me?”

“Because he told me.” Matt read her shock at his revelation.

“Noah told you that he loves me?” Her heart was pounding, and she knew a moment of sublime joy.

Matt nodded. “He also told me that there could be no future for the two of you. Do you know why that was?”

CC looked away, embarrassed.

“CC?”

“I have to see him, Matthew… I have to talk to him.”

“He may be back at the Red Lion by now, but I don’t think it would be wise for you to venture there dressed as you are.”

“No. I’d better wait until tomorrow, when all of this is over. Matthew?”

“What?”

“Thank you for telling me.” His confirmation of her longed-for dream filled her with joy, and tears stung her eyes as she gazed up at him.

“You’re welcome,” he grinned, feeling inordinately pleased with himself, and he touched her cheek with a gentle hand. “My brother is a very lucky man, whether he knows it or not.” CC gave him a bright smile. “Now, I’d better get out of here. It’s important that I let myself be seen about town tonight, so I won’t be arrested for consorting with the rebels tomorrow when the theft of the arms shipment is discovered.”

“Be careful, Matthew.”

“I will,” he answered as he started toward the door.

“You’ll let me know about the duel?” she asked, stopping his progress from the room.

“Yes. I’ll send you word as soon as I find out,” he promised, and then he was gone, leaving CC alone with her thoughts of Noah.

Though Matthew appeared outwardly relaxed as he shared a late dinner with Faith and Ruth at the Red Lion, in actuality, he was nervous and on edge. When he and Noah had parted after turning in Radcliffe’s hired thugs, they had agreed to meet at the inn by ten o’clock to dine. Now, however, it was well past midnight, and Noah had still not arrived.

Worries assailed Matthew. Had Noah encountered some kind of trouble with Radcliffe, or had something happened with the Pride that had demanded his immediate attention? Matt longed to know but realized it would be foolhardy for him to rush down to the wharf in search of him.

“Matthew?” Faith, intuitively aware of his very real distress, reached out to touch his hand.

Matt glanced up at her as he brought his thoughts to bear on the present. “Yes?”

“Shall we go now, or do you think we should wait for him a little longer?” she asked, her own concern for Noah reflecting in the depths of her blue-green eyes.

At her gentle prod, he realized that they had long since finished their meal and that there was no reason to linger any longer. “It is getting late… I suppose we should be going…” Matt began.