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Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Books by Elizabeth Camden
  3. Title Page
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Sixteen
  20. Seventeen
  21. Eighteen
  22. Nineteen
  23. Twenty
  24. Twenty-One
  25. Twenty-Two
  26. Twenty-Three
  27. Twenty-Four
  28. Twenty-Five
  29. Twenty-Six
  30. Twenty-Seven
  31. Twenty-Eight
  32. Twenty-Nine
  33. Thirty
  34. Thirty-One
  35. Thirty-Two
  36. Thirty-Three
  37. Thirty-Four
  38. Thirty-Five
  39. Thirty-Six
  40. Thirty-Seven
  41. Thirty-Eight
  42. Thirty-Nine
  43. Forty
  44. Forty-One
  45. Forty-Two
  46. Historical Note
  47. Questions for Discussion
  48. In 2020, look forCaroline Delacroix’sstory in
  49. About the Author
  50. Back Ads
  51. Back Cover

Gray reared up in disbelief. This wasn’t possible. Not Luke, not in a cage for the rest of his life.

Tears clouded Caroline’s voice. “Philip, please . . . you have to help us.”

“I would give my right arm if I could, but I don’t have any influence down there. I’m sorry, Gray. To the bottom of my soul, I’m sorry.”

Caroline was sobbing as they left Philip’s office, and it cut Gray to shreds. She probably couldn’t even manage the stairs leading out of this dank basement. He pulled her into his arms.

“Cry it all out,” he whispered gently. She would be mortified to be seen like this, and there was no one down here to witness her total collapse. He rocked her in his arms, the sound of her tears making him feel more helpless than ever.

But he was not without resources. He had money and ties among the Cuban planter class he could call on. He would leave for Cuba immediately in a desperate bid to untangle this quagmire.

It meant he wouldn’t be able to escort Annabelle to Mount Vernon for the Fourth of July as they had planned. He’d send a note to her, promising a later date, but cringed at the prospect of telling her of this mortifying blot on his family’s honor. It would be easier to simply say he was called away on business, but he wouldn’t do that.

He owed her the truth. He and Annabelle had always been honest with one another, and in this darkest hour, he would not taint their relationship with a lie.

Eighteen

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Dearest Annabelle,

I have been called away to Cuba on family business. My brother has entangled himself in disloyal political schemes and has been charged with treason. I have no explanation for why Luke walked down this path, but those are questions for another day. The charges are serious, and I will do my best to mitigate the consequences.

This means I will be unable to escort you and Elaine to Mount Vernon. It goes without saying that I would rather be with you, but I shall say it anyway. My feelings for you are deep, and I fear this blot on our family’s honor may cause you to reconsider our relationship. While this would be understandable, I ask for a chance to prove myself to you. I am a loyal man, both to my family and my country. I beg for your patience while I work through this crisis, and I shall notify you the moment I am back in Washington.

With deepest sincerity,
Gray