Page 21 of Avenging the Earl's Lady
Perry’s eyes lit.“Yes.And I learned something else.Father got the painting years ago from a privateer, none other than Captain Kingsley.And—Jenny, you are sworn to secrecy on this—there’s a treasure map on it.Well, at least the coordinates to lost treasure.A fortune in Spanish gold, stolen and hidden somewhere in the West Indies.”
Jane’s breath quickened and she plopped onto a chair.The numbers written on the canvas—no wonder they’d removed it from the frame.
If word got out about the possibility of treasure, it might fetch far more money than any other ragged masterpiece, enough to pay off a young man’s debt and give a spinster the freedom to live independently in some semblance of style.And it would make all the men missing it squirm to get it back.
Fox came through the kitchen door to retrieve his promised bride.Shaldon soon followed, his distant and hurried farewell leaving a hollow place in her heart.
If she was lucky, she would never see him again.If she succeeded, if he came after her, the heat in his eyes would not be lust but the same sort of fury he felt toward the Duque.
She would risk it, dammit.
Soon enough, the clatter of wheels and departing horses subsided, and she and the maid were alone.
“Jenny,” she said.“I believe tomorrow is a good day to take the cart for supplies.”
The girl looked up, pink-faced.“I’ll gather my things tonight and be ready, my lady.I’m going with you.”
