Читать книгу In the Tudor Court Collection - Amanda McCabe - Страница 25

Maribel sensed that someone was watching her. She turned her head in the direction of Captain Sylvester and the man who had brought the second pirate ship into the cove. He was older, dark of hair and pale complexioned; his eyes had a strange piercing quality.

‘Who is that man with the captain?’ she asked of Tom as he came up to her. ‘There is something about him…’ She shook her head, not knowing why the man’s gaze made her uncomfortable.

‘Higgins told me he is the acting captain of the Maria. The ship was taken a few weeks back and is a Portuguese merchantman. His name is Mr Hendry—or Captain Hendry, I suppose. Higgins doesn’t like him; he thinks he is sly and not to be trusted, but Captain Sylvester put him in charge of their sister ship, because of his experience. He will sail with us to Cyprus.’

‘Are we still to sail for Cyprus?’

‘I have heard the men say that we may sail for the pirates’ island instead. There are many islands in the region that are uninhabited, some used by the brethren. We need a safe haven so that we can divide the spoils of the past months. I am to receive a share though I took no part in capturing them.’

‘What is the name of this island?’ Maribel looked apprehensive. ‘I suppose it is a sinful place where pirates congregate to get drunk and frequent the tavern whores.’

‘I cannot tell you the name—its location is a secret—but I believe it is much the same in any port, lady,’ Tom told her. ‘Men will drink and indulge themselves after a long sea voyage. It is natural for men who live as we do to spend their gold in such fashion. At least until the time comes to settle down.’

Maribel was silent. In her heart she knew she had no reason to condemn the pirates or their captain. It was true they had taken her captive, but she had been treated fairly since then. She wanted to believe in their captain, if only she could let go of her preconceived prejudices and accept his word.

She walked towards Captain Sylvester and Mr Hendry, wanting to know what was being decided between them. As he saw her approach, the captain left his companion and came to meet her.

‘Your father has sent word that he wants a truce between us,’ Justin told her, but there was an odd expression in his eyes. ‘He asks that I meet him face to face. He will pay a ransom for your safe return and for safe conduct through these waters. It would mean an end to what has become a feud between us.’

‘Do you wish for an end to it?’ She held her breath as she waited for his answer.

‘If Don Sabatini agrees to pay us for safe passage, we shall leave his ships in peace. There are plenty more vessels we might take and the Portuguese merchantmen are usually the most profitable.’

‘So you will sell me to him?’ Maribel’s face was white and she felt the sickness rise in her throat.

‘I thought it was what you wanted?’ Justin’s gaze narrowed. ‘When I took you captive you assured me your father would pay to have you back—and it seems you were right.’

‘I did not know then what manner of man he was.’ Maribel was close to tears. ‘I hate you…Why did you pretend to care what happened to me?’

She turned and fled down the beach, because the tears were close and she did not wish to shame herself before him.

Justin stared after her. He had not told her the whole truth, because he was uncertain what to believe. The Don’s message was a little strange. It seemed that there was something he wanted even more than the return of his daughter.

Touching the package inside his jerkin, Justin frowned. Could the map of the silver mines, which he had captured from Don Sabatini’s flagship, be the only one in existence? If the Don wanted the map more than his own daughter, it must be that he could not return to the mines without it. Justin had taken some chests of silver from the Don’s ships, but the map to the mines might be worth vast sums—if a man were willing to risk all that it entailed.

Had Maribel been sent to sea as bait? Had he walked into some kind of a honeyed trap—and did she know about it? If she did not and her father truly desired the map above her, he must indeed be as evil as rumour would have him. If he were so evil, it would be wrong to send her back for she would be given to a man whose very touch would corrupt her. This was a problem that required some attention and could not be solved in an instant.

Justin was thoughtful as he stared out to sea. He knew that the Don was a brutal man who had murdered slaves—could he ever be justified in returning the map to such a cruel devil? Giving his daughter back was out of the question.

Maribel walked for some time and then found a rock to sit on. She stared out at the sea. Within hours she might be back with her father—and how long would it be before she was once more on her way to England?

She did not want to marry the English lord her father had found for her! Even if she discarded what Captain Sylvester had told her, she would not wish to marry a man she did not know. If the story of his wickedness were true…she could not bear that her father would send her to such a man. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She dashed them away and began to walk slowly back towards the pirate camp. When she saw Captain Sylvester coming towards her, she hesitated, wanting to run away again but knowing she could not avoid him for long.

‘I am sorry if I made you cry,’ he apologised as he came up to her. ‘Forgive me, Madonna. I shall send word that you are not to be ransomed and there will be no truce. The men would be against it—some of the crew have served aboard his ships and they hate him.’ His hand reached out to her, wiping her face with his fingertips. ‘Will you forgive me?’

‘I do not know what to do.’ Maribel faltered, her heart pounding as he moved closer. He was so strong and handsome and powerful, his mouth sensuous and strangely compelling. She felt the pull of his magnetism, but still struggled against it. ‘If what you told me is true, I can never return to my home. My father controls my fortune. I have nothing but the things I took with me when I left for England.’

‘Have you no friends or relatives who would help you?’

‘There is only Don Mendoza…and you say he cannot be trusted.’

‘What of your own mother’s family?’

‘She was English and died when I was small. I know my uncle’s name but I do not know if they would take me in.’

Justin cupped her chin in his hand, looking down into her face. ‘If you will trust me, I shall try to find where your mother’s family live—and if any are still alive I will make sure you get safely to them.’

‘You would do that for me?’ Maribel’s eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly. Before she knew what was happening, she swayed towards him and he caught her against him, kissing her softly on the lips. For a moment she tensed, then allowed herself to melt into his body, giving herself up to the unexpected pleasure that flooded through her. For a few moments she floated away in a cloud of sheer ecstasy ‘Oh…that was nice…’ she said as he let her go.

Justin chuckled deep in his throat. ‘Sweet lady, you tempt me to sweep you up and run off to a place where no one will ever find us, but I have given my word. I shall make every effort to find your English family and return you to them.’

‘But how will you discover them? I can only tell you my uncle’s name.’

‘And that is?’

‘Fildene…I think that is right. Juanita mentioned my uncle once—Sir Henry Fildene.’ She saw his eyes gleam. ‘What? Do you know him?’

‘I have not met the gentleman personally, but I believe I may know where to find him—and, since my father purchased wine from him, I believe he must be honest.’ He smiled at her in a way that made her feel safe and protected. ‘There should be no difficulty finding your family, Maribel.’

‘I do not have words to thank you.’ She lifted her eyes to his. ‘Where shall we go next? To Cyprus as you planned?’

‘We shall go to our island so that the spoils of previous journeys may be divided between us. I shall ignore your father’s request to return his property and forget the truce.’

‘Supposing my father sends his ships to attack you?’

‘I do not fear Don Sabatini or any other man.’

‘But…I do not wish to cause trouble for you.’

Justin touched her mouth with his fingertips. ‘Your father and I were born to be enemies, for he is all that I despise. Whatever may happen in the future it will not be your fault, Madonna.’

He smiled down at her, making her heart beat like a drum. When he smiled like that she felt that nothing could ever harm her again.

Maribel stood on deck watching as the ship sailed away from the island of Mallorca. She had come on board willingly this time, though she was still apprehensive about her future.

She turned her head to smile as Captain Sylvester came to stand by her at the rails.

‘You look pensive. Are you thinking of your home—or your husband?’

‘My husband was kind to me. We were childhood friends. Pablo always told me that he would marry me one day. For a short time we were happy in our way. I think we were still children and thought like children, but we could not have stayed that way for ever.’

‘I am not sure I understand you?’ Justin lifted his brows.

‘Pablo was killed riding in the hills soon after our marriage—I was told by bandits, but I wonder now if my father had something to do with his death. Pablo was young to inherit such rich estates and he would never suspect my father of playing him false.’

‘You think your father coveted his wealth even then?’

‘Yes, perhaps. I did not suspect it then and when he asked me to return home after my husband died I was lonely and wanted the comfort of being with my stepmother. Juanita loved me. My father was much kinder to me while she lived.’

‘He controlled your fortune. Perhaps he had no reason to be unkind.’

‘My father is not a poor man. I do not understand, why would he seek to steal what belonged to Pablo?’

‘Wealth is power and some men will do anything for power. There are men driven by sheer greed; he may be one of those men.’

‘Supposing he tries to take me back by force?’

‘He did not demand your return. There was something he wanted more.’

‘Something he wants more than his own daughter?’ Maribel was intrigued.

‘I suspect that I have the only copy of the map leading to his silver mines in the New World.’ Justin’s eyes were on her face. ‘It was the map he demanded in return for a ransom.’

‘A map that reveals the location of rich silver mines?’ Maribel was stunned. ‘How did you come by such a thing?’

‘It was in a small chest I took from the captain of the Juanita. No one but me knows of its existence. If my men learned of such a map, they might wish to exploit it, for there is a fortune to be made from these mines.’

‘You could be rich beyond your wildest dreams.’ She saw his smile and bit her lip. ‘Is that why you refused his truce?’

‘You must know it was not my main reason for refusing?’ Justin laughed softly as her eyes widened. ‘Wealth is not my driving ambition. I am not sure what should happen to the map, but I was not willing to send you back to him once I understood what he intended for you.’

‘Oh…’ Her breath came faster as she gazed into his eyes. Was he telling her that she was more important than the treasure map? ‘Will you keep the map?’

‘Perhaps…’ Justin’s eyes were on her face. ‘What do you think I should do with such a map? It must be worth a great deal for your father to offer a large sum of gold for its return but some would say the mine is stained with the blood of those that died there.’

‘I…do not know what you should do,’ she said and shivered at the thought of what had happened at the mine. ‘But if my father wants that map, he may try to get it back. He may send ships and men to look for you.’

‘He might try. I have refused his offer. I shall not return the map, at least until I have considered more. Captain Hendry was brave enough to say that he would take the message.’ Justin suddenly grinned at her. ‘I told you once before, I do not fear Don Sabatini.’

‘Is there anything you fear—anything that causes you pain?’

His eyes clouded, his manner becoming reserved. ‘If there were, I should not tell you, Maribel. Such things are best unspoken.’

She felt a withdrawal in him and was sorry. Did he have a dark secret that he kept hidden?

Justin frowned as he watched her go below. He thought that she had begun to trust him a little, but he was not certain how he felt about the beautiful Spanish woman. It was true that he found her desirable. From the first moment he saw her standing so defiantly in her cabin he had wanted to make love to her. Being close to her was enough to make him burn with the need to kiss and hold her, the need to feel her heart beating next to his, to have her in his bed—but there were so many barriers between them. She thought of him as a pirate and a rogue, and although she had accepted that he was her only hope of reaching England and freedom, he was not certain that she would ever like him.

He had told her about the map to gauge her reaction, but she had no interest in it, and he was sure she thought it should be destroyed—that the blood of the murdered slaves tainted the mine. At first he had looked for something of her father in her, for a sign that she would betray him if she had the chance, but the more he spoke with her the more certain he became that she was innocent. She was certainly proud and wilful, but now that she had stopped fighting him, he found her too attractive for his peace of mind. Something inside him wanted to take away the look of anxiety from her eyes, to hold her and comfort her, and assure her that nothing would ever harm her again.

A rueful smile touched his mouth. Justin had loved once with all his heart, but the girl he would have made his wife had died suddenly of a fever a few days before their wedding. He had vowed that he would never allow himself to feel that kind of love again, to feel the deep dark despair and the pain that had almost torn him apart.

It was because of Angeline’s death that he had become involved with the wild friends that had talked of deposing Queen Mary and setting Princess Elizabeth in her place. His despair had led him to drink too much and become careless—and that was what had brought him to his present situation.

Justin could never ask a woman to marry him, because he was a pirate and he had nothing to offer a decent woman…a woman like Maribel Sanchez.

He should put all thought of her from his mind and make arrangements to restore her to her family as soon as he could. In the meantime it would be better to avoid her company. Being close to her made him think of what might have been—what might be in the future if things were different.

Hearing the knock at her cabin door, Maribel looked up in surprise as the captain walked in. For a moment her heart pounded, but in an instant, she saw that he had not come with seduction on his mind.

‘I thought you might like this, to help you pass the time,’ Justin said, and handed Maribel a small book. It was bound in leather and looked as if it had been much used. ‘It is written in English, but I think you understand the language well enough to enjoy it.’

‘That is kind of you,’ she said. ‘Sometimes the days are long on board ship.’ Opening the pages, she saw it was a book of poetry and exclaimed with pleasure. ‘Oh, how lovely. I shall truly enjoy reading this, Captain Sylvester.’

‘I thought you might,’ he said and smiled. ‘I shall not keep you longer, but finding the book amongst my things made me think that it might please you.’

Maribel stroked the worn leather with her hands reverently. The book contained an anthology of poems by different poets, but as she touched it, she noticed that it fell open at one particular place again and again. Glancing at the poem, she was struck by the title.

‘A Lover’s Lullaby’ by George Cascoigne, she read aloud in wonder, for she would not have thought that such a poem would hold the captain’s interest time and again

Sing lullaby, as women do

Wherewith they bring their babes to rest;

And Lullaby can I sing too,

As womanly as can the best.

With lullaby they still the child;

And if I be not much beguiled,

For man a wanton babe have I,

Which must be stilled with lullaby.

Her eyes scanned the following verses, which told a sad but poignant tale, of a woman who, it seemed had borne children out of wedlock, and must pay the price.

It was a beautiful set of verses, and yet Maribel wondered why it had drawn the captain to it so many times.

Maribel had been taking the air on deck. The sun was very warm and she fanned herself lazily, looking out across the water. They had been at sea for several days now and the weather had remained fine all that time.

She saw Captain Sylvester coming to meet her and waited for him to reach her. Although she had decided to trust him, Maribel never sought him out herself. She tried to keep a little distance between them—she was afraid that if she once let down her guard she would not be able to raise it again, and she suspected that he did the same.

‘Have we much longer to go until we reach the island?’

‘Are you impatient to get there?’ Justin raised his brows.

‘I am just curious. Where is this island?’

‘It is one of a group off the coast of Greece. You may know that there are thousands of islands in the Aegean? Some are inhabited, many are not. We have made it our own and a small community awaits our return.’

‘And is your community known to the wider world?’

‘The approach is through a channel of dangerous rocks that keep unwanted visitors at bay. One day we may be discovered, but for the moment it is a haven for us and others of our kind.’

‘You could not have taken me to England first?’

‘I must honour my word to my men. Once we have settled our business there I shall do as you ask me, Madonna. You have my word that no man will touch you without your permission. You are under my protection until I can get you to your family.’

‘I believe you,’ she said. ‘But I must ask, how long must pass before we can sail for England?’

‘There are things I must do at the island. Besides, we must wait until Hendry joins us. He will have given my message to your father—and he will bring his answer back.’

‘Are you certain of that?’ Maribel gazed into his eyes. ‘My father might decide to hang Captain Hendry and keep your ship.’

‘Hendry understood the risks, but he volunteered to take the message. I wanted your father to understand that there will be no truce between us.’ Justin frowned. ‘In return Hendry will own his ship and may sail where he wishes under his own command. Whatever happens, I shall take you to England—and find someone to care for you. You have my word.’

‘Why should you do so much for me?’

‘My word is my bond,’ Justin told her, a harsh note in his voice. ‘I think you have had little reason to trust the word of any man, lady—but I have told you you can trust mine.’ His eyes glowed with fire as he looked down at her, causing her stomach to spasm with nerves. ‘You tempt me more than you will ever know, yet I shall not force you—nor yet persuade you. You are as safe from me as any other man of my crew. Only if you came to me of your own free will would I make you mine.’

‘What do you mean?’ she whispered, a strange mixture of fear and hope spreading through her.

‘I am not in a position to offer marriage to any woman,’ he said and a little nerve flicked in his throat. ‘Since I do not wish to live alone for the rest of my life I may take a mistress…’

‘Why can you not marry? Are you married—is there someone anticipating your return?’ Her mouth was dry as she waited for his answer, which was a while in coming. ‘Someone you love?’

‘There was once a woman I loved.’ He frowned and looked into the distance. ‘That was long ago, before I became what I am now. No one waits for me and I have no wife. Love is something I cannot afford, Maribel. It softens a man and makes him weak—but I would be generous to any woman I took as my partner in life. She would have to be the right kind of woman, one who could share the hardships of the life I live.’

Maribel drew a deep breath. What was he saying to her—that she could be his mistress if she chose? Or was he telling her that she was the wrong kind of woman? She knew that he desired her, and suspected that it would be heaven to lie with him. Part of her yearned to tell him that she would rather sail the seas as his woman than be wife to any other man, but something held her back. She knew nothing of this man or his hopes and dreams. It would be foolish to imagine that she could be more than a temporary amusement to such a man.

‘I accept your word that I shall be safe on the island,’ she said at last. ‘It seems that there are some honourable men left. My husband was one such man and perhaps you are another.’

‘You told me your husband loved you—but did you love him? Are you still grieving for him?’

‘Yes, I loved Pablo. I did not wish to marry again, but my father forced me to agree.’

She had loved Pablo, but she was beginning to understand that perhaps she had only ever loved him as a brother. However, she could not admit the truth to this man.

‘And you truly wish to find your mother’s family?’

‘Yes…’ she whispered, though her heart spoke otherwise.

She could not deny the strong attraction he had for her, the way something deep inside called to him, but he had spoken of taking a mistress. He did not need or want a wife. She was sure that he had been warning her to keep her distance, for he felt the attraction too. He would take her as his mistress and treat her well for as long as it pleased him but then, when it was over, she would be truly alone.

At least he had been honest with her and she must respect him for that, but there could be nothing more than a wary friendship between them.

Justin inclined his head. ‘You will excuse me, lady. I have much to do.’

‘Yes,’ she said and smiled at him. ‘I must not keep you from your work. I know I must often be in your way when I come on deck…’

‘You would never be in my way,’ he replied, and for a moment the heat in his eyes seared her.

Maribel went below to her cabin, feeling restless. Sometimes when the pirate captain looked at her that way she had feelings that were hard to ignore. Without his realising it, he had lit a fire inside her and she could not ignore it no matter how hard she tried.

It was merely physical. The result of a marriage that had not satisfied the woman in her. She had not realised then how much she would have missed as Pablo’s wife, but she was beginning to understand now. There was something inside her that craved the kind of love she should have known with her husband—but it was the bold pirate who filled her dreams and made her restless, not her gentle husband. Yet it would not be just physical for her, because if she gave herself she would give her heart and he wanted only her body. He had loved a woman once and he did not wish to love again. Could she be content with such an arrangement?

A part of her cried out that she would take what happiness she could, but her mind denied it. She might long for the kind of loving that she had never known with her husband, but to love and not be loved in return would break her heart.

‘Forgive me, Pablo,’ she whispered, saying goodbye to the memories she had treasured. No longer a child, she felt that she was at the threshold of becoming a woman—if only she had the courage to step over.

Justin watched the woman as she stood at the prow of the ship, her long hair blowing softly in the breeze. She had abandoned her formal ringlets and the new style suited her. There was pride in every line of her body. She was a true lady and it showed in all she did, in her every movement and her speech. Her smile was an enchantment, though it was seen seldom enough. Sometimes when, as now, she stood staring out to sea, there was an air of sadness about her that wrenched at his heart. He could only guess at the causes. Was she missing her home or her husband?

Justin was aware of a nagging jealousy. Pablo Sanchez must have been a true man to hold her heart beyond the grave. Given the choice she would remain faithful to her dead husband, but for how long? Anger stirred in him. She should not be allowed to waste her life in regret for a man who could no longer hold or love her. Such beauty should be for the living.

Seeing her day by day as they sailed, spending a few moments in her company, explaining the way the sails were worked and the tools that he used for reading the stars to guide them on their journey, had brought him to a closer understanding with her. Her eyes no longer held that faint hint of fear whenever he approached. He believed she was beginning to trust him, to respect his word—but did she like him? Did she feel anything more than respect?

Justin had given his word that she would be safe from him and his crew. He had told her that she must come to him willingly, but he did not believe that it would happen. It would have been better to have taken her to England, given her money and let her find her own family, but the crew might have mutinied.

No, he would not lie to himself. He could have found a way to persuade them, but he had not wanted to part from her too soon. She drew him like a moth to a flame, but he knew that he would be foolish to hope that a woman like Maribel Sanchez would look twice at a pirate. Her world was not the one he had chosen; there was too wide a divide between them and he did not see how it could be crossed, except in a way that would shame her.

His smile was wry. Of late she had spoken softly to him, but at the start there had been such contempt in her voice when she spoke of pirates. She had challenged him so proudly and her contempt stung. He had been born to a proud family. There were times when he thought of his home longingly, but how could he ever return? One day Queen Mary would die and, pray God, Elizabeth would reign in her stead. He knew that the charges of treason would then be dropped, but there might be others in their place. He had incited men to mutiny. He had preyed on merchant ships, and the ships of friendly countries, also the Mistress Susanna, which was an English ship. He could not shame his father by returning to a trial and a hanging.

At the start he had been carried along by his sense of fair play and justice. The men had been ill treated and Captain Smythe had deserved what happened, perhaps more. Had he left the men to their own devices and gone to France to his cousins, Justin might have been able to return home, but it was too late. In Maribel’s eyes he had seen the disgust and contempt that his mother would feel if she learned what her son had become.

Justin had not sent word to let his parents know he was still alive. Better that they should think him dead than know what trade he followed…

Maribel sighed as she brushed her hair. The weather had been so hot these past days, and the ship had been becalmed for a short time, making a long journey seem endless. She was desperate to go ashore again, though nervous of what awaited her at their journey’s end. The atmosphere on board ship had become increasingly excited and tense as the ship drew nearer to its destination. The men could hardly wait for the promised time on shore and the division of spoils.

She had heard that some of the islands in the Caribbean had been for some time the haunt of pirates, and the seas about them were said to be a lawless place, but she had heard nothing of this island in the Aegean. She knew however that Corsairs haunted the Mediterranean seas, many of them from the Ottoman Empire. Her father had dismissed all pirates as thieves and rogues and spoken of a need for the seas to be swept clean by a sufficient force of ships ranged against them.

‘While that nest of rats is allowed to survive we shall none of us be safe from these rogues,’ she had heard him say more than once.

However, she knew that it was easier to talk of gathering a force to move against the brethren of the seas than to actually do it. Rich merchants cursed the pirates that preyed on them, but to fit out ships for battle was costly and wasted time that might be put to better effect. In truth, it was unlikely that it would happen unless several countries banded together.

Getting to her feet, Maribel gazed out of the window. She could see a dark haze on the horizon and knew that it must be the island they had sailed so far to find. Her heart pounded and she could scarcely breathe. She had been lulled into a sense of peace on the long journey for she had been treated with respect, both the pirate captain and his men seeming to keep a distance between them and her.

It was not so for Anna, who spent most of her time talking with Higgins or Tom on deck. She still did her work, but there was a new attitude in her manner. Now she was less deferential and treated Maribel more as a friend than a mistress.

Maribel was not certain how she felt about the new order. Anna had moved on while she was in limbo, neither a part of the close community that made up the crew or a prisoner. The men looked at her uncertainly, but few of them spoke to her.

‘At first they thought you were Sylvester’s woman,’ Anna had told her once. ‘Now they are not sure what you are to him. They keep you at a distance because he has said that any man who lays a finger on you will be hung.’

‘That was harsh.’ Maribel frowned. ‘Surely such words were not necessary?’

‘Some of them would respect you as a lady, others would rape you given the chance.’ Anna was brutally frank. ‘Some of the men are honest enough, but Higgins said that many are scum and not to be trusted. It will be worse when we get to the island and mix with the other crews.’

‘I see…’ Maribel shivered. Yet Anna had told her nothing she had not sensed from the beginning. She was safe only because she was under Captain Sylvester’s protection. ‘Perhaps it would be best if I did not go ashore.’

‘We shall all go ashore,’ Anna told her. ‘The ship must be cleaned and refitted. You could not stay on board while that was happening.’

‘I see.’ Maribel bowed to her superior knowledge. Higgins must have told her what would happen when they reached the island. Anna was one of them. Maribel was still an outsider. ‘Then I must wait until Captain Sylvester tells me what I must do.’