Читать книгу Loves' Conqueror - Renee Hand - Страница 7

“Lord Hammil wasn’t pleased with our leaving so abruptly, but I could tell that you wanted to go.” Davy whispered those words as he took off Miranda’s shoes and rubbed her feet one by one in the carriage as they left Lord Hammil’s estate. Miranda pressed her back forcefully into the seat as she stretched her legs out to lay them upon Davy’s knees, his muscular hands massaging from her toes to her heels and ankles. A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips as she rested her head against the seat.

“I made a mistake, Davy, a big one. I told Lord Hammil that father had accepted his proposal of marriage.” Davy paused for only a moment while his eyes bore into Miranda’s.

“If you recall, I heard the announcement of your engagement earlier in the evening. Do you feel that it was wise to speak for your father?” Was all that Davy had said as he resumed massaging Miranda’s feet.

“You know as well as I that Father would accept the match, you have admitted as much to me.” Davy didn’t answer, he only glanced at her periodically, disapproval in his eyes. “Don’t look at me that way, you know I’m right. Anyway, I took Lord Hammil for a wealthy fool, but now I’ve realized that he is much smarter than what I thought. You know how we talked about letting Lord Hammil show me affection? Well, I let him and I won’t be ashamed to tell you that I wasn’t at all impressed with his kisses. He grabbed me by the shoulders passionately but the kiss didn’t show how excited he was to touch me, not that I have much experience in the matter. I will admit that it was pleasant, but I didn’t feel anything in my heart and I thought I would. I am mildly disappointed with my first experience. He lacks emotion, I think. He shows no passion in the art of love, and yet he shows passion for other things.” Davy raised his eyebrows at Miranda’s words.

“Is this why you almost broke into tears when we were alone earlier?” His curiosity overcame him as he saw the look of sadness in her eyes.

“Yes and no, I felt overwhelmed. I would have duties, as Lord Hammil’s wife, in taking care of his large estate and then having to deal with his abnormal expectations of me. He asks too much from me and I don’t think I could live up to his demands. Also, he has asked me to go to the Caribbean with him so we can marry at his estate in New Providence, at least that request I would do eagerly.” Davy stopped what he was doing and looked up at Miranda.

“Are you serious? What did you say to such a proposal?”

“What do you think I said? I said I would go, of course. He knows nothing of Father’s identity, and I figure that if he can take us to New Providence then it wouldn’t take much for us to go to Eleuthera in secret to check on Father, if he is there.” Davy pushed her feet abruptly off of his knees. Miranda almost fell forward from the action, a look of surprise in her eyes.

“Lord Hammil is not a fool. You cannot treat him as such.”

“Since when do you care for his feelings?” Miranda’s eyes narrowed into slits.

“Watch your tongue with me child, he’s a smart man. I know that you do not love him and I think deep down you fear him. Why? What did he do or say to make you distrust him?” Davy folded his arms in front of his chest awaiting his answer.

“What makes you say such things?” Miranda lowered her eyes, knowing that what Davy said to her was true.

“Lord Hammil is soon to be your husband, and yet you feel that you can dupe him to get what you want. Not a good way to start a trusting relationship. If you cared for him at all, you would never use him like you are planning to do. I was the one who told you not to share with him the truth about you and your father because the connection could be deadly, and I still feel that is the correct decision. But you can’t honestly believe that we would be able to hide from him the truth of your desires to see your father. We don’t know if he is even at Eleuthera. You are assuming he is because that is where you want him to be.” Miranda gazed out the carriage window, a single tear falling from her eyes. She never liked it when Davy raised his voice to her. She always felt like she was wrong or had made a bad decision, even when she thought she was making the right one. It hurt her feelings when Davy yelled at her.

Davy saw the lonesome tear fall down Miranda’s cheek and changed his sharp tone to one less angry. He knew how sensitive Miranda was and yet he often forgot. She had been this way since she was a little girl. It was because of this that she was rarely punished. When she did misbehave, Stratton and/or Davy had to be careful when yelling at her. The tears she would cry would bring more torment to them than they ever would her. Davy took a deep breath before continuing.

“You regret your decision, lying about your father’s approval, which you never should have given without his permission. You know better, but you regret your decision now because Lord Hammil isn’t the man you thought him to be. You thought he was a man you could control, who had a weak will you could convince to do your bidding. Now, because he has shown to you his true self, you have decided that you do not love him, which is not uncommon. He has wealth and power, which is both encouraged, and yet when he speaks to you of demands, your faith falters. Talk to me, Miry, what has he said for you to change your mind so quickly?” Miranda raised her soft brown eyes to meet Davy’s blue ones and blurted out her answer.

“Lord Hammil can be very demanding. He told me that he expects me to act a certain way, to be trustworthy, honest and faithful. Faithful he said to me as if I was going to go and have an affair as soon as we were married. He tells me that he is a jealous man and that he will kill anyone if they touch his property and that includes me. His hands shook with his words. Yes, his actions scared me very much.” Miranda intertwined her fingers together and placed them in her lap, her eyes looking at the folds of her dress.

“Then, after I saw you in the Hall and you explained to me where that room was where I could fix my appearance, I still could not find it and walked into the wrong room. I was about to leave when I noticed something on a chair. It was a piece of parchment that had a picture of my crystal on it and Lord Hammil had written a list of information on the right side of the picture. Davy, he wrote that Father was missing in the Caribbean and that a man of his crew was captured in Port Royal. It seems that Lord Hammil is going down there, not only to marry me at his estate in New Providence, but to take care of business for the queen in Port Royal. The business of finding the crystals that my father and I have in our possession.

“He had also written that the crystals open a secret vault that is hidden in the mountains in Nombre de Dios. That is why I have no faith in Lord Hammil. What do you think he would do if he found out who I really am? His love for me would crumble and fall, for I could give him everything he has ever wanted that could boost his career to a new level, as well as his greed.” Davy was amazed at the information Miranda had just told him. His hand moved immediately to his chin, his fingers rubbing it in thought.

“We’re in quite a predicament. You’re right. Lord Hammil would use you if he knew who you really were. It bothers me to think of the possibility of him already knowing. Yet, I don’t really see how he could.” Davy paused in thought. “We can agree that you cannot marry him. However, your involvement in this is too deep, one way or another you can get hurt.” Concern filled Davy’s features.

“I would do anything to save my father, Davy, just like I would risk everything to save you if you were in trouble. I am going to play the game as long as I have to. We will use Lord Hammil to go to the Caribbean to find Father. Once there, we will need to work fast to get what we want before he does.”

“If that is the risk you want to take, then you know that I will protect you. The fact that you know what Lord Hammil has planned is an advantage to us.” Davy glanced out the carriage window when he said, “You must keep playing the role of the devoted fiancé. Can you do that? Any change in your behavior may cost us our lives. You must do everything he wants you to do, like it or not.” He then stared at Miranda, wanting her to understand what was at stake.

“Anything?”

“Well,” thought Davy, “anything within reason of course. Everything is always within reason. Do nothing you feel that you cannot handle. Always consult me first if you are unsure. I can always use the excuse that he will have to wait to touch you until you are wed but you must realize that soon he will get tired of that, and then when you are married there will be nothing I will be able to do. You will have to allow him to consummate the marriage. It is a husband’s right, but before that time comes I will keep him at bay. I suggest you do the same. However, you will know when to use your wiles to get what you need from him. He’s too eager to have you in his bed, but most of all he loves to have you for show. You are a trophy to him, nothing more, so we will use that to our advantage. Keep that in mind when manipulating him.”

“I will continue being the obedient fiancée but it will be hard. I can’t stand pretending to be something I’m not. I don’t feel free when I have to act like a well born lady and not myself. Those women get tired when walking short distances, using parasols to cover their pasty complexions and their words can be evil and hurtful. To be with such company, to deal with such false mocking behavior, makes me sick to my stomach. I prefer to be open and honest, but my candor is something that Lord Hammil does not wish for. If I were mute, it would please him.” Davy let out a laugh and smiled at Miranda.

“You do very well at it, I will say. Tonight you behaved exceptionally; I want you to know that. You only cursed once, that’s an improvement.” Miranda grabbed one of her shoes and threw it at Davy hitting him in the shoulder. He couldn’t help but laugh at her. The pair talked a little while longer. Their words lasting the remaining duration of the carriage ride. When the carriage finally stopped in front of their townhouse, Davy stepped out first turning around to help Miranda out of the carriage. When both went inside, Miranda and Davy headed for the stairs and to their rooms, which were right across from each other.

“When are we supposed to leave for the Caribbean again?” asked Davy.

“Tomorrow sometime, so we better wake up early and pack so we can be ready when Lord Hammil comes and picks us up.” Davy rolled his eyes as Miranda shot him a sarcastic smile.

“Goodnight, Davy!” said Miranda.

“Goodnight, Miry, and sleep well,” replied Davy.

“I always do,” spoke Miranda as she closed her bedchamber door, eager to get to bed.

Early the next morning, Captain Locand Riveri was standing on the quarterdeck looking down at his crew, briefing them on the day’s plan. The Captain’s Avenger was clean and ready to sail. The crew were experienced seaman. All or most had sailed under Locand’s command before. Their attire, as well as their appearance, had changed since past times when they had sailed under the black flag. Now, with a letter of marque in his hand, Locand could commandeer any pirate ship within his reach and be called a privateer instead of a pirate. Those days of piracy were fading for him. He was now a man who got most of his wealth from his raids off ships who sailed by England as well as in the Caribbean, which was where he used to pirate the waters consistently. When they looted a ship, which had more wealth then they could ever dream, he gave up pirating for a time, but not sailing. The Captain’s Avenger was his own ship. It was a three masted, square-rigged merchant ship converted for comfort and speed. It had enough guns to defend itself efficiently and take out most ships that would come up against them, and yet it was also quick enough to escape most enemies. He could easily sail away from trouble, or into it. However, today was going to be an interesting day for them all. His new life as a privateer was going to begin.

When he convinced the queen to supply him with a letter of marque, it took most of his strength and cunning. He had to bed the woman, and only afterward did she promise to give it to him. The promise, though, meant nothing until he actually had it in his hand. The queen was intelligent and wise. She knew of Locand’s great sailing ability and knew that in order for her to get the treasure stored in the vault in Nombre de Dios, he would be the only man able to do it. With her Lord Hammil in charge, she was sure that she would have more money to add to her coffers and more prestige to her name in the end.

Locand looked again at the papers in his hand before placing them in a pocket inside of his waistcoat. He then placed both hands behind his back. His strong chest was thrust outward and his long, wavy, black hair, which reached to his shoulders, blew in the wind. He wore black breeches with a white linen shirt and matching black waistcoat. Inside a sheath at his waist was a dagger for protection and standing by his side was his first mate, Stevens. Stevens was an older man with long graying hair that was tied in a queue at his neck and a mustache that was shortly trimmed. His appearance was as neat and tidy as the captain’s. He was almost as tall as the captain, but where the captain was muscular and lean, Stevens was fuller in the stomach and in the shoulders. He was intimidating to the crew, and as far as Locand was concerned, made an excellent first mate.

“My faithful crew,” Locand began, “today is a new day for us with new rules to live by. Coming aboard will be Lord Hammil, one of the queen’s favored men. We are asked to take him to Port Royal where he is to be taking care of some business and then returned safely back to England. If we do our mission successfully, we will be handsomely rewarded for our efforts.” The men looked at Locand with respect and cheered. “Of course, on the way if we see anything to bring more riches to our pockets we will do so, but remember that we are privateers now, not pirates, and we must follow the rules. That has to be clear to everyone until the time is right for us to prove otherwise, if there is a time.” The men smirked as they thought of fighting and cheered loudly. The noise brought a smile to Locand’s face, but soon the smile began to fade. “We need to look and act differently from this point on. Our lives depend on this voyage being flawless. One error can cost us everything. Our lives—over.” The crew began to sober as they understood what was at stake. Their eyes gazed upon Locand in guidance.

Locand was born in the Caribbean and his skin had a natural tan. He was tall, his shoulders broad and arms thick and strong with muscle. Underneath his partially opened shirt was a firm chest. His teeth were a bright white and shined against his complexion. Most of the crew could not say the same thing about their teeth, but they were loyal and dependable. They honored and respected the decisions Locand made, for in the past, his decisions never failed to bring them wealth and riches.

“Stevens, do we have enough supplies for our journey?” Locand looked at his men standing before him on the deck instead of in the eyes of his first mate.

“Aye, Cap’n, the men finished loading them this morning, as well as powder for the guns and some rum for the men. Food is plenty and we have enough provisions to last us until we reach Port Royal.”

“Very good! Take the longboat and go ashore to greet Lord Hammil. Take a couple of men with you to load his trunks. He will be spending much time with us, make him comfortable. His safety will bring us happiness.” Locand glanced at Stevens, his faithful friend was more than eager to do his bidding.

“Aye, Cap’n,” replied Stevens, as he yelled out the names of a few men to come with him. Locand then told the crew to continue with their duties as he returned to his cabin to look over his map of the Caribbean and mark the route they would take.

It was midday by the time the carriage containing Lord Hammil, Miranda, and Davy reached the harbor. Lord Hammil exited the carriage as soon as it stopped and offered his hand for Miranda to take. She took it eagerly as she raised her hand to block the sun from shining in her eyes. Her attire was simple and plain. She wore a pale blue dress that revealed her narrow waist and curvaceous hips. Unlike most English women, she refused to use a parasol and adored the sun. She lifted her face to absorb as much of its warmth as she could.

As she stepped away from the carriage, her eyes scanned the many ships in front of her. She wasn’t sure of the ship they would be sailing on and was hesitant to ask Lord Hammil. As she looked at the various ships tied to the dock and the ships anchored near the middle of the harbor, her eyes fell upon the name The Captain’s Avenger. Her thoughts immediately went to its captain. Captain Riveri was the name she read on the letter of marque. She knew he must have it in his possession by now. She was curious what the other ships’ names were on the other letters of marque she hadn’t read.

Her eyes turned toward Lord Hammil who was in conversation with a man who had white hair and a mustache. He glanced periodically at her. Feeling uncomfortable, she turned to face Davy who was standing behind her. Davy wore tan breeches with a white shirt and matching waistcoat. The smile on his face could not hide the excitement he felt at the prospect of being at sea again. Before they could talk, Miranda noticed Lord Hammil motioning for them to follow. As they walked down the dock following the tall man with the white hair, she noticed some other men carrying their trunks. They were quiet, not even saying a word to themselves. They just held their trunks and carried them without complaint, though she did notice the looks they kept giving one another.

The wind was picking up across the water, and Miranda had to block her blond tendrils from covering her eyes many times. She refused to wear a hat but noticed that Lord Hammil wore one to keep the sun away from his face. When they finally stopped, it was in front of a longboat. The man with the white hair told Lord Hammil to step into the longboat first. He then held out his hand to help Miranda into it. As she thanked him, she glanced at his face. He was shaking his head at her as if his thoughts were occupied by something else. However, his words were a contradiction to his actions. He appeared pleasant and kind.

Miranda sat between Lord Hammil and Davy as the men with their trunks loaded the longboat with all of their belongings. As soon as the men stepped into the longboat, they started to row it to the ship anchored in front of them. To Miranda’s surprise, the ship was The Captain’s Avenger. As the longboat pulled along side the ship, Davy climbed the wooden steps that were built into the side. A member of the crew grabbed his arm and helped him aboard. Then, Lord Hammil climbed the steps, wanting to be the one to reach for Miranda and help her aboard. However, his climb wasn’t as graceful as Davy’s and he slipped on a step causing him to almost fall.

Miranda, who was standing in the longboat underneath him, was quickly pulled aside by the man with white hair. He held her firmly but briefly, not wanting her to get harmed in case Lord Hammil fell back into the boat. Stevens caught the scent of Jasmine coming from the woman in his arms as they watched Lord Hammil reach the top of the steps and get helped onto the deck by Davy. Miranda moved away from Stevens and started to climb up the steps. To Stevens’ surprise, she did so without any trouble. He shook his head quickly, and said underneath his breath, “She’s a distraction already. The Captain will not like this.” The men left in the boat agreed as their eyes fell upon Miranda. Her bare legs could be seen as she pulled up her dress a little so she wouldn’t trip on her skirts stepping onto the deck.

As Davy helped Miranda aboard, she caught a slight smile on his lips. She squeezed his hand tightly hoping that he wouldn’t break out into laughter. She was on the brink herself. The sight of Lord Hammil trying to impress her almost made her composure crack. However, as he turned to face her, she could tell that he felt embarrassed. His cheeks were flushed, and as he grabbed her hand she noticed he was shaking. She smiled politely hoping it would calm him. He merely looked away from her, his eyes focusing on the man ahead of him.

“Welcome aboard Lord Hammil,” boomed the voice of Captain Riveri.

“Captain, your ship is bigger than I thought it would be, but it will do nicely. Are we ready to sail?” Captain Riveri glanced several times at Miranda before his eyes focused again on Lord Hammil’s.

“We’ve been ready since dawn. Who are your companions?” Captain Riveri was direct. His eyes again fell upon Miranda and then Davy.

“This is my fiancée, Miranda Smyth, and standing next to her is her guardian, Davy,” answered Lord Hammil, his tone rising slightly and becoming defensive. Locand stared at Davy for a few minutes as recognition hit him. Davy shook his head slightly at Locand, but the action was unnoticed by anyone else.

“It’s a pleasure to have both of you aboard my ship, but I must say that a woman aboard, fiancée or not, is dangerous to the crew. I cannot assure her safety if she becomes a distraction. The weeks we will spend at sea will be lonely and hard for these men. I insist that she stays behind.” Locand glanced again at Miranda who glared at him in response. She was about to say something, but Lord Hammil beat her to it.

“She will not be harmed, Captain Riveri. She is to become my wife and deserves the same respect and consideration as I do!” The shout was unexpected and it startled Miranda so much that she raised her hand to her chest. She glanced at Davy begging him to intercede on her behalf. She didn’t want Lord Hammil to make a scene.

“Captain Riveri,” spoke Davy, “you will not need to worry about Miranda. She will stay out of the men’s sight and will not cause a distraction. I will be protecting her and will make sure that she is not a bother to you or to anyone else.” Locand glanced at Davy, a smile touching his lips. He nodded his head in reply to Davy’s words.

“Captain Riveri, she will be with us until we reach New Providence. It is along the way. Once there, I will leave her at my estate. She will not be coming with us to Port Royal. The queen has approved of my arrangements.” Miranda was pleased to find Lord Hammil speaking calmly once more. Locand narrowed his eyes at Lord Hammil, realizing the change of plan, the smile now gone from his lips.

“Very well, Lord Hammil, but if she causes a distraction to my men, I will leave her at the first island we come to.” Locand glanced one more time at Miranda before turning his back toward her and yelling at his men to set sail.

Before following the men carrying her trunks down into the belly of the ship Miranda glanced on shore. She could still see the carriage they had stepped out of and something else. She was surprised to see Madam Fairaday on the dock waving at her. At least she thought that it was her, though she had no idea why she would be there. They had said their goodbyes early that morning. But none the less, Miranda was happy to see her. She would miss having another woman to talk to and confide in. It then occurred to her that maybe Madam Fairaday was waving at someone else.

She turned quickly around to see if anyone was waving at her in return, but there was no one. In fact, it seemed that she was the only one paying her any attention. Even the captain had his back toward her. Miranda briefly waved and watched as Madam Fairaday left the dock, her head bowed as she brought what looked like a cloth to her face. After several seconds, she stepped into an awaiting carriage. Miranda was puzzled by this, wondering why she would be so distraught, but overlooked it and moved toward the stairs and carefully descended. Her trunks and belongings were taken to a cabin not far from the captain’s. There were bunk beds inside and Davy was to stay with her in the same room. Normally, a man would not be allowed such privileges, but because Davy was her guardian there was no better person to protect her than him.

Lord Hammil was to sleep in the cabin next to them. Inside, the cabin was small but it was neat and clean. There was enough room for Miranda to spread her clothing and some personal items out onto a table in the room. She didn’t mind the cramped quarters and was used to them from spending time on her father’s ship. She walked over to her trunk and opened it. She brought out her journal, which she wrote in every day and a small stack of books. She also unwrapped a piece of cloth that held two swords. She made Davy promise her that they were still going to practice fighting at sea. Somehow, she told him, they would find a way.

Miranda wrapped the swords back into the cloth and carefully laid them into her trunk. She grabbed one of her books, laid on her bed and started to read, but not before she looked out the porthole. She could feel the wind pick up and take the sails. They were traveling at a good pace now and she quietly said goodbye to England as it quickly became a speck in the distance.

Davy made his way to the deck to look for the captain. He was at the helm, overseeing his crew and making sure everything was running smoothly. He had left Miranda in their cabin, knowing she would stay down there for awhile and relax before she would make a fuss to come to the deck. He was just passing Lord Hammil, who was standing on the port side of the ship, and was about to talk to him when he noticed the man was turning pale.

“Are you ill, milord?” asked Davy. Lord Hammil placed his hand on the railing and nodded his head. Davy noticed how tightly he was gripping the railing and how his knuckles were turning white. “Do you need me to help you to your cabin?” Lord Hammil shook his head, determined not to show Davy any signs of weakness.

“I’m fine, Davy. Usually during the first week at sea I feel sick, but after that I start to feel normal again.” Davy nodded his head not believing one word Lord Hammil said. All his years on a ship, Davy never once got sick, but the men he knew who did usually lasted longer than a week hanging over the side. Before Lord Hammil could say another word, he turned toward the railing and threw up. The retching sound made members of the crew stare at the person making the noise. Davy shook his head and looked up, his eyes staring into the captain’s hazel ones.

Davy walked up the stairs to the helm to stand in front of Locand. Locand finished giving orders to some of his men and gazed at Davy, his black hair tied back by his neck with a ribbon.

“Where’s our Miss Smyth?” Locand’s gaze was strong and commanding.

“She’s in our cabin, probably reading.” Locand smiled, his white teeth shining brightly. “I’m going to ask you now because I know that eventually she will bring up the question. Will you allow her to come on deck if she is dressed like a man rather than a woman? She knows a dress will draw attention to her, but she does have men’s breeches and a shirt to make her fit in better when she is around the crew.” Locand thought for a moment, amazed that a woman who was betrothed to the man, who was at that moment heaving over the side of his ship, knew the goings on of a ship. Locand glanced at Lord Hammil and glared into his back.

“Quite a man our Lord Hammil is. You might wish to fetch Miss Smyth to have her attend to him. He’s distracting my crew from their duties. For as much as Lord Hammil sails you would think he wouldn’t have this retched seasickness.” Locand stood staring at Lord Hammil shaking his head at the retching sound. His eyes then glanced back at Davy. “I will give you my answer later.” Davy bowed his head and went to get Miranda. Locand’s features still showed his dislike for Lord Hammil long after Davy had left.

Within minutes Locand saw a pale blue blur out of the corner of his eye. He knew it was Miranda coming to Lord Hammil’s aid. She walked up behind him and stood there quietly. She raised a mug that she had in her hand and thought twice before offering it to him. She softly tapped Lord Hammil on the shoulder. When he looked at her she noticed that his face was a pale white and that his eyes were watering.

“Drink this, it will calm your stomach.” She then handed the mug to him, which he took eagerly.

“What’s in it?” asked Lord Hammil skeptically, bringing the contents to his nose so he could smell it.

“It’s rum mixed with a tinge of ginger. I found some in the galley. The ginger will curb your sickness.” Miranda glanced quickly at Locand who overheard her words. She noticed his eyes widened and his lips pressed tightly together. He was angry with her, she could tell, so she offered him a sassy smile.

“After you drink it, why don’t you rest? Captain Riveri has everything taken care of up here. We are out of sight from our homeland and are on our way to the Caribbean. We will be at sea for several weeks, so you must relax and enjoy yourself. I am!” Miranda’s soothing voice and actions brought a slight smile to Lord Hammil’s lips.

“You’re so thoughtful, my dear,” said Lord Hammil as he drank from the mug. His stomach didn’t calm immediately, but it did feel better.

“My concern is only for you, Leonard. I hate to see you this way.” Lord Hammil was pleased by Miranda’s concern for him and allowed her to escort him down the stairs and to their cabins. Locand’s eyes followed her until she was out of sight. He then glanced back up at his crew and noticed some of their eyes lingering on the girl as well. He instantly became angry and took it out on his crew. His voice was booming as he threatened them to keep their eyes to themselves and on their duties or they would pay the price. The men instantly returned to their duties, not looking in the area of the stairs again.

Upset with the distraction and the way that Miranda mocked him, Locand aimed his sights on the stairs and started for them, passing Davy on the way. He heard Davy say to him, “Captain?” But Locand only smiled at the man not revealing to him his true intentions. Davy was, after all, supposed to protect the girl from harm, and harm was what he wanted to do to her.

Miranda finished tucking Lord Hammil into his bed and closed the door as she stepped into the narrow corridor. When she turned around, she bumped accidentally into Captain Riveri. The look in his eyes showed his displeasure as he grabbed her roughly by the arm and walked her down the corridor to his cabin. He opened the door quickly and shoved her into it ahead of him. The action almost made her lose her balance, but she reached for the bed and steadied herself. Locand stepped into the cabin and closed the door behind him, standing in front of the door to block her from escaping. Miranda turned around and glared at the man before her, her eyes narrowing into slits.

“Where did you get that ginger? That is for the crew and should not be used for your own private uses,” shouted Locand, his arms folded in front of his chest in an intimidating manner.

“I asked the cook to give me some, and he did. You of all people know that ginger can help with seasickness, but instead of helping him and easing his pain, you allowed Lord Hammil to embarrass himself in front of your crew making him look like a fool.” Locand’s eyes widened from Miranda’s words.

“Your fiancée doesn’t need much help from me to accomplish that task.” Locand’s gaze bore into Miranda, but she stood tall and strong, not letting the man scare her.

“He’s a proud and important man, and yet you treat him as if he were an imbecile. Maybe he is, but that does not give you the right to discredit him. The queen looks highly upon him, and with the letter of marque that she gave you, I believe that you need to watch your step so you don’t lose it. Yes, that would be a shame if she found out that you weren’t looking after her best interests.” Locand stepped closer to Miranda and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, bringing his lips just inches from her own. Miranda could smell Locand’s masculine scent as it drifted toward her.

“Watch your step, lass, for it might be your last. Don’t threaten me—ever! Apparently, your lover told you of the letter of marque given to me by the queen. Which, by the way, is none of your business.” Before he could continue, Miranda added in her thoughts.

“He isn’t aware that I know about the letter of marque given to you, but it doesn’t take a captain to figure it out. I mean, look at you. Your whole essence screams of your past and your crew looks like a bunch of cut throats. You’re looking for a new path and Lord Hammil’s the way to it.” Locand let go of Miranda abruptly and shook his head in frustration.

“I’m surprised you have lived this long with your sharp tongue. Does your Lord Hammil know of this side of you?” Miranda rubbed her shoulders with her hands and glared at the man before her, her dislike for him growing inside her.

“What he knows about me is none of your business. You have a job to get us safely to New Providence, Port Royal, where ever, and back. Do your job and stay out of my affairs.” She pushed herself past Locand and was about to reach for the door when she was suddenly turned around, her back pressed up against the door roughly preventing her escape. She tried to scream for Davy but was stopped when Locand grabbed her cheeks tightly and stopped her, the other hand placed tightly on the back of her neck. Miranda was so surprised with the action that she felt tears welling up in her eyes. Seeing that he was finally getting through to her, Locand softened his voice.

“It makes me curious how you know so much about the cure for seasickness. Only people of the sea know how to cure its ailments. How did you know about the ginger?” Miranda glanced at the ground searching for an answer, and Locand noticed her pause.

“Davy was a pirate long ago and has sailed for years. He told me about the ginger.” Locand analyzed Miranda’s features. She was correct about Davy, but he was certain there was more she was not telling him.

“Just so you know, your guardian cannot help you, Miss Smyth. Unlike you, he knows who the captain of this ship is and offers me the respect I deserve. You, on the other hand, haven’t figured out who is in charge yet, so let me bring it to your attention. I am the captain of this ship, Locand Riveri. If you would like something, just ask me and I will make sure you get whatever it is that you desire. Go behind my back again and you will suffer the consequences. Do we understand each other?” Locand loosened his hold enough for Miranda to move her head as she nodded.

“Good! I would hate to harm your pretty features, but I will, and without much qualm.” Locand moved closer and nuzzled her neck and ear, his warm breath caressing her skin. Miranda raised her hands to land on his hard chest to stop him as he whispered, “As you say, I was once a pirate. Being so you know what I am capable of doing.” Locand stood back and removed his hand from Miranda’s neck as he caressed her cheek, feeling her soft skin underneath his rough fingers. The smell of jasmine permeated the air as he glanced up and down the length of her body taking in her appearance. “From this day on you will be locked into my cabin until you can show me the proper respect due me. When you can obey my every command without comment, then I will let you walk on deck. Do we have an accord?” Miranda stared into Locand’s beautiful green-brown eyes as she thought over her answer.

“Where will you sleep?” asked Miranda apprehensively.

“In here!” replied Locand tersely.

“Why, so I can endure your hostile and glorious presence? Davy will not approve or allow this treatment of me. He protects my virtue above all else. He will not let you touch me, nor will I allow it again without a fight.” Locand slowly backed away from Miranda as if burned.

“Your virtue is safe with me. I will not touch you in the manner in which you are implying, nor am I planning to. I can go to any port and have any woman I want in my bed without a fight. Women who would be eager to spread their thighs for me to sate myself and would relish the feeling I would give them in return. I don’t need some high maintenance, sassy, opinionated, demanding woman to satisfy me when I have so many others at my disposal who are easier to tame.” Miranda wanted to slap Locand, but resisted the urge.

“I bet you’ve had many women in your bed, and that it’s stained with their filth because you are definitely not the gentlemen type to have high bred ladies.”

“I’ve had those, too.” Miranda scoffed.

“You disgust me!” Locand took a step forward causing Miranda to lean against the wall for support.

“I only mean to teach you a lesson. Davy will understand that, once being a first mate to a great captain. However, I thought your first response would be to tell me how much your lover would not approve. I am surprised to hear you care more about what Davy thinks than the man you are supposed to marry.” Miranda straightened from the wall and swept the blond curls from her eyes with her fingers, realizing too late he had set a trap she fell right into.

“He will not approve either, for his feelings for me are strong. His emotions will run heavy with jealousy and cause you more problems if you do this to me. I will speak for him when I say that this is what he would think of your little lesson.” She could not resist this time. Without warning Miranda brought her hand back and slapped Locand across the cheek. The slap barely made his head turn. Locand’s eyes filled with fury, a smile shown brightly upon his lips as he saw the smug look upon Miranda’s face. He seized her by the waist, picked her up and roughly threw her onto the bed.

“I believe we have an accord. We will see how long you can last without seeing daylight for a week,” Locand threatened. Miranda straightened her skirts and hair as she glared at Locand.

“Fine! It won’t bother me a bit,” replied Miranda angrily. Locand glared at the girl on his bed once more before opening the door.

“This would have gone so much better for you if you wouldn’t have acted like a stubborn wench.” Miranda folded her arms in front of her chest and looked away from him defiantly. Captain Riveri slammed the cabin door shut and locked it. Miranda could hear his mutterings down the corridor. Her eyes filled with tears as she cried her sorrows.