Enticing Miss Eugenie Villaret (28 page)

Uncle Nathan raised his brows. “Very well. We’ll have the body moved up on deck, then talk to the captain of this ship. Before I make any decisions, I must discover how much he knew of the plot to kidnap you.”

The pounding on the door grew louder. “What about Uncle Hervé?”

“He can stay where he is for the time being.” Uncle Nathan frowned as the pounding continued. “I can’t see that he’ll be of much help if we let him loose.”

“Lord Wivenly, Nathan, is everything all right down there?” Henriksen shouted.

“Yes,” Will answered. “We need a couple of men to move a body.”

Less than five minutes later, Uncle Nathan had ascertained that the captain had known only that the two Villaret men were here to pick up their niece. Will pulled Nathan aside. “Eugénie doesn’t think her Uncle Hervé is a danger.” He rubbed the side of his face. “I don’t know if I want to take that chance.”

“The plain fact of the matter is that we don’t have time to deal with it in any satisfactory manner,” Nathan responded. “We must leave now. I’ve told the captain he can either follow us or try to make it to Simpson Bay in St. Martin.”

“Nathan!”
Aunt Sidonie stood at the rail of the
Swift Wind
.

“Oh God. Sidonie, my love.” Nathan’s voice hitched. “We’re coming now.”

“Go to her, Papa,” Eugénie urged. “We’ll be right after you.”

Will pulled his wife to him, kissing her hard on her lips. “Promise me you will never do anything like this again.”

“No, never.”

“Let’s get out of here.”

T
he sky opened up as the
Swift Wind’s
grappling hooks were removed from the galley and the schooner sailed free of the other ship. Once Eugénie was below deck, to her great consternation, she began to cry.

William wrapped his arms around her. “Sweetheart, what is it?”

“I do not know. Suddenly it was all too much.” She chuckled wetly against his jacket. “Yet now I have everyone I love back with me and safe.”

Cicely and Andrew coaxed Will, Eugénie, and Maman and Papa into a dining room next to the galley. “I believe the cook has some tea brewing. Sit down and tell us everything.”

Eugénie turned to Papa, sitting next to Maman with his arm around her. “How did you get away and how did you find us?”

He told them of his escape. “You remember Mr. Beaufort?”

She nodded.

“I was on his ship when we saw the
Swift Wind
chasing down the galley.”

“But where is he now?”

Papa grinned. “After Vincent realized we had enough men to rescue you, he dropped me off and told me he’d see us at Gorda Sound. With sick people aboard, he didn’t want to take any chances of being caught in the storm.”

“I just hope
we
get there in time,” William commented grimly.

“Don’t worry, my boy, we will,” Papa responded. “With this wind we’ll be there in no time at all.” He glanced at her, William, Cicely, and Andrew. “Now it’s your turn. How did both these marriages come about?”

Eugénie took a breath. “If Cicely and Andrew agree, I will tell you the whole story, but you must promise not to repeat any of it to Mr. and Mrs. Whitecliff.”

William’s arm tightened around Eugénie. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yes. I do not like keeping secrets.”

Andrew’s brows came together. “Cicely, my love?”

“If Mr. Wivenly promises, then I think he deserves to know. After all, it is hard to explain the rest without telling him about that night.”

Papa squinted his eyes at them. “You are all married, and I wouldn’t want to upset your parents, Cicely. I promise.”

“Bon.”
Eugénie began the story by telling him when she and Cicely first saw Andrew and William. Andrew, Cicely, and William joined in at times to explain parts Eugénie didn’t know. All of them left out William’s kissing her in the alley. Her mother could continue to believe it was love at first sight.

By the time they’d finished the story, they’d consumed the tea, Papa had poured rum for everyone, and the cook brought stew and bread.

“Remind me not to go away again,” he said in a wry tone. “I miss all the fun.”

“I agree.” Maman’s voice trembled. “You do not need to go away again at all. We missed you so very much, my love.”

“And I missed you.” He kissed her. “It appears I have a lot of catching up to do.”

Eugénie blinked back her tears of joy. It was so wonderful to have her parents together again. William’s arm tightened, drawing her even closer to him. “I have everything now.”

“Yes.” His answer was a soft whisper against her ear.

Suddenly the ship rolled and they all reached for their mugs of rum.

Papa grabbed his cup as it slid to the end of the table. “We’re in for a long night.”

Cicely yawned. “I’m for my bed.”

“As am I.” Andrew stood.

“Yes. I am tired as well.” Eugénie slid a smile at William. Usually waiting out a hurricane involved many tedious hours of trying to stay busy, yet tonight she’d be with her husband. The storm would probably not last long enough.

In their small cabin, Will released the last of the small buttons of Eugénie’s gown, drawing the garment down over her slender shoulders. “How long will it storm?”

She shrugged, causing the rumpled muslin to slip to her breasts. “It depends on how fast it is moving.” She pulled her arms out, pushing the gown over her hips. It landed in a heap on the floor. “Sometimes they just blow through, and at other times they stall. That is when the most damage is caused.”

Will braced himself to keep from falling as the ship rolled. Eugénie tossed her petticoats over the desk chair as though the boat hadn’t moved at all. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Not allow the ship’s movement to bother you?”

She grinned then presented her back to him so that he could unlace her stays. “It is balance. I always feel the way she shifts. In the same way you would on a horse.”

Once free of the stays, she sat on the bed, then removed her shoes and stockings.

Normally Will would want to do that, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to concentrate on her and stand at the same time. Instead he focused on getting his clothing off as quickly as possible, and grumbled, “I thought a hurricane hole would keep the ship from being tossed around.”

Eugénie laughed. “It will keep us safe from most of the winds and high seas, but the boat will still roll.”

Finally out of his clothes, he lurched toward the bed and almost fell on top of her. His wife went into whoops. He lowered his tone to one that promised retribution. “Laughing at your husband, my lady?”

Still giggling, Eugénie scrambled away, but he caught her foot. She might know more about ships, but he knew more about this. Will ran his tongue from her ankle to the tender spot behind her knee, pausing to suckle the soft spot. Eugénie gave a moan. Lying down was much better. “Not laughing now?”

Her breath stuttered as he moved his mouth higher, flicking her pearl with his finger as he tasted her essence.
“Non.”
Her breath quickened. “Oh, William.”

His member throbbed as if he hadn’t had her in days, but tonight she was going to beg. “Yes, my love?”

She wrapped one leg around him as he held the other wide. “I want you.”

Dragging his tongue over her engorged nub, he dipped it into her belly button. “How much?”

Eugénie arched into him, crying out as he took one nipple into his mouth and sucked, while rubbing his shaft between her legs. “Talk to me, Eugénie.”

She wiggled, attempting to get both legs around him.
“Extrême-ment!”

Her eyes opened wide, she gulped air as he switched to her other breast, idly caressing the abandoned one. A sheen covered her body.
God
he was going to burst.

“William, s’il te plaît!”

He positioned his member at the opening of her sheath and slid into her inch by slow inch, as she clenched tightly around him, bringing him to completion. This hadn’t turned out at all as he’d planned. He’d meant to teach her a lesson, show her he was in charge, but now Will was more deeply in love with Eugénie than ever. She could spend her life laughing at him, and he wouldn’t mind.

“Stay with me, love.”

“William, I—I cannot. I need . . .”

This time, Eugénie really was going to die. Tremors rushed through her body, and William began to thrust again. She hooked her ankles together, encouraging him. Waves crashed against the hull as the storm inside her rose once more. Their bodies were slick, and she anchored herself to William as the contractions began, threatening to separate them.

Deep in her soul, Eugénie suddenly knew she would kill anyone who tried to keep them apart, and he must feel the same about her.

She arched into William as he thrust into her. He groaned and shuddered. His warm seed filled her, making her wish they had already conceived a child.

Eugénie took his head between her hands, possessing his lips as he had possessed hers. She broke the kiss. “I love you.”

The corners of William’s lips tilted up. “It’s about time.”

“Oh, you.” He captured the fist she had planned to pummel him with. “I did love you before, I just love you more now.”

William rolled off her, drawing her against him as he lay on his back. “When you left yesterday, I was worried and furious, and hurt, because you didn’t trust me to take care of you and your family.”

“But he would have—”

He touched a finger to Eugénie’s lips. “Hear me out. All I could think of was losing you, or someone hurting you. I couldn’t have borne it. I must have your trust, Eugénie.”

She turned and stared at him. It had not even occurred to her he would feel betrayed by her actions. “But I did trust you, my love. I
knew
you would come after me, and when I saw
Swift Wind
, I had no doubt you would be on her. I locked myself in my cabin so that Uncle Yves could not use me against you, and I stayed there.” She chewed her bottom lip. She may as well tell him the rest. “I would rather have stuck my dagger in him, but I had a feeling you would wish to kill him.”

Both of William’s arms came around her and his chest rumbled as he laughed. “You were right, my bloodthirsty vixen. I was more than happy to shoot him.”

And because her husband needed to hear it again, she said, “
Bon
, and from now on, I will always allow you to protect me.”

William kissed her, a lingering, tender kiss. “That is all I ask.”

Nathan lay next to Sidonie, happy that he’d regained enough strength to make love to her properly. Now they lay side by side, hands clasped together, allowing the cool breeze from the port-window to waft over them. “How are the girls doing?”

“Better since Will arrived. He saved us. Not only from Shipley and Howden, but from melancholy. He is very good with the children.” She told him about Jeanne’s doll going overboard. “But it is nothing compared to how happy they’ll be to have you back, my darling.”

“Do they know I’m alive?”

He felt Sidonie nod. “Yes, but Will would not allow them to come with us.”

“Thank God for that.” Nathan hadn’t known quite what to think about Wivenly. He was reputed to be a little bit of an out-and-outer. “You seem happy with his and Eugénie’s marriage.”

“I am, but if I’d known how they met . . .”

“She does take matters into her own hands.”

Sidonie’s voice trembled. “To be honest, I was not much help. I do not know what I would have done if events hadn’t turned out the way they did.”

Nathan wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t worry. Everything worked out for the best.” He kissed the top of her head. “The galley followed us here. After the storm has passed, Will and I shall deal with the other uncle.”

“I’m glad the two of you will take care of him.”

He kissed her again. “Sleep now, sweetheart.”

Her breathing soon evened out and deepened, but Nathan was unable to sink into Morpheus’s arms just yet.

Earlier to-day, when the
Belle Amie
had reached the galley, Henriksen had shouted that he’d seen Eugénie in a cabin down below. Nathan had caught a glimpse of a man dashing for the stairs, and followed. Yet before he’d reached the hatch, Wivenly had coolly dodged to the side as a knife whizzed past him, and shot Yves Villaret dead center in the chest. Nathan’s dagger, the one taken from him in the pirate attack, stuck out from the wood next to his son-in-law’s head, still quivering. Despite that, Nathan hadn’t expected to find Eugénie in the fellow’s arms, trying to climb him like a tree.

Fatigue washed over him. If anyone could handle his daughter, Wivenly could. At least she’d not been forced into marrying the old French count.

Will woke in dim light to Eugénie’s bottom nestled snuggly into his groin. A cool breeze ruffled the sheet they’d somehow managed to pull up over them. The ship had ceased the periodic violent rolling that had awakened him off and on during the night. Now it was almost like the gentle rocking of a cradle.

His shaft twitched as if to remind him of how one got a babe to put in a cradle. He stroked over Eugénie’s breasts down to the dark curls at the apex of her thighs, then rubbed lightly. A soft moan escaped her, and he grinned. “Wife?”

“Husband?” Her voice was soft, warm, and still a bit sleepy.

Need for her rose in him. “I want you.”

“Yes.” She reached behind, taking hold of his hard member. “I want . . . Ahhh. William.”

Keeping steady pressure on her nubbin, he slid into her. “That?”

She rocked back against him. “Yes.”

God, he couldn’t get enough of her. Will stroked slowly at first. When he was certain she was about to shatter, he thrust hard and deep, coming with Eugénie as she clenched around him. Allowing the movement of the ship to lull him, he succumbed to sleep.

The next time he opened his eyes, sun beamed through the port-window, and Eugénie was gone. He sat up. Where the devil could she be? “Eugénie?”

“I’m here. I had to use the chamber pot.”

Will’s heart thudded in his chest. He was fully alert now.

She came back to the bunk. “I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Damn, he felt like a fool. “No. It’s fine.”

She stroked his forehead. “After what happened, I understand. I had to look and assure myself you were here as well.” Eugénie climbed back in bed with him. “The storm has passed. The captain will spend the rest of the day repairing any damage before we go home.” A smile graced her countenance. “Unless something occurs, we have the day to ourselves.”

Will shifted over her. “That will be a pleasant change.”

“Yes, it will.”

A knock sounded at the door. “Milady?”

Eugénie groaned. “
Oui
, Marisole.”

“Mr. Wivenly wishes to see you and his lordship.”

“Very well.”

Will flopped onto his back. All he wanted was days, weeks of her to himself. Thank heaven her maid was French. “Pull the sheet over me. As soon as you are dressed, I’ll call Tidwell.”

“You may enter, Marisole.”

Less than a half hour later, Eugénie was washed and dressed in a charming turquoise muslin gown. Once she’d gone, his valet arrived.

They met in the dining room, where Eugénie prepared him a large mug of tea and a plate of baked eggs, toast, and marmalade. Uncle Nathan sat close to Aunt Sidonie, transformed overnight from a grieving widow to a wife in full bloom. When she smiled, he knew what Eugénie would look like in twenty years.

As he practically shoveled down his food, Nathan said, “The French galley followed us yesterday. We must put an end to any of the Villaret family’s scheming as it concerns Eugénie.”