So Worthy My Love (14 page)

Ja! Ja!
Yu be of the right size, I think. Ve did good.” Subduing a mild curiosity, Elise passively observed him as he took two large bundles wrapped in cloth from the chest. He placed them on the floor beside him, removed another of a slightly smaller size, then a fourth one which was even smaller. Dropping the lid, he rose and went to the bunk where he spread the bundles for her benefit.

“Yu vould no doubt be more comfortable vearing these clothes this evening,
Englisch
, and it is my vish yu do so.” Abruptly he stepped away. “
Ach!
I cannot stay a moment longer. My duties call, but I vill return vhen darkness comes.”

He tugged on the hat, outfitted himself for another tour on the deck and left, slamming the door behind him. Elise was intrigued, and she teased herself for only a moment before she opened the two larger packages. In both she found a treasure of carefully folded, royal blue velvet garments, in the first a cloak of rich beauty fully lined with silver fur, and in the second a gown trimmed at the neck with a white ruff edged with silver lace and long sleeves puffed at he shoulders and intricately embroidered with silver thread. Another bundle contained undergarments, a hooped farthingale, chemise, and delicately worked petticoats, while the fourth held a pair of silken slippers of a shade to match the gown. To be sure, the garments were far richer than anything a prisoner could expect.

Elise smoothed the soft fur and stroked the blue velvet with her hand, caressing it almost in a daze as
a sudden longing came over her. Though only a scant few days ago, it seemed like ages since she had soaked in a perfumed bath and enjoyed the luxury of fine clothes such as these.

A harsh frown suddenly creased her brow as she remembered the captain's scrutiny, and she began to fold and wrap the garments again. She did not know his purpose, but there had to be some reason for these gifts, a reason she would not likely care for. He could quite easily take her by force; there was no question of his greater strength, but if he carried some hope of persuading her to be a willing and ardent companion by giving gifts of delectable foods and rich clothing, then in that too he was mistaken. Her favors were not to be purchased for any price.

The hour of darkness drew nigh, and the masts and yards above the cabin creaked heavily, as with a changing stress. Gradually the incessant rolling of the ship eased, and Elise knew that Nicholas Von Reijn, true to his word, had altered the course to run the ship with the wind more at its heels. It would not be long now before he would make an appearance.

The cabin boy came in to prepare the table for the evening meal, adorning it with fine linen, enamel-handled knives, silver dishes, and stemmed goblets of the same. When the service was prepared, he busied himself laying out a feast of poached pigeons with gooseberries, marinated salmon, and a small assortment of side dishes. When the lad fled the cabin, leaving her to await the coming of his master, Elise grew tense with the prospect of what the evening might bring. Of course, with his love of
food the good captain would not dawdle overlong with the meal close at hand. He would be coming soon, and with each moment she grew increasingly aware of her predicament. If she refused to yield to him, he could easily resort to force, and there was not a single seaman aboard the vessel who would protect her from him. Even though Fitch and Spence made an appearance now and then, their attitude was one of pure distress at the motion of the ship. Nor could she have considered them helpmates had they been of stronger fortitude.

As far as she could determine, they obeyed Von Reijn's commands explicitly and would not dare interfere if he ordered them out of his sight.

Despite her usual tenacity, Elise felt unprepared for the approaching battle and more than a bit fearful. The advice of the scullery maid's son was not in the least bit applicable to her dilemma. The overwhelming strength of her opponent was an obstacle she could never surmount, no matter the time and place. She could only rely on her wits, and she feared those were badly frayed from worry.

A sharp rap sounded on the portal, and Elise paused a moment to gather her poise. Smoothing the rough woolen fabric of her gown, she took up a stance near the desk where the staff would be close at hand and, breathing slowly and deeply to prepare herself for the battle to come, faced the portal like an heroic felon awaiting the attack of a fierce and mighty foe. At her summons, Nicholas swung open the door, but halted in the doorway as a piqued frown vexed his brow. He deliberately perused her from head to toe, making it obvious that he was
annoyed with her refusal to wear the gift of clothes. “So,
Englisch!
Yu have decided to portray the poor, beleaguered captive.”

“Forsooth, Captain! Am I not exactly that?” Lifting her chin with recalcitrant spirit, Elise dared to meet his ominous scowl.

Nicholas stepped into the cabin, quite dashingly garbed in fine clothes. Over a dark brown velvet doublet stitched with golden threads, he wore a rich, fur-lined chamarre of the same cloth. Tiny cordings of silk and gold finished the slashes of his short, padded breeches, and beneath them he wore close-fitting hose and low-topped shoes. His rich clothes presented a heavy contrast with her attire, and had she been the sort to regret her refusal of his gifts, Elise might have felt at odds with her own appearance, for she looked very much like a pauper in the presence of a prince.

“And do yu intend to leave me to dine alone?” he questioned gruffly.

Elise could see no reason to starve herself. “I shall be glad to join you for dinner, Captain.”

“Wunderbar!”
Nicholas exclaimed and swept into a brief bow before her. He offered his arm to escort her to the table, and she allowed him to assist her to a chair. They entered the meal, and it seemed the captain's attention was fully occupied for several long moments while he appeased his appetite. Elise picked at the delicious morsels that filled her plate, wondering when the storm of debate would begin. She had had occasion to witness the captain's harsh verbal reprimand of a bumbling seaman and, though she had not understood a word of his
harangue, she had felt no envy of the lad. It had seemed doubtful to her at the time that the youth would ever make the same mistake again.

Needless to say she expected the worst when Nicholas slid back his chair and regarded her for a long moment with something of a puzzled air. “Yu are not a prisoner here,
Englisch
,” he began in an almost lecturing tone, and Elise raised her nose a slight degree to silently convey a difference of opinion. “I yield to yu the comfort of my quarters and, vithin reason, the freedom of my vessel.” He reached out and fingered the sleeve of her gown. “And yet yu insist on portraying yurself as the vanquished one, poorly dressed and ever vary of my intent.”

The eyes of sapphire blue rested on him steadily as Elise rigidly maintained her position of stilted aloofness.

Softly he questioned, “Is it possible that yu do not like the clothes?”

“On the contrary, Captain,” she responded in coolly measured tones. “They are very beautiful, but as yet you have not stated what the cost will be.” She paused for effect. “No doubt such rich garments have a price I can little afford in my present circumstance or perhaps one I'm not willing to pay.”

Nicholas stared at her, a frown troubling his brow, before he made use of the finger bowl of rosewater to wash his hands. “If yu know I am of the Hansa, then yu must also be avare that our merchant captains take a vow of celibacy until they have attained a certain measure of vealth.”

“Vows mean little to some men,” she replied. “Though you may say you're an honorable man,
I've seen little evidence of that. I do not know you, but I know what you've done.”

He pursed his lips, considering her answer, and then presented a different argument. “Yu have misunderstood my intent,
vrouwelin
. The gifts do not come from me, but from yur benefactor. He has borne the cost of the clothes, and is it not right that he should repay yu for the gown yu lost after yu vere seized?”

Thoughtfully Elise ran the tip of a slender finger over the rim of her goblet as she pondered aloud. “I've been curious as to the reasons for my abduction and have wondered if my captivity has anything to do with my father. Could this be possible?”

Nicholas lifted his wide shoulders to convey his lack of knowledge. “Vere I to guess,
Englisch,
I vould venture to say
ja
, but I cannot know for sure vhat is in a man's heart. Yu are a prize vorth taking, thus it vould not be uncommon for a man to be so smitten.”

“Smitten?” Elise's brows gathered in deepening confusion. “Of what do you speak, sir?”

“Do yu find it so amazing that a man can be enamored vith yu,
vrouwelin
?”

“Aye!” she responded crisply. None of the suitors who had vied for her attention had seemed anxious enough to possess her by these methods.

“Believe me,
Englisch
. ‘Tis a simple enough matter.” Elise met his gaze and was puzzled by the strange, almost yearning look in the light blue eyes. If this was passion she saw, then it had a softer look than she had ever seen before. Averting her face, she answered stiffly. “After what I've suffered, I would
think the man who ordered my abduction harbors a deep hatred for me.”

Nicholas chuckled softly. “
Nein
, that is not so, and I vould not take yu to him if I thought his intent vas to torment you.”

“Why do you delay in telling me who he is?”

“His lordship vished his name withheld until he could explain to yu himself. He thought it best that yu did not form a hatred of him before he could defend his motives.”

“I assure you, Captain, he has failed,” she stated bluntly. “Whatever name he bears, the hatred will run as deep.”

By morning, the wind had slackened somewhat, but a frigid coldness had settled down upon them with more intensity, as if to punish them for their audacity in daring the North Sea with winter nigh upon them. Not willing that anyone should think her soft or frail, Elise returned to the quarterdeck the next morning. Her nose and cheeks quickly reddened, and though she sought a place to keep her hands warm, her fingers once again grew numb with the cold.

Nicholas approached her as he had the day before, and as he stared down at her, his lips slowly spread jnto a grin that softened his own wind-reddened face. “I commend yur mettle,
Englisch
. ‘Tis said for a seaman to sail the North Seas after Martinmas is to tempt God. I say for a lady to brave the decks in this veather is to find a voman vorthy of a sea captain.”

Elise gave him a coldly quizzical stare. “Are you proposing, Captain?”

Nicholas shook his head with a laugh. “
Nein, Englisch
. Though yu are a temptation, I am honor-bound.”

“ ‘Tis good then! ‘Twill spare you my rejection,” she returned caustically. Without further word or excuse she moved away, leaving Nicholas staring after her in some amusement. Despite her drab gown, she strolled the decks with the dignity of a great lady, giving no indication of her discomfort, which he knew had to be considerable.

“Good spunk,
Englisch
,” he murmured to himself. That evening when Elise prepared herself for the evening meal, she took into consideration the fate of her own clothes and donned the blue velvet gown. It seemed only fair that the man responsible for the loss of her own fine clothes should replace them. She had suffered enough abuse because of him. She might as well enjoy a few of the luxuries he could provide.

Paying a compliment to the clothes, she garbed herself with care and dressed her hair in an upswept coiffure, making use of a silvered tray as a looking glass. If she had any doubts as to her appearance, they were quickly dispelled when Nicholas entered the cabin. His smile widened, his eyes glowed, and as he stared at her he slowly nodded his approval.

“The gown suits yu,
vrouwelin
.”

“ ‘Tis a rich piece,” she commented, for want of something better to say. She did not know how to react when Nicholas looked at her with such warmth. “My benefactor, as you call him, must be very wealthy to afford such clothes.”

Nicholas chuckled softly. “He has yet to receive the bill.”

Elise raised a querying brow. “Were not the clothes his idea?”

“Certainly his, but he left the details to me since he vas pressed for time.” The captain shrugged. “I only asked a seamstress to fashion something very varm and beautiful for a lady using the skins I acquired trading vith the Easterlings from Novgorod. They have closed their ports to the Hansa, but now and then I manage to strike a bargain vith one of their ship captains. The clothes vere the dressmaker's creation. I did not specify a limit on the cost.”

“Perhaps my benefactor will be angry with your extravagance.”

“One look at yu,
vrouwelin
, vould banish even the slightest irritation.”

Elise allowed a moment of silence to pass as she studied the Hansa captain. He was a man of considerable knowledge and did not seem to have the characteristics of one who lightly joined himself to a company of brigands, especially for the purpose of kidnapping a helpless woman. She was curious to know what had prompted him to do so. “As merchant captain of this vessel, you must reap a great profit from your voyages.”

“Perhaps a token or two,” Nicholas answered with a noncommittal shrug.

Elise responded with a short, incredulous chuckle. “You would probably be more truthful if you said a fortune or two.”

“The Hansa are dedicated merchants,” Nicholas responded, wondering what she was leading up to.

“So I've heard—and as you say, they are sworn to a single life until they acquire wealth.” Elise
slowly raised a brow as she inquired, “Have you a wife, Captain Von Reijn?”

Nicholas shook his head as a smile touched his lips. “I have yet to obtain that status in life.”