Unexpected Treasure: A High Seas Adventure (3 page)

“And who are you?” his eyebrows rose.

“Who are you, if you are not a pirate?”

His head cocked to one side. “I am a privateer. I work for the Prince Regent. That is very different from a pirate.”

She sucked in her breath, standing back up. He was connected to the aristocracy. “I-I-I should go.”

He easily stepped between her and the door. “You’ve just gotten here and we’ve yet to really speak.”

“We’ve spoken,” she replied evasively.

His head cocked again. He was studying her, she could feel it. “Something has made you quite jumpy.”

She looked anywhere but at him. “Isn’t being alone with a man I hardly know reason enough to be afraid?”

His eyes narrowed. “You were afraid of my men last night. You were also afraid when I mentioned the pirates and the aristocracy…” His voice drifted off in thought.

Her eyes bulged. He was quickly and easily puzzling her out. Desperate to change the subject and put distance between her and this man, she asked, “When will we return to the Anna Claire?”

He stepped closer. His fingers reached out and gently touched a strand of her hair. It was fine and routinely fell out of whatever it was held back in. It had driven her lady’s maid mad when she’d had one. She resisted the urge to pull away from his grasp. Not because he frightened or repulsed her. On the contrary, his touch was exciting. But she could not afford to be drawn in by this man.

“If the boat hasn’t sunk, it may be a few days.”

“Sunk,” she collapsed back down in her chair. “Everything I own is on that boat. All of my papers, money, jewelry.”

He grimaced. “Sarah, it is unfortunate we couldn’t get your things. But if the boat is gone I will be returning to England in a week’s time and you can replace all of your documents__”

She stood again.  She felt like the Jack-in-the-Box she played with as a child, “I couldn’t possibly return to England.” Her voice, laced with fear, shook as she spoke. “I have to go to America.”

“Pirates, groups of men, aristocracy, and England. What happened to you, sweetheart?” That silky smooth voice whispered over her skin. It held compassion and strength.

“N-n-nothing happened to me but, I’m going to see my aunt. It’s important I get there quickly.” It was mostly true. She was desperately hoping that her aunt would take her in and help her start a new life. No one understood her uncle’s tyranny more than her aunt. But the real reason behind her visit couldn’t be shared with anyone. Especially not anyone who was connected with the Prince Regent.

“I can tell that you’ve got real spirit but something has frightened you.”

She looked up into his hazel eyes then. They crinkled at the corners in concern. He no longer looked dangerous. If she were honest, he looked like heaven. She had the sudden urge to press closer to him.

“What did you bring me here to discuss?” she whispered, averting her eyes. This man was dangerous. Not just because he was a tall, dark privateer but because he kept drawing her in, breaching her defenses. She had kept to herself, kept her secrets on the Anna Claire. Anne and Mrs. Flannery had seemed to understand that she didn’t want to talk about her past. But not Rex. He was probing and all of her wounds were too fresh to hide.

“Pirates.” His hand brushed hers.

“What?” Her eyes came back to his, widening in fear.

“Pirates were hunting your boat and I am hunting the pirates. It’s part of the reason I brought you here and it’s why you will stay for a few days even if the Anna Claire hasn’t sunk. We will attack the ship and I wanted you and the other women to know what was happening.”

“Pirates were hunting us?” Her hand come to her mouth. She felt slightly dizzy at the thought of a pirate attack. She didn’t mean to but her other hand came up to his chest.

Placing his hands at her waist, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You’re safe now.”

She took a deep breath, his scent filled her nostrils. It was as soothing and exciting as his voice.  “Thank you, for that and for the warning.” She eased her hand away and stepped back. “Will we be safe during the attack?”

His eyes pierced into hers. “Of course. We have a military ship, for all intents and purposes. Most pirates are a day away from starvation and not well trained. While they can overpower a small ship like the Anna Claire, they are no match against a ship and crew like ours.”

“I will tell the others.” She made to move around him towards the door. His hand reached out to stop her, landing on her rib cage. She sucked in her breath, her eyes wide.

“Did anyone hurt you on the Anna Claire?” Rex’s voice was a quiet whisper but there was an almost hidden note of protectiveness in it.

“No, of course not.” Her eyes met his again.

His studied hers intently, he was searching her face for the truth. His mouth pinched at the corners and his hand gave her ribs a gentle squeeze. Time seemed to stop. She should leave, but she couldn’t look away.

“I…I…should go,” she swallowed hard as she spoke.

He gave a curt nod and then withdrew his hand. Sarah darted around him and made a dash for the door.

UNEXPECTED TREASURE

CHAPTER FOUR

Rex watched her
leave. He raked his hand through his hair and then repeated the gesture. What the hell was he doing?

She didn’t want to share her secrets. That much was clear. So why couldn’t he leave her be? Why did he keep pressing?

He knew the answer even as he had the thought. He was attracted to her. Her angelic features, her full lips and bright blues eyes. He also loved her perfect mixture of bravery and vulnerability. She wasn’t afraid to whip him with her tongue or bite him with her teeth, and he was a man who often struck fear. But she was most certainly deathly afraid of something.

That was another component to his attraction―intrigue. She was a beautiful little mystery. And, like him, she was leading two lives. One with the aristocracy and the other here out at sea.

He wondered again what her secret was. A smile touched his face, it was going to be damned interesting to find out. He headed for the door, no time like the present.

He didn’t have to wait long. As he reached the deck, Mrs. Flannery came towards him with her arms full of blankets and other supplies. “Let me help you with that.” He reached for the items in her arms.

She gave him a distrustful glare, but handed over the goods. “Thank you,” she replied coolly.

“Most welcome. May I ask why you are crossing the ocean alone?” He fell in step next to her.

“My husband passed. I wanted to visit my daughter in Massachusetts. Maybe stay. There isn’t much left for me in England.”

He nodded and smiled. This was going well. Mrs. Flannnery was giving him forthright answers to his questions. “It was kind of you to help Anne.”

She shrugged, “No woman should have to bring a child into the world alone. I could have travelled on a different ship. I picked this one because there were other female travelers.”

“Sarah seems to have troubles of her own.” He gave her a sidelong glance but she stopped walking and turned towards him.

“I saw the way you were holding her. You’ll not get any information out of me. I will not help you ruin an innocent girl, pirate.”

He turned to face her. “I am not a pirate. I’m a privateer and the owner of this ship. I have no intention of ruining anyone. Besides, she is most likely ruined already. Why else would a lady be fleeing?”

Mrs. Flannery crossed her arms. “I’d stake my life on the fact that she has not been ruined, so don’t think you can just take her because she is damaged goods. She’s been abused at the hands of men but I don’t think it is that way. Do not add to her misery, sir.” The last word came out in a sneer.

“Mrs. Flannery, despite your low opinion of me, I saved all your lives and I am only trying to help her. She is terribly afraid to go back to England and I can’t decide what is best for her if I don’t know why.”

She eyed him suspiciously as her foot tapped. She appeared to be deciding how much to say.  Finally she spoke, “We shared a cabin. In her sleep she would mutter about Uncle Francis. She sounded afraid.”

Her uncle? What did that mean? “Thank you, Mrs. Flannery.” They both continued down the hall. As they reached the cabin the women were sharing, Mrs. Flannery moved to take the items out of his hands.

“May I visit Anne and the baby?”

Her eyebrows raised but she gave a curt nod and then knocked on the door. “Anne, are you decent? Mr. Masters would like to visit.”

“Come in,” she replied cheerily.

He entered the cabin and Anne gave him a glowing smile. Well, at least one woman on this ship was glad to see him. His eyes immediately sought Sarah who sat next to the bed holding Thomas.

His chest constricted again. What was it about her holding a baby that captured his undivided attention? A little hand reached up and, laughing, she kissed it as it went by. This was a completely different Sarah. Joy was etched on every line of her face. No worry or sadness. If she had looked angelic their first meeting, she was utterly divine now. It nearly knocked the wind out of him.

“Thank you for coming and for all the food and supplies. I don’t know how to thank you, Mr. Masters.” Anne beamed at him again.

He tore his eyes from Sarah to return the smile. “It was my pleasure.”

“Do you normally help distressed ships in the middle of the ocean?” Anne chirped happily.

He laughed, “Whenever possible.”

“Mr. Masters was telling me that pirates were stalking us on the Anne Marie. He will attack them. That is the reason he is helping us, to capture them.” Sarah’s voice challenged him with defiance.

He liked her sassy side. He wished she used it more, replace that fear. “Actually, I could have just allowed them to attack you and then attacked them. I wanted to help you. And I am glad I was able to save you ladies and baby Thomas. I failed a young--” He stopped. What was wrong with him? While Sarah had locked herself up like a vault, he was spilling his secrets. He was always in control.

Another knock came at the door. “Mr. Masters, we’ve spotted the Anna Claire and One Eye.”

“I’ll be right there,” he called back.

He turned back to Sarah. “Would you like to come see the fate of the Anna Claire?”

She hesitated, her eyes becoming wary, but she acquiesced, “All right.” She turned and gave the baby a kiss on the forehead, before handing him back to Anne. Rex’s chest constricted again. Then she stood and made her way towards the door.

He stood as well and crossed the room in a single stride, opening the door for her. Passing by him, she started down the hall. Land sakes, he loved watching her walk. It was a feast for the eyes.

He stayed behind her, his eyes running up and down her supple body. His mind was puzzling over her situation. Something in Mrs. Flannery’s words was gnawing at his brain but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Mr. Masters,” her voice floated over her shoulder.

“Rex,” he corrected.

She turned and arched her eyebrows at him. “Are you a member of the peerage?”

He hesitated. She seemed afraid of the aristocracy but if one of them didn’t open up, he would never find out her secrets. “Lord Alexander Masters, at your service.”

She gave a slight gasp but it didn’t sound fearful, so he continued. “I am the second son to the Fifth Duke of Somerset. As I had no desire to fight Napoleon on land and, as a second son must help in the war effort, I captain a ship that privateers for the crown, among other duties.”

“Why, I grew up in the neighboring county.” She pursed her lips together, turning away from him. A ripple of satisfaction coursed through him. She hadn’t meant to tell him that and it was satisfying to know she was letting her walls down.

“Yorkshire?” he asked, keeping his voice casual. He saw her stiffen and knew he must be correct.

They reached the hatch and he watched, with abject fascination, as she climbed up the ladder, to reach the deck. Her lovely ankles came into view several times. He wondered if he could get away with touching one but then pulled himself together. He was about to face a well-known pirate and all he could think about was this woman’s ankles.