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  “Why? What good would that do?”

  “What other choice do we have?”

  “She’s no good to us if the duke won’t trade for her. I say we let her go.”

  “Not on your life.”

  “But the Royal Vengeance is no place for a woman!”

  “That’s the way things are for now.” Nathaniel held his bag next to his body so he could tie it shut with his hand. “We’ll simply have to do the best we can.”

  “It’s too dangerous. Even if we could keep our own men from molesting her, the Vengeance could take a ball and sink, or we could lose our lives in the middle of a boarding. Then what would happen to her?”

  Alexandra held her breath as she awaited Nathaniel’s response. Besides the dangers Trenton had already enumerated, she knew Aunt Pauline would be long gone if she didn’t get away from Nathaniel and his men soon. Please listen to him, she prayed. Let me go. Let me go.

  “Then her life shall rest on my father’s conscience. He had the chance to rescue her, and he didn’t take it,” Nathaniel responded.

  Alexandra felt her heart plunge to her knees.

  “Nathaniel—” Trenton began.

  “Look,” the pirate captain interrupted, “when my father’s played his ace and comes here only to find us gone, maybe he’ll see that we’re serious and agree to the trade. If we let Anne go, there’s no telling what he might do to Richard. Things are too precarious to go after our own right now. My father’s been counting upon our taking the bait all along.”

  Trenton nodded, and Alexandra could have guessed his next words before he spoke them. Concession, pure and simple.

  “Then we have no choice.”

  “None.”

  “But how can we go?” Trenton asked. “We don’t have much by way of supplies. We weren’t planning on leaving for another three days.”

  “Get what you can,” Nathaniel told him. “Regardless, we sail tonight.”

  Trenton crossed to the door, then turned back, his hand still on the knob. “Where to?”

  “To the Black Sea. One of my father’s ships is heading there, and I want to intercept her.”

  “To Russia?” Trenton’s brows drew together.

  “I’ll explain later.” Nathaniel motioned him away. “There’s no time now. I’ve got to take care of a few details before we go. I’ll meet you at the dock at midnight. And one more thing. That man I met today, Rat, will be joining us.”

  “Why—”

  “Later. For now, get back and stock the ship. We’re going to need all the provisions we can get if we’re sailing to the Crimea.”

  Trenton nodded. Glancing almost apologetically back at Alexandra, he saluted his captain and was gone. And with him went every hope Alexandra had of being released.

  Chapter 5

  “Don’t say a word.” Nathaniel spoke from behind her. Alexandra could feel him, tall and rigid, his hand on her arm like a vise. She wanted to jerk away or cry out for help, but she dared not. He had been in a vile mood the entire day. After Trenton had left, he had gagged her again and tied her to the bed while he went out.

  When he returned a few hours later, he had stalked the room, silent and brooding, his rage worrying Alexandra. The Duke of Greystone was no easy mark. What did His Grace have in store for these pirates? Would she be able to escape before calamity fell?

  Alexandra walked through the inn, not daring to turn her head to the right or to the left. She had promised Nathaniel she wouldn’t scream or try to get away, if only he would forgo the hood and his blasted ropes; and his dire threats should she break her word echoed in her head.

  Still, she was tempted to bolt. It wasn’t too late to head to London, if she could only get away.

  Voices clamored about her, but the people behind them remained a blur. They ate, drank, laughed, and toasted the Queen, all in complete oblivion to her plight.

  “Did you enjoy your stay, sir?”

  The hotel steward intercepted them, and Alexandra gave the man a pleading look. He nodded and turned a solicitous smile on Nathaniel, no doubt intent on the vails he expected to receive.

  “Everything was satisfactory.” Nathaniel tossed the man a coin and prodded Alexandra on, but the steward was not so easily put off.

  “And the fare, sir? Did you find that to your liking as well?”

  “Indeed.” Nathaniel flipped him another coin, his quick movements evidence of his impatience.

  The steward beamed. “Thank you, sir. Come again, sir.”

  The pirate captain didn’t bother to answer. He shouldered the door open while guiding Alexandra out into the dark night.

  Once they were clear of the inn, he picked up his pace, all but dragging her behind him.

  “I can’t go that fast,” Alexandra complained when she tripped on the hem of Lady Anne’s gown for the fifth time. “Slow down.”

  Nathaniel whirled and glared at her but didn’t speak. Grabbing a handful of her skirt, he lifted it to her knees and insisted she take hold of it. “There,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  Alexandra’s own temper began to simmer like a tea kettle on the hob. She had just finished mending the tear he had made in her bodice. Now an immodest display of ankles and calves showed as she hurried along behind him.

  “How far is it?” she managed breathlessly when he didn’t slacken his pace.

  “We’re almost there.”

  He was true to his word. Upon rounding the next block, Alexandra saw hundreds of tall, needle-like masts stabbing the black velvet belly of the sky. Another few minutes and she could hear the creaking of the hulls that rocked in the harbor and the slip-slap of the waves. While the port was full of ships, the docks seemed deserted except for the crowded taverns. A loud din poured from these establishments each time a door opened, luring everyone within miles to the welcome of their fire and their flowing ale.

  Distracted by some small movement on a clipper anchored between a couple of larger packets, Alexandra realized that men were aboard the ship. Their shadowy figures took on more definite shape, moving silently, almost phantom-like, as she and Nathaniel reached the water’s edge.

  “There ye be.”

  Alexandra jumped as a man separated himself from the side of a wooden shed and stepped into the moonlight.

  “I see you spent my money on something other than a bath,” Nathaniel remarked without so much as a greeting.

  “I ‘ad a bit of bad luck at the tables. There was a cheat in the group, I swear.” He scratched his crotch. “‘Tis just as well, though. I’d ‘ate to catch me death.”

  This must be Rat, Alexandra realized, the man Nathaniel had told Trenton to expect. She wrinkled her nose. The alcohol on his breath was only slightly stronger than his body odor.

  “Who’s the lady?” he asked.

  “You don’t know the duke’s daughter?” Nathaniel’s gaze darted from Rat to Alexandra, and a flicker of hope made Alexandra’s heart beat faster.

  “You see?” she said. “He doesn’t know me because I’m not Lady Anne. I’m a seamstress from Manchester. And I have to get to London without further delay—”

  Nathaniel’s fingers tightened painfully on her arm.

  “I’ve never seen Lady Anne,” Rat said. “Spends most ‘er time in London at the family town ‘ouse. But I’ve ‘eard she’s a beauty, an’ I’d ‘ave to agree.” He whistled as he looked Alexandra over. “She’s a fancy piece, eh?”

  A lighter had been lowered from the clipper, and two men rowed toward them. Alexandra knew in a matter of minutes she’d be taken aboard Nathaniel’s ship, where she’d be unable to escape.

  “Listen to me.” She laid her hand on Nathaniel’s arm.

  He rounded on her. “No, you listen to me. One moment you don’t know my father, the next you admit to being his daughter, depending upon your whims. But I’ll tell you something. For better or for worse, it no longer matters. I can’t risk letting you go. The life of my friend might depend upon it. So whether or not your out
landish story is true, you’re along for the voyage. Do you understand?”

  Alexandra glared at him as the boat drew up at the water’s edge and two men climbed out. “I hope my father destroys you,” she said at last, knowing that, whether she liked it or not, being Lady Anne was now the safest alternative available to her. As long as Nathaniel believed he had something to gain by taking care of her and protecting her from the others, not to mention the perils of life at sea, she would be relatively safe on the ship. But the moment her captor discovered her true identity, she had no guarantee.

  “Our father may do just that, little sister. But mark my words, I’ll topple him from his lofty perch before I go, so you’d do well to accustom yourself to wearing that dress. It might be the last fancy gown you own.”

  Alexandra jerked away and headed toward the boat on her own.

  Rat, chuckling, followed behind her. “Greystone and his family are a spirited bunch,” she heard him tell Nathaniel. “I’d not turn my back on ‘er if I was ye.”

  Nathaniel didn’t respond. He caught up with her easily enough, then waved the rowers back into the boat. Wrapping his arm around Alexandra’s waist, he lifted her in, and once Rat had climbed aboard, they set out for the ship.

  Alexandra turned to watch the near-empty dock as they moved away. It was too late now, she realized in despair. She’d miss her aunt for sure.

  Trenton was waiting for them when they arrived. He helped Alexandra into a ship with the words Royal Vengeance painted on its side.

  Nathaniel began barking orders to the crew, most of whom appeared to be mesmerized by the appearance of a woman on their ship. “Trenton, take her to my cabin so that I can get something done up here,” he told his friend, and Trenton took Alexandra by the elbow.

  “I’ll not spend another night with him.” She looked pointedly at Nathaniel.

  “Perhaps you’d rather spend the night with them.” Nathaniel indicated the rest of the crew. “There’s plenty of room below. I’m sure Trenton can locate a hammock for you, though I doubt you’ll need one of your own.”

  Alexandra shivered as her eyes scanned the eager faces of the pirates. “N-n-no,” she stammered. “Your cabin will be fine.”

  “As I thought.” Nathaniel gave her a mocking bow, then turned to his work.

  Trenton took her to a large cabin that reflected the masculine tastes of the ship’s owner. An outsized bed was flush against one wall with a large sea chest at its foot. A desk, strewn with maps and other documents, sat below a round window; a small washstand stood opposite it; and a table and four chairs rested on a rug in the middle of the floor.

  “Make yourself comfortable,” Trenton said. “I shan’t tie you up, but for your own sake, stay put. No one will dare bother you here.”

  “But you don’t think—”

  “There are thirty men aboard this ship, my lady. I can’t give you any guarantees. Just stay close to Nathaniel, and you’ll be all right.”

  The door slammed, and Trenton was gone, but his words still rang in her ears. For your own sake... stay close to Nathaniel.

  The last thing Alexandra wanted was to stay close to Nathaniel. He was to blame for everything.

  But some fates were far worse than others.

  * * *

  Alexandra woke abruptly as the cabin door banged against the inside wall and Nathaniel strode in, looking exhausted. The sun’s rays bathed the cabin in a mellow light, testifying to the passage of many hours. The rocking of the ship indicated that they were well on their way.

  Alexandra sat up, still tired, but suddenly wary.

  “Sleep well, little sister?” he asked, crossing to the desk and lowering his tall frame into the chair.

  “I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” Alexandra responded.

  “You loathe our familial connection as much as our father does, eh?”

  “More so, if that’s possible. You’re a pirate, a thief, and a brigand. No longer a mere babe.”

  He laughed. “At least your reasons are more valid than his.” He dug through the papers on his desk, pulling a creased map from the stack and spreading it out before him.

  “What happens if—”

  Nathaniel raised a hand to silence her, his attention on his work. “No questions.”

  Alexandra watched him from beneath her lashes. Despite his arrogance, and his frightening temper, Nathaniel was handsome, she had to give him that. She wondered what the duke looked like. Surely he was attractive, if Nathaniel resembled him in the least.

  “Is there a reason for such intense scrutiny?” he asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his long legs out in front of him. “Perhaps I can be of some help. Should you manage to gain possession of my dagger again, it would best be placed here, between these two ribs. Otherwise, you might only wound me.” He gave her a sudden disarming smile, proving that his mood had finally improved now that they were safely away.

  Alexandra couldn’t help but wonder what she would have thought of Nathaniel Kent had she met him under different circumstances. As it was, his frightening intensity and criminal activities kept her from admiring him too greatly.

  “What do you expect the duke, er, my father will do?” she asked.

  He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I said, no questions. As long as you stay here with me, you’ll be safe.”

  “That’s rather like telling the rabbit not to worry about the wolf,” Alexandra muttered, and Nathaniel laughed out loud.

  “Perhaps.” Standing, he pulled the queue from the back of his neck, letting the full thickness of his hair fall to his shoulders. Alexandra thought of the pale-faced nobles she had seen about the streets of Man-Chester. Nathaniel looked nothing like them. His skin was too dark, the planes of his face too hard. He might wish to take his place amongst the aristocracy, but he didn’t belong where a plethora of rules and other minutiae would govern his behavior. Somehow the role of pirate suited him better.

  “I need some rest,” he said. “Mind you don’t bother me while I sleep.”

  Alexandra paced around the room, keeping her distance as he stretched out facedown on the bed. “I’m hungry,” she told him, wondering how long she’d have to wait to be fed if she let him settle in for a good long nap.

  “I’d forgotten about the size of your appetite.” His voice was muffled by the bedding. “The galley is below. Help yourself.”

  “Dare I leave here? Trenton made running about the ship sound unsafe.”

  “It is.”

  “But you just told me to go to the galley if I wanted to.”

  No response.

  “Should I go or not? Surely you don’t expect me to wait until you’ve had your rest.”

  Nothing.

  “Ohhhh, you’re contemptible!” Alexandra grabbed a brass-rimmed compass and hurled it across the room, narrowly missing Nathaniel’s head. She reached for something else to throw, anything that would make a good projectile, but when Nathaniel sprang to his feet, she backed away.

  “I-I-I’m sorry,” she managed, forcing her eyes to meet his icy blue stare.

  “I’ll not be threatened in my own cabin.” He loomed above her, advancing until he stood less than an arm’s length away.

  Alexandra felt the wall at her back and realized she could retreat no farther. She shook her head. “No, of course not.”

  “Right now, my need for sleep is greater than your need for food.” She could feel his breath on her face, smelling faintly of citrus.

  “Of course it is.”

  “I’m glad we finally agree.” Taking her by her upper arm, he dragged her across the room.

  “What are you doing?” Alexandra tried to free herself, but his grip was like iron. “I’m not tired.”

  Tossing her on the bed, Nathaniel lay down beside her and wrapped his legs and arm around her to hold her still. “Now you can’t get into any trouble.”

  Alexandra writhed and squirmed until he held her so tightly she could scarcely breathe.

 
“Go to sleep,” he commanded. “Or I’ll tie you up and take your clothes from you.”

  “You wouldn’t.” Her gaze lifted to Nathaniel’s face, only inches away from her own, and what she saw there convinced her that he would. She immediately stopped fighting.

  “That’s better,” he said, and though he was too close to tell for sure, Alexandra could have sworn a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

  She lay stiff as a board in his arms as his breath brushed her temple. His heart thumped beneath her arm, and his sinewy leg rested heavily upon her while the smell of the sea, which clung to him, filled her nostrils. She hated him, she thought vehemently. Yet her skin tingled beneath his touch long after his body relaxed. She would have escaped him then, except the warmth and comfort of being where she was somehow overcame her, and she slept.

  * * *

  When Alexandra opened her eyes again, Nathaniel was gone. She was relieved to find herself alone, yet strangely disappointed as well. She climbed off the bed and crossed to the porthole. The sun was high in the sky. Nathaniel couldn’t have slept more than a few hours.

  Turning back, she allowed herself a small sigh. What was she to do throughout the day? The cabin was barely twelve feet wide and only slightly deeper, and contained few items with which to amuse oneself.

  She went to the washstand where she spied a hairbrush. Next to it lay tooth powder and a new toothbrush. Evidently Nathaniel had anticipated her needs.

  Using the small, diamond-shaped mirror hanging above, Alexandra tarried over her hair, brushing the long tresses until they shone. After she washed her face and hands and cleaned her teeth, she felt enormously better, except that the rest of the afternoon yawned before her with absolutely nothing in store. And she was hungry.

  She moved restlessly about, examining the maps and papers on Nathaniel’s desk, straightening the covers on the bed. It was her first day at sea, and she was already bored. She wished she could go topside and see, firsthand, a sailor’s world. But the thought of the unsavory men who worked for Nathaniel made her reject that possibility, just as it made her reluctant to search out the galley, as Nathaniel had suggested earlier.