Christine Dorsey - [Sea 01] (23 page)

Rolling to her side did no good. Miranda clutched at her hair in frustration and tried to find a comfortable spot on the bunk.

She hadn’t slept well in two nights. And it was all Captain Blackstone’s fault. Every time slumber claimed her, she dreamed of him... of the marvelous things he could do to her. It befuddled her mind. Why, today Nat had asked her to explain again how she knew light traveled, and she couldn’t do it. She’d started to tell him but couldn’t remember.

It wasn’t like her. Not at all.

She supposed with everything that had happened to her she could forgive herself a slip of memory. But it would soon be over. The pirate captain had told her this evening that tomorrow they’d be in Charles Town.

She’d be able to forget all this as soon as the pirates returned her to her father. Miranda was sure of it. Closing her eyes, she must have drifted to sleep because she found herself snug in the pirate’s arms. He was touching her and kissing her and making her feel warm all over.

Miranda smiled when he called her name, his breath tickling warm across her cheek. Her dreams might be frustrating, but they were very pleasant.

“Miranda. Miranda, wake up.”

She fought it as long as she could, but the reality that this wasn’t a dream finally stirred Miranda. She jerked away, clutching at the sheet and scooting back in the corner of the bunk.

“What are you, doing here? What do you want?” This was no dream.

“We’re in Charles Town. I’m going to take you back to your father.”

Miranda blinked. “In the middle of the night?”

“I can’t think of a better time.” The
Sea Hawk
had slid into the harbor under cover of dark, and that was exactly how Jack intended to return his captive. “Now get up and dress yourself.”

“Are we really in Charles Town? I don’t understand. You said we’d be there tomorrow.”

“Aye, we’re in Charles Town and we’re here now, and if you would simply stop asking questions and get ready, you will soon be in the loving arms of your father.” And he could be on his way and hopefully stop thinking of her.

“What about the ransom?”

Jack shut his eyes. Good Lord, would she never cease with the questions? “I will collect the ransom when we reach your father’s house.”

“You’re certain?”

“Of course I’m certain.” Jack gritted his teeth. “After all, I’m a—”

“Pirate, yes I know. But I simply don’t understand how my father will know to have the coin there. You’re taking me to his house, aren’t you?”

“If you ever ready yourself.” Jack leveled his gaze on her. “However, if you persist with this inquisition, I’ll be forced to assume you have no desire to leave the
Sea Hawk
. In which case I’ll be happy to take you with us to St. Augustine.”

He was jesting. Miranda was almost certain, even though the expression on his handsome face was anything but jovial. Still, she didn’t think it was a good idea to push him too far. She inched toward the edge of the bunk, hoping he would move.

He did, seeming almost as nervous being near her as she was being close to him. Not that she didn’t enjoy what happened when they touched. It just wasn’t—

 “Are you going to get up or not?” Jack set the lantern down and strode to the bank of windows across the ship’s stern. Clasping his hands behind him, he stared out into the darkness. Damn, he had half a mind to climb into bed with her and forget about this midnight stroll into Charles Town.

Jack shook his head. What was he thinking? What he wanted to do,
must do
, was be rid of the wench, quickly take on provisions and fresh water, and head for St. Augustine. His hands balled into fists as thoughts of de Segovia filled his mind.

Twelve years he’d waited to have his revenge, to hopefully find his sister. Twelve years. And if what Nafkebee told him was accurate, Jack wouldn’t have to wait much longer.

Someone clearing their throat behind him made Jack turn. Miranda stood in her white night rail, a woolen shawl bundled around her. Dark hair swirled around her shoulders. She looked sweet and innocent, and Jack took an involuntary step toward her only to stop when he noticed something flare in her eyes.

“May I have some privacy to dress?” Her request was accompanied by a defiant lift of her chin.

He crossed his arms to keep from taking hold of her and reminding her that he’d seen nearly all of her, and what he hadn’t, his erotic dreams had imagined. But in the end, he gave a curt nod, then abruptly left the cabin.

In less time than it took him to pace the passageway a dozen times, he heard the door and looked up to find her standing in the opening. She was dressed in a gown of deep rose, one he hadn’t seen before. It was fancier than the ones she normally wore. This gown had a ladder of bows down the front and a stiff quilted underskirt. Her glorious raven hair was hidden beneath a bonnet that framed her pretty face and made her skin appear pale in the light from the swaying lanterns.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Jack turned to lead the way, but her hand on his arm stayed him.

“Do you suppose you could help me?” Miranda motioned back toward the cabin. Jack grimaced when he saw the pile of her belongings. “If it’s too much, we can leave the gowns. But I simply must take my—”

“Microscope,” Jack finished for her. “I know.” He went back into his cabin and scooped up the wooden crate containing the microscope, then piled the gowns on top of it. “We’ll take it all,” he said, following her along the passageway.

“I can help you with some of that.”

“Nay,” Jack gritted the word between clenched teeth as he peered over layers of lace.

Miranda pushed up through the hatch and smiled broadly when she saw Phin. He held a lantern aloft with his good arm. The other arm was still caught in a sling. “I was afraid I wouldn’t get a chance to say good-bye.” Miranda moved aside so that Jack could climb up.

“Aw now, your ladyship, ye didn’t think I’d not see ye off, did ye?”

Impulsively Miranda hugged the wily old man, careful not to hurt his shoulder. “I shall miss you, Phin.”

“Now, no need to get all slobbery.” Jack couldn’t tell for certain in the dim light, but he thought Phin was blushing. Phin rubbed at his chin. “You’re a right decent sort, your ladyship.”

“Thank you, Phin.” Miranda felt close to tears, which was so illogical. She should be elated to finally put this experience behind her.

She was able to say her farewells to Scar, too. He and the captain rowed the longboat to the dock, guided by the lantern lashed to the bow of the boat and the lights twinkling from the dockside buildings.

Once ashore they left Scar and headed along Water Street, Miranda carrying the light, the captain everything else. No one was about, which made Miranda wonder how late it was. The captain only grunted something she couldn’t understand when she questioned him.

Captain Blackstone seemed to know the way to her father’s house better than she. When they arrived at Henry Chadwick’s front door, Miranda raised her hand to knock, but Jack stopped her.

“ ‘Tisn’t the practice for pirates demanding ransom to go announcing their arrival,” he said, before lowering his bundles to the grass and fidgeting with the latch. The door swung open.

“How did you do that?” Miranda asked as she picked up the box containing her microscope. Jack noticed she once again left the dresses for him to carry.

“It wasn’t locked.” He followed her through the doorway, but once inside he caught her arm. “I’ll lead the way if you don’t mind.” He dropped the gowns in a frilly heap and motioned for her to do the same with her microscope. She lowered it carefully, then gasped as he yanked her along. His only comment was a muffled, “Shhh.”

The pirate captain pulled her through the sleeping house, and up the carved stairway, with nary a glimmer of light to guide him. He paused outside her father’s door and leaned close to Miranda.

By now her eyes were adjusted somewhat to the darkness, but she could only see the gleam of his eyes against the dark shadow of his face. “Stay behind me,” he said, before stealthily turning the doorknob.

A filtering of moonlight bathed the room in a silvery glow. Miranda could make out her father’s bed draped in gossamer layers of netting. She crept closer, never more than an arm’s length from the captain, who now had a manacle hold on her wrist.

He drew aside the mosquito netting, and Miranda saw her father. He was sound asleep, his nightcap ajar and his mouth open. Her smile froze as the pirate captain pulled something from his waistband.

A pistol!

Miranda didn’t know whether her gasp or the feel of cold steel against his neck woke her father. But suddenly his eyes gaped open, the whites bright in the darkness.

“What the—”

“It’s me, Gentleman Jack Blackstone, and I have your daughter with me.” Jack’s voice was as smooth as the doldrums at sea.

“Jack?” Henry rubbed his eyes and tried to sit up.

“I’ll be collecting my ransom now.” Jack dropped Miranda’s hand and fished in his pocket for a scrap of parchment. “Here’s the amount.”

The paper fluttered to the counterpane, and Henry grabbed it. “But I don’t understand. You were supposed to —”

“I have your daughter right here,” Jack said, dragging Miranda in front of him. That seemed to jolt Henry into action. He sat up, knocking the pistol aside.

“Miranda, are you all right?”

“Yes. Yes, Papa, I am.” Miranda smiled when her father grabbed her shoulders and studied her in the shaft of moonlight. Then suddenly she was in his arms, smothered in a gigantic hug.

“I’ve been so worried about you,” Henry lamented.

 Miranda sniffed back tears.

Jack rolled his eyes.

“Now, do you suppose we can get on with this ransom,” Jack said.

“Of course, the ransom.” Henry fumbled with the flint, finally managing to light a candle. He held it up toward Miranda, bathing her in the golden light. “Are you certain you’re all right?”

“Yes, Papa. I’m certain.”

“Well then, perhaps you should go to your room while Ja—I mean this disgusting pirate and I discuss the ransom.”

Miranda slid her gaze to the captain. He stood, pistol casually pointing toward the floor, leaning his hip against the washstand. It suddenly occurred to her that she’d never see him again. And though that was certainly what she should want, Miranda felt undeniable regret.

“Did you hear me, Miranda?” Henry slipped from the bed and yanked his nightshirt over his bony knees. “Just go and rest and I will take care of everything.”

“All right, Papa.” Miranda turned and walked to the door. But her path took her right past the captain, and she couldn’t seem to stop herself from pausing.

God, he wanted to touch her. He wanted to reach out his hands and pull her into his embrace and... and kidnap her all over again. Jack crossed his arms to keep from doing it. Had he lost his mind? For long moments he just stood there, his eyes locked with hers, and Jack knew it to be a strong possibility.

But then Henry took her elbow and bundled her out of the room, and Jack forced himself to think of de Segovia and all the trouble Miranda Chadwick could still cause. By the time Henry latched the door behind her, Jack had regained some of his balance. “What’s the idea calling me a disgusting pirate?”

Henry didn’t answer, but simply stood, candle in hand, staring at Jack. “What exactly happened between you and Miranda?”

Each word of his question seemed to hit Jack like a fist. He swallowed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I kidnapped her, as you requested and—”

“Don’t play false with me, Jack. We’ve known each other too long.” Henry took a deep breath. “I’m not blind. I can read the kind of looks you two were passing each other.”

“I don’t know what you think you saw...” Jack began, but his voice trailed off. Turning, he crossed the room, leaning out the open window sill. What could he say to this man? There were no excuses he could offer for what he’d done. There were no excuses.

Jack closed his eyes for a moment, then faced Henry, who still stared at him in disbelief. “Henry, I—”

“I trusted you, Jack.”

“You did,” Jack admitted. “And I abused that trust.”

“Why?”

Why? The same question Jack had asked himself countless times. Unfortunately he could come up with no better answer now than he had before. Jack shook his head slowly.

“Christ!” Henry swiped the silver brush from his bureau. It landed on the floor with a loud thud. “God, I can’t believe you did this.”

“I take full responsibility for what happened.” Jack felt like he was twelve years old again and getting a tongue lashing for tying his sister’s braids in knots. Though tangling curls could hardly be put in the same category as taking a young woman’s virtue.

“You’re damn right you do. What did happen? No wait, I don’t want to know. Oh, God.” Henry buried his face deep in his palms. “Did you rape her?”

“Hell no! What do you think I—” Jack stopped. It suddenly occurred to him that it might be better for Miranda if her father thought he did force her. But apparently Henry had already rejected that idea.

“What was it, Jack? Were you trying to prove you can seduce any woman?” When Jack didn’t answer, Henry continued. “Well, I expect you to do the right thing by Miranda.”

“I am doing the right thing. I brought her home. And I’m getting out of her life. Let her turn me in as a pirate. I don’t care. I intend to keep the hell away from Charles Town in the future anyway.” With that said, Jack strode to the door.

“Oh, no. You’re not getting away that easy. You
are
going to marry her.”

“Marry her!” That stopped Jack in his tracks. “Are you crazy? You don’t want your daughter marrying a pirate.”

“You’re right about that. But I don’t seem to have any choice.” Henry paced across to the fireplace. “You made it so that I don’t have any choice, Jack.”

“Henry, I—”

“I haven’t been a very good father to Miranda, but I’m not going to let her down now. You are going to marry her.”

Jack jerked at his cravat. “
This
is your idea of being a good father? Forcing a marriage on your daughter with a pirate? Good Lord, Henry, I’m sailing off to St. Augustine as soon as I can get the
Sea Hawk
provisioned. I could get killed... or captured and hung.” Jack refused to scratch his neck.