Pleasing the Pirate: A Loveswept Historical Romance (9 page)

Mairi stared out the window, but Grant was gone, leaving her feeling bereft, desperate and angry. How dare he leave her behind? She wanted to climb after him, race after him and force him back to Scotland.

“I thought I heard voices,” Phin said.

She shut the window, searching the street below for Grant but the rain made it impossible to see far. She rubbed the goose bumps on her arm. “I was feeling ill and thought fresh air would help so I opened the window.” She knew she sounded odd, but she couldn’t help herself. She was so
shocked
by Grant’s attitude that forming a coherent sentence escaped her at the moment.

What had he meant when he said she was better off here? What had he meant when he said he needed her help? If he thought for one moment she would aid him in this mad plan then he was entirely wrong.

Phin closed the door behind him. “It’s freezing in here. Do you care if I build up the fire?”

She hugged her arms, shivering, managing only to nod.

Crouched on his heels, Phin folded his hands between his knees and stared into the flames. “He was here, wasn’t he?”

“Yes.” There was no reason to deny it.

“What did he say?”

“I believe he does not like you overmuch. He wasn’t pleased that I’d hired you to look for him.”

“I would think not.” Phin rose and turned to her. “What else did he say?”

“He was surprised I was in England.”

“Did you tell him why you needed him to return to Scotland?”

She’d been so certain that his commitment to the clan would be enough to get him home. “Yes,” she whispered softly.

“And?”

And how could she tell him that her brother deliberately left her in his care? That he had no intention of returning to Scotland? And that he assumed Mairi would help him in whatever he
needed.

She couldn’t tell him for that would put her in far more danger than being alone with this pirate.

“Come, lass, we’ve a few errands to run.”

Mairi turned away from the window she was morosely looking out. “Errands?”

Phin had been in and out all day but not without leaving a guard at the door. For her protection, he’d said, but she wondered. Grant’s words raced around her mind all morning.

He no more wants to help you than the king wants to return Scotland to Bonnie Prince Charlie
. She had to remember that Phin and Grant were enemies and Grant would not want her with Phin, but what did he mean when he said Phin didn’t want to help her?

And the guard bothered her. She hadn’t had a guard on the
Wanderer
. Then again, the
Wanderer
was probably far safer than the Coxswain.

“You need new clothes, lass. Can’t have you traipsing around London in your breeches, can we?”

She looked down at the breeches. “I like them. They’re comfortable and I can move much easier. Besides, I’ll not be traipsing around London.” Because she’d been holed up in this room, unable to leave without Phin. For her protection, he’d said.

Phin’s smile was strained. “All the same, a woman in men’s breeches will not do.”

She stood, stretching the kinks out of her shoulders and back. “I have no coin to be wasting on garments.”

“We’ll not worry about the cost right now,” he said. “You can deduct it from what you owe me.”

“Speaking of that. I should pay you so you can be on your way. You’ve helped me flush Grant out. He told me he would return for me and I’m sure you have places you need to be rather than here.”

Phin made a show of looking around the room. “I don’t see him.”

“He said he was coming.”

“Then you pay me when he gets here.”

“But—”

“The best part about being a pirate is that I answer to no one. Now let’s be off and get
you some suitable garments to wear.”

* * *

“This was not what I expected when you said we were in search of new clothing.”

Mairi shrank into the shadows of the hackney Phin had hired and looked with wide, hazel eyes at the town house they’d pulled up to. Phin had to admit to feeling a bit awed and intimidated himself the first time he’d seen Sebastian’s home. The white stone facade stretched for at least half a block.

He exited the carriage and held out his hand to help Mairi down. She didn’t look like she had any intention of moving. “It’s not nearly as intimidating as it looks.”

She snorted.

“You remember Sebastian from last night, eh? He wasn’t so bad.”

“
That
Sebastian? He lives
here
?”

“That Sebastian. He lives here. Come now.”

Slowly she unfolded herself and took his hand, mumbling about entering Sebastian’s home dressed in men’s breeches.

Sebastian’s butler ushered them into the drawing room with nary a raised eyebrow at Mairi’s attire. While they waited for Sebastian to arrive, Mairi stood in the middle of the room as if she didn’t want to touch anything and looked around at the high ceilings, the silk wall coverings and the expensive paintings.

“I get the impression that Sebastian is no dockworker or sailor,” she whispered.

“Nay. He’s better known as the Earl of Claybrook.”

“Mary, mother of God,” she whispered, her eyes as round as saucers. “An earl? You brought me to an
earl’s
home? Dressed like this?” She turned away then turned back, throwing her hands out to the side. “How could you do this to me? I don’t want to meet an earl! I don’t know
how
to meet an earl.”

“What do you mean ‘how to meet an earl’?”

“Do I curtsy? Can I curtsy in breeches? Oh, this is entirely unacceptable. I shall wait in the carriage. Fetch me when you are finished with your business.” She headed to the door, but it was suddenly opened by Sebastian himself. Mairi pulled up short, the color leaching from her
face.

Sebastian’s gaze dropped to Mairi’s borrowed boots and traveled up her breeches to her white shirt. “Have you been consorting with Emmaline?”

Mairi frowned, then seemed to collect herself and executed a quick curtsy that was laughable in her breeches. “My lord.”

Sebastian nodded to Phin. “You’re in luck. Claire and Emmaline arrived moments ago. They’re anxiously awaiting their mission.”

“Excellent.” Phin turned to Mairi, who was still frowning at him. “Sebastian’s wife, Gabrielle, and his sister and sister-in-law have graciously agreed to help pick out some garments for you,” Phin explained.

“Now?”

“Yes.” Phin drew the word out. Her expression was a mixture of mutiny and terror. He had a bad feeling that she was suddenly going to bolt for the door.

“Richards will take you to the women,” Sebastian said, clearly as a dismissal.

Mairi grimaced but followed Richards out. Not, however, without a glare over her shoulder at Phin.

When the door closed, Sebastian turned to Phin. “What have you learned?”

“He contacted her last night.”

“And you didn’t come for me?”

“I didn’t know until after he left. Apparently I walked in on them and scared him off. He’ll return.”

“He said so?”

“He was not pleased she was with me. If she were my sister, in the hands of my enemy, I would return for her.”

“Let’s hope you are correct.”

“You seem to forget that I have much to lose if I’m incorrect.”

Phin moved to the fireplace, then to the window, where he parted the curtains with one finger and peeked out of them. He’d dismissed the hired hackney. For the first time in days it wasn’t raining and the sun had made a weak appearance, which meant many people were strolling the streets. As far as Phin could see there was no one hanging about that should not be there.

“What did he say to her?” Sebastian asked.

“As far as I could tell he’s not inclined to return to Scotland to help her.”

Phin released the curtain and moved around the room, too anxious to stand still. After interrupting the siblings last night he’d been unable to sleep, furious that he’d missed his chance at capturing Grant. Good God, he’d been so close. Damn the wily Grant McFadden. He’d had men placed around the tavern, but somehow McFadden had slipped through them. Even the guard at her door hadn’t heard anything. In hindsight Phin now knew he should have placed men on the roof as well. Bloody hell, this would all be finished if Phin had been but a few moments earlier.

He needed to find Grant for more reasons than his agreement with the king. The more time Phin spent with Mairi the more he wanted to tumble her to that damn bed and have his way with her. Those breeches were the worst mistake he could have ever made. He should have found decent women’s clothing sooner. Something that covered her from head to toe.

What the hell had he been thinking handing her breeches?

Every time she turned away from him his gaze went to her perfectly formed derriere. Every time she faced him her hips enticed him, her tiny waist tempted him, her bosom drew him until he walked around with a constant bulge in his breeches.

He drew a hand down his face. Wanting her was the least of his worries. If he didn’t capture Grant McFadden his life was forfeited. Becoming involved with Mairi in all the ways he wanted was not only foolish but deadly.

“I have no doubt we will capture him soon,” he said, as more of a reassurance to himself than to Sebastian.

“What will you do with her in the meantime?” Sebastian asked.

Phin had been asking himself that question since last night. ’Twas one of the reasons he insisted they leave the bedchamber. Well, that and the damned breeches he could no longer look at. If he was holed up in that bloody room one more moment he’d go mad with the desire to topple her to the bed. And if he had to watch her staring out the window, searching for her brother, he’d tear his hair out.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I feel bad enough keeping her in the hovel of an inn, yet that’s where Grant has been seen the most.”

“Our intelligence says he moves around, but I see your point. If he knows she’s there,
he’ll know where to find her.”

Sebastian poured two glasses of brandy. He held one out to Phin, who took it and sipped.

“Your other option is to parade her around London. Stir Grant’s anger a bit more. If he sees her consorting with his enemy he’ll be more inclined to nab her.”

“Yes, but how do I do that?”

“We know his spies frequent the Coxswain and a few other establishments of dubious nature. Spread your men around. Have them mention that their captain is busy escorting a Scottish lass around town. They can even mention a few places you can be seen.”

“I have to say, the plan has merit.” Grant’s fury would have him reacting rashly, which would make Phin’s job of snatching him much easier. And the boon to all of this was that he wasn’t restricted to the room with Mairi.

The door opened and the three Addison women entered. They were as different as night and day and yet their personalities were alike in such a way it had to be frightening for the men who had married them.

Gabrielle, the petite, dark-haired, olive-skinned one of the bunch went directly to her husband and leaned into him. The normally stern, humorless Sebastian smiled down at her and put his arms around her.

Claire, Sebastian’s sister and wife to Nathaniel Ferguson, Lord Blythe, came next, all smiles and boundless energy. Then came Emmaline, the one Phin felt closest to. He and Emmaline worked together for many, many years, pirating the Atlantic Ocean as a team until she met and fell in love with Sebastian’s younger brother, Nicholas.

Of all of them, Emmaline kept herself separate from the group even after being married into the family for a few years. She smiled at Phin, her green eyes warming when she saw him.

“I like her,” she said. “And I liked that she was wearing breeches.”

“I thought you would.”

Phin missed sailing with Emmaline. She was one of the finest sailors and captains he’d ever had the privilege to work with. Not to mention one of the best swordsmen around. She’d been the feared pirate Lady Anne back in the day and it had been one of the best times of his life.

After Emmaline married Nicholas and shed her Lady Anne identity, Phin had been left to his own devices and hadn’t done too poorly. He’d captured some ships, met interesting people along the way. At the same time he’d incurred the wrath of a few small countries and, of course,
England. It had been that last damn ship that had been his downfall. He should have stopped while he was ahead.

Emmaline nodded to the door and Phin dragged in a ragged breath. Mairi stood there, looking around anxiously, her fingers plucking the pleats of her skirt. She was breathtakingly beautiful in an emerald gown that set her red hair on fire and made her peach complexion glow.

The garment hugged her tiny waist. The shimmering silk formed perfectly to her bosom, pushing her breasts up until he feared they would pop out of the top.

He hadn’t known what to expect but never in his wildest imaginings had it been this.

The breeches had been tempting and erotic, but this was … Exquisite.

She peered up at him from beneath her lashes, as if she were embarrassed.

Emmaline bumped his shoulder. “Say something,” she whispered.

Phin cleared his throat. “You are beautiful,” he managed.

Claire clapped her hands. “I told you he would love it.”

Mairi blushed and looked down, pulling the skirts of the shimmering fabric away from her. “ ’Tis too much. I can’t accept this.”

“Of course you can,” Gabrielle said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’ve had it for months and have never worn it. I don’t know what I was thinking when I ordered it, but the color does not suit me. However, it suits you perfectly.”

Phin would have to agree.

“You’re too kind,” Mairi said.

“I know,” Claire said, suddenly jumping up. “Gabrielle and Sebastian are hosting a small dinner tomorrow night. You simply must come.”

“Oh, no.” Mairi’s head jerked up. She took a step backward and held out her hand as if to ward them off. “I can’t.”

“Certainly you can,” Gabrielle said. “We will have a grand time and what better way to introduce you to society than with a small affair hosted within the safety of our home. The next night you can attend the opera with us.”