Within a Captain's Hold (12 page)

“Go back to sleep.” He turned away from her and started to soap his jaw to shave.

Anna hesitated and chewed at her lip. “Who was that man earlier?”

He sighed. “Captain Williams.”

“He’s a friend?”

“Of a sort.” He lifted his chin and brushed foam below his jaw line.

“He’s worried the other man, Bondshay, is going to kill you.”

“Bonchette.”

“Yes, Bonchette. Aren’t you worried?”

“No.” His answers were clipped and blunt. He opened the straight razor and began scraping the dark stubble from his cheeks. “Go back to bed, Annalise.”

She watched him shave. “How is the Earl of Carlisle involved?”

Jaxon flinched as the sharp blade nicked his skin. “Blast it all, woman.”

“My father knew the Earl of Carlisle,” she rushed. “I met him and his daughter when I was young. Her name is Gwendolyn, I think. Are you and the Earl connected somehow?”

He put down his razor. Soapy lather still clung to one side of his face. He held a finger to the small wound on his chin and shot her a cold stare. “He bedded my mother.”

“Oh.” She nodded and held onto the alcove as the ship rocked. “Wait. He what? Are you saying he’s your father?”

He turned away. “No. He’s nothing to me. He dallied with a young innocent servant, promised her a sterling world, but only planted a bastard in her belly before he tossed her aside.”

“You.”

“Yes.” He blew out an angry breath. “Are you done with your questions?” he snapped, taking up his razor again.

“Is that why you have your rule? The one about virgins? Because of your mother?”

Jaxon dropped his razor into the bowl with a sharp clatter and snatched up his towel. “Dammit all. Enough of this inane prattle.” He wiped the remaining soap from his face and threw the towel on the washstand. “You are the most infuriating female I’ve ever known. I beg you, let me gather my things and leave without any further conversation.”

Annalise was once again surprised at the shortness of his fuse. This would not bode well for approaching him regarding her plan. “But--”

He glared at her. The muscle in his cheek jumped and his hands curled into fists. “Woman, you would try the patience of a saint, and I am no saint.”

“But I think I’ve come up with a solution to our problem.”

“The only problem
we
have is being in each other’s company for more than ten minutes without me wanting to turn you over my knee.”

“I wish you would stop treating me like an errant two-year-old.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Be careful of what you ask.”

“I think you and I should be wed.” Annalise blurted it out before she lost her nerve. She held her breath, waiting for the outburst sure to come next, but the only thing to follow was silence. “Did you hear me?”

He stopped dressing and held tight to the clean shirt in his hand.

“I know it sounds absurd, but if you give the matter some consideration… I’ve mulled this over for days, and I believe it to be a sound bargain. If you and I were married, Wolfsan’s threat would cease. My hand comes with a title and an entailed estate with enough land and money to more than compensate you for my passage. We could sail to Port St. Maria, meet up with Alice, marry there, and return to London.” Anna knew she was rambling, but his dark stare unnerved her.

“After you have made an appearance as the new lord of the Gatherone lands, and put the business of my hand to rest, we could make the proper accusations against the duke. He’s sure to be jailed at the very least, and hanged if there is any justice at all. Afterward, Alice and I can live our lives and you can return to the sea, or whatever you wish, a very rich man. You can own a fleet of ships, if you want.” Annalise wrung her hands.

The only sound came from the steady creak of the ship as it navigated the churning sea. Jaxon had not moved.

“Of course, it would be a marriage of convenience. There would be no need to violate your rules. I would draw a small allowance from the estate for my personal needs, and I’d be happy to live in one of the smaller country homes. There a staff of four or five could see to our needs. You would be free to sail off and never see me again. We’d simply go our separate ways.” Her mouth went dry as he just stood there silent.
Say something, damn you.

“It’s a sane plan that benefits us both, don’t you think? I’d be safe to return to what remains of my life, and you could return to yours, but as a wealthy lord.”

Annalise stopped her chattering. Her heart beat like a trapped bird as Jaxon dropped his shirt and folded his arms across his bare chest. He stood for a time appraising her.

“Well?” she snapped. “Aren’t you going to say something?”

He shrugged. “What is there to say? You’ve obviously thought through everything. Tell me, you’d be comfortable wedding a pirate? A thief? A murderer? A bastard?”

“I never said the bargain came without cost.”

He gave a short bark of laughter. “Ah, yes, let’s speak of that cost. You want me to walk away from my ship and my crew to play nursemaid to you, be your guard, live in your company as man and wife, and not bed you? After which, I am required to risk my neck by getting you to Port St. Maria then escort you and your friend back to England, where I’ll be mired in legal and estate matters for more than a year. What do you suppose I have my crew do in my absence? Lie about on the beach and tan their skin?”

“I suppose I didn’t consider your crew.”

“Nay, you didn’t.”

“Perhaps Cookie could run things in your stead.”

He shook his head. “Promoted from cook to captain? It doesn’t work like that.”

He spoke to her as if she were some kind of dimwit.

So there were some things she hadn’t fully considered. “Fine. Forget I said anything at all. I was only trying to come up with some way out of this intolerable situation.” Why did she always end up flustered?

Annalise raised her chin and moved to pass him. She was a fool. What possessed her to think he would ever agree to such a plan? Wed her? Obviously, he believed her stupid. He couldn’t even stand to be near her.

The ship made a slow roll as it dipped into a deep trough. Anna faltered and a strong pair of arms reached out to steady her. He pulled her back tight to his chest. The bare heat of his skin radiated through her shirt and the spice of his shaving soap tickled her nose.

Jaxon spoke low with a light rasp to his voice. “What makes you think I would ever agree to a marriage of convenience with you?” His breath blew warm on the nape of her neck, causing a shiver of nerves and raw desire to tremble through her. “If you were my wife, there would be no question as to the consummation of our marriage.” His lips brushed the outer shell of her ear. “I would demand it.” His words were whispered and hot against her hair. His hands moved over the flat front of her stomach and back to skim her breasts. “Often.”

Her knees weakened and she gasped at the heat coursing through her.

“That would be
your
cost, m’lady.”

His mouth brushed the side of her throat, to the tender spot connecting neck to shoulder. One arm circled her waist, pressing her tight to him, while a lazy thumb blazed a path between the swell of her breasts before clutching the leather lacings of her blouse in a tight fist.

She whimpered as he kissed his way back to her ear. His desire surrounded her like a cloak. “Do you honestly believe after I’ve had you, tasted you, found heaven nestled between your pale thighs, I would ever agree to sail away?”

What was he suggesting? Anna swooned at the graveled honey of his voice. It stole her breath. He released her suddenly, breaking the connection, pushing her aside. She spun around, gripping the desk to steady herself. Jaxon snatched his things and moved to the door. Pausing with his hand on the handle, he looked back at her.

“Never.”

Jaxon gripped the oak pegs of the ship’s wheel so tight, he threatened to snap them off. His hands pulsed with the effort. Coming up from leaving Annalise, he’d taken over the duty from Quinn. If he could control nothing else, he damn well could steer his ship. But the
Scarlet Night
was fighting against her rudder. The winds continued to blow strong, and the ship seemed to delight in her sprint through the murk of a sunless morning. Was it his lot of late to struggle with headstrong women? He set his jaw and jerked at the wheel.

“Are you well, Captain?”

“Aye,” he snapped.
No need to take the man’s head.
“Aye,” he repeated. “Call all hands, Mr. Quinn.”

“Yes, Captain.” The man saluted. Gavin Quinn was in the Royal Navy’s service before he joined the ranks of sea bandits. He never spoke of his days of service or why he’d left that life behind. It was obvious the old habits of detail and protocol were tattooed on his bones. Not necessary on a ship full of castoffs, but a finer seaman Jaxon had never seen.

“All hands.” The order carried from deck to deck as men scrambled to gather topside.

Cookie came to stand next to him, handing him a tankard of ale. “Why the party?”

“I want as many eyes on watch for Bonchette as I can muster.”

“All present, Captain,” reported Quinn.

Jaxon handed over the wheel to him and went to speak to the men. “I’ve a bit of news you should hear. Blood-Eye Bonchette is out to make a name for himself, lads. He wants something I hold dear--my bonny head. And seems he’s taken a dislike to some of your mugs as well. He means to see us fed to the sharks with the
Scarlet
laying at the bottom of the sea.”

A grumble passed through the men.

“If it were only my head, I’d tell the man to come get it, but when he threatens my crew and my ship, well, lads, that’s another thing. I’m not likely to sit by and give up the fiercest crew and the fastest ship on these seas.

“I’m sure the bastard is waiting for us off the coast of Port Royal. He knows we’re coming, and he’s planning we never make it. What he can’t be knowing is we know he’s there, and we’re prepared to sail into that harbor with our red sails bowed and our heads still on our shoulders.”

Shouts of agreement came from the crew.

“If our holds weren’t fit to bursting with plunder, I’d say we be the ones to track him down and give chase, but with the bowsprit weak and us loaded to the gills, it puts us at a wee disadvantage. Bonchette’s going to be riding high and fast, and he out guns us by ten. His crew is light, though, and we can outfight them on our worst day. But we can’t let the bastard sneak up on us and catch us with our britches around our ankles. I’m ordering two men into the crow’s nest, and I’m putting you all on watch. I want to know the second a mast tip breaks the horizon. The first man to spot the Sea Dragon will be getting an extra share once our feet hit the beaches of Port Royal.” Cheers and boasts erupted from the men.

“One more thing,” He yelled over the din. “When the battle begins, Bonchette is mine.”

They roared, shook their fists, and rattled their cutlasses. Men shouted out to Jaxon their suggestions on the best way to kill Bonchette.

After dismissing the men, Jaxon spoke with Cookie. “If I survive this voyage, it will be nothing short of a miracle.”

“Ye’ve taken on Bonchette before.”

Jaxon leaned his hands against the gunwales. “It’s not only that, and you know it.”

“Ah, I’m guessing ye’re referring to the bit of weep I just left in yer cabin. Mind telling me what ye bloody did to cause that.”

Jaxon spun on him. “Are you signing on to be her protector now?” He snorted. “Good. You can marry her.”

Cookie eyebrows nearly hit his headscarf. “Who said anythin’ ’bout marriage?”

Scanning the men, Jaxon lowered his voice, “She did. She proposed.”

“Bloody hell. Ain’t it the man who’s supposed to do the askin’?”

“Not where she’s concerned. Had everything figured. She’d be saved from the duke, and I’d become a rich lord.”

Cookie shrugged and scratched at his chin. “Beats a sharp stick in the eye.”

Jaxon grumbled, “I’d rather be fitted for a patch.” He ran a hand through his hair and headed toward the bow.

“Ye mean, ye’ll not at least consider it?”

Shaking his head, Jaxon pointed off the starboard bow. “She’s still determined to get to Port St. Maria to reunite with her friend.”

“So you’ll send someone else to retrieve the chit.” Cookie punched his arm “Just think on it.
Lord
Steele.”

“Are you daft? What do I want with a title? And a wife?”

“’Tis a hefty title, and she’d make a tasty bit of wife. Doesn’t take a pair of lookouts to see she’s got yer knickers twisted tighter than the king’s purse. Do ye a bit of good to toss her on her back and--”

Jaxon pushed a finger at Cookie’s face and barked. “You’ll watch your tongue, or I’ll serve it up as chum.”

“So, that be the way of it, huh? Pardon me.” Cookie chuckled as he raised his hands in surrender and earned another hard glare.

“One day you’ll go too far.”

“Why wouldn’t ye consider the lass’s offer? Yer blood’s half blue. And a lord’s title brings more bounty than years of scraping and fighting.”

“And then what?” Jaxon reached for his spyglass.

“Say good-bye to barnacles and bilge rats and use a silver spoon to eat yer soup. Ye wouldn’t have to be killin’ and stealin’ for that silver neither. Ye’d make a fine gentleman, if ye’re askin’ me. Runnin’ an estate can’t be much different than runnin’ things here.”

“And what about the
Scarlet Night
?”

“Ye can’t be captain forever. And we both know there ain’t many ways to git off this ship. I’d be hatin’ to see ye leave feet first.”

Jaxon shook his head. “The girl doesn’t know what she’s asking. Remember who you’re talking to. I’m a low-life pirate. A bastard. She sure as hell deserves better than the likes of me.”

“That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever caught in me ear. She’d be lucky to have ye. Ye’re a good man.”

“Not good enough.” Jaxon raised his glass and scanned the horizon without really seeing it. Annalise deserved a man of breeding, a gentleman who never had to wipe another man’s blood off his sword, who never had to steal the boots off a dead man, or roast rats when his rations ran out. She deserved someone born on the proper side of the blanket. A man she could respect. A man she could love.