Pirate Hunter's Mistress (The Virginia Brides) (14 page)

“Then don’t,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “But I sleep on the bunk.” Without a further word, he went into the dimly lighted passageway, closing the cabin door behind him.

“Arrogant, pompous bully,” she hissed under her breath. He really didn’t care where she slept, maybe didn’t care if she slept at all. Or did he think she’d be forced to share the bunk with him and endure his hands upon her during the night? The wanton images turned her legs to seaweed and she grew dizzy, not certain if the dizziness was from her head injury or too much wine. No matter. She was tired and needed to rest—but not in Lark’s bed.

Pulling a quilt from the bottom of the bunk, she positioned herself into a chair and squirmed like a worm until she found a comfortable position. Throwing the blanket over her, she finally drifted into sleep. But when she woke to a bright sunshine-filled morning, she discovered that she was on the downy-filled bed and Lark was in the chair, snoring softly.

Marlee had just started drinking her morning tea when Lark entered the cabin. He carried what appeared to be a man’s shirt and breeches under one arm and a pair of worn boots in his hand. “I wish you’d think to knock,” she irritably scolded him. “Suppose I wasn’t dressed?”

“I’ve seen you without clothes,” he drawled and a lecherous glint sparked in his eyes. “And undressing is exactly what I want you to do.”

She nearly choked on the hot tea. “What—did you say?”

Lark handed her the clothes and boots. “These are for you. I can’t have you parading around in that thin dress, as eye-catching as it is.” His gaze lingered for a second too long on her full breasts which the tight bodice barely concealed. Clearing his throat, he went to the sea chest and took a map, unrolled it, and pretended an interest in coordinates he didn’t feel. “The clothes belong to Todd and should fit you.”

“But I’ve never worn breeches!” Marlee was horrified at the thought.

“There’s a first time for everything,” he succinctly observed and rerolled the map. “But if you want to go above with me for some air, you’ll have to wear them. I don’t want my men bothered by you.”

“As if I want to bother them,” she spat out. “I don’t really want to be on this ship in the first place. I’m not certain why you’re going to New Providence—I don’t care, either. But I’d think you’d treat me like a lady instead of a deckhand until we get there.”

“The clothes are to keep you a lady, my dear,” he reiterated and malevolently grasped the hilt of a small sword which hung at his side. “I don’t want to have to kill any of my men for leering or pawing at you. No one has the right to touch you.”

Only you have the right, she thought and almost said this aloud, but she turned away so he wouldn’t read the desire shining in her eyes. No matter what Lark had done to her, she still found him undeniably attractive. “Please leave so I can change.”

“I’ll be waiting on deck for you,” he promised with a wink and left.

Marlee eyed the pale blue shirt and brown breeches in distaste. One month ago when she’d become a Baroness she’d thought that she’d be dressed in the finest silks and satins, presiding over balls and parties with her husband, being introduced to England’s aristocracy. Now, she didn’t have a husband, was reduced to dressing like a sailor without a tuppence in her pocket, and worst of all, she was dependent upon Lark Arden for her safety. She could almost imagine Clementina’s shrill voice in her ear proclaiming, “How the mighty have fallen.”

Marlee had to laugh as she began to undress. Wouldn’t Clementina and Daphne be tickled to see her now?

The clothes, though snug, fit better than Marlee had expected, yet the boots were a bit too large for her small feet. After the shirt had been tucked neatly into the breeches, she found a comb and ran it quickly through her hair, fearful that if she dawdled for too long Lark wouldn’t let her go on deck.

Coming onto the upper deck minutes later, Marlee squinted at the bright sunshine. Immediately she noticed Lark with his back to her, gazing out at the broad blue vista of calm ocean. A few of the men were diligently working until they noticed her. All stopped and stared. “Lordy, what a sight,” one of the men said. “ ‘Tis a wench in breeches.”

The other ribald comments drifted away when Lark turned and saw her. His mouth fell open at the sight of her. He feared he’d done the wrong thing by ordering her to wear Todd’s clothes. Instead of dispelling her natural beauty, the garments only seemed to enhance Marlee’s figure.

The gown had modestly covered her legs and hidden her beautifully rounded behind. But the pants fit her tightly, leaving very little to the imagination, and he knew what lecherous thoughts must be racing through many a man’s head at the moment. Every voluptuous curve Marlee possessed was apparent for all to see—for him to see. The shirt which had been big on Todd’s slight frame fit Marlee snugly across the breasts and was more erotic and suggestive than the gown’s low bodice had ever been.

Heaven help him. He was going to have a hard time protecting her from the crew, but an even worse time protecting her from himself.

Lark cleared his throat and took a large, commanding step toward her. Taking her arm in a gesture of protective ownership, he faced his men and raised his voice for all to hear. “Men, this is Lady Arden, my kinswoman. She is to be treated with respect and dignity. If any one of you so much as thinks of touching her, he’ll answer to me and be lucky he doesn’t find himself on the ocean’s floor to feed the sharks.” His eyes held a black warning. “Now get back to work and mind your manners.”

Lark led her to a corner of the ship, away from the prying eyes of the crew. “You didn’t take very long to dress,” he said, his eyes now full of warmth. He liked the way her hair blew softly about her face and even caught a whiff of rosewater in the dark tresses.

“There wasn’t much to change into,” she said but wouldn’t admit how much she liked the freedom which the pants provided. She didn’t miss the hooped petticoats and stays one bit.

She leaned upon the thick wooden balustrade and breathed deeply of the fresh sea breezes. The only sounds were the shrieking of a gull overhead and the sloshing of the ship as it broke through the waves. For some moments, she was entirely at peace—more than contented because Lark was at her side. She didn’t care if they never reached land.

“What are you thinking?” he asked with a husky trace to his voice.

Marlee discovered that Lark was watching her intently, and she liked the way he looked at her as much as she was unnerved by it. She should dislike what was happening. Yet, for some reason she didn’t seem to mind being on a ship in the middle of the ocean with Lark. Though she did hate what he’d done to her, she doubted she could ever hate him when he looked at her in such a beguiling, heart-thumping fashion.

“I was thinking how everything has changed for me,” she softly told him. “Because of you, my whole life is changed.”

His expression grew somber. “I apologize again to you, but I’ve explained the reasons behind what I was forced to do.”

“Not really. I’m still in the dark as to why this ship and so-called mission are so important to you that you’d lie to me to get the money. Why didn’t you just ask for it, explain to me what Richard had done?”

“Would you have given me the money?”

“I don’t know,” she said.

“I took only what was due me,” he insisted.

“You took more from me than that and you well know it!”

“Never forget that I took only what you offered me, Marlee. We both wanted what happened.”

His eyes bored into her soul, and she trembled because he spoke the truth. She had wanted him, still wanted him, and this made her situation with Lark all the more distressing. “I wanted you because I thought we were married.”

“I know, but the attraction is strong between us. I’ll never want another woman as I want you, Marlee, never.” Lark brought her against him, cradling her in his arms. She was very much aware of his lips upon her head. Somehow she believed him, aware that he suffered some painful emotion that she couldn’t understand.

She relaxed against him, unable to resist him, drawn to him by an irresistible force that threatened to conquer her. She looked up at him. “If that’s true, then why can’t you admit you love me?”

It was the wrong thing for her to say. The color drained from his face. There was a hesitancy about him, almost as if he wanted to say what she ached to hear but couldn’t. She felt him stiffen, and it was the long silence which followed that finally defeated her. He put her from him and grasped the balustrade with both hands.

Tears slipped onto her heart-shaped face of their own volition. “I would like to return to the cabin,” she told him and tried to keep her voice from breaking.

“As you will.” Lark called to Todd who hurried over to them. “Escort Lady Arden back to the cabin.”

“Aye, sir,” Todd quickly agreed and hurriedly followed after Marlee who nearly ran the length of the deck.

~ ~ ~

After that incident and for the next few weeks, Todd always accompanied Marlee for her walks. Lark was conveniently absent, but she always saw him on deck as he ordered the men about and helped with the rigging or steered the ship through the warm indigo waters. Those were the only times that she saw him, because he didn’t sleep in the cabin and no longer took meals with her. He’d deserted her again, and she wasn’t certain why.

One day, Todd was sitting next to her on a large, brown barrel while Marlee basked in the sun. Nothing could be seen on the horizon for miles. Todd sighed and absently scratched his red head. “ ‘Tis the most boring trip I’ve ever taken.”

Marlee smiled indulgently at the young boy. Having spent so much time with him, she’d begun to like him. “Don’t you have enough duties?” she asked him.

“‘Tain’t that, my lady. I’ve got lots to do when I’m not watchin’ over you for the captain. But I thought to have a real adventure, now that I’m a pirate hunter.”

“A what?”

Todd’s face became animated and he grinned broadly. “A pirate hunter. Captain Lark is one, the best one in the whole world. We’re chasin’ down sea pirates for the Crown—one blasted, nasty pirate in particular who blew up Captain Lark’s ship and left him for dead a while back. We’re goin’ to hunt him down and hang the bloke’s head from a pike as a warnin’ to other mean pirates. That’s what we’re goin’ to do if we ever come across him.”

This was the longest speech that Marlee ever remembered hearing from Todd. But it did explain Lark’s obsession to get the money for a new ship. Somehow he had to redress the balance with this pirate.

Realizing how much the subject of pirates appealed to Todd, she knew he’d be eager to tell her anything she wanted to know about Lark and his plans. “Do you know how much longer we have until we reach New Providence?”

“Another week or more.” He sounded disappointed. “But we ain’t run across no pirates yet, and I don’t think we will.”

“Ah, so you want to fight pirates, not just this particular one. By the way, what’s this pirate’s name?”

“Manuel Silva. Captain Lark said we’ll know his ship because it’s blue and black and he flies a flag with a vulture on it.” Todd heaved a sigh. “But no one’s seen it yet.”

Marlee considered this information. Silva must be a Spaniard. “Don’t despair, Todd,” she said and ruffled his hair. “I’m certain you’ll get your chance.”

~ ~ ~

“No sign of Silva yet,” Lark groused out loud and scanned the watery blue landscape. “Where could the bastard be?”

“I’ve no idea, sir,” replied Douglas Holcombe, Lark’s first mate and the only one of his crew who’d ever actively hunted pirates. “He’s a slippery eel, well known for eluding authorities. I came up against him just once, about five years ago. The ship I was on was destroyed—I was lucky to be left alive. From what I’ve heard about the way he treats prisoners, they’re better off dead.”

Lark nodded, lucky to have found Holcombe in Cornwall. He’d been sharing his cabin since Marlee came on board. The young man had been in the Royal Navy at one time but was discharged because of the leg wound he’d received as a result of the fracas with Silva. He’d limp for the rest of his life, but that didn’t stop him from wanting revenge upon the pirate. Lark wanted revenge, too, and would relish the sweet taste of it. But he couldn’t stop a shiver at what Holcombe said about Silva’s treatment of prisoners. Was Bettina still alive? Had she been ravished by the brutish Silva? If so, Lark prayed she was dead. He’d heard tales, too, about what Silva did to women prisoners and if she was alive, no doubt she’d already lost her mind.

“Todd told me that Lady Arden is ill,” Holcombe noted and watched Lark’s face for a reaction. He wasn’t certain what the connection or true story was between Lark and Marlee Arden, but he knew a man in love when he saw one.

Lark made a sharp turn to face Holcombe. “What’s wrong with her? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“I’m telling you now, sir.”

“Yes, fine. I’ll go see how she is.”

“Yes, sir, and if you wish to spend the night in your cabin with her, I won’t be upset not to have you share mine.”