SHK (2 page)

It does sound a bit eccentric, considering it is Swahili. It would have been nice, since it means born during rain.”

STORMY HEIDE KATROS

7

Dreamscape

Plantation,

1757

Mowbray Shipping had expanded its fleet to six. There would always be an Enchantress and a Devil’s Advocate among the frigates in memory of Trevor’s first large ship and the ship Annemarie had purchased and sailed after the original Enchantress had shipwrecked off the coast of South Carolina.

Annemarie often thought back on those days. Devastated, believing she had lost Trevor, she had decided to live her life as she pleased. And learning to sail a large frigate had been her most fervent dream. Using her natural moxie, she brazened her way into Charlestown society, bought a frigate and promptly named it The Devil’s Advocate. The thought of just how brazen she had been made her giggle.

Though she quickly became the darling of town, she was envied by some for her indifference toward convention, but admired by many more for her daring. How many women even knew how to sail a frigate? And who would have dared to call the ship The Devil’s Advocate?

By the time she was reunited with Trevor, who had been shipwrecked miles down the coast, she was already expecting their child. Even then Annemarie played her cards close to her vest. She did not fall into Trevor’s arms in a swoon. Oh, no. Though she was tempted to give in to her feelings, she had lived an independent life, something she was not willing to trade for an apron and the protection of a man, no matter how much she loved him.

Trevor saw through her scheme. He had no intention of turning her into a submissive wife. He loved her for her determination to see things through her way. He reveled in her obstinacy and marveled at the fact that she could keep him as utterly enthralled as she did.

* * * *

Trevor leaned back in his wing-backed leather chair to rest his booted feet atop his hand carved oak desk. He sighed his contentment when he lit a cheroot and thought that luxuries could only be considered as such, if you could use them for your complete comfort.

Watching the course of the smoke rings he blew into the air Trevor decided that life at Dreamscape was not going to give his only child the advantages she deserved. Stormy lived up to her name. She was impetuous, smart, and utterly out of touch with polite society.

Bloody hell, she reminded him of Annemarie at that age. She was more tomboy than lady, uncaring about current fashion or worrying about keeping out of the sun. It was high time he took her to meet the rest of the family in England. If all went to plan, she would find a suitable husband there, one who could take her in hand. Of course, he already harbored qualms about the poor sot who would fall in love with that spitfire.

The door to his study opened abruptly and Annemarie walked in.

“You asked to see me?” Her delicate brow raised in mute curiosity. Trevor normally didn’t send one of the maids to fetch her.

Trevor shoved to his feet. Indicating his cigar, he tilted his head. “Do you mind?”

Annemarie merely shook her head.

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Trevor remained standing, while Annemarie made herself comfortable in one of the wing chairs near the fireplace. “Then let me come to the point, darling. The Mystic is about to sail to England in a couple of weeks. I’ve been thinking that the three of us should be aboard and pay a visit to my family. I haven’t seen them in years and those few letters that make it here are usually old news. Besides, Stormy would benefit from a season in London.”

Annemarie merely rolled her eyes heavenward and smiled. “Are you sure London will survive that?” Her shoulders began to shake with mirth. “She may be nearing her eighteenth birthday, but she is a scamp in so many ways that it belies her age.”

“It’s past time to expose her to eligible bachelors. As you just pointed out, Stormy is not getting any younger. In fact, she would be considered a bit long in the tooth, if you were honest.”

Annemarie acted aghast. “Long in the tooth? I can’t believe you would say that about your own daughter. And you the man who kept all suitors away rather skillfully all this time.”

Trevor snorted his disdain, but he had the grace to flush. He waved his cheroot through the air. “Those young men are farmers … men without much education. Honest, hard- working men, I am aware, but they wouldn’t understand a girl like Stormy. She can read and write and cipher. She is way ahead of them and she deserves someone who is more her equal.”

“What about the bankers and sea captains that abound in Charlestown?”

“Bankers prove to be stodgy. Nor would it be fair for her to be climbing to the widow’s walk on top of the house each day looking for a particular mast to appear on the horizon. I doubt you would have been happy if I had continued to sail across the ocean, or even if I had only plied the coast. Be honest, you would have balked at that had we not sailed together? But not many men would agree to have a wife aboard. And don’t forget that I never again sailed across the Atlantic once we were married.”

Annemarie nodded. “You have a point. We owe Stormy something more than the present choices for a future.”

Stormy breezed in at that precise moment like a fresh breath of air. Of course, that impression only lasted until her parents got a good whiff of her.

“Good heavens, daughter, what have you gotten into this time?” The protest stemmed from Trevor, who looked aghast at the girl, while grimacing in distaste.

Stormy waved a dismissive hand and grinned with an impudent urchin grin that always hit her father right in the region of the heart. She was every bit as lovely as Annemarie had been at that age, every bit as reckless, and maybe even more endearing, because she was a product of their love.

“Belle went lame. I was too worried about her to pay attention as I led her back to the stables. I guess I stepped in a cow paddy along the way. Sorry, I should have taken my boots off outside.” She turned on her heel and marched toward the entrance door, swinging her saucy, breeches clad rear in a most enticing way.

Trevor groaned and threw Annemarie an exasperated look. “Those breeches don’t hide the fact that she is a girl. In fact, they are almost indecent the way they cling to her derrière. It’s high time she learned something about behaving like a lady. Maybe my sister-in-law can take her in hand before we unleash her on an unsuspecting London society.”

Annemarie rose from her chair, a small frown marring her pretty features. She crossed her arms under her breasts, drawing Trevor’s gaze to them and she braced her legs apart in a seaman’s stance that rivaled that of her husband. “Darling, I never learned to be a lady as you so aptly put it, and I believe I’ve managed rather well to hold my own. We have been happy for STORMY HEIDE KATROS

9

nearly eighteen years. I strongly believe there is another man out there, much like you, who is looking for a woman just like Stormy, and I doubt we need your sister-in-law’s help.”

“Sorry, that was a poor choice of words. But God help the poor sot, if he falls as hopelessly in love as I did. On the other hand I might be of assistance to him, because I would know how to get her to agree to marry him.” He chuckled as he thought of how he had to almost beg Annemarie to marry him when she found herself with his child.

Of course, distracted as he was, he didn’t see the sofa pillow coming at him until it hit him squarely in the head.

For a moment, he felt a bit put out, but then a devilish glint lit his eyes and he stalked toward Annemarie with purpose replacing amusement. He was upon her in two strides and wrapped his powerful arms around her before he captured her mouth in a dizzying kiss.

“Don’t play with fire, madam,” he growled playfully into her ear. “I may not be as young as I once was, but I know I can still coax a moan or two out of you.”

“Set me down, you … you.” Annemarie didn’t get any further, because Trevor abruptly let her go as both heard the slam of the outer door and knew Stormy had returned. Like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar, they put as much distance between them as the parlor allowed.

Annemarie frowned at her daughter. “You still smell of horse manure. I think you had better go upstairs, wash up and change your clothes.”

The moment Stormy was out of hearing, Trevor glowered playfully at his wife, the wicked glint still sparkling in his eyes. “Just be prepared to face the consequences tonight after we retire.”

Annemarie blushed, and the heat from her face skittered all the way down into her belly in anticipation of Trevor’s delicious promise.

When Stormy finally came back down dressed in a yellow muslin gown that accentuated her sun-kissed skin and riot of dark curls, her parents were seated in wing chairs facing each other in front of the unlit fireplace.

“Is something the matter?” Stormy looked from one parent to the other, alarm evident in her sea-green eyes. “You both look as if the world were coming to an end.” She plopped onto the couch next to her mother with inherent grace, but in no way like a lady of good breeding should.

Annemarie sighed. “Darling, your father and I were discussing the need to show you more of the world than this little corner of it.” She held up a staying hand when she saw the protest forming on Stormy’s lips. She had anticipated it and had a little speech prepared. “Your father pointed out that the Mystic will be sailing to England in a couple of weeks and he thought it would be fun if all three of us were to sail on her. We could visit Emerald Hills, where your grandfather still resides and you would get to meet a bunch of cousins to boot.” She cocked her head to the side, watching her daughter closely to gauge her reaction.

Stormy’s lower lip jutted forward. “How long would we stay in England?”

“It all depends on how we’d like it over there. We would also like to visit the Cormacs, who were instrumental in us getting ownership of Dreamscape.” Annemarie left her other thoughts unspoken. She had wanted to ask Trevor many times about the Cormacs, but for some reason the time had never been right. But in the back of her mind, she wondered if there was any relationship between them and her late mother. Dreamscape was, after all, not a common name and it had shocked her when Trevor had first mentioned it in passing. Her mother had named STORMY HEIDE KATROS

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their gazebo, the place where the two of them played games, Dreamscape. And Annemarie had wondered ever since.

Stormy worried her lower lip with her teeth. “I don’t know. It sounds exciting, but what would we do there? I would miss Belle, and I know she would miss me terribly, too.”

“Johnny Wilks will look after her. He is as fond of that mare as you are. Besides, Emerald Hills has a stable full of thoroughbreds and plenty of land to ride them.”

Stormy wasn’t entirely happy with the proposition, but she knew in the end she would have little choice.

The next couple of weeks were spent in a flurry of sewing new clothes and packing and getting ready for the long voyage across the Atlantic.

STORMY HEIDE KATROS

11

Stormy stood wrapped in her father’s embrace, the helm of the Mystic gripped tightly with both hands. Exhilaration showed in the bright spots of color high on her cheekbones and the glitter of her eyes.

She half turned to plant a tiny kiss on her father’s cheek. “This alone makes it worth coming on this voyage. I never knew there would be such a sense of freedom and power, when you steer such a large ship as the Mystic in an ocean that seems to have no end.”

Trevor grinned. “You come by your love for ships and the sea naturally, child.” He almost let it slip that her grandmother had been a notorious pirate, but he knew the news would have to come from Annemarie, if ever. Even after almost forty years there were people who would try to exact revenge for Anne Bonny’s exploits.

Not all days proved to be smooth sailing. There were times when storms whipped up the ocean and the Mystic was tossed about like a nutshell, but Annemarie and Stormy showed no ill effects from it. However, they were both happy when they finally landed in Bristol, England and once again had firm ground under their feet. Though what met their eyes was a far cry from what they had expected.

* * * *

In contrast to the pristine landscape of Dreamscape, Bristol was dirty, smelly and rather noisy. Annemarie and Stormy simply stared in amazement, since neither had ever been exposed to such squalor or noise.

“A harbor city is hardly an example of the rest of the country,” Trevor explained when he saw the shocked expressions on the women’s faces. He hadn’t realized that it would cause him actual pain, if someone were to find fault with his homeland, especially these two. “The country is as lush and green as poems talk about and once you get out of the city, you’ll find the same serenity as we have at home. Give it a chance.”

He turned to Annemarie. “While you ladies see to the trunks and boxes that will accompany us to Emerald Hills, I will hire a closed carriage and a dray for the luggage. We’ll spend tonight aboard and then set out early tomorrow morning. A word of caution, so you won’t be caught unaware. We probably won’t make the trip in one day, unless the roads have improved greatly.”

The rest of the unloading of the Mystic was left in the capable hands of his captain, Master John Simon. “I’ve already made arrangements for furniture and some other fripperies.

They’ll arrive within the next few days, but we’ll lie at anchor for at least a month. See to it that the crew goes over the sails and the hull with a fine toothcomb before we attempt the return voyage.” He favored the captain with a wistful grin. “I intend to show my wife around with a short sojourn to London before we come back.”