Sweet Silken Bondage (29 page)

Clay glanced at Webster and saw that the youth
was completely taken with her. He was listening
raptly to her every word, his eyes upon her adoringly. His gaze swung to Reina then, and he saw
that she was looking at him quite fondly.

Anger seared Clay. Reina was having one helluva
good time at his expense! He knew she was using
Webster just to make him mad, and he didn't dare
give her the satisfaction of knowing she was succeeding. She was too quick and too bright to give
her an inch. His baser desires urged him to grab
Reina by the arm and haul her back down to their
cabin. He wanted to lock her away there, safe from
the young man's avid gaze. Instead, he was forced
by circumstances to sit there beside Reina, acting as
if her openly flirtatious ways were harmless...just
an everyday occurrence that he tolerated because he
loved her.

The meal began. Course after course of delicious
food was placed before them, but the business of
eating did not deter Michael Webster from trying to
dominate Reina's attention. He bombarded her with
questions, and she blatantly encouraged him with
quick answers and friendly smiles. Michael was enthralled. He had never met a woman as sophisticated and beautiful as Reina Cordell. He thought
her about the most wonderful woman he'd ever
known, and he hated the fact that she was married.
Michael wondered if Cordell knew what a lucky man he was to have her for his very own.

Clay ate what was placed before him, but it was
all tasteless to him. He just wished the damned
dinner would be over.

Gibson could see that Webster was enamored
with the beauteous Mrs. Cordell. He could also see
that her husband was not at all happy with the way
she and the young man were carrying on. Remembering the incident on deck that afternoon, he decided to try to defuse the situation himself.

"Mrs. Cordell," Gibson interrupted them
smoothly, "I understand that you have family in
California?" He garnered an irritated glance from
Michael for cutting in on their conversation, but he
didn't care.

Reina wanted to deny her father's very existence,
but for the sake of outward harmony, went along.
"Why, yes, I do. My father's ranch-Rancho Alvarez is just outside of Monterey. It's quite a showplace He's very proud of it." Bitterly, she believed
that he loved the ranch far more than he loved her.

"That is a beautiful area," the captain agreed.

"I was telling Captain Gibson this afternoon, how
eager you are to return home," Clay explained
tightly.

"Oh, yes. I'm definitely looking forward to our
making landfall." Reina meant every word. "How
much longer will it be?"

"For us, barring bad weather, we'll be at sea at
least five more days," Gibson answered.

Five more days, Reina groaned mentally.

"After that," the captain was saying, "you still
have to cross the Isthmus and then take another
vessel up the west coast."

"It sounds like it'll be an eternity before I see my
father again." Reina's emotions were torn at the
thought. She'd had a close relationship with her father all her life, and it hurt to think that had all
changed. She wished things could be as they used
to be, but she wondered if that would ever be
possible again. Nathan Marlow stood between them
now.

Smitten as he was, Michael wanted only to please
her. Trying to brighten her day, he didn't think
about how his idea would sound to her husband.

"I'll be glad to help you pass the time," Michael
offered quickly, dreaming of spending endless wonderful hours in her company, escorting her around
the deck, listening to her delightful laugh. She was
such an excellent conversationalist and so lovely to
look upon that he thought it heaven just to be with
her.

Reina was a bit surprised by his suggestion, but
was not about to discourage him. She accepted
graciously, "Why, that's very kind of you,
Michael..."

Reina's ploy stoked Clay's blazing fury to even
greater heights. Wanting to put the young interloper
in his place once and for all, Clay slipped an arm
possessively across the back of Reina's chair. His
gaze was steely as it met Michael's across the table.

"The lady does have a husband, Webster," he said
in a flat, but dangerous voice.

Michael flushed as he realized how forward he'd
been. "Sorry, Cordell ...I...um..."

"It's all right, Michael. I'm sure Clay understands
you were just being nice." Reina spoke up in his
defense, her dark gaze gleaming with challenge as
she met Clay's.

The heat of Clay's anger burned in his eyes and
in every muscle in his body. Had Reina known him
better, she would have realized just how dangerous
a line she was treading. Clay Cordell was the type
of man who could be pushed only so far. Reina, however, was unaware that she'd just reached the
point of no return.

Furious with her, Clay leaned closer. In an exaggerated whisper, he said, "It was nice of Webster to
be thoughtful, love. But if you find the trip boring,
my darling bride, I can think of many more enjoyable ways to pass the time than by walking the deck
or making idle conversation. I'm sure you know
what I mean." He lifted one curl from her shoulder
and rubbed it between his fingers in a sensual
gesture that declared his private ownership to those
looking on.

Though to the world Clay appeared the adoring,
doting husband, Reina heard the ice in his tone
and saw the flintiness in his eyes. A tingle of fear
threatened, but she ignored it. Let him be angry!
She didn't care. He was not going to intimidate her.
He deserved every bit of this and much, much
more.

"Oh, I'm not bored in the least, Clay, darling,"
Reina returned, "It's just, you know how anxious I
am to be home with my father, and sometimes the
time does pass so slowly. You know how miserable I
was when I was indisposed and couldn't leave the
cabin..."

Clay responded through gritted teeth, "Oh, yes, I
know very well how miserable you were and how
very anxious you are to go home to your father."

"Have you been away from home long, Mrs.
Cordell?" Gibson asked.

"Far too long, Captain," Clay answered for Reina.
"Her father's missed her greatly and is most eager
to have her back."

"There's nothing quite like a loving family waiting
for you at home," the captain agreed.

Reina wanted to shout at the good captain that
she didn't want to go back, that the loving home she'd grown up in didn't seem to exist any more!
She wanted to cry out that Rancho Alvarez must
mean more to her father than she did, for he hadn't
even bothered to come after her. He'd sent Clay in
his stead. But she remained quiet.

"Do you come from a large family, Mrs. Cordell?" Michael asked, having recovered from Clay's
curt remark.

"No, my family's quite small, really," she declined
to be more specific, not really wanting to talk about
her father. "What about you, Michael?"

Encouraged, Michael launched into a long dissertation about his oversized family.

Clay saw red as Reina turned more fully in her
chair to face Webster. She made it plain that she
was giving him her undivided attention and she
smiled warmly as she encouraged him to talk about
himself.

"That's quite a large brood you come from,"
Reina told him. "It must be nice having so many
brothers and sisters"

Clay wondered in irritation what it mattered to
her what size family the boy had. He couldn't care
less if Webster had thirty sisters and four hundred
brothers! Wanting to distract Reina from the avid
young man, he commented, "I know we haven't
talked much about having a family, love, but perhaps one day soon we'll be having our own baby.
I'm particularly fond of children and would have no
objection to quite a few, if you're so inclined."

Reina had been caught by surprise by his comments, and she took them as snide. She turned a
fiery regard on him. "I do want children some day,
but I don't think I'm ready just yet."

"We mustn't keep your father waiting too long.
You know, we're his only hope for grandchildren
since your sister entered the convent."

Her gaze hardened at his taunt. That's very
true, darling," she stressed the endearment. "Mary
Regina definitely won't be having any children." She
deliberately turned back to Michael. "Tell me more
about your family, Michael. Were they upset when
you left home?"

He shrugged. "I'll miss them a lot, but we need
the money. I'm never going to have a chance to get
rich back there, so this is about my only hope to
really make it big. I'll start sending money back to
help out just as soon as I can start making some."

"That's very noble of you," Reina was honestly
impressed with his sincerity and his determination
to make good. She didn't know if he'd find gold or
not, but she hoped he found some way to make his
fortune when he got to California.

Clay sat there, barely able to contain his irritation as the boy seemed to swell with pride over
Reina's praise. It aggravated Clay that she was
making him out to be some kind of a knight in
shining armor and it annoyed him greatly that
Webster was believing it. He seemed to be hanging
on her every word, gazing at her with stars in his
eyes, and his precious bride was enjoying every
minute of it and not discouraging him in any way.
Clay's annoyance was rapidly threatening to turn to
full-blown anger at her playing him for a fool here
in public. As soon as he could manage it, he was
going to drag her out of there and set her straight
about a few things.

"I've always envied you men," Reina said honestly.

"Why?" Michael asked.

"Well, you wanted to take a big chance and go to
California, so you are. That's exciting. You're free
to do what you want. Now, take my husband and
me, for example. Our life's really quite dull and
very restricted. There's little excitement." Rena said with hidden delight.

Clay tensed at her implied insult. "I didn't know
it was excitement you wanted, darling" Reina
glanced at him, and she saw the unspoken threat in
the depths of his gaze.

"Every woman wants some excitement in her life.
She also longs for the power to make choices for
herself," she said pointedly, her eyes holding his
momentarily.

"I don't understand," Michael put in, decidedly
confused. "I thought women wanted to be protected
and cared for."

Reina almost groaned, thinking of how her father
had always told her that he would take care of her
and see that she was protected. He'd lied. She'd
been helpless before the power of his authority over
her.

"They do to a certain extent," Reina began, "but
they want to have a voice in their own destinies.
Our opinions are never asked. Sometimes, we aren't
even consulted about matters that deal directly with
our very lives. You see, we're not free to make our
own decisions the way you men are. Why, first
we're dominated by our fathers, who give us absolutely no voice in matters directly concerning us
and our welfare. Then, when we marry, we're
forced to be completely submissive to our husband's
wishes, no matter what."

Clay reacted angrily to her words, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he took her hand and
brought her attention back to him. There was a
smile on his handsome face, but it was a cold one.

"But, darling, you're giving everyone the wrong
impression," Clay protested in a mild tone that
belied his mood. "It's not that way between us.
Force has never been a part of our relationship."
Yet, he added in his mind. Then, sounding as if he was teasing, he went on, "Now that I know you feel
this way, though, I promise that we'll discuss everything you want to discuss from now on, including
which of my wishes you don't want to submit to."
He gave her a knowing look. "Although, I never
knew you to be so shy about such things
before..."

Reina felt the heat of a blush sting her cheeks as
mortification washed over her. She wondered how
Clay dared to say those things, but even as her fury
grew, she knew how he dared. He had her trapped,
and he knew it. She longed to strike out at him,
but she couldn't. Some day, Clay Cordell! she swore to
herself. Some day!

Seeing how upset Reina became, Michael was
embarrassed for her. He wished he could defend her
honor in some fashion, but he knew he had no
right to say anything. He wondered why she had
married such a man in the first place.

"It really surprises me to find you feel this way,
Reina," Clay continued almost philosophically. He'd
found his excuse for getting out of there, and he
was fully intending to use it. "Maybe, dear wife, we
need to discuss this at greater length, in private-if
we're going to remain so happily married."

Reina stifled a gasp of indignation as Clay stood
up and drew her to her feet with him.

"Captain, Mr. Webster, if you'll excuse us?" Clay
was coolly precise as he made their excuses.

"Of course, Mr. Cordell," Gibson answered, his
eyes alight with admiration for him. He'd been
wondering just how long Cordell would stand for
his wife's unusual friendship with Webster. He was
pleased to find that the other man was a lot like
himself-a strong believer in the old school that
women needed a firm hand to keep them in line.
The captain was certain that the Cordell marriage would be a good, long and happy one.

"Good night, Mrs. Cordell," Michael said softly,
miserable that the evening was coming to an end so
soon.

"Good night, Michael. Perhaps I'll see you tomorrow on deck."

"That'd be wonderful!" He brightened almost immediately.

"And Captain Gibson, thank you for dinner. It
was a splendid meal," Reina told him graciously.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Gentlemen." Clay gave a brief nod of dismissal
and led Reina from the dining room.