by Mia Pride
“Same reason ye seek a treasure that has been buried for fifteen hundred years, Thomas. Because ye are pulled by it. I am pulled by adventure as well, but most importantly, these particular caves called to me. They are said to be a very important place to the ancient people. One of the High Kings of Ireland is said to have been born in these caves and even raised by wolves there. Also, they are known to be a place dedicated to the worship of the god Lugh… Is he not the god who made the staff ye speak of?”
Thomas sat up quickly, eyes wide as he gripped her shoulders and pushed her back onto the bed. “Aye. Ye know more of the Irish folklore than I do, lass, having grown up here. Tell me more.”
“Well,” she chewed her lip trying to recall all she knew of the god. “He was a warrior, king, and savior of the land, one of the original Tuatha de Danann that ye spoke of earlier. He wielded the spear ye say is part of the treasure. People of the land dedicate certain areas of worship to certain gods. This series of caves, for there are many all in a row, were once used to worship him. That, coupled with the idea that yer ancestor would likely seek out a place far from the coast, may be the place.”
Thomas nodded his head and grinned. “Aye, aye. In my dreams, I see many caves, atop a hill, all in a row. It is most bizarre.”
“That is them!” Katherine said. “Nobody coming from the shore would see it. Ye have to know where to look. There is one more thing, one more reason I truly feel in my heart that this is the place.”
“What?” Thomas asked, now nuzzling her neck with his beard and making her squeak at the ticklish sensation.
“When I was exploring the caves… I know, it was foolish. But I did, and when I did, I found something. I found a ruby brooch. It was set in gold with intricate Celtic patterns etched in it. It seemed to almost glow.”
“Did ye take it?” he asked, looking up at her with bewilderment.
“Aye… I kept it. I thought… Och ye will laugh at me if ye know what I thought.”
“Nay, I shall never laugh at ye, Kat. I am done undermining ye. Ye are brave, beautiful, brilliant. Tell me what ye thought.”
“I thought it was a gift from the fay. My truest heart’s desire is to help the people. Sometimes I find jewels, coins, and other objects… such as that book, in the places I search. ‘Tis the reason I do it really. I have quite a treasure of my own. I have held on to it, waiting for the right person to share it with. I cannae very well walk up to a villager and hand him a ruby brooch. They need clothing, food, new homes… what would he do with such a bauble? It would likely have been stolen.”
“Ye are a clever lass with a special heart.” Thomas leaned in and kissed her with a wild passion that took her breath away, then he pulled away. “I believe ye, just as ye believe me. It is said the treasure is only revealed to one with the real intention of using it to help people. I think it was a fay, or mayhap Lugh himself, who showed it to ye, love. But only a descendant of Danu can truly find it, which is why—”
Katherine gasped and pulled Thomas closer. “I was always meant to find ye, Thomas.”
“Aye,” he whispered. “I believe that is the case. Lugh knew ye and I were… meant to be,” he cleared his throat nervously and looked away for a moment. “He showed ye that brooch, knowing we would meet and ye would be able to guide me…”
That realization, the fact that they were brought together by the old gods, that they both believed in the old gods, that they were meant to find this treasure together and help the people just as his ancestors had before, made gooseflesh prickle all over her body. She was part of something much larger than she could have ever imagined, and she would do it beside this amazing man.
“Katherine…” Thomas said lowly and stroked his finger down the center of her breasts, over her belly button, and in between the sensitive folds of her womanhood. She bucked her hips against his touch, fire flashing behind her eyes. How could his touch illicit such pleasure?
“Aye, Thomas?” she asked breathlessly.
“I am going to make love to ye again.” He turned onto his back, dragging her with him so she was straddling his thighs. His protruding manhood stood straight and proud, awaiting her heat.
Getting up on her knees, she grabbed him firmly and guided him slowly into her. “Aye,” she whispered, feeling him consume her once more. This time, she was in control and would find out what it felt like to make sweet, slow love to the man she tried so hard to hate, yet knew she loved desperately.
* * *
Sitting in the large bed, rays of morning sun pouring into the silent room, Thomas watched his wife sleep against his chest. Her blonde hair, like spun gold, spread across him and the red bolster in shimmering waves. She looked so peaceful and innocent, yet he knew a fire burned within her blood. Last night had been so completely unexpected, something he had meant to avoid altogether. But she was irresistible and her brazen behavior enthralled him to no end. It had been inevitable, he now realized. If he could be honest with himself, he would admit that stealing her away from her father had been the best thing he had ever done, even if it had been out of anger and spite. That one act of hatred had led him to a love unlike any other.
Their moments together, discussing their lives, had been an awakening. She had lived a life nothing short of lonely. No parents, no siblings, no companions. Only a few servants she trusted, yet none concerned with where she went or what she did with herself. No wonder she was so fiercely independent and refused to be managed. He realized last night that they had always been meant to come together, to be partners in life. Aye, she was mischievous and seemed to find trouble. The thought of her with the spyglass watching from afar as men and women fornicated made him want to chuckle, yet it also saddened him. She had been so curious about love and lovemaking, never having any guidance aside from pirates and one very graphic book. It was no way for a lady to learn. It had turned her into a feral animal in the bed and he could not complain, still, he valued the deeper connection they were creating and would continue to create. Aye, she was unique and all his.
Stroking her bare back, her breasts crushed against his side, he remembered the three times they made love the night before and smiled. The first had been a storm of emotions that had been brewing within, finally releasing in violent waves of ecstasy that left him a panting, quivering mess. The second, she had ridden him with ease, controlling her pace and taking from him what she wanted, never once showing any modesty or shyness as she hovered above him, shuddering her release repeatedly. Never had he known a woman so responsive. He thought they had spent their energy, but as she curled up beside him, her backside nuzzling into his groin, he found he had some unslaked lust for his wife after all, and reveled in the comfort of slipping inside her from behind, her pushing back into him as they panted quietly, moving as one in an intimate, slow show of love. They had fallen asleep in that position and he was almost certain that when he drifted to sleep, their bodies had still been connected.
“Wake up, love,” he whispered in her ear, kissing her head. “We need to be on our way.” With a groan and a stretch, she came awake, slowly opening her eyes and smiling up at him with a warmth that only a night of lovemaking could induce.
“My handsome husband,” she whispered. “Ye awoke me from the most wonderful dream.”
“If I was not in it, I do not want to hear of it,” he grumbled, running his hand down her side.
“Oh, ye were in it… in me.” She grinned wickedly and he had to tamp down the need to take her once more. They really did need to get a move on. His men would be readying the sails and awaiting their captain’s orders. If her father was truly harassing the seas, they may have a potential fight on their hands. As much as he wished to take the bastard down, could he kill his wife’s father in her presence? She may have detested her father’s actions, but he was all she ever had.
“Do not tempt me, wife. We have a full day ahead. I also dreamed, and I wish I could say it was of me… in ye. It was of the treasure again.”
He nodded. “Aye. ‘Tis calling to me more fiercely than ever. And ‘tis because of ye, Kat. I would never have known its location if not for my mischievous, trouble-causing wife,” he smirked.
“Ye are welcome then. I shall continue to cause ye trouble for the rest of yer life.” Her face fell and she blanched once she spoke the words. “I mean… as long as ye intend to keep me. I ken ye want to be rid of me.” She tried to keep her sadness hidden, but he could feel waves of despair radiating from her.
Swallowing hard, he looked at her with narrowed eyes and pulled her against him, making sure she understood the honesty in his words. “Now, ye listen to me, lass. I willnae give ye up. I meant what I said last night. Yer mine now.”
“Aye, ye said that in the heat of passion, but now, in the morning light, can ye truly mean it? I am yer enemy’s daughter. Ye hate me…”
“Ye are nothing like yer father. Ye are yer own person, Katherine Esmonde. And I… I dinnae hate ye.”
“Ye dinnae?”
“Och, Katherine, I cannae say exactly when, mayhap it was the first moment I saw ye creeping through the cavern all alone, when ye sneezed and gave yerself away. Mayhap it was the first time I touched ye… but I fell in love with ye, lass. Do ye hear me? I love ye. I will always love ye.”
“Oh, Thomas!” Lunging at him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled into him. “I love ye, too. But I do know when it happened. The moment my father dragged me away from ye on his horse and I turned to see yer boat exploding, and ye caught in the crossfire… my heart stopped beating. I thought I would never see ye again. I knew in that moment I loved ye. When ye showed up at my home and took me away, ye meant it as a punishment, I ken, but ye saved me, Thomas.”
He tried to speak but she covered his mouth with her finger. “Listen to me. I always dreamt of a man who was wild like a pirate but honorable like a knight. A man who may take what does not belong to him, but gives it back to those in need… my very own Robin Hood. Ye are that man, Thomas Esmonde.”
He kissed her then, hard, breathing her in and memorizing the feel of her, the scent of her. Then, he let her go. “Let us get dressed, break our fast, and be off to the ship.”
“Aye,” she agreed, clearing her throat and stepping away to find her garments. Katherine deserved more in life than a hasty handfast, a wild night of lovemaking in a pirate stronghold, and no home besides the sea. He vowed, when all this was over, he would give her a proper marriage, a proper home, and a bed all their own. For now, he had naught to offer her but a borrowed ship and a dangerous journey. He cursed himself as he watched her slowly slip on her borrowed gown. He was not doing a good job caring for his wife.
But, he would change that. As much as he knew it would hurt her, he planned to go after her father, before he came after them. If Richard Bingham was hounding the seas, Thomas knew he was seeking out his daughter. He would die before he let that swine touch his wife ever again. One thing Thomas knew from years of battle was that he needed to cut down the enemy before the enemy cut him down first. Katherine would balk at the idea and try to talk him out of it, so he had decided to keep his plans to himself and pray she forgave him in the end. He also knew finding the treasure with Bingham on his heels was unwise. Better to eliminate him now.
Once she was ready, they walked downstairs to break their fast and Thomas smirked at the way her cheeks glowed and the slight limp in her walk. She was sore from their night, and that only made him want her more. Niall wished them luck and tried once more to convince Thomas to share Katherine, but the fire in his blazing green eyes only made the man chuckle and wink. He had enjoyed his stay at Castle Dheomhan and learning a bit more about his connection with the Scottish Brethren, but the lure of the sea called to him. He felt fire in his blood, the itch for a fight, the need for adventure.
Stepping outside, Thomas and Katherine walked through the Bailey and over the lowered portcullis, the smell of the salty sea consuming his senses. His galleon swayed proudly before him and with more determination than ever in his life, Thomas swept Katherine up behind the knees with a flourish and carried her onto the boat. All his men had been busy scrubbing the decks and Thomas looked at his quartermaster, Juan, with a glint in his eye.
“Enjoy yer time in Scarba?” he asked his trusted companion.
“Aye, that I did, Capt’n,” Juan tipped his brimmed hat and smiled a devilish smile that told Thomas he had not slept alone the night before.
“Good,” Thomas winked as he placed Katherine down on the main deck and wrapped his arm around her waist before turning to his crew. “Avast, ye! Weigh anchor and hoist the sails! We have a Sassenach ship to track down! Whatever cargo they carry, we keep!” The men cheered and rushed to do his bidding, finely trained from what he had seen thus far. “To Ulster, we sail!” he added before looking down at his wife.
Her brow furrowed, and she looked ready to question him, so before she could give him any unnecessary grief or unwanted opinions, he dragged her up the half-dozen stairs to the poop deck and shoved her into his cabin.
“Nay! Ye will not do this to me again, Thomas! And, who are ye going after? Why did ye not tell me about yer plans? What about the treasure?”
Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fists. “Yer father. I didn’t want to. Let me worry about that. Any more questions?”
“Aye! Ye cannae plan to kill my father!”
“That was not a question. Go sit down, Katherine.” Before she could further argue, he slammed the door in her face, knowing very well he would pay his penance later. He had to stay his course. She said she loved him for his honor, and his honor bade him seek revenge on her father and take whatever goods his ship carried as retribution. And he would be damned if his wee wife tried to stop him. He did this for her… it was all for her. Someday, she would see that, even if that day was not today.
Chapter Eleven
Katherine could not stand another moment on this blasted ship! Aside from the surprisingly pleasing meal she had shared at Castle Dheomhan, all she had feasted on for days were salted fish, stale bread, hard cheese, and fortunately, fresh grapes from time to time. But, it was not the ship nor the food itself that drove her mad, for she found she quite liked living on the sea. It was her insufferable, arrogant husband! In the privacy of their bed, he was passionate, open, sharing words of love and hopes for the future. In truth, she quite liked that part. Even when she was furious that he would not speak with her in the daylight hours or hear her pleas to not start a battle with her father, she could not find it in her to turn him away from her bed or resist his calloused touch. He held some spell over her with those green eyes, that short dark beard and strong jaw, and his roguish smile.
Still, they had been at sea for only two days and she felt like a caged animal. Rarely did she go on deck. Thomas did not forbid it, exactly, but he seemed tense and unfocused when she was around, as if he worried she might jump overboard or catch the eye of one of his crew, though they all seemed to respect his every command. In truth, she was bored out of her mind. At least Grace O’Malley had several books stocked on the built-in shelves within this cabin, but Katherine was itching for more fresh air… and more time with her husband. He was busy commanding his crew, she knew, but even to stand back and watch him while the wind blew through her hair would be better than this isolation.
Taking a deep breath, she stood from the bed and opened the door to the cabin. The sound of sails snapping in the wind made her look high above her head to see the O’Malley pirate flag whipping wildly above on the mizzen mast. She was aboard a pirate ship… filled with, well… pirates. Outlaws. Men who would be hung by their necks if the British government ever got their hands on them. Would the queen see Thomas as a pirate? In truth, he had yet to steal anything from anyone, or hurt anyone, or even defy his orders. Yet, here he was, captaining an Irish
pirate ship, preparing to loot an English galleon and sink it into the sea, killing her father, an officer of the queen, along with his entire crew.
The thought was more than she could bear and her stomach roiled as the knots that had been tensing her stomach tightened even more. As much as she wanted Thomas to stay here in Ireland, they had never discussed their future beyond finding the treasure and he was a knight of the realm. He had orders to destroy their enemy vessels, and yet he was now on the path to destroy an English ship, with her father aboard.
Trepidation ate at her as her eyes locked on Thomas, who was conversing on the main deck with Juan, her husband’s extra limb these days. He did not notice her as she slowly approached him, but the nervous looks and sideways glances from his crew made her hold her head high as she walked across the deck, the wind blowing through her blonde waves. She had every right to be out on the deck as the captain’s wife and these superstitious louts could jump overboard if they did not like it.
“Thomas.” Placing a hand on her husband’s sleeve, she tugged to get his attention. The softening of his gaze as he looked at her gave her hope. He had been so openly loving and affectionate back at Castle Dheomhan, but had shut down emotionally once they departed. Part of her hated him for wanting to hunt down her father, yet most of her feared terribly, deep down, that he would stop loving her because of who her father was. “May we speak?”
He nodded and walked away from Juan, taking her toward the stern of the boat. “Ye should not be out here overlong, Kat. It makes the crew nervous.”
“That is rubbish. They are yer grandmother’s men! They know a woman can be aboard a ship and not cause it to end up in Davey Jones’s locker!”
Thomas cringed and put a hand over her mouth. “Ye need be careful how ye speak, lass. Now, what is it ye need?” He spoke softly and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her so close she could smell the sea salt in his hair.
