Once a Scoundrel

by Mary Jo Putney

  She lifted her chin. “Should I go free and the others spend the rest of their lives in slavery because of the lucky accident of my birth?”

  “In the eyes of God, no, but it’s the way of the world in which we live.” He thought a moment. “Your cousin, Lady Constance. Will her family contribute toward the ransom?”

  Lady Aurora looked a little shifty. “Though Constance is wellborn, she has no close family or resources of her own.”

  In other words, no money there. Gabriel’s brows furrowed. “I’m trying to calculate the fair market price of two wellborn young Englishwomen and a couple of dozen sailors. My best guess is that the value would still be under twenty thousand pounds. Furthermore, you already have the value of the captured ship. I think that twenty thousand pounds would be a very good price, don’t you, Malek Reis?”

  “The price is whatever I want it to be!” Malek snapped.

  “Of course, it’s your right to set whatever price pleases you,” Gabriel agreed in a mild voice. “But an item that is priced too high will remain on the shelf. There’s no profit in that.”

  The conversation paused when servants appeared with trays of food and drink. Though Lady Aurora refused everything except a goblet of chilled mint tea, Gabriel was hungry. The bourek, triangular pastries stuffed with spiced meat or eggs or vegetables, were delicious, as were the olives, flatbread, almonds, dates, and soft goat cheese.

  “If you keep eating like that, I’ll have to raise the ransom price further,” Malek said dryly.

  Gabriel grinned. “Surely this comes under the category of hospitality to the weary traveler.”

  Lady Aurora had been silent, but now she said abruptly, “Malek Reis, virginity is greatly prized here. Could you auction mine off and earn enough to bridge the gap between the ransom Captain Hawkins has brought and the amount you consider acceptable?”

  Chapter 4

  Lady Aurora’s shocking words fell into stunned silence. Malek recovered first, asking incredulously, “Are all Englishwomen so mad?”

  “I’ve often been told I am one of a kind,” Lady Aurora said wryly. “It’s not usually a compliment. Virginity means much less to me than freedom.”

  Malek pursed his lips, calculating. “If you’re serious, Lady Aurora, such a sale might raise as much as five thousand pounds.”

  “This is absurd!” Gabriel burst out. “If the lady’s virginity is worth five thousand pounds, I’ll buy it to keep her safe!”

  “Can you afford that much?” Malek asked with interest.

  Gabriel did a swift inventory of his savings and assets. “Yes, but you’d have to accept a draft on my London bank. Would you trust me for that?”

  Malek considered, then nodded. “I would.”

  Lady Aurora stared at Gabriel, startled. “Would you spend that much so you could have me? Or would you do so and then honorably refuse to touch me?”

  He gazed at her, his brain paralyzed by erotic images of kissing her. Pulling away those gossamer veils so he could run his hands over warm, soft skin, sinking into her . . .

  Five thousand pounds might buy passive acceptance, but would it buy passionate desire? Knowing that passive acceptance would never be enough with this woman, he said brusquely, “You’d be safe from me. I’m not in the habit of buying bedmates.” Feeling as if he could read the thoughts behind those misleadingly innocent blue eyes, he added, “And don’t think you could sell your damned virginity twice if I didn’t demand full value for my money!”

  “I did wonder if that would work,” she admitted with a self-mocking smile. “But it would be very unsporting on my part.”

  “As entertaining as it is to observe the mad English, none of this is to the point,” Malek said sharply. “I need at least forty thousand pounds and you have not come close to that amount even with the lady’s foolish suggestion.”

  “If I had sufficient funds, I would be happy to give them to you,” Gabriel said. “But I don’t. Could I perform some service that would make up the difference? The Zephyr is larger, faster, and better suited to long voyages than your corsair galleys. Would you like me to take you to England and back? To America? Some other destination?” He spread his hands. “There is little else I can offer.”

  Malek started to snap a reply. Then he stopped as a thought struck him. Abruptly he stood and began pacing around the perimeter of the pavilion, frowning.

  Taking advantage of his distraction, Lady Aurora slid along her cushioned bench so that she was close enough to touch Gabriel. Leaning forward, she said in a low voice, “Malek speaks English so well. Is he a European renegade who was captured by corsairs and turned Muslim to win his freedom?”

  Grateful for how well her cloak covered her, Gabriel replied, “No, he’s Algerian born and bred, but his mother was English. I believe she found the harem to be a better life than she had in England and settled into it comfortably.”

  “Perhaps that’s why he doesn’t understand why some English women don’t want to embrace the life,” Lady Aurora said tartly. “But your suggestion seems to have given him an idea.”

  “Yes, and I wonder what it might be.” Gabriel’s gaze moved to the other man. “I won’t let him have the Zephyr. If he tries to capture it, my crew and I will fight to the death. That won’t help you, so I hope it doesn’t come down to that.”

  “So do I,” she said starkly.

  For the first time, Lady Aurora’s confident façade cracked to show fear and vulnerability. Gabriel took her hand, intending comfort but feeling a snap of startling awareness. Knowing it wasn’t wise to be so attracted to a woman he had come to ransom from captivity, he masked his reaction and said quietly, “There are no guarantees in life, Lady Aurora. But your situation is far from impossible.”

  “My mother was fortunate to find you.” She cocked her head. “But since she could only find about half the ransom amount, I imagine you aren’t being paid a fabulous sum. So why are you taking such a risk for a stranger?”

  “Life is a risk and ultimately fatal.” Realizing that he was still holding her slim fingers, he made himself release her. “Freeing a captive countrywoman seemed like a risk worth taking, Lady Aurora.”

  “I hope you don’t come to regret that belief!” Her smile would have warmed him to his toes even on the North Atlantic. “Call me Rory. My friends do, and I hope we are going to be friends. Calling me Lady Aurora reminds me of all the bad poetry written in my name during my London Seasons.”

  He chuckled. “Along the lines of ‘golden-haired Aurora, goddess of the dawn, bright sprite ascending’?”

  She shuddered elaborately. “Exactly! I do hope you aren’t a poet, Captain. Though if you are, I imagine you’re good. You seem too competent to write bad poetry.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m no kind of poet, good, bad, or indifferent.” Caught by the intimacy of the conversation, he continued, “If we’re moving to a first-name basis, my name is Gabriel.”

  “So we’re both in semi-divine territory!” Rory said with pleasure. “You an archangel and me a minor Roman goddess. I think you outrank me since there are only a few archangels, but many minor Roman divinities.”

  “If we’re looking at worldly rank, you’re the daughter of an earl while I’m a disinherited son,” he said bluntly, wanting to reveal something important about himself. “Better not to look at rank.”

  Before either of them could say more, Malek pivoted on his heel and stalked back to his guests. “I have an idea, Hawkins.” His mouth curved in a dangerous smile. “But you won’t like it.”

  Warily, Gabriel asked, “What do you need done that I won’t like?”

  “Since your ship is larger and better suited to carrying passengers and cargoes than any I command, I want you to transport me and a number of my men to Constantinople. And then, Allah willing, home to Algiers.”

  That would be about six weeks round trip, plus whatever time was spent in Constantinople. But if that would do the job, Gabriel was willing to offer ferry service. Want
ing to be sure he understood the bargain, he asked, “That and twenty thousand pounds will be enough for you to free all your prisoners?”

  Malek’s teeth showed again. “Besides me and my men, you must also transport a number of the animals from my collection.”

  So his lovely Zephyr would be turned into a floating menagerie. Knowing how complicated it might be to carry wild animals the length of the Mediterranean, he said, “As you wish, though the number will be limited by the amount of food and bedding and other supplies the ship can hold.”

  “Many are miniature animals, perhaps the finest collection of such in the world.” Malek’s expression turned calculating. “Your Lady Aurora is very popular with them, so she must accompany us.”

  When Gabriel looked at Lady Aurora, she said, “It’s true. He has a collection of the most delightful small creatures. I’d love to travel with them and do what I could to keep them calm.”

  So a ship full of corsairs, animals, and one beautiful captive lady. It would be a memorable voyage. But there must be more than one lady. “It isn’t right that Lady Aurora should be the only female on board. At the least, she should have her cousin, Lady Constance, as a companion.”

  Malek considered, then said, “You’re right.” His gaze moved to Rory. “But the crew of the Devon Lady will remain here as my hostages.” He bared his teeth in an unnerving grin. “How soon can we leave?”

  “It depends on how many animals you propose to take, and what kind of stabling and cages will be required. Transporting horses is straightforward and I’ve done it before,” Gabriel said. “And we routinely carry pigs and chickens on longer voyages so we can have fresh meat. But rare wild animals will require experienced keepers.”

  “Experienced grooms will travel with them,” Malek said. “But you first must dispose of your pigs. They are forbidden to good Muslims, and I will not travel on a ship that carries them.”

  There were other European ships in the harbor whose captains would be happy to buy the pigs. “Very well. What other kinds of animals do you want me to transport?”

  “Come and see. Lady Aurora will accompany us.”

  Rory rose, looking pleased. “You will enjoy this, Captain.”

  Malek led them down the main walkway, then left into a lane that ran between animal enclosures. In the heat of the afternoon, most animals were drowsing under their trees, but when Malek stopped by one spacious pen and gave a sharp whistle, there was a sudden rumble of hooves. Small hooves.

  Gabriel blinked as a dozen miniature horses, only about three feet tall at the withers, galloped toward the fence. He’d seen ponies almost as small, but ponies were sturdy little fellows. These lovely creatures had the sleek conformation of horses.

  “Oh, my darlings!” Rory cooed as she opened the gate and stepped into the enclosure. “I haven’t seen you in too long!” She began petting and sweet-talking the horses as they churned around her.

  Malek entered after her and gestured for Gabriel to follow. “They are bred of Arabian stock. The most beautiful horses in the world.”

  As he closed the gate behind him, Gabriel asked, “Do you want the whole herd transported to Constantinople?”

  “Only those four geldings.” Malek indicated several silvery grays with dark muzzles and stockings. “They’re trained to work together as a team, and they pull a small, boy-sized chariot I had made. There is not another team like them anywhere.”

  Geldings so the next owner would be unable to breed them, Gabriel guessed. Smiling, he knelt so that his face was on a level with the miniature horses. One of his chief regrets when he was sent to sea was that horses were no longer a daily part of his life. When one of the silvery geldings trotted over to him, he said apologetically, “I’m sorry I have no sugar or carrot for you.”

  The horse shoved his head into Gabriel’s chest, almost knocking him over. Gabriel laughed and caressed the long, flowing dark mane. “Do you have a buyer in Constantinople?”

  “Not a buyer. A villain who must be bribed.” Malek’s tight voice held barely suppressed fury. “Because I haven’t sufficient gold, I must offer him something rare and wonderful to make up the difference.”

  Wondering what could be worth such a huge bribe, Gabriel stood and the silvery gelding twined around him like a dog. “Certainly these horses are rare and wonderful. Are you sending other animals as well?”

  “Yes, come and see.” Malek led the way back to the gate.

  “I’ll be back to visit again soon,” Rory promised her equine entourage as they followed her to the exit.

  Gabriel had to block two of the horses to prevent them from surging outside with her. “Frisky little fellows!” he said as he shoved them back inside and secured the gate.

  “They’re adorable,” Rory said fondly. Intent on the horses, she didn’t notice when her cloak parted to reveal one bare, perfect breast.

  The sight temporarily stopped Gabriel’s breathing. Rory was even more beautiful than the miniature horses.

  She saw his expression and hastily tugged the cloak around her again, blushing. He probably blushed as well. Turning and pretending that moment hadn’t happened, he followed Malek to the next enclosure, which held miniature gray donkeys with dark masks and mischievous eyes. Unlike the small horses, which had the conformation of full-sized adult horses, the donkeys had the soft, irresistible features of young foals.

  The donkeys greeted Rory with as much enthusiasm as the miniature horses. As she scratched the fuzzy gray head of the most insistent one, she said, “They’re mischievous and rather dangerously clever. Not to mention stubborn!”

  “But charming,” Gabriel said as he made friends with a darker donkey. “How many do you wish to transport to Constantinople?”

  Malek frowned. “Only two, I think. They’re appealing but not so unusual.” He moved along to the next enclosure, which contained pigmy goats.

  Tiny but intrepid, the goats scampered around their visitors. One tried to climb Gabriel, and another started chewing the braid off his uniform. Laughing, he said, “You should start a children’s menagerie, Malek. They would go mad for these little fellows.”

  Malek made an odd sound, and Gabriel saw that the other man had a strange expression. Vulnerability, perhaps. Gabriel wondered if Malek had had a child or children who had died and that was why he had this extraordinary collection. It was not the sort of question one could ask, but it made Gabriel wonder if Malek had a wife. Or wives. A family. In the years since the two men had met, anything could have happened.

  “Come along,” Malek said gruffly. He’d gone only a few steps when a servant approached Malek and bowed deeply before starting a conversation with his master. Malek led him out of earshot, but kept his watchful gaze on Gabriel and Rory. Maintaining a discreet distance between them, Gabriel and Rory leaned against the fence and watched the antics of the goats, which were being fed by a keeper who’d emerged from a stable at the back of the large enclosure.

  Already lively, the little goats went berserk with excitement. One leaped on the keeper’s shoulders. The man laughed and fed it tidbits. “All of the animals are delightful,” Rory said. “I don’t know which are my favorites.”

  “Whichever ones you’re looking at?” Gabriel suggested.

  “You’re probably right. Look at that little fellow who is jumping over the others like a steeplechaser!” She chuckled. “I suggested to Malek that the miniature hogs I saw in India would fit into his collection nicely since they weigh only about a stone. But he rejected the idea of any kind of pigs.”

  Gabriel had been told Lady Aurora had been in India, but not why, so he asked, “What took you to India?”

  “A desire to see the temples and ancient ruins.” She smiled mischievously. “It was also a good way to avoid more Seasons in London. My parents thought I needed the steadying influence of a husband so they pushed me into the marriage mart. That was not a success for any of us.”

  Very aware of her lovely face and vibrant charm, he said,
“You must have had your share of offers. Are you opposed to marriage in general, or was it that you didn’t meet anyone you wanted to marry?”

  “Some of both,” she said thoughtfully. “Most people seem to find marriage a good thing. I can see the appeal. My parents are still very fond of each other even after decades together and eight children.”

  Her gaze followed the cavorting pygmy goats. “But at eighteen, I didn’t feel at all ready to marry and settle into staid domesticity forever. Perhaps the right man would have changed my mind, but I didn’t meet anyone I liked that much. My mother was horrified when I refused a most flattering offer from a duke.”

  He supposed he shouldn’t be startled. As the daughter of an earl, she was a suitable bride for a man of such high rank. “You didn’t want to be a duchess?”

  “He was portly, old, and deadly boring,” she said tartly. “And he had snuff stains on his clothing.”

  “Those are good reasons to decline an offer,” he agreed. “But surely there were younger, more interesting candidates for your hand.”

  “Yes, but I didn’t want any of them, either,” she said ruefully. “If I’d married one of those eligible wellborn men, he’d expect me to live like a wellborn wife. I would need to dress well, entertain well, raise wellborn children. The idea was—suffocating.”

  “Perhaps there was no right man because you weren’t the right woman at that time,” he suggested. “Eighteen is very young to decide one’s future, which marriage usually does, especially for a woman.”

  “Very true,” she agreed. “No man looks like a husband when one isn’t in the market for a mate. Or maybe I’m cold natured. My older sisters were always swooning over handsome stable lads and dancing masters. I might admire a handsome young man, but I had no interest in pursuing him.”

  “I have trouble believing a cold-natured woman would reduce the chances of regaining her freedom by insisting on the release of her ship’s sailors,” he observed. “Since you weren’t passionate about finding a husband, what were you passionate about?”