by Becky Lower
“Yes, sir.” Daniel handed over the boxes of cigars. “Fortunately, I’ll have the winter to repair the ship, so I should be ready by spring.” He nodded at the major’s leg. “Glad to see your leg has healed.”
“I may have a slight limp for the rest of my days, but it’s nothing I can’t deal with.” The major rounded the desk and sat in his chair. “So you can repair your mast and get your ship sea worthy again by March?”
Daniel nodded.
“Good. Winter’s not too far off. I can feel it in the air each morning. Won’t be long before we get a dusting of snow, I fear.” The major opened the drawer where he kept his cigars and filled the bin. “I swear, these things are trotting out of here on their own.” He glanced up at Daniel. “Did you deliver my letter to my brother-in-law?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
The major raised an eyebrow. “And what did he have to say about the fact I’m harboring his daughter?”
Daniel shifted his feet. “He didn’t open the letter in front of me, sir.”
“So…he's not booked passage?”
“Not to my knowledge, sir. And now, with winter bearing down on us, he probably won’t be able to.” Daniel hid the grin threatening to emerge.
“I’m not saying I want to send the girl home, mind you.” The major rounded his desk and plopped into his chair. “She is a pleasant distraction for my wife. But she’s also a distraction for my men, and I’m not pleased about it.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It just strikes me as odd that the letter announcing his intent to send her to us never arrived. Or any other missive after she made the voyage. She keeps claiming the postal service lost the letters, but doesn’t that strike you as odd?” He glanced up at Daniel, who remained standing.
“Yes, sir, it does. But there’s little that can be done until spring, now.” Daniel rocked back on his heels. Well done, Pippa.
If her father had ignored the letter for a week or so, he’d be too late to cross the Atlantic. Then, she could easily make her deadline of next March, when she’d be able to claim her inheritance and become a wealthy young lady. And be able to return triumphantly to England and select any man she wanted.
“If that’s all, sir, I’ll depart. I have a ship to unload.” Daniel drummed his fingers on his thigh, waiting for dismissal.
The major waved a hand at him. “Go on, then.”
Daniel backed toward the door, then stopped. “May I see Lady Worthington before I leave? I have some sweets from England for her.”
“I’m afraid she’s not here. Bernice took her to some gathering or the other.”
“With your permission, I’ll call on her tomorrow, then.”
The major nodded his agreement.
Daniel’s stance drooped, and he pivoted toward the door. Probably for the best he not waste his time with her, anyway. He had more important business to transact. The first item on his list, now that he’d checked in with the major, was to track down Sam Adams. In the two months he’d been away from Boston, a lot could have transpired, and he needed to get an update. The Sons of Liberty were making plans.
He stopped into the pub Sam and his band of men favored, and ordered a mug of ale, which he drank quickly, barely registering the taste of the hops. He stood at the bar while Sam and his men occupied a large table in the center of the room. Daniel allowed his gaze to slide over the men, made eye contact with Sam, drained his mug and left the room, aware Sam would follow in a few minutes. A quick scan of the street revealed he was alone, so he opened the side door and ran up the stairs to the secret room where the Sons of Liberty held their meetings.
• ♥ •
“Daniel, good to see you.” Sam slapped him on the back upon entering the room.
“Good to be home, although it took a while. Our main mast broke off in a storm, and we limped across the ocean for the remainder of the trip. I was never so glad to see the harbor in my life.” Daniel briefly recounted the harrowing journey.
“Speaking of the harbor, we’re making plans to get rid of all those British ships clogging it.” Sam chuckled.
“How do you plan on doing that?”
Sam quickly filled him in on the plans to transport the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga. “We have to wait until the ground freezes, since the cannons weigh so much. But we’ll aim them at the harbor so the Brits can see what they’re up against.”
“Sounds like a massive undertaking. Do we even have the ammunition for them?” Daniel wished he had another mug of ale.
Sam shook his head. “Not nearly enough, but we’re hoping the mere sight of the big guns will be enough to force the Brits to leave. We’ll need your help.”
“You have it. Now, tell me what else has been going on.”
Sam grinned. “A fight broke out in the tavern the other night.”
“Ah, Sam. Pretty soon they will ban you from the place.” Daniel glanced at the cocky man.
Sam shrugged. “It was for a good cause.”
“It’s always for a good cause, according to you. What happened this time?” Daniel huffed out a breath.
“There was a young man in the place, barely old enough to drink. He stopped by our table to beg a cheroot. That’s the only way I would have ever noticed him.” As Sam relayed the story, Daniel’s heart palpitated, and his stomach twisted.
“Did this young man have dark hair and wear a tweed cap?”
Sam’s glance collided with Daniel’s. “Why, yes, he did. And he blew the most perfect smoke rings I’ve ever seen.”
Daniel’s head dropped to his hands. He scrubbed his face. “Oh, dear God.”
“Do you know this fellow?”
Daniel raised his head and stared at Sam. “It’s not a ‘fellow.’ That was my stowaway.”
Sam’s brows rose. “She’s Lady Worthington? Well, that explains a lot.”
“What do you mean?”
“The boy snuffed out his cigar and stood as soon as two British officers entered the place. He—no, I guess it’s she, tried to skirt around them, but one of them grabbed her wrist and wouldn’t let her leave.” Sam stood and paced.
Daniel followed Sam’s movement with his gaze. Damn Pippa and her stubbornness. What had she been doing?
“Did they recognize her?”
Sam shook his head. “I don’t think so, but they were up to no good, that much was for certain. You know the Brits. If there’s no woman around, a boy will do. I had to intervene.”
“So, you did what? Caused a fight so she could escape?”
Sam shrugged. “Something like that. Gave us an excuse to pummel those men.” He pivoted toward Daniel. “So your lady is safe. And now that you’re back in town, I expect you to occupy all her time so she won’t perform a stunt like that again.”
Daniel scrubbed his face again. He’d taken an oath to do whatever was necessary to aid the cause of the rebellion, including spending massive quantities of time in Pippa’s company. His heart squeezed against his ribs at the thought.
“I’ve got another box of rifles and some gun powder stashed in the ship, anytime your men can meet me.” Daniel fought to change the subject.
“Do you have any cannon balls? Those cannons would be much more effective with ammunition to back them up.”
Daniel shook his head. “No. I can pilfer the small stuff, but a missing crate of cannon balls might raise suspicion.”
“Well then, we'll have to bluff them. Maybe just the presence of the cannons will be enough.” Sam quit his pacing. “I’ll have my men meet you tomorrow night. There’s no moon, so it should be safe, even with the large British presence in the harbor.”
Daniel stood and clasped Sam’s shoulder. “I’m off then. As soon as I dock the ship, I’m headed to home and Emma. Be careful out there, all right?”
Sam nodded. “I’m headed back to Philadelphia, to meet with the other members of the Continental Congress. Al-though all this talk is wearisome. Some of the colonies are wavering in their commitment.�
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“Well, maybe the cannons will help turn the tide.” Daniel strode to the door. His daughter awaited. All the war talk, and maneuvering stolen goods through the packed harbor and spending time with Pippa made him weary, yet excited.
Especially the part about spending time with Pippa.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Pippa wrung her hands together as she sat in the parlor and attempted casual conversation with Colin.
“My goodness, Lieutenant. You’ve suffered a wound.” He had a bandage above his right eyebrow and a black eye, which gave him a rather rakish appearance. Pippa hid a smile with her hand, certain the blow had come from her new savior, Samuel Adams, or one of the other Sons of Liberty. She then returned to wringing her hands. Where was Daniel? Her uncle had relayed the news he’d made it back from England and would call on her today. Yet, here she was, stuck with Colin.
“A bit of a scuffle, that’s all. Nothing to worry about. These rebels can be quite a handful at times.” Colin touched his bandage.
She couldn't tell from his behavior if he’d recognized her the other night or not. “Do tell. I am not allowed out at night, so I have no clue what goes on. Are the streets rowdy with colonists?”
He glanced at her. “It’s wise of your uncle to keep you cloistered at night. The streets can be quite unsafe.”
Pippa smiled. Her secret was safe, at least for the time being. “So, did you have to break up a scuffle?”
He shifted in his chair. “More or less. It was really nothing.”
Pippa touched the bandage over his eye. “Well, your battle scars make you even more handsome.”
Colin perked up and leaned toward her. “How handsome? Enough for you to grant me a kiss from those beautiful lips?”
She hadn’t lost her touch with men yet. His breath was hot on her cheek as he leaned in. She could smell his tonic water. A rustle from the doorway interrupted Colin’s attempt to steal a kiss. Pippa backed away from him and stared at the door as Aunt Bernice finally made her arrival.
“My dear, you have yet another visitor,” Aunt Bernice glided into the room, followed by Daniel. Finally.
Colin stood as they entered and shook Daniel’s hand as her aunt took her seat. Pippa glanced up into Daniel’s dark blue eyes and caught a glimmer of amusement from them. “Lady Worthington. Nice to see you again. I picked up some sweets while in England and thought they might remind you of home.”
She raised a hand to him and lost her breath when their fingers touched. He handed over the box of candy and took up a seat next to Bernice, staring at her and Colin with a smirk on his face.
“Lieutenant Benson, I see guard duty has taken its toll on you,” he pointed to Colin's black eye.
“It’s what I’m paid to do.”
Bernice patted Daniel’s arm. “You’ve been gone ever so long, Captain. What is the news from home?”
“I only stayed in London long enough to unload the wounded troops and restock my ship.” He glanced at Pippa. “We rode into a rather fierce storm on the way back and my main mast broke in two. So we had to limp across half the Atlantic until we finally got back to port.”
She gasped. Her time aboard the Gladys Maria made her well aware of the consequences of losing the main mast. “I’m surprised, then, you made it back at all.”
“It took some doing, that’s for sure. Made me appreciate my crew even more.” He caught her gaze. “Ben says hello, by the way.”
Bernice tut-tutted. “Well, you’re back now, hale and hearty. Will you be staying in port longer this time?”
“With a broken mast, I won’t be going anywhere soon. It will probably be spring before I can set sail again.” Daniel focused on Bernice rather than Pippa. Which gave her a headache. She rubbed her brow.
She’d lost the attention of Colin, as well. He sat rigid in his seat beside her, glowering at Daniel. This was not how she’d anticipated the afternoon going.
“If I may, Mrs. Longfellow, I’d like to steal Lady Worthington away for a stroll. I have a message from her father that I must relay to her privately.” Daniel glared at Colin before sliding his gaze to Pippa. Her heart rate soared, and she placed a hand to her throat.
“You got to see my brother?” Bernice squealed. “How is the dear fellow?”
“I only spent a few minutes with him, as he was on his way out for the evening. But he appeared well.” Daniel fixated his gaze on Pippa now even though he was answering Bernice.
Pippa stood, forcing Colin and Daniel both to stand. She touched Colin’s arm. “Lieutenant, it’s been a pleasure to spend time with you, but I’m most eager to hear what my father had to say. Please forgive me for cutting your visit short.”
Colin squeezed her hand. “Of course, my dear.” He gave one additional dark look at Daniel before he bowed to Aunt Bernice and left the room.
Daniel raised a hand to Pippa. “Shall we be off? The leaves are quite colorful on the Common. Let’s go enjoy the scenery.”
“I must grab a bonnet first.” She stole a glance at Bernice, whose focus had shifted to the box of sweets. Pippa opened the goodies and offered Bernice the first choice. Then, she made sure the open box remained within an arm’s length of her aunt.
Pippa took a deep breath as she left the room. She hoped her father wasn’t coming after her. She hoped Daniel hadn’t found a new woman to share his torrid kisses with. She hoped he had a cheroot on him.
Bonnet in place, she strode to the front door where Daniel waited. She stopped for a second to drink him in. It had been eighty-two days since he left. She deserved a long, deep glance. His muscular body filled out his shirt and breeches. The man had the most delightful posterior she’d ever seen. High, firm and round, encased in his form-fitting breeches. As if he could feel her gaze, he pivoted and stole her breath. His lips tipped up at the edges, and she longed to feel them against hers. To at least touch them. She hurried forward.
“I’m most eager to hear your news from home.” She followed him out the door and he held out a hand to her as she descended the few steps to the sidewalk. His touch set her nerves into a frenzy, and she struggled for breath. He appeared unaffected as he positioned her hand on his arm.
“I’ll bet you are. And I’m eager to hear what you’ve been up to since I left. I have just the place where we can talk.” Daniel set them off at a brisk pace, and Pippa struggled to keep up as they headed not to the Common, but rather to the harbor.
“Where are you taking me?”
He glanced at her, not slowing his pace, even though he had to see she had trouble keeping up. “Where else? The ship will provide us some privacy to talk. And if we don’t get there soon, I’ll rip your clothes off you in the middle of the street instead.”
Pippa's mouth had been dry from the exertion of their brisk pace, but suddenly, her mouth watered. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” Her hold on his arm tightened. “I hope you’ve got some cigars in your pocket.”
She blamed the excess moisture in her mouth on the salty air, which grew even stronger as they neared the water. And she reminded herself she was only with Daniel to ferret out any information about a potential uprising that she could pass on to her uncle. But the way her body hummed made her aware her mission may be in jeopardy.
• ♥ •
Daniel slammed the cabin door behind them and pivoted, pinning Pippa up against the door. He finally kissed those saucy lips and his hands raced over her body. Her moans and whimpers reminded him of all those nights they’d slept here, just feet apart. Even though the neckline of the gown modestly covered her, his hands lingered at her breasts. His thumbs flicked her nipples and he could feel them peaking through the material. His kiss deepened, their tongues dueling. He set up a rhythm with their tongues that matched the movement of his lower half. He ground his erection into her midsection. Her gasping noises told him she could feel his ardor and matched it with her own.
“My God, woman, you have tormented me for months.” He claimed her mouth
again, pumping his body between her legs. She widened her stance to grant him greater access to her private parts.
He tossed her bonnet through the air and dove his fingers into her hair. Pins flew as her hair cascaded over her shoulders. She threw her arms around his neck and returned his kisses, her mouth plundering his. Their breaths erupted in short gasps, but neither broke their hold on each other to come up for air.
He craved more of her. Needed to get her out of her gown so he could touch her petal soft skin. He wanted to turn her whimpers into moans, into shouts. Wrapping his arms around her, he strode the couple of steps to the hammock and dropped both of them into it. His body sprawled on top of her as he pressed against her intimately, delighting in her moans that grew louder and longer with his actions. Finally, he could take no more of their teasing. He traced a path down her long column of a neck, placing his mouth over her peaked nipples through her gown. Her sharp cries ignited him, emboldened him, and he tugged on the skirt of her gown, positioning himself between her legs. He shoved her flimsy drawers out of the way and took what he’d been needing ever since he met her. He flicked his tongue over her bundle of sex, inhaling her scent. She rose off the hammock with a groan to meet him. He licked the moisture from her folds, tasting her for the first time, circled around to her sex again and nibbled and sucked until he could feel her tense with an impending climax. She squirmed, she cried out, but he kept his mouth on her.
“Oh, dear God!” She curled her fingers into his hair as he continued his exquisite torment.
He entered her with a finger and she nearly shot off the bed before she peaked and slid over the edge, panting. His finger slid in and out of her, enjoying the way her inner walls pulsated. He kept a thumb on her sex button as her face slackened. She blinked up at him and tightened her grip for another kiss.
“Welcome home, Daniel.”
He couldn’t find his voice, so he captured her lips again. And groaned when her hand slid to his hard shaft and caressed him.
He raised his face and stared at her as she boldly undid his breeches. He couldn’t have stopped her even if he’d wanted to. And he certainly didn’t want to. It had been far too long since he’d had a woman. Daniel could keep her virtue intact by using other methods of giving each other pleasure. He could send her back to England with more carnal knowledge than she’d come to America with, but she would still be pure.
