“Where is Flora?” he barked, not meaning to sound so abrupt.
But Piper didn’t seem to notice his short tone. She was married to Barrett, after all. “She went to speak with Loudoun.”
“Where?” Dread made him freeze in place.
“At the aft of the ship.” Now Piper looked afraid. “He said they would stay on deck. I didn’t think it would--” Her hand came to her mouth.
“Get Barrett,” he yelled over his shoulder as he raced toward the aft. It was where the row boats were tied off, and the most likely place Loudoun would take her if he wanted to exit the vessel.
He made it to the back of the ship in seconds, his heart thudding in his chest. Both row boats were gone.
Barrett skidded to a halt next to him. “What is it?”
“The rat bastard has taken her,” Tom yelled at full volume. “Both dinghies are gone!”
“Bloody bullocks, there is mine free floating.” Barrett pointed to a row boat headed towards them, the tide pulling it straight for their ship.
Tom didn’t stop to think. He was over the side and hanging by a rope in seconds. He swung himself out and as the boat passed by, he made a leap.
Landing in the dinghy, his shin hit the bench, sending shooting pains reverberating through his leg. He’d have a bruise and a lump for sure but he couldn’t think about that now. He needed to get to Flora.
“I’ll meet you on your ship,” he yelled to Barrett. “Get a few men you trust.” He couldn’t afford to bring any of his own. With the mutiny, they had a skeleton crew as it was.
Barrett gave a nod and disappeared while Tom began rowing to the The Destiny. By the time he arrived, Barrett had two men standing with him, all who quickly jumped into the dinghy. “We’ve more weight but we’ve got two rowers. Loudoun is likely on his own.”
Tom’s chest knotted. It would be difficult to catch up to them, without a doubt. What would he do if he didn’t? Moving to the bow of the boat to make room for the rowers, he decided he couldn’t think about it now. He’d catch her. He had to. “Head for the shore.”
16
Flora stared at the back of Loudoun’s head. Foolish man. Tom would find her. And he’d kill Loudoun when he did.
Loudoun was nearly out of breath and they hadn’t made it halfway to the shore. While he seemed sober now, a night of heavy drinking had robbed him of his energy.
He’d had the forethought to untie all the dinghies but Tom would find a way. She knew it. “Loudoun, this is ridiculous. Tom will catch you.”
“Don’t say his name,” Loudoun yelled over his shoulder. “I never want to see that man again. He’s ruining everything.”
A pang of sympathy actually reverberated in her chest. Loudoun had real demons he was fighting. But she wouldn’t allow him to destroy her future. “He isn’t ruining anything. I am. Or maybe you are. We aren’t meant to be together.”
“Very few marriages in our class were meant to be. They just have to work.”
“Not with your drinking.” She folded her arms across her chest.
He stopped rowing and turned to her. “I know. It’s a problem. But I can’t climb out of this hole without some help and I was relying on you to do it.” She saw him shudder. “We can get married in Scotland. I’ll give up the drink, you can be a countess. We could be good.”
“I’m marrying Tom,” she said softly.
“No,’ he replied, desperation lacing his voice. He resumed rowing with a renewed vigor and she cursed under her breath. The shore was getting closer.
“Dammit all to hell,” she heard Loudoun mutter.
Craning her neck she saw what appeared to be another dinghy heading towards them. “Oh,” she cried. Tom was coming for her already.
Loudoun began rowing faster but his face and neck were turning purple. “They won’t catch us,” he huffed, his voice strained.
“Loudoun, I beg you, stop.” She clasped her hands together, holding them up to her face, worry making her tense. He didn’t look well.
His oars slowed. “If I don’t marry, I may as well die.”
“We’ll find you a wife. I’m sure of it.” She reached out a hand to him. He shuddered, pulling his arms into his chest. She couldn’t tell at first, because he was still facing away, but as she peeked around she saw his neck muscles straining, his features twisted. “Loudoun?”
He started to slump forward but she pulled him back against her, clutching around his chest.
His left arm was pulled tight against his body as his other arm grasped it tightly. “Flora, help me,” he cried, his eyes beseeching her.
They were floating now, being pulled by the tide but she couldn’t think of that as she rocked him. “Just relax. Breath and relax,” she soothed, petting his head. “You’ve overtaxed yourself.”
“My life is over. I’ve nothing left,” he sobbed clamping onto her arm as his face twisted in pain.
“Shh, now, take a breath.” She tried to calm her own panic. His face was purple and he was straining to breathe. Sweating profusely, he looked wretched. “Breathe with me. Deep breath in,” she breathed as she spoke. “And out.” Her hand lightly stroked his face. It was swollen but it often looked as such after a night of heavy drink.
Taking several breaths with her, he seemed to calm. His body relaxed and his face lost some of its pained expression. “I feel a little better.”
“Can you slide to the other seat so I can row?” she asked.
With a nod, he slid to the front. She had never rowed before but it was better than being adrift. Looking up, she saw Tom was nearing them in the other dinghy and so, taking up both oars, she tried to steer towards him.
Her first attempt sent them careening off to the right. She quickly realized she needed to apply the same pressure to both oars.
Loudoun lie on the bench, eyes closed. She tried again to row and, glancing over her shoulder, saw that she was moving closer to Tom. Or, more likely, he was moving towards her.
Pulling at the oars with everything she had, his dinghy pulled up alongside hers. “What the bloody blazes is going on?” he said even as he jumped in her dinghy, landing a foot away. The boat rocked wildly but then settled.
She had never been so happy to hear a man curse. Holding the side, she half stood to launch herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist. “He’s sick. Loudon needs help now.”
He gave her a fierce kiss on the lips and then swung her around to set her on the other bench. Grabbing the oars, they began cutting through the water, towards the beach.
Barrett followed and in less than a minute they had reached the shore.
Tossing Tom his canteen, Barrett barked at the other two men. “Get Dr. Thompson. Hurry.”
Then Tom and Barrett lifted Loudoun out of the boat and swiftly carried him up the beach. Laying him in the sand, Flora gave him a drink from the canteen. The sun skirted behind a cloud and Flora sighed with relief. There was no shade to be found here and Loudoun could use the reprieve.
“Breathe with me,” Flora whispered again.
Loudoun’s eyes were closed but his face wasn’t as twisted in pain. “I’m breathing.”
“That’s good.” She stroked his hair again. Tom rested his hand on her shoulder.
Loudoun gave a little cough. “Are you absolutely certain you won’t marry me?”
She almost laughed. It showed he was better. “Loudoun, you frightened me.”
“I was going to kill you, till you nearly died.” Tom spoke behind her.
“I frightened myself.” His face spasmed. “I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.” Grabbing her hand, he opened his eyes to stare into hers. “I thought you were the answer to my troubles.”
She patted his cheek. “We barely like each other.”
“I like you a lot more now.” He closed his eyes again. “I didn’t incite the uprising but I was aware of it. I wanted you to know.”
Flora looked back at Tom, whose face had pinched at the words, but he s
aid nothing.
“We won’t worry about that now.” She patted his shoulder as she spoke.
“I’ve been a failure. If I didn’t marry you, I’d return to my family a wastrel.” His brow crinkled in worry. “Please tell me you understand.”
“Of course I do. But there will be someone else for you. I know—“
“It’s all right, Flora. I have to solve my own problems rather than looking to someone else to do it for me.” He held her hand.
“Once you’ve recovered, I might be able to help you find your own path without marrying,” Barrett grumbled from the back.
Flora turned to look at him. “What I didn’t understand is that you’ve quite a big heart despite your surliness.”
“I do not,” Barrett scowled at her.
But Flora understood Tom better for her revelation about Barrett. He was tough, but from the beginning she sensed a soft heart underneath his strong exterior. From the first moment they’d met he had protected her, even on her first night with her sea sickness. His gruff exterior hid a soft center.
She gave Loudoun another sip of water. Now that she could see him better, he appeared swollen everywhere. He always had a pasty pallor but now his looks frightened her. She gave him a little more water.
It took what seemed like hours, but was most likely minutes, for Dr. Thompson to arrive.
He gave Loudoun a brief examination. “You’ve got anasarca or what is commonly referred to as dropsy.” The doctor pressed Loudoun’s flesh in a few places.
“What’s caused it?” Tom asked.
“In Loudoun’s case, drinking is most likely the culprit and it will only get worse.”
“I’ll give it up then.” Loudoun closed his eyes.
“It isn’t that simple.” The doctor rubbed his eyes. “Alcohol withdrawal can kill a man same as dropsy. You’ll have to be weaned off. It isn’t going to be easy.”
“We’ll help him. Won’t we, Tom?” Flora turned to the man she loved. And she did love him. With all her heart and she knew that he would help him, even though he hated Loudoun because he was the type of man who gave to others. A true gentleman.
His face twisted in a grimace and he sighed. “Yes, we’ll help him.”
Her hand reached up to his and she held it, rubbing her cheek against its rough skin.
“I can facilitate the first day or two, which will be the most difficult.” The doctor stood. “Let’s get him back on the ship and give him some sustenance. He’ll need it.”
17
Tom closed the log book and rubbed his eyes. It must have been near midnight and he was bone tired. All the goods had been unloaded from the ship, the prisoners were being transported back to London, having been questioned by himself and Barrett.
Loudoun had been telling the truth. Stew and Phil had actually been behind the uprising. They had hoped to gain favor with Barrett by overturning power and getting the goods to port.
Loudoun was now housed in the brig. They weren’t charging him with any crimes but he needed to be kept away from all alcohol. He was only being given enough to keep the shakes and sweats at bay.
Tom did still need to find out from Flora what had transpired between her and Loudoun and part of him desperately wanted to visit her room…and not just for information. But he’d decided he needed to preserve her reputation before going to see his family. The more times they did this, the more likely they were to be caught.
Loudoun had already forced his hand and he knew that Flora was nervous about the introduction because of it. But what Loudoun had accused him of was easily dismissed as a necessary action to save her life. Regular midnight visits were not.
“Tom,” a feminine voice softly called from the other side of the door. Flora.
Anticipation leapt inside as he jumped up from his desk and sprinted to the door, opening it. Her face was pressed to the seam and he hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her inside, closing the door quickly behind her. His lips easily found hers and he peppered her with kisses as he pressed her back against the door.
Kissing him eagerly, her arms wound around his neck as her fingers tangled into his hair.
Her body molded to his, and he groaned from the need. “I wasn’t going to go to your room. I wanted to protect you.”
She sighed into his mouth, her breath teasing his senses, warming him. “I needed you.” Her breathing hitched. “I don’t think I care anymore. I just wanted to be with you.”
“You needed me?” He tried not sound as desperate as he felt. He planned on keeping her virtue intact but he was desperate to touch her. They needed to marry soon.
Her hand was slipping into the open collar of his shirt, her fingers brushing his skin in the most tantalizing way. “So much.”
“Flora,” he growled out. “I can’t do this.”
“Why?” She pulled as far away as she could considering she was pressed against the door.
But he melded them together once again and his lips brushed hers once, then twice, then a third time. “I want to be with you too much. I can’t control myself if I am with you.”
“Oh.” She smiled against his lips. “That’s it?”
“What do you mean, ‘that’s it?’” It was his turn to pull back.
She turned her head to the side, looking at the wall. “I suppose I worried you had changed your mind.”
He chuckled. “Sweetheart, I am never changing my mind about you.” His thumb brushed her cheek and her eyes flitted back to his. “Barrett asked me to take over the English branch of Maddox Shipping.”
Grinning, she stretched up onto her tiptoes and kissed him. “That is wonderful news.”
“I was worried I’d have nothing to do while you worked on your estate.” He returned the kiss.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll do great things. I’ve always known you are competent beyond measure. I have to admit to being worried. You might be better at running the estate than me. I suppose it’s why I was so sensitive about it.”
“I doubt very much I’d best you but we should lean on one another in both of our businesses.” With this kiss, he slipped his tongue into her mouth.
She heated in his embrace, molding closer still. Her fingers unlaced his shirt to touch more of his skin as he turned to stone under her touch.
When she tugged the shirt over his head he made no protest. Instead, he reached for the buttons of her dress, his good intentions forgotten.
Once the buttons were undone, he tugged the dress off, letting it pool on the floor, then started on the laces of her corset all the while, kissing her senseless.
With the corset off he slipped her shift over her head and her bare breasts came in contact with his chest. They both moaned, her soft flesh making him even harder.
Leaning in, he took first one, then the other nipple in his mouth, marveling at her stunning breasts. Not too big or small, like the rest of her, they were perfectly formed.
He kicked off his boots as he bathed her chest in attention and then picked her up to take her to the bed. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he held her by the buttocks, the juncture of her legs pressing against his manhood. He twitched from the pleasure of the contact and she arched back to press her pelvis closer.
One of his hands slid around her buttocks to the slit in pantaloons and his fingers found her heat. She bucked and cried out, grinding against him.
“Tom,” she moaned.
“Yes, my love.” He kissed her again.
“As long as I live, I’ll never love another.” She held him tight to her. His heart wanted to explode from the pleasure those words brought. How had he earned her love?
“Flora.” He laid her on the bed and pulled the last of her clothing off, admiring the beauty before him. “Whatever you want in this world, I will give it to you.”
“I want you.” She reached her arms up to him and he shed the last of clothing so that he could join her on the bed.
He’d been with scores of women but nev
er had it been like this. The intensity of his feeling made his head buzz so that he could hardly think. And as their skin came into contact, his breath hissed out, his member throbbing with need. Squeezing his eyes shut, he told himself to breathe. While her passion was deceiving, she was new to such activities and needed a slow and steady hand.
With that in mind, he slid his fingers down her body, across her flat abdomen and between her legs to stroke her soft folds.
Her hips bucked, pressing towards him. “Oh,” she moaned. She was slick with desire and ready for him. But he held off, working her slowly and methodically till she writhed underneath him.
His other hand came to her face, holding her cheek as he slid first one finger, then two inside of her. She was so tight and every muscled tensed with the need to push himself inside her but he held himself off, stretching her. Getting her body prepared for his.
“Ah,” she cried in protest as he removed his fingers.
“Just a moment, my love,” he crooned, positioning himself between her legs. “Don’t be afraid--”
“I’m not.” She kissed him again. “I’m ready to be with you in every way.”
Ever so slowly, he pressed into her heat, her warmth. He was shaking with the need of it, the desire.
She stilled underneath him, her breath catching. “I’m all right. Keep going.”
Closing his eyes, he moved by small increments, sweating from the effort of holding back. Love had never been so sweetly torturous.
Finally, he was fully seated inside her. He let out a breath of relief, though the urge to pull back out was near impossible to deny.
“What happens next?” she asked, tapping his back with her fingers.
He laughed, despite himself, and it eased some of the tension inside of him. He pushed a little higher up on his elbows to see her face. “We do that all over again.”
“You can’t be serious?” Her eyes were wide and slightly panicked.
“It won’t hurt so much this time,” he said as he slowly withdrew. Then just as slowly pushing back in.
“Oh, it didn’t.” She tapped his back again. “It felt quite interesting, in fact, not unpleasant.”
Taming a Savage Gentleman: Taming the Heart Series Page 11
