Gregory, Lisa

by Bonds of Love

  “Not if you’re with me,” Katherine snapped.

  Hampton grinned. “You didn’t seem to mind my company this morning.”

  “Please don’t throw that up to me. I was very distraught and disturbed; I didn’t really know what I was doing. The past day has been rather unsettling.”

  He choked back a laugh. “My dear Katherine, only you would describe being kidnapped by enemy prisoners of war and capturing a ship and pretending to jump into the ocean and fighting with me and being rather forcibly deprived of your virginity as ‘rather unsettling.’”

  She glared at him. “Well, you can be amused if you like, but I do not find it so. I think you are a low, vile, inhuman beast!”

  “I fear you’re not alone in that analysis of me. Oh, Katherine, come here.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms and cradled her there, resting his cheek against her hair. “Sweet girl, I have no desire to hurt you. I’m sorry I hurt you last night; believe me, it would have been the same pain had it been your wedding night and the sour Lieutenant Perkins instead of me. No doubt you are right—I am not much of a gentleman, I’m afraid. Charleston society has been informing me of that for years. Generally, when I want something, I go after it, and damn the consequences. I wanted you, and I am not noble enough to stand by and see you wasted on that cold, grim Yankee.”

  “How dare you speak of Lieutenant Perkins that way! You are not worth one-tenth of him.”

  “Please, don’t extoll your fiancé. I’m sure he is a splendid citizen, but I have no desire to talk about him. Look, Katherine, I am sorry; I have wronged you. But you cannot deny that you are attracted to me—”

  “Oh,” Katherine cried, “what a conceited man you are!”

  “My dear,” he nuzzled her ear. “I heard you moan with pleasure, felt you move against me, saw your eyes hot and bright with desire.”

  “Oh, please, don’t; I am so ashamed,” she whispered.

  “For God’s sake, don’t be; it’s perfectly natural and good and right. Katherine, stop fighting me. Let me draw you out of your Puritan shell, let me teach you, let me remove all your prim barriers to happiness. Why not call a truce, forget our past differences, begin from right now? Let us just be Katherine and Matthew and enjoy each other. Talk to each other, give pleasure to each other, discover a thousand delights you never dreamed of.”

  “No!” She twisted out of his arms. “I gave in to weakness this morning, but never again! I despise you; I hate you; you are everything I have always held in disfavor. You are a cruel, unthinking brute, and now, having abused me, hurt me, ruined my life with never a thought for me, you say, ‘Let’s forgive and forget. All you have to do is submit willingly to your degradation.’ Well, I won’t! I’m not some weak, girlish thing to be swept off my feet by your soft words. I am made of sterner stuff than that. You won’t find me a willing bed companion. I shall fight you every inch of the way.”

  “So I have to rape you every time I want you, is that it?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked at her for a moment and then shrugged. “So be it. You are only making it harder on yourself. It won’t deter me; I shall take you whenever I want. Though I can’t guarantee you will receive the same consideration that I give to a pleasant bed partner.”

  “Don’t threaten me, Captain Hampton. You don’t scare me; you have already done your worst to me.”

  His thick eyebrows rose mockingly. “You think so? It’s obvious that you are a very naïve girl.”

  Katherine felt a rush of fear; she was suddenly very much aware of his power, of the way his sheer male presence dominated the room. It came back to her how ruthless he was; his gentleness this morning had made her forget temporarily his true nature. He would not be lenient if thwarted.

  To cover her fear, she said acidly, “You are right, of course; I have very little knowledge of torture. Unlike you, I did not have slaves around to experiment on.”

  He went white around the lips, as if she had struck him. Tightly he said, “As usual, madame, you have no idea what you are talking about.”

  She was about to retort hotly, but they were interrupted by a tap on the door, followed by Peljo’s entrance with a tray of food. The monkeyish little man was completely unperturbed by the tension in the room. He grinned merrily, his teeth flashing white against his swarthy skin, and went about putting their meal on the table. As he went out the door, he turned to wink at them.

  “What a peculiar man,” Katherine said, uncomfortable because her remark had had a greater effect than she had expected.

  “Yes,” Hampton said stiffly. “A little odd, but extremely loyal when he has attached his affections to one, as he seems to have done to you.”

  “I am sure it will come as a shock to you, Captain, but there are people who like me.”

  “It doesn’t shock me at all. I rather like you; that is, when I’m not wanting to strangle you.”

  Katherine could not repress an amused smile. She dug eagerly into her food, as did Hampton, and both found their mood lightening as their empty stomachs filled. By the time they finished eating, the silence was no longer oppressive, only practical. Matthew smiled at her ability to put away her food. She could be amusing in her innocent, natural moments, when she was not striving to be correct or fighting with him. He had to admire her courage. Few women would have had the nerve to pull a gun on him, as she had last night, and still fewer would have been cool enough to actually fire it when he dived at her that way. His sister, he knew, would have screamed and dropped the gun—not that she would ever have had the wit to carry or draw it. Nor could he think of another woman who would have dared to try to warn the clipper after his threats, as she had done yesterday. Or have coolly regrouped her forces and taken up the battle anew after having met defeat, as she had today. His admiration, however, tended to be obscured by the blinding anger she so often provoked in him. He had never met a woman who could make him fire up so easily. She was a stubborn woman, and it would be difficult to vanquish her and destroy her repression. But when he did—he smiled at the prospect. He had tasted the passion that lay buried deep within her. She would be worth the effort, he was sure of that.

  Katherine pushed away her plate with a satisfied air and said, “Captain Hampton, I have a favor to ask.”

  He smiled. “What? You must know I would grant any wish of yours.”

  She snorted indelicately at that and said, “My dress is ruined beyond repair, and I need something to wear.”

  “And you think I might have one hidden up my sleeve?”

  She glared at him. “It seems to me that it is up to you to remedy the situation, since it is your fault my dress is ripped apart.”

  “Perhaps I don’t wish to remedy the situation,” he said and reached across the table to run a casual finger between the edges of her cloak and lightly down the valley between her breasts.

  She jerked away and said angrily, “All right. I shall just go around like this then.” She flung off her cloak and sat facing him defiantly in her thin chemise. “Shall I wander about the deck like this, too?”

  “That might be a trifle cool, don’t you think?” he said lightly, but his eyes devoured her hungrily. He swallowed hard. “Perhaps we had better find you something to wear. Otherwise I would be too tempted to spend all my time here in my cabin. Let’s look in the good captain’s trunk; perhaps he was taking home some French creation to his wife.”

  The trunk was locked, but he found a key in the desk and opened it. On top lay a frothy white lace scarf to lay delicately around a woman’s shoulders. Katherine pounced on it with a pleased cry and had to try it on, standing on tiptoe to see how it looked in the little mirror above the dresser.

  “It looks lovely on you,” he said, and she blushed at being seen doing such a vain, feminine thing.

  Next he pulled out a crimson satin evening gown with a plunging V-neckline and held it up, laughing, “I think I have more respect for our friend.”

  Katherine gasped.
“That couldn’t be for his wife!”

  “Not unless he has a highly unusual wife. No, I think he must have a mistress hidden somewhere. Here, put it on.”

  “No, I cannot wear that!”

  “I’m not asking you to parade around deck in it. Just try it on for me; I want to see how you look in it.”

  “Absolutely not!” Katherine said stoutly, though her fingers itched to snatch the dress from his grasp. She longed to see what such a wicked dress looked like on her.

  “You are the most exasperating wench,” he said and tossed the gown onto the bed and continued digging in the trunk.

  “Ah, here is the wife’s dress,” he said triumphantly, holding up a sensible brown wool dress.

  “Why, how awful!” Katherine exclaimed, and Hampton roared with laughter. “Well, it is awful: to bring some wicked woman a beautiful satin dress—even if it is outrageous—and bring your wife only a plain, ordinary day dress. I’ll wager this lovely scarf isn’t for his wife, either.”

  Hampton sat back on his heels and looked at her. “No doubt his wife is fortyish and quite plain and very monotonous; whereas his mistress probably has wild tawny hair and golden eyes like a lioness and a very sensual mouth.”

  Katherine blushed and looked away in confusion when she realized that he was speaking of her. He rose and came to stand very close to her. He adjusted the lacy scarf about her shoulders and then cupped her face between his hands and turned it up so that he was staring down into her eyes. She looked up at his face, hovering hawklike above hers, at his wide gray eyes, his high, fierce cheekbones, his wide, full lips. Suddenly she realized that she wanted very much to feel those lips on hers. He smiled at her as if he could read her thoughts, and lightly ran his thumb across her lips.

  “You would like to be kissed, wouldn’t you?” he said in his low, husky voice. “My dear, all you have to do is just stretch up a little and put your lips on mine.”

  She frowned at him, looking like an obstinate child, and he smiled and released her. “Have fun with your new possessions, Katherine. Until this evening.” He bowed slightly and left.

  Katherine grimaced at the closed door and stuck out her tongue. “Monster.”

  Chapter 8

  After Hampton left, Katherine tried on the red dress. Without her stays it was a little tight, and it was too short, ending at her ankles, but even in the inadequate little mirror, she could see that it looked very good on her. It was shockingly indecent, of course; she could not wear any underclothing under the bodice, it was cut so low—but her unusual coloring could take the strong red as many could not, and it set off her figure admirably. The neckline revealed a great deal of her breasts, as well as the flawless ivory skin of her chest; it was the sort of dress that kept a man trembling in hope that some sudden move would expose even more. All it needed, she decided, was her ruby drop nestling in the hollow of her throat. She smiled to think of what Matthew’s expression would be if he were to see her in this.

  Which is why, she told herself firmly, taking it off, he will not see me in it. She folded the dress and put it back into the trunk. Then she tried on the dark brown dress. It also was too short, and hung loosely on her, even uncorseted as she was. Sighing, she rummaged through the trunk some more and found a girlish print with a scoop neckline, which was much too tight as well as too short. She decided that this must have been meant for his daughter.

  Once again, Katherine dug out the sewing kit and whiled away her afternoon altering the brown dress. When she finished, she put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. Serviceable and dull, she decided, and heaved a profound sigh. Donning her cloak and muff, she went to the door, determined to scream until someone let her out, if necessary. To her surprise, the door was unlocked. She shrugged. He was right; no point in locking the door now, since what she had been trying to escape had already happened.

  The brisk sea air immediately lightened her spirits. She leaned against the railing and looked out to sea, remembering how desperately she had searched the horizon yesterday for sign of a ship. Now she hoped the Navy would not catch them. It would only mean bloodshed. As for her, Hampton would doubtless have tired of her by the time they reached London and would gladly release her. It did not really matter that she would have spent weeks with him instead of only days; she was ruined either way. Of course, they should be punished for stealing the ship and stopped before they could do any harm to Union shipping, but she did not want to see any of the men hurt. After all, she had fed them, given them clothes, knew their names. Compared with their lives, military considerations didn’t seem so important.

  Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a thin, distinguished-looking older man. “Pardon me, Miss—”

  “Devereaux,” she said automatically and then stared at him. Who on earth was he?

  “Dr. Rackingham,” he said helpfully.

  “Of course, the doctor who was with Captain Sloane. But I thought all of you were in irons.”

  “Well, I was only a passenger on the Susan Harper, returning home to Portland. Captain Hampton apparently regards me as a civilian and has allowed me to remain in my cabin. He counts me, I think, as rather harmless. Moreover, he is quite pleased at having a doctor aboard, and I believe he wants to keep on friendly terms with me.”

  “I didn’t know he ever tried to be on friendly terms with anyone,” Katherine said sarcastically.

  “He has been most amiable to me. I hope that you will be also.”

  “Of course, Dr. Rackingham. We are, after all, the only ‘Yankees’ on this ship not in chains.”

  “I thought your accent was that of a New Englander. Tell me, how did you come to be with all these Johnny Rebs?”

  Katherine spilled the story of her abduction into the doctor’s receptive ear. The doctor seemed quite taken aback at the story.

  “But my dear,” he said, “this is dreadful. Kidnapping a genteel young lady! He must be a madman.”

  “Just a Southerner and used to having his own way, I think.”

  “But he seems to be a gentleman.”

  “That depends on your definition of gentleman. If it means only a certain suavity of manners, he is capable of being a gentleman. But if it means true nobility of mind and spirit, he will never reach it.”

  “Dreadful affair,” the doctor said, shaking his head. “He—he hasn’t harmed you, has he?”

  “He has raped me, if that’s what you mean, but he has not beaten me or tortured me.”

  The older man looked shocked. “My dear girl, I hardly know what to say.”

  “There isn’t much to say. I hope this won’t make you take back your offer of friendship to me.”

  “No, of course not. How could you think such a thing?”

  She gave a crooked smile. “Oh, I think there will be quite a few who will think it quite shameful of me not to have killed myself.”

  “I doubt that happens very often. It is my belief that that idea is one that is more ‘honored in the breach.’ Don’t allow what some old biddies will say to bother you. Some fine young man will love you and it won’t matter to him except to make him angry that someone has hurt you.”

  “Oh, really?” Katherine said in a tone of disbelief.

  “Really.” He patted her hand. “Believe me. A man who really loves you wouldn’t hold it against you. Perhaps even Hampton can be awakened to his duty as a gentleman and marry you.”

  “Him?” Her voice was scornful. “I wouldn’t marry that snake for anything. Please, let us talk of something more pleasant.”

  “All right. Do you, by any chance, play chess? Captain Sloane was my chess partner, but now he is clapped away in irons.”

  “Why, yes, I do.”

  “Good. Then you and I can while away a good deal of our time playing chess.”

  “I should love to, Dr. Rackingham.”

  “Good. Well, I must go now. This cold wind bites into these old bones, and I must retreat to my cabin.”

  “Sha
ll I see you tomorrow?”

  “But of course. We can have our first game.”

  “I shall look forward to it. Good afternoon, Doctor.”

  “Good afternoon, Miss Devereaux—and be of good cheer.”

  “I feel much better now, thanks to you,” she replied.

  She did feel better, somehow; the doctor and the sea air had revived her spirits. She took a turn around the deck, feeling the gaze of interested eyes with every step. Her face burned and her good spirits evaporated. All the sailors knew, she thought. They all knew and were watching her, leering at her, thinking of what she had done. She wanted to sink through the floor with shame. Worst of all was that Hampton waited in front of her, lounging casually against the railing. Everyone would observe their meeting, wanting to see how they spoke and acted toward each other, wanting, no doubt, to see him inflict some further humiliation on her,

  Katherine started to sweep past him without a word, but he forestalled her by springing to her side and offering her his arm.

  “Taking a stroll around deck, Miss Devereaux?” he asked politely, grinning that insufferable grin.

  She could not refuse without causing a scene, so she rather ungraciously took his arm. He covered her hand with his other hand and patted it, smiling down into her face. She realized suddenly that he possessed great charm when he wanted to, that his smile was reassuring and his eyes warm.

  “Are you being charming for the benefit of your men?” she said caustically.

  “For the benefit of you, dear lady. You see, I’m trying to entice you into my bed.”

  She attempted to pull her hand away, but he held it firmly where it was. “You are insufferable. As if you had to entice me.”

  “Ah, you mean that you are quite willing?”

  “You know very well that I mean that you force me.”

  “Only if enticing doesn’t work,” he laughed.

  “You are a pig.”

  “Are you always so kind to your suitors?”

  “I would hardly consider you my suitor.”