Fire and Ice

by Hart, Catherine

  Kathleen knew if the opportunity arose, she would still attempt to escape, even though Reed now knew her identity. She had seen the contempt in his eyes, heard the anger in his voice, experienced his rage and humiliation. Whatever might have been between them was now lost. Not even for the sake of her child would she abide his scorn.

  She scoured her brain for a plan that would allow her and her crew to escape, and she came up empty. Perhaps once they got to the island Dominique could aid her. She would simply have to wait. One thing was for sure. If she could get away, she would return to Ireland, to her friends and her homeland, to await the birth of her child. She wondered to herself, if the opportunity arose, would she tell Reed about the baby? Would he care? Would he ask if it were his as he had done before?

  Reed stood at the helm of his ship and steered for Grande Terre completely by reflex, for his mind was occupied with his problems.

  “Why? Why? Why?” The question repeated itself in his brain amidst a hundred others. Bit by bit, some of the answers started to sift through the muddle. He recalled the morning of his duel with Pierre, and how Kat had bested the pirate. Reed hadn’t really thought it was a complete fluke that she had handled herself so well, but he had since forgotten the episode. Now he remembered Kat saying her father was an expert swordsman. Perhaps he had taught her to fence, but had he also taught her to sail? He knew she ran the Enchantress herself and gave all the orders. She wasn’t just a figurehead. If she and Dominique would not tell him, perhaps Finley would. He made a mental note to interrogate Finley, then Kate.

  That thought prompted another, and his temper rekindled. Kat seemed so at home and familiar with some of her crewmen. She sailed alone with them for weeks at a stretch, dressed in the briefest of costumes, her long, tanned limbs exposed to the view of each and every randy sailor. To top it all, she had gone at least once to Matanzas, where some of the roughest, most notorious pirates congregated. They were all immoral, fiendish jackals who would slit your throat and your pockets without blinking an eye. The thought of Kat parading through Matanzas, being ogled, and perhaps mingling in the commonest sense with that filthy scum, turned Reed’s stomach. And all the while, she had been holding him at bay with her blackmail! It made his blood boil just to think of it!

  How could he have been so stupid—so blind! How had he failed to recognize his own wife as he faced her over crossed swords time after time, and gazed into those immense emerald eyes? If Dominique was telling the truth, he had recognized her at Matanzas months ago, but Reed had not in all this time. Now little things came to mind that he should have noticed before. He recalled Kat’s penchant for climbing into the rigging on the trip over from Ireland, and her familiarity with the ship. He had simply assumed she had sailed often with her father. Now he knew she had actually captained the Kat-Ann before. Those spectacular green eyes should have been a dead giveaway, but with the ebony hair and the mask to camouflage her features, he hadn’t connected the two, especially since Kat was supposedly safely in Savannah. He recalled asking her once about her tan lines, and how easily he had accepted her excuses that she had been sunning herself in her camisole. How stupid could one man get!

  Then there was the New Year’s Eve ball when Emerald had appeared, then disappeared into thin air. Reed laughed ruefully to himself. How easy it had been for her! Then and at the Mardi Gras Festival. He’d recognized her perfume, but had shrugged that off too.

  Now Reed wondered how many people had known all along and laughed at him. Dom knew for sure, and Kate and Eleanore he was certain. Jean and Pierre could not have guessed, but what about Barbara, William, and especially Ted? Ted had certainly been easy for Kat to manipulate at times. Susan and his mother couldn’t know, or they would have said something by now, and Amy would have been the first to squeal.

  For some reason, the day of the hurricane and their wild run on the Enchantress came to mind. He could still recall the thrill of it through his rancor. And after the storm had passed, they had created a storm of their own in her cabin. She had been so wild and uninhibited that night! Reed felt himself grow rigid with desire at the remembrance of it all. Now it came back to him how familiar Emerald’s voice had seemed at times, that husky timbre Kat got in the heat of passion.

  What a fool he had been! Here she had practically ruined his privateer’s business, and all the while he had been lavishing clothes and jewels on her! The nerve of that green-eyed baggage! Numerous clashes, each incident of personal humiliation, curious comments with previously vague nuances now suddenly came clear, and rankled as nothing else could have.

  Yet under it all, Reed had to admit a grudging admiration for her skill in handling both her rapier and her ship. He’d never known another woman with abilities to match hers. Now he understood why he’d been so drawn to Emerald—Kat, he corrected himself. The one time she’d fought at his side against the pirates, he’d admired her courage, her bravado, her unquestioned rule over her crew. He’d once thought Kat would faint at the sight of some of the things he had seen, and now he knew better. Undoubtedly, she’d killed and maimed with her slashing sword. She’d kept a cool head, and stomach as well. Truth be told, she probably outfought, outsailed, and outwitted him most of the time, and he applauded her skills even while he despised her. His male ego had been severely bruised, but he could have handled that. He might have been able to accept all these attributes in Kat if she’d only been honest with him, but not this way. Not behind his back, not at his expense, not with all her energies bent toward his destruction. For him, yes; but not against him.

  Reed had timed their arrival at Grande Terre perfectly. They negotiated the shoals long after nightfall. Hence, the famous green frigate and her notorious lady captain arrived under cover of darkness. This suited Reed well, since it saved him the embarrassment of having the entire island aware of the fact that the infamous piratess was in fact his wayward wife.

  Kathleen was relieved to be spared the fanfare also. Since early morning, she had sat alone in the cabin. No one had ventured in to relieve her hunger or her curiosity. She was tired and hungry, and not at all anxious to face either Reed or Jean.

  As soon as they had docked, she heard Reed’s footfall outside the door. He opened it and stood towering formidably in the doorway. “Let’s go,” he growled. “It’s time to face the music, and I’m calling the tune this time. If you recall, this is quite a fortress, and if you are as smart as you seem to be, you won’t even think of trying to escape. There is nowhere to go, and nobody to help you. Even your dear friend Dominique would not dare to go against his brother to aid you.”

  Kathleen stood up, flipped a long strand of inky hair back across her shoulder, and strode arrogantly to Reed’s side. Inside she was shaking, but she’d be damned if she’d let him see it.

  Reed took her firmly by the arm and marched her off the ship and up the hill to Jean’s house. He nearly threw her through the doorway into Jean’s study.

  Jean was seated behind his immense desk when they burst through the doorway. For an instant surprise registered on his face, immediately replaced by a smug pleasure. “Ah! So you captured your piratess at last, Reed. And the ship?” He came around the desk toward them.

  “Both,” Reed answered, “but all is not as it seems, Jean. Here. Have a closer look.” With that, he shoved Kathleen toward Jean, grabbed her by her long hair, and tipped her face upward for Jean to see.

  For a second time surprise flitted across Jean’s features. “Kathleen!”

  “Indeed.” Reed was indignant. “Quite a revelation, eh, Jean? Dominique has known for months, and I suspect so has our dear Eleanore. They’ve been aiding her.”

  “I must say, this is the last thing I expected,” Jean commented.

  “You and me both,” Reed added dryly. “What I need now is a safe place to confine her. Do you have an upstairs room that she can’t escape from?”

  “Come with me.” Jean led the way upstairs. “I suppose for now you want her identity kept secret
.”

  “If possible.” Reed dragged Kathleen along beside him as he strode briskly down the hallway.

  Jean opened a door near the end of the hall. “You’ll want some privacy,” he said as he handed Reed the key and left, not even glancing in Kathleen’s direction.

  Reed shoved Kathleen roughly into the room. She lost her footing and landed in a heap in the center of the carpeted floor. She scrambled to her feet as Reed lit the lamp and locked the door.

  “Now.” Reed towered over her. “I want some answers, and they’d better be good ones.” He gestured toward a chair. “Where did you obtain your ship?”

  Kathleen swallowed the lump in her throat, but refused to answer.

  “Okay, let’s try another question. Where and how did you collect your crew?”

  Still Kathleen maintained her silence, staring down at her hands, clasped in her lap.

  “Not very talkative now, are you, Kat? I must say, I’ve never seen you at a loss for words before. This must be a first.”

  She glared up at him.

  “Good! Now that I have your attention, tell me why you did it.” He leaned down to place his hands on the arms of the chair, effectively hemming her in.

  “You stole my ship.” Kathleen spoke quietly, but clearly. “The Kat-Ann was mine. You had no right to her.”

  Reed straightened up as if she’d struck him. “Do you mean to tell me that all of this dates back to the same old thing, after all this time?” He was stunned.

  “Yes,” she said simply.

  Reed laughed harshly. “Oh, Kat, if you only realized! As soon as I’d made enough profits from my raids, I intended to buy another ship and return the Kat-Ann to you. But you don’t believe that, do you?”

  “No.”

  “Well, you managed to keep my profits fairly well trimmed. Tell me, how long had you intended to keep pirating me?”

  “Until I’d forced you to have to sell the Kat-Ann to a buyer that I would have arranged to purchase her in my behalf,” she admitted.

  “And then?” he prodded.

  “I don’t know. I hadn’t planned that far ahead.”

  “I know Dominique and Eleanore and Kate knew what you were about.” At the look on her face, he waved a broad hand and shook his head. “No, don’t bother to deny it. Does your Aunt Barbara and Uncle William know?”

  Kathleen shook her head, again studying her fingers.

  “What about Ted?”

  “No.”

  “Fine. Now answer me this. Where did you learn to fence?”

  “My father hired fencing masters for me in Ireland.”

  “You’re good. Very nearly the best I’ve seen.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You are also very expert at captaining your vessel. Where did you learn that?”

  “I’ve always loved the sea and ships. Papa always took me along, and I’ve been learning since I was a young child. It’s second nature to me.”

  Reed nodded. “Where did you get the Enchantress and her crew, Kat?”

  “If I tell you, will you release them unharmed? They were only following my orders.”

  “Orders or no, they are pirates. No, I’ll not deal with you, Kat.”

  “Then I’m afraid I can’t tell you.”

  One dark eyebrow quirked upward. “Oh, you can’t, can you?”

  “No,” Kathleen met his look squarely.

  “It will go harder on you if I have to find out from other sources.”

  Kathleen only shrugged.

  Reed was becoming angry at her again. “Suppose you tell me where you hide your ship up Savannah way. I know we surprised you coming out of your lair this morning.”

  Kathleen clammed up once more.

  “What have you done with all your booty and your profits, then?”

  She stared at him mutely.

  Reed eyed her with distaste. “Look at you!” he grimaced. Grabbing a large handful of hair, he dragged her to the full-length mirror on the armoire in the corner. “Just look at yourself! You look like a harlot! No,” he corrected, “most of them dress more tastefully.”

  Color rushed to Kathleen’s face, put there by anger and embarrassment. “You didn’t seem put off by my dress, or should I say lack of it, a few months ago, Reed. In fact, if memory serves me correctly, you jumped at the chance to bed your lady pirate!”

  Now it was Reed’s turn to register embarrassment.

  “Technically, of course,” Kathleen went on, “you are innocent of extramarital cheating, but you didn’t realize that then, did you? In that light, you are as guilty as sin, and we both know it, you faithless fiend!”

  “What do you expect when you parade around half dressed, your breasts half exposed, your legs entirely bereft of cover? Oh, and don’t try to tell me you’ve been so pure either, my sweet! I’m not so much a fool that I’d believe I was the only one you’ve taken to your perfumed bunk! You’ll answer for that, too, before we’re through! I don’t take kindly to playing the cuckold.”

  Kathleen drew in her breath sharply. She felt as if he’d just dealt her a physical blow. “You despicable, doubledealing snake!” she hissed as she launched herself at him, her fingers curled into claws.

  He caught her arms and easily held her at bay, the light of battle making twin stars of his eyes. “You deny it, then?” he taunted.

  “Yes, damn your eyes, I do!” Her chest heaved with the effort to control the sobs that threatened to surface.

  “Well, I believe you just about as much as you believe me, my dear little wildcat!” He pushed her away from him and walked to the windows. After testing the shutters to make sure they were securely barred from the outside, he stalked to the door. “I’ve got some other matters to attend to now. Jean will see to it that you get proper clothing and something to eat. He’ll also make sure you stay safely and securely locked away until I return, so put away any thoughts you have of escaping me this time, Kat. I’ll leave you now, but I’ll return, and when I do I want some better answers than you’ve given me tonight.”

  He reached out and clamped his hand about her delicate jaw, drawing her toward him. She flinched at the pain she felt from her swollen cheek. “You should count yourself fortunate that I’m such a restrained man,” he commented. “Anyone else would have beaten the daylights out of you, if not worse.”

  He drew her lips up to his in a harsh, bitter kiss that ground her lips into her teeth. Abruptly he left her with the taste of his lips, her blood, and her now free-flowing tears on her mouth.

  Chapter 28

  REED went downstairs and closeted himself with Jean for over an hour. From there he went directly to the fortress compound where they had jailed Kathleen’s crew.

  The men were installed in one large cell in the fort itself. A door at one end led into a walled yard, in the corner of which stood an outhouse of sorts. The entire yard could be seen by the guards patrolling along the upper walls. The only furnishings inside the cell were small woven mats for sleeping, and these were old and dirty and smelled abominably.

  The men were huddled together in a small group talking quietly in the dark, when Reed and the jailor approached. Looking them over, Reed quickly picked out Finley and motioned him forward. It took him a few seconds more to recognize Kenigan.

  Dan, remembering what Dominique You had said, sat huddled against the wall. He still had on his adopted disguise, but he was taking no chances. He bowed his head upon his chest, as if asleep, and tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. He prayed that Reed would not shine the lantern his direction, or take much notice of him. He knew Finley and Kenigan would not give him away, nor would any other of the crew. If he could keep Reed from recognizing him, Dominique might still be able to help them all yet. If he knew Kathleen, she wasn’t telling too many secrets. She’d play it pretty close to the chest for as long as she could.

  Reed questioned Finley and Kenigan, but he could tell from the start that they wouldn’t tell him much. He was tempted to
drag them out into the compound and take the whip to them to try and loosen their tongues a little. He’d often had success that way in the past, but Reed got the impression none of these men would betray their captain. They’d die before they’d be disloyal to Kathleen in any way.

  The only thing he got out of Finley was repeated questioning as to Kathleen’s welfare.

  “You’re mighty damned concerned with my wife’s well-being,” Reed snarled acidly. “Why would that be, Finley?”

  Finley had it on the tip of his tongue to tell Reed that Kathleen was pregnant, but thought better of it. He didn’t like Reed’s attitude, and could tell by his tone what the man was getting at.

  “You’re mistaken in your views, Captain Taylor. She’s our captain, and we respect her as such.”

  Reed laughed harshly. “Honor among thieves, eh? You’re hardly convincing, Finley.”

  Finley’s eyes hardened perceptively. “You’re disgusting, Captain. No wonder your own wife avenges herself against you!”

  Reed’s control snapped. His barely leashed anger flared, and before anyone could move, he felt his fist explode in Finley’s face.

  Finley staggered backward, blood gushing from his broken nose.

  Reed glowered at him, and then turned to the jailor. “Get him out of my sight before I kill him. Take him back to his friends and let them clean him up.”

  Reed walked back up to the house, where he found Dominique attempting to explain matters to an irate Jean. Between the two of them, they bombarded the hapless Dominique with questions, but after a time they both gave up. Dominique was being as stubbornly uncooperative as everyone else.

  Reed was at a loss as to how to proceed. After a sleepless night and too much to drink, he hit upon an idea that might work. He would leave Kathleen under Jean’s guard and sail to Savannah, where he would corner Kate O’Reilly. As he set sail out of the bay, he determined to use every threat, every underhanded means he had to, to get the information he sought.