by Lora Thomas
Max crossed the room to her in several long strides. He grabbed her wrist before she could throw another object at him. “What is wrong with you, woman?”
She pointed into the wardrobe. “Am I to assume you had these conveniently brought up here for me?” His silence to her question only infuriated her more. “That’s what I thought! They’re from your other dalliances, aren’t they?!”
Max’s anger began to rise. “What I did before you is none of your concern,” he said slowly. “So, calm yourself, wife.”
“No,” she hissed.
“What happened to the good mood you were in?”
“It disappeared when I had to put on a dress from one of your lovers.”
“For your information, I keep my dalliances away from here.”
“Then where did they come from?” she asked heatedly.
“I’m assuming Mrs. Potts. She keeps me supplied with clothing for whenever we are in port. I’m guessing she placed clothing in there for you yesterday while we were at dinner.”
“But how would she know my size?” Kristina asked, still doubting Max’s explanation.
“I told you, she’s very resourceful. From what I could gather about her, she used to be a lady’s maid in England. She grew tired of her employer’s multiple personalities, quit and became a dressmaker. So if I had to guess, she became quite adept at telling women’s sizes just by looking at them.”
“But that still doesn’t explain how she acquired them so quickly.”
“She lives on this island. She knows everyone and everything about it, even where to get clothing quickly.”
“Oh,” she replied as she dropped the shoe she was holding.
“Oh? Is that all you have to say?”
“Si.”
“No. I think you owe me an apology.”
“Why?”
“For accusing me of giving you another woman’s clothing.”
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry then,” she replied. She would not give in to another fight. She still planned on proving to him that not all women were like his mother, which meant she could not give in to her temper. Inwardly groaning, she realizing she had just now done that. Damn her temper!
The couple walked to the dining area and found it empty. The others had already eaten and left for the day. The pair ate in silence. Once finished Max excused himself and left the house.
Kristina picked up their plates and carried them into the attached preparation room. She peered out the window and watched as Max saddled the horses they had ridden yesterday.
“He’s a hard man to understand,” Mrs. Potts spoke as she walked into the room.
Kristina spun quickly towards the aging housekeeper. “Pardon?” Kristina asked nervously. Her heart pounded like she had just been caught doing something she shouldn’t have been.
“Max. He’s a hard man to understand. Be patient with him. He’s had a rough life. I can see the fire in your soul through your eyes. Max needs fire, but he needs patience as well. He needs to have someone who will not back down from his temper, but will not constantly fight either. He has had enough of that in his childhood. What he needs is someone who can tamp down the flames of his temper with patience and kindness … and a little bit of sass.”
“I understand,” Kristina replied. She watched as a beaming smile crossed Mrs. Potts’s face.
“I’m glad the dress fits. I wasn’t sure if it would be the correct size. I didn’t care for the color options available at market, but beggars can’t be choosers, now can they?”
“So you were the one who put the dresses in the wardrobe?” Kristina asked as she glanced down at the vibrant orchid-colored dress, relief filling her. At Mrs. Potts’s nod, Kristina asked. “There is a market nearby?”
“Why, yes. I don’t like to go to the main port. Too many pirates to suit me,” she said with a twinkle to her eyes. “There is a small market just south of here. They don’t have quite the number of shops or merchandise as the main town but enough for what I need.”
Kristina watched as the plump housekeeper disappeared back into the main house. She turned and watched Max. He was leading the horses towards the front of the home. She exited the back of the house and approached him.
“Where are you going?” she asked as she followed him.
“I’m going to take the horses back to the main city. Why?”
“Well, Mrs. Potts told me there was a market close by. I would like to go. I never got to go to the market when I was a child. My family was very poor so the only things that we ever bought were just the necessities and my father bought those. He would bring them home whenever he went out fishing, so I never got to go.” She lowered her lashes and looked at him. “I was wondering if you would take me to the market so I could look around.”
“You want me to take you shopping?” Max asked, disgruntled.
“Yes and no. I want you to take me to the market so I can look. I have no money to buy anything with, not that there is anything I actually need … although I do like bath oils, but you gave me plenty of those. But I would like to look.”
Max looked at his wife. “Fine, you can ride with me to Nassau and the—”
“I don’t want to go to Nassau. I want to go to the market just south of here. The one Mrs. Potts told me about.”
“I need to return these horses and—”
“Return them tomorrow,” Kristina interrupted in a whine.
“Woman, money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“Fine! If you won’t take me, I will walk there.” She turned and looked skyward to determine which way to go. She looked heatedly at her husband, turned and walked towards the gate.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Max yelled at her.
“The market,” she tossed over her shoulder as she walked away.
“You’re not going alone!”
“Like hell I’m not. If you won’t take me, how else do you expect me to get there? Besides, Mrs. Potts goes alone, so what difference does it make?”
“She’s not my wife!”
“So? I may be your wife, but you do not own me. And, as I recall, you went to the solicitor’s office just after the encounter with that wretched woman yesterday to get the paperwork started to divorce me. So feel free to take those blasted horses back, but do not expect me to be sitting here twiddling my thumbs, waiting for your return like an obedient dog. I have a mind of my own, and my mind tells me to go to the market.”
She didn’t wait for Max’s reply. She marched to the gate and turned right heading towards the market Mrs. Potts had informed her about.
Max sighed in frustration. She was the most stubborn, hard-headed person he had ever dealt with. Why could she not be rational like everyone else? Why must she insist on defying him at every opportunity? He watched her head down the road. He mumbled curse, mounted his horse and headed her direction. He rode past her and stopped his horse in front of her. She gave him an evil look and tried to walk around the horse only for him to block her path again.
“Get out of my way, Max.”
“No.”
“I am not going back to the house.”
Before she knew what was happening, she felt his strong arm wrap around her waist as he lifted her onto his horse. She began to struggle against him. She opened her mouth to protest, but Max interrupted her, “Stop. I will take you to that bloody market.”
“Really?” she hopefully asked.
“Yes. If it means that much to you, I’ll take you. I’ll take the horses back tomorrow.”
She looked sweetly at him. “Thank you,” she said and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
He smiled, causing the large dimple on his left cheek to appear. A strange sensation stirred in the center of his chest at her happy expression. He shook the feeling off and spurred the horse in the direction of the market.
They rode for twenty minutes before reaching the small market. It was not nearly as large as the one at Nassau, but it was bigger than what Krist
ina had imagined—not that she had any to compare it to. She was like a child in a toy store. She would drag Max from one vendor to the next, looking at the merchandise each one had for sale. Max smiled at her childlike enthusiasm. She would pick up beads and watch their color dance in the sunlight. She would run her fingers over the material displayed for dresses. Not once did she ask him to buy her anything, she was content to just look. The last place she dragged him to had farm animals for sale. He laughed at her reaction towards the animals.
“Haven’t you ever been around pigs?” he asked as she wrinkled her nose at the smell.
She pinched her nostrils closed. “No. I grew up around fish and chickens,” she informed him in a nasally voice. She ran past the pigs and squealed with delight, “Oh look! Kittens!” she said with excitement. She picked up one of the long-haired brown and white kittens and nuzzled it against her face. Carrying the kitten over to Max she turned its face towards him. “Isn’t it cute?”
“Adorable,” he dryly replied.
“Don’t let this big bad man frighten you, little one,” Kristina cooed to the kitten as she nuzzled it to her face again. “I had a cat similar to this when I was little. She was a good cat, but a horrible mouser. My father threatened to get rid of her because she wouldn’t catch any mice.” An impish expression crossed her face. “He took her into the jungle every morning, and she would mysteriously return every afternoon. I don’t know how she managed to do that, especially since she only had three legs and was blind in one eye.”
Max gave a small chuckle. “Sounds like a pet for Smitty,” he said, referring to their one-eyed shipmate.
Kristina gave the kitten one last cuddle and placed it back with its littermates. She stroked the mother cat on the head several times and walked to Max. He took her hand and they walked to a small tree.
“You hungry?” he asked.
“A little.”
Max nodded. “Wait here.” He left and returned several minutes later with a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine. He assisted her to the ground and sat down beside her. She reached over and broke the bread in two while he opened the wine. While they dined under the small oak tree, Kristina spoke of her family.
“My mother’s parents were made for each other. My grandfather was from Spain. He was part of their navy. His ship was attacked and it sank. Only a few of the crew survived. They decided to not go back to Spain, but try to make their fortunes in Panama. After several years of bad luck, he traveled north to Belize and met my grandmother.” She shook her head and laughed. “They were like fire and ice. She was very meek and mild and he had a temper … guess that’s where I get mine, or at least that’s what my mother always told me. I only saw him as a kind and caring man. Anyway, they married and moved to Cuba. The villagers whispered that he was a smuggler. I didn’t believe them.”
Max propped his back against the tree and crossed his legs at the ankle. “Cuba used to be a safe haven for pirates with families. It is possible that he was one.”
“My grandfather was a kind, caring man. He was honest and hardworking. He was not a pirate,” she defended.
“I was not questioning his character. I’m just letting you know a little unknown fact.”
“Oh. Well, I have a question since you are discussing unknown facts.”
“What’s that?”
“I actually have two questions. So I will ask them and you answer them once I’m finished.” At Max’s nod, she continued. “Does Samuel know that Alex is his father and of his secret identity? Doesn’t Alex’s father own a shipping company?
“To Samuel’s questions. No, on both counts. I do not feel it’s my place to let him know that Alex is his father. Alex will tell him in due time, but right now Samuel is still adjusting to his mother’s death. He has not been informed of Alex’s true identity due to the fact of his age. If he were captured, he would break under interrogation. Only Smitty, Slim, James, Uveah and I know of Alex’s real identity. The questions about his father … yes, for over thirty years Jonathan and his partner have operated a shipping company called Emerald Shipping.”
“Who’s the partner?” She watched as a dark presence came over Max. She sucked in her breath. “You mean your father is his partner?” she croaked.
“Yes,” Max gritted.
“Does Alex know?”
“No. He has no idea who my father is and I have no plans to tell him.”
“But why?”
“Alex still has to make family appearances. I don’t want him to dislike his father’s friend because of me. If he knew, it would place him in an awkward situation. It’s getting late,” he said, changing the subject before his wife decided to interrogate him further. “Mrs. Potts is expecting Smitty for dinner so she will be preparing his favorite meal. We better get back to freshen up before dinner.”
Kristina nodded her understanding. She took his change in topic as a signal that he did not want to discuss the issue further. Standing, she turned to face her husband.
“Wait here. I’ll go get the horse and pick you up.”
“I can walk.”
“I know. But rest here and enjoy the vendors around this section until I return.”
Kristina watched Max disappear through the shops. She walked to the edge of the market and browsed through the colorful dresses. She found it hard to believe that Mrs. Potts didn’t like any of the color offerings presented. There were vibrant reds, deep blues, vivid greens and dazzling oranges. Kristina loved the bright colors.
She turned and spotted Max approaching her, leading his horse. She drew her brow together as she watched him. He would take a step and twist. He would take another step and squirm. He kept his left arm to his side during his bizarre movements.
“What on earth are you doing?” she cautiously asked as she approached him.
He grinned sheepishly at her and then a pained look crossed his face. “Ow! Damn it!”
“What?!”
He grimaced again and let out a curse. “I can’t take it anymore.”
“What’s going on, Max?” she asked, concerned over her husband’s odd behavior.
He reached inside his shirt and pulled out a small furry brown and white object and handed it to her. Her eyes grew wide with excitement. “I was planning on surprising you, but that little rascal’s claws hurt.”
She looked as excited as a child at Christmas time as she took the furry kitten out of his hand. “Oh, Max,” she whispered.
He mounted the horse and pulled her up to him. She clutched the kitten to her chest. Max watched the happiness light up her face. “I figured it could protect you from any more evil sea monsters that come your way.”
“It’s just a baby,” she spoiledly spoke. “And you are such a sweet baby, too.”
“Oh, please, stop baby-talking the blasted thing!”
“What should I call it?” she asked with elation.
“Call it whatever you like.”
A devilish twinkle came to her eyes. “I shall call it Gato.”
“Gotta go?”
“No. Gato.”
“What kind of name is Gato?”
“It’s Spanish for cat.” Max rolled his eyes at her confession. “You see, you will have to speak Spanish in some way or form. So, if you want to call for my pet, you must call it Gato.”
“Can’t I just call it Cat?”
“No. His name is Gato. So, whether you like it or not, you will speak Spanish.”
“It’s a girl.”
“Oh, well, her name is Gato. Either way you will have to speak Spanish to call her,” she informed her husband as she nuzzled the kitten again.
“If you say so,” Max replied as he spurred his horse back towards Alex’s home.
Chapter Twenty
Kristina sat at the long dining table. She looked down at her attire still in disbelief. Mrs. Potts never ceased to amaze her. As Max was settling in for a nap earlier today, Mrs. Potts emerged, carrying what appeared to be a large pile of burgundy mat
erial. Mrs. Potts shooed Max out of the room and arranged for a bath to be drawn for Kristina. She had another servant help Kristina bathe and dress for the evening meal.
When Kristina had viewed her reflection in the floor length mirror, she had been awestruck. She hardly recognized herself. Emily had piled her hair up in an eloquent coiffure, allowing only a few strands to remain down in the back. She curled the loose strands into tight ringlets. The deep burgundy gown fit Kristina perfectly. It was made of the finest material she had ever seen or felt. As she turned to view her reflection from different angles, the material’s coloring seemed to shimmer like diamonds.
“For you, Mistress,” Emily stated as she held out a black velvet case.
Kristina’s eyes grew wide as she peered into the case. “Oh, I couldn’t!” she exclaimed as she stared at the object resting in the black case Emily was holding. It was a silver necklace with a stiff silver ‘V’ attached that was inlaid with diamonds. At the tip of the ‘V’ a large heart-shaped ruby dangled gently off of a small hook. It was so delicate and beautifully made.
Emily shook her head, “Mr. Hart insists.”
“Max?” Kristina questioned in disbelief.
Emily nodded her head and looked dreamily at Kristina. “He must truly love you to give you this. He has held onto it for many years.”
Kristina smiled nervously at the young English servant, not sure how to respond to her observation.
Emily placed the necklace around Kristina’s neck and adjusted her hair over the silver chain. Kristina stroked the stone with awe. She viewed her reflection again. A small smile formed on her lips. She resembled the princesses she had heard about in the stories from her mother.
There was a faint knock on the door, Emily rushed over and opened it. Kristina heard a male voice state that dinner was about to be served.
Kristina took one more look at her reflection, stood and left the room. She quickly descended the stairs. As she approached the dining room’s double French doors, she could hear the voices of the crew. She couldn’t understand exactly what was being said, but she recognized James’s boisterous laugh. He was an odd duck, a gentle giant. He wasn’t as tall as Max or Alex; he was big, but not fat. “Stout” was the word that came to mind. He had a large barrel chest that helped carry his loud voice and contagious laughter. He kept his long red hair tied back with a black ribbon. Like many pirates he had a beard, but he kept his well manicured even though it was long and wavy. His brown eyes were constantly filled with laughter. His jovial laughter stopped when she entered the room.
