If only she could tell Thorn that she did not belong to Simijin in the way he thought, but her promise to her mother sealed her lips.
Silence hung heavily in the air as she moved across the deck and down the companionway. Thorn Stoddard would have had many women before her, and she doubted if he would even remember her after she left.
It made it easier to say no to Thorn since he had insultingly offered to make her his mistress. She looked down at her dark hands and wondered if he would have offered her marriage had he known she was white. What did it matter? The insult was there between them, and nothing he could say would change that.
Brittany knew so little about the world since she had lived such a protected life, but she did know that Thorn would never care for her in the way a woman wanted to be cared for.
She reflected on the softness that came into Simijin’s eyes when he looked at her mother. That was the way she wanted Thorn to look at her.
Refusing to cry, she packed her meager belongings in the satchel and set it beside the door, her final act in cutting the slender thread that held her to Thorn Stoddard.
Brittany smiled with relief when Achmed took several steps across his cabin. “You are doing wonderful, Achmed, but you are not to overdo,” she cautioned.
“We will be leaving the ship very soon, little mistress, and I have to be strong enough to protect you.”
“This is America, Achmed. What dangers will I encounter here?”
His white teeth flashed when he gave her a broad grin. “I believe, little mistress, that you can find trouble wherever you go.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yes, I do tend to get into predicaments without even trying. Why do you suppose that is?”
“It is because the breath of life flows through your body. You are one who has always reached out for life, rather than sitting around waiting for something to happen.”
“As you know, Mrs. Potter called that being rebellious.”
“What she thinks does not matter. She is one who will one day die without ever having lived.”
“Poor woman, she did have her trials with me.” She sighed heavily. “It seems a lifetime ago, those carefree days at the palace.”
Achmed took another turn across the room and then back again. “Happiness is a fleeting thing, little mistress. You cannot hold it in your hand, you cannot smell it or taste it—you can only take it when it comes along.”
She shook her head. “One cannot always reach out for happiness if it will be destructive in the end.”
He glanced up at her as though he read her thoughts. “Then it is wise to walk away.” He reached the bunk and sat down. “I am almost as strong as ever. I will be able to watch after you and see that neither harm nor unhappiness darken your door.”
“For a time, you must be careful and see to your health, Achmed. We shall find rooms when we reach Charleston until you feel up to traveling. That will give us the time we need to send a message to Mama and Simijin, telling them we have arrived safely. Then in a few days, we shall travel to Philadelphia.”
Achmed leaned his head back to catch his breath. He knew he had not yet regained his strength. “I see that you have this all worked out in your mind, little mistress.”
“No, not all. But we shall make out fine, Achmed.” Her eyes clouded. “I wish we did not have to go to Philadelphia to confront relatives who may not welcome us.”
“You are not to worry about anything, little miss. Most probably we will not be required to remain in this country for very long. Soon you will be returning home.”
Brittany knew Achmed was trying to cheer her up. He did not believe they would be allowed to return to Turkey any more than she did. But she did so want to be with her mother.
The night was dark as Brittany moved across the deck to gaze as the twinkling stars in the eastern sky. High, sparse clouds had drifted in front of the crescent moon, and it seemed that the Victorious sailed on an ebony ocean that went on forever. Although she knew they should be close to America, she saw no lights—no indication that they were nearing Charleston.
With a heavy sigh, she moved across the deck and down the narrow passage that led to the captain’s quarters. She had decided to tell Thorn good-bye in privacy. It would be remiss of her if she did not thank him for all he had done for her and Achmed.
When she reached Thorn’s cabin the door was ajar, and she peeked in to find it empty. Hesitantly, she moved into the cabin and stood near Thorn’s rumpled bed, feeling his presence in every fiber of her being. She was surrounded by his maps and charts. His blue jacket was tossed carelessly across a chair, a pair of boots sat beside a bootjack.
Brittany was startled when Thorn came up silently behind her and his hand spanned her tiny waist. “Well, my little beauty, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?”
She glanced up at him and was caught in his warm smile. He must think she had changed her mind. She had to set him straight at once. “I…came to say good-bye.”
He spun her around, and his eyes darkened with hidden fire. “No, not good-bye. I knew you would come to me.” He dipped his head, and his lips nipped at the sensitive hollow in her throat. “I have ached to hold you like this, Brittany.”
She pushed him away and stepped back. “This is not what I wanted, Captain Stoddard.”
He looked doubtful. “I do not believe that you can walk out of my life like this.”
“Believe it,” she said, using her anger as a shield against his charm.
“I know I was beastly to you. And if you want an apology from me, then you have it, Brittany.” There was tension in his expression. “I do not want to fight with you.” His voice was caressing. “I would much rather kiss you.”
She felt the gentle touch of his hand on her cheek. Her lips might deny him, but her green eyes revealed the truth—she was deeply affected by his nearness. “I had to see you one more time,” she answered with honesty. “…to thank you for—”
His hand drifted down to tangle in her hair, and he brought her up on her tiptoes so her mouth was close to his. “If you hadn’t come to me, I would have come to you,” he said, as if the truth had been torn from his lips. “You have me where you want me, and you know it. All I can think about is the sweetness of your body.” He dipped his head and covered her lips with his, and she quivered at his gentleness.
Brittany could feel the lure of his magnetism, but she pulled away from him. “Do not do this. Just because I threw myself at you the other night does not mean it will happen this time.”
He stared into her eyes. “Will it not?”
“No-o.”
His mouth quirked briefly. “Has anyone ever told you that when you are troubled about something your eyes turn a darker green?”
“I…no.”
“What secrets do you hide behind those eyes, Brittany? How many hearts have you trampled under your delicate slippers?”
“I…have known only a few men in my life.”
He looked doubtful. “Surely that cannot be.”
“But it is. I know Simijin, Achmed, and several other lesser eunuchs and attendants. And, of course I know you, and some of the men on your ship.”
His eyelids flickered, and he brought her body closer to his. “Me, you know intimately. The others cannot make the same claim.”
She whirled away from him. “Do you make mock of me, Captain Stoddard?”
“To the contrary. I feel honored that I was the first man to be with you. Have you danced for Lord Simijin as you danced for me?”
“No, of course not!”
His voice deepened. “I would like to think that you dance for me alone.”
She wanted to run away from Thorn—to find a safe haven where she could think. With him touching her, she was in danger of falling under his spell again. “No,” she whispered as his lips touched the corner of her mouth.
“Yes,” he breathed against her satiny lips.
She could feel her objections melting away. She was b
eing drawn to him by a force stronger than her own will.
Brittany turned her face away from his burning lips and looked at him with haughty disdain, her only weapon at the moment. “You have nothing of a lasting nature to offer a woman, Captain. You only want a mistress. That is a position that is totally unacceptable to me.”
“So it’s marriage you want, is it? Surely you know that’s impossible between you and me. We are from different worlds and different cultures. You could not survive in my world…as my wife.”
Her eyes were cool, and her chin went up just a little higher. “I would not marry you even if you asked me. What makes you think you are such a prize?”
His laughter was soft. “Marriage to you might not be so bad, after all. Certainly you are a woman worthy of consideration. If I were wise, I would probably grab you up and sail away with you so no other man could ever find you.” His voice deepened. “I would find some deserted beach and make love to you all day and all night. You would belong to me alone.”
“You offend me, Captain. Why is it that men think they honor a woman when they consider her at all?”
His smile faded, his jaw hardened. “No offense was intended. I have never offered any other woman half so much as I have you.”
“Well, you can keep your offer. I want never to see you again.”
His glance became irritated. “You don’t mean that, Brittany. You are only hurt because I will not marry you.”
“Do you think you bring me honor by asking me to become your mistress, Captain? The sultan would have given me much more than that.”
“Yet you ran away from him.”
She placed her hands on her hips, her eyes filled with disbelief. “The more I come to know about men, the less I like them. Women are far more superior in intelligence and understanding than your sex.”
“I don’t believe that is true of all women, Brittany, but it is so in your case.”
She tossed her hair so it became a rippling curtain of black. “I do not want your flattery.”
“I don’t flatter you, Brittany. I want to be with you. Not just now, but for years to come. I could care for you.” His voice softened. “I would make you happy.”
She drew in her breath and looked into his blue eyes. Her heart was beating so fast she could scarcely breathe. “We would not be good for one another, Captain.”
His voice had edge to it. “Must you call me, ‘Captain?’ My name is Thorn.”
“I…will not call you by your name. To do so would be a mistake.”
His hand dropped to the front of her gown, and he toyed with the ribbon there. With a quick yank, he untied the ribbon and when she did not try to stop him, he unhooked the top hook.
She could not speak for the lump that had formed in her throat. He pushed her gown aside and softly laid his hand on her breasts. He then moved forward and pressed his lips in the sweet-smelling hollow between them.
“Please, no, Thorn. This must not happen again.” Even as she voiced her protest, she knew this was what she really wanted.
Chapter Seventeen
Thorn’s eyes flashed with triumph, and he picked Brittany up in his arms and carried her to his bed. “So, at last I am Thorn.”
When he lay her down, she sat up quickly and pushed against his chest. “No, Thorn, I will not do this.”
Her plea fell on deaf ears. His eyes were swirling with passion, and he gently pushed her backward and followed her down. With tenderness, he kissed and caressed her, all the while pushing her gown to her waist.
Brittany’s eyes were no longer pleading for him to stop. Her lips parted under the hot thrusts of his tongue, and she clung to him.
Thorn raised his head and stared at her. He was astounded by her delicate beauty, and he could not look away from her creamy breasts that seemed lighter in color than the rest of her body. His hands moved over her silken skin, and he had a difficult time controlling his need for her.
“Brittany, tell me to let you go, and I will,” he challenged.
She drew in a deep breath, and her voice came out in a throaty whisper. “That is unfair, and you know it. I…came here to—”
His hand trembled as it traveled down her arm. “Then, if you have no objections, Brittany, I will have you.”
All thoughts of objection were gone, and she reached up to touch his ebony hair. She was sad because this would be all they would ever have.
“I will surrender to you, Thorn. This will be my parting gift to you.”
“We will give to each other,” he whispered. “Each of us has our own gift. I have given more of myself to you than I have ever given any woman.”
Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. She turned away quickly so he would not know how much she was affected by his words. She did not like to be reminded that he had been with other women before her.
Thorn tugged her gown over her hips and dropped it onto the floor. With raw impatience, he removed his own clothing and lay down beside her.
Brittany’s eyes softened. “I remember the first time I saw you. I thought you quite the most handsome man. I also thought you were arrogant and unbending. I was right on all three assumptions.”
He arched his brow at her. “And when was the first time you saw me?”
“The day Simijin invited you to the palace. I watched you behind the latticework at the top of the stairs. Neither you nor Simijin knew I was there.”
With a lean finger, he traced her jawline. “Did you now?”
“Yes.”
“So you heard me tell Lord Simijin I would not take you to England?”
“I did not know he was making arrangements for me that day. It was not until later that I learned the truth. Then there was no time to think, for I had to flee.”
“Had I known then what I have come to know, I would have taken you anywhere you wanted to go.”
She looked at him, wondering if he was teasing her. It was hard to tell because his eyes did not always show what he was thinking. “You have said often enough that you will be glad to see the last of me.”
“Right now, all I can think of is the green of your eyes and the softness of your skin.” He ran his hand down her neck, and he gently cupped her breasts. “If one could hold on to a moment in time, I would choose this one.”
Blood ran hot in Brittany’s veins, and she gravitated toward him, her lips parted, her eyes shining.
“You do so sorely tempt me,” he said, touching his lips softly to hers. Then he moved back and allowed his eyes to take in every curve of her face. “I want to love you, my little dancer.”
Raising her arms, she lay back inviting him to her. “I know,” she whispered. “It is the same with me.”
Thorn shook his head, trying to clear it. She was becoming too important to him, and he had to exorcise her from his mind. He would make love to her, and when it was over, he would put her out of his mind as he had with so many other women before her.
He clasped her satiny body close to him, and with a smooth motion he sunk into her, his body throbbing, his breath coming out in sharp gasps. Never had he been so affected by a woman. Never had he felt so alive as when he held Brittany in his arms.
Thorn had been tormented by the memory of that night he had made love to Brittany. He had tried to put her out of his mind, but it had been useless. With a gentle caress, he conveyed his deepening feelings to her.
Thorn filled Brittany’s body while his hot mouth ravished her lips. She closed her eyes and allowed the wonderful feelings to wash over her. This, she thought, was the moment out of time that she would have chosen to hold on to for eternity.
Now Thorn’s lovemaking became more intense. Burning passion had fused their bodies together and left them both breathless.
On gossamer wings, they soared the heavens, as sensation after sensation held them together by the thread of desire.
Suddenly, Brittany’s whole body seemed to erupt with wave after wave of pleasurable feelings. Was it love that she fel
t for this man? she wondered. What else could make her want to be with him throughout her lifetime?
When her heartbeat returned to normal, she stared into dancing blue eyes. “It was good between us, just like before, Brittany.”
“Yes,” she murmured, burying her face against his chest.
“You will be mine alone, Brittany. No other man will ever touch you.”
She turned her head away from him. “No, Thorn, I cannot make that promise. I can never belong to you.”
His voice had an edge to it. “Is it because of Lord Simijin?”
“In part,” she admitted, twisting away from him and moving off the bed. As she pulled her gown over her head, she presented her back to him, hoping he would not ask any more questions. She was startled when he came up to her and hooked her gown.
“I am trying to understand what you feel for Lord Simijin that prevents you from reaching out to take the happiness I offer you.”
She turned back to him and stared at him in disbelief. “You do not offer me happiness, Thorn. What you offer is a life where I will be shunned by respectable people. If you love me—”
His eyes were burning, and his voice was scornful. “I said nothing about love, Brittany. Love is for fools and dreamers, who don’t know better. What we have between us is preferable to that puny emotion people call love.”
Her green eyes were cool. “Are you saying you prefer animal lust?”
He laughed and pulled her into his arms, but she twisted away. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “All right, Brittany. If the only way I can have you is to make you my wife, you win.” He caught her hand and pulled her into his arms. His lips touched her ear, sending shivers of delight dancing on her spine. “I will make the ultimate sacrifice and take you as my wife, if that is the only way I can possess you.”
Never had Brittany known such anger. Her voice trembled as she shoved him away. “I do not want your sacrifice, Captain Stoddard. After we dock, we will never meet again. Just leave me alone!”
Enchantress Page 17
