by Cheryl Howe
“Jack Casper rescued us, which was considerate, since he was the one who turned us in. I’m afraid his plans went considerably awry.”
“I noticed that.” Jewel struggled to see around the crewmen blocking Nolan from her view. “Good thing my plan didn’t.” She caught only a portion of Nolan’s face but the crinkles around his bright eyes warned her that he couldn’t suppress a smile.
“Yes. Good thing.”
Nolan didn’t say anything else. They were swiftly approaching the Integrity, and everyone knew to be silent without being told. Jewel still clutched her sword in her fist, and had unconsciously cradled it in her lap. They passed a body floating facedown in the water. It was too dark to identify without flipping the man over, and Jewel was relieved when Nolan guided them toward the rope ladder instead. The Integrity’s deck loomed silent, giving no clue as to what lay in wait. Jewel mustered her strength for a fight she knew she wasn’t ready for.
Nolan pulled himself up the first rung, and then, when Jewel followed, didn’t say a word. She wished his acceptance of her as a part of his crew hadn’t come when she wasn’t sure she could continue to lift her sword. He proved much swifter than she and cleared the railing while she still hung near the water. She had almost reached the top when he thrust his head over the railing, panic in his gaze.
“Hurry,” he called. She pulled herself up the next few rungs and when she was close enough, he lifted her over the ship’s side. For a moment, she didn’t know what had caused the anxiety in Nolan’s voice. The crewmen who had left the beach for the Integrity rushed across the deck in obvious preparation for them to set sail. Then she spotted Parker braced against the main mast. He clutched his bloodied sword in one hand, much paler then when she had seen him last. He appeared as if he was about to faint, which didn’t surprise Jewel in the least.
She strode in his direction, Nolan on her heels, but obviously letting her have the lead. “You did it, Parker. You took back our ship.” He let his sword clink to the deck. On closer approach, she noticed that the red coat he still wore wasn’t buttoned, but blood, the same hue as his jacket, covered a good portion of his chest. His heavy-lidded gaze warned her that it was his.
“I request to be relieved of command,” he said before he crumpled onto the deck.
***
Dawn eased over the horizon in a pink fog that lit the tired lines around Jewel’s mouth. She sat on a crate, her knees on her elbows, and watched Nolan steer. The ocean’s calm rocked them with a sleepy rhythm and the warm trade winds ushered them forward with a gentle but persistent nudge. Neither land nor ship showed on their starboard, leeward, stern, or bow. Tranquil blue waters, with only lazy waves to break the monotony, surrounded them as far as the eye could see. Even as he heard the Integrity’s sails struggle to breathe, Nolan thanked his good fortune.
“Why don’t you check on Parker again and then get some sleep?” he said to Jewel, softening his voice so as not to startle her.
She stretched, still wearing the red coat over her chemise and petticoat. Though he’d enjoy tossing the reminder of how much danger she’d been in over the side, the British uniform would no doubt be of service to him in the future—a military future that wouldn’t begin until he had his letter of marque. His other future, the one that mattered most, was sitting before him.
“Last time I slipped into his cabin, he was sleeping and I woke him. He’ll be fine. I think he fainted from exhaustion and shock as much as blood loss. You should really teach him how to use a sword.”
“I think you’d be much better at that, Mrs. Kenton.” Nolan kept his gaze on the horizon, but he could see the tilt of her head and her curious smile in his peripheral vision. He still needed to explain himself, but he hoped his casual claim would ease his way. At least she didn’t balk when he claimed her as his wife.
“You’re right about Parker,” Nolan continued, as if he didn’t notice her questioning stare. “Though let’s not tell him that. He wouldn’t appreciate it.”
Parker’s wounds had looked far worse than they were. He’d been nicked in more than half a dozen places. Only one, a slash on his hip, had needed stitches. With Wayland gone, Jewel had performed the task with skill and patience, while Nolan felt a little faint himself. He’d excused himself to see to the navigation while she did the worst of it.
Now Jewel nodded, and then let her gaze drift to the searching rays of soft yellow that reached out over the ever lightening sea. Her apparent exhaustion, which was no surprise, gave him an excuse not to speak his mind, but he chose not to take it. She needed to be reassured, or at least given the opportunity to reject him.
“Thank you for what you did tonight. You’ve saved my life twice now.” Nolan took a breath before he continued. “I wish you hadn’t done what you did to Devlin.”
Jewel’s gaze swung in his direction, a look of hurt in her eyes, and he quickly continued. “Though I’m grateful. I want you to know something, and not just to clear myself of wrongdoing in your eyes. I know I have much to account for. But I couldn’t kill your father. I laid down my sword before the British came.”
Jewel stood, sauntered behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I know. Wayland told me. And that you won.”
Nolan was glad she couldn’t see the satisfied grin that pulled at his mouth. “But did he tell you why I laid down my sword?”
She squeezed his waist. “I think I know.” She cushioned her head against his back, letting him know he didn’t have to continue.
“It’s because I love you, Jewel. No matter what Bellamy has done or been, he is your father, and you’re too kindhearted not to care for him. I’ll not tread on those feelings again.”
“Thank you, Nolan,” Jewel said quietly.
“Would you like to steer?” he asked, needing to do something to prove to her how he intended to let her into every aspect of his life.
She straightened, and slipped in front of him without any more encouragement. “I’d love to. I’ve been wanting to from the first day on board.”
“Why didn’t you ever ask?” He slipped his arm around her waist. “Never mind. Don’t answer. I know why. From now on, you can ask me anything. Especially about the ship. You’re going to have to learn to sail.”
She gripped the varnished wheel. “Where are we going, anyway?”
“To St. Lucia. I think it best if we rename the ship. Though I don’t think our British friends will be leaving the island anytime soon, I’d rather not risk having the entire Royal Navy after us.”
Nolan felt Jewel stiffen. “But they accused you of treason. When Devlin is rescued—”
“By that time, if not already, the war will have begun, and I’ll be a privateer for my country,” he said. He wasn’t as sure as he hoped he sounded, but he didn’t want her to worry. “There’s another reason I want to stop at St. Lucia. I want to marry you again.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she said, but he could hear the pleasure in her voice all the same.
“Yes, I do. I want to have a piece of paper to show your father next time we see him.” He brushed the hair from the back of her neck and kissed her there.
“You don’t have to worry about Bellamy. I don’t know if we’ll ever see him again.”
“We’ll see him again.” Nolan didn’t want to tell her about his promise to give her father a portion of the treasure in order to escape with her. “And don’t think you’re going to be rid of Wayland.”
“I hope not.” She laughed. “He’s definitely grown on me.”
Nolan took a deep breath. He’d gotten this far, and he could say the last of it. “And of course, if you don’t want to marry me again, I’ll consider it my just due. You’ll have your share of the treasure to do as you please.”
She laid her head against his chest. “My treasure is right here.”
IMPROPER PLEASURES
By
Cheryl Howe
Lady Astra Keane ruins herself a second time by seducing he
r late husband’s younger American cousin when he arrives in England to inherit a title and the estate she loves. Discovering she has no funds to start a new life, Astra justifies her proposition to secretly become James’s mistress in bed, in addition to his estate, as the only hope of providing a stable environment for her daughter. Her arrangement with James Keane allows Astra to remain the mistress of her home while she explores her long denied passions with a man she finds irresistibly attractive . Though warned not to fall in love with her paramour, Astra soon discovers she’ll never make a proper mistress to James. Her heart has become involved but she refuses to give up the affair.
James Keane knows Astra is hiding secrets about her past, but he finds he can’t resist her offer to become his mistress. He makes it clear that he’ll be returning to America as soon as he turns around the bankrupt estate he’s inherited. Though he has no reason to trust her, James doesn’t believe Astra could be involved with the string of accidents that have befallen him since his arrival. Rumors of the Keane Curse leads James to believe his misfortune has a human source, one that he intends to uncover. He only hopes his investigation doesn’t reveal he has fallen in love with a woman who wants him dead.
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Other Books by Cheryl Howe
Secret Pleasures
After the Ashes
The Pirate and the Puritan
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cheryl Howe writes sexy historical romance novels with strong characters in sensual settings. She is an avid reader and would rather bury her head in a book than do just about anything else. She published her first novel in 2003. When she’s not reading or writing, she tries to balance her time between cooking healthy gluten-free meals, not ignoring her husband, and catering to her menagerie of house pets. She lives in Southern California with an understanding husband, two spoiled dogs, a demanding cat and a bright yellow parakeet.
To learn more about Cheryl and her books, visit her blog, Whole-Healthy-Writer, at http://cherylhowe.com/
You can email her at [email protected]
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
