“Say no more.” She waved at the air between the three of us. “Go, head back to your rooms and soak in a bath. Pin those gorgeous locks. I’ll make the alterations as quickly as I can and have everything sent over to The Kraken’s Den before you leave for the party.”
“We can’t thank you enough,” I told her. “Do let us know how much the cost is and I’ll have payment squared up.” With a mighty tip, I added to myself. “Are you sure you can have the alterations done within the next couple of hours?”
She opened the front door and ushered us out. “A couple of hours? I could have it done twice over.”
We listened to her raspy cackle as the door closed behind us and Lottie leaned into me to whisper, “Told you. Witch.”
I playfully pushed at her arm and laughed as we strolled toward a patiently awaiting Cillian. Witch or not, the old gypsy-like seamstress was the answer to my prayers. I gloated inwardly at the thought of Henry’s face when he would see me in that dress. And, better yet, Roselyn Wallace’s face when she realized I wasn’t to be messed with. Like Lottie said, she was no competition. Captain Devil Eyed Barrett only had eyes for me. He was mine, and mine alone.
And tonight, I would make sure of it.
Chapter Six
My head lulled back as I relaxed in the hot bath that sat in my room. Steam billowed up from the surface and mixed with the cool air, soaking into my skin. The events of the day played out in my mind and I went through them over and over like a short movie on repeat.
I’d awoke that same morning feeling lost. That I might never find Maria and save my mother. England was a huge country, and she could have been anywhere. Heck, she could have fled to Ireland and Scotland by now. But, no, she was close by. I just knew it. No matter how much the thought seethed in my veins, I was connected to the psychopath by blood and something deep inside my core told me she was here. That, strangely enough, she was… waiting for me.
I wasn’t scared. Not anymore. I carried with me a heavy fear of finding my sister, and my mother, for months. The only thing keeping me going was sheer determination and a will to do what was right. Well, that and Henry. My constant. My everything. I rubbed a gentle hand over my growing belly and silently cooed to the baby inside.
Our baby.
I left behind dark thoughts of my sibling and dreamed of the life Henry and I would have together when this was all over. A life on land, just as he promised. I had no idea he felt that way, that he missed his old life so much. But Henry William White was a simple boy with a love for both the land and sea. The life of piracy was something forced upon him and he had no choice but to conform and adapt. To embrace the lifestyle. I see that now.
He’d become Devil Eyed Barrett out of necessity. It was his way of surviving. My gorgeous pirate king. God, the very thought of his brooding stare, those black eyes boring into my soul. My heart. The blonde scruff of his sharp jaw smoothing against my face and the deep, raspy growl I so often fished for as my fingers traced the lines of Henry’s muscular chest.
I quietly writhed in the tub, eyes closed, and head thrown back as my hands explored my new, ever-changing body. It still called for him, like a siren’s song. My tender breasts heaved as I let out a moan and lifted a foot to the edge of the tub.
“Now, isn’t that a glorious sight?” spoke a voice from the doorway.
I let out a yelp and sunk down into the tub, covering my body. I willed my face to stop flushing crimson as my eyes found him, though. “Jesus, Henry. Some warning would be nice.”
His mouth widened to the side with a half grin as he turned and closed the door behind him. “And miss the sight of you pleasuring yourself? Never.”
His tall frame sauntered toward the tub; black eyes locked on mine. They burned with a deep desire that I hadn’t realized I craved to see until that very moment. His need for me. I watched hungrily as Henry removed his clothing, piece by piece. The leather trench crumpled to the floor, followed by the heavy clank of a sword and big, leather boots. My heart thumped faster, harder, as he seductively slipped off the soiled white shirt and revealed the lithe muscles underneath. My hands twitched and ached to touch him. Henry then stepped into the tub by my feet and lowered himself down into the warm water.
“You’re back early,” I pointed out.
“Is that a bad thing?” He took one of my feet and lifted it to his lips, placing kisses along the inside of my ankle.
“No, just an observation,” I replied and felt my nipples harden as his lips climbed the length of my leg. “I got you something to wear.”
“Did you, now?” Henry answered mindlessly, preoccupied with the pink skin of my inner thigh.
“Yes, black, your favorite color,” I said cheekily.
“You know me well.” His fingers traced the creases around my hips and upper thigh.
“D-did everything go alright with the wine barrels?”
I felt his mouth grin against my skin at my falter.
“Yes, the tide was on our side and we rowed quickly.” My leg returned to the comfort of the warm water as Henry shifted and moved closer, positioning himself between my thighs, face only inches from mine. “But I reckon if I knew I had this waiting for me I would have jumped overboard and swam back.”
I grabbed hold of his face and closed the few inches between us, touching my forehead to his. “If I had my way, I never would have let you go in the first place.”
“Everything was fine,” he assured me. “You’ve got nothin’ to worry about.”
I grabbed hold of his jaw and forced his gaze upward. “You swear? I have nothing to be concerned about? Nothing from your past that I should know?”
“Nothing from my past matters anymore. Not now. Not ever. So long as I’m with you.” His eyes urged me to believe. “I swear it.”
In response I rolled my hips upward. “Good.”
Henry moaned in delight, and my body felt the vibration of that deep, throaty growl. “It’ll be over soon. All of it. And then we can spend the rest of our lives in bed together.”
Even though the very thought was silly, I joined Henry in the fantasy. Anchored in the moment, it was just him and I. My writhing body, his able hands, and the subtle splash of hot water in the silence of our candlelit room.
***
It was well past eight o’clock and I worried that Wallace would be displeased with us showing up late. But I quickly reminded myself that she’d have to understand, given the short notice she’d allotted us to get ready for such an event. Considering we’d only had a few hours to find proper formalwear, I think we done alright.
I twisted and turned in the long mirror of my room, admiring the way the stunning dress flowed to the floor in a thick curtain of red silk, and the way the altered black corset curved above my pregnant belly and hugged what little torso I had left. Madam Guthrie took some liberty with the neckline and altered it to a plunging dip which showed off my heaving bosom. That woman really could work magic with those boney fingers of hers.
From my velvet satchel, I fetched Henry’s mother’s ring. All day I’d been dying to show him, to see that joy on his face. I knew we’d be wed soon, but I also knew how desperately he wished for his mother’s wedding ring on my finger.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Henry peeked in. “Are you ready to–”
His hand slipped from the handle and I relished in the way his eyes widened at the very sight of me.
“Christ,” he said in a whisper of awe and entered the room fully. He looked painfully good in the outfit I chose for him. “You’re stunning, Dianna. That dress. You’re a vision of a goddess.” Henry stopped in front of me and gleamed down at my warming cheeks. “I’d be a smart man to not let you out of my sight tonight.”
The ring pressed against the skin of my clenched and nervous palm. “Tonight? Or forever?” I asked him, preparing myself to reveal the treasure I’d found.
“Forever is a given, my pirate queen.”
He tipped my chin and placed a soft,
sensual kiss on my quivering lips. God, the man sure knew how to fill my head with clouds. I fought through the fog as he pulled away and opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by the abrupt opening of the door.
“Aye, blood Christ!” Finn spewed loudly. “Is we goin’ yet, or what? My belly craves the heavy weight of wine and good grub.”
“Finn,” I said, forgetting the initial annoyance I felt at his intrusion as I took in the dapper sight of him. Decked out with the Artair tartan and outfit I’d gotten for him, Finn looked like a proper Scottish gentleman. If a thing ever existed. “You look so handsome!”
He gave a mock expression of gloating as he tugged at the collar of his emerald jacket and smoothed the freshly cleaned hair of his long, red beard. “That’s Sir Finn Artair, to ye poppers.”
He dropped the act and we all shared a lighthearted laugh. But my friend’s face quickly turned serious and those big green eyes glistened with appreciation. “Thank ye, Captain. ‘Tis been many years since I laid eyes on me clan’s colors. It fills me heart with pride to wear it.”
“Well, it looks great on you,” I told him.
“Is everyone ready to go?” Henry asked.
“Aye, ready and waitin’,” Finn replied dutifully and waggled his big, red eyebrows. “Let’s clean this wench out of French wine and delight in the feast, for tomorrow is another day and we’ve got ourselves a devil to catch.”
I inhaled deeply and exchanged a glance with Henry before we followed Finn to the stairs. Yes, tonight may be filled with yuletide celebration, but I would truly celebrate once I put a stop to my sister. Tonight was a matter of obligation, to keep the peace with Wallace as we searched for Maria. A fact that never truly left my mind. Or Henry’s, I realized from the way the look in his eyes seemed to mirror mine.
I had to have faith that my wish was conspiring with the universe to work its magic. That I’d eventually be brought to Maria and save my mother from the dark fate that chased her. I wondered, as I descended the stairs to the tavern below, if Mom knew her what her daughters were doing. That one hunted her down while the other fought to save her. Was she tucked safely away with the Celtic witches? Or did she reside somewhere out in the open, vulnerable to her possible fate?
I brushed those thoughts from my mind, knowing I had no control over them or their answers. All I had was the present, the truth in my hands and the tangible reality to which I lived in each day. Henry, my crew, my friends. Family. And the child growing inside of me. Discreetly, I tucked the ring into my bosom for later, where it would wait for the perfect moment to tell Henry. We all piled into horse-drawn carriages and trolleyed along toward The Siren’s Call. This time, Henry and I sharing a space with Finn while Lottie and Gus took the second.
The crisp December night smelled of frost and fireplaces. Each lamppost burned with the flame of a lantern and cast just the right amount of light on the Christmas wreaths that hung from each one. A delicate sprinkle of snow fell from the sky and melted as it hit the dirt road beneath us. I wrapped the fur collar of my cloak tight around my neck and leaned into Henry’s shoulder.
Across from us, Finn gleamed. “Aye, ‘tis good to see ye so happy.”
“It feels wrong to be going to a party when I have such a heavy responsibility hanging over my head. I’ll be much happier when this is over, and we won’t have Maria Cobham to worry about ever again,” I told him.
“Are ye sure ye made the wish and didn’t just dream it?” Finn replied. He spoke with a layer of humor, but I knew underneath he had concerns.
“No, it’s working,” I assured them both. “I can… feel it. Like a strange tugging inside my chest.”
“What about your first wish, then?” Henry asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You say you can feel something pulling you in the right direction to Maria or, at least, a sense of it working.” He let a pause hang in the air between us. “But you first wished for your friend Benjamin to be set free. Is there anything telling you that it was successful? Or that the wish is carrying out as it should?”
I chewed at my bottom lip, as I always did when deep in thought. I knew Henry had reservations about Benjamin and how the pirate showed obvious affection toward me. But I had assured him time and time again that Benjamin was only a friend. A dear friend who I’d gone through a great ordeal with and shared an otherworldly bond with. But a friend, nonetheless. He couldn’t hold a candle to Henry.
But this was about something else. The strike of worry on both the men’s faces told me that it was more about my second wish, and whether or not it really was coming true. I thought about Benjamin and The Black Soul. Sure, I worried my wish didn’t work, but that was only due to the fact I had no evidence to prove otherwise. But when I imagined my friend, his massive frame topped with a smirk that softened his grim face, I felt somewhere deep in my gut that he was alright.
“No, it worked. I’m sure of it. As sure as I am that we’re on the right track to finding Maria. My exact wish was to find her before she killed my mother. Maybe the universe is leading me up to the very moment before she draws the sword, or something.”
I was grasping at straws but as I spoke the words, I felt them to be true.
“Perhaps,” Finn agreed and nodded. “Christ, I didnae know the universe was so bloody literal.”
We laughed as our carriage took a turn and I saw out the window that we neared The Siren’s Call. The familiar rows of trees, now highlighted with tiny lanterns, lit the long and narrow drive to the main house. I felt like royalty as we circled around the fountain outside and stepped out onto the groomed dirt below.
The front doors opened to the outside as two men in fancy suits stood to greet and welcome the guests. We stood and waited for the second carriage to pull up and I watched patiently as Gus emerged and then helped a stunning Lottie step out. Her foot touched the ground and a heap of dark blue silk flowed from her body. A white-gloved hand took Gus by the arm and they came to meet us by the fountain.
“Are you ready?” Lottie asked me.
“Yes, let’s get this over with,” I replied.
“Over with!” Finn exclaimed. “I dinnae know about the lot of ye, but I plan to enjoy every bit of it.” He tipped his head toward me. “Somethin’ ye should consider doin’ yerself every now‘n then.”
I rolled my eyes and took Henry by the arm and the five of us marched toward the opened doors, lured by the sound of cheerful music and the scent of delicious food. As I stepped over the threshold, I was met with a blanket of noise and festive décor.
Rows of fresh green garland hung from the ceilings and candles lit every corner of every room we passed. People of all sorts filled the spaces and chatted with hands full of fizzing glasses and appetizers. We turned a corner to the main room where guests danced about to the music being played. Men with fiddles and mandolins stood on an elevated floor and happily played the festive tunes.
Gus took Lottie and the two swirled into the moving crowd as if they belonged there. Finn had already run off in search of food and drink. Henry and I circled around, tasting the tiny food that coasted by on large trays. Enjoying the festivities. Before long, Wallace found us and approached. Taking in the sight of me with an almost proud collection of thoughts. Her tall body was draped in dark green silk, white ruffles poking out around her wrists and neck. Her dark hair pulled up from her long neck.
“I see you managed to find suitable clothes,” she said by way of greeting and then switched her gaze to Henry, completely ignoring me. “You look absolutely dashing.”
“Thank you for inviting us. The Call has never looked so alive,” he replied and then turned to me at his side. “Care to dance, milady?”
I caught Wallace’s eyes flicker with malice at the slight snub that Henry had given her, and she turned on her heel, sifting through the crowd and away from us. I tried not to think of what the ripple effect that might cause down the road.
“Oh, the pirate king dances now, does h
e?” I asked him with light mockery. This was something I’d yet to witness and I took his hand, eager to discover something new about the man I loved.
Henry confidently led me to the middle of the crowd and then placed a large hand at the small of my back, pressing me tightly to his body. I glanced up at his gleaming face and my heart melted. With his other hand, he clasped mine and began to lead me around the room. I followed him in awe, stunned by the way this magnificent man could do everything with such ease. I wondered then, who’d taught him to dance.
Despite being surrounded by dozens of guests, it felt as if we were the only people in the room. The way Henry held me, the way his eyes never left mine. I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my life with this man. Nervous, my mouth opened to speak, to tell him of the treasure I held between my breasts but, once again, was interrupted by a giant Scot.
Finn yanked me by the arm and pulled me to him. “My turn!”
“Finn!” I called out in dispute.
But I quickly relaxed into a carefree mood as the foolish redhead twirled me about in a clumsy manner. Henry stood nearby, laughing at my expense as Finn stomped around and jerked my arm to and fro.
“Your dancing could use some finesse,” I told him as I gripped his arms for dear life.
He rolled his big green eyes mockingly and twirled us further to the center of the room. “I’m sure it ain’t the only thing about me that needs a bitta finesse.”
“Whatever do you mean?” I asked playfully, and we exchanged a stifled laugh.
Finn calmed a bit, dropped the quick and jerky movements, and we coasted around in comfortable circles. I caught sight of Roselyn Wallace near the edge of the crowd and pretended like the presence of her striking beauty didn’t affect me. But it did. And Finn noticed the change in my body.
“Ye got nuttin’ to worry ‘bout, ye know,” he told me and stole a quick glance her way before coming back to me.
I feigned a nonchalant composure, smiling and nodding at fellow dancers we passed by. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
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