by Pride, Mia
“Oh…” was all Kat could say in response to the scene.
“Avert your gaze, Kat,” Juan said, pulling on her arm and she pulled away from him.
“Why should I?” she asked in defiance. “Mayhap I shall learn a thing or two while I am here.” The frown on his face made her bite back a chuckle. Juan preferred to treat her like a wee child instead of a woman full grown. She was twenty years old, after all. Perhaps she would never engage in such behaviors publicly, but the thought of a man doing such things to her in private, especially Juan, made her start to feel a little sweaty.
“Allow me to show ye all to yer chambers,” Niall said, walking through the hall as if naught was happening and heading toward a spiral set of stairs that led to one of the towers. Kat looked around at the massive stone walls, cold against her fingertips and reminding her of her grandmother’s Castle, Rockfleet. Only her castle was nothing compared to the size of this towering building housing hundreds of men and women.
After walking up what felt like a hundred steps, they finally arrived on the third floor of the tower, where Niall turned to the left and looked at Lawrence and Juan. “Yer chambers are just here,” he pointed to two doors on the right.”
“Where is mine?” Kat asked, looking at Niall and suddenly feeling panic set in.
“I have a chamber set up for ye on the top floor, near mine,” Niall said with a smile.
“No. Kat stays with me,” Juan groused, sidling up to Kat and wrapping an arm around her protectively. “She will not be separated from me.”
“Well, now. How is she supposed to consider my suit as a husband if she is always with ye? I vow to be a gentleman at all times.”
“Ye go too far, Niall,” Lawrence said calmly, shaking his head. “Ye ken Tomas would kill ye.”
“Ye agreed to allow me a chance to prove myself to the lass. I ken ye think ill of me on most accounts, but I have never mistreated a woman. I may be a pirate, but I plunder treasure, not women.” Niall seemed insulted, and Kat believed him.
“’Tis all right. I will go with him,” Kat said, looking at Juan and Lawrence. “He is correct that I cannae get to ken who he is if I am with Juan all the time.”
Juan looked at her with concern in his dark gaze and a clenched jaw, but he nodded and released her side, stepping away. “If I hear one report that you made Kat uncomfortable, to hell with you and our word. I will kill you and burn this place down, si?”
“Even if my men would kill ye first?” Niall asked, raising a brow.
“Even then.”
“Kat must mean a lot to ye.” Looking at Juan, she saw him blink a few times, but he said nothing, simply continued to stare warningly at Niall. “Verra well. The evening meal will be served shortly.” Niall nodded and put out his arm for Kat and, hesitantly, she looped her hand around his elbow, allowing him to walk her back to the stairs before going up another flight. The halls were dark but lit well enough with sconces and the scent of lavender filled the air as herbs crunched beneath her feet.
“My chamber is at the end of the hall, just there,” Niall leaned in close to her ear and pointed down the hall where fires flickered, lining the walls. “Yer chamber is this one, two doors down from mine, and it locks from the inside. No man can get in unless ye allow them in. Ye are safe. I will pick ye up in a wee bit to accompany ye to dinner. For now, get some rest and wash up.”
Swallowing hard, Kat nodded and breathed deeply. “Aye. Thank ye.” She was uncertain about Niall, but truly hoped he was a man of his word. He was kin to Tomas, after all, and if her brother had considered him as a husband for Kat, he had to be a decent man… for a pirate. Still, she did not need to court him to know she would never marry the man. She was not certain she would ever marry at all, but if she did, only a man such as Juan would do… not that she wished to marry Juan either. She wished to do many things with Juan, just not marry him. That thought made the images she had seen downstairs flood her mind and her body flushed. What had gotten into her? She had seen him naked, had felt him against her. Now, she wanted so much more.
No longer able to think straight, Kat simply nodded to Niall and entered her chamber door, slamming it behind her and leaning against the rough wood surface, closing her eyes. Juan had demanded she stay with him… in his room. Did he want the same things she did? He was the one who had pushed her away, was he not?
Shaking her head, Kat looked around the room and gasped at the beauty before her. A four-poster bed demanded her attention, draped in lavish gold silk from the curtains to the sheets. Tapestries fit for royalty adorned the walls, depicting cherubs with flutes and another image of a nude man and woman intertwined. Everywhere she looked, men and women were making love, even on the walls of her chamber.
Sighing in frustration, Kat plopped on the bed and looked around some more. A large bureau rested against the opposite wall, adorned with intricate carvings and painted trimmings of gold. A matching desk faced the hearth with a large wooden chair and a chest at the end of the bed. Candles flickered on a small table surface and a few sconces had been lit a while ago, based on the warmth of the room. Had he known they were coming? That was unlikely, given the reception they received, but either way, this room was nicely prepared and ready for a guest.
A knock at her door made her sit up and frown. “Who is it?” she asked, realizing she had forgotten to bar the door.
“My name is Rose,” an old female voice said from the other side of the door. “My Lord bid me come here and help ye get ready to dine with him.”
Kat frowned and felt her hair, knowing it was windswept and disheveled, but so was her dress. “I dinnae need any help. I have naught to wear but what I have on.”
“I can take care of that, Mistress, if ye will let me enter.”
Hesitant, Kat walked over to the door and slowly opened it, peeking out to see a short elderly woman on the other side. Beside her were four younger women who appeared to be carrying armloads of fine cloth. Deciding it was safe, Kat opened the door wide and allowed them to enter. Rose came in first, followed by the four others who placed mounds of items on the bed, dipped curtsies, then exited swiftly.
“Oh, my. I see I have my hands full,” Rose said when she glanced at Kat, looking her up and down. “Well, ye did just step off a boat, after all. A tub will arrive shortly and we will get ye all scrubbed clean in nay time at all, Mistress.”
“Kat. My name is Kat. I am nobody’s mistress.”
“Not yet ye arenae,” Rose snorted and shuffled over to the bed, searching through the piles that Kat only just realized were exquisite dresses of silk, damask, and every color she could imagine. “My lord did say ye were a wee thing, but ye have plenty on top, ye do,” Rose said, staring at Kat’s bosom as if it were a mystery to be solved. “I dinnae ken if I can get them to stay put in any of these, but we shall try.”
As Rose continued to look through the pile, the door opened once more and a tub came through, followed by young lads with buckets of steaming water, each pouring its contents into the tub and then promptly leaving. They certainly did have a system in place here at Castle Dheomhan.
Once they were alone, Rose looked at Kat and waved her hands. “Come now. Take that dingy thing off and climb in.”
“I – I am not accustomed to being bathed by another,” Kat said warily. “I am no lady.”
“Ye think anyone in this castle is?” Rose laughed. “’Tis a pirate stronghold ye are in, ye ken that, aye? Now, get undressed, lass. I will get ye clean.”
Clearly Rose was determined to do her task, despite Kat’s discomfort. Tugging on the laces of her worn dress, Kat allowed the fabric to slide down her shoulders, then slowly to the floor, feeling embarrassment wash over her. She had never understood how noble women were so comfortable being undressed and bathed by other people.
“Ye are a wee thing, but ye are built well. Nay reason to be flushin’ about yer face. Come now, get in. Ye innae got all day.”
Rose was bossy, but Kat did a
s she was told and walked over to the large wooden tub, admiring the steam rising from the water and wonderful scents filling the air. A sigh escaped her as she placed her first foot in, then the other. Immediately, her entire body began to warm and thaw. She had not even realized she was as chilled to the bone as she was, having grown used to cold winds and frigid air. Mayhap now she understood the lure of a bath. If she had to allow another older woman to scrub her to enjoy this, so be it.
Once she was fully immersed up to her shoulders in the wonderful warmth of the water, Rose scooped her hair up and began to gently brush out the knots with a comb, chatting away as Kat closed her eyes and relaxed for the first time in what felt like years.
“Ye have beautiful hair, child, much like my one granddaughter had.”
“Had?” Kat asked casually, enjoying the feel of the comb on her scalp.
“Aye. She was taken some years ago by a strange sickness. She was a wee bonny thing, much like yerself.” Rose sighed with what sounded like resignation and Kat’s heart twisted with sympathy.
“I am sorry, Rose.”
“Och, let us not dwell on such things. Ye are alive and well, and ye are in for a treat with our lord tonight. He is a fine host.”
“So, I ken. I saw the… guests earlier in the hall.”
“Oh, dear child. These men be pirates and they have expectations. They want gold, whiskey, and women, and he makes certain they have it. He must if he wants to have a loyal crew for his next journey. But dinnae be fooled. Niall plays the part of a rough marauder, but he is a gentle soul and doesnae take part in such things and come nightfall, he expects his men cleaned, prepared to dine like kings, and behaving the same way. Ye will see. He is a good man and ye are a fortunate lass to be courted by him.”
So, Rose knew. “I didnae come here expecting to be courted, Rose. I wasnae supposed to be here at all.”
“Oh?” Kat could not see Rose, but she heard the question in the old woman’s tone just as she picked up a linen rag and began to scrub Kat’s body.
“Nay. I snuck aboard.”
“Oh?” Rose said again and Kat nodded.
“Aye. I suppose it wasnae the smartest thing I have ever done. The captain of the ship, Juan, is my brother’s most loyal man but I didnae trust him. He had secrets and I wanted to discover them. Turns out, his secret was an innocent and painful one, and I am the fool.” Kat sighed once more, thinking about Juan and his true name. So, he was the heir to the throne of Spain? Of all the secrets. She never expected such a thing and yet, he looked and acted like royalty. He was large, strong, and rough enough to blend with pirates but he spoke like a man who had an education and carried himself with grace. Who was Alonso to him? He called him “Padre”, which she assumed meant father. There was much she did not know and the more she learned, the more she questioned.
Fear for Juan sat in her chest. She did not understand why, but he did not wish to go back to Spain, did not wish to have the throne. And according to Niall, the new king, Juan’s brother, wanted him found and most likely dead. He was a threat, after all. They were in a Scottish pirate keep with a Spanish galleon and its crew held captive, looking for Juan. They had sailed directly into their hands, but Kat would not allow them to take Juan. She would do all she could to make sure he made it back to Clew Bay safely.
“This Juan… he is… exotic, aye?” Rose asked as she finished cleaning Kat and prompted her to stand. She did and accepted the towel to dry off as she stepped out.
“Aye. He is a Spaniard.”
“And verra handsome,” Rose smiled just before she turned to the bed and began sorting through the fine gowns laid out. Kat remained silent. Juan was more than handsome, and if she continued to think about him every other minute of the day, she would start to believe she may be in love with the man.
Shaking her head, she blew out a heavy breath, watching as Rose raised a brow. “Niall has competition for yer affections, I see.”
“What? Nay! I mean – I dinnae care for either man. I dinnae ken why everyone suddenly thinks I should marry, or why my brother discussed marriage with Niall in the first place. I have never shone interest in being any man’s wife.”
Kat was not certain Rose was listening, watching as the older woman plucked a wonderful bright blue silk gown with long flowing sleeves and a rather low-cut bodice from the pile. It had a delicate lace trimming and Kat’s mouth dropped. “Who owns these gowns?”
Rose shrugged. “They were all part of the plunder the pirates find from merchant ships and such. They belonged to some spoiled fancy lass who will likely stomp her foot and cry over their loss, then have more made.” Rose chuckled and held the gown up to Kat’s form. “Aye, this will fit ye nicely. Mayhap a wee too small around yer bosom, but I never heard a man complain about that.”
“I will complain about that,” Kat responded, knowing already that Rose was likely to ignore her opinion.
Once Rose slipped a soft chemise over Kat’s head, she then dressed her, pulling tightly on the laces and making Kat grunt from being jostled about. A few twists of her hair and a pinch to her cheeks that made her eyes water were the last things Rose did before nodding with a smile as she looked Kat up and down approvingly.
“Ye clean up right nicely, lass. My lord will be pleased.”
“I dinnae care if he is or isnae,” Kat replied, crossing her arms. She was starting to feel like everyone around her was in control of her own life and decisions. She would allow Niall to court her but only so she could keep her promise. Otherwise, they would have been thrown out and Juan would have failed his first mission for Tomas and, in the process, the queen.
“I care. I have done my job. That is all that matters. What ye do now is up to ye.” Rose shrugged and walked away, leaving Kat alone in the room.
Looking around, Kat pondered what she was to do next, having no idea when the meal was to take place or what there was to do until then. Plopping on the bed, she admired the softness of the mattress and sighed, wishing she could lean back and rest, but Rose had already fixed her hair. Looking down, she saw her bosoms straining in the low-cut bodice and attempted to tug as hard as she could without success.
When she heard a knock at her door, Kat continued to tug on the bodice, desperate to cover more of her breasts. “Come in,” she shouted, hoping Rose had returned with something more modest or at least a handkerchief to help conceal her breasts before they spilled out completely. “This is ridiculous, Rose. My bosom shall fall out!” Looking up, Kat shrieked and jumped off the bed when a dark pair of eyes met hers from across the room, his hand on the door with a white-knuckled grip.
“Juan!” she huffed, realizing she was still fidgeting with her dress and lowering her hands. Juan’s gaze shifted between her face and her bosom, and Kat felt the warmth flow through her body.
“I came to check on you and make sure you were well. You look…” he paused and released the door, stepping closer to her, making her breath catch. “You look beautiful, Kat.”
Swallowing hard, Kat tried to remain calm and look unaffected by him, although she felt as if she had just run the entire length of Ireland and may lose her breath and collapse onto the floor. “Thank ye. I had little choice,” she added.
“Well, you do look ready to be courted,” he added with a bit of an edge in his voice.
“I told ye why I agreed to this, Juan. And why do ye care? Ye made it clear ye have nay interest in me,” Kat responded. “Which is just fine because it would never work between us.”
His brows lowered and scowled, making Kat wonder what it was Juan truly wanted, what he was truly feeling. But until he was ready to tell her more about who he was, she would never know Juan, not really. He was a stranger with secrets she could not even fathom.
“Why would it not work between us?”
Kat raised a brow and stepped forward, hoping to get some reaction from Juan, any sign of a chink in his emotional armor. “Why? Well, I am naught but a wee Irish pirate wench. I gamble, I
fight, I fecking curse, I dress like a lad, and stow away upon ships full of men. Ye, Ferdinand, are the heir of Spain and clearly bred as royalty. We are not of the same world.”
The door slammed loudly behind him when he kicked it shut with his boot, causing Kat to flinch and jump at the sudden sound, then gasp and back away slightly when Juan placed his large warm hand across her mouth. “You had better be very careful when and where you say such things, Kat. In fact, do not repeat that ever again.”
Pulling his hand off her mouth, Kat stepped back toward the bed and put her hands on her hips. “As if being the true King of Spain is some awful existence!” she hissed. “Ye act as if going back to Spain would be worse than death!”
“It would be death! You think my brother, who was raised to be king, wants to compete for the throne? He will have me killed and even if I do not want it, there will be an outcry for the true king to take the throne. I will forever be in danger until I am murdered or forced to rule a broken country I never wish to see again!” Juan hissed, stepping forward once more.
“So, ye will stay in Clew Bay and be referred to as the Beast for the rest of yer days? Avoiding people, pirating, and living in yet another broken country? Ye have a chance to make Spain a better place for yer people! Ireland is under constant threat from the verra queen Tomas serves. We risk war every day. Ye would give up yer place in Spain to exist as a pirate?”
“Si, I would! I have!” Juan whispered, looking angrier with every word. “You have no idea what my life has been!”
