Pirate's Promise

by Smith, Bobbi

  Having seen his face just now, Becky was convinced that Lianne was the woman who could help break through that hard, brittle shell that encased Adam's heart, yet she didn't know how to convince him of that. Somehow, she hoped to get the two of them dancing together tonight. Perhaps that little bit of contact would do some good. At least, Becky thought, it couldn't hurt to try, and then maybe, by the end of the evening, things might be different in Adam's life.

  Little did Becky know as she dreamed about uniting the two, that fate had already intervened, and that by the following day Adam's life would be unalterably changed forever.

  Chapter Seventeen

  When the music ended, Adam kept covert watch as Cyrus escorted Lianne off the dance floor and guided her to the refreshment table. He dipped her a cup of punch and remained close by her side, acting the ardent suitor.

  As the bachelor fawned over Lianne, Adam felt unexpectedly protective of her. He found he wanted to warn her about Cyrus. He wanted to tell her not to trust him, to tell her that he was known for using women and then leaving them without a thought.

  However, Adam realized it would be ridiculous gesture on his part. After all, hadn't he been the one who had really taken advantage of Lianne? He had used her for his own selfish reasons. He had taken her sweet innocence and given her nothing in return.

  The recognition of his own coldhearted actions stung. Only the thought of his ultimate goal reaffirmed his reasons for all that he'd done and eased his guilt. He dismissed the idea of interfering, knowing it would be better if he minded his own business and stayed far away from the lovely Lianne.

  Leaving Suzanne with a group of friends, Adam excused himself and went into the study to pour himself a stiff drink. He was both pleased and irritated to find it deserted. He was glad for the time alone to calm down, but alternatively he had hoped to stall in returning to Suzanne's side. Her smothering presence was wearing on him, and he did not relish spending the night dancing attendance.

  Adam drained his drink and then poured another. The burning liquor helped soothe his tautly stretched nerves, and he drew a deep, steadying breath. Calmly he told himself that if he focused his thoughts solely on catching Shark, it would make the rest of the night bearable. Soon, very soon, the pirate would return to contact Suzanne, and when he did, he and Beau would be ready and waiting.

  At the thought of Beau, Adam wondered where his friend was. He should have been here long ago, and he began to worry that something might have happened aboard the Sea Shadow.

  Aware that he'd delayed his return to the party for as long as politely possible, Adam stepped from the study taking his tumbler of bourbon with him. Then, almost as if he conjured him up, Beau arrived.

  "Glad you could make it," Adam drawled sardonically as he strode down the hall to meet him.

  "Sorry I'm late, but I had some unfinished business to take care of," Beau offered his excuses.

  "What did she look like? Katie, the barmaid, maybe?" Adam teased good-naturedly as he led him down the hall and into the study to get him a drink.

  "Ah, the lovely Katie . . ." Beau gave a tight laugh. He hadn't seen the barmaid since that afternoon weeks ago, and he wished it had been something as simple as an assignation with a woman that had put him behind schedule. "No. I'm afraid this was business."

  "Trouble?" Adam was instantly concerned.

  "There was some damage to the rigging, and I wanted to make sure it was completely repaired before I left."

  "Good. Everything's in order, then."

  Beau nodded. He helped himself to the fine bourbon. "Suzanne's here?"

  "Yes." Adam's tone was less than enthusiastic.

  "And you're ready for tonight?"

  "Yes," he answered tersely, "our plans are made. We'll be making the announcement in another hour or so."

  Beau lifted his glass in a toast. "To our ultimate goal."

  "Right." Adam saluted him, too, and then they both downed the potent liquor.

  Becky had been making the rounds of the ballroom, visiting with all the guests while she tried to find a moment to speak with Lianne alone. She'd found that nearly an impossible task, for Cyrus Shackelford seemed intent on monopolizing her company all night. She was about to deliberately interrupt when she caught a glimpse of Beau walking past the ballroom doorway out in the main hall, and all thoughts of getting Adam and Lianne together vanished.

  Beau was here at last! Becky's pulses leapt at the sight of him. She wanted to run to him and throw herself in his arms, but she fought down the urge. Sedately, without drawing undue attention to herself, she left the small group she was chatting with and started from the room to greet him. Becky got as far as the door and was about to go out into the hall when the sound of their voices reached her.

  "Sorry I'm late, but I had some unfinished business I had to take care of . . ."

  "What did she look like? Katie, the barmaid, maybe?"

  "Ah, the lovely Katie . . ."

  Beau's answer and the laugh that followed were all that Becky needed to send her temper soaring. How dare he! Here she was practically making herself crazy trying to think of ways to attract him and entice him, and here he was out running around with barmaids!

  Becky stopped at the door too angry to go out and greet Beau. Backing away from any confrontation with him, she struggled to control her fury. Her kiss had meant nothing to him! He had been with another woman even before coming to the party!

  Pain tore at her heart. All her plans and worries were for nothing. There had been no change between them, because in Beau's eyes nothing existed between them to begin with. He probably thought of her as nothing more than a nuisance. Certainly, he wasn't attracted to her or he would have responded that night when she'd kissed him.

  Her dreams were shattered. If Beau didn't want her, then she would find someone who would. There were any number of single, attractive men there tonight. She was going to set her cap for the best-looking one with the best prospects. She was tired of hoping and praying that Beau would notice her.

  Becky moved to the refreshment table and took up a cup of the champagne punch, drinking it thirstily. It surprised her to find it went down so easily, so she took another. She turned around to face the crowd in the ballroom then, eyeing all the eligible men in attendance. One by one she studied them with detached interest. Of course, there was Cyrus Shackelford, but Becky found him more obnoxious than attractive, especially since he was so much older than she was. She wondered how Lianne had tolerated him for so long tonight. Then there was Michael Randolph and Lyle Beaumont, but she found neither of them particularly exciting.

  It was then that she spied the devilish Edward Courtois as he flirted with several of the other young ladies across the room and knew instantly that he was the one she wanted. Ed was by far the handsomest of all the young wealthy bachelors with his wavy, light brown hair, dark eyes, engaging manner and easy grin. Lianne had told her all about him. She knew that he came from an excellent family, and she thought him just about the most charming, outrageous man she'd ever met. He could outdance, outdrink, and outtalk almost anyone. Rumors of his reckless gambling ways were rampant, but Becky didn't care. She wanted to have fun tonight. She wanted someone to help her forget Beau, and she believed Edward was the one. Setting her cup aside, she headed across the room to talk to him.

  It was only a short time later when Adam and Beau finally came to join the merrymakers.

  "Fine party you're having here," Cecil Whitney told Adam as he clapped him on the shoulder.

  "Thank you, Cecil," Adam responded, and then quickly made the necessary round of introductions since Beau was a stranger in their midst.

  "Adam, darling . . ."

  At the sound of Suzanne's drawl, Adam stiffened, but only Beau noticed his reaction.

  "Hello, sweet." Adam allowed her to take his arm as she came to stand at his side.

  "I missed you," she complained in saccharine tones. "You were gone so long."

  Adam was no
t the sort who dealt with petty jealousies and possessiveness well. Any other woman, at any other time, would have risked losing Adam forever by a display of such petulance, but this was Suzanne and the circumstances were different. Adam gritted his teeth and smiled.

  "Beau just arrived, Suzanne. Have you two met yet?" He distracted her and made the appropriate introductions.

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Beau Hamilton." She smiled sweetly at him. "Any friend of Adam's is certainly a friend of mind."

  While finding her helpless Southern-belle routine effective, Beau could see the spark of cagey intelligence in her eyes. This woman was no fragile flower of womanhood. There was much more to her than most people realized. "It's my pleasure, Miss Labadie. I've heard only wonderful things about you from Adam."

  Suzanne gazed up at Adam adoringly as she responded, "Please call me Suzanne, Beau. I have the feeling we're all going to be great friends from now on."

  The music began again, and Beau took the opportunity to ask Suzanne to dance. She was pleased with his offer, and they soon joined the crowd of dancers circling the ballroom floor.

  Adam stayed with the group of men and continued to talk with them about business. Caught up in the conversation, his dark head was bent toward them as he concentrated on what they were saying. Through the music and the discussion of crop prices, he heard her. It was a soft laugh, a laugh of genuine amusement, he thought, a laugh of delight that brought his head up to seek her out.

  Swirling around the dance floor, locked in Cyrus Shackelford's arms, Lianne was trying to maintain an air of gaiety and nonchalance. She kept telling herself that it would soon be over, that she only had to keep up the charade of having a good time just a little while longer. But the intensity of Cyrus's courtship this evening was leaving her decidedly ill at ease. She was growing tired of fighting him off. His hands were on her at every opportunity, and Lianne could hardly wait for the meal to be served so she could politely make her excuses and get away from him.

  Lianne would have loved for some other man to come and cut in on them as they danced, but she knew few of the other bachelors at the party were up to the challenge. Cyrus had more money, power, and prestige than almost anyone else in attendance. If she was going to get away from him she was going to have to do it all by herself.

  Lianne knew exactly what kind of man Cyrus really was. He went after the woman of his choice and, because of his social position and good looks, was seldom denied. Tonight, she mused confidently, would probably be one of the few times he would not succeed in making a conquest. The last thing she wanted or needed was an involvement with a man, any man.

  "Shall we slip outside for a breath of fresh air?" Cyrus's question was rhetorical, for he'd had already danced her out one of the french doors onto the wide porch, and it was too late to protest.

  The night was dark. The moon had yet to rise, but the sky was rife with millions of twinkling stars. The delicate, sweet scent of honeysuckle was borne on a faint breeze. It was a lovers' night. It was a night for romance.

  Cyrus had been anticipating this moment since he'd first seen Lianne earlier that evening. He wanted to make her his, and he didn't intend to fail.

  "Lianne, my darling," he spoke huskily as he drew her near.

  Lianne held herself rigidly in his arms as he would have embraced her. "Cyrus, I hardly think this is proper."

  "Come, sweetheart, don't fight me. We've known each other for a long time now." He tried to kiss her, but she twisted slightly and the kiss landed harmlessly on her cheek.

  "Just because we've known each other in a business sense, and occasionally socially, doesn't give you the right to take such liberties with me."

  "Lianne, there's no reason to be so upset," Cyrus cunningly tried to soothe her and put her fears to rest. He lifted one hand to tilt her face up toward his. "We'll be perfect together." His mouth descended taking hers in a hot exploration.

  Lianne felt as if she was going to gag. Cyrus's kiss was nothing like Adam's. There was no explosion of desire, only revulsion.

  Lianne pushed with all her might against his chest, managing to break off the contact. "We're not going to be anything together! Let me go!"

  Cyrus knew then that she was not some simple miss who would give herself to him without a thought. His voice hardened as he prepared to make his offer. "What is it you want, Lianne?"

  "I want you to let me go," she repeated, missing his point.

  "Look, there's no reason to play so hard to get. We both know how poor you are and how you're living here at Belle Arbor strictly on the Trents' charity." His words were cold and hard.

  Lianne gasped at his blunt cruelty. "What are you saying?"

  "I'm saying that I'm willing and prepared to offer you everything money can buy. Just name your price."

  "What?" Lianne couldn't believe it.

  "I'll set you up in town in your own house, and you won't have to worry about your finances ever again." He leered at her as he slipped one hand higher to cup the underside of her breast. "All you'll have to worry about is pleasing me."

  Lianne almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood stunned for an instant and then reacted instinctively, slapping him soundly. "Get your hands off me, Cyrus Shackelford!"

  Cyrus was outraged, and instead of releasing her, he bruisingly tightened his grip on her. "Oh, so you like it rough, do you?" He crushed her against his chest and again he kissed her, this time with demeaning force. His tongue raped her as he slid one hand into her bodice and brazenly fondled her.

  Lianne was fighting for real now, twisting and turning as she tried to escape his brutal treatment. "I'd live in the streets before I'd consent to be your mistress!" she hissed when the kiss finally ended.

  Cyrus chuckled viciously as he pinched at her tender flesh. When she winced and continued to struggle, he smiled thinly. "That's just where you may end up, my dear, but first I'm going to — "

  "No!" she moaned as his touch grew even more hurtful. "I'll scream!"

  "Go ahead. No one will hear you over the music," he remarked confidently, not thinking that anyone would have followed them.

  As Lianne started to cry out, Cyrus raised a hand to strike her. It was then that the deep, threatening voice boomed from the shadows.

  "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Shackelford." Adam's voice was taut with rage as he stepped forward.

  Adam had been trying his best to ignore Lianne and Cyrus while they were dancing, but when he saw the banker maneuver her outside, he'd been driven to follow. After making a quick excuse to Suzanne, he'd disappeared into the study and then gone out onto the porch through the doors there.

  Adam was immediately glad that he'd followed them, for he found Lianne in the middle of a desperate struggle to escape from Cyrus's clutches. The sight of the other man's hand on her breast sent his fury soaring. He had no right touch Lianne! As Adam moved closer, the urge to throttle Cyrus to within an inch of his life was strong within him. He kept his fists clinched at his sides in a desperate effort not to lose what little control he had left.

  "You heard the lady, Shackelford. She doesn't want anything to do with you." There could be no mistaking the steely edge in his tone. "Now, why don't you just back off."

  Cyrus was livid, but he knew better than to make a further scene. In disgust, he let his hands drop away from Lianne's soft curves and stalked off into the darkness, muttering vicious curses under his breath.

  Adam stared down at Lianne in the muted light. She looked fragile and frightened as she hurried to straighten her disheveled clothing, and he wanted more than anything to take her in his arms and hold her. He wanted to reassure her that everything would be all right. Hell, he admitted angrily to himself, he wanted to sweep her up into his embrace and carry her upstairs to his room and make mad, passionate love to her. He took a small step closer, lifting one hand slowly, meaning to to tenderly touch her cheek.

  Lianne couldn't believe Adam was there. A part of her wanted to rej
oice at his nearness, yet another part of her warned her to be careful, that he couldn't be trusted, that he was as bad in his own way as Cyrus was. Still, the look in his eyes was soft and gentle . . . When Adam moved to touch her cheek, she almost took that last step toward him.

  "Adam, darling?" Suzanne's voice was hard and clear and severed any warmth that had existed in that one delicate moment with the force of an arctic wind.

  As Suzanne came out of the ballroom and moved purposefully to his side, Adam dropped his hand away from Lianne as if he'd been burned.

  "So this is where you slipped off to," she said sweetly. "Good evening, Lianne." She linked her arm possessively through Adam's, her expression smug. "It's an absolutely glorious night, isn't it?"

  Lianne's pride was the only thing that saved her. Squaring her shoulders, she lifted her chin in defiance of the misery that would have claimed her. "Yes, it is, but I think I've had enough fresh air for now. If you'll excuse me?"

  Adam was stoic as she walked past him. His wooden expression did not betray his inner turmoil. Only when she'd disappeared around the corner of the house and Suzanne tugged at his arm did he react.

  "Now that we're alone, let's go for a walk in the garden."

  "Of course," he managed to reply, and he escorted her down the steps and out along the shell-lined paths.

  When they'd moved far enough away from the lights of the house that they couldn't be seen, Suzanne stopped and turned to Adam. In a single, sinuous move, she wrapped her arms behind his head and drew him down for a long kiss. Her mouth was hungry beneath his as she pressed herself fully against him.

  "Oh, Adam, I've waited all evening for the chance to be alone with you," Suzanne sighed.

  In no mood to talk, Adam didn't bother to answer, but kissed her instead. He knew Suzanne would accept that as a sign of his love. Yet while he was kissing her, his mind was still focused on Lianne.

  The jolt of emotion he'd experienced when he'd witnessed Cyrus's hands on Lianne had been more powerful than anything he'd ever known before. For a moment, even his need for revenge had been eclipsed by his desire to protect her from the other man's degrading advances. The realization shook him.