A Pirate's Love (7 page)

Tristan, beast that he was, enjoyed having her in his power. Well, it would not be for too long. Once he set her free and she was no longer at his mercy, she would find a way to take revenge against him.

She could hire a ship, a mightier ship than his, and blow him off the seas. Yes, even if she couldn't cut his throat with her own hands, she would still bring about his death. The Comte de Lambert would help her. Of course, the
comte
might not want to marry her anymore. Well, if he didn't, then she would just have to find another way. But she would not rest until she had sent Tristan to hell. And with that thought, Bettina finally slept.

B
ettina awoke suddenly. She had been dreaming about Tristan, and her first thought was what a horrible nightmare she'd had. But when she looked around her and saw where she was, she knew it hadn't been a nightmare.

It was all true. She was actually on a pirate ship. She was actually at the mercy of a man she knew nothing about, a man who enjoyed having her in his power. And he did enjoy it. She had seen it in his eyes, heard it in his tone of voice. He was a man who cared only about his own desires, and nothing about her feelings.

With a sigh of hopelessness, Bettina threw off the covers and sat on the edge of the narrow bed. She saw her violet dress lying in a heap by the table, and realized that she had slept without any clothes. In all her nineteen years, she could not remember once going to bed without a nightdress on.

She looked about the small room, hoping to find something to wear besides her torn shift and dress, and saw a beautiful, handcarved wooden chest standing against one wall. She went to this, instinctively knowing that it contained the captain's clothes, and
opened it. Her first impulse was to rip the contents to shreds, but she quickly shook off that notion. She could well guess what the consequences would be. She carefully sorted through the clothes, hoping to find a robe of some kind, but had to settle for a light-blue silk shirt.

Bettina slipped it on over her head, and found that the deep, open collar partially revealed her taut young breasts. The hem of the shirt did not reach her knees, but she decided against wearing any of Tristan's breeches. The man was just too big. She would have to find a needle and thread to repair her dress before Tristan returned.

As Bettina started to rummage through the rest of the cabin, she was stopped short by a knock at the door. Her first thought was to find something to cover her exposed legs, for she feared it was Tristan or one of his crewmen, but she relaxed when Madeleine came into the room. She was carrying a small tray of food that she set down on the table.

“Are you all right, Bettina?” Madeleine asked. “I was so worried that the
capitaine
might do you harm.”

“He didn't beat me, as you can see,” Bettina answered, feeling her temper rise once again. “This Tristan exacts his revenge in a much more subtle way.”

“I don't understand.”

“Of course you do!” Bettina snapped angrily, but felt ashamed when she saw the stricken look on her servant's face. “I'm sorry. You see, the
capitaine
has threatened to whip me if I resist or disobey him in any way. He gives me no choice but to submit as if I were willing. I cannot stand it! I want to fight him, but I fear the whip more than anything else.”

“Oh, I am relieved to hear this, my pet.”

“How can you say that, Maddy?” Bettina asked, startled. “How can you be relieved that I must submit to that—that
monster?
”

“I simply don't want you injured,” Madeleine said in a hurt voice. “I would do anything to prevent that man from taking you, Bettina, but there is nothing I can do. There is nothing you can do, either.”

“I could do something if he had not threatened to whip me.”

“Yes, and that is why I'm relieved, Bettina. I know your temper. I remember the time you fought the stableboy when you were a little girl playing at being the boy your papa wanted. The boy teased you, and you would not give up until you had thrown him to the ground. I know you well, my pet, but neither of us knows this
Capitaine
Tristan. I have no doubt that he would harm you if you tried to fight him.”

“I do not care about that!” Bettina snapped.

Madeleine sighed. “I wish your first time with a man could have been happier. But the damage is done, Bettina. The scars of the mind will eventually heal and be forgotten. But scars on your body would be there forever to remind you of this unpleasant experience.”

“Unpleasant! You are too kind,” Bettina declared. “Terror-filled or nightmarish, yes, but unpleasant—this could hardly be called just an unpleasant experience.”

“But that is all it is, an experience that you are going through. It will all be over soon, and then you will marry the
comte
, and—”

“Will I?” Bettina said skeptically.

“But of course you will.”

“What if the Comte de Lambert doesn't want to marry me when he learns that I have been dishonored? And worse, what if he will not pay the ransom? What will happen to us then?”

“You must stop thinking like this, Bettina. The
comte
is a Frenchman. It is a matter of honor. He will pay the ransom, and he will also marry you. Now come and eat your food before it is cold.”

Bettina supposed Madeleine was right. There would be time to worry about the
comte
later. Her main concern now was the captain, and how to avoid a repetition of his lovemaking.

Madeleine had brought two bowls of thick bean soup, and they ate in silence. Bettina finished first and leaned back in her chair to study Madeleine's face. Her old nurse looked tired.

“You must forgive me, Maddy. I have been so caught up in my own self-pity, I did not even think to ask how you fared. Are you being taken care of? Do you have a place to sleep?”

Madeleine looked up and smiled. “You have no need to worry about me, my pet. I have nothing to fear from these men as long as they appreciate my cooking.”

“Your cooking? Did you prepare this soup?”

“I did.” Madeleine chuckled. “They have made me their temporary cook. I do not mind, for it gives me something to do. There is not much to work with in the galley, but I can turn out a better meal than that fool of a lad I replaced.”

“I am sure you can, Maddy.”

“And the first officer vacated his cabin for me, so I have a place to sleep.”

Bettina shivered at the mention of the big man who had wanted to whip her to death.

“You must not judge Jules by what happened yesterday,” Madeleine said. “I dined with him last night, and he does not seem to be such a bad man.”

“But he wanted to kill me. And he would have if—” Bettina stopped. She hated to admit that Tristan had saved her from that horrible fate.

“Yes, he would have killed you,” Madeleine said. “And if he had, then I would have tried to kill him. Don't you see, Bettina? Given the same circumstances, you or I would have reacted the same way. Jules thought you had killed his friend. He told me last night that Tristan is like a son to him, or more like a brother, for they are only ten years apart in age. Tristan lost his parents when he was but a boy, and Jules took him in and raised him. They have been together ever since. They are close, very close. Would you not have acted the same way as Jules if you thought someone you cared for had been killed?”

“I suppose so,” Bettina answered grudgingly. She knew Madeleine was right, but this Jules still frightened her.

“Fate put us at the mercy of these men,” Madeleine continued. “And that is what we must remember—we
are
at their mercy. I still fear that you will do this Tristan harm, and then Jules will—”

“No, I will not try to kill him again. At least, not until we are safe.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will still have revenge. Tristan dishonored me, lied to me—tricked me!”

“But Bettina, he is a pirate. A battle was fought, and our ship lost. The
capitaine
wants you, and to his way of thinking, he has a right to you as the spoils of that battle. These pirates could still kill us
if they chose to, and they probably would if it were not for the ransom,” Madeleine said.

“I suppose you are right.”

“So you must not antagonize the
capitaine
, for he alone holds your life in his hands.”

“But I hate him! I will see him dead!” Bettina replied heatedly.

“Bettina, what is the matter with you? You usually accept a situation when it is inevitable. Why don't you try to make the best of it? It will not be for very long.”

“One day is too long to be in that man's power. He is an arrogant beast! He enjoys humiliating me.”

“Bettina, please! You have much to live for when this is over. Do not jeopardize your life!”

“Don't worry about me, Maddy.”

“How can I not worry about you when you talk like that! This Tristan spared the crew of the
Windsong
, which was merciful indeed, but he might kill you yet if you anger him. You don't know—”

“What do you mean he spared the crew?” Bettina interrupted. “He killed them, murdered them all!”

“You must have seen that was not so, Bettina,” Madeleine said.

“I saw—I saw nothing,” she admitted reluctantly. “I could not bear to look as I was led across the deck. I assumed they were all dead.”

“They were not. I saw them breathing. Many were unconscious, and most were wounded, but I don't think any were actually dead.

“Why would he allow them to live?”

“I don't know, love. I thought it strange at the time. Pirates are supposed to be cutthroats who kill easily for pleasure or gain.”

“They are still robbers, and they attacked the
Windsong
, didn't they? Maybe Tristan was in a lenient mood yesterday, but he is still a pirate, and I will see him dead for what he has done to me.”

“Ah, Bettina,” Madeleine sighed. “Why could you not be more like your gentle mama? Accept the truth that men rule this world and we women have no say. It would be much easier for you if you did. Just as you had to obey your papa's orders at home, now you must obey this Tristan. And when you marry, you must obey the
comte
. Men have a way of punishing us women when we do not comply with their wishes. Did you not learn that when you were young and defiant? You were sent away to school, when it was your mama's wish to keep you at home. Your papa punished you both by sending you away. Have you not learned from your mistakes?”

“But that was different.”

“Yes, I suppose it was. A male relative legally rules your life. This Tristan is not a relative, but you are under his power now and the laws of society are not here to prevent his harming you. Just remember that, my pet, for your own sake. Give up this revenge you speak of.”

“I have said I will not kill him until we are safe, but then I will find a way.”

Madeleine let it go at that. There was no point in trying to talk sense into Bettina when she felt this strongly.

“I must go now to prepare the noon meal.” Madeleine reached into her pocket and pulled out a needle and thread. “I obtained these so you could repair your dress. I would do it for you, but I think you need something to do.”

“Yes. And thank you, Maddy. You always think of everything.”

“Not everything, or I would have thought of a way to keep that man from you.”

“I will think of a way myself,” Bettina returned.

Madeleine shook her head and got up to leave. “I will return later, Bettina, if I can. I may be too busy, though, if the new supplies the
capitaine
promised arrive this afternoon.”

“What new supplies?” Bettina asked in surprise.

“The ones Jules went ashore to purchase. He left this morning.”

“He went ashore!” Bettina exclaimed. “Then we are near land?”

“I thought you knew. The ship dropped anchor in the middle of the night. We are in the port of Tortola.”

Bettina finally noticed the stillness of the ship. After being at sea for so long, she should have known immediately upon waking that the ship was not moving, but her tumultuous thoughts had kept her from noticing.

“Now we can escape!” Bettina said quickly, excitement rising in her voice.

“That is impossible, Bettina. We would need a boat, for the ship is far from shore. And the crew has taken them all.”

“We can swim!”

“I—I do not know how,” Madeleine admitted reluctantly.

“Oh, Maddy,” Bettina nearly cried. Then her hopes rose again. “I will go alone. I will bring back the authorities, and these pirates will be arrested and hanged. We will be free!”

“It is a good thought, my pet, but it would never
work. The
capitaine
is still on the ship. He would never let you escape.”

Bettina's hopes were shattered with those few simple words.