Sea Mistress (7 page)

Dear God, but she had never expected things to happen like this. She'd planned to be better prepared, to face him while wearing a lovely silk gown. Her hair would be arranged artfully, of course. Perfumed with rose oil, she would look her most alluring, so he wouldn't be able to resist her charms. But she was bedraggled and waterlogged instead, like some poor waif left to fend for herself on the streets. She felt at a distinct disadvantage.

Bess tensed, reminding herself that this man had used and deserted her. Why should she care what she looked like? She was in the right, while he was in the wrong. She certainly didn't hope to impress him, and she didn't need fancy garments to give her confidence.

And she would never allow him to hurt her again.

John Reeves came rushing up to assist Bess. “Miss Metcalfe, I thought I told you to stay in your cabin!” Having accurately gauged the situation, he'd come from behind the captain, grabbing Bess's arm to take her below.

Bess felt Seth's increased tension as Reeves tried luring her to the lower deck. But she shook her head, refusing to budge. It was too late now. Seth knew of her presence. It was time to face him and suffer the consequences of her foolish venture topside.

“You knew she was on board?” Seth said to Reeves. His incredulous look became furious when John inclined his head. “Damn it, man—what were you thinking of, bringing this
woman
on board?” He said “woman” as if she were a disease.

“I am not just
this woman,
Captain Garret,” Bess said. “I am Edward Metcalfe's niece.” Her voice was snide. “Or have you forgotten?”

“It isn't likely I'll ever forget,” Seth said sarcastically, “since it appears I'm stuck with you for the duration.” He inhaled sharply and shuddered as he released the breath. “
Damn!
” He scowled at her, and then at Reeves. “Get her below,” he commanded Bess's employee. “And see that she stays there.”

“No!” Bess cried. She wouldn't be shut away like cargo! She calmed down and spoke to him in a pleasant voice. “Captain, we need to talk.” She reached out to touch his arm, drawing away quickly when he glared at her.

“John, go below,” she pleaded. “I'll be down in a minute. After the captain and I talk—”

“I want her below—
now!
” Seth bellowed, uncaring of the lady's desire.

“Hurry, Miss.” Nervously, Reeves recaptured hold of Bess's arm. “This isn't the best time, Miss Metcalfe. Perhaps later—”

“It's too late already, John,” she said, pulling away. “We've been found out. I may as well brave the beast now.”

With trembling hands, she brushed back the damp tendrils that had escaped from her braids. Next, she turned to Seth with a forced smile. “Captain—Seth—please. We need to talk.”

Seth's face contorted as he fought to banish the pain of seeing her. He'd never expected to set eyes on her again. He'd often wondered what he'd do if he did. The urge to strangle her was uppermost in his mind . . . and the urge to ravish her tempting pink mouth.

His features hardened before his expression became unreadable. “Get her out of my sight,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Before I do something I may regret.”

“Miss Metcalfe—please!” Reeves's anxious voice begged.

Bess was shaken. “Seth?”

“Now, Elisabeth! Please!” Reeves took her arm, tugging hard when she resisted still.

But Seth was unyielding. And Bess knew then that he'd never listen to her in his present state of mind. Her eyelashes feathered against her cheeks as she reluctantly accepted defeat.

Things hadn't gone according to plan, and she had no one to blame but herself. With a sigh, she gave in to Reeves's urging.

Head held high, her small frame erect with pride, Bess left the captain's presence with as much dignity as she could muster. But as she made the climb down to the cabin deck, she became angry. Seth had humiliated her.

“Later then, Captain Garret,” she vowed beneath her breath. “I'll see you in hell later.”

 

 

“Back to your stations!” the mate cried, and those who had gathered dispersed.

As soon as Bess and Reeves had gone, the captain's shoulders slumped.

“Captain?” James Kelley touched his commander's shoulder.

Seth flinched, and then he focused his unreadable blue eyes on the First Mate. His lips twisted into a slight smile. “Yes, Mr. Kelley?”

Kelley's gaze went to the ladder. “You know her, don't you?” He joined Seth who leaned against the rail to stare out over the sea. There was a long silence as he waited for Seth to answer.

“Once, I thought I knew her,” Seth said, his tone harsh. “But the woman turned out to be inhuman . . . a viper in disguise.”

Kelley's astounded glance flew to the captain's face. For a tense moment, the mate didn't know how to respond. He decided it was best to change the subject. “Do you have any orders, sir?”

Amused, Seth looked at the man. “Have any suggestions?”

A silent message was exchanged and James's lips curved. “Boil her in oil?”

The captain raised his eyebrows. “And ruin that fair skin? Her cousin would flay me.”

“Tie her up and throw her in the cargo hold?” the First mate suggested half seriously.

Seth appeared to ponder the thought. “Too drastic, I suppose.” He sighed heavily. “Keep her in her cabin where she won't cause trouble.”

“Very well, sir.” James Kelley moved away.

“Mr. Kelley?” Seth's voice halted him in his tracks.

“Yes, sir?” The officer retraced his steps.

“I think you should know that Elisabeth Metcalfe isn't a viper at all.” Seth paused, noting how he had captured the officer's rapt gaze and attention. He smiled, a slow wicked smile that made the first mate shiver. “She's just a spoiled child who's hell bent on making trouble. Beware of her beauty and her fire, for she is more deadly in her innocence than a devil is in his intent.”

Kelley swallowed and nodded. “I'll keep her away from the crew.”

Seth inclined his head, satisfied. “Thank you, Mr. Kelley. As usual, your perception and loyalty are commendable and bear rewarding.”

 

 

“Damn him!
Damn him!
” Bess paced the short length of her cabin, her face red, her hands clenched at her sides. “Who does he think he is?” She stopped and glared at Reeves. “Who!”

“Mar—Miss Metcalfe,” Reeves amended, “Captain Garret is the commander of this ship. I told you not to go topside. I—”

Bess waved a hand in silence. “I know—
I know!
Don't you think I regret acting so foolishly? But I did, and now the beast thinks he can keep me below.” She began to pace furiously again. “I won't stay down here for much longer. I've been cooped up in this damp hole for days. I don't give a damn if Seth Garret is the President of the United States. He is forgetting himself here. I am Elisabeth Mary Metcalfe. Even though he is ignorant of the fact that his employer, George Metcalfe, is a figment of my imagination, he should treat me with the respect due a member of his employer's family!”

John rose from his chair and halted Bess's frantic pacing. “Bess,” he said softly, and his quiet tone garnered her immediate attention. “I know you feel trapped here, but now that word has gone out that there's a female on board—” Reeves cleared his throat awkwardly. “Ah, this cabin is the—ah-hum! —
safest
place for you.”

Bess brushed aside his statement with false laughter. “Really, John, who would harm me?” She stilled as Conrad's expression of lust filled her mind, instilling fear.

She sank onto her bunk, feeling frustrated. “What am I going to do? I can't stay below for the next hundred days. I'll go crazy!”

“I'm sure the captain will allow you topside when it's safe,” Reeves soothed.

“Allow me!” Bess spat, rising abruptly. “In a pig's eye! Did you see his face? Feel his contempt? The man hates me!”

Reeves failed to stifle a small smile. “That's utter nonsense. Captain Garret barely knows you—how can he hate you?” He chuckled as if to laugh off her fears. “He's simply angry because he's been duped. He'll get over it.”

That's what you think, Reeves,
Bess mused,
but then you're unaware that the dear captain and I have a history . . .

“How long are you going to keep her waiting?” Reeves demanded.

Seth looked at him without expression. “As long as I wish, Mr. Reeves. I'll send for her when I'm good and ready.”

The captain scowled darkly as the door slammed shut behind the man's retreating back. Damn, but this was a fine turn of events! Elisabeth Metcalfe on board ship!

Something wrenched in his gut as he thought of her. Only hours before he'd been haunted by her image. And now she was here . . . even in her mannish clothing, more bewitching, more beautiful than the last time he'd seen her, years before.

What is she doing on my ship?
Why had George Metcalfe, Edward Metcalfe's heir and the new owner of E. Metcalfe Co., sent a woman on this dangerous voyage about Cape Horn?

He stared at his charts until they blurred beneath his gaze. It just didn't make sense, and when he'd questioned Reeves, the man's answers had been anything but satisfying.

And now he, as the captain, was left with a decision. His instincts told him to turn the
Sea Mistress
around and take the woman back to Wilmington where she belonged. The consequences of having her on board ship would be dire. He'd be forever trying to protect her from his men—that is, once they'd gotten over their horror of having a woman on the voyage—
if
they ever got over their horror. All sailors believed it was bad luck to have a female on board, and on the journey about Cape Horn . . .

Seth stood, grinding his teeth in frustration. There was nothing to do but summon Bess and find out exactly what had possessed her cousin to send her on this trip. Did she truly believe she could pretend to be Robert Marlton for the entire journey? That she could come topside whenever the mood struck her?

The second mate's reaction at finding her in their midst was just a sample of what she'd have to contend with. Hadn't it occurred to either her or her cousin that she'd be placing herself in peril by traveling with a group of cutthroat men?

He paced his cabin, his fingers clenching and unclenching at his sides.
Elisabeth Mary Metcalfe.
Or was it Mrs.—?

She'd caused him more pain and heartache than any other person on the face of God's earth. A wicked smile curved Seth's mouth. He could pay her back for her betrayal . . . make her life uncomfortable beyond imagining. If he kept her on board.

He thought of those luminous dark eyes of hers and felt his heart lurch. Cursing himself for his response, he strode to the hatch and bellowed for his first mate. A decision about the woman must be made quickly, while there was still the option of turning back.

Mr. Kelley appeared within seconds of Seth's call. “Captain?”

“Bring Miss Metcalfe to my cabin.”

“Aye, sir.” Kelley left to do his captain's bidding. Seth closed the cabin door . . . and waited.

 

 

The knock came as Bess was sitting on her bunk, fuming about the captain's behavior.

“Come in,” she said, believing it to be Reeves.

“Miss Metcalfe.”

She glanced up and saw that it was Seth's first mate, a young man with bronzed skin and kind eyes. “Yes, Mr. Kelley?”

“Captain Garret will see you now.”

Bess stiffened at the mention of Seth. It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse to go, but what good would it do? The last thing she wanted was to spend another day below deck without knowing the captain's plans for her. Would he take her back to Wilmington or on through the voyage around Cape Horn?

She got up from her bunk. “Very well,” she said. She had discarded the dark cap earlier. Now she gave it a thought and decided that it would be pointless to cover her head. By now everyone knew she was a woman.

She patted her flaxen plaits, checking to see that they were still pinned up neatly. Mr. Kelley stood by the hatch, watching in grim silence, waiting for Bess to proceed him from the cabin.

The captain's quarters was directly across the passageway from where Bess was staying in the officers' cabin. Bess had no intention of entering Seth's room first, so she stood aside and gestured for Kelley to go before her.

The door opened. The first mate blocked Bess's view of the ship's commander.

“Captain,” Kelley said. “Miss Metcalfe is here to see you.”

There was a long tense silence. “Show her in, Mr. Kelley.”

Bess's breath caught in her throat at the deep, familiar timbre of Seth's voice.

Kelley moved and Bess met Seth's fiery blue gaze.

“Thank you, Mr. Kelley,” Seth said, his eyes never moving from the woman's face. “Please see that we're not disturbed.”

“Aye, captain.” The first mate bowed to Bess and then left.

She stood near the door and studied Seth, whose attention was no longer on her. He had his dark head bent over his chart table, and he was silent as he contemplated his map.

Seth neither looked her way nor further acknowledged her presence, and Bess waited patiently for a time until her temper got the better of her. She used the time to study him, and saw the physical changes from the younger Seth she'd known . . . and loved. As she noted before, he was even more handsome, if it were possible.

His hair was still the shade of midnight, like the sky on a cloudy night where neither moon nor stars alleviated the darkness. A wall lantern lit the interior of the cabin, and the golden glow of the burning oil highlighted the masculine lines of his nose and jaw. Age had given lines to his face . . . harsh but attractive lines. It looked as if his life's experiences had become etched in his profile, as if he'd seen much of the world and what he'd seen had been mostly unpleasant.

For the flash of an instant, she saw the young sailor who had come to her uncle's home. His smile had been startling, giving his face a warm glow. His blue gaze had been tense and adoring when he'd declared his love for her.

And she had believed him.

Much to her misfortune.

She'd never expected to feel a shock at seeing him again after so many years. She had thought she'd been better prepared . . .

He glanced up and met her eyes, and the jolt of the impact was like lightning that shook her from head to toe. For a tension-filled moment, they simply stared at each other. Bess was horrified by a sudden surge of feeling, a spark of the burning passion that had consumed them so long ago.
I feel nothing for this man. Nothing!

Liar,
an inner voice taunted.

Seth's face gave away none of his thoughts. And then his mouth twisted, and reality returned, hitting Bess hard.

He straightened, his lips curved in sardonic amusement as if he sensed her discomfort and wallowed with pleasure in it. Bess wanted to strike out and hurt him. “You look horrible,” she lied. He looked dangerous and tough . . . and good—too good.

Seth's smile became a grin. “You haven't changed a bit.”

“And what's that supposed to mean?”

He moved from his chart table, and as he approached she felt the room fill with his commanding presence. The threatening energy emanating from him made Bess want to turn tail and run. But she didn't. She straightened her spine and held his gaze squarely.

“Years ago you were saucy and beautiful,” he said softly. “It appears your sauciness has become daring, but otherwise you're the same.”

Bess flushed at the implication. A shiver raced down her back as he continued to study her with a look that was frankly admiring. He still found her beautiful; the thought was disturbing.

She tightened her lips.
Don't be taken in by his charm! He's a liar. Remember?

Seth was within a foot of her. He touched her chin; running his fingers along her jaw as if he were studying an object, but clearly enjoying her smooth skin. Her pulse quickened with the caress. She swallowed and fought the inclination to pull away, for she didn't want him to know how shaken she was.

She thought that when she saw him again she would feel nothing but anger. Before coming on board ship, she'd thought all memories of the good in their relationship were gone. But they were back, haunting her, and they had been since she'd heard his voice again that first night.

She found her gaze drawn to his mouth . . . the sensual lips that had once brought her wild pleasure. His head bent, and that male mouth was only inches away from hers. His breath caressed her, while he continued to stroke her cheek.

“I lied,” he murmured, “when I said you're still as beautiful as you were back then. The years have been good to you, Bess. You're even more breathtaking than you were when we met.”

Bess leaned forward, pulled by the desire to kiss him. “You look good, Seth,” she whispered.

He stared at her mouth as she moistened it with her tongue. With a low groan, he bent his head, closing the gap between their lips, capturing her mouth in a kiss that was rough yet exciting.

The kiss didn't last long. It seemed to Bess that it was over before it began. She opened her eyes when he broke the contact. Her face burned as she realized how easily she'd fallen under his spell.

“I should turn this vessel around and take you back to your dear cousin,” he said softly, evenly. His expression was dark and forbidding, but there was a glint in his blue eyes that suggested an inner satisfaction. “What on earth possessed the man to send you?”

Bess's heart thumped at the idea of returning to Wilmington. She thought quickly. They must continue the journey at all costs. “My cousin sent me, Captain, because I'm good at what I do.”

“And that is?” A flame glowed in his blue eyes. The insinuation in his tone was plain.

She refused him the satisfaction of an answer. She would not let him get the better of her! “If you take me back to my cousin, you'll pay the price. The contract between you and my cousin will be null and void. George wants me on this trip. Either resign yourself to my presence or lose the biggest paying haul you've ever had.”

The flame disappeared as Seth narrowed his gaze. “You're privy to your cousin's business contracts?” He had never met George Metcalfe, and now he was certain he didn't want to. What kind of man would send a woman on such a dangerous journey? “Do you have any idea of the complications caused by your being here?” he asked her.

“I know that sailors are superstitious about having a female on board ship,” she said, “but they'll get over it.”

He was angry. “Damn it, woman—the men on my ship are the toughest, most disreputable lot the world has to offer. What makes you think they'll get over anything? And what makes you think you'll be safe?”

Bess's eyes flashed. “I can understand your concern, Captain, but unfortunately there's nothing either one of us can do. I expect you to see to my well being. In return, I'll try not to put myself in peril.”

“Your safety,” he mumbled. He raised his voice. “I could keep you below for months. Is that what you want? To be kept in your cabin for the three months it'll take to complete this voyage?”

“You wouldn't dare!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Wouldn't I?”

“Damn you!” she cried, clenching her fists. “You'll have to watch me every minute—every second, because I'll take every opportunity to defy your wishes! I'll not be a prisoner on this ship!”

His smile was grim, his voice soft when he spoke, too soft. “A captain's word is law on board ship. I punish all who disobey me.”

“Oh? And how will you punish me? With hours in your company?” She pretended to shudder. “Dear Lord, help me, but even punishment such as that will not deter me!”

Seth was momentarily taken aback, then, he found himself chuckling. “You're amazing, Elisabeth, or should I call you Mrs.—”

She didn't reply, which frustrated him.

He bit back harsh words. “Why are you here?”

Bess studied him before answering. “I'm to set up a mercantile in San Francisco,” she said, telling the truth. “There's money to be made in gold territory.”

“So I've heard.” He paused. “But why you? Why a woman? And where does John Reeves fit into all of this?”

She bristled. They were getting nowhere. Pointless discussion: “I told you—because I'm good at my work. As for Reeves, didn't you ask him?”

She could tell by his scowl that he had questioned Reeves and had been dissatisfied with the man's answers.
Good.

Seth sighed. “This is going to be difficult . . . us dealing with one another.”

She conceded his point with a nod.

“I'm the captain of this ship. You will listen and obey me.” He paused. “For your safety.”

“I'll be allowed to come topside?” she asked.

He nodded. “When I deem it safe—and only then.” He stared at her hard, the intensity of his sky blue eyes startling in the darkness of the cabin. “Agreed?”

Bess wanted to refuse, but knew that she'd be betraying her own purposes if she did so. As he'd said, three months was a long time. “Agreed,” she said.

She shivered. Three months in Seth's company. Why hadn't she ever considered how trying such a time would be?

Seth looked satisfied. Then his expression changed as he studied her more intently. “Have you been eating?”

Taken aback by his obvious concern, she nodded. “Some. I haven't been feeling the best . . .”

“So that much wasn't a lie, at least,” he murmured.

She wanted to hit him.

She turned toward the door to leave and stopped to eye him over her shoulder. “You've changed, Seth Garret. You've become hard and—” She searched for another word and failed. Instead she said, “But then, we never really knew each other, did we?”