The Duke's Lady (Historical Romance - The Ladies Series) (26 page)

As she walked up the plank, she noticed Adam scowling at her. “Where has Annie gone?” she asked.

“Are you in the habit of kissing every man you meet?” he replied. His eyes held a dangerous gleam.

“He’s a friend, Adam. 1 was just saying good-bye.”

“A curtsy would have sufficed, madam,” he pointed out before turning his back to her. “See Derek. He’ll show you to the cabin.” She could tell by Adam’s tone that he wasn’t pleased. Could he be jealous, as Jonathan had suggested? She felt a little better as she left him in search of Derek.

She tried not to act surprised when she found Annie already in Derek’s cabin securing their things. Jewel had thought after last night that she would be in Adam’s cabin. Apparently, Adam had other ideas on the subject. He’d gotten what he wanted. She’d been so stupid to think that he loved her.

After Jewel changed into some dry clothes, she and Annie set out to straighten up the small room and stow away their things.

The cabin had two neatly made beds against the walls. Two portholes would provide plenty of daylight and fresh air, and a whale-oil lamp would brighten the nighttime. A table sat at one end of the room with several chairs, and a potbelly stove stood in the corner of the room for warmth on the winter voyage. A washbasin, a looking glass, and cupboards to store their belongings completed the room. As Jewel glanced around, she decided the room was small but efficient, and strangely enough she felt at home.

In no time, they had their new quarters looking feminine. But to prepare for the rough seas ahead, everything that was loose had to be fastened down.

The ship lunged as it pulled away from the dock. Annie stumbled. Jewel reached out to steady her, at the same time thinking the movement of the ship didn’t seem to bother her as it did her friend. Once again the feeling she’d been on a ship before became overpowering.

“Annie, we’re under way. You’ll have to develop sea legs before you’re able to walk around the ship.”

“And that will be takin’ long? Ye don’t seem tae be havin’ tae hard of a go of it, lass.”

“I’m just lucky. But you’ll be walking around this ship before long.”

Jewel felt giddy and sad all at the same time. She was sad to be leaving Jonathan and Briercliff, but on the other hand, she was excited to see what lay ahead. Most of all, she found she enjoyed being on a ship again.

The wind howled with mad laughter as it whipped at the sails while the men scurried to make sure all the riggings were secure. A gust of wind caught the sails, and a sailor atop the main topyard had to grab for support.

A wave smashed at the hull, picking the ship up and flinging her high upon the crests of the waves. It was a day fit for neither man nor beast.

Yet Adam stood at the helm, completely in charge. The drizzle pelted his face and the wind whipped at his coat and once again the blood raced through his veins, bringing the excitement that sailing always provided him. The
Wind Jammer
was a sturdy ship. He had no doubt she could handle any storm she ran into.

The damnable wind was his main problem, he thought as he kept a watchful eye. The wrong movement, and the ship would be swept into Cornwall’s rocky shore. This wasn’t exactly how he’d planned to spend Christmas Day.

Hours dragged by as the wind beat cruelly at the canvas sails, and it was quite late when Adam turned the ship over to one of his helmsman. Normally, he would have turned it over to Derek, but he’d sent him to the cabin earlier.

Adam stood on the deck, stretching his tired muscles before going below. It had been a long day, and he felt bone-weary. He wondered if Jewel had fallen asleep while she waited for him. Perhaps the storm had frightened her. But as soon as he pulled her in his arms, she would forget her fears. At least on this trip, it would feel good having her lying beside him.

That thought kept Adam’s feet moving as he descended the stairs to the cabin. He opened the door. The soft glow of an oil lamp lit up the room as he entered and shut the door behind him. When he turned back around, the first thing that met his eyes was a hammock strung across the room. Derek’s loud snoring indicated he enjoyed his sleep, but what the hell was he doing in here? He should be in
his
cabin. And where was Jewel?

Giving him a none-too-gentle shove, Adam gruffly asked, “Would you like to tell me what’s going on here?”

“Aye, Cap’n.” Derek blinked, trying to wake up. “It’s about time you came to bed, son.”

“So it is.” Adam nodded. “But I didn’t expect to find
you
as my bed partner. I had a more shapely form in mind.”

Derek chuckled. “I know. I told Annie you wouldn’t take to this, but she said you, being a decent man, would see she’d done the right thing.”

“No doubt. I can hear her exact words, ‘It just ain’t proper.’ And to think it was my idea to bring the woman along.”

“She’s a mighty strong-willed woman.” Derek threw his head back and roared with laughter. “She just might be right for me.”

“Good!” Adam crossed the room to the bed. “How about winning her over so I can have Jewel?”

“Cheer up. Maybe we’ll have a fast crossing. Until then, I can always lend you a pillow to hold.”

“You old codger.” Adam threw a feather pillow at Derek. “I should make you sleep elsewhere, because I’m sure I’ll hear about this the whole trip.” Adam turned back to the door. “I’m going to check on Jewel. Be back in a moment.” Adam knocked on the door. After several minutes, it opened slowly and Jewel stood before him dressed in her robe. “Are you both all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine. But the sea is so rough that Annie is suffering from a bout of seasickness. I hope she’ll recover soon.” Jewel stared at him with a quizzical look; then suddenly she reached up and touched the side of his face.

“Are
you
all right? You appear tired.”

The mere brush of her hand aroused him, and he cursed himself because of his weakness to this slip of a girl. And every day her hold upon him grew stronger. Maybe that was the real reason he’d brought her with him.

“Yes, I’ll be fine with some sleep,” Adam said gruffly. “I trust my men, but to be on the safe side, latch the door when I leave.” Adam gazed at her a moment longer as he drank in her beauty. “Good night, and Merry Christmas, luv.”

“Merry Christmas, Adam.” Jewel gazed after him. Why, he hadn’t even kissed her. Had last night even happened? She told herself his aloofness was because he was tired, but the thought was cold comfort. With a sigh, she did as he’d instructed and locked the door behind him.

Annie’s touch of sickness lingered into the night. She alternated between holding her head over a bucket and dozing off. Jewel was glad to be able to take care of Annie and repay some of the kindness the older woman had shown her. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, Annie’s discomfort finally eased and she slept soundly.

Jewel rubbed her aching back. The bed felt good as she eased her weary bones down onto the soft mattress.

The familiar creaking of the ship, the howling winds, and the roaring of the waves transported Jewel into a deep sleep. With deep slumber came recognition of her past. She remembered tropical islands and her carefree days on Grand Terre with her uncles Pierre and Jean Lafitte. She also remembered Captain Lee and the battle fought on her ship. . . .

Black, murky smoke filled the air, mixing with the fading sunlight and casting an eerie orange
glow over the battle scene. All were dead . . . dead and gone because she’d been foolish. Jewel's stomach tightened at the sight of the lifeless bodies going down with the ship, and she fought the bile rising in her throat. Nothing had turned out the way she’d planned. She’d miss her bodyguard, Ben, her gentle giant. Hot tears slid softly down her cheeks . . . now what? But she shook her head back and forth against the pillow, knowing somehow that she didn't want to see what would happen next.

She squirmed at her confinements. The small leather bindings wrapped tightly around each wrist bit painfully into her skin and firmly held her secured to the main cross beam. The ominous crack of the whip snapped Jewel’s head up.

“You have one more chance to tell me what I want to know" Lee offered.

“I hope you rot in Hell!
”

“Have it your way." Lee shrugged. Again he slapped the cat-o’-nine-tails nervously against his boot. “The lash has a nasty way of making one talk"

The straps whistled through the air as Lee brought them down on her back, producing a raw heat that surged through her. She pulled violently against her restraints. “I’ve hit you very lightly this time, but it’s just the beginning. I intend to make each little cut a torture until you tell me what I want to know."

Jewel gasped. She choked back the screams that hovered on her lips. He knew about the map! But how had the captain found out?

Pain ... so red ... so hot ... so burning, slowly sucked the very life from her body. The leather thongs sliced her skin. Again she jerked forward, trying to escape the agony.

Time after time the lash came down on her back. Think of home, think of anything, she silently screamed, but it didn’t work Her whole body wanted to wail out at the abuse she was receiving. There was no escaping the torture. She couldn
’t catch her breath before Lee once again laid the whip exactly where he wanted it. She felt a trickle of blood seep from the long gashes in her back, but she wouldn’t give the captain the satisfaction of crying out. And he was right—she wouldn’t forget Captain Lee.

Her head hung low. With the agony of excruciating pain . . . death would be welcome. She smelled her sweat and tasted the tears that ran freely down her cheeks. When had she begun to cry?

Please God, help me!

The sharp crack of the whip sounded again, and Jewel’s head dropped forward, giving the appearance
she’d passed out.

Finally, she heard Bud, the first mate, murmur softly to the captain so the rest of the crew couldn’t hear. "Cap’n, if you kill her, you
’ll never find the treasure.”

Lee raised his arm, hesitated, then lowered the whip. “Cut her down! ” the captain bellowed. Again he mopped the blood from his chin. “Damn bitch, I should have killed her!
”

And then there were bloody bodies. Once again, Jewel saw the picture of her crew lying dead at her feet. She clutched her throat. She couldn’t breathe. Everything was drenched in blood red. The vivid scene produced a strangling terror within her.

She had to escape before the captain came back. She d never taken a crew out to sea before, and she wouldn’t have disobeyed her uncles if she hadn’t thought they'd needed her help. Caught in a panic, she bolted straight up in bed.

Everything was dark. Where was she? Glancing around the room, Jewel didn’t remember this bed. It took several minutes before reality returned and she realized she was aboard Adam’s ship. She was safe. Or was she?

With shaky fingers, she touched her forehead and found it damp with perspiration. Her rapid breathing had finally slowed and was returning to normal. What a nightmare! Now she had what she sought . . . her memory. She knew why Captain Lee had fabricated such a story, and she would be careful of him in the future. Provided she ever saw him again.

She could explain to Adam she wasn’t related to the man ... no, wait ... she couldn’t tell Adam anything! Her memory hadn’t solved her predicament. It only presented other unsolvable problems.

Jewel bit her lip, uncertainty setting in. She didn’t want to destroy the fragile relationship they had just built. She couldn’t handle the look of revulsion on his face if he found out her relatives were pirates. Of course, Jean and Pierre were not like most pirates, but Adam wouldn’t know that. If she only knew that he loved her, maybe then he could accept her past. But if he didn’t ... he was also very capable of turning her over to the authorities for attacking a British ship.

Exhausted from thinking, and finding no answers, Jewel slumped back down on the mattress. She wouldn’t let Adam know she’d regained her memory. She would just handle one day at a time. But she would have to get word to Jean she was safe. He must be worried.

Jean was worried.

He refused to believe Jewel was dead. Somehow he would feel it if she were, but his heart told him differently, he thought as he stared out at the sea. Jean and Ben had set out searching for some small clue—anything to explain Jewel’s disappearance, only to find nothing, not a scrap, not a hint of her fate. In their frustration, they had pilfered every ship that crossed their path, bringing home a shipload of goods to put in their already overflowing warehouses.

He’d become a superb smuggler with his band of cutthroats and sea ruffians armed with cutlasses, guns, and cannons, whom he nicely called privateers. He had also cleverly organized the fishermen into groups of smugglers to carry the plunder up to New Orleans, where the goods would command a high price.

Lafitte had acquired holdings in New Orleans. One of his purchases had been a blacksmith shop on Bourbon Street and a goods store on Rue Royale. The establishments, even though regular trade went on, were fronts for his smuggled goods and a place to buy slaves.