Captive of My Desires Read Online Free PDF

society.
    Nathan did a good job of shielding her from unsavory men, like Pierre Lacross, though she never did lose her fear of that man, not even after she’d heard he’d taken up with the female pirate called Red. And she did see him again once, at sea, when she and her father had been treasure hunting. Pierre had just captured a ship. That was when she found out that if Nathan didn’t take Pierre’s hostages off his hands, he would have killed them. And before Pierre departed, he managed to get close to her for a moment and whisper, out of her father’s hearing, “Do not think I have forgotten you, my pet. Our time will come.”
    That was probably the only black mark on a spotless tapestry of wonderful experiences she enjoyed while living with her father in the islands. She knew it wouldn’t last forever. She’d get married eventually, was even looking forward to it. She dearly wanted what she’d missed as a child—to have a stable, loving family who stuck together. She even had a few flirtations with handsome sailors, but they always sailed away, which was fine with her because during those first couple of years on St. Kitts all she really wanted to do was spend time with her father and make up for all the years they’d been apart.
    For nearly three years she’d felt that way, until Charles Millford returned from his schooling abroad. The very handsome son of a fine English family who owned a sugar plantation on the island, Charles had seemed quite interested in her as well—until he found out who her father was and was rude enough to explain why he couldn’t further their acquaintance. And it wasn’t that Nathan was a pirate! No one on St. Kitts knew that. It was because they considered him a commoner. The Millfords were snobbish enough to presume that she wasn’t good enough for their only son because of that.
    Gabrielle was crushed when Charles gave her the cold shoulder after that, though she hid it well. She wasn’t about to let her father know that the one man who’d made her seriously think about matrimony wouldn’t have her because of him.
    But it was a small island. Somehow Nathan found out about it. She should have guessed by his suddenly pensive mood, which was so unlike him, but since he said nothing, she was loath to bring it up herself. It was when she mentioned that she’d soon reach her majority and Ohr, one of Nathan’s loyal crew members, overheard her and remarked, “And she isn’t married yet?” that Nathan actually paled and she was summoned to his study that very night.
    After his reaction to Ohr’s remark, she guessed he was going to talk about her matrimonial prospects on the island. She never could have guessed the decision he’d already made.
    No sooner did she sit down across from him at the other side of his desk than he said, “I’m sending you back to England.”
    Her reaction was immediate. She didn’t even have to think about it. “No.”
    He smiled at her. It was a sad smile. And he didn’t try to argue with her. Since he liked making her happy, she usually won any disagreements they had.
    He simply explained, “You know your mother and I were a mismatched pair. She was gentry, while I came from the other side of the coin. I’ve nothing to be ashamed of, mind you, not where my rearing was concerned. I grew up in Dover. My parents were good, hardworking people. But your mother never saw it that way and made up grand stories for her friends about my background and why I was rarely at home. She didn’t even want her friends to know I was in trade, which wasn’t the case, but was what she thought.”
    “I know all that, Papa.”
    “Yes, I know you do, but you see, you have aristocratic blood due to your mother’s lineage. However, no one is going to believe that in this part of the world. And besides, I realized today what I’ve denied you by keeping you with me, a Season in London, all the grand balls and parties a young girl of the upper crust can