Captive Pride Read Online Free PDF Page A

particular.
    â€œHis Majesty’s troops are the most efficient fighting corps in the world. We just defeated the French, for God’s sake! If we turned our troops loose on the idiots who are stirring up all the trouble, they’d rid Boston of them in no time.” Arthur drained his mug with gusto. “It’d be quiet again then, the way it should be.”
    â€œIt’ll never happen, but I wish it would. Business would be normal again….” Leland partook of his own rum and suddenly became rather philosophical. “I’m just hoping that it’ll all blow over, like it did all those years ago when everybody was in an uproar over the damned stamp tax.”
    â€œMe, too,” Arthur remarked, having no taste for confrontation or violence.
    Noah and Matthew had been listening with interest to the colonists’ conversation, and Noah shot Matt a smug look. It looked like the risk he’d taken with the war materials shipment was about to pay off, and pay off big. He lifted his tankard in a silent salute.
    â€œIt seems, dear brother, that our shipment may be quite timely in its arrival.” Noah smiled in satisfaction. The news that there was trouble brewing pleased him tremendously, and if Russell could just manage to make the necessary contacts…
    â€œAll too,” Matthew agreed. “It looks like contracting the arms shipment for the Pride was a wise move. From the sound of their conversation, it seems our troops may be needing them soon.”
    â€œIt certainly does, doesn’t it?” Noah felt his old confidence return now that he knew his instincts had been proven correct, and mentally he rubbed his hands together in anticipation of the profit. He had not revealed to Matt his mysterious conversation with the stranger, and he had no intention to do so. This was business, and he was in charge.
    â€œStill…” Matt began, a slight frown marring his handsome features, “it seems a shame that this trouble between the colonies and the Crown can’t be worked out in some other way.”
    Noah shrugged his disinterest. “Pray that it doesn’t, my boy.”
    Matt stiffened at Noah’s attitude. He had kept relatively quiet until now, trusting his brother to take charge of their lives without question, but he was finding that the changes in Noah’s personality were more far-reaching than he’d originally suspected after the duel and the loss of Kincade Hall. Noah seemed terribly patronizing, causing Matt to wonder if he had really become so obsessed with money that all else paled in importance. As his brother continued speaking, Matt was shocked to discover this was true.
    â€œThere’s a fortune to be made by being at the right place at the right time with the right product,” Noah continued, his thoughts on the money to be made, not the lives that would be lost.
    â€œYou seem almost eager for a war….” Matt frowned, verbalizing his thoughts.
    With a slight lift of his shoulders, he answered, “I’m a businessman, Matthew, not a bleeding heart. It doesn’t matter to me who fights whom, or where. What matters is that I can provide the materials they need, when they need them. It’s a simple matter of profit and loss. Nothing more.”
    Before Matt could reply, Polly returned with plates of steaming, appetizing food, and the moment to debate the issue with him was lost.
    Polly was quite conspicuous in her desire to attract Noah’s attention and she flashed him her most charming smile as she bent over to place his platter before him, her action giving him an unrestricted view of her ample cleavage.
    Noah’s smoky gaze darkened with sensual promise as he saw the tempting flesh. Though he was still concerned about Russell’s progress, his spirits had lifted considerably since hearing the rumbles of discontent from the two colonists, and the thought of bedding the winsome wench after his