Captured by the Pirate Laird Read Online Free PDF

saw John manning the wheel. Rather a peaceful setting for a band of
pirates.
    Scanning
the deck for Calum, Anne pulled her cloak tight around her shoulders and walked
to the rail. The dark sea rolled and foamed white in the ship’s wake. Water
stretched in every direction. Refreshing, salty wind caressed her face.
    Footsteps
tapped on the stairs leading from the quarterdeck above. The captain stepped
beside her with that fetching grin of his. “Good morning, milady. I trust ye
slept well.”
    She
hoped her sudden queasiness had been caused by the rolling of the sea. “Reasonably
well, considering I have no idea where we are headed or when I’ll see my
blessed England again.”
    Calum’s
lips thinned. He rested his elbows on the rail and looked out to sea. The wind
blew his hair away from his face, unveiling the attractive and angular lines to
his jaw.
    Anne
followed his gaze. “Where are we? There’s no land in sight.”
    “We’re
giving England a wide berth. Once we cross into Scottish waters, ye’ll see the
coast.”
    “And
what am I to do until then?”
    “Whatever
baronesses do, I suppose.”
    “I
expected you to force me to swab the decks or mend the sails.”
    “Would
ye like to mend sails?”
    She
cleared her throat. “I’m your prisoner. Of course you might do all sorts of
horrible and vile things.”
    “Mending
sails is vile?”
    Anne
looked skyward. “Saints preserve me.”
    Calum
rubbed his palm over a belaying pin, which supported a coil of hemp rope. “I
could set up a surgery. Half me men asked to rap on yer stateroom door to show
ye their battle wounds—fix them up as ye did Bran.”
    Anne
wrung her hands. “Are there many injured?”
    “A
few scrapes and cuts.”
    “Of
course I’ll tend them right away.”
    Calum
grinned—almost laughed.
    “They
do need my assistance do they not?”
    “Mostly
no’, but I’ll have John ferret out the ones who do and ask him to bring them to
ye.”
    “Very
well.” Anne smoothed her hands over her skirts. “And in the interim, I’d be
much obliged if you would determine how you’ll return me to England as quickly
as possible.”
    Calum
bowed, his eyes sparkling in the sun. “As you wish, milady.”
    He
sauntered away, whistling some jaunty ditty, while Anne stifled the urge to giggle—for
no reason. Queen’s knees, he toyed with her. He probably flaunted his good
looks before every maiden who struck his fancy. She could risk her reputation
by befriending him. Heading back to her stateroom, Anne vowed Calum MacLeod would never charm her into believing him well-mannered
and chivalrous.

Chapter Three
     
     
    Calum
didn’t blame Lady Anne for holding him in low esteem. He would feel the same if
he were in her predicament, though he wished it could be otherwise. He’d
searched the seas for a woman like her. Upon his first glimpse, an inkling
twitched at the back of his mind. Could she be the one ? Bloody dreamer, he was.
    Over
the past few days, he’d ducked out of sight whenever she made an appearance. Though
he watched with great interest when she set her basket of herbs on the deck and
tended his men as if they were her kin. He needed her off the ship before she
made them all soft.
    After
learning she was Wharton’s bride, he’d thought of little else but Anne. Memories
of the terrified waif cowering in her stateroom under that wild mane of blonde
curls made his pulse race, but he couldn’t assuage the grotesque image his mind
conjured of Anne in Wharton’s arms. Fortunately, the thought put a damper on
his lustful urges.
    However,
he now feared for her, which was a miserable state of affairs for a privateer
and his hostage, whom he must ransom. If only he could protect the lass.
    The
baron’s legacy followed him. Wharton had been successful in the battle of
Solway Moss back in 1542, when Calum was just a lad. His clansmen still spoke
of it. The English raided Scotland and seized James V at Lochmaben. Even after
the English council