Lady Pirate Read Online Free PDF

fancied himself a bit of a heartbreaker. He was tall, with dark hair and a swarthy complexion, and was as lean and strong as a captain could want for a first mate. He had all his limbs and, really, other than a small scar or two from injuries gained working the ropes in storms, was still in one piece—other than his missing eye, of course. And the eye patch didn’t seem to detract from his attractiveness to the ladies. In truth, whatever port they’d come to, One-Eye had always managed to find many women who found his rugged good looks and maimed face the object of desire.
    Valoree didn’t share that attraction, herself. From the ages of ten to nineteen, she had been treated like a younger brother by the pirate, with all the harassment and teasing that included. And while she had always known in an objective way that he was a handsome fellow, she had looked on him as another older brother as well. So seeing him now, dressed in Henry’s awful choice of pink finery, Valoree could hardly stifle her chuckle. It might do him good to be dressed in such.
    â€œThere ye are, Cap’n,” One-Eye announced, straightening from his task and getting to his feet. He eyed her with amusement. “I suppose ye’ll be needing help up now, too, huh?”
    She raised her hand in answer. Reaching down, he grasped her at the wrist instead, waiting until her fingers closed around his own wrist before pulling her to her feet. With that, she left the cabin.
    â€œYe look real pretty in that gown,” One-Eye commented as he followed her across the deck a moment later. “But I never thought I’d see the day that Back-from-the-Dead Red needed help putting his own boots on.”
    His taunt did not go unnoticed. “One-Eye,” she said.
    â€œAye?”
    â€œUnless ye’re wanting to don one of the other two gowns I bought and spend the day in it here with the men, ye’d be best to close yer trap now.”
    â€œAye, Cap’n.”
    Â 
    â€œYe look real fine in that there getup,” Henry said as he helped her out of the dinghy and up onto the dock. Valoree was amused to note that the crusty old salt was blushing, and his voice was gruff.
    â€œLike a real lady. Pretty, too. Never noticed ye lookin’ so pretty in breeches.”
    Valoree found herself embarrassed by the compliment to her looks, whereas a compliment on her skill at swordplay or such had never given her anything but pleasure. Flustered, she waved a hand vaguely in the air as if swatting the words away, then turned to stomp toward the carriage where Skully waited. One-Eye leaped to the dock behind her.
    â€œWell,” Henry grunted after her. “Ye’re not so much like a lady when ye stomp about like that.”
    Pausing, Valoree turned to glare at him, then sighed and started to walk again, remembering to keep her steps shorter and less determined. She’d have to remember to keep her bearing more feminine, she thought as she paused by the carriage and peered in through the window. Inside sat Meg, the old prostitute Bull had found to play her aunt and chaperon.
    Valoree grimaced at the societal foolishness of forbidding women to travel alone, and threw the door of the carriage open. Ah, well. She would make do. With a quick heave, she clambered into the coach. Thiswoman would serve her purpose. It was only once she was inside that Valoree noticed the other woman’s pallor. Left over from her drunken state the night before, no doubt, Valoree thought dryly. She looked sober enough to play her part, though. In fact, today the woman looked so sober that Valoree almost pitied her. Her “aunt” would probably welcome a little hair of the dog that had bitten her.
    However, other than obviously suffering the ill effects of overindulgence—her face had a slightly gray cast to it, and the lines around her eyes and the way she was squinting spoke of head pain—“Aunt Meg” looked