The Captain's Caress Read Online Free PDF Page A

but he stole it; he has power and influence, but he bought it.”
    “Stop!” Summer begged, but Brent drew her closer.
    “How can you allow such a villain to enter your bed, take you in his arms, and make love to you?”
    “Don’t!” she sobbed.
    “Only a wanton could swear to love, honor, and obey that devil’s spawn.”
    Brent’s concentration narrowed until he thought only of Summer and his hatred for Gowan. Long-simmering enmity and burgeoning desire fanned the coals of his rancor until it became a raging inferno that threatened to consume him. It erupted in an unreasoning tidal wave of abuse.
    “Your precious husband is an outcast from society, a slave to greed, and a master of deceit.”
    Summer raised her hands to ward off the scalding torrent of words, but they kept coming, battering her until she could stand no more.
    “His tenants curse his name, and his neighbors shun his company. He is a byword little boys shout at their enemies, a specter parents use to frighten naughty children.”
    At last Brent paused, nearly spent by the force of his own emotion, but Summer had already fainted.
    “You horrid brute!” Bridgit shrieked as everyone stared in dumb silence, too numbed by the swift course of events to move. “See what you have done with your hate and your talk of evil. You’re the one who’s poisoned, not this poor child.” She lifted Summer’s head onto her lap and gently massaged her temples. “Someone bring me some water. You,” she ordered, pointing at a slack-jawed youth standing near her, “keep the sun off her face.”
    “She just fainted,” Brent rasped in a frayed voice. “She’ll recover soon enough.”
    “You’re a brutal, wicked man,” Bridgit ranted, not ceasing to fan Summer with her open palm.
    “Smith, we’re taking her with us. It’ll be easier if you move her, before she revives. Have someone fetch her trunks. You,” he said addressing Bridgit, “see that her things are packed, but don’t worry about your own.”
    “You can’t mean to take this poor child without someone to see to her?”
    “That’s exactly what I mean to do.”
    “What can you want with her?” Smith asked. He was badly shaken to question Brent before the crew.
    “We’ll get loaded a lot quicker if you don’t question my orders,” Brent barked. “Throw a bucket of water over that agent and bring him here.” Smith’s steady gaze did not quail before Brent’s angry glare. He was the only one who guessed how close Brent had come to losing all trace of humanity under the stress of the hatred which had simmered inside him for ten long years.
    Within moments a soaked and barely conscious Brinklow was hauled before Brent. He shook the dazed man like a rag doll. “Listen carefully to every word I say, and carry it back to the earl exactly as I give it to you. Do you understand?” Brinklow nodded, too afraid of being shaken to bits to open his mouth.
    “Tell Gowan his former ward has taken his lovely young wife to Biscay Island. If he wants her he’ll have to come after her.” Brent took painful hold of Brinklow’s ear and pulled him closer. “And be sure to tell him he won’t be dealing with such a green boy this time. Can you remember all that?” The poor man nodded again, barely able to think of anything but the throbbing pain in his pinioned ear.
    “One more thing.” Brent’s voice sank to a whisper. “Be sure to tell Gowan that he doesn’t have to worry that any harm will come to her. I’ll treat her exactly as he would himself.” Brent’s laugh did not encourage others to join in. “Exactly as he would himself,” he repeated. Brent released Brinklow’s ear so suddenly the demoralized agent almost fell down; then he spun on his heel and thundered an order to his crew. “I want to be under sail in half an hour.” He left them without another word.
    “He didn’t even so much as look to see if she was still breathing,” Williams marveled, staring after Brent’s