The Captain's Caress Read Online Free PDF

retreating figure, “and he leaves you and me to carry her on board. That’s not like the captain and I’ve known him nigh on to six years. I told her the captain was a great gentleman, that he wouldn’t harm her.” He shook his head in shocked disbelief. “And she was such a pretty little thing, too. I can’t figure out what got into him.”
    “It can’t be the girl,” said Smith, feeling extremely ill at ease. “It must be her husband.”
    “He’s got no call to make off with a man’s wife no matter what kind of scurvy rogue the man might be. I’d just as soon have nothing to do with holding countesses for ransom. You mark my words, the captain will come to rue this day’s work.”
    “Maybe, but that’s no concern for the likes of you and me,” Smith responded, and then both men went about their tasks. It was never wise to keep the captain waiting; in his present mood it was positively foolhardy.

Chapter 4
     
    Summer opened her eyes to a blur of light. She became confused and then alarmed as the figures around her gradually began to disentangle themselves and take shape. Absolutely nothing was familiar. She rushed to the porthole, but only the familiar limitless expanse of blue Atlantic met her gaze. The sun was an enormous orange ball riding on the tossing sea, and the ship seemed to be sailing right into its waning rays. But that’s west, she thought. Why were they sailing away from Scotland? Why wasn’t she in her own cabin? Where was Bridgit? Was that terrifying young man real, or was he just part of a horrible nightmare? Battling rising panic, she tried the door, but it wouldn’t open. She was locked in her cabin!
    Then all at once she knew; she was on the pirate ship. The pit of her stomach contracted painfully. What were they going to do with her? It would be months before the earl could arrive and ransom her. What would happen to her in the meantime? A sharp knock at the door nearly caused Summer to jump out of her skin.
    “Are you awake?” demanded the unmistakable voice. Summer backed away, too frightened to reply. The knock sounded again, louder this time, but she still didn’t answer.
    “The mercenary little adventuress is still out cold,” the captain said in disgust. “I can’t imagine she has too many waking moments when Gowan’s home.” She heard a key being fitted into the lock and watched the handle turn as if by itself.
    “Don’t come in! I’m awake,” she cried desperately. “Please send Bridgit to me.”
    “I’m already in,” Brent announced as he closed the door behind him, “and I left Bridgit on the Sea Otter.”
    Summer was paralyzed by fear; she felt utterly defenseless before this terrifying man who had already bludgeoned her into unconsciousness with the fierceness of his hatred. Now she was alone with him, a prisoner on his ship, completely at his mercy; she couldn’t bring herself to even think of what he might do to her. She tried to appear undaunted as she stood facing him, but it was impossible to ignore her trembling limbs.
    “Where are you taking me?” she asked, afraid of the answer. “We’re not heading toward Scotland.”
    “Who told you that?”
    “Nobody.”
    “That’s very clever of you,” said Brent, impressed. “But I should have guessed you’d have to have some intelligence to trap Gowan into marriage.”
    Rising anger gave Summer’s reply a sharp edge. “You don’t have to be a genius to know we’re not heading east if we’re sailing directly into the setting sun. Why did you take me off the Sea Otter? What do you intend to do with me?”
    “That’s two questions at once,” Brent said. Under other circumstances his dawning smile might have allayed her fears; now it gave birth to a strange disquiet.
    “We’re headed for Havana to sell our cargo. Then I’m taking you to one of the islands to await Gowan’s reply.”
    “Are you holding me for ransom?” she asked. Brent thought of his mother waiting patiently year