The Pirate's Desire Read Online Free PDF

his association with the Royal Navy. Instead, likely on a cutthroat ship.
    She cleared her throat. “You said your father lost all of your family land. How can you own land in France, then?”
    “A relative passed away. It is not a large estate, but it pays for itself, with a little extra to keep up my house in London.”
    Lucinda thought through all she had learned, and tried to figure out how to best lever each bit of knowledge to her advantage. “You must love the high seas, then. You’ve been sailing for what, fourteen years? And you help the Navy.”
    “I am happy to use my knowledge of ships for good, rather than evil, if that is what you mean.”
    It wasn’t, but Lucinda grasped this new information and plunged on, determined to wiggle her foot into this door of opportunity. “Don’t you want to keep working with the Navy, then? And save the world from evil-doers?”
    He frowned faintly.
    “I mean,” she said more clearly, “I see no reason for you to leave your ship just to be a guardian to me.” A flash of inspiration arrived. “You say your great-aunt is coming. She can do the job just as well.”
    “My aunt is in frail health. Besides, your father asked me to watch over you and protect you. That is what I will do.”
    “But why?” she said in a reasonable tone. “If it is a promise to my father that is holding you back, I release you.”
    “My word was to him, not to you. I will fulfill my promise.”
    “But why? Why on earth would you agree to be my guardian in the first place?”
    A long pause elapsed. “I owe your father,” he said quietly.
    “Why? What did you do?”
    “More like what he did for me. The fact remains, Lucy, I will stay here. I will be your guardian, and take care of Ravensbrook. I must return to my ship at the end of this week, however. It will take two weeks to make repairs and put her in dry dock. Then I will return here for good, and I’ll stay until you are safely married.”
    He had called her Lucy again. Lucinda crossed her arms, not caring that she might look like a belligerent child. “I require no guardian, Mr. Montclair. You will quickly discover this is a complete waste of your time.”
    A smile glimmered. “I hope that is true. Then my next two years will prove agreeably pleasant.”
    Lucinda frowned. His next two years would prove entirely un pleasant if she had anything to say about it. In fact, the next week would be so disagreeable that he would sail away, never to return!
    A faint smile crept to her lips. By hook or by crook, Gabriel Montclair would flee from Ravensbrook before the week was out. Painful though it might be, she already knew the first step to eradicate him from her life.
    Her plan was almost laughably simple. The solicitor would receive no letters from her father. She would make sure of it, and then Riel would possess no legal grounds to stay. He would ha ve no choice but to depart from Ravensbrook for good.
    An end to this current, unfortunate episode could not come quickly enough for Lucinda. And if somewhere in her conscience doubt niggled, she ignored it. She was doing the right thing. Definitely. Lucinda did not trust Montclair one inch, and already she itched most fervently for his dangerous, disturbing presence to vanish from her life.
    But first, she must discover more information. “Mrs. Beatty said Father wrote her a letter, as well. Did he send any other letters with you?”
    He regarded her shrewdly. “Another for his solicitor. I will pay him a call tomorrow. Mrs. Beatty has been kind enough to tell me how to find him.”
    When the solicitor received that letter, there would be no turning back. She would need to act quickly.
    Riel said, “One matter remains to discuss.”
    “Hmmm?” Lucinda pulled her mind away from the delicious, exciting plot roiling in her head. It had been some years since she’d attempted anything so daring. Her heart pumped faster, just thinking about it.
    “Your father. His body will arrive