A Pirate's Ransom (12 page)

The Party

Edmund

The music stopped when a tall gentleman dressed in formal black attire appeared at the top of the staircase, which descended into the grand hall from somewhere higher up in the fortress.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention. I would like to welcome you to Teach Castle. I ask you to join with me in giving a warm welcome to our host this evening, Captain Edward Teach, escorting the lovely Contessa Theodora de Lorenzo.”

The uproar of applause became deafening and the energy in the room was tangible, as all eyes anxiously awaited the appearance of the notorious pirate. Clenching my jaw, I gritted my teeth as the dark and dangerous pirate came into view. My hand instinctively rose to the scar on my cheek as I stared at the man who’d given it to me. Dressed all in black, his long black locks and beard gave him a fierce appearance. The hair on my arms rose at the sight of him, and I was thankful for the length of the sleeves of my coat. So close, and yet so far, I thought, my hands balling into fists at my side.
Keep to the plan.
Capturing Blackbeard is not part of tonight’s plan, I reminded myself.

The flamboyant woman I had seen earlier rested her gloved hand upon his arm as he escorted her to the landing. She was now dressed in a blood red gown that clung to her ample figure and exposed nearly her entire bosom. Her lush lips were painted to match her gown and rubies and diamonds adorned her neck and ears. She was quite beautiful, yet held no interest for me.

“Thank you for coming and welcome to my humble abode,” the dark pirate said in a deep and raspy voice. My heart hammered against my chest and I forced down my desire to destroy him. I had spent a good number of years in pursuit of that black-hearted villain, and now I stood across the room, mere feet away from him, and could do nothing.

“It is my great pleasure to introduce, in her debut appearance, The Contessa Catherina de la Mare. The Countess of the Sea.”

This is it.
My mouth went dry, and I held my breath. The rustle of her skirts announced Catherine’s approach. The translucent material of the sea-blue gown clung to her slim waist and ample bosom, yet the skirt seemed to float and swirl around her legs to give her the appearance of a mermaid dancing upon the ocean.

She wore her dark hair pulled up into an intricate style held in place by combs that sparkled with diamonds and sapphires. Matching gems also graced her neck and ears. At seeing the jewels adorning her slender neck, I remembered the silver bracelet I had given her and my eyes darted to her wrist. The delicate silver twine and ruby heart seemed out of place with the rest of her attire, but my heart skipped a beat at the sight of it.

All thoughts of the dark, notorious Blackbeard left my mind as I gazed at her. I couldn’t breathe, and I feared my thundering heart would betray me. My stare found her blue eyes sparkling in the candlelight as a smile graced her lips; the pouty lips I longed to kiss. Droplets of sweat formed on my brow and I found it difficult to swallow the lump of emotion swelling in my throat.

Reaching out a hand to her, Blackbeard escorted her to the edge of the landing where the three of them stood. A sharp stab of pain hit me in my gut and the hair rose up the back of my neck at the sight of his hand on her. He slowly turned her around to reveal the soft flesh of her naked back as the fragile material of the gown dipped to caress the curve at the crest of her bum. One lone tendril of her dark hair had escaped her elegant coiffeur and now rested on the fair skin of her exposed back. My mouth drop opened.
How is it she thinks herself too thin?
She’s stunning.

One of the other servants standing beside me elbowed me sharply in the ribs.

“Take in your fill, lad. The likes o’ us ain’t never gunna see such a beauty grace our beds,” he chided.

“Rest assured, this lovely vision you see before you remains untouched,” the dark pirate said as he turned Catherine to face the crowd once again. “But, be ye not fooled. This beautiful maiden has been thoroughly instructed in the arts of pleasure by the infamous Courtesan, Contessa Theodora de Lorenzo.

“It should be made known to you that I have received a few sealed bids prior to this presentation, but there is only one I wish to entertain. I will speak to Mister Beckett, emissary of the Duke of Devonshire, at the end of the night. Now, let the bidding begin.”

A look of surprise crossed Catherine’s face at the mention of Beckett and the Duke of Devonshire, yet she hid her expression quickly with a coy smile.

The bidding called to mind the memory of sharks in a feeding frenzy. The flush of color to Catherine’s cheeks caused the sting of desire to stir in my blood.

Smith waited beside Beckett as the bidding began, and I took my stand at the back of the room. Despite the distance, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Catherine, who was being scrutinized by the frenzied mob. Her eyes swept the crowd and finally rested upon Smith and Beckett. A quick flicker of recognition flashed in her eyes and the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but she recovered quickly. Tearing her gaze away from them, her eyes swept the crowd.
Dare I hope she is looking for me?

Stop. She can never be yours. For her sake, you must see to it she becomes the Duchess of Devonshire
.

Beckett proved to be ruthless in his bidding, and by the end of the night had won the prize. As Lady Catherine was escorted to his side, her eyes finally found mine and for a moment I couldn’t move. My desire for her was far beyond physical, but my body responded to the sight of her. I felt as if my manhood would burst from my trousers as I watched the tip of her tongue moisten her lips. Her eyes sparkled as her gaze held mine. My heart thundered, and I wondered if she was experiencing the same rush of desire when her gloved hand came to rest over her heart. Her lips then parted slightly and I couldn’t draw the strength to look away. I was nearly panting with need, not only a need to possess her physically, but to possess every part of her, to possess her heart as she possessed mine. I had to force myself to rip my gaze from hers. Emptiness filled my chest where my heart had once been, but knowing she was now safe and her future insured, I turned away and silently slipped out of the room.

Lady Catherine

Immediately after the bidding, I was whisked out of the pirate fortress and shoved into a waiting coach. Mister Beckett sat by my side and Tobias Smith road with the driver, but what had become of Edmund?

“Mister Beckett, thank you for saving me from what would surely have been a horrible fate.”

“You are quite welcome, Lady Catherine, but your gratitude is misplaced. It is Captain Drake who came up with the plan and the coin.”

“Please, give him my thanks.” My back stiffened against the seat and my heart ached. I remained silent for the remainder of the carriage ride.
Since they were acting as emissaries of the Duke of Devonshire, Edmund must surely have received his ransom
.

When the carriage pulled up to the docks, I was surprised not to find
The Lady Victoria
. Mister Beckett handed me down from the carriage and my feet barely touched the ground as I was quickly ushered onto the large and sturdy ship at the dock.

A lump formed in my throat when I then spied Mary, hurrying across the deck to greet me. Nearly knocking me off my feet, my once timid maid threw her arms around me and drew me to her heart in a strong welcoming hug.

“Oh, Miss, I was a’feared I never would be seein’ ye again.”

I hugged her close to me, overcome with a feeling of the deep warmth of family as tears ran down my cheeks. “Mary, oh, Mary. I’m so happy to see you.”

We cried together for a moment, then, remembering myself, I stood tall and dried my eyes.

“This is as far as I shall be going, Milady, but Mister Smith will be making the entire voyage with you to insure your safety,” Mister Beckett announced.

“I truly am grateful to you and to Captain Drake,” I said.

“I will be sure to express your appreciation to the Captain. God speed, Milady.” And with a stern nod and the glimmer of an unshed tear in his eye, he turned and walked down the gangplank disappearing into the dark of night.

I was delighted to find my trunks had been delivered to the ship, but when I discovered this vessel was bound for London, my stomach lurched. Anger simmered in me at the notion that Edmund must have indeed received his ransom and was now shipping me off to the Duke.
That was his plan all along, wasn’t it? He probably was happy to be finally rid of me.

The trip was uneventful, yet I chose to spend most of it in my cabin. Whenever I ventured out to the deck, the crew leered at me like a starving dog eyes a bone, and I felt unsafe. Even on a ship of pirates I never felt so threatened. I remembered the day Edmund rescued me from the clutches of that scruffy Mister Taylor. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of it, but I realized I always felt safe around Edmund. He wasn’t here to guard me now though, and pain seared my heart as I realized that was of his own choice.

There was a deep emptiness in the center of my being, which had become a physical ache. I could hardly bring myself to eat, but when I gazed at my reflection and saw the loose fit of my gown and the dark circles beneath my eyes, I managed to force down a few bites. Sleep eluded me and when I finally managed to find it, I found Edmund waiting for me there in my dreams.

Time dragged by, days passed, then weeks, and then the ship finally reached London. The port was teaming with excitement. Everyone seemed in a hurry and it appeared they had somewhere they urgently needed to go. The docks were teaming with ships all loading or unloading cargo, passengers or crates. People and carriages crowded the streets and the aroma of roasting meat traveled to the docks on the breeze. Despite all of this, I could not even manage a smile as I stood at the rail watching my trunks being unloaded. Even after my prayer that something would happen to prevent me from being forced into a loveless marriage with the Duke, I had ended up here regardless.

We were met at the dock by a livery that had been sent to fetch us. So, the Duke had been made aware of my arrival, I thought. Sitting with me in the elegant black coach on the way into town, Mary and Tobias chatted excitedly as they watched the buildings slip by. Overcome by profound sadness as I neared my fate, I remained silent and found it difficult to find my breath. The couple seemed not to notice how distraught I had become, and I was glad for it.

As the coach ambled through London, my gaze traveled over the many grand buildings and I realized how much this city had changed in the eight years I had spent on the island with my father. I wondered what had become of my father. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he stood on the deck of that disabled ship, his eyes begging me not to name him. Part of me wished to see him, to make things right between us, yet part of me hoped I would never see him again. The only two men I had ever loved in my life had both thought so little of me. I meant nothing to either of them. Father thought of me as a means to gain access to a Duke’s wealth, and to Edmund I meant nothing more than the means to a ransom. I couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks.

The coach turned onto a wide tree-lined boulevard boasting many stately homes.

“Oh, Miss, this be Mayfair, the grandest section o’ town,” Mary said as she patted my hand.

“Aye, only the best for ye, me Lady,” Smith said with his crooked grin.

The coach stopped before the biggest and most elegant house on the street. Mister Smith hopped down and helped Mary and me to the ground.

“I hope the staff has made ready for yer arrival,” he muttered, pushing open the wrought iron gate and ushering us up the front walk.

As we approached the house, the ornate oak and stained-glass door was drawn opened by a butler. Although his hair had gone white, the man’s face did not show the wrinkles of age. He had a distinguished air about him.

“James,” Tobias uttered and nodded in greeting to the butler.

“Mister Smith, please do come in,” said the tall butler, dressed in formal attire.

“James, this here be Lady Catherine Nettleton, The Countess of Dorset n’ her maid, Miss Mary Chadwick.”

“Welcome to Hartington House, Lady Catherine, Miss Chadwick.”

Entering the foyer, I mustered a small smile toward James and wondered how it came to be that Tobias Smith was so well acquainted with a rich man’s stately butler.

Despite the chill of the day, the foyer was warm and the scent of fresh flowers floated in the air. The entire staff, dressed in their dark servant’s uniforms, lined up to greet us and was introduced by the butler.

Mary was shown to the maids’ quarters, while James gave me a tour of the house. I couldn’t help but note the elegant furnishings and masculine décor. The Duke’s home could surely use a feminine touch, I thought, but dared not voice my opinion. Finally, James showed me to my room.

When he opened the doors, the size of my quarters astounded me. The walls were painted in a shade of rich thick cream and the coverlet of the large bed was the color of a deep rich coffee filled with cream. Grand chests stood open, revealing beautiful gowns with shoes and hats to match, and I wondered who those things might belong to. The room boasted a lovely seating area before an oversized fireplace and a huge desk took up the final corner of the room. The entire house seemed to have such a masculine feel, yet this room had been created specifically for a woman. The man who had designed this room must have deeply loved the woman he designed it for I thought as I walked toward the window.

The windows looked down upon a stone terrace and formal garden, which at this time of year graced me with bursts of vibrant autumn color. Running my fingers down the lace curtain, a deep sigh escaped me. Longing for this type of love amounted to pure madness. Being promised to the old Duke, I knew such a life would be merely a dream for me.

“I trust you find your accommodations suitable?” James asked.

“The Duke of Devonshire has a lovely home,” I said, now facing the butler.

“Yes, Milady, but I had not realized you had visited his home. It was my belief you were brought here directly upon your arrival.”

“Yes, I was. Please forgive me my confusion, James, but isn’t this the residence of the Duke of Devonshire?”

“No, Milady, this is the home of his son, the Marquis of Hartington, but the Marquis requests you occupy it until your marriage to his father.”

“And where will the Marquis be staying?”

“The Marquis spends very little time here, and in fact is not in residence at present.”

“I see. When will I meet the Duke, then?”

“He plans a dinner tomorrow evening.”

“Thank you, James.” I tried my best to keep my despair out of my voice. “Would you please see to it that my trunks are brought up and that those gowns hanging there are delivered to their owner?”

“Those gowns are for you, Milady.”

“For me?”

“Yes.”

“The Duke is much too kind.”

“They are not from the Duke, but are a welcome gift to you from the Marquis.”