Lynna's Rogue (44 page)

             
First Lynna washed the bedclothes in the bucket of vinegar and water and hung them on hooks to dry. Then, she scrubbed vigorously every inch of the floor and walls, squashing hundreds of bugs in the process, until she was satisfied that the cabin was as clean as possible. Now for her! She simply had to have another bucket of water to bathe and wash her hair. Perhaps she could find Rob and ask him.

             
She t
ried the door and was amazed
to find that Rob had left it unlocked. Looking into the corridor to the right
,
she saw the hatchway leading to the deck. She definitely
did not
want to go that way. Turning left
,
she ran headlong into Captain Sean Devereux, alleged to be the most ruthless pirate alive. He was a strikingly handsome, well turned out man with his leather waistcoat, three-inch wide black belt with silver buckle, and cutlass strapped bandolier. He wore no bandana and surprisingly, with appropriate attire,
would not
have looked out of place in the parlor of some of Georgia’s more refined homes.

             
“Well, shiver me timbers!” He smiled and winked as his eyes slid appreciatively over her slender form
,
lingering on the soft swell of breast above the bodice of her gown. “So you are the wife of my brother.”

             
“Yes,
I am
Michael’s wife. Now, if
you will
excuse me,
I will
return to my cabin,” she murmured, rushing back inside and swiftly trying to bolt the door
,
only to find it blocked by his booted foot.

             
“Not so fast, little one. I have a desire to become better acquainted with my new… sister.” He smiled, shoving the door open. His dark eyes were menacing as he said, “Much better acquainted.”

             
Lynna read the intent in his eyes and looked around in search of a weapon, but none was to be found. The only objects in the room being a bunk, a table, and a chair. All too heavy to be lifted by her. “
Do not
come near me!”

             
His bold laughter filled the room
,
sending chills over her even though the heat in the cabin was sweltering. “And what
,
pray tell
,
will you do if I come near you?” he asked in a soothing voice. “Beat me to death with those tiny fists?” He stood looking out t
he porthole. “You have a
long voyage ahead of you, Madame Devereux.” He turned to face her, his eyes boring into hers. “
You will
need a man.”

             
“You forget, sir. I have a husband.” Did his brother know her husband had never shared her bed? That he refuse
d to touch her?

             
“No. I
did not
forget
that
you have a husband. If
you will
recall, I said that you will need a man.”

             
“But, sir, Michael is a man,” she replied anxiously, trying her utmost to sound convincing. “And I might add that I find him most satisfactory in every way.”

             
He laughed uproariousl
y at her words, “And might I suggest
that it takes very little
,
indeed
,
to satisfy you.” His ridicule of his brother was lost on her. “But
you will
soon see that
,
unlike my little brother, I have precisely what it takes to please a woman.”

             
She tried frantically to run past him, but was halted by his steely voice. “Stay where you are!”

             
Too frightened to remain still
,
she again bolted for the door. He jerked her around roughly to face him
,
causing her to cry out as his fingers dug into the tender flesh of her arm.
“
I am
not accustomed to having my orders disobeyed,” he warned ominously.

             
“And
I am
not accustomed to following orders,” she replied defiantly.

             
“My brother should have taught you better manners.” His fingers were like vises around her arms. “You see, you have no choice
whatsoever
in the matter
, little one
. This is my ship and everyone onboard must either obey or suffer the consequences, which I can assure you
,
would be severe.”

             
“No punishment could be worse than b
eing raped by a filthy, disgusting
pirate.”

             
“We shall see, Madame. We shall see. If you prefer the
cat-o-nine-tails
to me
,
I will
be happy to oblige.” She stood her ground
,
preferring the whip to his lust.

             
Sean hated the thought of marring her perfect flesh. Flesh that would be most pleasing in the long, lonely weeks ahead. Little did Lynna know that Sean was a hard man, but soft where beautiful women were concerned. And he could never remember seeing one more beautiful.

             
She was caught unaware as his hand snaked out to rip her bodice open to the waist, exposing her bosom to his hungering gaze. His hand trailed up her arm to lightly caress her breast, but he squeezed painfully when her fist crashed into his jaw with a force that stunned him. His huge hands moved to the slim column of her neck closing around it, applying gentle yet firm pressure. “I could snap you
r
neck with one twist, as
I have
done so many times in the past for far less
crimes than you just committed.” A muscle in his
jaw twitched angrily. “
It might behoove you to consider who you are dealing with the next time you feel the urge to strike a man, for all men might not be as lenient, or as swayed by your beauty, as I am. Nonetheless, you will have to be punished for your carelessness, but that can
wait until after
I have
had my fill of you.” He lowered his head to hers and his lips were hard,
demanding a response that she w
ould not give.
“And I cannot see that deed being accomplished anytime in the foreseeable future. Now, allow me to demonstrate
the pleasures to be found in the arms of a real man.”

             
Lynna
knew she had to think fast, but her mind seemed to be scrambled and racing in several directions at once.
“I am your brother’s wife, Captain Devereux. Do you fee
l no loyalty toward him
?”

             
“Unfortunately, the answer to your question is no. Believe me, at this moment
,
my feelings do not run toward family.” His ey
es rested on her bosom
. “No, that
’
s not true. I have rather pronounced feelings for the newest member of my family.”
Without another word, h
e lifted her easily, carrying her flailing and screaming to the bunk where she clawed at his face and bit into his shoulder
,
causing him to wince painfully, but not release her. She cowered
,
expecting to feel the blows from his fist, but none were forthcoming.
Instead, he gazed down at her in deep concentration.

             
What Sean
would not
give to have this lovely creature come to him of her own volition
.
The hold of his ship was overflowing with bounty. Therefore, if he was of a mind, and he was, he could take the lady to his island and lock them both in his bedroom until his lust for the enchanting creature had been satisfied. By then, she would be his and h
e would devote his life to pleasing her.
But even as he was contemplating his possible devotion to her, she continued with her assault, pulling fistfuls of hair, digging her knee into his groin, and trying to dig her long nails into his skin.

             
Once on the bed
,
the strong smell of v
inegar assaulted him and a workable
plan began to take shape in his mind. “Who gave you vinegar?”

             
She immediately stilled, and took on the look of one innocent of all crimes.
“Sir, I
do not know what you are referring to. What vinegar?
” The lie fell from her lips with ease as she was suddenly more frightened for Rob than herself.

             
“Answer me!” He jerked her face around to look into her eyes. “I will know who onboard my ship so carelessly waste
s
supplies!” He interpreted the fear clearly in her eyes. “Rob! That ignorant darky!
He is the only one stupid
enough to go against my orders and give in to a woman’s foolish whims.” He
had
used her fear for Rob to his advantage
and the ploy was working beautifully
. “He must be punished. He will receive twenty lashes for the theft.”

             
“Twenty lashes!” she cried, incredulously
, temporarily forgetting the danger she was in and shoving him off her to stand beside the bunk
. “Twenty lashes for a cup of vinegar? You
cannot
be serious.”

             
“Alas, I see your memory has not fled you after all, little one.”

             
Ignoring his remark, s
he scrambled through her pocket for Michael’s gold doubloon that she had found when cleaning under the bunk. “Here
,
I will pay for the vinegar I used.
This should more than cover…
”

             
“I will prove to
you
that
I
do not
issue false threats!” he roared
theatrically
as he strode
angrily
out the door
,
slamming it behind him. “He must be punished
for this disobedience
!”

             
Lynna sat at the table
,
attempting to reassure herself that the pirate captain would not execute his vicious threat.
Of course he wouldn’t. No man could be so
heartless. But within a few short minutes she heard footsteps and
clutching the torn bodice of her dress, she cracked open the door to find a stoic
Rob in the hall with a glowering Sean behind him. Sean had a sharp cutlass pointed at Rob’s back. Rob revealed no emotion, looking solemnly towa
rd the deck, knowing exactly the
excruciating fate
that
awaited him. He was no novice at having his skin laid open by the cat-o-nine tails. Seeing Lynna
,
he stopped to smile encouragingly.

             
“Move!” Sean ordered. “Or do you wish to be run through right here
?
”

             
“Please!”
Lynna cried, rushing forward and attempting to pull him, and his sword, backward and away from Rob.
“I implore you, sir
, to cease this madness and not carry through with it
!”

             
Sean pretended not to hear her as he marched Rob toward the hatchway. Lynna realized that once the crew discovered what was about they would halt their work to urge their captain on, eager for any diversion from their tedious monoton
y. If she was to stop this vicious
act of violence, it would have to be now.

             
“Wa
it!” she cried, tugging on Sean’s sleeve until he stopped prodding Rob with his sword and looked down at her. Dreading it, but without
hesitation
,
she timidly touched his bare chest where his shirt fell open
. “I will do anything
…
you ask.” Standing on tiptoe she whispered
close to his ear, but
the words almost choked her. “Anything…
if you will not flog this man.”

             
He
rubbed his jaw and
pretended to ponder her request when in truth
he had
known this would be her re
action to his threat against an innocent man
.

             
“No, Ma
’
am!” Rob stated adamantly
, ignoring the cutlass at his back
. “
Don’t
do
dat
!”