Lynna's Rogue (48 page)

             
Neither of them knew what mysteries lay beyond their secluded hideaway in
this as yet unexplored haven
. She often wondered what had happened to the previous dweller of the cave, but had not a clue to his disappearance.

             
She dreaded the nights alone most. She had heard hideous, bloodcurdling screams
, waking her from a sound sleep and sending
her scurrying to Rob’s side
, where he slept on a soft pallet of moss in the corner
. But he would only laugh,
explaining which of the forest’
s many creatures had made the peculiar sound. She was
still
far from convinced that some monstrous beast wasn’t lurking outside the cave
,
just waiting for a chance to devour them both. But that was only when the strange noises filled the deep, dark jungle at night. When the morning sun cast its brilliant beam over the tropical island
,
she felt no such fear. Until now, realizing that tonight would be her first night without Rob.

             
Over the next few days
,
the feelings of loneliness abated and she took the opportunity to explore her lush environment. The island reminded her of a sparkling jewel floating in the warm blue, transparent waters of the Caribbean. On one side towered rugged green highlands, on the other stood exotic rain forests brimming with lush flora and fauna. Lynna
found great joy in
discover
ing
the many delights the beautiful island offered.

             
In the forest
she found flowers of every size and color. Red, yellow, white, and orange were scattered among the vegetation in a glorious array of color. Wild orchids grew in abundance among the towering bamboo shoots, some stretching as high as one hundred feet, blotting out the sun and leaving the forests cool on even the hottest days.

             
Much to her surprise
,
she slept soundly at night, waking up unharmed and in one piece in the morning. She heeded Rob’s dire warnings and
did not
venture too far into the jungle, only skirting the edges and never failing to be amazed at what she saw. The trees stretched endlessly toward the sky
,
many
reaching heights of 130 feet, their tops creating an umbrella
that kept the sun from falling on the forest floor
,
littered with rotten tree trunks, scrubby plant life, and
roots. The cool green
of the forest was broken often by the vivid array of flowers, blossoming tre
e
s
,
and vines.

             
The magnificent orchids of
all colors were her favorites and t
he blossoming trees were as lovely as the flowers
. The American Jacaranda boasted
huge patches of brilli
ant violet, while the Tulip tree sported
vibrant scarlet patches. But one tree that was more unusual th
a
n it was beautiful was the Sausage Tree
,
with fruit that reminded her of han
ging sausage links. Flourishing
among the
trees, wrapping and twisting among
them
,
were the ever
present vines
.
S
ome
were nearly
as thick as a man’s body. One vine
,
called Liane, stretched endlessly
, twining through
the forest like huge ropes.

             
Walking further down the beach
,
Lynna found that the forest gave way to breathtaking hollows. Tall elephant grass swayed in the gentle breeze and the entire landscape was dotted
with colorful wildflowers. Bending to pick a handful, she
walked back down the beach
. R
ealizing she
hadn’t eaten since breakfast, s
he decided to return to the cave and continue with her exploration later.

             
The white sand under her feet was warm, almost hot as s
he leisurely strolled
the beach, stopping often to watch with apt interest the numerous species of birds that inhabited the island
. She enjoyed the bright
orange
, yellow,
and green parrots, cuckoo birds, pelicans, and ever present hummingbirds
that
fluttered through the trees. She found herself laughing now at the same piercing screams that had filled her with terror her first night.

 
             
The shallow ocean waters were alive with bright, exotic tropical fish, gigantic tortoises, and oftentimes she saw shark fins protruding from the water. In the jungle she was ever on the look out for monstrous pythons. Rob had cautioned her that even though their bite was nonpoisonous, they coul
d easily squeeze the life from
her.

             
Feeling suddenly cool and shaded
,
she glanced skyward to see thick, black clouds rolling in threatening masses over the mountains, and heard the now familiar rumbling of thunder. Afternoon thunderstorms were a frequent occurrence on the island, usually brief, but often accompanied by heavy downpours of rain. For this reason
,
she hurried down the path toward the cave.

             
Preoccupied with her thoughts, she failed to notice the tall ship anchored off shore.

Chapter Twenty-One

             
L
ynna reached the cave just as fat drops of rain splashed her face. Standing in the mouth of the cave
,
she watched the leathery tree leaves bend under the weight of the rain and gave thanks
she had
reached shelter before the storm broke. After lighting the wall torches
,
she prepared a delicious lunch of oyster stew using coconut milk.
Then, f
eeling safe and warm in her cozy hideaway
,
she curled up on the bed
,
listening to the steady dripping of rain in the forest and, after wishing for the thousandth time that she had a good book, drifted into a dreamless sleep.

             
When she awoke hours later, she stretched luxuriously, marveling at how wonderful a nap made her feel. T
he rain had ended and the sun was shining brightly, the forest smelling fresh and alive. The huge canopy of trees above her still trickled water long after the rain had ended, drenching her as she walked under it. With no direction in mind
,
she eventually found herself beside the pool. Already wet from the dripping leaves
,
she dove into the wat
er and swam to her lily pad, climbing
inside. Her arms
and legs dangled over the side
as she kicked her feet to propel Mother Nature’s raft through the water.

             
A
butterfly, the biggest
she had
ever seen, lighted on her knee. Its wingspan was as broad as both of her opened hands and the vi
vid colors were flamboyant
gold,
red, green and shimmering violet
.
“Oh, how lovely you are!” S
he remained motionless
,
watching the dazzling insect crawl over her knee until a startling noise from the bushes caused it to flutter away.

             
At once alert
,
Lynna peered into the dark jungle
,
willing herself not to be afraid. She laughed out loud
,
recalling how terrified she had been when the lily pad had bumped against her back. Closing her eyes
,
she relaxed, drifting over the rippling swells that her kicking feet created. The noise was nothing more than one of the jungles small, fu
rry creatures at play. At least that’s what she
tried to convince herself
.
             

             
The three men who watched Lynna from behind the bushes were speechless, afraid
to move or speak lest the image
before them should disappear. For two of the men, she was an ethereal golden goddess for their love-starved eyes.
F
or their Captain
,
she was the answer to many devout prayers. Joshua
stared in shocked disbelief at the vision before him and
felt the tremendous weight
he had carried for so long
being miraculously lifted from his
weary
shoulders. After months of desperate searching
,
he had
finally found her. And she was alive! And so damned beautiful! She looked so petite and fragile in the huge lily pad as her golden hair spilled over the side to float on the surface of the water. The sarong she wore had slipped up around her thigh exposing the length of her smooth, golden tanned legs to their hungry gaze.

             
“Lynna, my darling.
You are alive,” he whispered.

             
Her eyes flew open
and she cried out in shock as she leapt into the water,
witn
essing her worst nightmare come to life as t
hree men stood on the bank, soaked to the skin
,
their wet hair plastered to their heads. To her terrified eyes
,
they were the very epitome of evil. In a daze
,
she swam to the opposite shore
,
uncertain which way to run.

             
“Lynna, is it really you?” The taller of the three stepped forward with a gentle smile curving his lips and a questioning light shining in his sea green eyes. He hastened around the pool toward her, but before he was within arm
’
s reach
,
she was running wildly at breakneck speed through the jungle
,
as if she were being chased by the devil himself. For in her mind
,
she was.

             
“Oh God!” she
beseeched, praying
for guidance. Where could she hide? Who were those awful men chasing her, and why did one of them call her Lynna? Then the answer was suddenly clear to her. The pirates! They were
n’t
dead
,
as Rob had presumed.
No, unfortunately, they were very much alive!
And determined to kidnap her and return her to the pirate ship. Rob would never e
ven know what happened to her.
“Rob, please
,
come help me!” she cried, more terrified than she ever remembered being. “No!” she told herself sharply. Rob was
n’t
here to protect her. She
would
have to fend for herself.
She could not hide in the cave, for t
hey would follow the trampled path just as she and Rob had. But her weapons were in the cave, the spears that
she had
become so adept at using. She would need them if she were to survi
ve the sea rovers’ attack. Racing
blindly through the forest
,
she clutched at her side
as sharp talons of fear stabbed her.

             
Inside the cave
,
she grabbed two of the spears and turned to leave, but her body went numb at what she saw. Lynna contemplated using the spear on herself, but lacked the courage. Instead
,
she faced the men
,
blocking the entrance to the cave, daring them with a savage look to approach her.

             
“Why did you run from me, Lynna?” Again, the tallest man stepped forward with a look of genuine hurt and bewilderment marring his rugged features. Why…
he was almost convincing. However
,
Lynna recognized it as only a ploy to make her lose control of the situation. Raising the spear with her right hand and aiming it directly at his heart
,
she held out her left hand to stop his progress.

             
“Stay away from me or I will use it!” she ordered fiercely, meaning every word.
“Now,
get off my island!”

             
“Your island?” Mystified, J
oshua could only stare at her, w
ondering if this stunning creature truly was his Lynna or if his mind was playing tricks on him. There was only one way to find out. “Sam, return to the ship and give the crew leave to come ashore.” As he spoke
,
his sparkling, green eyes never once left her. “I can handle this.”