Silver Angel (31 page)

C
hantelle lasted several weeks before the boredom got to her. She had thought this voyage would be different from her sea journey into captivity, but it wasn’t, not by much. She was still locked in her cabin, denied the sights and sounds of shipboard activity that could have made the slow passage of time more bearable. The little man who brought her meals was English, probably a slave, and disgustingly cheerful about it. The only other person she saw was Jamil, and it was getting more and more difficult for her to put him off when she was starved for company.

At least on her first voyage she had had Hakeem drilling her with information nearly every waking hour. That and her anxiety for the future hadn’t allowed her time to be bored. Now she would even welcome Jamila’s company. But they had been parted as soon as they had reached the ship, given separate cabins no doubt so Jamil wouldn’t disturb one by visiting the other. And she wasn’t about to ask him if she could visit Jamila when she was still barely speaking to him.

But
he
was undoubtedly visiting Jamila. Oh, he came by to see Chantelle each evening, but that was no more than courtesy now, for he had stopped trying to talk her out of her pique. What he did after the visit, she had no way of knowing.

He had changed since they’d set sail. Not only his appearance but his very temperament seemed different. Gone were the robes and tunics she had become
used to, even the Turkish pants. He wore lawn shirts an Englishman would envy, and tight buff pants with knee-high boots. All that was missing was a cutaway jacket, but the warm weather could account for its absence.

She couldn’t imagine why he was dressing as a European now, and was too stubborn to ask. His mood change was even more curious, but that, too, she didn’t comment on. There were no bursts of anger or frustration over her continued rebuffs. It was as if he were walking on eggshells around her, glad that she had so little to say to him.

Her dinner arrived right on time as usual, and the little sailor who answered to the name of Peaches was all smiles this evening. “We make port tomorrow for fresh provisions, miss. No sea biscuits and Gundy’s ‘put anything into it’ stew tomorrow night.”

He said this as he set her tray down. Chantelle came forward to note there was a bottle of wine tonight to make the bland fare more palatable. Gundy had stopped providing any variety in the meals a week ago.

“What’s the name of this port we’re stopping at, Peaches?”

“I couldn’t pronounce it right even if I tried, miss. It’s one of those foreign names. But it’s just a little harbor halfway along the coast of Portugal. No place of any importance.”

Chantelle stared at him incredulously. “Do you mean to say we’ve actually left the Mediterranean?”

“Why, that’s right, you would’ve missed the Straits, being as we came through in the dead of night. Surprised Sinclair didn’t tell you, though.”

“Sinclair?”

“Why, the gent you’re—”

“If you don’t have enough tasks to keep you busy, Peaches,” Derek said from the doorway, “perhaps I should have a talk with the captain to rectify that.”

“No need for that, milord. I was just having a little friendly chitchat with the lady.”

“So I heard.”

“Right you are.”

Derek closed the door as soon as Peaches hurried out, then leaned back against it, arms crossed over his chest. Chantelle narrowed her eyes at him.

“Did my ears just deceive me, or did you speak to him in perfect English, Jamil?”

“I doubt he would have understood a word of my French.”

“Then you lied to me. You
do
know English!”

“Of course,” he replied with a careless shrug. “It’s Jamil who doesn’t speak it, at least not very well.”

“Jamil who doesn’t…oh, I see. I suppose you’ve changed identities along with your clothes.”

“Something like that.”

“You could have said something sooner,” she replied peevishly. “If you’re traveling in secrecy—”

“Whatever gave you that idea?”

Her brows drew together suspiciously. “Have you been drinking?”

“Not at all.” He grinned at her.

“Well, you’re not making any sense. If you don’t want anyone to know who you are, then this trip must be secret.”

“But it’s not, Shahar, and everyone aboard knows who I am. Derek Sinclair, present Earl of Mulbury. at your service.”

“Derek?” The name struck a cord of memory. “Didn’t you ask me once to call you…wait a minute. I know the name Sinclair. It’s the family name
of the Marquis of Huntstable, who lives not four miles from my home.”

“My grandfather.”

“Like bloody hell,” she snapped. “I’m not a fool, Jamil.”

“Of course you’re not. I think your difficulty lies in getting past one simple fact. I’m not Jamil Reshid. I took his place for a while because he needed my help.”

“You’re lying again. How could you impersonate someone everyone knows? You would have to be his twin.”

“That did make it easier.”

She could have spit at that point, she was so exasperated. “If you can’t be serious, get out! I don’t like being toyed with!”

Derek came away from the door and pulled out a chair at the little table the cabin was equipped with. “Sit down and I’ll explain, Shahar. It’s time we got this out of the way.”

She did, and when he had finished, she could only stare at him. “Then you really aren’t the Dey of Barikah? You were raised in…you’re a bloody Englishman?”

“Yes, if you must put it that way.” He was so relieved that she was only surprised, he didn’t care what she called him. “You don’t mind?”

“I don’t know,” she replied truthfully. “I haven’t really…if you aren’t Jamil, then you don’t own me, do you? In fact, you never did.”

“You were bought for me, Shahar. When I took Jamil’s place, his harem was also at my disposal. And since any woman I favored would be married off at his return, you could say he hoped that with a concubine of my own, I wouldn’t be tempted by too many
of his women, at least those he didn’t care to part with. And so I wasn’t.”

“Jamila?”

“I already knew about her before I arrived. I was asked to get her out of Barikah if I could. But because she was one of Jamil’s favorites, there was the chance he wouldn’t let her go even if I asked him.”

“So you summoned her to your bed.”

“Actually, I didn’t touch her, but I couldn’t tell you that at the time. For her to be released, everyone, especially Jamil, had to think she shared my bed.”

“Then you told her who you were?”

“No. She was rather piqued that she couldn’t tempt me. She’s a precocious young woman. But I counted on her vanity to keep her from telling anyone that all I wanted was to play chess with her. And she didn’t.”

Chantelle frowned as another thought occurred to her. “Just when did you change places with your brother?”

Derek grinned, reading her mind. “The very day I first summoned you.”

“Then…that was Jamil who bought me, not you?”

He nodded. “That was the only time you saw him.”

“Then you didn’t…it was he who…and Mara! It wasn’t you!” She shot out of the chair to throw her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad! I could never reconcile myself to the cruelty you—he displayed. I couldn’t understand how I could—”

When she lowered her eyes without finishing, he prompted, “Don’t stop there. Could what?”

“Never mind,” she evaded. “What about Sheelah? I haven’t forgotten that you—”

“Not me, Shahar. That was the day Jamil returned,
and he went straight to his wife. He does love her, you know.”

“Then you kept your promise?”

“Actually, I told you the truth when I said I hadn’t been able to think of anyone but you since my eyes first beheld you. There still hasn’t been anyone else, Shahar—only you.”

She looked up, eyes sparkling, and then she kissed him. He didn’t let her stop there. It had been weeks since she had let him get this close, weeks of his worrying about her reaction to the truth. He certainly hadn’t expected it to be like this.

He scooped her up and carried her to her small bunk. She helped him to remove her clothes and his as well, and then he was lying beside her and doing all the things to her that he had only been able to dream about recently.

Chantelle reveled in the sweet promise of his touch. He knew her body so well, every sensitive place that made her burn for him. How she had missed this, and how blissful to know that she need never deny herself again. He had been true to her. He must love her. Deciding that gave her more joy than she had ever imagined possible.

“I should have told you sooner,” Derek said between nibbles at her throat and breasts.

“Why—didn’t—you?” she asked breathlessly.

“I was afraid you would be angry.”

She caught at his face and showered it with kisses. “That you’re not Jamil? That you kept your promise to me? That you’re taking me home? You
are
taking me home, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” He grinned. “Home with me. You don’t think I’d bring you all this way just to let you go, do you?”

As he said this, he pinned her to the bed, coming home now to the warmth he craved. She was ready for him, welcoming him inside with a passion made more powerful by her love for him. God, it was so nice to finally accept it, to have no doubts about his worthiness, to give her heart into his keeping. It made all the difference in the world, which she discovered when their bodies joined in climax to achieve a pinnacle of pulsating ecstasy never reached before.

D
awn was slowly creeping through the porthole when Derek finally rose from the bunk. He had spent the night, but not to sleep. Chantelle stretched luxuriously as she watched him dress and splash cold water on his face. He was tired, while she felt smug that she wasn’t. Not yet anyway.

“Are you certain you wouldn’t like to stay just a little longer?”

Derek glanced over his shoulder to find her leaning back on both elbows, her uncovered breasts thrust provocatively forward. He groaned and looked away.

“A man has his limits, Shahar,” he said in an aggrieved tone.

“Are you begging for mercy, my lord?”

“Yes,” but he quickly amended, “Until tonight.” He came back to sit on the edge of the bunk. Those sweetly thrusting breasts were almost his undoing. “Then you can be as merciless as you like. I will insist upon it.”

She laughed throatily. “It’s your own fault for ignoring me for so long.”

“Me?” He mustered up some indignation in his tone. “You had me practically on my knees.”

She turned on her side so her pelvis pressed against his hip. She trailed one finger slowly up his arm.

“You would never grovel, my lord. You’re too used to getting your way and relying on your seductive powers.”

“None of which did me much good recently.”

“Oh, I don’t know. It wasn’t easy trying to ignore you, especially when I adore this fine strapping body of yours.”

“Minx,” he said as her hands slipped inside his open shirt.

“Give me a kiss and I’ll let you go without further protest.”

He did, but when her tongue thrust inside his mouth and one hand started a slow descent down his chest, Derek turned the aggressor. “I wouldn’t have believed it was possible, but I’m not going anywhere.”

“What a shame. You kept me up all night, you know, and I’m suddenly feeling quite—” At his growl, she giggled. “Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I can stay awake for another hour or so.”

It was nearly an hour later when Chantelle again watched Derek dress, but this time she yawned, sleepily content to make no protest. Tenderly, he bent over to give her a last kiss.

“I’ll see you this evening, little moon.”

“You’ll see me sooner than that,” she replied dreamily. “Or don’t you think it’s time I had a little fresh air and exercise up on the deck?” When he didn’t answer, she opened her eyes to find him frowning. “Well, don’t you?”

“Actually,” he replied hesitantly, “I would rather you continue as you have.”

She was fully awake now. “Locked in? You must be joking.” But at his deeper frown, she exclaimed, “You’re not joking! Why?”

“It would be better all around—”

“For who? Not for me, so it must be for you.” And now she was frowning. “Is there something you haven’t told me?”

“Why do you say that?” he hedged.

“Because you obviously don’t want me talking to anyone else on the ship. And as I recall, you mentioned something last night about thinking I would be angry. What exactly was I supposed to get angry about?”

“Very well,” he said tightly. “The captain and half the crew know that I have a fiancée awaiting my return to England. She was with my grandfather when he made the arrangements for this ship to pick me up in Barikah.”

“I see,” she replied with admirable calm. “A fiancée. Now tell me you intend to break the engagement.”

“Break it? You just don’t break an engagement to the daughter of a duke.”

“You could,” she said angrily.

“No, I couldn’t,” he snapped back.

“Why? No, don’t answer that. You love her, don’t you?”

“Of course I love her! I’ve known her most of my life!”

“What has that to do with it?”

“What has—” he started to shout, but thought better of it, lowering his tone to a persuasive level. “The point is, this has nothing to do with us, Shahar.”

“Don’t call me that! Your brother gave me that name and I always hated it. And there is no ‘us,’ my lord, nor will there be if you marry your Duke’s daughter.”

“You expected me to marry you?”

“After you said you were taking me home with you, yes, I suppose the thought did cross my mind!”

He stared at her for a long moment. “Then I’m sorry, but that wasn’t the arrangement I had in mind.”

Chantelle’s eyes flared wide as it dawned on her what he
did
have in mind. “You wanted me to be your
mistress?
”

“You needn’t say it like that. A mistress is perfectly respectable these days.”

“That’s the best I can hope for, is that it? You ruin me for a decent marriage, then hope to benefit—” It hit her suddenly what she was saying, and her eyes flared even wider. “My God, you were in a position to…you could have obtained my freedom without…you bloody bastard! You didn’t have to make love to me. You could have left me untouched as you did Jamila.”

“That wouldn’t have gotten you your freedom, Shahar.”

“Don’t—call—me—that! And don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying. Jamil owned you. You got your freedom as a reward for helping him. Otherwise, he was within his rights to keep you.”

“He never wanted me. He bought me for you. He would have let me go if you had asked him. All you had to do was ask him. He was your brother, for God’s sake. Don’t you dare tell me he would have denied you anything after you had traveled all that way and risked your life for his sake!”

“Perhaps not, but I couldn’t take the chance. I couldn’t see you buried in that harem forever, just one of so many women, especially when his love was already taken. I thought at first to insist you be married to a man with no other wives. I felt you deserved to at least be a first
kadine
. But that couldn’t be arranged unless I bedded you first.”

“If you’re trying to tell me you did it for my sake, I’ll—I’ll—”

“All right!” he angrily interrupted her sputtering.
“That was just an excuse to salve my conscience. The plain truth is I couldn’t leave you alone. I wanted you too much and I still do. And, by God, you
are
going home with me, woman. I’m keeping you, one way or another. If I have to turn this ship around and live out the rest of my days in Barikah so I can keep you locked in a harem, I’ll do it.”

“I won’t be your mistress!” she screamed at him as he stalked out the door. She got no reply other than the key turning in the lock. “I won’t,” she added softly for her own benefit. And then she started to cry.