A Pirate's Love (19 page)

B
ettina awoke to a beautiful morning, with the sun streaming in through the window and birds singing on the roof. She was impatient to be up and about. She quickly shoved Tristan out of bed, telling him to go and get her clothes. He pulled his breeches on grudgingly and did as she asked. When he returned with her clothes, he climbed back into bed without a word and went to sleep again.

Bettina had forgotten that her shift was torn, but she wasn't about to waste time sewing it now—she wanted to see her mother. Both of her dresses were of soft material, so it wouldn't matter if she wore her shift or not.

She chose the lilac cotton dress and donned it quickly. She left the room, not even bothering with her hair, allowing it to hang loose and flow down her back. Her bare feet felt the chill of the cold floor as she hurried down the corridor and descended the stairs.

She saw Madeleine sitting at the long dining table with her mother, talking away in her cheerful manner. Madeleine stared at Bettina in surprise when she saw her, but Jossel immediately rose to her feet and
met Bettina before she reached the table.

“Oh, my love, are you all right?” Jossel asked as she embraced Bettina. “He said he would not harm you, but he would not allow me to see you.”

“I am fine—now,” Bettina replied and led her mother back to the table.

“Does—does Tristan know that you have left his room? He would be—”

“He knows, Mama,” Bettina interrupted. “I struck a bargain with Tristan last night. I gave my word that I would stay here for one year. Counting the time I have already spent with him, it will actually be less than eleven months.”

“You agreed to this?”

“I had no choice. He set the amount of time, and I had to give my word that I would not escape in order to leave that room. I could not stand being locked up any longer.”

“It was a foolish thing you did, escaping again,” Madeleine scolded. “Tristan was like a madman when he told me you'd hailed a ship and were gone. I was worried sick over you.”

“I'm sorry, Maddy. But I was coming back for you. I wouldn't have left if I didn't think you would be rescued.”

“Oh, I was all right, pet,” Madeleine returned. “In fact, I have grown to like it here. I no longer have kitchen duties, but I still supervise those two young girls who serve here whenever Tristan is home.”

“Who are those girls?” Bettina asked curiously.

“Aleia and Kaino,” Madeleine answered. “Their older sister, Maloma, is married to Jules.”

“Married? Yes, I did hear Tristan say Jules had a wife here.”

“A wife and three children by her. Cute little tykes, they are—all girls.”

“And does Tristan have a wife and children here, too?” Bettina asked sarcastically.

Madeleine and Jossel exchanged curious glances, and Madeleine said, “Tristan has never taken seriously any of the village women. He visits the whores there occasionally, but that is all. Many of his crew have married village girls, though, and they have built their own huts on previous visits here. The rest of the crew stays in the village.”

“Is there a priest, then, who performed these marriages?” Bettina ventured. “I would like to go to confession.”

“No, the couples went to the village chief for his blessing, that is all. But I think I have convinced Jules to bring a priest here to give these marriages God's blessing.”

“Why do you concern yourself, Maddy?” Bettina asked.

“Tristan's men married these native girls honorably; they do not intend to desert them. I only feel they should be married properly.”

“It is Jules you are thinking of. Honestly, Maddy, you are impossible. Must you mother everyone? Jules does not deserve your concern.”

“I have come to know him also, Bettina,” Jossel said. “I find it hard to believe he is the same man who nearly whipped you to death.”

“He is the same man, and he would still like to see me whipped. If I harmed Tristan, Jules would be the first to bare my back.”

“She is right, Jossel,” Madeleine said reluctantly. “You were not there the day she nearly killed the
capitaine
. Jules, he can be like a wild demon, but
only where Tristan is concerned. He protects the
capitaine
as a mother protects her child.”

Jossel frowned and looked at Bettina sadly. “I fear I have not protected you as I should have,
ma chérie
.”

“Oh, no, Mama, you must not blame yourself. There is nothing you can do for me without endangering your own life. I will manage—it will only be for one year.”

“You sound as if you have given up, Bettina. It will not be a year. The Comte de Lambert has the map you gave him. He will rescue us,” Jossel said.

Bettina sighed and told her mother of the conversation she had overheard between Pierre and Don Miguel. “So it will be a year unless Tristan decides to let me go sooner,” Bettina finished.

“Does Tristan know that you no longer intend to marry the
comte?
” Jossel asked softly.

“No, and you must both promise not to tell him or anyone about it,” Bettina replied, and waited for her mother and Madeleine to nod in agreement.

“But if he knew, perhaps he would marry you,” Jossel returned.

“Mama, my feelings for Tristan have not changed since I last spoke to you about him. I still hate him, and I would never, never marry him. And he has also said he will not marry me. He will not change his mind.”

“But a year is a long time, Bettina. If you should bear Tristan a child, then he would surely—”

“No! Do not even think it!” Bettina cried. “It will not happen!”

“Calm yourself, my love. Of course it will not happen. I did not mean to upset you,” Jossel said quickly, wishing she were as sure as Bettina was.

“I'm sorry I shouted, Mama. I have been doing that a lot lately.” Bettina said with a faint smile.

“And with good reason, I imagine.”

“Very good reason.” Bettina laughed softly.

“If only Ryan had come back, our lives could have been so different,” Jossel said wistfully.

“Ryan? Who is this Ryan?” Madeleine asked.

Jossel's face turned slightly pink. “Bring Bettina some of that hot bread Aleia baked, please, Maddy, and some milk.”

“You never told Maddy about Ryan?” Bettina asked after the old woman had left.

“No, but I think she suspected there was someone in my life all those years ago. She knew how happy I was for a while. But it would serve no purpose to tell her now.”

“I suppose you are right. But I have not asked how you have fared, Mama. Have any of the men—ah—bothered you?”

“Heavens, no,” Jossel laughed. “What would these men want with an old woman like me?”

“Mama, this is no matter to take lightly. You are not an old woman, which you know very well, and you are beautiful,” Bettina scolded.

“Do not worry about me, Bettina. Your
capitaine
has taken very good care of me.”

“He has!” Bettina exclaimed. “But he would tell me nothing, not even if you had a roof to sleep under.”

“He does not strike me as such a bad man, though he forces you to sleep with him, and on this I have been reminded not to interfere. But he has given me his protection. I heard him give the order that I was to be left alone and respected.”

“Honorable actions do not fit his mold,” Bettina said sarcastically.

“Tristan has been more than generous to me,” Jossel replied. “He gave me the room next to Madeleine's. And he has supplied me with plenty of material for dresses, and it is such expensive cloth. He also found me a pair of shoes when he saw that mine were left behind.”

“Tristan did all of this for you without being asked?”

“Yes. I did not expect to be treated so kindly. But I think Tristan did it because of you, because I am your mother.”

“More likely so he would not have to deal with my wrath,” Bettina returned bitterly.

“No, Bettina. I think he really cares for you. He did not like keeping you locked up.”

“That is absurd. He enjoys making me suffer!” Bettina snapped, her eyes turning green at the mention of her three-weeks confinement.

“Many times he started up the stairs with determination, then stopped in indecision, as if he were fighting with himself. He would go a few more steps, then turn around abruptly and storm out of the house. He did not know I saw him, but I believe that he started up the stairs to release you.”

“You are interpreting his actions the way you want to believe,” Bettina replied. “You would like to believe Tristan is an honorable man and that he cares for me. Well, he is not honorable, and he does not care for me. He wants me only to satisfy his lust, no more.”

“Does Tristan speak French?” Jossel asked, suddenly changing the subject.

“No. He is an English seadog who speaks only his
native tongue,” Bettina replied contemptuously.

“You did not tell me he was such a handsome man.”

“What does it matter how handsome he is, when his soul is black with sin?”

“You do not find him even a little bit irresistible?” Jossel ventured.

“Certainly not! Tristan may be a devil, but his powers will not soften my heart.”

“I only want you to be happy, Bettina.”

“I will be happy when I leave this island, not until then,” Bettina answered.

“You sound like an angel when you speak your language, little one,” Tristan said softly.

Bettina started and turned her head to see Tristan standing behind her. “Must you walk so quietly?” she demanded. “How long have you been standing there?”

“For a few minutes. I didn't want to interrupt your conversation with your mother. I'm sure you have much to tell her,” Tristan said. He sat down in the chair next to her.

Bettina turned back to her mother with wide, angry eyes. “Why did you not tell me he was there?”

“He motioned for me to say nothing. That is why I asked if he spoke French. I did not know if you would want him to learn how you feel about him. But his face did not change when you spoke of him—he did not understand.”

“He knows how I feel, Mama—he knows I hate him.”

“You've had enough time to discuss your complaints with your mother,” Tristan said sourly. “You will speak English now.”

“I was merely telling my mother how much I hate you,” Bettina replied in a saucy voice.

“How much you
think
you hate me.”

“What are you implying? Do you think I do not know my own mind?” Bettina asked heatedly.

“I think you deceive yourself. Is it hatred you feel when you cling to me in bed?” he asked with a taunting smile

“You will not speak of that in front of my mother!” Bettina gasped.

“Why not? Would you have her believe that you hate me all of the time?”

“You are a devil. Tristan!” Bettina stormed. “I am not responsible for the magic you work in bed, but it does not affect what I feel in my heart. If I did not hate you, would I have asked Pierre to kill you? And I hate you even more since you have brought me back!”

Bettina stood up and walked to the front door, but Tristan ran after her and stopped her. They stood by the open door in a shaft of warm sunlight, well out of Jossel's hearing.

“Where do you think you're going?” he asked, a dark scowl on his face.

“Away from you!” she snapped and turned to walk out the door, but he held her arm and jerked her back against him.

“Shall I prove to your mother the truth of my words—that you will yield to my embrace?” he asked, his voice cold and unrelenting.

Bettina couldn't stop the tears that welled up in her eyes. “Stop it—please. You have already humiliated me in front of her. Must you continue to do so?”

“Stop your blasted crying! You deserve this for
your outburst. Where is your damnable temper now?”

Bettina continued crying while she pushed against him. She felt like a fool.

“Let go of me.” She tried to sound demanding, but failed pathetically. “I told my mother everything. I told her what happens to me when you rape me—how my body betrays me. You do not have to prove it to her.”

“No, but perhaps I should prove it to you,” he replied huskily.

Bettina angrily decided to prove something to him. She glanced at the table and saw that her mother had tactfully left the room. She wrapped her arms around Tristan's neck, pulled his lips down to hers, and kissed him passionately. She put all the feeling she could muster into the kiss, caressing him with her hands, molding her body to his. Her own senses soared, but when she felt his desire begin to rise, she pushed herself away from him.

She wanted to laugh at his startled expression, but she gritted her teeth and remembered why she had kissed him. “Now you know, Tristan, what I could give you if I didn't hate you. You may exact passion from my body when you rape me, but there is still a part of me that is not affected by your touch. This part of me you will never reach, because it is only mine to give. You will never have my love.”

Bettina turned and ran up the stairs to her room, ignoring the food Madeleine had left on the table for her.