Capturing the Pirate's Heart (The Emerald Quest Book 1) (8 page)

BOOK: Capturing the Pirate's Heart (The Emerald Quest Book 1)
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Chapter Nine

 

Everything.

Madeleine took a deep breath as the blood drained from her face, and
her ears began to buzz as the word brought her fear clawing to the surface.

I will not faint again.

She swallowed and held the gaze of the man who was crouched in front
of her. His shirt was still open and he was so close she could see the fine
hair covering the golden skin of his chest. Never before had she seen a man at
such close quarters, especially one whose warmth was tempting her to lean
closer and place her hands against his skin. She clenched her fingers together,
resisting the strange temptation.

To lay my open palms on his chest and rest my head on his shoulder
would be…would be…safe.

Confusion swirled through her. Rational thought told Madeleine she
should be very frightened but she was not. Just a little exciting trickle of
fear that sent goose bumps running down her arms. Waiting for him to explain
what “everything” meant filled her with a dangerous sense of anticipation.

“It is most important that the crew believes you are my woman.” He
lifted his hand and touched the stiff fabric of her dress. “What are you
wearing beneath that?”

The heat began where his finger had brushed her shoulder and
continued up to her neck. Robert, her dear brother, had taken great delight in
tormenting her about her propensity to blush and she knew how much her fair
skin betrayed her feelings.

“A chemise, a corset and a camisole.” Madeleine took a deep breath
and willed her face to cool.

“Good Lord, woman. No wonder you were in a tangle when you awoke.”
He grinned at her and now the warmth travelled down to her abdomen as well as
up into her face. “But that is good. It will give you something to work with. I
assume your undergarments are not black?”

She shook her head. Her undergarments were a pretty, lacy white and
threaded with the colorful ribbons that Father had bought her from his visits
to town. She had ensured that she had sewn them into her undergarments so there
would be a constant reminder of her family, no matter what she encountered in
this new, unknown world. Uncle Titus had frowned at any color on her black
mourning garb so her ribbons had remained well hidden from his view. Perhaps
now they would be visible?

Sébastien stood and crossed to an ornate chest which rested against
the end of the high bed. She waited while he lifted the lid and grunted with
satisfaction. An article of clothing such as she had never seen before dangled
from his fingers. It was a brilliant red with black ribbons lacing the front
together. He handed the soft silken fabric to her, the grin still on his face.

“Now, I must go above deck. You will be busy.” He gestured to the
food on the table. “Eat, before you begin.”

“Ah, Sébastien?” It was strange to say his name but that was what he
had said she was to call him.

He stood and tucked his shirt into his breeches, before swiftly
lacing up the ties and drawing the white fabric together over his chest. “Yes?”
He glanced across at her.

“Before I begin what?”

“Begin to do something about your appearance. The black dress must
go, and you can put an outfit together. Something that befits a pirate’s woman.
With that—” he pointed to the scrap of silk she held “— and your corset, you
should be able to fashion something suitable.” He strode to the door and looked
back at her before he opened it. “But be quick about it, we must talk to Jake
before he gives away who you are. Once I speak to Mr. Abrahams, my first mate,
I shall bring Jake down here. We will have to let him into my plan to keep you
safe. I shall be back down within the hour.”

Madeleine sat at the table for a few minutes after the door closed
behind him. She examined the flimsy piece of red silk that Sébastien had passed
to her and pulled a face. It appeared to be a top garment of some sort that
would go over a skirt.

Aware of the time passing, she dipped her finger into the porridge
that had now congealed into a glutinous mess, tasted it and immediately spat it
back into the bowl in a most unladylike manner. It was laden with salt and foul
tasting; if this was the food on a pirate vessel she would not be partaking of
any more. Reaching for the small purple fruit she had examined earlier, she
took a tentative bite. An explosion of sweet juice filled her mouth and
Madeleine closed her eyes; the soft flesh was as sweet as the spun sugar
confections that Cook had made back home. She dropped her head into her hands
and wondered what she was doing here on a pirate boat, about to transform her
appearance to that of a pirate’s wench.

I should have hidden from Uncle Titus in Derbyshire until he left me
behind, and never set out on this foolhardy adventure.

Madeleine allowed herself to wallow in self pity for only a moment before
she shook her head, and brushed away the lone tear that rolled onto her cheek.

I am here and I will make the best of the circumstances I am in.

Raising her chin, she sought the determination that usually filled
her. A maybe-pirate and a pirate ship would not deter her from her planned
course. She would continue with her quest and seek out the emerald and diamond
necklace and then travel back to England to triumphantly restore the family
estate. And if that meant spending some time masquerading as the doxy of a man
who may be a pirate—or not—so be it.

Madeleine stood and reached around to the back of her dress and
began to unlace the ties holding it together at her waist.

***

The wind was
blowing stiffly from the south and it carried the smell of a squall not far
off. The sails snapped sharply as Sébastien crossed the deck to the wheelhouse
and took over the steering. He listened as Mr. Abrahams informed him of their
bearings before the first mate went below deck to break his fast. They were
close to Grande Terre and about to enter the narrow channel separating the
island from the reed marshes of the delta country where Jean-Luc had his
trading outpost, and they would reprovision the vessel. They must be quick.
There was no time to lose. Sébastien observed the crew at work as he steered
the boat through the rising waves. There was a big blow coming and he hoped
they would be berthed safely in the shelter of Barataria Bay before it caught
them. He would stay on board to ensure Madeleine’s safety and send only a small
party to shore to get the provisions. He also had no desire to see his
half-brother. He wanted Jean-Luc to have no inkling of his future plans.
Sébastien cast his gaze around the vessel as he decided who to send to shore.

The sail maker and his idler were repairing a torn sail which was
spread across the top deck. Young Jake was sitting on a barrel watching them;
the swelling on his eye had gone down a little, and shades of purple and blue
were high on his cheek. Sébastien slowly scanned the decks above and below his
vantage point as the strong wind filled the sails and the vessel picked up
speed. The boatswain was supervising the Africans as they scrubbed the lower
deck. Sébastien allowed himself a brief smile; they were more energetic than any
of his crew when deck washing was underway. The three new crewmen were nowhere
to be seen and he narrowed his eyes. At this time of the morning all crew
should be above deck and working at one duty or another. There were always
tasks to be done to keep the vessel in good order. He was a hard, but fair
taskmaster, and his crew was well used to his ways. For a moment, he considered
putting the three new men ashore at Barataria Bay. He could not afford to have
a less than committed crew, but then he realized that they would need a full
contingent for this mission and there was no time to rouse up new crewmen. They
would soon learn the ways of his vessel.

“Bear into the wind, Mr. Abrahams.” The first mate had come back up
the ladder and had taken over the wheel from Sébastien. “There’s a squall
coming from behind. Grande Isle is three miles off.” Sébastien pointed to the
boiling clouds in the south.

“Aye, Captain.”

They had made good time and would navigate the narrow channel
between the two large islands into the bay before the weather broke. Sébastien
turned to the first mate before he headed to the upper deck to speak to the
cabin boy. “Where are the new crewmen? I will send them to shore to help with
the provisions when we anchor in the bay.”

Perhaps if he entrusted them with a measure of responsibility, they
would feel more like part of the crew.

Mr. Abrahams gestured with a toss of his head toward the bowsprit.
“All three are checking the stays of the foremast, sir. After the fouled
rigging yesterday, I have set the crew to check every rope and every stay on
the vessel.” He grinned. “I don’t think they are used to being so meticulous.”

“Well, if they are to stay on the
Maiden
they will soon learn
they must be.” As he walked toward the upper deck, Sébastien glanced up to the
rigging. All looked to be in order from below. “I am taking young Jake to my
cabin to check on his eye.”

The first mate threw him a curious glance but did not question him.

“Oh, and Mr. Abrahams.” Sébastien allowed a slight smile to cross his
face. “We have another passenger on board. There is a young woman in my cabin.
I would not want you to be surprised when she comes on deck.”

The man looked back at Sébastien with a frown. “Pardon, sir. Is that
wise considering the nature of our voyage?”

“It could not be helped. I shall explain when there are no ears to
listen.” He gestured to a couple of the crew who were working close to the
wheelhouse and Mr. Abrahams nodded.

“Later.” Sébastien nodded and climbed the stairs to the upper deck.
Young Jake jumped to his feet.

“Captain.” He bowed his head respectfully and Sébastien ruffled his
hair casually.

“How is your head today, boy?”

“Much improved, sir.”

Sébastien was pleased. The boy had much potential and would do well
if he applied himself to learning the ways of his vessel. It was a shame he
would not be here to take the boy into his care and watch him develop. He had
no doubt the young lad would make a good seaman.

He gestured for Jake to follow him to the ladder and stepped back and
let the lad precede him. When they reached the bottom, he turned and took the
boy’s arm and Jake’s eyes widened.

“Don’t be scared, I have a surprise for you. But it is imperative
that you can keep a secret.” He lowered his voice and stared at the lad. “Can
you do that?”

The boy nodded his head up and down respectfully, his eyes still
wide.

“Come then, follow me.” Sébastien tapped on the door and waited for
a moment before he turned the handle and pushed open the door to his cabin. He stood
back and let Jake enter before him.

Madeleine’s dress was in a pile on the end of the bed but the room
was empty and Sébastien’s heart seemed to stall.

Surely she hasn’t left the cabin?
There
were two smaller cabins adjacent to his—the first mate’s and a small space used
for sick and injured crew. The only other place she could be was in the crew’s
general quarters at the other end of the lower deck, but surely she would not
have gone there?

This young woman is going to cause me much grief on this voyage. I
know it.

Walking across to the curtain dividing the privy from the cabin, he
kept his voice low. “Madeleine, are you in there.”

The curtain lifted slowly and Sébastien slowly let out his breath as
relief filled him. He waited for her to step out from behind the curtain. A
slender white hand was the first of her to appear as the curtain rose inch by
inch, and then his heart kicked up a beat as Madeleine stepped from the alcove.

A sensual woman, her auburn curls cascading over smooth white
shoulders stood before him. One stray curl brushed a hint of cleavage barely
covered by the ribbons and lace on the top of her red silken chemise.

Sébastien’s mouth dried.

Holy Mother of Christ
. He would not
allow Madeleine anywhere near the crew dressed like that.

“Damnation,” he muttered as he remembered he had instructed her to
look just like that. But she had done a much better job of creating an outfit
than he had ever imagined she would. His gaze traveled from her bare neck down
to her waist. The chemise he had found in the chest was cut low and his eyes
dropped further down. She had done something with that ghastly black dress and
it now covered
most
of her legs. The problem was the fabric that now
covered her lower half clung to her and molded more curves than he’d ever
imagined she had.

Two white shapely calves held his attention for a moment, and he
reluctantly lifted his head.

Closing his mouth he managed a husky “Madeleine,” at the same time
that Jake recognized her.

“Miss Madeleine. What in heaven’s name has he done to you?” The
small boy pushed past him and took Madeleine’s hand with both of his. “If he’s
hurt you, I’ll…I’ll—”

“It’s all right, Jake. Seb—I mean the captain—is taking care of me.”

BOOK: Capturing the Pirate's Heart (The Emerald Quest Book 1)
3.1Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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