Miss Minnie and the Brass Pluggit (15 page)

Within a few more minutes they were abreast of the headland and Pierce eased back onto the seat. “There. Not so bad, huh?” He kept his voice low, but the wind stirred the water around the boat into a louder noise and Minnie had to lean close to hear him.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. We saw what we needed to see.”

He nodded. “I’m glad you were there.” His hand slid to her silk-covered thigh and squeezed it warmly.

“I didn’t do anything, but yes. I’m glad I was there too.” She felt the excitement within her, a rush of something fiery tickling her senses as they moved into the lee of the familiar headland.

Pierce began to furl the sail. “We won’t need this anymore.” He tugged at the mast and settled it into its slot. Then he smiled and leaned to Minnie. “We did it.” He kissed her, hard.

“Yes we did.” Her hands reached for him even as he sat back down and grabbed the oars.

Her hands were trembling, she noticed, but whether that was from nerves or from Pierce’s kiss she wasn’t quite sure. All she could say definitely was that she felt bubbly, alive and aware in a million different ways.

“You’re feeling it too.” He spoke quietly. “That rush. The kick of adrenaline.”

“Yes. I wasn’t sure what it was. But yes. That must be it.” She shifted her position, balancing herself carefully as the boat rocked a little.

“Minnie?”

“What?” She looked toward him, his face a paler shadow in the darkness.

“Your pantaloons.”

“What about them?”

“It would appear that they’re torn.”

Minnie glanced down—and sucked in a breath. She’d spread her legs wide to balance herself against the motion of their boat. And what Pierce thought was a tear—well, it wasn’t. It was the opening all pantaloons featured. The one for the personal convenience of the wearer.

Of course, she wore nothing beneath.

The moon chose that inappropriate moment to appear from behind its veil of clouds and illuminate Minnie’s crotch.

“Oh dear.” She slapped her thighs together.

“Too late.” Pierce’s laughing comment brought blushes to her cheeks and she groaned in embarrassment.

Then wondered why that tiny strip of beach she’d noticed earlier seemed a lot closer. “Er, Pierce?”

“Yes?”

“We’re very close to the shore.”

“I know.”

“It’s almost as if we’re going to…”

The boat lurched as the prow grounded, and Pierce leaped out, tugging the boat and Minnie farther up onto the little area of white sand.

“…land.” She finished, blinking at him.

“Come here. Now. I can’t wait a minute longer.” He held out his hand to Minnie and tugged her over the side into his arms.

Pierce’s heart beat even faster as he enclosed Minnie in his embrace, lifting her clean off her feet and swinging her round while taking the few steps to dry sand. No point in soaking her boots as well as his.

He was edgy, riding the exhilarating sensation of having accomplished a challenging task and avoided anything that could be construed as danger from an enemy. Yes, it was definitely an adrenaline rush and the best way he could think of to ease his symptoms was right there in his arms.

He took another couple of steps, snagged his foot and lost his balance, tumbling to the sand in a laughing, twisting maneuver that landed him on his back with Minnie safely cushioned against him.

“Ooof.” She huffed out a lungful of air. “Are you all right?”

“Never better, my sweet.” He shifted his hips, aligning them with her softness. “Never better.”

“You’re insane.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and raised her upper body, arching against him and making him moan as he felt the heat of her sex through his trousers.

“Yes, quite probably. The way you’re pressing against me right now would make a saint insane.” He lifted his hips a little. “Press harder.”

His hands gripped her buttocks and helped her, grinding their bodies together, making them both groan with aching need. Then his arms moved, sliding along her body and ending at the wonderful breasts just brushing his chest.

He ripped her black silk shirt wide, exposing the soft white globes, cupping them, thumbing the dark peaks until she was a sobbing, wriggling armful of passion.

She struggled, leaning first right, then left, desperately trying to return the favor. Her fingers scrabbled on his buttons, her crotch rubbed his and her lungs heaved as she panted, one hand finally deserting his shirt and heading for his trousers.

“Wait.” He couldn’t take her sensual acrobatics any longer, fun though they were both to watch and to feel. “Here.” He tugged his shirt free so that she could undo the buttons. While she did that, he turned enough to reach the fastening on his trousers. With a quick flick of his fingers he was free, and a lift of his hips was enough to slide them down.

He damn near cried like a baby as his aching cock found itself slipping around and over black silk only to arrive at the slit in her pantaloons. Then he did make a garbled sort of sob. Her blazing hot and swollen folds slicked over him, making his spine arch gently, lifting her, shifting her into exactly the right position.

She was kissing his chest, his neck, playing with his nipples and parting her thighs so that she could ride him even better, take him even deeper.

He found her mouth and kissed her hungrily. He crushed her soft breasts into the planes of his naked chest, grabbed her arse—and thrust.

The air turned thick and hot around them, Pierce amazed all over again at how well their bodies fit, how incredible it felt to be inside Minnie and how responsive she was to his every move.

She was ready, oh so ready, wet silk welcoming him, trembling muscles gripping his cock with tiny clenches, hard nipples abrading his skin and a tongue dueling with his. She was a woman who immersed herself in the sexual experience, and he thanked his guardian angel for sending her his way.

She raised herself, settling even farther down on his cock. He shuddered as the heat of her pussy and the sweet moisture of her nether lips danced over his groin and dappled his balls. He thrust, unable to prevent his hips from the reflex action. But she was more than ready, riding him, thrusting back with ease, lifting away from him and returning moments before he ached for her to slip him back inside.

“Pierce.” She whispered his name, rising and falling, a canter of passion that was picking up speed.

“I know, Minnie. So good.” He cupped her breasts, pinching the nipples and making her gasp and arch into his grip.

He moved then, pushing himself upward, surprising her as she sank back down onto his erection and found herself face to face with him. “So very good.” He smiled, watching the expression of interest on her face and noting how she adjusted her knees to match his new position.

“Oh.” She closed her eyes for a moment or two, then opened them.

Now he could let her set the pace while he played. And she quickly realized that as his hands slid around her waist and dove beneath the black silk to grab handfuls of her firm buttocks.

He smiled at the shiver he felt coursing through her as his questing fingertips found the cleft of her bottom and traced it lingeringly. Her rhythmic movement hiccupped a little as he found and circled her tiny area of puckered flesh. Daringly he pressed inward, and she moaned, a tremble darting through her, clenching his cock with soft inner fingers, then rippling outward.

“Do you like that?” he whispered against her lips.

“Yes. It’s…oh God. It’s so…”

She was fire burning in his lap, scorching his cock and picking up the pace. Her breasts scraped him, her thighs held him tight and her breath seared his cheek during the climb to her climax.

He was there with her. So close that his balls were in danger of detonating. Even though he’d managed to think clearly and get her astride his lap, he was still a man with his cock inside a hot and slick woman. There was only so much control left and it was evaporating with each savage caress of her pussy.

“Come for me, Minnie.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

And that was all it took. With one arm, Pierce pulled her roughly into his body, thrusting his cock as far inside her as possible. With the other hand he pushed into her arse, a finger finding and penetrating the tight rosebud.

Her clitoris was grinding against his groin, her breath was seizing in her lungs and she finally shattered on a cry that startled a flock of sleeping gulls and sent them fluttering from the cliffs high above.

He wanted to scream too, but seized her lips and kissed her instead, keeping it to a muted roar of completion and drinking the echoes of her scream. Her entire body seemed like a series of spasms, clamping around him, on him, next to him and damn near inside him. He felt his cock milked roughly by the violence of her climax, and he emptied himself, filling her, amazed at the strength of her grip on him and the force of the clenching muscles in her arse.

She engulfed him as he flooded her, locked together, fused into a single unit of undulating and rippling flesh.

It was a monumental orgasm for both of them. And well worth the uncomfortable, sand-filled sail back to the Brass Pluggit.

Chapter Ten

Minnie found herself extraordinarily thankful for the bathing facilities available for guests in the Brass Pluggit.

Even though she and Pierce had done their best to clean up before tumbling exhaustedly into his bed, she’d woken this morning feeling sticky and sandy. And needing a shower. Pierce was already up, apparently, since she was alone.

She could have used his shower, but that would have meant going downstairs in a towel to her own room. No, it was better this way. Slip on last night’s garments—urgh—and quietly make her way back to the guestroom and her clean clothing.

It was sensible and, as she finished a rather long and thorough session beneath that refreshing shower unit, absolutely the best decision. She toweled away the last of the sand, ignored the odd twinge in a few muscles that hadn’t had much exercise until she reached the Isle of Wight, and slipped happily into a fresh dress. She’d wash out Felicia’s pantaloons later on.

Braiding her wet hair into a long rope and rolling her stockings up her legs, Minnie realized she felt wonderful. Her body was glowing, the sort of glow that came with the knowledge it was doing just what it had been designed to do.

She glanced in the mirror as she straightened the sash at her waist. Her face seemed to have a glow of its own as well. The sea air had whipped a little more color into her cheeks and her lips were rosier than they’d been in some time. No rouge necessary.

For one blinding moment, Minnie looked at the reflection of a woman in love. Not a woman entranced, fascinated or dazzled by a man. Nor a woman intrigued and sated by incredibly wonderful sexual experiences.

No, what she saw in the mirror was the face of a woman deeply enmeshed in a man. A woman committed to him, to stand by his side through good times and bad. A woman as happy with a smile from him as she would have been with a week of fiery and astounding sex in his bed. A woman who had found contentment at his side and bliss in his arms.

For the first time in her life, Minnie knew she loved.

Truly
loved.

Her husband had been a warm and wonderful older man, capable of teaching her with kindness. She’d been blessed in that regard and cared for him with deep affection. But it hadn’t been like this.

Since then, her lovers had all managed to capture her interest and a small part of that affection. Even Roger. She wouldn’t have allowed them into her bed had it been otherwise. But now, in that brief instant in front of her mirror, she accepted the truth.

She was completely and utterly in love with Pierce Lowell.

And what the hell she was going to do about it, she had no earthly clue.

Squaring her shoulders, Minnie thanked her lucky stars she wasn’t the sort of woman who would now—after realizing she was in love—have to go away and brood about it. Or demand a ring from Pierce. Or do any of the things she’d seen some of her contemporaries do in order to “land” the man they wanted. Men weren’t fish. Well, all right, some of them did display wet and floppy piscine traits, but overall most of ’em weren’t.

She had no intention of “landing” Pierce. Besides, Lowells were probably out of season at the moment. It was the wrong time to even think about any of this.

Resolutely, she squelched the little voice whispering about marriage, and babies. She’d not heard it before and wasn’t ready to listen to it now. There were other things, more important things, to be dealt with.

The little voice could just shut up until those things were finished.

With that thought firmly uppermost in her mind, Minnie marched from her room and nearly ran over Felicia.

“Good Lord. Are we on fire?” Felicia hung on to Minnie’s arms as she straightened her glasses.

“I’m so sorry. My thoughts were…muddled.” Minnie brushed her hands over Felicia, making sure she was all right. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Not at all.” Felicia smiled as she took her friend’s arm. “May I guess that a certain scientist is responsible for your mental muddle?”

Minnie laughed back. “No prizes awarded for an obvious assumption, Felicia. Yes. I’m completely over the moon about him and without a clue as to how to handle it. So I’ve put it aside for the time being.”

The older woman nodded. “Wise move.”

“So…” Minnie nudged her as they reached the moving platform and stood on it. “How’s the mysterious masked manservant?”

“
Minnie
.” Felicia sounded shocked. “This isn’t a theatrical production.”

“I know. Sorry.” Minnie giggled. “I couldn’t help it.”

They arrived in the living room where breakfast was always served, only to find themselves alone. The table was laid, but neither Pierce nor Dusk was present.

“We’ll wait.” Felicia moved to her chair and nodded as Minnie stood by in case she needed a hand.

“All right.” Minnie sat. “You’re not off the hook. Dusk. Tell me.”

“He’s a very nice and gentle man.” A little telltale color dusted her cheeks.

“I’m sure he is. And you’re blushing.”

“I’m not.” Felicia’s hands crept up to touch her face. “Am I?”

“Yes.” Minnie chuckled. “It’s quite all right. Apparently the air on the Isle of Wight is conducive to rather physical and sensual stimuli.” She paused. “Which might explain our dear Queen’s large progeny. She spends a lot of time at Osborne, doesn’t she?”

“
Minnie
.” Once again Felicia’s voice turned into a shocked exclamation.

“No disrespect intended. Just an observation. But I digress. How’s Dusk between the sheets?”

This time, Felicia couldn’t even find her voice, let alone say something to indicate her level of shock. Her cheeks were scarlet.

Minnie took pity on her. “Never mind. I’m sure that’s a personal question you’d rather not answer. But if it makes you feel more comfortable, I will admit that I’ve never experienced such passion before. Since I found Pierce and he found me—well, my life has certainly changed. And for the better, I should add.”

Felicia was quiet for a few moments and her blush faded a little. Finally she spoke. “Dusk and I have not yet…um…shared that experience.”

Minnie blinked. “Good God, Felicia. Why ever not?”

“Hullo, ladies.” Dusk walked in with a pot of tea, steam issuing politely from the spout. “You’re up early.”

Minnie threw a glance at Felicia that promised the conversation was not finished. Not by a long shot.

“Good morning, Dusk.” She nodded at him.

“Is Pierce on the way?” Felicia cleared her throat and accepted a cup of tea, drinking thirstily.

“How did your trip go last night?” Dusk arranged dishes.

“I think we did what we needed to do. Saw what we needed to see.” Minnie reached for toast and a couple of rashers of bacon. “I’ll let Pierce fill you in when he comes down.”

“I’m here.” Pierce joined them and pulled out a chair. “Right. We have work, my friends.”

“Aha.” Minnie smiled. “That’s good.”

He settled himself. “Our little sail last night was fruitful.”

Minnie managed not to blush and mentally crossed her fingers that it hadn’t been. There was always a chance, but she believed it was completely the wrong time of the month.

“We were correct in our assumptions. There is a large cave, and it was stocked with cargo crates. Whatever they’re bringing in and out from their freighters goes straight in there. If you didn’t know it was there, you’d never imagine it from the landward side. All they have to do is ferry stuff after dark and—there you have it. Complete secrecy.”

“Any idea what was in the crates?” Dusk frowned. “Any indications from their size or shape?”

Pierce shook his head. “I don’t think so. Large crates. Could hold equipment, engines, motors or building materials.”

“Or women?” Felicia raised her head toward Pierce.

“Yes, Felicia. Most definitely women. Two could probably sit comfortably in one of those crates we saw last night. That crossed my mind as well.”

“You put something on one of them, Pierce.” Minnie frowned. “Or at least I think you did…”

He nodded. “I did. For some time I’ve been playing around with different applications for my electromagnetic experiments. What I tucked onto the base of that crate was a minute magnetic generator. It won’t stop their engines. But it might seriously mess up some of their gauges or anything electric operating near it.”

Minnie couldn’t help applauding. “That’s ingenious, Pierce. Bravo.”

He held up a hand. “Wait. There’s one more thing it does.”

Dusk grinned. “Ah yes.
That
little whatchamacallit.”

Pierce grinned back. “It was a perfect chance to test it.” He turned back to Minnie and Felicia. “It sends out a small signal every now and again. It’s letting me know where it is.”

“Oh my.” Felicia leaned back. “You can track every movement of that crate?”

“I hope so. Haven’t tried it with something like this, but it’s been relatively successful so far.”

Minnie leaned forward. “Now we’ll know if they begin loading things—possibly those women—back on board the freighter.”

“Yes.” Pierce nodded. “But then what, Minnie?”

“Um.” She thought about it.

“Precisely.” Pierce looked glum. “We don’t have a plan. We’re not even positive that these are the people smuggling prostitutes. We have a lot of guesses, one or two facts which don’t add up and a handful of suppositions.”

“Then I believe it’s time to make ourselves a plan, Pierce.” Minnie leveled a gaze on him, a gaze filled with confidence. “We’ve come this far. I believe we can formulate a course of action that will stop this business.”

“You do?” His eyebrows lifted. “You really think we can?”

“Of course. We’re the bold Brass Pluggiteers. We can do anything.”

Minnie sighed and waited for the laughter to die down before she attempted to get any of them to start thinking seriously.

They agreed on several points. First, they needed to locate and follow the women who were arriving on the island.

Pierce knew as well as any of them that these women were the key. And it was Dusk who suggested they use another of his little locator whatchamacallits.

“And I do what with it? Stick it to one of
their
bottoms?” Pierce ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “A woman is not a crate, you know.”

Minnie snickered. “Glad you can tell the difference. But how about just slipping it into her reticule or something? They must be carrying some necessities with them. We just don’t wander around with our hands empty.”

“I suppose that would work.” Pierce nodded. “If we can find them.”

They also agreed that more information was crucial. Whether any unusual visitors were in Yarmouth, for example. Whether anyone knew about the Godolphin aerodrome site. And most importantly, whether any of the local workers had any ideas about what might be coming off the freighter.

“A lot of these roads lead to Yarmouth.” Minnie leaned back. “That’s where we’ll find out if the women are here yet.”

“And that’s where I can talk to some of the local workers,” Pierce agreed. “I know a couple of the foremen—they did some fine work for me not too long ago.”

In the end, when the tea had gone cold and the plates were empty, they’d come up with a plan.

Of sorts.

Minnie and Pierce would go into Yarmouth and subtly ask around for information about any visitors who might be female and of a certain
type
. That would be Minnie’s job. While she was doing that, Pierce would amble down to the pub and see if any of his acquaintances were tipping a pint on a Saturday. Since it was market day, it was reasonable to expect a few men settled in the snug, waiting for their wives to finish their shopping.

Dusk and Felicia would remain at the Brass Pluggit and attempt to glean information from the telegraph. Felicia had an assortment of contacts she hadn’t yet explored, some of which might give her a better insight into Godolphin and its business dealings. Minnie left her a list of contacts in the shipping end of things, any of whom could access the latest shipping manifests and schedules. That way, they could get a better sense of when the Ahira might be sailing.

Whatever they did, their goal was to prevent any more women from being either kidnapped into slavery, or worse, ending up cold and quite dead.

That thought brought a chill to Pierce’s spine as he handed Minnie into the whimsy. She shivered a little as well, perhaps sharing his apprehension, or maybe just responding to the weather that, in the wonderfully unpredictable fashion of British climatology, had turned very cool and cloudy.

“If it rains, we’ll raise the hood, but are you all right for now?” Pierce sat next to her, close since the vehicle was only designed for two.

She moved into his warmth. “Yes, I’m fine. Glad of my jacket though. I think we were spoiled by the sunshine over the last few days.”

He fell silent as the carriage hummed and puffed, slowly picking up speed and finally hitting its stride over the more solid roadway to Yarmouth.