Black Wolf

by Lori Ann Robinson

  Arriving at the livery, he paid the horseman for the service of watching his stallion and mounted the beast. Nicolai didn’t linger much in the city when he wasn’t at sea, preferring the quiet of the sprawling beach manor and grounds where he lived.

  The ocean practically came up to his door and at night, with the sound of waves crashing through his open bedroom window, he could close his eyes and pretend that he was exactly where he belonged; sailing the high seas.

  Pausing momentarily, he gave consideration to visiting Consuela. He was in desperate need for a woman, but the thought of the whore’s faked responses now seemed an effort not worth expending after having experienced Adrienne’s innocent, yet true, pleasure at his hands.

  He turned his horse and rode the few miles outside of Nassau where his manor was located, sighing when it came into sight. Being on land was tortuous for him, but if he had to be dry docked, he supposed the plantation he’d built was his second favorite place to be.

  Surrounded by tall palms, coconut, and plantain trees, it stood out against the turquoise ocean. It was a white adobe behemoth of a dwelling with red tiles on the roof Nicolai had handpicked himself during a voyage to Spain several years ago. It’d cost a fortune to build, but for a man who held luxury dear, it’d been well worth the price. Dropping his horse off at the stables, he strode through the door.

  The Bahamian men and women whom he employed, came to greet him and welcomed him as he passed by. He didn’t believe in forced servitude, having experienced it at the orphanage and as a result, his people had no reason to dread or fear his arrival.

  Legally, he did own his servants as the law would not allow otherwise, however Nicolai paid them as well as treated them with the respect he gave any member of his crew.

  He had gone to great lengths in choosing his overseer, also. He’d needed someone whom possessed the same ideas on slavery as he, yet who could and would act for him during his absences for the betterment of the plantation and the people who shared it.

  He allowed those he legally owned to marry and produce children as well, something that was frowned upon among most of the island’s upper class property owners. Though Nicolai had no desire himself to marry, he did enjoy having families near by. This was something he also attributed to his status as an orphan. He enjoyed watching the children play and seeing the couples celebrate their lives together, secure in the knowledge they would never be bought or sold again and that their children wouldn’t know the hardships they had once endured. This plantation was as much of a sanctuary for them, as it was for him.

  “Ah, you’ve returned Master Mikhalovic,” his overseer, Jude said. The man met him as he was walking through the outdoor breezeway that led to his private chambers.

  “We were wondering when you’d arrive. It’s good to see you. I trust this voyage was a successful one?”

  Nicolai shook the man’s hand. “Aye, it was good. The wagon should be here shortly with some of the artifacts and goods I procured. How was everything while I was away?”

  The man nodded. “All was well. Your crop of sugar cane was successfully harvested and sold. No incidents to report except that the tutor has quit.”

  A group of young children ran passed them and Nicolai bent to scoop one up, tickling the child’s stomach as the boy giggled. He raised one eyebrow at the overseer.

  “Any particular reason?”

  “I’m not entirely sure other than she ran out of here in a fit screaming about savage children and not enough funds to pay her to work with them,” the man said.

  Nicolai looked at the child he held. The small dark skinned boy placed both hands on Nicolai’s cheeks, squishing them while his childish laughter sounded out.

  “Were you a bad boy, Raul?” Nicolai asked, attempting to be stern though his words came out as squished as his cheeks.

  “Nay, Papa,” the boy squealed. “I am always a good boy. Mistress Toney was afraid of the juju.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Tis very so, sir,” the boy answered gravely. “She believed Mamu and the others were hexing her, making her hair fall out and stomach sour.”

  Jude, the overseer rolled his eyes. “Likely it was the amount of wine the woman consumed in ratio to the amount of food that went into her stomach rather than any juju.”

  Nicolai pressed a kiss to the boy’s cheek before sitting him down to join the others. He sighed.

  Educating the island natives was something he fully believed in. While a time or two missionaries had appeared to bring the word of God to what they believed were savages, Nicolai didn’t require his household staff subscribe to any particular belief; but he did require that they learn to read, write, and cipher. He paid a full time educator to see to that task, however finding qualified help in that regard was a challenge.

  Mistress Toney had been the widow of a sugar cane farmer on the other side of the island. Since women were not allowed to own their own property, she’d found herself homeless upon her husband’s death and forced to find work befitting her advanced age. That she’d always been intimidated by the lack of Christianity on the part of the natives, as well as was less than patient in her tutelage of their children, Nicolai had been aware it likely wouldn’t work out having the woman in his employ. Still, he’d hired her because they were both desperate. She, for respectable employment and he, to ensure the children in his household were properly educated.

  “Have another advertisement run in the posts as soon as possible,” he advised Jude. “Though I doubt we’ll find anyone who’s willing to fill the position any time soon.” God knew it’d taken forever to find Mistress Toney. It wasn’t likely for another qualified tutor to fall in his lap.

  The man nodded and took off to do as he’d been ordered.

  Adrienne sighed. Perhaps this was a rotten idea alas. She’d been traversing the streets of Nassau, inquiring about tutoring or educating positions on the island and after the first few people she encountered laughed at her with their blackened teeth and rum soaked breath, she’d chosen to avoid asking those on the street.

  After an hour, she found herself quite lost and quite put out. She’d had such high hopes when she’d left the ship. Thinking that an uncivilized place such as Nassau would have need of her particular skills, she’d been excited to traverse the town.

  So far, the only job offers she’d been offered was that of a prostitute or a barmaid, which also equated to prostitution. She wandered aimlessly throughout the streets, dodging brawls and hands that reached out to pinch her bottom or grab her breasts. Catcalls above and around her made her nervous as she tried to keep her head down in an effort to avoid any and all eye contact.

  Glancing up briefly, she saw what appeared to be an advertisement office and she brightened considerably upon entering the weathered building. There was a gentleman who was informing the scribe on the other side of the wooden countertop of what he’d like to add for the latest edition. Adrienne couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

  “The master is searching for a professional tutor whom must be capable of living at the manor and will be responsible for the education of about ten children, ages four to ten years of age. Pay will be one gold crown every month, with necessities met and paid for by the employer, to include room and board,” the tall man told the clerk, whose quill was busy scribbling the words verbatim.

  Adrienne stepped forward, tapping the man gently on the shoulder.

  “Pardon me, sir. I couldn’t help but overhear. You said your master has a position available for a tutor?”

  The man turned to her, scratching his balding gray head as he peered at her from the round spectacles he wore. “Aye, Miss. Do you know of anyone?”

  She nodded with enthusiasm. “Yes, I am looking for such employment. Can you tell me where to find your master so that I might apply?”

  His forehead crinkled thoughtfully as he assessed her in both visage and manner of speech. “And what are your qualifications, madam?”

&n
bsp; Adrienne recited quotes from several texts in Latin as well as French, German, and Spanish. The overseer’s eyebrows rose.

  “And what of ciphering? Do you know your numbers?” He asked.

  Again she nodded and proceeded to run through various forms of mathematical problems as the man’s eyes brightened.

  He turned to the scribe. “You can dispose of my advertisement, sir. I think the lady will fit nicely.”

  The clerk, who had continued to scribble as the man and Adrienne had talked, rolled his eyes and tore the sheet of papyrus in two.

  “If you’ll follow me, Miss…?”

  “Adrienne. Adrienne St. John,” she stated, taking the older man’s hand as it was offered in a light shake.

  “As I was saying, if you’ll follow me, Mistress St. John, I’m sure the master will be pleased to meet you. Right this way,” he said, ushering her out of the building and once more into the bustling streets where a small open-air carriage sat. Helping her board, the overseer climbed up behind her and steered the pair of geldings toward home.

  From a short distance away, both Damon and Cooper glanced at one another with smug smiles as they watched Nicolai’s overseer escort Miss St. John in the direction of their captain’s manor. Clapping one another on the back happily, they set off to buy a celebratory round of grog. Things were about to get very interesting for their leader.

  Chapter 5

  Nicolai was bent over his desk going through the accounts of both the household as well as that of the ship when a knock sounded at the door of this office. Granting entry without looking up from his paperwork, he heard Jude clear his throat.

  “Captain, I went into Nassau as you asked and while I was placing the advertisement, I quite fortuitously stumbled upon a person looking to fill such a position.”

  “Aye?” Nicolai said, still not looking up from the paperwork. “And did you interview said person?”

  “I did, sir, as well as brought them here for you to meet. I think she’ll work well. Might you spare a moment?”

  Nicolai sighed. He’d really wanted to finish going over the household logs but the fact that Jude had been so fortunate as to immediately find a replacement for Mistress Toney was nothing short of a miracle. Raising his head, he took off the spectacles he wore. “Show her in,” he returned gruffly.

  He was equal amounts of surprised and irritated when none other than Adrienne St. John stepped foot into his office.

  “You?” They said in unison.

  Adrienne took in the sight of Nicolai as he sat behind a large, dark wooden desk. He looked considerably different now that he wasn’t captaining his ship. His clothes were indicative of upper class gentry, with a high linen collar that fit snuggly around his neck and an expertly tied cravat. He wore a silk vest over a white shirt, with a velvet and brocade jacket. His hair was restrained in a queue at the back of his neck. Nicolai Mikhalovic was the very picture of English nobility. Even his straight nose seemed more aristocratic than ever.

  “Jude,” Nicolai bellowed. The overseer came rushing back into the room.

  “Sir?”

  Nicolai waved the quill pen he held. “Escort Miss St. John back to wherever you found her.”

  “But-“ Jude sputtered. “She’s fluent in many languages, seems to be quite literate as well as is capable of complex ciphering. She’s just what you were looking for and much better than we expected to find.”

  “Trust when I say she certainly is not,” Nicolai ground out.

  “Wait,” Adrienne said, interrupting the men. “Might I have a say in this?”

  “No, Madam. What you may do is return to the advertisement office. Contact your family as to your fortune or misfortune, as you like; regarding your survival of shipwreck and find your way to the arms of your unlucky betrothed.” Nicolai told her.

  Placing her hands on her hips as her face heated with temper, Adrienne blew out an exasperated breath. “And if I’ve decided I’m no longer suited for marriage to a man I do not know nor a new life in the colonies?”

  Nicolai shrugged. “Those are not your decisions to make.”

  “They are not yours, either,” she shot back.

  “Until you’re safely placed on a vessel bound for the Carolinas, madam, all decisions regarding you are mine by English law as it is illegal for a woman to decide these things for herself.” His face was stony and unrelenting.

  “Please,” she said, the anger leaving her as her shoulders sagged in defeat. “I only want the same freedom and opportunity you have. I want to be my own person and make my own way. I don’t want to be at the mercy of others for the rest of my life.”

  “And yet, here you are, begging for mine?” Nicolai cut his eyes toward his overseer who was shifting from foot to foot with discomfort over the confrontation.

  “Leave us.” He didn’t miss the gratitude that crossed the older man’s features as he hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.

  Once they were alone, Nicolai’s attention was focused on Adrienne. “You’re turning out to be more trouble than you’re worth, Miss St. John.”

  “I hardly think I am the one who’s been the trouble, Captain Mikhalovic. After all, it was I who was accosted while I slept in your cabin,” she said in a huff.

  “Is that what you truly believe? Because if so, I see no reason to allow you to suffer under my employ and within my reach,” he told her pointedly.

  “There’s a nunnery on the other side of the island where I assure you, you would be quite safe as well as clothed and sheltered if you choose not to book passage to the colonies.”

  Adrienne blanched. She knew of women who sought refuge in nunneries. They were beaten and oftentimes starved into submission, especially if they were forced into the cloister and did not believe as the church dictated.

  “I would much prefer to govern my own religious beliefs rather than have the word of God beaten into me. How would that be any different from delivering myself into marriage to a man I have never met? His cruelty may be just as harsh, if not harsher than that of the nuns,” she said. “In this case, neither devil is one I trust nor one I’m willing to gamble my life on.”

  Nicolai couldn’t disagree. He was well aware of the penchant for striking and the withholding of food that the nuns often used in order to get submission from those who depended on them for shelter. He couldn’t allow himself to think of Miss St. John beaten and denied sustenance at their hands. Nor did he truly like the idea of her being handed over to a nameless, faceless man that may be just as depraved.

  While neither solution sat well with him, having her under his care was also less than desirable. She was too much of a temptation and far too inexperienced for his taste. The inexperience wouldn’t be a problem if she weren’t so virtuous about it.

  Not that he wanted her to be a loose woman. He didn’t. But he recognized the fire in her; saw the untapped passion. Part of him desperately wanted to bring it out, but another part knew she’d fight him every step of the way due to the fact her upbringing had encouraged it be so. Because of that, having her within touching distance was too risky. He’d stick to what he knew, rented women who had no issue letting go of their inhibitions.

  “So you’d choose the devil we both know me be?” Nicolai asked.

  Lifting a shoulder, Adrienne indicated that she would do exactly that. “Better that I know what to expect with you, Captain.”

  “Regardless, Miss St. John, staying here isn’t the most favorable option either. As you’ve stated, I’ve molested you once already against your will.” Nicolai watched the play of emotions on her face at his words.

  “I-I wouldn’t necessarily say it was against my will,” she stated, averting her eyes as a blush formed on her cheekbones. “Just that I was vulnerable and you took advantage.”

  “What’s to stop that from happening again?” Nicolai asked more for the shock value than because he was sure it would.

  “Well,” she considered. “We wouldn’t be sharin
g quarters for one thing. Would we?” She paused and waited for him to affirm, which he did with a subtle nod and a gesture of a hand.

  “Your house is quite large,” Adrienne continued, “and I’m sure it has many rooms far from your personal chambers. You could put me in the farthest.”

  “I could, I suppose,” he agreed.

  “And, I would make a concentrated effort to stay out of your way. You’d hardly know I was even here.”

  He scoffed at that. “Miss St. John, believe me. I always know when you’re around. The vein in my temple begins to throb.” Nicolai demonstrated the truth of that by rubbing the side of his face near his hairline.

  Her face fell. “Am I so horrible?”

  And now he felt like an ass. He hadn’t meant to wound her.

  “Horrible isn’t the word I’d use to describe you,” Nicolai said gently.

  “Well, what then?” She asked.

  “Tempting. Innocent. Inexperienced. Beautiful. Too mischievous for your own good.” He ticked off the list on his fingers. “Those are a heady mix for a man who is used to prostitutes and forward women whom will manufacture their responses in the hopes of better pay.”

  “Oh,” she simply stated, casting her eyes downward as her blush deepened.

  “The fact that you’re unaware of how attractive those qualities make you, is also dangerous,” Nicolai said.

  She seemed to rally at that, her lips curving in a small smile.

  “I’ve been called many things, but never dangerous. I would think a sea-roving pirate such as yourself would find me harmless. Tame even.”

  Nicolai couldn’t stop the laughter that rumbled from his chest.

  “Miss St. John, I can promise you there is absolutely nothing on this earth more dangerous than a female who is unaware of her beauty and inexperienced in the art of seduction. Wars have been started and men have died over women whom had no knowledge of the power they wield over the opposite sex.”