The Captain's Lady

by Jo Goodman

  He lowered her to the deck, tearing away the remainder of the buttons from her shirt. “Cloud, you’re ruining it,” she protested. “It’s mine, remember?” he answered, his lips covering her mouth. She returned his kiss and helped him remove his clothes, taking a little more care than he did with hers.

  For the first time since they were together the mood was laughter. Alexis nipped at his chest and giggled at his falsely pained expression. “Giggling?” he asked, pretending to be appalled. “See how you like this?” His mouth surrounded her nipple and he bit it tenderly. Alexis moaned. “Did you say something, Alex?” he asked as he repeated the procedure on her other breast. This time she managed, “That was very…” Then another short gasp drowned out her words.

  “Maybe we should talk about fencing,” she suggested as his mouth moved lazily over her stomach. Cloud groaned and rolled off her onto his back. His head rested on their discarded clothes. “Oh dear,” Alexis said in feigned distress. “I didn’t realize that was the response I was going to get.” She moved close to him, brushing his chest with her breasts. She felt his breathing quicken but he made no move to touch her. She kissed him on the mouth, her tongue outlined his lips. Then her mouth began its own unhurried journey down his throat. At his chest she stopped. “Fencing can be quite an exciting topic actually.” She kissed him again when he rolled his eyes at the mere suggestion. Her lips continued to move while her hand touched the inside of his thigh lightly. “Swords,” she said as she began to fondle him. “I imagine there are all different types of swords.” She watched his eyes and grinned at the response her words and her actions were evoking. “I told you it could be exciting. Where was I? Blades. Yes, blades. All different kinds I would think. Although my experience is limited, I think I’ve chosen well, in spite of my lack of—” She was cut off from further discussion as Cloud pulled her away and practically threw her onto her back. He kissed her hungrily. “Fencing indeed,” he said when he had to break for air. “There are times when I have to question your inexperience, Alex.”

  He took her then. The laughter was replaced by driving passion that consumed them both. Alexis clung to him fiercely, the desire to feel all of him against her urging her on. She called out his name as he brought her crashing against wave after wave of pleasure that she had no will to fight even if she had had the inclination. She kissed him softly after she felt him relax against her, succumbing to the same sea of fiery gratification.

  She thought after it was over she could never leave him if all their times together could be like the moment just passed. But she knew that would not be, for she knew she would never allow it to happen in quite this manner again.

  Cloud lifted her to the bunk and slid in beside her, covering them both with his sheet. He was also silent, knowing the laughter could not be recaptured, knowing she would fight against it.

  “You might just be able to make it, Alex,” he whispered, to give her strength.

  “And you might just be able to stop me,” she said, returning it.

  Cloud savored the memory as he watched Alexis now. She was squinting in the bright sunlight, her face upturned as she looked toward the horizon. Determined in her path. Wanting him to see that determination. He knew that if her opportunity came he would allow her to see it. He did not know then just how hard it was going to be.

  “Danty,” he said sharply, almost laughing when his voice made her lose her grip on the railing and she nearly tumbled into the foamy waves around his ship. He grabbed her by the waist and set her firmly on deck. “Don’t you have some work you should be doing? This is not a free trip anymore.”

  “Yes, Captain.” Her serious response was broken as a wide grin crossed her face. She hurried away to find Landis, leaving Cloud muttering about insubordination.

  That was the only laughter between them now, he realized. The laughter between a cabin boy and her captain, sharing a secret in the manner of small children.

  Harry looked down from his perch high above the ship on the mizzenmast cap. He did not see Cloud immediately so he rechecked his sighting with his scope before he yelled for Landis.

  “Hey! Mr. Landis! We have company! Five, maybe six miles out!”

  “What flag?” he called back.

  Harry looked again. “Union Jack. But she’s a merchant. You are not going to believe this but she’s one of the Quinton line. His markings are on it.”

  Landis found his captain immediately. “Harry says it is one of Quinton’s, Captain. Probably coming from Boston.”

  Cloud swallowed hard. “You sure, Harry?” he called up.

  “Yes, sir! Sure as I’ll ever be about anything!” He did not add there was something strange about the ship. He could not be sure about that until it moved in closer.

  “Very well,” Cloud sighed. He did not move. He leaned forward against the railing and stared at the ship in the distance.

  “Are you going to tell her?” asked Landis. Alexis was in her cabin cleaning Mike’s pistols. The ship could pass and she would never know.

  “I’ll tell her,” he said finally, his voice so low Landis could barely hear him. He started toward Alexis’s cabin.

  He was just out of sight when Landis saw Harry scrambling down from the cap. “Mr. Landis, there’s another ship out there too. It’s following Quinton’s but at a safe distance. I think it’s one of Lafitte’s.”

  “This far north?” he asked incredulously. “You sure, Harry?”

  “Can’t be, not yet. Something strange about Quinton’s ship though. She should be loaded with cargo on this run and yet she’s moving too fast and too high to be carrying much. I think she’s already been raided and boarded. Most likely he’s got men on both of the ships.”

  Landis nodded but said nothing.

  “Where’s the captain? He should be told. There is a reward for Lafitte. We could bring him in.”

  “Oh, we could, could we?” Landis was patient. “Which ship is he on?”

  “Don’t know sir. Can’t be certain he’s on either one. May be his brother.”

  “I’ll tell the captain, Harry. You did what you had to do. My responsibility now.”

  Harry walked away then he stopped suddenly, spinning on his heels. “Does Alex know? Does she know one of her merchants is coming close?”

  “The captain is telling her now.” Landis smiled when Harry walked away, whistling softly.

  Alexis did not put her work down when she heard the door open behind her, but when that same door was slammed hard to its former position she dropped the pistol she was cleaning in surprise. She stood quickly and turned to see the intruder.

  “Cloud!” Her voice held relief. “You scared me. You shouldn’t—What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me so strangely?” His eyes were so dark Alexis ceased to think of them as green. Now they were black and biting. She could not tell if they were angry, she had never seen him like this before. He leaned against the door, saying nothing, simply staring at her as if this were the first time he had ever seen her. His jaw was set so tightly a muscle twitched in his cheek. She thought she recognized determination, but never this degree of it. Never like this. “Cloud?” It was a soft question and her voice was strained with apprehension.

  “Don’t say anything, ” he said, cutting her off. Then more gently, “I want to look at you.” He kept his gaze focused on her as she placed her hands behind her and held on to the table edge tightly. His eyes traveled down the smooth line of her arm visible through the fabric of her shirt and rested on the white knuckles pressed against the wood. Even the strength of her grip was not enough to hide the trembling of those slim fingers. Her feet were set firmly apart, rooted to the floor, and yet he could detect the merest quivering in her long legs. Her breath was coming in short spurts and he watched the rise and fall of her breasts as the tempo of her breathing quickened. Her head was tilted to one side, still viewing him with curiosity, but her eyes were regarding him as the hunter again. Just as they had that first night she’d awakene
d. Only this time he saw she recognized danger—and he was the danger. Her eyes wandered about her quarters, averting from his gaze only an instant, but in that instant he saw she was planning escape and he crossed the cabin to prevent it.

  His hands rested firmly on her upper arms and he buried his face in the curve of her throat and shoulder. His lips pressed hard against her smooth, tawny skin and he whispered hoarsely, “I want you now, Alex. Now.”

  Alexis struggled to be free of his grip but he was firm. “Cloud, tell me what is wrong.” Despair made itself heard at the last moment. He began to unbutton her shirt. “Stop it,” she said as his head moved between her breasts. “Not like this, Cloud.” She pulled at his head until he raised himself and looked down at her. “What is it? I have never said no to you before. Why are you doing this? Why are you treating me this way?” She was breathless but she persisted even while he was bending her back over the table, even while she thought he would snap her in two. “You’re hurting me. Why do you want to hurt me this way when you can do it so easily by saying you love me?” Her next words remained a thought, unheard by him as his mouth crushed hers. She bit him. His head snapped back but then his lips were on her throat and his hands held her motionless against the table. “Cloud! No! I don’t want you like this!” She tried to kick him. “Let me go, damn you!”

  He eased his grip slightly. He lifted his head and stared into her catlike amber eyes. He had never seen her confused before. It was confusion that lent itself to terror. “A ship,” he said quietly. “One of the Quinton Line. Your line now. It will be passing us soon.” That was all that was necessary. She understood immediately and fear was replaced by a gentle light in her eyes.

  She shook her head sadly. “I cannot hate you for what you tried to do, Cloud. But you can’t hold me this way.” She started to move only to find he would not let her. “Let me go.” As his mouth moved to her breasts Alexis wrapped her fingers around the barrel of one of the pistols at her side. Even while he was exciting her body with familiar practiced hands she raised the pistol as high as she could.

  Cloud saw her movement and hoped it would be quick. If she hesitated one instant, he would never let her have another.

  While his legs were pressing tightly against hers Alexis marked her target. As his mouth bruised her tender flesh with his final white hot brand she brought the butt of her weapon crashing against his skull.

  Cloud knew nothing but darkness sweeping over him. Alexis knew nothing but his mouth and hands grazing her skin as he slipped to the deck.

  Landis found Cloud still unconscious an hour later and brought him around with a liberal amount of cold water.

  “Did she make it safely, John?” he asked, rubbing the back of his head gently.

  “She did. Quite a sight too. You want a drink, Tanner? It couldn’t hurt your head none.” Cloud nodded and Landis poured him some brandy. “She really knocked you out,” he whistled softly.

  “Do I detect a bit of admiration for her in your tone?”

  “You should detect a whole lot,” he laughed. “I want to know something.”

  “What?”

  “Did you let her do that to you?”

  Cloud chuckled then winced from the pain. “That, old friend, is something neither you nor she will ever know.” He was silent, thinking she was really gone. After a while he said, “Tell me about it. How did she do it?”

  Landis eased back into his chair, stroking his beard, preparing to tell a good story. “She came on deck just as natural as you please, like nothing had happened down here. She walked over to the starboard railing and waited until the ship was closing in. Harry and I knew what she was up to so we warned her it was possible that…” His voice trailed off. Tanner was not ready to hear that they knew for certain Alex had gone to Lafitte. “We warned her that it would be dangerous. She just looked at us with those blasted eyes of hers, daring us to try and stop her. Harry and I looked at each other and then at the other men who were watching and we knew no one was going to try for it. At that point we were giving serious consideration to hailing the other ship for her.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “No, we asked her where you were and she finally told us she had persuaded you to understand she knew what was best but that you still would not help her leave. She told us not to hail the ship.”

  “Damn fool,” Cloud said, smiling. “Well, she didn’t lie to you exactly. She did persuade me.”

  “You should have seen the pained look on her face when she said it. She wasn’t happy at all with her explanation. She got on the railing then and just before she dove in she told me to check on you, that she had hit you pretty hard. Next thing I knew she was over the side. The men all went to the railing and yelled to her to keep going. She swam and swam and there were a couple of times we thought she wasn’t going to make it. Harry signaled the other ship and made sure they pulled her in. There was no return message. We have to be satisfied that she is all right.” His voice dropped. “It’s what she wanted, Tanner.”

  And, Cloud thought, heading for his cabin, he had finally come to terms with that. He rested his head against the pillow and stared through the darkness, wondering if he had imagined her cool hands on his face after she had rendered him unconscious, wondering if he had really felt her soft lips brushing his, wondering if she had really said the words she hated to him. It was probably just a dream of what he would have liked. Even if she had said, “I love you,” that was going to change very soon.

  If only he understood this assignment better. He was going to have to stop her in spite of his own doubts. How was he going to keep her prisoner when he was no longer sure he wanted to, not in the way Howe and the others demanded. She was going to hate him for stopping her and he would have to accept that. He and Alex Danty were going to be together again; still the time was not right.

  Chapter 8

  Alexis took off her ring and dropped it into the velvet lining of the ivory case on her bureau. The ring and the box were both gifts from Lafitte and she treasured them as a symbol of her friendship with the pirate.

  “You were wonderful, Kurt,” she said to the man standing in the doorway of her cabin. “They never suspected for a moment you were not the captain of this ship.”

  Kurt smiled. He leaned against the frame of the doorway, almost filling the open space with his muscular bulk. He crossed one leg casually in front of the other and eyed Alexis as her fingers closed around the jewelry case. “I wasn’t bad, but it was you, dear wife, who kept them from searching the hold. Vapors indeed. When did you ever have an attack of the vapors?”

  Alexis’s eyes narrowed as she peered at the handsome, brawny seaman. Then she broke into laughter. “Wasn’t I convincing? I thought it was quite effective.”

  Kurt Jordan nodded and crossed the cabin in a few strides, taking a seat on the edge of Alexis’s bunk. He rubbed a spot of dirt from his boots before he said anything. When he looked up at Alexis his blue eyes were bright with laughter. “You were quite effective, but I thought the crew was going to give it away. It was all anyone could do to keep a straight face when you started to sway. The men have seen you in so many dangerous situations I believe they thought you incapable of fainting.”

  “It seemed like the only solution. The British are getting too serious and too close in their search for Alex Danty. Imagine them boarding a private merchant looking for that brigand. When I saw they were ready to make a thorough search I had a vision of Alex Danty swinging at the end of a rope and that is something she is not ready to do.”

  Kurt shook his head. “Neither is anyone on Captain Danty’s crew.”

  “And none of us will if we keep our heads as we did today. Were the others upset by the prospect of being searched?”

  “They were prepared to fight if our explosives and extra guns were found, if that’s what you mean. But I don’t think they doubted you would find a way out of it. It worked well—me as the captain and you as my wife.”

  Al
exis smiled at her second-in-command and sat at her desk. She smoothed the folds of her dress with her hands then she placed them on the arms of the chair, curling her fingers around the ornately carved wood. When she spoke her voice was deep, serious, almost weary. “We can’t stay here long, Mr. Jordan. It’s too dangerous for us to remain in England. We’ll put into port tomorrow and as soon as we can find where Travers has been reassigned we’ll leave.”

  Jordan nodded. “Are we taking on new cargo?”

  “I’ve made arrangements to carry tea and cloth to Boston. We are going to get rid of the rum presently hiding our contraband.”

  “No one will be able to say this was an entirely fruitless venture even if we never find Travers. You’ve been able to make a bit of money in the last eighteen months.”

  “The money is secondary,” Alexis replied shortly. “Travers is the main thing.”

  “I did not intend to imply otherwise, Captain,” he said earnestly.

  “I know.” She paused, remembering Jordan had just as much reason for wanting to see Travers as she did. “I want you to assign a half dozen men to discover Travers’s whereabouts when we dock tomorrow. It will only take us about eight hours to exchange our cargo. Make sure they know that is all the time they have. You will remain on deck as captain. I will not go up at all unless it is necessary to have another attack of the vapors if a search is threatened.”

  Jordan stood and beamed at his captain. “If I ever get married, remind me to make certain my wife takes better to the sea than you.”

  “It will be my pleasure,” she returned, matching his bright smile.

  “Anything else before I leave?”

  “Find Peach and tell him I would like some of that fresh rain water for a bath. And, Mr. Jordan,” she added softly but with the same firmness present in all her commands, “those men you pick to find Travers. Make sure they’re volunteers.”