The door opened and Ricardo entered, bringing a blast of cold air with him. He kicked the door shut and managed to reach the table with the heavily laden tray, its pewter dishes rattled with the motion of the ship.
"Sorry this wasn’t here earlier, señorita, but we have a storm coming in fast. It’s just cold food, as Cook refuses to start a fire in a storm. It would be too dangerous."
"Anything will be fine, Ricardo. I seem to have a voracious appetite this morning." She made her way to the table and tore off a chunk of the bread.
"Your sleep was satisfactory then?" he asked, his eyes noticing the two hollows in the mattress on the bunk. "The motion of the ship bothers some."
"I slept better than I ever have in my whole life. Maybe the sea agrees with me." Or maybe a certain privateer agrees with me more, she thought. She took a piece of cheese and placed it on another chunk of the bread.
"Aye, there’s nothing like waking up on the sea. Once it’s in you blood it’s hard to give up. When you’ve had your fill, put the rest into the cupboard. It will be late in the day before I make it back. We will be busy securing everything before the full force of the storm hits."
"Will it be dangerous?" Danielle wondered as the ship rolled down into a deep swell.
"Nothing to fear. It takes more than a storm to harm The Scarlet Eagle and the Captain is one of the best on the seas." He nodded in reassurance and made his way to the door, his walk a rolling gait.
~ * ~
The Scarlet Eagle rode high on the waves as she tipped each crest to dip and rock before falling down into the furrows of the sea. Scott held the wheel with strong hands, his face running with the blast of the rain pouring down upon him. All thoughts were washed from his mind as the tempest gained in intensity. It was him and his ship against the elements and he was up to the challenge. The sky was black above his head, though it was the middle of the day, and the wind blew with ferocity through the sails and the rigging. Gigantic swells came over the bow of the ship and salt water splashed to the deck showering the man at the helm with fine mist.
His body was tied to the wheel so he would not be swept overboard by the violent assault of nature. Lightning flashed straight across the sky revealing the dark, ominous clouds filling the horizon. Hours dragged by and Scott, his legs standing firm beneath him, steered his ship against nature’s forces.
The day was long past when he felt a nudge beside him. It was Ricardo. No words could be heard over the roaring of the wind but when Ricardo untied the rope around the Captain’s waist and tied it around his own, Scott stepped aside. He took the time to place a hand on the man’s shoulder before he turned and headed to his cabin.
The surge of cold air brought Danielle awake on the bunk. She watched the drenched, exhausted man enter the room and close the door soundly behind him. She was on her feet at once.
"You’re soaked!" She rushed to help him out of his dripping coat and draped it over a chair to dry. He looked exhausted.
"You’re very observant," he replied with a weak grin. His strength gone, he sat and watched her move about the room. Her shapely bare legs displayed well-formed thighs beneath the shirt and her tiny bare feet curled away from the coldness of the floor. She went to the cupboard and placed some meat and cheese on a large chunk of bread and handed it to him.
Scott’s arms were weak from fighting the wheel all day and he didn’t know if he could bend one to bring the food to his mouth. Somehow he managed.
Her concern for him came bursting forth. "Isn’t there anyone else to steer the ship?" she snapped.
He ignored the distress in her dark eyes. "I am the captain, Danielle. This is what I do."
"Well, it’s a dumb thing to do. You could kill yourself," she mumbled to no one in particular. Danielle knelt in front of him. "Let me take your boots off, Scott. You’ve got to get dry and warm."
He lifted first one leg, then the other for her to pull the sodden leather from his feet. "I had planned a very different occupation for you this eve, my love."
Danielle’s eyes met his in tenderness for a second before she went back to her actions, a rosy pink forming on her cheeks.
Scott had finished his food and felt a little better. He stood up while Danielle moved his boots over to the door and removed his breeches. She came and helped him pull his shirt over his head and handed him a thick towel. There was no fire in the room and Scott shivered.
Danielle watched him with concern. She quickly went to the bunk and crawled back under the covers and scooted over. She held the blanket up for his entrance and he immediately complied.
His body was a sheet of ice. He turned to look at her next to him. "I wonder if you would have been so anxious to get me in bed if I were not too tired to do anything but sleep?"
"You’ll never know," she teased. She looked at the red rims around his tired eyes. She could not resist leaning over and giving him a feather soft kiss on his mouth. She then turned over and slid her back against him spoon fashion. She hoped in this way to help warm the chill from his bones.
His arm came around her and snuggled her close. She felt his breath on the back of her neck and closed her eyes in frustration. She could feel every part of him outlined against her. His chest at her back, his abdomen and thighs at her buttocks, his knees behind her knees. Gradually his body warmed and she listened to his gentle breathing and knew he slept. Her Captain would sleep this night but it was questionable if she would.
The next day she awoke with a repeat of the day before to find the cabin empty. Scott had once more gone to fight the fury crashing repeatedly upon the timbers of the ship. Ricardo again brought her midday meal and she was so bored with no one to talk to she kept him with her while she ate.
"Tell me some more about our captain, will you?" she asked.
"What would you have me say, little one?" He noticed she used the term ‘our’ instead of ‘the’.
"I’d like to know more about his mother and father." She wanted to know everything about him.
"Scott has never known his father." His features hardened. "His mother made a mistake, when she was a young impressionable girl, of falling in love with a French aristocrat! The swine tricked her into thinking he would marry her when all the time, he was just using her. He told her he had to return to France to finish some business and promising to send for her, left England. She never heard a word from him again."
"The poor thing," Danielle whispered, her heart going out to the unfortunate abandoned woman.
"She learned later," Ricardo continued, "after she found she was expecting a child, that he had married a rich girl with a large dowry, one of his own station. Her pride forbade her informing him of her predicament and to this day Le Comte de La Grange does not know that his affair with young Jenny gave him a son. A son any man would be proud of!" his words spoke with venom.
"Her own parents," he continued, "shocked that a daughter of theirs would bring such disgrace upon them, made her life miserable, which prompted her to run away, never to return. She had the boy and if they were short on material things, she gave him enough love to make up for it."
Ricardo looked at Danielle. "I’m sorry. I’m boring you with my ramblings. Forgive me."
"Please continue," Danielle said softly. "I want to know the rest."
"Well, as Scott grew older, he helped his mother in any way possible. He did many things, Danielle, to bring money into their home. Without her knowledge he even stole what he could not beg, to help relieve his mother’s burden. It was about this time I joined them.
"Every time young Scott had to beg or steal he grew to hate the French more and more. But once I was with them all stealing and begging stopped. I made sure of that."
Danielle had eaten her fill and went to put the rest in the cupboard for Scott to have later. Her mind was filled with the sad story of Scott’s life. She realized how truly blessed hers had been.
Ricardo picked up the now empty tray. "Well, I need to get a little rest so I can
relieve Scott this evening. He won’t leave the helm unless I go and force him." He smiled at Danielle. He was happy she knew all about Scott. Perhaps with her love some of the hate Scott felt would disappear.
The rest of the day passed slowly, until at last Scott entered to collapse once more in exhaustion, cuddled close against her back.
But the next morning she was awakened by him returning to their cabin with a tray of hot food. She felt the ship moving in a more gentle fashion and realized the storm had finally blown over.
"Cook sent real food, my love." He smiled. He looked no worse for wear and seemed quite charming this morning. He pulled a chair out from the table and bowed to her in courtly fashion.
Danielle giggled and sprang from the bed. She grabbed her breeches and pulled them on, on her way to her chair.
"But, my love, now you are overdressed," he chided.
Danielle laughed aloud. "Who is this stranger in my room? What happened to the icy one who climbed into my bed the past two nights? I thought maybe he had sworn to celibacy, his monkish ways engraved on his soul forever."
Scott sat across from her, his grey-green eyes reaching into her very soul. Danielle stilled. One eyebrow arched like a lecher of old. "I think not, my love," was all he said, but those few words spoke volumes.
Danielle immediately turned her attention to the food before her. She should know she could not spar with the master swordsman.
Scott leaned back in his chair, a tankard of wine in his hand. "I made a decision during these last days at the helm. It’s obvious I can’t keep you forever hidden in my cabin, and it’s unsafe for you to be on deck around a bunch of randy seamen, so… I thought I would buy you a house on the coast of England. That way I could anchor there in between my voyages."
Danielle looked down at the table and swallowed, her heart suddenly ripped apart. He wanted to make her his mistress! No mention of marriage vows or the fact that he loved her or not. She had been so stupid! Just because he’d had her in his bed did not mean he wanted her to be the mother of his children. She would never let him know how his words had hurt her.
"Well, Danielle. You have not told me your thoughts on this." He waited for her smile at his surprise. There was no smile, though her eyes raised to his. A half smile was all that she would give him.
"I think you are being very generous, Captain." She looked at the sun-bronzed face. "I should be grateful."
"I don’t want your gratitude, Danielle. I want you to have security. And it will be my home too, when I’m in port, which I can assure you will be more often than in the past." He was disappointed in her reaction. Didn’t she understand what he was giving her? He wanted her to be mistress of his home as well as his heart. To bear him many sons and give him solace in his old age. Was he mistaken in how she felt about him?
He pushed back his chair and went to his desk. "I have to get some work done. I have neglected it the last few days. If you give me time to finish you can take a walk on the deck. Would that please you?"
"Yes, it would." she agreed. Her voice sounded so normal to her ears yet inside she was humiliated beyond repair. She had been stuck in this cabin for two days without setting a foot into the fresh air, and at this moment she would like nothing better than to distance herself from Scott in order to get her mind in order.
She sat on the window seat glancing through one of the precious novels. She watched Scott spread a large map over his desk and bent over it in concentration. An idea formed in her head. She replaced the book and came over to his side.
"How can you tell where we are?" she asked innocently.
"Easy, my sweet. We follow the stars." He picked up the pen and pointed to a speck on the map. She could tell of course what was land and what was sea and the pen showed them far from a shore.
"Are we always so far from land? When will we go to this cove of yours?" she asked acting full of interest.
"To the first question no. Tonight, at about three bells, we will pass close to the Scilly Islands, here." He moved the pen to a point farther west of where it had been earlier. "At that point we are only about half a mile from one of them." He moved the pen up the coast to a different spot farther north and continued. "Here is where I will buy the house. It’s a lovely little cove. A small village with few people, I think you will like it there." He looked over his shoulder and Danielle smiled, though inside her heart was breaking.
She had found out all she needed to know. She loved the man beside her but she would never be anyone’s mistress. But she would make the rest of the evening was one he would never forget. She let her hand fall to the back of his neck, her fingers running through the silky strands.
Scott dropped the pen. It was impossible to concentrate on anything save the woman behind him. He stood up and drew her into his embrace. She came willingly up against his chest. He bent his head and covered her lips with his. His tongue teased at the entrance of her mouth until she opened it to admit him. Her tongue wrapped brazenly with his and her arms around his head held him tightly. The kiss was very thorough and after it ended, Scott kissed at her cheeks, her closed eyes, and her forehead.
Danielle heard his deep intake of breath. "I think, my little minx, if you want to leave this room this eve, you had best get your cap on… or shall we stay here and never leave?" He was hoping at this moment she would chose the latter but was soon disappointed.
"Oh Scott, I do want to walk on deck." she pleaded.
He released her. "Very well, Danielle. Get your headgear on and let’s be about it." While she grabbed her knitted hat and piled her hair beneath it, Scott went to the door. When she was in readiness he opened it and followed her out onto the deck.
This night he did not go to the helmsman. Regardless of what the seamen thought he stayed by her side, talking in a low voice so no one could overhear their conversation. The night air was balmy and though Danielle thought she wanted to distance herself from the Captain, it was pleasant having his strength next to her.
He pointed in the direction they were going. "You can not see them yet but there lies the Scilly Islands that you saw on the map earlier. It’s a shame we are passing them in the dark for they are rather pretty."
Danielle filed this all away in her mind, staring off into the distance. After they were back in the cabin, Scott went to get their evening meal.
Danielle was sitting looking out into the night when Ricardo tapped on the door. When she opened it he stood before her holding a gown of deep turquoise satin over his arm.
"Ricardo!" She exclaimed as he handed her the clothing. She held it out in front of her, her eyes traveling its length with undisguised desire.
White lace trimmed the low-cut bodice and edged the short puffy sleeves. At the waist a sash of white satin riband tied and trailed, flowing into a wide scalloped edge at the hem of the skirt. The blue green satin shimmered, catching the light from the portholes and sternbay windows of the cabin.
Danielle had never seen anything lovelier and sucked in her breath. She could tell the gown had been made by an experienced seamstress, each stitch perfectly matching the one before.
Ricardo watched as the young woman in front of him sighed with pleasure and excitement. "We had it in the hold… leftover booty from a captured ship. Scott wanted you to have it."
"Really? Thank him for me. It’s quite beautiful!"
"Well, I will leave you to your womanly fantasies. Until later then." Ricardo smiled at the sparkle in her eyes and left the cabin.
No sooner had the door closed than Danielle stripped off her shirt and breeches. She folded them and left them on the window seat. She marveled at the smooth feel of satin against her skin as she raised it over her head and let it fall into place, swirling about her slender form. The exquisite design added to the pleasure of wearing the gown and Danielle’s sense of femininity heightened as she ran her hands caressingly down the sides of her body. She tied the belt and whirled around giddily. The gathered skirt billowed around her like a
graceful cloud.
Danielle went to the cupboard and pulled out a large bottle of wine confiscated from the merchantman. At the table she filled a tankard and sat it at Scott’s place and filled hers with water. She had just finished doing so when she heard his footsteps coming across the deck.
Scott opened the door to enter the cabin. He stopped and leaned against the entrance and looked her over appreciatively. She had aroused him enough when she wore her men’s breeches and looking like a poor waif, but now… dressed like this…
The gown fit perfectly and the woman wearing it smiled seductively up at him. He didn’t think he would be able to continue on into the cabin he was so engrossed in the vision in front of him. He felt heat like lightning surge through his body and he was immediately aroused. He smiled and forced himself to come into the room. "You are beautiful, Danielle," he said.
She curtsied as if he were royalty. "Thank you, Scott."
He spied the wine bottle and raised a questioning eyebrow.
"I thought we deserved a celebration. The storm is over. Our plans are made…" she smiled beguilingly up at him.
He sat the tray down on the table and picked up his glass in a toast. "To you, my sweet. The prettiest little stow away any captain could ask for."
Danielle, raised her tankard and simply said, "To us."
`"Here, here," he downed the glass and sat it on the table. While he started setting out the food for the night’s fare, Danielle filled his tankard full once again and pretended to pour into her own. Then she moved to the opposite side of the table and sat down. This would be their last night together and there was so much about the man she loved that she didn’t know.
"Tell me something about yourself, Scott." She watched as he washed down his last bite of food with the wine.
"I’d rather talk about you, my love," he smiled.
"Please, Scott, pamper me," she said.
The Gypsy Witch Page 8