Ashes and Ecstasy

by Catherine Hart

  “This is not exactly the reunion I had envisioned all these endless months, Kat,” he stated gruffly.

  As if hearing his voice again had broken the spell that had held her motionless. Kathleen gave a glad cry and launched herself at him, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Reed! Reed! If this is a dream, don’t let me wake up!”

  He gathered her close in his arms, enclosing her in a fierce embrace that lifted her off her feet. “Kat! Aah, love, you feel so good! It has been so long!” he groaned. His lips melded themselves to hers in a hungry, starving kiss that threatened to steal her breath from her body. Her joyous tears wet both their cheeks, but neither noticed nor cared. For timeless moments, his mouth devoured hers, reacquainting itself with the taste and shape of her, quenching that first fierce need. Then, as the kiss lengthened, her lips softened beneath his, inviting the tender caresses she remembered so well; the lingering exploration of lips that clung and promised untold wonders.

  “This is more what I had in mind,” he murmured.

  “I love you. I love you so much,” she sighed against his lips.

  With reluctance, his lips left hers at last, and he drew slightly apart from her, his eyes devouring her features as if to assure himself that she was truly here with him. “I love you, too, kitten,” he answered softly.

  “Reed, I missed you so!” she cried, her arms still linked about his neck, afraid he might disappear if she released him.

  “For a while, you had me doubting that,” he commented wryly, slicing a questioning look at Jean. Taking a deep breath, he sighed with relief. “I have so many questions! How are Andrea and Katlin? Is everything at Chimera alright? And what on earth are you doing here?”

  “They are fine—everything is fine! I'll wager I have twice as many questions as you!” Her eyes shone like emeralds, and she gulped back a sob. “Where on earth have you been all these months?” she exclaimed. “My God, Reed! We have all thought you were dead for nearly a year now!”

  A frown creased his sun-browned forehead, and his narrowed gaze swept from Kathleen to Jean in quick assessment. “What! Why would you have thought that?” he asked in amazement.

  Jean at last stepped in. “The government sent a courier to Savannah last June to break the news to Kathleen and your family,” he explained. “Captain Guthrie reported you missing and presumed drowned after the storm your ship encountered in May.” After a short hesitation, he offered his hand in belated greeting to his old friend. “Naturally, we are delighted to find you are alive after all.”

  “I wonder,” Reed muttered low, taking Jean’s hand with some reluctance. “Somehow, I got the impression you were less than thrilled to see me, Jean.”

  “It was an unexpected surprise,” Jean answered smoothly. “Of course, now that you realize that we believed you drowned, you can better understand Kathleen’s shock at suddenly seeing you standing before her.”

  Kathleen’s eyes closed briefly, then opened to fasten on Reed’s face. “I thought I was seeing a ghost at first,” she said softly. “For a few moments, I believed I had finally lost my mind and gone completely mad. I am still not positive this is really happening.” But hope shone brightly in her emerald eyes, and she reached out a hand to touch his face, as if to reassure herself of his actual presence.

  Doubt and building frustration clouded Reed’s face. “Did any of you think to search for me?” he asked harshly.

  “Search for you!” Kathleen screeched, her anger instantly fired by his accusing glare. “We searched the entire Gulf, and then some! For months we combed the seas and every island we came across! We moved heaven and earth, enlisted the aid of pirates when the government refused to help, and never gave up hope, even after we found the remains of the Kat-Ann on that damnable reef! Only when we found a couple of survivors, months after the storm, and heard one tell of seeing you dive from the sinking ship into the sea, never to be seen again, did we finally begin to accept the fact that you were dead.” Then, recalling the question that had plagued for her months, she screamed at him, “Where in Hades were you?”

  “On one of those God-forsaken islands you neglected to search!” he roared back. “Exactly where I have been up until three days ago, when this British warship happened to spot us!” His eyes flashed blue flames at her.

  “Don’t you scream at me, Reed Taylor!” she retorted hotly. “Have you any idea of the hell I have been through? Do you realize that I was so devastated by your death that I could barely stand the sight of our own son, because he resembles you so strongly? Does it matter to you that I could not sleep without the blessed oblivion of liquor to dull my mind, that I very nearly became an alcoholic idiot as a result?”

  “Sweetheart, I’m sorry ...” Reed swore, becoming gradually aware of the agony she had suffered.

  Kathleen barely heard his words as she continued ranting. “Do you care that I needed to escape the agonizing memories so badly that I could not face myself in the mirror—could not look upon the tear-ravaged woman I had become? That I finally resorted to the only refuge I could find—my beloved sea? That I had to bury myself in the image of Emerald because I could no longer stand the heartbreak of being the Widow Taylor?” Her tirade finally wound down, leaving her shaken and trembling.

  Reed’s face had softened, but now his eyes skimmed her brief outfit. “Is that why you are disguised again as Emerald, sailing your famous green frigate?”

  Kathleen nodded. “Yes, for that and other reasons— among them the desire for revenge. I felt driven to avenge your death, and I set out to sink as many British vessels as I could, and send as many Englishmen as possible to a watery grave. Jean, Dominique, Isabel, and all our crewmen have joined me on my crusade against the British. Even Pierre and I have buried our differences and joined forces.”

  Reed’s gaze fell again on Jean’s face. “That is quite a tale, but I feel there is much more you have not yet said.” Before anyone could reply, a loud screeching drew their attention. All eyes turned toward the sound, to find a seaman leading a struggling young woman across the deck. Her blonde hair was streaming over her face, and she was kicking and clawing for all she was worth.

  “I found this one hiding under a bunk in one of the cabins,” the seaman explained. “She’s lucky we discovered her before we fired the ship.”

  The petite blonde’s startled gaze flitted from face to face, but when she spotted Reed, she wrenched herself from the man’s hold and threw herself headlong into Reed’s arms. “Oh, darling!” she wailed. “Don’t let these savages hurt me! Save me!”

  Reed patted the girl awkwardly. “It is all right, Sally. We are safe now.”

  Kathleen’s eyes met Reed’s over the top of the little blonde’s head, and her face hardened into a mask of stony fury. Her emerald eyes blazed in her pale face, her cheeks twin spots of high color. “There is more than one person present with some explaining to do, it seems, Captain Taylor.” Her voice was icy, her words clipped.

  Twisting her head about, young Sally surveyed Kathleen from head to toe, her pale blue eyes taking in Kathleen’s unusual attire. “Who is she?” she whined.

  Before Reed could reply, Kathleen said sharply, “I am Emerald, captain of the Emerald Enchantress, and one of the most feared pirates on the seas.” After a pregnant pause, she added, “I eat little girls like you for breakfast, and if they are not tasty enough, I toss them overboard to the fish!”

  For the first time since Reed’s sudden appearance, Jean laughed. “Emerald,” he said, stressing the name heavily, “is it truly necessary to frighten the poor girl to death?” As he spoke, his eyes flashed a silent message to Reed and those crewmen standing nearby. His look clearly warned that it would not be wise to reveal Kathleen’s true identity at the moment.

  Kathleen chuckled without humor. “That would depend on what her relationship is to Captain Taylor,” she drawled.

  Sally’s eyes widened, and once more, before Reed could speak, she blurted, “He is my fiancé! We plan to be marr
ied soon.”

  It was all Kathleen could manage not to stagger at the girl’s announcement. To give her a moment to compose herself, Jean interceded, his words coming at the same time as Reed’s. “I can explain. Sally is . . .”

  “It would seem congratulations are in order. Miss ...” Jean’s voice trailed off.

  “Sally Simpson,” the girl offered.

  At last Kathleen found her tongue. “As far as I know, bigamy is considered a crime. I am sure Captain Taylor’s wife will be delighted to hear your news, Miss Simpson,” she snapped. “Your fiance also has two small children— or weren’t you aware of that? Did the dear captain neglect to inform you of his family?” Her words dripped venom, and her eyes seared the girl and Reed in the same all-encompassing glare.

  “This is ridiculous! If you would only listen ...” Reed began, only to be cut short again by Sally.

  “Oh, he told me everything about himself!” the girl announced brightly. “As soon as possible, he is going to divorce his wife and marry me!” she assured them.

  Reed groaned at the fire in Kathleen’s eyes at this added bit of news. “That is not precisely correct,” Reed put in hastily.

  Kathleen’s smile was more of a sneer. “I gather that you and Miss Simpson did more than collect seashells during your extended stay in that island paradise of yours,” she hissed.

  “Now Ka . . .” Reed began.

  “Captain to you,” she snarled, cutting him short before he pronounced her name.

  Anger suffused Reed’s face. “Captain!” he barked. “Tell me how I am to ascertain how faithful my dear wife has been during my absence!”

  “At least she had the excuse of thinking you were dead all this time!” she shot back. “What excuse will you offer?”

  Reed’s eyes narrowed to icy slits. “As long as we are getting so personal, perhaps you could tell me the extent of your relationship with my dear friend Jean.” His gaze traveled accusingly from Kathleen to Jean.

  At this point, Jean deemed it prudent to intercede. “As much as I hate to interrupt this enlighting conversation, might I point out that the sun is dipping low over the horizon, and we still have business to finish here.” To Kathleen, he said, “It is your turn to claim the vessel, if you wish.”

  Kathleen’s stomach lurched at the thought of keeping the ship that had just brought so much upheaval into her life. “I would not have this ship on a bet! Take it for yourself, or fire it, Jean!”

  Jean was of the same opinion as Kathleen. Within a few hours, this vessel had brought Reed back into their lives, and torn Kathleen from Jean’s arms forever. He knew he had lost the woman he would love for the rest of his life. To his quartermaster, he ordered tersely, “Sink it!”

  Kathleen turned from them. “I have my work to attend to,” she announced, grabbing at a boarding line.

  Behind her, she heard Reed say, “Come, Sally. I will help you board the Enchantress.”

  Kathleen whirled on him, her face furious. “I will not have that woman aboard my ship!” she announced.

  “Your ship?” he roared.

  “Yes, my ship!” she snarled. “The Emerald Enchantress has always been my ship, whether in my father’s name or any other! She has always been mine! She always has been, and always will be mine!”

  “The young woman can come aboard the Pride, if you wish,” Jean offered smoothly.

  “Fine!” Kathleen snapped. “Or she can swim home, or go down with this ship! I don’t care which! But I will not have her aboard the Enchantress!”

  “And I refuse to venture aboard the Pride!” Reed stated firmly. “What do you have to say to that, my dear Emerald?” he sneered.

  Kathleen leveled a fire-filled glare at him. “You, Captain Taylor, can go where you damned well please!”

  With that, she swung smoothly aboard her frigate, leaving the others to make the arrangements.

  Chapter 18

  A short while later, Reed boarded the Emerald Enchantress, minus Miss Sally Simpson, who had wisely chosen to travel with Jean on the Pride. He found Kathleen perched high in the shrouds, Finley manning the helm in her stead.

  Reed climbed to within shouting distance of her. “I am taking over command of the Enchantress, ” he announced loudly.

  “Try it, and I’ll slit your bloody throat!” came her reply. At the moment, she felt entirely capable of it.

  “Damn it, Kat!” he roared. “If you had allowed Sally to board, we could sail directly for Savannah and get things straightened out on the way!”

  “Ha!” A short, sharp laugh shot down to him. “That would certainly stand Savannah on its ear! It is not every day such a notorious vessel as the Enchantress docks at her port!” Kathleen leaned over to peer down at him. “In case you haven’t noticed, this frigate is green, sails and all, and there is not another like her on the seas. Add to that the fact that for the last few months the piratess Emerald has been on a ruthless rampage, and earned quite an infamous reputation.” Her voice lowered to a throaty purr. “Do you really want all the world to know that your wife is a bloodthirsty pirate, Captain Taylor? If so, then by all means, sail for Savannah immediately—but without your doxy!”

  Reed gritted his teeth, striving for a measure of calm. “I take it we are headed for Grande Terre?” he asked.

  “Quite right!” she shot back. “There we will pick up Isabel, and you can choose from any number of captured British vessels the one you wish to sail to Savannah, unless you prefer to wait until the Enchantress can be turned back into the Starbright once more.”

  “I do not intend to spend any more time on my former friend’s island than necessary,” Reed grated.

  “You have no call to bear a grudge against Jean,” Kathleen called down. “If you recall, everyone thought you were dead until an hour ago! If anyone is guilty in this mess, it is you!"

  “I am a man, not a monk!” he yelled back. “We were marooned together for a year, for God’s sake! What did you expect?”

  “Too much, obviously,” she snapped. “I should have remembered that you cannot abstain for longer than two weeks without causing yourself extreme anguish! Yet, while you expected me to remain faithful, the same rules do not apply to you!”

  Reed’s temper exploded. “Did you, or did you not, have an affair with Jean?” he demanded loudly.

  “If I did, I would never admit it to you now!” she screamed in reply. “Wonder about it until the day you die, but I will never tell you!”

  “Are you going to stay up there forever?” Reed called up much later.

  “That is a distinct possibility,” she fired back.

  “You have missed your supper.”

  Kathleen laughed humorlessly. “Would it surprise you if I said my appetite had fallen off drastically?”

  “Not really,” Reed sighed wearily. Trying to avoid touchy subjects, he asked, “What is all this about captured vessels at Grande Terre? I do not want to borrow one of Jean’s ships.”

  “They aren’t Jean’s. They are mine,” Kathleen informed him. “Half of all the worthy prizes we captured became mine, according to my agreement with Jean when we joined forces. In fact, besides the three now at Grande Terre, I have sent half a dozen to the government in Washington in your memory, and at least that number have been added to the shipping firm in Savannah.”

  Reed whistled his amazement. “Good God, Kat! Were you trying to wipe out the entire British navy single-handedly?”

  “Yes!” she hissed. “I had assumed I owed them that much for destroying my life. God have mercy on my soul for all the men I have killed trying to avenge your death— and you were not even dead!” An anguished laugh became a groan.

  As another thought occurred to her, she said, “The only ship we have lost in this entire war has been the Kat-Ann. I couldn’t believe my own eyes when I saw her shattered remains! How the devil did you manage that, Reed Taylor? You should have been able to bring the Kat-Ann through any storm without much damage, yet there she lies, broke
n and battered—the pride of my father’s fleet— my mother’s namesake!” She broke off with ah angry sob.

  “I certainly didn’t run up on that reef purposely, you little fool!” he retorted. “Do you think I enjoyed being stranded on that island for an entire year?”

  Kathleen laughed tersely. “I am sure Miss Simpson eased your misery immensely!”

  “As Jean eased yours?” he shot back.

  Stony silence was her only response.

  Kathleen’s heart was aching. Her head was spinning, flooding with thousands of fragmented thoughts and feelings. Within one short afternoon, her entire world had turned upside down once again. “Oh, Reed,” she moaned to herself, laying her head on her folded arms. “Did you return only to bring me pain? What am I to do?”

  After the initial shock, glorious joy had poured through her. Reed was alive! Her beloved was safe in her arms! The sea had not swallowed him up for all eternity! It was a miracle!

  Then Kathleen had remembered Jean, and Sally Simpson had introduced a new twist to the tangled maze Kathleen suddenly found herself in.

  Now, as she sat high in the shrouds, she was more miserable and more confused than she had been since Reed had been reported missing. “Jean,” she sobbed, “I never meant to hurt you!”

  Her heart was torn in two and the pain was nearly unbearable. Kathleen wished she could disappear in a puff of smoke—simply cease to exist. Her thoughts spun round and round in a ceaseless circle, with no solutions in sight. On the one hand, she was deliriously happy that Reed was alive. It was the answer to her prayers, the thing she had longed for all those endless months. Even now, she knew she would be returning with him to Chimera and their children. She needed to be near him; to see him, hear him, touch him—to believe in his existence.

  Kathleen was beginning to believe that joy generally came hand-in-hand with sorrow. There was a price to be paid for extreme happiness. One must earn it through tears. She hurt for herself, for Jean, even for Reed. She knew he had envisioned a more joyous reunion. To finally get off that island, which must have been hell even with the fair Miss Simpson there, and find his wife involved with another man, and that man his best friend! Kathleen had no doubt how much that must have hurt Reed. She was filled with the same agony, inflicted by Sally Simpson’s blunt announcement. While Kathleen could discount some of the blonde’s words as an effort to save herself from an uncertain fate, the fact remained that Reed had been unfaithful. He had even admitted as much.