The Renegade (The Renegade, Rebel and Rogue)

by Christine Dorsey

  “No.” Zoe tried to take a backward step but his hand shot out, grabbing her arm. The candle flame flickered.

  “Then what?”

  “I’ve... I’ve a sliver in my eye.”

  “A sliver?”

  “Yes.” Zoe blinked, wincing at the pain. “A splinter of wood flew up.”

  “And landed in yer eye.”

  Zoe nodded, then swiped at the tears that rolled from her left eye.

  “Let me take a look.”

  “No.” She cringed back. “It will be fine, really.”

  “I’ll get it out for ye.”

  “It’s—”

  “For God’s sake, Zoe, give me the candle.”

  “Nothing,” Zoe whispered as Keegan took the light from her hand and set it on a barrel. Then he pulled her close to it, positioning her so that he could peer down into her eye.

  “Is it this one?”

  “Yes.” Zoe’s voice was little more than a breath of air. He touched her cheekbone, pressing the skin down, then pulled away to wipe his hands down the side of his damp breeches. When his fingers grazed her face again he leaned closer, so close that she could see the prisms of green and gold that colored his eyes.

  Zoe swallowed. “Can you see anything?”

  How could he possibly concentrate on some tiny speck in her eye when her fragrance perfumed the air? Even in this dank boat hull, with tar and bilge-water seeping through every beam, the gentle smell of roses filled his senses.

  And her skin. He had no idea it was so incredibly soft. He closed the distance between them, making no more pretense at looking at her eye. It was her mouth that drew him. Soft. Pink. Inviting.

  She tilted her head up, her gaze catching his before he dropped it again to her mouth. Then her lips parted and Keegan was lost.

  The kiss was tentative at first, a mere mingling of breath, a petal-soft touch. Then Keegan grasped her head, curving his fingers through her hair, pulling her more tightly against him. Zoe gasped when his tongue slid over hers. But it was such a warm, wonderful feeling she forgot to protest.

  She’d never been kissed before. Not like this. Fox kissed her on the cheek, of course, and sometimes if he was being solicitous on the forehead. But that was nothing... nothing like this. Zoe could drown in this. She could float about light-headed, her body nothing but warm mush. She could swell, and swoon... and ache.

  “What is it lass?” Keegan’s voice was gruff as he gazed at her through a sensual fog. She pushed at his arms. He’d been aware enough to notice that, but not much more.

  Now she looked up at him, her eyes misty and unfocused... as if she might be ill.

  “I... think I may faint.” Now that his arms no longer held her upright, Zoe thought it a distinct possibility. “And...” She folded her arms low over her abdomen. “There’s this dreadful pain.”

  “Pain?” Keegan took her elbow and guided her toward her barrel seat.

  “Yes, it’s like—” Zoe clamped her mouth shut.

  She almost told him of the pains she experienced during her monthly cycle. “I’ve had them before.” She waved her hand hoping he would turn away. What if it was time for her cramps? How could she endure them without Miss Phelps?

  “Well, I best get back to me hole.” Keegan gave her one last look before retrieving the candle and makeshift tool. Lord, she was a strange one. Not that he wasn’t in some pain himself. That kiss had sent a surge of energy to his groin that still kept it stiff. But that kind of ache was to be expected, even anticipated, if there was some relief to be had. Which of course in this case there was not.

  Keegan hacked away at the opening, then using his hands, tore away a piece of the rotted wood. One more hunk and it was large enough for him to crawl through. He was so excited Keegan didn’t notice at first that Zoe was back, holding the candle and craning her neck to see.

  Keegan glanced back at her. “What of yer eye?”

  “My eye? Oh, ’tis much better.” Actually, Zoe hadn’t given it a thought since he kissed her. She blinked several times to make certain there was no pain. Then with a half smile she shrugged her shoulders, bobbing the light from the candle.

  “What are we going to do?” She hoped he thought to include her in whatever he was planning. Despite her fear of him—Zoe paused, did she actually fear him—she couldn’t help think herself better off with the Scot than the pirates. At least he never gagged her.

  “Here ye go, hand me the candle.”

  Reluctantly Zoe held the foul-smelling, sputtering wax toward him. Was he going to leave her here in the dark then? But before she could ask, he motioned for her to follow, then crouched down to squeeze through the hole, into the darkness.

  “I’ve a thought we should hurry before they—” Keegan’s words were cut off as the sloop listed to one side then jerked back.

  “Before they what?” Zoe grabbed hold of a barrel. “What’s happening?”

  Keegan let out a curse before standing upright. “Before we sail, goddamn it. Which is exactly what’s goin’ on now.”

  “What shall we do?”

  “Hurry. We’ll go on deck and jump overboard and swim for— What in the hell are you yankin’ on my arm for?”

  “Hush.” Zoe cocked her head to the side. “I think I hear someone coming.”

  “Blast it all to hell.” Keegan heard it, too. Two, maybe three men were approaching the hold’s door. He could hear voices now, and one of them was Holt. “Here, help me move the keg over to cover this hole.”

  “Shouldn’t we climb through and run?”

  “They’d catch us before we got to the hatch.” The keg slid across the deck with a scraping noise. “Cry”

  “What?” Zoe huffed out her breath. She wasn’t used to moving heavy objects.

  “Cry. Make noise. Whine.” Keegan no sooner got the last word out than she was flopped on the coil of hemp seemingly weeping her eyes out. She sniffed. She whimpered. She made enough racket to cover any noise Keegan made with the keg. He’d just covered his tracks by swiping the dirt about on the deck when captain Holt shoved open the door.

  He held a pistol, as did his companion. They were both pointed at Keegan.

  “Christ. Doesn’t that woman ever shut up. I should have given you a gag for her.”

  Zoe sucked in her breath, made a show of mopping her eyes, and quieted her sobbing. She didn’t want that filthy rag stuffed in her mouth again.

  “Just thought you might like to know we’ve set sail for Scotland,” Holt said leaning against the door and looking quite pleased with himself. “In less than a sennight we’ll be collecting a tidy ransom for handing you both over to Lord Foxworth.” He paused, chuckling. “We might even stay around a bit to see you hang from the nearest gibbet.”

  “I think I’d like to see that Cap’n,” the other man said, rubbing his jaw.

  “In the meanwhile you two just make yourselves as comfortable as you can.” Both pirates were laughing as they shut the door. The unmistakable grating of a key in the lock followed.

  When the last echo of their bootfalls disappeared, Zoe leaped up from her perch. “Shouldn’t we hurry?”

  “ ’Tis too late.”

  “Too late? But what of our escape? Jumping from the boat?” Zoe stood hands upon hips wondering what was keeping him from reacting.

  “We be too far from land by now to do aught but drown’d ourselves.” Which wasn’t exactly true. Keegan imagined he could manage the rough swim.

  But Zoe never would. He was surprised she’d accomplished the walk across the gangplank without spraining her foot.

  Whether he liked it or not, Keegan felt responsible for her. He should never have kidnapped her in the first place. That was evident almost from the beginning. But as much as he loathed her brother... hated him for the death his father endured... Zoe wasn’t to blame.

  Perhaps he should be glad for the turn events had taken. Captain Holt didn’t know it but he was giving Keegan what he wanted at the moment, a fast trip t
o Scotland. The accommodations were somewhat lacking, of course, but with the hole in the bulwark, Keegan might be able to augment whatever the good captain felt compelled to give them in way of food.

  Of course once they arrived in Scotland, Keegan would have to manage to escape before being handed over to Foxworth. But that shouldn’t be too difficult... as long as no one discovered he wasn’t really a prisoner.

  Aye, things had worked out fairly well... except that he was bound to spend the next seven days with a woman who was slowly driving him insane... not to mention wild. But he’d control his lust. Keegan glanced over at her... somehow.

  She was staring at him, her eyes wide, her lips parted. “I don’t understand how you can be so complacent,” she said with a huff.

  “And I don’t know why ye’re so worried. Yer brother will pay the ransom.” And then he’d be rid of her and she’d be safe. Keegan’s eyes narrowed. She was a bothersome woman. What if Foxworth was as callous toward her as he was with his word? “Won’t he?”

  “Yes. Yes, of course he would.”

  “Would? Ye mean will, don’t ye?”

  “Will.”

  She was biting at her bottom lip in that way that Keegan had come to realize meant there was something amiss. He approached to within inches of her. “Zoe? What is it yer not tellin’ me?”

  “Well...” She let the word expand while the hair on the back of Keegan’s neck stood on end. “You know when I told you Fox was in Scotland?”

  “Aye.”

  “I told Captain Holt the same thing.”

  “So?”

  “I told him that after I realized he wasn’t to be trusted.”

  “And?”

  “I don’t know for certain where Fox is.”

  Eight

  As imprisonment went, Keegan had endured worse.

  Actually, there were times he found this particular confinement rather enjoyable. Of course it helped that he wasn’t truly confined at all.

  The first night, after he and Zoe had been rationed a half trencher of pease and hardtack, Keegan crept through the hole, listening as he went to Zoe’s warnings to be careful. Security on the Sea Maiden was, to say the least, lax. With a minimum of stealth Keegan managed to pilfer extra food and candles from what served as the sloop’s galley.

  Once back inside the hold, after the barrel had been rolled back to conceal the escape hole, Keegan unwrapped his prize. Though she oohed and aahed over his bravery, Zoe assured Keegan the greasy mutton would make her ill. She wouldn’t do more than nibble a few bites till hunger got the best of her. Keegan watched as she tucked away a joint of meat.

  “What is it?” Zoe glanced toward the Scot and swallowed. He watched her, an amused expression on his face.

  “Not a thing.” Having nothing else, Keegan used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth... and hide the smile. “ ’Tis only surprised I am that a slip of a thing like ye can pack away food like a footsoldier.”

  Embarrassment pinkened Zoe’s cheeks. “I was hungry.”

  “Which is not a bad thing.”

  “Perhaps.” Zoe wiped her fingers down the seam of her skirt. “But I shall pay for eating such rough fare. Miss Phelps was quite adamant about my diet.” Leaning her head against the bulkhead, Zoe sighed. “I dare say I feel a bit indisposed even now.”

  But though she tried to conjure up a distress of the stomach, Zoe could not. She admitted, to herself at least, that she felt very well.

  The second night out to sea Keegan grew bolder. He raided the galley, but then he crept along the passageway and entered captain Holt’s cabin. With only a sliver of moonlight to guide him, Keegan found his broadsword and two pistols. Grinning, feeling like one of the ghosts of Castle MacLeod, Keegan took his booty back to the hold.

  Zoe was impressed when he showed her, but wary. “Won’t Captain Holt notice them gone?”

  “Aye,” Keegan chuckled. “ ’Tis more than likely.”

  “But what if he suspects—”

  “Us?” Keegan lifted a dark brow. “I imagine we’d be the last on this vessel he’d think would be stealin’ from him. We’re prisoners or have ye forgotten?”

  Which Zoe had to admit made sense in a way. So she watched as Keegan secreted his weapons in an empty keg, and ate the boiled fish and biscuits. Despite her laments to the contrary, it settled quite well on her stomach.

  As a matter of fact, despite not seeing the sun for several days, Zoe felt better than she had for years. Even the swaying of the sloop didn’t make her nauseous as she thought it would. Nor did the lack of being bled cause her any discomfort with her rigid vessels.

  She felt so well that on the third night as Keegan was sliding the barrel away from his exit hole, she cleared her throat. “I’d like to go, too.”

  “Are ye daft? ’Tis no place for a woman. There be dangers at every turn.”

  “You said it was easy as fooling a Sassenach.”

  “Did I now?” Keegan had to grin as she stood before him so seriously nodding her head.

  “Yes. And I am so tired of being locked up in this place, despite the extra food and blankets you’ve secured.”

  “Being locked up is no fun, I’ll admit.”

  “How long were you... imprisoned, I mean?” Zoe didn’t know what made her ask. After all it was a point rather left undiscussed.

  “Long enough to not wish it on me worst enemy.” He took her hand. “Come on with ye then. But mind, ye must be quiet and stay close.”

  Zoe nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she bent over and maneuvered through the hole. The hold into which she stepped was dark and foul-smelling. Her fingers clutched the Scot’s hand, as she shuffled along behind him.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Hush with ye.”

  “But I can’t see. Can you?”

  “Nay.” Keegan paused and felt her bump into his back. “But I’ve managed t’ find me way before, so if ye’ll kindly be quiet...”

  “Yes, of course.” Zoe resisted the urge to speak again as they crept into the passageway and up the ladder. The occasional lantern, oscillating with the sway of the vessel made it possible to see now.

  On deck Keegan motioned for her to follow, so Zoe lifted her skirts and darted toward the mast. Several pirates lay about, flat on their backs, snoring. None appeared to notice Zoe or her companion.

  Zoe flattened herself against the mast. “Shouldn’t we tie them up? ...or shoot them?” she whispered.

  “Shoot them? My, my, but we’re a bloodthirsty little thing.”

  Zoe felt her face flush. “Well, they did kidnap us.”

  Keegan lifted his brows. “Remind me t’ sleep with one eye open from now on.”

  “You know what I mean. Who knows what they might do to us?”

  “For the moment nothing. Not as long as Holt thinks there be coin t’ be had. Besides, I don’t think we could sail this vessel by ourselves. And we do have an advantage or two the crew does not know about.” Keegan patted the pistol stuck in his waistband.

  That said, he led the way toward the small area used by the crew to cook their meals.

  Tonight the pirates had feasted on a stew of sorts, salty, but, Zoe had to admit, tasty. She squatted in the shadows and ate while the Scot looked about for something to drink. He found a jug, took a swig, then offered it to Zoe.

  “Mmmm, no,” she said around a mouthful of stew. “It wouldn’t agree with me, I’m sure.”

  Keegan’s grin was sly. “Now, that’s where ye be wrong, lass. I’ve a feelin’ it would help yer digestion quite a bit.”

  “Do you think so?”

  “I’ve no doubt in the matter.”

  The hand that reached up was tentative. “I suppose a little drink won’t hurt.” But the swallow she took was more like a gulp.

  Keegan stooped, pulling her against his chest to muffle the sound of her sputtering coughs.

  “That’s... awful,” she finally managed. “I feel as if I’m on fire.”


  “Well now, it does have a bite. Nothin’ so smooth as good Scotch whiskey. But it’s a mite better the more ye drink.”

  “That hardly seems possible,” Zoe said. As if to prove her point she took another drink. This time she only coughed once and blinked back tears. The third swig was only followed by a grin.

  “That be enough for ye, I warrant,” Keegan said as he pried the jug from her fingers. “We need to be gettin’ below before one of these bloody pirates is awakened by the call of nature.”

  “What about Holt?”

  “What about him?” Keegan pulled Zoe to her feet, wondering if he should just toss her over his shoulder. Her speech was slurred enough to wonder if her balance was in jeopardy.

  “I thought we were going to sneak into his cabin.” This was followed by a giggle.

  “Well, lass, ye thought wrong. Come on with ye.”

  “But you did.” Zoe resisted the tug of his hand on her wrist. “I want to tie him up. And gag him.”

  “Not tonight”

  “Then when?” Zoe jerked her hand away and folded her arms. Her chin shot up stubbornly.

  “For God’s sake Zoe! We can’t take over the ship now. We’re too far from land.”

  Obviously that was the wrong thing to say to her, for before Keegan knew what she was about, Zoe darted across the deck. She was leaning over the rail, searching the darkness when he wrapped his arm about her waist.

  “Bloody hell, are ye tryin’ to give me heart failure?” Keegan turned her in his arms, studying her upturned face in the slice of moonlight. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Her mouth, that mouth he couldn’t seem to eradicate from his thoughts, curved upward at the corners. She seemed alive and desirable and he worked to retain his annoyance.

  “I knew this was a bad idea,” he mumbled, not certain whether he meant allowing her to accompany him on deck, or kidnapping her in the first place. Or any of the multitude of inclinations he’d had in the interim. Just the memory of what he’d endured because of her made his scowl deepen.

  Zoe didn’t notice. “Would it really give you heart failure?” Her smile never faltered though her large innocent eyes widened.

  “What are ye prattlin’ on about lass?” Keegan tried to pull away but somehow her arms had worked their way about his neck.