“He’s not,” she said, shaking her head vigorously. The tears flowed faster now.
“You’re going to have to stop denying the truth, no matter how hard it may be to accept it.”
“My father didn’t kill her.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. Because, I killed her, Brody.”
“What are you saying?”
“I wasn’t supposed to tell my mother I saw them in the tavern that night. But I was only ten years old. Of course, I told her. So, you see, I’m the reason they argued. I’m responsible for my mother’s death.”
“Shhh,” he told her, cradling her head against his chest and rocking her gently. “It was an accident and you are not to blame. She would have found out sooner or later and they still would have argued.”
“Oh, Brody, I hope I’m not the reason my brothers left as well.”
“Edwin told me that after your mother’s death, your father took to the bottle. They’d had enough of his antics. Your brothers stole his ship and left.”
“Yes, they left a few years after my mother died. Why would they leave me behind?”
“I don’t have the answers, Gwen, but a pirate ship is no place for a young woman. They might have thought leaving you behind was safer.”
“Nay, I won’t believe they are really pirates! It can’t be true.”
“It is, Gwen. The Sea Mirage confronted their ship, the Falcon, a few years back. We made a deal. They were sent to raid up and down the channel while we controlled the west coast.”
“You saw my brothers? So they really are pirates?”
“I don’t know them personally but I’m sure they were on the ship. I vaguely remember hearing their names.”
“I need to know for sure.” She dabbed at her tears with the sleeve of her gown.
“I suppose we’ll never really know.”
“Yes, we will.” She sat up straighter and lifted her chin. “When my father returns, I am going to confront him and ask him all about this.”
“If he returns.” Brody felt like a scoundrel, secretly wishing the man had died at sea, but it would be the best for Gwen. Then she wouldn’t have to feel the hurt of this whole situation. Plus, it would be better for him, because he had a feeling her father was not going to sit still once he found out that Brody planned on marrying his daughter.
Chapter 6
Brody slept all night with Gwen cuddled up against his chest. After he had confronted her with the truth about her family last night, he thought he needed to give her time to accept it all. But he still planned on asking her to marry him, and he wanted to do it before her father showed up. Marrying her felt like the right thing to do.
She awoke a few minutes after him. Stretching and yawning, she reminded him of a cute little kitten waking from a nap.
“Sleep well?” he asked, running his hand up and down her back.
“Aye. And you?” She wiped the sleep out of her eyes with the back of her hand.
“Sure.” After collapsing from sheer exhaustion, he had slept most of the night. But when he awoke in the dark with Gwen pressed up against his body, there was no more sleeping. He wanted her badly, however, there was no way he’d take her until they were married. She deserved better than a romp in bed with a pirate before they’d taken their vows. She might act and dress like a lad but all he wanted to do was treat her like a lady.
“Brody?” Her long lashes blinked. “Is something troubling you?”
“Nay. Not really.”
“Oh, my.” She sat up on the bed. “I was so distraught about my problems, I’ve forgotten about yours. Is your leg hurting?”
“Just a little.”
“Let me take a look.” He took her hand in his to stop her.
“There is something on my mind after all.”
“It’s about your childhood and being taken by pirates, isn’t it? Tell me about it. Please.”
“I already told you. I was an orphan, so I fought off the pirates to make them release Edwin. They took me instead.”
She looked at him in awe. “That was such a noble thing to do for a friend.”
“I had less to lose than Edwin. And I know it sounds strange, but the pirates ended up replacing the family I lost.”
“That’s preposterous. How can you say that? Were these the same pirates that made you walk the plank and tried to drown you at sea?”
“No! Yes. How do you know about that?”
“You made the comment when we arrived about walking the plank. You also said you were a captain, so I just assumed that’s what happened.”
“Well, that’s only partially right. Two pirates managed to escape the dungeon when the former captain – Rowen – put them there. Old Man Muck and Lucky Dog returned and were responsible for what happened to me.”
She laughed. “Are those really their names?”
“They are to us. That’s all anyone has ever called them. Muck and Lucky came back and convinced the crew that Rowen wanted me dumped at sea.”
“Did he?”
“Nay, I’m sure he didn’t. Rowen is a lot like me and was also stolen by pirates at a young age. We were like brothers growing up.”
“He didn’t have siblings, either?”
“On the contrary, he is a triplet. And they happen to be King Edward’s bastards.”
“That’s right,” she said, nodding her head. “I’ve heard of them. They were once referred to as the Demon Thief.”
“I need to find Rowen and talk to him. I’m sure he never gave such an order.”
“You need to find Muck and Lucky.”
“Aye. And when I do, I’ll kill them.”
She jerked backward in surprise. “Spoken like a true pirate.”
That hurt Brody, and she obviously could see it by the expression on his face.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.” Her hand covered his. “What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
Brody suddenly started having doubt. Mayhap a marriage between them wasn’t the answer. Although he didn’t start out as a pirate, it was how he ended up. Gwen already had a family of pirates and didn’t need one more in her life. Perhaps he should just let her go.
“I thought we could go for a walk along the shore,” he told her.
“I would like that,” she answered with a smile, looking deeply into his eyes. He almost reached out and kissed her again but stopped with her next words. “Then we can watch for my father.
An hour later, Gwen walked hand in hand along the beach with Brody, feeling more like a girl than she had in a very long time. Her hair was braided, hanging down her back and not covered with a hat. Instead of a tunic and breeches like she usually wore, she had donned one of Marta’s gowns. It was plain, and far from fancy, but it was a dress meant for a woman.
“You look . . . so different,” she said to Brody, almost laughing at seeing him in Edwin’s clothes. Edwin was shorter than Brody, so his sleeves and the legs of the breeches were short. He’d tied his long hair back and covered his head with a hat instead of the red scarf he usually wore. As he walked with a limp, she could tell he was trying to hold back the pain.
“Is it the clothes you’re talking about or the fact I’m limping around like a one-legged pirate?”
She giggled, and that made him smile too. “How about if we sit down so you can rest your leg?”
They made their way to some large rocks jutting out of the water and sat down. Brody took off his shoes and soaked his feet in the sea.
“That looks like fun. I’ll do it too.” She followed suit, kicking her legs and splashing water on both of them.
“Two can play that game,” he told her, kicking his legs as well, managing to get both of them wet.
She held up her hands to block the water from her face, squinting and laughing. “No more,” she said. “I’ve had enough water lately to last me a lifetime.”
“You?” he asked with a chuckle. “And what about me? If I am around water mu
ch longer, I swear I’ll turn into a fish.”
“You do that and I’ll turn into a mermaid and lure you off your ship.” She kissed him, and his hands went around her waist. With the sea air in her hair and the waves lapping at her feet, she felt happy and free.
“There you go talking about legends again, Gwen.”
“Oh, I forgot. You don’t believe in them. Sorry.”
“Well . . . mayhap not all of them.”
“What do you mean?”
“That legend of the lovers’ cave might have some truth to it after all.”
“You believe it?” She sat up straight and her eyes opened wide.
“I can’t say I believe anything actually happened there except for the obvious – me being kidnapped.”
“Then why did you mention it?”
“I mentioned it, because ever since I kissed you in the cave, I can’t seem to stop doing it.”
“It is nice, isn’t it?” She bit her bottom lip and peeked up at him through her lashes.
“More than nice, Gwen. It feels right to me. I can’t explain it, but it is as if I’ve always known you. I am comfortable around you.”
“I feel that way, too.”
“I think . . . I’m starting to have feelings for you.”
“You are?” Her breath hitched and her heart picked up a beat. “I also have feelings for you.”
“You are a beautiful young woman who deserves so much more.” His fingers trailed over her cheek.
“What does that mean? More than what?”
“Gwen, I wanted to ask you – I mean, I was thinking mayhap . . . no, it’s probably not a good idea.” He shook his head. “We should just forget about it.”
“Forget about what?” she almost shouted. “You haven’t told me a thing. Spit it out, Brody. What is it you are trying to say?” She kept at it, until Brody finally answered.
“Marry me!” he shouted.
She stopped, too shocked to know how to respond to that. Her silence seemed to make him more apprehensive than before.
“Let’s put our shoes on and walk back to the inn for a bit to eat.” He picked up his shoes, not looking at her at all.
“Yes,” she answered softly, just staring at him and not able to move. Was this really happening?
“Yes?” He looked up, still putting on his shoes. “Yes to walking or eating?”
“To marrying you.”
“Oh.” He dropped a shoe, and his eyes interlocked with hers. “Are you sure? I mean – mayhap it isn’t a good idea after all. What will your father say? And do you really want to marry a pirate?”
She was tired of all his questions. As her heart swelled with emotion, she got that feeling in her chest again. Just like he said, they were meant to be together. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him over and over. His arms closed around her and they both fell back on the rock.
“Easy there,” he told her. “We don’t want to be worn out before the wedding night.”
“Oh, Brody, I’m very excited. I know this is all so fast, but just like you said, I feel as if we’ve known each other forever. Yes, I want to be your wife.”
“Aye, but I don’t think your father will feel the same way.”
“My father.” She sat up, looking out to the sea. “I don’t even know if he’s alive or if he perished in the storm.”
Brody took her hands in his and stared deeply into her eyes. “Gwen, your father might never return.”
“Don’t say that. I’m sure he will. He might be stranded at sea. I wish we could look for him.”
“The mast was broken and the ship damaged.” He shook his head. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up. It was a bad storm.”
“My father is an experienced sailor. I’m sure he survived.”
“I hope you’re right, Gwen. For your sake, I hope you’re right.”
Chapter 7
It had been three days, and still, there was no sign of Cato or his ship. Brody’s leg was feeling much better, and he walked the beach with Gwen several times, looking for wreckage. They found pieces of a mast, planks, and cargo as well. They couldn’t be certain it was from her father’s ship, but Gwen seemed to think so.
“I had Edwin send a few of his workers up the coast to some of the neighboring ports to ask if anyone has seen your father,” said Brody. “They returned this morning.”
“What did they say?” she asked anxiously. “Has anyone seen him or his crew?”
“Nay. There has been some more wreckage that washed to shore, but no bodies.”
“That’s good,” she said, nodding, looking at the ground. “That means there is still a chance he’s alive.”
“Gwen, sweetheart,” he said, taking her hands in his. “I can’t stand to see you put yourself through this. Face the fact that your father is never coming back.”
“Hold me, Brody,” she begged, wrapping her arms around him. Together they stood and stared out to sea. “Why does it feel so frightening being all alone?”
“You’re not alone, sweetheart. You’ve got me now.”
“I always thought I was strong and didn’t need anyone,” she confessed. “But after what’s happened lately, I have changed my mind. I miss my family. Family is everything, yet why is it we don’t realize it until it’s all been taken away?”
“Someday soon, we’ll make our own family,” he told her. “And our children will not be orphans like the two of us.”
She looked up with sad eyes, longing showing in her gaze.
“When will that be, Brody?”
“When we marry, we’ll have plenty of children,” he told her.
“I don’t want to wait.”
He chuckled. “It’s short notice to find a priest.”
“Then we’ll start making children before we take our vows.”
“Gwen,” he said, rubbing a hand over her back. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I don’t ever want to be alone again. I don’t like the feeling. I wanted to wait until my father returned before we married, but now I see that might never happen. Make love to me, Brody. Let’s seal our deal now, and not wait a moment longer.”
“You don’t mean that.” He smoothed down her hair with his hand. The wind had picked up, and it was becoming chilly.
“I do. Take me back to the inn and let’s start raising a family right away.”
“I’m not sure your father will like the idea.”
“My father is never coming back, and you know it. The sea has claimed him. I’m alone now. I’ll never find my brothers again, and even if I did – they are pirates.”
Brody didn’t want to take the time to ask her what she meant by that. Did she forget he was a pirate too? Mayhap now wasn’t the time to remind her of that.
It didn’t take long to get back to their room. Gwen didn’t hesitate to remove her clothes and climb under the covers, waiting for him.
“Brody? Why aren’t you joining me in bed?” she asked.
He dragged a weary hand through his long hair. “I don’t want you to regret this in the morning. I have a feeling I am your first lover, and that I will be taking from you something that can never be returned.”
The smile on her face disappeared. She reached out and picked at invisible lint atop the blanket. “Would you change your mind about marrying me if I wasn’t a virgin?”
“Gwen, what are you saying?” He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.
“My father was very protective of me. Especially after my mother died and my brothers left us.”
“As he should be. If I have daughters someday, I will be protective of them as well.”
“Nay, you don’t understand.” A look of despair washed over her face. He could see something was troubling her.
“Gwen, is something wrong?” He reached out and took her hands in his. “Tell me about it, please.”
“Nay,” she said, shaking her head. A lone tear trailed down her cheek. He bent over and kissed it a
way. The salty taste lingered on his tongue. “You won’t want me if you know the truth of what I did.”
“How can you say that? After all, you know my past has been very tarnished, and yet you still want to marry me.”
“That’s different. You had no choice about your past. You were stolen by pirates and did what you had to, just to survive.”
“We all have choices in life, Gwen. Even in the direst of situations. I had no family and chose to accept the pirates because, like you, I didn’t want to be alone.”
“I only did it to spite my father,” she said through her tears. “I didn’t know what would happen or I would never have gone down that path.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about unless you tell me. But I promise you, whatever you did in the past won’t matter to me. I’ll still want you for my wife, just the same.”
“Really?” she asked him, looking up with a renewed hope in her eyes.
“I promise,” he said, sealing his vow with a kiss.
She took a deep breath and released it, and then nodded slowly. “All right. You deserve the truth, so I’ll tell you. It wasn’t long after my brothers left us. I was feeling sad. I blamed their leaving on my father since I heard them arguing that night. My father threatened me never to try to leave him. He said he was going to protect me and no one would lay a hand on me for as long as I lived.”
“What’s wrong with that?” asked Brody. “I would think you’d be happy that your father cared so much for you.”
“Nay. You don’t understand. He said he never wanted me to leave him. He didn’t want me ever to marry or even be with a man.”
“Oh. I see.” Brody removed his clothes and climbed under the covers with Gwen, pulling her close in his arms. With her bare skin pressed up against his, it felt alluring. “So what did you do?”
“I was much too young, but I decided I was going to couple with a man, just because my father didn’t want me to. I was bold and cocky . . . and naïve and stupid.”
“How so?”
“We were on the ship – on a fishing trip. I purposely went down in the hold with the son of one of my father’s friends. He was about my age. I seduced him and lured him into coupling with me right there in the hold. My father caught us.”
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