by Amy Cecil
He took a deep breath and sighed without saying anything. I got the feeling that I was not going to like what he was about to say.
Instead of responding to my question, he asked, “How long were you originally planning to stay on the island?”
“About a month,” I replied.
“Good,” he said.
I waited for him to elaborate, but he did not. “Good? That is all you are going to say, good?” I asked incredulously. He laughed. “Max, I do not find this funny,” I stated.
He bent his head over and kissed the top of my head. “I know, my love, but sometimes I love to watch you squirm. You have such a teasing nature that it is most enjoyable to see the tables turned on you. What was it you once said to me? Let me think…you and Caroline Bingley were thinking of ways to punish me for my assumptions as to why you were walking about the room at Netherfield. When it was suggested that perhaps you would tease me, it was clearly noted that I am not to be teased. And your response was so endearing to me. You said, ‘That is an uncommon advantage and it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintances, for I dearly love a laugh.’ Do you remember?”
“I do. I believe Caroline was trying to get your attention in any way she could and I was merely trying to find fault in you.”
“You were always trying to find fault in me,” he stated.
“Perhaps I was in love with you then and I just did not know it. I was so angry with you all the time. Anger is a form of passion, just like love, so I must have been channeling one passion for the other.” I paused for a moment and then added, “You just said that my response to you was endearing. Why?”
“I found it endearing because at that moment I realized that I did not laugh enough. I thought about all the times that I had laughed and could not remember one. So, from that day forward, I made a bargain with myself to laugh more and hopefully become more likeable in your eyes.”
His words touched me. “How could you have loved me then? That was so early in our acquaintance and I was so dreadful toward you.”
“Elizabeth, when I first made your acquaintance at the Meryton Assembly, you were the only one in the room who caught my attention. As much as I tried to avoid you, as much as I told myself that your connections were beneath mine, I could not stay away. I was in love even before I knew it. You had bewitched me like no other woman had before.”
“You insulted me that first night,” I said.
“Did we not already discuss this? Are you going to be one of those wives who always points out her husband’s faults every time they argue or have a hiccup in their relationship?” he asked.
He has changed so much. We have wasted so much time, I thought. Wait…wives? “So now you have conveniently got me off subject, but I need to know, Max—what happens next?”
“I said ‘good’ because a month will give me plenty of time to tie up loose ends here. You, Thomas, and your father will be able to visit with your aunt and enjoy the island. I will prepare for our departure.”
“So you will be leaving with us? How will we return to England?” I asked.
“Elizabeth, my love, I am a ship’s captain, am I not?” he said.
“Oh yes, and you not only have one ship, but two now,” I replied.
“No, you are incorrect, I only have one.”
“But what about the Amity?” I asked curiously.
“I have sent word to New York, to the Black Ball Line. I am returning the ship to them.”
“But why?” I did not understand his actions. He was a pirate. He plundered ships.
“Because my pirating days are over. I have no use for two ships. As I told you before, I only did all of this to fund the foundation. I am not saying that robbing these ships was the right thing to do, but it gave me purpose and that is what I needed then. I really hate to think about what would have happened to me if I had not had purpose. I was spiraling out of control; I probably would have destroyed Georgiana’s life as well as my own.”
“I am sorry. I wish I had known,” I said. I was sad for him and sad that I had driven him to such despair.
“I am not sorry, Elizabeth. And please do not be sad. Looking back, I am glad that you rejected me. You changed my life and made me a better man. As much as I wanted you to love me back, I would not change anything that has happened over the last eleven years. Everything that did happen eventually brought me back to you,” he said.
“If you insist. I suppose when I think about it, if things had been different I would not have met Bash. And most importantly, I would not have my Thomas. So, I have to agree with you. Fate brought us back together when the time was right.” I paused and asked, “So, you were saying, we head back to England in a month and you will be coming with us?”
“That is correct.”
“Are you sure you are ready to return to London society?”
“No, but with you by my side, I will adapt. After all, it was my way of life longer than being a pirate was.” He laughed.
He really does laugh more now. “And your estate here?” I asked.
“Well, if you are amenable to the suggestion, I would like to keep it. I have plenty of staff that can take care of it. And it would give us a place to visit on holiday.” He paused briefly, then added, “But I do have an ulterior motive for keeping it. I should like to hope that once Thomas is grown and has assumed his father’s duties that you and I might return here to live.”
“You really like the island?” I asked.
“Next to you, my love, it is paradise,” he replied.
“When we return to England, I assume you will cut your hair?”
“I suppose I shall have to,” he replied.
“And the facial hair?” I asked.
“Yes, I think that will need to go as well,” he replied.
“And you most likely will not walk around with your shirt open, as you did on the Absolution?”
“Uh, no, I do not think that would be proper. It is definitely not something Fitzwilliam Darcy would do.”
“Oh,” I replied sadly. I had been teasing, as I knew the answer to all my questions, but I really loved that side of him and was afraid that his return to England would ruin that part of him.
“Why do you ask such questions?”
“Because I love that sexy side of you,” I replied.
“Oh, my dearest Elizabeth. The sexy side of me will not change. It will just have to be a little more private and keep to our home and bedchamber.” He waited and then continued, “So, you never answered my question. Would you want to return to the island someday?”
“On one condition,” I replied.
“And that is?” he asked.
“That you grow your hair long and look like a pirate again.”
We both laughed as we snuggled closer together. We had talked for so long that I think we both were tired. It was not long before sleep had taken us both.
Chapter 23
Captain Sterling
For the next several weeks, Elizabeth, Thomas, and Mr. Bennet spent time with their family on the island. Elizabeth’s aunt attended several dinners at my home and I really enjoyed their company. I found it ironic that I had lived on this island for eleven years and never known Elizabeth had family here. Coincidence? No, this was fate. She brought Elizabeth back to me and I will never again question fate’s ability to manipulate a scenario.
While my guests were enjoying the island, I was making preparations to return to England. I had a lot of details that I had to secure on the island as well as back home before our departure. I had sent word to Richard that I would be returning, which he would most likely receive just as we were about to set sail. Georgiana had already planned to leave around the same time that I was now planning to leave, so it would work out that she could return on my ship. In all her time on the island, she had never yet sailed with me. I hoped she would be impressed by how good of a captain her brother had become.
All the arrangements had been made. The A
bsolution would no longer be a pirate ship, but a ship that would sail between Liverpool and the West Indies carrying imports from the islands to England under the flag of the Calico Trading Company. Smead and the crew would remain and would all receive wages. I was back into legitimate business. My profits from the new company would continue to support Adelia Baxter’s Foundation for the Less Fortunate.
I had asked Maggie to stay on in Nassau and manage the estate, but she had developed quite a kinship with Mr. Bennet and decided she would be returning to England with us. Although I was happy for her and Mr. Bennet, I was left without someone I trusted to maintain my home.
One afternoon, while I was working in my study, Georgiana knocked on the open door. “May I have a minute, Fitzwilliam?” she asked.
“Of course, sister. What is it?”
“Well, Winston and I have been talking, and…well, you know how fond we are of this island and your home here.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, if you agree, we would like to stay here until you return. Winston wants to learn the trade business and I think this would be good for us both. And you need someone to remain her to look after your interests.”
She was trying to convince me that she and Winston were the best choice, but she should have known that she did not have to do that. Besides Richard, there was not another soul on Earth who I would trust more to look after my affairs. “Why, Georgiana? Are you sure? I mean, I would love to have you manage things here and I think you and Winston would love it, but are you sure you want to give up all that England has to offer you?” I asked.
“I do. I know it has been many years, but every time Winston and I go out in public I am always afraid that I will run into him,” she said sadly.
My poor sister…I did not know that she still suffers from the ramifications of George Wickham. If I could, I would take all her pain from the awful ordeal. Perhaps staying here on the island would be the perfect solution for her. “Well, if you and Winston are sure, I think it is a splendid idea.” It was a fortnight before we were to depart, so with this new development I would have to delay our departure from the island. I now had to spend some time with Winston to familiarize him with my affairs…and there was one other thing I needed to attend to.
Upon our return to England, Elizabeth and I planned to marry once the banns were read. But I wanted us to marry here on the island as well. In England, she would become Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy; but if we were to ever return to Nassau, I wanted her to be Mrs. Max Sterling as well.
I spent the next several weeks preparing Winston for his new duties and planning a small wedding. The wedding was a surprise to Elizabeth, so I enlisted Maggie and Georgiana to help with the details.
Everything was going according to plan and we would be departing in two days. The following day would be my wedding day and I felt like a young boy. My life had come full circle and Elizabeth Bennet was finally going to become my wife.
I had found my absolution and I was finally at peace.
The Absolution shall sail again…
Stay tuned for…
Familiar Prides
Don’t Forget …
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Acknowledgements
As always, I would like to thank my friends and family. Without their support, I never would’ve had the courage and the vision to become a writer.
I would like to thank my husband Kevin. You’ve never doubted me or my abilities. All that I am - you let me be. I promised you I would write that pirate book. This storyline was your idea baby – you are that little voice in my head that is always encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone – this time it was to write a pirate book. I love you to the moon and back!
Also, I would like to thank the members of my street team, Amy's Amazing Street Girls, the Wicked Dirty Girls and the Dark Angels. You ladies rock my world and I am so honored to have you all on my side.
I would also like to thank Alicia Freeman and Monica Diane. Your PR abilities are amazing and I couldn’t ask for two better personal assistants. You ladies are a pleasure to work with and I could not be more grateful for all that you do for me.
And finally, I would like to thank Ellie and Carl Augsburger of Creative Digital Studios for their insightful ideas, creative cover designs, marketing materials, promotional trailer and comprehensive editing. I am blessed to have such a talented creative design and editing team. You both are top notch!
About the Author
Amy Cecil writes contemporary and historical romance. Her novel, On Stranger Prides is her third Pride & Prejudice variation. When she isn’t writing, she is spending time with her husband, friends and various pets.
She has held membership in the Romance Writers of America (RWA) and the Published Authors Network (PAN). She was a winner NanNoWriMo writing contests for the last three years and a nominee in Metamorph Publishing’s Indie Book 2016 contest in historical romance. She was also voted Favorite Historical Romance Author (2016-21017) in the Have You Heard Book Blog awards. Her Knights of Silence MC series has won numerous awards, including Inks & Scratches Magazines Best Couple in Love and Enchanted Anthologies Best Erotica of 2017.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Kevin, and their three dogs, Hobbes, Koda and Karma and her horse, Baylee.
Amy is currently working on publishing book three in her Knights of Silence MC series, Celtic Dragon and a new erotic thriller, Ripper. In the meantime, she wants to hear from you!
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Other Books by Amy Cecil
Historical Romance
A Royal Disposition:
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Relentless Considerations:
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RIPPER – Coming August 31, 2018
Contemporary & Erotica Romances
ICE:
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ICE ON FIRE:
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CELTIC DRAGON – Coming Spring 2018
References
Notes
[←1]
Austen, Jane, “Pride and Prejudice” T Egerton, Whitehall (1813) United Kingdom
[←2]
"The Spinning Wheel" by John Francis Waller.