“Safer? Perhaps not. But surely in gentler hands,” he devilishly teased.
“That’s a matter of opinion!” she flared at him in rising annoyance. Should she accept his offer? Was it genuine? Should she beg him to rescue her?
He gently seized her chin and forced her frantic gaze to meet his steady one. “And what is your honest opinion, Angelique?” he murmured huskily, his gaze causing her to tremble.
Alex quickly lowered her lashes to conceal the desirous look which she knew must be revealed there, too late to prevent him from seeing it. “My opinion is that you’re a black-hearted rogue who preys on innocent girls and weaker ships,” she stated in a strained voice.
“You know what will happen to you if I leave you here to face Thackery again,” he said, observing her closely.
Her emerald eyes came up to look at him. She suddenly looked so young, so vulnerable, so damn innocent and alluring! Besides, she could identify him. He had never confronted that danger before. If he left her here, she would have two reasons for revenge against him. That is, if she survived to reach England…
“Would you let me off at the nearest port?” she challenged.
“I’d grant you your freedom from Thackery in exchange for your silence,” he cunningly offered.
For a moment, puzzlement filled her eyes. Astonishment replaced it. “Surely you must be teasing me! How could I possibly tell anyone about you without giving away how I know the truth?”
He grinned in pleasure. “You’re right, Angelique. To tell what you know, you would also be forced to tell how you learned such facts.”
She was watching him intently. He was still calling her Angelique. That could only mean one thing; he didn’t know her real name or identity. “I was visiting my uncle Silas Grimsley in Massachusetts when he decided I should return home. He thinks a war between England and America is coming soon. I was travelling disguised as a widow, but the wind played havoc with my ploy by lifting my veil on deck,” she deceitfully offered the tale. Recalling how coy females acted, Alex called upon all her feminine instincts to fool him. Tears began to ease down her cheeks as she added, “I was so afraid, Stephen. I remained in my cabin as much as possible. I kept my face hidden with that veil all the time,” she demurely stated like a wronged child, nodding to the hat on the floor.
Spencer glanced down at the hat and sighed. After all, she had been an innocent virgin when they met. She was apparently here in this cabin against her will. He’d never heard of this Grimsley, but he didn’t know everyone. Still, something imperceptible nagged at him. He scanned her up and down several times and he mused upon this pleasing enigma. To her bewilderment, he started laughing.
She watched his manly chest vibrate with the mocking, heady sound. “Did I say something amusing, Stephen?”
“That provocative gown and your intoxicated breath seem a wee bit suspicious, love. Is this some lover’s spat or a plot to secure your safety from bloody pirates?” he merrily accused.
Practically calling her Thackery’s mistress, Alex inhaled in surprise and shrieked indignantly, “You vulgar beast! How dare you speak to me in such a crude manner! No man has ever laid his hands upon me except you! And if you ever do again, I’ll slit your throat!” Her eyes glittered with icy fire. “As for Thackery, I’ll do the same with him!” she breathlessly added.
Spencer stepped to within inches of her, staring down into her defiant expression. “You’re saying no man warms that fiery blood of yours except me?” he mercilessly teased her as his hand slid down her cheek and his fingers passed over her lips.
When she attempted to bite him, he jerked his hand away and chuckled wickedly. “Such sharp teeth for a mermaid,” he added roguishly.
“You blasted demon! Just wait until my father learns of these outrageous insults! He’ll see both you and Thackery hanged!”
“And what about all your brothers?” he mocked her bravery.
Before thinking, she shouted back, “I don’t have any brothers; I’m an only child!” She instantly grimaced as she recalled her tale by the pond and groaned.
“No doubt a father could handle only one child such as you.” Spencer playfully carried on this delightful game to provoke her into saying more.
“How would you know? I doubt you even have a father or a mother! I venture you’re the spawn of the devil himself!” she charged haughtily.
“Such a temper!” he laughingly asserted. “Perhaps you and Thackery deserve each other.”
That insinuation sobered her. Tears welled in her eyes. Her chin trembled. “Please, Stephen, don’t leave me here with that monster,” she pleaded. “You do owe me something,” she reminded him. “Please release me; my arms ache.”
His mood altered drastically at that statement. “Look at me, Angelique,” he commanded. “Swear you’re not here of your own free will.”
Her teary gaze met his as she honestly vowed, “I swear it, Stephen. I swear I was returning home dressed as a widow. Sink this miserable ship or kill me, but don’t leave me here like this.”
He withdrew his knife, then instantly replaced it. He paced the floor in uncertainty.
“What did I do to make you hate me so much?” she asked dejectedly. “You can’t do this to me!”
He whirled to glare at her. “Are you conveniently forgetting how we parted last time, my sweet and innocent Angelique?” The color drained from her face. “But you left me no choice! You tricked me! You lied to me! Isn’t silly revenge beneath the dignity of the infamous Joshua Steele? I thought your reputation boasted of leniency and mercy to helpless victims,” she sarcastically sneered.
“Helpless? You, Angelique? The day’ll never come when a woman like you doesn’t have some weapon to use on a man,” he charged. “The only way you’ll come along with me is to pay your way.”
Alex naively misconstrued his meaning. “I have money and jewels in my cabin. You can have all of them. When we reach England, my father will also reward you for saving my life,” she promised sincerely.
Spencer laughed and shook his head. “Still feigning the innocent lass, love? Don’t you think that a wee bit absurd considering our previous relationship?” he cruelly hinted, vexed by the powerful pull of this girl.
“I haven’t been innocent since you brutally ravished me, Captain Steele! But neither have I been wanton since that despicable day. Do not judge me by your standards!”
He pushed a straying lock of hair from her flushed face. She pulled back from his disturbing touch. “You are surely heartless, Steele. How I wish I had never known you,” she declared softly, but her gaze told a much different story.
“And I, you, Angelique; for you have plagued my mind day and night since our meeting,” he huskily confessed before leaning over to imprison her mouth with his.
Alex’s head was spinning wildly as his mouth seared hers time and time again. Capturing her head between his hands, he explored the inviting recess of her mouth and sampled the sweet hunger within her. All thoughts and worries cast aside, she eagerly responded to this moment which had filled her dreams for weeks. As his lips moved over her cheeks to allow his teeth to nibble at her ear, she moaned softly and whispered his name. His lips possessively claimed hers once more, burning away all reality but him.
How she yearned to slip her arms around him and to nestle against that hard chest! Such raging fires and urgent needs consumed her. She could not resist the stirrings of passion which he so easily brought to life after their separation. When Spencer leaned back to gaze down at her with his igneous blue eyes, she weakly gazed back at him with eyes of sparkling green fire.
“You are surely a dangerous enchantress, Angelique, for you tempt a man to dare much to possess you,” he huskily murmured.
“Then possess me, Stephen,” she carelessly and wantonly entreated. “For you have haunted me each hour since that day at the pond. Be you devil or man, God, how I want you,” she confessed in a fiery moment of total weakness and overpowering desire.
> Reading those flames of passion which matched his own, Spencer filled with panic. This wasn’t the time or place to test her honesty, but he damn well would later! To cool both their fires, he asked, “Didn’t you just vow to kill me if I touched you again? Methinks your words don’t match your fiery blood, Angelique. I’m not a Captain Thackery to be toyed with and then rejected. If you come with me, my reward will be your warmth in my bunk.”
She gaped at him in utter disbelief. How could he speak so at a time like this? “Damn you, Stephen; I hate you! Compared to you, Thackery is an angel! Complete your business and be gone. You interrupted a most enticing adventure.”
Spencer studied her for a time, keenly aware she was deceiving him. “If that is how you hate a man, love, perhaps your love would be so all-consuming as to burn a man to cinders. I shall give this matter some further thought before deciding your fate,” he calmly announced, smugly telling her it was definitely in his hands.
He pulled a strip of cloth from the hem of her dress and gagged her. “Just to make sure you don’t get any idea of telling lover boy who I am,” he sneered, as if she could! He called his man to bring Thackery back inside.
The infuriated man’s gaze went straight to Alex. He wondered at the gag upon her mouth and the stormy look in her eyes, eyes which never left that arrogant pirate!
Mortified, Alex witnessed Joshua Steele assert his will over Thackery. When the rebellious Thackery refused Steele’s demands, she watched in horror as Steele actually proceeded to castrate the terrified man before her very eyes. Just before Thackery yielded, she fainted.
Spencer glanced over at her and noted the limpness of her body. When Pete rushed over to check on her, Spencer eyed him curiously and resolved to question him later about this mysterious girl. Right now, he and Thackery had some unfinished business…
IX
“Alas, how love can
trifle with itself!”
—Two Gentlemen of Verona, William Shakespeare
A curious weightlessness surrounded Alex as she slowly returned to reality. She discovered herself lying upon a plush bed in a strange cabin, a cabin which reeked of strength and masculine charm. She sat up and glanced around. She looked at her injured wrists which were now bandaged. Her eyes widened in shock as she noted her manner of attire: one of her own nightgowns, one whose material just barely concealed her body!
Where was she? How had she come to be in this unfamiliar place? How long had she been unconscious? Who was the kind benefactor who had simultaneously rescued her from Steele and Thackery? Had the pirates been defeated while she was unconscious? Had she been taken aboard an English ship and cared for by some generous English captain?
Befuddled, she sat up and walked around, testing her strength and studying her new situation. Without a doubt, this was the cabin of a very wealthy and well-bred man. But who was he? She opened the tall chest and scanned the costly garments hanging there. Her keen senses quickly told her he was a gentleman of good taste and high quality. But where were her own clothes? She glanced down at her provocative gown in dismay. Hopefully her attire proved her baggage had been saved; but where had it been placed? Surely these bandages indicated a doctor had tended her…
Alex aimlessly strolled around the neat and comfortable cabin, trying to envision its proud and brave owner. She lifted a book and read the inscription on the first page:
To my beloved son,
Forever remember your name and heritage. Wear them with honor and pride. These things your father and I give to you our only child with great love and confidence.
M.S.F., December 10, 1796
Alex curiously noted the beautiful sprawling script dedicated to “S.S.F.” Alex calmly walked to the porthole and gazed out. Without clothing, she couldn’t very well leave this cozy cabin. She must remain here until the captain came to describe her rescue. What greater honor could any English captain earn than to defeat the notorious scourge of the sea?
Undesirable sadness filled her, then unreasonable fear. What had happened to Stephen? Had he been captured, injured, or killed? How could she brazenly inquire about the fate or condition of an infamous pirate without revealing a personal interest? But surely it would seem like normal curiosity to ask about the fate of an illustrious rogue who was England’s bitter enemy! She chided herself for even worrying about him. He could take care of himself! Perhaps he had fled at the first sighting of an English ship. She angrily hoped that dastardly Thackery had gotten his just desserts. If not, she would see to it upon her arrival home!
Stephen was Joshua Steele? Who was this mysterious, mercurial man who slipped in and out of her life at will? Stephen…Steele…S.S.! No! It couldn’t be! She rushed to the desk and pulled out the book once more to study it. Could it be possible? S.S. Stephen Steele? But what about the “F”? Had her first impressions by the pond been accurate? Was he some highborn nobleman who had turned to piracy and privateering after some family misfortune? She shook her spinning head to clear it .of such foolish and intimidating ideas. Surely some silly coincidence…
Alex replaced the book and returned to the porthole for some much needed fresh air. The door opened behind her. She almost reluctantly turned to see who had boldly entered without knocking. She closed her eyes and stiffened in panic as he swaggered forward in vivid self-assurance.
“I see you’ve finally decided to rejoin us,” he murmured in a vital and stirring tone, stopping before her and assuming a masterful and commanding stance. “Needless to say, you had me quite worried, Angelique. You’ve been unconscious for several hours,” he commented in a disturbingly gentle tone.
Alexandria opened her eyes and gazed up into his arresting features. “I see you no longer have need of your disguise, Captain Steele,” she acidly remarked.
“Nor you, yours,” he promptly retorted. “Your little adventure doesn’t seem to have tamed that wild spirit of yours in the least,” he playfully teased, tugging upon a lock of spun gold.
“I had the mistaken impression you had been sent scurrying and I had been rescued by an English ship,” she informed him. “This isn’t exactly how I imagined a pirate’s style,” she caustically sneered, pointing to their slightly elegant surroundings.
“Evidently I’m the only pirate you’ve met so far, or perhaps the only one to enjoy your company in his cabin,” he lazily remarked, grinning mischievously.
“Under the circumstances, your cruel teasing is misplaced, Captain Steele. Who are you, Stephen?” she suddenly asked.
He eyed her strangely, then asked, “What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re obviously not Stephen whatever. And I seriously doubt Captain Joshua Steele is your real name either. No man would intentionally blacken his family name. Who are you, and why did you become a pirate?” she inquired in an entreating tone. She decided not to tell him about reading his book and certainly not to ask him what the “F” stood for!
“Stephen is my real name,” he casually replied, to her great surprise. “But my last name must remain a secret. I’m sure you understand why. Family honor and personal safety…I took the name Steele when an enemy once told me I was as cold and hard as that deadly metal. It seems a befitting name, so I use it. As for Joshua, it belonged to a good friend long ago.” He shuddered and glanced down at her. “Call me whatever you prefer for the short time you’re here, ‘ he stated. “As for you, I still lack your last name, Angelique.”
She met his probing gaze and stated bravely, “The day you give me your last name, I’ll give you mine. Until then, let’s leave it with Stephen and Angelique. When do we reach the first port?”
He chuckled. To demand an answer might reveal too much interest in her, so he didn’t. “Content yourself to remain the coy and mysterious siren, love. Your name or identity hold little interest for me. Perhaps you’ve some reason to be ashamed of it,” he hinted.
“You’re wrong, Steele. I merely see no reason for you to know it or where to find me again,” she retorted in risi
ng annoyance at his nonchalance.
“You flatter yourself, Angelique. I seek out no woman to warm my bed or heart,” he vowed with a fierce coldness which was frightening.
“You possess no heart or soul, Steele! As to any future pursuit of me, I have no illusions about you in that area. But the mere fact you selfishly seduced me long ago and then took the trouble to rescue me speaks for itself,” she sweetly asserted to vex him. “For a man who doesn’t seek out any female, you certainly come in and out of my life at the oddest moments…” She smiled provocatively, her eyes merrily taunting him.
“If memory serves me correctly, Angelique, it is you who recklessly and brazenly invades my life when I least expect it. You were the one lying naked and inviting by the pond. You were the one being held prisoner by Thackery. And, I might add, wearing a most enticing dress and with liquor on her breath. Tell me truthfully; did I interrupt a private party?”
Her eyes widened. She stammered, “I was not waiting by that pond for some roue like Joshua Steele to happen by to ravish me! As to my attire and breath in that scoundrel’s cabin, he forced me from my cabin to his. I only sipped the sherry to calm my nerves when he began acting so…so unpredictable and frightening! I am not a harlot! You of all men should know that since you were the first to…” She flushed scarlet and hushed.
“Since I so wickedly claimed your purity,” he triumphantly finished for her.
He tenderly caressed her rosy cheek. “Dear, sweet Angelique, you do possess a rare talent for rashly wandering into the most unusual and perilous situations. Don’t worry this time; you’ll be home safely before you know it,” he encouraged the distraught girl who was close to tears.
“No, you don’t understand, Stephen. How could you possibly know what heart-stopping fear and utter helplessness are like? I seriously doubt you’ve ever experienced either! I hate being a defenseless vulnerable woman,” she childishly stomped her foot. “If I were a man, I would have killed Thackery!”
Love Me With Fury Page 16