by Dawn Brower
To think it had started with a kiss...
Jack smoothed her skirts down and helped her sit up. He fixed her dress and made her presentable. The whole time she was nothing more than a rag doll. She couldn’t help wondering if she’d ever be able to move again. All that and they hadn’t completed the actual act of lovemaking. She was still very much a virgin.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jack stared down at Elizabeth’s beautiful face. Her eyes were closed and her kiss-stung lips were slightly parted. He wanted to lean down and place his lips on hers again, but if he did it would lead them down a path of no return. It had taken every ounce of his strength to stop, and he might not be capable of doing so a second time. He lifted his hand and ran it over her silky hair. It was the color of sunshine on a hot summer day, and it reminded him of happier times. A childhood almost forgotten and a mother who died too young...
“I’m not sure I like the expression that crossed over you face.” Elizabeth lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. “What has you suddenly so melancholy?”
Jack hated the idea of unburdening himself on her. She shouldn’t have access to the deepest, darkest parts of his soul. If she truly understood what he’d done to survive, she’d run as far and as fast as possible from him. The more time he spent with her the more he realized he’d never be able to let her go. Her innocence was a breath of fresh air and it soothed him. If he was a good man, he’d leave and never look back, but he’d never claimed to have even an ounce of decency in him. For many years, he’d looked out for himself and that hadn’t changed. His title and saving the king had been a fluke. When he first arrived in the current century, he’d not been sure what was going on. He’d acted without thinking and had benefited from a moment of pure providence. At the time, it amused him to be awarded such a high title. If only his father had still been alive to realize his bastard son outranked him.
“Don’t worry about it.” He continued to stroke her hair and allowed it to soothe him into a better mood. “We have better things to discuss than my wayward thoughts.”
She frowned. “You can’t keep everything inside... It will eat at you until it is all you think about. Stuff like that will consume you—I’m here and willing to listen. Tell me what’s on your mind?”
Jack sighed. He didn’t want to talk about it, but if he didn’t she’d not let it go. He could act like an arrogant arse and push her away. That wasn’t really an option though. It would be foolish... Letting her out of his arms didn’t sit well with him. He rather liked holding her and didn’t look forward to the moment when he had to release her.
“It’s nothing of importance.”
It wasn’t as if he could find a way to avenge his mother’s death. His father was long dead. He’d forced himself to let go of that notion years ago. Most of the time, he was all right with the circumstances he’d been dealt, and he didn’t dwell on what couldn’t be changed—even if he could find a way to go back to his time he didn’t want to. Elizabeth wasn’t there, and she’d become far more important to him than any woman ever had.
Elizabeth chewed on her lip. “Why are you being so difficult?”
“I choose to think of it as keeping the past where it belongs—behind me.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “There are much more pleasant things in the present, and if we’re lucky enough, our future.”
“That’s a nice sentiment,” Elizabeth agreed. “But it is also a bunch of nonsense.”
Jack glared down at her and did the one thing he’d not wanted to. He let her go, stood up, and stormed away from her. How dare she push him to places he had no desire to visit? Didn’t she understand? His past was a dark, horrible place and someone as innocent as her had no place in it. He’d had to fight his way out of the slums of London, and even his ship had been stolen. That was what pirates did. They plundered, murdered, stole—he was a knave of the worst kind. He didn’t deserve to breathe the same air as her. Elizabeth was far too good for him
“You’re treading down a path of no return,” he said harshly. “Consider your next step wisely.”
Instead of heeding his warning, she smiled at him with all the naïveté of small child about to walk into danger without a care in the world. “Did I ever mention the first time I saw you?”
“As we met fairly recently, I didn’t realize it was something necessary to discuss.”
Where was she going with this line of thought? What did their first meeting have to do with anything? Elizabeth was clever, and her point was sure to hit him hard. He was almost afraid to find out what she had in mind.
“That wasn’t the first time I’d seen you,” she insisted.
Jack was baffled. When and where had she seen him before? He’d been in the current century a decade. She’d have been a small girl when he fell through the time hole. There wasn’t much possibility she’d crossed paths with him in society. He steered clear of ton events and kept to his club or his home. He didn’t have many friends, only business associates. “Then by all means, tell me.”
Elizabeth didn’t answer him right away. Instead she stood and strolled around the room. She stopped in front of a mirror and stared into it for several moments. Was this a new sort of torture she’d devised to drive him mad? Slowly, she turned to face him.
“To understand, I have to start with a story my mother told me.” She folded her arms over her waist and rocked back and forth. “It was a tale her mother told her and she passed on to me and my brothers. We all believed it to be fictional, for how could it be anything else?”
“Elizabeth,” Jack said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t drag this out more than is needed.” His head was beginning to pound relentlessly.
“Right,” she said. “As I explained, it has to be told in the right way or the impact will be lost.”
“Any more impact and I might not survive it.”
He lifted his hands and rubbed his temples. His head ached unmercifully. What was that racket? Was someone banging on the wall somewhere? Of course not... It was all inside his head.
“You poor thing,” she said. “All these surprises and not much time to acclimate yourself to them. Don’t worry, I think this will be the last one—at least for a time.”
He shook his head, attempting to clear it. “So this story. I assume Evelyn told it to Alys?”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to you referring to my mother so intimately.” She scrunched her nose up. “But to answer your question... Yes, my grandmother first told it to my mother many years ago.”
“And you assume it was about me?” That had to be what she was thinking. Why else would she have a need to bring it to his attention? What had Evelyn said about him? Would he be disappointed? His half-sister hadn’t had much time with him, and unfortunately not all of it had been good. Jack was almost afraid to find out what Evelyn had thought of him.
“There are no assumptions,” Elizabeth said. “There is not a doubt in my mind the story was about you. How else did I know about Captain Jack Morgan?”
Jack sighed. “Do I want to hear this?”
“I do not plan on going into details on the story itself. Just how it impacted my life.”
He suspected that was even worse. What good could have come to her life from a story about him? “I suppose you’re going to force me to listen to all of this?”
She frowned. “You’re acting like you’ll be walking the plank at the end. Did you actually make people do that?”
Jack lifted his hands and rubbed his face. “I’d rather not discuss that part of my life. It’s part of the past I’d like to leave behind me.”
“All right,” she agreed. “I’ll let that go—for now.”
Elizabeth was too stubborn for her own good. “Please continue. I’ve grown weary.”
She turned away from him and walked over to the mirror once again. What was with her fascination with the bloody thing? She wasn’t vain enough to have to stare at herself. “When I was twelve, my bro
thers begged me to tell them the pirate story.”
He remained quiet and watched her closely. So she knew the story well enough to retell it. Jack wasn’t sure it was an entirely good thing for her to have learned. It hadn’t occurred to him until that moment, but it couldn’t be all bad. A mother wouldn’t retell it to children if it was. Perhaps Evelyn had thought better of him than he’d believed. He glanced down at his hands and let her voice lull him.
“On that particular day, the mirror clouded over.” She lifted her hand and traced the outline. “I kept talking—the story flowed from me as if it were a part of me. As each detail swept out of me the mirror flowed with images. It was as if I could see it as it happened, and details I’d never known were revealed.”
Jack’s head snapped up at her words. “What was different?”
She turned toward him and smiled. “The differences don’t matter. What does is I saw it—you—for the first time. Don’t you understand? When we met in this very library, I received the shock of my life. We were meant to find each other.”
He shook his head. “I wish I had your faith. I’m not a good man, and you deserve far better than I could ever offer you.”
Elizabeth frowned. “I won’t argue with you now. It’s clear you’re going to be stubborn about this.”
Oh, how he wanted her. She wouldn’t fight him either. If he pushed, she’d fall willingly into his embrace, but what kind of cad would he be to take advantage of her innocence? She might believe they were fated, but Jack needed more proof than that. Maybe she’d seen him in the mirror for a different reason.
“Did you ever think you saw me and what I was capable of so you’d know to steer clear of me?”
“No,” she replied. “I saw a brave man who was willing to do whatever it took to protect a woman. In the process, he was torn from the world and everything familiar about it by a freak storm.” She walked over to his side and wrapped her arms around his neck. He turned his head to meet her gaze. “That man was prepared to do something most wouldn’t have been brave enough to do. Don’t let the darkness have you. With me, you have a chance for happiness.”
Jack wanted to believe her. It was so alluring... She was a temptress who lured him to her side like the sirens of legend. He was lost on her with no way or desire to fight it. Why not give in and taste her once more? “Yes,” he agreed. “You’re exactly what I need.”
He leaned down and captured her lips with his own. The fiery sweetness overtook him once again—vanilla spiced rum, and he was drunk on it. She moaned as he deepened the kiss. The more he tasted, the more he wanted. Jack doubted he would ever have enough of her. Her heat mixed with his as he pulled her against him. Without thought, and on pure instinct, he lifted his hand and cupped her breast. Elizabeth moaned louder as he caressed her. Her dress—he had to remove it. He wanted to feel her naked flesh—taste every part of her.
He was about to start pulling her dress down when a woman’s voice penetrated his thoughts. “Well isn’t this cozy?”
Elizabeth pulled away from him and glanced toward the intruder. Never before that moment did he wish he was still a pirate. If so, he’d happily throw Lady Hyacinth Barrington overboard. Walk the plank? That was too good for her.
“Go away,” he growled.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Lady Hyacinth replied. “It’s clear Lady Elizabeth is in dire need of a chaperone. I’ll make myself comfortable over there in the corner.” She grinned evilly as she met Elizabeth’s gaze. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to let your poor mama know what you’ve been up to. She needs to steer her only daughter right, and its clear you’ve fallen down a wicked path. It’s my duty to see you’re protected.” The smugness oozed off of Lady Hyacinth’s face.
Jack started to picture shark-infested waters. Maybe he’d come out of retirement long enough to steer a ship toward them and drop Lady Hyacinth overboard. It didn’t matter one way or the other though. They’d been caught, and there was only one thing he could do. Their predicament added to one conclusion, and as much as he didn’t like it, Jack was well aware of his responsibilities.
He’d have to offer Elizabeth marriage. It was a good thing he already decided he wanted her more than anything in the world...
CHAPTER TWELVE
“I’m going to kill him,” James Kendall, the Duke of Weston shouted. He stormed past Elizabeth and was about to exit the room when his wife placed her hand on his arm. He halted long enough to glance down at her.
“Don’t be ridiculous dear,” she said, attempting to placate him. “He has to marry her first.”
Elizabeth wanted to strangle both of her parents. Jack didn’t have to marry her—they didn’t live in the dark ages. All he’d done was kiss her... It didn’t matter that it was more intimately than her parents realized. Thank the lord Lady Hyacinth hadn’t come into the library any sooner... That was between her and Jack. She was still very much a virgin, and it was absurd that they were going to force him to marry her. Drat and blast. Stupid, stupid Hyacinth and her meddling ways...
“Has anyone bothered to ask me what I want?” Elizabeth demanded. “Because I’m the one you’re trying to foist off on a man.”
Her mother glanced down at her. “Dear, I believe you already made your decision when you decided to make-out with him in the library. If you didn’t want to pay the consequences, you should have told him no.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “When did you turn into a prude? You can’t tell me that you didn’t kiss men before you married Daddy.”
“That’s not the point,” she said. “I grew up in a different era.”
Her father glared at Elizabeth. “My daughter is not going to live with a scandal if I can prevent it.”
Lord save her from her parents. Her father meant well... He was being rather old-fashioned and she couldn’t make him understand that she didn’t have to marry anyone. She was perfectly all right with never marrying and besides, Jack hadn’t told her he loved her. In time, he probably would, but he needed time to accept how he felt. She already understood what he had yet to—they were fated to be together. Why else had he come to her from a different century? He’d even had time to acclimate to it and build a life. All he needed now was to have her by his side forever.
“I don’t want to marry him.” Right now—but she left that part out. She turned toward her father. “Before you met Mama, and you were off fighting in the war, did you believe you’d marry every woman you kissed?”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Oh?” She raised a brow. “So you can kiss whomever you want without consequences. Quite the double standard, isn’t it?”
Her mother chuckled. “She does have a point.”
Her father turned and stared at her mother. “That is not helping the situation. Don’t encourage her. She’s marrying the scoundrel.”
Elizabeth sat down and stared at the two of them. When she woke up, a maid informed her both of her parents were awaiting her in the library. The place of her fait accompli... As much as she was arguing with them, she was well aware there would be one outcome at the end of it. They were going to make her marry Jack. That is if he could be persuaded to their way of thinking. She wasn’t sure if that was at all possible.
“And how do you propose to make him come up to scratch?” Elizabeth asked. Jack had disappeared after Hyacinth interrupted them. She had no idea where he’d gone off to. He’d left so suddenly she was afraid she’d never see him again. The thought saddened her, but she’d be all right either way. One day he’d return. She’d stake her life on it.
“Your father doesn’t have to make me do anything, love,” Jack said as he strolled into the room. “It would be my pleasure to marry you.”
“Be careful with your choice of words,” her father demanded. “I don’t want to hear pleasure and my daughter in the same sentence.” He glared at Jack. “Ever.”
Jack held his hand over his heart and said, “I promise never to do so in your
presence. Well, not intentionally so.”
Elizabeth giggled. When had she returned to acting like a little girl? She couldn’t help herself. Jack was the reason for it. His very presence was a conduit for actions she’d not done in a long time, and sometimes ever. With him, everything was different.
“Where did you go?” she asked unable to keep the heartache out of her voice. She was happy he’d returned, but she didn’t like that he’d been absent at all. “You left me to face this by myself.”
He smiled. “That was never my intention. I had to take care of a few things I’d anticipated we’d need.”
What could have been so important he’d abandon her for even a moment? She wanted to smack him for being so incredibly insensitive.
“What?” she inquired.
“In all due time, my lady,” he said and then turned toward her father. “May I have a word with you in private?”
Her father was still staring at Jack belligerently. Elizabeth wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to leave them alone. It was hard to tell what her father would do. Jack could, at least, defend himself, but she didn’t want him to have to.
“That’s not necessary,” Elizabeth said. “I’m certain we can all talk together.”
Jack grinned wickedly. “As fun as that sounds, I owe it to your father to have a private word with him. We shouldn’t be long.” He turned toward her father and asked, “Would you join me in Clifton’s study so we can discuss this?”
Her father nodded and followed Jack out of the room. Why did they have to talk where she couldn’t listen in? She was dying to know what Jack had to say to her father. It didn’t really matter though. She wanted her own private word with him. He had a lot to answer for, and he’d not get off lightly. She planned on making him pay for abandoning her. Hyacinth had made her miserable the entire time. If it would have helped to slap her, Elizabeth would have done so.
“Are you going to explain yourself?” her mother asked. She sat in the chair opposite of Elizabeth and placed her hands in her lap. Her face was devoid of any emotion as she waited for Elizabeth to respond.