by B L Bierley
Admiral stiffened and waited for his attack. When it didn’t come, she turned to face him.
“You knew what you would be getting when you made that stupid marriage offer in the face of my father’s indignation. Don’t play innocent with me, Lazarus! I’ll cut out your heart,” she spat.
To her utter fury, Russ chuckled.
“You don’t have a weapon in this room, darling. Believe me I would have never allowed Hark to lock me in a room with you anywhere near a blade. You see, I’ve heard all about your reputation, too … with swords. I don’t mean to suggest you could beat me in a battle fully armed, but I didn’t plan on licking my wounds during my honey month.
“Now, dear, listen to me and listen well. This is going one of two ways. Either you can leave here with me quietly and discuss this rationally at my home here in Bristol, or we can wait for Lord Captain Loudon to arrive and suffer his displeasure at his daughter’s disloyal treatment toward her husband. I’d guess you have less than fifteen minutes before he is made aware of our presence,” Russ said walking toward the bed and sitting to wait.
Admiral knew she had to think fast if she were going to escape from this unscathed. But there was nowhere to go. Aside from fleeing to Norwich, which in and of itself defeated the purpose of running in the first place, she didn’t want to go with Russ and be alone when he demanded his husbandly rights. The idea was too unsavory for her taste. Surely her best option was to wait for her father while trying to talk sense into her new husband.
“Russ, let’s be reasonable. You don’t want a wife any more than I need a husband. So why not save us all the trouble and get this bloody farce of a marriage annulled?”
“Do you know what it takes to get a sanctioned annulment? One of us will have to cry foul. And there is no way on God’s green earth that I’m going to admit being unable to fulfill my husbandly duty,” Russ scoffed indignantly.
“Then say I tricked you into a marriage. Say you discovered I was impure,” Admiral said softly.
The room fell silent for a full five minutes. Russ had to struggle to master his emotions suddenly, which caught him off guard. At length, he asked her a simple question.
“Is that why you ran?” Watching closely he saw the fidget of her hands as a sign that he’d hit close to the truth.
“That’s none of your business,” she whispered low as she stood and began pacing.
“Well lucky for you I’m not inclined to care. We made vows before God and my family, and I intend to honor mine. What you do will determine the rest,” Russ said in a gravel-laden retort. Admiral shivered.
“Then say we are unable to agree on our marriage, or say I’m insane. But please, don’t make this any harder than it already is,” her voice trembled slightly with the panic she was fighting. Stopping mid-stride she faced him expectantly.
“No, I won’t do that to your father. I might not agree with him on many points, but I would never intentionally dishonor your family that way. Besides, he’s retiring. How else can you sail as easily unless you have a sailor, a captain at least, for a husband?”
Russ stated the facts in such a way as Admiral couldn’t dispute them. But she was too far in her abuse of him to back down now. Squaring her shoulders she made her last effort.
“I don’t want this. I can’t believe you do either. Let go, Russ,” her tone was pleading.
“No. I’m not giving in to your stupid, childish threats. We are married. It’s done. You made your bed, now we both have to lie in it as husband and wife. Make your decision,” Russ said woodenly.
“I’m not leaving the Allegro,” Admiral said without emotion.
“Fine, then, we’ll wait for …”
Russ didn’t get the chance to finish his statement. From outside the cabin they heard Lord Captain Loudon storm up to the door, shouting threats and profanity in his path.
“What in the bloody hell are you doing in there? You are supposed to be on your honey month! How in the devil did you get on my ship?” the door burst open, and Lord Captain Loudon flew in with his eyes blazing and his fists clenched.
“Papa, I can explain. I came here to try and make you see reason. This is absurd. I don’t want to be married,” Admiral began. Her father spun around and glared at her.
“It’s too bloody late! We’re already weighing anchor. You and your unfortunate new husband will go along on this journey. You will bloody well act like a married couple, or so help me I’ll tie you to the bow and leave you there!” Lord Captain Loudon bellowed.
“But sir, Russ has to sail with his own merchant ship! You can’t kidnap a peer of the realm. That’s worse than piracy,” Admiral countered vehemently. Her whole body shook with the effort to remain calm.
“Lord Penwood made out a letter on his behalf stating his intention to take his honey month. The commander cannot dispute these claims. Is that clear,” he turned to face Russ with murder in his eyes. Russ shrugged dispassionately and didn’t contradict him.
“But Father! I’m not going to be his wife! If I need a husband I’ll choose when I have to, but not now and not him!”
Admiral wouldn’t resort to tears, choosing cold resolve instead. Russ bristled at her stubbornness, but didn’t speak. In a way he understood.
The girl really was scared as his sister Bliss had hinted. But this wouldn’t win any battles for him. He made a mental note of things to discuss when they were alone again. Lord Captain Loudon laughed coldly and turned back to his daughter.
“You gave up your rights when you had your little tryst with him in the dark corner of that greenhouse. Now you’ll accept your sentence or pay the consequences,” the captain sneered.
Then he grabbed Admiral, not forcefully but not too gently either, and pulled her close enough to say something for her alone. Admiral paled and choked a low curse. Her father left the cabin, slamming the door with undue force as he did. From outside, he called in to them.
“I am locking this door. You both made a vow before God and witnesses. Therefore you will not leave this room until this marriage is properly consummated. When you have done so, I might consider letting you out! Until that time, get comfortable and be ready to set sail in one hour.”
The sound of the angry captain’s boot heels striking the boards of the deck above their heads signaled that the ship was leaving port. Russ secured his duffel so that it wouldn’t shift all over the floor when the ship’s decks began their gentle sway. Admiral sat dejectedly at the desk, looking at her hands in her lap and scheming.
Russ made to lie down on the bed by removing his boots and coat. He stretched out with his hands behind his head as the candles dripped wax and the room remained silent. When they reached the open bay, the boat began to rock gently in the tide.
“Say something,” Admiral said quietly.
“What would you have me say?” Russ kept still on the bed, waiting her out.
“Whatever you’re supposed to say to an errant wife I suppose. Do your worst and claim the spoils. It’s the only way he’ll give up, and he told me so just before he left.” Admiral sighed in defeat.
“You actually expect me to demand my husbandly rights? Well here’s some truth, honey, I don’t force women into bed with me. And I’m too tired to argue my case this evening. It’s going to be a bloody long trip, but I’m used to going through drier spells than a quick sojourn to Spain. So don’t trouble yourself. It doesn’t mean a thing,” Russ said in disgust.
Admiral turned her head slowly to stare at him. Her throat caught at the sight. His form was almost too long for her single bed. The dim light played against the tight fabric of his trousers and made him look rangy and lean. It made her stomach flip seeing the dark-haired devil in the bed where she’d slept her entire life.
“I need to get undressed. Close your eyes,” Admiral said in a low demand.
“I don’t think I will. If I’m to be denied my wife, at least I can have the pleasure of seeing her lovely form,” Russ’s near sinister voice spoke
of seduction. Admiral had to swallow a gasp. Her flaming face gave away her fear.
“I’d rather drown in this dress than show you any inch of me,” she replied when her voice returned.
“Suit yourself, sweetheart. I’m going to get ready for bed.” Russ announced. He leaned up and began unbuttoning the four buttons at the neck of his shirt. Untying the cuffs last, he pulled it unceremoniously over his head.
Without meaning to, Admiral glanced sidelong at his naked chest. She could see a few scars on his shoulders—probably from a few lashes from his errant youth as a cadet or hazards from working with fast moving, unforgiving ropes. She saw that his chest was not covered in hair, but a little on his abdomen and down the path beneath his navel leading to his …
Admiral shook her head like a swimmer trying to clear water from the ears. She knew not to look at him. That’s obviously what he wanted. But the worst was yet to come. He dropped his feet to the floor and removed his stockings.
When his feet were bare, he began unbuttoning his trousers. Admiral turned her head and faced the wall of maps above her desk. She studied the coastlines of France and Spain with meticulous care in order to avoid being tempted to look at Russ. She heard his bare feet making soft sounds as he moved to put his clothing away.
She heard the sounds of the bed ropes groaning under his weight and assumed he had gotten into bed. Turning to see where he was, Admiral shockingly discovered Russ lying naked and unashamed on top of the covers.
Hot blood flooded her face. She whipped her head back to the maps so fast her neck cracked. Russ chuckled softly from his side of the room.
Admiral sat stone still for ten minutes before trying to appear aloof to the naked man on her bed. She moved to her wardrobe cabinet and opened the door on the left. Removing her netted rope hammock from the peg in the back, she began the task of untangling the twisted mess.
“Need any help, dear?” Russ called from behind her. He watched Admiral’s spine stiffen. She was trying to appear unaffected by his brazen display of naked maleness, but she was failing miserably. Russ was finding that he enjoyed making her squirm.
He’d given up blaming her. Two important things he’d gained from Bliss’s warnings: one, his bride was terrified, and two, he needed to exhibit patience. But patience didn’t mean he couldn’t at least try to shake her loose a little.
Then Russ wondered if there was something else, some far worse reason why being intimate put her off. His entire body tensed in recognition of it. He suddenly wanted blood from anyone who’d ever laid a finger on her. A ridiculous reaction, given her less-than-accommodating behavior, he decided to opt for a more gentlemanly approach.
“Are you planning to sleep in that uncomfortable hammock in that gown? Looks like a bruised body waiting to happen. Perhaps you’d consider a truce,” Russ offered gently.
“What truce?” Admiral still didn’t turn to face him.
“You could sleep in this bed with me?”
“I’d rather drink bilge water.”
“Then let me at least loosen the buttons so you can slip into a nightgown. No sense being a martyr, you know,” Russ replied.
Admiral considered his suggestion for a minute then she let her shoulders go limp.
“Fine, but don’t touch me. Just loosen the top few buttons and go back to whatever you were doing before.”
Russ eased up and moved in behind her, stopping within arm’s reach but going no further. His fingers touched the satin of the dress and he plucked eight buttons loose before she knew he’d even put a hand out. The dress began to sag from her shoulders, giving him a delicious view of the upper half of her back.
“Thank you,” she mumbled under her breath. Her voice was reedy and dry.
“What’s a good husband for, my lady,” he said with only a hint of sarcasm.
Russ returned to the bed and watched her search through a few hooks until she found what she needed. She held her wedding gown up with her left hand while she struggled with the right to put the tangled nightgown over her head. Russ watched without remorse as her clothing eased to her hips long before the nightgown covered her.
The shape of her bottom was evident in the clinging fabric of her chemise as she pulled the tapes of her petticoat loose and it slid away to the floor with the dress. Russ’s mouth watered at the thought of touching the smooth curve of her buttocks with his tongue. He didn’t think she realized the torture she could inflict with her own display of flesh.
When she stepped out of the dress, she yanked the nightgown downward before he got a good enough look at her stockings. A flash of green ribbon was the only reward.
His body grew tense and his traitorous manhood thickened in appreciation. Not wanting her to see how she affected him, he rolled to get beneath the covers and lay on his side facing her, concealing his nudity and his erection from view.
Admiral took her chair over to the desk and lifted one end of the hammock to the hook secured in the ceiling. Then she hopped down to secure the opposite side to a similar hook above end of the wardrobe.
The hammock looked very uncomfortable, but without waiting, Admiral opened a spot for her body and rolled into the mesh of ropes. She curled tight into a ball and rocked in her suspended swing with her eyes screwed tight. The room was cool in the mid-spring evening, though without windows it was sure to warm with their body heat.
“I’m covered. But I’m wondering how warm you’ll be in the open air. Do you have any extra blankets?” Russ asked her.
Admiral opened her eyes to slits and tested his statement for proof. Seeing that he was suitably covered, she let out a sigh.
“This room is an old lastage as you probably know already, and therefore it’s directly above the stokehold. The heat rises, so it’s usually very warm. Don’t worry about me. This isn’t my first night in the hammock. Sometimes when Marie would visit me in a port, we’d sleep this way—her on the bed and me in the ropes,” Admiral told him.
Russ felt uncomfortable making such a show of stealing her bed. But if she refused to lie with him as his wife, he likewise refused to allow her the comfort of the mattress. There was no need to be so stubborn. He wasn’t an ogre!
“If you change your mind, you could always come to bed with your husband,” Russ teased softly, letting the velvety sound of his voice tempt of its own accord.
“I’ll stay here, thank you,” Admiral answered with a sniff.
“Suit yourself, my lady. Good night.”
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
EXCERPT
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