Never Trust a Pirate

by Valerie Bowman

  Danielle lay there, not daring to breathe for what felt like hours, but was likely only mere minutes. She’d expected him to ask if she wanted to sleep in the bed with him. That would only be polite. But carry her over, dry her off, and cuddle up to her? It was nearly beyond belief. Was this the same Cade Cavendish whom she’d met in London? The same man who had gorgeous women chasing him on Bond Street and, according to Lady Daphne, lying naked in what they thought was his bed after hunting him down?

  She continued to hold her breath for fear that this figment of her imagination would disappear. Then another disconcerting thing happened. He began to run his fingers through her hair, combing it. He leaned down to her bare neck and breathed in deeply. “I’ll never tire of the scent of lavender.”

  He’d never tire of—

  She didn’t have time to even finish that thought before he said, “Can I ask you some things?”

  The question made her stomach churn but she promised herself to answer honestly. “Of course.” Things were different now, regardless of whether she wanted them to be. It was both a frightening and a comforting thought.

  “Are you really French?” he asked.

  She laughed at that. “Oui. Half French. As I told you.”

  “Is your mother really sick?”

  Her nostrils flared. “I would never lie about that. She’s quite sick. Grimaldi’s promised to pay me enough to allow me my cottage by the sea after this mission.”

  “That sounds like Grimaldi. Blackmail and holding things above other people’s heads.”

  She turned to lie on her back. Cade’s arm was still wrapped over her waist. “He knows how to get what he wants. He’s helped me immeasurably. I cannot fault him.”

  “How has he helped you?” Cade asked.

  “He saved my mother’s life.” She shook her head, not wanting to continue this part of the conversation. “That was a long time ago.”

  “What did he do?”

  She should have expected he’d want to know more. Could she face these memories while she was so raw and emotional from his lovemaking? She would try. “My father was murdered when I was young. My mother was sent to gaol for the crime.”

  Cade took a breath to speak.

  “She didn’t do it,” Danielle hurried to add. “But the French were prejudiced against her. She was tried and convicted with little evidence. She was shipped back to England, traded for some French prisoner. I expect her family had a hand in that.”

  “Where were you?”

  “I was left alone.”

  “What didn’t your mother’s family take you in?”

  “My mother had never told them about me. All I knew was that I had to get to England. To save my mother.”

  “And you met Grim?”

  “He found me on a smuggler’s ship and offered me a job.”

  “He tends to show up at opportune times, doesn’t he?”

  “I know he did for me.” She snuggled farther into the bed. “I agreed to work for him in exchange for his helping my mother. He knew I’d be loyal because I’m half English and the French had ruined my family. By the time my mother was released from prison, she’d contracted consumption.”

  Cade searched her face. “I’m sorry, Danielle.”

  She shook her head to dispel the tears stinging her eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Of course.”

  “Why is your ship named The Elenor?” She winced, prepared to hear him say it was a woman he’d once loved.

  “My mother’s name,” he said quietly, nudging her shoulder with the tip of his nose.

  “Was it?” she answered in awe.

  He nodded again and kissed her shoulder. She tried to ignore the flicker of lust that shot through her. How could she want him again already?

  She moved quickly to another question. “Were Daphne and Rafe already married before their wedding last month?”

  His bark of laughter filled the room. “Who told you that?”

  “Mary mentioned it.”

  Cade pushed himself up on one elbow against the pillows. “I’m not certain. I wasn’t there when they made their infamous trip to France.”

  “France?”

  “Rafe and Daphne performed a mission together. With Grim actually.”

  “They did?” Danielle blinked rapidly. “You must tell me all about it.”

  Cade kissed her neck. “I’m certain they’ll tell you all the details someday. It was swashbuckling and romantic. They fell in love in France. Only the ton doesn’t know they were together. That part is a secret. Whether they were already married, well, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mary knows more than I do about my own brother.”

  Danielle glanced away. More tears stung her eyes. Daphne and Rafe wouldn’t tell her the story one day. Cade was wrong about that. She would never see them again and if she did, they’d be angry over her duplicity.

  “It sounds quite romantic,” she murmured.

  Perhaps sensing her sadness, he changed the subject. “So, you’re chasing Baptiste to get the money to take your mother to the sea?”

  She shook her head slowly, tracing her finger against the soft sheet. “It’s more complicated than that. I have my own grudge against Lafayette Baptiste.”

  “You do?” He raised up on an elbow and searched her face. “So do I.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Danielle diligently attempted to end her affair with Cade. She reminded him they would probably be working together. She reiterated Grimaldi’s strict rule about fraternization between agents. She even tried to argue that she didn’t think Lady Daphne would approve.

  None of it proved effective. Cade simply pulled her close and kissed her neck and once that started, it wasn’t much of a leap to be splendidly naked in bed with the man. There were times when Cade went above deck to see to his duties, of course, but whenever he returned to the cabin, it wasn’t long before he’d coaxed her into bed, forcing her to scream his name so he could muffle it with his hand.

  It was going to end badly. Her heart would be broken and he would leave and she’d never see him again. But while she was in his arms, in his bed, it felt as if she’d been brushed by heaven. She couldn’t make herself stop. Even worse, she didn’t want to.

  Three days later, Cade snuggled her against him after having just made exhaustive love to her. Her body felt limp and delicious. It also felt sensitive and tingly. And satisfied. Stroking her arm he said, “McCummins tells me we’ll be pulling into port tonight.”

  She shot up to her elbow, pulling up the sheet to cover her naked breasts. “So soon?”

  “Yes.”

  She turned her head and a lock of dark hair fell across her shoulder. “This is it then.”

  “What?”

  “The end of our affair.”

  “How do you know that?” He tried to pull her close and kiss her neck, but she scooted away.

  “We shouldn’t get attached,” she said.

  “I’m already attached.” He advanced on her.

  A thrill shot through her, but that was the kind of thing all rakes said. Probably just before they walked out the door and you never saw them again.

  “I know how these things work,” she informed him.

  “These things?” He shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

  “Love affairs. You might recall, ahem, I was no virgin.”

  “Neither was I. What does that have to do with us?”

  “I don’t want you to feel guilty when you … when this ends.” She cleared her throat. “I don’t want to feel guilty, either.”

  “Why does guilt have to enter into it?” He pulled her close, his hand dropping between her legs, reaching for the spot he knew she would respond to. She moved her hips away.

  “Grimaldi will explain his plans and either you’ll agree or you won’t, and either way, after it’s over you’ll go your own way and I’ll go mine and…”

  “Do we have to discuss that right now? I only have a fe
w more hours in bed with you. Can’t we just … have fun?”

  “I think it’s best if we cut it off now.”

  “We made love not half an hour ago.”

  “Yes, and it was enjoyable.”

  “Enjoyable? I nearly smothered you with a pillow to keep you from screaming my name. Twice. I have scratch marks down my back that make me look like I’ve been mauled by a she-tiger. I—”

  She’d never been so glad she wasn’t a blusher. “As I said, it was enjoyable. But I think it’s time to be reasonable.”

  “Reasonable?” He groaned. “That’s Grimaldi talking, not you.”

  “It’s all been quite a lark, as the English say.” She slid out of the bed and gathered her clothing. “But it can’t happen again.”

  Cade grabbed the clock on the table next to the bed and flung it against the far wall where it smashed into a hundred pieces.

  * * *

  That night, The Elenor crept into port at San Sebastian in Spain. They purposefully dropped anchor on the far side of the wide harbor to ensure they would be out of sight of The French Secret, which had arrived earlier in the day. According to O’Conner, the plan was for the French ship to remain here for two nights. Meanwhile, Danielle and Cade waited for Grimaldi to arrive on whatever ship he’d commandeered to follow them.

  Cade had been out of sorts ever since Danielle had summarily announced the end of their affair. Why couldn’t she just enjoy the moment and whatever this thing was that they had together? When Grim arrived, whatever he had to say, Cade was not in an understanding mood to hear it.

  “I’m off to drink with Danny and Sean,” he announced after all the ship’s business had been seen to for the night.

  “In town?” Danielle asked nonchalantly. She’d tucked her hair back up in the damned ridiculous cap and was acting as if they hadn’t spent the last three nights and part of the days tangled naked in each other’s arms.

  “Have fun.” She turned back to the book she’d been reading. Wolsey? She chose a book about bloody Wolsey over him? By God, he would find a better time in town with Danny and Sean. The Irishmen loved to frequent taverns and brothels while they were in port. Tonight he’d join them.

  * * *

  Four hours later, Cade found himself propped up against a stone wall outside a Spanish brothel. Danny had come out with a buxom woman on his arm and was fondling her in the alley. Sean had come out so foxed he couldn’t stand up straight. He slid down the wall and sat next to Cade.

  Cade had downed something in the vicinity of four bottles of Spanish wine and was half passed out, leaning against the side of the establishment. He had not gone into the brothel. Even if he’d been sober enough to have a cockstand, he’d known the minute he left the ship he couldn’t touch another woman.

  Being with Danielle these last few days had been … well, damn it, he didn’t know what it had been but he hadn’t been ready for it to end. That much he knew. He wanted her still. Even now. He couldn’t erase her from his mind.

  He should have stayed sober tonight. Should have remained on the ship. Should have made the plan to meet Grim. But the dismissive way Danielle had treated him had made him want her to think he would find comfort in another woman’s arms.

  He pushed himself upright and tried to whistle for Danny, but the noise that emerged from him lips was more of a sad blowing sound.

  “McCummmmmmins!” he finally called.

  Sean stumbled to his feet. “We leavin’, Cap’n?”

  “Aye. We’ve got to get back to the ship.” He tried to focus but his eyes were blurry. “Daannny!” he called again.

  “Hold yer horses. I’m comin’,” came a muffled voice from the alley. “Give me a minute, ye blighters.”

  Sean started laughing while Cade opened his mouth to call his first mate yet again. A sharp blow to the head stopped him. He fell to the ground, his vision even worse than the drink had made it.

  He rubbed a hand over his eyes. Had he imagined the painful crack to his skull? He glanced over to see Sean fiercely struggling against two large men. Cade looked up. His hand reflexively went to the back of his breeches where he always carried a knife. It was gone. He scrambled to his feet, his fists cocked and ready to fight. Two other huge men grabbed him from behind and held his arms behind his back. He’d barely got a blow in on one of them before he was tackled to the ground.

  Lafayette Baptiste stepped out of the shadows, a club in his hand. He thumped it against his gloved palm. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Captain Rafferty Cavendish. Followed me from London, I see. I had zee chance to kill you once when I ordered Donald Swift to be killed. I won’t make zee same mistake again.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

  “What are we going to do?” Danielle hated how frantic her voice sounded. General Grimaldi stood across the table from her in Cade’s cabin, his fists braced atop the panel. “We’ve got to save him.”

  Danny and Sean had returned from their excursion and informed both Danielle and Grimaldi—who’d come into port early and boarded The Elenor—that Cade had been captured. Apparently, Baptiste had mistaken him for Rafe. The Frenchman must have allowed Danny and Sean to go free so they could repeat the tale.

  Mon dieu. Why wasn’t Grimaldi saying anything? She’d tear this ship apart splinter by splinter before she’d allow him to turn it around and leave without Cade. Why did the spymaster have to be so maudit stoic? She stared into Grimaldi’s dark eyes, almost willing him to disagree with her so she could have someone to fight, right here, right now. She felt so impotent, unable to save the man she loved.

  The thought nearly brought her to her knees, but yes, she did love him. It took losing him for her to realize that, but she loved him and she was going to save him. She couldn’t bear the thought of him being hurt or worse by Baptiste.

  Danielle clenched her fist. It took all her strength to keep from striking the man in front of her. “Damn you, General. Why didn’t you tell me Cade was on our side?”

  Grimaldi scrubbed a hand against his light beard. “We couldn’t risk it. We were watching you. We knew you’d grown … close to him. We couldn’t take the chance of you backing out if you knew he was the captain of The Elenor before you came aboard.”

  Her eyes went wide. “You were watching me? Wasn’t the whole point that I was watching him?”

  Grimaldi nodded. “Yes, but—Bloody hell, Cross, we’re spies. We’re watching everyone.”

  She rolled her eyes at that.

  “Once we realized you might have”—Grimaldi cleared his throat—“feelings for Cavendish, we feared it might compromise the entire bloody mission.”

  She didn’t flinch at the improper language. She’d long ago become accustomed to that and worse in her line of work. It was the other part of what he’d said that had her hand itching to slap him again. “Feelings! What made you think I had feelings for him?”

  Grimaldi’s arched brow smacked of skepticism. “Don’t you?”

  She glanced away. “I’ve been stuck with him on a ship for days. He had me acting as his cabin boy. Not a cook’s assistant. I—”

  “We saw you kiss him in London.”

  Danielle snapped her mouth shut. Maudit. She contemplated that for a moment. Maudit. Maudit. Had that kiss revealed so much? But wait.… “Which time?” she blurted before cursing herself for her stupidity.

  Grimaldi’s brow remained arched. “I rest my case.”

  Danielle glared at the general. “What were you planning to do once I’d seen him on the ship if I wanted to leave?”

  “We ensured you were underway before you were taken to see him.”

  “How in the devil’s name did you manage—?”

  “Suffice it to say we had full confidence that you weren’t foolish enough to jump overboard.”

  She sucked in air through her nostrils, still itching to slap the general. “You could at least have warned me.”

  “We’d just learned that night that Cavendish was on our side. He was le
aving to come after Baptiste, too.”

  “You could have at least—”

  Grimaldi held up a hand. “Do you want to continue arguing with me or make a plan to save him?”

  Danielle let out her breath. The general was right. They were wasting time. “Have any ideas?”

  Grimaldi cracked a rare smile. “Of course I do.”

  “I should have known.” She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her boot against the wooden floor. “What’s the plan?”

  The door opened behind her and in walked none other than Lord Rafe Cavendish.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  “Cavendish,” Grimaldi said. “Are you ready to make them see a ghost?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me Rafe was here?” Danielle asked after she sufficiently recovered from her shock.

  “You know I never show all my cards at once.” Grimaldi’s reply was a bit too smug for Danielle’s taste.

  “That’s an understatement,” she murmured.

  “Mademoiselle LaCrosse, a pleasure to see you again.” Rafe bowed to her.

  “It’s just Cross out here, my lord,” she replied, returning his smile.

  “Likewise, it’s just Rafe for me out here.”

  “Very well.” She’d never been so happy to see someone. She had no idea what Grimaldi had planned, but Rafe Cavendish helping could only be a good thing. Her mind spun with possibilities. “Is your lady wife here, too?”

  “No. Daphne was still tending to the ball when I left. She decided to forgo this particular adventure.”

  “Probably best,” Danielle agreed.

  Grimaldi rubbed his chin. “Especially given that I’m going to have to beat the hell out of you to make you look like Cade no doubt does.”

  Danielle winced. They all knew the unpleasant task was necessary. Danny and Sean had told them Cade had been beaten bloody by his captors even before he’d been hauled away. There was little chance he wouldn’t have been beaten more since. If they needed to convince Baptiste that Cade was Rafe or vice versa, they would have to look alike in every way.