“Hold still, ye bugger!” a seaman growled. “Ye wanna make us drop ye?”
“Won’t be no big loss, I tell ye.”
“Only t’ Georgie’s bloody navy. He’s lyin’, I tell ye. He ain’t no American.”
And then, Ashton’s quiet voice. “You drop him and you’ll be going to England in his place.”
“But, Cap’n, ’e’s a Brit!”
“I said, be easy with him!”
But one last look at Ashton’s uncertain face told Brendan the Yankee was unconvinced. And as his dripping blue coattails brushed the deck, and darkness began to dim his vision, he remembered.
The drafts.
He drove his hand beneath the wool blanket and into his pocket. His fingers found—and sank into—a sopping, squishy mess of pulp that instantly disintegrated between them. With something like a sob, he drew it out.
Motion stopped. The back of his head lurched against someone’s chest, slamming his teeth down hard upon his swollen tongue. He choked back the flood of nausea and let his head roll, until Ashton’s face appeared within the circle of his spinning, darkening vision. The Yankee still looked dubious, unsure, his kind brown eyes confused behind the thick lenses of his spectacles. And then he looked down and saw the sodden ball of pulp that dripped, in pieces, from Brendan’s fingers.
Brendan shut his eyes as Ashton reached out and took what remained of the sad lump, hearing his own voice coming from further and further away. “The drafts ... for the schooner ... your father was to have ... built ... for ... me....”
And then that freckled face faded, the darkness swept in, and the nightmares that had been his for three years now came surging back. Halcyon’s sunny deck. Crichton firing, the burst of agony in his chest. And Eveleen, oh God, Eveleen....
He struggled, knowing it was a dream, fighting to wake up but unable to.
The drafts.
Please God, no—
The drafts! For God’s sake, Ashton, don’t let Crichton get his hands on the drafts!
Panicking, he went wild, clawing desperately toward consciousness—wake up, wake up, WAKE UP! —and then his own screams jolted him rudely awake.
Wild-eyed, he threw off the dream and bolted upright in the bed.
* * *
If you enjoyed this excerpt, continue reading CAPTAIN OF MY HEART on Amazon.com!
MORE BOOKS FROM DANELLE HARMON!
SERIES:
HEROES OF THE SEA
THE DE MONTFORTES
introducing:
THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING, AWARD-WINNING, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
DE MONTFORTE SERIES:
“The bluest of blood; the boldest of hearts;
the de Montforte brothers will take your breath away.”
Meet the dashing and aristocratic De Montforte Brothers by Danelle Harmon (best read in order):
# 1 Kindle Store download: THE WILD ONE (free on Kindle!)
(read below for an excerpt!) - Book 1 - Lord Gareth de Montforte’s story
THE BELOVED ONE (Book 2) Captain Lord Charles de Montforte’s story
THE DEFIANT ONE (Book 3) Lord Andrew de Montforte’s story
THE WICKED ONE (Book 4) Lucien, the Duke of Blackheath’s story
THE WAYWARD ONE (Book 5) Lady Nerissa de Montforte’s story
Novellas set in the de Montforte world:
THE FOX AND THE ANGEL - a Christmas story
THE ADMIRAL’S HEART - a story of second chances
MY FIRST NOEL - a Christmas story of faith and redemption
— all available as audiobooks, too! —
and:
from Danelle Harmon’s popular and bestselling
HEROES OF THE SEA SERIES:
PIRATE IN MY ARMS
Danelle Harmon’s debut novel, based on the true story of the pirate ship WHYDAH and an old Cape Cod legend about two ill-fated lovers. A swashbuckling tale of romance, courage, and true love against all odds, available for the first time since original publication by Avon Books in 1992!
A mass market paperback bestseller!
An Amazon bestseller!
# # #
MASTER OF MY DREAMS
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 1)
Sweeping from the shores of England to Boston on the eve of the American Revolution, this is the emotional and unforgettable story of a tough Royal Navy captain and the beautiful Irish stowaway who teaches him how to love once again.
An Amazon KINDLE Top Ten Bestselling Historical Romance!
An Amazon KINDLE #1 Bestseller (Sea Adventures)!
# # #
CAPTAIN OF MY HEART
(Heroes of The Sea Series Book # 2)
Thrilling romantic adventures aboard the 1778 Yankee privateer schooner Kestrel, captained by dashing Irishman Brendan Merrick — who meets his match in the outrageous shipbuilder’s daughter, Mira Ashton!
An Amazon KINDLE Top Ten Bestselling Historical Romance!
An Amazon KINDLE #1 Bestseller in Sea Adventures!
# 8 on the New York Times Bestseller list as part of FOUR IRRESISTIBLE ROGUES!
# 11 on the USA TODAY Bestseller list as part of FOUR IRRESISTIBLE ROGUES!
ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN audiobook!
# # #
MY LADY PIRATE
(Heroes of the Sea Series, Book # 3)
The sexy, swashbuckling tale of Pirate Queen of the Caribbean Maeve Merrick (daughter of Captain Brendan and Mira Merrick from Captain Of My Heart) and the powerful English hero who is determined to win her heart at all costs. Continuing the schooner Kestrel saga!
Winner of Romantic Times Magazine’s Reviewers Choice Certificate of Excellence!
Winner of Romantic Times K.I.S.S. Hero Award!
An Amazon KINDLE Bestseller!
# # #
TAKEN BY STORM
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 4)
Disgraced naval hero Colin Lord wants only to pursue his new career as a London veterinarian and put his tragic past behind him. But when fugitive heiress Lady Ariadne St. Aubyn convinces him to help get her prized racehorse to Norfolk before every reward hunter in England can catch her, Colin finds himself swept up into an adventure he could never have imagined. A treat for animal lovers everywhere!
An Amazon Kindle Regency Bestseller!
# # #
WICKED AT HEART
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 5)
A Beauty-and-the-Beast tale of love and redemption between a dark and brooding marquess and the woman who is determined to heal his tortured heart. Continuing the schooner Kestrel saga!
Winner of Romantic Times Magazine K.I.S.S. Hero Award!
Nominated for Romantic Times Magazine’s K.I.S.S. Hero of the Year!
An Amazon KINDLE Bestseller in Historical Romance!
# # #
LORD OF THE SEA
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book # 6)
Love, adventure and heartbreak abound in this fast-paced historical romance set in Barbados during the War of 1812 between reckless and daring American privateer Captain Connor Merrick and beautiful Rhiannon Evans, whose charms he cannot resist. Bringing back beloved characters from previous books, this is the fourth book in the schooner Kestrel saga.
Original Publishing Date: December 23, 2013
Finalist — RT 2014 Best Digital First/Indie Historical Romance
RT TOP PICK - 4.5 stars
An Amazon KINDLE bestseller in Regency Romance
# # #
HEIR TO THE SEA
(Heroes Of The Sea Series, Book 7)
His heart broken by grief, Captain Kieran Merrick never expects to fall in love with the unconventional, aggravating and thoroughly obnoxious Rosalie McCormack when she fires a pistol at him from the cabin of a captured merchant ship. Sparks fly between them while danger abounds, but can the daring young lady from Baltimore and the stoic New England privateer come together to defeat brutal pirates, confront tragedy, and find love in each other’s arms?
Published Sep
tember 7, 2017
# # #
HEART OF THE SEA WOLFE
A noble British naval captain lives in the shadow of his pirate ancestor in Revolutionary War America - and must fight for his life and love. Special appearances by beloved characters including Captain Brendan Merrick. Read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
# # #
THE ADMIRAL’S HEART
A sweet and sexy short story/novella about second chances, with appearances by Lucien, the Duke of Blackheath and the De Montforte Brothers!
An Amazon KINDLE bestseller in Short Stories!
An Amazon KINDLE bestseller in Anthologies!
# # #
THE FOX AND THE ANGEL
A heartwarming Christmas novella set in the de Montforte world of England in 1779. The scheming, matchmaking Duke of Blackheath is back to his old tricks!
An Amazon Kindle Bestseller in Anthologies
Also available in audiobook
# # #
MY FIRST NOEL
Lady Katharine Farnsley has been jilted yet again. Her cold exterior masking a world of pain, she despairs of ever finding true love. But when a mysterious stranger comes to her, hurt and desperate on a snowy Christmas Eve, she never dreams that opening the door to him will change her life forever ... and show her the true meaning of the season. An inspirational Christmas novella set in Danelle Harmon's popular and enduring De Montforte world!
# # #
Want to know when the next new title from DANELLE HARMON is released?
Click here!
Never Too Late For Love (Heroes Of The Sea Book 9) Page 12