Rose clucked her tongue, “You need to rest Cole. It will harm you if you keep pushing yourself this way. Being dead on your feet when we find the girls helps no one.”
Cole smiled a bit, “I know. I just don’t think I can sleep.”
Aidan cleared his throat behind them and clapped Cole on the shoulder. “You need to try brother. Rose is right. It will help no one if you are dead on your feet.”
Rhia stood at Aidan’s side, and she studied his face, nodding her ascent that he needed to sleep.
Cole nodded, “All right, I will. In a little while. Can we look at those journals you brought?”
Aidan nodded, and Cole turned away, but he heard Aidan kiss Rhia and then heard him whisper that she too needed to sleep, as she had been more tired as of late. She started to argue, but Aidan must have stopped her with another kiss. And Rhia walked away, her limping gate making a small amount of noise as she did.
Aidan led the way to the cabin that the brothers shared. Aidan hadn’t been happy to not have his wife by his side, but Cole knew Aidan would find a way to have her near him.
“I need to find Burk and Brooks first. They know a lot of what happened and want to know the answers as much as I do.”
Aidan nodded, “Find them, and hurry back.”
Cole nodded, and hurried away. He knocked on the small cabin the two friends shared, and heard boots walking across the floor.
Brooks opened the door, and Cole smiled. “I came to see about two things.” Brooks chuckled, “Come on in.”
Cole walked in the small room, and saw Burk lying on one of the bunks. He had a slight green tinge to his face and Cole raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Burk scowled at him, “I have never been on a ship before. I just need to get my sea legs.”
Cole bit his lip and nodded. He cleared his throat. “This is new for everyone in our party, aside from Cabe, who grew up on ships.”
Burk nodded, “What can we do for you Cole?”
Cole got right to the point, “One, I wanted to see how you fared. And two, my brother showed me some journals and letters he found at our house. They have something to do with Braddock and Edward. I wanted to ask if you wanted to see what was inside them?”
Brooks nodded, and Burk groaned as he sat up. He took a few deep breaths, and Cole watched him stand, slowly. “If there is a place for me to sit down, then by all means, lead the way.”
Cole did that, and when he opened the door to the cabin, he led the men inside. To his surprise, Rose was sitting in the small cabin, but jumped up from her seat as the men came in the door, and she watched Burk sway a bit.
She walked to his side, and Burk looked down at her when she touched his arm, “Are you feeling all right?”
Burk nodded slightly, “I am fine.”
Rose pursed her lips, “Oh really? I had no idea that skin could be the color yours is right now. Unless you are deathly ill. That must be the definition of the word fine.”
Cole snorted out a laugh, and Brooks did as well. Burk scowled at them, and Rose led him over to a seat and made him sit. “Let me make you something to help with your seasickness.”
Burk started to shake his head and groaned instead. “You are stubborn like your sister, aren't you?”
Rose laughed, “Not at all. She is worse than me, by a lot. That is going to be fun for you.”
She rushed out of the room and within moments, was back with her bag of medicines.
She pulled out the ingredients she needed and placed some on the small desk and mixing a few together.
She brought it over to Burk and had him drink the concoction. He gagged and choked but kept the mixture down.
He looked over at Rose, “That is foul. You didn’t poison me, did you?”
Rose laughed, “No, but you should start feeling much better soon.”
Rose put everything back in her bag and sat back down next to Aidan as though what she did was nothing.
Within moments, whatever she had made started to make Burk’s skin change slowly from the sickly, pale green, to his regular olive shade.
Burk shook his head, “Thank you. I feel so much better now. My stomach doesn’t want to jump out of my skin.”
Rose smiled, “Ginger, among other ingredients, helps with calming the stomach. Let me know if you feel poorly again. I think I will go check on Rhia.”
Burk nodded, and Aidan thanked Rose. She hurried out of the room, her bag of medicine in her hand.
Aidan cleared his throat. “Cole has told you some of our family history?”
Burk and Brooks nodded, and Brooks said, “Yes, not that long ago actually.”
Aidan nodded as well, “Good. That will help a lot. So, I don’t have to try to explain as much. I told Cole at the house that these journals and letters were found in my house in one of the guest rooms. I have only read a few lines from the journal and knew immediately that these were things that Cole needed to see.”
The men nodded, and he handed everyone a stack of letters or a journal. Cole was given a large journal, and he sat in one of the chairs by the desk.
Brooks sat in one as well, and Aidan resumed his seat on the bed.
Everyone sat in silence, and the only sounds were soft breathing, and the rustling of pages.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Katarina
Somewhere in the Ocean, Oct, 1812
Katarina walked the deck of the large ship, feeling at peace. Her plan had finally come to pass. She had the women exactly where she wanted them, and her life away from England was going to be bliss.
She could feel it. While she wanted to be the bell of the ton, after the humiliation Aidan put her through, she would never have that opportunity again. He ruined it for her, and she had become a laughing stock.
Well, who would be laughing now? She would, certainly. Just imagining their faces, knowing their sister and Cole’s woman were gone forever.
After getting revenge on Aidan and Cole, she finally felt relief. It was pure happiness. She had a buyer lined up for the girls, even the one who couldn’t walk.
She laughed. Knowing that she wouldn’t do well as someone’s toy was sweet justice. A bonus she hadn’t counted on.
She had the captain’s wife and his daughter tied up in her quarters, and her man watching them always, just in case the captain wanted to do something stupid, like try to rescue them.
She laughed again, and one of her men came up behind her, “Excuse me miss, we seem to have a problem with the women. They are refusing to comply with your orders.”
Katarina sighed she just knew it was Lily giving them problems. It was just their family and she hated all of them. She turned and walked as quickly as she could to the room with the women inside.
The man keeping an eye on them moved aside, and Katarina opened the door after unlocking it. Sure enough, Lily was trying to throw a bottle with a letter, out the window.
Katarina and the man guarding them rushed across the room, grabbing her and Katarina slapped Lily as hard as she could across the face. “You little bitch! Thinking you could get out of this with a letter? It would take weeks and you don’t even know where you are going. It would be futile to try.”
Katarina seethed, and slapped her again. Lily gasped in pain and struggled to get free from the man holding her. “No one is going to find you, no one! It’s too late now, and your little stunt is going to cost you!”
She gestured to the man holding Lily, and they started walking out of the room.
Lily started kicking and screaming as they started dragging her from the room. Katarina whispered in her ear, “Not every sheik wants virgins. And my men are nothing but willing to assist me in relieving you of that burden. Do you wish to test it? Their willingness to rid you of that pesky virginity. It is a long voyage and they get lonely.”
Lily shook her head vigorously, and Katarina sneered at her again. The man holding Lily grabbed her breast roughly and leaned forward to lick her cheek.
&nb
sp; Lily let out a scream, “Stop it! Please!” and turned her head to get away from him. She struggled harder in his hold. “Try to send a letter again or do anything that would send someone to your rescue, and I will throw you to my men. There is more than one man on my crew, and they don’t mind sharing.”
Lily went pale, except for the red handprint that was stark on her white face. Katarina nodded for the man to drop Lily, and he did.
Lily hit the ground hard. She glared up at them, and Katarina leaned over to look at her cousin. “It’s too bad really, my men would have loved you.”
She turned on her heel and walked out of the room, the man following behind her. She slammed the door shut and locked it again.
She cursed Lily but knew that her threat would be enough to make them try again to send for help. Even if they did send a letter, the stupid girls didn’t know where they were being sent.
Katarina smiled, and made her way back up to the deck. The captain was there, looking livid. She walked up to him, “You heard, that did you? Don’t test me on my promise to them. Your wife is lovely, and my men don’t care if she is married or not. A cunt is a cunt to them. No matter if it’s attached to a married woman or not.”
The captain clenched his fists, “We are on course. No need to make your threats.”
Katarina smiled at him, “There is every need. Keep your men in line, and nothing will happen to your lovely wife,”
She sneered at the bird on his shoulder. “And keep those disgusting birds away from me.”
She sniffed and walked away. The captain just watched and then went back to the helm.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Eden
Somewhere in the Ocean, Oct 1812
Eden shuddered hard after Katarina left the room. Anger flowing through her at the rough treatment she gave to Lily. What did Katarina expect? That they would sit here and not try to escape? Not try to send help of some kind. She ran to where Lily was still sitting on the floor.
She knelt at her side and Lily’s eyes swam with tears as she looked up at Eden and let the tears fall.
Eden gathered her in her arms, rocking her back and forth. Trying to soothe her tears and the pain of what happened and helped her to stand after a moment. She led Lily over to the bed where Persephone sat in almost a trance. Both girls’ faces were pale, and Persephone’s eyes were wide with shock.
Eden hugged both the girls tight and shushed them. “It’s all right. We are all right. Cole will save us I just know it. And Burk. He has a reputation that was earned from his hard work and his fighting. He has never had an opponent who could best him.”
Lily stopped crying and looked up at Eden, “How can you say that? There is no possible way they could find us. They don’t know where we are or where we have gone. The ocean is so large, there is no way they will even know anything about our disappearance.”
Eden looked down at her hands, “I know. It seems impossible, but I believe that Cole will find us. We are bound by something greater than this world, and I know he won’t let anything happen to us. Neither will Burk. You are the first and only woman who has ever caught his eye. Don’t underestimate him.”
Lily looked down and shook her head, “I am just so scared Eden. I thought I would be braver, but when push comes to shove, I am not. Especially not after that. Being handled like that is not something I would ever want to do again. I just want to go home. I just want to be back in my house in the country and I will never leave it again.”
Eden pulled her in for another hug, “I know Lily, I do too. I want to be home and back with Cole more than my next breath.”
Lily hugged her hard and Persephone spoke up, “I am scared too. But, you two at least have someone who loves you. I have never had anyone ever give me a second glance, and don’t think I ever will. I will always be the girl who is sick, who has never even lived, and has her parents never let her out of their sight. If we ever go back, I don’t think I will get away from them ever again. Once again, I will be alone and after this? My parents will go back to the country and never leave. Ever again.”
Eden smiled at her friend, “Don’t lose faith and hope. There is someone out there for you Seph. I just know it. Someone waiting to see how wonderful you are. Don’t give up on that. I honestly believe it will happen for you.”
Persephone looked at Eden, “You honestly think there is a man out there for me?”
She said this with her eyebrow raised and with skepticism in her tone. Eden nodded and pulled her friend in close, but Persephone persisted. “I don’t think so Eden. I am a sickly girl who cannot walk, because I never learned how. My parents believe me to be frail and sick all the time. I have never been around regular people. Until I threw a fit about me having a season. Then they only agreed because I told them I would do anything they asked from here on out. And I think they knew that men wouldn’t look twice at me. I never once had a man look my way. They see my chair, and that’s all they see after that. I have resigned myself to never get married. It isn’t something that will happen or that I see in my future. No matter how much I wish it would be different.”
Eden hugged her tighter. “You can’t think that way. I believe that there is someone Persephone. I don’t want you to give up hope. Cole will rescue us, and I will search high and low for the perfect man for you.”
Lily giggled, “I will help too. You can’t give up on your dreams Seph.”
Persephone hugged them both, “I will try. My biggest wish though is that we get rescued. I don’t want to be sold to a man somewhere.”
Eden shuddered. “I don’t wish to be sold either. Or be at the mercy of Katarina and her crew. But what are we supposed to do? We just saw what happened with Lily.”
Seph nodded, “I know.”
Lily sat up, “Cole will find us. Like you said Eden. I must have faith in that. And Burk will too. He isn’t one to give up.”
Persephone sat up higher on the bed, and Eden did as well. The three girls sat side by side, their fingers linked together. “I thought you didn’t like Burk,” Eden giggled. Lily went pink, and Persephone giggled too.
“I don’t. I just,” she went quiet and Persephone nudged her. “What?”
“He just told me I was his and he wouldn’t let me go. That there was no where I could go where he wouldn’t find me.”
Eden’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? He really said that?”
Lily nodded, “Yes he did. I still can’t believe it. I am so confused.”
Eden looked over at her, “Why are you confused? Burk is a great man. One of the best. He has always been so good to me.”
Lily shrugged, “I just don’t know what to think about him. He seems so overbearing and intense, but at the same time, he is kind and protective of me. He says he only wants my happiness. And he told me he would do anything to get it.”
Eden laughed, “I always told him when he found the girl, he was supposed to be with he would be that way. He is really protective of me too.”
Lily looked her way, “I knew that. He speaks of you a lot.”
Eden laughed. “I bet he does. He has been my brother for a long time. And I love him. He would never do anything to hurt you. But you are right. He also won’t let you get away. He is quite resilient. But I have never seen him act like this before. It’s refreshing.”
Lily sighed, “I know. I need to figure out my feelings for him. He doesn’t exactly fit the list I have of the perfect man for me.”
Eden gave a small chuckle. “I know you believe that to be true, but if Burk comes for you, give him a chance, please? He truly is a wonderful man, and I have never seen him act like this with a woman in all the years I have known him. Don’t completely rule him out.”
Lily sighed, “All right. I won’t rule it out. I just don’t want him to break my heart. It’s why I keep him at arm’s length. He is so handsome, and everyone around him is drawn to him.”
Eden smiled and reached over to squeeze Lily’s hand. “He is h
andsome, but again, don’t put that against him. He isn’t the man to think he is handsome. He is a wonderful man.”
Persephone put her hand on top of the girls, “Yes, Lily. Try. You have a real man who wants to be with you. Don’t give him up for nothing.”
Lily hugged Persephone tight. “I won’t. Thank you. The only thing to do now though, is pray and hope that we will be saved.”
Eden looked at both the girls and prayed with everything in her that her faith wasn’t misplaced. All she wanted was to have Cole hold her in his arms again.
They had wasted three years of their lives where they could have been together. Now that they had finally confessed their love, she wasn’t going to let it go.
Even if she had to find a way to escape the future now laid out before her, she would.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cole
Somewhere in the Ocean, Oct, 1812
Cole awoke from his light sleep again. He had tried so hard to get what he could, but the motion of the ship, and the constant noise had been hard for him.
When he could stand it no longer, he got out of the bunk he was using, and walked to the desk in the room he and Aidan shared.
They had started to read some of the letters and Braddock’s journals, but so far, nothing of note had come to pass.
Just that Braddock believed himself to be a god amongst men, he was as evil as his father, and had no qualms about treating people horribly.
Cole shuddered at some of the things Braddock had described in his journal that he had done. He was proud of the fact that he had raped several women, just like his father taught him to do.
Proud of beating his servants so they were all so frightened of him. Again, just like Edward had done.
He truly was a product of the man. Cole didn’t want to read more of Braddock’s journal. He just couldn’t face it right now.
The Marquess Who Adored Me Page 21