pocket, along with her book and pencil. She put her glasses on, opened her book to the correct page, positioned her pencil for notes, then locked gazes with the captain. “So tell me, what got you interested in freeing American sailors?”
“Ah, bloody hell!” he cursed.
Jake folded his arms across his chest. “Now what do you think?”
“I think the girl’s ruined and you and I are going to hell for it.”
Jake laughed. “Given our past sins, I doubt if she’ll be the stone that tips the scales of our damnation.”
The Sea Wolf sighed. “Well, I guess there’s nothing we can do but make the best of it. It looks as if the girl’s to be our guest. Barney, see to it Kit makes my room ready for her.” He pinned his stare on Jake. “I really wish you’d told me what you had planned before you took it upon yourself to abduct her.”
Jake shrugged. “As if you would have come up with a better idea.” He clapped Barney on the back. “Come on, old man. Let’s go see to that room.”
Once they were alone, the captain turned to face her with arms akimbo. “Well, Miss James, I don’t suppose I’ll be able to keep my name from you much longer. Allow me to present myself, Captain Morgan Drake at your command.”
Morgan Drake. The name suited him.
“I wish I could say that I was pleased to meet you, Captain Drake,” she said with a curt sigh. “But under the circumstances I hope you will forgive me for being less than cordial.”
“I fully understand, Miss James. I suppose the last thing you intended tonight was a voyage.”
Serenity released her breath slowly at his words. She had finally done it. Instead of a quick and quiet adventure where she had planned to interview the Sea Wolf and gather a spectacular story before returning to the safety of her neat and organized little world, she now faced the most unsure future imaginable.
Even for her.
And she wondered if Lady Mary had ever felt as alone, as terrified, as she did now.
Morgan pulled out a small, engraved silver flask from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “You look as if you could use a stiff drink.”
“No, thank you,” she said, attempting to return it to his hands. “I don’t imbibe.”
He placed one lean finger on the bottom of the flask and lifted it to her lips. “Nor do you run off in the middle of the night with a shipload of men—unchaperoned.”
Her hand trembled to the point she could hear the liquor slosh inside the flask. He was right. Her life would never again be the same. There was no going back.
With a deep breath, she lifted the flask in a mock salute. “To adventure, then,” she said, taking a quick swig. The rum scalded her throat and burned a path to her stomach.
Gasping for air, she tried to force her lungs to work.
Through the tears in her eyes, she saw him smile. Heavens, he was dashingly handsome. Especially when he wasn’t scowling.
“You’re a bold one, Miss James,” he said, taking the flask from her.
She watched in awe as he took it to his lips, his mouth touching the very spot from whence she had sipped.
“And you’re a brave one, Captain Drake.”
He laughed and duplicated her toast.
“To adventure the likes of which I think neither of us has ever seen.”
“And to fate,” she whispered. “To the very fate that has abandoned us to turmoil.”
Chapter 4
To the very fate that has abandoned us to turmoil.
Why did that echo in Morgan’s head? Because in his short acquaintance with this particular woman, she had done nothing but turn his orderly world inside out.
What could possibly be more torturous than spending the next few weeks trapped on board a ship with a woman who tempted him so mercilessly?
And she managed to do it effortlessly!
Even now, covered in grime and looking like a half-drowned pup, this woman had something about her that made a certain part of his anatomy sit up and beg for her.
Great hooks and crooks, why did this have to happen now, when the last thing
“Ah, bloody hell!” he cursed.
Jake folded his arms across his chest. “Now what do you think?”
“I think the girl’s ruined and you and I are going to hell for it.”
Jake laughed. “Given our past sins, I doubt if she’ll be the stone that tips the scales of our damnation.”
The Sea Wolf sighed. “Well, I guess there’s nothing we can do but make the best of it. It looks as if the girl’s to be our guest. Barney, see to it Kit makes my room ready for her.” He pinned his stare on Jake. “I really wish you’d told me what you had planned before you took it upon yourself to abduct her.”
Jake shrugged. “As if you would have come up with a better idea.” He clapped Barney on the back. “Come on, old man. Let’s go see to that room.”
Once they were alone, the captain turned to face her with arms akimbo. “Well, Miss James, I don’t suppose I’ll be able to keep my name from you much longer. Allow me to present myself, Captain Morgan Drake at your command.”
Morgan Drake. The name suited him.
“I wish I could say that I was pleased to meet you, Captain Drake,” she said with a curt sigh. “But under the circumstances I hope you will forgive me for being less than cordial.”
“I fully understand, Miss James. I suppose the last thing you intended tonight was a voyage.”
Serenity released her breath slowly at his words. She had finally done it. Instead of a quick and quiet adventure where she had planned to interview the Sea Wolf and gather a spectacular story before returning to the safety of her neat and organized little world, she now faced the most unsure future imaginable.
Even for her.
And she wondered if Lady Mary had ever felt as alone, as terrified, as she did now.
Morgan pulled out a small, engraved silver flask from his coat pocket and handed it to her. “You look as if you could use a stiff drink.”
“No, thank you,” she said, attempting to return it to his hands. “I don’t imbibe.”
He placed one lean finger on the bottom of the flask and lifted it to her lips. “Nor do you run off in the middle of the night with a shipload of men—unchaperoned.”
Her hand trembled to the point she could hear the liquor slosh inside the flask. He was right. Her life would never again be the same. There was no going back.
With a deep breath, she lifted the flask in a mock salute. “To adventure, then,” she said, taking a quick swig. The rum scalded her throat and burned a path to her stomach.
Gasping for air, she tried to force her lungs to work.
Through the tears in her eyes, she saw him smile. Heavens, he was dashingly handsome. Especially when he wasn’t scowling.
“You’re a bold one, Miss James,” he said, taking the flask from her.
She watched in awe as he took it to his lips, his mouth touching the very spot from whence she had sipped.
“And you’re a brave one, Captain Drake.”
He laughed and duplicated her toast.
“To adventure the likes of which I think neither of us has ever seen.”
“And to fate,” she whispered. “To the very fate that has abandoned us to turmoil.”
Chapter 4
To the very fate that has abandoned us to turmoil.
Why did that echo in Morgan’s head? Because in his short acquaintance with this particular woman, she had done nothing but turn his orderly world inside out.
What could possibly be more torturous than spending the next few weeks trapped on board a ship with a woman who tempted him so mercilessly?
And she managed to do it effortlessly!
Even now, covered in grime and looking like a half-drowned pup, this woman had something about her that made a certain part of his anatomy sit up and beg for her.
Great hooks and crooks, why did this have to happen now, when the last thing
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