The Baron's Bounty by Elizabeth Rose

items, taking out a dry blanket. Her eyes focused on his broad, sturdy chest that was bare. His upper arms were large and firm, corded with muscles. His nipples puckered from the cold water, and somehow this intrigued her. His black hair was slicked back from his dip in the sea, and when he turned back to her with the blanket in his hand she looked up to see his steel grey eyes perusing her as well.
    “She’s been sent here as a proxy,” he explained. “Or so she says. I’ve yet to see any writ of confirmation.” He stepped toward her and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, gently resting one hand atop her shoulder. She felt heat from his touch, and her body warmed slightly.
    “So you’re marrying her instead of the shrew?” The man from the rescue boat spoke as he climbed over the side of the ship.
    “That s-shrew you speak o’ so carelessly is the d-daughter of Laird Chisholm MacEwen of Kirkcaldy Castle in Fife, and also me cousin,” she retorted.
    “Shadwell, show some respect,” warned the baron. By the smirks of the others, she’d gotten the distinct impression that they’d all poked jests at her cousin because of the woman’s horrid reputation throughout the lands. “Now all of you, get my bounty on board and let’s get Lady Bellicose back to shore.”
    “Lady B-Bellicose?” She stood up, fastening the blanket around her as the crew hurried around doing as instructed. “Is there another l-lassie aboard the ship?” She lost her footing and would have probably fallen to the ground if the baron hadn’t reached out and steadied her with his hand on her arm.
    His mouth turned upward into a smile, and she felt intrigued. His teeth were straight and strong, and a smattering of whiskers painted his lower jaw.
    “Sit down, my lady, before you’re dumped into the sea again. I warn you, I’ll not fancy having to dive back into that cold water to save you a second time. And nay, you are the only – lassie aboard. Lady Bellicose is my ship.”
    “You n-named her as if she we a real lassie?” She let him guide her to a sitting position again, and realized he was right in saying she needed to stop trying to stand. She warmed slightly from the blanket as well as from the body contact between them.
    “That’s correct. And just like her name, she’s the most aggressive lady I’ve ever met, willing to put up a fight when need be. After all, look how she fought off the storm today.”
    Now it was her turn to smile. If he thought the ship was aggressive and liked to fight, he obviously knew nothing about the woman he was about to marry. Lady Catherine was everything the rumors made her out to be, and then some. Catherine had a temper on her one minute, and the next she was shaking like a leaf in fear of a little thunder or perhaps feeling ill like she often did. Well, she wouldn’t give him this information. He could just wait and find out for himself. After all, if he truly was a murderer, he wouldn’t be bothered by such trivial things.
     
    * * *
     
    Just like a fickle woman, by the time they got the ship back to port, the weather had turned and the sun started breaking through the clouds.
    Conlin jumped down from the sterncastle, leaving Shadwell at the helm.
    “Well done men,” he called out to his crew. He felt a sense of relief to know that they’d returned alive and well. He also felt euphoric that he’d have a chance to see his daughter, Rose, again.
    “Sandwich, you returned,” came Lord Nicholas’s voice from the docks. He headed down the boarding plank to meet up with the other barons.
    “We feared you’d been consumed by the sea,” said John with concern.
    “Well, I’ve returned, but no thanks to either of you.” He greeted them with a clasp of hands and a slap to their backs. Damn, it felt good to be alive.
    “I would have come with you if you had really wanted me to,” said Nicholas. “You know I would.”
    “I was already in the pub before I heard about your addled