chests of silver from the Don’s ships, but the map to the minesmight be worth vast sums—if a man were willing to risk all that it entailed.
Had Maribel been sent to sea as bait? Had he walked into some kind of a honeyed trap—and did she know about it? If she did not and her father truly desired the map above her, he must indeed be as evil as rumour would have him. If he were so evil, it would be wrong to send her back for she would be given to a man whose very touch would corrupt her. This was a problem that required some attention and could not be solved in an instant.
Justin was thoughtful as he stared out to sea. He knew that the Don was a brutal man who had murdered slaves—could he ever be justified in returning the map to such a cruel devil? Giving his daughter back was out of the question.
* * *
Maribel walked for some time and then found a rock to sit on. She stared out at the sea. Within hours she might be back with her father—and how long would it be before she was once more on her way to England?
She did not want to marry the English lord her father had found for her! Even if she discarded what Captain Sylvester had told her, she would not wish to marry a man she did not know. If the story of his wickedness were true…she could not bear that her father would send her to such a man. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She dashed them away and began to walk slowly back towards the pirate camp. When she saw Captain Sylvester coming towards her, she hesitated, wanting to run away again but knowing she could not avoid him for long.
‘I am sorry if I made you cry,’ he apologised as he came up to her. ‘Forgive me, Madonna. I shall send word that you are not to be ransomed and there will be no truce. The men would be against it—some of the crew have served aboard his ships and they hate him.’ His hand reached out to her, wiping her face with his fingertips. ‘Will you forgive me?’
‘I do not know what to do.’ Maribel faltered, her heart pounding as he moved closer. He was so strong and handsome and powerful, his mouth sensuous and strangely compelling. She felt the pull of his magnetism, but still struggled against it. ‘If what you told me is true, I can never return to my home. My father controls my fortune. I have nothing but the things I took with me when I left for England.’
‘Have you no friends or relatives who would help you?’
‘There is only Don Mendoza…and you say he cannot be trusted.’
‘What of your own mother’s family?’
‘She was English and died when I was small. I know my uncle’s name but I do not know if they would take me in.’
Justin cupped her chin in his hand, looking down into her face. ‘If you will trust me, I shall try to find where your mother’s family live—and if any are still alive I will make sure you get safely to them.’
‘You would do that for me?’ Maribel’s eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly. Before she knew what was happening, she swayed towards him and he caught heragainst him, kissing her softly on the lips. For a moment she tensed, then allowed herself to melt into his body, giving herself up to the unexpected pleasure that flooded through her. For a few moments she floated away in a cloud of sheer ecstasy ‘Oh…that was nice…’ she said as he let her go.
Justin chuckled deep in his throat. ‘Sweet lady, you tempt me to sweep you up and run off to a place where no one will ever find us, but I have given my word. I shall make every effort to find your English family and return you to them.’
‘But how will you discover them? I can only tell you my uncle’s name.’
‘And that is?’
‘Fildene…I think that is right. Juanita mentioned my uncle once—Sir Henry Fildene.’ She saw his eyes gleam. ‘What? Do you know him?’
‘I have not met the gentleman personally, but I believe I may know where to find him—and, since my father purchased wine from him, I believe he must be honest.’ He smiled at her
Had Maribel been sent to sea as bait? Had he walked into some kind of a honeyed trap—and did she know about it? If she did not and her father truly desired the map above her, he must indeed be as evil as rumour would have him. If he were so evil, it would be wrong to send her back for she would be given to a man whose very touch would corrupt her. This was a problem that required some attention and could not be solved in an instant.
Justin was thoughtful as he stared out to sea. He knew that the Don was a brutal man who had murdered slaves—could he ever be justified in returning the map to such a cruel devil? Giving his daughter back was out of the question.
* * *
Maribel walked for some time and then found a rock to sit on. She stared out at the sea. Within hours she might be back with her father—and how long would it be before she was once more on her way to England?
She did not want to marry the English lord her father had found for her! Even if she discarded what Captain Sylvester had told her, she would not wish to marry a man she did not know. If the story of his wickedness were true…she could not bear that her father would send her to such a man. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She dashed them away and began to walk slowly back towards the pirate camp. When she saw Captain Sylvester coming towards her, she hesitated, wanting to run away again but knowing she could not avoid him for long.
‘I am sorry if I made you cry,’ he apologised as he came up to her. ‘Forgive me, Madonna. I shall send word that you are not to be ransomed and there will be no truce. The men would be against it—some of the crew have served aboard his ships and they hate him.’ His hand reached out to her, wiping her face with his fingertips. ‘Will you forgive me?’
‘I do not know what to do.’ Maribel faltered, her heart pounding as he moved closer. He was so strong and handsome and powerful, his mouth sensuous and strangely compelling. She felt the pull of his magnetism, but still struggled against it. ‘If what you told me is true, I can never return to my home. My father controls my fortune. I have nothing but the things I took with me when I left for England.’
‘Have you no friends or relatives who would help you?’
‘There is only Don Mendoza…and you say he cannot be trusted.’
‘What of your own mother’s family?’
‘She was English and died when I was small. I know my uncle’s name but I do not know if they would take me in.’
Justin cupped her chin in his hand, looking down into her face. ‘If you will trust me, I shall try to find where your mother’s family live—and if any are still alive I will make sure you get safely to them.’
‘You would do that for me?’ Maribel’s eyes widened, her mouth parting slightly. Before she knew what was happening, she swayed towards him and he caught heragainst him, kissing her softly on the lips. For a moment she tensed, then allowed herself to melt into his body, giving herself up to the unexpected pleasure that flooded through her. For a few moments she floated away in a cloud of sheer ecstasy ‘Oh…that was nice…’ she said as he let her go.
Justin chuckled deep in his throat. ‘Sweet lady, you tempt me to sweep you up and run off to a place where no one will ever find us, but I have given my word. I shall make every effort to find your English family and return you to them.’
‘But how will you discover them? I can only tell you my uncle’s name.’
‘And that is?’
‘Fildene…I think that is right. Juanita mentioned my uncle once—Sir Henry Fildene.’ She saw his eyes gleam. ‘What? Do you know him?’
‘I have not met the gentleman personally, but I believe I may know where to find him—and, since my father purchased wine from him, I believe he must be honest.’ He smiled at her
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