counteract it, she took a step back and lifted her chin, mimicking the gesture she had seen her aunt make numerous times. It had been most effective in the past.
“Keep your distance, Captain. I do not care to be intimidated.”
Saber’s eyes narrowed ominously. His face tightened to a harsh mask. Without warning, his hand shot out to curl around her wrist in a ruthless grip. He drew her closer.
“I don’t think you understand your true situation.”
She tried to pull away. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The hell you don’t. This is not some tea party, or a boring night at Almack’s.”
“What would a man like you know of Almack’s Assembly Rooms?” she snapped, jerking her arm from his grasp. “I seriously doubt that you’ve ever seen the inside of any decent house, much less an esteemed establishment such as Almack’s. Why, Lady Castlereagh would faint at the sight of a rogue such as you.”
“Would she?” Saber’s mouth curled into a mocking smile. “Somehow, I think Lady Castlereagh is made of sterner stuff than that. In fact, I happen to know the arrogant, oddly garbed Emily is quite formidable in her way.”
Angela paused. He sounded much too certain of himself about Lady Castlereagh. Perhaps he did know her. It hardly seemed possible, given his chosen career, though he affected the airs of a gentleman with perfect ease. That, of course, was only magnificent theatrics. But what if he had somehow chanced to meet Lady Castlereagh? As John Lindell was well known in those circles, her last name would then be familiar to him. It could be her salvation or her downfall, and she did not yet know which. She quickly formed another assault.
“At any rate, you needn’t assume that I am not well aware of my situation here, Captain. I have managed to fall victim to pirates—any woman’s worst nightmare. Do not deceive yourself, sir. I am properly terrified.”
Saber seemed faintly startled by her tart rebuttal and stared at her for a long, tense moment. The ship creaked and groaned, rising and falling in a ceaseless motion that might have made Angela queasy if she’d allowed herself to dwell on it. Instead, she focused on Saber’s narrowed blue eyes and contemplative scowl. Finally he gave a harsh bark of laughter.
“I came down here to terrorize you into submission. I did not expect such easy capitulation.”
“How dismaying for you. Should I put up a defiant front to assuage your disappointment?”
“It would salvage some of my pride,” he said wryly, and moved to lean back against the edge of his desk. Still gazing at her, he raked a hand through the dark strands of his hair. “Most females would be swooning in despair by this time. How have I failed?”
“As I pointed out to you—you have not failed. It’s just that I am too terrified to swoon. Pray, forgive me.”
“Bloody hell,” he commented, and pushed away from the desk. “You’re a cool one, Miss Angela. I’ll give you that much.”
“Am I to say thank you? Or was that not a compliment?”
Saber paused to stare at her thoughtfully. After a moment he murmured, “Why don’t you do us both a favor, and say what is on your mind?”
She drew in a deep breath. He seemed serious. Was it possible that he might have a touch of decency after all?
“Very well,” she replied. “Emily and I cannot decide if you are monster or myth. We have heard so many stories that it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Are you what they say you are, Captain Saber?”
A slight smile tilted his mouth up at one corner. “And what do they say I am, Miss Angela? Murderer? I’ve killed men, though I can’t say I’ve derived any satisfaction from it. Pirate? Quite true. Though at times, I’ve stolen things that belong to me, so I’m not quite certain what that does to my redoubtable reputation as a thief and scourge of the seven seas.”
He took a step closer, his voice lowering to a husky timbre that sent chills chasing down her
“Keep your distance, Captain. I do not care to be intimidated.”
Saber’s eyes narrowed ominously. His face tightened to a harsh mask. Without warning, his hand shot out to curl around her wrist in a ruthless grip. He drew her closer.
“I don’t think you understand your true situation.”
She tried to pull away. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The hell you don’t. This is not some tea party, or a boring night at Almack’s.”
“What would a man like you know of Almack’s Assembly Rooms?” she snapped, jerking her arm from his grasp. “I seriously doubt that you’ve ever seen the inside of any decent house, much less an esteemed establishment such as Almack’s. Why, Lady Castlereagh would faint at the sight of a rogue such as you.”
“Would she?” Saber’s mouth curled into a mocking smile. “Somehow, I think Lady Castlereagh is made of sterner stuff than that. In fact, I happen to know the arrogant, oddly garbed Emily is quite formidable in her way.”
Angela paused. He sounded much too certain of himself about Lady Castlereagh. Perhaps he did know her. It hardly seemed possible, given his chosen career, though he affected the airs of a gentleman with perfect ease. That, of course, was only magnificent theatrics. But what if he had somehow chanced to meet Lady Castlereagh? As John Lindell was well known in those circles, her last name would then be familiar to him. It could be her salvation or her downfall, and she did not yet know which. She quickly formed another assault.
“At any rate, you needn’t assume that I am not well aware of my situation here, Captain. I have managed to fall victim to pirates—any woman’s worst nightmare. Do not deceive yourself, sir. I am properly terrified.”
Saber seemed faintly startled by her tart rebuttal and stared at her for a long, tense moment. The ship creaked and groaned, rising and falling in a ceaseless motion that might have made Angela queasy if she’d allowed herself to dwell on it. Instead, she focused on Saber’s narrowed blue eyes and contemplative scowl. Finally he gave a harsh bark of laughter.
“I came down here to terrorize you into submission. I did not expect such easy capitulation.”
“How dismaying for you. Should I put up a defiant front to assuage your disappointment?”
“It would salvage some of my pride,” he said wryly, and moved to lean back against the edge of his desk. Still gazing at her, he raked a hand through the dark strands of his hair. “Most females would be swooning in despair by this time. How have I failed?”
“As I pointed out to you—you have not failed. It’s just that I am too terrified to swoon. Pray, forgive me.”
“Bloody hell,” he commented, and pushed away from the desk. “You’re a cool one, Miss Angela. I’ll give you that much.”
“Am I to say thank you? Or was that not a compliment?”
Saber paused to stare at her thoughtfully. After a moment he murmured, “Why don’t you do us both a favor, and say what is on your mind?”
She drew in a deep breath. He seemed serious. Was it possible that he might have a touch of decency after all?
“Very well,” she replied. “Emily and I cannot decide if you are monster or myth. We have heard so many stories that it is hard to separate fact from fiction. Are you what they say you are, Captain Saber?”
A slight smile tilted his mouth up at one corner. “And what do they say I am, Miss Angela? Murderer? I’ve killed men, though I can’t say I’ve derived any satisfaction from it. Pirate? Quite true. Though at times, I’ve stolen things that belong to me, so I’m not quite certain what that does to my redoubtable reputation as a thief and scourge of the seven seas.”
He took a step closer, his voice lowering to a husky timbre that sent chills chasing down her
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