pleasure him. I don’t remember your going terribly out of your way to be the obliging one.”
The taunt touched her soul like blazing iron. Without thought or reason she swept across the small cabin, determined to fell him with her furious blows.
She did, at least, force his grin to fade quickly. But that was all. Her wrists were quickly secured behind her back and she found herself pressed hard against his chest, her breasts heaving with exertion.
“When will you learn!” he exploded harshly. “I care for you, little fool, and I will not see you dead by your own folly!”
“My life is my own!” Brianna cried out in protest. “I am not related to fools! I can find shelter. I can remain hidden.”
He shook his head, sadly, his anger fading.
“I am not a man known for his patience,” he told her quietly. “Don’t keep testing it.”
She lowered her head. “Let me go,” she told him dully.
He released her, stepping back. None of the tension left his strong and resolute features, but when he spoke, it was with a measure of patience once more.
“Brianna, what has happened cannot be erased. I cannot give back what I have taken. I haven’t forced anything from you, nor will I. You must stay in this cabin, for you are not safe abovedecks without me—and I am far too busy to worry about your effect upon the men. You must sleep in that bed, for there is nowhere else where you may safely sleep. Whether it is a palatable situation to both of us or neither of us, you have become my responsibility—and must remain so, for the time being.”
“You are a liar, Treveryan!” she charged hotly. “What of the woman whose clothing I wear? She had her own quarters—and, I would assume, the run of the ship!”
There was a furious tick of a pulse against his throat, yet he remained in a deathly calm control. “I had a smaller crew when she was aboard. Sleeping arrangements have changed.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“And I don’t give a damn what you do and do not believe! This is my ship, I am the captain, and so help me God, you will follow my orders. Do you understand?”
“Oh, I think I understand too well,” she replied bitterly.
“Just so that you do,” he warned in a chilling whisper.
She lifted her chin and spoke softly. “How long will we be at sea, Lord Treveryan?”
He shrugged. “Three to four weeks, depending upon the weather.”
“And you suggest that I not leave this cabin all that time?”
He sighed. “I’ll take you out for a stroll on deck each afternoon. But you will have to find a way to entertain yourself for the greater part of the day. The panel behind the bed slips open, and you’ll find a number of books. Do you read?” At Brianna’s nod he continued. “Should you happen to do anything so useful as sewing, and not find the task too distasteful, I’ve shirts within the wardrobe which could use the tender touch of a needle.”
She didn’t reply. Sloan noted that she stood very straight, but that the sweep of her lashes hid the blue flames of her eyes.
“Good afternoon,” he told her cordially, sweeping her a very proper bow—and allowing a wicked grin to filter across his lips in the midst of it.
As he closed the door behind him, Brianna was very much tempted to throw something after him.
The days they sailed south upon the Irish Sea were long ones.
Sloan did not come to his cabin until late at night, and when he did arrive, Brianna feigned sleep. She had found a nightgown among the clothing given her by Paddy, and she wore it each evening, grateful that it was modest.
He unfailingly stripped without a shade of self-consciousness before stretching beside her. But he did not touch her. Not once. And it seemed that she heard his even breathing almost instantly when his head touched his pillow.
He was always gone when she awoke in the morning, but he returned to the cabin in the midmorning to breakfast with her. He spoke to her very courteously at those
The taunt touched her soul like blazing iron. Without thought or reason she swept across the small cabin, determined to fell him with her furious blows.
She did, at least, force his grin to fade quickly. But that was all. Her wrists were quickly secured behind her back and she found herself pressed hard against his chest, her breasts heaving with exertion.
“When will you learn!” he exploded harshly. “I care for you, little fool, and I will not see you dead by your own folly!”
“My life is my own!” Brianna cried out in protest. “I am not related to fools! I can find shelter. I can remain hidden.”
He shook his head, sadly, his anger fading.
“I am not a man known for his patience,” he told her quietly. “Don’t keep testing it.”
She lowered her head. “Let me go,” she told him dully.
He released her, stepping back. None of the tension left his strong and resolute features, but when he spoke, it was with a measure of patience once more.
“Brianna, what has happened cannot be erased. I cannot give back what I have taken. I haven’t forced anything from you, nor will I. You must stay in this cabin, for you are not safe abovedecks without me—and I am far too busy to worry about your effect upon the men. You must sleep in that bed, for there is nowhere else where you may safely sleep. Whether it is a palatable situation to both of us or neither of us, you have become my responsibility—and must remain so, for the time being.”
“You are a liar, Treveryan!” she charged hotly. “What of the woman whose clothing I wear? She had her own quarters—and, I would assume, the run of the ship!”
There was a furious tick of a pulse against his throat, yet he remained in a deathly calm control. “I had a smaller crew when she was aboard. Sleeping arrangements have changed.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“And I don’t give a damn what you do and do not believe! This is my ship, I am the captain, and so help me God, you will follow my orders. Do you understand?”
“Oh, I think I understand too well,” she replied bitterly.
“Just so that you do,” he warned in a chilling whisper.
She lifted her chin and spoke softly. “How long will we be at sea, Lord Treveryan?”
He shrugged. “Three to four weeks, depending upon the weather.”
“And you suggest that I not leave this cabin all that time?”
He sighed. “I’ll take you out for a stroll on deck each afternoon. But you will have to find a way to entertain yourself for the greater part of the day. The panel behind the bed slips open, and you’ll find a number of books. Do you read?” At Brianna’s nod he continued. “Should you happen to do anything so useful as sewing, and not find the task too distasteful, I’ve shirts within the wardrobe which could use the tender touch of a needle.”
She didn’t reply. Sloan noted that she stood very straight, but that the sweep of her lashes hid the blue flames of her eyes.
“Good afternoon,” he told her cordially, sweeping her a very proper bow—and allowing a wicked grin to filter across his lips in the midst of it.
As he closed the door behind him, Brianna was very much tempted to throw something after him.
The days they sailed south upon the Irish Sea were long ones.
Sloan did not come to his cabin until late at night, and when he did arrive, Brianna feigned sleep. She had found a nightgown among the clothing given her by Paddy, and she wore it each evening, grateful that it was modest.
He unfailingly stripped without a shade of self-consciousness before stretching beside her. But he did not touch her. Not once. And it seemed that she heard his even breathing almost instantly when his head touched his pillow.
He was always gone when she awoke in the morning, but he returned to the cabin in the midmorning to breakfast with her. He spoke to her very courteously at those
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