pirate or nobleman? she wondered. Could it be her Uncle Lloyd had ruined him in some business venture and now he sought to even the score?
She cleared her throat, growing more nervous by the moment with his silence. If he meant to terrify her he was succeeding awfully well.
“It’s been so long since anyone has requested passage on the Chameleon that I’ve almost forgotten my duties. And you did request passage, as I recall.” He stretched back a little and rested his folded hands across his flat stomach, all the while smiling at her. Once again she was reminded of a coiled spring, a seething inferno, restrained—but barely—beneath a facade of deceptive idleness and casual banter.
Eliza worried her lower lip with her teeth. She had insisted that she be allowed to stay to protect her young cousin from this vengeful man, and she would not change her actions at this late date. Yet that was hardly the same thing as requesting passage. Still, she had the troubling feeling that he was well pleased that she had elected to stay. What game did he mean to play with her now?
“I may have chosen to stay on board your ship, but Aubrey was given no such choice,” she accused him, deciding to be blunt.
The spring uncoiled. With a jerk his feet came off the
desk and hit the floor so fast that her heart stopped. She feared that she would have one of her asthma attacks and expire right on the spot, as his searing gaze pinned her to her chair.
“I suggest you use a more pleasant tone when you speak to me,” he bit out. “I suggest you display the good manners you were raised with, Miss Thoroughgood. Order my men about, if you like. Bully them with that hands-off tone you wield like a weapon. But don’t ever think to use it on me.”
His cold eyes bored into hers for one long uncomfortable moment, and more than anything Eliza wanted to flee. Had she been anywhere but on a ship somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, she would have done just that. But there was nowhere to run. So she sat there petrified, gripping the carved wooden ends of the chair arms as if they could possibly lend her their support.
He gave her a cool smile. “That’s better. I’ve decided to lay down a few rules for you. Xavier will see to most of your needs. But if you have any complaints, bring them to me, not him.” Then his expression grew even cooler, if that were possible. “I suggest very strongly that you keep your distance from Oliver.”
“But … but why?” she managed to get out in a shaking voice.
He pursed his lips and gave her an assessing look. “He can’t be trusted around women. I wouldn’t want him to do anything, shall we say, untoward.”
No doubt you’re saving that task for yourself , she thought. But she wisely did not say that out loud. Her tart remarks had always been forgiven at home. She was the pampered invalid. The only daughter. But here … She shivered to think how totally vulnerable she was here.
He seemed to be equally aware of that fact, if the sudden glitter in his vivid blue eyes was any indication.
“You needn’t worry about me, Eliza. As I explained last night, I’m only interested in women who are willing. Or women I can make willing.”
The challenge in his voice was unmistakable and it was made worse by the fact that he stared at her so boldly hot color burned her cheeks. Did he imply that she could be made willing?
She shook her head, denying to herself the curiosity his kiss had roused in her. “Then I … I suppose I have nothing to worry about, do I?”
His head dipped once as if in mocking acknowledgement of her feeble attempt at bravery. “We shall see, won’t we? But I forget myself. Now that you are settled in your quarters, it remains for us to attend to other matters.” His eyes slid over her, studying every aspect of her appearance until she squirmed in self-conscious dismay. Her face was clean, and her hands as well. But her hair, though combed, was styled only in one
She cleared her throat, growing more nervous by the moment with his silence. If he meant to terrify her he was succeeding awfully well.
“It’s been so long since anyone has requested passage on the Chameleon that I’ve almost forgotten my duties. And you did request passage, as I recall.” He stretched back a little and rested his folded hands across his flat stomach, all the while smiling at her. Once again she was reminded of a coiled spring, a seething inferno, restrained—but barely—beneath a facade of deceptive idleness and casual banter.
Eliza worried her lower lip with her teeth. She had insisted that she be allowed to stay to protect her young cousin from this vengeful man, and she would not change her actions at this late date. Yet that was hardly the same thing as requesting passage. Still, she had the troubling feeling that he was well pleased that she had elected to stay. What game did he mean to play with her now?
“I may have chosen to stay on board your ship, but Aubrey was given no such choice,” she accused him, deciding to be blunt.
The spring uncoiled. With a jerk his feet came off the
desk and hit the floor so fast that her heart stopped. She feared that she would have one of her asthma attacks and expire right on the spot, as his searing gaze pinned her to her chair.
“I suggest you use a more pleasant tone when you speak to me,” he bit out. “I suggest you display the good manners you were raised with, Miss Thoroughgood. Order my men about, if you like. Bully them with that hands-off tone you wield like a weapon. But don’t ever think to use it on me.”
His cold eyes bored into hers for one long uncomfortable moment, and more than anything Eliza wanted to flee. Had she been anywhere but on a ship somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, she would have done just that. But there was nowhere to run. So she sat there petrified, gripping the carved wooden ends of the chair arms as if they could possibly lend her their support.
He gave her a cool smile. “That’s better. I’ve decided to lay down a few rules for you. Xavier will see to most of your needs. But if you have any complaints, bring them to me, not him.” Then his expression grew even cooler, if that were possible. “I suggest very strongly that you keep your distance from Oliver.”
“But … but why?” she managed to get out in a shaking voice.
He pursed his lips and gave her an assessing look. “He can’t be trusted around women. I wouldn’t want him to do anything, shall we say, untoward.”
No doubt you’re saving that task for yourself , she thought. But she wisely did not say that out loud. Her tart remarks had always been forgiven at home. She was the pampered invalid. The only daughter. But here … She shivered to think how totally vulnerable she was here.
He seemed to be equally aware of that fact, if the sudden glitter in his vivid blue eyes was any indication.
“You needn’t worry about me, Eliza. As I explained last night, I’m only interested in women who are willing. Or women I can make willing.”
The challenge in his voice was unmistakable and it was made worse by the fact that he stared at her so boldly hot color burned her cheeks. Did he imply that she could be made willing?
She shook her head, denying to herself the curiosity his kiss had roused in her. “Then I … I suppose I have nothing to worry about, do I?”
His head dipped once as if in mocking acknowledgement of her feeble attempt at bravery. “We shall see, won’t we? But I forget myself. Now that you are settled in your quarters, it remains for us to attend to other matters.” His eyes slid over her, studying every aspect of her appearance until she squirmed in self-conscious dismay. Her face was clean, and her hands as well. But her hair, though combed, was styled only in one
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