up, moving away from Maribel. ‘Why didn’t she say she belonged to you? I wouldn’t have gone near her if I’d known.’
‘She is a lady, unused to the ways of scum like you.’ Justin’s voice was like the lash of a whip. ‘Stay away from her—and from this house until we leave. Do you hear? If you attempt to touch her again, I’ll kill you.’
‘I hear you. I’m on my way.’
Maribel watched the man slink away. She was trembling and she felt sick, but she managed to hold back the tears.
‘Thank you. I do not know what I should have done had you not come.’
‘In future tell any man who tries anything on with you that you belong to me. They won’t molest my woman.’ Justin’s eyes went over her. The thin gown she was wearing was sticking to her, revealing the intimate contours of her body. Desire flared and he was tempted to crush her to him, his need intensified by the temptation she offered in such flimsy clothing. His voice was harsh as he rasped, ‘I am not surprised he thought you were available in that gown. Where are your petticoats?’
‘I took them off. It was so hot. Anna took hers off and I thought…’ Maribel flushed as she saw the expression in his eyes. ‘I didn’t expect to see anyone.’
Justin was angry, because he wanted to do much the same things as Pike had, and he was disgusted with himself. She had given him her trust and he had no right to feel such hunger just because her air of vulnerability tempted him past bearing. So he deliberately chose words to hurt her.
‘No lady would come out of the house without herpetticoats. I am surprised you let a servant tell you what to do, Donna Maribel. I am aware the heat is almost unbearable, but you need to keep a certain standard or you will not be given the respect that is your due. Especially amongst men like Pike.’
‘I…’ A dark flush stained her cheeks. She crossed her arms over her breasts defensively. ‘You are right. It will not occur again. I shall wear petticoats if I come outside.’
‘I shall not always be around to protect you.’ Justin frowned at her. He knew that his words had hurt her and he was already regretting having spoken so harshly. She was not to blame, because he could not control his hunger for her. ‘I know how uncomfortable you must feel, but you need to be careful on this island.’
‘You are right.’ Maribel hung her head. She saw that he was correctly dressed despite the heat and felt untidy and ashamed of her appearance. ‘I was careless. Thank you for helping me.’
‘I do not mean to be heartless, Madonna. I know this kind of heat can be suffocating. I speak only for your own good.’
‘Thank you. You will not need to reprimand me again, sir.’
‘Is Peg treating you well? You are comfortable here?’
‘Yes, thank you. She has been kind.’
‘My own house is almost ready. I am having it furnished. I had thought you safe here, but perhaps you should move in with me.’
Maribel was shocked, her heart hammering against her ribcage as she stared at him. What could he mean? He had told her he would not marry—was he now suggesting that she should be his mistress? A part of her longed to say yes, but a tiny part of her mind still retained its sanity.
‘Captain Sylvester! You may have told that vile man that I am your woman to protect me, but it is not so. I cannot live under your roof, sir.’
‘I shall provide a chaperon. Anna will live with us and there will be a woman to keep the place tidy.’
‘Peg said there were no servants here.’
‘I pay well for service and find willing hands. I think Peg was trying to put you in your place, my lady. There are always those willing to work for good wages—but I treat them decently. They are not servants, as you have known them in your father’s house. I pay for their service, but I treat them as equals.’
‘Then they are not at all like the servants in my father’s house. My father’s servants feared him. I do not think
‘She is a lady, unused to the ways of scum like you.’ Justin’s voice was like the lash of a whip. ‘Stay away from her—and from this house until we leave. Do you hear? If you attempt to touch her again, I’ll kill you.’
‘I hear you. I’m on my way.’
Maribel watched the man slink away. She was trembling and she felt sick, but she managed to hold back the tears.
‘Thank you. I do not know what I should have done had you not come.’
‘In future tell any man who tries anything on with you that you belong to me. They won’t molest my woman.’ Justin’s eyes went over her. The thin gown she was wearing was sticking to her, revealing the intimate contours of her body. Desire flared and he was tempted to crush her to him, his need intensified by the temptation she offered in such flimsy clothing. His voice was harsh as he rasped, ‘I am not surprised he thought you were available in that gown. Where are your petticoats?’
‘I took them off. It was so hot. Anna took hers off and I thought…’ Maribel flushed as she saw the expression in his eyes. ‘I didn’t expect to see anyone.’
Justin was angry, because he wanted to do much the same things as Pike had, and he was disgusted with himself. She had given him her trust and he had no right to feel such hunger just because her air of vulnerability tempted him past bearing. So he deliberately chose words to hurt her.
‘No lady would come out of the house without herpetticoats. I am surprised you let a servant tell you what to do, Donna Maribel. I am aware the heat is almost unbearable, but you need to keep a certain standard or you will not be given the respect that is your due. Especially amongst men like Pike.’
‘I…’ A dark flush stained her cheeks. She crossed her arms over her breasts defensively. ‘You are right. It will not occur again. I shall wear petticoats if I come outside.’
‘I shall not always be around to protect you.’ Justin frowned at her. He knew that his words had hurt her and he was already regretting having spoken so harshly. She was not to blame, because he could not control his hunger for her. ‘I know how uncomfortable you must feel, but you need to be careful on this island.’
‘You are right.’ Maribel hung her head. She saw that he was correctly dressed despite the heat and felt untidy and ashamed of her appearance. ‘I was careless. Thank you for helping me.’
‘I do not mean to be heartless, Madonna. I know this kind of heat can be suffocating. I speak only for your own good.’
‘Thank you. You will not need to reprimand me again, sir.’
‘Is Peg treating you well? You are comfortable here?’
‘Yes, thank you. She has been kind.’
‘My own house is almost ready. I am having it furnished. I had thought you safe here, but perhaps you should move in with me.’
Maribel was shocked, her heart hammering against her ribcage as she stared at him. What could he mean? He had told her he would not marry—was he now suggesting that she should be his mistress? A part of her longed to say yes, but a tiny part of her mind still retained its sanity.
‘Captain Sylvester! You may have told that vile man that I am your woman to protect me, but it is not so. I cannot live under your roof, sir.’
‘I shall provide a chaperon. Anna will live with us and there will be a woman to keep the place tidy.’
‘Peg said there were no servants here.’
‘I pay well for service and find willing hands. I think Peg was trying to put you in your place, my lady. There are always those willing to work for good wages—but I treat them decently. They are not servants, as you have known them in your father’s house. I pay for their service, but I treat them as equals.’
‘Then they are not at all like the servants in my father’s house. My father’s servants feared him. I do not think
Similar Books
