The Pirate Captain - By Kerry Lynne Page 0,283

steering her away by both shoulders. “All they desire is to grope and maul you. Absolutely not. Bye the bye, have you seen Princess-Pain-in-the-Ass of late?” He craned his head with exaggerated interest.

Nathan’s intent to distract was poorly executed but effective, for drew Cate from the ring. Prudence was spotted straight away, her bright yellow dress a beacon against the lush tropical growth. She sat with a newfound suitor, notably not the noble Biggins. Cate couldn’t help but wonder if this one had also been paid for by Nathan, or if this was nature taking its course.

Nathan steered Cate to the water’s edge. They strolled. The pirate revelry faded behind them, until there was nothing but the lap of the waves at their feet and the cries of shorebirds. It was late afternoon. The bay had gone to glass, reflecting sunset and ships in perfection. The sun’s final flare gilded Nathan in a molten glow. At first, Cate reveled in having him alone. That faded, however, as he grew more preoccupied. Nathan had guided her down the shore like a man with a purpose; why or what was the question?

As they walked, Nathan drew a breath as if to say something, and then thought better. There were several such false starts. Cate glanced at him, waiting, growing more restive herself. She could think of but one reason that could have caused him to bring her there, one thing that would cause him such perturbation: he meant to tell her that he had taken Thomas up on his offer. She now belonged to Thomas. Given Thomas’ sudden concern about her welfare—or whatever that outburst had been about—seemed contradictory, but what else could it be?

While she and Nathan had watched the competitions, Thomas had stood across the circle. She had felt his gaze fixed on her, grave and intent, far from his customary geniality. It was more than a little unsettling to think that Thomas had been observing her with the same keenness as she had of him. She had often caught herself gaping at him like a love-struck schoolgirl. She ruffled at the thought of the two men bartering over her like she was a prized pistol. There was little flattery to be found in knowing one was considered worthy of a “king’s ransom,” as Nathan had put it, although he was known to exaggerate.

What are slightly out-of-their-prime widows going for these days?

With a pang of remorse, Cate wondered what she might have done to keep Nathan from selling her, knowing all the while the answer was, “Nothing.”

You remind him of her.

Nothing to be done about that,she thought moodily.

All that only added to her irritability, which had been building since she saw Prudence cowering on the floor: there had to be a way to help the child. Granted, the child was meddlesome and had caused an inordinate amount of disruption, but that didn’t mean she deserved to be banished to a hellish marriage. Seeing Prudence with her young man had set Cate to thinking anew.

There was the argument that Prudence was about to live a dream: marrying a rich and influential man. A louder voice dwelt on the hell into which the girl was about to be flung: a cold, loveless marriage to a man who, by all accounts, possessed few admirable qualities. Granted, many marriages had started with less. On the whole, to marry for love was a romantic notion. It was a luxury few enjoyed and it was considered folly by many. After all, love faded and died; only money and position endured. At least, that was the argument Cate had been given at Prudence’s age.

The exchange was the day after tomorrow; Prudence was running out of time.

“Nathan, we have to help her,” Cate said into the silence.

“Help who?”

“Prudence. We have to help her.”

He flicked a sidelong glance. “Help her how? She’s not starving. She’s not drowning—although I’ve been fair tempted—nor she’s fallen off a cliff—another temptation resisted. What help could she possibly need?”

“Get her away from Creswicke.”

“Hold off!” Nathan halted to squint at her in confusion. “We took her so Creswicke would pay to get her back.”

“I know that, but I was thinking—”

“Do I want to hear this?” he asked, warily leaning away.

“I was thinking after he paid, perhaps we could take her back.”

Nathan’s face screwed. “Ransom her again? Isn’t that a bit redundant?”

“No, we could take her…I don’t know, somewhere.” Cate was painfully conscious of her lack of thorough thought, which only weakened her proposition.

Shaking his head,