Chapter 5

 

“Don’t say a word.” Nathaniel spoke from behind her. Alexandra could feel him, tall and rigid, his hand on her arm like a vise. She wanted to jerk away or cry out for help, but she dared not. He had been in a vile mood the entire day. After Trenton had left, he had gagged her again and tied her to the bed while he went out.

When he returned a few hours later, he had stalked the room, silent and brooding, his rage worrying Alexandra. The Duke of Greystone was no easy mark. What did His Grace have in store for these pirates? Would she be able to escape before calamity fell?

Alexandra walked through the inn, not daring to turn her head to the right or to the left. She had promised Nathaniel she wouldn’t scream or try to get away, if only he would forgo the hood and his blasted ropes; and his dire threats should she break her word echoed in her head.

Still, she was tempted to bolt. It wasn’t too late to head to London, if she could only get away.

Voices clamored about her, but the people behind them remained a blur. They ate, drank, laughed, and toasted the Queen, all in complete oblivion to her plight.

“Did you enjoy your stay, sir?”

The hotel steward intercepted them, and Alexandra gave the man a pleading look. He nodded and turned a solicitous smile on Nathaniel, no doubt intent on the vails he expected to receive.

“Everything was satisfactory.” Nathaniel tossed the man a coin and prodded Alexandra on, but the steward was not so easily put off.

“And the fare, sir? Did you find that to your liking as well?”

“Indeed.” Nathaniel flipped him another coin, his quick movements evidence of his impatience.

The steward beamed. “Thank you, sir. Come again, sir.”

The pirate captain didn’t bother to answer. He shouldered the door open while guiding Alexandra out into the dark night.

Once they were clear of the inn, he picked up his pace, all but dragging her behind him.

“I can’t go that fast,” Alexandra complained when she tripped on the hem of Lady Anne’s gown for the fifth time. “Slow down.”

Nathaniel whirled and glared at her but didn’t speak. Grabbing a handful of her skirt, he lifted it to her knees and insisted she take hold of it. “There,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Alexandra’s own temper began to simmer like a tea kettle on the hob. She had just finished mending the tear he had made in her bodice. Now an immodest display of ankles and calves showed as she hurried along behind him.

“How far is it?” she managed breathlessly when he didn’t slacken his pace.

“We’re almost there.”

He was true to his word. Upon rounding the next block, Alexandra saw hundreds of tall, needle-like masts stabbing the black velvet belly of the sky. Another few minutes and she could hear the creaking of the hulls that rocked in the harbor and the slip-slap of the waves. While the port was full of ships, the docks seemed deserted except for the crowded taverns. A loud din poured from these establishments each time a door opened, luring everyone within miles to the welcome of their fire and their flowing ale.

Distracted by some small movement on a clipper anchored between a couple of larger packets, Alexandra realized that men were aboard the ship. Their shadowy figures took on more definite shape, moving silently, almost phantom-like, as she and Nathaniel reached the water’s edge.

“There ye be.”

Alexandra jumped as a man separated himself from the side of a wooden shed and stepped into the moonlight.

“I see you spent my money on something other than a bath,” Nathaniel remarked without so much as a greeting.

“I ‘ad a bit of bad luck at the tables. There was a cheat in the group, I swear.” He scratched his crotch. “‘Tis just as well, though. I’d ‘ate to catch me death.”

This must be Rat, Alexandra realized, the man Nathaniel had told Trenton to expect. She wrinkled her nose. The alcohol on his breath was only slightly stronger than his body odor.

“Who’s the lady?” he asked.

“You don’t know the duke’s daughter?” Nathaniel’s gaze darted from Rat to Alexandra, and a flicker of hope made Alexandra’s heart beat faster.

“You see?” she said. “He doesn’t know me because I’m not Lady Anne. I’m a seamstress from Manchester. And I have to get to London without further delay—”

Nathaniel’s fingers tightened painfully on her arm.

“I’ve never seen Lady Anne,” Rat said. “Spends most ‘er time in London at the family town ‘ouse. But I’ve ‘eard she’s a beauty, an’ I’d ‘ave to agree.” He whistled as he looked Alexandra over. “She’s a fancy piece, eh?”

A lighter had been lowered from the clipper, and two men rowed toward them. Alexandra knew in a matter of minutes she’d be taken aboard Nathaniel’s ship, where she’d be unable to escape.

“Listen to me.” She laid her hand on Nathaniel’s arm.

He rounded on her. “No, you listen to me. One moment you don’t know my father, the next you admit to being his daughter, depending upon your whims. But I’ll tell you something. For better or for worse, it no longer matters. I can’t risk letting you go. The life of my friend might depend upon it. So whether or not your outlandish story is true, you’re along for the voyage. Do you understand?”

Alexandra glared at him as the boat drew up at the water’s edge and two men climbed out. “I hope my father destroys you,” she said at last, knowing that, whether she liked it or not, being Lady Anne was now the safest alternative available to her. As long as Nathaniel believed he had something to gain by taking care of her and protecting her from the others, not to mention the perils of life at sea, she would be relatively safe on the ship. But the moment her captor discovered her true identity, she had no guarantee.

“Our father may do just that, little sister. But mark my words, I’ll topple him from his lofty perch before I go, so you’d do well to accustom yourself to wearing that dress. It might be the last fancy gown you own.”

Alexandra jerked away and headed toward the boat on her own.

Rat, chuckling, followed behind her. “Greystone and his family are a spirited bunch,” she heard him tell Nathaniel. “I’d not turn my back on ‘er if I was ye.”

Nathaniel didn’t respond. He caught up with her easily enough, then waved the rowers back into the boat. Wrapping his arm around Alexandra’s waist, he lifted her in, and once Rat had climbed aboard, they set out for the ship.

Alexandra turned to watch the near-empty dock as they moved away. It was too late now, she realized in despair. She’d miss her aunt for sure.

Trenton was waiting for them when they arrived. He helped Alexandra into a ship with the words Royal Vengeance painted on its side.

Nathaniel began barking orders to the crew, most of whom appeared to be mesmerized by the appearance of a woman on their ship. “Trenton, take her to my cabin so that I can get something done up here,” he told his friend, and Trenton took Alexandra by the elbow.

“I’ll not spend another night with him.” She looked pointedly at Nathaniel.

“Perhaps you’d rather spend the night with them.” Nathaniel indicated the rest of the crew. “There’s plenty of room below. I’m sure Trenton can locate a hammock for you, though I doubt you’ll need one of your own.”

Alexandra shivered as her eyes scanned the eager faces of the pirates. “N-n-no,” she stammered. “Your cabin will be fine.”

“As I thought.” Nathaniel gave her a mocking bow, then turned to his work.

Trenton took her to a large cabin that reflected the masculine tastes of the ship’s owner. An outsized bed was flush against one wall with a large sea chest at its foot. A desk, strewn with maps and other documents, sat below a round window; a small washstand stood opposite it; and a table and four chairs rested on a rug in the middle of the floor.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Trenton said. “I shan’t tie you up, but for your own sake, stay put. No one will dare bother you here.”

“But you don’t think—”

“There are thirty men aboard this ship, my lady. I can’t give you any guarantees. Just stay close to Nathaniel, and you’ll be all right.”

The door slammed, and Trenton was gone, but his words still rang in her ears. For your own sake... stay close to Nathaniel.

The last thing Alexandra wanted was to stay close to Nathaniel. He was to blame for everything.

But some fates were far worse than others.

* * *

Alexandra woke abruptly as the cabin door banged against the inside wall and Nathaniel strode in, looking exhausted. The sun’s rays bathed the cabin in a mellow light, testifying to the passage of many hours. The rocking of the ship indicated that they were well on their way.

Alexandra sat up, still tired, but suddenly wary.

“Sleep well, little sister?” he asked, crossing to the desk and lowering his tall frame into the chair.

“I wish you wouldn’t call me that,” Alexandra responded.

“You loathe our familial connection as much as our father does, eh?”

“More so, if that’s possible. You’re a pirate, a thief, and a brigand. No longer a mere babe.”

He laughed. “At least your reasons are more valid than his.” He dug through the papers on his desk, pulling a creased map from the stack and spreading it out before him.

“What happens if—”

Nathaniel raised a hand to silence her, his attention on his work. “No questions.”

Alexandra watched him from beneath her lashes. Despite his arrogance, and his frightening temper, Nathaniel was handsome, she had to give him that. She wondered what the duke looked like. Surely he was attractive, if Nathaniel resembled him in the least.

“Is there a reason for such intense scrutiny?” he asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his long legs out in front of him. “Perhaps I can be of some help. Should you manage to gain possession of my dagger again, it would best be placed here, between these two ribs. Otherwise, you might only wound me.” He gave her a sudden disarming smile, proving that his mood had finally improved now that they were safely away.

Alexandra couldn’t help but wonder what she would have thought of Nathaniel Kent had she met him under different circumstances. As it was, his frightening intensity and criminal activities kept her from admiring him too greatly.

“What do you expect the duke, er, my father will do?” she asked.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I said, no questions. As long as you stay here with me, you’ll be safe.”

“That’s rather like telling the rabbit not to worry about the wolf,” Alexandra muttered, and Nathaniel laughed out loud.

“Perhaps.” Standing, he pulled the queue from the back of his neck, letting the full thickness of his hair fall to his shoulders. Alexandra thought of the pale-faced nobles she had seen about the streets of Man-Chester. Nathaniel looked nothing like them. His skin was too dark, the planes of his face too hard. He might wish to take his place amongst the aristocracy, but he didn’t belong where a plethora of rules and other minutiae would govern his behavior. Somehow the role of pirate suited him better.

“I need some rest,” he said. “Mind you don’t bother me while I sleep.”

Alexandra paced around the room, keeping her distance as he stretched out facedown on the bed. “I’m hungry,” she told him, wondering how long she’d have to wait to be fed if she let him settle in for a good long nap.

“I’d forgotten about the size of your appetite.” His voice was muffled by the bedding. “The galley is below. Help yourself.”

“Dare I leave here? Trenton made running about the ship sound unsafe.”

“It is.”

“But you just told me to go to the galley if I wanted to.”

No response.

“Should I go or not? Surely you don’t expect me to wait until you’ve had your rest.”

Nothing.

“Ohhhh, you’re contemptible!” Alexandra grabbed a brass-rimmed compass and hurled it across the room, narrowly missing Nathaniel’s head. She reached for something else to throw, anything that would make a good projectile, but when Nathaniel sprang to his feet, she backed away.

“I-I-I’m sorry,” she managed, forcing her eyes to meet his icy blue stare.

“I’ll not be threatened in my own cabin.” He loomed above her, advancing until he stood less than an arm’s length away.

Alexandra felt the wall at her back and realized she could retreat no farther. She shook her head. “No, of course not.”

“Right now, my need for sleep is greater than your need for food.” She could feel his breath on her face, smelling faintly of citrus.

“Of course it is.”

“I’m glad we finally agree.” Taking her by her upper arm, he dragged her across the room.

“What are you doing?” Alexandra tried to free herself, but his grip was like iron. “I’m not tired.”

Tossing her on the bed, Nathaniel lay down beside her and wrapped his legs and arm around her to hold her still. “Now you can’t get into any trouble.”

Alexandra writhed and squirmed until he held her so tightly she could scarcely breathe.

“Go to sleep,” he commanded. “Or I’ll tie you up and take your clothes from you.”

“You wouldn’t.” Her gaze lifted to Nathaniel’s face, only inches away from her own, and what she saw there convinced her that he would. She immediately stopped fighting.

“That’s better,” he said, and though he was too close to tell for sure, Alexandra could have sworn a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

She lay stiff as a board in his arms as his breath brushed her temple. His heart thumped beneath her arm, and his sinewy leg rested heavily upon her while the smell of the sea, which clung to him, filled her nostrils. She hated him, she thought vehemently. Yet her skin tingled beneath his touch long after his body relaxed. She would have escaped him then, except the warmth and comfort of being where she was somehow overcame her, and she slept.

* * *

When Alexandra opened her eyes again, Nathaniel was gone. She was relieved to find herself alone, yet strangely disappointed as well. She climbed off the bed and crossed to the porthole. The sun was high in the sky. Nathaniel couldn’t have slept more than a few hours.

Turning back, she allowed herself a small sigh. What was she to do throughout the day? The cabin was barely twelve feet wide and only slightly deeper, and contained few items with which to amuse oneself.

She went to the washstand where she spied a hairbrush. Next to it lay tooth powder and a new toothbrush. Evidently Nathaniel had anticipated her needs.

Using the small, diamond-shaped mirror hanging above, Alexandra tarried over her hair, brushing the long tresses until they shone. After she washed her face and hands and cleaned her teeth, she felt enormously better, except that the rest of the afternoon yawned before her with absolutely nothing in store. And she was hungry.

She moved restlessly about, examining the maps and papers on Nathaniel’s desk, straightening the covers on the bed. It was her first day at sea, and she was already bored. She wished she could go topside and see, firsthand, a sailor’s world. But the thought of the unsavory men who worked for Nathaniel made her reject that possibility, just as it made her reluctant to search out the galley, as Nathaniel had suggested earlier.

Alexandra’s eyes lighted on Nathaniel’s trunk. What would a man such as he treasure? Gold or silver? Objects stolen from the duke? She crossed the room and knelt down next to his chest.

Surprised to find it unlocked, Alexandra sent a glance toward the door. There was no lock to bar Nathaniel’s entry. She would have little warning if he returned. Still, the pirate captain was so different from other men that she wondered what drove him—beyond an unhealthy hatred for his father.

Despite a prick of conscience, she lifted the lid. It was Nathaniel, after all, who had brought her here, he who was to blame for her boredom. The least he could do was to share what little entertainment the cabin afforded.

A beautiful sword, possibly an antique, rested atop a suit of clothes any man could wear to court and not be found wanting. Alexandra fingered the rich fabric, noting the precise stitches. Whoever had constructed the expensive clothing was a talented seamstress. But then, Nathaniel would look good in anything. He was a tailor’s dream, with a physique that easily lent itself to rich garb.

If only his character were as flawless.

Below the formal clothing, Alexandra was delighted to find several books ranging in subject matter from the philosophy of Marcus Aurelius to herbal medicine. She scanned the titles, hoping for something to interest her, and was pleased to discover a compilation of Lord Byron’s poems. She thumbed through the well-worn pages, then set the volume on the bed.

Digging deeper, Alexandra pulled out other articles of men’s clothing similar to those she had seen Nathaniel wear, along with a length of white cotton fabric. Her fingers itched to sew, something she never dreamed they’d do after the long hours she’d put in since her mother’s death. Still, there had been a time when she had loved her needle.

She pulled the fabric out to ascertain its size, and as she did so, a small miniature of a woman fell to the floor.

Who is this? Alexandra wondered as she retrieved the picture. Nathaniel’s sweetheart? The woman’s thick, long hair began at a widow’s peak and was pulled back and piled on top of her head. Her wide eyes gazed unblinkingly back at Alexandra, holding a touch of... what? Sorrow? Tenderness? Alexandra couldn’t say. But she had to admit that the woman was exceptionally beautiful.

A knock at the door startled Alexandra. Dropping the miniature back into the chest, she quickly folded the fabric on top of it and replaced the other articles, including the poetry.

“Who is it?” she called when all appeared as it should.

“M’lady? Don’t be frightened. ‘Tis only me, Tiny.”

Alexandra breathed a sigh of relief. Of all the pirates, Tiny seemed the most kind.

“I brought ye somethin’ to eat,” he said.

Alexandra opened the door. “I’m starving. Thank you.”

He ducked into the room. The low ceiling made it impossible for him, like Nathaniel, to stand at his full height. “The cap’n sent me.”

“I see. I thank you anyway.” Alexandra took the tray from Tiny’s huge hands.

“Is there anythin’ else ye be needin’?”

She shook her head, eager to start on the meal, then called the big man back when he turned to go. “Tiny, do you think it’s safe for me to go topside?”

He appeared surprised. “‘Course it is, m’lady. Ain’t a man ‘ere that wouldn’t rather die than find ‘imself on the cap’n’s bad side. No one will ‘arm ye. If they even look like they might, I’ll give ‘em a good thump myself.”

Alexandra couldn’t resist a smile. “Thank you, Tiny. You’re very kind.”

“‘Tis the least I can do.” He looked uncomfortable as he added, “Under the circumstances.”

After Tiny left, Alexandra ate with relish, surprised that the meal, which consisted of boiled mutton, suet pudding, and steamed rice and vegetables, was as tasty as it was. Evidently Nathaniel didn’t lack for much now, she thought bitterly, remembering the expensive clothes and the sword in his trunk—not to mention the cost of his books.

Setting her dishes aside, Alexandra retrieved the volume of poetry and settled herself to read. But it wasn’t long before she was bored again, and the lure of the upper deck finally overcame any hesitancy she felt about going there. She had never been on a ship, though she had heard much about sailing from some of the old tars with whom Willy drank. Even they waxed eloquent when speaking of the beauty of the open sea, and she longed to view it for herself.

Banking on Tiny’s words and the loyalty of Nathaniel’s crew to their captain, Alexandra left the cabin and made her way forward until she stood beneath the open hatch. A patch of clear blue sky could be seen beyond, nothing more, though Alexandra could hear the movement of men above her, their voices rising and falling with the wind.

She gathered her nerve and climbed the ladder, unprepared for the boisterous gale that hit her full in the face as she emerged. It snatched her breath away and nearly blew her back down the hatch.

Alexandra gasped and steadied herself with one of the cables that moored the main mast to the deck. The ship was a world of rope and canvas and wood. Rope raised and lowered the sails, created ladders and footholds for the men, even caulked between the planks to keep the ship watertight. The white of the sails was the only relief from the brown of everything else, except for the small spot of color at the stern where the British flag waved.

The air was colder than Alexandra had expected, but her heart thrilled to the feel of the ship heaving beneath her feet. Saltwater sprayed her face as they plowed through the waves, the sails above cracking as loudly as guns.

“M’lady, ye should ‘ave a cloak or somethin’.” Tiny had spotted her and lumbered toward her as he spoke. “‘Ere, take my coat.”

Shrugging out of his massive, well-worn coat, Tiny generously offered it, and Alexandra gratefully accepted. She wanted to spend more time above decks and knew she’d be chilled through within minutes if she didn’t put something on.

“Thank you,” she called above the wind, smiling. “What a spectacular view.”

Tiny grunted, glancing around him. Then something, or someone, caught his eye, and he turned to go, mumbling, “Best get back to work—”

Alexandra stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Your tailor isn’t quite as gifted as your fierce captain’s, I’m afraid.” She indicated a tear in his sleeve that had been hastily mended, most likely by Tiny himself. “Why don’t you bring your shirt to me tonight and let me do that justice? I’m rather handy with a needle.”

Tiny flushed, looking as embarrassed as he was surprised. “I wouldn’t want to trouble ye none.”

“It will only take a moment. Surely your captain wouldn’t mind if I put myself to some good task.”

Alexandra turned to look behind her, searching for Nathaniel. He wasn’t hard to find. He stood at the wheel, the wind flowing through his hair, his legs planted firmly apart on the rolling deck. He watched the two of them with a speculative eye, and Alexandra guessed it was he who caused Tiny’s discomfiture.

“I’d better get back,” the big man said, and hurried away.

Alexandra smiled as she watched him go. She’d told Nathaniel that she was a seamstress by trade, but there was hardly a lady in England who couldn’t sew. Mending Tiny’s shirt certainly wouldn’t give her away. And she could use a few friends in her strange new world.

She turned to make her way over to the side, but Rat intercepted her before she reached it.

“Ye look fresh an’ lovely, m’lady. Even a bit flushed.” His foul breath washed over Alexandra, making her take a step back. “Seems last night agreed with ye.”

“I slept well,” Alexandra replied, unable to miss his more subtle meaning. “Too bad your daring captain didn’t rest as easily. The floor of his cabin makes a rather unsatisfactory bed, I’m afraid.”

Rat snickered. “If ‘e spent the night on the floor, than ‘e’s a bigger fool than most men.”

“Or you are.” Alexandra stood ramrod straight. “Regardless of where Mr. Kent and I stand in each other’s esteem, we are related. If I remember the sharpness of your captain’s sword with any degree of accuracy, you’d be wise to remember that.”

“What? Ye think ‘e’d test the point of ‘is sword for ye?” Rat scoffed. “‘E ‘as no love nor loyalty in ‘im. An’ you can remember this: when ‘e’s done with ye, I’ll be waitin’—”

Unwilling to hear more, Alexandra whirled and stalked over to the railing. Below, the waves fanned out in neat furrows, but she barely noticed. Her hands were shaking, her knees weak. How could she protect herself from Rat? If—when, Alexandra corrected herself—the pirates found out she wasn’t Lady Anne, Nathaniel might no longer provide the buffer between herself and his men that he did now.

Nathaniel’s voice at her elbow made her turn. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “The smell of a servant too repulsive for your refined senses?”

Alexandra gave him as scornful a look as she could muster under the circumstances. “Indeed. And it seems the air is not about to clear. I think I shall go below.” With that, she stumbled back to the hatch, feeling more than ever that she must find some way to escape.

* * *

Nathaniel watched Anne go, wondering what Rat said to upset her. She’d looked happy, almost exuberant one minute, and the next, her entire countenance had changed. But he was in no mood to coax anything out of a spoiled young woman. She had provided them little protection from the duke thus far, and he feared for Richard. Was Anne enough to keep his friend safe? How could he swing the odds back into his favor?

His half sister had finally quit denying her identity, but Nathaniel could only wonder at her story. The calluses on her hands were a mystery. Though Trenton adamantly denied the possibility, if Anne was indeed Alexandra, a seamstress, then Richard was as good as dead. The duke was the kind of man to mete out his own justice, quickly and efficiently. Nathaniel doubted Greystone would bother to give him a fair trial first.

“Captain?”

Nathaniel glanced up to see Trenton standing beside him.

“How’s our little charge?”

“She’s not the docile lady I expected her to be.”

Trenton chuckled. “No. The duke is probably grateful we’ve taken her off his hands.”

Nathaniel scowled, succumbing to the foulness of his mood. “I don’t know what he’s up to.”

“You want to tell me why we’re going to the Crimea?”

“Rat says that three ships will be leaving Bristol on Wednesday. Two are headed for China, no doubt opium runs, but the Eastern Horizon will be sailing for Russia.”

Trenton rubbed his chin. “Haven’t we intercepted the Eastern Horizon once already?”

“She was the second ship we took.”

“Why Russia?”

“That’s what I want to know. Maybe it’s a decoy, the message a plant, and my father’s trying to protect the other two. Or he’s hoping we’ll get ourselves killed over there.” Nathaniel chuckled without mirth. “It could even be something else.”

Trenton’s eyebrows shot up. “Such as?”

Nathaniel shook his head. “I don’t know. But it can’t bode well that a ship of my father’s would be sailing to a port he’s never sailed to before—”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Trenton interrupted.

“Well, he hasn’t sailed there in recent years, anyway. So why now? I’m sure you’ve heard about the Ultimatissimum. England has officially given Russia until April thirtieth to vacate the Baltic states, or we go to war. You don’t really expect the czar to lose face with his own people by complying with our demands, do you? War is inevitable.”

“But the Crown is giving great latitude to merchants. The Queen is intent upon keeping the effects of the coming war at a minimum. Maybe your father has decided to trade in timber or hemp.”

“I can’t imagine that. My father has specialized in opium, textiles, sugar, and tobacco for so long, trading with either the United States or China, that it seems out of character.”

“So we’re going to intercept the Eastern Horizon and find out what’s going on?”

“Exactly.”

Trenton spat over the railing. “The Horizon’s captain’s not going to like a second go-round. He was furious the last time.”

“Frenchmen are always passionate about something.”

“What about the ships destined for China?”

“They won’t be carrying much until they stop at Calcutta. Which reminds me, what about the opium from last week’s take? Did you make sure that every last crate was dumped into the sea?”

Trenton nodded. “Aye, but I hated to do it. Opium is worth quadruple the value of any other cargo we’ve taken.”

“Just remember the war, my friend. You agreed with me then.”

“I still do. The opium habit is a cursed thing. I’m just getting greedy in my old age.” He waved a hand. “It all seems so futile. Even if we dump it, there’s tons more reaching the shores of China every day.”

“I don’t want any part of it, regardless,” Nathaniel insisted. “England may have won the right through brute strength to import opium into China, and I may have helped her do it. But I’m out of service now, and I refuse to make money from the trade.” He grinned. “Raiding my father’s ships is definitely more to my liking. That way, only he gets hurt, not thousands who live each day for another pipe.”

“We might not think it’s so much to our liking if we ever get caught,” Trenton muttered. “This last escape was a little too narrow for my comfort. What if Mary hadn’t sent Rat to warn us? Newgate isn’t a pleasant place to spend the rest of one’s life, you know.”

Nathaniel measured Trenton with his eyes. “My father is an impatient man. I don’t think he would bother with Newgate.”

* * *

Alexandra glanced up as Nathaniel walked into the cabin, then finished biting off the thread she had used to mend Tiny’s shirt. She had been relaxed, almost enjoying the solitude of her work, until the pirate captain appeared. His presence always unnerved her.

She tried to ignore him as she leaned toward the candle to better examine her handiwork.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Tiny needed some help.” Alexandra neatly folded in her lap the shirt she had mended. “You don’t expect me to sit idle the entire voyage, do you?”

Nathaniel watched her dubiously. “Forgive my skepticism, but such selfless service on behalf of a poor sailor hardly seems compatible with your station and upbringing. Not to mention your character. I feel it only fair to warn you that he wouldn’t betray me or his mates. Not for all the shirts in Bond Street. Or even a beautiful woman.”

Alexandra’s spine stiffened. “A pirate counsels me on character?”

“Hardly a pirate.” Nathaniel crossed to the bed and shrugged out of his shirt. “But since you’ve taken it upon yourself to do some mending, perhaps you’ll see to this. I just tore the seam.” He tossed his shirt into her lap.

Alexandra tried to hold her gaze away from Nathaniel’s tanned chest, but it seemed to wander there almost of its own volition. He stood facing her, his shoulders square, the muscles of his arm chiseled as if hewn in stone. A blush rose to her cheeks as the memory of that chest, solid against her back, flashed unbidden in her mind.

“No.” She stood and placed the garment on the desk. The shirt was still warm and smelled of Nathaniel, heating her blood in a way she had never experienced before. She dared not touch it.

She turned away so she would no longer be tempted to stare at the handsome spectacle he made. What was there about this man that titillated her every nerve? “I’ll sew when and for whom I want. I’m not one of your men. You’ll not command me.”

Alexandra heard his tread on the floor behind her, but she held her ground until Nathaniel reached over her shoulder to run a thumb lightly over her jawline and slowly down her neck. Then she couldn’t restrain a shiver.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured. “Must you list to ensnare Tiny’s humble heart? I am the only one who can set you free. Am I too much of a beast?”

“I have no desire to ensnare your heart or any other. Tiny was simply kind, and I—I—” Alexandra forgot what she was about to say as Nathaniel’s lips replaced his thumb at her nape.

“I’m your sister,” she gasped, trying to whirl away. But her words sounded unconvincing, even to herself, and he easily restrained her.

Turning her to face him, he asked, “Are you?” His eyes glimmered with a light Alexandra had never seen there before as he moved closer, so close that his sweet-smelling breath fanned her cheek. “Would my sister let me touch her like a lover? Kiss the slim column of her throat?”

His head bent to follow the suggestion of his words, and for Alexandra, the world stopped revolving. Swaying toward him, she could think of little besides the yearning to feel his mouth on hers.

She hated this man. Why was she doing this? she wondered, as his arm curved behind her back, pulling her against him. His mouth was only a fraction of an inch away when her befuddled brain finally produced the answer that had momentarily eluded her: He’s testing me. He wants to know if I’m Anne or the seamstress I claim to be.

Suddenly the terrifying picture of Rat’s leering face conjured in Alexandra’s mind, and she remembered how essential it was that Nathaniel believe her to be his sister. Rat was waiting for when she was no longer valuable to Nathaniel, for when he discarded her, as he would if he learned the truth.

Denying herself the very sweetness she longed to taste, she shoved Nathaniel away with a strength born of panic. “How dare you?” She attempted to put as much loathing into her words as she could muster. “I’m your sister.”

Nathaniel’s breathing was ragged as he continued to stare into her eyes. He wet his lips, as if he would kiss her still; then with a heavy sigh, pulled back.

“Aye. You’re a heartless wench,” he said, and with that he turned on his heel and left.