Page 62 of The Pirate and the Pagan
“Don’t let on I told you, sweetheart,” the King warned. “He’d not be best pleased if he knew I was trying to make him a heroic figure.”
Buckingham drawled, “I’ll wager she’s already found him to be real flesh and blood.”
Ruark and Barbara Castlemaine caught up with them. Summer gave him a measured look and said with a shrug, “He’s a man … no more, no less.”
She waved gaily to each carriage as it lumbered off into the warm night, then picked up her skirts to return to the house. When Ruark arrived back at the hall, he found she had assembled the entire household staff, which numbered almost threescore. She gave them her heartfelt thanks for a splendid job and told them she would need their special help tomorrow. She bid them good night, while a proud Mr. Burke stood smiling happily. “Oh, and by the way, Lord Helford asked me to tell you that he’s raising everyone’s wages.” She swept her husband from head to foot with a cool glance and said sweetly, “Good night, everyone.”
Ruark wanted to snatch her up, throw her across his knee, and deliver a damned good beating where it might do some good. He watched her bottom move from side to side as she ascended the great staircase and knew that wasn’t the only thing he’d like to do to her. After the flogging he’d like to give her a good bedding. She’d put up one hell of a fight, he knew, but ached to force her to his will. He took one step after her, then stopped himself. That would be playing right into her hands. That would show her without a shadow of a doubt how he craved her, how he could not exist without her. Well, she could come to him and even then she’d have to come on her knees!
Summer threw the bolt on her bedchamber door. She’d never, ever allow him into her bed again. She vowed it to herself. She opened the doors that led out onto the small balcony overlooking the tropical garden and terrace and stepped out to look up at the stars. Tomorrow that garden would be transformed into a sultan’s harem.
She heard a rustling sound and looked down in alarm. She sighed with relief as she saw Spider’s familiar face approaching from the garden below to her balcony.
“I gather it was a roaring success? I perched in a tree at the end of the drive so I could look into the carriages, and finally got to see the King. Christ, the coachmen were so drunk it’s a wonder they didn’t tumble from their boxes. What the hell had they been drinking?”
“Cider, I imagine. Oh, Spider, you wouldn’t believe how high the gold was piled on those gaming tables tonight.”
“Perhaps I could join you tomorrow night and between the two of us we could relieve them of the burden of their wealth.”
“No, Ruark knows you. He has a deadly temper, so please don’t try any of your tricks,” she warned.
He shrugged. “I’ve other things to do, Cat. There’s a rumor about that the pirate, Black Jack Flash, was in these waters last week. Now there’s somebody I’d like to do business with. He’s the best at what he does. He’s slick, fast, and his cargoes are unbelievable, so I’ve been told.” He eyed her rubies. “Why don’t you give me your jewels … perhaps I could sell them to him.”
Summer was outraged at the suggestion. They were the only things of value she’d ever had in her whole life and she cherished them. The wonder of it was that Lord Helford hadn’t demanded their return. He might yet, she thought bitterly. When the marriage was annulled, he could take back the jewels. She wouldn’t give them up, of course. She would hoard them against the bad times. If ever the day came again when she was starving, then would be the time to sell the rubies. They were more precious to her than blood. “I have sapphires and a topaz necklace but I’m not giving them to you tonight. If you make contact with this Black Jack Flash, I’ll do the negotiating myself. After watching the courtesans manipulate the men and Barbara blackmail Charles, I could handle Black Jack Flash with my hands tied behind my back. I’m dead on my feet, Spider, is there anything else you want?”
He grinned. “Half a crown would be good … a crown would be better.”
She picked up a crown and handed it to him. “Be careful,” she admonished.
He looked disgusted. “Stop making noises like an old woman.” He waved his thanks and disappeared over the edge of the balcony.
Tonight she would not allow her thoughts to linger on Ruark. She had much on her mind and no room whatsoever for his intrusions. As she lay in the lonely bed drifting to the edge of sleep, all her thoughts began to jumble together. Thoughts of the day past mixed into those of the day to come. Black pirates stole piles of gold and she stood naked, save for masses of bloodred rubies. She fell into a sleep, them tumbled further into a vivid dream.
She was dressed all in black astride Ebony. The night also was pitch black and she was waiting, waiting for she knew not what. It seemed an eternity. Then suddenly she heard a low rumble. The moment she heard it, she knew exactly what it was and exactly what she would do. It was a carriage which careened through the blackness, its driver highly intoxicated. With deadly aim she leveled her pistol and called sharply, “Stand and deliver!”
A woman’s pitiful voice cried out from the carriage, “Who are you?”
Ignoring the woman’s cries, Summer yanked open the carriage door and gold coins fell in a waterfall to her feet. As the coach fled she cried into the night, “Tell them it was the Black Cat who robbed you!”
When she awoke at dawn, the details of the dream were still with her, and she felt as if she hadn’t slept at all. She threw back the covers and put her long, slim legs to the carpet, knowing she hadn’t a minute to lose. She had asked Mr. Burke to assemble all the male servants employed at Helford, under the age of fifty. This included the footmen, the grooms, stablemen, gardeners, and even the little stableboys and kitchen spit turners.
She put on a plain morning gown, brushed the tangles from her hair, and skipped breakfast completely. By the time she arrived in the reception hall the men all stood waiting to learn why they had been summoned and for a brief moment she felt too shy to ask them what she wanted. Plunging in, she took her courage in both hands and appealed to them for their help. “Before I go any further I want you all to know that this is absolutely voluntary. I don’t want any of you to do this because you think you are compelled. I will excuse any man and say nothing more on the matter.” She scanned their faces anxiously but all she saw written there was curiosity. “Lord Helford is taking the gentlemen hunting or fishing or whatever today and I am to entertain the ladies. The cooks will be busy preparing spicy, exotic dishes from the East and the South Seas, and I intend to transform the tropical garden and terrace with the jade fountain into a sultan’s harem. The attics are filled with silken carpets and cushions and screens and all manner of Oriental and Indian furnishings which I will need taken out to the terrace before the ladies arrive. Now here’s the part where I need your help.”
She took a deep breath and put her idea before them. “I want you gentlemen to entertain my ladies. You need do nothing but stand at attention and be guards of the harem. If a lady asks you to get her food or drink, you will do so with a deep bow. I don’t want you to speak with the ladies; in fact it will be part of the game for me to tell them you are forbidden to speak with them even if they tease you and ask you questions. The footmen will do nothing which they don’t do in their everyday duties. For the grooms, stablemen, and gardeners, however, it will be quite a departure.”
She gave them all a nervous little smile and revealed, “It is necessary that you wear a costume.” She had taken the large bolt of gold cloth and cut it into scarf-size pieces. She held up two scarves and said, “You will each need two of these. One for a turban … and the other for a loincloth. Mr. Burke will show you how to tie them. Those who don’t wish to participate may go back to work.” She expected half of them to leave. There was a buzz of conversation among them and only one servant left. He was a gardener who had an arm missing through an unfortunate childhood accident. The rest of the men came forward with sheepish smiles on their faces to receive their gold cloths. The young boys giggled and were removing their clothes before Summer even had a chance to leave the room. The transformation was absolutely amazing. She had known the footmen would look most impressive, for they had all been hired for their attractive looks in the first place, and of course each man was the six feet in height necessary for any footman. The grooms, stablemen, and gardeners were a pleasant surprise, however, for what they lacked in height they made up for in sinew and hard muscle. No wonder they had jumped at the chance to show off their physiques before the ladies.
When her guests arrived, Summer explained to the ladies the theme of their afternoon and asked them to improvise a costume and veil their faces. It turned into a contest with each trying to outdo the others, as women in a large gathering always will. Their ingenuity was astounding, with some wearing thin petticoats, some in tiny busks, and some even came down in diaphanous night rails. There was an abundance of bangles, beads, dangling ear bobs, and bracelets upon ankles.
When they went out upon the transformed terrace, most of the ladies couldn’t resist picking exotic blooms to decorate their hair or wrists. The hit of the afternoon, however, were the male Helford servants in their gold loincloths. They stood immobile with arms crossed over their bared chests and Summer explained to the ladies with a twinkle in her eye that they could not speak because they had had their tongues cut out, but that in no way diminished their ability to perform any task the ladies might require of them.
The air was scented by the thousands of blooms in the tropical garden and as well, Summer had incense burning at intervals along the terrace. Rattan couches stood upon silken Persian and Indian carpets and the multihued cushions were strewn all the way from the French doors to the jade fountain. Red lacquered cabinets, like no other red in the world for they were colored with cinnabar, stood among the cushions holding trays of fruits and sweetmeats. All the foreign treats had easily been bought in the port of Falmouth from the trading ships. There were oranges from Portugal, grapes from France, olives from Spain, dates and figs from Morocco, and coconuts from heaven only knew where.
The ladies of Cornwall seemed just as delighted as the ladies from London. They spent the afternoon alternating between warm sunshine and shady flowering trees. They lounged upon the cushions, nibbling sweetmeats and exchanging delicious tidbits of gossip. A few of the energetic ladies played chess with the uniquely carved, life-size chessmen and the rest contented themselves to dabble their bare feet in the jade fountain and run a surreptitious hand over the muscles displayed by the Helford palace guards.
Summer was delighted with the way the servants played their roles, most discreet and aloof, yet she knew that one or two of the more sophisticated voluptuaries of the court made whispered assignations for after-dark frolics. She hid a smile as she watched Bess Maitland’s fingers play about one man’s loincloth and wondered what the countess would do if she realized the brawny fellow she itched after was the Helford pig herder.
As the afternoon hour grew late Summer urged the ladies to leave the terrace and dress for dinner before the gentlemen returned and caught them playing harem, but she noticed with a secret smile of satisfaction that they dawdled and lingered purposely, wanting the gentlemen to join them in this provocative setting.
