Page 23 of The Moonstone Pirate
“Anyone?” She gasped. “Even those who wished to hurt the Crown?”
“No, Imogen,” he said with all sincerity. “I am no traitor to England. Even privateers operate by a code of honor. England is my home. I would do everything to protect her, never harm her. Were England ever in danger, I would offer my services. No fee required.”
“I am relieved to hear this.” She arched a soft eyebrow. “So you really are a pirate, after all.”
“Privateer.”
“Pirate,” she insisted, her eyes aglow with humor.
Lord, this girl made him smile. “Yes, Butterfly. Have it your way. My ship is called theAthena. She is a trim, three-masted barque, not rated because she does not have sufficient cannons, nor is she a fleet ship, but she can outrun any naval vessel built anywhere in the world and has taken down many enemy ships.”
“And you are her captain?”
He nodded. “Well, I was. Things have changed now that I have inherited the earldom. I’ve entrusted theAthenato my second-in-command, a reliable friend with considerable sailing experience. Battle experience, as well. His name is James Archer. I would not trust her to anyone else.”
His uncle beamed with pride. “Good thing someone in the family knew how to turn a profit. Thanks to you, Woodley, the family coffers are sound.”
Draco turned once more to Imogen. “As a privateer, anything I recovered from enemy ships was mine to keep unless I happened to be sailing under contract to a particular country, then they were entitled to a negotiated-upon share.”
“And if they did not negotiate a share for themselves?”
“Well, that rarely happened. It would all be mine, in that circumstance. Mine was always the lion’s share under any contract, a portion of which was then allocated to my crew. It works much the same in the Royal Navy, only a captain’s share is quite a bit less than what I earned while working as a privateer. Not that I need to work at this point. My fortune is made many times over. However, if England ever requested my service, I would answer the call. I still own theAthenaand can take over the helm at any time.”
She cast him a delicate smile. “So you are an earl, a bachelor, loyal to England, and quite wealthy. You grow more appealing by the minute. Your wealth was obvious, since you did a magnificent job restoring Woodley Lodge.”
He arched an eyebrow and grinned. “Perhaps the expense put me deeply into debt and my earldom is teetering on the verge of ruin.”
Imogen shook her head. “No, not you. You are too arrogant, and very much need to be in control of everything you touch. You would not have embarked on the restoration unless you knew it was something you could easily afford. I cannot remember what Woodley Lodge was called before you took it over.”
“Peacock Hall,” Draco said.
Imogen clapped her hands. “Oh, yes. That was it. I wish you had kept the name. I shall dress as a peacock at your next masquerade ball.”
He tweaked her chin. “I can assure you, I shall never hold another such affair again. No costumes. Notoncrowd. No mad crush. Never. Ever.”
They said no more as Burness, his wife and children, and Deandra returned from the beach. Burness’s boys were howling like wolves and sounded like a herd of elephants on the stairs.
Imogen’s eyes lit up once again. “Those imps are so little they could blow away like feathers in the breeze. But one would think they were mammoth beasts the way they stomp up and down those steps.”
Draco laughed. “I think I hear Deandra with them.”
Imogen scurried into the hall to summon her. “Your cousin is here and has questions for you,” she said, dragging Deandra into the library and shutting the door behind them. “Tell your cousin what you told me about Nolan and where he died.”
Deandra faithfully repeated her story.
Draco listened with interest. “Deandra, do you know if Nolan was courting anyone? Or if his name was attached to anyone in particular shortly before he died?”
“Do you mean Lady Trewick? It was in all the gossip rags, but veiled hints mostly. You know how these scandal sheets do it, merely referring to the misbehaving parties by their initials. She was married and having a wildly passionate affair with Nolan. Lord Trewick was livid about it. You see, he had not yet sired heirs, and must have been worried that any children she would bear him would resemble Nolan. Your brother was quite handsome, after all. Even if he was worthless in every other way. But I think you are handsomer, Draco.”
He gave a shrug to acknowledge the compliment.
What did his looks have to do with anything? “Thank you, Deandra,” he said. “What happened to Lady Trewick after Nolan’s death? Did Lord Trewick take her back?”
“I don’t know.” Deandra sighed. “I think she truly loved your brother, not that I ever found anything remotely appealing about him. He was going to be dead before thirty at the rate he was destroying himself. That he died at Lord Driscoll’s party should not be all that significant. He was bound to die somewhere soon. If the excessive drinking did not do it, then his opium-eating habit would have done him in. Not to mention the gambling debts he ran up in those copper hells. The men who run those gaming establishments are not the sort anyone should ever cross.”
Draco stared in amazement at Deandra. “How old are you?”
She sighed. “You know I am sixteen.”
