Page 8 of Breath From the Sea
“There is nothing fun about playing with people’s lives,” Titus said. “What exactly do you want?”
“Well, Captain, it’s funny ye should ask. Allow me and my men to come aboard and I’ll tell ye all about it.”
“I’ll never allow ye to board Her Majesty’s ship.”
“Shame. We asked nicely.” And then the barbarians were swooping overhead, landing on the ship, swords drawn.
“No quarter!” The pirate wench shouted, swinging across herself and landing on the deck just a few feet in front of Titus.
Up close, the feminine line of the pirate captain’s jaw was more evident. The sensual line of her lips… Titus frowned. He was definitely right. No lad beneath lad’s clothes. But a woman, in truth. The spray of freckles across her face and nose had him wondering if she was the same lass as the one who’d been at court. But how could she be? That woman had been striking, tall and well dressed. Her voice eloquent and refined. Exactly the opposite of the chit challenging him now.
“Do ye like what ye see, Captain? Ye’ve stared long enough ye could have painted my portrait. Do ye fancy lads?”
The woman pulled her sword from her scabbard, a beautiful work of craftsmanship if he’d ever seen one. The handle was gold and silver scrolled, the blade polished and sharp, curving wickedly at the end. It fit her grip perfectly, fashioned just for her for a pretty penny if he had to guess.
“You’re no lad,” Titus said, grinning. “But a woman.”
“Ah, intriguing, that ye should think so.”
“I know so.” Titus lifted his own sword as they circled one another.
She smiled. How had he not seen it all along? “And ye would fight a lady?”
“I would not fight a lady,” Titus admitted. “But we both know you’re no lady.”
The woman laughed. “On the contrary, Captain, I am alady.Lady Antónia Burke.” And she perfected a feminine court bow, giving him an advantage he could have taken—the swipe at her neck as she knelt, but he did not. “And ye must have more morals than ye wish to admit, for ye did not strike,” she said.
Titus did not respond, feeling a pulse start in his temples. He’d have to take her down somehow without hurting her. For even though she was a pirate, he did not harm females.
“I have introduced myself, now, as you once asked, will you not tell me your name?”
“Captain Titus Graves.”
The lady’s lip quirked. “Graves. Fitting.”
He didn’t ask her to expand on that thought. “You were at court yesterday.” Titus continued to move in the circle she led, determined to get to the meaning behind this.
“Impressive you should remember. I was.”
“And you came to show the queen that the O’Malleys are still sided with the English.”
Antónia shrugged, her eyelashes dipping coyly.
“And now you attack a ship in her service. Call off your dogs, or your grandmother and all of your family will be severely punished. I will not hesitate to report this to the queen.”
But that made her smile grow wider, her eyes large and filled with mirth. “Oh, for shame, Captain Graves. They will never know. After we kill ye, we will burn your ship, and all will think you were lost at sea.”
The lady jabbed her sword toward him and he backed up a bit, blocking it with his own.
“I am not the only ship sailing these waters,” Titus said. “We have a companion ship not too far behind.” That was not exactly the truth. There was another ship headed out soon, he knew, an envoy headed to Rome. And it was not likely that vessel would reach him in time.
Antónia paused and it was long enough for him to again take her in hand, but he didn’t. She seemed to snap back to herself and narrowed her eyes.
“Ye have something I want,” she said. “If ye agree to give it to me, I will call off my men.”
The sounds of fighting, metal scraping, death howls and pain-filled woes echoed all around them. The sea was tame, the boat barely rocking, and the winds had died down, leaving the vastness of the ocean still.
“I will give it to ye.” Titus had no intention of giving her anything except a good thrashing, but she seemed intent on having whatever it was. Enough so that she’d already let her guard down more than once.
