Page 15 of Lord of Temptation
Someone far better than you, mate, more worthy.It didn’t bear thinking about. She’d struck a bargain. That was all that mattered. Or so he’d thought.
Damnation. He should have taken the kiss from her when he was in her bedchamber. He was a merchant, a trader. He knew better than to set sail without payment in hand. Payment first, services second. It had been his motto from the moment he’d begun to barter his skills. Always money first. Then if someone decided to back out on the bargain, he still had his gain.
Now, he had nothing to show—
Not exactly true. He removed her glove from his pocket and stroked it through his fingers before bringing it to his nose. After she turned toward the door, he’d stolen it from where she tossed it. He didn’t know what had possessed him, except that he’d wanted it and he wasn’t accustomed to not taking what he wanted. Her scent of lavender with a hint of citrus wafted around him. He suspected it was a perfume made especially for her. If not, it should be. He couldn’t recall ever smelling it on another woman.
What was this insane obsession with her? Why should he care if she had shown herself to be a coward, if she had decided not to make the journey?
He glanced at his watch again. Five blasted minutes. She wasn’t coming. His men were waiting for his order to set sail. What was he to do now in order not to look like an absolute fool?
He could leave, decide later exactly where they would go. Or he could tell his crew to stand down, while he disembarked, hired a hackney, and confronted the treacherous—
Through the thickening fog came the unmistakable sound of rapid footsteps, determined, a steady cadence echoing over the wooden planks of the docks. A woman’s steps. A slight woman. Seven stones’ worth. Others followed, more distant.
He fought back the jubilation as she became visible. He wasn’t going to give her the upper hand in this encounter. She was fortunate that he hadn’t already cast off. Stuffing the glove back into his pocket, he strolled nonchalantly across the quarterdeck and descended the steps to the main deck. Then he sauntered down the gangway to the dock just as she came to a stop, breathing heavily. Even in the dim light, he could see she was flushed. She would be even more so when he claimed his kiss.
“You’re late,” he said in as flat a voice as he could muster.
Her silvery eyes widened. “I daresay, not even ten minutes.”
“Ships run on a schedule, my lady.”
She angled her chin. “Yes, well, as I’m paying for this voyage, I expect it to run on my schedule. If you didn’t understand that was my purpose in hiring you, then perhaps I should look elsewhere.”
He couldn’t stop the smile this time. He should have known she’d not apologize. “Unfortunately, any schedule involving a ship is subject to tides and winds.”
“Oh, my dear. Will we not be able to leave tonight?”
He wondered at the urgency, but didn’t comment on it because it worked to his advantage for them to be under way as soon as possible.
“I think we can manage.” A dark-haired woman who didn’t seem to be much older than Anne was standing slightly behind her, her eyes blinking continuously as though she couldn’t quite believe she was here. Her maid, her chaperone no doubt. He nodded toward the two men carrying her trunk. “Are they coming with you?”
“No, only the trunk.”
“Peterson! Get the lady’s trunk on board.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Peterson was a big brute of a man. He took the trunk from the liveried footmen as though it contained little more than feathers. As he passed back by, Tristan said quietly, “My cabin, Peterson.”
“Yes, sir.” He trudged up the gangway.
“He doesn’t sound pleased,” Lady Anne said.
“He’s a grumbler. You’ll get used to it. The men who are on board are there because they choose to be. Those ruled by superstition are remaining behind.”
“Will that cause a hardship for you?”
“For you, Princess, I’d suffer any hardship.”
She laughed, a sweet sound that wove around him, and he wondered if she were descended from Sirens. He thought he might gladly crash upon rocks just to hear that clear pure tinkling. “You’re not going to wait until we’re at least on the ship before beginning your absurd flirtation?”
She wasn’t going to fall easily, but then he’d known all along that she wouldn’t. “Your words are like a dagger through my heart.”
“I doubt you can be so easily wounded, Captain.” She spoke briefly with the men who had accompanied her. When they left, she indicated the woman who remained. “This is Martha, my lady’s maid. She comes with us, of course.”
“Of course. Allow me the honor of escorting you aboard.” He called out for Jenkins and when the young man joined them, instructed him to escort Martha up the gangway. Tristan extended his arm to Anne.
