Page 14 of The Pirate's Daughter

“Women can be harsh critics,” Asher said. “I should know. I have eight sisters, all older.” Devin turned to look straight at the young man. “They don’t seem to have any problem throwing a man a line only to toss it short and make him swim forit.”

“Tell me you didn’t take to the sea to get away from females?” Devin said, finally able to laugh a bit. Perhaps Mia wasn’t any more a riptide than every other female and he’d be able to take some advice from someone who knew them and theirways.

Asher laughed, “I did, but Mrs. Winthrop doesn’t seem the kind to berate a man for poor fashion. I’d think one could have an intelligent and lively discussion with her on anything from tying knots, to ballast and rigging. She knows her ships and thesea.”

“Do you suggest I haven’t given her credit enough?” Devin knew he hadn’t. He took Mia thinking she was nothing more than a pirate’s spoiled and unruly daughter. “That I don’t think highly enough of her?” Hadn’t she claimed to have captained a frigate? Such a thing tookresponsibility.

“Captain, I wouldn’t presume to have a remark tosuch.”

“I’d prefer you do this one time, Mr. Asher, given your extensive dealings with females.” Damn. Eight sisters. The poorman.

“I think, respectfully sir, it isn’t my knowledge of dealing with women that would be helpful in answering your question,” Asher said solemnly. “I think more the question should be, did you hope you wouldn’t have to think too highly of her? Perhaps, if you ask yourself that, you might discover the heading to take to keep your wife more pleased withyou.”

The man’s statement was jarring, and he didn’t wait around for Devin to respond as he moved to help get the water barrels off the ship. Was that true? Did he actually hope Mia was something less than a respectable lady? No doubt last night was urged on by his ability not to give her any consideration, for thinking she was familiar with what they weredoing.

Even when she tried to tell him, to ask him to guide her through it, he’d dismissed her. He’d wanted her to be asking what specificallyheliked and wanted in bed. But last night, he knew he’d be satisfied with a basic first go. He didn’t care if she was already good at taking cock in her mouth, if a bit of slap and tickle was part of her repertoire, if she liked harder, rougher ramming from behind. And now, he couldn’t say if she’d share his bed again, let alone allow him to claim any other part of herbody.

The sound of Mr. Hong chattering carried across to where Devin stood middeck. Turning, he caught Mia stepping to the poop deck, heading aft. Mr. Hong spoke as she moved away. Her only response, a nod and a raised hand. Devin headed afterher.

“You no scare her. You no dishonor her. I tell commodore you dishonor all of family. All ofcrew.”

“I’ll do my best,” Devin said as the man ran by. Lord help him if it turned out he earned the wrath of a pirate whose daughter happened to be his wife. The first family reunion could see Devin blown out of the water. Climbing the steps, he spotted Mia leaning against the starboard side rail surveying the landing. His steps faltered when he noticed her grip on the rail tighten. Shortening his stride and clasping his hands behind his back he approached morecautiously.

“You set anchor a bit far ashore,” she said, not looking athim.

“Closer than at the other point,” Devin said. If she wanted to keep to a safe topic theycould.

“I could fit two frigates between this and the shallow,” she told him. He held his breath when she leaned far enough over the rail to need to stand on her toes. “The water’s a little choppy; the longboats are in, but that skiff ispulling.”

“They’ll manage,” Devin said, stepping up beside her and looking at the crew, now on shore working to drag in the small boat filled with every fresh water barrel on board. “This was a good place to put in,” he said, then couldn’t think of what else tosay.

“You ruined it for me,” Mia said, stealing his chance to get out an apology. He wasn’t sure if she meant this place or something else, so he remained silent. “My whole life I’ve never been treated,thoughtof, as anything less than a lady. My mama wouldn’t have it and Papa would’ve killed over it. Everything, my whole life, was about maintaining a good reputation on and off land. And I did that,” she raised her voice a notch. “I did that and still you took me for awhore.”

“Mia,” Devin stepped closer, only to have her turn and give him herback.

“What was it all for then? What was any of it for? All the studies and lessons? The damnable books stacked on my head as I walked? Absolute professionalism when dealing in port, even when I only wanted to kick someone? Why? Clearly it was a waste, if men only see me as some… some…paramour?”

“Mia,” Devin said stepping behind her and taking hold of her arms to pull her back against him. “Men don’t see you as anything less than a lady.” Professional dealings in port? What dealings inport?

“Oh, so it is only my husband who thinks I’m awhore.”

“No.” The harsh denial didn’t exactly ring true. “No, Mia. I wasn’t thinking in thoseterms.”

“What then? That you were so surprised to find I’d not already spread my legs for the entireCaribbean?”

“Ouch.” He’d certainly not thought that, but she must believe he did. “Mia, all I know is that you’re the daughter of a… a…” What? He didn’t actually know the commodore to be a true pirate. He’d not seen any markings, no brands stating the facts. He’d not heard the man’s name in any circles or read them in reports. His threat to the admiralty and governors wasn’t one to destroy ports or ships.Professionaldealings wasn’t how pirates went about things. But the man never even tried to deny it when Devin accused him of being one. Mia’s maiden name was given as Cadley, but the commodore wasn’t her sire. Devin had no idea if her name was her father’s, her mother’s maiden or something made up to keep her hidden fromfamily.

“Of a pirate?” Mia supplied for him. “That you even think that shows how little you know. But still, a pirate, so impossible then for such a man to have a daughter of any quality. Impossible because a man such as Papa couldn’t possible have cared, or given consideration to his child’s upbringing?” She turned and poked a finger in his chest. “But let me tell you about what I know aboutgentlemen. Aboutfathers,” she spat the last word. “Those men you use as standards to make judgments. They’re the same who curse any birth not male, who spend the first years of their daughter’s life ignoring her and the next seeking the highest bidder to marry her off. Hoping to use marriage to elevate and enrich themselves. They couldn’t care at all for the happiness of their own progeny. Are willing, even, to cast them off to die if there’s no chance they’ll again be useful to serve their purpose. They curse their names, their sex, and even their hearts, not realizing that without daughters there’d be no wives and therefore no sons which they so prize.” She put her palm against his chest and shoved him back. “Those are gentlemen for you. And do you ever question the morals of their daughters? Of course not, because you assume they’re born better. They couldn’t possibly want to displease theirfathersand so they stay as perfect as saints. I dare you to step into the grooves along the shores where you cold-blooded Brits come to play on my beaches and watch how easily those fine, perfect daughters lift their skirts for the first boy that shows the slightest interest. Then dare judge how apiratemight parent a daughter. Judge me then, knowing not all gentlemenareand not all piratesaren’t.”

Devin had no response. Nothing Mia said could be denied. Society did value male children above female. Families did do everything to put daughters before rich men hoping to better everyone. Happy unions were rare; love matches rarer. Why it was so easy to believe a man who lived outside society would act as those inside he couldn’t say. It never crossed his mind a child, any child, able to survive to adulthood in the dangerous world of piracy wouldn’t be valued at the highest levels. Mia wasn’t just valuable because she’d survived, but because she thrived. Her world was the sea, ships and sailing. Her father, or rather the commodore, could hand her off to any vessel and be assured she’d do right by it. Marriage wasn’t to his benefit. More apt it was his loss for it would remove Mia from hisworld.

“You ruined it for me,” Mia said again, turning to look out towards theisland.

“Ruined whatMia?”

“Papa said wait, he said what looked fun and pleasing on a tavern table at night, in the light of day was ugly and shameful. He said only in a marriage bed would it remain good past the moonrise. He said only a husband wouldn’t hurt me, shame me, ruin me the way my father ruined my mama. I’ve waited and dreamed about it as long as I could remember. It was supposed to be better than taking the helm of my own ship. But it isn’t. You ruinedit.”

“Mia,” Devin said, taking a deep breath as he felt some hope rising from the deep. “It’s not ruined. We’ve run aground, but the tide will come to lift us back up and we can resume course. It’s not ruined. Marriage isn’t but for one night. It’s a lifetime.” He forced her to turn and face him, and taking hold of her wobbling chin raised her eyes so he could look her in them. “I’m sorry Mia. I did make judgments that were undeserved. And I’m sorrier you felt a moment of shame over any of it. You’ve nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing we did last night was shameful. I truly found it to be wonderfully pleasing.” She colored a bit at that. “I think maybe you did aswell.”

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