Read Online Bound by the Heart by Marsha Canham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marsha Canham
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box and the four letters of marque in the drawer and was
reaching to try a third drawer when she felt an ominous prickle along her
spine.
"I see you've found a way to occupy your
time."
Morgan Wade was leaning casually against the doorjamb,
his arms folded across his chest .
How long he had been standing there, Summer had no idea, but the expression on
his face gave every indication he was prepared for blood sport.
"I ... I
was just sitting here and . . . and ..."
Wade moved and kicked the door shut behind him.
"And you thought you might as well see if there was anything worthwhile to
steal?"
Summer was shocked. "No! No, I wasn't looking to
steal anything!"
"I'm glad to hear it. The penalty for theft on
board my ship involves a rather lengthy trial with a filleting knife."
Summer blanched. "I told you, I was not trying to
steal anything. I was ... I
was"—she searched for a palatable excuse for being behind his
desk—"looking for a chart or a map other than this scribbled thing to give
me some idea where we are."
"You already know where we are," he said
evenly.
She flushed uncomfortably. "Saint Martin is just
a name to me. I have no idea where it is."
Wade regarded her for a long moment, plainly not
amused by the feeble lie. "So you read charts, do you, Governess? You know
all about latitude and longitude?"
"I am not totally ignorant, sir. Although it
could be painfully easy to become so, given the company I am forced to
keep."
"Clever and sharp-witted," he mused. "I
cannot say as I find comfort in my women being either."
"I am not your woman!" she cried
indignantly. "And if cleverness and wit sour you, I shall do my utmost to
excel at both!"
Wade's grin was slow to come. His eyes flicked to the
center drawer and darkened when he saw the corner ajar. "I hope you were
not bored with your reading."
"Outraged, perhaps. Not bored."
"And what, pray, has outraged you this
time?"
"Your total lack of conscience and scruples, for
one thing. You apparently think nothing of dealing with the French and Spanish
and Dutch as freely as you would deal with the English."
"It is called free trade, madam."
"It is called treason to deal with an enemy for
profit," she countered.
"In case you haven't noticed, I fly the Stars and
Stripes. America is not at war with any of the countries you mentioned."
"But her roots lie in England. England's enemies
should be your enemies."
"My dear ignorant, if there is any country we
should be looking to as our enemy, it is almighty Britannia. We have already
had to fight once to prove we no longer want John Bull's rule as our own, and
it is beginning to look as if we shall have to do so again."
"You would see your country declare war on
England?" she gasped. "You would fight over a few measly pounds of
profit?"
"Hardly a few," he said dryly. "And
yes, I would fight any country and any ship that tried to dictate who I may and
may not conduct my business with."
"Business?" she scoffed. "Is it part of
your business to kidnap helpless women and children and hold them against their
will?"
He grinned broadly. "I am not holding you, madam.
You are free to leave any time you wish."
"And go where?" she demanded.
"Wherever you would care to try swimming for."
Summer's eyes flashed with sparks of angry deep green,
and she jumped up out of the chair. "Where is Michael? What have you done
with him?"
"I've done nothing with him other than see he is
kept occupied and out of my crew's way."
"Are you forcing him to work?"
"I'm not forcing him to do anything," Wade
snapped. "He has been watching Thorny repair sails for the past
hour."
"Mr. Thorntree's influence is not exactly what
Sir Lionel Cambridge has in mind for his son's education."
"I'll tell Thorny you said that. Meanwhile you
should be grateful someone is at least taking an interest in the boy—you don't
seem to be."
Summer's mouth dropped inelegantly. "Whose fault is
that? Who ordered him out of this cabin? Who threatened to beat him
reaching to try a third drawer when she felt an ominous prickle along her
spine.
"I see you've found a way to occupy your
time."
Morgan Wade was leaning casually against the doorjamb,
his arms folded across his chest .
How long he had been standing there, Summer had no idea, but the expression on
his face gave every indication he was prepared for blood sport.
"I ... I
was just sitting here and . . . and ..."
Wade moved and kicked the door shut behind him.
"And you thought you might as well see if there was anything worthwhile to
steal?"
Summer was shocked. "No! No, I wasn't looking to
steal anything!"
"I'm glad to hear it. The penalty for theft on
board my ship involves a rather lengthy trial with a filleting knife."
Summer blanched. "I told you, I was not trying to
steal anything. I was ... I
was"—she searched for a palatable excuse for being behind his
desk—"looking for a chart or a map other than this scribbled thing to give
me some idea where we are."
"You already know where we are," he said
evenly.
She flushed uncomfortably. "Saint Martin is just
a name to me. I have no idea where it is."
Wade regarded her for a long moment, plainly not
amused by the feeble lie. "So you read charts, do you, Governess? You know
all about latitude and longitude?"
"I am not totally ignorant, sir. Although it
could be painfully easy to become so, given the company I am forced to
keep."
"Clever and sharp-witted," he mused. "I
cannot say as I find comfort in my women being either."
"I am not your woman!" she cried
indignantly. "And if cleverness and wit sour you, I shall do my utmost to
excel at both!"
Wade's grin was slow to come. His eyes flicked to the
center drawer and darkened when he saw the corner ajar. "I hope you were
not bored with your reading."
"Outraged, perhaps. Not bored."
"And what, pray, has outraged you this
time?"
"Your total lack of conscience and scruples, for
one thing. You apparently think nothing of dealing with the French and Spanish
and Dutch as freely as you would deal with the English."
"It is called free trade, madam."
"It is called treason to deal with an enemy for
profit," she countered.
"In case you haven't noticed, I fly the Stars and
Stripes. America is not at war with any of the countries you mentioned."
"But her roots lie in England. England's enemies
should be your enemies."
"My dear ignorant, if there is any country we
should be looking to as our enemy, it is almighty Britannia. We have already
had to fight once to prove we no longer want John Bull's rule as our own, and
it is beginning to look as if we shall have to do so again."
"You would see your country declare war on
England?" she gasped. "You would fight over a few measly pounds of
profit?"
"Hardly a few," he said dryly. "And
yes, I would fight any country and any ship that tried to dictate who I may and
may not conduct my business with."
"Business?" she scoffed. "Is it part of
your business to kidnap helpless women and children and hold them against their
will?"
He grinned broadly. "I am not holding you, madam.
You are free to leave any time you wish."
"And go where?" she demanded.
"Wherever you would care to try swimming for."
Summer's eyes flashed with sparks of angry deep green,
and she jumped up out of the chair. "Where is Michael? What have you done
with him?"
"I've done nothing with him other than see he is
kept occupied and out of my crew's way."
"Are you forcing him to work?"
"I'm not forcing him to do anything," Wade
snapped. "He has been watching Thorny repair sails for the past
hour."
"Mr. Thorntree's influence is not exactly what
Sir Lionel Cambridge has in mind for his son's education."
"I'll tell Thorny you said that. Meanwhile you
should be grateful someone is at least taking an interest in the boy—you don't
seem to be."
Summer's mouth dropped inelegantly. "Whose fault is
that? Who ordered him out of this cabin? Who threatened to beat him
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