Read Online Lady Pirate by Lynsay Sands - Free Book Online Page A

Unfortunately, after the whole day and most of the night cleaning, she had barely made a dent in the ruin that was now their home. She had cried herself to sleep on a bed of rushes in a corner of the great hall, the cleanest space she could find.
    That was where Jeremy had found her late that evening when he returned, and that was where he had told her of their change of plans. The bag he had removed from the fireplace had been their mother’s jewels. They were to have gone to Valoree. Instead, Jeremy had taken them and bought a ship, and he had hired a quartermaster—Henry. He intended to enter the risky business of privateering. He would attack the king’s enemies, take their goods, and split them with the Crown. Then, when he’d made enough, he would return and legally claim his inheritance. It seemed the only way.
    Valoree had protested, of course. But when her brother had gone to great pains to assure her of the safety of his undertaking, she had rebelled at Jeremy’s next intention: to ask Lord Swintun to continue her guardianship until he returned. She hated and feared the young nobleman, and anything would be betterthan a sentence of living under his care. If a seafaring life was safe enough for Jeremy, it was safe enough for her. And that was how she’d become a pirate.
    Now Valoree knew all there was to know about sailing, and she was quite a hand at battle as well. But that was where her talents lay—not in wifely duties. True, she’d been trained in Latin, English, and German while under the older Swintun’s care, and her brother had continued her reading and writing lessons in those languages while he was alive, but those weren’t exactly womanly arts.
    Even her speech was lacking. Jeremy had made her speak properly while he was alive, but she had slipped somewhat since his death. Especially when she was angry.
    She certainly had none of the useful crafts that should be known by women. She was not very good with a needle. She could sew, but her stitches were nowhere near as straight as they could be. She knew next to nothing about running a household, and was as good as useless when it came to tending illness. Her mother had been an expert with healing herbs, Jeremy told her, but had died long before being able to teach Valoree any of what she needed to know. And for such pastimes as dance and music, the years she might have been learning those she had spent sacking galleons in the Caribbean. In short, she was terribly lacking. No nobleman would want her—let alone one who understood her needs.
    Her depressing thoughts were brought to a halt by a light tapping at the door. Sighing, she set the almost empty rum bottle on the desk and sat up straight. “Aye.”
    Henry opened the door and stepped silently inside. This time he was alone. Valoree did not know if that was a bad sign…or worse.
    Pausing before the desk, the quartermaster eyed herfor a moment, then shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. “The men have been talkin’ the problem over.”
    Valoree arched an eyebrow at him. “Which problem would that be?”
    â€œThe problem o’ findin’ ye a husband.”
    Valoree grimaced. At least it sounded as if her men were being realistic about it, and weren’t fooling themselves into pretending it would be an easy task. “And?” she prompted.
    â€œWell, we’re thinking that the docks are no place to meet up with some of them there noble fellers. We’re thinkin’ we need to get you into society.”
    Valoree nodded at his logic. “How?”
    â€œHow?” He frowned. “Well, er…I guess we’d have to be gettin’ ye some o’ them there invites to some of them sorries.”
    â€œSoirees,” Valoree corrected dryly, then repeated, “How?”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œAye. How? You cannot steal or force those at swordpoint, you know.”
    â€œAye, well….”