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the area, and Tory had no problem with them smuggling contraband. Piracy was another matter. Fiction portrayed it as adventure, but the reality was often bloody and brutal. The words he had uttered came winging back to her:Danger excites me.
She now realized with dismay it was the sheer, reckless danger of life-or-death risks that held Falcon in thrall.He is a buccaneer who boards vessels and plunders cargo. The crates of tea from the East Indiaman where he’d found Pandora came to mind.The Seacockis fitted with a row of cannon and its master carries a brace of pistols.
Tory dressed and sat down before the mirror to brush her hair. Her mind went back over what the history books had recorded of Lord Hawkhurst of Bodiam Castle. His ship was named, but no mention had been made of piracy or even smuggling.I’m letting my imagination run amok. Most likely Falcon never sank a ship or killed anyone. Tory decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
She smiled into the mirror and admitted she was head over heels with the bold devil. She had been ruled by rigid morals all her life and refused to allow a straitlaced upbringing to deprive her of the pleasure Falcon brought her. It felt so much more romantic to let her heart rule her head.
The sun was high and Tory decided to take her book down to the grassy quadrangle. A serving woman brought out her lunch and Tory realized Mr. Burke had been instructed to take care of her needs. In the early afternoon she saw Falcon ride beneath the portcullis.He’s returning from God only knows what nefarious business.
He dismounted and dropped down on the grass beside her. “It occurs to me that you haven’t received your share of spoils. Come to my ship and choose your reward,” he invited.
Tory hesitated. TheSeacock was the wicked instrument of his iniquity. She swept her conscience aside and smiled into his eyes. His ship was too sinfully tempting to resist.Admit the truth and shame the Devil, Victoria. It is Falcon Hawkhurst who is too sinfully tempting.
He lifted Tory into the saddle and mounted Bess behind her. They left Bodiam and rode along the bank of the River Rother until they reached theSeacock. He held her hand tightly as they traversed the narrow gangplank, then he lifted her over the rail.
Tory’s face lit with eager curiosity as her gaze swept from the brigantine’s rigging to its well-scrubbed deck. Her eyes purposely avoided the rows of cannon. Below, she took in the cabin’s rich mahogany and polished brass. Falcon lit a lantern and took her into the hold. It smelled of tar and tea and piquant spices she could not name. He removed a false panel and led her into a space that held a cabinet and some trunks.
Falcon unlocked the cabinet doors and pulled out a drawer. Gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earbobs, many set with precious jewels, glittered in the lamplight. As Tory gazed with appreciation, he lifted a trunk lid and revealed its contents. She drew in her breath and reached out to touch the bolts of exquisite silk, shot through with shining threads.
“The choice is yours, Victoria.”
Without hesitation her fingers sought the pale green silk with silver threads. “I’ve never seen anything as lovely in my life.”
He handed her the bolt of silk. “Its loveliness pales beside yours.” He closed the lid and moved to the cabinet. He took out a pair of carved jade earrings. “You must have these, too. They match perfectly. Both your beauty and your taste are exotic.”
“Thank you, Falcon, for the gifts and the compliment.” She looked down at the exquisite objects and a bubble of joyous laughter escaped. “And they say the wages of sin are death!”
He led the way back up on deck. “You promised to swim for me. The warm afternoons of August will soon give way to the cool autumn days of September.”
“Will you swim with me, milord?”
“I will, milady.” He immediately began to throw off his clothes.
Tory set down her presents,
She now realized with dismay it was the sheer, reckless danger of life-or-death risks that held Falcon in thrall.He is a buccaneer who boards vessels and plunders cargo. The crates of tea from the East Indiaman where he’d found Pandora came to mind.The Seacockis fitted with a row of cannon and its master carries a brace of pistols.
Tory dressed and sat down before the mirror to brush her hair. Her mind went back over what the history books had recorded of Lord Hawkhurst of Bodiam Castle. His ship was named, but no mention had been made of piracy or even smuggling.I’m letting my imagination run amok. Most likely Falcon never sank a ship or killed anyone. Tory decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
She smiled into the mirror and admitted she was head over heels with the bold devil. She had been ruled by rigid morals all her life and refused to allow a straitlaced upbringing to deprive her of the pleasure Falcon brought her. It felt so much more romantic to let her heart rule her head.
The sun was high and Tory decided to take her book down to the grassy quadrangle. A serving woman brought out her lunch and Tory realized Mr. Burke had been instructed to take care of her needs. In the early afternoon she saw Falcon ride beneath the portcullis.He’s returning from God only knows what nefarious business.
He dismounted and dropped down on the grass beside her. “It occurs to me that you haven’t received your share of spoils. Come to my ship and choose your reward,” he invited.
Tory hesitated. TheSeacock was the wicked instrument of his iniquity. She swept her conscience aside and smiled into his eyes. His ship was too sinfully tempting to resist.Admit the truth and shame the Devil, Victoria. It is Falcon Hawkhurst who is too sinfully tempting.
He lifted Tory into the saddle and mounted Bess behind her. They left Bodiam and rode along the bank of the River Rother until they reached theSeacock. He held her hand tightly as they traversed the narrow gangplank, then he lifted her over the rail.
Tory’s face lit with eager curiosity as her gaze swept from the brigantine’s rigging to its well-scrubbed deck. Her eyes purposely avoided the rows of cannon. Below, she took in the cabin’s rich mahogany and polished brass. Falcon lit a lantern and took her into the hold. It smelled of tar and tea and piquant spices she could not name. He removed a false panel and led her into a space that held a cabinet and some trunks.
Falcon unlocked the cabinet doors and pulled out a drawer. Gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earbobs, many set with precious jewels, glittered in the lamplight. As Tory gazed with appreciation, he lifted a trunk lid and revealed its contents. She drew in her breath and reached out to touch the bolts of exquisite silk, shot through with shining threads.
“The choice is yours, Victoria.”
Without hesitation her fingers sought the pale green silk with silver threads. “I’ve never seen anything as lovely in my life.”
He handed her the bolt of silk. “Its loveliness pales beside yours.” He closed the lid and moved to the cabinet. He took out a pair of carved jade earrings. “You must have these, too. They match perfectly. Both your beauty and your taste are exotic.”
“Thank you, Falcon, for the gifts and the compliment.” She looked down at the exquisite objects and a bubble of joyous laughter escaped. “And they say the wages of sin are death!”
He led the way back up on deck. “You promised to swim for me. The warm afternoons of August will soon give way to the cool autumn days of September.”
“Will you swim with me, milord?”
“I will, milady.” He immediately began to throw off his clothes.
Tory set down her presents,
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