her towards the stern of the ship and up to the quarterdeck. Raised in front of her was the sterncastle deck, with the steering column and two staircases leading up to it, and above that was yet another deck.
Amber was too busy trying to remember the names of the different levels of the ship that she hadn’t noticed Buck opening a door between the staircases until he gestured for her to enter.
She did and turned, only to find that he had already shut the door in her face . The distinct sound of a key turning in the lock only intensified the anger that racked her body . She was a prisoner .
Silen tly reprimanding herself to contain the tears of frustration that threatened to pour from her eyes, she smoothed down her skirts and glanced around at the room . Sunlight poured in from the large windows along the wall, illuminating the cabin and making it glow . A large bed was pushed against the opposite wall, plush with blankets and pillows . In the center of the room there was a long wooden table covered with maps and charts, a half empty bottle of rum sitting next to an open compass and a thick, leather-bound book . She was about to pick up the book when she heard the lock click and two men entered the room, carrying the first of her trunk s between them.
Catching her by surprise, one of them swept off his hat and gave her a small bow . “Allow me to introduce myself . My name is Paxton Grant, though my friends call me Pax . And I hope we can become friends, Lady Townsend,” he told her with a roguish wink .
The other man roll ed his eyes toward the ceiling. “Don’t be paying him the least bit of att ention, M iss . He flirts with all the pretty ladies.”
Amber decided that any ally would be helpful, and put on her sweetest smile. “Nonsense, how could I possibly ignore such a charming man?” she said , realizing that Pax must be at least two years younger than she was . “Besides, I’m sure we will become close friends . And please, call me Amber.”
Pax grinned flirtatiously at her . The other man had to grab his arm and pull him out the door . In minutes they had carried the next trunk in, then left and brought in the third.
Pax winked at her again as he left, but the door was shut and locked much as it had been before, destroying any hope that he might take pity on her . With a sigh Amber turned around and noticed the broken locks on all three of her trunks .
She ran across the room and threw open the one closest to her . In it lay an exquisite ivory gown, carefully folded, exactly how she had left it . She burrowed under it to make sure all of her other dresses were there; they were.
Slamming that one shut, she opened the black one containing her books . What had once contained organized stacks was now in disarray. A bit of rummaging and counting confirmed, however, that all her books were there .
A foray through the third, now m essy , trunk verified her belief that someone, probably Pax and that other man, had riffled through her things .
“I assure you, nothing is missing.” Amber spun around to see the Captain leaning against the doorframe, casually watching her . She hadn’t even heard him come in.
Getting to her feet, she brushed off her dress . “Then explain to me the broken locks, and the disorder.” He shrugged and gave her a wry smile, one that caused her to inexplicably feel the slightest bit weak in the knees.
“I believe Pax and Deacon felt they had a right to know what they were carrying, and I can’t say I blame them. You were so adamant about having your things, they wondered what was so special about them.” He pulled himself up right and entered the room, shutting the door behind him . “But I can promise you that neither of them took anything . They were merely satisfying a curiosity, and surely you cannot begrudge them that right.”
Amber stared at him in shock . “You speak awfully well for…for a…”
“For a what, Lady Amber, a pirate?” He pulled off his hat
Amber was too busy trying to remember the names of the different levels of the ship that she hadn’t noticed Buck opening a door between the staircases until he gestured for her to enter.
She did and turned, only to find that he had already shut the door in her face . The distinct sound of a key turning in the lock only intensified the anger that racked her body . She was a prisoner .
Silen tly reprimanding herself to contain the tears of frustration that threatened to pour from her eyes, she smoothed down her skirts and glanced around at the room . Sunlight poured in from the large windows along the wall, illuminating the cabin and making it glow . A large bed was pushed against the opposite wall, plush with blankets and pillows . In the center of the room there was a long wooden table covered with maps and charts, a half empty bottle of rum sitting next to an open compass and a thick, leather-bound book . She was about to pick up the book when she heard the lock click and two men entered the room, carrying the first of her trunk s between them.
Catching her by surprise, one of them swept off his hat and gave her a small bow . “Allow me to introduce myself . My name is Paxton Grant, though my friends call me Pax . And I hope we can become friends, Lady Townsend,” he told her with a roguish wink .
The other man roll ed his eyes toward the ceiling. “Don’t be paying him the least bit of att ention, M iss . He flirts with all the pretty ladies.”
Amber decided that any ally would be helpful, and put on her sweetest smile. “Nonsense, how could I possibly ignore such a charming man?” she said , realizing that Pax must be at least two years younger than she was . “Besides, I’m sure we will become close friends . And please, call me Amber.”
Pax grinned flirtatiously at her . The other man had to grab his arm and pull him out the door . In minutes they had carried the next trunk in, then left and brought in the third.
Pax winked at her again as he left, but the door was shut and locked much as it had been before, destroying any hope that he might take pity on her . With a sigh Amber turned around and noticed the broken locks on all three of her trunks .
She ran across the room and threw open the one closest to her . In it lay an exquisite ivory gown, carefully folded, exactly how she had left it . She burrowed under it to make sure all of her other dresses were there; they were.
Slamming that one shut, she opened the black one containing her books . What had once contained organized stacks was now in disarray. A bit of rummaging and counting confirmed, however, that all her books were there .
A foray through the third, now m essy , trunk verified her belief that someone, probably Pax and that other man, had riffled through her things .
“I assure you, nothing is missing.” Amber spun around to see the Captain leaning against the doorframe, casually watching her . She hadn’t even heard him come in.
Getting to her feet, she brushed off her dress . “Then explain to me the broken locks, and the disorder.” He shrugged and gave her a wry smile, one that caused her to inexplicably feel the slightest bit weak in the knees.
“I believe Pax and Deacon felt they had a right to know what they were carrying, and I can’t say I blame them. You were so adamant about having your things, they wondered what was so special about them.” He pulled himself up right and entered the room, shutting the door behind him . “But I can promise you that neither of them took anything . They were merely satisfying a curiosity, and surely you cannot begrudge them that right.”
Amber stared at him in shock . “You speak awfully well for…for a…”
“For a what, Lady Amber, a pirate?” He pulled off his hat
Similar Books
