Read Online The Captain of All Pleasures by Kresley Cole - Free Book Online Page B

fingered the trickle of blood trailing down his cheek.
    Then he smiled.
    Wagers flew as everyone cheered wildly for the two captains, rivals for years, to finally battle it out.
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    â€œYou can’t be serious!” Nicole shrieked, having shot up from lying over her desk and now fully awake. “What do you mean, Father’s in jail?”
    â€œGot thrown in,” Chancey supplied by way of explanation. “Wouldn’t o’ woke ye, but he don’t have enough blunt in the till to cover bail.” He frowned. “Don’t have any blunt.”
    Nicole shook her head. “I spent all my money on the trip here. But I can sell some things,” she added hopefully.
    â€œThat’ll take time. I’ll go see what he wants to do.”
    â€œI’m going with you.”
    Chancey studied her, and he couldn’t mistake her resolve. After a moment he said with great reluctance, “If ye want to see him, get yerself dressed and meet me topside.”
    When he turned to go, she grabbed his arm, “Is he hurt?”
    â€œNothin’ that won’t heal. Now, git.”
    Darting to her sea chest, she haphazardly dragged on clothes. She was making a hasty attempt at knotting her hair when she met Chancey on deck.
    Nicole had been certain there would be a fight. She’d been terrified that Sutherland would be provoked to hurt her father, all because of her.
    She’d never imagined jail.
    Nicole followed Chancey blindly into the waning night, still unrecovered from her shock. They moved swiftly, and not many minutes later they arrived at the local constabulary. When she walked through the beveled double doors and into the entrance hall, the sun was just rising.
    The inside was not dank and cobweb-ridden as she’d envisioned, and for that she was glad. In fact, the russet shutters outside were open to the sun’s indifferent reach, and dawn streaked in to light the little dust in the air. The wooden floors were pitted but clean. All the same, she wouldn’t have cared if this were a manor house. It was depressing to think of her father being kept here.
    She pulled her shoulders back and lifted her chin, preparing to face him with a cheery demeanor. Then she turned the corner, and her face fell.
    Instead of her father, she locked eyes with Sutherland.
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    â€œDo you want to press charges, milord?”
    Derek was undecided. A part of him argued that the fight had been fair, and if he’d been released simply because of his title, then Lassiter should be free to go also.
    Then he recalled how they’d gotten to this place. When the watchmen finally dragged him and Lassiter apart and out of the tavern, Derek had said, “You’ll want to release me now—I’m the Earl of Stanhope.” The officers had looked at him with wide, alarmed eyes. They hadn’t exactly been gentle with their two prisoners.
    â€œIt’s true,” Lassiter had spoken up, surprising Derek, until he added, “and I’m the president of the United States.”
    Derek had ignored him and turned to the closest watchman. “I am Derek Sutherland, sixth earl of Stanhope. You are aware of what would happen to you if you jail me.”
    â€œI can’t believe you’re pulling the ‘earl’ stunt again.”
    Derek only smiled at Lassiter. “Perhaps I’ll go and see to our mutual friend while you’re engaged with the constable.”
    Immediately, Lassiter had shut up and remained silent during the time it took to convince all involved that Derek was, in fact, an earl. Suddenly the officers weren’t concerned about a raging public fight that destroyed the tavern that housed it. They were outraged that an American had attacked a member of the nobility on English soil.
    Now the constable wanted him to make a decision. Derek wanted to teach the cur a lesson, but…
    At the sound of voices in the anteroom, he turned slowly and, he could