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Authors: Anne Herries
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Captain Sylvester.’
‘I thought you might,’ he said and smiled. ‘I shall not keep you longer, but finding the book amongst my things made me think that it might please you.’
Maribel stroked the worn leather with her hands reverently. The book contained an anthology of poems by different poets, but as she touched it, she noticed that it fell open at one particular place again and again. Glancing at the poem, she was struck by the title.
‘A Lover’s Lullaby’ by George Cascoigne, she read aloud in wonder, for she would not have thought that such a poem would hold the captain’s interest time and again
Sing lullaby, as women do
Wherewith they bring their babes to rest;
And Lullaby can I sing too,
As womanly as can the best.
With lullaby they still the child;
And if I be not much beguiled,
For man a wanton babe have I,
Which must be stilled with lullaby.
Her eyes scanned the following verses, which told a sad but poignant tale, of a woman who, it seemed had borne children out of wedlock, and must pay the price.
It was a beautiful set of verses, and yet Maribel wondered why it had drawn the captain to it so many times.
* * *
Maribel had been taking the air on deck. The sun was very warm and she fanned herself lazily, looking out across the water. They had been at sea for several days now and the weather had remained fine all that time.
She saw Captain Sylvester coming to meet her and waited for him to reach her. Although she had decided to trust him, Maribel never sought him out herself. She tried to keep a little distance between them—she was afraid that if she once let down her guard she would not be able to raise it again, and she suspected that he did the same.
‘Have we much longer to go until we reach the island?’
‘Are you impatient to get there?’ Justin raised his brows.
‘I am just curious. Where is this island?’
‘It is one of a group off the coast of Greece. You may know that there are thousands of islands in the Aegean? Some are inhabited, many are not. We have made it our own and a small community awaits our return.’
‘And is your community known to the wider world?’
‘The approach is through a channel of dangerous rocks that keep unwanted visitors at bay. One day we may be discovered, but for the moment it is a haven for us and others of our kind.’
‘You could not have taken me to England first?’
‘I must honour my word to my men. Once we havesettled our business there I shall do as you ask me, Madonna. You have my word that no man will touch you without your permission. You are under my protection until I can get you to your family.’
‘I believe you,’ she said. ‘But I must ask, how long must pass before we can sail for England?’
‘There are things I must do at the island. Besides, we must wait until Hendry joins us. He will have given my message to your father—and he will bring his answer back.’
‘Are you certain of that?’ Maribel gazed into his eyes. ‘My father might decide to hang Captain Hendry and keep your ship.’
‘Hendry understood the risks, but he volunteered to take the message. I wanted your father to understand that there will be no truce between us.’ Justin frowned. ‘In return Hendry will own his ship and may sail where he wishes under his own command. Whatever happens, I shall take you to England—and find someone to care for you. You have my word.’
‘Why should you do so much for me?’
‘My word is my bond,’ Justin told her, a harsh note in his voice. ‘I think you have had little reason to trust the word of any man, lady—but I have told you you can trust mine.’ His eyes glowed with fire as he looked down at her, causing her stomach to spasm with nerves. ‘You tempt me more than you will ever know, yet I shall not force you—nor yet persuade you. You are as safe from me as any other man of my crew. Only if you came to me of your own free will would I make you mine.’
‘What do you mean?’ she
‘I thought you might,’ he said and smiled. ‘I shall not keep you longer, but finding the book amongst my things made me think that it might please you.’
Maribel stroked the worn leather with her hands reverently. The book contained an anthology of poems by different poets, but as she touched it, she noticed that it fell open at one particular place again and again. Glancing at the poem, she was struck by the title.
‘A Lover’s Lullaby’ by George Cascoigne, she read aloud in wonder, for she would not have thought that such a poem would hold the captain’s interest time and again
Sing lullaby, as women do
Wherewith they bring their babes to rest;
And Lullaby can I sing too,
As womanly as can the best.
With lullaby they still the child;
And if I be not much beguiled,
For man a wanton babe have I,
Which must be stilled with lullaby.
Her eyes scanned the following verses, which told a sad but poignant tale, of a woman who, it seemed had borne children out of wedlock, and must pay the price.
It was a beautiful set of verses, and yet Maribel wondered why it had drawn the captain to it so many times.
* * *
Maribel had been taking the air on deck. The sun was very warm and she fanned herself lazily, looking out across the water. They had been at sea for several days now and the weather had remained fine all that time.
She saw Captain Sylvester coming to meet her and waited for him to reach her. Although she had decided to trust him, Maribel never sought him out herself. She tried to keep a little distance between them—she was afraid that if she once let down her guard she would not be able to raise it again, and she suspected that he did the same.
‘Have we much longer to go until we reach the island?’
‘Are you impatient to get there?’ Justin raised his brows.
‘I am just curious. Where is this island?’
‘It is one of a group off the coast of Greece. You may know that there are thousands of islands in the Aegean? Some are inhabited, many are not. We have made it our own and a small community awaits our return.’
‘And is your community known to the wider world?’
‘The approach is through a channel of dangerous rocks that keep unwanted visitors at bay. One day we may be discovered, but for the moment it is a haven for us and others of our kind.’
‘You could not have taken me to England first?’
‘I must honour my word to my men. Once we havesettled our business there I shall do as you ask me, Madonna. You have my word that no man will touch you without your permission. You are under my protection until I can get you to your family.’
‘I believe you,’ she said. ‘But I must ask, how long must pass before we can sail for England?’
‘There are things I must do at the island. Besides, we must wait until Hendry joins us. He will have given my message to your father—and he will bring his answer back.’
‘Are you certain of that?’ Maribel gazed into his eyes. ‘My father might decide to hang Captain Hendry and keep your ship.’
‘Hendry understood the risks, but he volunteered to take the message. I wanted your father to understand that there will be no truce between us.’ Justin frowned. ‘In return Hendry will own his ship and may sail where he wishes under his own command. Whatever happens, I shall take you to England—and find someone to care for you. You have my word.’
‘Why should you do so much for me?’
‘My word is my bond,’ Justin told her, a harsh note in his voice. ‘I think you have had little reason to trust the word of any man, lady—but I have told you you can trust mine.’ His eyes glowed with fire as he looked down at her, causing her stomach to spasm with nerves. ‘You tempt me more than you will ever know, yet I shall not force you—nor yet persuade you. You are as safe from me as any other man of my crew. Only if you came to me of your own free will would I make you mine.’
‘What do you mean?’ she
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