Judith gasped. “It wasn’t—?”
“It was,” Georgina cut in furiously. “I got his note three days ago. But we already suspected who had them, and Tony sailed off to let James know that. The bastard even signed his note ‘Bastard.’ I suppose he figured we’d know him by the name Jack gave him. He wants James to meet him in St. Kitts, and if they can come to terms, he will release Jack.”
Judith sat back on her heels with a curious frown. “That’s a very different message than the one in his previous ransom note. No mention of an exchange this time?”
“No, just a meeting, which James won’t even know about!” Georgina exclaimed. “Obviously the pirate didn’t know that James sailed before he did. Ironically, they’ll both end up on St. Kitts, though James probably won’t stay there long enough to learn that’s where Jack is—unless the pirate gets there first and is watching for him.”
“That will be quite the surprise if Bastard approaches James expecting to have a parley with him,” Katey said.
“Let’s hope not,” Amy put in. “Or Uncle James might kill him before he even knows the man has Jack.”
Judith sighed. “I confess I’m somewhat relieved to know that it is Bastard who has her—and certainly that the demand is different this time.”
Georgina stared at her incredulously. “Have you lost your wits, Judy?”
“No. While Jack reviled the man and professed to hate him, I also got the impression that she found him attractive. There was something she wasn’t fessing up to.”
Georgina looked horrified. “What the deuce are you suggesting?”
“I don’t think she wanted to hate him. She might have said it in disgust, but she called him a polite pirate. And from everything she said, I don’t think he wants to hurt her. I just think there’s more to this than we know.”
“Amy,” Georgina said, a note of fury in her voice, “I’m going to need more brandy.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
YOU LOOK ESPECIALLY BEAUTIFUL in candlelight.”
Jacqueline didn’t reply, didn’t even glance up from her plate.
“I can see four, no, five, different shades of gold in your hair,” Damon added.
Jack still said nothing.
“Giving me the silent treatment, are you?”
They were sitting at the table, had just finished eating dinner. Two weeks at sea and she still hadn’t clapped eyes on Jeremy. Damon had even stopped allowing them to send notes to each other! Her being nice to Damon hadn’t gotten her what she wanted most—a chance to see her brother, even though she’d asked several times. So she’d stopped being nice when Damon no longer needed her help with his wound, which had healed enough to no longer require elaborate bandaging. And he hadn’t told her anything more about Lacross or what kind of mission he was running. But he still took her up to the wheel every day, which she had to admit—to herself—she enjoyed.
“That was quite impressive what you did today, saving Jackie when the pirates tricked him into climbing all the way up to the topsail yard to fix a sail and he ended up hanging there by his hands. You kept him from panicking, Jack, and got him down safely.”
“I told you I know how to climb a mast,” she snapped.
“Just don’t do it again.”
She gave him a furious glare. “I want to see my friends!”
“Tell me about your family instead.”
“No.”
“Was that an adamant no, or do you just need coaxing?”
“Don’t ask about them,” she said stiffly. “You hurt one of us, you hurt us all. They’re every one of them your enemy now, and I’m not going to tell you about your enemies.”
“Then I’ll tell you what I know. Your mother is an American. It was her family home in Connecticut where we first met. You have three brothers, but no sisters. Your father is so formidable that no single man can fight him and win, and five at once can’t even bring him down.”
She couldn’t help smirking. “He trained with the best. His brother Anthony is the only one who can last a little while in a ring with him.”
“Good to know.”
“Why? You expect to meet my uncle Tony?” She chuckled. “Actually, I don’t doubt you will. They’re very close, you know. Uncle Tony often sails with my father, especially when a Malory needs rescuing. And after they get your note, it’s very possible that the entire family will sail this time, and there are now too many Malorys to count. Consider yourself warned.”
“That might depend on what I wrote this time.”
“What did you write?”
“If you and I had a more agreeable relationship, I might tell you.” The look he gave her left no doubt that he was talking about bed sharing, and bright color shot up her cheeks, which prompted him to add, “Still not ready to seduce me to your terms?”
“You’d slit your own throat?”
He laughed and stood up to walk to his desk. “I’ll think about your request.”
Her temper snapped with that answer, shooting her to her feet. “I want to see my friends! You said I could!”
He paused and leaned back against the side of his desk. He seemed a little surprised that she’d shouted those demands, but she didn’t care. The silent treatment hadn’t gotten her anywhere.
“I’ve changed my mind about that,” he said thoughtfully. “You shouldn’t see them while they’re still injured.”
Still? Still?! She flew at him in a fury and avoided his hand when he reached for her. She got in one solid blow because he hadn’t even stood up straight to deal with her. But his confidence cost him. She got a whoosh out of him, a temporary loss of breath, before he flipped her about and put both of his arms around her to keep her from doing any more damage to him. And he was still leaning against the bloody desk!
It reminded her so much of their last voyage together. Every time she’d attacked him, she’d ended up like this, contained by his arms, helpless against his strength. But she was too furious to give up. Her brother had been hurt so much he wasn’t close to healed yet. Damon had to pay for that!
Then she heard by her ear in the softest whisper, “Don’t stop struggling, Jack. I like holding you.”
She stopped.
“Truly? How disappointing.”
But he didn’t release her! She slammed her head back hard, might have hit his chin. She found his legs next with the soles of her feet and pushed to propel herself away from him, but even that didn’t work! But it made him turn and set her on his desk. She got off one swing that missed before he moved in closer, between her legs, and wrapped his arms around her again, trapping hers beneath his.
“Better.” He looked down at her. “I can do this all night, you know. Are you sure you want to?”
She answered by knocking her forehead against his upper chest.