“Thank you…again,” she whispered. How shewanted to tear down the wall, to be comforted in his strong arms.But for now, she received some solace that his shoulder was leanedagainst hers with the wall between them.
“I did nothing. You were very brave.”
His voice came swift and sharp and sure likethe thundering of the surf against the hull, making her feel safe.As safe as one could feel in such a situation. “You did,” she said.She held his hand and a warm feeling gushed through her. Never hadshe been so forward in her life to allow the intimacy of holding aman’s hand.
In the darkness, the light of consolationhad come from a stranger who wouldn’t desert her. She turned hishand over, drawing a trail from his wrist, across the palm to thetip of the longest finger. His hand flexed and straightened, thenshe folded his hand into hers and kissed his raw knuckles.
“Tell me about your family,” he asked softlythrough the darkness.
Where should she begin? Her heart caught inher chest. “My mother stayed at home, tending a garden. My fatherwas a sea captain, traveling the oceans for many years until heretired. He shared his love of the sea. I helped him untangle hisnets. He taught me how to whittle and use a machete.”
“Where did you live?”
“I…uh” she coughed, stalling. If she gaveout too much, Ursula might… “lived in a quiet little fishingvillage in the south of England. Nothing remarkable. People eke outa living however they can. Very modest.” She knew what he wasthinking about her. How had a nice family yielded a thief? She didnot want to travel that path. Not now. “We must think of thepossibility of escape.”
“I’m listening.”
“You fought with Damiano like a demon,” shewhispered. “Your skill could come in handy when we arrive inBrazil. For now, we should pretend we are sick, malnourished andgetting weaker. They will think we have no strength. Once we makeport, we could fight them off and run. With my limited Portuguese,we could get help from someone, don’t you think?”
From up above, Damiano leaned against thegrate, looking furtively about. “There will be no help when youreach Brasilia, Senorita.”
Alexandra touched her throat. Had Damianoheard what she’d said? No, the wind was too high.
Damiano drooled, his saliva dropped next toher foot. “Have I told you of the Senor in Brasilia you arepromised to? He’s gonna take you home once we get there. He wanteda light-haired woman and a virgin and was willing to pay a prettyprice. His practices are extreme. Your arms and legs will be tiedto the four corners of a bed. He loves a woman’s screams. Takespleasure in it. No one will come to your aid for he is enormouslyrich. You will feel a hot surge in your loins repeatedly. And did Imention the toys he uses on his women? When he tires of you, helets his friends have a turn.”
“Go to hell, Damiano.” Nicholas leaped,grabbed the grate and pushed his fist through.
Damiano reared back, missing the blow andclucked. “All his women have a bad end…they are torn apart fromstem to stern.”
Damiano continued his rant. “Lord Rutland,there will be no escape for you in the heart of the jungle,surrounded by venomous snakes…and insects as long as your hand thatsuck your blood. And in the jungle, there are very large cats thatwill sneak up on you, not to mention the piranha in the river,their sharp teeth can devour a man in seconds. You will die,too.”
Alexandra smoothed her trembling fingersover her filthy skirts. She swallowed hard, her situation dire, andwhat she wanted of Lord Rutland was so profound that it lay balledin the bottom of her throat. In the universe, she was insignificantand forgotten. To know of the merciless violence that was herfuture, to be a slave to a man who used her body for his maliciouscravings. She needed a way to get out of being sold to thissadistic man. If she could figure out a way to darken and cut herhair…and if she was no longer a virgin, he wouldn’t want her.
To simplify what was complicated.
She had never lain with a man before and ifit was going to happen she wanted her first to be with someone shemight have chosen anyway. She might even have chosen Lord Rutlandto be her first.
With a shattering breath, she whispered,“Lord Rutland, if you could get through this wall…I want youto…”
Oh, her entreaty to Lord Rutland. She feltherself blush from her toes to the roots of her hair. Salt airstung her nose, and the wind whipped around the ship and beatagainst the sails while she waited for his response.
He cleared his throat. “Impossible.”
Her spine curved into the damp boards. Ifonly she could disappear into the wood grain. What he must think ofher, giving so cavalier a request. “If you take my virginity thenthat man would no longer want me.”
“We are not discussing the sale ofoats.”
Her breath burned in and out of her lungs.“I know you are a man of honor”
“You will still be sold and our prison holdsme bound. Our captors will make sure we are kept separate.”
He did not say no. “If you could breach thewall that divides us, would you?”
His voice went softer, but she heard it asif he had whispered in her ear. “Hear this, I will kill anyone wholays a hand on you.”
She pressed her palms together and breatheda prayer for Lord Rutland.
Chapter Two
