Zach saw her reaction and winced. Did she really believe he would harm her? He reached up and touched her cheek. He saw the confusion in her eyes. If only things could have been different between them, if they had met before all of this... Something tightened inside him, and he pushed the thought away.
How could he be so cruel at one moment and so gentle the next? she thought. It was like a weapon he used, and she couldn't let him know how he affected her. She refused to meet his gaze, afraid he would see it in her eyes.
Elyse breathed out shakily. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She wanted to hate him. "You are mad!" she whispered.
"Undoubtedly so," he replied. "Why else would I sail to England and abduct such a troublesome hostage?" The expression in his eyes changed, making her shiver. "But it will be ended soon enough."
"Jerrold will kill you when he finds you." The expression on his face wasn't what she expected. There was no fear.
"He will try." Then the coldness in his eyes changed, his expression closed, revealing nothing. "Tell Tris if you need anything."
Elyse slammed the door after him, then collapsed back against it.
What was she going to do?
Seventeen
"Damn!" Tobias muttered as he lowered himself down the ladder.
Zach turned from his cabin to find the older man waiting for him.
"Did you have to be so cruel?"
"It was necessary."
"Yer treatin' her like some sort of criminal. Zach, for God's sake, she's done nothing wrong!"
"You've been like flesh and blood to me, boy. But I can't accept what you've done to that girl."
"Enough!" Zach was tight-lipped as he tried to push past his old friend. But Tobias wasn't to be put off.
"How long do you think you can keep her on board this ship without answering her questions?"
Zach turned to him. "It's not like you to interfere. Why now? What the devil do you care? If I didn't know better, I'd think you were drunk."
The older man's hands shook, but from something far different than the effects of the drink. "I wish to God I was. Then maybe I wouldn't be considerin' what I am at this moment." His own anger very near matched that of the young man standing before him. He hesitated.
"What the hell," he exclaimed. "You deserve it!" Quicker than either man had time to think, Tobias slammed a fist into Zach's left eye, staggering him back against the wall of the companionway.
Zach looked up at his friend, his expression one of complete shock. He pushed away from the wall, gently probing his eye. "If you were twenty years younger... " he threatened.
Tobias flexed his hand. "Hard-headed as you are, I’ve probably broken some bones.” He smiled with grim satisfaction, thoroughly enjoying the swelling of Zach’s eye.
“I won’t apologize. You deserved it!” That part of him that was a physician thought to check the eye. Instead, he made an obscene gesture at Zach and headed in the opposite direction toward the galley.
For a man of his age, Tobias had one hell of a punch. Somehow Zach didn't mind. He had it coming, and he knew it. He headed toward the ladder.
They would make the port at Lisbon near daybreak. He had business there. He wanted to be done with it and unload the gold. Then they could be on their way. But he also had to check with the harbor master to find out if there'd been any unusual activity on the part of Barrington ships. At best, he knew he had the advantage of two days' sailing time. He needed that extra time to make Sydney and set his final plans in motion.
It was late when Elyse finally slept. Then the dreams came—she saw herself as a little girl, the chaos and terror of the shipwreck, then the young woman she'd seen in that portrait and a man with sun-streaked hair...
"I have a gift for you," he whispered.
"You've already given me a gift," she told him.
He reached up to touch the diamond and pearl earbob at one ear. Its twin dangled from the other ear. In his other hand, he held two roses—one blood red, the other white. "This rose is my passion for you, this one is my promise that I will love you forever."
"Don't go..." she whispered as they disappeared.
