Jack focused on the waves. The woman floated on her back. Her white chemise swirled around a pair of tanned legs. Finally, she swam toward shore. Stepping out of the surf, she wrung out her hair, then flopped down on the sand, her face to the sky. All he could discern from his position was an impression of full, lush curves and long, curly hair of the palest blond, almost as white as the sand on the beach.
Who was she? He imagined lying next to her on the sand, the sun warming their bodies as he ran a hand down along those tan legs. What color would her eyes be? Would her lips be salty from the sea? A rare smile curved his lips. What a pleasant diversion this water nymph had made in his hectic day.
Turning his horse away from the beach, he made his way to the house on the hill.
****
“Captain Jack, you young scalawag. It’s good to see you. Thank you for coming.” Robert Jamieson enveloped Jack in a bear hug that may have cracked a few ribs on a slighter man.
“Good to see you too, sir.”
The Captain hadn’t changed much in the years since Jack had last seen him. He was not a tall man, but he was built like an ox. He had thickly muscled arms, broad shoulders, and shrewd eyes. His long hair was no longer all black, but peppered with gray strands and flowed past his shoulders. The open vee of his shirt showed off a large tattoo of a rose right over his heart.
“Based on your missive, I gather I am needed for something rather urgent?” He took a seat across from Jamieson next to an open window that afforded a magnificent view of the ocean.
“Well, something important, anyhow. I need you to transport something quite precious to England. I hear you are heading out this week?”
“Yes sir, we hope to sail Thursday morning. For you, I can certainly make room for extra cargo. What sort of merchandise are we speaking of?”
“It’s not merchandise. It’s passengers, more specifically my daughter.”
Jack abruptly sat back in his chair. He couldn’t have been more surprised if Captain Jamieson had asked him to transport mermaids.
“Your ship is equipped with space for passengers, yes?” Jamieson asked after several moments of silence.
“Well, yes, but I rarely take on passengers unless they make it well worth my while.”
“I would consider this a personal favor.” Jamieson gave him a hard look. “I need to get Vivian off the island as quickly as possible.”
His interest was piqued. “Why?”
The older man reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a letter and passed it to him. Jack scanned the missive, alarmed at its content. The letter from New Orleans contained news of Pierre Dubois’ release from prison.
“They just let him go? What are those bloody French thinking?” Dubois was a ruthless pirate, slave trader, and a cold-blooded killer. He and his cronies killed two local priests who organized a protest against the slave trade in New Orleans. He had been in jail there for some years now.
“Things have become dangerous with the release of Dubois. Vivian needs to be somewhere Dubois will never look. Where better than in London, safely ensconced among my late wife’s titled relations? As you can see, with my greatest enemy on the loose, I cannot risk Vivian being anywhere in the Caribbean right now.” His lips formed a grim line. “She is all the family I have left.”
Jack handed the letter back. “I was heartbroken to hear about your wife’s passing, sir. She was a fine lady who saw possibilities in a young reprobate like me. She straightened me out while I recovered here and sent me out a better person. I was in the Mediterranean when I heard the news of her death. Otherwise, I would have come to offer my condolences in person.”
“Yes, well, Rose had a way of always seeing the best parts of someone. Lord knows she was my salvation.” Jamieson turned to look out the window for a moment, his grief etched in his features. “I have written to her sisters in London. They both married well and are now both widowed. They have agreed to have Vivian stay with them and sponsor her for the social season. Now that the old Earl is dead, they are free to embrace the daughter of their wayward sister. I would like Vivian to marry a nice gentleman and settle down in England. I have let her run wild for far too long. Her aunts can instruct her how to be a proper lady. No one on this side of the Atlantic knows of my wife’s background or her relations. In London, Vivian shall be safe.”
“But why me? Why not see her safely there yourself?”
“I can’t take a chance Dubois won’t try to engage my ship, especially if he knows I am at the helm. As for why you, you owe me.” He leaned back, lacing his fingers together in front of him. He smiled, but his eyes were deadly serious. “Plus, you’re a bloody gentleman. I know you don’t acknowledge your bloodlines, but they define your conduct. I’ve never heard you to be cruel or to outright steal and plunder. A crafty devil you may be, but you’ve earned everything you have. I know you can be trusted to get her to England safely with her reputation intact. Do I make myself clear?”
Jack’s eyebrows lifted. Very few men in the Caribbean knew of his family background. On the rare occasions he traveled in England, he visited with family discreetly, preferring to stay out of society. Jamieson was right; he did owe him. The man had saved his life, given him a job. The captain was the closest thing to a mentor he’d had on this side of the ocean. He would do whatever necessary to keep the man’s daughter safe from harm. He felt bad for the girl; she would be introduced into a world defined by the rules of propriety after being free her whole life.
“All right, sir, I can transport her, but I don’t babysit. Will she have a traveling companion to take care of her needs?”
“I will send Miss Beaumont as her companion and Old Tom to watch out for her.”
“Old Tom?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Old Tom is a retired sailor of mine. He has known Vivian all her life. He’s sharp as they come, and not unwilling to stick the sharp end of his knife into anyone who might harm her.”
Jamieson rang for a servant. When a footman appeared, he asked for Miss Vivian to be summoned to the study.
“I warn you she is not happy about the trip, so don’t expect a gracious welcome.” Jamieson grimaced.
