Katherine barely looked at him. “Yes.”
“Surely your family did not summon you home?”
Katherine knew he spoke only to her. What did he care? Her hostility increased. “I was not summoned home. But now I know why my father forgot me. His troubles are so vast.” Still, she was upset that neither he nor Eleanor had seen fit to send her the terrible news of his conviction and imprisonment.
“I was summoned home,” Juliet inserted. “And ’twas convenient for Katherine to join me.”
“It is unusual, is it not, for a lady to decide to leave a nunnery without her family’s permission?” The pirate stared at her.
Katherine’s temper erupted. “I decided to take my fate into my own hands. I had no intention of growing old in the nunnery.”
“Indeed,” he murmured, his tone like the stroke of a feather upon her skin.
Katherine flushed, suddenly aware of how disobedient, ungenteel, and independent she must seem. Of course, itdid not matter what he thought. But her tone of voice sounded defensive. “Father did not answer my letters. I did not know of his plight. I only knew I must return to Ireland.”
“Many ladies wish for nothing more than the soft, predictable life of a nunnery.”
She stared. “Not I.”
He smiled at her. It was an arresting moment. His expression was intimate, warm. “I am glad,” he said. “You are by far the most intriguing woman I have ever met, Katherine.”
She clasped her hands in her lap, looking down at them, breathless. He did not even try to hide his desire. He did not care that Juliet was a witness to his intent. He was immoral, despicable—and Katherine was afraid, no matter how she tried to hide it.
And she knew she was hardly intriguing.
His gaze caressed her bent head. Katherine looked up sharply and their gazes collided. Panic bubbled in her breast. Behind his disturbingly handsome face, Katherine kept seeing the bed. How was she to avoid imminent ruin? How?
He smiled. “Lady Juliet, let me escort you to your cabin.”
Juliet tensed and did not move.
Katherine gripped the table. Her eyes were wide, wild. “Surely Juliet stays here—and sleeps with me?”
He rose lazily to his great height. His smile was as languid. But there was nothing casual about the glitter in his smoky eyes. “Lady Juliet?”
Juliet got to her feet, darting Katherine a frightened glance. Katherine found herself standing, begging. “Please. Let Juliet stay here. With me.”
His glance slid from her face down her body. He did not condescend to answer her, instead taking Juliet’s arm and guiding her to the cabin door. Katherine watched in horror. He opened the door, called out to the sailor. Juliet threw one last, despairing glance at Katherine and then she disappeared. The pirate closed the door, slowly turning to face her.
“What will you do with me now?” Katherine cried, no longer trying to hide the panic she was feeling.
He crossed his arms and leaned against the door. “I am going to seduce you, Katherine.”
Katherine tensed in expectation as he suddenly moved toward her. He took his time. He was in no hurry, but then, he was confident of his ultimate victory.
Katherine detested his arrogance as much as she detested everything else about him. She clenched her fists at her sides. It crossed her mind that when she struck his handsome face, she would be deeply satisfied.
“I am not going to murder you,” he murmured, his tone spun silk.
“No, you think but to destroy me instead.”
He smiled at her, reached out to touch her face.
Katherine raised her fists and punched at his cheek and jaw.
He ducked, his reflexes so fast that her knuckles did not even scrape his skin. A second later he had caught both her wrists in his hands, immobilizing her. Amazement showed in his eyes.
She did not move, did not speak, did not dare even to breathe. Her chest heaved. She watched his face, trying to guess what he would do next. She knew he was considering his options carefully.
