Would she throw herself into the sea? No, in panic she was running back to the captain’s cabin, so it seemed. Some engagement was taking place there, a Highlander gave battle to his one of his men, and was duly silenced, falling back into the cabin. “I shall take this!” Eric called to his men.
She was within that cabin.
He reached the cabin door and burst it open with a powerful slam of his boot.
And he saw her there, cradling the fallen Highlander in her arms. Her eyes rose to his, ever emerald. Defiant…maybe just a little fearful. His name left her lips on a whisper, and then she staggered to her feet, dragging the Highlander’s heavy Brown Bess along with her.
“Highness,” he muttered in return, cleaning his sword to keep his hands steady, fitting it back into his scabbard. He didn’t know what he said to her then, something that meant nothing, something about the state of the war. And something about his fury to be here now, because his wife was a traitor.
She tried to interrupt him—he would not allow her to do so. He tried so desperately to keep control of his temper. He didn’t want to touch her. He would kill her…or he would rape her, there aboard the ship with all his men about.
“I am innocent of this!” she cried at last. The denial tore into his heart. By God, she had been there—with Tarryton.
Control, he thought! And he arched a brow politely. “You are innocent—Highness?”
“I tell you—”
“And I tell you, milady, that I know full well you are a British spy and the notorious ‘Highness,’ for I oft fed you misinformation that found its way to Dunmore’s hands. You betrayed me—again and again!”
She was holding the Brown Bess on him. Her eyes were in tempest, her hair was a beautiful fall about her. She was his wife, and he had lain with her night upon night, and she was holding the lethal weapon on him. “Give it to me, Amanda!” he demanded furiously. “Amanda!”
“Get away from me, Eric!”
Fury filled him and threatened to burst. “Now, Amanda! I warn you that my temper is brittle indeed. I almost fear to touch you, lest I strangle the light from those glorious eyes. I’ll take the gun!”
“No! Let me by you. Let me go. I swear that I am innocent—”
“Let ‘Highness’ go? Why, milady! They would hang me for the very act.” Now! He had to take the weapon from her now! Fiercely he strode to her. She moved away as he lunged.
“No! I’ll shoot you, Eric, I swear it—”
“And I do believe you, milady!” he retorted bitterly. Aye, she would shoot him! And be free…
“Shoot me, then, if you dare, milady!” he challenged her. “But take heed, madame, that your weapon be loaded.”
“Aye, ’tis loaded, Eric!” Was she trying to warn him? God! He wanted to believe in the tears that stung her eyes, in the warnings she tried to issue. He could not!
He caught the gun by the barrel and sent it flying across the room. The damned thing exploded. He spun around, staring at her coldly. “Itwasloaded, milady. And aimed uponmy heart!”She would have killed him. His own wife, she would have killed him. “And now, Highness…”
“Wait!”
“Wait for what, milady? Salvation? You shall not find any.”
She stared at him a long moment, her green eyes still liquid, as if she would shed tears. Lying tears. And still, she was so beautiful, her breasts heaving, the pulse ticking at her throat. Her face so very fine that he longed to feel the lines beneath the stroke of his fingers.…
Suddenly, like a doe, she leapt into action, trying to sweep past him. He took a step and seized her, catching her hair. She screamed out in pain and he swirled her back into his arms. She pummeled, kicked and fought wildly, and he felt the warmth of her against him, felt the rise of her breasts, the span of her hips, and so help him, all that he could remember for a fleeting moment was the laughter they had shared. Laughter, and sweet tender moments by the slow-moving river.
She nearly caught his chin with her flailing fists. He caught her wrists savagely and wound them back together at the small of her back. She tossed back her head to meet his eyes. “So beautiful,” he told her. “So treacherous. But it is over now. Surrender, milady.”
She smiled suddenly, and it was a smile that caught his heart, slow and nearly tender, and oh so wistful. She brought back all the years that gone between them, all the tempest, and all the precious moments of peace. “No surrender, my lord,” she said softly. “No retreat, and no surrender.”
It was then that they were interrupted by one of the young Carolina lieutenants. The man came to a halt behind Eric and excitedly spouted, “We’ve found her! Highness! She gave the ship and the intelligence to the British.”
His eyes remained locked with hers. “Aye, we’ve found her.” Fury gripped him. He no longer dared touch her. With an oath he cast her from him. She nearly fell against the back paneling and steadied herself there, ever tall and ever proud, and so damned dignified and beautiful despite it all!
The lieutenant whistled softly. “No wonder she played our men so false so easily!”
How bitter those words!
