Then a moment later, in the midst of all the activity, the Hawk was striding back toward her. He was fully armed now,she saw, with his cutlass in his scabbard, a knife in a sheath at his boot, and a brace of pistols shoved into his waistband.
“Go back to the cabin,” he told her curtly. “Stay out of sight.”
He started to turn away. “Wait!” she cried to him, catching hold of his arm. “Please, don’t leave me here—”
“Damn you, stay out of sight!” he told her, his eyes narrowing. “You little witch! Don’t you remember the last time, girl? If you hadn’t been so determined to escape, Logan might well never have known that you existed!”
And he might not have kidnapped her father. The words went unsaid. Skye stepped back as if she had been stung, but she did not cease her argument, for it was the same as his.
“Please, don’t leave me here! It is because—” she hesitated, then continued, “it is because of my very foolish determination at that time that I beg you to bring me along.”
He hesitated, and she knew that he recalled how Logan had come to the ship when it had been weak and unguarded.
“Damn it!” he swore. “Damn it! Aye, come along, then! But you heed my words and warnings at all times, and so help me, if you prove to be trouble, I will lash you to a tree! Robert! Get the lady’s cloak.”
“Robert! And my sword, please!” Skye added.
The Hawk stared at her. He did not refuse her request. “Come, lady,” he said at last, as Robert brought her things. “We’ll take the first boat.”
His touch was far from gentle as he handed her down the ladder to the longboat from the deck. He was not leaving the ship as unguarded as he had in New Providence, but at least twenty-five of his men were accompanying them.
He did not row, but balanced forward, looking ahead. Jacko and Robert and two others were in their boat, rowing steadily. Skye sat tense and silent, watching as they came to land.
When they did, the Hawk asked no by-your-leave, but plucked her up in his arms and thrashed through the water with her in his arms. She smiled suddenly as he carried her, taut and distant, over the sand to the secrecy and shadows of the brush. He glanced down, startled by her gaze.
“Once,” she whispered, “you said that I wasn’t even worth a fair price in gold. But you are risking your life for one night in my arms. Should I be flattered, Captain Hawk?”
“Perhaps I value my life less than gold. Perhaps that is a pirate’s way.”
“I, sir, do not value your life as less!”
She thought that he would be pleased. He stiffened like cold steel and fell to his knees to dump her angrily upon the sand. His men milled behind them but he spoke in a heated whisper anyway.
“What of your life, lady—and all that is of value to your husband?”
She straightened herself, longing to slap him. He knew her intent, for he quickly caught her wrist, and together they rolled across the sand. Breathlessly she shoved against him.
He paused at last. They had come beneath the shadow of spidery trees, on a bed of pines. He rose over her. He cupped her chin in his hands and bent down to kiss her. She tried to twist away. Her resistance was to no avail. His lips found hers. His tongue ravaged them, demanding that they part to him. He was merciless, savage, demanding. She could scarce breathe. She twisted and kicked.
But she could not move, nor could she deny the wild abandon that snaked traitorously into her veins. He brought her alive with fire, with liquid heat. She could fight no more. She tasted his lips and tongue and the deep recesses of his mouth, tears coming to her eyes. She felt his hands upon her, sweeping along her thigh, cupping her breast.
Then at last he broke away. He started to swear at her furiously, incoherently, but then his words broke away. He gently smoothed the tear from her cheek with his forefinger, then he drew her to her feet.
“You will wait here with Robert, do you understand me? I am looking today, nothing more. I may, perhaps, leave you ashore tonight, and enter into the festivities with you safely out of sight and far, far from harm’s way. Stay with Robert and my men, and take care. Do you understand me?”
She nodded. He turned and, shouting orders, left her. She waited until he was long gone, then she came over and joined Robert, who sat idly by the shore. Others of the men had stayed behind, too. Five of them. To protect her, Skye thought.
By Robert’s side, she suddenly burst into tears. He set his arm around her like a brother, drawing her close. Miserably, awkwardly, he tried to comfort her. “I’ve tried to tell him. Ah, Skye, I’ve tried, I’m so sorry.…”
“What?” she managed to gasp out. “Tell him what?”
“To leave you be,” he whispered. “You don’t understand. You can’t possibly understand. He…never mind. It will be all right. Trust me, milady, trust me, please.”
She fell silent and stayed by his side.
Later he rose, looking upward with agitation. “What is it?” Skye demanded.
“Clouds. Storm clouds. I don’t like them.”
