“I shall wait for you.” She closed the space between them and linked her arms around his neck. “I will need you to keep me warm tonight.” She stood on her toes and placed her mouth over his. The kiss wasn’t the same as when he had kissed her before. Perhaps it was because Mr. Percy’s homemade brew stained her lips.
He broke the kiss and pulled back. Through her half-closed eyes, he detected a glaze. “Camilla, I thought you were not going to drink with the captain tonight.”
She shrugged. “I had to act my part. Captain Wilkes wouldn’t believe me any other way.”
He nodded and kissed her forehead. “Go to bed and sleep it off, my love. Have Beth help you to bed.” He chuckled. “I fear you will have a headache in the morning.”
She pouted and turned away, stomping up the stairs.
Strange behavior for certain, but then, he’d never seen Camilla intoxicated before.
Chapter Twenty
Camilla forced hereyes open, ignoring the pain slicing through her skull. The room tilted. Nausea spun in her stomach, and she clenched her jaw to keep from disgracing herself. She tried to roll over, but her feet wouldn’t move. Even her hands were bound together. Confusion made her head throb harder.
A dirty floor came into view, followed by cobwebs and hay. She squinted against the morning light pouring through the dust-streaked window beside her. She moved her hands, but the ropes burned her wrists. Her mouth tasted of dirty cotton because of the cloth resting between her teeth. She ran her tongue across the material, and then gagged again. What was going on?
Deep laughter lanced through her head. Like a spear, the rough sound pierced the already painful tissue. She peered toward the sound. In the corner of the barn, leaning up against the wall, Captain Wilkes stood wearing a cocky grin.
“Ah, my dear, you are finally awake.”
She scowled. The imbecile. Of course she was awake.
He pulled away from the wall and sauntered toward her holding a bottle of whiskey. “Thought you might like a drink to dull the pain in your head. Your sister whacked you pretty good last night.”
Although Camilla would rather not drink alcohol, she needed something to moisten her dry throat—and an excuse for him to take this vile rag out of her mouth. She nodded.
He knelt beside her and loosened the gag. Once it had been removed, she opened her mouth, stretching her achy jaw.
“Here.” He held the bottle to her lips. “Just take a little sip.”
She studied his eyes, evil as the devil himself. The liquor touched her tongue, and then burned her throat. She jerked away, making the whiskey dribble down her jaw to her neck. She coughed, but the scalding pain in her throat increased.
He threw his head back and laughed. “It would appear you have not formed a liking for spirits.”
She glared at him. “My throat was dry, you dolt.”
“So, last night you were just pretending?” he asked.
She bit her lips together, not wanting to even waste her breath on him.
“You know,” he continued, “if not for your sister, I would have never known the difference.” He touched her hair and rubbed a lock between his finger and thumb. He grinned. “I really cannot tell the two of you apart.”
Her stomach lurched again, and this time she prayed something would come up and dump on him. Her prayers went unanswered. She cleared her throat. “Where is Kat?”
“She will be here momentarily. I’m certain she is as thrilled to visit with you as you are to visit with her.”
“Not likely,” Camilla muttered.
He laughed again and stood. “I have no idea what your sister has planned for you, but let me give you a bit of information. Your lover will die, as will his friend Broderick.”
She narrowed her eyes. “My lover? Are you referring to my husband?”
“Mr. Worthington is not your husband. He is married to your sister.”
“You are wrong. Malcolm Worthington married Camilla Connelly, and my birth certificate states the name of Camilla. I refuse to believe my father has lied to me all these years.”
The smirk remained on Wilkes’s face as he shook his head. “Your sister did mention how sick in the head you are. Now I can see why she would say such a thing.”
