He was unable to do anything else as he huddled there on the deck, trapped and alone, Hawk cruelly out of reach.
“Nathaniel? Please, please. Come back to me.”
Groaning, he tried to open his lead-weighted eyes. It was Susanna who called for him now, and the thought that she might be in need tugged him from the roiling depths. Blinking, he glimpsed her pale, pinched face.
“Yes, that’s it! Open your eyes.”
Where were they? He tried to remember the last time he’d been with Susanna—the merchant ship, pirates boarding—Hawk. No, they weren’t there. It hadn’t all been a dream; that was impossible. What he’d shared with Hawk had been real; it had to have been.
So how… The ransom. Primrose Isle. The messenger lunging for Hawk, dagger suddenly in his grasp, the blade sinking to the hilt in Nathaniel’s belly, pain burning white-hot and then terrifyingly cold.
The world was a blur. A white ceiling with a pattern etched into it, swirls and loops. Turning his head felt monumental, but it was worth it to behold Susanna’s tearful smile. He’d always hated to see her cry. He tried to reach over and wipe her tears, but his hand wouldn’t cooperate.
“Susie?” His throat was a desert, nothing but stones and sand.
“Yes. Shh, it’s all right. You’re safe. Here, drink. You must drink.” She held a glass to his lips, lifting his head for him. The tepid water burned going down.
“Where?” He was in a bed softer than any he could remember, but likely his memory was short at the moment. Beyond Susanna, sunlight streamed through an open window, the pale curtains hardly moving in the sticky air.
“We’re on Primrose Isle. You’re safe at home with us.” Her smile faltered, but she lifted her chin.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, nothing. It can wait. Oh, Nathaniel. We thought we’d lost you again. I’m not sure how much you remember. That despicable pirate returned you with a grievous wound, but don’t worry—justice will be served.”
His heart seized. “What do you mean? Where is he?” Nathaniel tried to sit up, his body trembling, traitorous limbs too weak.
“Don’t try to move! Please, darling. The stab wound was bad enough. Just when we thought you were returning to us, infection set in. It’s been two weeks, and the surgeon didn’t hold out much hope at all. But I did, and Elizabeth did.”
“Who?”
Susanna laughed, tired lines creasing her face. “Your betrothed, of course. It will all come back to you soon. You’ve been mired in this fever, but it’s broken now. Elizabeth will be overjoyed when she returns this morning.”
It took too much effort to speak, so he didn’t bother addressing the issue of Elizabeth Davenport. Darkness had begun to close in at the edges of his vision, but he croaked, “Hawk? Where is he?”
Pressing a cool cloth to his forehead, she soothed, “It’s all right. That vile man can’t hurt you now.”
A scream tore at Nathaniel’s raw throat, but he was falling under the surface, dark waves closing over him.
Candles flickered as Nathaniel focused on the bundle cradled in Susanna’s arms. He vaguely recalled hearing a babe’s cries at some point and realized Susanna’s belly had been flat when he’d woken before.
He was able to lift his hand this time, and Susanna jerked her head up, exclaiming. The baby wailed. A young blonde woman hurried in and took the child while Susanna helped Nathaniel drink more water.
Resting back against the downy pillows, Nathaniel tried to recall what they’d discussed earlier, his heart plummeting as it hit him. “Where is he?”
“Who? Father? He was in earlier with the surgeon. Of course he’s been worried sick. We all have.”
His gaze returned to the young woman, who lingered, jiggling the baby and cooing to it. “Elizabeth?”
The woman replied, “The babe’s name is Grace, m’lord.”
Susanna laughed awkwardly. “This is Cecily. The wet nurse. Elizabeth returned earlier, but you slept for hours. She’ll be back in the morning, don’t fret.”
She rose and spoke to Cecily in low tones Nathaniel didn’t try to decipher, his mind turning over the possibilities of Hawk’s fate. Cecily left with the baby, and Susanna retook her seat. She wore a blue dress that had seen better days, although jewels sparkled in her ears.
He wanted to demand more information but remembered his manners in time. “You’re both doing well? She’s beautiful. Grace.”
Susanna beamed. “She is, isn’t she? And yes, we’re wonderful. Bart and I couldn’t be happier.” Her smile dimmed. “Father would have preferred a grandson, of course, but next time, we hope.”
“Father can go fuck himself.”
She gasped, a hand flying up to cover her mouth. Then she craned her head to peer out the open doorway. Apparently seeing no one, she leaned in, trying to hide her mirth. “You have been on a pirate ship indeed.”
Worry gnawed. “Where is he? Captain Hawk. I must know.”