Never Trust a Pirate (Scandal at the House of Russell 2)

our beautiful eyes?”

“And who could blame her?” Luca retorted. “But no, it’s something else. I need to find out who she is and what she’s doing in my house. She’s not trying to seduce me, more’s the pity, so we can rule that out.”

“Might be part of a gang of thieves. We’ve done that in our time—gone in as climbing boys, checked out the lay of the land, so to speak, and passed along the information for a cut of the proceeds. She might be running the same game.”

“It’s possible. But then, why would she have a more cultured voice than she’s showing? And it would take an educated eye to find the things of value in my house. They’re not your ordinary booty—not much silver or fancy china. It’s in books and artifacts from distant countries that most people wouldn’t even recognize.”

“But you said she sounds like she’s from the upper classes. She’s the type most likely to recognize rare things.”

“Maybe,” he said doubtfully. “But I don’t think that’s it. I’ve seen her before, I know it. I just can’t place her.”

“Never tell me you’ve been pining after some unattainable goddess all these years!” Wart begged.

“Hardly. She’s not a goddess, though I admit she’s beautiful. But then, beauty’s an easy commodity. And no one is unattainable.”

Wart laughed. “Tell me what she looks like. Mebbe that will jog your memory.”

“Brown hair. Very dark, long and curling.”

“Every woman has long hair,” Wart scoffed. “Tell me something I wouldn’t know. And when did you see her with her hair down? I thought you said she’d just started to work there?”

“None of your business.”

“It’s my business if you want me to find out who she is. If she’s an easy piece that makes a difference.”

“She’s not. She’s either a virgin or close to it.”

“Hmmm. Not too many of them in my line of work.”

“And what exactly is your line of work?”

Wart grinned at him. “Purveyor of information. But a pretty dark-haired semi-virgin isn’t giving me enough to go on. You got anything else?”

“She’s got interesting eyes,” he said slowly, suddenly remembering them. “A very dark blue. I think I’ve seen those eyes before, in another… hell and damnation!” Memory flooded back, and with it a powerful fury that swept over him, rendering him almost speechless.

“You’ve remembered?”

“I’m going to kill her,” Luca said grimly. How had she managed to trick him? How had she thought she could get away with it? They knew enough people in common that she would have been recognized sooner or later. And why the hell was she doing it?

“Not your lay, laddie.” Wart shook his head. “You’ve never been one for murder unless it was necessary, and I don’t see you killing a woman. You don’t even hit ’em when they deserve it. Who is she?”

“Eustace Russell’s daughter,” he said bitterly. “I saw her a few years ago at the christening of one of his ships. I don’t know which one she was—he had several of them.”

“Ships? Or daughters?”

“Both,” Luca said in a dark voice. “But what the hell would she be doing pretending to be a maid? And in my household?”

“Leave that part up to me. It’ll be dead easy to get the rest now that you’ve remembered. I’m guessing she didn’t see you at the time?”

He shook his head. “I was too far away, and she was too busy being Russell’s little princess.” He made an effort to tamp down the anger that suffused him. “I remember that he used to bring one of his daughters with him on occasion, though he never brought her around me.”

Wart snorted with laughter. “That surprises you? He wouldn’t want his precious cargo in the hands of a bad ’un like you. She’d take one look and fall madly in love.”

“Not that I noticed,” he said drily. “She wasn’t cut out for docility or domestic work. No wonder I had the feeling she’d just as soon stick a knife in my back as look at me. Though she did kiss me back,” he added, more to himself than to Wart.

“Kissed you back? You told me the girl had just arrived. You work fast, laddie.”

He wished he could find the humor in it. “I always have. Faster ’n you, in the old days.”