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

Billy was smoking a clay pipe, looking so relaxed Luca wanted to hit him as well. Billy shrugged. “So, you’ve taken to your gypsy ways, have you? Carting off the girl of your fancy when no one else is looking? I knew you were an idiot for the girl, but I didn’t think you’d go this far.”

“I was never an idiot for her,” Luca said, controlling his irritation with an effort. “She’s a cheat and liar.”

“But a pretty one,” Billy pointed out. “She’s also an upper-class lady, no matter what her father may or may not have done. What makes you think you can carry her off like this without someone raising a fuss?”

“Such as?”

“Hasn’t she got a family?”

“Not close enough to keep proper reins on her. If they knew where she’d been the last few weeks they never would have let her do it.”

Billy scratched his head. “Seems to me that she’s not a female who’s easily stopped, once she sets her mind to something.”

Luca finally laughed, some of the tension draining out of him. “You’re right about that. And she has a couple of sisters, but one’s run off with a man who probably murdered his wife and no one knows where the other one is. Our Maddy Rose hasn’t corresponded with anyone since she’s been here. It’ll be a while before she’s missed.”

“And what do you intend to do with her? Apart from the usual, that is,” Billy added with only the trace of a smirk.

“Maybe you ought to ask me why I brought her here. I don’t bring women on my ships, at least not my own wom

en. Not if I can help it,” he said, looking out over the inky dark sea as the ship rocked gently on the harbor waters.

“And is she? Your woman, that is? I don’t know if I’ve ever met one before.”

“Don’t be ridiculous—I’ve had so many women I’ve lost count of them,” Luca shot back, annoyed and uneasy.

“You’ve had women, Sonny Jim. They’ve just never been ‘your woman’ before. Not even that piece of work you said you were going to marry. What about her?”

“I sent her a note breaking it off, and by now she’s rejoicing in her reprieve from marrying an uncivilized gypsy.”

“Which brings me back to the question. Why this one? Because of her father? You figure you owe the old man something?”

“I owe him kidnapping his daughter and having my wicked way with her?” Luca drawled. “I don’t think he’d be thanking me for that.”

“Is that why you’re doing it? You wouldn’t have to take her anywhere to get it done—I’ve seen the way she looks at you when she doesn’t think anyone will notice.”

He hated the fact that that pleased him. He knew full well she was attracted to him, no matter how much she didn’t want to be. “I killed two men tonight, Billy.”

Billy didn’t bat an eye at the change of subject. “Did you have a reason, or was it just spur of the moment?”

Luca managed to laugh at that. “It was Dorrit the Cleaner and some man who hired him. Probably not the man with the money, I expect—he wasn’t dressed well enough to afford someone like Dorrit. The man behind all this would have been waiting at home for a report.”

“Dorrit the Cleaner? I’m impressed, boy-o. Many the man’s tried to take him and lost their lives in the trying. Where did you run across that one?”

“Trying to snap her neck,” he said, nodding toward the cabin.

“Hmmph,” Billy said, considering this information. “Dorrit don’t come cheap. Someone must have really wanted her dead. Got any ideas who it might be?”

“She insists it’s Rufus Brown,” Luca said.

Billy hooted with laughter. “Did Dorrit tell her that? That’s a good one.”

Luca frowned. “Yes, but why would Dorrit lie if he was planning to kill her?” he said, repeating Maddy’s argument.

“Who knows how a madman thinks?” Billy dismissed him. “Does she know you’ve figured out who she is?”

Luca leaned over the side of the boat, watching the waves ripple along the surface of the water. “No. She knows I don’t believe her. Who would? I’m waiting for her to tell me her name and she’s still refusing and I’m not going to do a thing until she decides to trust me enough to tell me the truth.”

“That’ll keep you busy during the journey,” Billy observed wryly. “And would you mind telling me just where we’re headed?”