Iris Johansen - Dark Rider

She forced herself to open her eyes and face him again. "I think you believe you're telling the truth."

"Christ." He stared at her in exasperation. "Don't you ever give up?"

"Sometimes the truth isn't clear," she said desperately. "You have no evidence."

"I saw Charles Deville."

"And I trust him," she whispered. "And even if I didn't trust him, he's my father. I couldn't let you kill him. It had to be a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. We have to forgive them."

"Not a mistake of this magnitude." His lips tightened. "I don't forgive mistakes until they're paid for."

"Not even your own father's mistakes?"

He looked at her in surprise. "My father?"

"You said you were only a boy. What right did he have to take you from safety to a country in which he knew you'd be in danger?"

"I wanted to go."

"It was still a mistake. You could have been killed and it would have been his fault. He was a fool."

"We're not talking about my father."

"I'm not talking at all." She leaned back and tried to gather the tattered remnants of her composure about her. "It does no good. We cannot agree."

He was silent a moment and men said roughly. "You're right. I knew you wouldn't be dissuaded when I started. Why in Hades should I keep trying to save you, when you won't save yourself? I assure you it's not my nature. I always accept whatever fate offers me, and I'm already anticipating this particular delicacy." He smiled cynically. "By all means, come with me. It's been a long, frustrating search, and it's only right that I take a reward for my labors."

Lani came out onto the veranda just after dawn, and Cassie breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to have an ally nearby. Danemount had not spoken again, but she could sense his anger and tension as he lay those few feet away.

"Good morning," Danemount greeted Lani coldly. "May I take it that you're also actively involved in all this?"

"As actively as Cassie would permit. She didn't tell me about the laudanum." Lani walked over to Bradford, tilted his head back, and peered into his face. "I expected him to be awake by now. It must be all that brandy…"

"I am awake," Bradford murmured. "I'm just afraid to open my eyes. My head feels like a broken coconut." He cautiously opened one bloodshot eye. "Ah, but the sight of you is worth any pain. You truly have the face of an angel."

"Your judgment has no value. You've clearly had no dealings with heaven or any of its beings."

Bradford flinched. "Cruel…" He frowned in puzzlement. "I seem to be restrained." He tugged at the bonds. "Your doing?"

"I believe we can lay the blame at Mademoiselle Deville's door," Jared said. "Along with the laudanum."

"Laudanum. No wonder I have such a throbbing head."

"I'm sure it's little worse than you usually suffer in the morning." Lani turned to Cassie. "It's time to release them. Clara will be rising soon."

Cassie nodded eagerly. Thank goodness this nightmare was over. "It should be safe now."

"You're wrong," Danemount said softly. "You've never been less safe."

Avoiding his gaze, she reached below her chair and drew out the carving knife she had put there in readiness. She cut Bradford's bonds.

"Thank you," he said politely. "Though I doubt if such extreme measures were necessary in my case. I'm not a warlike man."

"Too much effort?" Lani asked.

He beamed at her. "Exactly. How pleasant to be understood."

Cassie braced herself before moving toward Danemount. He silently held out his wrists.

She hesitated for an instant. He seemed no longer tense, almost relaxed, his lean body graceful, loose-limbed, but full of danger. She felt as if she were about to release a bound panther.

He lifted his brows. "Well?"

It had to be done. She slashed through the ropes, then tossed off his blanket and cut the cords binding his ankles. She hurriedly took a step back.

"Don't be afraid." He smiled mockingly as he rose to his feet. "I'm a patient man. I can wait. Come on, Bradford. Let's go back to the ship."

"Now?" he asked as he struggled off the couch. "I seem to be a little confused. Have I missed something?"

"I'll explain on our way back to the beach." Jared paused at the top of the steps and looked back at Cassie. "It should take me at least a full day to ascertain if you've told me the truth. The guards will stay here until I do." He grimaced. "Not that they've been overly successful in this enterprise so far. They might as well not have been here."

"You shouldn't waste your time," she said impatiently. "We could leave right away."

" If I decide you're not trying to deceive me again, we'll leave tonight. I'll send a message to the guards to pack up your belongings and bring you to the beach at sunset."

Cassie heard Lani's quick intake of breath but did not look away from Danemount. "You needn't bother. I'll be there."

"It's no bother." He smiled sardonically. "I appreciate your eagerness, but there's a protocol regarding the treatment of hostages. I fear guards are de rigueur."

He went down the steps followed by Bradford. She and Lani watched them until they disappeared from view.

"What is this?" Lani asked Cassie.

"I have to go with them. There's no one else to take me," Cassie said. "It's not what I want, but at least I'll be on the same side of the world as Papa. I'll have to find a way to escape from them once I reach France."

"There is always a way. We will find it." Cassie didn't look at her; she didn't want Lani to know how relieved she was at that calm assumption of togetherness. She was suddenly feeling very uncertain and alone. "You don't have to go with me," she said haltingly. "I won't ask it."

"Good. Then instead of chattering we can concentrate on packing our bags and dealing with Clara's tantrums at our leaving. Charles left me with a little over a hundred pounds for emergencies. It's not much but it will help." Lani moved toward the door. "I'd judge we have another quarter hour before Clara wakes. Let us make the most of it."

"It's not a wise move," Bradford told Jared as the longboat drew close to the Josephine . "You should leave the girl here."

"I need a hostage." Jared smiled mockingly. "As the lady pointed out to me."

"She's not a lady; she's little more than a child."

"She won't remain that way long," Jared said. "Life has a way of forcing us all to grow."

"Life or Jared Danemount?"

Jared didn't answer.

"You intend to bed her."

"Do I?"

"Was it the ropes? She didn't know, Jared."

"It wasn't only the ropes."

"I was afraid it was more." He sighed. "I could see it coming."

"How perceptive of you."

"It's not wise," Bradford repeated. "You'll regret it."

"Why should I?"

"Because you're a just man, and you'll find it difficult to make the daughter pay for the sins of the father."

"I'll steel myself. And may I remind you that she's committed a number of sins against us on her own."

"Enough to provide you with an excuse to force her to your bed?"

"I didn't say I'd force her," he said, stung. "I don't force women to couple with me."

"Not as yet." Bradford tilted his head as if in thought. "There may be other ways, of course. She will be completely in your power. Perhaps if you refuse to feed her, you could starve her into submission."

"I will not starve her," Jared said between his teeth.

"Or you could stake her out on the deck for the seamen to ravish. I'm sure your bed would appear very appealing in contrast to that experience."

"You know I'm not- Good God, I've never seen you this protective over a woman."

"She's very brave. I like courage. It's the one quality that is instinctive, undefiled by what we're taught. It comes from the heart and not the mind." He smiled. "But don't worry about me. When I get drunk enough, I'll forget all about gallantry and helpless innocents. I'm sure it's only a temporary aberration anyway." He looked back at the shore. "Maybe it's this place. Golden and clean and without a sense of sin…"