“Ye’d believe the word of a wanted pirate?”
“I shall believe your word until you prove yourself untrustworthy.”
“Innocent ‘til proven guilty? That’s not the way yer laws work.”
“It is the way I work.” Blackburne was as skeptical as Darcy—another trait they had in common.
After some seconds’ consideration, Blackburne nodded. “I’ll meet yer Darcy, if ye find him. But the second ye cross me, I’ll leave, and ye’ll not be able to find me.” He held out his hand.
They shook, and Richard raced away from the river to Mayfair.
A carriage waited outside his father’s residence. It was too dark to see who it belonged to. Richard dismounted in front of the house, tossing his horse’s reins to the first man to run down the steps to him.
Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet stepped out from the conveyance, calling out, “Colonel! We must speak with youwithout delay!”
As hurried as he was, there was something in their manner that brought Richard to a halt.
“It is Elizabeth,” Mr. Gardiner said.
Mr. Bennet’s hands shook as he raised them in supplication. “Please help her, Colonel. One minute she was with me. And the next, she was gone. Vanished.”
CHAPTER 13
Elizabeth stretched out her legs, muscles sore, bones aching.
She tried to remember, but the past hours—days?—had been a blur. There had been a lot of jolting and bouncing. Now, gentle swaying.
“Miss Elizabeth,” a man’s voice called. He was not her father, but his tone was gentle, musical. “Miss Elizabeth, you must sit up and drink.”
Tilting her head to the side, Elizabeth opened her eyes, blinking as her vision cleared. A wall of black and gold and vivid hues met her gaze. She sat up, trying not to look at the bare chest under the brightly colored vest, and focusing, instead, on the beautiful tray loaded with plates and platters which he balanced on one arm. The smell was divine, and her empty stomach groaned in anticipation. In his other hand, he handed her a glass of water.
As tempting as it was to dwell on the food, she had not come here of her own volition. “Who are you?” she asked.
He bowed. “Your servant, Jaffa. Cap’n Alexandra sends her deepest apologies for the inconvenience to you.”
“Inconvenience is putting it lightly. I was kidnapped.”
“She hopes you will be comfortable aboard theFancy.”
A female captain. Interesting. Still, Elizabeth was cautious. Women were as capable as men of committing the worst crimes. She could not let her guard down, nor could she give in to hunger before she had learned who her captor was. “Captain Alexandra?” she prompted.
Jaffa set the tray down gently on her legs, and pulled the lids off of the plates. Freshly baked bread, scrambled eggs, sausages, a thick slab of butter, a small bowl of strawberry jam, and an entire pot of coffee with her own bowl of sugar and cream.
The aroma did its best to break her defenses, but Elizabeth held Jaffa’s steady gaze. “Who is Captain Alexandra?” she repeated.
“She is the cap’n of this ship and my master. Her welfare is my responsibility, as is yours.”
“I am her prisoner?”
“You are her guest.”
Looking down at the feast spread over her legs, Elizabeth found it hard to debate the point.
“Please, Miss Elizabeth, you must eat.”
Who was she to argue? He poured her coffee while she tucked into her meal. Every bite made her hungry for more; each morsel tasting better than the last as her hunger abated enough for her to savor the tastes crossing her tongue. Longbourn’s cook had never prepared a breakfast this delicious. She did not know Captain Alexandra, but Elizabeth would pay her compliments to her chef.
Pausing to sip her sweet coffee and cream, she looked up at Jaffa, who stood over her like a guard ready to pounce should her cup get too low or an unwanted guest arrive. “Do you treat all of your prisoners”—he shot her a look—”I mean, guests, this well?”
