Page 50 of The Rogue

“Don’t look so downhearted. I think you’ve had a successful enough first day. But you cannot afford to let any opportunity slide. You must seek him out, touch him whenever you can, even if it is just a brush of your fingers over his, your hand on his shoulder. Find his eyes, even if you are not alone, make sure he can read what it is you want there. You must smile at him and make him realise exactly what it is you are thinking about. You must use all the ammunition at your disposal, Henri, and every opportunity to deploy it. I know you dislike behaving in this manner, but we all use whatever weapons are at hand when the need arises and like it or not, sex is a powerful motivator.”

He got to his feet, leaving her with her cheeks flushed.

“Speaking of which I’m going to dress for dinner. Choose your weapon with care, my dear,” he said, clearly enjoying her discomfort as he smirked at her. “Your next battleground awaits.”

Henri cursed under her breath as he left her and made her own way back to her room to dress. Annie was waiting for her, and she drew her maid to the armoire and the rows of lovely dresses.

“Well then, Annie,” she said, frowning at the display of silks and muslins. “What here is most likely to topple this idiotic man’s defences and give me the victory I need?”

Without hesitation Annie reached for the white silk she’d picked earlier that morning.

“Perhaps this time, ye’ll heed my advice, my lady,” she said, one eyebrow raised.

Henri sighed and nodded. “You win, Annie. I am entirely in your hands.”

***

A short while later, Henri stood in front of the full-length mirror, feeling thoroughly scandalised.

“Oh, Annie, I can’t!” she said, turning this way and that and looking at her own reflection, torn between disbelief she could look so very lovely and shock at the idea of dining alone with two men, neither of whom she was married to dressed like ... like ...

Words failed her.

“Ye can an’ ye will,” Annie said, drying her hands after having spent some time damping down the fine silk so it clung to every intimate curve.

“But you can see ...” she waved her hand to encompass pretty much everything, as the very fine unmentionables did little to hide what the dress was putting on display. Not to mention the fact that the bust was cut so low Henri didn’t dare take a deep breath for fear of spilling out of it. “I cannot imagine what the staff must think of me!” she wailed, covering her flushed cheeks with her hands.

“Oh, I reckon ye can, miss,” Annie muttered, chuckling to herself.

“Oh, Annie! How can you laugh at me so?”

Annie turned back to her, clearly making a valiant effort to rearrange her face ... and failing miserably.

“Oh, I’m sorry, my little duck,” she clucked, patting Henri’s hot cheek with a cool hand. “But if ye want to marry that young man, well ... like ‘is lordship said, you’ve got to use every weapon at ye disposal.” She looked her mistress over with satisfaction and nodded. “And a fine arsenal ye ‘ave too, if ye ask me.”

“Oh, Annie!” Henri covered her mouth with her hand and giggled despite herself. “You are awful,” she scolded, though Annie just poked her tongue out at her.

“Now then,” Annie instructed, gathering up discarded clothes as she went. “You remember everythin’ I tol’ ye?”

“I assure you the images are seared onto my brain,” Henri murmured, still feeling shocked to her bones at the instructions Annie had given her on how to seduce her reluctant pirate.

“Well then,” Annie said with a sigh. “Short of goin’ an’ doin’ the job for ye’ ... an’ I’m quite willin’ to give it a go,” she added, waggling her eyebrows. “Then I’ve done all I can for ye.”

Henri snorted and moved to give Annie a hug. “You are utterly beyond the pale, Annie, and I thank the heavens for it.” She released her maid and walked to the door. “Well then, to arms,” she said, turning and grinning at Annie. “And let battle commence!”