Jill Barnett 2 Dreaming

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.Richard was her hero.Her everything.Her dreams, her hopes, and every moment existed only because he did.She took a quivering breath. But I love you, she whispered, hoping the truth would, perhaps, win herforgiveness for not knowing how to behave. You re too young, too naive to know what love is.Bloody hell! I don t even know what it is! Hestood barely a foot away, towering high above her like the god she thought he was.Gus leapt to his feet and wedged his way between them.He raised his head and looked up at Richard,snarling. Come here, Gus. Letty swallowed around the lump in her throat and patted the floor beside her.Slowly, never taking his eyes off Richard, Gus moved to stand protectively beside her.As she had done so often before, she put an arm around her pet and rested her head against his thickneck.There were times, not unlike now, when it felt as if the entire world was some foreign land whereshe didn t speak or understand the language, where nothing was familiar, where she was so completelyalone that fear was an incomplete word for what she felt.So she held onto Gus and tried to think aboutthe one thing in her life that was constant and true.Her love for Richard.Her hand softly scratched Gus s ear, and he cocked his head so she could scratch the right spot.Hestopped glaring at Richard, who, Letty was certain, had not stopped glaring at her.The tension he d had so much trouble controlling was a live, animated thing that she could feel as surelyas she felt his touch and as surely as his harsh words had bored painfully through her heart.With her gaze locked on the sand and crusty dirt that marred his black boots, she quietly began, I knowwhat love is.When he said nothing she looked up. I knew the first time I ever saw you.You can shout and you canbluster and you can try to shock me the way you try so hard to shock everyone else, but all the brandy,all the wild ways and anger in the world, won t change what s inside here. She pointed to her heart. Ilove you.The taut anger in his face slipped, and something akin to desperation flashed through his expression.HerRichard was there, somewhere, guarded, underneath everything he showed the world.He had for oneinstant lost that guard.But just as quickly it was back up, and once again he hid behind a mask of darkcynicism. You love me? He laughed cruelly and squatted down in front of her, his look as intense as his being.With one knuckle he tilted her chin up until she could look nowhere but at him. I ll give you this warning,hellion. His dark green eyes carried the cold hardness of marble, and he shook his head and said, Don t.Then he stood up swiftly and crossed the room, his shoulders straight, his long lithe strides taking himback across the hold to another barrel of destruction.He bent and refilled his cup, then stood thereleaning against the crates, his gaze pensive, cold, and distant.And the minutes felt like hours, vacant,empty, because he never bothered to look at her again.For the long hours of the blackest of nights there was no sound but the sea, nothing but the constantrocking of the lugger.There was also little wind, as if the gods of irony had decided to play little gameswith those who chanced to be aboard.With a purple dawn came a breath of wind, enough to fill the sails, enough to send the gulls cawing andwheeling out over waters that rippled like the gods laughter.And later, from deep within the still darkdepths of the ship, a loud and constant thudding echoed above board. Open this bloody door! Richard raised a fist and pounded again. Do you think they ll come soon?He cursed under his breath and turned toward the hellion. The water seems to be rising, she informed him from her perch atop the gun crates.He watched herpeer thoughtfully down at the sea water that was now a good foot deep.Her skirts were damp and herslippers and stockings were piled in her lap, while her bare feet dangled impatiently.One arm was aroundthe hellhound s neck.Richard would have liked to get his arm around the beast s neck too.The damned dog had spent thebetter part of the last hour shaking water on him whenever it could.He hammered the door again. Open.Open, I say! Do you hear me? This is the earl of Downe! I orderyou to open this door! The earl of Downe, you hear! The earl of? He froze, frowning. Good God, Isound like Belmore.The lock slid with a rusty clunk and Richard stepped back.The door slowly opened.Water from theflooded hold spilled into the passageway with a loud swoosh.There was a gruff curse, and one of the triplets stuck his head inside.A second later he slogged into thehold, followed by the sailor with the singed beard and no eyebrows.Both men held pistols.Sluggish Gus sat up, suddenly alert, and he barked a greeting.Richard took a step and found himself staring into a gun barrel held by Phelim.Phergus? Phineas?Phelix? Philbert? Phleabrain? Whichever. We are not staying down here, Richard said, his tone unyielding, and his plan underway.He dloosened the canvas in the small hours of the morning so the sea water leaked through in streams insteadof trickles.He reasoned that this was the only way for them to have a chance of escape.They wouldhave to get topside whichever way they could.The smugglers stared at the water, frowning. It s been filling faster for the last hour.And I ve been pounding on the bloody door for half that time.You d think the entire ship was deaf. None of us be hearing too well after that blast, a sailor said in the overly loud voice of an oldcannoneer.He kept his pistol aimed at the hellion.The gun quivered slightly. Ye re shouting again, Harry, the other smuggler told him. Here. He handed him the other pistol. Keep an eye on em since yer ears ain t no good. He crossed over to the canvas, inspecting the edgesuntil he came to one of the five spots where Richard had removed the nails.He glanced down at thefloor, bent down, and felt around the water, coming up with one of the nails.He crossed the hold andstarted out the door.The damned fool was going to leave them in the flooded hold. Where in the bloody hell are you going? Topside.We need volunteers. He gave a covert look toward Letty. Men willing to come down andrenail the canvas. You cannot leave us in here. Richard moved toward the man, but Harry the eyebrowless stopped himwith a pistol barrel in the chest. Now see here, Ph? Richard frowned. Which one are you? Why do ye want to know? That s Phineas, the hellion volunteered.Richard gave her a look that was meant to quiet her. I m right, aren t I? she asked the man, ignoring Richard s look like she did everything else he said,ordered, or asked, which was why she had no idea he had a plan.He d made sure she was asleep whenhe d loosened the canvas. Aye. Phineas turned to Richard and eyed his wound. I don t suppose ye could cause any moreproblems with that arm, now can ye? Oh, Richard won t be one bit of trouble. Letty. he warned. Well, you won t.It s obvious we cannot stay down here.And Mr.Phineas isn t a cruel man, are you?Of course not.I can tell by his kind eyes.As brown as sorgham molasses.No one with eyes likemolasses could possibly be cruel and mean, now could they? You do have very kind eyes, you know.Just like my very own Uncle Phineas. She blessed him with a smile so brilliant even Richard was caughtoff guard for an instant [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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