to read what was in his mind. She was not sure why his nearness made her feel so odd, as if her chest was constricted and she could scarcely breathe. She drew away, suppressing her feelings. She must not begin to like him. If she once let down her guard…Impossible thoughts filled her mind but she banished them.
‘I thought you might prefer your freedom?’
‘You would let me go without ransom?’
‘I might take the ransom and still keep you.’ Justin’s teeth flashed white as he smiled in the moonlight.
‘You do not mean it?’ She was not sure if he was teasing her.
‘Would you prefer me to hand you over to a man who would sell you to the devil?’
‘I should prefer it if—’ Maribel stopped. She had been about to tell him of her stepmother’s family and beg him to let her go to them, but something held her tongue. He was persuasive, but she must not trust him. She had only his word that Lord Roberts was diseased and evil, though she could see no reason why he should lie to her.
‘What would you prefer, lady? Tell me. Perhaps I might grant your wish.’
Maribel hesitated. His voice was soft; it seemed to promise much and a part of her longed to confide in him. He was so strong and she wanted someone to help and protect her from the things she feared, but he was a pirate. How could she believe the man who had abducted her? Her mind told her it would be foolish and yet her instincts were telling her something very different. Despite herself she was beginning to like him.
‘No…’ She shook her head, because she could not be sure he would help her. ‘I should prefer it if you had never taken me captive.’
‘Would you, Madonna?’ He smiled at her and her heart missed a beat. ‘I am not sure that I believe you. Come…’ He held out his hand. ‘You must climb down to the boat and be rowed ashore.’ She gave him her hand and his fingers closed about it, strong, cool and somehow comforting. ‘I have your word that you will not try to run away?’
‘I believe Anna already gave you surety?’
‘Yes, she did, but I would have it from you.’
‘Very well, you have it.’ Maribel glowered at him. She looked down at the rope ladder. ‘I am not sure I can manage that.’
‘Fear not. I shall go before you. I shall steady your feet so that you do not miss a rung—and if you fall I shall catch you.’
‘I shall not fall!’
Maribel did not miss the gleam in his eyes. She watched as he went on to the ladder. Tom came forwards to help her place one foot on the ladder and then she was over the side and seeking the next. A strong hand caught her ankle and placed her foot on the next rung, sending a shock running through her that made her gasp and almost lose her balance. How dare he touch her in such an intimate manner? She had almost begun to trust him, but this was too much! She would have liked to vent her fury on him, but it would be undignified to rage at him in this position. She glanced down indignantly and saw the gleam of mischief in his eyes.
‘Thank you, but I need no help of that kind.’
‘I would not have you fall on me, lady.’
Maribel caught the mockery in his voice and fumed inside. Oh, what a rogue he was! How dare he laugh at her? She would have liked to reprimand him, but all her concentration was on negotiating the ladder without treading on her skirts or lifting them high enough to give him a view of her thighs.
As she reached the bottom he helped her to step down into the boat, steadying her as she found a seat and sat down. She sent him a look of scorn, but refused to speak, because the expression on his face told her that he had enjoyed her predicament.
Maribel watched Anna descend nimbly into the boat and scowled. Her maid had managed easily alone and she might too if that oaf had not grabbed her ankles every time she took a step. How he must have enjoyed that!
She would not look at either of them, sitting stonyfaced and staring at the shore as they were rowed closer. When she realised that she would have to wade through water to get to the beach, she was dismayed. She must either lift her skirts high enough to avoid getting them wet and thus reveal her legs in front of the pirates or suffer a wet gown for hours.
She stood hesitating, unsure of how best to go about it, but then became aware that Captain Sylvester was in the water beside the boat.
‘Come, lady, let me carry you.’ He held out his hand.
‘I can manage…’
‘You will get your gown wet and it will not be pleasant.’
‘I can manage.’ Maribel tried to put one leg over the side of the boat, but he grabbed her waist, swinging her up and over his shoulder. She gave a scream of anger, beating at his back.
‘Put me down, you brute! Put me down at once.’
‘You tempt me, lady. You sorely tempt me to dump you in the water,’ Justin said but carried her up the beach and then set her on her feet. Maribel immediately took a swing at him, but he caught her wrist in an iron vice, his expression stern and forbidding. ‘Be careful, Madonna. Try my patience too often and you will regret it.’
‘You are arrogant and I hate you!’
‘Arrogant? Yes, perhaps I am,’ Justin said. ‘But I do not believe that you hate me. Tell me you are sorry.’
‘No. I shall—’ Maribel caught her breath as he suddenly crushed her against him. She lifted her gaze and something in his face made her gasp. He was so powerful and strong and she was playing with fire. ‘I take it back. You are arrogant, but I do not hate you.’ The strong feeling he aroused in her was not hate, but a mixture of annoyance and frustration, because he seemed to enjoy provoking her. She was used to politeness and respect and this man—this man had cut through the layers, stripping away all that she had known and accepted as her due.
‘That is better.’ Justin laughed and let her go. ‘Forgive me, lady, but you tempt me almost past bearing. I have seldom seen such delicious ankles and beautiful legs. I could not help myself. You are a siren sent to lure me to my death, I dare say.’
Maribel tossed her head, protecting herself in the only way she knew. ‘You are impossible. Would that I were a man! I would run you through with my sword.’
‘You might try.’ His eyes seemed to flash blue fire, making her hold her breath. ‘Tantrums will avail you nothing. We of the brethren are equals. You will be required to work, as is everyone else. You may help Tom fill the barrels with water from the well at the hacienda. It is a job for boys and women.’
Maribel threw him a look of disgust, but held her breath. He had made her very aware of his strength and power over her. She could only obey him for the moment—but when everyone was sleeping she would rouse Anna and together they would escape into the interior of the island. Someone would tell her where she could find Juanita’s family.
Justin watched the woman struggle with the heavy pail, tipping it into the barrel, which would be loaded on to the ship with others for their journey. She had made her dislike of him plain enough, but she had not shirked from the job he had given her, even though she must find it hard after the life she had led.
He frowned as he wondered just what kind of life she had led as Don Sabatini’s daughter. Everything he knew of the man had led him to feel nothing but disgust and anger, but the girl was different. Yes, she was proud and arrogant, but anyone might react that way when taken captive by pirates. No doubt she had feared for her life or worse at the start, and indeed if it had been one of the other pirate vessels that roamed the seas in search of ships to prey on she might have fared much worse. Had Corsairs taken the ship she could have been sold as a slave in the markets of Algiers.
She was proud and spoiled, and at first he had thought she might in truth be her father’s daughter and not to be trusted, but he had realised almost at once that she was innocent. Indeed,