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Tristan liked that she didn’t kno he fit into her world--quite uncomfortably if the truth were known He’d hid it ith quick s But he had little desire to return to the ht of it Better to stay in the shadohere they were co without politeness It was a tight shroud, one he didn’t enjoy wearing

He had a keen insight when it ca buried treasure He wanted this Lady Anne who’d dared approach him and offer him money He could have taken it and then wooed her once she was on his ship, but that would have love where it reotten it He yearned for a challenge

He was fairly certain that she would provide hiet

Chapter 2

"Well?" Martha asked as soon as Anne was coe and they were on their way

"Your brother was unfortunately mistaken," she said succinctly to her lady’s s of a hero at all, and he is most certainly not an honorable man"

"Are you certain you spoke with the correct person?"

"Quite"

"I don’t understand Johnny sailed with hihly of him--"

"Yes, well, I assure you that he is a man hom I have no wish to associate" She balled her hand into a fist Blast it! She’d left her glove behind Her hand was still so warers had taken over it that she’d not even thought about the silly glove She’d never known such a sensuous touch It was dangerous So very dangerous "Please, speak with your brother and ask him for another recoe--"

"I will if Isojourn She siood-bye But when she had ht it an awful idea to go there They didn’t understand, but then how could they? She loved Walter, but during their last night together before he left, she’d hurt him ords and deed Perhaps if she hadn’t, he would have coiveness

He’d sent her his wages every reat deal, but she invested the funds for them, for their future It was those funds that she would now use to visit him She would leave a note for her father to find after she was gone She feared that her departure being at the ers would result in her fa able to find her

But a ship at her beck and call--they would leave during the dark of night and be well out to sea before her faazed out theand strove not to think about how Criht as easily as he did the sea He no doubt was accusto into his bed with no cohty part of her that she didn’t wish to acknowledge could hardly bla about hih, when he’d turned down her offer for passage in exchange for aze had revealed exactly what he had in oing to give it to a crude sea captain, even if he did cause ihts with littleher skin It was only because he was earthy and rough A heathen A man for whom lust was common He was interested in the conquest, but his interest would wane once a lady was conquered

She had no interest in being conquered

She would find a more suitable captain An old one with more experience A hideous one who did not cause her heart to flutter A poor one who had need of coins

Captain Cri--and she had to reluctantly adht be a delicious morsel ofto be lured by smoky eyes or the promise of passion they held She had denied Walter, after all, while loving hiht, she lived with regret over their parting She needed to go to Scutari so she could assuage her guilt, so she could find happiness--if not with him, then with someone else

"What do you know of the Earl of Blackwood?" Tristan asked, standing in the doorway The clocks had only just tolled ht, and he’d known he would find his brother in his office After all, vice dens were busiest when decent people slept

Rafe gazed up frolared "I’ve not seen you in two years and you can’t even bother with a proper greeting?"

"Hello," Tristan said laconically before wandering into the roolobe to his collection since Tristan had been here Interesting He wondered why his brother fancied the have you been in London?" Rafe asked

"A ive or take a week Blackwood?" Bless Mouse and his eagerness to prove his worth to Tristan for providing him with a place aboard his ship He’d not only followed the lady hoed to speak with a servant in order to acquire the particulars regarding the household The earl had four sons and a daughter