Rexanne Becnel by Heart of the Storm

shall have her wish and be put ashore. Not too far from her home,” he added, giving her a chilling smile.
    Xavier disentangled Eliza’s frozen fingers from his sleeve. When had she knotted her fist around it? “It will be all right, little one. Just be brave,” he murmured to her.
    Be brave? When she was certain the man meant to finish what he’d begun before?
    Before Oliver could follow through with his captain’s orders Eliza tried to snatch Aubrey from him. “Don’t take him from me. Don’t you dare!”
    But he had no more choice than did she, for with one unyielding hand around her upper arm, the wretched captain yanked her away from Oliver. The younger man gazed at her regretfully. He glanced from her to his captain and then to Xavier. But Xavier shook his head. So much for the man’s vow to protect her, Eliza thought as she fought down hysteria. Then the two men backed from the room, taking the still sleeping Aubrey with them and leaving her alone in the lion’s den.
    When the door closed, the click of the latch was as ominous a sound as she’d ever heard.
    “Now, Miss Thoroughgood.” He released her and Eliza stumbled back. There was no way out, though. He stood between her and the only door, and the enormous bed lay between her and the windows. Trapped like a feral kitten she’d once seen her brothers corner in the walled garden at home, Eliza stared about wildly, all the time shaking like a leaf.
    “Rest assured, Miss Thoroughgood,” he said in a cool mocking tone. “Your reputation is perfectly safe with me.”

    That statement was so ludicrous that Eliza came perilously close to laughing. But she was afraid it would turn to embarrassing tears. She drew herself up as best she could, straightening her posture and wrapping her arms protectively around herself.
    “I have no reason whatsoever to believe you,” she managed, though in a rather strangled tone.
    He smiled ever so faintly, then pulled one of the leather chairs in front of the door and sat in it. He gestured to the other chair. But instead of sitting in it, Eliza backed around it.
    As if it would keep her safe from the likes of him!
    “As you wish. Now, I have a message for you to deliver.”
    Eliza stared at him suspiciously, but his expression gave nothing away. “A message,” she repeated.
    He steepled his fingers together, watching her all the while with eyes that seemed far too observant. Eliza was suddenly cognizant of the fact that she wore nothing but an embroidered flannel gown. She was covered from chin to wrists to ankles, of course. Nonetheless it was night apparel, not her proper day clothes. And her hair was unbound, fallen during her ordeal into a tangled mess around her face and shoulders. Alone with a man in his bedchamber, and dressed this way. Her reputation was already irrevocably destroyed.
    But her reputation was of less moment than the danger that dear Aubrey might be in. “A message to whom?” she repeated in what she meant to be a scathing tone of voice.
    His black eyebrows raised, mocking her again. Somehow that roused her ire as nothing else could. He thought her amusing. She’d been threatened, manhandled, and kidnapped, and now he found her amusing! The utter conceit of the man!
    “To Aubrey’s father, of course.”

    As quickly as that, her outrage changed to dread. “Uncle Lloyd?”
    “So he is your uncle.”
    “He’s married to my mother’s sister. But what has that to do with you? Why should you want to harm an innocent child like Aubrey?”
    “My reasons have nothing to do with you. It is enough that you tell the man that I have his son.”
    Eliza gripped the back of the chair. “But why? Why would you do such a horrible thing? What has Aubrey done to deserve such cruel treatment at your hands?”
    A muscle flexed in his jaw. Once, then again. But he gave no other sign of his feelings. His voice remained low and even. Still, Eliza knew some violent emotion seethed inside him. A deep,