The Pirate Lord by Sabrina Jeffries Page B

glanced around the cabin at the gold fittings and extravagant comforts. “ Retiring ?” she choked out.
    “Yes. Retiring. As you may know, piracy’s a very dangerous profession lately. Most governments seek to ferret out our kind and destroy us. And my men and Ihave more than enough spoils to make us comfortable. We don’t wish to end our illustrious career by kicking the clouds, if you know what I mean.”
    She nodded mechanically. She’d done enough work at Newgate to recognize the cant for hanging. But retiring? Pirates retiring?
    Settling back in his chair, he laced his fingers together over his stomach and surveyed her with his disconcerting gaze. It seemed to touch her mouth, her cheeks, even her well-covered bosom. If another man had looked at her like that, she would have been appalled. So why was it that when he did it, her pulse quickened?
    “The trouble is,” he went on, his tone lower, huskier, “we have no country to retire in.”
    “What about America?”
    “Not even there. Let’s just say America holds little appeal for most of us. And I doubt any American towns would welcome a pirate band with open arms.”
    “I should hope not,” she grumbled, then could’ve bit off her tongue at the look of scalding anger that passed over his face.
    But he seemed to check it quickly, and when he spoke again, his voice betrayed nothing but bland indifference. “I see you understand our situation. Fortunately, my men and I have found an island inhabited only by wild pigs. It has a freshwater stream and lush vegetation, and it’s large enough to support a substantial population. So we’ve decided to settle there, to build our own country.”
    His gaze grew dark, almost mesmerizing. “There’s only one problem, you see. We have no women. And a colony without women…well, you can understand our dilemma.”
    The smile he gave her then was so unexpectedly charming, she had to force herself not to respond to it. She didn’t want to be charmed by this…this wicked scoundrel. She didn’t want that at all.
    “But why these women? Why not pick wives in the Cape Verdes or—”
    “Why do you think we were in Santiago?” He glanced away, his mood seeming to shift to a graver one. “Unfortunately, few women wish to travel to an unknown island where they’ll be cut off forever from their families and expected to do their part in making it livable. Even the…er…ladybirds find that a less than tempting proposition.”
    Ladybirds indeed. A blush rose to her cheeks despite her attempts to stop it. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Can you blame them?”
    His gaze was on her again, and he smiled as if he took great delight in her embarrassment. “I suppose not. They have reasons to stay on Santiago. But the situation is entirely different for the women of the Chastity . They’re doomed to a life of near slavery in a foreign land. We chose them precisely because we thought they’d prefer freedom with us to enforced servitude with cruel former convicts in New South Wales.”
    “I’m not sure I understand the distinction between former convicts and pirates,” she snapped. “They’re both criminals, aren’t they?”
    A muscle ticked in his jaw, making him look even more forbidding. “Believe me, there’s a profound difference between my men and those cutthroats.”
    “You expect me to take your word for it?”
    “You don’t have any choice, now, do you?” At her disgruntled expression, he seemed to rein in his temper. “Besides, our island has more to offer than New South Wales, where the weather is pitiless and the government more so. We have perfect weather, easy living, plenty of food, and no government but our own. There are no jailers, no magistrates oppressing the poor and catering to rich nobility…’tis a paradise. Or it will be when your ladies join us.”
    His eyes fixed on her, a burning zeal in their depths. He’d painted a pretty picture of his island, but Sarawasn’t fooled.