Gallant Rogue (Reluctant Heroes Book 3) by Lily Silver Read Free Book Online Page A

with the East Indies. She’s interviewed Pearl numerous times already during our stay here.”
    That was why she was asking questions! Donovan’s manservant was always loose about the mouth, damn the idiot. Again, Jack cast a dark look in the direction of his friend. Donovan met his look and held it for a long moment before giving Jack a silent nod of assent.
    “Yes,” Lady Greystowe appeared to rally her courage in light of her husband’s praise. “I was hoping to add a chapter about piracy in the East Indies. Young men, boys in particular, love a good pirate story. I’ve talked about the Jinn in the Arab lands, and pashas and the exotic temples in Ceylon and India, but I still need some material on pirates to finish out the book.”
    “You and I might have a few private chats,” Donovan answered, seeing that Jack was agitated by Lady Greystowe’s inquiry. “I can tell you a few generic tales, Rose, but I insist on you keeping it anonymous. Unless you wish Jack and myself to be hung for past mistakes?”
    “ Oh, no ,” Lady Greystowe paled considerably, her exuberance was severely dampened by Donovan’s caution. Donovan always did have a talent for making a fine point without mincing words. “I would never wish to endanger either of you,” she said to her brother-in-law, now duly reminded of the seriousness of her inquiries and its possible effect upon those who gave her the information she sought.
    “I am still a sailor,” Jack went on, feeling the need to smooth the failed conversation. “I work for his lordship, I’m the captain of his merchantman, the Pegasus , and pleased to be so fortunate.” He looked down the table to his friend again and they exchanged a careful nod. “I’m married to the sea, as it were. I’d be willing to share a few stories about my adventures as a sea captain. We’ve had trouble with privateers here and there, if that would interest you?”
    “Oh, certainly. Thank you, Captain,” Lady Greystowe returned. Her eyebrow arched slightly. “Married to a body of water? Why Captain Rawlings, that is positively disturbing. Do you not long for family, for a wife and children to come home to?”
    Great Neptune . Conversing with this lady was akin to trying to step across a deck filled with lit cannon fuses linked to crates of gunpowder. She was a clever one, and very persistent in digging deep for a story.
    “Jack was engaged. His fiancée died tragically,” Donovan said in a curt tone.
    “Forgive me,” Lady Greystowe said with emotion. “I didn’t mean to stir up past hurts.” 
    “It was many years ago, my lady.” Jack replied. “I was engaged to a lovely woman named Amelia. A young lady with golden hair like a field of pale flax. She lived in Boston. Her father ran a mercantile specializing in rich silk cloth. Her father was going to sail to the East Indies to purchase silks. My Amelia went with him. Their ship was taken by Barbary pirates and she...” He paused, the bitter memory rising to the fore and clogging his throat.
    He couldn’t tell this gentle woman his beloved had been sold to an Arab prince, as a concubine for his harem. He couldn’t tell Lady Greystowe he’d turned to piracy when he learned of her grisly death at the hands of her captor. Or that her brother-in-law, the respectable Count Rochembeau sitting opposite from her had been a vicious pirate in those days, and had helped Jack wreak a prolonged and bloody vengeance upon Arab sailors for the death Jack's beloved.
    “She died before I could find her,” Jack said sharply and downed his wine in one long, desperate guzzle. He set the empty goblet on the table. A footman stepped forward to fill it again.
    Murmurs of sorrow echoed around the table. Murmurs he didn’t wish to hear.
    “Someday you will find true love again,” Mr. Barnaby, the old man, piped up with an annoyingly cheerful voice. He lifted his glass to Jack, seeming convinced of his forecast. 
    “I beg to differ,” Chloe, now the