The Pirate's Willing Captive by Anne Herries Read Free Book Online Page A

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 loadedon 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, had he not known she had been widowed, he would have thought her still an untouched girl.
    Her beauty stirred his senses, and had he been another kind of man he would have taken her when she defied him in her cabin, but her courage in defying him had amused him. She was Sabatini’s daughter and as such could mean nothing to him save for the ransom she would bring, but there was something about her that made him smile.
    * * *
    Maribel’s teeth sank into the soft meat of the suckling pig that had been slow roasted over a fire for hours. Itwas very strange, but she had never eaten anything quite as delicious. At first she had been inclined to refuse such fare when the succulent thigh was offered her, but the smell was so good and she was hungry after her work.
    She wiped the grease from her mouth, then hesitated before rubbing it into her hands. The water buckets had been heavy and her hands felt sore from carrying them from the well to the barrels that the men had then transported to the ship; the grease would act like a salve and ease the stiffness.
    The owner of the hacienda had come to greet them. He seemed on friendly terms with Captain Sylvester and more than ready to supply them with all the food they needed for their journey. It was he and his wife who had supplied the feast they had just eaten. Maribel wondered if he might know of her stepmother’s relatives.
    Getting up from the bench where she had sat to eat her meal, she wandered over to where the farmer’s wife was ladling soup into wooden bowls.
    ‘Good evening, señora.’
    ‘Would you care for some wine, Donna Maribel?’
    ‘Thank you, but I have eaten well of your suckling pig. I was wondering if you might know some friends of mine who live on the island?’
    ‘I know everyone who lives on Mallorca, lady.’
    ‘Would you know the family of Donna Juanita Sabatini? Her family name is Mendoza.’
    ‘I knew Donna Juanita, a lovely lady.’ The woman smiled at her. ‘I worked for her family as a youngwoman. There is only an elderly cousin left now and he lives alone.’
    ‘Where can I find him?’
    ‘At the other side of the island, a journey of some hours on foot—but I would not go there if I were you.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘He is a peculiar, lonely man. He might not welcome strangers.’
    ‘Juanita was very dear to me…’ Maribel hesitated. ‘Could I borrow a horse from your stable? I would return it.’
    ‘You will have to ask my husband, lady. Perhaps if Captain Sylvester stood surety for you…’
    Maribel hesitated. It