Virginia Henley by Dream Lover Read Free Book Online Page A

once again experienced her beautiful dream. The delicious sense of anticipation had stayed with her, and the joy she felt went beyond happiness, for she knew that soon, soon she would come to him. He was her perfect Irish Prince. She whispered his name with heart-scalding hunger. “Sean, Sean.”
    “When we leave the strait, I hope it isn’t rough. I don’t want to disgrace myself in front of Father,” Johnny’s voice cut into her reverie.
    “Take some deep breaths, here he comes.”
    “Oh, God, Emerald, do something to draw his attention from me.”
    She squeezed his hand and turned to face her father. “That’s a very smart uniform you are wearing, Father.”
    “A uniform lends a man a great deal of authority. Few challenge that authority. Remember that, John. It won’t be long before you’re wearing one. We’ll make a man of you yet, never fear, boy.”
    From the tail of her eye Emerald saw Johnny’s gorge begin to rise. Deliberately, she leaned out over the rail, knowing just what the result would be. The wind snatched off her wig and sent it careening away across the crests of the waves. “Oooh,” she wailed woefully, “that was my very best wig.”
    Her father’s jowls turned the color of turkey wattles. He took her roughly by the arm, marched her to the top of the companionway stairs, and pointed to a cloth bag hanging in the stairwell. “Do you know what is kept in that bag?”
    Emerald shook her head, her voice deserting her completely.
    “It’s a cat-o’-nine-tails. Do one more thing to displease me today and I’ll let the cat out of the bag!”
    She sagged with relief when he let go of her arm. It
isn’t fair! Why does someone always have to draw his sting?
And yet she felt no small measure of satisfaction that she had saved Johnny from a savaging and rid herself of the hideous headpiece into the bargain.
         S hamus spotted Montague’s sails and went down to the jetty to make sure there was ample space to dock and unload the
Defense.
When he greeted his partner in crime, Shamus hid his amusement at Montague’s Admiralty uniform.
He needed it for courage to bring in the guns.
“Ye arrived without let or hindrance, I see.”
    “As always,” Montague replied with his usual touch of English arrogance. He cast an envious eye over the two new ships. “Are these yours, Shamus?”
    “They belong to my sons. The taller ship is Joseph’s; the black and silver, Sean’s,” he said with pride.
    “Speaking of sons, I’d like you to meet mine. This is John and this is my daughter, Emerald. Jack you already know.”
    Shamus shook hands with John and bowed gallantly to Emerald. Very little escaped Shamus’s shrewd eyes. He had seen the little lass blush at mention of his sons. “A thousand welcomes to our home. The celebration is well under way; the gardens are overrun with young ‘uns like yerselves. Go up to the house and enjoy.” He turned back to Montague. “Yer crew can unload the cargo onto the dock. There’s plenty lads about if they need a hand.”
    As usual Montague showed no curiosity regarding the cargo’s final destination, which was likely the reason the two men had been able to deal together so long. William seemed only interested in the gold the shipment would bring him, and that was the way O’Toole wanted it. Montague left Jack to oversee the unloading and accompanied Shamus to the house.
    “I didn’t bring much ammunition for the guns, but I can supply you with a shipload next week.”
    “Good enough.” Shamus nodded. “Get it as far as Anglesey, and we’ll do the rest.” When William looked relieved, Shamus chuckled inwardly; he’d bet a penny to a pinch of shit the ammunition was already on Anglesey. Montague was too big a coward to transport a cargo of explosives that could blow him to kingdom come. Wicked Willie had too many sins on his soul to meet his Maker with equanimity.
    As Kathleen saw them approach she gave her father’s arm a warning squeeze