Part 5 (2/2)
”I see.” The old woman's eyes scanned Cathy's face thoroughly, but there was nothing in her expression to indicate disbelief. Cathy heaved an inward sigh of relief.”Where have they put you, child?”
”I-I-the captain has been kind enough to let me have the use of his cabin.”Which was certainly true. She did have the use ofJon'scabin. It was no businessofanyone'swhat price he exacted from her for the privilege.
”That was gentlemanly of him. I must confess that I'msurprised. Most likely you remind him ofayoung sister, or evenadaughter. Even cutthroats have their soft spots, I suppose.”
”Yes. Yes, I'msure that'sit.” Cathy was feeling more and more uncomfortable. She felt that her shame must be brandedintothe soft fleshofher forehead.Quicklyshe changed the subject. ”Tellme,your Grace, how goes itwith you and-um-Mister and Mistress Grady?”
The d.u.c.h.ess looked ruefullydownat the stained dress that hung on her now bony frame. ”Thingshavenot been too well with us, as you can see. But atleast weare alive, and I suppose we must thank G.o.d for it. Thesepirates usually think nothing of murdering innocent people outofhand. They areabrutal, lawless bunch.”
”Indeed, ma'am, you are right. We are both brutal and lawless.”
Cathy jumped asJon's hands bit hard into the thinly-covered flesh of her shoulders. She should have guessed that he would come after her. His arrogant pride would not allow himtolet her get by with ignoring his commands in frontofhis crew. The questionwas,would he give her away? She threwan unconsciously pleading look over her shoulderathim, trying very casually to shrug free of his touch.Toher surprise, he let her go.
”I'm glad you realize it, young man. If you keep to your present way of life, you will surely hang.” The d.u.c.h.ess's voice was scornful.Jon's mouth tightened, and Cathy suddenly feared for the old woman. He was in no mood to take impertinence lightly.
”Undoubtedly, ma'am.”Cathy relaxed as Jon replied with only a slight impatience. ”But my men and I infinitely prefer hanging to starving.”
The d.u.c.h.ess stared at Jon icily. She was an old woman, her life almost over. She did not fear death, but neither did she intend to invite it prematurely. This man was a pirate, and by definition murder was his trade. She modified the harshness of her tone.
”Lady Catherine tells me that her accommodations have been somewhat better than ours. For that I am grateful. She is still very young, and it would be an abomination if she were to be misused.” Her words conveyed anunmistakeable warning to Jon. Cathy swallowed convulsively. Surely he would not expose her! After all, he would gain nothing from her disgrace.
”As you say, she is very young,” Jon replied slowly, his face expressionless. ”I thought it best to put her where she would be out of harm's way. As for the lack in your accommodations, for that I am truly sorry. But you must realize that the 'Margarita' is not a luxury vessel.”
”That's quite obvious, young man. When may we expect to be released?”
”Arrangements will be made, as soon as possible, after the 'Margarita' makes port. Possibly some ten days from now.”
”I a.s.sure you,Captain, that you cannot move too quickly for any of us.”
”I am sure I cannot. And now, ma'am, my men have other duties which call them. If you are ready, they will escort you below.”
”Ah, certainly.It never does to pull a tiger's tail, does it?” the d.u.c.h.ess said grimly, and, without waiting for a reply, turned to go below.
A sailor who has been looselylooselyguarding toe prisoners caught the old woman's arm none too gently. Another shooed theGradys before him like a pair of squawking geese. Cathy, watching the d.u.c.h.ess's gaunt face as it set intoanexpression of tired endurance, felt an almost physical pang of pity. She had to do what she could to help. Her conscience would never let her rest, otherwise.
'Wait!” she cried impulsively. Then, to Jon, ”You cannot continue to treat them in such a barbarous fas.h.i.+on! It's cruel, inhuman! If they are to be treated so unkindly, then I insist on suffering with them!”
Jon looked her over from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Cathy felt chilled by that hard look, but she proudly stood her ground. It was possible that he would take her at her word, and order her to be taken below. If so, then she would have exchanged good food and a soft bed for the return of her honor, slightly tarnished. If not, if he refused to deny himself the comforts of her body for the sake of teaching her a lesson, then she could likewise refuse to submit to him unless the other prisoners were decently fed and housed. Of course, he could always resort to brute force. But she was beginning to suspect that he might find that highly unsatisfactory. Or so she hoped.
”What did you say?” His voice was softy threatening, meant for her ears alone. Cathy's eyes flashed defiantly.
”I demand that you treat the other prisoners decently. It's brutal of you to abuse them in such a way! If they are to be starved and kept locked up, then so shall I be!”
”My sweet, if you insist on being starved and locked up, then I have no objection. But it will be done on my orders, not yours.”
His voice was still low. Cathy hoped that the others had not heard the casual endearment with which he had preceded his words. Common sense told her to back off while she could still do it gracefully. Pride refused to let her.
”We should all be treated the same way,” she argued recklessly. ”If I am to be well-fed and housed then they should be, too.”
Jon shook his head at her. ”You don't learn very quickly, do you, little cat? I am captain of this s.h.i.+p, and I give the orders. Don't think that just because you share my bed that you can tell me what to do!”
Cathy gasped, looking quickly over her shoulder, praying that his crude words had not been overheard. Her hopes were in vain. Mister and Mistress Grady were eyeing her with shocked avidity while the d.u.c.h.ess's eyes were sorrowing. Cathy turned fiery red. Though she had brought this publicity of her disgrace upon herself, she refused to admit it. She felt that she hated Jon almost more for betraying her shame than for causing it. She would never forgive him, never!
”I hate you!” she whispered fiercely as he motioned the grinning sailors to take the other three prisoners below. He caught Cathy roughly by the arm, dragging her after him as he strode toward his cabin.
”Save your tantrums until we are alone, if you please,” he said crisply. ”Otherwise I'll be obliged to quell them in an equally public way!”
”You didn't have to say what you did! Isn't it bad enough what you've done to me, without telling the world? Are you so vain about your conquests,Captain, that you must make certain that everyone knows of them?”
”I said shut up!” The barely restrained savagery of his tone got through to her. She wisely did as she was told, but her chin jutted mutinously as he half-shoved her before him into the cabin.
”You did that deliberately,” Cathy charged in a shaking voice as he kicked the door shut after them.
”I didn't have to.” Jon's reply was calm as he leaned back against the door, arms crossed over his chest. He showed no trace of the anger he had exhibited just seconds ago. ”They knew anyway. Do you think they're fools?”
”They didn't know for sure until you came right out and told them,” Cathy hissed. ”Do you have any conception of what you've done? You're ruined my whole life, that's what. No one will want to marry me now! No gentleman would want the-the leavings of a pirate!”
”But you're not leavings-yet.” Jon grinned suddenly, eyes dancing wickedly. ”And who knows, you might get lucky: I might decide to keep you for a pet. You purr very satisfactorily at times, my cat.”
Cathy caught her breath furiously. ”You filthy swine, do you think that my father won't come looking for me? He will-and he'll find me. Your only hope is to let me go as soon as we reach land. My father is a powerful man. He'll hang you twenty times over for what you've done to me!”
She was so angry that she barely knew what she was saying. Jon's grin turned derisive.
”He has to catch me first, little cat, and that's hard to do. Men have been trying for years, yet here I still stand. What makes you think that your almighty father will succeed where so many others have failed?”
”He justwill , that's all,” was all Cathy could think of to reply. She spat the words through gritted teeth to make up for theirinaneness .
”He might not even try, if you were to send him word you had decided to stay with me of your own free will.” It was said in an offhand manner, but Jon's eyes were suddenly intent on Cathy's flushed face. She was too angry to notice.
”Stay with you?” She laughed scornfully. ”You can't be serious! Do you think that I'd give up my whole future, my family and friends, to stay with a man who thinks nothing of raping an innocent young girl, a man who murders and steals, who would starve a helpless old woman? You must think highly of your abilities in bed, Captain. Speaking for myself, I disagree.”
'You're a conceited little cat, aren't you, sweet?” Jon drawled, his eyes glittering strangely. ”What makes you think I'd have you? I was just mentioning a possibility. Once we reach port, there will be plenty of women eager to warm my bed. Women much better at pleasuring a man than you, I'm glad to say. You'll become redundant.”
Cathy glared at him, too incensed at this cavalier dismissal of her importance to be able to frame any kind of a reply. ”And,” Jon continued coldly, ”asfor the rest of your remarks, I'll take them point by point. First, I thought we'd already agreed that no rape occurred. Second, I steal to survive. If you'd ever gone hungry you'd be more sympathetic. Third, if I don't kill my opponents, they'll kill me. And I prefer to live, thank you. And finally, as to starving those pudding-bags, let me inform you that the 'Margarita's' rations are carefully calculated before each voyage so that there's enough to get us where we're going and back-no more. We have no room for extra stores. When we took the Anna Greer,” our food supplies were already low. We had followed her for some days longer than I had originally planned, you see. If your three friends were allowed to gorge themselves, then I or my men would have to go without sufficient food to make up the difference. And the prisoners are not needed to sail this s.h.i.+p. They get enough to keepbody and soul together, andwe'll reachport before they suffer any real ill-effects. You should be grateful that I wa.s.sufficienyly taken with your soft curves to want to keep them that way.”
”I despise and detest you,” Cathy said slowly after a long moment. ”You have the hardest heart of anyone I've ever met.If you even have a heart, which I'm beginning to doubt.”
”I have one, never fear.” His long lashes dropped to mask his eyes. ”But I also have sense enough to realize that if I don't take care of me and mine, no one else gives a d.a.m.n. Something you'll doubtless realize as you grow older, my child.”
”I'm not a child any more, thanks to you,” Cathy replied bitterly. 'You've seen to it that I've grown up fast.”
”And I've enjoyed every minute of your education.” The mocking light was back in his eyes.
Cathy abruptly turned her back, too sick at heart to argue further. She crossed to the window to stare pointedly out.
”Would you please leave? I'd like to be alone for a while.” Her voice was icy.
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