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Chapter For THE PIRATE'S LADY by Shari Dare
“You will be sailing from South Hampton
for the New World in a fortnight, on the first ship available.”
Samantha Howard looked at her father in disbelief. “The
New World? But why?”
“Of my twelve children you are my sixth daughter.
To be frank, I cannot afford a dowry for you, to say nothing of the fact
that you have had no suitors. I have always told you a gentleman does
not want a wife who is more familiar with the stables than the kitchen.”
Sami hung her head. She knew how often her father had
threatened that she’d remain a spinster for her entire life if she
didn’t act more ladylike. As a child, his threats fell on deaf ears.
As a rebellious teenager she had proven her womanly talents with more
than one of the stable boys. Although her attributes in that department
remained a closed and guarded secret from her father, she enjoyed not
only her trysts, but also the adventure in not getting caught.
To appease the old man, she had learned to cook and to
sew, but only to the extent that she satisfied her mother and governess.
Over the years she had watched her older sisters and vowed
never to be as prissy as they were. They had married the men Father told
them to and found themselves in loveless marriages where sex was a duty.
Their only enjoyment came from the new dresses and hairstyles to be shown
off at the various dinner parties they gave and attended.
How often had they come home only to complain about the
agony of having to make love to their husbands? For Sami, making love
was certainly no agony. Of course, if she were married to one of the local
gentry it might be a different story. She found the stable boys to be
fun and tried out each new one that her father hired.
She was careful not to become pregnant. Out of concern,
she had spoken with the local mid-wife. Her tale was, she hoped, believable.
There was a poor girl in the village that was doing things she shouldn’t
do and Sami was worried that such activities would end up in an unwanted
pregnancy. The old woman had been very sympathetic and assured Sami that
a tea made from a certain combination of herbs would keep the girl from
conceiving.
Upon obtaining the proper recipe, Sami made and drank
the concoction religiously each morning. It was easy to substitute her
blend for the one the upstairs maid delivered to her room each day. Since
Sami was known to like her tea brewed to her own satisfaction, the hot
water was brought along with a tin of tea. Sami carefully measured out
her usual amount of tea and put it into her handkerchief to be disposed
of in the garden later in the day.
“I have a friend who has a plantation in the Carolinas,”
her father continued, causing her to listen more intently. “There
is a sacristy of eligible women to marry his sons. I must admit I have
been less than honest with him about your abilities, but he has agreed
to pay for your passage and once you are there, I doubt he will send you
home.”
“You lied to get me a husband?”
“I bent the truth, slightly. I am certain Percy
did the same about his third son, Brittmore.”
“Brittmore! You are planning to marry me off to
a man named Brittmore! Does this man have a last name or is he like the
red savages I have heard live there?”
The veins in her father’s neck stood out in anger.
“Of course he has a last name! It is MacDonald.”
“A Scotsman!”
“Not really. His mother is a fine Englishwoman.
She was your mother’s best friend. As for Percy, his mother was
also English. You will find their home to be very civilized.”
“I do not care! I do not want to go to the New World!”
Sami stamped her foot in protest.
“You have no choice, daughter. You sealed your fate
when you would not obey me. I am well shed of you. You will sail in a
fortnight and you will do so with a smile on your face. Everyone will
believe you are excited about your upcoming marriage and the prospect
of sailing half way around the world to the arms of a man who loves you.
This is the story we will tell not only our friends, but your brothers
and sisters as well.”
Sami could only stare at her father in disbelief. To drive
home his point, he turned and stormed out of the library.
Her heart told her to throw a tantrum. Reason told her
to accept this and consider it an adventure. Unwilling to contemplate
either option further, Sami left the library. She would change into her
riding habit and go out to the stables. A ride through the fields with
Tommy, the newest stable boy to garner her attention, would not only clear
her mind but also satisfy the ache in her womanhood. If she were to be
leaving Howard Manor, she would certainly miss Tommy. He was, indeed,
a talented lover.
She no more than left the book-filled room when she almost
collided with her mother. “I thought I would find you bolting from
the news your father had for you. Before you jump to all the wrong conclusions,
come and walk with me in the garden.”
Sami’s self-composure drained as tears rolled down
her cheeks. She knew her mother would assume they were because of the
directive from her father, when in reality they were for the lost opportunity
for an afternoon of delightful sex.
“How could Father do this to me?” Sami wailed,
playing the part of the wounded daughter to the hilt. “How will
I ever survive so far from home?” At least this last question is
truthful. I love everyone so dearly, how can I leave?
“Much better than you think,” Melissa Howard
replied. Taking Sami by the arm, she guided her through the open French
doors to the perfectly manicured garden. Instead of sitting down on one
of the garden benches, Melissa made her way to the heart of the maze.
Sami smiled at her mother’s choice. As a child the
maze had been Sami’s favorite hiding place. While her sisters refused
to set foot in the maze, Sami knew every twist and turn by heart. She
knew there was a bench deep within the maze, but surely her mother did
not know of it? This was Sami’s place. She had dragged the bench
back there years ago during one of her many acts of defiance.
Without hesitation, her mother made her way to the exact
spot where the bench sat. “Did you think you were the only member
of this family who has a relationship with this puzzlement of overgrown
shrubbery?”
Sami could only nod.
“You and I are not so different. I was as unhappy
about my marriage to William Howard as you are about yours to Brittmore
MacDonald. This maze fascinated me from my first day at Howard Manor.”
“Did Father ever know?”
“Never. I am an excellent actress. You will become
one too. I only hope you can hide the fact that your virginity is not
intact.”
“My what?”
“Do not play coy with me. I know your blood runs
as hot as mine did at your age. Luckily, I was able to fool your father
by telling him of a terrible riding accident I had as a child that took
my virginity from me at an early age. I was able to fake the pain of our
first lovemaking and lead him to believe that his was the first cock to
find comfort within my body. How many lovers have you had, Samantha?”
“How can you ask me such a question?”
“Because by the time of my marriage I had bedded
at least six of the stable boys in my father’s employ. Of course,
I was more discreet about it than you. I played the part of a demure young
lady who enjoyed sitting with my sewing. My affairs were achieved when
I was to be napping in the afternoons and while on long carriage rides.
I do hope you were wise enough to consult the mid-wife about the proper
precautions to prevent pregnancy. I do not know what your father would
do if he learned of your worldly pursuits.”
“Yes Mother, I have consulted the mid-wife. I drink
a tea every morning to keep such a thing from happening. As for the number
of lovers I have taken, the number is three, although I find that Tommy
is the best of the lot.”
Her mother smiled, mischievously. “I thought you
might enjoy him. Martin and I discussed it before he was hired.”
“The stable master? Have you been…”
“Darling, I’ve been diddling with Martin for
years. It’s hard to tell which of my children are from Martin and
which from your father. You don’t think I would give up great sex
just because of a little thing like marriage, do you? Your father is a
wonderful man and he indulges my every whim, but in bed he is less than
perfect. Martin, on the other hand, is as adventurous as I am. Since your
father has kept a mistress in town for years, I see no reason why I cannot
do the same right here at Howard Manor.”
“I can hardly believe that you and Martin chose
Tommy especially for me. I do wish I could take him with me. He is a wonderful
lover.”
“From what I am told you will not have to worry
about a lover once you and Brittmore are married.”
“You know the man father has bound me to?”
“Not personally, but his mother was once one of
my best friends. Let me tell you about his mother, Bernadine MacDonald.
Her father was a very dashing sea captain. We all lived in South Hampton
at that time and I saw him whenever he was in port. She was fifteen years
old when her mother died and her father took her away. She’d traveled
with him for two years when she met Percy MacDonald on his way to the
Americas. They fell in love and were married as soon as they arrived.
Of her three sons, Brittmore is her biggest challenge.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was eight years old when he first defied his
father. Percy would have none of it and sent the boy to sea with his grandfather.
Bernadine was devastated. Since then Brittmore has not been home for longer
than a few days at a time. He took to the sea and has become as great
a captain as his grandfather, God rest his soul. It was Bernadine who
first suggested a marriage between Brittmore and one of my daughters.
She is hoping you will bring her son back to her.”
Sami contemplated her mother’s words. Being married
to a sea captain might not be so bad after all. He would undoubtedly give
her a fine house and perhaps children when he returned home for infrequent
visits. During the time he was gone no one would fault her for taking
a lover. Of course, she would have servants to do her bidding and a high
social status. She wondered if such a position could be the catalyst for
a rousing love life. The more she thought on the situation, the more she
decided this forced marriage might not be so bad after all.
* * *
The trip to South Hampton took the better part of a day.
Traveling with Sami were her parents, as well as her siblings and their
assorted families. Sami couldn’t help but think of what a sight
the great number of carriages traveling down the road made.
At night her father had arranged for them to have lodging
at a local inn. Dinner had been a somber affair. Her sisters bemoaned
the fact that Sami was leaving and would never be seen again.
For appearance’s sake Sami shed the required tears
but always ended such outbursts with a smile and the words, “I am
leaving on a grand adventure to the New World. My future husband is a
well known sea captain, and I am told he is very handsome.”
Each of her sisters looked at her with a mixture of sympathy
and jealousy. Their husbands could never be considered prizes. If Sami
could believe what they said, they were all clumsy in bed and their attempts
at lovemaking could be called ordeals, rather than pleasurable experiences.
“What is the first ship set to sail for the New
World?” her father inquired of the Harbormaster.
“That would be El Lobo. She is set to sail with
the afternoon tide.”
“Where should I go to obtain passage for my daughter?”
“Your daughter? You would send a proper English
lady on a Spanish galleon? Have you lost your mind, man?”
“Time is of the essence here. My daughter has been
promised in marriage to a dear friend in the Carolinas. It matters not
how she gets there, only that it be with great haste.”
The man nodded and eyed Sami suspiciously. It was evident
that he thought she carried a bastard child that her father hoped to pawn
off onto some unsuspecting plantation owner in the New World.
“I will take you to the captain of El Lobo. I am
certain your money will persuade him to take your daughter with him.”
Sami turned to face her mother. “That man thinks
I’m…”
“Let him. It will keep you safe on the voyage.”
“But what if I don’t want to be safe?”
“Then remember to drink your tea every morning.
You did bring it with you didn’t you?”
Sami nodded. This voyage could prove to be quite interesting.
After almost an hour of arguments Sami was able to board
the ship. The sailors watched her with lustful eyes, but barked orders
from the captain made them turn away from her.
She said her tearful good-byes to her family and stood
at the railing until the ship caught the tide and sailed out of the harbor.
As the English coastline disappeared from view, she let out a sigh of
relief.
“Since you are traveling along, Senorita,”
the captain said in heavily accented English, “I have arranged for
you to have a cabin next to Senora Martinez and her ward, Carmelita. Carmelita
is going to the New World as a bride as well. Her betrothed awaits her
arrival in San Juan. It is best if you have the protection of a chaperone.
My men have not been with a woman in far too long.”
“That is very kind of you, Sir,” Sami replied. I suppose I
can satisfy myself for the duration of this voyage. Once I am in the Carolinas
I will have a husband to take care of my needs and as many lovers as I
can accommodate.
Senora Martinez was as sour as a lemon. Sami knew the
moment she met the woman that she never smiled. Carmelita was equally
prim and proper.
Reviews For
THE PIRATE'S LADY by Shari Dare
"If you like your sex hot and often, Shari Dare's
newest erotic morsel, THE PIRATE’S LADY, will titillate the reader
from beginning to end. And for the romantics among you Take one very virile
pirate captain add one less than virginal young lady and combine in a
ship’s cabin for a long, steamy sea crossing and you’ll get
love of the steamiest kind." - Reviewed by Barbara Raffin, author
of Wolfsong.
"Kidnapping, lust and love on the high seas. What
more could a woman ask for in Capt'n B commanding a ship with the love
for adventure and a lust for training women to become bed slaves to the
highest bidder? How about trading places with the kidnapped highbred born,
wild English woman Samantha Howard who has been sent to the Americas in
an arranged marriage? Ms. Dare weaves us into the exotic live of a pirate
who teaches his unsuspecting bride in the finer art of making love ...
in any and all possible ways. There is an undercurrent of love and lust
that sails you straight from the shores of England to the ports of Carolina,
all the while wishing you were the hostage and student. Ms. Dare once
again shows her readers that lust can often times lead you straight to
the love of a life time." - Reviewd by Debbie Fritter - The Perfect
Match
The Pirate’s Lady is a fun read with a rebellious
young woman that gets more than she bargained for. Sami’s spitfire
personality shines through, and Britt’s passionate nature tames
her…sort of. Shari Dare has done a wonderful job bringing to life
this rollicking story. I truly enjoyed the adventures these two have together.
Reviewed by Lyonene Enchanted In Romance 4 Unicorns
"A fast pace love story with the evils of pirates
and the thrills of adventure with lots of sexual situation. Brittmore
is confident, and demanding, bossy and loving, a good natured criminal,
a honest pirate character with a well rounded personality, and very lusty.
Samantha is a lust wench, battles between liking her capture and hating
him. This is a well written romance with lots of sexual situations. "
Kim @ MayReviews.com ****Excellent
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