Fortune's Flames Read online

  Dan was nervous when they joined him outside. He asked, “Did you find anything incriminating?”

  “Nothing,” Jared replied thoughtfully, “but I didn’t expect to. Eric is too clever to be trapped so easily. What we need is probably locked up in the bank and there’s no way we can get to it.”

  “What now?” Despite his question, Dan seemed more relaxed.

  “We’ll have to keep an eye on Heath and Samuel Lewis, and on Evelyn Sims.”

  “Evelyn Sims?” Dan echoed quizzically. “Why?”

  “I think she’s in on this scheme too. Hopefully she’ll break soon.”

  Dan considered that disclosure, and said, “I’ll watch her closely.”

  “Thanks,” Jared replied. “We need your help to catch this lot.”

  That night, Maren and Jared lay curled up in her bed after making love. They had discussed their problems, and Maren wished her husband would talk about himself, about his family in Savannah, but she did not press him.

  As he was rising to leave, he murmured tenderly, “One day we won’t have to sneak around to be together. Just be patient, love.”

  Early on Wednesday Kerry Osgood appeared and asked to speak privately with Jared. While Kip waited in the kitchen with Mary, Jared then told Maren that he had to leave for a few days.

  “A friend of mine sent news of a supply shipment we must seize,” he added. “I’ll have to take my ship out, but I’ll be back before Sunday.”

  “A raid? On a British ship? One this close to us?”

  “Yes, love. But don’t worry. We’ll be careful.”

  “Do you have to be the one to go, Jared?”

  “The Sea Mist is the best ship for such an attack. Another ship and captain will be helping me, and between the two of us, we can take this vessel easily. I have to do this, Maren. This ship is carrying ammunition and guns to be distributed to Indians and renegade slaves. I can’t allow those weapons to fall into such hands. Think of how many innocent people could be slain.”

  Maren knew his mission was unavoidable. She hugged him tightly and pleaded, “Be careful, Jared.”

  “I’ll talk with Dan, tell him to have Ned and Harry hang around here while I’m gone. And Dan can sleep in my room so you and Mary won’t be alone at night. I’m sure Mary and Dan will enjoy being together.”

  Maren half smiled at his mischievous remark, but Jared added a warning, “If Eric returns, don’t go near him and don’t be alone with him. Stay with people we trust. Don’t leave the house. Understand?”

  “Yes, Captain Hawk,” she replied merrily to relax him. She had known this moment would come, but she hadn’t expected it to come so soon. She dreaded being parted from him and she feared for his life. She gazed longingly into his eyes.

  Jared seized her and embraced her. “I can’t stand the thought of leaving you at a time like this, but it would be more dangerous to take you with me. Damn it, Maren, it’s hell to be torn in two. Be careful and alert, woman, or I’ll tan your hide.”

  “Return by Sunday or I’ll hire a ship and come looking for you.”

  “I’ll bet you would, you brazen wench.”

  They kissed and then Jared went to meet with Dan. After he told Dan of his sudden departure, the two men made plans for Maren’s safety before Jared left with his first mate.

  After lunch, as Jared had instructed, Dan went to find Ned Jones and Harry Peck to hire them to guard Lady Luck during the day. In case there might be trouble during his absence, he left a pistol on the kitchen table within the women’s reach, for he wanted no problems while he was responsible for Maren’s safety.

  A well-mannered sailor delivered a note to Maren only fifteen minutes after Dan rode away. He waited patiently while Maren read it aloud to Mary: “‘Didn’t sail yet. Need to see you. Come with John to the dock. He’ll protect you. Hurry.’”

  “You think something’s wrong?” Mary asked.

  “I don’t know. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Maren went to get her parasol and bonnet.

  While she was upstairs, Mary asked the young man, “Is there a problem at the dock?”

  He smiled charmingly and shrugged. “I don’t know, ma’am. I was just ordered to escort Miss Maren to him and to protect her.”

  Maren returned and left with the neatly clad young sailor. They rode in a carriage to Eric’s warehouse, where the sailor helped her down and told her Captain Hawk awaited her inside. When Maren hurried into the wooden structure and called his name, she heard a muffled reply from the room in which her parents’ belongings had been stored. She rushed into it, and the door was slammed behind her. Whirling about, she found herself trapped by two men. There was no lock on the inside of the door, but one wasn’t needed. The men stood between her and escape.

  “John will guard the front door until one of us finishes and relieves him,” the burly man said. He grinned lewdly as he leaned against the door. “Scream if you like, me beauty; no one will hear you in here. Fact ’tis, I like me a fighting woman.”

  Maren backed away as both men stepped toward her, but she was finally halted by a stack of crates. The men laughed wickedly when she screamed for help several times.

  “This is one job I’m gonna enjoy,” the second man said as his lecherous gaze assaulted Maren.

  “I knew that, Davy, that’s why I included you and John. We’ve been paid to take as much of her as we can hold, but I would have accepted this job for free. Ol’ Cap’n Hawk won’t even recognize her after we’re finished. He’ll be wanting a new partner to chase.”

  “You’re a devil, George. You’re too rough with your wenches.”

  “I’m a hungry devil, Davy. Let’s stop jawing and git to eating.”

  Maren knew she couldn’t flee past the men and get away, and she silently scolded herself for falling for this treacherous ruse. Perspiration broke out over her body and her heart beat rapidly. Her eyes widened in alarm and her breathing became constricted. If there had been only one man, she could probably have fought him off, but two burly sailors with bulging muscles and stout bodies… Terror seized her.

  “Someone will be searching for me soon,” she warned. “Let me go.”

  “No one knows where to find you. Anyway you’ll be used up before they do.”

  “Jared Morgan will hunt you down and kill you if you harm me.”

  The two men glanced at each other. Then they chuckled as if she had told an amusing joke.

  Maren was petrified. Was there no way she could save herself? She glanced about for something to use as a weapon, resolved to fight to the end, but before she could spy anything, two pairs of rough hands grabbed her. Maren screamed again, provoking more chuckles from her attackers who made no attempt to cover her mouth or to silence her. Their behavior told her that screaming was futile, only a waste of energy.

  She struggled with them as one held her hands and the other fumbled with the buttons on the back of her dress. Twisting about and berating them, she tried to pull free from one and to prevent the other from undressing her. Suddenly her head darted forward and she savagely bit George’s hand.

  He yelped and shoved her backward. The wind was knocked from her lungs as she struck the wall, and he immediately jerked her toward him. Grabbing her by the hair, he slapped her hard across the face, dazing her. “We’re wasting time being gentle and nice. Let’s rip it off, Davy. It’s more fun to tussle with a naked woman.”

  Hands pulled at Maren’s garments, and as she heard the material of her day dress give way, horror flooded through her. It was torn from neck to waist in front and back, but she fought anew with an energy born of desperation and fear. Then the one called Davy locked her arms behind her back, and he nibbled her bared shoulders before tracing a slobbery path up her neck and over her ears.

  Meanwhile the man called George gripped her chemise and parted it easily, baring her silken flesh to his wild eyes. He tugged the shredded garment off her torso and pulled its remnants down her imprisoned arms, exposing her body from
the waist up. “Look at these beauties, Davy. They’re just begging to be sucked.” As George’s hands closed over Maren’s breasts and kneaded them not too gently, his face became flushed and, as his lust increased, his breathing became erratic. He shifted from foot to foot, his tight breeches strained now. Then he bent forward and his mouth engulfed one peak.

  The noises he made as he ravenously feasted on her nipple made Maren nauseous. As humiliation consumed her, and anger and hatred, she raged against her lack of strength to battle these brutes, berated fate for allowing this evil to befall her. Her abduction had been perfectly timed. Someone had known she would be defenseless and receptive. How had he known about Jared’s sudden departure? How had he learned that Dan would be away? She suddenly realized the timing was a little too perfect…She threatened her tormentors, but when they paid no heed, she decided she must somehow endure their abuse.

  “It was real smart of you to send that baby-faced John to fetch her,” Davy said. “Ever’body trusts his innocent look and his charming ways. Wonder why our new boss didn’t want the first piece of her?”

  “He said he don’t like virgins. He wants us to train her good for him. We’re supposed to take her to him after dark. When he’s done with her, he’ll dump her body in a well someplace or in the ocean.”

  As he had been instructed to do to fool Maren, Davy said, “I thought you said he was going to burn her up in here and lay the blame on Eric James—git rid of both of them at one time.”

  “He changed his mind. Said it would look too suspicious to point the finger at James while he’s gone. Mr. High-Farting James will get his later. All we got to do is have fun with her before delivery time.”

  Maren listened to their grim and vulgar words even as she desperately tried to think of a way to escape them. But nothing came to mind, and she felt helpless, trapped, and stupid. She should have suspected this was a trick. Howard Heath had threatened to pay pirates to “have fun” with her, but she had not taken the threat seriously. If she survived such brutal ravishment, how would Jared feel toward her afterward?

  Jared… she had revealed Heath’s threat to her love! Her problems had all begun after his unexpected arrival, and he had plenty to gain from her death, especially since Eric’s takeovers were illegal and her property could be recovered…. No one else could have known about his abrupt departure in time to plan this sly attack. And the broken step and the squirrel incident were pranks pulled by someone inside Lady Luck.

  No, Maren’s heart protested, her foe could not be Jared. It was someone insidiously clever and evil, someone who’d been watching them, someone who was prepared to act on a moment’s notice. But who? And what if this enemy had lured Jared away? What if her beloved husband was in grave peril too? Maren’s panic increased.

  When George raised her skirt and petticoat and slid a filthy hand between her thighs, she clamped them together tightly. But he put painful pressure on her sensitive flesh and tortured her muscles until he was able to wedge his leg between hers to prevent her from closing her thighs again. He then ran his dirty fingers back and forth over her most feminine region. “Lordy, it feels real hot in there, Davy. She’s probably gonna set this thing afire when I stick it in ’er.” He stroked himself through his breeches and mumbled crude remarks as he fondled Maren’s most private area.

  “Git on with it, man. Mine’s a-burnin’ too,” Davy pleaded.

  George took his hands from Maren in order to yank off his shirt, but as he was removing his pants, the door opened and everything went crazy. Dan shot George as he tried to pull up his pants. Then he pointed his pistol at Davy. It was a Ducksfoot pistol, a favorite with sailors for it had several barrels which could be fired separately or collectively. One shot had taken down George, so several bullets remained.

  “Release her, you bastard,” Dan ordered coldly. His hazel eyes gleamed with fury. He had no doubt that this assault, and the step and squirrel incidents, could be credited to Howard Heath and Evelyn Sims. As soon as Samuel Lewis returned from Baton Rouge, he would warn the lawyer to control those fools! Obviously his little talk with Howard on Monday night hadn’t deterred the man. Still, he couldn’t figure out how those two idiots had thought up such a cunning plot, unless they had help from…Surely not!

  Davy threw his left arm around Maren’s throat. He had drawn his knife with his right hand. He was nearly choking Maren, and she tried to loosen his hold so she could breathe. Feeling her struggle, Davy slightly let up on his pressure. As she gasped for air, Maren attempted to cover her bare breasts with her torn garments.

  “If I don’t git out of here alive, she don’t either,” Davy warned, placing the knife point at her throat. Then the two men silently studied each other.

  Dan realized the sailors had not completed their assault on Maren and he was greatly relieved. Since her return home, she had not tried to push him out of Lady Luck, and she was Cam’s daughter. He was all mixed up. He had not expected his job for Eric James to be this difficult, or lethal. He had assumed Maren would give up the gambling house easily and quickly, or be frightened into doing so. Who could have suspected she would not fall for her cousin’s lies and his charm? But it was too late to back away; he was in this mess too deeply. More was at stake now than a partnership in his beloved Lady Luck. When Eric had approached him on this matter before making the trip to London to fetch Maren, the proposition had sounded simple and profitable. As payment for his help in getting Eric Maren’s half of Lady Luck, Eric was to give him her partner’s share. But who could have imagined that Maren’s partner was the famed Captain Hawk! Dan had not wanted to tangle with Jared Morgan, a man he had known and liked for years, but he had been determined to protect himself and his prize. To throw off suspicion, he had pretended to be against Eric. To make this ruse believable, he had to keep Maren safe while she was in his care, and he had to prevent his cohorts from implicating him. Besides, he liked Maren James. He hoped she would accept Eric’s generous offer and give up her fight for Lady Luck before she was badly hurt.

  Dan finally broke the lengthy silence. “You harm her any more than you have, and I’ll carve you into little pieces with your own blade. Relax, Miss Maren, you’ll be free and safe soon.”

  As Maren gazed at Dan Myers she wondered how he had found her so quickly. She had never seen Lady Luck’s manager so furious. His gaze revealed determination, a willingness to kill, and awesome anger and hatred; but Maren understood Dan’s unspoken warning: do nothing to provoke the nervous Davy. She wanted to jab her elbow into her captor’s gut, to slam her head into his nose or pound her balled fist into his sensitive groin; but she restrained herself. If her move was too slow or too weak, Davy would cut her up badly, perhaps even fatally, before Dan could save her. She bade herself to exercise patience and self-control.

  “Where’s John?” Davy asked, keeping Maren pinned against him.

  “If you mean the guard outside, he’s dead. You’re next.”

  “Not unless you want me to slice her up good before you get me. Then you can explain to Cap’n Hawk how you got her killed.”

  Dan instantly recognized the sly opening the man had provided for casting suspicion from himself. He asked, “What does Jared have to do with this?” When the man remained silent, Dan told him, “Jared’s gone, so I’m responsible for her safety. Now who’s behind this plot against Miss Maren and how was it carried off so perfectly?”

  “I ain’t telling you nothing, gambling man!”

  “Name your price for giving us information,” Dan offered rashly.

  The sailor eyed Dan mistrustfully, then shook his head. “You ain’t tricking me. I’m getting out of here and she’s my shield. Try to stop me and this blade will kiss her liver.”

  “Listen to me, man; let her go and you can walk out safely. I swear it. Miss Maren’s life is my only concern.”

  “I’m taking her with me to make sure I get away clean.”

  Dan refused to buckle. “I can’t allow you to take her out
of here so you can harm her and dump her somewhere. Lock us in and then leave. Somebody will find us and free us. That’s the deal I offer you, you bastard. But if you injure her, you’ll never get past me alive.”

  Davy considered Dan’s words, and realizing he was trapped, he agreed. He edged toward the door and paused, watching Dan carefully. Then he shoved Maren forward to block any attack from Dan and quickly slammed the door, bolting it from the outside. Dan broke Maren’s fall by rushing forward and catching her. They heard the clattering of her attacker’s shoes as he fled, then a shot. Maren jumped in surprise.

  As Dan removed his waistcoat and placed it around her naked shoulders, he explained, “Ned and Harry are outside. They got him.”

  Harry unbolted the door, but Dan ordered him to leave it closed. “We got him, Mr. Myers. We’ll be waiting outside.”

  Maren had never been one to faint or to weep, but she felt she was about to do both. Her forehead rested against Dan’s shoulder as she struggled for control. “Thank you, Dan,” she murmured hoarsely.

  He embraced her comfortingly. “It’s all over, Miss Maren. I knew something was wrong. Jared wouldn’t have sent for you like this; he would have sent a message to me to bring you to him. Mary heard that sailor tell the carriage driver to bring you here, and we came as fast as we could. We took care of the guard; then I sneaked in. I told Ned and Harry to set a trap outside in case there was trouble.”

  “I was stupid to fall for such a ruse,” Maren said, trembling.

  “It was an honest and natural mistake. Even Mary was fooled,” Dan remarked. “I’ll get you home where you’ll be safe. We’ll figure all this out later.”

  “What about Jared? Do you think he was lured away so someone could get at both of us? He could be in terrible danger.”

  “Jared can defend himself, Miss Maren. Besides, we don’t know how to reach him.” He added, “What I can’t figure out is how this was timed so perfectly. Who could have known Jared would leave so suddenly this morning? Something’s funny here.”