A Regency era courtesan gives up her empire for love and discovers how binding her connections truly are to the noblemen she used to serve.
*****
In the sequel to Courte...
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Duncan Boucetta was a loathsome, lying pirate, and I was prepared to tell him so once he arrived on board the stinking, rotting ship I'd been dumped on. The man was using my title for his own selfish gains. And he was an idiot, because only an idiot would think they could get away with such a plan.
After securing my gag again, my captor kept a close eye on me, appearing in the doorway every few minutes to make sure I had not somehow hopped away without him knowing. Currently, he was standing there packing an opium pipe. Based on the way his hands shook, I guessed he was a heavy user.
Distant voices had him jumping like a spooked horse, and he disappeared while I listened to the sound of men talking and laughing loudly. Was it Duncan and his friends returned from a night of drinking and toasting to his dastardly deed? Or perhaps they were good Samaritans who might see my white flag and come to my rescue.
Oh, blast.
I realized with a heavy sigh that Duncan might see my gloves flying from the porthole window. What kind of punishment would he inflict if he did? I could not claim to know this pirate who had been kind to me on the Surety. This grave digger. I strained even harder to hear what was being said as the men climbed on board.
"Put that pipe away. We all need to stay sharp."
"Aye, Captain."
I recognized Duncan's voice, and the way he spoke to the man overseeing my care made me think this was not the man's ship. Although he seemed to know his way around well enough. Perhaps when a pirate was aboard your ship, you let him speak however he wished.
"Did she wake up yet?"
"Yep. I 'spect she's in there listening to us right now."
"Knowing Rose, I expect you are right. I told you she is clever."
"I kept a close eye on her, like ye told me."
I noticed he didn't give any more details than that. So, he wasn't completely ignorant. I watched the shadows fill the space beyond my room, ready to give Duncan a bit of my mind. When he entered, I glared at him with all my might.
"Ah, Mistress Hayes. You look lovely as ever. Or should I be calling you Lady of Perth now? It does have a nice ring to it."
"Yoo loasoom glackard." My curse had no effect on him. Even I could not understand what I'd said.
"I am sorry we have kept you tied up so long. I must take measures to protect my valuables." He nudged my legs aside and sat next to me on the cot. "If you promise not to scream, I will release you so you can curse at me properly."
I continued to glare at him as he waited patiently for me to give him an answer. My jaw clenched around the gag as I jerked my head in a nod. Satisfied, he helped me off my back so that I was sitting beside him. Then he began to untie the knot at my neck. To do this, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, bringing our faces very close. I could not bear looking at his smile, so I turned away, forcing him to chase after the knot.
