If only Sandokan was here... Yanez thought as he contemplated his options while trying not to condemn his best friend for talking him into rescuing Marianna from her Fate as a silenced wife to the pig of a man Sir William Whatever. Yanez had to admit that he liked the way Ada called the Colonel a pig. He also had to admit that Sandokan was right about Marianna's cousin. She was straightforward, unashamed, and she definitely missed her calling as a pirate in a skirt. Not that Ada would oppose pirate trousers, Yanez gauged with one glance at her.
But, if Sandokan was here, he would at least be able to punch him for coming up with a plan as reckless and... as adventurous as all of Sandokan's previous ones. Since there was no way that the Tiger of Malaysia was going to reappear before the moment they agreed upon, Yanez was stuck. Stuck being a pompous self-absorbed buffoon, stuck at Lord Guillonk's estate, and stuck having to come face to face with the one man he meant to avoid. Sir James Brooke himself.
"You must be joking!" Yanez placed his hands on his hips.
"About what? Your clothes? Or that awful licked back hair?" Ada could not stop herself from commenting on Yanez's appearance.
"No, and no," Yanez replied although he agreed with Ada's comment wholeheartedly. "I was talking about James Brooke."
"Ah, well. Then no. Sir Brooke really will join us tonight," Ada replied with a grim face.
"Yanez, it is You, is it not?" Marianna asked with concern.
"It is I, dear Lady Marianna," Yanez replied and puffed out smoke after taking the cigar to his lips. He had a persona to play, and he knew he should live up to his character.
"You would risk Your life this way?" Marianna inclined her head, and tried her best to stand where she stood.
"What is one more adventure to a worldly pirate?" Yanez smiled with mischief. "Even if this one happens to be on dry land."
"But what of Your men? They need someone to lead them after Sandokan..." Marianna paused as her eyes filled with tears. She could not fathom to let words of her beloved's passing leave her lips.
"They are in good hands. Aruna works them up as much as Sandokan. Two peas in a pod, so to speak," Yanez chuckled lightly.
"How is she?" Marianna wondered. "Is she still mad at me?"
"Why would she be mad at You?" Ada decided to speak up before Yanez did.
"Because Sandokan lost his life... because of me," Marianna covered her face with her hands.
"You also saved his life when he washed ashore near Your uncle's estate," Yanez puffed out another cloud of smoke.
"Sir Anthony is right," Ada pointed toward Yanez.
"That's Lord Anthony," Yanez corrected her.
"No money in the world could buy You Lordship, Lord Anthony," Ada laughed at him lightly.
"I happen to have more than enough money for Your uncle to believe in my fortune," Yanez narrowed his eyes at Ada.
"And You would like me to believe someone with money could not afford better clothes?" Ada laughed.
"That... was not my idea. Sandokan made me do it," Yanez replied, underhanded. Suddenly, he realized that the information he wanted to tell Marianna later during his stay at the estate had slipped out because Ada's insult matched his point of view of his current choice of apparel.
"Yan..." Marianna paused. "What do You mean he made You do it?"
"Ahh, dear Lady Marianna," Yanez leaned closer and whispered. "He lives."
YOU ARE READING
THE SAILS OF THE HIGH SEAS
Любовные романыCan a pirate ever fall for a British nobleman's daughter? Can she ever find enough courage in her heart to fall for him? They were meant to be sworn enemies. They were meant to never cross paths in their lives. They were never meant to fall in love...
