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herpalms against his hard chest when Maude gathered her courage.
    “Ye’ll not maul my lady, ye scurvy sea dog!”
    Snatching an unlit lantern from its overhead hook, she rushed across the cabin.
    The American whirled and threw up an arm just in time to deflect her attack. The quick thrust loosened Maude’s grip on the heavy brass lantern. Spraying oil in a wide arc, it flew threw the air and crashed against the bulkhead.
    Her attack foiled, Maude’s brief spurt of bravado died. She pressed both hands to her cheeks. Her eyes wide, she threw her mistress a look of sheer terror.
    “Lordamercy!” she wailed. “We’ll both walk the plank for sure.”
    “Don’t be absurd.” Quickly, Sarah placed herself between her maid and the American. “Not even Americans resort to such barbaric measures any longer.”
    Not nearly as confident as Sarah about the matter, Maude sought assurance from the lieutenant himself. “Be that true?” she asked fearfully.
    Laughter rumbled deep in his broad chest. “You may rest easy, Mistress Maude. We rarely feed tender morsels like you to the sharks these days.”
    The laughter astounded Sarah as much as it did Maude. If anyone had dared to attack Sir James, he would have responded instantly with the whip or aprimed pistol. This man, this American, seemed to consider such matters trivial. She stared at him, thrown completely off balance by the glint of white teeth in his tanned face and the blue lights dancing in his eyes.
    “Besides,” he added, turning to Sarah, “I have more important matters to attend to at the moment.”
    The laughter faded from his eyes. She felt the weight of his gaze on every inch of her, considering, calculating. Her heart began to pound again. Great, unsteady thumps that knocked painfully against her ribs.
    “Ah, yes,” she replied, fighting to keep her voice steady. “This vengeance you spoke of.”
    After the way he’d just kissed her, she had little doubt of his intentions. She squared her shoulders. Lifted her chin. And waited for him to order Maude from the cabin so he might take his revenge on James.

CHAPTER TWO
    R ICHARD WAS TEMPTED .
    Christ’s bones, he was tempted!
    The flame-haired beauty stood with shoulders back, chin tipped, a martyr fully expecting to be sent into the arena for the lions to feast on.
    And what a feast it would be. He’d had one taste of her, just one, and already he lusted for another. Her fiery hair, high cheekbones and green cat’s eyes alone could set a man’s blood racing. Add those creamy breasts and the curve of her hips under that thin emerald silk to the mix and it became explosive.
    Yet he found himself admiring her proud spirit almost as much as her luscious curves. And wondering why the devil this glorious creature had agreed to marry a rancid bit of shark bait like Captain Sir James Lowell. Richard’s brief encounter with the man had been sufficient to take a fix on his nature. Surely this woman had done the same. She must know Lowell would do his damndest tocrush her spirit the first time she dared oppose his wishes.
    Ah, well, it was no business of his.
    With a shake of his head, he reminded himself why he’d chased after the Linx. Why he’d planned this boarding in precise detail, right down to the doxie he’d hired when the Linx stopped in Bermuda to take on fresh water. The woman had gone aboard with the rest of the whores who serviced sailors, carrying a message to his impressed crewmen. They were to break into the ship’s store of medicines and drug the watch tonight, when the moon was at its fullest.
    Since the Seahawk was a brig and mounted only sixteen guns against the frigate’s thirty-two, such stealth had been necessary. And successful! Richard had bagged his prey and fully intended to make him squirm. Impatient now to attend to the Linx and Sir James, he wrapped a fist around the woman’s smooth, bare arm.
    “Come with me. You, as well,” he said to the maid.
    He’d intended to steer