Captive of My Desires Read Free

captured.
    “Are you all right?” he asked as he walked alongside her.
    “Yes, I’m fine,” she assured him.
    “No one…touched you?”
    “Really, Avery, I haven’t been hurt in any way.”
    “Thank God. I was so worried. You can’t imagine.”
    She gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m to be ransomed. Captain Brillaird made it clear to me that I’m too valuable to be harmed. She pointed to the large open cut on his forehead. “How does your head feel? I saw you got knocked out yesterday.”
    He gingerly touched his wound. “Oh, that’s just a scratch.”
    But Gabrielle could tell from his wince that it must be painful. “From what I gathered from the captain, he plans to ransom you, too.”
    “I don’t know about that,” Avery replied with a sigh. “I don’t come from a wealthy family.”
    “Well, I’ll speak to my father when he collects me,” she said. “I’m sure he’ll be able to arrange something to gain your release as well.”
    But she wasn’t the least bit sure that Nathan could even be located. What would happen to her and Avery if the pirates couldn’t track down her father?
    “That’s very kind of you,” he said, then added urgently, “but listen to me, Gabrielle. You may have been given assurances, but from listening to this pirate crew, I understand there will be others of the same ilk where we’re going. Your best way to come through this safely is to simply not draw attention to yourself. I know that will be difficult, as beautiful as you are, but—”
    “Please, you needn’t say anything more,” she cut in with a blush. “I understand that we won’t really be safe until we’ve seen the last of these cutthroats. I will remain as inconspicuous as possible.”
    They were separated then when one of the pirates pushed Avery to hurry him along.
    The first sign that the island was inhabited was a watchtower they passed along the beaten path. It was built of logs, and was tall enough to have a clear view of the sea in at least three directions. They were climbing into the hills behind it. The tower was occupied, but the fellow in the tiny hut on top of it was asleep as they walked by. Not a very diligent guard, Gabrielle thought as one of the pirates kicked the tower to wake him, while another swore at him in fluid French.
    Margery added her own opinion as she came up beside Gabrielle. “Lazy no-goods, the lot of them. Let’s hope when help arrives, the guard sleeps through that as well.”
    Gabrielle would have liked to share that optimism, but the chance of their being rescued before they were ransomed was slim. “Once they find my father—”
    “If they find him,” Margery cut in. “Since we weren’t even sure that we could, what are the chances of that, eh? We never should have undertaken this journey. Didn’t I warn you it would be dangerous?”
    “You could have stayed home,” Gabrielle reminded her. “But it wasn’t supposed to be dangerous. Would you have believed that pirates still exist in this day and age if someone had told you? No, you would have scoffed or laughed at them.”
    “That’s beside the point,” Margery replied. “But listen to me, before we get separated again. Look for a weapon, any sort, even a fork if you can get your hands on one, and keep it on your person at all times. If one of these bastards starts anything with you, you stick it right in his belly, hear? Don’t hesitate.”
    “I’ll remember that.”
    “You better, girl. If anything happens to you, I don’t know what I’d do.”
    It looked like Margery was about to cry. She was more upset than she was letting on. And her distress was contagious. Gabrielle would have liked nothing better than to cry on her friend’s shoulder just then, but she managed to restrain herself and dredged up some courage for both of them.
    “You worry too much. We’re going to be fine. Captain Brillaird has assured me of that.”
    That wasn’t exactly true, but it was what Margery needed to