James swung his legs over the edge of the cot, biting down on his tongue when the room began to spin again. He closed his eyes and waited for it to level out. When he tried to rake his hands through his hair and rub the sleep from his face, he discovered one wrist was manacled to a length of thick chain looped through the post of the bunk: he could only move a short distance in any direction.
He decided to forget subtlety. Forget the element of surprise. Forget truces and partnerships. She’d betrayed him. He had the heavy manacle to prove it and she slept like an untroubled angel.
Slowly and quietly, without taking his eyes from her slumbering form, James slipped one of his boots off, repositioned it in his hand and then threw it at her. Hard.
Within a heartbeat Daniella was on her backside on the floor; she gave one breathless shriek before regaining her wits.
“Good morning,” James drawled, his elbows on his knees as he took her in. “Sleep well?”
Storm clouds gathered in her eyes. “I always sleep well until someone tries to kill me!”
“I hardly think one little boot has the ability to take your life, Daniella. You’re rather dramatic this morning.”
“You could have done the gentlemanly thing and taken the chair.”
He raised a brow. “Forgive me. I didn’t know I had a choice, considering the fact I was not conscious.”
She grimaced again and a look that truly resembled sadness—not guilt—swept across her gaze. But then it was gone. “That was not my fault.”
“No?”
“I had no idea Darius would knock you out.”
“Next you’ll tell me you had no clue he was coming after us?”
“I didn’t.” She got up from the floor, dusted her breeches off and turned back to face him, hands on her hips. “I’m as much a captive as you.”
James lifted his arm. “And yet I am the one in manacles?”
Finally real emotion showed and the sides of her mouth dropped slightly. “That wasn’t Darius. That was me. I am unarmed this time.”
“I see.” He was outwardly contemplative for a moment as shame burned him from the inside. She thought he would hurt her again? “What will you do with me?”
“Darius plans to sell you back to your family in London.”
“Did you tell him my family isn’t in London?”
“I told him nothing about Amelia or your mother.”
James laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “What are you doing, Daniella? Turning up your acting skills so I’ll believe you’re on my side?”
“Your side? Please tell me you don’t think I organized all of this?”
“I don’t think you did. I know you did. Coincidences of this magnitude are not very likely.”
She sputtered but she didn’t deny it.
“Answer me this, Daniella. With the exception of last night—” he indicated her throat where the bruises sat “—what makes you think you are safer with Darius than with me? At least you knew my agenda was quite transparent. What about his? Is he a friend? A lover?”
“I have been with you for days. Not once have I been out of your sight. How would I have got a message through?”
“Perhaps at the dressmaker’s? Perhaps…” He trailed off. Surely not! “Patrick?”
“What about Patrick?”
“The way he turned up that night and joined our traveling party? Two nights past when the two of you met by the beach? He was sending the signal, wasn’t he?” How could he have been so blind? So stupid? How could he have let this corrupted girl ruin everything? “I bet right now he is swinging in a hammock, free as a bird.”
“You’re talking nonsense now. Patrick isn’t one of my father’s men. He isn’t involved in any of this between you and me. He and Hobson are being held deeper in the ship but I have been assured they will come to no harm.”
“Excuse me if I don’t believe you or him.”
“I am a hostage here as well, damn it.”
“Where do you know him from?”
“Darius? Or Patrick?”
“Darius.” He was beginning to lose his tightly held temper. Through clenched teeth he asked again, enunciating each word, “How. Do. You. Know. Darius?”
“He used to a part of The Aurora’s crew. I have not seen him in six years. Not since he staged a mutiny and lost. I should have killed him then.”
“We all have those moments of regret,” James said with a healthy amount of sarcasm. If he’d driven that knife into Germaine’s chest instead of his leg, things would be so different. “I would have the truth from you, Daniella. Did you know Patrick before we set off on the road?”
“Of course not. He really did find me out walking that night.”
“Did you or Patrick signal Darius so he could come to get you?”
“I didn’t! You are insufferable. I wasn’t even gone long enough!”
“I have underestimated you a couple of times now, Daniella; I won’t do it again.” Each time she wrested the upper hand from him, or he gave her an inch, he wound up with the injuries of a fool.
“And nor should you but none of this was my doing. I was happy for you to take me to my father and then leave. Your plan was good enough and would have more than likely worked.”
“And now our lives are in the hands of Darius the pirate.”
“Your life is not in any danger. Neither is mine.”
“Do you trust Darius?”
She thought about it for a moment, her bottom lip squeezed between her teeth until she let it go with a sigh, her gaze dropping to the floor. “I trust him about as much as I trust you.”
James chuckled but there was no humour in it. They were in real trouble.
*
Daniella did not want to look at those of her actions that had led them there. Perhaps she should have put her head down in London and accepted her lot. Though of course even if she had, James might well still have
