Chapter 1 #2
For no good reason she could think of, Henri felt a pang of sorrow at the idea of those bright blue eyes being extinguished.
In a moment of inexplicable madness, she drew back the curtain that led to a discreet changing area.
Her pirate looked at her in surprise for the briefest moment and then wasted no more time in disappearing behind the heavy drapes as the door opened to allow another red-coated militia man into the small shop.
This one, a Lieutenant, bowed to Henri and gave a tight smile.
“Begging your pardon, miss,” he said, sounding a little puffed. “I’m Lieutenant Bowcher of St Elizabeth’s regiment, Royal Cornwall Militia. May I enquire, did you see anyone pass this way?”
With a calm and somewhat haughty demeanour she didn’t entirely understand, she responded.
“No, sir, none but my maid, and I cannot imagine it is she who is causing your men to burst in upon civilised people as though you chase Satan from the crypt.” Henri gave the lieutenant the benefit of a disgusted look, the one she generally reserved for scolding their fat Labrador when he had been stealing from the kitchens again.
To her consternation it appeared the lieutenant was not quite as easily cowed as the dog, and the man stared back at her with a considering frown before marching off through the shop to demand if anyone else had seen anything.
Henri stood and inspected a truly horrible green ribbon with great interest and trembling fingers and wondered what on earth she was playing at.
She was only too aware of the weight of a bright blue gaze upon her from the crack between the curtains and prayed the man would keep his head, stay still, and not prove her a liar.
The lieutenant returned to her, apparently intending to exit the way he’d come, but paused to speak once more.
“We are pursuing a very dangerous individual, miss, a pirate in fact. We had word that he had business here and we know he came ashore close by. He’s wanted by the crown, and by countries far beyond our own, and his deeds are many and bloody.
” The man paused for the import of his words to sink in before adding, “Please do let us know if you see or hear of anything that would lead to his capture. And I would suggest you return home with a male escort. It isn’t safe for you to walk with just a maid while Captain Savage is on the loose. ”
“Captain Savage?” she repeated, her voice a little faint.
The lieutenant nodded. “There’s a large reward for his capture,” he added.
Perversely this last comment made Henri crosser than ever.
“Sir, I hope you do not imply that I would only do my duty as a citizen if I stand to gain some financial reward?” she demanded, drawing herself up as tall as she might.
For a moment the lieutenant looked appalled, and she was gratified to see that his cheeks were a little pink. “Of course not, miss,” he said and shook his head. “I meant no offence. If you would please excuse me.” And with that he hurried out the door.
Henri glanced around the shop and, satisfied that she was not being observed, she drew back the curtain. She blinked, her breath catching as she was confronted by those blue eyes again and the lieutenant’s words rang in her ears.
“The staircase,” she whispered, pointing across to the other side of the room. “You can get up to the store room. There is a window on the far side. I think it overlooks the alley. Can you climb down?”
“Aye,” he said, his voice soft. “And I won’t forget this.” He was staring at her, and she blinked under the intensity of that blue gaze.
“Y-you must hurry,” she stammered, quite unable to tear her gaze away from his, but he just stood there, immobile, as though he was as hypnotised as she was.
When he did move, it was not in the direction she expected.
His arm reached out, sliding about her waist and pulling her into the darkness behind the curtain.
In some distant part of her brain, she was amazed that she didn’t scream.
Instead she made a tiny, startled noise of objection, and then uttered not another sound as a pair of warm, soft lips pressed firmly against hers.
For a moment she was frozen, her mind too stunned to react, though her hands were flat against his hard, muscular chest, trying to keep him at a little distance.
When at last her shocked intellect did catch up, she was not at all sure she was pleased with it.
For instead of pushing him away as she surely ought, her arms reached up, one hand sliding up his neck, fingers tangling in his long, dark hair, which was every bit as soft as she had imagined it might be.
He let out a low sound, something akin to a growl which made her skin heat and her heart pound and just as suddenly he released her, but there was regret in his eyes.
“Thank you, darling,” he said, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“You’ve been most … accommodating.” He glanced at where one hand rested lightly upon his broad chest, still clutching the tear-damp handkerchief.
He plucked the scrap of lace deftly from between her fingers and held it to his nose, inhaling her scent with a smile before checking the way was clear.
The next moment he had crossed the room, heading for the stairs.
Henri looked down as something fell upon her toes. In his rush he had dropped something. A letter.
“Wait!” she called in a hushed voice. He turned for just a second but the sound of voices approaching hastened his tread on the stairs, and he disappeared.
Henri took a deep breath, stuffed the letter into her reticule, and turned in the direction of the voices to see Annie with Mr Warren, the shopkeeper, at her side.
“Oh, what a to do,” said Annie, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “They said it ‘twas ‘im, the Rogue ‘imself!”
“Good Lord, we’ll likely be murdered in our beds,” said the shopkeeper, a dapper little grey-haired man who stood wringing his hands in anxiety.
Henri drew in a sharp breath and hoped they would ascribe her flushed cheeks to the shock of their words, it was true enough.
The man was gone, and her madness past, she could only wonder at her moment of insanity.
And yet no matter how well she knew it had been sheer folly, she still felt the press of his soft lips against hers with a flush of warmth that heated her cheeks still further.
“Are you quite well, miss?” Annie asked, a curious expression lighting her face now.
Henri cursed her maid’s sharp eyes and forced her mouth into some semblance of a smile. “Quite well, Annie, thank you,” she replied, sounding a little tart, and stalked away leaving both Annie and Mr Warren looking after her in surprise.