Ann Lethbridge - Captured for the Captains Pleasure (Harlequin Historical)

Predator by name. Passionate by nature!

Captain Michael Hawkhurst relishes his fearsome reputation, for he lives only to wreak revenge on the Fulton family, who so cruelly destroyed his own.

Spirited Alice Fulton knows a ship is no place for a lady, but she is determined to save her fathers business....

When fate delivers him Fultons virginal daughter as his captive, Michael faces a dilemmashould he live up to his scandalous name and find revenge with sweet alice, or will his honorable side win outand win the girl...?

Author Note

For all that he was a rogue, I couldnt help liking Long John Silver when I read Treasure Island as a child. For ages now Ive wanted to write a pirate story, but by the Regency pirates were, as they say, history. Privateers, however, were a whole other breed. Men who were given license or letters of marque by governments to prey on enemy ships, they generally made life difficult for the opposing side. Many of them became extremely wealthy in the process, and legally, too.

So I hope you enjoy this not-quite-a-pirate story. I think you will find that Michael meets his match in Alice. And while she doesnt think she has a romantic bone in her body, there is just something about a rogue....

I love to hear from readers, so if you would like to drop me a line you can find me at ann@ann.lethbridge.gmail.com, and if you would like to know more about me and my books visit www.annlethbridge.com.

Ann Lethbridge

Captured for the Captains Pleasure

Look for Lady Rosabellas Ruse
Coming February 2012 from
Harlequin Historical

Other titles by ANN LETHBRIDGE available in ebook:

The Rakes Inherited Courtesan #941
Wicked Rake, Defiant Mistress #992
*The Gamekeepers Lady #1041
*More Than a Mistress #1045
Captured for the Captains Pleasure #1073

*Rakes in Disgrace

and in Harlequin Historical Undone! ebooks
The Rakes Intimate Encounter
The Laird and the Wanton Widow
One Night as a Courtesan
Unmasking Lady Innocent
Deliciously Debauched by the Rake

and in Harlequin Historical ebooks
**Princess Charlottes Choice

** Royal Weddings Through the Ages

I dedicate this book to my dad, who was known all his life as Peter, though it was not his given name. He introduced me to the writings of Georgette Heyer when I was very young, for which I cant thank him enough. He always encouraged me to reach for the stars, no matter how hard the journey. I would like to thank Joanne Grant and her team at Harlequin Books for making this a better book, my agent Scott Eagan, and my fabulous critique partners, Maureen, Molly, Sinead, Mary, Jude and Teresa, who show unfailing patience with every rewrite.

Contents

Chapter One

Off LisbonJune 1814

R epairing a gash in a mans brawny forearm on a ships deck bore not the slightest resemblance to mending a rip in a petticoat, Alice Fulton decided. She dabbed at the dried blood around the wound with a cloth moistened in seawater.

The prospect of causing pain gave it a wholly different aspect. The ships pitch and yaw added a further challenge. Fortunately, clear skies and a light breeze kept the motion to a minimum and the awning above their heads protected them from the midday heat.

Roped in as an unwilling assistant, her fellow passenger and best friend, Lady Selina Albright, stared grimly out to sea as if her life depended on it.

Perched in front of her on a barrel, with a three-inch gash in his sun-bronzed skin, her patient, Perkin, seemed remarkably unperturbed. But then she hadnt told the sullen fellow staring at the planks at his feet that this was the first wound shed actually stitched herself. No sense in scaring him.

Not that much would scare this strapping sailor. Even with his head respectfully lowered and his bearded face hidden by the tangle of dark-brown hair falling around his shoulders, he had a swagger.

When did you do this? she asked.

The night afore I came aboard, he muttered, not looking up. I told you, miss, it aint nothing. Ill take care of it.

Shed caught him bandaging it one-handed when she passed the galley. On this merchant ship, the cook doubled as surgeon and he could hardly sew himself. It needs sutures.

He glanced up, giving her a brief impression of a face younger than shed first thought and handsome in a harsh, unkempt sort of way. His cheeks above the black-bearded jaw had been tanned to the colour of light mahogany. Deep creases radiated from the corners of eyes the strangest shade of turquoise rimmed with grey. Right now they held a distinctly resentful gleam. Or even anger? He lowered his head before she could be sure.

A feeling of unease disturbed her normally calm stomach. Hed been making her nervous since he had joined their ship in Lisbon, replacing their original cook who had disappeared amid the stews on the wharf. Theyd certainly lost in the exchange. What Perkin knew about cooking he must have learned from a tanner. She stared at the large, strong, well-shaped hand resting on a formidably muscled thigh. At least his fingernails were clean.

No matter how bad his food or his attitude, this wound needed sewing.

Ugh. Selina gave a delicate shudder. You should let the sailmaker do it as Captain Dareth ordered, she said in her naturally breathy voice.

Perkin nodded agreement, his strange eyes warming as they roved over Selinas lush figure.

Alice wanted to hit him.

Why, she couldnt imagine. There wasnt a man alive whose eyes wouldnt warm when they fell on Selinas dark flamboyance, whereas Alices immature figure, nondescript brown hair and hazel eyes, rarely warranted a second look. Which suited Alice down to the ground.

Hodges wont be off watch for hours, she muttered, threading her needle. The longer the wound remains open the less likely it will heal. And besides this might be her only chance to make use of her knowledge.

Are you certain you know how? Selinas voice quavered.

Certain? She stared at the bloody gash. In theory, yes. Practice was an altogether different proposition.

This fascination of yours for surgery is positively macabre. Selina gave another of her carefully honed shudders.

At least her friend wasnt calling her interest unladylike, as Father did. Hed always blamed it on the months shed spent on the long round trip to India with nothing to do but follow the surgeon around. At nine, shed been half in love with the ships doctor. Her interest in medicine had survived the years. Love was a whole other story.