Defiant: 5 (Noble Passions) Read online

  He had risked his life for hers more than once and now he had risked his life for Edward. She did adore Edward and was very happy he wasn’t dead, but Ned needed to stop all this gallantry. At once. She never wanted to feel such terror again and when he regained consciousness, she intended to scold him heartily.

  When she stepped out onto the deck, it gave her tremendous satisfaction to see Ewan’s men holding all the pirates at bay with pistols, and the former captives being led down the gangplank. They were all fairly jubilant, all but Prudence Billingsly. She was in hysterics, warbling, “Pirates! Pirates, Herbert! Pirates.”

  To which he responded, “Yes, dear.”

  MacDougal spotted Sophia and rushed over to give her a hug, despite Ewan’s growl.

  Sophia patted her brother’s hand. “It’s fine,” she said. She and these men had a bond. A bond he could never understand. Although when Percy attempted to hug her as well, her brother’s glower stopped him. He settled for a kiss to her hand.

  “I’m glad to see you safe,” he said. “We were so worried after the captain whipped you.”

  Blast! She glowered Percy into silence but it was too late.

  “He whipped you?” Ewan’s tone made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

  “Only once.”

  Ewan’s face mottled. He turned to storm back inside.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Tae kill him, that’s where.”

  “Ewan!” Perhaps he recognized something of himself in her tone, for he stopped. “You’re not killing anyone.”

  “He deserves to die.”

  “Let Edward deal with him.” It had been decided Edward would handle the legalities, given his station and his history with Marquee. In case that wasn’t enough, she put out a lip. “I just want to go home. I just want this to be over.”

  Ewan glared at her, then glared at the door, and then back at her again.

  Sophia let a tear well. And fall.

  “Aw, hell,” he grumbled, and then stomped back to her. “We’ll let Edward handle it.” Then he swept her up in his arms and carried her down to the dock as though she were a babe.

  The ride back to Mayfair was dismal. She and Ewan rode in one coach and Edward, Transom and Ned in the other. Sophia was wrapped in worry for him. Though the doctor had assured them he would recover in no time, heavens, he’d been shot. With a bullet. If nothing else he would be in terrible pain when he awoke.

  She shifted from one side of her seat to the other.

  “Stop wriggling,” Ewan said with a frown.

  “I’m worried.”

  “Aye. You should be worried.”

  Sophia’s eyes widened. Was there something about a gunshot wound he knew that she didn’t? “Why?”

  Ewan’s gaze raked her. “Because Violet’s going to flay you when she sees your hair.”

  Chapter Twelve

  When they arrived at Wyeth House where Ewan assured her everyone was waiting, he wanted to pick her up again and carry her in. She insisted she walk.

  “I’m hardly a child,” she reminded him. To which he snorted. “I’ve had adventures.”

  Why he paled, she had no clue. Or she did. Her brother had always been far too protective over her. It stemmed from their roots, most likely. Living on the streets, surrounded by villains and rogues and hardscrabble whores who would gut you for a pence, she’d needed protecting more than once. But their life was very different now.

  She was very different now.

  If only he could see it.

  But he was her brother. He’d raised her from birth. To him, she would always be his baby girl. She glanced at his profile as they made their way up the marble stairs. It wasn’t so bad, having someone love you like that, she supposed.

  There had been moments on the ship when she’d despaired of ever seeing him again. Doubtless, he’d been as worried about her. It must have been very difficult for him. A hint of remorse trickled through her, twined with a pang of love.

  “Ewan.” She set her hand on his arm.

  He stopped and gazed down at her. “Yes, Sophia?”

  “Thank you very much for saving us.”

  A flush rose on his face. “I…ah…of course.”

  “I do love you.”

  “I know.”

  She tipped her head to the side and smiled at him. “But I’m not a child anymore.”

  To which he blew out a breath. But he smiled. That was something. Not an acknowledgement of her mature state, but something.

  “We’re back,” Ewan called as he pushed through the door of Edward’s mansion, and a great thudding ensued as all Ned’s brothers, Kaitlin and Aunt Hortense stampeded into the hall, their eyes alight, expressions hopeful.

  Hamish scudded to a halt when he caught sight of Sophia. His face rumpled. “I thought you were going to rescue Ned?”

  “Ned’s coming with Edward. I’ve brought Sophia home.”

  “Sophia?” Malcolm’s brow wrinkled. “Where is she?” His gaze landed on her and raked her up and down; when it reached her hair, his nostrils flared.

  Sophia resisted the urge to lift her hand to her shorn locks.

  “Oh dear.” Aunt Hortense clutched her pearls.

  A couple of the boys sniggered.

  Violet simply stared, her mouth agape. Her complexion went a little green but she didn’t yell.

  “It’s not so bad,” Kaitlin said, stepping forward to pull Sophia into a hug. “We can fix it.” She glanced at Violet, who nodded.

  “Not so bad at all.” She swept Sophia into a hug as well. “We’ve been so worried. Where were you?”

  Before she could answer—and she really didn’t want to explain it all right now anyway—the door opened and Edward and Transom entered, supporting Ned between them. He was awake.

  His eyes lit on her. “Sophia,” he breathed.

  Without a thought, she took him in her arms and held him close.

  “Sophia!” Ewan wailed. “You’re getting blood on your…shirt.” His nose twitched, most probably at the fact she was wearing a shirt. And trousers.

  Sophia ignored him. “Oh Ned. Thank God you are all right.” She leaned back and frowned at his dear, dear face. “Never give me a fright like that. Never. Do you hear me?”

  “I’m fine,” he said, but his face was still somewhat whitish.

  She glowered at Edward and Transom. “What the hell are you waiting for? Take him into the parlor and let him sit down.”

  They exchanged a look but did as she asked. Sophia followed close behind and when Ned was seated on the chaise, she knelt beside him. “Are you in pain, Ned? Does it hurt?” She raked back the hair on his brow. Before he could respond, she snapped her fingers. “Whisky. He needs whisky.” When no one moved, she shot a glower around the room. “Well, move!”

  “Cor.” Malcolm grinned at Ewan. “She is your sister, isn’t she?”

  It wasn’t until Ned had his glass and was sipping his fortifying concoction that Sophia let herself relax. She was home. Safe. Surrounded by loved ones. They both were. She set her hand on Ned’s and they shared a smile.

  He glanced up and paled.

  She followed his gaze to see that everyone was sitting ’round, staring at them. For once, they were all speechless.

  Aunt Hortense shattered the silence, banging her cane on the Aubusson carpet. Then she reached over and banged it on the bare floor for better effect. “Is anyone going to tell me what is going on here? Or must I guess?”

  Edward dropped onto the divan next to his wife, having gotten his own drink and one for Ewan. “Apparently when Sophia ran away, she stowed away on Ned’s ship.”

  “I did not stow away.”

  Ned chuckled and then winced. “She got a job on the ship.”

  “A job?” Ewan gaped at her in horror.

  “As a cabin boy.” Ned shot her a fond smile.

  “I was a very good cabin boy.” She gazed at him.

  “Yes, you were.” He gazed at he
r.

  They gazed at each other.

  Ewan harrumphed.

  “At any rate, there was a storm.”

  “A storm!” Taylor came to sit beside her on the floor but only so he could run his hand over the bristles of her hair.

  “A terrible storm,” she told him. “It lasted for days and days.”

  His eyes widened, along with his little mouth.

  “It must have been the hurricane. We heard about that storm.” Kaitlin shivered and nestled into Edward’s embrace.

  “The mast snapped,” Ned said. His brothers, entranced, all oohed and aahed.

  “You saved my life,” Sophia said softly, but everyone heard because they were hanging on every word.

  “You saved her life?” Ewan didn’t seem pleased by this in the slightest.

  “It was my fault.”

  “Never say it.” Ned touched her cheek.

  Her brother growled.

  “I went out on the deck in the middle of a raging storm.”

  “You went out on the deck in the middle of a raging storm? What were you thinking?”

  She ignored Ewan completely, all her attention trained on Ned. “And the mast split just as I stepped out. I didn’t see it falling. I didn’t know it was plummeting toward me. But you ran to me, putting your own life in danger, and whipped me out of the way. Just in time.”

  Aunt Hortense sighed. “How romantic.”

  “Ballocks,” Ewan grumbled.

  “At any rate.” Ned took up the tale. “The ship was damaged. Utterly crippled. We were stranded. In the middle of the ocean.”

  Sean and Hamish edged forward.

  “But no worries,” Sophia said, tossing back her head. “We were saved,” she rounded a look at her audience, “by pirates.”

  “Cor! Pirates!” Dennis rubbed his hands together. “Now this is getting good.”

  “Hideous, wild, dastardly pirates.” Sophia loved Ned’s smile as he embroidered their tale. “Rather bloodthirsty.”

  “There was a terrible battle. We would all have been lost if not for Ned’s skill with the sword.”

  “It was a cutlass, actually.”

  “A cutlass?” Dennis breathed.

  “Stolen from one of the pirates.”

  “Well, really.” Ewan’s brow darkened. “This is ludicrous.”

  “He was very skilled,” Sophia insisted. “He told me you taught him.”

  “Well,” Ewan muttered. “I suppose I might have taught him something.”

  Sophia tapped her lip. “Anyway, where was I?”

  “You all nearly died, but for Ned!” Taylor crowed.

  “Yes, indeed. The pirate captain was furious. He ordered Ned tossed into the sea to feed the fishes.”

  “Now I know you’re bamming me,” Sean said. “He’s sitting right here.”

  “Yes, he is,” Sophia said. “But only because he outwitted that dastardly pirate and tricked him into sparing us all.”

  Ned chuckled. “I wasn’t as dashing as all that. I was very nervous, dangling over the rail.” He glanced at his brothers. “It was a long way down. And if memory serves, Sophia, you were the one who pointed a pistol at the pirate captain’s heart and insisted he let me live.”

  “You had a pistol pointed at the captain’s heart?” Ewan asked.

  “I did.”

  “Perhaps,” he suggested, “you should have shot him then.”

  Sophia sniffed. It was all well and good for Ewan to offer sage advice. He hadn’t been there. “Ned was very brave during our escape attempt too.”

  Ned grimaced. “It didn’t work, though.”

  She gazed up at him. “Well, it could have.” She sighed. “You were very brave.”

  “You were brave. When the captain lashed you to the mast, I didn’t feel very brave. I thought I was going to die.”

  Ewan began to burble something about what fucking mast? But Sophia cut him off. “You saved me from the worst of that too, didn’t you, Ned?”

  “Hardly saved you. We both ended up in the brig—”

  “In the brig!” Ewan’s eyes bulged.

  Sophia was suddenly swept back to that brig, to the small closed room. To the touch of Ned’s hands, his body moving over her and in her. And from the look in his eyes, he was remembering the same glorious interlude.

  “I’m so glad you are safe,” he said softly.

  She smiled. “I’m so glad you did not die. If you ever leap in front of a bullet again, I shall kill you myself.” This she said sweetly, but there was a thread of steel in her tone.

  “Finally.” Dennis’ eyes gleamed. “Now we get to the blood and guts.”

  “I was wondering about the boy’s shirt,” Hortense said.

  Edward picked up the story, as Ned and Sophia remained silent. “It turns out the pirate who captured them is an old…friend of mine.”

  “A friend?” Kaitlin wrinkled her brow.

  “A friend who wanted to kill me.”

  “Very much,” Ewan put in.

  “When we arrived to investigate the very curious ransom note, I discovered the man holding them was none other than Cedric Savoy.”

  Hortense’s chins wobbled. “The war hero?”

  “None other.”

  “I thought he was killed in France.”

  “So, apparently, did his heir, who assumed his estates and ran him into penury. He lost everything—including the only family he had in the world—and he blamed me.”

  “Why you?” Malcolm asked.

  “Because when we escaped from that French prison, we couldn’t take him with us. He was being held in the infirmary on the other side of the castle. We had to leave him behind.”

  “I see,” Hortense said. “But this hardly explains why Ned is shot and not you.”

  “Because,” Sophia said, staring into Ned’s brown eyes, “he leaped in front of the bullet.”

  Violet gasped. “Ned. You didn’t.”

  “There, there, dear.” Ewan rubbed his wife’s shoulder.

  “I could have lost them both,” she cried.

  “But you didn’t, my love.”

  “But I could have!” Violet wailed. “Oh Ned!”

  Edward shifted. “What about me, Violet? I was the one in dire peril.”

  She gulped and stared at her elder brother. “I am very glad you are not dead as well, Edward.”

  He gave her a mocking bow. “I am so gratified.”

  “What are you going to do with him, Edward?” Sophia asked. She had rather liked Marquee. Until he shot Ned.

  Edward frowned. “I need to think on it.”

  Ewan gaped at him. “Throw him in Newgate. He’s a pirate!”

  “You were a brigand.”

  “He held my sister prisoner!”

  “As you held mine.”

  Sophia bit back her smile as her brother sputtered into silence.

  Then he grumbled, “I didn’t tie her to a mast.”

  Violet patted his arm. “Darling, if you remember, you did tie me to a boat.” She shuddered. “And I do hate boats.”

  “It seems to me he had a raw deal, losing everything because of his service to his country.” Edward shrugged. “It just doesn’t seem right to punish him more. But as I said, I need to think on it.”

  Ewan offered a nasty grin. “In the meantime, he’s being held in the brig on one of my ships.”

  “Do be gentle with him,” Sophia said.

  Her brother’s eyes narrowed. “He tied you to a mast and whipped you.”

  “Only once. And it wasn’t so very bad.”

  Ned frowned. “It was terrible.”

  “Besides, I clouted him with the chamber pot.”

  “Was it full?” Hamish asked.

  Sophia fixed her attention on Edward. “Marquee could have done much worse. All around. He could have tossed us all into the sea. He could have sold us to slavers.”

  Dennis’ eyes brightened at this.

  Sophia shot Ned an impish look. “He could hav
e ravaged Prudence Billingsly but he did not.”

  Ned’s lips quirked. “True. He did manage to control his baser desires there.”

  “Were you ravaged?” This from Malcolm.

  Sophia blanched. Outraged gasps from the women rounded the room. The question was in terrible form. One did not ask a lady if she had been ravaged. But then this was Malcolm. He was not particularly influenced by etiquette.

  She forced a smile at Ned’s brother, lounging cockily as he was on the divan. “I was disguised as a boy, silly.”

  “Else you would have been ravaged, most likely.” Dennis nodded sagely.

  “Oh dear,” Violet said, shooting Dennis and Malcolm a quelling look. And then, just to be safe, she sent the same glower to Sean and Hamish and Tay. “Sophia, you must be exhausted.”

  She was, but she didn’t want to leave Ned’s side. She couldn’t bear it. However, she recognized Violet’s comment for what it was. Ned was flagging. In fact, his lashes fluttered even as she glanced at him. He should be in his bed, recovering.

  “We probably should go home,” she sighed. “I would dearly love a bath.”

  “And Nan, no doubt, would love a chance at your hair,” Dennis sniggered.

  Sophia loved that Ned glared him down. “Her hair is lovely,” he insisted in a thready voice. He lifted his hand to riffle it, then caught Ewan’s glower and dropped it. She hated that he dropped it but she understood. Ewan had a fierce glower.

  And her brother didn’t approve of Ned.

  Which was absurd.

  In the coming days, she would work to change his mind.

  Ned was the one she wanted. Ned was the husband she chose.

  But she knew, and likely Ned knew too, they would have to step softly with Ewan.

  She stood and bent to press a kiss on his forehead. “Will I see you tomorrow?” she whispered.

  “I hope so.” As she turned away, he caught her hand. “Did you enjoy your adventure?” he asked, a light glinting his eye.

  “Yes, Ned,” she said. “I enjoyed it very much.

  It had been a grand adventure.

  She never wanted another adventure again.

  * * * * *

  Ned did not see Sophia the next day. Or the next. In fact, a week went by without so much as a glimpse of her, and then two. While he missed her terribly, he was hardly lonely. He was closeted in his rooms, visited by an incessant parade of doctors and surgeons. His brothers marched in at all hours to hear about the pirates. Especially Dennis, who was most interested in the more grisly details. Percy came by too—they had a great time recalling the details of their escapades—and Edward and Violet and Kaitlin and, God, even Aunt Hortense.