Gwen sank into the tub of hot water, trying to stop crying. Had she been so gullible her entire life that she didn’t know her father had once been a pirate? She wouldn’t believe it if she hadn’t seen him and her brothers in the tavern years ago with their booty. It all made sense now. She’d never mentioned it to her father, but she did tell her mother what she’d seen that night. It was right afterward that her mother slipped on the floor and died.
With her eyes closed and her head partially under the water, she didn’t even hear Brody enter the room. But when she opened her eyes, there he was, standing at the other end of the tub, staring down at her. She sank lower, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I didn’t hear you come into the room. Why didn’t you make your presence known?”
“You looked so peaceful and comfortable. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“I’ll get out so you can use the bath.”
“Don’t bother.” He pulled off his headscarf and then his torn tunic. His fingers reached for his belt.
“Why not?” she asked, sure he meant they could use the tub together. Part of her was excited by that idea. Still, she was terrified at the same time.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to soak my wound in the soapy water.”
“Oh.” She sat up slightly and the water splashed over the rim. “I’ll get out then. Will you please turn around?”
“Of course.” He turned around, bending over to kick off his boots. She hurriedly exited the tub and wrapped herself in a drying cloth big enough to cover her body. “Marta has taken my clothes to clean them. She left me one of her gowns to wear in the meantime. She said it won’t fit her right now since she’s pregnant. She left you a pair of her husband’s breeches and a tunic.”
She removed the towel and reached for the gown. He turned around just then.
“Oh!” She clutched the tunic to her chest. Their eyes met. The fire illuminated the outline of his body. Most rooms at an inn didn’t have a hearth, but this room was the one usually used by Edwin and his wife since they were the proprietors.
“You – you’re beautiful,” he said, his eyes still fastened to her.
“You are very handsome yourself.”
“I don’t know why you hide under those clothes of a boy. You are a woman and should be proud of it.”
“Here.” Holding the towel in front of her with one hand, she gave him Edwin’s clothes with the other. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Their hands brushed against each other when he took the clothes. It was enough to send a flittering tingle up her arm. He jerked backward at the same time.
“You felt it, too, didn’t you?”
“I did,” he admitted. “I also felt something between us in the cave.”
“Why did you lie then?” Her hands trembled.
“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to admit that something so beautiful could come from a place that holds dark memories of my past.”
“You mean the cave. When the pirates took you, right?”
“Aye.” He turned around, allowing her the privacy to dress. When she donned the gown and faced him again, he was naked, putting on the breeches.
A gasp caught in her throat when she saw his well-toned body. Brody wasn’t the tallest man she’d ever met, but he had muscles just as large as any sailor. He fastened the tie around his waist, not bothering with the tunic. Then he sat down on the edge of the bed, rolling up one leg of the breeches, inspecting his unwrapped wound.
“Oh, how thoughtless of me. Please, let me help you.” She ran over to him, picking up a cloth from the bed along the way. “Let me see that.”
Brody felt Gwen’s body heat next to him and then the gentle touch of her slim fingers on his leg. He’d discovered downstairs his wound didn’t need to be stitched. It was just a flesh wound and probably hurt so bad since it was on the joint.
“I’ll clean it properly this time.” She used a rag and water from the tub, rinsing the soap off the wound with clean water from a ceramic ewer. “It doesn’t look as bad as I thought.” She sat down next to him and wrapped the cloth around his wound.
Brody could smell rose water in her wet hair. It was intoxicating. He couldn’t help himself. He leaned over and kissed her on the head. She stopped and turned her face upward.
“What was that for?”
“I was . . . thanking you for caring for me. It’s been a long time since anyone has done that.”
Her lips turned up in a smile. Then she boldly reached out and kissed him on the mouth. Her essence filled his senses, making his heart swell. It felt right to be with Gwen. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the silly legend or just fate, but he honestly cared for her.
“What was that for?” he asked in return.
“You saved my life when I fell from the ship in the storm,” she answered.
“I see.” He lifted her chin gently and kissed her again. This time the kiss lingered. He wasn’t in a hurry to pull away. “That’s for saving my life when you plucked me from the sea to begin with.”
Her eyes closed slightly and she relaxed, her body leaning up against his chest. Her lips glistened and her cheeks were rosy. The flames in the hearth flickered, causing shadows to dance over her face. To him, she looked like an angel. He brushed back a curl of her wet hair.
“I suppose this could go on all night,” she commented.
“I’d like it to, Gwen. I’ve never met anyone like you before. But there is something we need to discuss.”
Her body immediately went rigid. “I don’t want to talk about my father and brothers being pirates because it’s not true.”
“Edwin told me more. It is true and I think you know it.”
Tears fell from her eyes. He brushed them away with his thumb. Finally, she sighed and nodded. “Aye. I think I knew the truth for a long time now but didn’t want to admit it. I just wanted my family to be the way it used to be so long ago when I was a child. We were happy then. We didn’t have much, but neither did it matter. We had each other.”
“Edwin said your father took to pirating to support your family. Your mother didn’t know about it. When she found out, they argued. Cato pushed her and she fell – and died.”
“Nay!” Her big, blue-green orbs looked up in horror as she shook her head.
“Yes, Gwen. It was an accident, I’m sure. But your father is responsible for the death of your mother.”
“He’s not,” she said, shaking her head vigorously. The tears flowed faster now.
“You’re going to have to stop denying the truth, no matter how hard it may be to accept it.”
“My father didn’t kill her.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do. Because, I killed her, Brody.”
“What are you saying?”
“I wasn’t supposed to tell my mother I saw them in the tavern that night. But I was only ten years old. Of course, I told her. So, you see, I’m the reason they argued. I’m responsible for my mother’s death.”
“Shhh,” he told her, cradling her head against his chest and rocking her gently. “It was an accident and you are not to blame. She would have found out sooner or later and they still would have argued.”
“Oh, Brody, I hope I’m not the reason my brothers left as well.”
“Edwin told me that after your mother’s death, your father took to the bottle. They’d had enough of his antics. Your brothers stole his ship and left.”
“Yes, they left a few years after my mother died. Why would they leave me behind?”
“I don’t have the answers, Gwen, but a pirate ship is no place for a young woman. They might have thought leaving you behind was safer.”
“Nay, I won’t believe they are really pirates! It can’t be true.”
“It is, Gwen. The Sea Mirage confronted their ship, the Falcon, a few years back. We made a deal. They were sent to raid up and down the channel while we controlled the west coast.”
“You saw my brothers? So they really are pirates?”
“I don’t know them personally but I’m sure they were on the ship. I vaguely remember hearing their names.”
“I need to know for sure.” She dabbed at her tears with the sleeve of her gown.
“I suppose we’ll never really know.”
“Yes, we will.” She sat up straighter and lifted her chin. “When my father returns, I am going to confront him and ask him all about this.”
“If he returns.” Brody felt like a scoundrel, secretly wishing the man had died at sea, but it would be the best for Gwen. Then she wouldn’t have to feel the hurt of this whole situation. Plus, it would be better for him, because he had a feeling her father was not going to sit still once he found out that Brody planned on marrying his daughter.