Free Duke by Day, Rogue by Night by Katherine Bone Page A

eyes, satisfied that he still had a chance to avenge his sister.
    A knock sounded at the door.
    â€œCaptain?”
    His eyes darted from the door to the bed to see if the disturbance had roused Lady Constance. He simply wasn’t ready to deal with the sobbing woman. Not when a new plan was beginning to develop in his mind. He didn’t need distractions right now and that was what she was proving to be, a disruption to his life and ambitions. He eyed her suspiciously and eased himself out of his chair. Then he strode soundlessly to the cabin door and quietly stepped outside.
    â€œShh,” he rebuked. “The lady’s sleeping.”
    Ollie peered over Percy’s shoulder, wincing with the effort and stopped short when the only thing visible was her torn shift lying on the floor. “Not asleep, I wager, but ridden to exhaustion,” he joked.
    â€œAye.” Percy winked. With a lop-sided smile, he let the man think what he would. It only served to enhance the lady’s protection. “Is anything amiss?”
    â€œA … miss?” Ollie stuttered.
    â€œOther than wanting to catch sight of our prize, why are you here?” he asked.
    He didn’t want to dwell on Lady Constance — as if he could forget her. He wanted to focus on how he was going to get Josiah Cane to lead him to Celeste’s killer. There would be time later to figure out what to do with the tempting wench in his bed and deal with the annoying trouble she’d caused him. But first, he had to get to London. Until he docked, he had innumerable problems to contend with, not the least of which were keeping Constance safe, Collins and Guffald alive, and making sure the men on the ship didn’t mutiny again. After he arrived, there was the Octavia ’s sinking to report, prisoners to relinquish, and Constance to see safely delivered home to her uncle. Simon was not a man he wanted to engage when angry. The man was a formidable legend. The sooner Constance was off his hands, the better.
    Perhaps news he’d been able to save his old friend, Guffald, would soothe Simon’s ruffled feathers where Constance was concerned, he thought.
    â€œCap’n?”
    â€œAye?” he answered, stirred at last from his musings.
    â€œYour pardon, sir, but it seems you are preoccupied.” He grinned. “Not that I blame you.”
    â€œYou’re quite fixated on that girl, aren’t you, Ollie?”
    â€œAye, Cap’n.” Clearing his throat, Ollie groaned, “If you get tired of her, the crew and me have drawn straws.”
    Percy grinned. “Save it, you old sea dog. The girl is returning to her uncle. I don’t think Simon would think kindly of her returning sorely used.”
    â€œRight.” He frowned. “How about slightly used?”
    A smile widened Percy’s lips. If anyone were going to slightly use the girl, it would be him. “What brings you below deck, Ollie? I counted on you being at the helm.”
    â€œFrink’s crew, what’s left of ’em, have agreed to terms. The others, those what fought and refused to sail, are floating like bloated whales in one of the Striker ’s boats, headed to France.” Ollie’s wicked cackle raised the hair on his arms. They weren’t supposed to set any of the men free and France and England were at war.
    â€œWhy didn’t you put them in the hold? Simon wanted them — alive.”
    â€œThere wasn’t room, Cap’n, not with what Frink had pulled from the Octavia and stored in the hold. With Collins, Guffald and his men, our own men and now some of Frink’s men aboard, we would’ve been playing with fire if we thought we could control the lot of them at once, especially those loyal to Frink.”
    Percy weighed the truth in Ollie’s explanation and nodded. His mate was right. According to his calculations, they were eight days from London. The last thing he needed was another