Free The Guise of a Gentleman by Donna Hatch Page B

grateful, are you going to church?”
    Jared froze. Go to church? Clearly, she was testing him. “Of course I’m going to church. I never miss a Sabbath.” He looked up at the imposing structure and wondered if lightning would strike before or after the walls came down. Unable to resist, he glanced at the boy. “All reformed pirates go to church.”
    With an uncertain smile, she led the way up the stairs toward the open doorway.
    Colin turned around “So were you a pirate, or not?”
    Jared winked and laid a finger over his lips with a meaningful glance at Mrs. Berkley.
    Colin smiled broadly and fell back a step. “Were you the captain?” he whispered.
    Jared nodded once.
    Rapture overcame the child’s face. Jared hoped such an innocent would never have an opportunity to learn the truth about real pirates who were nothing like the romantic heroes of the stories this boy no doubt heard.
    “I’m learning to fence,” Colin whispered. “I can fight with you if your ship gets boarded.”
    Jared nodded solemnly. “I can see you’d be a good man to have in a fight, but I told you I’m reformed.”
    Colin’s enthusiasm fell. “Oh, right.”
    Jared paused inside the doorway to allow his eyes to adjust to the gloom. When they were in the midst of plundering a ship, he and his crew wore a patch over one eye so when they ventured into the darkened hold, they could switch the patch to the other eye and see with the eye that had already adjusted to darkness. It came in handy for dispatching foolish lurking heroes bent on protecting the ship’s stores.
    Without the eye patch to aid him, he waited and blinked while Mrs. Berkley settled her son in a pew. Half-amazed that the building still stood and hadn’t been blackened by lightning, nor had the walls tumbled around them, Jared hesitated in the aisle.
    As a child, when he went to church with his family, they’d had their own family pew. Where did newcomers sit?
    In an act of pity, Mrs. Berkley scooted over and patted the bench next to her.
    Gratefully, he took a seat at her side, sitting close enough to feel the warmth of her body. Her subtle perfume wafted past him, and he inhaled deeply. “Thank you.”
    A faint smile tugged at her rose-petal lips, but she turned her head forward, leaving him to admire her profile instead.
    Her small, upturned nose resembled a child’s, but her lush, full lips reminded him of how soft and pliant they had grown with his mouth upon them. Her kiss had been hesitant, inexperienced, but full of yearning. He ached to possess them again and taste their promising sweetness. Had she truly been celibate during her widowhood? If so, she was either refreshingly pure or totally devoted to her late husband. Either way, his chances with her remained abysmal.
    He refused to admit how much that bothered him.
    Mrs. Berkley wore a guarded expression but little Colin peered at him, wide-eyed and curious.
    Jared winked at the boy and smiled at the mother.
    She pretended not to notice, but her lips twitched. Mesmerized by that full, almost pouting mouth that called to him like the lure of a siren, although hopefully not so deadly, Jared stared. After she shot him a warning glance, he swallowed and pretended to study the stained glass windows.
    The next hour reminded Jared why he hadn’t spent much time in church. As the vicar droned on, Jared alternated between wondering what kind of money any number of expensive items in the church would bring to his crew, and attempting to keep his thoughts pure about the enticing Mrs. Berkley. Surprised his evil musings failed to call down the wrath of heaven, he wondered if he’d ever enter a church without fearing he’d rock the walls. He squirmed.
    At the conclusion of the service, Jared offered his arm to Mrs. Berkley. She hesitated, glanced at her son’s beaming face, and relented. Jared’s chest swelled as he escorted the lovely lady down the aisle and back outside. He paused to greet the vicar who heartily