Free A Pirate's Wife for Me by Christina Dodd Page A

the reputation of a girl who would take any challenge. After he arrived in Scotland, she had learned the gentle art of flirting for the sole purpose of seducing him. Now, nine years later, she was a spy. She would always go after her objective, and if she didn't succeed, if everything didn't turn out as she planned, she would make another plan. She was fearless and far too forthright to play the game with the guile that it called for.
    "Tell me one thing," Cate said, "when Davies took power, was all law abandoned?"
    "He brought in foreign mercenaries to control the population. For the most part, the aristocrats fled. Many of the villages disappeared altogether. At this moment, Davies is making a tour of the Mediterranean countries, using his position to gain entry into the homes of wealthy aristocrats, generals and nouveau riche . We don't want him in Cenorina when we're searching for proof of his wrongdoing, but we want him trapped when the time comes to arrest him."
    Cate tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair. "I don't completely understand. Does Sir Maddox Davies have any inkling the English are on to him?"
    "No," Taran said.
    "But if he believes the English have discovered he's a spy and a traitor, isn't it more likely he'll escape to France, or Italy, or Russia? Somewhere where England has no influence, nor are they likely to have?" She watched Taran intently.
    "During his sojourn as governor, Davies has been mining Cenorina for every bit of wealth. He is a very greedy, very expensive person." Davies's greed had gutted Taran's nation. For that reason alone, he would destroy his former tutor. "Cenorina has been Davies's sanctuary – and the greatest part of his money and the belongings he has acquired remain on Cenorina."
    Cate chuckled. "How delightful. He must return to collect his wealth. So in my capacity as housekeeper, I'm to look over every bit of his home and discover where he hides his secret documents."
    "And his wealth," Taran said. "For the royal family to regain their influence, they must be able to restore Cenorina to prosperity. What better way to do that than to use the fortune Davies stole from the Cenorinian people?"
    Taran could see Cate's mind working. "The timing seems delicate."
    "Yes." Yes . Taran had waited years for this moment. He had plotted every possibility. And one of the possibilities that existed was the chance that the housekeeper would be trapped if Davies arrived too soon. He'd been sanguine about the possibility before. After all, the housekeeper knew the risks she took.
    But he hadn't known the housekeeper would be Cate.
    "What means will Throckmorton use to send Sir Davies scuttling back to Cenorina?" she asked.
    "I do not know," Taran said. "I can only hope it is painful."
     
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
     
    Sir Maddox Davies woke to a blast of Italian sunshine as the maid drew back the curtains and in execrable English, said, "Rise, you scum of an Englishman! The count has ordered his coach will take you to your next place of staying."
    Maddox rose onto his elbow, protecting his eyes with his hand, and squinted at the maid.
    She wasn't the pretty little thing who had sneaked in every day for the last week to offer him tea, assemble his clothing, and ride him for the price of one gold coin.
    This was a coarse, earthy woman with big hands and broad shoulders. He had no desire to be ridden by her. He sank back onto the bed. "It's early. Shut the curtains."
    "No." She cracked her knuckles. "The count says now."
    Hm. Last night, Maddox may have indulged in too much of the fine Tuscan red wine and been a tad too friendly with the countess. But how was he supposed to know what was too friendly? The woman had been flirting with him from behind her fan. But perhaps wrestling with her in the corner had been against some rule of Italian culture. Foreigners were free with their escapades. He never could tell what was going to set them off…
    "Now!" The maid advanced on the bed