Free Merline Lovelace by The Tiger's Bride Page A

knowledge, had been made privy to his tribal name. Until this moment, even the captain had referred to him only as the African.
    His brow furrowed, Jamie watched Sarah finish her stitching and smile down at her patient.
    “That should do the trick, Mr. Burke.”
    With the captain’s aid, Liam swung his legs over the side of the table and sat up. Jamie held him steady while his nurse wrapped lint bandages around his forehead. When she finished with his head, the mate gingerly rotated it. Then he lifted his arm to test the wound to his shoulder. The movement brought a wash of sweat to his brow, but a moment later he slid off the table and aimed a shaky smile at his benefactors.
    “My thanks to you both.”
    “You should rest, Mr. Burke!” Sarah protested.
    He flashed her a grin. “It takes more than a whittle o’wood and a knock on the noggin to keep me down, lass. I’ll be seein’ to the men. And,” he added with a glance at Jamie, “the captain will be seein’ to you.”
    “Aye, I will.”
    Jamie waited until the other men had departed the mess. Across the bloody table, his unrepentant stowaway lifted her chin in a way that signaled stormy weather ahead. He eyed the tendrils of dark cinnamon hair straggling over her shoulders and the blood staining her hands. His mate’s blood. First things first, he decided grimly.
    “I’ll add my thanks to those of Liam Burk.”
    Surprise flickered in her brown eyes. “I have some skill in patient care,” she replied warily. “When I heard his groan, I had to offer my services.”
    “Your skill has won you a reprieve from the strap.”
    “And so I should hope!” With relief came a measure of tartness. “Really, Lord Strai—”
    “Aboard this ship, you may address me as Captain.”
    “Really, Captain, I think you should know that I do not care for threats.”
    “Nor do I, Miss Abernathy. That was a promise. One I shall fulfill if you disregard my orders again.”
    She bit her lip at the flat assertion. To her credit and Jamie’s considerable surprise, she dipped her head in acknowledgment.
    “I understand. The master’s word must be law aboard ship.” She hesitated, then forced a small smile. “But can’t you stop addressing me as Miss Abernathy in that odious way and tell me how we’re to go on? Surely you don’t intend to keep me confined in that cabin for the whole voyage?”
    “I intend to put you aboard the next ship we hail that’s making for Macao.”
    “No!”
    He cocked a black brow. “Did I not just hear you acknowledge my absolute authority?”
    Ignoring his sarcastic and wholly rhetorical question, she came around the table. “Please, Lord Straithe…Captain. You must let me come with you.”
    “It’s too dangerous, as this chance meeting with pirates should have shown you. What’s more, I won’t answer for my men with a woman aboard.”
    Her breasts rose and fell beneath the stained robe. “But…”
    “I said I’d make an effort to find your father and I will…whether you trust me or not to hold to my word.”
    She flushed a bit at the caustic comment. “Perhaps I spoke too hastily when I said I couldn’t trust you.”
    “Perhaps you did. There’s honor even among thieves, Sarah.”
    “I will take your word for that, at least!”
    His eyes gleamed sardonically. “Will you?”
    Belatedly, she seemed to realize that tossing insults at him would hardly achieve her objective.
    “It’s not just a matter of trusting you to find my father,” she said slowly, with obvious reluctance. “When the call takes him, he doesn’t always…listen to the voice of reason.”
    From his previous dealings with the gray-bearded fanatic, Jamie thought she’d understated the matter considerably.
    “So even if you do locate him, he may not come away with you. I’m sure I can convince him to return home.”
    To Jamie’s ears, she sounded anything but sure. Suddenly, the disdain he’d felt for the missionary who’d stormed aboard to rant at