Free A Pirate's Bounty by Eliza Knight Page B

in what evidence lay beneath the velvet and instead wanted only to take him by the hand and lead him to the bed they’d shared.
    With reluctance she stepped back, as it was evident how very important Wraith believed it was to share with her his past and his proof.
    “My father was the late Marquis de Gothie—overlord of your father.”
    Faryn gasped, her hand coming to her throat, and she stepped back, nearly tripping on the overflowing linens she still had wrapped about her. “No! No!” She shook her head, fear suddenly coming over her. He was more than a pirate. He was a cold-blooded murderer. Had she read him completely wrong?
    She turned and raced for the door of the cabin, not caring that the ship’s crew would see her in such a state. She had to get away from him, for he could only wish to reveal himself, the heinous and satanic man that he was, in order to kill her too! Stories of the murders of his family from a few years ago came to mind. Her father’s words and descriptions of the scene flashed before her eyes. So much blood. Severed limbs. Broken bodies. Even the children. All murdered. And the eldest son, she couldn’t remember his name, but nevertheless he was gone. Run away from his deeds.
    “Faryn!” he bellowed and then was on top of her, pinning her down.
    She thrashed against him. “No! Don’t kill me! Please, I know nothing. I don’t know you, you can let me go! I swear I will tell no one! Please!”
    “Faryn! Listen! God, woman! Have you no wits? I am innocent! Innocent! Someone has framed me!”
    His frantic words struck a chord in her. Innocent? “You did not murder them?” she asked meekly.
    “Never. I loved my family. I love them still. ’Tis why I must get back to France. I must clear my name. I have proof.” He pointed at the velvet package again. “I was forced to leave France. I became a pirate to support myself and my need for revenge. I searched all this time for evidence to clear my name. And now I’ve gathered enough. But the king will not just offer me an audience, I must bribe him to see me. I’ve amassed a small fortune but the bounty—the daughter of a lord is well worth her weight in gold. ‘Tis why I bargained for you. You shall help me. And now that I know who your father is, he can help me too, for he knows me. He knows I would not have killed my family. He can vouch for me.”
    Faryn nodded, although she wasn’t sure that her father would do any such thing. In fact, the more she thought of it, the more she realized he’d probably written her off completely. Wasn’t that apparent in the fact that he had not accompanied Menteur in the search to find her? Or perhaps he was covering the lands and Menteur had agreed to scour the seas.
    Yes, that must be it. Her father must be searching all of France for her.
    “Show me.” She pointed to the package and, taking her hand, Wraith led her to the table.
    He squeezed her hand and then let it go, and while she was still scared she felt the absence of his touch immensely.
    With measured movements he unwrapped the velvet, revealing a small pile of items and papers.
    He first showed her a letter. “This is a letter one of my spies intercepted. It is from the murderer—although he hasn’t signed it—but he confesses to an accomplice of their deeds and how he plans to petition the king for the marquisate—my father’s titles and estates.”
    “Did he ever gain such?” She couldn’t recall if there had been a new marquis or not, though she had never really paid attention to those things, if she was privy to the information, which wasn’t very often. After she’d been sorely used and heartbroken, which was shortly before the murders, she kept to herself, and then she was betrothed to Menteur and soon captured by Wraith.
    “Not as of yet. The king holds the estates, taking the money for himself. He says he holds it until I am found.” Wraith stopped talking for a short moment and stared off into the distance.