Free The Sea Rose by Amylynn Bright Page B

I
clear?”
    Jack snorted and remained seated
across the room.
    “ I’ll just wait for you
over here, Miss Weldon.” Major Hansen indicated a shadowed corner
across the room.
    Frustration flashed across Jack’s
face.
    “ Oh, sir, that won’t do,”
Roselyn placed the bible reverently on the wooden chair.
“Mr...Handsome Jack needs privacy to come to grips with God, don’t
you agree?”
    Major Hansen’s eyebrows met in
consternation. “Miss Weldon, I have to insist that I remain – for
you safety. If anything should happen to you, Reverend Merickel
would not be a happy man.”
    You’d be surprised. “If you were in this man’s place,” Roselyn
gestured with a sweep of her arm, “you’d want some
privacy.”
    The major looked from Roselyn to Jack
and back again, clearly unsure how he should continue. “Ummmm…. I
don’t know.” Roselyn willed him to do what she said. Time was of
the essence if the plan was to go off without a hitch.
    “ Oh for Christ’s sake,”
Jack burst out, rising to his feet. “I’m not going to hurt her. How
the hell could I behind these bars?”
    Major Hansen glared at Jack before
facing Roselyn. “I’ll be right in my office up front. I’ll be able
to hear if you scream. Don’t approach the bars, Miss Weldon. He may
act perfectly gentlemanly but he’s a filthy, lying pirate who will
do anything to escape – even use you as a hostage if
necessary.”
    Roselyn kept her victory smile in
check. “Of course, Major Hansen. I’ll be very careful.” She
remained steadfast, her hand gripping the back of the chair so hard
her knuckles turned white until Major Hansen’s footstep faded
completely.
    “ What are you doing here,
you crazy woman?” Jack was already at the bars with his right arm
extended towards her when she turned from the sound of Major
Hansen’s retreat. His grasping fingers hooked her skirt and, with a
little giggle, she let him pull her to him. They twined their arms
through the bars and managed a deep kiss even while the iron
pressed tightly against their faces.
    “ I am part of Plan A,” she
told him when they finally came up for air.
    “ You shouldn’t be here,”
Jack told her before he pressed his lips to hers again.
    “ But if I didn’t come how
would you ever get this?” Roselyn gave a little shimmy until she
heard a thud on the stone floor. With a broad smile, she took a
side-step. The skirt of her dress swayed enough that Jack saw the
gun on the floor.
    Jack bent quickly, scooped up the gun,
and shoved it in the back waistband of his trousers.
    “ You’re the loveliest jail
breaker I’ve ever had the pleasure of being sprung by.” Jack
chuckled, the familiar sound shimmering over her body in the most
delightful way.
    “ I suspect that’s not
saying much,” Roselyn teased. “I’ve seen your regular crew.” She
emphasized her point with a comical shudder.
    “ True.” He nodded. “I’ve
rarely ravished my accomplices in gratitude either.” He squeezed
her waist.
    “ Ow! You won’t get to
ravish this one either if you stab me to death.”
    Jack loosened his grip. “That little
quip calls for all kinds of bawdy comments.”
    “ We don’t have time.”
Roselyn slid her finger into a hole at the sash of her dress and
withdrew a throwing knife which she promptly handed through the
bars. She did the same with four more in the hem of her
dress.
    “ Good Lord, woman.” Jack
slid the knives in his boot. “What else you got in
there?
    “ Just one other thing.”
Feeling quite coy, she enjoyed seeing Jack’s eyes widen when she
dipped her hand down the bodice of her dress and pulled out the
cell key.
    “ How?”
    “ Amos.”
    “ Amos is with you? Who
else?” Jack slid the key soundlessly into the cell door and, with
concentrated slowness, swung the door open enough to slip
out.
    “ Big Jim, Little Bess,
Blake, and some of the other men from the crew. The rest are back
preparing the Revenge.”
    Jack drew her to him, her body