Free Pirate Hunter's Mistress (The Virginia Brides) by Lynette Vinet

already. You may do whatever you wish here.”
    “Thank you, my lord. I should like to start refurbishing the house as soon as possible. Mrs. Mort assures me that there are competent carpenters in the village to take care of any structural damage. Also, the furnishings shall also need to be recovered and new drapes placed on every window.”
    “I’m certain you’re up to the challenge.”
    “Yes, but, but,” and here she wasn’t too certain she wanted to be honest, frightened he’d put her in her place by refusing her since their marriage wasn’t a love match.
    “What is it?”
    She bit at her lower lip and hesitantly raised her eyes from the white lace napkin in her lap to guilelessly meet his perplexed stare. “I would deem it an honor, my lord, if you’d agree to help me. ArdenManor will always be your home, and I should like to make choices that please you, and since I don’t know your tastes…”
    Arden took a deep controlling breath and sipped his port. It seemed a very long time before he spoke, and by the time he did, she was clutching at the napkin, frightened she’d been too forward. His gaze settled upon her, enveloping her in heat. “Everything about you pleases me, my lady. I’ll help you in any way I can.”
    She wanted to cry aloud her happiness. This was the first indication that Arden was beginning to accept her, to truly think of her as mistress of his home. Soon, she hoped, he’d come to want her as his wife. Because the warmth in his eyes expressed his desire, perhaps he was beginning to care for her, but for now she settled for his help with the house. Redoing it was the first step in taming Arden. “Thank you, my lord,” she stated simply but her heart sang with joy.
    He rose and gallantly extended his arm to her. “Would you care for a stroll on the terrace? There’s a full moon tonight.”
    In a trance, she nodded and placed her hand on his arm, not caring about the moon but wanting only to touch him. If Arden had issued an invitation to hell, she’d have gladly risen and followed him, so mesmerized was she.
    From the flag-stoned terrace, they gazed down at the black abyss of sea below them. The darkness was obliterated by a silver moonlit patch upon the rolling surface. Thunderous waves echoed in the night, pounding the rocky cliffs and dampening their faces with a fine sea mist. The night air was charged with awesome energy and something else—something which left Marlee’s knees feeling weaker than sea kelp.
    She shivered from the coolness of the night, more than surprised to suddenly feel Arden’s hands on her shoulders as he placed his jacket about her. Now she trembled but not from any chill and discovered herself to be warmer than she’d ever been in her life.
    “The sea is a powerful force of nature and must be respected,” she heard him say over the sound of her heart hammering in her ears. “There’s nothing greater in God’s universe, nothing more magnificent. I miss it so.”
    Marlee noticed he wasn’t looking at her, or apparently aware of her. It seemed his vision was on a far distant point. “Have you sailed often?”
    “What?” Arden glanced at her, her voice pulling him from his reverie.
    “You sound as if you’ve been on many voyages. I had no idea you sailed. I mean all of the tales I’ve heard—” she broke off, unwilling to discuss his reputation.
    “I can imagine the horrible things you’ve heard about Lord Richard Arden,” he said, and she swore she noticed a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “But, I assure you, what you’ve heard has nothing to do with me.’’
    “Forgive me, my lord, I shouldn’t have said anything. Gossip hurts, believe me. I know firsthand how painful such loose talk can be. But I do wonder if you’ve ever sailed to distant places and, if so, I should like to hear about them. I’ve never been anywhere but my village—and here.”
    “Nowhere else?”
    She shook her head. “But I should like to see distant