Free Silver Storm (The Raveneau Novels #1) by Cynthia Wright Page B

Her strawberry-blond curls had been freed, but
she was beginning to suspect that Andre Raveneau didn't recognize
her. He seemed to have no memory of their earlier meeting, or of
the enchanting kiss they had shared in Nick's carriage. This
realization hurt her more than she could admit, even to herself.
Those few minutes they had spent alone together, when he had
awakened her deepest passions with one kiss, had filled her dreams
and fantasies for a year.
    She glowered at him. Raveneau's own anger was
being replaced by puzzled curiosity. He had expected the girl to
weep and plead, perhaps pretend to faint again or even offer him
her body in an effort to persuade him to let her stay. Instead, she
glared at him with what appeared to be undisguised hatred!
    "I find I am confused; perhaps you can
enlighten me. Didn't you want to remain on the Black
Eagle?"
    "Yes!" she spat.
    "Then why are you insulting me and behaving
as if you would like to murder me?" His tone was
conversational.
    "I dislike your intimidating manner... sir."
Desperately Devon tried to stifle some of her rage. He was right;
she would find herself in Norwich if she didn't change her
tactics.
    "I am the captain, mademoiselle. It is my
prerogative to be intimidating." He was half amused by now.
    Devon sighed loudly. It helped. "I am sorry.
I do have an excuse, of sorts. You see, I've been attacked twice today, and I am not feeling very charitable toward men
in general."
    Raveneau's eyes narrowed. "This happened in
New London?"
    "Yes." She stared down at her hands, which
were twisted tightly together. "Two... two redcoats came. One took
my mother upstairs, the other kept me on the first floor. He...
tore my gown. The army wanted to burn our store. A lieutenant
stopped the soldier before he could... finish with me."
    "Your mother?" Raveneau asked softly.
    "They never came out. The shop was
burned."
    "I’m sorry...for your loss, mademoiselle. And
it was after that that Jackson found you?"
    "I got away from the redcoat and then hid in
a tree for hours. The British had gone when I encountered Caleb."
She looked up angrily. "Do you know who I saw when I was in the
tree? The mastermind of the entire plot! Benedict Arnold! If I
could, I would kill that man!"
    Raveneau seemed unsurprised by this
information. He dropped lightly to the floor and walked over to sit
near Devon on the bed. "Don't brood about Arnold now; you've got to
think of yourself. Haven't you anyone to whom you might go?"
    "I... I had a friend who was like a father to
me, but he was killed in the battle." Bitter tears came to Devon's
eyes for all the death and destruction of that day. She sobbed and
shook, unaware of Andre Raveneau's strong arms enfolding her,
pulling her onto his lap, cradling her head against the gray velvet
robe and his warm, tanned chest. At last, when her tears were
spent, she felt a numbness spread where the agony had been.
    Awareness returned. To Devon's horror, a
tingle ran down her spine at the realization that she was in his
arms. He smelled clean, intoxicating; a wild urge possessed her to
nuzzle the soft black hair covering his chest. But her mind
stubbornly reminded her that this was the conceited beast who had
kissed her and forgotten. Reluctantly she lifted her head from his
shoulder.
    "I am fine now. You may release me." Her
voice sounded cold and distant. When his arms fell away, she wanted
to beg for his embrace again. Instead, she shifted herself back
onto the bed and hoped her face did not look as hot as it felt.
    "Do you feel better?" he inquired, reaching
for the cigar which burned in a bedside dish. "You have been
through a great deal... but I cannot believe that coming on the Black Eagle will help you. There is no reason—"
    "But there is! You asked if I had someone to
care for me. There is one person. You are going to Yorktown, and I
am certain that Morgan will be there as well. He is my fiancé, and
we have been apart for nearly a year. We love and need each