Free Mistress Below Deck by Helen Dickson Page A

call the whole thing off you will do as I say. Have you ever been to sea?’
    â€˜I’ve been out—in a fishing boat.’
    â€˜That was not what I meant. You are a woman, and too delicate to sail aboard a sailing ship with no one but men for company.’
    Taking his remark as an affront, she stared at him. ‘Me? Delicate? Do you really believe that?’
    â€˜Of course.’
    â€˜If you let me sail with you, I will prove you wrong.’
    â€˜No. You would be seasick and beg me to put you ashore at the nearest port.’
    Antagonistic and angry, Rowena scowled at him. ‘I would not.’ Seeing that he would not relent, she was about to turn away in frustration, when she casually glanced down at the chart he had been studying with such intensity earlier, giving particular interest to the place where his finger had been.
    â€˜Where is that?’ she asked curiously. When he didn’t reply she looked at him sharply. ‘Tell me.’
    â€˜Algiers.’
    â€˜I see, and so that must be the North African coast.’ In the space of seconds she comprehended, bringing her whirling around on him in a tempestuous fury. ‘Why, you intend going after the Petrel , don’t you? When I came in, that was what you were discussing.’
    â€˜It was,’ he confirmed with a grim smile.
    â€˜Why, of all the despicable, underhand…And you letme beg—plead with you to help me. No doubt you enjoyed that you—you…’
    He chuckled low. ‘Every minute. I did know about the attack on the Petrel , but I was not aware your sister was on it until you told me.’
    â€˜Why were you studying the chart?’
    â€˜Studying charts is something I do all the time. I know the corsair who attacked the Petrel . Let’s just say we had a run-in once, and he owes me.’
    â€˜So my father isn’t the only one,’ she retorted, not without a hint of bitterness. ‘And you thought you’d go after him?’
    He nodded. ‘Such is the reputation of this particular corsair that many a determined attempt has been made to send both him and his ship to the bottom of the sea.’
    â€˜Not while he has my sister on board, I hope.’
    â€˜No, I wouldn’t wish that.’
    â€˜So, you have your own reasons for going after the corsair captain. Who is he, this man who commands your attention?’
    Tobias fixed her with a steady gaze. ‘He’s an English turncoat who now sails as a Muslim. His name is Jack Mason.’
    A coldness shivered down Rowena’s spine. ‘Not the same Jack Mason who set fire to your ship—the same Jack Mason employed by my father?’
    He nodded. ‘The same. Mason is a seafarer with piratical habits, who has turned out to be an unusually successful corsair. The Dolphin was intercepted by Barbary pirates when it was returning to England from Antigua.The crew and Mason were taken as captives to Morocco, but Mason found a soulmate in the captain and it didn’t take him long to take the turban and join him on his nefarious ventures, stealing a vessel he plundered and making it his own.’
    â€˜What does it mean, “to take the turban”?’
    â€˜Some call it “turning Turk”—which means converting to Islam. Mason then became known as Hassan Kasem. He is calculating, ruthless, self-seeking and dangerous, and will do anything to wrest what he wants from life. It was unfortunate for the Petrel to be in his path. I am sure your father will be interested to learn that his former captain has turned his hand to the unsavoury business of slavery.’
    â€˜Yes, he will, extremely interested. When do you sail?’
    â€˜Tomorrow. With the tide.’
    â€˜And what of my father—and his debt?’
    â€˜It can wait for now.’
    â€˜Since you were already prepared to track down those who attacked the Petrel, I don’t know why I bothered to visit