Page 12 of Pirate's Intent
Her brows flew up. “I highly doubt that.”
“Well, she did,” he replied, still frustrated with his brother’s revelation. “Worse yet, she kept his letters when she was supposed to have discarded them. Something I only learned about when her trunk was being rummaged through in the tavern, and the correspondences between her and Luke were discovered.”
The only beneficial thing that came out of those letters was what he learned about Rose. According to Hannah and Luke's inappropriate missives, she remained virginal. It seemed her husband was waiting for her to be ready before consummating the marriage, which was all but unheard of. For that alone, Thomas was grateful to the man. It said a lot about his character. Truthfully, he didn’t think he would have been able to do the same. Not when it came to Rose.
“Oh, dear, Hannah said all that in her letters?” she said softly, not knowing the half of it. She shook her head again. “Are you quite sure?” She flinched, focused solely on Luke and Hannah rather than the miscreants going through her sister's belongings. “You do recall the state of affairs between those two?”
Did he ever. How to phrase how peculiar things had truly become between them, though?
“From what I can tell, they were...a different sort of letter...each time.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Pray, tell.”
“Well, you remember how they often goaded each other?”
“Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “It was tiresome.”
“It was,” he agreed. “And you would have thought with such behavior things would have ended with good riddance when we left, only they did not.”
“To whom did she give the letters? How did they find Luke?” Rose’s cheeks reddened in unmistakable frustration. Moments later, he discovered why when she felt the need to explain herself rather than focus on the topic at hand. “I would have written you again...” Her brows furrowed, and her chin notched, as she clearly conversed more with herself than him. “Or maybe I would not have.”
“Likely for the best,” he said dryly, reminding her most pointedly why they did not continue corresponding. “I doubt your fiancé would have approved.”
“Youknewthen?” Troubling silence settled before sadness flickered in her eyes, followed by a scowl. Just like that, her focus was back on Hannah and Luke. “We are not talking about us but them.”
Were they? Because it certainly did not sound like it.
He bit back frustration, remembering far too well the crushing moment he’d learned of her betrothal. She had said she would wait for him no matter how long he was gone. Yet she had not. She hadn’t kept her word but instead turned to another.
Loved another.
“Luke and Hannah evidently exchanged letters over the years,” he stated bluntly, no longer keeping things vague for her delicate ears, “of a sexual nature.”
Her eyes grew round as saucers. “Of a...a...what?”
“You heard me.”
“Surely, not clearly.”
“Very clearly,” he snapped, torn between being aggravated with her for breaking his heart and at his brother for his frivolous dalliance and the peril it had put them in. “Their correspondences were most certainly sexual....of a daring nature, some might say.”
“Of a daring nature,” she mouthed, baffled before she gasped. “You remember the promise he made her when you two went off to war, yes?” She swigged the rum, likely trying to make sense of Luke and Hannah's interplay. More than that, Luke's veiled threat. “What he would do to her when next he saw her?”
“A threat not all that heeded, I would say,” he murmured. “Considering the letters they exchanged.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I doubt he will see his promise through.”
Truth be told, based on their letters, there was a damn good chance Luke would tie Hannah up and show her just where her flirtatious, teasing nature got her. Back then, his departing words had sounded like a threat of rape, but those letters had made clear it was more a cat and mouse game between them. A game she seemed eager to play.
But then that had been from the safety of her uncle’s plantation.
Now she was someplace else entirely with a man who most definitely meant to have her. Did he think Luke would take her against her will? Never. But he did not for a moment doubt he would bend her will to serve his purpose. A will that would bend easily enough he imagined.
“You mean to say you doubt Luke will see through histhreat,” Rose muttered under her breath. “Youwere the one who made promises.”
“As did you,” he bit back.
Rose went to reply sharply by the looks of it but gathered herself and primly smoothed a skirt that was bloody well smooth enough. “I will not have you bait me, Thomas.” She shot him a look, the rum making her bold. “Stay on track.”
Baither? Toward what end? An argument about her turning from her promise? He saw the clear winner in that discussion.
