Miss Minerva's Pirate Mishap by Maggie Dallen (to read list .TXT) 📗

taught her to use her fists to defend herself. Where a blow should be aimed and how to duck and dodge to avoid being struck.

But then, those lessons he’d given her and her sisters had only been so they could defend themselves if the need should arise. Not so they could seek out pirates in hidden caves late at night.

Mr. Haversaw’s gaze seemed to spark with understanding as he added, “I admire her greatly.” He shifted his gaze to her father. “You must be very proud.”

Her father gave a grunt of acknowledgement. “Well, Mr. Haversaw, as I said. You will have our full cooperation in this matter. No one wishes to oust potential smugglers and thieves more than me and my men.”

Mr. Haversaw gave a short bow. “I appreciate your assistance. But for now, if you and your daughter could keep my name and position to yourselves, even from your most trusted men, Captain Jones, I would very much appreciate it.”

“Hmph.” Her father’s response was noncommittal at best, but Mr. Haversaw seemed to accept it as a yes.

“Now.” He turned his attention to Minerva, and she felt the full force of his gaze as though an anchor had landed on her chest. “Your father was just telling me about the upcoming ball you and your sisters will be hosting at the fort.”

“Yes,” she said, pulling her mind away from all the questions she wished to ask. She was acutely aware of his eyes on her, as well as the accusatory glare coming from her father.

“Is it open to all, then?” he asked. “Will the townsfolk be welcome? Merchants and the lot?”

She blinked in surprise at the question, but she nodded. “Yes, this will be the largest event of the season. All are welcome.” Her lips curved up a bit in the face of his charming smile, and she added, “Even you, Mr. Haversaw.”

His answering grin made her bones melt. Silly and ridiculous, but true. She feared she might melt into a puddle at the full force of his charm, at the spark in his eyes that said he’d be quick to find the humor in anything.

He’d be the first to embrace danger. Adventure.

She couldn’t seem to stop her answering smile.

Something formed between them, knitting them together in a way Minerva had not expected. An understanding of sorts, even if she did still worry he was lying. There was more to this man, more to his plans, than he was letting on.

Why on earth would a privateer be posing as a pirate on their shores? It didn’t make any sense.

She had to find out. There was no question about that. She could not abide not knowing.

Her father’s voice cut into her thoughts. “If you mean to attend this ball to keep an eye on those you suspect, Mr. Haversaw, I will not stop you. However, I beg you to use more caution than you did with your last scheme.”

Minerva flinched on Mr. Haversaw’s behalf with that last word. Schemes were, in her father’s opinion, right up there alongside adventures in terms of whimsical nonsense to be avoided.

Mr. Haversaw’s gaze never wavered from hers as her father continued talking about the upcoming ball, taking the opportunity to brag, just a bit, about the planned festivities. “We expect everyone in town to be in attendance,” he said, his nose in the air. “In addition to the townsfolk and my men, we’ll be hosting nearby gentry and their guests. I imagine there will be several lords and ladies visiting our little fort.”

Mr. Haversaw was good. She would give him that. If she hadn’t been watching him so very closely she would have missed the flare of alarm that shot through his gaze like lightning. It was there and gone in an instant, but she caught it.

Her eyes narrowed as she took in every detail of this devilishly handsome pirate. No, privateer. Oh, drat. Whatever he was, she was onto him.

“Lords and ladies?” he inquired mildly.

Too mildly.

“Indeed,” her father said. She didn’t turn around, but she didn’t need to in order to know that Father was no longer paying much attention. Papers shuffled and his chair scraped the floor as he went back to work. “The Earl of Elwood and his family are staying at their country homes at the moment and are always looking for a diversion this time of year.”

Minerva, her back still turned to her father, could only imagine the derision in her father’s expression, which would surely match his tone. Her father did not care much for diversions of any kind.

“Is that so?” Mr. Haversaw once again spoke far too casually, but the new tension in his shoulders belied his tone.

“Well, then I suppose I had best prepare my finest suit,” he said, that laughter back in his voice and his eyes as he gave her a little bow.

She eyed that mischievous smile, the wicked gleam in his eyes.

Oh, yes. He might have her father fooled, but she wasn’t the least bit taken by his charms.

Even with those papers, she’d bet her life on it.

This man was a rogue.

Chapter 5

Marcus sank back in his seat at the local tavern. He reached for the ale that had been set before him with a heavy sigh.

Now he was done for.

One last job, he’d said. One last mission and then it would all be over.

He took a long swig of ale in order to cut off any more sighs. He’d never been one to sigh and moan, and today was no exception—no matter how unfortunate his luck.

How simple it had sounded at the time. He should have known that any mission that brought him to the shores of his home country would surely lead to trouble.

He’d let a room at the adjoining inn and had nothing to do now but stew on his troubles. He wasn’t typically one to stew, but he was willing to make an exception today. This last assignment just kept getting worse and worse.

It had seemed so easy