Fire on Dark Water by Perriman Wendy

Author:Perriman, Wendy [Perriman, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 2011-06-06T21:00:00+00:00

As we sat in Chidley Bayard’s carriage Anne delivered her instructions. No one was to touch Vargas but her. No one was to speak but she. We were to pass and pin and tuck and snip but only at Anne’s request. I had to hide a dagger tucked in a garter under my skirt and Violet had a loaded pistol smuggled inside the work basket. We were told that Bayard would appear to approve the outfit and then give us the purse for Pierre. And if he liked whatever else he saw we’d most likely all be invited to the grandest orgy this side of paradise.

Now, as it turned out, Mrs. Bonny was on her finest behavior, all manners and sunshine charm. She deferred to Maria Vargas as if she were royalty, touching her with a servitude I didn’t never know she had in her. The dress fit snug as a kid-leather boot and decked the Spanish beauty in ravishing swathes of ivory, magically setting her inky locks against the dramatic cheekbones. The three of us made appreciative noises and convinced her she shone like a pearl, which actually she did. All went well until the master appeared. He certainly admired his mistress as she twirled and flounced her glory, but when he handed over the payment to Anne I noted he smoothed her wrist with his finger and whispered something low and lewd. Annie stifled a giggle. But when she carefully raised her eyes to meet his own he looked into the fire just a moment too long and then the hell gates opened. Maria Vargas said loud and pointedly, “You three may go now.”

But it was too late. Chidley Bayard had seen into Annie’s soul and found himself pulled in the furnace like all the others. He coughed, turned to Maria, bowed low toward us and announced, “You three beauties must grace our festivities next week.” He added coldly, “Maria, make the arrangements.” And with that he left us to face her seething wrath. Vargas was very controlled, though, I’ll give her that. She curtly told us to be here for the welcoming party on Friday, that we could keep whatever rewards we made, and that we’d need several dresses throughout the week of any color excepting green or ivory. We grinned to each other as she left the room, already planning our revelry.

Now, I was so excited I couldn’t hardly sleep but I knew we’d never outmaneuver Annie for the very best pieces of cloth. So instead of vying for glamour I decided to make all my outfits suitable for dancing. Then, when the opportunity arose, I’d be able to leap out above the glittering crowd. I can see you’re wondering why we were so anxious to see and be seen? Because they’d already named the celebrities coming aboard. First we heard that the great Charles Vane was approaching on the Treasure. Vane had been part of Jennings’s gang salvaging the silver off Florida but instead of

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