His Pirate Seductress (Love on the High Seas Book 3) by Tamara Hughes

Author:Tamara Hughes [Hughes, Tamara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Entangled: Scandalous
Published: 2015-11-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

From a nearby chair, Thomas studied Catherine in his bed. So pale and still. Too damn still. He leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees. Raking his hand through his hair, he let his head hang. Now nigh upon midday, she’d been unconscious for hours. His gut turned to stone. What if she never awakened? What would happen to her son and mother? What would happen to him? He shouldn’t care as much as he did about her welfare or that of her family. And yet, the thought of her never awakening squeezed his heart so tight he could scarce draw a breath. He couldn’t lose her. Hell, even if she recovered, the thought of her returning to the Rookery of St. Giles to live…

He lifted his head and stared at her once more—her ebony hair fanning out on the pillow, expressive features that could hide nothing of her thoughts and emotions, and skin so soft he ached to touch its warmth again. Wake up, Catherine. Please, wake up.

As if she’d heard him, her eyes fluttered open, and relief flooded him. Confusion wrinkled her brow before she gasped and frantically searched the blankets.

“Looking for this?” Thomas retrieved the Ruby Cross from the table at his side, his attention drawn to it for several seconds. How good it felt to have the cross in his possession.

She attempted to sit, but groaned. A hand to her head, she lay back down.

“Lie still.” He set aside the cross and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Touching her forehead, he checked for fever, as he’d already done, too many times to count. “What happened to you? You have a bump on your head the size of an egg.” He grazed his thumb along her cheek. If only he’d been there to protect her.

“Barnet knocked me senseless, is all.” She glanced down at her bandaged arm. “Where am I?”

Thomas bit back a growl. Barnet could go to hell. “You’re in my house. Safe.”

Her dark brown eyes grew wary. “Why am I here?”

“Where else would I take you? You collapsed in my arms.” He’d feared she had a mortal injury. To be honest, his wits had left him, and he could think of nothing but bringing her here, to his refuge. He’d summoned a doctor whose silence could be purchased, but the man had done little to tend her. Not a surprise. Blasted doctors.

“What do you plan to do with me?” she asked, a nervous glint in her eyes. “I would have thought…” She rubbed her face with trembling hands. “I’m surprised I didn’t wake up in prison.”

“I have no wish to see you in Newgate.” Hell, Newgate prison was no place for anyone but the utterly depraved. Even the most debauched areas of London were a luxury in comparison. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?” he asked. “You’ve been unconscious a long time.”

She dropped her hands to the bedcovers and shook her head. “Is that where the crew of the Sea Sprite are? In Newgate?” Her eyebrows drew low.

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