The MacLeod Pirate by Lee Caroline

Author:Lee, Caroline
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2019-12-25T16:00:00+00:00

The next morning, they broke their fast with surprisingly good porridge Bull made, then Banner lifted her into the birlinn and stripped out of his plaid once more. This time she kept her attention on the horizon, even when she knew he’d clamored, wet and bare-arsed, back aboard.

She’d seen enough of his naked body yesterday to keep her company in her dreams.

Still, when he stepped up beside her on the aft deck, chuckling as he re-belted his plaid, she felt her lips twitch.

“Coward,” he murmured.

“Tease,” she shot back, and then they were both chuckling.

He was true to his word, teaching her how to tie various knots in between his other duties as they sailed eastward. To her surprise, the rest of his men joined in, calling out suggestions or tricks to make things easier. After knots, they moved on to jigs, and Auld Marcus pulled out his pipes for accompaniment.

She couldn’t help comparing this voyage to the westward one with the merchant vessel and William. There, she’d been worried and bored. Now she had the third Sinclair jewel—or at least knew where it was—and was heading home to regroup. And she was having fun.

Afternoon found her sitting in the shade of the ship’s side—Banner called it the gunwale—stitching the sail beside a talkative Bartholomew. She was teasing him about the size of his stitches, and the rest of the crew were taking turns making up verses to songs. The favorite seemed to be the one they’d sung the afternoon she was taken. So much had changed in such a short amount of time!

When the refrain started again, she joined in.

“One of brown, and one of white,

And one of the deepest blue!

One glows gold in the fire’s light,

Jewels in the hearthstone’s view!”

This time, however, it was Banner who indicated he’d be singing the next verse. He stood, legs spread, and bare feet planted on the deck, his shoulders tan in the sunshine and his smile near blinding.

His men cheered when he lifted one hand from the rudder and waved, then began in his deep, clear voice,

“She’s fierce and bold and lovely,

With her sword she’ll make her stand.

Her eyes flash gold in the sun’s pure light,

She’s my lady, my firebrand!”

All the verses evoked cheers, but this one seemed special. More than a few men leapt to their feet to pull off their tams and waved them in appreciation, even as they all—Citrine included—broke into the refrain.

“One of brown, and one of white,

And one of the deepest blue!

One glows gold in the fire’s light—”

With a gasp, Citrine dropped her awl, unable to finish the refrain.

One glows gold in the fire’s light.

A firebrand, he’d called her, for the color of her eyes.

She jumped to her feet in her excitement, her eyes finding Banner’s across the deck.

He immediately stepped forward, keeping one hand on the rudder, concern on his face. “Lass? What is it?”

The song died around them, and Citrine realized she was clenching and unclenching her hands at her sides, a tingling spreading throughout her body.

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