The Duke's Daughter -Wattys2014 Collector's Dream Award Winner-

Chapter Three

Arianna sat in front of the mirror, in the captain's cabin aboard the Green Eyed Lady. She had seen Betsy tended to by both ship's doctors. The wood had not penetrated too deeply, or left too many splinters in the flesh of her thigh. Those splinters that had been left, had been removed, the wound had been cleansed and bandaged, and Betsy had been drugged to sleep through the night.
When the Lady's oh-so-handsome captain, had suggested that she use his cabin to freshen up, she had readily agreed.

The first time she had looked in the mirror, she had been horrified by what she had seen. Her hair was tangled and windswept all about her head and down her back. Her eyes were dull and had a hollow look to them. Black circles had even formed under her lids. Her gown, arms, and face were liberally splattered with blood. Whose blood, she did not even want to guess.

It was at the sight of that blood that she had realized that she had killed someone. She had previously thought, that if she had ever found herself in this position she would be sick to her stomach with guilt, and she was extremely surprised to find that that was not the case. She was not without remorse, as even now that she had washed away the physical evidence of his blood on her hands, she still felt the weight of it upon her conscience. The logical side of her brain simply realized, that it was either his blood, or Betsy's and her own, that would have been spilt, had she not acted as she did.

Truly, she was completely astonished that she had been able to stand tall and brave before those pirates. She had always been brave, sometimes foolishly so, as she feared she had been today. Had the Green Eyed Lady and her crew not come to the rescue, Arianna knew she would not have been able to fight off those pirates, or escape to the freezing depths below. Nay, she and Betsy would either be dead or on their way to being sold to a brothel somewhere, learning the trade along the way.

The whole experience had thrown off her plan though. What was she to do now that Betsy was injured and confined to a cabin aboard this ship? She hoped that the Seahawk's captain had another cabin available, and that Betsy would be well enough to be moved back to the ship, before they continued their journey.

Arianna ran her fingers through her damp hair and attempted to dislodge some of the tangles. The crews were planning a celebration for themselves, as well as the passengers. Drink, music, and dancing would be available on the decks of both ships. The Seahawk and the Green Eyed Lady were now moored together, and the pirate ship was no longer able to be seen, as the dark blue depths had claimed their due.

Arianna pinned her hair back from her face on both sides, allowing its length to flow freely down her back. It was still tangled, but without a brush, there was not much more she could do. She had donned the best of her simple gowns; the green one with the shoulder sleeves and modest neckline, that hinted at showing the tops of her breasts. She had fought to tie her corset herself, and had managed, but it was not as tight as Betsy usually pulled it. Standing from the stool, Arianna critiqued her appearance in the mirror. For the first time since she left England, Arianna missed her beautiful gowns. It could not have anything to do with her handsome rescuer, could it?

Arianna dismissed the thought. She had known many handsome men in England, and had never felt the need to pay special attention to her appearance on their account. This captain was no different.

As satisfied as she could be with her meager resources, Arianna turned for the door, to make her way to the deck. As she pulled the cabin door open, the door across the hall opened as well. The Lady's first mate, Alejandro, she believed she had heard him called, stepped into the hallway.

"Señora bonita, may I have the pleasure of escorting you up to the festivities?" The dark, handsome man smiled down at her in a friendly way, and Arianna decided then that she liked him.