Five Days Later

Kalinna groaned as she rolled over. Her head was pounding, her throat felt like it was on fire and her entire body ached. A sharp pain radiated from her stomach and when she placed her hand there, she encountered the bulky dressings of a bandage through the material of the gown. Hesitantly, and with much effort, she cracked an eye open and, after not recognizing her surroundings, sat up with a start.

After gazing wildly around, she was relieved to discover that she was indeed alone. All traces of her boys clothing were gone, not that she would have liked to don that dirty outfit in her present condition. After a deep sigh, she began to study the room that she had been placed into.

It was a simple room, the only other furniture besides the bed being a large armoire chest, a small bedside table, and a chair in the far corner, next to a window. Two beautiful Parisian rugs lined the floor, one on the side of the bed that was not against the wall, the other at the foot of the bed. The curtains were drawn, but a few slivers of moonlight peeked through, affirming her suspicions that it was nighttime.

Quietly, she pushed the covers down, wondering where the simple white nightgown that adorned her body had come from. Shrugging her shoulders, she quietly crept out of the bed and, not finding a dressing gown to don, decided to continue on anyway. She had no idea where she was, and though common sense told her to stay in bed, curiosity got the better of her. Besides, she desperately wanted a cool glass of water to calm her aching throat.

Softly, not sure if the building housed other occupants, Kalinna made her way into the hallway. After opting to turn left, she wandered along until she came to a rather spacious kitchen. She stood in the entranceway, just staring.

The room was larger than she expected it to be and, after getting over her surprise, she began to inch forward, running her hand over the smooth countertops, her bare feet padding softly against the wooden planks of the floor. When she reached a large window above one of the counters, she turned her face upward and gazed into the night.

She ran a hand through her unruly curls before letting them settle against her back, just above her butt. Amber sparkled from her locks as the moonlight took hold. She sighed, lost in her thoughts as she dreamed of home and the mother she missed with all her heart.

From his seat at the table, immersed in shadows, Justin couldn’t help but stare as she stood still. She was a beautiful goddess bathed in moonlight, her mass of curls tumbling down her back and the white nightgown giving the impression of an angel about to take flight. Her bare feet peeked out from beneath the hem of the demure gown and he felt shivers go down his back as she let loose a very feminine sigh.

She was the picture of perfection; the princess of any man’s dream. As she finally turned away from the window and began to search the kitchen for food and drink, he continued to sit there in silence, awed by this new side of her that he was witnessing. Was this the same Kalinna? The one who had challenged him to a duel; the one who had nearly gotten herself killed by a French sailor?

How could she be this lovely? He was an idiot to actually believe that she was a boy; any man in their right mind could see that she was indeed, a woman in every aspect of the word.

Good God, he was getting hard just looking at her. Of course, any man in their right mind would, but that didn’t quite make him feel any better. The lass was quickly starting to take over his mind inch by inch; so much so that he was beginning to become alarmed. The only thing he could do was put her on a ship as fast as he could do so and try to forget about her. If that was even remotely possible.

After shoving his desires aside with a frown, the pirate captain surged to his feet, intent on putting those pesky thoughts aside once and for all. Unfortunately, he managed to knock the chair over in the process of standing. He let out a soft curse as Kalinna jumped and turned to face him, a wooden spoon clutched in her hand as a protective weapon. Justin fought the urge to laugh.

But all mirth died on his lips as the two of them stood there, the only light coming from the moonlight, not quite sure how to break the awkward silence that had descended. Kalinna, after realizing how ridiculous she looked holding a harmless wooden spoon, quickly put it aside and hesitantly approached the pirate captain. He still stood, staring at her, which didn’t help her nerves.

He was clad in a pair of breeches, boots, and a loose-fitting white tunic that was completely unbuttoned and hung free. Her mind immediately went into overdrive as she tried to keep her gaze from straying down his body and a blush immediately sprung to her cheeks. She was very thankful it was too dark for him to see.

“How are you feeling?” Justin suddenly questioned as he began to move in her direction after he had finally gotten himself together.

“I…I am fine. Why do you ask?” Kalinna softly questioned, wondering what her health had to do with this strange predicament.

“You do not remember what happened?” Justin responded, a surprised look registering on his face.

“Well, I do recall fighting that Frenchman and then falling into the water. And I also remember that you took care of me,” Kalinna began, nervous as the tall man approached, “After that, there is only a large blank spot. It is as if I were missing a few days of my memory.”

“You are. You have been unconscious with fever the past five days,” Justin began as he held out a chair for her, which she gracefully accepted, “The doctor stated that your wound became infected and it would be a miracle if you survived.”

“Goodness, now I know why I feel so awful,” Kalinna commented as Justin took a seat next to her; she continued to glance around the kitchen as she spoke, “But how did I get here?”

“Jackson brought you,” Justin simply stated, “He feared that you had taken ill, and brought you straight to me. We had the doctor look in on you straight away.”

“Oh. I am afraid that I have become much more of a burden than I intended,” Kalinna quietly replied as she stared down at her hands.

If she would have glanced up, she would have noticed the strange look pass across the young man’s face. In all honesty, he was quite confused. The young woman who sat here was nothing like the spitfire he had encountered a mere week earlier. He hoped that the fever had not done any lasting damage. Then again, perhaps she was just tired and a little uncomfortable. That had to be it. Of course, what did he know?

“Do not concern yourself with such thoughts,” Justin told her with a friendly smile, “You gave us quite a scare, I will admit, but it appears that you will be as good as new in no time at all.”

“Well, it was not my intent to let that cur get the better of me,” Kalinna spat, eyes flashing, “Why, if I could have another chance at him, I’d surely make certain my aim ran true.”

“No need to go rushing off in the middle of the night, you might wake Anthony and then I will be forced into a duel at dawn for my friend dearly loves his sleep,” Justin drawled, his eyes twinkling as the old Kalinna returned with full force.

“Anthony?” Kalinna questioned, curious as she arose to get the glass of water she had come for in the first place.

“My friend, Anthony Maddox, this is his home,” Justin explained, pushing her back down into the chair as he jumped up and got the water for her, “We are back in Port Chamblay. We had to turn back after the attack from the French vessel.”

“Is everything alright?” Kalinna, questioned, afraid of what had happened after she lost consciousness under water. She took a refreshing sip of the cool water as she awaited the captain’s response.

“The ship is safe, none of the crew were harmed, and the French captain is locked away as we speak,” Justin reassured her.

“I am glad,” Kalinna commented, trailing off; but she sat up with a start as a thought crossed her mind, “The chest!”

“It is right here,” Justin reassured her as he brought it forward from a cupboard situated in a corner, “And I believe this belongs to you.”

“My locket,” Kalinna breathed as she took the trinket from the pirate’s outstretched hand, “Where did you find it?”

“You dropped it when Jackson brought you here,” Justin lied, not wanting her to think that he had taken it and opened the chest without her being there.

“Well thank you,” Kalinna responded, then sighed, “I suppose we’d best see what is in here after all.”

Justin had to refrain from rubbing his hands together in anticipation. He hadn’t had the courage to open the chest without the young woman being there, and now that she was awake and coherent, he would finally get to see what secrets the jewelry chest held. He held his breath as Kalinna inserted the locked and the secret compartment popped open again.

A couple sheets of parchment, bound with a leather thong, sat at the top and Kalinna slowly pulled them out and set them on the table. Underneath lay a small, yet thick, leather-bound bible which Kalinna set next to the pile of parchments. The last thing in the chest was a small box, which, when Kalinna opened it, held a beautiful diamond bracelet. Justin whistled.

“I, I don’t understand,” Kalinna began as she snapped the box shut and set the diamond bracelet aside, “What does all this mean?”

“I believe this may clear up some of your confusion,” Justin said as he held out the bible to her, opened to the front cover.

Kalinna silently took the leather edition in her hands and began to pour over the family tree that was recorded in the front. It was not an unnatural occurrence to do such a thing, but what made her slightly dizzy was that she found her name near the bottom of the tree, listed as the only offspring of Richard and Elizabeth Davenport. That wasn’t the part that amazed her. What amazed her was who her mother’s family actually was. If this family tree was correct, the Duke of Barclay was her uncle, the Dowager Duchess of Barclay her grandmother. And lord in heaven, that meant she had family with noble connections!

“My father never mentioned my mother’s family,” Kalinna finally whispered a few moments later as she collected herself, “I was told that my mother had no remaining family members, and my father himself is an only child.”

“You had no idea whatsoever?” Justin pressed, wanting to know precisely how involved the young woman was in the traitorous plot.

“My mother never mentioned a word about her family, and whenever I asked, my father would always tell me that they had all passed on and that my mother did not like to discuss such things,” Kalinna explained as she ran a hand over the ink writing that revealed her true heritage.

“Are you alright?” Justin nervously questioned as he noticed the young woman’s face becoming paler.

“I am not going to become sick if that is what you mean,” Kalinna bravely returned and rewarded him with a dazzling smile and roll of her pretty eyes, “This is just a bit much for me to accept at the moment so excuse me for not singing to the highest heaven.”

“I can understand that,” Justin agreed as he smiled and once again refrained from rubbing a soothing hand down her back, “Perhaps you would like to go through the rest of these things in the privacy of your room?”

“No, you saved the chest, it is only fair that you be able to see what it contains,” Kalinna responded, smiling, “And who knows, maybe I am actually a lost princess and you will get some reward for returning me safe and sound.”

“I doubt that,” Justin retorted, grinning, “You are far too pretty to be a princess.”

“Do I detect a compliment coming from those lips of your’s?” Kalinna teased, her eyes sparkling as she relaxed in the pirate captain’s presence.

“Maybe,” Justin returned as he leaned closer.

His breath was warm on her face and smelled of mints; his lips a mere few inches from her own. Kalinna felt her heart beat faster as she caught a whiff of his musky scent mixed in with the minty breath; it sent shivers down her spine. For some strange reason, she ached to lean forward and unite their lips, but that was preposterous!

“We should see what these letters contain,” Kalinna abruptly stated, soundly killing the mood as she leaned forward and grabbed the stack of parchment. Justin took the hint and sat back in his chair, giving her more space and allowing her thoughts to return to normal.

“Good idea,” Justin absently stated, trying not to stare at her for too long. He just couldn’t seem to help himself, though. It had been ages since he had been around a woman, especially one as beautiful as Kalinna.

But that was neither here or there. He had a job to do and that in no way, shape or form included romancing a young woman who was alone and vulnerable. And of course, she knew him only as Justin Timberlake, the feared pirate, not Justin Timberlake, the smooth, debonair duke who had endless wealth and many more acres of land than he knew what to do with. He had to keep his cover, despite the fact that it was killing him.

“Oh!” Kalinna suddenly stated, sitting forward as she began to read through the first letter of the stack.

“What? What is it?” Justin demanded as he leaned closer

“This is a letter from my mother to my grandmother dated a few months before I was born,” Kalinna softly stated, combing through her mother’s neat handwriting as she spoke.

“What does it say?” Justin asked, interest piqued.

“It appears that my grandmother wanted nothing to do with my mother after she ran away and married my father. In this letter, my mother tries to explain everything, but by the look of this stack of letters, I do not believe she ever succeeded,” Kalinna revealed before setting aside the first letter.

“Does it say why your mother ran off with your father?” Justin pressed, a thought forming in the back of his mind. Of course, that had to have been close to twenty-three years ago, when Richard Davenport was barely a man. Then again, he had encountered far stranger things as a spy for the British government.

“From what my mother writes, the two of them were in love and my grandmother and grandfather did not approve of the marriage because he was a merchant. I suppose they did not like the fact of my mother marrying under her station, as most parents,” Kalinna softly stated, frowning, “I have no doubt in my mind, that did not help my parents’ marriage.”

“I would say not,” Justin agreed as his thoughts quickly jumped to his own mother, who would, indeed be shocked if her eldest son and heir married a woman below his station or wealth.

Silence descended over the two of them as Kalinna began to read a second letter, her hands trembling as she poured over the words. Justin sat watching her, unsure of what to say, now knowing, in his heart, that Kalinna knew nothing of her father’s traitorous activities. To him, it was a great relief. And also a great dread. Now that he knew precisely where her loyalties lay, he wanted nothing more than to sweep her up in his arms, kiss her senseless, and ride away with her into the sunset, like the knights of lore.

Kalinna bit her lip as she felt the emotions of her mother’s words and the disbelief of everything that had occurred between her mother and grandmother years ago. She was oblivious to the pirate captain’s thoughts, and quite unaware of the few tears that trickled down her cheeks. In fact, it was as if she was the only person in the room, and that time had melted away and stood still in that moment.

“Kalinna?” Justin softly whispered as he noticed the tears running down her face and how she trembled. At first, she didn’t hear him. “Kalinna?”

She quickly turned a tear-stained face in his direction, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she realized just how lost she had become in her mother’s letters. She quickly wiped away the last remains of the tears as she set aside the letter she had been reading.

“I apologize,” she quietly replied as she attempted to pull herself together, “I did not realize how emotional this was going to be for me. It has been years since my mother’s death, and yet I still have not been able to get over it.”

“There is nothing for you to be sorry for; the loss of a parent is always tough,” Justin stated as he brought his chair closer to her’s, “I lost my father two years ago, and yet the pain is still there. I don’t believe that it will ever go away, but you learn to be strong, and you go on, and you find something to be happy about.”

“How can you be a pirate and a philosopher at the same time?” Kalinna joked, sniffling as she wiped at a stray tear.

“I am a man of many talents,” Justin returned, smiling as he stood up and pulled her into a hug, “And hugging just happens to be one of them.”

“As long as you do not plan on taking advantage of me, mister,” Kalinna teased, sighing as she leaned into the comforting, innocent embrace.

“Believe me, I would do no such thing,” Justin softly responded as he hesitantly began to stroke her hair. When she made no protest, he wrapped one arm about her waist, pulling their bodies flush, and continued the soft stroking of her long curls.

Standing there, silent in his arms, Kalinna felt her heart began to race like it never had before. The intoxicating smell of him, his gentleness, his understanding…it was all making her weak in the knees. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say she was falling in love with him.

But that was preposterous. He was a pirate captain, bound to his men and his ship, and a traitor to all that was good and righteous. Justin Timberlake was a rogue; a man she could never have. She sighed.

Unaware of her tumultuous thoughts, Justin stood holding her and gritting his teeth. The things this woman was doing to him, it was rather embarrassing. He was the one who normally had control of all his emotions and basic wants, but for some reason, Kalinna broke through all those barriers.

Hesitantly, and without much thought, Justin turned her face up to his. She was beautiful, bathed in the soft moonlight, auburn shining from her long locks. Before he knew quite what he was doing, Justin leaned down and united their lips in a soft kiss.

Kalinna sighed. Never had she been kissed in such a romantic way. All the kisses from her past suitors had been altogether too eager and sloppy; so much so, that she dreaded the act of kissing. But this…this was different.

Justin knew she was quite innocent to the ways of kissing, but nonetheless, his blood was boiling. He wanted nothing more than to ravish her, right here, right now. But he couldn’t do that, not when there was so much at stake, for her as well as for him.

“Justin!” Kalinna suddenly said as she abruptly pulled away.

“Kalinna, I…” Justin trailed off, confused.

“No,” the young woman whispered, before fleeing the room, leaving behind a very puzzled pirate captain.

“What have I done?” Justin whispered, collapsing into a chair, his head in his hands.