Chapter Nine

Lacey and Sarita sat in the master's cabin watching out of the porthole. Waves had been calm even though both girls felt frightened that any day, their lives were going to take an abrupt change. Neither girl was informed that Captain Danny had decided to release them once they were at a safe port. Danny thought it best to keep them frightened. He felt that gave him more control over them.

Sarita pulled on her tangled hair trying to twist it into some sort of lady like style.

Lacey watched as she sat upon the cot they both shared. She rubbed the perfumed oils on her skin. "Before you tied up your hair to cause the tangles so you could stowaway here, did it lie in soft curls?"

"Yes. Not as lovely as yours. But it was much softer and cleaner." Sarita turned to lie on her belly as she spoke. She was thankful that Lacey was onboard with her. Yet, she knew both came from different stations in life. "I never had fine things like I'm sure you are used to. But I did like to try to dress as a lady. I always wondered what it would look like to have ringlets of curls as you had the first day when you were made captive here."

Lacey laughed a little at Sarita not realizing her hair was not always fancy. "I had ringlets more that day because I was a bride of only two weeks. My chambermaid always made sure to make me beautiful for my new husband."

"I always dreamed someday to marry for love." Sarita stated wistfully as she picked up the oils to sniff. "I would marry a man that loved Ryan of course. However, he would love me as my father loved my mother."

Lacey blinked as she watched Sarita close her eyes in thought. "My mother and father love dearly as well."

"I am sure twas the same with your husband." Sarita dreamily stated. She sighed as the thought of Lacey's life before being captured.

Lacey fiddled with the ring that still adorned her finger. She was surprised the captain had not forced her to give that up to him. "Sometimes, love has to be learned and does not come easily. I appreciated my husband. Loving him is another thing entirely. He is kind and good to my family. Thus, I knew he would be kind and good to me. After all, I am eighteen. That is late in life to marry. You look about my age. Why have you not married yet?"

"I had been married. But twas not for love at all. Twas to keep Ryan and me off the streets. The wretched man did not want Ryan. I had to hide him to keep him from my husband knowing that Ryan remained when he told me to put him in an orphanage. My painful marriage ended when his own sister took his life. My having a place to live also ended. I was blessed it lasted only a year and a half." Sarita inhaled deeply than exhaled just as quickly. "My life was not good. I have done things no lady should do to feed my brother. You would never speak to me if we were not locked away together."

Lacey half smiled as she realized that Sarita was correct. However, she was grateful for Sarita. She kept her sane and less fearful. They had developed a camaraderie due to being on the ship as captives.

"My marriage lasted two weeks before the vile beast, Danny Desai, took me captive. Rico and I were only getting used to the idea of marriage. We had not yet...Ummm. I had not yet learned how to enjoy my wifely duties. The first time was rather painful and sloppy. Therefore, I felt unclean after. The second, I was so nervous and unsure. We had become husband and wife before my capture. I guess I am glad of that I was still not sure why women have to endure such discomfort to please her husband. He allowed me to sleep in his bed waiting for me to feel up to doing my wifely duties. I was thinking I should look pleasing if ever I got over my nerves to do that duty and pretend to enjoy it. He would not touch unless I allowed it. We were only together three times. Due to this, I feel marriages like our parents have seem only fairy tales. Do they not?"

"I suppose they do. I am surprised you were married two weeks yet had not been taken often by your husband." Sarita stared questioningly to Lacey. "That is strange that he gives you a choice in when you are to allow the touch from him."

"Rico said that he wanted me to want him and not force me. He was so adamant about that as if that was of the utmost importance." Lacey twisted the ring on her finger. "When the pirate decides to take me, I will have my purity of being with my husband only stolen away by the pirate. I should have been a better wife in that capacity to Rico."

Sarita noticed how forlorn Lacey looked. She wiggled her toes as she chuckled. "Let us change the subject. If by some way that we were to escape, do you think we will ever be able to be confined by corsets and layers of clothing? I am not sure I could even want binding for my feet."

Lacey laughed as she too stretched out her legs. "I admit that the heat on this ship is overbearing. I could not imagine all the lacing and layers feeling comfortable. We have only the smallest loincloths now." Lacey pulled at her linen dress. "This dress is certainly of the thinnest material."

"It is much better than wool." Sarita twisted her shoulders to get comfortable. "Lacey, I do not want to upset you. But I need to ask this as it has been bothering me."

Lacey rolled to look at Sarita. "Ask. What shall we do if I do anger due to the question? It is not like I can pout and leave the room."

"True." Sarita grinned showing her gums which was unusual for Sarita. She rarely smiled. "If the captain was not such a dreadful man, would you not find him unbelievably striking? I must say I have never in my life seen a man as such."

Lacey's brow furrowed. "The pirate seems vaguely familiar to me. He reminds me of a fantasy I used to play with as a child. However, I have grown from those foolish notions."

"That did not answer my question." Sarita turned to stare at Lacey. "Please. I implore you."

Lacey sighed not willing to admit the truth. "Captain Danny is beautiful if you were to look at the outside only. However, his inner being is so ugly that beauty outside is of no consequence." Lacey remembered the rose in the garden. "I told my sister once that it was strange that some things so beautiful were dangerous to the touch. That is how the captain is."

Sarita grinned mischievously. "I only was looking. I was not thinking of touching."

The girls both chuckled at Sarita's wit. Their laughter was interrupted by their door being unlocked and opened. Archie handed Sarita a large blanket.

"The winds are to pick up tonight. My captain wanted to make sure that you were not cold due to the gusts." Archie shyly glanced at his feet as he spoke. "I hope this will suffice. It was the captain's and is the best he has."

"Is he not afraid of getting cold? Or is he from the pits of Hell? Therefore, he does not feel the cold drafts." Lacey quipped with angry words.

"Lacey, he is trying to be nice." Sarita looked up at Archie. She knew that they were being held captive. Mistreating any of the pirates was foolish on Lacey's part. "Thank you. What is your name?"

"I am Archie." He smiled feeling rather taken with Sarita.

Tyler walked up to the door to see what was taking his younger brother so long. As he approached he heard Lacey's words.

He poked his head through the door. "The Captain has a cold heart indeed. If I were you, Mrs. Rinaldi, I would not try his patience. He is wearing thin as it is. Twould it be better if he chooses to have you warm his bed rather than the covering?"

"You all support him in his evil deeds. Not one of you is brave enough to go against his will." Lacey got up and marched to get in Tyler's face. "Yet, I will not take his insolence."

Tyler scoffed at her. "Woman, that attitude will not win you any favors from our crew."

Tyler shut the door as he and Archie left.

Sarita shook her head at her friend. "Why did you challenge them? They are the only two pirates aboard that seem not to want to cause us harm."

"I usually only challenge the captain." Lacey smiled. She then held up a key. "However, I wanted close enough to get this."