Chapter 46

T WO PLANS WERE FORMULATED, neither of which included hiring a look-alike to take Gabrielle's place. Drew was annoyed. He'd liked that plan because it kept her out of harm's way. But when he'd argued the issue, James had pointed out that if something went wrong with their plans, and it became necessary to confront Pierre directly, Gabrielle would be useful in luring the pirate captain out of his fortress.

Georgina wasn't that lucky. She'd had her way about not staying home in England, but that had been a safe voyage. They hadn't even been caught in that bad storm, had been able to avoid it entirely. And James had enjoyed her company on the crossing, as he knew he would, which had influenced his decision to allow her to come along. But now that the rest of the trip involved danger, he couldn't be budged about her safety. She was going to stay at the inn in Anguilla—where Drew thought Gabrielle ought to be.

They wouldn't be gone for more than a day, though, possibly not even that long, so his sister wouldn't have long to worry about them. According to Bixley, Pierre's stronghold was only a few hours away.

The two plans were nearly identical, just a matter of timing. They could try to break Nathan out in the dead of night, when most of the fortress would be sleeping, or they could use Drew's ship, and Gabrielle's presence on it, as a distraction while just a few of them climbed the back walls and sneaked their way to the dungeon.

"It's not just my father who needs to be rescued, Gabrielle reminded them. "The rest of his crew is with him. He won't leave them behind."

As Pierre and his guards would surely notice that many men trying to sneak their way out over the back walls in the bright light of day, going in at night was really the only option. They would leave for the docks after a hearty dinner and a brief rest.

Drew had hoped to spend those few hours with Gabrielle, but his sister had other plans for him. With a look that promised he'd wish he was elsewhere, she'd dragged him outside where they wouldn't be disturbed.

"I've a bone to pick with you," she began.

"I gathered as much."

"What the devil do you think you're doing? Do you even know that you embroiled that girl in a scandal in England with your careless reference to pirates at that last ball you attended?"

"It wasn't intentional, Georgie. But yes, she informed me of that fact."

Georgina blinked. "So she did know about it before she left?"

"Indeed. To hear her tell it, it gave her the extra incentive to take my ship—killing two birds with one stone, was the way she put it."

"Revenge?" she guessed. "Very well, so I'm not all that surprised. Probably would have done the same thing myself under the circumstances."

He grinned. "No, you wouldn't have. She actually knows how to run a ship, you don't, so it never would have occurred to you—"

"Oh, stop," she cut in. "You aren't going to distract me from the main problem."

"There is no problem."

"The devil there isn't," she disagreed. "She's a young, innocent—"

"Not so innocent now."

"I see," she said with a sigh, then amended, "No, I don't see, and this is exactly what I was afraid of. You know better. She was under our care. Good God, Drew, what could you have been thinking?"

"She left your care."

"And went into yours, so she was still under our family's protection, as it were, which is quite the same thing. You'll have to marry her, you know. When James finds out, he'll insist."

"Then he'll have to do his insisting with her. I already asked."

She scowled at him for not mentioning that sooner. "Why didn't you say so?"

"Because she refused me."

That took the wind out of her sails. "Did she really? I find that unbelievable."

So did he, but he said by way of explanation, "She thinks I'm a Lothario, a cad, a seducer of women."

"You are a seducer of women, Drew."

He smiled at her. "I wouldn't be one if I married, now would I? Or do you think marriage wouldn't have a remarkable effect on me?"

"What I think doesn't really matter when it comes to this." But then she asked him pointedly, "Do you love her?"

"Of course not," he said quickly. But he did admit, "I don't think I've ever lusted after a woman quite this much, though. But I'm sure I'll get over it as soon as the next wench comes along."

Georgina snorted and poked a finger in his chest. "I'd suggest you give that a little more thought, brother mine. It would be much better if you enter this marriage knowing that it's not just the right thing to do, but also what you want to do."

She started to walk away. He called after her, "I told you, she refused me!"

"That won't be the case after James hears about this. You may depend upon it."