The Captain's Caress Read Online Free

allowing anyone to enter her cabin. She shook her head vigorously.
    “The countess is not feeling well enough to leave her cabin.”
    “I’m certain the captain would be happy to see her ladyship in private.” Summer shook her head more frantically than ever.
    “The countess doesn’t want to see the captain at all,” Bridgit replied tartly. “Take him our compliments and say the countess begs to be excused.”
    “I don’t think I can do that,” Williams answered, unperturbed as ever. “If you can’t come out to us, we’ll have to go in to you.”
    “I have no intention of letting you in, you rude man.” Bridgit’s courage was fortified by the locked door between them, but the scrape of a key turning dismantled that line of defense, and to her horror the door swung open to admit a well-muscled man of medium height and gaunt face.
    “I relieved your captain of his keys,” Williams said by way of explanation as Summer sat down with a plop.
    “How dare you enter a lady’s chamber unbidden,” scolded Bridgit as soon as she had recovered the use of her tongue.
    “The captain wants to meet the countess,” Williams answered politely, “and he doesn’t take kindly to giving orders a second time.”
    “And we are not accustomed to taking orders from nasty bandits, footpads, or whatever you call yourself,” replied Bridgit indignantly.
    “I don’t suppose it matters what you call us, but I can’t ever recall anyone disobeying the captain’s orders.”
    “There’s a first time for everyone, even your captain,” Bridgit retorted. She was provoked by the easy confidence of the man. “You take yourself back through that door and tell him the Countess of Heatherstone doesn’t appear on command for anyone.”
    “I don’t rightly think I can do that, ma’am.”
    “Why not?”
    “I don’t have the courage,” he said, grinning good-naturedly.
    “You’ve got brass enough for anything,” Bridgit responded, indignantly stamping her foot.
    “Then you’ll come with me?”
    “Not one inch!”
    “I suppose there’s nothing for it but to carry the countess out to him.”
    “What!” Summer was shocked into speaking.
    “If you can’t walk by yourself, I’ll have to fetch someone to carry you. But you’re such a little bit of a thing,” he said, looking at her slim figure, “even an old man like me could lift you real easy.”
    “Don’t you even think of laying a hand on the countess.” Bridgit declared. She was prepared to defend her mistress at her own peril.
    “It’s no use,” Summer said, accepting the inevitable. “He’s going to make me go.”
    Williams nodded. “When the captain wants something he means to have it, and he seems mighty set on seeing you.”
    “What can he possibly want with me?”
    “I can’t speak for the captain, your ladyship, but I can promise you you’ll suffer no hurt. The captain is a great gentlemen.”
    “Well, I can’t possibly go like this. I’ve got to dress.”
    “Your ladyship looks fine to me, if you’ll pardon my saying so,” Williams assured her, admiring the shapely body that could not be hidden by the thin material of the dress.
    “Don’t be absurd, you brazen man,” said Bridgit. “No lady is fit to be seen without she’s properly dressed, even if she is being pushed about by uppity rapscallions. You wait in the passage and I’ll let you know when the countess is ready.”
    “I hope you don’t mean to take long. The captain never understands it when he has to wait.”
    “We’ll be as quick as may be,” Bridgit promised, shoving him from the room. She locked the door and turned expectantly to Summer. “What do you plan to do, milady?”
    “Change my dress and fix my hair,” Summer said running to her trunk. “I can’t possibly be seen in this old muslin.”
    “Milady! You can’t mean you’re actually going to see that dreadful man!”
    “What choice do I have?” Her muffled voice came from deep inside the