She decided upon an honest answer. "My thoughts chill me."
"Why is this?" His voice held no icy contempt. It rang warm with concern.
"My fate has yet to be decided."
He hooked his fingers over hers. "Your fate still remains in my hands, nothing has changed."
"Our destination has."
"You need only to ask, madam, and I shall be pleased to tell you."
"Where is it you take me, Lucian?"
"To Heaven," he said with a gentle laugh.
"Heaven?"
"My island," Lucian explained. "I named it Heaven since it is the closest thing to paradise."
"Afraid to ask, but knowing she must, she took a deep breath and said, "How long is my stay in Heaven?"
He hugged her closer to him, leaned down near her ear and whispered, "Don't you know Heaven is for eternity."
Another shudder raced through her.
"Do you fear eternity with me, Catherine? You had agreed to marry me. Marriage is a lifetime commitment. Would you have honored your vows? Would you have given yourself to me for a lifetime?"
“If we had exchanged wedding vows, I would belong to you at this moment. It was not I who broke the agreement."
Lucian brushed his lips over the rim of her ear. "But you played me false, madam."
Thinking was difficult with him nibbling at her ear. "I did no such thing. I came to you— “
"With your lost virginity."
Catherine attempted to ignore his warm breath, his teasing lips, and his hard body pressing into her. "You did not specify virginity as a prerequisite to the marriage."
"I did not think it necessary. I assumed you were a lady."
Catherine closed her eyes against her own response. "You assumed wrong."
He retaliated swiftly. "And you sealed your own fate."
"What is my fate, Lucian?" she asked, her desperation to know haunting her.
He turned her around to look at him. "Once again, madam, I think you will be the one to seal your fate." He kissed her gently, released her, and walked away.
Catherine watched him saunter off to the opposite end of the ship. Why did he speak in riddles? What could she possibly do to seal her own fate?
Allow him to make love to you, her silent voice answered.
Either way he would win. If he made love to her and discovered her virginity, his revenge would be sweet. And if he returned her untouched society would still assume the opposite. She would lose; seal her own fate, no matter her choice. Her only hope was that at least she would be able to prove her father's innocence; otherwise this whole charade would be for naught.
She needed to keep him at a distance. She needed to keep her wits about her. She needed to find those papers and escape. She needed to ignore Lucian's gentle side and remember who he was and why he held her captive. He was the infamous Captain Lucifer and he sought revenge.
Don't forget, Catherine. Don't forget, she silently warned herself while a single tear trickled down her cheek.
"You informed Abelard, didn't you?" Santos asked as Lucian joined him at the wheel.
Lucian leaned against the huge rain barrel strapped to the mast. "I did."
"The man you spoke to on Tortuga?"
"Will take my message to Abelard."
"And the message?"
"I have his daughter."
Santos heard the cold calculation in Lucian's voice and dreaded the outcome of this venture. "What do you expect Abelard to do?"
"Offer me money in return for his daughter's safety."
"And will you take it?" Santos asked, though he knew well the answer.
"No," he said, curtly.
"Then how —"
"Catherine," Lucian finished. "I will still have my revenge through Catherine. She sees her father as a hero. A good and decent man incapable of hurting anyone. When the time is right, I will show her the papers proving her father's guilt. Then she will see the truth."
"And?" Santos waited.
"She will hate her father and seek solace with me."
"I intend to allow her to choose her fate."
Santos shook his head. "She will not stay with you."
"Her body tells me otherwise."
Santos gripped the wheel. "You've touched her?"
Lucian laughed. "You act as if I had offended a virgin."
"Are you sure you haven't?"
"You're a blind fool," Lucian snapped, springing away from the rain barrel and raking his fingers through his long hair. "Catherine Abelard is no virgin."
"You're more the fool if you believe that," Santos said. "Open your eyes, Lucian, before it's too late, my friend."
o0o
Catherine once again wore a cotton shift, this one trimmed with yellow flowers. Her pearls hung down around her neck past her belly while she vigorously combed her hair before retiring.