She smiled happily at Clara's screech of outrage. The solid oak doors of the armoire were thick, and Clara's scream couldn't be heard for more than a few feet. If Cassie could get out of the room before Lani came looking for her, Clara might be imprisoned for hours. Unfortunately, Lani wouldn't care if Clara deserved the punishment or not; she would probably release her.
Cassie was dragging the portmanteau down the hall when Lani appeared. "That's too heavy for you to handle alone. Why didn't you call me?"
"It's not too bad. I thought I could do it myself."
"Is this the last one?"
Cassie nodded. "Where is Uma?"
She gestured. "Standing beside the wagon waiting to say good-bye. It's almost time to go. Have you said your farewells to Clara?"
"Yes."
"She's been seething like a volcano since we told her we were going. Was she difficult?"
Cassie smiled. "No, actually she was quite… subdued."
"She's riding the horse," Bradford murmured, his gaze on the little party coming toward them on the beach, Cassie mounted on Kapu and behind her a wagon driven by one of the sailors. "I didn't expect her to bring the stallion."
Neither had Jared. The scarlet rays of the setting sun glowed satin on Kapu's ebony back and lit Cassie's upswept hair. She was dressed in a black riding habit and looked as annoyingly prim as she had appeared last night.
He took a step forward as she reined in before him. "You intend to take the horse?"
"Of course. Who would feed him with Lani and me gone? He won't let anyone else near him."
"Lani?" For the first time he saw the Hawaiian woman in the back of the wagon.
"You didn't expect me?" Lani jumped down, and without waiting for an answer, she turned to the sailor on the wagon seat. "Unload those trunks, and be very careful not to spill that basket of grass. Cassie wants no sand in it."
The sailor scowled and muttered something beneath his breath.
"Now," Lani said so softly the steel in her tone was barely discernible. "Be quick, if you please."
To Jared's surprise the burly sailor obeyed.
"Why are you bringing grass?" Bradford asked with interest.
"Kapu's journey here from England was not a pleasant experience," Cassie said as she dismounted. "I'm hoping he'll settle better if his food tastes and smells familiar."
"Excellent idea."
Lani studied Bradford. "Are you sober enough to help with the trunks? We must hurry. Cassie wants to get the horse on board before darkness falls."
"I'm always sober enough to help a lovely lady." He plucked the smallest valise from the bed of the wagon. "As long as the task isn't too strenuous."
"I'm sure you won't overstrain yourself with that piece. I could have lifted that valise when I was a child fresh from the cradle." She frowned. "Cassie tells me you act as captain of this ship."
He bowed slightly. "I have that honor."
"Then I'll learn how to do it myself. I've no confidence in you, and I've no desire to be run aground or sunk because you decide to blind your senses with strong liquor."
"You needn't worry. I'm always sober when there's a challenge in the offing."
"I don't trust you. You'll show me the navigation maps when we board." She turned to Jared. "Two hostages are better than one. You have no quarrel with my coming?"
"Why should I? A man's mistress could be a greater draw than a daughter. I just didn't anticipate your eagerness to sacrifice yourself. Come ahead. Welcome." He paused. "As long as you don't get in my way."
"I won't get in your way." She moved toward the longboat. "If you walk the path of peace."
Which nullified the first words very neatly, Jared thought dryly. He turned to face Cassie and watched her stiffen, then brace herself.
"I'm taking Kapu," she said defiantly. "I know he'll be a great deal of trouble, but I'll not have it any other way."
"You seem to have a strange idea about the privileges of hostages. They don't make demands."
"I'm taking him," she said flatly. "You can argue all you please. He goes-"
"I'm not arguing." He took a step nearer and touched Kapu's muzzle. "I thoroughly approve. It will give me the opportunity to persuade you to sell him to me. I have only one question."
"Yes?" she said warily.
"How the devil are we going to get him on board? There's no dock here, and the ship's anchored a good half mile out in the bay."
"Oh, the same way he was taken off the ship when he was brought here. I still have his halter." She moved to the back of the wagon and pulled from its bed a web of leather-bound canvas straps and iron rings. "We fasten this around Kapu's middle and you attach it to a pulley on the deck of the ship and we pull him out of the water."
"How simple," he said caustically.
"Not simple but it works."
"Providing you can get the horse to swim that far out and then keep him from killing himself or us when we try to attach the ropes to the straps."
"It's the only way." She unfastened Kapu's saddle and pulled it off. "I can do it. Kapu and I swim out farther than that when we play together."
Jared frowned, still absently patting Kapu's muzzle. "But if he panics, you won't have the strength to hold him."
"Yes, I will. I'm very strong."
Jared shook his head. "You go on board with Bradford. I'll do it."
"No!" She stepped forward, putting herself between Jared and the stallion. "He's my horse. I'll do it."
"For God's sake, I'm not trying to take him away from you. You're mad if you think I'd enjoy going for a swim with a fear-crazed animal. I'm merely saying it's only reasonable that the strongest rider do the task." '
"He's my horse." She turned her back on him and grabbed Kapu's reins. "Take his saddle and go back to your ship and set up the pulley. I'll stay here with Kapu until I see you wave. If it's dark, light a lantern and swing it three times."
His lips tightened. "You're not staying here."
"Are you afraid it's not safe? I'm not going to run away. You're taking Lani to your ship. Do you think I'd leave her?"
"No, I'm not afraid you'll run away. Dammit, it's too dangerous. You can't-"
"You're wasting time." She slung the halter over Kapu's back and began fastening the leather straps. The stallion neighed and shifted uneasily. "Kapu's already getting nervous."
"Not nearly as nervous as he'll be when we try to fasten those ropes to him," he said grimly. "You'll be lucky if he doesn't crush you against the ship. I have a chance of keeping him away but you- What are you doing?"
"Taking off my clothes." She finished unbuttoning the jacket and shrugged out of it, revealing only a thin cotton chemise. "This riding habit is too heavy. It will drag me down once I'm in the water.'" Her skirt dropped to the sand and she stepped out of it. Her hands went to her petticoat.
"Wait!" He cast a glance at the longboat, where the four sailors were watching with delighted grins and Bradford with an expression of startled bemusement. Only Lani's expression was impassive. "You can't strip naked here."
"I most certainly can." The petticoat fell to the sand, and she held on to Kapu while she took off her boots and stockings. She stared at him with impatience. "Why are you so upset? You've seen me wearing less."
But somehow that nudity on the beach had not been as provocative or stirring as the sight of her standing here in those flimsy undergarments. He was acutely aware of the curve of her small breasts beneath the thin cotton chemise, the contrast of smooth golden skin against the soft white garment. The curve of her bare calves beneath the drawers. He was readying, and, goddammit, he knew his arousal was being echoed by those gaping seamen in the boat. He wanted to step forward and bundle her back into the riding habit, veil her from their eyes, from any man's eyes. He gestured furiously toward the longboat. "But they haven't seen you, blast it."