"Then don't look at me," she said.
"I have to look at you." A little of his wine spilled on the damask cloth as he set the wineglass down with some force. "And why in Hades aren't you fighting me? Are you ill?"
"No." But perhaps she was ill. She felt stifled, and beset by a queer nagging pain every time she looked at Lani. At any rate, she could bear no more tonight. The legs of her chair screeched as she abruptly pushed it back. "It was a mistake to come. I shouldn't be here. I have to go see if Kapu is all right."
"No, you don't. I have one of the men watching him." He shook his head as he saw her eyes widen with alarm. "From a distance. He was only to watch and come get me if he thought the horse was becoming restless."
She breathed a sigh of relief. Events were clouded enough without her having to worry about Kapu trampling someone. "You need not bother. I'll change and go to him now."
"I said you don't need to go," he uttered between his teeth.
Ignoring him, she nodded to Bradford and murmured a quick good night to Lani, then almost ran from the room.
Danemount caught up with her before she reached the door of her cabin. His hand fell on her shoulder, and he whirled her to face him. "Why?" he demanded grimly.
His hand felt heavy, warm and disturbing. She shrugged it off and stepped back. "I told you why I'm going to Kapu," she said, her gaze fastened on his cravat. "Because he needs me."
"You know that's not what I mean. Why is your friend Lani shining like a crystal chandelier, giving us sweet smiles and sweeter words?"
"What difference does it make? You seemed to enjoy it."
"Of course I enjoyed it. She's a charming woman… and an honest one. Which is why I don't understand all this."
"Don't worry, she won't poison you. She disapproved of my putting the laudanum in Clara's syllabub." She tried to turn away, but his hands tightened on her shoulders. "Let me go."
"In a moment. Look at me."
"I don't want to look at you. I've seen enough of all of you tonight."
"You'd rather stare at your horse, no doubt."
"Yes."
"Christ." He drew a deep breath and said with measured precision, "Very well, we won't talk about Lani. Tell me your reason for coming to supper tonight."
"It was a mistake."
"And what reasoning engendered the mistake?"
"I wasn't thinking clearly. I wanted to see-" What? Lani as alluring as Venus. Danemount attracted in spite of himself. If that was her intention, she had certainly got what she wanted. Why had it made her so confused and miserable? "I don't know."
"I think you do know."
"Then you're a fool." She tore away from him. "And I don't want to talk about it. Leave me alone."
He gazed at her a moment before saying slowly, "By God, I wish I could."
He turned and walked away from her.
And back to Lani-beautiful, wonderful Lani, who would give him much more than sweet smiles tonight if he asked it of her.
She ran the short distance to her cabin. Lani was doing what she thought best. Lani was the wisest person she knew. If she thought this way would help Papa, then who was Cassie to argue with her?
So why did she feel this torment? It made no sense that-
A growl, low and menacing…
Her head swiftly lifted, her gaze flying to the horizon. Thunder? The moon was shining brightly overhead, but in the distance she could see a churning mass of clouds.
"No, please, don't come closer," she whispered. Storms meant pitching decks and loud thunder. Kapu would go crazy in a storm. There was even more danger for him in the confines of the stall than in the water. If he became excited, he might break a leg or ram his head-
To devil with bothering to change her gown.
She turned and ran toward the cargo hold.
Seven
Thunder. Closer. No longer a growl but a roar. Jared rolled over on his side to face the window next to his bunk, watching as a jagged bolt of lightning tore through the sky.
Dammit, he had hoped the storm would pass. He had no desire to go back down in that cargo hold and face Cassie Deville. He had wanted to distance himself, give himself time to rid his mind of the restraints Bradford had skillfully placed on him. If he went to her now, it would be again as a comrade sharing peril. He didn't want the blasted woman as a comrade-he wanted her in his bed.
Another lightning bolt lit the heavens.
He didn't have to go to her. She had assured him she could handle Kapu by herself.
The ship began to list as the wind quickened.
He could send one of the seamen to watch and make sure there was no real danger.
A crash of thunder shook the ship!
"Damnation!"
"No, boy, don't fight it. It will be gone soon." Cassie's arms tightened frantically around Kapu's neck. Dear heaven, how she had prayed the storm would be gone. Every crash of thunder was causing a ripple of panic to go through her.
Kapu tried to back away, his nostrils flaring as the ship dipped sharply. She followed, talking to him. Let him not rear or batter against the wall. "Easy. Just be calm. You know it will break my heart if you hurt yourself."
"Stand back from him."
Cassie looked over her shoulder to see Jared standing at the top of the steps in the open doorway. He was barefoot, his shirt buttoned only halfway, his hair wild and wind torn and his expression forbidding.
None of that made her fearful. She wasn't alone anymore. Jared had helped her save Kapu before- maybe he could again. "I can't stand back. He's afraid. He's calmer if I touch him."
Jared muttered a curse before battling the wind to jerk the door closed. A moment later he was in the stall, on the other side of Kapu. It was like the night they had brought Kapu on board. Surely, the result would be the same, she thought desperately; Kapu would quiet, and the danger would be over.
A crash of thunder!
Kapu reared straight up, taking her with him!
Jared tore her arms from the neck of the stallion and pushed her to one side. He jerked something from the waistband of his trousers and tossed it to her. "Cover his eyes."
Black cloth. She recognized the cravat he'd worn at supper. "Blindfold him?"
"He'll be able to hear and feel the pitch of the ship, but he won't be able to see his world topsy-turvy. Anything might help." He stepped closer beside the stallion. "Hurry!"
She moved in front of Kapu and inched closer. No thunder, she prayed; this pitching was bad enough. Just give me a few minutes more…
Kapu was backing away from her.
"Please…"
Was she pleading with God or Kapu? Jared was talking, too, stroking the stallion, trying to distract him.
It was no good, she realized in despair. It would never work this way.
She took a deep breath and jumped on his back!
"Christ!" she heard Jared cry out. "I didn't say to-"
"Be quiet." Her legs and arms held Kapu as she talked to him softly. Then she leaned forward and draped the cloth over Kapu's eyes. "Quick. Tie it."
Jared didn't argue. He had the cloth knotted in seconds.
Cassie held her breath, waiting.
Kapu half reared as he became aware of his blindness. He landed hard and tried to turn in a circle!
But Jared was there talking, stroking. Cassie held tight, hugging him close, glued to his back. Please, no thunder. Let him get used to the darkness.
The ship pitched and slid on the swells, but there was no thunder.
One minute. Two minutes. Every second was a gift.
Kapu was quieting, becoming accustomed to the darkness.
"Get off him." Jared's voice was still soft and soothing, but she was aware of the sharp wire of tension threading it. "Dammit, you don't mount a horse in the middle of a thunderstorm."
"I do." Her tone was as soft as his. "He likes to feel me on him. It helps. Now, stop telling me what I should do and keep talking to him."