„In case it escaped your notice, you’re on a boat now.“ He

shifted his hold on her to open a door. „And its destination just

happens to be New Orleans.“

„I have to leave right away. I don’t know how long

Monteith will be in New Orleans.“ Her tone was anguished.

„He may be gone when I get there.“

„I’ve given orders to Robert that we’re to leave as soon as

we finish taking on more fuel.“ He set her on her feet,

carefully avoiding touching her back, and turned to light the

kerosene lamp on the rosewood table beside the door. „Which

should be no longer than thirty minutes.“

She brushed the hair out of her eyes, noticing absently that

Nicholas had not brought her to the master stateroom, but to a

much smaller one. Perhaps it had been the first door he had

passed. „But I have to –“

„I do wish you’d stop arguing, Silver. I’ve had a very

eventful day and I find I’m quite weary. May I have this now?

You obviously have no intention of using it at the moment.“

He took the derringer she was still clutching and set it on the

rosewood table. „I think I’m taking all this quite well, don’t

you? After all, it’s not every day a man is forced at the point of

a gun into the holy nuptials.“

„I told you I had to do it.“

„But why did you have to do it?“ The amusement and

mockery faded from his expression. „Wouldn’t it have been

easier for you to come to me and tell me there was a

possibility of a child?“

She shook her head emphatically. „I needed marriage. I

know you probably would have offered your protection, but

that wouldn’t make the child less a bastard. I knew you

wouldn’t marry me.“

„Did you?“ His dark eyes narrowed on her face. „You seem

very certain.“

She shrugged. „I’m not such a fool that I don’t know that

princes don’t wed with half-breeds born on the wrong side of

the blanket. Even Father Jason did everything he could to

persuade you that marriage wasn’t necessary with a woman

like me.“

„There are no women like you,“ Nicholas said softly.

„There’s only one Silver Delaney.“

Her gaze lifted to meet his own and she suddenly caught

her breath. She felt as if she were spinning, drowning in a dark

golden pool of sensation. Drowning. For a fleeting instant she

remembered that moment when she had sunk beneath the

waters of the river, fighting for her life, knowing there was

something wonderful waiting for her if she could just stay

alive long enough to grasp it. Something wonderful. Not lust,

but something deeper, more mystical… It was coming closer.

It was just beyond the horizon. Soon she would be able to see

it.

„You could have let me go,“ she said haltingly. „After I had

my paper from the priest, I would never have bothered you

again. Why did you follow.me?“

„Because I knew you’d let no feather drift to earth for me

to seize so that I might summon you back to me.“ His hand

reached out and gently brushed a swath of silky dark hair from

her face. „What a very wary firebird you are, Silver.“

She looked away from him. „That’s no answer.“

„You don’t trust me enough for me to give you any other…

as yet.“

„And you have little trust in me.“

„But I’m learning, Silver. I was taught a very bitter lesson a

long time ago.“ He smiled. „But now we have time to learn

each other. Marriage is forever.“

„No!“ she said, distressed. „I never meant to trap you in

that fashion. You can have it dissolved.“

„There is no divorce in my family,“ he said flatly. „You

should have taken time to query me on the subject. Now

you’re just as much a captive as you were when I first brought

you aboard the Rose.“

„And so are you,“ Silver said, frowning. „Truly, I never

meant – “

„It’s done.“ He made an imperious gesture with his left

hand. „There is no use talking about it.“ He took a step

forward, took off her cloak, and began unbuttoning the shiny

black buttons on the bodice of her gray gown. „It’s time you

went back to bed. Wherever did you get this ugly gown? You

seem to have an affinity for acquiring hideous garments.“

„Valentin bought it from one of the nurses,“ she said

absently, her thoughts on his words. „You don’t seem overly

upset about the marriage.“

His eyes were twinkling as he stripped the gown off her.

„One of the things you must learn about me is that I seldom do

anything I don’t wish to do.“

„But I forced you.“ She frowned. „Didn’t I?“

„You certainly pointed a gun at me,“ he agreed placidly.

„You’re a very dangerous lady, Silver.“

He stripped her shoes and undergarments from her and

crossed to the double bed across the room and pulled back the

pale green satin spread. „Now, come and lie down so that I can

cover you up.“ His voice had thickened a trifle. „I’m trying to

forget about my recently acquired conjugal privileges and

remember you’re not well.“

She obediently crossed the room and slipped under the

sheets and turned on her stomach, her cheek cradled on the

pillow as she turned to look at him. „Did I force you?“

„Perhaps.“ He stood looking down at her. „Or perhaps I

saw a way I could have what I wanted, what I was too guilt-

ridden to take for myself.“

„Which one?“ She couldn’t breathe. It was so close,

shimmering beyond the dark mystery of his eyes. Something

wonderful.

„Someday I’ll tell you,“ he said. „But not until you have no

need for me to do so.“

„How maddening you are.“ She scowled. „I don’t think I

like Russians.“

He laughed. „Then you’re definitely going to the wrong

country, aren’t you?“

„I might not have to go to Russia. I might find Etaine

before they leave New Orleans.“

„Possibly.“ His hand moved over her hair, stroking the

heavy fall that tumbled over her shoulder and off the side of

the bed. „I love the texture of your hair. It’s like midnight

silk.“ He drew his hand reluctantly away and slowly

straightened. „I’ll leave you to nap now. I’ll order our dinner

served here in the stateroom in a few hours.“

„But you don’t think Monteith will still be in New Orleans,

do you? You think I’ll have to go to Russia.“

„I have no idea, but I do believe it’s your destiny to go to

Russia at some time.“ He smiled mischievously. „We

Russians, are great fatalists, you know. We believe our every

step is guided by destiny.“

„And what is your destiny, Nicholas?“

His smile faded and his dark eyes became grave. „Who

knows? Perhaps it’s to follow the firebird until she lets me

mount her and soar to the sun. I have a great fondness for

firebirds. I followed one once and she led me from hell to

purgatory. I’m willing to try my luck again and aim for a more

celestial destination.“

„Fairy tales again.“ Silver laughed uncertainly. He was all

golden beauty and entrancing enigma, more bewildering now

than she had ever known him to be.

He bent swiftly and kissed her with slow warmth and

exquisite tenderness. „I hope not.“ Then he straightened and

was walking toward the door.

He turned to look at her as his hand grasped the china

doorknob. „Do you find this stateroom suitable? We can

choose another one if you like.“

„This is quite nice;.“ She gazed at him in puzzlement. „But

why didn’t you take me back to the master stateroom?“

„Because Father Jason was right, that stateroom was for a

debaucher and his whore. Not for her highness, Princess Silver