"d.a.m.n it, woman, I love you more than life!"

"If that is true, you will trust me enough to share your inner self! And I will trust you to give up your revenge." Emerald held out her hand in supplication.

As Sean looked at her face tender with love, it finally came to him that in the end it wasn't revenge that mattered, it was the depth of his commitment, the sum total of his devotion to her and their children. Slowly, he reached out his hand until the tips of their fingers almost touched. "Come. Trust me."

37 innen Emerald had heard him say it many times before, but she'd had no idea until this moment how she'd been longing for him to say it again. She placed her hand in his and thrilled as his fingers closed possessively over hers.

He enfolded her in strong arms so that they stood quietly together, her head beneath his chin, her cheek pressed against his chest, listening to his heartbeats.

Sean's hand reached up to stroke her hair. "I love you, Emerald."

As he spoke, she could both hear and feel his heart and knew he spoke the truth. She took his hand and placed it over her own heart. "I love you, Sean."

As he held her, he envisioned a circle of love surrounding them, and as he stood within the circle, he felt all his anger, all his grief, all his hatred, slowly drain away. Then like a vessel refilling, he felt a deep and abiding love. But, miraculously, he also felt at peace, and with it came a new sense of self-worth that had nothing to do with t.i.tle or wealth.

Suddenly, he was happy, joyously happy. He swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. As he undressed her, he paid homage to her beauty, telling her all that was in his heart. In the bed he lifted her so she lay full upon him, then with his lips touching hers so that he could kiss her a thousand times and more, he told her how happy she made him.

"I am the luckiest man in the universe. You are the most generous woman alive. When you give, you give all. I'm not surprised you had twins. Giving me one child wasn't enough for you; you gave me a son and a daughter at the same time. I want you to teach me your generosity. Let me give you something. Ask for anything you like," he urged.

"Well, there is something," Emerald said softly. "The first time you seduced me with an ulterior motive in mind. This time I'd like you to woo me and win me in the traditional way."

Sean groaned. "You little minx, I'm a heartbeat away from being inside you, where I long to be, and you suddenly want me to initiate a formal courtship."

"Indulge me," she whispered against his lips.

The Seagull weighed anchor and glided away from the jetty on Anglesey. It was two hours past midnight and they would arrive at Greystones's harbor a little after four in the morning, just before dawn; an hour when Castle Lies and all its inhabitants would be held fast in the arms of Morpheus.

Of the dozen sailors aboard the Seagull only three had any loyalty to the O'Tooles, the others had loyalty to none, not even each other.

William's plan was to recover his own ships, the Heron and the Swallow, and to confiscate an O'Toole vessel that he could use for bargaining purposes. In the dark recesses of his brain he imagined the O'Tooles would exchange his wife, Amber, in return for their ship.

Jack, on the other hand, wanted to destroy and sink every vessel that lay at anchor in Greystones's harbor. With the Seagull's carriage cannons that shot four-pounders, it would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Most of the crew sided with Jack's plan because it was without risk. They had the element of surprise on their side; they could destroy everything in the bay before the O'Tooles could retaliate.

When William Montague and Jack Raymond issued the crew conflicting orders, dissension broke out.

"Go in closer, why the h.e.l.l are you hanging back?" William bellowed at the first mate.

"No! Stay back! We can hit every ship afloat from this position," Jack countermanded.

As the gunners ran to man the cannons, Montague roared, "What in Christ's name are you doing? No cannon firea"you'll sink my ships!"

As arguments broke out among the crew, Jack shoved William aside. "Out of the way, you old fool. You've been running things too long; now it's my turn!"

William, purple in the face, lunged at Jack, l.u.s.ting to get his beefy hands about the young b.a.s.t.a.r.d's throat. Using his walking stick as a defensive weapon, Jack struck Montague across his gouty leg. As the old man staggered back in pain, he realized he had lost control of the whole operation.

Seized by fury akin to madness, William made his way to the arms chest and s.n.a.t.c.hed up a brown Bess musket. He loaded it with shot and powder, climbed to the deck, then advanced upon Jack Raymond with the musket aimed straight at his head.

"No f.u.c.king by-blow is going to control my ship!" Montague roared. "Relay my orders or draw your last breath."

Jack had no illusions about his father-in-law; William Montague was the most cold-blooded man he had ever known. Treachery was his way of life. Jack gave the order to take the Seagull alongside the Heron. When they were close enough, Jack relayed William's orders for three crewmen to board her. The first three over the side were the sailors in O'Toole's pay.

As the Seagull glided toward Montague's favorite ship, the Swallow, which was moored at the jetty, Jack Raymond knew this would be his last chance to escape William's insanity. The minute he relayed Montague's order to board, Jack attempted to join the three crewmen who went over the side.

William squeezed the trigger of the brown Bess musket without hesitation. The lead b.a.l.l.s tore into the flesh of Jack Raymond's back, dropping him to the deck, a scream of agony bursting from his throat.

Sean O'Toole came awake in a flash, his instincts telling him the sharp crack that had awakened him was a musket shot. For one split second Sean was disoriented, then, realizing he was in the watchtower, he sprang to the high window that overlooked the causeway and the harbor. It was still dark outside; he could see nothing but the riding lights of the ships anch.o.r.ed in Greystones's bay.

As Sean began to throw on his clothes, Emerald sat up in the bed and groped to light a lamp.

"Don't illuminate us, love!"

"What's happening?"

Sean hesitated, fearful of alarming her.

"Tell me! You swore you would include me!"

Quickly, he sat on the edge of the bed and took her hands. "Yesterday, I got news your father's ship was seen in Dublin Harbor. That's where we were. We went looking for it, but found no sign. I think this is a predawn attack."

"OhmiG.o.d, the babies!"

"I don't believe they could get to the house without alerting us. They are probably targeting the ships."

Emerald began to throw on her clothes. "I must go to the children."

"I'll goa"you'll be much safer here."

"No, Sean, I have to go to the house, I can't stay here in ignorance."

Sean crushed down the urge to rush down to the jetty. He must not let her think he put his ships before her, because he did not. "Come, then, I'll take you to the house. We'll go together to make sure the twins and the others are safe."

Emerald clung to his hand as they descended the watchtower steps. "It's starting all over again."

The hopelessness in her voice smote him to the heart. As they stepped from the gatehouse, the first hint of dawn lightening the sky, he squeezed her hand. "No, Emerald, I swear to you I will try my utmost to prevent more violence."

When they entered the big house, they found everyone rushing about half dressed. Sean and Emerald ran upstairs to see for themselves that their babies were unharmed. Kate and Amber met them on the hall landing.

Kate demanded, "Was that Shamus shooting off one of his guns, frightening the very life out of us?"

"No. Father doesn't have his guns, they're still up in the watch-tower."

A grim-faced John emerged from a bedchamber. "G.o.dd.a.m.n it, you were right! There is no such thing as a harmless enemy!"

Sean took hold of Emerald's shoulders. "I want you to promise me you'll keep all the women inside where it's safe." He bent swiftly and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Trust me, Emerald." Then he was gone, taking Johnny with him.

Amber saw her daughter's face blanch with fear. "It's your father, isn't it?"

"And my husband. The Swallow was sighted in Dublin yesterday."

"Don't worry, darling, Sean O'Toole will annihilate them!"

"Oh, G.o.d, I feel so guilty. I've sent him out there to face his enemies with his hands tied behind his back!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I told him I'd leave if he didn't give up his need for revenge and hatred. He promised me he would. He swore it to me! Mother, what if he won't retaliate because of what I demanded? They'll kill him!"

"O'Toole has enough good sense to know the difference between vengeance and self-defense."

When the babies started to wail, Kate picked up Joseph, and Emerald lifted baby Kathleen into her arms. "I'll feed her first," she told Kate.

"I'll give his nibs a bottle to keep him quiet. You take your time," Kate urged, knowing Emerald wouldn't worry as much if she was occupied.

Emerald kissed her baby's brow and sat down in the rocking chair. As her tiny daughter suckled, she knew that without Sean's love and devotion this baby would have died. Tears hung on Emerald's lashes as she smoothed the curly tendrils from the baby's temples. Both this child and she had almost lost their lives. Now that they were starting to thrive, how ironic it would be if Sean should be the one to die.

Emerald closed her eyes and began to pray.

Downstairs, someone was cursing and raving at the top of his lungs. "That's Shamus," Amber said, "I'd better go down to him before he has another stroke."

Aboard the Dolphin, which had once been the Heron, a naked Tim Murphy stood listening to the sailors who had just boarded his ship. "If my sodding night-watch had been doin' his job, youse three would be corpses," he said grimly.

"Montague wants us to retake this ship, but his son-in-law wants to blow every vessel outta the water! The b.l.o.o.d.y cannons trained on you were almost fired; all of us could have been in purgatory!"

Tim Murphy strode to the quarterdeck bellowing orders. In the faint dawn light he could just make out the Seagull gliding toward the Swallow, which was moored at Greystones's jetty. Murphy ordered the anchor weighed and ordered the gunners to their stations. "I'll blow the English swine straight to h.e.l.l," he vowed.

Sean, along with Paddy Burke and Johnny, arrived at Greystones's jetty in time to see and smell the pitch torches being lit. Rory FitzGerald, who captained the Sulphur, was ready to take her out into the harbor to challenge the enemy.

"Signal Murphy to hold his fire!" Sean bellowed up to Rory.

Though frustrated, Rory FitzGerald obeyed O'Toole's order.

Paddy Burke watched Sean pull off his boots and realized he was going into the water. "Hold it, Sean. Rory Fitz might obey yer orders, but Murphy has a h.e.l.l of a temper. Don't be reckless enough to swim out to the Seagull. If Montague doesn't shoot you, Murphy could blow you to smithereens. Murphy knows if you strike first, you will strike last; you taught him!"

"Paddy, I promised Emerald I'd put a stop to it, without violence if possible."

"The la.s.s doesn't understand that the only defense against the treacherous is treachery."

"I have to try, Paddy," Sean said, slipping into the cold, black water.

As he swam toward the Seagull, the ship began to move away from him, farther out into the harbor. He now realized they had only moved in close to the Swallow so that ship could be boarded. Montague's ship was now headed for the Half Moon, which had no one aboard. Her captain, David FitzGerald, and crew were all on leave at Maynooth.

Sean cursed silently. If Montague succeeded in putting a crew aboard, they could either destroy her or sail off with her before he could stop them. Every instinct told him he should have boarded the Sulphur and destroyed the Montague vessel with the Montagues aboard; yet, deep in his heart, he was glad he had chosen the honorable course.

Sean swam on doggedly. He knew that if he had not had all those years diving and dredging the Thames in winter, he would never have been able to swim this far in the cold sea.

At last his hands came in contact with the Seagull's stern. The back of the ship was one of the few places with decorative touches. Sean took hold of the molding and braced his feet against the hull. Slowly, painfully, he hauled himself a few inches at a time up past the lazaret, the storage s.p.a.ce where supplies were kept, then the aft cabin, until his fingers finally touched the deck.

Sean knew he would come aboard directly behind the wheel and whoever was navigating would have his back to him. Morning had now dawned, and though it wasn't yet full light, he would not be under cover of darkness as he climbed over the ship's rail to the deck. He rested a few minutes to catch his breath, then cautiously lifted his head just high enough to look across the deck. He was not prepared for the sight that met his eyes.

William Montague stood facing him with a musket trained upon the man at the wheel. Another man lay facedown on the deck in a pool of blood. He was not yet dead, because O'Toole could hear his labored gurgling and rasping. Sean knew it was impossible to gain the deck without Montague seeing him, and he knew as soon as William saw him, he would shoot.

All Sean could do was rely on the element of surprise. He gathered his muscles and leapt over the rail. As if in slow motion he saw Montague's eyes widen, then saw him take aim. Suddenly, a can-nonball exploded across the deck and smashed into the mainmast, which came crashing down, sending a deadly torrent of wooden splinters in every direction. Before the debris had finished falling, another exploded into the ship's bowels, tearing a gaping hole in the Seagull's side.

"My ship! My beautiful ship!" Montague cried. Her crew jumped into the sea immediately, before she went down.

Sean tore the musket from William's hands and watched in horror as he fell to the deck on his knees and groveled for his life. "I'm not going to kill you; I wouldn't dirty my hands," he spat with contempt.

Sean knew the Seagull was sinking and he also knew Montague would drown unless he saved him. But there was another man still alive; he doubted he could save both of them. O'Toole went down on one knee and rolled the wounded man over onto his back. He recoiled as he saw the face of Jack Raymond. Sean realized if he left him where he lay, Raymond would go down with the ship and Emerald would be a widow!

When Jack opened his mouth to plead for help, Sean decided that in spite of everything, he would aid him if he could. The Seagull was listing badly now. Sean stood up to look for a piece of wood big enough to use as a raft. With an enormous sense of relief he saw his own ship, the Sulphur, pulling alongside. Suddenly, FitzGeralds were swarming over the sinking ship. They grabbed William Montague and took him across to the Sulphur.

"Rory! Give me a hand," Sean ordered. Sean lifted Jack's shoulders, while Rory took his legs. But as they lifted him, blood bubbled and frothed from Raymond's mouth. His lungs had hemorrhaged.

"Sean, he's dead, let's get the h.e.l.l off this sinking coffin!"

She will never believe I didn't kill him! Sean thought wildly as he leapt across to his own ship. He saw Johnny standing observing his father, and walked across the deck to them. Montague was blubbering and rambling about his ships, his wife, his treacherous son-in-law.

"See what I mean about him being pathetic?" Johnny asked. "What will you do to him?"

"I won't take matters into my own hands. I'll turn him over to the authorities and hope justice finally prevails. I'm sure he'll deny killing Jack Raymond, but perhaps we can recover the corpse and find witnesses. Let's get those men out of the water and put the whole crew under lock and key until we get the truth."

Shamus O'Toole was enraged, and now he had an audience, he cursed bitterly. "The English son of a wh.o.r.e is destroying our ships our there, while I sit here useless, without b.l.o.o.d.y legs to stand on! Amber, do you know how long I sat in yon watchtower waiting for Montague to set foot on my land? And the b.l.o.o.d.y day he arrives, I'm sitting on my a.r.s.e in Greystones! Amber, you've got to help me get to my tower!"

"Shamus, you can't walk and I can't lift you. All the men have gone down to the harbor; there is no one up here who can carry you."

"Go and fetch Paddy Burke. He'll take me to my tower!"

"Shamus, Mr. Burke went with Sean and Johnny. Believe me, if it were possible, I'd find a way to get you up there. I want the evil swine dead more than you do!"

"Amber, la.s.s," Shamus pleaded, "I own four guns, yet not one of 'um here to my hand. I'll never live down the shame! I swore a sacred oath to shoot him the minute his shadow fell on my bailiwick!"

"Shamus, you won't need a gun. They can't possibly get as far as the house."

"We don't know that! Wily Willie wouldn't attack without a great show of force. I heard two explosions. We don't know how many of ours have been killed!

After the ships the next target will be Grey-stones. Be a good la.s.s and run up and fetch me a gun, Amber."

Though her demeanor was calm enough, inside Amber was racked with apprehension. What if Montague and his men did storm Greystones? She knew she would feel better herself, if she had a gun in her hand. "All right, Shamus, I'll go, but if anyone asks for me, don't tell them I've left the house. Where will I find these guns?"

"I always have 'um loaded and propped against the wall by the big window.

Ye can't miss 'um."

Amber slipped out a side door. The air smelled of pitch and gunpowder, but there had been no explosions for quite some time. She could hear men's voices from out on the water, but for the most part things seemed to have quieted down. She fervently hoped all danger was past.

Amber picked up her skirts and ran down the driveway to the gatehouse, then climbed the steps that led up to the tower. She spotted the guns immediately. They were exactly where Shamus had left them, close by the window. She wondered if she should take all four, or just one for Shamus and one for herself. She glanced from the window and froze.