"Leave? He never said anything about leaving. Most of the crew think he'll be good for the ship-and for their pockets."

"I'm sure he will, but we'd made plans to settle."

Ilias glanced at her, his expression somber. "Begging your pardon, Sparrow, but he don't seem to be the settling kind."

"I know. Please don't mention what I've said to the rest of the crew."

"I'd never discuss what we talk about, Sparrow. As far as I'm concerned, none of them can be trusted."

"Thank you. Now, we'd better get this shopping done and get back to the ship."

That evening, almost every man on board agreed Sparrow cooked the finest meal they'd eaten in months.

"It's easy to cook with good supplies," she said to Lock as they sat side-by-side on deck eating stew and freshly baked bread.

"A bad cook can ruin good food. This is the best bread I've ever had."

"Want more?"

He shook his head. "Any more and I'll make a pig of myself."

"Since when have you worried about appearances?"

"Any more and you could roll me overboard."

"Worrying about your handsome looks. That's more like it." She stood. "I have to clean the galley. Are you standing another watch tonight?"

"No. I'll be in the cabin tonight."

She smiled coquettishly. "I'll wait for you there."

He tugged her to his chest, one hand beneath her chin as he tilted her face toward his. "I haven't seen that look in far too long."

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him before slipping from his grasp. Lock watched as she disappeared below. He wanted to bed her so badly he could just about taste it. Funny how a single look from her made his heart beat faster. Funny how a single look from her made him feel so d.a.m.n guilty.

He knew he should leave the Lady Fire at the next port. He knew he should settle down and marry her, just as he'd promised. Perhaps he would. After all, what was so great about the ship? It was just another battle-tested vessel built for speed and loaded with enough cargo to make him a very rich man, not including all the treasure he had buried back on SeaSpider Island.

Sparrow seemed to be in better spirits today, after her trip to the market. Maybe she could grow accustomed to life with a pirate, after all.

No, never. She's too honest, has too much dignity. What in the h.e.l.l is she doing with me to begin with?

Still, part of her must have forgiven him. She hadn't argued with him in days.

Lock had intended to retire early that night, but remained on deck until well after the moon rose. The storm had taken several crewmen, and every hand was needed for repairs. If their luck continued, they'd be leaving Gray Horse Island within the week.

When Lock opened the door of his cabin, the scent of herbal perfume oil struck him. His eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he noticed Sparrow sprawled on the bed, staring at him with l.u.s.t-filled eyes, her body draped in a robe of sheer black silk. Her nipples pressed against the fabric as she crawled toward the foot of the bed like some exotic cat.

"Pretty robe." He leaned against the door, watching as she stood, the V of short, dark hair between her legs visible through the fabric. Her long, honey blond hair hung thick and glossy over her shoulders and down her back.

"Glad you like it."

He reached for her, molding her body to his while his lips explored her neck and the soft flesh behind her ear. "You smell good. Funny, but when you said you needed clothes in the market I imagined things you could wear to work in the galley."

"I got some clothes for that, too, but I thought you'd like this."

"I like it." He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. While one hand pushed the robe above her knee and caressed her inner-thighs, his mouth covered one nipple, his tongue teasing it through the thin fabric until she shuddered.

"I've missed making love with you, Lock."

"So have I." He discarded the tunic along with his own clothes and covered her body with his.

He claimed her with deep kisses. He made love to her slowly, savoring each moment though his body yearned to take her in a rush, satisfying pent-up desire.

Her arms tightened around him, her legs clasping his waist as she whispered words of love in his ear. At that moment, he was ready to leave behind the Lady Fire, piracy, and anything else she might ask of him.

Later, when he pulled the blankets over their nude, sated bodies, he drifted to sleep, more torn than ever over the decisions he needed to make. He still had time. It could be weeks before they reached another port. He could make it months if he wanted to. Months of her in his cabin every night.

Months of lying to her and to himself.

You really are a pirate, Lock the White. If you were another man taking advantage of her like this, I'd have killed you long ago.

Nearly a week later, the Lady Fire left the dock at Gray Horse island and headed north. Sparrow stood at the rail, watching the island fade in the distance. Though she enjoyed her visit, she agreed with Lock that it wasn't the place for them to settle. It was a small, tight-knit community ruled by men. After living in Begonia, where women were looked on as equal to or better than men, Gray Horse Island was not for her. Nor was the Archipelago where she knew male dominance would be even worse.

Lock approached, his pale eyes squinting at the sunny sky. "Looks like we'll have good weather, at least for the next day or so."

"Where are we headed?"

"North."

"I can see that."

He shrugged, folding his arms across his chest and leaning his back against the rail. He gazed into her face. "Maybe Rhahas. Not the biggest settlement in the world, but they have rare spices that trade well in the east."

"Trade well?" Sparrow felt her brow furrow. "Voyages east could take months, years! What about us?"

"Sparrow, we often talked about me fishing or trading. Why has that changed? I can make us both happy."

"With a stolen pirate ship? Did you intend to trade with Rhahas for their spices, or just take what you want because they have no army to speak of?"

He lifted an eyebrow, his jaw tightening. "Depends on how welcoming they are. I-"

"Cap'n!" a gruff voice called as one of the crewmen, a gray-haired, thickly built man dragged a skinny boy across the deck. The boy was one of the lowest workers and probably hadn't served long on any ship. He struggled against his captor who pinned his arms behind his back. "Caught this boy pickin' through the cargo. Stole a bunch of coins. Who knows what else he took before we caught him."

Lock stared hard at the boy who swallowed, his thin throat rolling, his eyes terrified. "Didn't take anything before, Captain. I swear it."

"What good is your word?"

"What should I do with him?"

Lock tapped his heel against the side of the boat.

Sparrow felt the boy's fear, and though she knew he was as much a pirate as the rest, couldn't help feeling sorry for him. Even though Lock had no more right to that cargo than anyone else on board, to him and to the crew, it was his. She also knew there had to be some punishment for anyone who stole or else he'd lose control of the ship. Most likely the poor boy would be stuck below for the rest of the journey.

"You know what the punishment for theft is," Lock said.

"Aye."

"No!" the boy shrieked and struggled so hard Sparrow thought he might break his own arms to free himself. "I don't want to die! No!"

"Die?" Sparrow stared at Lock. "You're not really going to kill him?"

"It's how we punish thieves."

"I won't go near the cargo again! I swear! Please!" The boy turned to Sparrow. "Madam-"

"What are you looking at her for?" Lock grasped the boy's jaw roughly. "You think a woman runs this ship? Is that the general idea?"

"No!"

Lock released the boy and glared at the man holding him.

"I didn't say nothing, Cap'n." The older crewman's eyes widened.

"Lock, be reasonable!" Sparrow said. "He's just a boy."

"A boy with slippery fingers."

"Didn't you ever make a mistake?"

"That was no mistake. If he'd been securing the cargo and the lid popped open and the coins jumped into his pockets, then that would be a mistake."

"I guess death is a fitting sentence, then." Sparrow held his eyes. "In Begonia, thieves are killed, too. On the rack. After they've nearly been whipped to death..."

Lock's teeth ground, but she knew he understood her.

"Should we ready the plank?" the gray-haired man asked.

"No."

"No, Cap'n?"

"I said no!" Lock growled. The crewman looked disappointed, and the boy relaxed visibly. Lock curled his lip. "Don't look so happy. You still have to be made an example of."

"Looks like asking Madam helped you after all," the older man snickered.

"That'll be two examples," Lock said, and the crewman looked stunned.

"What are you going to do to them?" Sparrow asked.

"None of your business. Now get below."

"But-"

"I said get below!" He grasped her arm and dragged her toward the hatch.

In the galley, Sparrow's teeth ground as she kneaded bread. "I can't stand another day of "The Cap'n!" He thinks he's the king of the ocean! I can't believe he was going to kill that boy over a few handfuls of coins!"

A shrill cry sounded from above, and Sparrow wiped her hands on her ap.r.o.n as she hurried topside, muttering to herself, "Now what?"

She stepped on deck in time to see the boy on his knees, clutching a blood-soaked cloth around his left hand. The older crewman who'd brought the boy to Lock stood with his arms tied to the main mast, another man behind him, whip in hand.

Sparrow approached the boy and knelt beside him. She touched his hand. "Let me see."

He shook his head, his eyes unfocused with shock.

Ilias approached, and Sparrow asked. "What happened?"

"Lock cut off one of his fingers as punishment for theft. Could have been worse."

"Cut off his..." Sparrow glared over her shoulder at Lock who stood, his arms folded across his chest, amidst the small crowd who'd gathered to watch the whipping.

The older man's shirt was ripped, exposing his back, and at a nod from Lock, the whipping began.

Sparrow hurried to Lock, her fists clenched at her sides. "What are you doing? Have you gone mad?"

"Everyone knows what to expect when they act out of line. That's how control is kept, and I thought I told you to get below?"

Sparrow winced as leather struck flesh. "I can't believe you've ordered a whipping!"

"Just ten lashes." He shrugged. "It certainly won't kill him. As a matter of fact, Sparrow, such a light sentence is almost an insult."

Sparrow glanced at the crewman, noting five b.l.o.o.d.y cuts across his back. He winced as the sixth blow fell.

"You cut off that boy's finger!"

"It should have been his hand." Lock's pale eyes held hers with a coldness that made her shiver. "It should have been his life, but your plea saved it. It's that affection I have for you, girl."

At that moment, Sparrow would have clawed his eyes out, but she knew she couldn't best him in a physical fight and would end up humiliated.

"This is none of your business, Sparrow. Now get back below."

"Or what? You'll beat me, too? Cut off my fingers?"

Several crewmen glanced at the couple while others watched the whipping.