A scratch at the door, and Sally pushed her way in, Cate close behind. She recognized the room as the same she had occupied, flounced and laced within an inch of its life. A small woman, clad mostly in black, rose from a chair, a bit of mending dangling from her hand. Her eyes matched the fine wisps of gray hair that escaped from under her cap. Cate hung back as Sally surged forward.

"Miss Fran, do you know where Miss Prudence might be?" asked Sally.

Round-faced and well past middle-age, the top of her cap barely coming to the level of Cate's chin, the woman bobbed a curtsey while regarding Cate with suspicion. "The young Miss is downstairs with Lady Bart, in the parlor, I believe."

Brushing past Sally, Cate moved closer to Miss Fran. "Are you Nanna?"

The woman blinked, taken back. "Why, yes, how did you know?"

"Prudence spoke of you a great deal and quite kindly," Cate said.

Nanna stiffened, rearing back her head to glare down her nose. "Are you Cate?" She almost spit the name.

"Why, yes-"

"A fine lot of good you did the poor girl!"

Cate jerked back as if bitten.

"You'll mind your tongue, you old biddy," hissed Sally.

"I'll not!" Nanna advanced on Cate, the little body rigid. "The least you could have done was protect the child from the...the...the horrible ordeal!"

"I know being kidnapped was a trial," Cate said, scrambling to recover. "I...I mean we meant to see to her comforts, but-"

"Hogwash!" Nanna burst with a withering glare. "We all know what has been done. And now the poor girl has been ruined by that...monster!"

"I beg your pardon?" Cate flared back.

"She's been violated!"

The very idea was so astoundingly absurd, Cate's first impulse was to laugh, but found she couldn't.

"No," Cate wheezed. The air seemed to have suddenly been sucked out of the room. "No! You mean...No, no, no. That's not right. That's impossible-"

"There's no sense to be had in lying to protect the blackguard," Nanna fumed. "She's been examined by a doctor. There are no doubts!"

The room took an odd tilt.

"That's not right," Cate implored to Sally. Of all people, she would agree. "You know it's not. Nathan wouldn't...I mean, he couldn't have-"

A guilty pang stabbed high under her ribs. She had asked Nathan to do that very thing, and yet, he had-they had-agreed it was out of the question. But this...this hadn't been her intent. Had he done it anyway?

Sally patted Cate's shoulder, crooning like a mother hen, "I know, I know. You don't have to make excuses for him. We all know how they are."

"They are!" Cate yanked free. Confusion fell away, and to a cold calm. "Where is she? I need to speak to her, now!"

"I'll not have you upsetting her by-" Nanna began.

Cate whirled around on her, her hands balling into fists. "She's upset things quite enough. I came here-Nathan came here-to try to help her out of this marriage."

"Is the Captain with you?" Sally ran to the window, pulled back the curtain and craned her neck.

"Yes, he is." Cate glanced nervously toward the night, and then the clock on the mantel, painfully aware of Nathan watching the house, waiting. "I mustn't keep him waiting; he could be caught-we both could be caught. Do you really think Nathan would have come, if any of this outlandish nonsense were true?" she asked, rounding back on the au pair.

"What purpose would the child have in lying?"

"She's no child." Instantly regretting her outburst, Cate drew a calming breath, and began again. "Miss Fran, I beg-"

"Why are you so willing to help her?" Nanna demanded coldly.

"I've been worried for her, as should any person with any sensibilities."

The rebuke wasn't lost on Nanna, who sputtered in indignation.

With considerable effort, Cate collected herself, and ventured toward her. "You must tell me what your feelings are regarding Prudence's impending marriage. Please, be honest. Look past what may or may not have happened, if you possibly can, look to the child's future, and tell me what you think."

Cate held her breath. If Nanna agreed, something could be done for Prudence, if not...it could be a long walk to the awaiting longboat, and there would be no living with Nathan.

Like most domestics, Nanna wasn't accustomed to being asked her opinion. That shock gave way to indecision, her lips pursing into a tight bow shape.

"Trust her, woman," Sally hissed from the window. "She's only trying to do what's right for your girl."

Nanna's features compressed tighter, to the point of resembling a small black teapot set to explode.

"I think it's reprehensible the way Master Collingwood has shipped that glorious child away to marry a total stranger, knowing nothing of his family or character, and without so much as a by-your-leave," Nanna finally burst out.

Cate expelled a rush of relief. "Then we must help her. I'm not sure either," she said to their questioning stares. "But we have to think of something, and quickly. Please, can you take me to her?"

The journey through the halls and down the stairs gave Cate time to formulate a plan, and then count the near-dozen holes that perforated it. Prudence stood as the next obstacle. Up until a few moments ago, it had been a struggle to imagine why the girl would object, but now, what she would do was anyone's guess. The last and biggest obstruction was Lady Bart, grande dame and dowager mistress of the island. If she chose to go along with Cate's plan, her word would rule. If she chose not...

Cate found herself wondering what the garrison's cells would be like, since they promised to be home for her remaining days.

She swallowed down a bilious lump, only to have it rise again. Coherent thought came with difficulty, her mind being so filled with images of Nathan's fingers entwined in Prudence's glossy curls, and his hands on that milky bosom.

I never took a woman unwilling in me life.

Charm her, she had begged him. She had felt the power of those eyes and that smile, inadvertent as it might have been on his part. She could barely imagine the affect of those charms when he meant it.

He wouldn't do it!

She clung to that thought like a talisman, while riding a downward spiral of doubt. She had lived elbow to elbow with him for nearly two months. Nathan was no predator. He was no knight in shining armor, but neither was he a goatish, rapacious brute. There was no denying that he was the king of deception, but he wasn't that good, not on that count.

Prudence was the greater puzzle. She had been on the verge of tears at the prospect of leaving the Morganse. A girl who had been violated wouldn't offer to tell everyone of Nathan's kindness. It defied all reason that the girl could manage that in the aftermath of something so horrific.

Damn you! she thought, without really knowing who it was meant for.

At the bottom of the stairs, Cate was surprised when Sally veered in the opposite direction of the salon, and instead led them down the hallway to another room. It was somewhat smaller than the salon. The tall windows and rows of shelves that lined the walls suggested it had once been the library or a man's study. It had been emasculated, however, with layers of frill and flower. Legions of porcelain figurines and framed silhouettes had replaced the books on the shelves. Delicate-legged velvet and crewel-worked chairs looked to be on their tiptoes on the floral-patterned carpets and polished mahogany floor. Satin and lace pillows dotted chairs and settees.

Prudence and Lady Bart sat on either side of a lamp when the small parade of women entered. Prudence was quick to rise. Freshly frocked, her hair neatly arranged underneath a pert cap, its lappets drawn under her chin, she looked considerably refreshed from the last time Cate had seen her.

"Cate, I'm so pleased to see you." Prudence lunged forward to hug Cate, but then stiffened and backed away, muttering to the floor, "Whatever are you doing here?"

"I came to help you." As Cate looked at the down-turned head, she saw something about the small shoulders she hadn't expected to see: guilt. Then she realized what she had never seen: shock, nor anything near it.

If Prudence had been brutalized as she claimed, then where had been the shock or the trauma? The attacker might well have hidden it-Nathan was indeed the master of deception-but the victim, especially one as young and naive as her, could not. She had seen the aftereffects of such an attack: the incessant sobbing and shaking, or the dazed, stuporous look, or the wild vacillation between them. Where had been the torn shift or petticoats, the stains from struggling on the ground, or even tousled hair? A woman violated-no matter the age-would not be the picture of well-being, bright-eyed and pink-cheeked, the next day.

Cate eyed Prudence with new suspicion and grudging respect-or was that contempt?-for the child was far more diabolical than previously credited.

"I should have thought the time for help would have been on the ship," Lady Bart said harshly from her chair. "There's blessed little to be done for the girl, now. I was shocked to learn you were on that ship with her...and all those...men. Shocking! I should have hoped common decency would have compelled you to do...something."

"There was nothing to do, because there was nothing done, was there? Prudence," Cate said, swiveling back around, "What did you tell everyone?"

Prudence tried to pull away, but Cate held her firmly by the arm.

"Just the truth," the girl whimpered, the picture of virtue shamed. "What Captain Blackthorne did...one night...near the waterfalls..."

Tears dotting her lashes-How did she manage to orchestrate that?-Prudence turned beseechingly to Nanna and Lady Bart.

"But, he...he drug me away, into the dark and he..."

Oh, she was good! She was so very, very good!

Prudence extended her arm-appropriately trembling- and tipped her chin to display several bruises. "I fought, but he forced me."

Cate was almost sick with relief. The girl might have been violated, but there had been no violence. The incriminating bruises on her arms were from the ordeal of Harte and his men trying to get her off the Morganse. Those on her chin were by Cate's own hand. It meant everyone was to believe Nathan had spirited Prudence away-quietly, for the girl had slept but a few yards from Cate-and then led her through the jungle, at night, for over an hour's walk, in order to ravish her by a waterfall?

The girl had been on a beach with over 300 men, and yet she had chosen Nathan to target in her hoax, because it was what everyone expected to hear.

The cunning behind that virtuous facade was stunning.

"That's not true and you know it, you stupid, silly fool. Do you have any idea what you've done?"

A perfectly timed pearl of a tear slid down the china-doll cheek and her lower lip quivered.

"I only thought..." Prudence whimpered.

The bilious lump rose once more in Cate's throat. "No, that's just it, Prudence, you didn't think at all. Do you have any idea of the consequences of this?"

Prudence looked to the floor once more, her hands twisting at her middle. Nanna had sidled protectively closer. Sally stood teetering between who to believe.

"I was so afraid." Prudence's voice pinched to a small squeak, and she reached out a tremulous hand. "I didn't wish for you to be upset."

"Upset doesn't begin to describe it." To Cate's pleasure, Prudence flinched at the bite of her tone. "Lord Creswicke is not a man to be trifled with. He's dangerous and you're playing childish games with Nathan's life. This will give Creswicke the grounds to have Nathan hung, or worse."

And yes, where Creswicke was concerned, there were most certainly things worse than a quick death.

A number of unkind thoughts and words bubbled up, many which would have made Nathan proud and her mother blench.

"But he took me-" Prudence went on determinedly.

"Stop it!" Cate cringed at her volume. She lowered her voice to quaking growl. "I don't need to see any more of your crying, nor your theatrics."

"He's only a pirate!" Prudence burst out.

Rage surged, blinding Cate to everything except the cornflower-eyed face before her. Cate drew back her hand and slapped Prudence. She heard the crack!, then Prudence's squeal, and then saw her tumble backward, patent leather slippers and petticoats to the air.

"You little selfish bitch," Cate hissed.

Lady Bart gasped, scandalized. Nanna and Sally rushed to help Prudence up from the floor. Once righted, hat askew and hair straggling, Prudence rubbed the offended cheek, now brilliant. Her accusing look was accompanied with a perfectly rounded, pouting lip.

"How dare you!" Nanna cried, rounding on Cate.

"How dare you!" Cate retorted down at the diminutive nursemaid. "How dare you raise..."

"You have no right! You're nothing but a-!"

"-a child who doesn't lie just to save-!"

"I'm sorry!" Prudence shrieked. She fell against Cate and wept. "I had to do something! I can't marry Creswicke. I can't! I was so scared. Papa said I had to leave Boston, because no one else would have me. Lord Creswicke was so far away, he wouldn't know-"

The delicate pearl-tears dissolved into a cascade as she clung to Cate. Fighting back tears of her own-of anger or relief, she wasn't sure-Cate put her arms around the quaking shoulders and woodenly patted her on the back.

"Prudence, please, time is of the essence-" Cate pleaded.

"There was a young man." It was Nanna who spoke. She closed her eyes with pain of the admission. "He and Prudence...well...they did what young people do."

"I loved him, Cate," Prudence moaned into her shoulder. "I honestly loved him, with all my heart."

The grey eyes going soft, Nanna lovingly stroked the back of Prudence's head. "But the boy didn't have the prospects or connections Master Collingwood sought. So he was sent away."

"Papa meant to send me away, because I was ruined: no one of any position would have me." Prudence sniffed hugely. Fumbling, Lady Bart produced a handkerchief and handed it to her.

"Then, a letter came from Lord Creswicke," Prudence went on, after blowing her nose, her voice thickened with crying. "A business offer, I believe. Papa said it was perfect; Lord Creswicke was too far away, and had no way of knowing. So he..."

"Sold you to Creswicke," Cate said flatly. "Damaged goods."

Lashes quivering with tears, Prudence looked up. "I knew if I had been with a man-spoiled-no other would want me. Papa had said as much. So, I thought if Creswicke knew I had been, then he wouldn't want me, and I wouldn't have to marry him. So I told everyone-"

"That it was Nathan, and the doctor confirmed it."

The sickening knot seized Cate's gut. It was virtually her own plan, but Nathan had dissuaded her, pointing out the multitude of flaws. She regarded Nanna, wondering how much she knew. Worse yet, how long Nanna would have played along: before, or after Nathan was hung?

Cate closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping the pain might wake her from this nightmare. Opening them, she instead found reality staring her in the face, and now a dull headache.

"Prudence, you silly, silly girl," Cate groaned. "Don't you understand anything? Lord Creswicke doesn't give a tinker's damn about you, or your worthiness, or anything else. He seeks connections, nothing more."

"It's true dear," Lady Bart said, tight with emotion. "Your father has been a reprehensible, money-grabbing cad most of his life."