Blackhearts (Blackhearts, #1)(40)

been this whole time? She’s in town as well. If you see her,

tell her I sent you on an errand.” Polishing off the piece of

bread, he wiped his hands together, before reaching for the

rugs. He’d told Margery to make a thorough search for the

stolen items at the market and to take her time getting back.

He’d done it only to get her away from Anne, but things were

turning out nicely. Teach gave the girls a slight nudge. “Now

141

go. Hurry. Put on a fresh dress and make yourselves scarce.”

If their departure hadn’t been so comical, scurrying up the

back stairs, Teach might have felt sorry for Anne, for they did

not think to ask if she wished to join them.

Nevertheless, he had ulterior motives and was glad they

hadn’t. Leaving Anne to tidy the kitchen, he replaced the rugs

in their proper rooms.

In less than twenty minutes Sara and Mary were gone.

Anne had just swept the floor when Teach reappeared, a

swath of wine-red velvet in his hands. She returned the broom to the pantry and cleaned her hands before drying them with a rag.

“Here,” he said.

“What is it, sir?” Anne asked, fingering the smooth material.

“Does it need mending?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Put it on,” he said.

Her eyes flew to his face. “Why?”

“Because you can’t go out riding in that dress of yours.”

Anne took a step back and looked toward the door, as if to

determine how far Sara and Mary were.

Teach’s eyebrows drew together. This was not the reaction

he’d been hoping for. “Well, don’t just stand there. Go upstairs and put it on.”

She stood rooted to the spot. “I’m not going riding, sir.”

“Yes, you are. You’re coming with me.”

She swallowed. “Where?”

Impatiently he gestured toward the courtyard. “Out there.





14 2


In the country. You’re going to get on a horse and ride.” He’d thought Anne was different. Could it be that she disliked the outdoors as much as Patience?

“And if I choose not to?”

Teach gave her an incredulous look. “Why would you do

that?”

“Because you’ve just given everyone the day off.”

Teach ran his fingers through his hair. “Yes, I know I did. I

did it for you.”

Anne placed the dress on the back of a chair. “I would prefer to spend my day off alone.”

Frustration flared in his chest. “Well, you don’t have much

of a choice. They’ve left you. I’m the only one here now.”

She looked toward the door. “I could catch up to them.

They can’t be far.”

He shook his head, his chin jutting forward. “No.”

“You cannot make me stay.”

“I have no desire to make you do anything. I was hoping

you would choose for yourself.” She opened her mouth, no

doubt to protest, but once again he read her mind. “And don’t

tell me you can’t ride. You said your father taught you.” He

folded his arms across his chest, blocking her only escape.

Anne laughed, the sound shrill with nerves. “You’re mad.”

“Not yet. But I’m getting there. What will it take to get you

to spend the day with me?”

“I just spent the past several days with you,” she reminded him.





14 3


“Ah, but that doesn’t count. I was ill.”

“You were not.”

Being around Anne kept him on his toes. “Technically, I

was for four of those days. But we spent only a few hours in

each other’s company. Today I wish to change that.”

Anne was speechless. He was well aware he’d given her no

way out of his trap. He lifted the dress from the back of the

chair and placed it gently in her arms. “I promise to behave

myself,” he said, reading the tension in her face.

“You’ve confessed to being a liar and a thief. Why should I

believe you, sir?” She stared at him, as if trying to understand why it was so important that they spend the day together.

The problem was, he couldn’t explain it himself. He just

knew he wanted to. “Because I’m telling you the truth.”

“It wouldn’t be proper. Your father has his rules—”

“Bugger the rules. I don’t care if it’s proper or not,” he

growled, determined to get his way. “And my father isn’t home

to find out. I would like to do something for you. Think of this as a reward for nursing me back to health.”

“You gave Mary and Sara the opportunity to do what they

wanted. Why can’t you afford me the same courtesy?”

“Tell me the truth, Anne. Would you rather go into the

city alone to buy yourself something new, or would you rather

spend some time away from here, riding horses and seeing a bit