blow to the back of his head sent him to the ground and he lost consciousness as he was carried aboard a ship, not as the passenger he had paid to be, but to serve before the mast.
Chapter One
Spain—autumn 1558
‘No, Father, please do not ask it of me.’ The girl faced the tall man with iron-grey hair defiantly. He was a man of wiry stature, elegantly dressed in black with only one jewel of note, which was a ring made from gold and black agate to denote his mourning for his late wife. ‘I am not ready to marry again. I know you are grieving and you wish a better life for me, but I would rather stay at home with you.’
‘It is nearly a year since Don Pablo died.’
Don Miguel Sabatini’s face was cold as he looked at his beautiful daughter. With her dark hair dressed in ringlets in the Spanish way, she reminded him of his first wife, whom he had come to hate after learning she had played him false with a lover. Her eyes were those of a temptress, a wanton wretch who had betrayed him, leaving a scar that would never heal. When he looked at Maribel’s face he saw the pride of her English mother, a pride he had never been able to break despite his treatment of her, and the hatred burned cold and deep within him. His first wife had been a wanton, deceiving him with a man he had believed his friend. He had never forgiven her and his unkindness had driven her to the decline that led to an early grave. She swore that Maribel was his child, but he had never been certain and because of it could not love his daughter.
However, his second wife Juanita, a gentle kindhearted woman, already past thirty when he wed her, had loved the motherless babe, and, unable to bear a living child herself, had taken the girl as her own, forcing him to show acceptance of a child he despised. It was she who had arranged Maribel’s marriage to her young cousin. Unfortunately the bridegroom had died at the hands of bandits while riding in the hills a few months after the wedding, and Juanita had insisted her much loved stepdaughter return to live with them. Maribel had been grieving for her young husband ever since.
‘You must marry, daughter. It is a woman’s duty and her destiny.’
‘But I cannot put aside my feelings for Pablo so easily, sir. I loved him truly and I do not wish to marry again.’
‘I have written to a gentleman in England with whom I have business. He imports wine from our vineyards and a marriage between you would seal the alliance, make it stronger.’
‘But I do not know this man…’ Maribel protested, dark eyes flashing a protest. ‘You have not even told me his name.’
‘His name is not important, but since you will have it—he is Lord William Roberts of Helbourne.’ He waved his hand as if to dismiss her.
Maribel refused to be dismissed so brusquely.
‘An English lord?’ Her gaze narrowed as she looked at him, saw the cold proud stance and felt again the hurt he had inflicted so often. Why was he so often unkind to her? What had she done to make him hate her, for she felt that his feeling went deeper than mere dislike? ‘How old is he? What manner of man is he? Please tell me, Father.’
‘What can his age signify?’ Don Miguel demanded with an icy stare. ‘He is of good character and rich—what more could you wish for?’
‘A man such as Don Pablo. He was young and handsome and I cared for him,’ Maribel said proudly. ‘He left me a fortune—so why should I marry for wealth when I do not need money?’
‘A woman alone cannot properly care for her estates. I have done what I can for you, daughter, but you should think of marriage. It is the right and proper course for you to follow. Surely you wish for a husband and children?’ His voice softened, took on a persuasive note. ‘You cannot wish to spend all your life in mourning for a man you hardly knew? He would have wished you to be happy.’
‘Yes…perhaps,’ Maribel faltered. When her father spoke softly to her she almost believed that he truly cared for her, and yet in her heart she knew that it was Juanita who had always stood between them, sheltering her from his anger. She thought sometimes that he had hated her from the moment she was born. However, Juanita had told her that he was a good man despite his stern ways and she believed her stepmother. If he felt she should marry this English lord, it might be for the best. To openly disobey him at a time when they were both grieving for the woman they had loved would be to show disrespect to Juanita’s memory. ‘I beg you will allow me time to consider this marriage, sir. I should like to meet the gentleman before making a commitment. ’
‘I will write and invite him to visit. He is a busy man. He may send someone in his stead—perhaps a portrait would ease your mind?’
‘I should like to see his likeness.’ Maribel moved forwards, her hand outstretched. ‘Please, give me a little time, sir. I have not yet recovered from my stepmother’s death. I loved her dearly.’
‘As did I, God rest her soul,’ Don Miguel said piously. ‘For Juanita’s sake I shall grant you a further few months, but I want you to make yourself ready, Maribel. It is my wish that you should marry soon.’
Maribel inclined her head. From the tone of her father’s voice she knew herself dismissed. He had no more to say to her and considered the matter settled. No doubt he would invite Lord Roberts to visit them and arrange the wedding without further reference to her wishes.
Going outside to the shaded courtyard, Maribel blinked to stop her tears. She had no wish to leave Spain for England, which was a country of which she knew little. Her mother had been an Englishwoman, but Maribel could not remember her, though she had lived until past her child’s second birthday when she had died of a fever after giving birth to a stillborn son. It must be because she was half-English that her father had decided she should marry this English lord.
Maribel’s throat caught as she thought of her handsome young husband. He was but sixteen when they married, her own age at the time, and beautiful to look upon. Pablo Sanchez had a gentle nature. He was loving and kind, and he had treated Maribel as a sister. They had had fun riding together and playing foolish games. Something that no one else knew was that their marriage had never been consummated. Maribel was as much a virgin now as she had been on the day of her wedding.
Perhaps if her father understood that she was still virgin he would have some sympathy for her, but she could never tell him for it would shame her.
The future loomed dark and forbidding before her. She had been granted a few more months, but she knew the time would come when her father would force her to marry the man of his choosing.
‘Cut him down and carry him below,’ Justin commanded of the sailors. He had just been compelled to order the flogging of one of the crew for disobedience and it had taken all his self-control not to snatch the cruel whip from the bosun’s hand. ‘We must tend his wounds.’
‘Aye, that we must,’ Higgins growled. ‘’Tis a wonder the poor lad bore it as well as he did.’
‘I know it well enough.’
Justin did not remind the man that he had been lashed the first time he disobeyed the monster that was their captain. On waking with a crashing headache that first morning to discover that he was aboard a strange ship and bound for the east, Justin had at first refused to take orders from Captain Smythe and his bosun. However, a lashing at the mast had made him realise that he had little choice but to obey. It was entirely
