The Fateful Ride - Chapter 4 (standard:romance, 1544 words) [0/4] show all parts
Author: Tiffany Fontana	Added: Apr 17 2008	Views/Reads: 3297/2043	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
De Lounge and the Duc reach their climax

The Fateful Ride Chapter 4 

Lady Baker ran, gasping with the effort, her bosom heaving.  The lights
of Markintown twinkled before her, she was nearly there!  Would she be 
too late to save her lover?  Would she be able to persuade him to 
abandon this mad quest and to come away with her?  His honour, she 
knew, meant more to him than anything else.  The Code of the Beethells, 
as he called it, was his guiding light and he would sacrifice anything 
in order to live up to it.  Would he even sacrifice his Lady?  She was 
dizzy now and weak.  She couldn't keep going much longer.  The moor 
land bushes had torn at her delicate skirts, ripping them to shreds.  
The pearl buttons on her bodice, designed for balls and society 
gatherings, had not been strong enough to contain her snowy mounds 
during the headlong race and many now lay in the marshes, where they 
would be eaten by ducks. 

Meanwhile, on the ship, De Lounge and the Duc slowly entered the Pirate
Queen's inner lair, wary and on guard. 

‘My Lords', she said, smiling lasciviously, will you have some
spaghetti?  It's hot and saucy.' 

‘It will take more than hot meat to distract us', barked the Duc, his
beetling brows lowered in anger.  ‘What are you doing here?  And why 
are you plundering Merkintown?' 

De Lounge was silent.  If the Duc had been calmer, he might have noticed
that his companion was rigid with tension, stiff and taut. 

The Pirate Queen turned away and busied herself at the table.  When she
turned again, she was gripping a Martini in her long fingers and a 
wicked smile played across her lovely face. 

‘Can I tempt either of you?' she asked, shaking her Martini gently
before raising it to her ruby lips.  ‘I always like to have a Martini 
inside me at this time of day.' 

‘Who doesn't?' snapped the Duc.  ‘I like to get my mouth around a
Martini and suck those salty olives as much as the next man but we have 
more important things to discuss.  Why have you come here?' 

‘De Lounge knows I'm sure' purred the Pirate Queen.  ‘We've done
business before.' 

‘Is this true?' snapped the Duc, whirling to face his companion. 

‘Yes', admitted De Lounge.  ‘We have traded in produce, it's true.  She
sailed here from Italy with her exotic fruits and I exchanged them for 
my famous roots.  Isn't that so, Lucia?' 

The Pirate Queen drew herself up haughtily.  ‘We did business but I
wanted more.  I knew you were holding back on me, De Lounge.  I gave 
you everything I had and then I heard that you had plums.  Huge ripe 
plums that you were saving for special customers.  Well it's not good 
enough De Lounge.  I want to get my hands on your plums and if you 
won't sell them, I'm prepared to take them by force.' 

‘That's not why we stopped doing business and you know it', said De
Lounge, his hand straying back to his weapon.  ‘You wanted more than my 
roots and plums.  You wanted me for yourself and when I told you that I 
couldn't limit myself to any one woman, you decided to take your 
revenge on all of Merkintown.' 

‘I'm only human!' cried the Pirate Queen passionately.  ‘But if you
won't be mine, can we at least go back to out old trading agreement?  I 
have brought a full cargo of fruits which I will give you, along with a 
bag of doubloons, if you will give me exclusive rights to your plums.' 

She snapped her fingers and a swarthy pirate entered with a tray of
fruit and a clinking purse. ‘I have a hold full of these', said the 
Queen, indicating the fruit with a wave of her hand.  ‘What do you 
think?' 

De Lounge put his hand out and squeezed her melons.  ‘Firm,' he said
approvingly, running an expert gaze over the glistening orbs. 


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