INTERIOR ARTWORK
IS LOCATED
BETWEEN CHAPTER 12 AND CHAPTER 13
and also can be accessed via the TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Daredevil Snared
The Adventurers Quartet: Volume 3
Stephanie Laurens
www.mirabooks.co.uk
THE DAREDEVIL SNARED
© 2016 Savdek Management Proprietary Limited
Published in Great Britain 2016
by Harlequin MIRA, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
Cover design by Savdek Management Pty. Ltd.
Cover and inside front couple photography © 2016 Period Images
Image of jungle cabin interior: photographic credit to piccaya
The name Stephanie Laurens is a registered trademark of Savdek Management Proprietary Ltd.
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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www.mirabooks.co.uk
Table of Contents
Introduction
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Calebs Sketch of the Mining Compound
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Interior Artwork
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Dear Reader
An Excerpt from Lord of the Privateers
Other Titles from Stephanie Laurens
About the Author
Responsibility knocks, and a reckless, hedonistic man responds and opens the door to lovethus is a daredevil snared.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens brings you the third installment in THE ADVENTURERS QUARTET, continuing the drama of Regency-era high seas adventure, laced with a mystery shrouded in the heat of tropical jungles, and spiced with the passionate romances of four couples and their unexpected journeys into love.
Captain Caleb Frobisher, hedonistic youngest son of a seafaring dynasty, wants to be taken seriously by his family, and understands he has to prove himself sufficiently reformed. When opportunity strikes, he seizes the next leg of the covert mission his brothers have been pursuing and sails to Freetown. His actions are decisive, and he completes the missions next stagebut responsibility, once exercised, has taken root, and he remains in the jungle to guard the captives whose rescue is the missions ultimate goal.
Katherine Fortescue has fled the life of poverty her wastrel father had bequeathed her and come to Freetown as a governess, only to be kidnapped and put to work overseeing a child workforce at a mine. She and the other captured adults understand that their lives are limited by the life of the mine. Guarded by well-armed and well-trained mercenaries, the captives have been searching for some means of escape, but in vain. Then Katherine meets a handsome mana captainin the jungle, and he and his crew bring the sweet promise of rescue.
The sadistic mercenary captain who runs the mine has other ideas, but Calebs true strength lies in extracting advantage from adversity, and through the clashes that follow, he matures into the leader of men he was always destined to be. The sort of man Katherine can trustwith her body, with her life. With her love.
The first voyage is one of exploration, the second one of discovery. The third journey brings maturity, while the fourth is a voyage of second chances. Continue the journey and follow the adventure, the mystery, and the romances to the dramatic end.
Praise for the works of Stephanie Laurens
Stephanie Laurens heroines are marvelous tributes to Georgette Heyer: feisty and strong. Cathy Kelly
Stephanie Laurens never fails to entertain and charm her readers with vibrant plots, snappy dialogue, and unforgettable characters. Historical Romance Reviews
Stephanie Laurens plays into readers fantasies like a master and claims their hearts time and again. Romantic Times Magazine
The Daredevil SnaredCAST OF CHARACTERS
Principal Characters:
Frobisher, Caleb Hero, youngest Frobisher brother and captain of The Prince
Fortescue, Katherine (Kate) Heroine, missing governess from the Sherbrook household in Freetown
In London:
Family:
Frobisher, Declan Calebs older brother
Frobisher, Lady Edwina Calebs sister-in-law, Declans wife
Frobisher, Robert Calebs older brother
Hopkins, Aileen Roberts intended, Lt. William Hopkinss sister
Staff in Declan & Edwinas townhouse:
Humphrey butler
Government:
Wolverstone, Duke of, Royce, aka Dalziel ex-commander of British secret operatives outside England
In Aberdeen:
Frobisher, Fergus Calebs father
Frobisher, Elaine Calebs mother
Frobisher, Royd Calebs oldest brother
In Southampton:
Higginson head clerk, Frobisher Shipping Company Office
In Freetown:
Holbrook, Governor Governor-in-Chief of British West Africa
Eldridge, Major Commander, Fort Thornton
Decker, Vice-Admiral Commander, West Africa Squadron
Winton, Major Commissar of Fort Thornton
Babington, Charles partner, Macauley & Babington Trading Company
Macauley, Mr. senior partner, Macauley & Babington Trading Company
Undoto, Obo local priest
Muldoon the Naval Attaché
Winton nephew of Major Winton, Assistant Commissar at the fort
At Kales Homestead:
Kale slavers leader
Rogers Kales lieutenant in the settlement
Fifteen other slavers, including the pied piper
In the Mining Compound:
Mercenaries:
Dubois leader of the mercenaries, presumed French
Arsene Duboiss lieutenant, second-in-command, presumed French
Cripps Duboiss second lieutenant, English
Plus twenty-eight other mercenaries of various ages and extractions
Captives:
Dixon, Captain John army engineer
Hopkins, Lieutenant William navy, West Africa Squadron
Fanshawe, Lieutenant navy, West Africa Squadron
Hillsythe ex-Wolverstone agent, governors aide
Frazier, Harriet gently bred young woman, Dixons sweetheart
Wilson, Mary shop owner-assistant, Babingtons sweetheart
Mackenzie, Ellen young woman recently arrived in the settlement
Halliday, Gemma young woman from the slums
Mellows, Annie young woman from the slums
Mathers, Jed carpenter
Plus eighteen other men all British of various backgrounds and trades
Diccon young boy, seven years old
Amy young girl, six years old
Gerry boy, ten years old
Plus sixteen other children all British,ranging from six to ten years old
Plus five other children all British, ranging from eleven to fourteen years old
On board The Prince:
Fitzpatrick, Lieutenant Frederick First Mate
Wallace, Mr. Master
Carter Bosun, goes into the jungle but returns to the ship
Quilley Quartermaster, goes into the jungle and remains with Caleb
Hornby, Mr. Steward,goes into the jungle but returns to the ship
Johnson midshipman,goes into the jungle but returns to the ship
Foster, Martin, Ellis, Quick, Mallard, Collins, Biggs, Norton, and Olsen midshipmen and experienced seamen who go into the jungle and remain with Caleb.
On board The Raven:
Lascelle, Phillipe Captain, privateer, longtime friend of Calebs
Reynaud Bosun, goes into the jungle but returns to the ship
Ducasse Quartermaster, goes into the jungle and remains with Phillipe
Fullard, Collmer, Gerard, Vineron midshipmen and experienced seamen who go into the jungle and remain with Phillipe
Plus four other seamen all of French extraction, who go into the jungle but return to the ship
CHAPTER 1
July 14, 1824
Jungle east of Freetown, West Africa
Caleb Frobisher moved steadily forward through the jungle shadows. His company of twenty-four men followed in single file. No one spoke; the silence was eerie, stretching nerves taut. Beneath the thick canopy, the humidity was so high that forging ahead felt like walking underwater, as if the heavy atmosphere literally weighed on their limbs.
Hells bells, Phillipe Lascelle, at Calebs heels, breathed. Surely it cant be much farther.
Its only midmorning, Caleb murmured back. You cant be wilting already.
Phillipe snorted.
Caleb continued along the path that was little more than an animal track; they had to constantly duck and weave under and around palm fronds and low branches festooned with clinging vines.
Somewhere ahead lay the slavers camp theyd come to findor so Caleb fervently hoped. Despite his determination to unwaveringly abide by the rule book throughout this mission, thus proving to all and sundry, and his family especially, that he could be trusted with such serious endeavors, sometimes instinctalbeit masquerading as reckless impulseproved too strong to resist. His brother Roberts hand-drawn map described the location of the slavers campKales Homesteadwhen approached from the west. However, Caleb had studied the camps position and decided to come in from the north. From all hed gleaned from Roberts notes, the slavers would be alert to any incursion from the west; they would almost certainly have lookouts posted, making west not the wisest direction from which to approach if ones intention was to seize the camp.
Which was, rather plainly, their purpose; why else would twenty-five strong men all armed to the gills be trooping through such a godforsaken place?
Three nights before, Caleb, in his ship, The Prince, closely followed by his old comrade-in-adventure, Phillipe, in his ship, The Raven, had slipped into the estuary on the night tide. Theyd kept to the north shore, well away from the shipping lanes leading into Freetown harbor, and sailed deeper down the estuary and into Tagrin Bay, reducing the risk of detection by any naval vessels going into and out of the harbor; according to Roberts information, the West Africa Squadron should now be in port, and Caleb would prefer to avoid having to explain himself to Vice-Admiral Decker.