Love isn't just for the pretty people. Cutthroats and thieves ply their nefarious trade aboard The Devil’s Luck, slashing a path of piracy and swearing back and forth across the Atlantic. On a ship packed hull to hull with scoundrels, romance blossoms about as often as dead men tell tales. Brigit O’Creagh knows her place. A complexion riddled with scars wards off desirable men. An eager father hires her out as a lady’s maid for a purse full of silver—without consulting her, of course. Her new widow employer makes icebergs look downright tropical. The maid from Cork expects very little from life, and that’s usually just what she gets. John Bone spends his days working to feed the ravenous crew of The Devil’s Luck. An accident seven years past cost him part of a leg but earned him a promotion to Cook. His memories of brawling and boarding collect dust right along with his days of pining for gentler company. And what woman would want him now? He wasn’t even a whole man. But now, with a young woman’s easy laugh filling his galley, John finds dormant desires waking up, tempting him to make a fool of himself. Brigit, however, struggles to believe the sincerity behind his pretty words and kind gestures. She knows what she looks like and men never bother wasting that sort of talk on the likes of her. Most grand romances overflow with silken skin and chiseled jawlines, but Eris Adderly takes you below decks to mingle with a rougher crowd. Bawdy songs color the air, dangerous wagers change hands, and love may not be totally blind, but it definitely wears an eye patch. This lusty pirate romance novella is a spin-off from the events of The Devil’s Luck. But fear not! The Maid and The Cook stands on its own—you can enjoy all the salt and scallywags without feeling like you’re missing part of the plot. Note: This story contains dirty pirates, peg legs, and explicit descriptions of sexual acts. It is intended for mature readers only.