Authors: Christine Dorsey
Anne did her best to keep up, running along
behind as the captain retraced his steps to his cabin. Stepping
aside he allowed Anne to open the door and then waited while she
swept clothes from his bunk. Then he lowered Joe to the
mattress.
“Fetch Big Will.” He tossed the words over
his shoulder before brushing the boy’s hair off his face. Both eyes
were shut, one swollen and discolored. And there were cuts on his
cheeks and around his mouth. He wasn’t making any noise now.
“Is he going to be all right?” Anne knelt
beside the bunk, clutching Joe’s hand. She could see the rhythmic
motion of his chest, but wished he’d open his eyes.
“Doesn’t look too bad.” Jamie touched the
kneeling boy’s shoulder. Andy obviously cared very much about his
friend. “Be a good lad, and bring some water. Go on with you
now.”
Anne hesitated only a moment, then pushed to
her feet. The captain had a tin pitcher full of what appeared to be
fresh water. Anne stuck her finger in and tasted it to be sure.
Finding a clean towel was more difficult. She finally had to settle
for one that wasn’t filthy.
By the time she returned to the bunk the
captain was sitting back on his heels staring at Joe. One look at
the captain’s face and she dropped onto the floor beside the bunk.
“What is it?”
Jamie shook his head. “Just these bruises.
Can’t imagine why anyone would do this. Here now, hand me the
pitcher.”
The wet linen pressed to his forehead woke
Joe. He moaned and opened one eye, grimacing with pain when the
captain touched the towel to his cut.
“Who did this to ye, lad?”
The question made Joe shut his eye. With a
whimper he turned his head.
“Tell the captain, Joe. Who hurt you?”
“He’ll kill me if I do,” came the tearful
response. “He done said he would.”
“No one is going to hurt you, lad. I’ll see
to that.” The words sounded hollow to Jamie even as he said them.
He hadn’t kept someone from hurting Joe this time.
“You have to tell Captain MacQuaid, Joe. It’s
the only way to bring the culprit to justice.” Anne gently reached
up and ran her finger along the boy’s jaw. “We can’t let him get
away with this, Joe. It wouldn’t be right.”
She thought he would tell her. Leaning low,
Anne listened intently as his mouth opened, but before he could
speak the door pounded open and Big Will burst in.
“Who does ye have hurt in here?” he demanded
in a heavily accented voice. He was a big man, taller than the
captain even, with a shaved head and light blue eyes that seemed
lost in his moon-round face. It was more than his size and the scar
across his forehead that made him frightening. He was one of the
many pirates that Anne did her best to avoid.
But now she couldn’t avoid him. He blustered
over to Joe and she suddenly knew how a mother hen felt when one of
her chicks was threatened. Anne had the strongest desire to throw
herself across young Joe and protect him with her life. How could
someone so large and boisterous do anything but hurt poor, beaten
Joe?
“I don’t think—” she began, but was pushed
aside before she could finish.
“Come on, lad. Let Big Will have a look.”
There didn’t seem much she could do, since
Big Will was already having his look. Anne stayed as close as she
could, keeping an eye on what the pirate was doing, but he appeared
to be doing no harm. His large hands seemed almost gentle as they
skimmed over Joe’s body.
“Don’t worry so.”
Anne glanced around to see the captain
staring at her. She pulled the knitted hat lower.
“Big Will studied medicine in Prussia. ’Tis
lucky we are that he joined our merry group.”
“Ha!” Big Will opened a wooden chest and
fingered through the jars and vials, his sausagelike fingers
finally finding what he sought. “Luck had nothin’ to do with it, as
you vell know. Get the boy a drink of something.”
It was Keena who produced a mug. Big Will
added a few drops from the jar, then lifted Joe’s shoulders and
commanded him to drink.
“That should let him sleep for a vhile.” Big
Will stood and stretched his arms. “The boy vill be all right.” He
pulled a small pot from the case. “A bit ov this on his cuts will
help them heal.”
“Good. Now, lad, just tell us where Joe’s
hammock is and we’ll—”
“He doesn’t have a hammock,” Anne said. “He
sleeps on deck, as I do.”
Captain MacQuaid seemed bewildered by this
and glanced toward Keena who shrugged his shoulders. “We’ve a full
crew. Not enough space for all the men.”
“He could stay here.” Anne lifted her chin,
before remembering her disguise. “It seems like a comfortable
enough bed.”
“It is,” the captain assured her. “And ’tis
mine.” He met her stare, then shrugged. “Ah, let the lad use it for
a bit.”
“Vonderful, Captain.” Big Will slapped Jamie
on the back, hard enough to knock him forward. “Now, I could use a
drink.”
While Keena poured a generous serving into
another mug, Anne settled on the bunk beside Joe. He looked up at
her, his gray eyes already showing the effects of the sleeping
potion he received.
`Just rest now, Joe. There’s nothing to
worry—” Anne gasped when he reached up and locked his fingers about
her hand.
“Andy,” he said, a hitch in his voice. “Stay
clear of Stymie.”
“Is he the one who beat you?” It was hardly a
surprising revelation, but when Anne watched Joe close his eyes and
nod, rage boiled within her.
She pushed to her feet, whirling around to
face the four men, three of whom now had mugs in their hands. “It
was Stymie who did this.”
“Did Joe tell ye that?”
“Yes.” Anne paused. “Well, aren’t you going
to do something about it?”
They all stopped drinking and looked at her.
But only one stepped forward, eyes narrowed and staring at her as
if there was a hint of recognition. Too late Antic realized she was
not acting like a humble cabin boy.
He moved closer.
Anne dropped her lashes.
“Vouldn’t surprise me none if it vas Stymie.
He’s a mean one.”
“I doubt ’twould surprise any of us,” Jamie
said, but he didn’t take his eyes off the boy standing before
him.
And with each step he took he came closer
until Anne could feel the sweat bead on her upper lip.
“I should be getting on deck,” she mumbled
and turned toward the door. But before she could move Captain
MacQuaid’s hand surrounded her upper arm.
“Leaving us so soon... Andy, is it? Aren’t
you interested in giving any more orders?”
Anne swallowed. “Ain’t in me place to be
givin’ orders, sir. Reckon that’s for the cap’n to do.”
“Is it now?”
“Aye.” He was pulling her closer, until she
could smell the musky scent of his skin. Anne tried to keep her
head down, but he hooked her chin, jerking it up with his thumb.
Recognition sparked in his blue-green eyes when they met hers. She
knew that he knew.
Anne squirmed, but it did no good. His grip
was iron tight. “Let me go, Cap’n.”
“Aw, come on, Cap’n, the boy didn’t mean
nothin’ by it. He’s just vorried ’bout his friend.”
“Is that it, Andy? Are ye worried about your
friend?”
“Yes, yes, I am.” Anne tried to dig in her
heels as he started dragging her toward the door.
“Cap’n, where are you takin’ the boy?” Keena
stepped in front of the door, but one look at his friend’s face and
he stepped aside.
Before anyone else could say a word, Anne and
the captain were in the passageway. He grabbed a lantern with one
hand and shoved her into a small cubbyhole of a room with the
other.
Anne lifted her arm against the glare as he
held the light up to her face. She didn’t even resist when he
yanked off her hat. A tangle of curls spilled down about her
shoulders.
Though he knew before, the irrefutable proof
of her hair was more than he could handle. He speared five fingers
through his own hair, loosening the thong of leather holding it
back.
“I can’t believe this.” He looked away, and
then back, as if thinking his eyes deceived him. “What in the hell
are ye doing here?” Anne opened her mouth to explain, but he kept
talking. “You’re a woman, for God’s sake. On a pirate ship.” He
paced a step to the door, then back. “Who else knows of this, my
God, I’ll cut out the liver of any of my crew who helped ye.”
“No one knows.”
“What? What did ye say?” Now both hands were
in his hair as he continued to stride back and forth.
“I said no one knows. No one helped me.”
He stopped then and looked at her, his eyes
narrowed. On the floor, where he’d dropped it, the lantern sent a
tapestry of shadow and light dancing over his handsome features.
Anne could only stand her ground and hope for the best.
“Ye fooled the entire crew?” He sounded
skeptical, until his jaw dropped and he shook his head. “Hell, ye
fooled me, sure enough. And I’ve...” What? Kissed you? Dreamed
about you? Somehow Jamie didn’t think saying either was
appropriate. He leaned back, finding the door with his spine and
sliding down the length until he sat knees bent on the floor.
“Why did you do it, Anne? Why did ye dress
like that and come aboard?” When she didn’t answer, he tilted his
head. “Didn’t think ye could trust me?”
“Trust had nothing to do with it.” Anne
shifted. She shouldn’t, of course, but he made her feel guilty for
doing what she did. For heaven’s sake he was a pirate. It wasn’t as
if he followed rules. Why should he act disappointed that she
hadn’t.
She lifted her chin. “I wanted to be there
when you caught d’Porteau.”
“You wanted...” He started to repeat her
contention, and began laughing instead. “Are ye mad?” He pushed to
his feet. “Hell, of course ye are. Look at ye.” He advanced until
he loomed over her. “You’re filthy. I should think a gentlewoman
would have more pride than to cover herself with—” His finger
skimmed her cheek. “What is this anyway?”
“Grease and tar.”
He wiped a black smear down the front of her
coat. “I don’t imagine this will do much for your complexion.”
Anne knocked his hand away when it lingered
near her breast. “I’m not concerned about my skin.”
“Nay, I don’t imagine ye are.” Jamie let air
out through his mouth. Now that he took a good look at her he
couldn’t imagine how he hadn’t recognized her the moment he saw
her. Forget that her face was darkened with grime and her hair
covered. Those eyes alone should have given her away. And the way
she moved.
Jamie looked away before he did something he
might regret. Even dressed as she was she excited him. The sooner
he was rid of her the better.
“Well, ye shan’t be getting your wish.” He
leaned back, crossing his arms. “I’ll not have a woman on board,
nor will I expose ye to danger during a sea battle. Under full sail
we should reach New Providence in a few days. From there ye can get
passage to Libertia.”
“But I thought we were going to San
Palma?”
“We were. But we shall lose over a sennight
delivering ye somewhere safe.”
“I do not wish to be safe.”
“That much Mistress Cornwall is evident.”
“And I refuse to be put ashore.”
“Ye refuse?” Jamie’s voice boomed. “Ye
refuse. Who do ye think ye are to refuse me anything?”
She wouldn’t be intimidated. She wouldn’t.
“I’m the person who hired you. The person who will pay you to find
d’Porteau.”
“I’m a pirate. Not a hireling.”
“Nonetheless, I did hire you.” The expression
on his face kept her from continuing that argument. She reached out
toward him. “I see no harm in letting me stay aboard.”
“Obviously. However, I do.”
“What?” Anne grabbed his arm when he turned
away. “I’ve been on the
Lost Cause
nearly a sennight and
I’ve come to no harm.”
“Are you forgetting yesterday morning?
Stymie?”
Anne was silent a moment. Then, “You must do
something about him.”
His eyes wide, Jamie could only stare at
her.
“Well you must. After what he did to Joe, he
deserves to be punished. It’s impossible not to agree.” Anne
hesitated. “Why are you shaking your head... and laughing?”
Leaning back against the door, Jamie
effectively put space between them. “’Tis ye, Mistress Cornwall,
and your penchant for giving orders. Even dressed as ye are.” He
lifted a warning finger when she tried to interrupt. “Caught on my
ship, ye still insist upon telling others what they should do.”
Anne lifted her chin. “You intend to let him
get away with what he did to that poor boy?”
“Nay!” Jamie pushed off the wall and stalked
toward her. “I intend to do what I must. But if memory serves ’twas
not Stymie’s transgressions we were discussing, but yours.” He
continued before she had a chance to speak. “Until we make New
Providence ye shall remain in my cabin, is that understood?” He
didn’t wait for her acknowledgment, but turned toward the door. Her
quiet words stopped him from lifting the latch.
“I shall tell them I’m a woman.”
‘What?” His eyes sliced through her as he
looked around.
Despite the fierce expression on his face,
Anne swallowed and forced herself to continue. “I know a bit about
pirate behavior.”
“As well you should, after living as one for
nearly a sennight.”
“I knew before. Israel told me.”
“Ah, Israel. As poor as an excuse for a
sailor, let alone a pirate as I ever saw. I suppose he put ye up to
this... this masquerade?”
“Israel knows nothing about it.”
Jamie’s brow arched. “And ye expect me to
believe that?”
“I expect you to believe your crew would
disapprove of you bringing a woman aboard for your own pleasure.
According to Israel, it is a rule not lightly broken.”
He stared at her long and hard. “I did not do
that.”
Their gazes locked. “But unless you allow me
to stay on the
Lost Cause
, I shall tell them you did.”