Squawk.
“Luke will kill you. Luke will kill you.”
The insult scraped over Blake and had him scowling in return. If he could trust a pirate, then what was Luke’s problem?
“Luke,” Samantha said with a shake of her head. She turned to Nate and Vincent, smiled warmly. Blake shook his own head in disgust when Vincent blushed and sat a little taller. Nate, seeing this embarrassing display, rolled his eyes.
“Ignore Luke, he’s out of sorts at the moment.”
Then, with no more fuss, she began her tale. Blake grinned at the expected reactions of his friends. Vincent didn’t blink, only stared at Samantha with a look of disbelief and awe while Nate nodded slightly, lips tugged as he fought a grin.
“I’ve heard of you,” Vincent said, his voice thick with reverence, as though talking to the king. “I never dreamed Steele was a woman. Damn,” he added, laughing now, “what a treat this is. I get to meet Sam Steele!”
Squawk.
“Sam Steele. Sam Steele.”
Samantha blushed. Luke stopped pacing, arched a brow.
“Excuse him,” Nate said, shooting Vincent a look of incredulity. “He’s easily excitable.”
“But she was the best,” Vincent argued.
“Excuse me,” Luke growled. “She was tied with the best.” He winked at his wife.
Squawk.
“Luke was best. Luke was best.”
Blake found the discussion quite humorous until Samantha mentioned the letters,
three
letters, and the fact that Alicia was mentioned in them.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, facing Alicia.
“I told you, it’s Sam secret, not mine.”
Fury had him standing. “It’s no longer only about Samantha when your life is in danger.” He spun to Luke. “You said Samantha was in danger, you never mentioned Alicia was as well. I could shoot you for that. How would you like for your wife to be threatened without you being the wiser? I can’t protect Alicia if I’m not aware she needs it.”
Luke nodded. “I’d be angry, too, mate, but know this, I was watching them and they were safe.”
Blake gnashed his teeth. “You think a locked door would stop a grenade? You’re a pirate. You should know better.”
“From where I’m standing we’re not so very different, mate, but if you have a problem with us having been pirates,” he gestured to the door, “feel free to leave.”
Blake rubbed his eye, sighed heavily. “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I only meant that a locked door won’t keep out someone who is determined to get inside.”
“If he killed her, he wouldn’t get his ransom, would he?” Luke reasoned.
“There are other ways. He could’ve taken Alicia. Did it never cross your mind that by taking her, he’d ensure Samantha’s payment?”
Samantha paled. Blake turned to Alicia and saw she’d had the same reaction.
“I don’t think whoever is doing this is that bold,” Nate reasoned. “He left the cutlass in the door when nobody was home. He did the same with the note on the ship, and he used a young boy to deliver another.”
“Well, that’s not a chance I’m willing to take.” Blake reached for Alicia’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “We’re leaving.”
“Blake, we can’t,” Alicia said, yanking her hand back.
“The hell we can’t,” he argued and reached for her again. His hands closed over air when she stepped out of reach.
“You’re right, Samantha isn’t the only one in danger. But it seems to me that the way to ensure everyone’s safety is to deal with this. I don’t see running as solving anything,” Nate said.
All eyes turned to Nate. He shrugged. “Blake, we can sail out of here, but what’s to say we won’t be followed? Do you really plan on having Alicia watched every minute of the day?” He leaned forward in his chair, looked to Alicia. “Would you want that?”
“No,” Alicia answered. “I’d hate it.”
Shit, Blake thought, Nate was right. They’d always be watching their backs if they didn’t solve the problem now.
“Will you pay it, Sam?” Aidan asked.
“ ’Course she will,” Joe answered. “Won’t ye?”
Samantha looked at Luke, her heart in her eyes. “He wants the ship.”
Squawk.
“Can’t have the ship. Can’t have the ship.”
“Well, he can’t have it,” Luke said vehemently. Luke propped his foot onto a chair. “I agree with Nate and my parrot. I don’t believe paying will make this stop. We’d always be wondering if and when he’ll come back.”
“Then what do you have in mind?” Vincent asked.
“Sam, if you don’t pay him”—Alicia turned even paler—“you could hang.”
“Why can’t she apply for her pardon?” Vincent asked.
“Just because the Navy would forgive her, do you think every other pirate Steele has plundered would be as forgiving?” Luke asked. “Imagine them finding out they were bested by a woman.”
Blake sighed. “I see your point.”
“She’d ’ave every despot after ’er,” Joe concluded.
The room fell silent as they contemplated what was best. Luke was back to pacing and Alicia was preparing tea. Blake figured they all needed something much stronger.
“The only way to make this go away,” Nate said, leaning back into his chair and stretching his long legs under the table, “is to bring Steele back.”
Luke stopped, looked at Nate as though he’d grown an extra head.
“You think the best way to save her life is to risk it all over again? Are you bloody mad?”
There was muttering from most around the table and they all agreed with Luke.
“I never said it had to be her,” Nate explained.
Blake’s mouth went dry. There was a reckless look on Nate’s face he only saw when they were engaged in battle. He didn’t like it, not one bit.
“What are ye proposin’?”
Nate looked to Blake. Blake shook his head. Don’t do it, he thought. Don’t do it.
“If Steele comes back, sailing and plundering while Samantha remains here in plain view, with her ship,” he added with a wink for Samantha, “then your threat is gone. Nobody would believe him, and Samantha would be safe.”
Vincent grabbed Nate’s arm, looking as happy about this turn of events as Blake felt.
“You can’t mean to do it?” Vincent asked.
Nate shrugged. “Why not?”
“What do you mean, why not? Then it’ll be your neck on the line, won’t it?”
“Not if they can’t catch me. Besides, it might be fun.”
Vincent cuffed Nate on the arm. “That’s the dumbest thing that’s ever come out of your mouth, and let me tell you, that’s saying something.”
“Boys,” Luke interrupted, “you can squabble about it later.” He turned to Samantha. “This could work. We have another sloop we can give him.”
“Wouldn’t it have to be the
Revenge,
uh, the
Freedom?”
Joe asked.
“Nobody would know even if it was, as we’ve changed her quite a bit. She doesn’t look like the
Revenge
anymore. Besides, it’s not unusual for pirates to take new ships. As long as we call her the
Revenge
and Nate claims to be Steele, then it’ll work.”
“There’s a flaw in your plan,” Blake said. “If this person knows of us, knows we’re here, then wouldn’t he know Nate isn’t Steele?”
“Probably, but it’s like I said. Once I’m out there plundering under Steele’s name, using a ship he was known to have sailed, then it doesn’t matter. The authorities won’t believe his claim that Samantha, a woman, is Steele when there’ll be proof Steele is somewhere else. And,” Nate added, looking far too comfortable with this for Blake’s peace of mind, “Luke and Samantha build ships for the Navy. They’re not likely to do anything that would risk losing the two people that help them catch pirates by building the fastest ships. Not without rock-solid proof.” Then he angled a look toward Luke. “The ship you’re giving me will be the fastest, though, won’t it?”
Luke nodded and turned to Samantha. “Luv, this will work.”
Samantha looked stricken. She swallowed hard. “I can’t ask you to do this for me, Nate.”
“You’re not asking. I volunteered.”
Alicia set down her tea. Her eyes, Blake noticed, were shiny with tears. “What you’re proposing is dangerous. I’ve witnessed two battles in my life and men died in both. I don’t want”—she choked back her sob—“I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Nate rose and went to Alicia, tucked her into his embrace. Blake watched, knowing, as Alicia seemed to, that Nate’s mind was already made up.
“I’ll be careful. Besides, Luke and Samantha managed it. And Blake, Vincent, and I have survived many battles.” He eased Alicia away, wiped her tears. “I know how to take care of myself.”
“Then it’s settled?” Luke asked.
“ ’Tis mad is what it is,” Joe argued.
“When you would leave?” Vincent asked, his voice unusually quiet.
Hearing the pain underneath the words and feeling the same squeezing in his own heart, Blake went to the cupboard where he knew Luke kept his rum. He took out a bottle, passed it to Alicia, who’d come to help. He grabbed enough glasses for everyone and passed them out. Alicia went behind him, pouring the rum.
“I’m sorry,” he heard her say, “you’re too young.”
“Oh, give him a swallow,” Luke said. “He’s not that young.”
Blake knew by her sharp inhale she didn’t like doing it. Blake chuckled at the small bit of liquid he heard hit the bottom of Aidan’s glass.
“To the new Steele,” Luke said, raising his glass. “You have mighty big shoes to fill,” he added, draping an arm around his wife. “See to it you do the name justice.”
Nate grinned. “I’ll do my best.”
“What about a crew?” Vincent asked. He was standing on his chair. His rum was already gone.
“I know a few men that would be willing to help. I’ll talk to them,” Luke said.
“I’ll go,” Aidan volunteered.
“You most certainly will not,” Samantha said with a glare.
Aidan set his mouth. “You promised.”
“No, I did not. I said once you were older and you’d finished your schooling.”
“I’m thirteen.” He turned pleading eyes to Luke. “You taught me about ships, I lived on one for four years. I can do this.”
Luke hissed in a breath. “Dammit, Aidan, don’t put me in the middle of this. You and Samantha had an agreement. Until you’re sixteen, you’re staying with us to get your schooling.”
Aidan shoved back from the table. “The day I turn sixteen,” he vowed, “you won’t be able to stop me.” Then, grumbling, he stalked out of the room.
Nate was the first to cut through the strain that Aidan’s departure had left. “I’ll need those men right away.”
“We’ll have you ready by tonight. You can sail out in the darkness.”
Nate nodded. “Good.” Finally he seemed to remember Blake and his excitement dimmed when their eyes met.
“I need to get my things from the
Blue Rose.”
Vincent jumped off his chair. “I’ll go with you.”
Blake nodded, kissed Alicia, held her tightly. “I’ll be back.”
Then, with a heavy heart, Blake followed Nate and Vincent outside.
The walk to the
Blue Rose
was made in troubled silence. They strode side by side as they always did, and though the habit was the same, everything about it felt different to Blake. The easy banter was missing. Instead of badgering Nate about one thing or another, Vincent marched sullenly, his steps kicking up far more sand than necessary. Nate kept his eyes on the water, and as was usual with Nate, Blake was never fully certain of his thoughts.
The sun was bright in the sky, and as it approached midday, the beach was noisy with activity. If it wasn’t children screaming and splashing, it was men shouting orders from the decks of their ships. It crossed Blake’s mind that whoever was blackmailing Samantha could be amid all the ruckus without them knowing, but at the moment he couldn’t summon up the energy to care. Not with Nate going back to the
Blue Rose
for the last time.
Vincent managed to hold his tongue until they were on the ship and Nate had gone below to gather his things. Then he let loose a string of curses, balled his hands into fists, and proceeded to pace from middeck to bow, stopping long enough to kick the gunwale every few steps. Blake held back, saying nothing, knowing Vincent’s actions came as much from fear as from anger.
Finally he stopped, slapped his hands on a gun, and hung his head between his arms. “Has he lost his mind?” Vincent asked.
Blake leaned against the gunwale, sighed. As he’d watched his friend spew his frustration and worry, a thought had come to him. And it brought a jagged slice of pain. Nate and Vincent were as much his brothers as Eric had been. He hated like hell to lose them, but he loved them enough to do it. He was to blame for Eric’s death, and there was nothing he could do about that. But there was something he could do for Nate and Vincent.
“I think you should go with him.”
Vincent’s head shot up and he whipped his gaze to Blake.
“What?”
“Tell me it hasn’t crossed your mind.”
Vincent pushed away from the gun, turned, and braced himself against it. “Of course it crossed my mind. Someone needs to keep an eye on the big lubber. Who knows what kind of trouble he’ll get into otherwise?”
Blake couldn’t remember any words being this hard to say. They wanted to stay caught in his throat, but he knew that was cowardly. He also knew Vincent wouldn’t go otherwise. As much as Vincent loved Nate, he’d feel he’d be abandoning Blake and it wasn’t in Vincent to leave a friend behind.
Blake cleared his throat, ignored the tightening in his chest.
“Go with him, Vincent. He needs a first mate.”
“What about you?”
“I have a crew I’ve sailed with for years. I’m not saying any of them can replace either you or Nate, but at least I know them. Nate will be with a ship full of strangers.”
Vincent grinned. “He’d likely get lonely.”
Blake chuckled. “Yeah, Nate does that a lot. He hates being alone.”
Vincent’s face flushed at the lie. “I’ll get my things.”
“Get what things?” Nate asked. Somehow he’d come up without them seeing. He set his bulging bag at his feet.
“I’m going with you, you big oaf. Someone needs to make sure you toe the line.”
Before Nate could do anything but gape at Vincent, the dwarf had fled down the stairs.