A squeal brought Gabrielle’s gaze upward to where Omphile stood on top of the cliff.“God be praised!”she said, clapping her hands.
Gabrielle returned her grin with an “Amen.”Indeed, ’twas hard to believe, but God had rescued them.Thank you, Lord.She drew in another breath of beloved air and glanced around the pool that was now filled with water.Smity was nowhere in sight.No doubt his body had been swept out to sea.
Chest still heaving, Cadan glanced her way, and the look of understanding and love he gave her sent a warm tingle to her toes.He’d been so brave and caring in the cave.He’d not once panicked, not once abandoned her.He’d even declared his love!Tearing his gaze from her, he approached Pell and clasped his arm.“Thank you, my friend.”
“’Twere me and Moses who moved the boulder!”Soot waded forward, his hair a tangled mass of sodden red strands, but his face aglow with joy.He cast a quick wink at Gabrielle.
Cadan nodded toward him.“Good work, Soot.All of you.”He glanced over Moses, Soot, and Pell.“I thought we were done for.”Then moving toward Gabrielle, he took her hand in his, causing Pell to raise a brow.
“The ship?”Cadan asked.
“Ours, Captain,” Pell answered.“But we must hurry.Allard may be close.”
Nodding, Cadan led Gabrielle to the edge of the pool, and together they climbed up to the top of the cliff.
Once there, Gabrielle flew into Omphile’s open arms.“I’m so glad you’re well!”
“An’ you, Child!”She chuckled and squeezed her tight, not caring that Gabrielle’s clothes were dripping wet.
Movement caught Gabrielle’s eye, and she released Omphile and backed away.Durwin emerged from the greenery.
In a move too swift to see, Cadan plucked the cutlass from Soot’s scabbard and leveled it at his mutinous first mate.“What is he doing here?”
???
Cadan stormed into his cabin, immediately yanking his wet shirt over his head and tossing it in the corner.Pell, Soot, Moses, and that rat Durwin entered after him.Omphile had taken Gabrielle to the cabin to change out of her wet attire.He should do the same, but he had too many questions and not enough answers.
Sails snapped above as they caught the wind, and theResolutejerked forward, the hiss of the sea against her hull growing louder.
Though night had fallen, he’d ordered the topmen aloft to set every rag of canvas on her yards and Barnett to man the tiller and sail quickly away from the island.Cadan would take no chances that Allard was still lurking about.He hated leaving the quarterdeck in the hands of mutineers, but Pell had assured him Barnett was to be trusted.
Grabbing a bottle, Cadan poured a glass and gulped it down before pouring another.Outside the stern windows, stars winked at him from a charcoal sky as a moonlit sea came in and out of view.He faced his men.All returned his gaze with confidence, all save Durwin, who, with hat in hand, stared at the deck, shuffling his feet.
Pell raised a palm.“To allay your fears, Captain, you should know that most of your crew remain loyal to you.”
Soot, rabbit in his arms, nodded.“Aye, Cap’n ’twere only ’bout twenty of ’em who were wit’ Smity.The rest jist went along ’cause that double-dealin’ parasite convinced ’em ye weren’t goin’ fer the treasure.”
Moses tugged upon the red scarf around his neck.“An’ wit’ Smity gone, it didna take much convincin’ to set dem straight.”
“In truth, Captain.”Pell glanced at Durwin.“’Twas Durwin who set us free.Put the key to the lock round Hellfire’s neck and sent him down to us.”
Laughing, Soot, scratched the rabbit between the ears.“Came right t’ me, Cap’n.”
Cadan’s brows rose at the strange tale, his anger slowly abating.
“Then”—Pell continued, fingering the cross around his neck—“When we came above, Durwin armed us and informed us who of the crew remained loyal and who did not.”
Moses gave a rare smile.“We took back de ship wit’out a single shot an’ put dem mutineers ashore.”
The deck canted to larboard, and Cadan spread his bare feet out for balance.“You set them on the island?”
“Aye.”Soot’s eyes flashed.“Wit’ no food or water, the plaguey dogs.”
Gulping down the rest of his rum, Cadan set down the glass.“And the rest of the crew are loyal to me?”
Snorting, Pell quirked his lips.“As loyal as any pirate crew, Captain.”
Indeed.Cadan rubbed his earlobe.“And where is Allard?Why had he not taken theResolutewhen he had a chance?”
