His gaze snapped in that direction; his look intense.A myriad of emotions brewed in that one look.Finally, he plucked the spyglass from his belt and held it to his eye.Before he even lowered it, he began spouting orders.“Battle stations!Reduce to battle sail.Bear off, haul your braces, ease sheets, man the guns, clear the deck!”
The prow of a ship peeked from around the island.A plume of yellow light burst from her hull.
“All hands down!”the captain shouted.Leaping in front of Gabrielle and Omphile, he shoved them to the deck.
Heart pounding, Gabrielle closed her eyes, waiting to be torn apart by the shot, aware of the captain’s body surrounding her like a shield, his warmth, his scent.
The ship continued to rise and fall.The shot must have landed in the sea, for no crunch of wood, no blast, no moans of pain were heard.
As quick as he had covered them, the captain leapt up.“Ready about!Rise tacks and sheets!Hard aport, Mr.Pell!”
With Omphile’s help, Gabrielle stood and staggered over to grip the quarterdeck railing, gazing up at the sails snapping in the wind.Cadan was tacking a-weather to return fire.
Omphile tugged on her, terror streaking across her face.“Let’s go below, Miss.”
But Gabrielle’s gaze was on the captain.He’d leapt down onto the main deck and was issuing order after order, sending the men scrambling to task.He marched with authority, confidence, and from what she knew of sea battles, expertise.No fear.No hesitancy in his voice or demeanor, which inspired the same in a crew that was quick to obey him.
“Mainsail haul!Bring our guns to bear, Mr.Pell!Starboard guns standby!”Cadan issued a stream of rapid-fire orders.
Soot and his gun crew worked furiously to ready the guns, both on deck and below, as men brought up powder cartridges and shot from the hold.The creak of blocks and rattle of slating sails filled the air as wind fluttered impotently in the sails before shifting in the tack.
Smity shouted orders for the topmen to “haul taut, take in foretopsail!”
Confused, Gabrielle watched as the sailors in the tops hesitated but finally obeyed.But that would not allow theResoluteto make the quick turn needed to return fire.
Pain gripped her belly, radiating out in waves of torment.Ignoring it, she clambered down the ladder toward the captain.
He barely glanced her way.“Scads, woman, get below!”
“The foresail.”She pointed aloft.“It should not be taken in or you’ll not be able to tack enough to fire a shot.”
He followed her gaze.Confusion turned to anger as he marched to Smity and began shouting.
Another flash from Allard’s ship sent the crew dropping to the deck.Boom!reverberated through the air.
This time, the ship staggered beneath a blow that smashed her bulwarks at the waist, sending splinters across the deck.
Another spasm struck Gabrielle.Had she been hit?She spread hands over her stomach but felt no moisture from blood.Still the pain grew worse.She cried out.
Omphile clasped her arm.“What is it, Miss?”
Thunder bellowed.Or was it a broadside?The sky unleashed a torrent of heavy rain that pelted her like grapeshot.
The captain dashed toward her.“Are you hurt, my lady?Moses!”he shouted.
“No, Captain,” Omphile screeched out.“She’s having her babe!”
Chapter 14
Having her babe?Cadan growled.After ensuring the woman had not been injured by the last shot, he sent her and Omphile below.’Twas just like Lady Fox to have her baby during a battle! Could she not wait for a calmer moment?
He could not think of it now.Omphile assured him she knew what to do.Cadan’s focus was on defeating Allard!The moment he’d been waiting for, dreaming of for the last seven years.
The fool must have spotted theResoluteseeking shelter near the island.No doubt the storm had kept him from their view and given him time to hide like the coward he was.
The little minx had saved him by spotting the blackguard’s colors.Then she did so again by pointing out Smity’s error.
Cadan leapt onto the quarterdeck, pressing the spyglass to his eye.Smity never made mistakes, not when it came to sails.It would have been a deadly one if the lady had not spotted it.
