But how would she know such a thing?
Still, as his gaze landed on Smity, a twinge of suspicion pricked him.Gabrielle’s words from last night had shot holes in Cadan’s trust of the bosun.Or mayhap that was her goal.Nevertheless, he would keep his eye on him.
“She’s comin’ round on our starboard side, Cap’n!”Durwin shouted.
Good.Just as Cadan had hoped.Lowering his scope, he wiped rain from his face.Black clouds broiled above them, but at least the rain had lessened.
TheResoluteveered, and her sails caught the wind with a violent snap.Bracing his boots on the quarterdeck, Cadan balanced while leveling the spyglass once again to his eye.TheNightblood’s sails flapped impotently in their tack, giving Cadan a chance to fire.
“On my order, Mr.Soot!”he shouted, glancing at the master gunner standing at the head of the companionway.Snapping his gaze back at Allard’s ship, he waited…“Fire!”
“Fire!”Soot shouted to his gunmen below, and theResolute’sbroadside boomed, shaking the ship to its keel.Thick gray smoke swept over the deck.
Batting it away, Cadan peered through his scope.Pirates scrambled over theNightblood’s deck.Black smoke poured from a gaping hole on her hull between wind and water.Not enough to cripple her.
“Scads!”Cadan cussed, then fired off another round of rapid orders.“Brace about!Veer to starboard!Bring larboard guns to bear!”If he could turn in time, he’d rake Allard’s stern before he could swing about.
Thunder bellowed, followed by another flash of lightning.
TheResoluteswung to starboard, wind flapping thunderously through the sails as black squalls of frothy water swept over the deck.
Before they could complete the tack, red flashes belched from theNightblood,and the eerie zip of a cannon ball filled the air.One punched a hole through theResolute’s main mast and shattered her yards, sending canvas and rigging to the deck.The other crushed the foredeck railing.A piercing scream drew Cadan’s gaze to one of his men, fallen to the deck with a splinter in his leg.
He turned to order Moses to task, but the large man was already heading toward the injured pirate.
“Ready the larboard guns!”Cadan ordered as theResoluteveered about on the Nightblood’s stern.
Wind tore over Cadan as he marched to the railing and eyed his enemy, his nemesis.This was his chance to destroy him, to get his revenge.
He waited…waited…watching the lift of the ship, the waves, gauging the wind…
“Fire!”
???
Gabrielle was dying.’Twas no other explanation for the excruciating pain wracking her body.Each wave ripped apart her insides as if someone was gutting her like a fish.She screamed and squeezed Omphile’s hand for dear life.
The pain lessened, but only slightly.Enough for Gabrielle to catch her breath and shoot Omphile a look of despair.“If I should die, please watch after my baby.”
Freeing her hand, Omphile winced and shook it in the air.“You aren’t gonna die, Miss.Though I knows it feels that way.”
A knock rapped on the door, and the mulatto shot up and opened it.
Gabrielle heard Moses’ low voice.
“Water, rags, a clean blanket, and a bottle of rum,” Omphile responded before shutting the door.
The ship heaved, nearly tossing the woman to the deck before she reached her chair.Shouts and thundering footsteps above told Gabrielle they were still at battle with Allard.She’d seen Damien command his men in action.He was skilled, yet nothing like her father, the infamous Captain Merrick.And what little she’d witnessed of Cadan‘s skill, he had a good chance against Allard.
Still, a battle?Perhaps she would be having her babe at the bottom of the sea, or worse, the child would be blown to bits before he took his first breath.
She wanted to cry, but the pain started up again.“Is it supposed to hurt this much?”she screamed.
“Yes,” came Omphile’s only response, though just from the shakiness of that one word, Gabrielle could tell she was as nervous about delivering this baby as Gabrielle was.
Sitting on the edge of the cot, Omphile adjusted Gabrielle’s skirts.“Lemme check on things, Miss.All right?”
But Gabrielle was once again in such torment, she neither cared nor could answer.Howling, she gripped the edge of the cot, digging her nails into the wood until she felt blood drip over her fingers.
