Moses must have found the cot and sat, for it creaked beneath his weight.
“Durwin?”Cadan had thought he’d seen his first mate above, but he couldn’t be sure.
“Joined them.Smity can be very convincing.”
Cadan nodded, another sting to his heart from a man he’d considered a friend.But thinking back, Durwin’s passion had always been riches.And since Cadan had delayed finding Dempster’s treasure, ’twas no wonder the man’s loyalty shifted to someone who would.
“And the ladies?”Pell asked.
“We got dem,” Moses said.“De captain’s plan worked perfectly.”
“Well, not entirely perfectly,” Cadan said with a huff.“We had to fight off three Frenchmen at the end.”
Pell chuckled.“’Twas a mad plan, but if anyone could carry it out, you could.”
“Lot of good it did me.”
“At least you rescued them from Allard,” Pell said.“They are safe for now.”
“Aye.”Cadan would never forget the look on Lady Fox’s face as Smity ordered one of the pirates to lock her and Omphile back in their cabin.He only hoped the cur would allow her to have her son.
“What of the babe?”he asked Pell.
“He’s well last I saw him.”
Gripping the bars, Cadan shook them until his fingers ached.“If he dares hurt her or the babe, he’ll wish he’d never been born!”
“He’ll answer t’ me too, Captain,” Moses interjected.
Shouts bounced over the deck above, followed by the flap of sails.Smity was preparing to set sail.
Pell blew out a sigh.“He’s a malicious cockroach, but to kill an innocent babe?”
Cadan plowed back his damp hair, his mind searching for a means of escape.“You have too much faith in mankind.”
“Perhaps.But I’m starting to put my faith where it ought to be.With God.”
Cadan snorted.“Then start praying my friend.Start praying.”
Chapter 29
Lazy-eyed Smity marched into the captain’s cabin, head held high and spirits even higher.With Cadan, Pell, Moses, and Soot locked below and the crew on his side, he’d singlehandedly taken over theResoluteand all that came with her without a single shot.From being imprisoned in the hold as a traitor to the captain’s cabin in just one day!Captain Avery would be proud.He’d learned a lot from that master pirate, but the most important lesson was that power shifted easily by discontent.A man merely waited for an opportune moment when the crew was unhappy with the current leadership and then he promised to make all their dreams come true.
Never again would he be ordered about.Not a man of his keen intellect and skill.Nay, he should be the leader of men, and he’d prove it by finding the treasure every pirate sought most of all, the infamous treasure of Captain Edward Dempster.He ran a thumb down the right side of his face.And in the process, he’d have his revenge on the man who disfigured him.Besides, the riches would do much to attract women who would otherwise shun him.
Aye, his life finally sailed down a course of success, power, wealth, and women.What else did a man need?A knock on the door jarred him from his pleasant thoughts, and he gave the order to enter.
Kipp and Durwin lumbered inside.“Kane wants t’ know where t’ point the tiller, Smi…I mean, Cap’n,” Durwin said.
The first gray of dawn cast an eerie glow over the cabin, scattering the dusty mist.
Smity scratched his beard and made his way to the desk where light from a lantern above swayed back and forth over Cadan’s map.
The half-witted fuddler had kept Smity from seeing the map or hearing anything about the treasure, though, as bosun, he’d had a right to do so.“Durwin.Show me what ye know.”
The first mate approached and studied the map.“Wells, Cap’n Hayes knew the treasure were right in this string o’ islands.He jist didn’t know which one till he got a clue when we anchored at Nevis.He gestured toward the center island.“It be this one.”
“Where Dempster buried his treasure?”
