“Did you have any doubt?” He raked back his damp hair, grinning.
Maston chuckled. “Impossible. Only you could have pulled it off,Capitaine.” He gestured toward the Ring on Blake’s finger, an odd gleam in his eye as he winked. “But that squall? Odd that it came upon us so suddenly. Seems we are the luckiest bunch of cutthroats who ever sailed the Spanish Main.”
Struggling to rise, Rummy raised his flask. “Scupper and sink me, ’ere’s to madcap plans an’ hurricanes.”
The other pirates laughed as Blake started forward.
Still clinging to Emeline, Bandit jabbered on and on as she followed the pirates. For what other choice did she have? Ahead she spotted theSummonsthrough the trees, looking none the worse for the storm’s impact. No doubt knowing what he’d intended to do, Captain Keene had braced all yards, bound all sheets, battened all hatches, and securely anchored the hull.
Within minutes, his crew rowed the jollyboat to the ship, and Emeline found herself once again on the main deck, standing amidst a crew of depraved miscreants. Ignoring her, Blake shouted orders to check for damage and ready the ship to set sail.
“There’s no telling how far the storm took the Jesuits,” he spoke to Finn beside him. “Best to get underway as soon as possible.”
“Aye, Cap’n.” Nodding, Finn ambled off, shouting commands to unfurl sails, cast off lines, and man the capstan.
Charlie approached, winked at Emeline, and stood before Blake. “Quite the storm, Cap’n.”
“Good work handling the ship.” He glanced at Emeline once again as one would a prisoner. Any affection or concern she thought she’d sensed earlier dissipated with the storm. “Take the woman to her cabin. Get her some dry attire.”
Bandit leapt from Emeline’s arms into the ratlines and scrambled above while Charlie escorted her below to the same cabin she’d been imprisoned in before.
“Glad you’re safe, Miss.” Charlie headed out the door. “Take off your gown, an’ I’ll find you something t’ wear.”
Emeline longed to ask the woman about the young child she’d seen in Basseterre, but exhaustion and fear consumed her, and all she could say was, “Thank you.”
Once the door slammed shut, loneliness crowded in again. Here she was in the same prison as before, feeling much like a ragdoll snatched back and forth by two spoiled brats. A chill overtook her, and she hugged herself, shivering.
Lord, what am I doing here again?
She plopped onto the bed. Things only seemed to be getting worse. “Oh, Papa, where are you?” Even if her father received her missive and sailed to St. Kitts, she was no longer there. And he’d have no idea where to search next.
Now she was once again at the mercy of this insolent rogue. Why had he risked so much to kidnap her again when he could have his pick of women in the Caribbean? There were only two reasons she could think of. One, he intended to steal her maidenhood merely for the fun of it, or two, he thought to gain a heavy ransom from her father for her return. Perhaps both. Which terrified her all the more.
Chapter 15
B
lake lowered the spyglass and grinned. They’d been underway for more than an hour and not a speck of canvas—in particular,Jesuitcanvas—appeared on the horizon. Above him, sails thundered in the stiff trade winds as the creak and groan of timbers and splash of the sea filled the air with a far more pleasing harmony than any orchestra he’d ever heard.
“Tack to larboard, Rummy,” Blake hollered over his shoulder at the one-armed helmsman. Then, gazing up at the location of the sun, he added. “Four points, south by southeast.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n.”
“Maston, standby to tack! Ready about!” Blake’s order sent his bosun marching across the main deck, issuing further orders to adjust headsails and brace yards in preparation for their turn.
The smell of sweet tobacco preceded his quartermaster as Finn slipped beside him, balancing his feet on the heaving deck.
“Headin’ fer yer island, Cap’n?”
Blake nodded. “To lighten the load in the hold and give the crew a much-needed break.”
“Good thinkin’, says I.” Wind blasted over them, and Finn tugged his bandana tighter. “We’ve taken in quite a haul under yer command, no denyin’ it.”
Finn never offered a compliment without a complaint. “But…?”
“Wells, there be word ’bout the woman, sayin’ she’s bad luck an’ that yer infatuation could cost all our lives.”
Blake ground his teeth. Keeping these limp-brained maggots he called a crew happy was becoming quite the tedious task. Unfortunately, he needed them for now—until he could build his kingdom. “Yet they are all safe with their pockets full of doubloons. You’d do well to remind them of that.”
