“Aren’t we going t’ the ship?” Finn asked.
“Nay. We’re going after the Ring.”
Maston laughed. “There’s more of a chance to find it in the sea than on the floor of that punch house,Capitaine.”
“It isn’t in theSiren’s Revenge,” Blake responded. The only problem was, how would he find that enchanting lady again?
Chapter 2
“Y
ou did wonderfully today, Emmy,” Emeline’s mother said from beside her as they placed empty crates onto the wagon. She cast her daughter a look of pride that made Emeline smile.
“I wish we could do more.” She glanced about the town that had instantly transformed into a foreign place with the descent of the sun. A young lad hoisting a torch atop a tall pole ran from streetlamp to streetlamp, setting them ablaze. Yet the modicum of light offered by the lanterns did naught to dispel the shadows that crept out from hiding as soon as the day ended. Even the poor and downcast scattered away as if they knew the evil that lurked in the night.
“We can only do what we can, my darling.” Her father hoisted a barrel onto the wagon bed with little effort. “Then we pray God does the rest.” Removing his hat, he raked back his dark hair, approached his wife, and took her in his arms. She gazed up at him with a love that had been tested and tried for many years but seemed only to grow stronger. At least in Emeline’s eyes. She never grew tired of hearing the story of how they met twenty-five years ago in Port Royal, the year of the great quake that sank that wicked city into the sea. Her father had played the dual role of the Pirate Earl and Lord Munthrope, the town buffoon, in order to win her mother’s heart.
“Cease you two!” Caleb sauntered toward them, a huge grin on his handsome face. “You act as though you are newly wed.”
Alex tenderly brushed hair from his wife’s face and kissed her forehead. “I feel as though I am.”
Caleb shared a glance with Emeline and rolled his eyes.
“You would be lucky to find such love, Caleb,” Emeline retorted. “With the way you flirt with anything wearing a skirt.”
He spread out his arms. “Can I help that God made me handsomeandcharming?”
“And arrogant,” Esther added as she set a stack of clothing in the wagon. Looping her arm through Emeline’s, she grinned. “We have our work cut out for us, dear sister. Keeping our brother humble.”
“We’ll let our Lord take care of that,” Juliana said as she approached her children. “He has His ways of humbling us when we need it the most.” She shared a glance with her husband, who returned her smile.
Warmth filled Emeline’s heart. She loved her family. Though they had their quarrels now and then, they were united with a bond of love for each other and for their Savior. These outings wherein they shared the Gospel, helped the poor, and even healed the sick when God ordained, were such blessed times.
But Caleb was right about one thing. He was the spitting image of his father, all charm and manly good looks. Both of which attracted much female attention. In addition, he possessed the gift of miracles, a rare power from God that he oft used for His glory.
A group of sailors sauntered down the street, pirates by their attire, their lustful eyes fastened on Esther. Who could blame them? With her golden hair, lustrous sea-blue eyes, and curvaceous figure, she was a rare beauty like her mother. But ’twas her heart that shone the brightest, a heart filled with love for the weak, feeble, and sickly. God had gifted her with the power to heal, and Emeline had seen the lame rise and walk after Esther prayed for them.
In truth, where her siblings were exceptionally pleasant to look upon, Emeline was rather ordinary. Where they were brave and outspoken, Emeline was quiet and timid. Where they possessed mighty gifts from God, Emeline had no such gifts, no special talents. She was definitely the runt of the litter. Oh how she longed to be more like them, to live the exciting life her parents lived and to have a storybook romance just like they had.
The eerie sound of a violin spiraled on the salty breeze, followed by a shout and the chime of blade upon blade. Movement deep in the shadows of a storefront porch across the street caught her eye. A group of men crowded before the closed mercantile, their attire as dark as the night.
“We must get back to theRansom.” There was an urgency in her father’s voice that sent a spark of fear through Emeline. Perhaps they had lingered too late in this nefarious pirate haunt. He slammed the back of the wagon shut and gestured for them to climb aboard. Both he and Caleb drew their blades, if only to discourage any would-be assailants, as the women hoisted themselves into the seats.
“Wait,” Emeline said. “There’s that poor woman and her children.” She pointed to a lady in rags standing in the distance beneath a streetlight.
Reaching behind her, she grabbed a leftover sack of food from the wagon bed and hopped down the other side.
“Wait, Emmy, wait for your father,” Juliana said, but Emeline ignored her. Her father and Caleb were close by and well-armed. Obviously, this woman needed help. Perhaps more than food this time. Perhaps she wanted to know more about Jesus.
b
Finding the lovely lady had been easy. Getting close enough to retrieve the Ring was quite another task. Especially with her father and another man, whom he assumed to be her brother, beside her the entire time. Aye, Blake knew who her father was. There wasn’t a pirate in all the Caribbean who didn’t know who Alexander Merrick Hyde was, son of the infamous pirate, Captain Edmund Merrick Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. And there wasn’t a pirate who was foolish enough to cross him.
Except Blake. If only to get the Ring.
Why, oh why, did he have to hide the Ring in the skirts of the daughter of Captain Alexander Hyde?
Though he had bigger problems at the moment. The four foreign strangers dressed in black also had their eyes upon the lady. How did they know? They must have seen Blake tussling with her skirts earlier but hadn’t realized what he’d done until they couldn’t find the Ring on him.Hang it! What to do now?
