Leaves swished. Footsteps padded, and a breathless pant tore hope from her heart. Still, she refused to give up. She had to leave. This was her chance! She had the boat nearly in the water now.
“Miss! Miss!” Pedro’s voice halted her.
She glanced up at the lad as he broke from the dark greenery onto the shore. Even in the dim light of the moon, she saw panic on his expression.
“What is it? How did you find me?”
“Charlie sent me, Miss.” He placed hands on his knees, breathing hard. “Said you’d be here.”
Frustration bubbled in her stomach. “What do you want?” Perhaps the boy wished to escape with her? Nay, he was no prisoner.
Finally, Pedro drew himself up. “It’s the cap’n, Miss. He’s dying.”
“I just left him. He will recover.” She faced the boat again. “Now, leave me be, Pedro.”
“He got worse, Miss. Much worse. The surgeon’s wit’ him now. Says he don’t have much time. Ye’ve got to come!”
Chapter 26
M
aston was not good at waiting. He’d never been good at waiting. Especially when great rewards were at stake, when he would finally acquire everything he deserved. Footsteps alerted him, and he slid into the shadows at the end of the hallway as that imbecile Finn ambled by, leaving a trail of putrid tobacco in his wake.
Shadows. This would be the last time Maston would be in the shadows. With Josephine Arnaud by his side and the Ring on his finger, they would rule the Spanish Main, not that fathead Blake.Non. Maston would be second to no man.If only his father could see him now. He’d be sorry he’d allowed his shrewish wife to cast Maston from their home, calling him names no child should hear.
Smiling, he adjusted his cravat, picturing his aged father crawling to bow before Maston, begging forgiveness and favors. Justice would be served when Maston dismissed him like so much refuse…
Just as he had done to him.
Voices rumbled down the hallway. Sam’s and Charlie’s.
“Nothing we can do for him,” Sam said.
“Nothing at all?” Charlie asked. “What is ailing him?”
“I have no idea. Never saw anything come upon a man so quick and fierce.”
The two walked past Maston.
“Will he die?” Charlie asked, a slight tremor in her voice.
“I don’t know.”
“Someone should stay with him.”
“I’m returning. I need to get opium and willow bark from the cabinet.”
Their voices muffled into whispers as they disappeared in the shadows.
Good. Blake was alone. At least for a few moments. Enough time for Maston to get in and steal the Ring. Before Jo had been escorted back to her ship, she’d instructed him to get the powerful artifact and meet her on the south side of the island just past the mangrove swamp.
“Then we shall be together forever,mon amour.” She had kissed him so fervently, with such passion, he thought he’d left the tethers of this world and entered paradise. At that moment, he would have done anything for her.
Pushing from the wall, he crept toward Blake’s chamber, fingering the knife stuck in his belt.
“I hope that pious sprite managed to get him to remove the Ring,” Jo had said, offering him a wicked smile. “If not, cut off his finger.”
Which is exactly what Maston would do. And he’d enjoy it. He’d been under Blake’s dictatorial thumb for too long. Cutting off one of his fingers seemed more than adequate payment.
