“Are you angry enough now to fight me, lad?”
“You need only have asked,” Nicholas managed.
“You needed a bit of motivation. I’m here to even the score, not play with you. I demand a good showing, or we’ll only have to do this again.”
Nicholas snorted, though it hurt to make the effort. “Even the score? You forget who attacked whom on the open sea.”
“But that’s my trade, don’t you know.”
“Then how do you dare speak of revenge simply because you were bested?” Nicholas demanded. “Or do I have the honor of being the only man ever to come away with a whole ship after an encounter with theMaiden Anne?”
“Not at all,” Hawke said honestly. “We have limped into port before. I myself have received wounds in the heat of battle. Though I did not take kindly to having my son injured when you felled my main mast. But even that had to be accepted for having the boy on board. However, as one gentleman to another—”
“A gentleman pirate?” It was dangerous, but Nicholas had to say it.
“Sneer as you will, but you are clever enough to comprehend why we had to meet again.”
Nicholas nearly laughed. It was incredible. The pirate had attacked him first, intending to win the cargo Nicholas was carrying. Nicholas had won that sea battle. He supposed he shouldn’t have taunted Captain Hawke when he sailed away. That had been hitting below the belt. But, it had happened four years ago, and he’d been young and reckless, heady with victory. Still, those taunts were apparently what had goaded Hawke into evening the score. What gentleman could ignore an insult?
Gentleman! They had met in a darkened alley in Southampton after Nicholas returned to England, three years ago. He had been unable to see his assailant that night, though Hawke took pleasure in introducing himself. That encounter had been interrupted.
Then there’d been a letter, aletter, waiting for Nicholas when he returned from the West Indies last year, expressing regret that Hawke had been unable to renew their acquaintance when he was in London. The letter convinced Nicholas that he had made a terrible enemy. Why, oh, why, was he so blessed as to have a scum of the earth thirsty for his blood?
“Cut him loose, Connie.”
Nicholas tensed. “Do I fight you both?”
“Come now,” Captain Hawke protested. “That would hardly be sporting, would it?”
“Bloody hell,” Nicholas growled. “Striking a defenseless man isn’t sporting.”
“Did I hurt you, lad? You must accept my apologies, but I thought you were made of sterner stuff. And you must understand, I feel justified after all the bother you’ve cost me waiting for this moment.”
“You will understand if I don’t agree?”
“Certainly,” Hawke replied with a mock bow.
Hawke removed his Garrick. He was dressed for easy movement in a flowing shirt tucked into his trousers. Nicholas was encumbered with cloak, coat, and waistcoat. He saw that he wouldn’t be given the opportunity to remove any of these as he watched the pirate flex his fingers impatiently.
Nicholas couldn’t stop the groan from escaping as his bonds were finally severed and his arms dropped painfully to his sides. There was no feeling in his fingers for several moments, and then too much feeling as the blood rushed into them. And he had assumed correctly. He was not given a moment’s grace to recover before the first staggering blow caught him under the chin. He landed hard.
“Come on, lad,” Hawke complained with a weary sigh. “We won’t be interrupted this time. Give me a good showing and I’ll call it quits.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then you may not walk away from here.”
Nicholas took the warning. He threw off his cloak while he was on the ground and then propelled himself at the older man, catching him in the midsection and knocking them both to the ground. He followed with a hard right to Hawke’s jaw, but the impact so jarred his throbbing hand that he was the one who cried out in pain.
Nicholas gave it his best, but Hawke was relentless, and despite Nicholas’ injuries, Hawke was the more furious of the two. He was also heavier and more muscular. His hamlike fists were merciless on Nicholas’ already bruised face and body. The fight was a hard one for both, however, and as Nicholas lay bleeding in the dust, he knew the older man was hurting, too. Even so, Hawke could laugh.
“I must hand it to you, Montieth,” Captain Hawke panted. “You probably could have beaten me if you’d had a fresh start. I am satisfied now.”
Nicholas heard only some of it before he passed into blessed unconsciousness. Conrad Sharpe leaned over and shook him, but he didn’t stir.
“He’s out, Hawke. You have to take your hat off to the boy, though. For a pampered nabob, he lasted much longer than I would have expected.” Conrad chuckled then. “How does your own body feel now about settling scores?”
“Do be quiet, Connie. Hell and fire, the chap’s got a nasty right.”
