Once they made it to dry ground, he pointed ahead. “There, just up the hill.”
A building sat there, its silhouette dark against the night sky. A single candle flickered from a window, casting an uncertain glow into the surrounding darkness. They trudged through the long grass, the solid earth beneath his boots a welcome contrast to the murky water behind them.
When they climbed the embankment to the road, her gaze slanted toward him. “Is he going to kill Abigail?”
Isaac’s shoulders tensed at the question, but he didn’t answer. A shadow passed over her face, quick but unmistakable as the weight of his silence settled between them. She nodded and yanked her skirts up, picking up her pace. They pushed open the gate and climbed the steps, shoulders heaving. He lifted a shaking hand and pounded hard on the door.
As the scrape of boots inside reached them, he turned toward her. “Have you ever ridden astride?”
She let out a small huff. “That’s all I’ve ever ridden. We don’t have fancy side saddles on Tortuga.”
His lips twitched, a brief flicker of a smile twisting his face. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Just a littlefarther.” Josephine ran her hand down the soaking-wet flank of her mount. “If you only knew how kind Abigail is, you would understand.”
They had pushed the horses to their limits for over an hour, alternating between a brisk trot and ground eating canter. Foam flecked their bits and their sides heaved, but slowing was not an option. All the stories she’d heard of Thorne, every heartless tale, and now she found herself in the middle of one. Her heart constricted with each pounding stride, bringing her closer to… To what, she didn’t know. A nightmare already come to pass? Face to face with the pirate again?
She took a steadying breath.Don’t give up.Isaac had told her as long as they were alive, there was hope. So she held onto that, clinging to the words like a lifeline fraying in a storm—thin, uncertain, but still holding.
The humid night air had dried her clothing to a damp cling, the fabric sticking uncomfortably to her skin with every movement. Sweat mingled with salt and dirt, itching along her neck and arms. She’d long given up on her hair—most of it had worked free from her braid, curling in wild, frizzy tufts that clung to her cheeks and tangled at her nape.
Finally, Isaac pointed ahead, his voice tight. “Their drive.”
He kicked his gelding into a canter, its hooves tearing up the earth in a spray of dirt. Josephine clutched the reins, her fingers slick with sweat. She pressed her heels to her mare’s sides once. Twice. The horse let out a labored snort, then lurched forward in an uneven gait.It would have to be enough. One last stretch. One last hope.
The trees blurred past in dark streaks. Her thundering pulse drowned out the pounding hooves beneath her as they turned through the gate. The house came into view—pale in the moonlight, shadowed and still.
“Wait!” Isaac yanked back on his reins. His gelding reared slightly, then stopped. Dust clouded around them.
Josephine mirrored him, and her mare skidded. She gripped the saddle horn to stay seated. “Wha—”
He jerked a finger to his lips, his other hand pointing toward the porch.
A cluster of figures stood in the shadows.
Her stomach dropped.
Too late. The pirates were already here.
She frowned as heavy pounding floated through the night air. Only a handful of silhouettes, fewer than she expected. Thorne must be awfully sure of his men’s skills. The front door opened, light spilling out to reveal their forms in sharp relief.
Her heart soared. “It’s Samantha and Christian!”
Isaac squinted through the haze of dust. “By damned, you’re right.”
He urged his horse forward and she followed, racing up the drive. Gravel flew as the sweat-drenched horses tossed their heads. A moment later, they jerked to a stop in front of the fountain.
The ring of steel floated through the courtyard as the group on their porch drew their swords.
Isaac jumped to the ground. “For heaven’s sake, put your weapons down.”
He helped Josephine down, her feet barely touching the ground before they were rushing up the steps.
“Bloody hell, am I glad to see you.” Relief laced Christian’s voice, but his gaze flicked behind them. “I don’t want to ask how much timewe have, do I?”
Isaac set a hand on his shoulder. “Minutes. At best. Where’s the rest of your crew?”
