“Apparently,” she reported, “Peter’s last visit to Iceland resulted in a deteriorated rapport between Peter and the pirate band. Not only did Peter beat Phillipe Doucette at cards, which cost the pirates a large sum of money, but also Peterstolesomething from them. Doucette is outraged.”
“Stole? Stole what?” Jason didn’t care, not really, but she seemed to think it was important. Jealousy singed, just beneath his skin. They didn’t have time for this.
Isobel spoke again to the pirate. Looking back to Jason, she said, “He stole a watch—a diamond-encrusted golden watch that was precious to Doucette. Of this, I have no doubt. Peter collected timepieces. If he encountered an example of a rare or precious pocket watch, he would beg, barter, or steal to have it.”
“Alright,” said Jason slowly. “And this means...?”
Isobel turned back to Beddloe and fired off more questions.
“He says the pirates captured your cousin and his colleagues because their Icelandic allies ordered it, but the piratesretainedthe Englishmen and sent the ransom because Doucette has a significant grudge against anyone who is English. Because Peter is English. He is very focused on recovering his watch.”
“Poor Reggie,” sighed Jason, “always stumbling into someone else’s quarrel.”
Isobel wasn’t listening; she spoke again to the pirate—or rather, the pirate was speaking to her, his dander renewed, his voice loud and angry.
“Careful,” Jason warned. “Watch your tone, Beddloe.”
Isobel paused, staring at Jason.
“Tell him,” urged Jason. “Tell him he must be cordial or he may swim back to his barrier island, dodging icebergs as he goes.”
“North,” she said softly.
Jason paused at the sound of his name. He looked to her.
“North,” she repeated.
It wasn’t like her to speak to him with such personal emphasis. His heart contracted. He crossed to her. “What? What is it?”
She put a hand on his arm. “Do you realize what this means?”
“Ah?” he began, staring at her hand. “Whatwhatmeans? I told you I barely speak Italian.”
“Peter’s return. The angry pirates. The stolen diamond watch.”
Jason sighed. “Look, Isobel, I’d hoped not to say this, but I actually couldn’t care less about Peter Boyd. I would venture to say that my sole interest in him is calling the blaggard out—if ever I have the fortune of stumbling upon him. Stolen watches? Cheating at cards? I don’t ca—”
“Listen to me,” she said, squeezing his forearm. “I raise it because the pirates’ anger at Peter may predispose them to atradewith us.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means, they may hand over your cousin and his colleagues without having to pay the ransom. They might do it in exchange for—” She paused, allowing her words to hover in the air like a net. Jason had the acute feeling he was about to be caught up.
“In exchange for,” he prompted, his stomach tightening in dread.
“Trade your cousin in exchange for someone with a connection to Peter Boyd. Tradefor me. I am Peter’s known associate. His former lover. They will want me.”
“What?” The word came out like a rasp. Jason wondered for a moment if she had reverted to Italian. He didn’t understand.
“What Mr. Beddloe is telling me,” she explained, her voice a whisper, “is that his boss, the pirate captain Phillipe Doucette, has been nearly driven mad by Peter Boyd. Peter shamed him and deceived him and robbed him of this rare and precious timepiece. Doucette would be thrilled to acquire one of Peter’s known associates as a way to entrap him. This means, you could actuallytrade mefor your cousin.”
“Forgive me,” said Jason, “I don’t mean to be difficult, but I’m struggling to understand what you mean by atrade.”
Isobel glanced at the pirate and then marched from the room, gesturing for Jason to follow.
He trailed her like he was stepping off a cliff.
“Look,” she said, whirling on him in the passageway. “I’ve never seen this pirate before in my life. I knew Doucette very little. I knew his Icelandic wife—also a little. But this person?” She pointed in the direction of the bound pirate. “I don’t know him. I barely distinguished one pirate from the next when I was here. Andyet clearly heknows me. From this, let us assume thatallthe pirates will remember me.”
