Despite how difficult it was, Skye was determined not to lose sight of the fact that it could have been even worse. Kelley had threatened to do far more to Will, having twice brought out his whip, but one thing always stopped him. Skye, who had once thought she would never plead with Kelley for anything, now found herself pleading with him regularly. For some reason, her pleas had stopped him, but after the first day or two, it backfired on her. Kelley purposely mistreated Will just to hear Skye plead with him to stop. He loved hearing the once stubborn and defiant daughter of Daniel McHenry begging him not to do something.
Every night before she fell into a fitful sleep, Skye would sit and beg God to help them. She kept telling herself that He had a plan, but she could not help wondering what it could possibly be. She remembered her father telling her that the trials they went through in life only made them stronger and that God did not let anything happen that they were not strong enough to face with His help. Skye wondered how much more He was going to allow to happen, for she did not know how much more she could bear. Still, though it became increasingly difficult, she kept on praying and trusting faithfully, the only things she knew she could do.
Finally, late in the afternoon, Kelley steered the Finder into the port of Malvado. Just before dropping anchor, Skye, Will, and Kate were taken to their cells. Kelley would not risk one of them escaping. Thankful just for the opportunity to rest, they nearly collapsed. John, however, nearly about to go out of his mind with being locked up day after day, stood at the side, peering out of a crack at the pirate city where they had anchored.
“Sure says a lot about a man when he stops here, don’t it?” John remarked. “’Specially when he treats it as any normal stop anywhere else.”
Skye looked at him. Rumors and tales about Malvado were all over the Caribbean. The port was used by only the most merciless and murderous pirates. Just the quick glance Skye had seen of the city before being brought below gave her a sense of how sinister it was. You would have to have either a lot of money or quite a reputation to make it in and out alive. Kelley’s reputation was certainly not an issue.
“I wonder how long we’re gonna be here,” John murmured.
“I heard Kelley tell the men just to pick up the supplies they needed and then they’d set sail again,” Kate told him.
“Seems to be in a hurry,” John commented. “Wonder why.”
Any answers they came up with were not good ones. Two hours passed as Kelley’s crewmen loaded much-needed supplies onto the Finder. When at last the ship was full, Kelley gave the order to weigh anchor and leave port. Soon they were again out to sea. In the cells, no one heard from Kelley until later that evening when a pirate came down to release Will. It was time to serve Kelley his supper. He let Will out and then confused everyone when he unlocked the cell Skye was in.
“Captain wants you to help ‘im,” he told Skye.
Skye wondered what about tonight was so different from any other night, but she did not say a word as she walked out of the cell and followed Will to the ship’s galley. There they found far more food prepared than usual. It would take two trays to get it all to Kelley’s cabin. The cook handed one tray to Will and the other to Skye.
“Take ‘em to the captain’s cabin,” he ordered gruffly.
Will led Skye out of the cabin and carefully on deck. Along the way, he warned her with a solemn look, “Be careful not to spill anything.” He knew from experience how Kelley hated that. “If you do, give your tray to me.”
Skye did not reply, but she knew if she spilled, she could never allow herself to let Will take the blame for it. They reached Kelley’s cabin and found him waiting like a king at the head of his table, every bit as smug as he had been the last few days, if not more so.
Skye and Will carefully set the trays down and laid out Kelley’s food before him. As her eyes beheld the food and the delicious, mouth-watering aroma reached her nose, Skye’s stomach growled. She was relieved when Kelley did not seem to notice. The very last thing she needed was for him to start taunting them.
Skye and Will then backed away from the table and stood silent near the door as Kelley ate, so they would be available in case he wanted something. This was what he had instructed Will to do, and Skye expected that he wanted her to do the same.
A few minutes into the meal, Kelley looked at the two of them with great satisfaction.
“A very fine meal, don’t ya think?” he asked with a grin.
At the cruel taunt, Skye gritted her teeth, anger rising inside of her. Kelley continued, “I’m glad you two could join me in my little celebration. After all, tomorrow is a day I’ve been quite lookin’ forward to . . . ”
He let the mysterious comment trail off, and Skye and Will glanced at each other, confused. What would happen the next day that Kelley had cause to celebrate? Whatever it was, Skye knew it could not be good, and she didn’t dare ask him. When neither spoke, Kelley’s eyes settled on Skye. “So, Miss McHenry, yer treasure, will I get it all in one trip or will I have to make two?”
Skye was taken by surprise. This was the first mention of her treasure since Kelley had captured them in Puerto Seguro. It frightened her—the way he spoke as though he already knew where it was. His talk of celebrating frightened her equally, for it meant that he was confident. However, talk of the treasure made the stubbornness and determination never to tell him where it was well up inside her once more. Staring at the floor, Skye pretended she had not heard him. Knowing full well that she had, Kelley asked another question.
“Is it mostly gold?”
Again, Skye refused to give him an answer. Kelley sighed and sat back in his chair with a look of annoyance. He stared at them for a moment and then nodded at Will.
“Come here,” he ordered.
Will glanced at Skye, whose eyes widened in fear, and walked slowly over to Kelley. For a long second, Kelley did nothing, but then he whipped out a pistol and pointed it at Will’s chest. Skye watched in horror, hardly daring to breathe for wondering what he was going to do.
Kelley fixed her with a stern gaze. “As you were sayin’, Miss McHenry.”
The icy tone to his voice told Skye if she did not answer immediately, Kelley would likely pull the trigger.
“You would need two trips and yes, it is mostly gold,” Skye told him swiftly.
Kelley grinned scornfully, noticing her use of the word would, but it did not concern him. Without a word, he slipped the pistol back into his belt. He then called for the pirate who stood guard outside the cabin.
“Take Miss McHenry and Mr. James back to their cells for the night,” he ordered. “We have a big day tomorrow.” His evil grin sent chills tingling along Skye’s spine.
“Aye, Captain,” the pirate replied and led Skye and Will below deck.
Once they were locked in again and the pirate was gone, Matthew’s gaze fell on them in concern. “Why did Kelley need both of you?”
“He had more food tonight than usual and needed both of us to carry it,” Skye answered wearily. She sighed, preoccupied. “But I don’t think that is the real reason. He’s planning something.”
“Like what?” John asked.
Skye shook her head. “I’m not sure, but he told Will and me that he was celebrating for tomorrow. Then he started asking me questions about the treasure. Not only did it come as a surprise because he hasn’t mentioned it since Puerto Seguro, but he spoke as though he already knows where it is.”
John looked around. “Is everyone thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”
Skye sighed heavily again. “He’s going to do something tomorrow that he believes will surely make me tell him where the treasure is.”
John nodded and Skye put her head in her hands in distress. We need You, God. Please help us, she prayed desperately.
That night aboard the ship was a sleepless one for everyone. Everyone but Skye spent the hours discussing even the most impossible ways of escape, determined to get Skye away from Kelley. Instead of j
oining in the discussion, Skye prayed almost constantly for strength and, above all, the safety of everyone.
No one was prepared when dawn arrived. A sick feeling of dread hung heavily over them. As the sun began to rise in the sky, Will walked over to the bars between his cell and Skye’s. When Skye looked at him, he promised, “Whatever Kelley intends to do today, I won’t let him hurt you.”
Skye knew he meant that no matter what he had to do, no matter what cost, he would try to stop Kelley. She walked over to him and shook her head, speaking in a desperate voice. “No, Will. Please, promise me you won’t. He’s already threatened to do terrible things to you, and if you interfere, I know he will do them. I couldn’t bear to have that happen to you, especially when it’s because of me that we’re here. I’m the one with the information he wants.”
Will stared at her troubled but beautiful face and remembered everything that John had told him that one night on the Fortune. No longer did he care who was there or who heard him.
“I love you, Skye,” Will declared. “For as long as I can remember I have loved you, and I cannot, I will not, let Kelley hurt you.”
Tears of joy as well as sorrow over what would happen trickled down Skye’s face. Staring into his deep brown eyes, Skye saw clearly the love he felt for her. Opening her mouth to tell him how much she had always loved him too, Skye’s words were cut off by the sudden eruption of cruel, tormenting laughter. Startled, everyone turned to find Kelley standing near the cell with at least seven other pirates.
“Pardon my interruption,” Kelley implored in a voice saturated with mockery and sarcasm. “A very touching speech, Mr. James. Yer words nearly had me in tears. Do you intend to make good on yer promise to Miss McHenry?”
“I’d do anything for her,” Will told him with no hesitation in his voice.
“Includin’ die for her, perhaps?”
“Yes,” Will answered before the question had barely left Kelley’s mouth.
Kelley eyed him with a smug look as if he knew something they did not. “You may just get your chance.”
Fear ran like ice through Skye’s blood as she wondered what those words meant. She could never bear to lose Will. He had been in her life and had been there for her longer than anyone else she knew or had known.
Kelley turned to the pirates, “Take ‘em out and bind their hands.”
The pirates unlocked the cells and walked in to do their captain’s bidding.
“What are you intendin’ to do with us, Kelley?” John asked.
“You’ll see soon enough,” Kelley answered with a smirk.
They forced everyone on deck. Skye realized then that they were no longer sailing. Looking out over the ships railing, she saw a tiny island sitting not far away, much smaller than the one she and Kate had been stranded on. The captive group looked at each other worriedly. What was Kelley planning?
“Load ‘em into the boat,” Kelley ordered.
They were forced into one of the Finder’s longboats, and when they were all sitting, the pirates and Kelley climbed in with them. Taking up the oars, they rowed toward shore. Skye’s heart hammered loudly as she cried out to God to save them. In too few minutes, they reached the beach. As they climbed out, John leaned closer to Matthew and murmured, “I’ll bet he’s gonna maroon us.”
The thought made Skye immediately ill.
When the boat had emptied, everyone turned to Kelley, but instead of giving orders, he reached out and grabbed Will by the arm. Yanking him closer, the pirate captain pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Will’s head.
Skye’s heart leapt into her throat.
“Here’s the deal, Miss McHenry,” Kelley announced. “You are either gonna tell me everythin’ I want to know in very short order or I’m gonna kill ‘im. It’s a simple choice. Keep in mind that he just told you he loved you and is willing to sacrifice anything, includin’ his life, for you. It’s time to see if you love him in return and if you’re willing to sacrifice as well. Now, I’m gonna count to three and when I reach three, I swear I’m gonna pull this trigger. If you actually go so far as to let me do that, then I’m gonna shoot each one of the others one by one ‘til it changes yer mind. If you are still unwilling to tell me, well then, I guess you truly never will, and I am gonna leave you on this island with yer worthless, unbroken promise and dead friends to keep you company.”
That thought was too horrifying for Skye even to imagine.
Kelley continued. “So, is one promise worth four lives or even just the one of the man who’s just professed his love for you? I guess it’s time for all of us to find out the answer to that question. One . . .”
Skye stared at Kelley with tears streaming down her face, her whole being crying out with sorrow. She remembered the day she had made the promise to her father. She had been so sure that nothing could ever make her break it. But she looked at Will and remembered his words on the ship. They were the most wonderful words anyone had ever spoken to her. Kelley said two and Skye knew that there was not even a choice to be made.
“Stop!” she cried just before he was about to say three.
Kelley stared at her expectantly, but Skye kept her eyes on Will.
“I love you, Will. I always have and my promise could never be worth your life.”
Kelley smiled in victory. “All right, Miss McHenry, where is it?”
Skye finally turned her eyes to him. If she told him where the treasure was, they had no guarantee that he would not just shoot Will or the rest of them anyway.
“I’ll make a deal with you,” she said.
Kelley shook his head. “No deals. It’s either the treasure or I shoot ‘im, plain and simple. Now where is it?” he growled.
Skye had no other choice. She sighed heavily, for breaking her promise still hurt her deeply. “It’s on Isla de Gracia, a week’s voyage east of here.” The promise she had kept for eleven years was broken.
Kelley blinked in shock. “Isla de Gracia? Island of Grace?” He laughed a cruel, hard laugh. “It was that simple? I should have guessed it.” Finally, he stopped laughing and asked, “Where on the island is the treasure?”
“In a cave,” Skye answered.
“There’s close to a hundred caves on Isla de Gracia, which one is it?”
“I can’t remember.”
Kelley’s anger rose. “Listen, Miss McHenry, I can still shoot him.”
“No don’t, please!” Skye cried. “I truly cannot remember. If I were on Isla de Gracia, I could probably find it, but I honestly can’t remember to just tell you where it is.”
“You’d better find a way to start rememberin’,” Kelley said threateningly.
In desperation, Skye tried to remember how to reach the cave, but after the years that had passed since she had been there, it was very difficult.
Her brow creased as she strained to think. “There is a sheltered bay on the south side of the island where we anchored. From there, I think we went north. It was one of the first caves we came to. The entrance is partly blocked by a huge tree.” That was all Skye could remember, and she prayed that it would satisfy Kelley.
Kelley digested her words. “Sounds easy enough, but there’s just one other thing. I’ve heard that dangerous pitfalls are hidden all over in those caves. Are there some in yours?”
Skye hesitated for a moment, which did not please Kelley. “I’m not in a patient mood,” he snapped. “Is it yes or no?”
“Yes,” Skye confessed. “There are.”
“And can you tell me where they are?”
Skye shook her head. “No, my father never showed me all of them. He always carried me through the cave.”
Finally, Kelley seemed satisfied. “Thank you, Miss McHenry. You have made me a very wealthy man. I shall be thinkin’ of you when I’m spendin’ the treasure.”
“What are you going to do with us?” Skye wanted to know.
Kelley sent them all a cruel grin. “This island is yer new home.”
“You’
re just going to leave us here to die, Kelley?” John asked.
“Precisely.”
Kelley backed up toward the boat, but instead of releasing Will, he pulled him along.
“What are you doing with him?” Skye demanded, her voice trembling.
Kelley looked at her smugly. “I’m replacin’ the crew member I’m losin’.” He nodded at Kate. “Mr. James here is a harder worker anyway. Besides, I need someone to go first into that cave of yers. I’d hate to step into one of them pitfalls by accident.”
“No, Kelley, please don’t take him,” Skye pleaded, her tears returning. She took a step toward Kelley.
“Stop right there, Miss McHenry,” Kelley commanded, his voice turning to ice. “If you or one of yer friends takes one more step, I’ll have no choice but to shoot him. Look at it this way. You really should be thankin’ me right now. I’m givin’ him a chance to live. How long do you really think you four’ll survive on this island?”
He continued to pull Will toward the boat, and Skye restrained herself, though it was the hardest thing she had ever done. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks, her eyes locked on Will’s.
Kelley forced Will into the boat and climbed in after him as the pirates pushed off and rowed toward the Finder. Skye stood at water’s edge, never taking her eyes off them, wondering if she would ever see Will again.
* * *
Will climbed back aboard the Finder behind Kelley.
“Welcome to yer new life, Mr. James. That is, if you survive our trip to Isla de Gracia.” Kelley chuckled cruelly.
Will, however, hardly noticed him. Instead, he stared back at the island and could still make out Skye and the others on the beach. How he wanted to be there with them, not only to be away from Kelley, but so they could all die there together if that was what God intended. He hated the thought that he might be the only one to survive, if Kelley did not end up killing him. He finally turned to Kelley, determined to help them.
“Kelley, for once, do something right and don’t leave them there to die. I don’t care if you keep me, but don’t do this to them,” Will tried.
The Pirate Daughter's Promise (Pirates & Faith) Page 13
