"I arranged for him to be buried at sea. I knew he would find that more appropriate than being buried in a church-yard."
Ike sighed. "Then ye did kill him, didn't ye? Rodney told me about that witch woman an' that 'medicine' you gave him. Why?"
"Governor Robbins wanted Aaron to testify," James had to fight to keep his voice steady. "We both know he couldn't do that. You remember how frightened he was. It simply wasn't possible. I-There were three options if Aaron couldn't testify. He could be imprisoned to be tried and hanged with those villains, he could be sent to an insane asylum to live out his days facing that torture, or he could die. Except the medicine was only supposed to make him appear dead. If Aaron Johnson was dead and buried, perhaps he could have a new life under a new name. I intended to tell you as soon as I knew if-if Aaron was going to live but you left before I could do so. I am sorry that I couldn't take you into my confidence but I just wanted to be certain."
For a long time, Stern just stared at him, an internal struggle obviously taking place. Finally, he sighed heavily. "I suppose ye want to see the girl now, eh?"
"Yes, I do. The ransom you requested is in the longboat that sits between our two ships. Once the Captain gives the signal, it can be brought over," James rose expectantly.
Stern muttered something under his breath, still clearly unhappy about the whole situation. Finally, he turned and headed for the door. James followed but not before praying for his soul's salvation. He suspected he'd just doomed the world to a continuation of Red Ike Stern's reign of terror.
They stepped into the fresh air and Hyde came to James' side. "Are you all right, sir?"
"Fine," James responded. "Have you seen the girl?"
Hyde shook his head negatively. Ike turned to face them. "'Fore I bring out the girl, I'd like t' see the treasure."
"Surely you don't suspect us of trickery, Captain," James sighed exasperatedly. "There is far too much at stake here!"
Stern said nothing, just stared implacably at them. At length, James nodded for Hyde to humor him. Henry moved to the rail and signaled for the marines to bring the chest over. The pirates dropped a line to the longboat and the ransom was hauled aboard. James drew out the key and unlocked the padlock, opening the hasp and lifting the lid. The pirate crew roared happily at the sight of the gold and silver coins. Archer drew close and ran a hand through the fortune then nodded affirmatively to Stern, who waved a hand at one of the pirates. A pair of the ruffians emerged from the main hold with a familiar golden-haired young woman between them. She struggled against their grips but ceased as soon as Stern drew close. Something about her attitude concerned James.
"Abigail?" James' voice shook as he stepped closer to the young woman.
She made an effort to meet his gaze and smile. It wasn't a very successful effort, though, particularly when he reached out to touch a nasty abrasion on her face. At that, she flinched away. It reminded him so sharply of Aaron that he could no longer restrain himself.
"What sort of a monster are you?!" He spun about to face Stern as he hissed the words. "How dare you treat her like this! You're no better than McSwain!!"
At that, Stern's face went white, his eyes widened. It was a heartbeat or two before Stern reacted.
"Take that back," He rumbled.
James shook his head. "I will not. You're the worst of scum. I don't know how Aaron--."
"Don't you dare speak his name!" Stern suddenly had a pistol in hand and was pointing it at James.
"How Aaron could ever have loved you is unfathomable!" James' voice raised but he fell silent when he felt Abigail's hands clutch his arm. He glanced back at her.
"Please, Captain, don't--," She started to say then Stern moved toward her, his hand raised.
James had to intervene. He stepped into Stern and shoved him backwards. "Leave her be!"
When the gun went off, James was confused as to what happened. It was only when his leg collapsed under him that he recognized a burning agony in his side. He heard Abigail scream his name and Captain Hyde cry out in shock. He wanted to say something to Stern but unconsciousness pounced on him like a cat on a landed fish.
)O(
Chapter 57:
Homecoming
Ellis Chambers could barely dismount from the carriage he'd taken out to Rum Harbor. His hands shook as he straightened his uniform jacket. When the Swift had docked and the news had reached him about the Commodore, he'd known that he was the only one who could handle this situation. The truth was, though, that he wanted no part of it.
He knocked at the door, which was opened after a few minutes by the slave James had brought back from Old Providence. He smiled weakly at the child and said, "I need to see Mrs. Norr--No, wait, may I see Beatrice?"
The boy nodded and trotted off toward the kitchen. A moment or two later, Beatrice emerged from the kitchen. "Lieutenant? Is somethin' wrong?"
Chambers drew her back into the dining room. "Beatrice, please take a seat. I have some news, terrible news, about the-James."
Beatrice's eyes widened as she dropped into a chair. "Heaven help us! He's not 'gone,' is he?"
Ellis sighed. "No, not yet. God forbid, but he's badly injured and--I think it would be best for him if Aaron could go to him. Dr. Wells, the Swift's surgeon, says he's been calling for him the last few days. How is he?"
Beatrice blinked, shaking her head slowly as she tried to find her voice. "I'm--This could kill him. He's still not as well as he should be. How did it happen?"
Chambers shrugged. "He was shot by that pirate. It's something we all face as part of our job but--."
He fell silent when he realized Beatrice was wiping tears from her eyes. He rested a hand in comfort on her shoulder. After a moment, she got herself in hand and looked up at him. "Aaron's upstairs. Do ye want me to tell him?"
Briefly, Chambers was tempted to let her but he shook his head. "I think it would be better if I told him. Do you have some brandy?"
She nodded, "Of course, sir. I'll bring some up if ye wish."
"That would be perfect," Chambers answered. As he turned to face the stairs, he stiffened his spine and inhaled deeply. "Wish me luck."
As he mounted the stairs, he considered what he would say. He had to be truthful but he wanted to be as gentle as possible. He knocked at the door, his heart pounding so hard in his ears that he nearly didn't hear Aaron call for him to enter. Cautiously, he opened the door and stepped just inside.
"Captain?" He cleared his throat.
Aaron was sitting in the chair by the balcony, a blanket over him. He glanced up at Chambers. "Lieutenant?"
"How are you feeling today?" Ellis asked, delaying the inevitable.
"Well as ye can expect," His eyes grew worried. "What's wrong?"
"I don't wish to alarm you unduly," Chambers said quietly. "But the Commodore has been injured."
Aaron leaped up, nearly tripping in his haste to come closer. "What happened? Where is he?"
"Perhaps I should take you to see him, sir. He's at the infirmary at the fort. It seems he's been calling for you. I think it would do him good, sir," Chambers wasn't sure how Aaron would react.
For a moment, Aaron looked frightened but then, as if he talked himself into it, he nodded. "If he needs me, I got t' go to Jamie."
Aaron seemed eager to go but Chambers hesitated. "I believe you should probably dress as Erin, sir, for the journey."
When Chambers said it, Johnson glanced down at himself, realizing he was still in his nightshirt and robe. After a moment, he smiled slightly then nodded. He was pulling clothing, including a corset, from the closet when Chambers reached for the door, intending to step out of the room.
"Lieutenant, if ye please," Aaron's voice cracked. "What-Would ye please stay? I may need some help with--."
Chambers nodded. "Of course, sir, whatever you need."
Aaron stepped behind a dressing screen but there was a mirror that Ellis found he could see Aaron if he moved just a bit to the right. Cham
bers watched surreptitiously as the reflection showed Aaron changing into appropriate clothing for Erin. The sight bothered Chambers much more than he could have imagined. Aaron was far more frail than he had understood previously. No wonder James is so protective of him, Chambers knuckled away a sudden tear. God, please don’t let James die but if it is to be, help me convince Aaron that he’ll be safe with me. He realized Aaron was struggling with the corset but he could tell that the former pirate probably didn't need it.
"Captain? May I suggest you forego the-the corset? You would be more comfortable without it," Chambers stepped back so that Aaron wouldn’t see him watching in the mirror.
"Ye think that's wise?" Aaron's voice sounded hopeful but uncertain.
"I do," Chambers answered. He heard Aaron sigh then a rustle of cloth. A moment later, Aaron emerged dressed in navy blue. He sat down on the bed and slid a pair of black slippers onto his feet. He paused by the dresser and took a pair of white cotton gloves from the drawer. He drew the gloves on and turned to Chambers.
"I'm ready."
Chambers offered Aaron his arm and escorted him out to the carriage. They settled in and Chambers realized that Aaron was shuddering, his teeth chattering though he couldn't be cold. Chambers signaled the driver to get underway, aware that the silence was oppressive. They were entering Nassau proper when the silence was broken.
“How did this happen?” Aaron asked, his voice rougher than Chambers had heard it in ages.
Minutes passed and Ellis couldn’t meet the black eyes. Finally, he spoke. “They were under parley. James and Captain Hyde went aboard the pirate’s vessel to negotiate. From what Captain Hyde described to me afterward, James was so horrified and incensed at what had happened to the captive that he declared that there could be no negotiations. At that, the pirate ordered James off his ship. James refused and declared that he was bound to arrest the pirate, who shot James before ordering Hyde to take him away. Wisely, Hyde did just that and gave the pirate ships leave to make way. The Swift was outmanned and outgunned or they would have tried to take the pirate into custody anyway.”
“Which ship?” Aaron whispered, visibly shivering as he studied his gloved hands intensely.
“The Masked Lady,” Chambers managed to say. “Ike Stern is her captain.”
Aaron closed his eyes and Chambers saw tears fall onto the white fabric covering his hands. He heard a strange sound issue from Aaron and feared he would collapse. Gently, he slid a supportive arm around the former pirate’s shoulders and a supporting hand under his forearms. Through the cotton dress Aaron wore, he could feel the bones prominently under the too-thin flesh. The shaking of the shoulders told Ellis that Aaron was still weeping.
Touching the soft black hair, Ellis spoke. “We have to have faith. He’s a strong man; I’m sure he will make it. After all, he has you to return to, hmmm?”
But the words made no difference to the grief-stricken man. It occurred to Ellis then that, perhaps, it wasn’t James that Aaron was mourning.
)O(
Chapter 58:
Legend
By the time they arrived at the fort, Aaron's tears were dry though he still seemed unstable. Chambers handed Aaron down from the carriage and led him into the fort proper. Chambers started to offer Aaron his arm then thought better of it. He wrapped a supporting arm around Aaron’s waist. To his shock, Aaron leaned hard against him.
“He’s in a private room,” Chambers mentioned, leading Aaron through the corridor to the infirmary. As they drew near, Ellis noticed more and more interest in his companion. Mrs. Dunbar was something of a cross between myth and legend here. Rumored to be more beautiful than Helen of Troy, some doubted her existence entirely. Ellis caught the eye of one particularly ardent admirer and glowered at him. The marine lowered his gaze apologetically and they had, at last, arrived.
Chambers knocked and the door opened after a moment. Captain Hyde spotted Aaron immediately. "Lady Dunbar, please, come in. I-I extend my sincere apologies. I don't know what else to say."
Aaron simply nodded, clasping his hands together in a gesture of thanks. Hyde stepped out of the way so that Aaron could enter. The surgeon stood and stepped up to greet Aaron.
"We have managed to keep his leg but there is still some danger to his life from infection," He reeled off in French. "If he survives, it will be several weeks before he will be able to walk again. For now, he has been asking for you. I believe having you at his side will be the best medicine for him."
Aaron nodded and moved farther into the room, his eyes searching for James and nothing else. There was a chair by James' bed that one of the physician's helpers held for Aaron. When he took the seat, Dr. Howe, the surgeon, began to shoo everyone out. "Give them some privacy, you lot! Man and his wife deserve some time alone."
Chambers was the last to leave. He cast a glance back just before he shut the door to see Aaron fall to his knees beside the bed, pressing his face against James'. Ellis couldn't fight a shudder of foreboding. He shut the door gently and turned to the doctor.
"What's the truth, sir? Will he live?"
Dr. Howe shrugged. "The truth is that I don't know, Lieutenant. The Commodore is a strong man and he has the love of a good woman. The fact that matters most is that she can give him a distinct advantage in this battle merely by being there for him. I believe that he is in the best hands right now--those of the Lord above and his lady love. We merely must wait and see."
Ellis nodded then went about his business. He would come back at tea-time to see if Aaron wanted to go home.
)O(
When Chambers returned to the infirmary, he found Aaron sitting on the bed beside James, holding his hand. Whenever James called out, Aaron muttered comforting words and wiped a damp rag across his feverish forehead. Chambers hadn't bothered to knock so when he shut the door behind him, Aaron started and spun about.
"Apologies," Ellis said as their gazes met. "I-I came to ask you if you wanted to go home for tea, at least. If you would prefer not to leave, I could fetch you something from the mess here."
Aaron shook his head "no" and turned back to James. Chambers couldn't miss the desperation in Aaron's every move. It made him sick to his stomach. After a moment, Ellis stepped forward and knelt beside Aaron.
"Please don't make yourself ill over this, for his sake," Chambers had to bite his tongue to keep control of himself. "Let me bring you something to eat. If you're ill, who will be here for James?"
Aaron wouldn't look at him. He wouldn't answer him either. When Aaron reached for James again, Chambers caught his wrist to hold it until Aaron turned to him. He yanked his hand away.
"Leave me alone!" Aaron hissed, his expression full of outrage.
"I won't," Ellis averred. "I can't. I promised him I would take care of you. Let me bring you something to eat."
Aaron started to turn on him again when James' eyes opened. "Aaron? Are you here?"
"Aye, love," Aaron said, his expression softening immediately. "Please rest, Jamie. Ye aren't well."
James smiled at the sound of the words, his hand reaching for Aaron's, who obliged him. "I-I need you, love."
The words must have reached something within Aaron. James passed out as Aaron leaned forward to stroke the hair back from James' face. A moment passed then Aaron spoke without looking at Chambers. "C-Can't eat much. Bring me somethin' light."
Chambers nodded and stood, reaching a hand out to touch Aaron's hair then drawing away without actual contact. "As you wish, milady."
He stepped into the corridor and was confronted by Dr. Wells. "Lieutenant, I must speak with you privately. It concerns the Commodore."
"I was just on my way to bring something to Lady Dunbar, sir. If you care to accompany me,--" Chambers inclined his head toward the galley.
Wells sighed heavily. They walked several steps before Wells spoke. "There's something odd about Lady Dunbar, isn't there?"
"What do you mean?" Chambers asked, afraid to meet the doctor's ey
es.
"I mean," Wells paused and leaned closer. "She is hiding something."
Chambers raised an eyebrow and turned to the doctor. "She is entitled, Doctor. From what I understand, secrets are a feminine charm. What do you believe she is hiding?"
"I heard voices from the room as I came to check on the patient," Wells looked worried. "She can speak, can't she?"
Chambers felt the tightness in his chest break loose as he realized this was the secret Wells was speaking of. Truthfully, he'd been afraid that Wells had seen some evidence that Aaron was a man. "She can but her voice is--How shall I put this? It's very low and very hoarse. She almost sounds masculine, her voice is so bad off. She also does not speak English properly. Unless you are very careful, she is very difficult to understand. Add to that the fact that she is tremendously timid, you can see why she would prefer to remain mute to the outside world."
Wells nodded and gave Ellis a slight smile. "I do have a colleague in Port Royal who has done some extensive work with speech. Do you think--?"
Chambers shrugged and made a quick gesture back in the direction of the Commodore's room. "I will mention it to them but, for now, we need to get Commodore Dunbar back to health. If you'll excuse me?"
"Oh, yes, Lieutenant, my apologies for delaying you. Please pass the information on to the Dunbars. It seems a shame that such a beauty should suffer so needlessly."
Chambers shook his head non-committally. "Thank you, Doctor."
When Wells hurried off toward the infirmary proper, Chambers let himself sigh with relief and sag, briefly, against a wall. It occurred to him at that point that, as stressful as keeping Aaron's secret was for him, how much worse it must be for Aaron and James. He suspected that there were enough people in the navy who would be quite happy to destroy James' career and his and Aaron's happiness if they found out. All to the refrain of 'how the mighty have fallen,' Chambers considered. Throwing his shoulders back and shrugging off the thoughts, he headed for the kitchen to find something for Lady Dunbar to eat.
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