“What’s this?” Mardon blew dust off the top of a small, black leather-bound book. He surveyed the cover and his eyes opened wide. “God’s eyes, you can’t be serious, Brother!”
“Dead serious,” said Tristan.
“What are ye two talkin’ about?” asked Nairnie. “Share it with the rest of us before I have to beat it out of ye.”
“I’ll let Tristan tell you.” Mardon turned on his heel and hightailed it out the door with Aaron right behind him.
“Tristan? What are ye goin’ to do?” Nairnie cocked her head and squinted one eye as she glared at her grandson.
“I’m going to do the only thing I can that will hopefully protect Gavina from the rest of the men while we look for the treasure.”
“Are ye goin’ to lock me away in a cage?” asked Gavina, not liking the idea. Even so, it was better than being abducted by every man there.
“Nay.” Tristan’s eyes met with hers and Gavina suddenly felt a shudder of desire go up her spine. He had that look in his eyes again like before when he’d kissed her. Why did he make her feel desirable in this way? Certainly, looking like a boy, she wasn’t attractive to anyone. “When I’m finished, no man will even think of getting near you, because they will know that you’re mine and mine alone. You will be off limits and none of them will dare touch you.”
“I’ll be yers?” Gavina glanced over to Nairnie and that back to Tristan. “What does that mean?”
“Tristan,” said Nairnie. “What can ye possibly do that’s goin’ to put the fear of God in these men and keep them away from Gavina?”
“They won’t dare touch her or get near her again, because if they do, they will know I’ll kill them on the spot.”
“I still dinna understand,” said Gavina.
“It’s easy, my dear,” he said, holding out his arm for her to take it. “The last thing any of them would ever attempt is going after their captain’s wife.”
Chapter 9
“Captain’s wife?” asked Gavina, suddenly understanding exactly what he meant. “Blethers, I am no’ yer wife and neither do I plan on ever bein’ married to a pirate.”
“It’s either that, or I drop you off on land while we search for the treasure without you,” Tristan told her. “Gavina, you are not staying on this ship unless we are married. It’s the only thing that will keep the other men away from you.”
“Nay. I willna marry ye,” she refused.
“Then you’ll be dropped off at the Crooked Crow.” Tristan headed to the door.
“Wait!” she called out after him. He stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. “I want to go with ye to find the treasure.”
“So you’ve said.” He turned around to face her. “Tell me. Why are you so adamant about this?”
“I – I just want to find treasure.”
“You’re not needed. I’ve already seen the map and it’s engraved in my memory. I’ll take one more look at it before washing it from your body and then you are free to go.”
“Free to go?” She narrowed her eyes, angry that he forced her to come onto the ship to begin with and now he was discarding her like spoiled food. She was more valuable than this! Tristan would not treat her this way and get away with it. She didn’t care if he was just a pirate, he needed to show her some respect. “How can ye say ye’re goin’ to marry me one minute and set me free the next? For that matter, why do ye even want to marry me at all? Ye could just copy down the map and throw me overboard.”
“Don’t tempt me.” By the way his jaw clenched, she could tell he was becoming bothered.
“I – I need that treasure,” she told him.
“You need it?” Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. “Why would you need treasure? And what would make you be willing to steal it in the first place? You’re sounding more like a pirate every minute.”
“I just need it, that’s all. My faither gambled away everythin’ we own. I have no place to live and no money at all. I need to survive,” she told him, trying to say as little as possible. If he knew the entire truth, he would surely not take her along.
“Don’t be daft! Even if you come along on the search, you’re not getting any of my treasure,” he snapped. “It’ll be split up amongst my crew.” The words felt like the sharp tip of a dagger twisting in her heart.
“Dinna ye mean my treasure? After all, I’m the one with the map.”
“Hah!” He smiled and looked the other way. “Are you talking about a map you can’t even read unless I do it for you? It seems to me that you need me, even though I no longer need you.”
“Well, I thought ye told yer men that since I’m part of the crew, I’d get a portion of the treasure as well.”
“That was before they knew you were a girl. If I give part of the booty to a wench, I’ll have a mutiny on my hands for sure. Nay, Gavina, I’m sorry but that offer no longer holds true. Now, if you’re marrying me, be out on the deck in two minutes. If not, I’ll have Mardon set a course for the Crooked Crow and you’ll be left on land.” With that, he turned and headed out the door, his actions only reminding her of what kind of man he really was.
“Oh, Nairnie, I canna marry him,” cried Gavina, wiping a tear from her eye.
“Why no’?” asked the old woman, cleaning up the mess on the floor from when Tristan emptied the trunk looking for the book with the wedding vows in it. “It seems to me he’s taken a fancy to ye. After all, pirates dinna usually marry. Ye should feel lucky that he wants to keep ye around.”
“Lucky? Hah! Tristan is naught but a murderer, a liar, a blackheart and a thief. He’s nothin’ but a no-guid, bluidy, bottom of the barrel, scupper class of the sea pirate!”
Nairnie slowly stood up and glared at Gavina as she continued to fold clothes. “He’s also my grandson unless ye’ve forgotten. I dinna let anyone talk about my family in such a disrespectful manner.”
“Och, I’m sorry, Nairnie,” apologized Gavina, suddenly feeling no better than a pirate for what she’d just said. “I didna mean it like that.”
“Aye, ye did lass and we both ken it. Somethin’ ye might want to remember is that Tristan has been nothin’ but nice to ye ever since ye’ve set foot aboard the Falcon. He’s stuck out his neck more than once and even broken the pirate’s code just to keep ye safe.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true but –”
“No buts,” said Nairnie, shaking a finger in Gavina’s face now. “Ye should be grateful he’s protected yer innocence and also kept ye from gettin’ yer throat slit while ye’ve been here.”
“I am. I’m thankful,” she told her, truly meaning it this time, and trying not to anger the old woman.
“Ye call my grandson all those nasty things, yet ye, yerself are no’ much better.”
“Wait a minute,” said Gavina, not liking to hear this. “Ye were the one that said they were rotten to the core.”
“I may have said it, but I’m their grandmathair, so that is different. Ye, on the other hand, have no right to say those things when ye are no’ much different than them.”
“What do ye mean by that?”
“Well, ye’re a liar, for one.”
“I am no’.”
“Tell me the truth then. Why is findin’ that treasure so important to ye?”
“Like I told Tristan, I need it to survive.”
“I said the truth, lass.” Nairnie gave her the evil eye.
“Oh, all right, I’ll tell ye.” Gavina let out a deep sigh and sat down on the bench, fussing with the long sleeve of her tunic, trying to roll it up. “I lost my faither and most of my family and I’m all alone. That part is true. However, I do still have a younger brathair. Somewhere. He was taken by the same English lord who raided my village and killed Mother and Liam.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, lass. Did ye tell this to Tristan?”
“Nay.”
“Why no’?”
“Because, the reason I want that treasure is to give it to that lord
to buy back my brathair’s freedom.”
“Are ye daft? Ye’re goin’ to give treasure to a man who killed yer family?”
“I dinna like the idea, but I have no choice. Ye see, my faither stole lots of money from the lord and then gambled it all away. I want to at least clear my faither’s name by payin’ it back.”
“Ye should have told this to Tristan. Ye should have also told him right away that ye had the map on yer back. Ye lied!”
Gavina looked down at the ground rather than at Nairnie’s scolding face. “I suppose I am a liar, and no’ much better than Tristan after all,” she said softly. It didn’t feel good to be compared to a pirate. “Now, because of it, I will be alone the rest of my life.”
Nairnie’s hand covered hers. “I’m so sorry, lass, about yer family. I ken yer heartache of losin’ loved ones. My son, Cato, was taken from me as a boy. He died before I could ever see him again.”
“Tristan’s faither?” she asked.
“Aye. I lived in grief most of my life until I recently found out I had grandchildren. I swore I wouldna die before meetin’ them, and spendin’ time with them, too. I never really got that chance with Cato.”
“Well, ye’ve found yer grandchildren now, so ye’ve fulfilled that wish,” said Gavina.
Nairnie smiled and stood up. “I suppose I have. Thank ye for pointin’ that out, Gavina. I’m sure when Tristan hears yer story of why ye want the treasure, he’ll understand ye more. Things will be better between ye.”
“Nay!” Gavina jumped to her feet. “I dinna want him to ken.”
“Why no’?”
“Without soundin’ disrespectful, Nairnie, yer grandsons are pirates. Tristan has already informed me I willna get one piece of gold. My only hope to save my brathair is to pay back my faither’s debt to the evil lord. In order to do that, I am goin’ to have to have a good portion of that treasure. If no’, I will never see my little brathair again.”
“Are ye plannin’ on stealin’ from Tristan and the crew to get it?” asked Nairnie. “Because if so, ye’re actin’ like a pirate.”
“Nay, I could never manage to steal from pirates and live afterwards, I ken that. My only hope is if I can find the treasure on my own, before they do. Then, all my troubles will be over.”
“Why are ye even tellin’ me this, lass?”
“I’m tellin’ ye my plans because I need ye to help me. I canna find the treasure unless I can see the map. I need ye to look at my back and copy down the map for me.”
“Ye’re askin’ me to keep secrets from my own family and to help ye steal their treasure?”
“It’s no’ their treasure, Nairnie. It belongs to King Edward.”
“It does. So, it’s no’ yers then, either.”
“Please, Nairnie. Ye have to help me copy down the map.”
“And then what? Ye’re still aboard a pirate ship if I must remind ye.”
“I am for now, but I’m goin’ to take a shuttle boat and sneak away durin’ the night. I’ll head back to land and pay a fisherman to take me to the treasure.”
“Nay,” spat Nairnie, her fists resting on her rounded hips.
“Nairnie, please. We are the only women here. I canna trust any of the men to do it because as soon as I bare my skin, they’ll have somethin’ else on their minds.”
“I’m sorry, lass, but I canna help ye. I’ll keep yer secret for now, but I willna enable ye to take away my grandsons’ treasure. I canna do it.”
“Now ye’re soundin’ like a pirate again, Nairnie. You seem to want yer grandsons to find that treasure, when it really belongs to the king.”
“I’m the one who found the map,” said Nairnie, poking her finger against her own chest. “If it wasna for me, no one would be goin’ after a treasure right now. Nay, I’m sorry, but I willna help ye to deceive my family. Pirates or no’, the boys are still my grandsons. I need to watch out for them in whatever way I can.”
Gavina was frustrated to hear this, but it was no use trying to convince the old woman once she’d made up her mind. “Fine, then,” said Gavina. “Then the way I see it, I truly have no other choice. There is only one thing I can do.” She got up and headed for the door.
“Where are ye goin’, lass?”
“I’m goin’ to do this the hard way, but I swear to ye, I will get that treasure and save my brathair one way or another.”
“Are ye goin’ to leave the ship?”
“Nay. No’ yet. I’m goin’ to do whatever it takes to get what I want. If I have to act like a bluidy pirate to do it, so be it.”
“Gavina, what are ye sayin’?” asked the old woman.
“I’m goin’ to marry yer grandson, Tristan. If I have to use my body to control him like ye suggested, then so be it. I will do whatever it takes to get him to do my biddin’ without him even realizin’ it at all.”
“Are you sure you want to do this, Brother?” whispered Mardon, holding the book in his hand, glancing over to the angry crew. “Mayhap you should think it over.”
“I have thought it over. I’ve already told the crew all about the map,” said Tristan. “We can’t keep it a secret from them since they’ve already seen it. The treasure will be split between us and the crew.”
“That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about marrying the wench,” said Mardon.
“Oh, that. Aye, I have thought about that, too,” said Tristan. “Marrying Gavina is the best way to protect her, not to mention strengthen the respect of my crew. We all know a wench is fair game, but not a one of my men would try to seduce her if she’s my wife. If they even tried, they know they’d end up dead.”
“You said your crew, but you mean our crew,” Mardon corrected him, since the two of them were in charge together. The next in line was their brother, Aaron.
“Tristan, the men are getting restless.” Aaron walked over, stepping on something and jumping back, rubbing his foot. “Ow, what the hell did I just step on?”
“Wear shoes and you wouldn’t have that problem,” grumbled Tristan, looking down to see something sparkling on the deck. He realized it was the ring he’d been wearing that Gavina said was once her mother’s. The chain had broken and it was lying on the deck at his feet. He bent down and picked up the amethyst ring, inspecting it to make sure it hadn’t been damaged.
“Is that the ring you took as your share of the booty?” Aaron rubbed his bare foot as he spoke.
“Aye, and I think I will use this as a wedding ring when I marry Gavina. Here,” said Tristan, handing it to Aaron.
“What do you want me to do with it?” Aaron was hesitant to take it.
“You’re going to be my best man while Mardon will officiate the wedding.”
“God’s bones, you’re not really marrying the wench, are you?” asked Aaron. “That is insane. I want no part of this.” He pushed his brother’s hand away.
“He’s determined to go through with this, although for the life of me I don’t understand why.” Mardon agreed with Aaron.
“I told you. It’s the best way I can protect her,” explained Tristan, not admitting to his brothers that he’d become smitten with the girl and really didn’t want her to leave the ship after all. He hadn’t even had time to get to know her.
“Just drop her off on land and you won’t have to worry about protecting her,” Mardon offered the suggestion.
“Nay. I can’t do that.” Just the thought of leaving the poor girl in the hands of people like Birk made Tristan sick. How could any man deface a woman’s skin by inking a map on it and then chopping off her hair? And how could he dress her up and tell her to pretend she was a boy, just to protect his own hide? This disgusted Tristan.
“I thought you gave her a choice about getting married, and she said no,” Aaron reminded him.
“She said no, but she’ll change her mind,” said Tristan, hoping to hell she would. Otherwise, he might have to make her stay, and that is something he didn’t really want to have to do.
“
Give me one reason why we can’t leave her on shore,” Mardon challenged him.
“Because the only map we have is on her back,” Tristan answered. “I’m not all that sure it’ll be easy to wash off. Someone else might find it before it fades completely. We need to protect the map because that is the inheritance our father should have given us.” He handed the ring back to Aaron.
“I think the wench has muddled your mind.” Aaron snatched up the ring, holding it high in the sun to inspect the amethyst stone, letting out a low whistle. “You know how much we can get from this if we sell it?”
“We’re not selling it,” said Tristan in a firm voice. “It was Gavina’s mother’s ring and all she has left of her family. It’s important that I give it back to her.”
“I don’t understand how a peasant could have a nice ring like this,” said Aaron, pushing the ring on to the tip of his little finger, moving his hand one way and then the other.
“Her father was a thief. He most likely stole it from a noble.” Tristan looked out at the crew, making sure none of them were causing trouble.
“Tristan, since when do you care about family?” asked Mardon. “We left our family years ago, and not once have you ever even batted an eye about it or held regret.”
“Aye, it was all your idea to become pirates again and steal father’s ship,” said Aaron.
“True, but that’s different,” said Tristan, not really sure it was. “We have each other. Gavina has no one. She’s all alone now since both of her parents are dead.” Tristan put one of his arms around each of his brothers’ shoulders. “Certainly, you boys don’t want the poor girl to be lonely for the rest of her life?”
“Let’s get this over with,” grumbled Mardon, pushing Tristan’s hand off of him and climbing the raised platform surrounding the mast.
“I agree. Let’s do this fast because I need a drink,” said Aaron, reaching out to grab a line, pulling himself up next to his brother.
Tristan was about to climb up to join them when he spied Gavina coming out of his cabin with Nairnie right behind her. Nairnie still held on to her ladle and swiped at any of the pirates who got too close to Gavina.
Tristan (Pirate Lords Series Book 1) Page 15
