Unease spilled down Martin’s back. He hadn’t realized Dick had interfered with Lady Malvis. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how impossible it was that he could have.
“Her father,” Lettuce whispered by his side, somehow sensing his confusion.
That was all the explanation Martin needed, particularly as Lady Malvis proceeded to drop her pistol and burst into tears. She turned to Lord Ainsley, who closed her in a hug and stroked her hair, murmuring something to her that the rest of them couldn’t hear.
On the main deck below, the fighting stopped. Word spread fast that Dick was dead, and with him any chance the mutineers had of succeeding in their plan. Martin glanced out over the deck. His men were already subduing Dick’s men and marching them back to the aft deck as prisoners.
“Tie those men up,” Martin called, not sure the order was necessary. “Make sure they don’t escape this time. Secure both ships. Get the wounded over to Rackstraw.” He turned back to the sickening sight of Dick’s corpse. “Throw the dead traitors overboard.”
It might have been a heartless order. Some of the men who had died had families on shore. But bodies in the tropical sun were a liability. If any of his loyal men had died, he would give them a proper burial at sea at first light. For the moment, though his first responsibility was to the men who had fought for him and survived, as well as Lettuce.
“Are you well?” he asked, tossing his cutlass aside and turning to face her. He held her arms to reassure himself and to steady her. Lettuce nodded, but she looked overwhelmed and trembled.
“I’m fine,” she insisted. “Truly, I am. Though I do not think I am cut out for the life of a pirate.”
“I’m not either,” he confessed, pulling her into his arms once more. “I am most definitely not either.”
The rest of the night contained a flurry of activity. Martin took Lettuce back to The Growler, but she refused to go to bed. Instead, she helped Rackstraw treat the wounded while Martin strode the decks of both ships, making certain everyone was doing their part to clean up all traces of the battle and secure the prisoners. He thanked God that his men were loyal, that those who followed Dick had been neutralized, and, which surprised him, that the remaining prisoners from the merchant vessel helped him instead of standing in his way.
“We were beset by pirates several days ago,” Lord Killian told the authorities in St. John’s when they made port the next morning. Several law officers had boarded The Growler before allowing anyone to disembark, but they didn’t find what they expected to find. “This man, Captain Foster, aided our efforts to throw them off and brought us safely here.”
“He did?” the baffled head officer said.
“Absolutely,” Lord Killian went on. “I owe him my life.”
Martin fought to keep his expression neutral as he watched the exchange, Lettuce by his side. It wasn’t unusual for an island like Antigua to look the other way where piracy was concerned, as long as the right officials received the right bribes, but it was still a risk to bring The Growler and The Vixen so boldly into port. With Lord Killian’s good word, however, all the port authorities could do was narrow their eyes and grumble instead of taking Martin into custody or causing a scene.
“All right, then,” the officer said. “You’re cleared to dock and unload.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Martin told him later, once the ships were docked, the journey was officially over, and the last of the mutineers handed over to the authorities. “But I’m grateful you did.”
“Perhaps someday you’ll be able to repay me,” Lord Killian said with a wink, slapping Martin’s back. He walked off, climbing down into the boat that would take him to shore, before Martin could reply.
“Why in God’s name was the man so lenient with me?” he asked Lettuce as they headed across the deck, making toward the door to his cabin.
“I believe Lord Killian is a good and noble man,” Lettuce answered, though she sounded as surprised as he was. “I didn’t think those existed until this voyage, but now I’ve met several.” She turned to him with a smile.
Martin didn’t just return her smile, he swept her into his arms for a long kiss. She responded openly, sliding her arms around him and lifting to her toes, in spite of the dozens of crew members scurrying about the deck watching them. One or two let out whistles of approval.
“I knew you were little more than a slut with a fine title,” Lady Malvis said, interrupting him. Her words weren’t cruel or pointed, though.
Martin let Lettuce go, and they both faced her. Lady Malvis still wore breeches and a belt with a pistol at her side. Thankfully, Lord Ainsley had changed into men’s clothing once more, though with the beard he’d begun to grow in the last few days he looked anything but respectable.
“Mr. Foster,” Lord Ainsley said with an incongruously cheerful smile. “My darling wife and I would like to make an offer for these ships.”
Martin’s heart stopped in his chest and his jaw dropped. “You want to buy the ships?”
“Yes, well, I’m not certain that The Vixen truly belongs to you,” Lord Ainsley said apologetically. “Or does it as a spoil of war? I don’t know how these things are done. Perhaps someone has written a book about it that I could consult? I am rather fond of a good book, you know. In fact, my estate back home has quite a library, collected over generations by—”
“Stick to the point, sweetheart,” Lady Malvis said.
“Yes. Quite.” Lord Ainsley beamed at her as though the two of them had been on a pleasurable honeymoon cruise instead of a dangerous pirate mission. He cleared his throat and turned back to Martin. “That is to say, my wife and I find that we are rather fond of the high seas and marauding and all that. We should like to continue on as pirates, and to do so, we require your ships. But don’t worry, we will pay handsomely for them.”
Martin was still baffled. Lettuce stared at the couple with equal perplexity. “But what about your title?” she asked. “What about your lands and holdings in England? What about your family?”
“I have no family,” Lady Malvis said, a sudden, deep sadness hanging over her.
“And what do I care for English landholdings when so much adventure awaits?” Lord Ainsley answered, much more cheerfully.
“I’ve told Lord Killian to put about the report that we were lost at sea,” Lady Malvis went on. “I don’t want anything to do with my former life anymore.”
“And I only want what my angel wants,” Lord Ainsley said, sliding his arm around Lady Malvis’s waist. “And Bernard, of course. He can have his way with me anytime he’d like.”
Martin’s brow flew up and he exchanged a baffled look with Lettuce.
“Well, if that’s what you want,” Lettuce said with a mystified shrug.
Rayburn marched up to join their group and said, “I’ll keep an eye on them, Captain.” He winked.
Martin shrugged. “Then the ships are yours.” He could use the profits from their sale to further establish his new lift. And he felt marginally better knowing that an experienced sailor like Rayburn would be there to help Lady Malvis and Lord Ainsley in their endeavor. He had the feeling that if Rayburn stayed aboard, most of the rest of the crew would as well.
With that settled, all that remained was to pack his and Lettuce’s things and to be rowed to shore. It felt strangely exciting to step foot on land, knowing he would be there for a while.
“Are you certain this is what you want?” he asked, gazing around at the busy port, people of all descriptions running here and there, causing a din that underscored all the differences of the life he was about to start from the life he had been living.
“Yes,” she said, taking his arm and beaming up at him. She hadn’t found women’s clothing to change into, but with the motley group of people on the dock, few seemed to care. “I am absolutely certain.”
“Then we should start by finding a priest,” he said, hugging her arm tight and walking on. “And then
a home.”
“My home is wherever you are,” she said, smiling up at him. “I love you.”
“And I love you,” he said, walking on into the life he’d always wanted.
Epilogue
The best part of living in the tropics, as far as Letty was concerned, was winter. She smiled broadly, leaned back in the settee that had been set up on the porch of her and Martin’s townhouse, rubbing a hand over her round belly.
“I think I will be perfectly happy never to endure winter again,” she said with a contented sigh, glancing across the low tea table to her sisters.
“So will I,” Imogen hummed, patting her own stomach. “Thaddeus and I will be forever grateful to you for opening your home to us.”
“You’re our family now,” Martin said from the far end of the porch, where he, Imogen’s husband, Thaddeus, and Alice’s husband, Count Fabian Camoni, sat against the railing, glancing out over the sea and discussing whatever adventures men liked to talk about when they were together. “All of you are welcome to stay with us for as long as possible.”
“Cheers,” Thaddeus said, raising his glass of rum in salute. “I think I’ll take you up on that offer. Now, tell me more about this shipping empire you’ve begun.”
“It’s designed to strictly trade in goods not produced with slave labor,” Martin told him, returning to their conversation.
“Do you think his endeavor will work?” Alice asked as she worked diligently with glue and bookbinder’s linen to fasten all three parts of The Secrets of Love back together on one side of the tea table. She glanced up at Letty. “It seems as though everything in this part of the world is dependent on slave labor.”
Letty frowned for a moment, resting her hand on her belly as her babe kicked. “Slavery cannot last forever. Not when there is such condemnation of it. I believe men like Martin will lead the way into a new, better world.”
“I pray that it will be so,” Imogen said. Her smile returned and she shifted in her seat, finding a more comfortable position. “Have any of you heard anything from Father?”
“Not a word,” Letty laughed. “I am quite certain he believes me dead.”
“He does,” Alice said, sharing her laugh. “And to him, Imogen might as well be.”
“So he’s written to you?” Imogen asked, blinking.
Alice shook her head and blew on the spine of the book to dry the glue. “He wrote to Fabian shortly after we returned to Aegiria.”
“The bastard wanted money, no doubt,” Letty said, delighting in the fact that she could curse like a pirate in front of her sisters and they wouldn’t mind.
“Of course, he wanted money,” Alice said with a smirk. “And he was immediately informed that he wouldn’t get any.”
“Good for you,” Imogen said. “Now, let’s speak of more interesting things. What is this I hear of the new scourge of the Caribbean Sea? The dread pirate Malvis?”
Letty laughed so loud the men glanced over from their conversation. “By all reports, Lady Malvis and Lord Ainsley have proven quite a success on the high seas.”
“They’re a menace,” Martin added, coming to stand behind Letty’s settee and resting his hands on her shoulders. “Rayburn sends me regular reports. They harry any ship they come across and take far too many risks.”
“But they’ve become rich several times over,” Letty reminded him.
Martin hummed, his expression showing that he didn’t entirely approve.
“Come now,” Letty scolded him with a look. “You were a pirate once yourself. And the last I heard, Malvis and Ainsley had convinced Rayburn to make an attempt to circumnavigate the world.”
“Really?” Imogen blinked in surprise. “Will they do it?”
“I’m certain they will,” Letty said.
“They truly are believed to be dead,” Fabian said, sliding onto the sofa with Alice. “Ainsley’s title and lands have already been bestowed on a cousin.”
“I don’t think he’d mind,” Letty said.
“How do people know they’re dead?” Imogen asked with a frown.
“Lord Killian testified before a committee,” Fabian said, then frowned. “Though if you ask me, something strange is going on with him as well.”
“Strange?” Letty shook her head slightly. “What do you mean? I found Lord Killian to be honorable and sensible and not at all strange.”
“He returned to England after the ill-fated journey with an infant, a baby boy,” Fabian said. “He claimed to have been married on the ship and that his wife died giving birth.”
Letty’s brow shot up. “He was not married when I knew him.”
“It’s been a year,” Alice argued. “He could have married and sired a child within that time.”
“He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to marry or attached to any woman in particular at all, though,” Letty said, then bit her lip. Something must have happened. There had to have been some story attached to Lord Benedict Killian that she had yet to learn of. But there would be time for that later.
Martin came around to sit beside her on the settee, shifting Letty into his arms. “Enough about that time and those people,” he said, resting his hands on Letty’s belly. “I only want to think about the future now.”
“Yes,” Alice agreed, setting the repaired book down with a sigh. “Now that the two of you are well on your way to building your families, I suppose I should announce that Fabian and I are about to start ours.”
Sounds of delight rose up from all present.
“Alice, that’s wonderful,” Letty said, reaching across to squeeze her sister’s hand.
“I rather think so,” Alice said, beaming.
“It looks as though The Secrets of Love has steered us all in the right direction after all,” Imogen said.
“Many thanks to Caroline Herrington for planting the book at the house party and to Rani Ophelia Khan—I still can’t believe our dear friend is an Indian princess now—for giving us the key,” Alice said.
“Everything has turned out exactly as it should,” Letty said, smiling up at Martin.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replied, underscoring his words with a kiss.
* * *
I hope you’ve enjoyed Letty & Martin’s story! Huzzah for all three of the Marlowe sisters being saved! If you’ve missed Imogen or Alice’s story, don’t worry, you can go back and read them. Just look for The Faithful Siren and The Holiday Hussy, which are available now. And what about Lord Benedict Killian? Are you wondering what happened to him? You’ll be able to find out this spring in The Substitute Lover, which is currently available as part of the Lords, Ladies, and Babies box set!
To find out when The Substitute Lover and other books by Merry Farmer are released, please come join the Facebook group Merry Farmer’s Readers Group.
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About the Author
I hope you have enjoyed The Captive Vixen. If you’d like to be the first to learn about when new books in the series come out and more, please sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/cbaVMH And remember, Read it, Review it, Share it! For a complete list of works by Merry Farmer with links, please visit http://wp.me/P5ttjb-14F.
Merry Farmer is an award-winning novelist who lives in suburban Philadelphia with her cats, Torpedo, her grumpy old man, and Justine, her hyperactive new baby. She has been writing since she was ten years old and realized one day that she didn't have to wait for
the teacher to assign a creative writing project to write something. It was the best day of her life. She then went on to earn not one but two degrees in History so that she would always have something to write about. Her books have reached the Top 100 at Amazon, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble, and have been named finalists in the prestigious RONE and Rom Com Reader’s Crown awards.
Acknowledgments
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my awesome beta-readers, Caroline Lee and Jolene Stewart, for their suggestions and advice. And double thanks to Julie Tague, for being a truly excellent editor and assistant! Thanks also to the members of the Historical Harlots Facebook Group, who provide me with all sorts of inspiration!
Click here for a complete list of other works by Merry Farmer.
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