A few days away from Port Royal, she had called for the anchor to be thrown down. Morgan helped her fill the boat, and she proceeded into the caves she and her father had always traveled to deposit the riches. She had been unsure if she could find their treasure store without her father or a map, through the twists and turns of the complicated route they took. It amazed her how much her memory had held, however, and soon enough she came upon their stores.
She had considered taking Morgan with her, but in the end had decided against it. As loyal as he was, it was too much temptation to give to a member of the crew. As she rowed through the dark, wet cave walls, she had come to the realization that she would have to make a choice. Like her father had with her, she had to share the secret with someone, or should something happen to her, the gold and jewels hidden deep within the cave would be lost to them forever. Someday someone would find it, but it would be of no use to the people who could benefit from it now. Her thoughts made her feel very much alone.
They had now been sailing uninterrupted for a week, finally making for the Iron Caves where they might rest. The islands were along the route nearly equal distance between Port Royal and back to England. Her father had kept a stockpile at their island destination, so there would be enough food and rum to keep the crew contented for many a day. It would also give her time to come finally to terms with what had happened and determine their next course of action.
“Captain!”
The first mate’s voice was urgent.
“Yes?”
“There’s a ship bearing down on us. A mighty fine one, too.”
“Oh?”
“Looks like the Royal Navy.”
She sprang to life at once, calling to the crew to man their stations as she pulled on her father’s coat and wrapped a cloth around her face so that only her eyes were showing. It was a poor disguise, but it would do. Marching out onto the deck, she caught sight of the ship advancing towards them at great speed – and her heart sank.
As much as she loved the Gunsway, she knew that they could not outrun the Navy ship, not when it was already advancing on them. The wind was not particularly favorable, and their cannons were out of range of the Navy’s vessel. How had they found them? Had someone given up the location of the Iron Caves?
“What are you thinking, Captain?” Morgan asked, with anxiety in his voice. “They will be almost upon us soon!”
Eleanor thought hard, her mind sifting through the various possibilities before her. The most important thing was for her to save her ship and her crew since she knew that Harrington, who was undoubtedly on board the Navy ship, was only after one thing: her. Of course, in truth, he was chasing another Captain Adams, her father, but he wouldn't know he had died. So how could she save her ship?
“Assemble the crew,” she shouted, her heart pounding in her chest as she stood at the helm. The first mate screamed orders at the crew and soon, everyone stood on the deck looking up at her.
"Captain Harrington seems to have found us," she said, loudly. "But I will not endanger your lives. He seeks only me, and if I were to be in one direction and the Gunsway in another, then I know which direction he will go."
“Captain,” the first mate replied, his brows furrowing. “You cannot be thinking to hand yourself over!”
“That is precisely what I will do,” Eleanor replied, hearing the muttering begin in earnest. “I will not put your lives in danger. Once the captain realizes he has been outsmarted once again, he will either release me or I will find a way to escape.” She tried to smile, even though nerves clawed through her belly. “After all, the Navy has not exactly proven itself to be cunning and stealthy now, has it?”
Thankfully, a couple of her crew hands chuckled.
“The ship belongs to you,” she continued, turning to Morgan. “I will meet you again at the Iron Caves. Wait for me there.”
The crew waited for a moment, to see what the first mate would do. He studied her for a moment longer, before saluting, agreeing to meet her at their proposed destination.
“We will wait for you, Captain Adams, for as long as it takes,” he said, loud enough for the rest of the crew to hear. “The Gunsway will always belong to you.”
Eleanor nodded, then barked a few more orders at the crew, who scurried to do her bidding. Morgan drew closer, his face lined with concern.
“I have sailed for many years with you and your father,” he said, quietly. “Are you sure about this, Eleanor?”
After so much time together on the seas, Eleanor knew he truly held concern for her. “I have to save my ship and my crew,” she replied. “Lower one of the boats. I will sail to the east, but the Navy ship will see me almost as soon as I hit the water, I am sure of it. The moment they turn towards me, you must force the Gunsway faster than it has ever gone before. Ensure you are not followed.”
“And you will meet us again at the Iron Caves,” the first mate finished, clasping her hand in a gesture of friendship. “Be careful, Captain.”
Eleanor nodded tersely, pushing the recognizable hat down a little more firmly onto her head and then walking to the side of the Gunsway. The boat was lowered into the water and she climbed down after it, trying to ignore the way her hands were shaking with nerves. Soon she would be the captive of the man she had hated and despised for years, but also the man who had taken her to his bed. What would he do once he discovered her true identity? Would he remember her? And, if he did, what would the consequences be for her?
Grasping the oars, Eleanor pushed her boat through the water. Every fibre of her being told her to rush back to the Gunsway, to climb aboard and attempt to sail away from the Navy, but her instinct told her it would be futile. If she did not do this, if she did not show the courage and bravery expected of her, then the crew would end up in the brig, if not left to sink beneath the waves of the very water they called home. The Gunsway would be taken by the Navy, or blown to smithereens until it became nothing more than a wreckage. No, she had to do this. She would find her way back to her ship. There was no doubt in her mind that the Gunsway would wait for her by the Iron Caves, for as many days as it took her to return. There were ways and means of escaping the clutches of the enemy, even if you were in their possession. Eleanor took comfort in the fact that her father had taught her well. Soon it would be time for her to put into practice what he had told her, helping her to find her way back.
She pulled hard, her muscles beginning to scream as she put everything she had into taking the boat in the opposite direction of the Gunsway. She prayed that her plan would work, that the Navy ship would soon spot her and come towards her, giving her ship time to make an escape. The Navy ship loomed closer, and shouts began to make their way across the water towards her.
“At least it’s working,” she muttered to herself, letting the cuffs of her father’s coat hide her small hands. She saw a small boat being dispatched from the side of the Navy ship and made no attempt to sail away. She would show them what bravery looked like, what loyalty meant. If she could protect her crew and her ship, then that is exactly what she would do.
Within minutes, rough hands grasped at her arms, pulling her bodily from her boat into their own. She tried not to cry out as they bound her arms and her hands, glad that the frilled lace at the cuffs hid her fingers mostly from view.
“Not much meat on you, Captain Adams!” one of the men laughed, sneering at her. “If we feed you to the fishes, they’ll not have much of a feast!”
Eleanor kept her mouth shut, relieved that they hadn't pulled the bandana down from her face. They were probably under order to leave her as she was. Her stomach knotted as she was forced to climb up the side of the ship, struggling to do so with bound hands. Laughs and jeers met her ears as she did so, making her face burn with frustration and anger.
“Straight to the brig!” came a loud, clear voice, the moment she was pulled onto the deck. “And no one is to go near him but me!”
Eleanor lifted her eyes and looked
into the face of Captain Harrington, flushing deeply but glad that her features were hidden. He had never laid eyes on her father before, so would not be surprised at her lack of height, although his poster had shown a bit more girth. Desperately hoping that no one would push the hat from her head, she allowed herself to be frogmarched down below deck, and into the small, airless cell beneath.
Sinking down heavily onto the bench, Eleanor wrinkled her nose at the smell. She didn’t know who had been here before her, but the entire cell stank, the walls wet and the air stale. It was nearly dark, with slivers of sunlight peeking through the boards above her head. It was not unexpected, but she wondered how long she would be down here.
You have to stay calm, Eleanor, she told herself, as the ropes dug into her arms. Don’t speak. Let them discover for themselves who you truly are. Drawing in a long breath, Eleanor let her nerves slowly dissipate. The Gunsway was, by now, far away from the Navy ship. In the time it would have taken for the Navy ship to reach her and to haul her up on deck, the Gunsway would have made its escape and was, by now, clean away.
“I will see them again,” she muttered to herself under her breath. “Courage, Eleanor.”
A door rattled, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. Someone was coming – and Eleanor did not have to guess who it could be. The captain had made it very clear that it was only he who was to face Captain Adams, so his face at her cell was not unexpected. Eleanor shrank back against the wall of the cell, refusing to lift her head.
“You wear that hat as though it is some kind of trophy,” the captain sneered, standing tall outside her cell. “You are no longer a captain now, unfortunately. It will be the gallows for you.”
Eleanor’s throat tightened, but she said nothing. She would not let herself think of the gallows, nor the many pirates who had swung on them before. Somehow, she would make her escape. She had the element of surprise, which in itself was an advantage. But how would he react when he discovered that the woman underneath the captain’s clothes was, in fact, the woman he had already taken to bed? Had he been lucid enough during their encounter to remember her face?
“You have escaped me for many years,” the captain continued, his voice soft but filled with menace. “But no longer. You think that your crew are safe? Do you truly believe that your sacrifice means that I will stop chasing the Gunsway?” He shook his head with a humorless smile. “No. My quest has begun with you, but I will finish it and sink your ship.”
Swallowing, Eleanor forced her breathing to remain even as she kept her head bowed and the anger grew from deep within. She had to keep her disguise intact for as long as she could, giving the Gunsway every moment it could to get away.
“I suppose they will have to seek a new captain, now that you are gone,” the captain continued, almost casual in his tone. “Unless you hope, of course, to somehow escape our clutches and return to them, which, I assure you, is impossible. Every precaution is in place to keep you on this ship.”
Silence stretched between them.
"You are not going to speak?" The captain's voice grew angry, his hands now grasping the cell bars. He had anticipated this moment so long, and now the man sat there, frustrating him to no end. ”You remain mute when your captor speaks to you?" He snorted. "I should have known you would show such little courage."
Balling her hands into fists, Eleanor kept still, even though the urge to defend herself – and defend her father’s honor – almost pushed her to the brink.
What she did not expect was for the captain to push his key into the lock, swinging the cell door open. Strong hands gripped her collar, pulling her to her feet.
“Who do you think you are?” the captain raged at her, his eyes blazing. “You refuse to speak to me?” He gripped tighter, and Eleanor’s lungs began to burn. “Pirates do not deserve to wear a captain’s hat!” the captain shouted, shoving her against the side of the ship wall. “This does not belong to you!”
Without warning, he let her go, before grabbing her hat and throwing it to one side. The bandana fell from her face and Eleanor felt herself entirely exposed. Lifting her chin, she looked directly into the captain’s face, delighted to see the astonishment there.
He let her go immediately, stumbling back, as she pushed herself away from the wall to stand tall.
“You!” he spluttered, his voice a breathy whisper as recognition flared in his eyes. “You – you are not Captain Adams.”
“Captain Adams has escaped you again,” Eleanor lied, stepping closer to him. “And it seems you have captured a woman in his place.” She shook her head at him. “Now, Captain Harrington, what are you going to do?”
11
Thomas did not know what to think or what to do, staring at the woman before him with dread filling his heart. This was not Captain Adams. The man had escaped him, by sending a woman in his place. That in itself was entirely dishonorable, but it had worked well. He had recognized the well-known hat in the rowboat and had let the Gunsway go. What he could not understand was how the woman from the tavern was somehow, inexplicably, in his brig, staring at him defiantly, those green eyes he remembered so well gleaming emerald as she triumphantly stared at him. Thinking of the way he had just handled her poured shame over his entire body.
“What are you doing here?” he rasped, stepping back from her in shock. “Who are you?”
She pursed her lips and turned her head, refusing to say more.
“I cannot have a woman aboard,” he continued, still quite unable to take her in. “The crew will believe that it is terribly bad luck. And if they do find you, well… you’d require protection as you’re the prettiest face they’ve seen for some time.”
To his surprise, she snorted indelicately. “How interesting, Captain, that the Royal Navy seems to have such difficulty keeping their hands off of me, while from pirates I receive nothing but respect.”
He reddened, not missing her reference to their own encounter. “How could they allow you on board? Are you the woman of one of them?”
“Hardly. I am no one’s woman but my own and am certainly thought no less of because of it. I am welcome on board the Gunsway, and as much of a pirate as the rest of them,” she said, her head held high as she looked him directly in the eye defiantly. He wasn’t used to women who challenged him so. “Our crew are more gentlemanly than you will ever be.”
Thomas scrambled furiously to find something to say but was robbed of speech. He grew hot and cold in turn, realizing that Captain Adams had, indeed, bested him yet again. Had he sent a woman simply to mock him, to place bad luck amongst his crew? Had she gone willingly? By all appearances, she certainly seemed to have backbone, standing there with eyes that flashed whenever she glanced at him. Was she actually a pirate?
A slow realization dawned.
“Did you come to my bed simply to discover my plans?” he asked horsely, his voice growing louder as embarrassment filled him.
She laughed loudly. “You did not think, did you, sir, that drink and a woman’s arms might loosen your tongue?” She shook her head at him, almost pityingly. “How easy it was to get you talking.”
He ground his teeth, hating that he’d assumed she had either been a simple tavern wench or someone who sought to have time with a captain. He had been so foolish. Not only had he talked his naval strategy with her, but he believed he had shared something of his innermost thoughts as well. He had underestimated this woman.
“Put your disguise back on,” he bit out, desperate to return to the deck where he might clear his head. “I will return for you later.” He narrowed his eyes as she arched one eyebrow, a coy smile on her lips. “And you need not fear that I will take you again,” he finished, hating that she still mocked him. “I can assure you that I do not touch pirates.”
She tipped her head, her smile still on her face as she set the hat jauntily back on her head. “Oh, but it seems that you do, Captain.”
Turning on his heel, he stormed along the dirty
floor towards the stairs, desperate to get away from her as her laughter chased him up to the deck. This had all gone so terribly wrong and, as the crew cheered him once again, lead settled in his stomach. He had not captured Captain Adams at all. He had been outplayed, once again.
Thomas poured himself another drink as the ship lurched through the waves. Frustrated beyond measure, he threw it back in one gulp, letting it burn down his throat and flood his veins. His crew thought he had succeeded in capturing Captain Adams, and he had not the heart to correct them. It was just as well he had forbidden the crew to speak to the pirate, allowing only the cook’s boy to go below deck to hand the “captain” some rations.
He could not allow her to remain there, even if she was part of the Gunsway crew. A woman aboard would throw his crew into disarray, terrified at the bad luck she would bring to the ship. It was mere superstition, of course, but he could not allow his crew to know of her presence. If they did find her, he liked to think she would be safe but there was no telling. There was only one thing for it: she would have to come to his cabin.
Sighing, Thomas thumped the glass back onto his table. He hated the sight of her, hated the mocking smile she’d had on her face the moment he’d realized the truth. Now he was going to be forced to endure her company until they made port. Then, perhaps, he could work out what to do with her. Female pirates were rare, which meant he was at a loss as to what he was expected to do with her. He couldn’t very well let her hang. Perhaps he might take the ship out with a skeleton crew and put her ashore somewhere. Maybe an island, where she would not be able to escape. Not unless the Gunsway happened to be sailing close by.
Quest of Honor Page 7
