Mutiny of the Heart

by McDonough, Vickie;

  Lucas crossed the deck, searching for his first mate. “Unfurl the topsails, Mr. Burton.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain. Unfurl the topsails!”

  Sailors scurried up the ratlines like monkeys on a jungle vine. Lucas strode to the quarterdeck and stood with his face to the wind. For the first time in a week, he felt sure of his course.

  Heather tugged on the last of her petticoats then looked in the small oval mirror that hung on the wall next to a map of the Atlantic. The swelling had gone down, but an ugly bruise remained where that nasty pirate had hit her. Picking up her horn combs, she held one in her hand and shoved the other into her hair, hoping to keep the stiff winds from flinging it in all directions. She smoothed down her hair then lifted the other comb. The ship suddenly canted to the right, throwing her off balance. The comb slipped from her hand as she was thrown backward into a chair. She grasped for a hold, but her hand slipped, and she was tossed to the floor.

  Her arm collided with the hard wood, and a sharp pain stabbed her elbow. She clutched it and groaned. “What in the world?”

  She wrestled her skirts and managed to gain her footing again. After locating her lost comb, she pushed it in her hair, effectively pulling the wayward tresses out of her face. Glancing in the mirror again, she noticed her cheeks looked pale in the dim light, so she pinched them then spun around. Something was happening. She could sense it. A change was in the air.

  She exited the cabin and climbed the stairs to the deck. Squinting against the bright sunlight, she held her hand over her eyes and searched for Lucas. In the week that had passed since their last kiss, he’d been concerned for her welfare, but he hadn’t touched her other than to escort her around the deck. Had he seen the apprehension in her gaze?

  How could she love a man and also doubt his sincerity?

  Her gaze landed on Lucas’s broad shoulders, and her heart leaped. He stood so tall, erect, with his feet spread to balance his stance. He pointed aloft and said something to a sailor standing nearby. The small man scurried up the network of braided ropes and climbed into the crow’s nest. Heather laid a hand over her heart. Did these sailors have no fear?

  Lucas turned, his gaze landing on her, and he smiled. He strode toward her, setting her pulse dancing with each step he took. She longed to toss her doubts overboard and fall into his arms, but she restrained herself.

  “My dear lady, how do you fare this morning?” He smiled, but his lovely eyes held apprehension.

  Again her heart frolicked like a child skipping through wildflowers, and she despised herself for causing him worry. A smile tugged at her lips. “I am well. Thank you. I felt the ship veer in a different direction. Am I correct?”

  “Yes.” He grinned, and this time his eyes sparkled. “I remembered a place my father took Marcus and me when we were only boys of twelve years. I feel certain that’s where we’ll find him and Jamie.”

  Heather grasped his arm. “Truly? I do hope you are correct. My hearts aches for him.”

  Lucas stepped closer, holding her hand in his. “We will find them. The good Lord is on our side, and I fully believe He reminded me of Virgin Gorda.”

  Heather’s brows lifted. “‘Tis an odd name. What kind of place is this?”

  Leading her around the deck, he explained about the island and its huge boulders.

  “But what does Virgin Gorda mean?”

  Lucas chuckled, drawing her gaze. She loved seeing him cast aside his worries.

  “Legend says that the island was discovered by Christopher Columbus and that he named it Virgin Gorda because the land resembled a fat woman lying on her side.”

  “How peculiar.”

  “True, but the island is as they say. You will see when we arrive.”

  She swallowed hard. “Do you really think we’ll find Jamie and your brother there?”

  He nodded, his dark hair falling over his eyes. She longed to reach up and brush it back but, instead, clasped her hands in front of her. “I do. I’ve prayed all week and believe God brought that memory to mind so that I’d go there.”

  “I’ve prayed, too. More than I have about anything.”

  Lucas rested his hands lightly on her shoulders. “We will find them. I won’t stop searching until I do.”

  “I don’t know how to thank you. Jamie is like my own son.”

  He brushed the back of his fingers across her cheek, a longing gaze filling his eyes. “He is my son. I won’t stop searching until I find him.”

  Heather smiled up at him. What would life be like as his wife?

  She couldn’t deny that she cared for him. Even loved him.

  But would her doubts ruin any chance they might have for a happy marriage?

  Lucas smiled and leaned down, kissing her forehead. “Let us see what we can find for you to eat. It’s time you broke your fast.”

  One thing for certain, she would marry Lucas. After first losing Jamie back at Reed Springs and now being away from him this long, torturous week, she could not bear to be parted from him again.

  eighteen

  At sundown two days later, the Victory drifted into a cove. They carefully maneuvered around huge boulders that hid the bay from the sight of anyone sailing past the island. Closer to shore, yet a safe distance away, Lucas recognized his brother’s ship floating on the still waters.

  “Lower all sails, and tell the men to keep silent,” Lucas told his first mate in a loud whisper. He stared at the lights of the campfire on the beach and knew Marcus and his men couldn’t see them where they hid behind a wall of giant boulders. In the distance, he could hear the revelry of pirates as they drank their ale, played games of chance, and challenged one another to fights. With God’s blessing, he hoped they could sneak ashore and steal Jamie back without anyone getting hurt.

  “What is yer plan, Captain?” Mr. Burton asked.

  “We’ll wait until they are further into their ale and then attack them.”

  “Forgive me for questioning you, sir, but don’t you think it would be better to locate the boy first? What if he’s on their ship?”

  Lucas rubbed his chin and considered his first mate’s words. “You’re right. If we attack the men on the beach and Jamie is still on the ship, someone might harm him when they hear the ruckus. Perhaps we should send a couple of men to scour the ship and see if Jamie is there first.”

  Mr. Burton nodded. “A grand idea, although it could take a while to search the whole ship.”

  “We have all night. Send Mr. White and Mr. Henning. They’re our best swimmers and are less likely to be noticed than a rowboat. Be sure to instill in them the importance of keeping quiet. And bring me my spyglass.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.”

  The man quietly strode off. Lucas focused on the dancing blaze across the bay. Keep Jamie safe, Lord, until I can rescue him.

  Marcus wouldn’t willingly let the boy go, but would he harm Jamie to keep Lucas from getting the child back?

  His brother had harmed an innocent woman—done the worst thing imaginable—but had he gone so far off the deep end that he would hurt a child?

  He’d told Heather no, but now he wasn’t certain. Marcus wanted Lucas to pay for the way their father had treated him. And he had paid—he had suffered Deborah’s loss. The pain from that horrific event still haunted his sleep on occasion. He should have searched longer for her. Should have found her and brought her home.

  He had failed Deborah.

  But he would not fail his son.

  Heather’s knees ached from being bent in prayer on the hard floor for so long. Even her skirts no longer seemed to cushion them. She rose and walked over to the porthole and peered out. She could see nothing in the inky blackness, only her reflection staring back. Somehow it made her feel not so alone. The steady rolling of the ship had stopped, and she’d heard the splash of the anchor earlier. They had arrived at the islands, but she feared going outside. What if Marcus’s ship wasn’t there? What then?

  A soft knock sounded o
n the door, and she rushed to answer it. Lucas’s face appeared in the darkness as the light from her lantern illuminated it. His gaze darted past her to the light. He took her hand, led her to the bed, and lifted her onto it.

  Heather laid a hand over her pounding heart. What was happening? She opened her mouth, but he held two fingers over her lips, then turned and extinguished both lanterns. The room plunged into deep darkness.

  Lucas’s footsteps crossed assuredly toward her. She scooted back farther onto the bed until her back hit the wall.

  “All lights must remain out. We’ve arrived at the island, and a ship is here. We must stay dark and silent so my brother doesn’t discover our arrival. I’ve sent some men to search his ship.”

  “How long will it take?”

  “I don’t know. Most of the ship’s crew is on the beach from the sound of things, so I’m hoping that my men can handle any left on board.”

  “Do you think they will find Jamie?” She heard a rustling, and then his hand found hers, warming her and driving away her fears.

  “If he’s on board, my men will find him. If he isn’t, we will sneak off ship and try to find him on the island.”

  Heather clenched his hand, knowing the danger he’d be in. She realized in that moment that she’d miss Lucas as much as Jamie if anything should happen to him. “I desperately want Jamie back, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  He pulled her forward until she slid off the bed and stood in front of him. His hand found her cheek. “Shh, I will be fine. Don’t worry.”

  “But you don’t know how far your brother will go. What if he orders his men to kill you?”

  He heaved a heavy sigh laced with the scent of coffee, warming her face. “I don’t believe he will. Marcus is like a disobedient child who causes a ruckus but then wants to be loved afterward. I think he’s in pain, and I long to help him. If he’ll only let me.”

  Heather laid her hand on his chest. “Be careful. I saw the hatred in his eyes. He had no qualms about knocking me to the floor.”

  “God will be with us. Try to sleep and not worry.”

  “I cannot sleep, knowing all that could happen tonight.”

  “As you wish, but I must ask you to remain in your quarters. Darkness covers the ship, and you could get hurt if you wander about. Please stay in your bed. I will come to you as soon as I have news.”

  She clutched his shirt in her tight grasp. “Promise?”

  “Yes,” he whispered. “I promise.”

  He stood in the darkness, his hand to her face. His thumb caressed her cheekbone, and she longed to turn and kiss his palm. But such an action seemed too forward.

  She’d had a full week with nothing to do but walk the deck, pray, and read the Bible in Lucas’s chamber. She’d realized that she’d been letting her doubts rule her. Lucas had done naught to earn such misgivings. He captained his ship efficiently, and even when she’d seen a man mishandle a sail, causing it to tear and have to be repaired, Lucas gently reprimanded him and encouraged him to be more careful in the future. She was certain other captains would have severely punished the man for damaging something as vital to everyone’s survival as a sail.

  Lucas remained kind; he took time to visit with her and never once behaved in a dishonorable fashion, even when he walked her to the cabin door each evening. He’d never lied to her as far as she knew but took special efforts to keep her informed. She’d been foolish to let her doubts steal her future with Lucas. She’d never find another man as good as he.

  His other hand touched her cheek. “I’m going to kiss you, my dear, unless you object.”

  With her heart thundering in her ears, she shook her head. His mouth found hers, and she received his kiss, letting him know that her heart belonged to him. Her hands slid up his chest, and she wrapped them around his neck. He teased her mouth with his, nipping her lower lip, then returning for a full kiss. After what seemed mere seconds, he pulled back then drew her to his chest, nearly crushing her in a fierce hug. His rapid heartbeat pounded in her ears. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  “Aye, I believe so.”

  “I’d love nothing more than to stand here and kiss you all night, but alas, that isn’t the wise choice.” His voice sounded husky, as breathless as she felt. He lifted her onto the bed again. “Stay here tonight, but lock the door after I leave. I can’t keep my mind on finding Jamie if I have to worry about something happening to you.”

  “All right. I shall stay here and pray. But please let me know if you discover anything.”

  He kissed her cheek and stepped back. “I will.”

  Quickly, he crossed the room and exited, shutting the door behind him. Heather slid off the bed, felt her way across the cabin, and held out her hands, carefully searching for the door and then the lock. She finally found and secured it and made her way back to the bed.

  The inky black of the room pressed in on her. Getting up on her knees, she reached for the porthole over the bed, wrestled with the latch, and finally got it to unlock and open. A warm breeze, salty with the scent of the sea, drifted in, bringing with it the sound of revelry. Men laughed, and raucous cheers sounded in the distance. She swallowed hard. What would happen to her if Marcus won the battle?

  “Please, Lord, keep Lucas safe, and show him where Jamie is.”

  Lucas paced the deck of the Victory, pausing every few minutes to lift his spyglass and search the dark water between the ships. He rechecked the position of the waxing crescent moon, a mere sliver of light. Several hours had passed, and yet he’d heard not a sound from the direction of his brother’s ship. Either his men hadn’t made the swim successfully or they’d boarded and secured the ship and were searching it even now.

  “Help them find the boy, Lord,” he muttered softly. Lifting the spyglass, he searched the shore near the campfire. The loud ruckus had softened, and he suspected that many of his brother’s men were passed out in a drunken stupor by now. He could make out the reclining bodies of only a half-dozen men around the fire. Where were the others? Sleeping outside the circle of light?

  A gentle splash sounded to his left. His hand flew to his cutlass, and he cautiously gazed over the side.

  “H’lo the ship,” a loud whisper pierced the silence.

  “That you, Henning?”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  “What of the boy?” Lucas tossed down a coil of rope, making sure one end was securely attached. “We have him, sir.”

  “Thank the good Lord.” Lucas glanced up at the ebony sky and nodded his gratitude toward the heavens.

  “Grab hold of me neck, Jamie, lad. Keep silent like I told ye to, and don’t let go.” Mr. Henning prepared to climb up the side of the ship.

  Excitement surged through Lucas as he peered down at the three silhouettes in the stolen rowboat—two large and one small. His son was being returned. He tapped his palms on the gunwale, wanting—needing—to hold Jamie in his arms again. “Hurry, man.”

  A grunt sounded below; then the rope jiggled and a scraping along the side of the ship grew nearer. Mr. Henning’s head appeared over the side, a wide grin on his face. “We did it, Captain.”

  Jamie peeked up with wide eyes. “Papa?”

  Lucas lifted the boy off his mate’s shoulders, while two sailors hoisted Mr. Henning aboard ship. “Are you hurt, son?”

  Jamie shook his head but his grip on Lucas’s shoulders tightened. “Nay, but I was scared.”

  Lucas winced at the thought of the poor boy, alone and frightened. “Didn’t you know that I’d come for you?”

  “I prayed you would.”

  “That’s a good boy. God showed me where to find you.” He squeezed his son in a fierce hug, pleased that Jamie kept his voice low. Lucas’s heart felt whole again. How was it possible to love Jamie so much in such a short time?

  “That pirate looks just like you; did you know that?”

  “Yes, he’s my twin brother.”

  Jamie rubbed his eyes. “But
he’s mean. He’s not nice like you are.”

  “Well, let’s hope you don’t have to see him again.” “Are we going home?” Jamie yawned. “Is Aunt Heather here?”

  “She is, and she’ll be wanting to see you.” Lucas turned back to his men. “How many are aboard my brother’s ship, Mr. Henning?”

  “Only two, sir. Mr. White and I managed to conk them out. Then we tied them up and gagged them whilst we searched the ship. Found the boy and made haste to return to the Victory. What say ye now? Do we go ashore and battle the rest of them scallywags?”

  Lucas stared at the shore. He wanted to deal with his brother, but part of him wanted to take Heather and Jamie and flee. If he did, would they ever be safe? Would the threat of Marcus returning and taking Jamie again always hang over their heads?

  He had to deal with his brother. “Mr. White, take Jamie to Miss Hawthorne in my cabin and stand guard outside the door until I return.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.” He reached for Jamie, and the boy went, but he cast a longing gaze at Lucas.

  Suddenly the sound of metal clanked against the wooden deck. Lucas turned toward the noise.

  “Pirates!” a sailor yelled.

  Lucas spun back to Mr. White. “Go! Guard them with your life.”

  The sailor nodded and hurried across the deck with Jamie in his arms. Lucas’s sword made a ching as it slid from the scabbard. Pirates spilled over the starboard side of the Victory with war cries spewing from their mouths. His men were well-trained and fought back, man-to-man. Metal clanged against metal.

  Lucas lifted his sword and fended off a pirate who looked unsteady on his feet. The man lurched sideways, took three quick steps, and fell overboard. Lucas could only hope the rest of his brother’s men were as far into their cups as that fellow.

  The roar of men filled the night air as Lucas searched for his brother. Mr. Henning had his hands full with a black-haired pirate. Lucas conked the rogue on the head with the pommel of his sword, and the man dropped to the deck. Mr. Henning nodded his thanks, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, then turned to engage another brigand.