Blackhearts

by Nicole Castroman

  Although Anne had never lost a beau, she felt an overwhelming amount of sympathy for the young man. She could not imagine how he must feel, watching his love walk away with another.

  On the other hand, she was relieved that Mary was gone. The girl had always been trouble.

  Anne turned, wanting to give John some semblance of privacy. Her eyes met Teach’s, and she saw the same emotions she felt mirrored in his.

  “I’ll go see about some food,” she said to no one in particular. At the door to the house, she cast one last look over her shoulder. Teach spoke quietly to John as the first few drops of rain fell from the pewter sky.

  CHAPTER 23

  Teach

  Teach waited patiently beside his friend as John took a deep, shuddering breath. Raindrops fell intermittently, like silent tears from the sky.

  “She doesn’t deserve you,” Teach said.

  John didn’t respond. He stared at the empty courtyard that just moments before had been full of chaos.

  Clapping John on the back, Teach guided him toward the stable, knowing his friend needed some privacy. He was worried John might still decide to go after Mary. “Come in out of the rain.”

  “You knew all along, didn’t you?” John asked, dragging his feet.

  Teach gave him a steady look. “Would you have believed me if I’d told you?”

  After a moment of stony silence, John shook his head. “Probably not.”

  Teach approached Kaiser’s stall and stroked his neck. The sweet smell of hay combined with the leather tack acted as a balm.

  “I’m sorry for my behavior. Your life is on the line, and I acted like a fool, but when I saw Mary and that . . . I . . .” John’s voice faded, his hands clenching into fists. “I’m sorry.”

  Teach tried to imagine how he would feel if Patience’s ­attentions were otherwise engaged.

  Relieved.

  Now, if he ever saw Anne with anyone else . . .

  Shaking his head to clear the image, Teach turned to his friend. “You’ll find you’re better off without her.”

  John gave him a sad smile. “Mary and I grew up together. I’ve known her since I was a lad and stole a pie from her father’s bakery. She used to be all kinds of fun. What could make a girl change so much?”

  There was no question Mary still liked to have fun, but Teach kept that observation to himself. “It happens. Some people change too much, and others don’t change at all. You’ll see it’s for the best. You’re a good man, John. You’ve weathered far worse, and I daresay you’ll come out ahead in the end.” Teach almost envied him. At the moment he’d gladly have traded positions with his friend and been rid of an unwanted betrothal.

  “She didn’t even look back at me,” John muttered.

  Teach took a long breath, disliking the thought of John wasting another minute pining for Mary. Given time, John would forget her. “I hate to ask, but I’m assuming you’re here because of Barrett.”

  “Aye, I am. He’s gone.”

  “What?”

  John nodded. “It’s true. Word is he sold several of his father’s ships to the Royal African Company, to be turned into slavers.”

  Teach was disgusted but not surprised. “When did he leave?”

  “Yesterday, aboard a ship set for the West Indies.”

  “Did you hear of any evidence he might have against me?”

  John lowered his head. “No. Nothing. I was about to have someone pay him a visit, but I never got the chance. He’s gone.”

  Teach cursed, and Kaiser sidled away, snorting nervously. Leaning forward, Teach attempted to soothe the animal, his mind replaying John’s words.

  Barrett was gone. Barrett was gone.

  “I’m sorry, Teach. I truly am.”

  Teach almost didn’t hear him, for his heartbeat hammered in his throat. Staring at the ground, he tried to think of what his next step would be, but his mind wouldn’t focus.

  “Can they have an inquiry if Barrett isn’t here to support the charges?” John asked, his tone hopeful.

  “I don’t know. I’m not even sure if Barrett was the one to accuse me, but I can’t think of anyone else who would gain from it.”

  “I’ll look into it for you,” John said. “Don’t you worry, Teach. We’ll get to the bottom of this, even if I have to break you out of jail myself.”

  The tightness in Teach’s chest didn’t ease, despite his friend’s assurances. “Yes, well, hopefully it won’t come to that.”

  The two of them were silent, a heavy pall hanging between them.

  Eventually John cleared his throat. “I best head back to the Deliverance.”

  “Would you like to come into the house first?” Teach could do with a drink.

  John shook his head, turning for the door. “I’m not fit for company. I’ll keep asking around. Like I said, we’ll get to the bottom of this.” He raised his hand in a final farewell before striding out the door and disappearing from view.

  Teach stood alone in the stable for several minutes, reluctant to return to the house. He rubbed the lower half of his jaw, considering what to do. With Barrett gone, there went any hope of confronting him, demanding answers.

  Taking slow, measured breaths, he looked outside. The rain had already stopped, as if the sky couldn’t make up its mind.

  After several more minutes he headed in the direction of the gardens.

  The wind blew and buffeted, but Teach pressed on through the manicured lawns, until he reached the trail leading behind his father’s property into the nearby woods. He drew to a halt at the two weeping willows. As a child he’d loved playing near the trees, pretending he was an explorer, discovering new worlds and different cultures.

  It was the same place where he had vomited on Miss Patience, and where Anne had appeared out of nowhere to help him. He liked to think that had been the start of their friendship, but it had since grown into something stronger.

  As if his thoughts had conjured her, he felt her presence at his side before he saw her. She wore a dark blue cloak that fell to her ankles in long folds, and despite the mud soaking her hem, she looked every inch the queen.

  “I’m going into town,” she said.

  “Oh?” Although he’d encouraged her to do just that, Teach couldn’t hide his disappointment. There was something calming about Anne, and at that moment he craved tranquility.

  “Yes, I’m going to find someone to take Mary’s place.” Not only was she intelligent and beautiful, but she possessed an air of efficiency. Teach had the feeling that when she set her mind to something, there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do.

  “While you’re at it, do you think you could find a replacement for the groom as well?” Teach asked, only half joking. His father hadn’t been gone for even a day, and already the household had fallen apart. “I’d accompany you, but I have the feeling my father wouldn’t appreciate my efforts.”

  “I believe I can find someone to replace the groom. Elizabeth has several siblings. I’m sure they would be more than willing to work for your father.”

  “Let me ready the carriage for you,” he said.

  “There’s no need. I prefer to walk.”

  “You’ll do no such thing. It’s about to rain again.”

  Anne squared her shoulders. “I assure you, I’ve walked in the rain before. And the snow. And the ice. I’m perfectly capable of walking to town. I used to do it every day.”

  Teach hated the thought of Anne being exposed to all sorts of elements, both human and otherwise. “I do not doubt that, but I would prefer it if you took the carriage. And have Sara accompany you.”

  “Elizabeth is coming with me. And she prefers to walk as well.”

  In spite of his annoyance, Teach couldn’t help a faint smile. She would fight till the last. “I thought we were past this, Anne.”
>
  “Past what?”

  “Arguing.”

  “We’re not arguing. I simply came to tell you where I was going. You’re the one who insists on telling me what to do.”

  “Good. Then I’m simply telling you I will see to the carriage.” Teach turned to head back to the stable, but Anne’s next words stopped him.

  “I saw John leave. I know he came to bring you some kind of news. What was it?” There was no mistaking the concern in her voice.

  “He’s gone.”

  Anne lifted her skirts and moved to stand in front of him, forcing him to meet her eyes. “Who is?”

  “Your brother.”

  Looking away, she was quiet for a moment. “What does that mean? Will they continue with the inquiry if he’s not here?”

  Teach sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t know what any of this means.”

  “We still have to wait to hear from your father.”

  Teach rubbed the back of his neck. “You place an awful lot of faith in his abilities.”

  “And you, not nearly enough. Despite what you think, I know he loves you.”

  “You keep telling me that, but we must have a different understanding of the word.”

  “And what is your definition?” she asked.

  “I believe if you truly love someone, then the most important thing should be their happiness, not yours.”

  “You’re saying your father cares more for his own happiness.”

  “Yes.”

  Anne stepped toward him, her face flushed. “And I believe if you truly love someone, you let that person know you will always be there for them, no matter the circumstances. That is precisely what your father is doing.”

  “And you?”

  Anne’s breath was faster than usual, a pulse beating in her neck. “What?”

  Reaching for her slowly, he gave her every opportunity to retreat. When she didn’t, he took her hands in his and pulled her close. “Will you always be there for me, no matter the circumstances?”

  “You know I only want your happiness,” she said, her voice faint.

  “By my definition, that means you—”

  Anne tugged her hands from his grasp and moved out of his reach. “I don’t think this is wise,” she said, shaking her head. “You’re upset.”

  “If I’m going to die, I might as well die a happy man. Tell me,” he said, his voice soft.

  Her lashes half lowered over her crystal-blue eyes. “In the short time we’ve known each other, I’ve come to bear a certain . . . regard . . . for you. Your friendship is something I could not stand to part with.”

  “‘Regard’? ‘Friendship’?” He approached her once again, and his warm palm found the curve of her cheek. “Is that all you feel for me, Anne?”

  CHAPTER 24

  Anne

  Teach’s eyes darkened, the expression in them stealing her breath. She should have pretended as if his nearness did not affect her. But it did, and instead of stepping back, she stepped closer. “Yes,” she whispered, a tremor in her voice. “A very special sort of regard.”

  He apparently needed no further confirmation. He ­cradled her face in his hands, and his lips met hers, their mouths fitting together perfectly. Anne’s heart fluttered in her chest like a trapped bird in a cage. But she didn’t pull away. She didn’t want to.

  His clever fingers found the bare skin at the nape of her neck and wound into the strands that had come loose from her bun, tilting her head to an upward slant.

  Anne fought to control the reckless rhythm of her pulse as he increased the pressure of their kiss. Her legs threatened to give way, and her hands traced down the fine linen of his shirt, feeling the solid strength of muscle underneath. For the rest of her life she would remember that moment. The sound of the wind rustling through the trees. The earthy scent of the moss beneath their feet, and the warmth of his breath mingling with hers. Her first kiss.

  When at last he pulled away, Anne swayed forward, slightly dazed. “We . . . we shouldn’t have done that,” she said.

  Breathing hard, his chest rising and falling steadily, Teach gave a shaky laugh. “I’m sorry, but I’ve wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you.”

  “It was a mistake.”

  “You cannot tell me you have not wanted the same thing, Anne.”

  Anne swallowed, unable to lie. It took considerable effort on her part not to lean into his embrace. She had thought about it, more than she cared to admit. Ever since he’d arrived, he had haunted her dreams. “But you’re promised to another.” She could not bring herself to speak Patience’s name.

  “Promised? What good is a promise to someone else when my heart belongs to you? What good is a promise when I might not live to see another day?”

  Anne refused to think about the inquiry. In spite of Teach’s scorn, Anne still believed Drummond would somehow come through for him. “What we’ve just done is no different from what Mary did to John.”

  “Do not compare my feelings for you to those of that ­strumpet. Mary never cared for John. He was a lover of convenience. I do not hold out much hope for Tom, either. Give her a week or two, and she’ll have moved on to someone else.”

  His words did little to ease her guilt. “Still, your father—”

  “Oh, yes, my father. My union with Miss Patience is his will, not mine.”

  Anne took a step back. It was too hard to think with him standing so close. “But you agreed,” she reminded him.

  “I was sixteen years old and still an obedient boy! I didn’t know any better. Do you think I could predict the future? Back then I saw Patience as my father wanted me to see her. She was a pretty face with a title. My father filled my head with stories of the aristocracy, how their life of leisure enabled them to cultivate their minds and improve their tastes. He spoke of their power and how much they could achieve, and like a fool, I listened to him.”

  Anne felt sorry for the boy Teach had once been, blindly believing everything his father had said. Her own upbringing had been so different. “You couldn’t have known.”

  “But how I wish I had. Who would have thought that three years later, I’d care so little for appearance and prestige. I’ve learned so much, Anne, about people and about life. You seem to have had that understanding already, but I needed to leave this place to discover who I was and what I truly wanted. What’s truly important.”

  “You’re just upset about the inquiry. You’re frightened—”

  “Yes, I’m frightened, but the inquiry is only part of it. If I come out of this alive, as you so firmly believe I will, what will my future hold? I refuse to wed someone whose most pressing thoughts are about the color of her gown or what sandwiches she should serve for tea. I want a life, a partnership, with someone who has the same interests as I do. I want to share something with someone that is greater and more important than table settings and dinner parties. I want to spend my life with you.”

  “But that’s impossible,” Anne said, backing away from him. He had no right to speak of such things, even if, deep down, she shared the same desires. “Your father . . . Miss Patience is quite intent on marrying you.”

  “Of course she is. It’s not a marriage as much as it is a ­contract.”

  “She is a baron’s daughter. You are a merchant’s son. What are they gaining from the agreement?”

  “The baron has mismanaged his funds. A union with me and my father’s money will benefit both families, for my father will have gained a title for his family, and the baron’s estate will thrive.”

  Anne was quiet for a moment, his words sinking in. “All at your expense,” she whispered. “You’re even more of a prisoner than I am,” she said.

  Teach took her in his arms. “More than you could ever know. From the moment I saw you, you captured my heart and I was powerless to do anythin
g about it.”

  Anne looked up, unable to bear the sadness in his voice, for it mirrored her own. He kissed her again, hesitantly at first, but when she responded, he pressed his lips hungrily to hers. Teach held her close, and Anne sighed as he trailed kisses across her face to her throat.

  “A life with Patience would be no life at all,” he murmured into her hair.

  “Don’t say that,” she said.

  “It’s true. I would rather face the gallows than marry her. It’s you I love. You with your tender heart and fierce strength.”

  Anne pulled away, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. “No, you’ll see. Your father will have the charges dropped. And once that happens, you . . . you will do as you’ve promised and marry Patience. You’ll still have a roof over your head and someone to come home to.”

  “But that someone cares more for baubles and trinkets than she does for me. What good is a warm hearth when the heart of my future wife is as cold as ice?”

  “That’s a far cry more than what I will get. The illegitimate daughter of a dead merchant and a slave. Do you think anyone would have me, as different as I am? I have no prospects and no family to claim me.”

  “I will take you! Come away with me, Anne. Just the two of us. The devil take my father and everyone else. You and I can leave this place, together.”

  Hope flared within her breast at his words, but she quickly extinguished it. As much as she wanted to leave with him, she could not. “And where will we go, Teach? Where in the world can we go where people will accept us? Until the inquiry is complete, you will be a wanted man. To leave now would only proclaim your guilt. But I cannot stay here. People will forever look at me and see our differences, not our similarities.”

  “What I want more than anything else in this world is to be with you.”

  “But for how long? Will you tire of me, just like you tired of Miss Patience?”

  Teach regarded her with a mixture of surprise and outrage. “I would never tire of you. We are too alike. Even you must see that.”