The man pulled the sword back to make his death blow when he suddenly fell to the ground, eyes and mouth open in surprise. Ginny held the same expression as she watched the man fall at her feet. Blinking several times, she finally looked up to see Spencer standing in front of her holding a pistol. In all the chaos, Ginny never heard the shot.
A small smile came across her face. Laughing, Ginny bent over to pick up her sword. By the time she stood back up, Spencer was there, screaming in her ear.
“Get below now, dammit. Corliss, he could have killed you.”
With an arrogant half-smile, she screamed back, “But he didn't, did he? Thank you.” Giving him a kiss on the mouth, Ginny turned just in time to engage another man who was about to skewer her boyfriend. Not on Ginny's watch, that was for sure. Her close call gave her more confidence and it showed in her fighting. Today was not a good day to die.
Spencer shook his head and reloaded his pistol. When a scream tore through the bedlam, both Ginny and Spencer turned just in time to see Megan being carried by a member of the Venganza crew. Ginny turned and punched the man she'd been fighting in the face, causing him to fall backwards and hit the deck, hard. When the man didn't move, she was able to turn back again in time to see Megan being forced to walk a thin plank back to the Venganza.
Seeing that Nathaniel was otherwise engaged, fighting a tall, dark, handsome man, Ginny turned and ran toward the plank. She was on it and over it in seconds, thankfully not catching a glimpse of the fall between ships. She had made a promise to Nathaniel and she would do what she could to keep Megan safe. And it was a promise she intended to keep.
Chapter 33
Nathaniel took in the situation in a moment. After firing on his ship, ramming up against it, and sending his men over to invade, Almaraz was ready for blood. No man would take Nathaniel's ship without the fight of his life.
His men were doing their duty, keeping the men from the Venganza at bay. He and Gideon were holding back a few men from reaching the helm. Out of the corner of his eye, Nathaniel saw Almaraz crossing a newly laid plank between the two ships.
The two men spied each other warily. Nathaniel took out the man he had been fighting and went to face his enemy. They had met under better circumstances, so Nathaniel was both wary and impressed by the man. Roberto Almaraz was a brilliant captain, decent in a fight and damn good at strategy. His biggest fault was his arrogance, especially in not recognizing that although he was good, he wasn't as good as Nathaniel. But, Almaraz was a few years younger, which did not play into his favor at times.
Maybe it was his Spanish descent, but the man was a hot head and let his emotions get in the way too often. It made it easy to defeat him, but also made him unpredictable. Sizing up his quarry now, Nathaniel noticed that the captain had gained weight over the past year, most of it muscle. Undoubtedly, he had also honed his skills with a sword. But then again, so had Nathaniel.
With a light Spanish accent, Almaraz said, “It has been far too long, old friend. 'Tis good to finally see you again.”
Smiling in return, Nathaniel wasn't fooled for a moment. “I could have waited longer, Almaraz. But since you are here, shall we?” Nathaniel pulled his blade and stood before the younger man.
A wicked smile came across Almaraz's face a moment before lunging for a kill shot. It was a sloppy move, Nathaniel thought, which made him more hopeful about his chances of defeating his rival.
“You are a better fighter than that, Almaraz. Why jump to the end, when there is so much more to be done?”
The previous smile was now replaced by a sneer. If there was one thing that Roberto Almaraz could not abide, it was being made to look the fool. Again, wasting no time, he lunged at his target. This time, Nathaniel fully engaged himself into the fight.
As both men struck out at each other, a horrible scream diverted Nathaniel's attention. He saw a huge man carrying Megan on his shoulder, heading for the enemy ship. In that moment, Almaraz struck and sliced his right arm, tearing his shirt and scratching his skin. Nathaniel would have left then to save his lady love if not for seeing Corliss heading after the pair. Confident that she could distract the man from hurting Megan until he arrived, Nathaniel returned his full attention to Almaraz.
The smile on Almaraz's face said it all. He had drawn first blood and now he wanted it all. Keeping his composure, Nathaniel thought out his strategy and went about defeating Almaraz as quickly as possible.
The Spaniard matched him move for move, but it looked as though Almaraz was getting tired. Even more determined, Nathaniel kept a heavy pace, wearing the younger man down. Finally, Nathaniel had him cornered, watching Almaraz squirm frantically to keep the tip of Nathaniel blade from striking home.
With a swift slashing move, Almaraz lost his sword, which banged against the planks of the deck. A look of terror came across the Spaniard's face, knowing that he was breathing his last breath. A part of Nathaniel regretted that he would have to destroy the other man. Almaraz may be his rival, but in his own way, they were very much the same. It would be like having to kill a part of himself. But he wouldn't risk the life of the woman he loved, and so Almaraz had to die.
Not thinking too hard about it, Nathaniel made it as quick and painless as possible. When his sword pierced the other man's heart, Nathaniel withdrew it and flung the other man overboard. It was fitting, to be buried at sea. His only regret being that his rival did not receive the pomp and circumstance that Almaraz deserved.
When the deed was done, Nathaniel turned and ran to save Megan.
Chapter 34
Once on board the other ship, Ginny saw that several of the Victory's crew had made their way over to bring the fight to the enemy. Ginny ran after the big guy carrying Megan and jumped on his back. The man merely twitched and Ginny found herself on her butt on the deck.
Looking up, she saw the man turn around and stare down at her. Seeing that she was a woman, he laughed and said something derogatory in Spanish. Turning again, he continued to carry Megan down the deck, presumably to lock her inside a room below deck.
“Miedoso,” Ginny cried out as the man walked away.
Turning around slowly, he regarded her as she sat on the deck. Putting his prize down, he began to walk back toward Ginny. Without wasting any time, Ginny got to her feet and raised her sword.
Speaking in English, he asked, “Afraid? Of you?” Then a deep laugh rumbled from his massive chest. The man, who was well over six and a half feet tall, barrel chested and full of some very intimidating muscle, was laughing at her. And that just made Ginny angry.
With a battle cry, Ginny raised her sword and swung down on him. With little effort, the man blocked her blow. Moving forward, he pushed her down again, laughing as she hit the deck hard, again.
“The day I fear a woman, is the day I die and stand before Madonna herself.”
Ginny got up on her feet again, knowing that if there was a next day, her butt would be sore. Then, being more brave than smart, she said, “You may be tough, but picking on someone half your size doesn't make you a man, just a bully.”
Shrugging, he turned to pick up Megan again when Ginny came at him from behind with her sword. Anticipating her, the brute turned and engaged her once again, but this time, Ginny used his size against him. Twisting to the left, Ginny got behind the man, putting herself between him and Megan.
Now the man looked peeved, but not yet angry. As if she was an annoying fly, he raised his sword to swat her away. Except, Ginny moved quickly to the side and managed to get in a slash on his flank.
Seeing his shirt cut and blood from a scratch, the man looked angry. And that was just how Ginny wanted him. Anger made you act before thinking, which might be the only advantage she had against a man his size. Lunging forward, Ginny again dodged him, rolling on the ground and coming up again in a matter of seconds.
Using her sword to deflect his blows for the moment, Ginny called out to Megan. “Run, Megan, now. Go back to the Victory.”
Her attacker could have cared less if Megan ran, since his focus was entirely on Ginny. But when Megan finally found the gumption to move, several men began fighting around her and she was pinned behind a barrel. Unable to move, Megan watched the drama unfold before her.
The man, having had enough of this game, realized that his prey was exactly where he wanted her. Ginny was up against the railing, facing the open sea beyond. Breathing heavy, she waited for the inevitable and wasn't kept waiting long.
The big man ran forward, sword pointed at her chest. But before he could make contact with her, Ginny threw herself to her knees. As the man's legs made contact with her body, she pushed up as hard as she could, sending the large man flying over the railing and into the ocean below.
At the sound of the splash, Ginny looked over the railing and watched the man struggle. She didn't move, too astounded that her plan had worked. Shaking her head, she turned just in time to see the Victory's men make a half circle around Megan, and in turn get surrounded by the enemy.
Moving in to protect Megan as well, there were at least two Venganza crewmen for each one of them. Ginny only had a second to wonder where the enemy reinforcements had come from when a battle cry came from the Victory. Having defeated their own adversaries, the Victory crew was making their way across the planks, Nathaniel in the lead.
The Venganza's crew immediately dropped their weapons, knowing they were out-numbered. The Victory's crew grabbed the discarded weapons and lined up the enemy along the railing where they could be easily watched. Being careful, Gideon sent men below deck to make sure no one else was lurking about.
Megan, seeing that the danger had passed, came from behind the barrel and threw herself into Nathaniel arms. Kissing him soundly, she said, “My hero.”
Having overheard the remark, Ginny rolled her eyes. In the end, it served its purpose by bringing the two together again, but damn if it didn't chafe just a bit. After all, it was Ginny who followed the big man over to the enemy ship, who had engaged him knowing that he could and probably would have crushed her like a bug, and who had defeated him with cunning and skill (and perhaps a little luck). But who was getting all the credit... Nathaniel. Whatever.
Without seeing how the love story would play out, Ginny returned to the Victory to help Spencer with the wounded. There were a couple deaths, and a couple more who would be dead in the next day or so, but overall, the Victory had lived up to its name. After a few hours of stitching up wounds and even setting a broken bone, Ginny was ready for bed.
Before she could go to sleep, Ginny walked back up on deck to see what was going on. Ginny spotted Gideon talking to Nathaniel by the helm. Walking over, her face showing her fatigue, she smiled. Both men turned and Ginny was struck by how happy they both looked.
“I know we won, but you two look like the cat who caught the canary. What's up?”
“The Venganza had interesting cargo,” Gideon said, giddy as a boy on Christmas morning.
Raising her eyebrows, she looked from one man to the other. “Do I have to guess, or will you both tell me?”
Nathaniel cleared his throat and took Ginny aside. Gideon followed, but both men needed privacy for some reason. At the railing, Nathaniel let the cat out of the bag.
“'Tis gold, Corliss and a lot of it. Spanish coin. The hold is full of it.”
“So, we're rich?” she asked, suddenly understanding the need for quiet. If the crew at large found it, it could lead to mutiny. Money did funny things to people.
Gideon smiled. “Nathaniel said I could have the ship. I can have a ship of my own.”
Smiling, Ginny hugged the man affectionately. “I'm so happy for you, Gideon. You definitely deserve it, especially after working with this slave driver for so long.”
“Enough of that. Though I will miss having you by my side, I think it is time for you to be a captain.”
“How will you divide up the booty?” Ginny couldn't help asking, since this novel had been rather short on pirate stereotypes.
“Each man will get his share, Corliss, including you and Spencer.”
Ginny's smile saddened a bit knowing it was near the end. Spencer would want to settle down somewhere, since it was never his intention to be a sailor. That would suit Ginny just fine, since she knew it would only be a matter of time before she left and moved on anyway.
“And Megan?” she asked, staring into Nathaniel's eyes.
A boyish smile crossed his face. “She has agreed to be my wife. It may be time for me to return home and raise a family. I had never intended to live this life forever.”
“I think that's a great idea, Nathaniel. I'm sure you'll be happy.”
Nodding his head, he turned to see Spencer walk up. His face was grim as he delivered his news.
“Captain, Megan needs you. Her father has just passed.”
Nathaniel went below deck without saying another word and Spencer came and put his arm around Ginny.
“What happened?” Gideon asked, astounded by the news.
It was Ginny who ventured a guess. “He was complaining of back pain. I think he had a heart attack. She told me that it pained him badly last night and he never woke up this morning. It was only a matter of time.”
“Aye,” Spencer agreed. “'Tis probably best. Now Megan can marry without worrying about her father's approval.”
Ginny didn't answer, keeping her thoughts to herself. She doubted that Frank would have cared since his daughter would be marrying someone wealthy, with social connections. Ginny had no doubt that Nathaniel would return to England and make a home with Megan. Her guess was that the girl was already pregnant.
Ginny turned to look at Gideon. “Your own ship,” she said, shaking her head. “You'll make a great captain, Gideon. And undoubtedly, before too long, you'll find someone to live your life with.”
Laughing, Gideon shook his head. “I doubt that, Corliss. I like this life too much to settle down.”
“Who says you'd have to settle down? The right woman might just want to live this life too.”
Winking at Ginny before turning away, Ginny and Spencer watched as he made his way back to the other ship, most likely to inspect his new pride and joy.
“Come Corliss, we have work to do.”
Nodding slowly, Ginny turned and followed Spencer down to the surgery, where for the second time in one novel, Ginny would prepare a body for burial. Although this death didn't have the same emotional consequences, she did feel bad for Megan. He may not have been the best father, but he was the only one she'd had.
Chapter 35
Two months had passed since Ginny had said goodbye to Nathaniel and the Victory Sound. Sitting on a wide porch, under a shady cover, Ginny stared out at the view of the ocean. As she had guessed, Spencer was happy to take their share and find a home for them to live in together.
After much debate and investigation, they decided on St. Lucia. The large town of Soufriere was in desperate need of a talented doctor and was far away from the plantation that Ginny was to be given to as punishment. Not that it would ever matter, since her name had officially become Corliss Sherwood, after Nathaniel had married them before setting out back to England.
The months had gone by quickly. Ginny had been setting up their house and Spencer was often called out for all sorts of medical issues. Ginny would assist him when she could, but was happy shopping for their new home. They had several servants, saving her from any truly hard work.
Which was good, since Ginny was fairly certain she was pregnant. Her prediction for Megan turned out to be her own. She hadn't told Spencer yet, figuring that would be her ticket to her next adventure. A few times she considered waiting, but that would only stall the inevitable, making it harder with each passing day to leave.
So when she saw Spencer riding up the dirt road to their home, she stood up and waved. It would be now, because although there was always a part of her that didn't want to leave, there was a larger part of her that hoped she was one step
closer to getting home. Even with servants, living in 1775 was a lot harder than 2008. Not to mention all the people she'd left behind.
As soon as he dismounted, a groom came forward to take the horse to their stables. Walking up on the porch, Spencer gave his wife a gentle kiss.
“I'm glad you're home,” she said, still smiling at her unassuming, but utterly handsome mega-hunk.
“'Tis good to be home, wife,” he responded, sitting next to her on the porch, still holding her hand.
“I have some news,” Ginny said, smile still on her face, knowing that yet another man would have his happy ever after.
Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Is that right?”
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