Kathleen could never remember having such a splendid birthday. She was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow, but it was a contented exhaustion.
Somehow Kathleen managed over the next week to accomplish the impossible, and the ball for Ted and Susan was grand and elegant. Finally even that was behind her, and at long last Reed was preparing to sail again. Kathleen breathed a silent sigh of relief. She had exactly two and a half weeks to bring Reed to his knees. By May first the summer season would be starting, and Mary and Susan would be returning to Chimera. The only reason they were not already in residence was that Mary thought Reed and Kathleen needed the time to themselves. That and the fact that she and Susan were having their summer wardrobes fitted.
Kathleen was no longer bothered by morning sickness. By her calculations, she was nearly three and a half months along in her term. This was absolutely the last opportunity she would have to defeat Reed. It was now or never, and she sailed after him.
Chapter 27
HIDDEN away in her secret bower, the Emerald Enchantress waited, and so did Kathleen. She paced anxiously up and down the deck. It wasn’t just in anticipation of the coming dawn, or the expectation of battle with Reed. Something else was niggling at her nerves, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. It was an odd feeling, almost a premonition, a feeling that something was not quite right. It was similar to a slight change in the air or the sea, sensed rather than seen, something out of place. This sixth sense, or whatever it was, gnawed away at her, making her restless and on edge.
Kathleen was not the only one who felt it. Perhaps because sailors spent so much time at sea, so much of their lives alone, they became in tune with their feelings, and when something disturbed the subtle rhythm of their routine they knew it immediately. Dan was near the bow, his jaws working overtime on his wad of tobacco, his eyes constantly searching for something just out of sight. Finley was pacing an alternate route to Kathleen’s and cracking his knuckles at regular intervals. The noise of his joints cracking in the quiet predawn sounded like light artillery, and that in itself was adding to Kathleen’s irritation.
Finally she could stand it no more. “Haul anchor,” she told Finley. “Set the sails. Tack her sou’east and we’ll try to intercept the Kat-Ann. There is no sense in sitting around here waiting. Frankly, it’s getting on my nerves.”
Dan nodded his agreement. “Glad ye said thet, Cap’n. I been feelin’ like a hen in a fox den.”
“I don’t know what’s got into all of us, but I’ll feel better with the wind in my face and the sails unfurled. I guess I’m anxious to have this done with,” Kathleen thought to herself.
Had Kathleen known, Reed was having similar feelings. Through deliberate calculations, an educated guess, and his own untuition, he had chosen these islands as the most likely area for Emerald’s hideaway. He had already meticulously searched the northernmost of those in the chain, and was slowly and methodically working his way from east to west along the few remaining isles.
He was becoming impatient and beginning to doubt his own wisdom. Perhaps he’d been wrong after all. The wily sea-witch could be miles from here.
Just as he was ready to call off the search and go in search of more profitable quarry, he caught a glimpse of green sails that seemed to materalize from nowhere. The sleek frigate was just nosing cautiously from a perfectly camouflaged little inlet not a hundred yards from the Kat-Ann. They had not spotted him slipping quietly along the shoreline of the islands, possibly because the sun was just rising in a huge golden ball almost directly behind him, blinding them to the oncoming danger.
Reed recognized his advantage. Under full sail, with the added momentum of the early inland breeze, his maneuverability was at its maximum, whereas the Enchantress had yet to unfurl all her sails.
Just as Kathleen recognized the danger, she also realized the hopelessness of her situation. Damn! She should have listened to her intuition!
The Kat-Ann swooped down upon them like a bird of prey. Within seconds the grappling hooks had latched onto the Enchantress like giant claws, and Reed was swinging aboard to meet her on her own deck for once.
He landed as lightly as a cat, executed a dashing bow, and gave her a roguish grin. “Well, well. Imagine meeting you here. Lovely morning, isn’t it?”
Emerald glared at him from behind her mask. “I really hadn’t noticed. Captain Taylor.”
“Oh, believe me, Emerald, it is indeed. It is a perfect morning for a sword match.”
Emerald gave a forced groan. “Pray, not before my morning cup of coffee. I’m such a bear if I’m not properly awake. Care to join me, Captain?”
One dark brow arched upward. “Are you stalling, Emerald? It will do you no good, my dear piratess. I’m going to defeat you this morning. I can feel it in my bones.” His blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight.
Hands on hips, Emerald looked him over head to toe. “Are you always so full of good news so early in the day? It’s disgusting!” Then she smiled up at him and asked, “Do those ancient bones of yours also tell you when it is going to rain?”
He threw back his head in a deep, rumbling laugh. “Ha! Perhaps you do need your coffee in the morning. I’m really sorry to have to make you forfeit it, wicked one, but I’m in a bit of a rush this morning, so let’s have at it. Just the two of us once more?” he queried.
“Why not?” she shrugged. Giving a quick look around, she noticed Reed was not taking any chances this time. A number of his men had crossed over and were standing on the deck of the Enchantress. If she lost, there would be no chance of rescuing her ship this time.
In a short space of time, she realized that they were evenly matched this morning. Reed’s confidence communicated itself through his sword. Kathleen, perhaps because of her pregnancy, felt sluggish and slightly awkward, not a very desirable circumstance at the moment. They fought silently for some time, neither gaining the advantage, and then somehow, Kathleen never quite figured out how, Reed maneuvered her so that the sun was in her eyes. Just for an instant she was blinded by the glare, and the next moment she felt his sword tip rake ever so slightly across her exposed midriff. Instinctively she brought both hands across her stomach in an unconscious effort to protect her newly conceived child.
Within seconds Reed had disarmed her of both rapier and pistol. He swung her about with her back to him, his arm a band of steel about her waist. Recovering from her shock, Kathleen wriggled and kicked wildly, screeching at the top of her lungs as she tried in vain to reach the knife in her boot. Failing that, she grabbed for Reed’s pistol, but he was too quick for her. Readjusting his hold on her, he managed to restrain both of her arms tightly to her sides, her hands in front of her.
Kathleen was like a wild young tigress, frantic to escape before Reed discovered her identity and fearful of what would happen to her faithful crew. Twisting and squirming against his relentless hold, she raged at him in her anger, calling him every vile name she could think of. After one long-winded stream of vindictives, she paused to gather her breath for more, and felt his arms tighten with vicious pressure under her breasts. Try as she might, she could not catch her breath. Her world began to tilt crazily. Her view became distorted, and from the edges of her sight, everything began to darken ominously. She felt as if she were spinning into an ever darkening void, and then . . . nothing.
As soon as Reed felt her go limp in his arms, he threw her across his broad shoulder, grabbed a line, and swung across to the Kat-Ann. Issuing terse orders to his crew, he carried Emerald to his cabin, where he tossed her on to his bunk. Already she was coming to. Quickly he removed her knife from her boot, and stood back to lock the cabin door.
Kathleen’s first view as her eyes fluttered open was of Reed standing a few feet from the bed, a smug look of victory on his face. She scrambled off the bed and made a mad lunge for the door, knowing all the while it was hopeless. Finding it locked, she wheeled about to face him.
“Where are you taking me?” she de
manded. Already she had noticed that they were aboard the Kat-Ann. “What have you done with my ship and my crew? I demand to know!”
Reed laughed wickedly. “You are in no position to demand anything, Emerald. You and your crew are my prisoners, and your ship is my booty.”
A quick look of relief slashed across her face. “You didn’t fire her, then? Or kill my crew?”
“I’m not stupid, Emerald.” He stood relaxed but ready for any move she might make, like a sleek dark panther eyeing a rabbit. “The Enchantress is too fine a vessel to sink.”
She was not ready for him when his hand shot out and ripped the mask from her face. Immediately she lowered her face, and her long black hair fell about it as she turned away from him. Just for a second did he glimpse her face, but it was enough. Stunned, disbelieving what he had seen, he swung her about to face him again. One large tan hand gathered a handful of hair at the nape of her neck, and he forced her face up.
His breath left his lungs in a whoosh. “Damn! I don’t believe it!” Then, as if he needed further proof that this was indeed Kathleen and not some dark-haired mirror image, he undid her belt and yanked at her brief breeches. There, high on her left hip, was the odd-shaped mole he’d seen a thousand times before.
Anger boiled up in Reed, choking off all reason. His world seemed fringed in red as a searing anger raged up in him. Without thinking, he raised his arm, and with all his strength, he backhanded her hard across the face. Under the force of his blow, Kathleen’s head snapped back, and she fell across the bunk face down. She had given one sharp cry as she fell, and now she hid her face in the coverlet, trying to hold back the huge sobs that threatened to choke her. The entire left side of her face felt on fire.
Above her Reed raged. “All these months! All these months it was you! Damn you for the vicious, conniving little witch you are! Look at me, damn you!” He reached down and flipped her over on her back, his strong hands biting into her upper arm.
She bit her lip to keep from crying out, and stared up at him through tear-filled eyes that glittered like fresh-cut emeralds.
“Why?” he bellowed, shaking her roughly. “I want to know why! You’ve chased me over half the Caribbean how many times now? You’ve robbed, cheated, and pirated me. You’ve pulled every trick in the book. You’ve fought me, bested me, scarred me, and damned near defeated me altogether. You humiliate me at every turn, both here and at home. You,” he paused to utter an ugly laugh, “you even had the nerve to blackmail me for being a pirate! Ha! I’m a privateer. You, my dear, barracuda, are the true pirate of the family! Is there nothing too low for you?” He gave her a final shove, and released her. “You make me sick!”
Kathleen cringed under his furious glare. With that, he promptly removed all the weapons from the cabin, walked out, slammed the door, and locked it.
Reed stored the weapons in the arsenal and started for the bridge at a lope. “If I had stayed in that room one more second I’d have killed her!” he thought. He knew he needed time to cool down and think this out rationally. Too many questions were racing through his brain. Where had she gotten her frigate? How had she assembled a crew? Who had covered her absences from Savannah?
Suddenly one of the answers clicked in . . . Kate! Of course! Naturally she would help her only granddaughter. Now he remembered the countless times Kathleen had visited with Kate while he was gone. His anger flared anew, his face twisting in a pained grimace. He had always liked Kate, confided in her, trusted her, and she’d turned against him. Why? Kate was another who would have a great deal of explaining to do. Sweet, kindly old aristocratic lady! Ha!
Halfway up the ladder to the bridge, Reed suddenly halted as another thought jolted through him. Dominique! A kaleidoscope of scenes flitted across his brain. Kat and Dominique on Grande Terre, developing the close relationship that had riled Reed’s jealousy. Dominique protecting Kathleen, protecting her chiefly from Reed. Dominique telling him how he and Pierre had come across the lady pirate at Matanzas, and how she had given them the slip. Dominique, so anxious to join Reed as his gunner on the Kat-Ann, and all the artillery problems and missed shots since he had. Dominique looking so pale and stunned after Emerald had plunged into the foggy, churning sea. Dominique showing up with Jean at Christmas, and looking so relieved to see Kathleen.
Almost as an afterthought, he realized that not only Dominique, but Eleanore knew as well. Eleanore, who could easily keep tabs on activities at Grande Terre, and cover up for Kathleen’s absences while she was at Chimera. Jean, at least, he felt sure knew nothing.
Reed spun about, shielding his eyes from the sun as he scanned the decks of both frigates. Having spied the man he was looking for, he leaped down and strode briskly across the deck.
“Dominique!” he roared.
Dominique turned from his duties to meet Reed’s blazing blue gaze. A kind of sad resignation reflected itself in Dom’s black eyes.
They were nearly nose to nose, Reed’s right hand resting on the hilt of his rapier. “You knew, you damned cutthroat! You knew all along, didn’t you?” he demanded.
Dominique answered with a calm he really didn’t feel. “I didn’t know until Matanzas. I tried to talk her out of it, but failing that, I’ve tried to see at least in part to her safety.” His dark eyes clouded slightly, and he frowned. “I heard her scream. You didn’t hurt her did you?”
“I could have killed her, but I didn’t. She’ll be fine, at least until we reach Grande Terre. Then it depends on what kind of answers I get.”
Reed glared at him. “What about you? How much do you know about this?” He sneered hatefully. “I’m sure she’s told you everything. Can you tell me why she’s been doing this?”
Dominique looked pained. “That is something Kathleen will have to tell you. It is between the two of you.”
Reed’s blue eyes narrowed dangerously. “That is something you should have remembered months ago, old friend,” he spat out. “I’ll talk to you again later. We’ve a lot of scores to settle, but right now I can’t stand the sight of either you or her. Get your rotten carcass off my ship before I kill you where you stand! Take what men you need to sail the Enchantress to Grande Terre, and get out of my sight!”
Reed turned to leave, and then faced Dominique again. “I might warn you, Dominique. Don’t let anything happen to any of our hapless prisoners. I want them all accounted for when we get there.”
Before Reed could stalk off, Dominique stopped him. “Don’t harm her, Reed,” he warned with quiet dignity. “For all our sakes, please don’t harm her. I’ve sworn to protect her, and as much as I’d hate to, I’d see you pay in hell for it if you do.”
Reed laughed hatefully. “Don’t fear, faithful watchdog! I wouldn’t trust myself anywhere near that back-stabbing viper right now. By the time we reach Grande Terre I just might have calmed down enough not to kill her, or you if you are lucky. There will be a day of reckoning, however, rest assured of that!”
When Kathleen was assured that Reed was not going to return immediately to the cabin, she arose from the bunk. Even though she knew Reed had locked the cabin door, she tried it anyway. Then she crossed to the porthole. It was open, and though she could not see.the Enchantress from this angle, she could tell from the sounds of activity that they were making ready to sail. She strained her ears to hear a familiar voice of any of her crewmen, but could not identify even one. She hoped none had put up resistance and gotten wounded.
At the thought of wounds, she crossed to the small mirror above the basin. The entire left side of her face was a brilliant red. Her cheekbone was already swollen and turning purplish. She touched it cautiously and worked her jaw tentatively. As far as she could tell, it was not broken, but she was going to have one dandy bruise, and it hurt like the devil! In fact, she was going to sport several bruises where Reed had grabbed her so roughly.
Kathleen’s eyes flashed in anger, and then she sighed heavily as she turned away from the mirror. For a few moments there, she ha
d thought he was going to kill her. Lord knew he still might if he didn’t calm down! She should have been more prepared for the chance of getting caught, and Reed’s resultant anger.
“You didn’t expect him to smile and serve you tea, did you?” she berated herself. “What did you want? Congratulations?”
Still, she hadn’t really considered being bested by him. She’d beaten him so consistently, perhaps she’d become overconfident. He’d appeared so quickly this morning— out of nowhere. Well, now she’d certainly landed them in a pretty pickle!
Kathleen paced the cabin as she mused. Then she gathered her wits and methodically searched each nook and cranny. She went through the wardrobe, his desk, the cupboards, under the bed, everywhere, but could not turn up one weapon. “Blast him for being so efficient!”
They were underway now. She had felt the lurch as the sails caught the wind. Now she could see the Enchantress from the porthole. She guessed Reed would sail for Barataria. Kathleen flushed as she thought of having to face Jean. Facing Reed was one thing, but explaining to Jean, who had befriended her so unhesitantly, was quite another. Now she was glad she’d had the forethought to store what would have been Jean’s share of the booty in the Savannah warehouse.
Kathleen braced herself for another encounter with Reed, but he never ventured into the cabin. Neither did he send anyone else, and as the day wore on Kathleen became aware of her thirst and empty, rumbling stomach. The cabin heated up quickly, and soon Kathleen felt very grimy and sweaty. She had no extra clothes left here to change into anymore, but she did find water in the pitcher. Some she drank, and some she used to dampen a cloth and wash, and then she wet the cloth again and held it to her aching cheek. She used Reed’s brush to straighten her tangled hair.
She had already been through her old cabin in search of weapons and clothes. Now she sat at the desk before the open porthole and watched the Enchantress as it followed beside the Kat-Ann. Lunchtime passed and no one brought her food. She wondered if Reed meant to starve her to make her more malleable. She didn’t wonder why Dominique hadn’t sneaked down to speak with her. She thought she recognized him aboard the Enchantress. She was on her own now.
Fire and Ice Page 46
