A bloodcurdling scream was followed by a loud grating noise and the vessel shuddered and came to a stop. The metallic clanking of what she assumed were cutlasses reached her, soon followed by another loud explosion. The unlit lamp next to the bed fell to the floor and shattered with a loud smash, and then all was quiet.
Be safe, Sébastien. She knew Jake was below deck so she had no need to worry about his safety.
“Reset, reset, reset,” someone yelled and the urgency in their voice made her catch her breath.
A second and louder boom shook the Maiden and the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the cabin. The timber of the hull creaked and groaned as the boat came up hard against another vessel. Madeleine lost her balance and fell to the floor, grazing her knee. Then all was still and the sounds faded away to silence again as the boat rocked gently from side to side.
She felt her way back through the cabin in the pitch darkness, her chest heavy with worry as she wondered what was happening on the deck. She was concerned about the blood curdling scream she had heard. Reaching the privy, she held the curtain up and stepped inside, wishing it was not so dark. She felt around for the bowl of water to bathe her knee where the wooden floor had pierced her skin. Her right knee was stinging and she could feel the blood running down her leg.
Madeleine took a step forward and cried out as a rough shard of porcelain pierced the skin beneath her foot. The wash bowl must have fallen and smashed into pieces on the floor. Afraid to move another step on her bare feet for fear of stepping on more broken china, she stood with her hand over her mouth debating whether to pick the pieces up by feel, and risk cutting her hands, or to try and step out into the cabin without cutting her feet again.
As Madeleine stood there in the dark deciding which course of action to take, the cabin door unlatched and she let out a sigh of relief. It had to be either Jake or Sébastien and they could pass her shoes to her if they were able to find them in the dark.
Please let it be Sébastien. She wanted to ensure he was all right after the ruckus on the deck. Madeleine’s heart began to pound in slow heavy beats as an unfamiliar voice reached her.
Two voices, as the first one was immediately answered by a second deeper voice.
“She must be asleep in the bed.” The harsh whisper turned her blood to ice. She didn’t recognize the heavily accented voice, but knew it had to be one of the crew. If it was someone from the other boat, they wouldn’t know she was down here in the captain’s cabin. She stifled a gasp; perhaps they knew that Sébastien was hurt—or worse—and would not be coming down here.
“Don’t kill her just yet. We have to find that diary.” The harsh whisper reached her and she froze, afraid to make a sound or a movement.
“If it is not easily found, we shall have to threaten her so she tells us where it is.”
“There are not many hiding places down here.” The accented voice was terse. “Damn it all, I wish I could find the lantern.”
Please, God. If they were unfamiliar with the cabin, they would not know there was a curtained alcove on the other side of the entry door. The footsteps moved away from her in the dark
“It’s too dark. I can’t see a blasted thing.” The frustration was evident in his voice. “Where is the bed?”
“Ssh.” The other man hissed. “Don’t wake her up. The last thing we need is the captain down here. She has him bewitched.”
Thank God. Sébastien must be all right, just occupied by the melee above.
The sound of a body landing on the bed was followed by a grunt of frustration. “She’s not there.”
“Then where in God’s name would she be?”
“I don’t know.” The heavily accented voice got louder and Madeleine breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps they would assume she was no longer in the cabin.
“There is no way he would have allowed her above deck,” the first man said.
“Do you have your flint? Shed some light here and we will see if there is a lantern by the bed.”
Madeleine bit her lip and tried to recall the layout of the small space she was in. There was a small space behind the stand that held the pitcher and wash bowl. The problem was, if she tried to get to it and stood on some broken shards of the bowl, it would crunch beneath her feet and the intruders would hear her and discover her hiding place. Her heart beat accelerated and her mouth dried.
“You search here and I’ll look in the other cabins. The captain would not have put her in the other end with Dirk. She has to be in here or in the next cabin. She may have been afeared by the action up above and is hiding.” There was an evil laugh and her blood iced in her veins as the man spoke. “If you are hiding, my sweet, you should be afeared, as you know what pirates do to buxom wenches.”
The door opened and closed, and the next minute there was a flash of light as the remaining man struck his flint and the sweet smell of burning camphene reached her as the wick fizzed into life. He had found the lamp on the table.
Madeleine knew she had to move and hide now or it would be too late. He would reach this end of the cabin quickly. She prayed that the space was large enough for her to be shielded from his view. Silently she slid one foot backward, waiting for the telltale noise as her foot hit a piece of the bowl. But there was nothing. Slowly, she slid her other foot back to join it. Still nothing; she had managed to avoid the broken shards. The light was getting closer and she heard a triumphant cry as the intruder found the alcove she had hidden in on her first night on the Maiden.
“Damnation, where are you girl? I will find you. There is no fear of that.”
From somewhere deep within, Madeleine found the courage to swing around behind the stand and drop to a crouch. She tucked her arms and legs up tightly against her body and watched as the shadow from the lantern danced on the wall above her head. She closed her eyes and waited to be found, but before he reached the end of the room the door opened and there was an indignant cry.
“What are you doing in Miss Madeleine’s cabin?” Jake shouted. “What have you done with her, you scurrilous dog?”
Madeleine stayed silent and did not move as she heard Jake run up the corridor to the ladder. He’d obviously left the door open and the second man returned almost immediately.
“Quickly. Get out of here before the captain comes down. We will have to find it on the way back to port.”
There was a scurry of hurried footsteps as they departed and then all was quiet. Madeleine finally gave in to her fear and let the tears roll down her cheeks as she stayed hidden in the small aperture.
***
Sébastien lifted his hand in farewell as the French trader sailed away from his vessel, although he doubted whether his new African friend could see him in the dark. The transition of the fifteen slaves on the Maiden to the Ann Marie had been flawless, once the French captain had realized he was outnumbered. Dawn was an hour away and the foray in the dead of the night had been most successful. There had been little bloodshed and no fatalities, although he grimaced as he raised his other hand to his shoulder to staunch the slowly seeping blood where a cutlass had nicked him. Sébastien took a deep breath of the fresh, sweet air as his crew prepared to turn the vessel around and set sail for home. They had taken no booty as the slave trader had not carried any. The Ann Marie had had a full cargo of slaves who were now en route back to their homeland across the Atlantic Ocean. The French captain was safely below decks of the Maiden and would be treated well until he was released into the care of Governor Carondelet. It was Sebastien’s small contribution toward the ending of the huge slave trade to San Domingo where he had been born. For a time, he had considered going back home to the island of his birth to start his own plantation but since the French had taken control last year, he would not return. The island had been in anarchy since the second Treaty of Basel when the Spanish had relinquished the last of the island to the French.
There were also too many sad memories there. Sébastien preferred to leave those behind.
The Hawaiian Islands beckoned and now that this mission was over, and successful, it would be a reality for him. The only thing remaining was to safely deposit Madeleine back to her uncle—Sébastien frowned as he wondered if that was the right thing to do—and collect his payment from the governor. He looked over to the horizon where the first pink tinge stained the sky and hinted at the dawn of a new day. On the morrow, he would ensure Madeleine was up on the deck with him to witness the sunrise.
Chapter Sixteen
“Captain, Captain!” Jake’s shrill cry reached Sébastien as he dipped a cloth into the barrel of fresh water on the lower deck to dab his shoulder. His wound was not serious but needed cleansing before he put his shirt on and went below deck to check on Madeleine. He turned quickly at the distress in the lad’s voice as he jumped from the top of the ladder at the hatch. As Jake ran down to Sébastien, two figures emerged from the hatch and slipped into the shadows behind the wheelhouse. Sébastien frowned and dropped the cloth, grabbing the boy by his shoulders.
“What is it?”
“Captain, you must come quickly. Miss Madeleine is missing and there is an intruder in your cabin.” Jake’s eyes were wide and his voice shook. He bent double taking deep breaths.
All of Sébastien’s worst nightmares came to the forefront of his thoughts as he threw the cloth to the deck and ran for the ladder. He paused and put his hand to his eyes before he stepped through the hatch; he could just make out the billowing sails of the Ann Marie on the horizon. If they had to give chase, he took note of the direction but for the life of him he could not imagine how they could have gotten Madeleine onto the trader without him noticing.
Hurrying down the ladder, he paused at the bottom and put his fingers up to his lips, indicating for Jake to be silent. Slowly and quietly, he made his way to the cabin and stepped thought the open door. He looked around; the lamp from the table beside the bed was in pieces on the floor, yet the lamp on the table was burning brightly. All was quiet; the room was empty and apart from the broken lamp all looked as it should. There was no sign of anyone in the cabin. He circled around and checked the alcove in the hull, praying that Madeleine was in there, but when he lifted the curtain, the small space was empty and the blanket was folded neatly.
Guilt swamped through him. It had happened again; he had lost a woman. An innocent young woman who had asked for nothing more than to be free of her tyrannical uncle. In that instant, Sébastien realized that if he found Madeleine, he would not be turning her over to that devil dodger.
Please God, if he found her safely, he would find a safe place for her in New Orleans. Surely the governor’s wife would know of a family she could board with until he sorted out her future. Putting his fingers to his lips once more, he indicated to Jake to remain quiet as Sébastien approached the curtained privy at the other end of the large cabin. He stepped back and slowly opened the curtain, half-expecting the intruder to be hiding in there.
But it was empty like the rest of the cabin.
His shoulders slumped and he beckoned Jake into the room. “Tell me exactly what happened, Jake. What did you see? Did you see them take Miss Madeleine?” Even as Sébastien spoke he realized that they would not have had time to get her from below by the time Jake had summoned him on the upper deck.
“There was only one man and he—”
“I’m in here.” A small voice interrupted Jake’s explanation and Sébastien whirled around.
“Madeleine?”
“Yes.” The reply came from low in the cabin.
“Where are you?”
“I’m in the privy and it is most unpleasant.” Her voice was more confident now. “Can you get my slippers please?”
“Your slippers?”
“Yes, your ship steering skills leave a lot to be desired. The floor is littered with broken china. I need my slippers please.”
Sébastien opened the curtain once more and the light from the lamp reflected on the broken blue and white shards of the pitcher and bowl that had once graced the cupboard in the privy. She was not in there.
“Where the deuce are you?” The top of Jake’s head brushed his elbow as he peered around Sébastien into the seemingly empty space.
“I’m behind the privy and it’s not very pleasant.”
Utter relief coursed through Sébastien and he burst out laughing.
“It’s not funny. I think I’m stuck.”
“Jake, pass me the lamp, please and see if you can find Miss Madeleine’s slippers.” Sébastien fought back the laughter that threatened to break out once more. He knew it was more from relief that she was alive and safe rather than her current predicament.
“Here you are, Captain.” Jake held the lamp high and passed him a pair of wooden-soled silk slippers laced up with colorful ribbons on each side.
“Would you like me to unlace your shoes before I pass them in?”
“Yes, please.” For the first time, Madeleine’s voice was meek.
It only took Sébastien a few minutes to unlace the slippers and pass them in, and then for Madeleine to emerge bottom-first from the narrow space. He placed his hands firmly on either side of her skirts and guided her out, trying to ignore the pleasure of holding her.
She straightened and nodded with an almost regal incline of her head. “Thank you.”
“What’s wrong with your foot?” Sébastien watched as Madeleine reached down and slipped off one of her shoes before she hobbled over to the bed.
“I stood on a broken shard when I was hiding.”
She looked back at him and her eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong with your shoulder? You’re bleeding, too.”
Sébastien put his hand over the small wound on his shoulder. “Just a small flesh wound. Nothing to worry about.”
Jake hovered by the door and Sébastien smiled at him. “Lad, would you please go above deck and bring down a pitcher of fresh water. Mr. Abrahams will show you where it is.”
Jake hurried off, looking pleased to be trusted with a task for the captain. Sébastien crossed to the chest at the end of the bed and opened the lid to survey the contents. He reached in and lifted a handful of fabric as he searched for a suitable cloth to use to wash Madeleine’s foot when Jake returned.
“So tell me—” he kept his voice light “—do you know why the scoundrel was in my cabin and what he was looking for?”
Madeleine raised her head and met his gaze squarely. Her eyes locked with his and a strange feeling shot through Sébastien. It was more than relief that she was unharmed; it was more of a deep connection that linked them together. A shared concern for the other’s safety and a quiet satisfaction in each other’s presence filled the silence, something that he had never experienced before. He dropped the lid of the chest and crossed to the bed where Madeleine was sitting, her eyes still on him. Carefully placing the cloths on the bed, he sat beside her and looked down at her hands, held still in her lap. He let his gaze travel up her arms, her bare skin glowing softly in the lamp light.
“I would never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you. I should have left someone down here with you to ensure your safety.”
Her chin lifted a little. “I was able to look after myself, Captain. I told you I was capable of that.”
Sébastien reached down and picked up one of her hands and held it between his. “Yes, you did. You are a very brave and determined young woman.”
As he spoke, he realized that Madeleine was very different to Lisette. As well as being willing to look after herself, her concern for others was clear to see. Even as the thought crossed his mind, she lifted her free hand and touched his shoulder.
“You have more than a small wound. It needs attention. Will you let me take care of it for you?”
Her voice was soft and he raised his head and chanced a look at her face. Her eyes held his as her soft fingers stayed on his shoulder.
“We are a fine pair, Sébastien.”
“That we are, Madeleine.” The temptat
ion of her expression defeated his good intentions. He lowered his head and claimed her mouth before she had even closed her lips. It was impossible not to. Her lips clung to his and a small moan escaped her. Sébastien held her hand against his chest, certain she could feel his heart racing. She pulled her hand from his and splayed her fingers against his chest. A shiver of excitement rippled through Sébastien as her tongue tentatively sought his. He increased the pressure of his lips as her soft mouth welcomed him, and slowly and gently he pushed her back onto the bed. Reaching down, he gently slid his hand along her thigh and the fabric of his breeches strained against his erection as she lifted herself to push herself against his hand.
Dropping his hand lower, he encountered bare skin and ran his fingers along her knee and slowly up her silky thigh.
Another moan escaped her lips and as she pulled her mouth from his, a measure of sanity returned to him.
“I’m sorry. I did not mean to frighten you.” He sat up and dropped his head into his hands.
“Don’t be sorry. There is no need.”
He risked a glance at Madeleine and then immediately wished he hadn’t. Her lips were full and red, and her cheeks were rosy, but it was the slumberous desire in her eyes that echoed in her words.
“I was simply afraid that Jake would come back…and I would have been embarrassed for him to see me like that.” She pulled her skirt down where it had slid up her thigh and Sébastien clenched his fingers so he did not touch her again.
“And Sébastien?” He raised his eyes to hers. “I was not afraid. Perhaps we can explore—”
She stopped speaking as the sound of Jake’s feet hitting the floor at the bottom of the ladder reached them only seconds before he pushed the door open.
Good Christ. If she hadn’t pulled back, he would have been on top of her by now, exploring the satiny skin beneath his fingers, ravishing her.
Capturing the Pirate's Heart (The Emerald Quest Book 1) Page 13
