Dead Man's Chest (The Plundered Chronicles Book 5)

by Alex Westmore

  Quinn took two steps toward the tavern where Evan reached out for her. “Cap? There is no time to waste, here. Robert plans a trip to England to see the queen. I do not know when, but it is rumored he wishes to travel as soon as possible.”

  And there it was.

  Again.

  Did she let her lover just disappear into the mist so she could fulfill a vendetta, or did she go after her and go after Robert another time?

  “Cap?”

  Quinn slowly turned. “I won’t keep looking over my shoulder. If he knows we’re back, he’ll start sending men after me. I have the element of surprise now. I have to capitalize on that.” To Becca, she said, “Can you secure two houses and some provisions?”

  Becca chuffed. “You forget how well I know you, my love. While you were out here, I was telling Tavish what Evan was explaining to you. By now, he will have gotten you what you need.”

  Quinn looked from one woman to the other, the sound of a bell dinging in the distance, the sail from the sloop fluttering in the wind.

  The wind.

  Quinn turned to Evan. “Does Robert have a ship or does he borrow one or what?”

  “He has one now.”

  Quinn rubbed her hands together. “Excellent. Do we know where he docks it?”

  “Beneath the castle away from the rocks. Verra highly guarded. He has tripled his guards around the castle and the ship.”

  “So he expects I’ll come after him.”

  “Oh, aye. He spends more and more time in England now. Lake believes he is verra afraid, so he’ll go to England to try to shore up his guards and get the Queen to come after ya the same way she went after Grace.”

  “Okay. Good to know. And he believes I’ll come for him at the castle.”

  Evan nodded. “Hence the tripling of the guards.”

  Quinn grinned. “Perfect.”

  “Perfect?”

  Quinn nodded. “Aye. Now I know where to begin.”

  “Where is that?”

  “Not at the castle.” Turning, Quinn cast a miserable glance down the road Kaylish had ridden. She knew she should go after her…knew what it must have looked like seeing such intimacy between her and Evan, but she couldn’t. There was too much at risk now they were back.

  Now was the time to act, even if it meant losing her love.

  Quinn watched her men celebrate until they started passing out or vomiting, sometimes both. Then she, Tavish, Maggie, Becca, and Lady Pettigrew escorted each man up the plank and out the sloop until, at last, all men were on the ship and accounted for.

  “Take her out, Fitz.”

  Fitz frowned. The sun was almost perched on the horizon. “It’s gettin’ late, Captain, and the men are…”

  “Pissed, I know. I just need to get far enough out and to the east coast.”

  “The east coast, sir?”

  “Aye, Fitz. Stay off the coast, but keep her moving east. Tavish, Murphy, Evan, Maggie, and I will man the rigging. I just need us to be out of range.”

  “Range, sir?”

  “Telescopic range. We’re on a corsair ship, so as much as anyone can tell, we’re corsairs. I want to keep it that way.”

  “Captain, is there something I need to know?”

  Quinn closed her eyes and let the wind wash over her face. “Not yet, Fitz. I just need you to keep the ship moving east, even when the sun goes down.”

  “Captain, you know night sailing is dangerous along these coasts.”

  “I am aware, Fitz, but I trust you to keep us afloat.”

  “Aye, Captain.”

  “You sober enough?”

  “Just enough, Captain, but I can do my job good enough.”

  “Good. Thank you.”

  Quinn opened her eyes when she felt someone standing next to her.

  “I’m sorry about your lover, Cap.”

  Evan.

  “Thank you.”

  “You regret not goin’ after her?”

  “Of course I do. I do not have the luxury of chasing after women who don’t respect me enough to have a conversation about what she thought she saw.”

  Evan laid her hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “You don’t need to have such tough talk from me. You’re obviously in love with her. I can see it in your eyes.”

  Quinn couldn’t even argue with that. “I am, but my crew always comes first. Always. If they are to be safe from Robert and his minions, then I must strike before he knows we are back. Word spreads quickly.”

  “Then why did you let them off the ship in the first place?”

  “I had to. I couldn’t keep them on that ship one moment longer.”

  Just then, Tavish walked out. “Fitz said we’re sailin’ at night. What do ya have up that sneaky sleeve of yers?”

  Quinn and Evan exchanged looks.

  “Lad? Doona start lyin’ to me now, Yer goin’ after Robert, aren’tcha?”

  Quinn nodded. I have to. We’ll never be safe as long as he is alive.”

  “Killin’ an Englishman is bad business,” Tavish said. “You willna ever be able to return to Ireland if word gets out it was you.”

  “I am aware, but I have a plan that will accomplish his demise without putting the crew at risk.”

  “Ya ken I willna let ya go alone, aye?”

  “I am aware. I need you to get one of the smaller boats down once we round the tip. You, me, and Evan will row to the shore. I’ll fill you in on the way, but no one is to know we are leaving. No one.”

  Tavish stared at her.

  “Besides Maggie, but none of the crew is to know. If they think I am going after Robert, they’ll try to follow. I don’t want that. If I’m not successful, I’ll wind up either dead or in the Tower, but the crew is to be left out.”

  “Yer killin’ him, then?”

  “Aye. I’m killing him, and while I’m doing that, Lake and Evan’s men will take care of the guards.”

  “Where will you be, lad?”

  Quinn laid her hand on his shoulder. “Where they least expect it.”

  As the rowboat was being lowered into the dark water, Quinn stood with Evan on the deck.

  “Are we good?” Evan asked when Quinn hugged her.

  “It does my heart good seeing you happy. I thought… I thought when I saw you next that we would fall into bed, find a way to be together, and live happily ever after.”

  “Instead, you found me in love with one of your childhood friends. Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “All right? I do not believe I will ever be all right again, Evan. I lost far too many men in the New World. I’ve hurt too many women, I’ve sacrificed so much… but am I happy? Yes. Kaylish makes me very happy. She is a strong woman. A good woman.”

  “And yet she bolted.”

  Quinn bowed her head. “I nursed her back to life. I thought she was in love with me. I…” Quinn shook her head. “How could I have been so wrong?”

  “Four months at sea together would make you think you know a person, so I understand yer dismay. I’m really sorry, Cap.”

  “So am I.”

  A few moments of silence drifted by before Evan asked, “I’m glad to see ya really love her.”

  Quinn did not hesitate. “I do. Verra much.”

  “And yet, ya didna go after her.”

  “Aye. There is certainly that. Time and time again, I think my ship is going to right itself, and then I take several cannon balls to my hull and I scramble to stay afloat. I have no business loving another woman.”

  “Pish posh, Cap. You love being loved. Ya just canna balance love with leading. Maybe ya need to talk to Grace about how to do that.”

  “Maybe I should. Have you seen her at all since coming back?”

  Evan shook her head. “She’s fightin’ the good fight on the water. Hardly comes in from what I hear. I’ve heard she is looking for Drake.”

  Sir Francis Drake was Grace’s greatest foe. She hated him with every fiber of her being, and if she wasn’t careful, Quinn thought
chasing after him would be her undoing.

  “Evan? I just want you to know…I’m glad Bronwen makes you so happy. She is a wonderful woman and very dear to my heart. Be good to her. I’d hate to have to come after you, little cuidich.”

  Evan smiled. “I’ll love her well, Cap. And I’ll always love you.”

  Quinn smiled at Evan, the woman she had been thinking about for almost five years, and here they were, together at last, both hearts loving someone else.

  Fate had an interesting sense of humor.

  It was nearly midnight when Tavish, Evan, and Quinn rowed away from the Edge.

  “I wish we didn’t have to tell Fitz about this. The look of disappointment on his face when he realized we were leaving him behind was awful.”

  “Everra man has a role, lad. Fitz kens his. As long as he can keep the crew from comin’ after us, we should be fine.”

  Quinn sat on the bow of the rowboat and watched the few lights slowly get closer. Usually the lights were in cathedrals or castles. In this case, they were coming from Castle Blackrock, probably from the enormous fireplace in the large master bedroom.

  Quinn knew it well.

  She and Fiona, Lord Moynihan’s daughter, had spent many a night making love in front of that fireplace.

  Oh, how she had loved Fiona. Her blood remained on Robert’s hands—hands she would shortly send to the bottom of the sea.

  “And yer certain this is how ya want to end him?” Evan asked.

  “Verra much so. I cannot implicate our crew in enna way. Neither them nor the ship can be enna where near his ship.”

  Tavish paused his rowing. “The risks to you are great, lad.”

  “I am aware, Tavish, which is why Fitz must pay close attention.”

  Tavish continued rowing toward the shore.

  “Cuttin’ it close,” Tavish muttered.

  “She knows what she’s doing, Tavish. Lake and I will take care of capturing the castle, and I’ll be sure to deliver this.” Evan held up a sealed scroll. “We won’t let ya down, Cap.”

  Quinn counted on that.

  When they were close enough to the shore, where Quinn was close enough to swim to Robert’s ship, she hugged Evan and looked into her face bathed in the soft moonlight. “This isn’t good bye, my friend. When everything has quieted down, I will come to you and Bronwen, and we will have such merriment, the very words will laugh with glee.”

  “I would love that, Cap. More than you can possibly ken. We have had so little time for love, for recreation, for friends and family. We deserve a night of merriment.”

  Quinn leaned over and kissed Evan softly. “I do love you.” Then she turned to Tavish. “I know you do not do farewells, so we will not. Be ready, my friend. My very life will depend on you reaching me swiftly.”

  “As always, lad, ya can count on me.”

  Grabbing the satchel she’d prepared for this, Quinn tied it around her waist, took a deep breath, and dove head first into the dark water.

  It was so cold, she came up gasping.

  “Fucking freezing,” she said through the black of night.

  The ship, about a hundred yards or so off the bow of the rowboat, had a couple flickering lanterns, but other than those, it appeared more like a shadowy ghost ship than anything else.

  As she swam closer to it, she quieted her strokes, lifting her head out of the water every now and then to listen for any voices on the ship.

  Truth was, if the ship had never been attacked, chances were the men guarding it were sound asleep.

  She counted on that.

  When she reached the ship without incident, she reached into her satchel for the grappling hook she’d brought. It would be risky, repeatedly dossing it up to the railing, so she went for the masthead instead.

  Around and around the hook went until finally securing itself around the pole.

  Hand over hand, Quinn pulled herself up to the masthead, her entire body shaking from the effort.

  Still no sound.

  Quinn wondered if there were any guards aboard the ship at all. It was too quiet.

  Before long, she realized there was, in fact, no one guarding the ship.

  With free reign of the ship, Quinn realized the four lit lanterns had probably been lit to give the appearance of guards.

  Then she heard them.

  The guards were not on the ship. They were stationed around the dock. Six of them. Two were talking to each other. The other four were more than likely asleep.

  Creeping downstairs, Quinn felt her way through the darkness until she was in the belly of the hull, where she would remain until the ship set sail.

  That could be days, of course, but Evan’s job was to push Robert to England sooner than later. That’s what the scroll was Evan had held up… a “signed” missive from Queen Elizabeth Quinn had forged. She was certain that would prompt him to sail much sooner than later.

  Until the scroll was delivered, Quinn would eat her provisions and walk in the belly of a ship she fully intended on never seeing again once it set sail.

  Two days later, she heard a lot of voices on the dock and sat very still as she listened to hear Robert’s voice.

  When she heard it, she moved to a dark corner behind empty barrels.

  Two hours later, she felt the ship moving as it pulled away from the dock for the open sea.

  Quinn’s heart raced as she prepared the component she’d brought with her. First she pulled out a container of gun powder and prepared the explosives she was going to use to sink this ship.

  She would have to move swiftly once the fuse was lit. Pulling out her swords, she charged up the stairs hoping she could just launch herself off straight away over the railing and into the water below.

  Instead, she ran right into the arms of one of Robert’s Scottish guards.

  “What have we here?” the guard said, wrapping his arms around Quinn and lifting her off the ground. “A stowaway, sir!”

  Robert, who had been talking with the captain, turned at all the commotion. “What is it, Burnett? Can’t you just…” Robert’s eyes grew wide. “As I live and breathe, the gods have answered my prayers and bestowed upon me my greatest desire.”

  “Fuck you, Robert.”

  Robert strode over to Quinn and punched her in the stomach. She dropped her swords.

  Quinn dropped to one knee as the wind completely escaped her.

  “Before I happily exact my pound of flesh from your scrawny body, tell me how my daughter is.”

  Quinn struggled to rise to her feet, her lungs working to get air into them. “You…don’t… have…one.”

  Robert backhanded her. “She will always be my daughter, you abomination!”

  “Then she’s dead.”

  Robert grabbed a handful of Quinn’s hair. “Tell me the goddamn truth, Callaghan.”

  Quinn started counting in her head. There was very little time to get off this boat. “Dead to you, asshole.” Quinn’s eyes scanned for her quickest way off the ship. When she saw the fire in Robert’s eyes, she realized the quickest route off was standing in front of her.

  Robert reared back and punched her in the left cheek, sending Quinn down on her hands and knees, her swords inches from her hands.

  Grabbing them, Quinn rose quickly and leapt over the side of the ship. The drop felt endless until she plunged into the freezing water.

  When she resurfaced, she sheathed her swords and started swimming as hard as she could away from the ship and toward open water.

  She was only thirty yards away when the first blast filled the air. Flaming bits of ship rained down on her as a second and third blast resounded, showering more flaming parts all around.

  Then the screams started. Men jumping into the water. Men who could not swim braving the flames until the last moment. It did not take long for the small ship to burn, break, and sink, leaving heads bobbing in the water far away from any shore.

  Turning from the wreckage, Quinn dug into the water, each stroke
making her arms feel like soggy ropes.

  When she stopped to rest and catch her breath, she suddenly found herself being shoved underwater.

  Heavy hands kept her head down, the sunlight barely visible as she looked up, wondering if she had it in her to reach the surface.

  She didn’t think so.

  The hands were now on her shoulders, and no matter how hard she struggled, she could not break free.

  Instead, she pulled one of her daggers out from her thigh sheath and stabbed him in the groin.

  He released his hold on her and she fought and clawed her way to the surface, where she inhaled much needed air.

  Her attacker was not done, though grievously injured. He came at her again. Quinn tried to stab him in the face, but he blocked it and the dagger fell from her hand.

  “You’re dying out here, Callaghan!” Robert growled, reaching for her throat. Quinn kicked him where she’d stabbed him and he cried out in agony.

  She did not have the strength to fight and stay afloat at the same time, so she chose to flee—swimming as hard as she could away from him.

  He managed to grab her ankle, so she twisted and kicked his face with all her might, hearing the crunch of his nose as the heel of her boot hit pay dirt.

  Robert howled and released her, so she put her head down and swam hard.

  And swam.

  And swam.

  And swam until she felt him grab her once more.

  But she was done. She had nothing left to fight with.

  “Easy, lad. I gotcha.”

  Quinn turned in his grasp. “Tavish?”

  “Aye. Ya woulda look up, so I had to go in the water to fetch ya.

  Gazing into the rowboat, Quinn saw One Eye, Arracht, and Maggie.

  “I couldna row enna more, so I brought the Gargoyle.” Tavish brought her to the side of the rowboat where Arracht plucked her from the water with little effort.

  “Robert,” Quinn gasped. “I think he is still out there.”

  “If he is, he won’t be for long, lad. We have to get back to the Edge as per your plan.”

  “Besides,” One Eye said. “There’s too much fiery debris in the water. He’s a dead man, either way, Callaghan. We haven’t seen a ship fer three days.”

  Maggie wrapped a blanket around Quinn as she rubbed her freezing hands between her own.