The Pirate's Jewel

by Cheryl Howe

  Greeley stepped back. “What’s the meaning of this, Captain?”

  Nolan retrieved the press warrant from Wayland. “That’s what we would like to know, Lieutenant.” Since Wayland had raised the subject, Nolan might as well know if, indeed, the British had declared war on her rebellious colonies.

  “You’ve no right to question the king’s emissary, young man. You colonists need to learn your place. Too many fine English lads have died defending your land, and now it’s time you contribute to our efforts.”

  Nolan lifted his gaze, pinning Greeley with a direct stare. “I thought we were all English. Are you saying otherwise? If that’s the case, your warrant isn’t valid. It only calls for the taking of English citizens.”

  “I’m in no mood to mince words with you, Captain.” Greeley’s face reddened.

  Nolan stepped closer, towering over the lieutenant. If he could use his intellect to sail away without losing a man, it would be worth angering Greeley. Many of the men Nolan had known as a pirate had started their careers at sea as impressed sailors in the Royal Navy. The harsh discipline and endless hours of grueling work had prompted many to throw their fate in with the Brethren—when they could escape with their lives, that was.

  The crew lined up on deck, and Nolan realized he could not afford to lose a man among them. He reread the press warrant, looking for a way to outwit its authority. A clause stated the Neptune could only impress crew from ships returning to port, not ships leaving port. Nolan smiled, tasting success. The sound of a scuffle broke his concentration.

  “This one was hiding in the galley, Lieutenant. He must be something special, because I can’t see any other reason he’d think he’d be worth taking.”

  Nolan glanced over his shoulder. One of the British seamen dragged a puny boy on deck, who struggled between keeping on his rumpled hat and evading the tug of his captor. Whoever the boy was, he wasn’t one of Nolan’s crew members. Nolan directed a silent question to Parker, who shrugged.

  All eyes turned to the struggling adolescent. When the British crewman released his captive, the boy straightened his clothes and yanked his mutilated tricorn down past his eyebrows.

  Lieutenant Greeley sauntered toward the new arrival. “Who have we here?”

  A stowaway. The words were on the tip of Nolan’s tongue before he swallowed his response, recognizing the straight nose and soft mouth underneath the hat. Jewel’s mouth, her lower lip ripe and full, haunted him in his waking dreams.

  Lieutenant Greeley visibly examined Jewel. “What’s your name, sailor?”

  Thankfully, Jewel kept her head down. She coughed into her hand. “Joe, sir.”

  Lieutenant Greeley stepped back, covering his nose and mouth with a lace handkerchief he yanked from his sleeve. Disease ran rampant on sailing vessels and could wipe out an entire crew. Though Greeley’s extreme reaction was a bit much. The man was probably something of a hypochondriac, which seemed to work to their advantage. To Nolan’s relief, he appeared to have lost some of his initial interest.

  “Why were you hiding?” he mumbled into his handkerchief.

  Nolan moved between them. “He was afraid. Can’t you see he’s only a boy? He’s my nephew.”

  Jewel’s head jerked up. Her glance swung to Nolan, eyes slightly wide. Though she quickly realized that she’d given something away by her reaction to Nolan’s words, the sweep of her lashes as she lowered her conspiratorial gaze caused more damage. The gesture was about the most feminine thing she could have done.

  Before Nolan knew what Greeley intended, the lieutenant sidestepped Nolan and whisked off Jewel’s hat. A torrent of coffee colored hair spilled down her back.

  “He’s a she. Nephew, indeed. Your behavior is deplorable, Captain, but I expect nothing less from you uncivilized Colonials. No wonder you were having such fits that Devlin might snatch away your little bed-warmer.”

  “Take who you want and get off my ship.” Nolan directed his heated words to Greeley, but his fierce stare centered on Jewel.

  “It can’t be soon enough, I assure you.” The lieutenant strolled before Nolan’s crew, examining each man as if he were buying a horse. Nolan was surprised he didn’t look at their teeth.

  Nolan finally pulled his gaze away from Jewel to look for an accomplice. She hadn’t gotten onto the ship alone. Wayland shielded his eyes and studied the cloudless sky. Nolan didn’t doubt he was the one. Parker’s questioning stare captured Nolan’s attention. His lieutenant’s usual open admiration was clouded. Nolan shook his head, warning Parker not to ask for an explanation.

  Greeley paused in front of Parker. “I’ll take him.”

  Nolan stomped over. “No, you won’t. He’s my only officer.”

  “Officer? Is this a military vessel? Perhaps we should have a closer look at your cargo.” Lieutenant Greeley smiled evilly.

  “That won’t be necessary.” The last thing he needed was for Greeley to discover the only cargo they carried was ammunition. Not that Nolan wouldn’t like to see the smirk disappear from the fat man’s face when he discovered just how much firepower they had, but the British would still overpower them. “Take Mr. Tyrell if you must, but since he’s second in command and it’s obvious I’m shorthanded, I insist you replace him with a man of equal skill. Maybe yourself? Are you a second or third lieutenant, Greeley?”

  “Very well, then. No need for that.” Greeley cleared his throat. “We can’t spare any of our lieutenants, and since you’re so clever, we’ll just take some of your able-bodied men and replace them with our own.”

  Lieutenant Greeley picked ten hardy members of Nolan’s crew whom he had earmarked for gunners. Greeley gave Wayland a wide berth, despite the man trailing his every move. Nolan spared another glance at Jewel. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes glittered as she watched. She looked to be enjoying everything.

  He tamped down his annoyance. If it weren’t for her untimely appearance, Nolan might have gained the upper hand with Greeley and not lost ten healthy crewmen. No doubt the men Greeley would trade would be lame or enfeebled.

  After the entourage of British left the Integrity with Nolan’s strongest crew members in tow, Nolan turned to Jewel. She caught his gaze and had the good sense to look at her feet. She jammed her hat back on her head.

  “Mr. Tyrell, see to the transfer of men. I need to speak to my nephew in private.”

  Parker hesitated. He glanced at Jewel, and then back to Nolan. The man was owed an explanation, but Nolan would be damned if he were going to give it.

  His lieutenant nodded, his displeasure obvious. “Aye, Captain.”

  Nolan suppressed the urge to grab Jewel by the arm and yank her to his cabin. Instead, he steadily walked across the deck and stopped in front of her. She looked up with wide, innocent eyes.

  “Follow me,” he said, using a threatening tone he’d never normally use with a woman.

  She visibly shrank and glanced at the faces around her, apparently for support. A low rumbling of disapproval vibrated from Nolan’s crew. Nolan cursed under his breath. Were these good men worrying how he would treat her? He glanced at Wayland, who watched the interaction with amusement. Maybe the pirate would be better at handling Bellamy’s daughter. The man would likely scare her, which she could use. Nolan certainly hadn’t had much success with her. And he wasn’t about to admit he didn’t trust himself alone with the chit.

  “Mr. Wayland, accompany our guest.”

  Nolan felt more than heard the collective sigh when he gave his command. What the hell did they think he was going to do to her? And how would the presence of an old pirate mitigate that? Never mind. Imagining that would do him no good. He stormed across the deck, not bothering to see whether Wayland or Jewel followed. God help them if they didn’t.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Nolan’s angry stride had him at the companionway before Jewel’s fear tensed muscles could start working again. Never could she remember anyone being quite so angry with her, and the fact that she somewhat dese
rved his fury didn’t help matters. His crisp blue jacket and polished boots belied the decidedly uncivilized promise of retribution she saw in his gaze. Nolan disappeared below deck without a backward glance, prompting Jewel to quickly follow.

  Wayland’s firm grip on the back of her jacket stopped her in midstep. “Take your time, Joe.”

  “My name’s not Joe, but I guess you already know that.” Jewel took off her hat and ran her hand through her hair. His appearance no longer caused her to gasp and, at the moment, was almost welcoming. If he hadn’t been kind enough to ask her where she was going when she’d become disoriented at Charles Town’s huge wharf, she might never have found Nolan’s ship. “We should follow him. No need to make him any angrier than he already is.”

  Wayland hooked his arm through hers. “I think the lad will appreciate a moment to collect his thoughts.”

  Instead of pulling away, Jewel allowed his support. In reality, she wasn’t nearly as ready to face Nolan as she confessed. “Are you angry with me for lying to you?”

  The kind crinkling around his mismatched eyes soothed her, even accompanied with his broken-toothed smile. At least he was friendly.

  “I knew you was a girl. I thought our captain could use a female on board to soften him up a bit. You can see I was right. He might not be so cranky if he had some womanly company.”

  “He wasn’t too pleased to see me.” Jewel understood the implications behind Wayland’s words but didn’t fear Nolan had any such inclinations. The man acted as if he had no human emotions beyond rage, and even the full-blown intensity of that had been a surprise. On his visit to the Quail and Queen, he’d treated her with a chilly respect that invited only distance.

  Following Wayland, Jewel climbed down the ladder leading into the ship’s shadowy hull. He waited at the bottom. “You know how to smooth a man’s rough edges, don’t you, lass?”

  “As a matter of fact I do.” No matter Nolan’s justified anger at her deception, Jewel had the map. She’d do well not to forget that during their conversation.

  Wayland grabbed her shoulders, directing her down the darkened corridor. “That’s my girl. You give old Nolan hell.”

  Too soon, they stopped in front of a cabin door that Wayland opened without knocking. Nolan swung around like an animal poised for a fight, filling every inch of the tiny room with his bulk. Jewel froze in the doorway. Wayland shoved her inside the airless cabin, and then followed, closing the door behind him. With his body blocking the exit, Jewel felt trapped.

  “What in the hell are you doing on my ship?” Nolan’s blue eyes burned.

  Jewel resisted the urge to flee only because Wayland stood behind her. She forced herself to meet Nolan’s gaze and reminded herself that he had come to her first. If he wanted the map, she came with it. “I’m sorry for the trouble with the British, but I’m here now.” She stopped herself from saying with the map, not sure she could trust Wayland. “I think we should just forget about how I got on your ship and proceed with the arrangement we discussed at the tavern.”

  “I told you that was impossible,” he snapped. He paused to tuck a strand of hair that had come loose from the tie behind his ear and took a deep breath. His eyes lost some of their fury, but Jewel still felt breathless. How much easier it would be if they were on the same side.

  “Nothing’s impossible, Nolan. You appeared in my life when I’d almost believed otherwise. I’ll not return to Charles Town. There’s nothing for me there.” Jewel thought she saw compassion in Nolan’s expressive eyes, and her stomach clenched as she braced herself for pity. She lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. “I’m not asking for special treatment. Just what’s fair.”

  He leaned on the desk behind him, putting as much space between them as possible in the tight quarters. His fingers curled around the desk’s wooden top.

  “Jewel”—he said her name with more gentleness than she’d thought him capable of—“I do understand how hard it’s been for you in Charles Town. I’ll pay you for the map and I’ll take you to Boston. You can start a new life.”

  “Working at the tavern’s all I know. Let me have this adventure.” Jewel glanced away, finding it impossible to hold his gaze. The cabin’s tight space seemed to shrink. A sensation like the atmosphere before a thunderstorm forced the hair on her arms to prickle when she looked into Nolan’s eyes.

  He stared at her, unblinking. “No one will make you marry a man you don’t want. I can promise you that.”

  For the briefest moment, his words left her too stunned to respond. Though he offered an option she was unwilling to take, not often had she received so much consideration. “It’s not that simple. Women are expected to do things for their honor, their security. We don’t have the same choices men do.”

  Nolan lifted his chin slightly, studying her. “You’ll have choices. I’ll see to that.”

  Jewel wanted to believe him, but she didn’t see how he could change the past, give her a name and a family when she had none. Though he had championed her in the tavern, he couldn’t always be at her side. Now was the time for her to champion herself.

  Wayland rested his hand on her shoulder. She jumped, having forgotten anyone else was in the small cabin.

  “Ye see, lad,” Wayland said. “Ye owe it to the girl to help her make a new life, seeing as how ye—”

  One glance told her why Wayland ended his sentence so abruptly. Cold fury showed in the gaze Nolan directed over her head.

  Wayland didn’t seem put off. Jewel heard a smug smile in his voice. “Seeing how you both want the same thing: to find the treasure. And since the chit has the map, ye should help each other. I think Bellamy would have liked that.”

  Jewel turned abruptly, her surprise that Wayland knew she had the map obliterated by his second revelation. “You knew my father?”

  Wayland nodded. “He was my best and oldest friend. A finer man there never was.”

  Nolan’s voice chilled the warm exchange. “Since you two have become such fast friends, Wayland can help you find your way in Boston.”

  Wayland stepped in front of her. “Sorry, lad. I mean to help you find the treasure.”

  Nolan unfolded from his leaning position. His broad shoulders seemed to grow. “Sorry, old man. You disobeyed a direct order. I told you to leave the girl to me, and you went ahead and smuggled her on board.”

  “I’m not some helpless piece of cargo. I made my own decision to find my way aboard.” Jewel glanced between Nolan and Wayland. Apparently she had a new source from which to discover what exactly had happened to her father.

  “And found my ship moored at a remote anchorage and hid in the pantry all on your own?” While he spoke to Jewel, Nolan glared at Wayland.

  “I’m very resourceful. You’ll realize that once you agree to bring me along to find the treasure.” Jewel had never liked to lie but she’d have to sharpen her skills at dodging the truth if she wanted to hold her own with these two men.

  “There you go. Out of the mouth of babes,” said Wayland.

  “Get out.” Nolan took a step toward him.

  “I’m not a babe.” Jewel held her ground. Nolan would have to go through her to get to Wayland. “I’m a grown woman.”

  “That’s the problem.” Nolan reached past her and held the door open for Wayland to leave.

  The older man winked at her. “Remember what I told you,” he whispered in her ear before he strode out the door.

  Nolan slammed it loud enough to make Jewel jump. He turned his gaze on her and she couldn’t remember what she was about, much less anything Wayland had said.

  Nolan leaned against the closed door. “Where’s the map?”

  Jewel laid her hand on her chest. “Right here.”

  Nolan’s gaze dropped briefly. He pushed away from the door and went to the desk. Confined by the small space, he somehow managed to neither touch nor look at her in the process. “I’m not going to try to physically take it from you, though I could.”

  J
ewel wished she hadn’t left her sword in her hiding place or she would dispute his claim. Harvey had taught her well. Still, she doubted she could run Nolan through any more than he would hold her down and take the map from her. As angry as he was, his threats never got past the scowling stage. “I don’t think you would do something like that.”

  Nolan faced the desk. When he turned to her again, his jaw was clenched. “Don’t tempt me. Even I don’t know my own depths.”

  Jewel ignored the meaning behind his dark scowl, afraid she’d lose her nerve. At the moment, he looked as if he were capable of anything. “I was hoping we could make a deal.”

  Nolan cocked his head. “Are you good at making deals? What do you usually bargain with?”

  His scrutiny made her uncomfortable. She felt naked before his gaze even in her male clothing. She resisted the urge to fold her arms across her chest. “You know, Nolan, there are many sea captains, but only one map.”

  “You would be the loser in that bargain, Jewel, I promise you. No one else can read the map—and if they could, what’s to stop them from taking the treasure from you once they find it?”

  She studied him for a moment, and then discarded her knee-length jacket. “Do you think all men so low?”

  Nolan’s gaze flicked over her. “I know human nature.”

  Jewel plucked at the tie of her shirt. The way he watched her unlace the garment warned her Nolan battled his own human weaknesses, and to her surprise, one of them happened to be lust for her. The fact that they were alone settled on her for the first time, along with the awareness that the tiny room held a narrow bunk on the back wall along with a desk. The cabin served as Nolan’s bedroom.

  “And what of you, Nolan? Is that what you intended when you demanded I hand over the map and let you walk out of my life?” She thought to unnerve him, to somehow gain an advantage, but the way he continued to stare warned he wasn’t a man easily toyed with.