"We should be leaving in a quarter of an hour," he informed her, and then regarded the sunrise along with her. Despite being on the sea for the majority of his life, sunsets and sunrises still baffled him with their beauty. It was nice to see someone else share his philosophy on the matter. "I should probably tell you that the next port we will be stopping at, and where we are dropping you off, is Port Royal."
7
Belle chuckled louder than a proper lady was supposed to, tilting her head slightly because she was not sure that she had heard the pirate captain correctly. "I am sorry," she said, a smile on her face as though she believed the world was now playing some sort of joke on her. "Did you just say that you were going to drop me off at Port Royal, or did I mishear you?"
Aaron Donovan peered at the young woman, his brow pursed together. He studied her for a long moment. “No, you did not mishear me," he said finally. "Is that a problem for you?" His eyes narrowed, gazing at her intently, as though he could see straight through to her inner conflict.
"Actually," she said, lifting her eyes to meet his for the first time during the conversation. The sunrise seemed miniscule now. "Yes, yes it is a big problem for me."
Aaron paused for a moment. There was brute determination in her murky green eyes, and her jaw twitched as she tried to remain calm. It was as though she was placing transparent walls around herself, more than there already were. His eyes narrowed as he continued to look at her, and she wondered if he noticed the fear flash in her eyes, if only for a second. Her body was tense, and a few strands of her dark blonde hair fell in her face, but Belle seemed to ignore them, at least for a moment.
Port Royal was a particularly respectable town compared to other ports in Caribbean. Many upstanding citizens of England came to reside in Port Royal due to the tropical weather and the relaxed lifestyle. While there was a rowdy neighborhood in the downtown portion of the port where pirates frequented, it was generally much safer than Tortuga. It was not as though Belle could not find work in the town; she was young and pretty. Hell, she might also find a husband, a wealthy one at that. It had happened before.
"Well," he said, speaking after a very long moment. "It would seem we have already set sail. If you would like to jump in the ocean and head back to Tortuga, by all means, have at it. Oh, and be sure to try and dodge those vicious sharks. I hear they can get hungry rather quickly and it would not bode well for you if you tempted them, however indirectly it may be."
She knew he was hoping to get a reaction out of her, but his plan backfired. There was a desperation in her eyes, and she could not help but contemplate accomplishing such a feat. The calculations were already forming in her mind, and she chewed her lip, wondering if there really were sharks this close to the shore. Without warning, Donovan coiled his fingers around her wrist, causing her to flinch while snapping her head in his direction. She stiffened under his touch, and he immediately released her.
"Don't be silly," he told her in a low voice. He looked almost affronted that Belle reacted as she had when all he had done was merely touch her wrist. "Why do you not want to go to Port Royal?" he asked her.
They had known each other not for very long, and she was not yet comfortable confiding in him. At least not yet. "I just do not want to go," she said tightly, unable to meet his eyes.
"There must be a reason," the captain prodded, his tone wary.
"Why do you want to know?" Belle snapped, flashing her eyes to his. Apparently he had underestimated her impending temper. "Why do you think my personal belief concerning Port Royal has anything to do with you? Let me try to put these in words you might understand: My reason is like a treasure under lock and key. You do not have the key, therefore you do not know my reasoning." Her face had turned red and she had lost control over her breath so when she had finished, she had to catch it.
Instead of being offended at her rampant tirade, he looked somewhat relaxed. "Well, who has the key?" he asked her, cocking his head to the side.
"I do," she told him, slight confusion in her voice at why he was calm after she had just torn into him.
"How would I acquire this key?" He was playing with her now, she knew, and she wondered why. Was he trying to calm her down, by chance? He flashed her one of his most charming smiles, revealing surprisingly straight teeth. Every tooth was in place; there was no gold, silver, or gaps decorating the inside of his mouth. If Belle was being honest, she found it to be quite breath-taking.
"You can't," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Why not?" he asked. "Do you discriminate against pirates?" He raised his brow, emphasizing his interest in her response.
"It has nothing to do with discrimination, Captain Donovan," she said, averting her eyes down at the sea, watching the lulling waves rock the sturdy ship back and forth. "It is my treasure and no one else's. I do not feel there is a need for me to share."
"There may not be a need," he agreed with her, turning so that he faced her, leaning slightly against the railing of the ship, "but there is a desire from me for you to share." He paused, allowing her to answer, but it seemed she felt that there was nothing that needed to be said at that moment. "Well, then. I assume this treasure cannot be taken, but can only be given then?"
"It would seem so," she replied softly, "but do not get your hopes up. I am very selfish and do not like to share."
"I do not think you are at all selfish," he observed. "And I do not think it is selfishness that restrains you from divulging your secret, but protection for yourself." He paused, this time so he could think about what to say next. "If you ever feel the need to rid your conscious of your secret, I would be happy to help you."
"It is my cross to bear," she told him, her tone firm. Her eyes flashed emerald as they locked with his. "And it would seem that if there ever came I time when I felt a need to do such a thing, I would be stuck in Port Royal and you would be only God knows where."
"Yes, I have been giving some thought to your current predicament, and I think it is in both of our interests if I offer you some sort of deal," he told her slowly, watching her with his sharp eyes.
Belle glanced back up at the pirate captain. There was something in his underlying tone that caused her to be cautious of such a deal. She knew Captain Donovan's reputation concerning stowaways; he deposited them on the next land, whether it was a bustling port or a deserted island. She was surprised he allowed her on his ship and agreed to drop her off at the next port, even after losing the bet she had previously made with him. Belle was never one to ask favors because she did not like the feeling of being expected to return the favor when called upon. The young woman liked to depend on herself. However, a voice inside her reasoned, this was a deal. Whatever he wanted from her, she could square away without the anticipation of returning her end of the bargain.
"And what would this deal entail?" she asked him.
"Well, it would appear to me that you do not wish to remain in Port Royal, despite the fact that it is the next port we are stopping at," he began. "You will not tell me your reasons, and I, being the gentleman I am, will not prod you." Belle rolled her eyes at this statement, but she continued to listen. "The fact of the matter is, my dear, that once we leave Port Royal, we will be at sea for a long while. If you can earn your keep, and have no qualms about being on a ship with pirates who will not harm you in any way, then I give you my permission to stay aboard."
"What is it that you need me to do in return?" she asked, already warming to the idea of skipping out on Port Royal.
"Well, you are obviously a woman, and I am obviously a man," he told her. "I am quite sure you have heard about me and my reputation. There is a family residing in Port Royal that I intend to rob. I need you to pretend to be my beautiful, charming wife while we dine with said family. You and I are to distract said family while my sneaky crew pillages the wealth on the second floor of the mansion."
Belle thought about it for a long moment. It did not sit well wit
h her to know that she would be stealing, but she also admired Aaron Donovan for giving whatever he accumulated to those in need, and after living in Tortuga for eight years, she knew there were so many people in need. Plus, it saved her from being left alone at Port Royal. It would seem the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. But there was something she was still curious about.
"What family would we be pillaging?" she asked him. She knew many of the wealthy occupants, and wondered if she might be recognized.
"The Rochesters," he told her with a wicked grin.
Belle nearly fell off of the ship.
8
"I am not exactly comfortable with this," she said, her breath hitching as she bit her lip and glanced down at her increasing bust before her very eyes.
"Which part?" he asked from behind her. He stood from his crouched position and wiped his hands, walking around her so he faced her. He crossed his arms over his chest. "The part where I help you dress? The tightness of the dress?"
"The entire situation, really," Belle said, running her fingers through her hair. It was slightly hard for her to speak due to said tightness; she had forgotten how painful corsets were. "Although, those other two things you mentioned fit quite well, really." She glanced down at herself, smoothing down wrinkles only she could see. "And you are certain it is supposed to be this tight, correct?" She regarded Rick Fraser with a quirked brow, rubbing her lips together.
He nodded, causing his hair to fall in his face. She watched as, for the umpteenth time, he ran his fingers through his hair which reduced the strands in his face only slightly. Rick Fraser was slightly younger than Donovan, maybe seven-and-twenty years of age, but he was definitely shorter by five inches. While Donovan was lean with muscle on him, Rick was well-built. It was mandatory that all members of the crew took care of their appearance, whether it was hygiene or the way they dressed, but it would seem Rick slacked in that area. He had a five o'clock shadow, and while there was barely any dirt on his attire, there were countless wrinkles and his boots were not as polished as the pirate captain’s.
"That's the way he likes it," Rick said, shrugging his shoulders. "You should probably do something with your hair, however. It does seem slightly messy."
Belle narrowed her eyes. "Yes, well, it's not like I have a brush and pins, do I?" she asked him, more defensive than she intended.
"Would you like some?" Rick asked as a mischievous smirk slid onto his squared face.
"You have some?" Her annoyance began to fade immediately upon hearing this news.
"Of course," the first mate said, his smirk turning into a full-blown smile as his dark blue eyes sparkled. "What? You think you're the first woman Aaron has used as bait before?"
This piece of information caused Belle to pause, and a rush of emotions consumed her. It took a moment for her to fully comprehend how she was feeling at this moment. She was definitely curious concerning Donovan's other woman (women?), and maybe slightly put off about it. He was supposed to be the prim-and-proper gentleman Robin Hood pirate, who dressed sharply, spoke well, and used his talent with words to take out his wicked opponents, rather than threats or violence. But it would seem that no matter how well a pirate spoke or dressed, a pirate was still a pirate, and that was that. She was disappointed, actually.
"Of course not," she said in a quiet voice, finding a very interesting place on the wooden floor to stare at rather than Rick's eyes.
"Ah," Rick said, recognizing the soft tone already. "It seems our own Miss Belle is sweet on our dear captain. Well, I dare say it's quite common; it baffles me at how rude he can be to some of the working women and yet they still seem to fawn all over him."
"I am not sweet on that man," she said quickly, running her fingers through her hair. "It surprises me how I have managed to tolerate him thus far." She sighed, feeling her face flare up with heat, but unsure whether it was due to her increasing annoyance once again or the assumption that she could possibly fawn over someone like Aaron Donovan. Yes, she probably had a crush on him when she was in her youth due to the legends her grandfather would tell. And yes, he was quite handsome in a devilish way. And yes, while she had not yet experienced it from him, she could tell by the way he spoke that he could be charming if he wanted to.
"I apologize due to the fact that we have no mirror," Rick told her sheepishly, running his fingers through his disheveled hair. "You'll have to make do with naught but your female instincts."
"It does not matter," Belle said, silently thankful that he had changed the subject. "I am quite used to doing my hair without looking at my reflection." As she was speaking, she had been thinking, and before she could stop herself, she asked, "Why do you think Captain Donovan has not yet married?"
"Who said he would get married in the first place?" Rick returned, his eyes sparkling in amusement. He watched intently as Belle furrowed her brow at the thought. "Listen; Aaron Donovan loves the sea. He loves his freedom, and he loves what he is able to do. He firmly believes in the tasks at hand, and as of right now, I do not see marriage on top of his priority list. I mean, you've seen how he treats the whores who try to woo him; he's not interested in that usually. Don't get me wrong; a man does have needs that need to be satisfied, if you know what I'm saying."
Instead of being disgusted, Belle merely rolled her green eyes and looked at him with impatience. She had worked at the Bloody Mistake long enough to know that men were not as all gentlemanly as they appeared, nor were they as unlawful as they would seem either.
"Unfortunately, I know exactly what you are saying, Mister Fraser," she said, sitting down on a chair. There were a few pins Rick had happened by and a brush, and Belle believed that she should start readying her hair for Donovan's impending scheme.
"You know," Rick said, leaning against the wall before her and crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at her with a level gaze, "you speak quite well for a bar wench found in Tortuga."
"I actually prefer the term barmaid, thank you very much," she corrected, glancing up at him as she unraveled her long, dirty blonde hair from the worn ribbon. She ruffled the wavy locks before grabbing the brush and started to tame her wild hair. "And you, as well as this whole crew, speak rather well for being pirates. It seems this world can be rather…" Here, she stopped her ministrations and smirked up at him, "…surprising."
Now it was Rick's turn to roll his eyes, but immediately focused back on her, watching as she brushed her hair.
"So," Belle said, a pin between her teeth, "what do you know about these Rochesters?" She had not heard about her family in eight years and wondered how they were doing. In fact, her heart skipped a beat just thinking about returning home. They would recognize her without a doubt, but she had no other choice but to do this. Hopefully after her disappearance, Dustin had made one as well. She did not know what she would do if she saw Dustin while there. At least Donovan would be with her. She could not understand it, but she felt safe in his presence, and while she did not want to dwell on it, she also did not take the feeling for granted. Maybe they would even believe the scheme she would be taking a part in, and maybe they would even accept Aaron Donovan as a good choice for a husband. Well, maybe not Aaron Donovan, but whatever character he would take on.
"Well," Rick replied, tracing his bottom lip with his thumb as he thought. "Obviously they're wealthy, or else why would we waste the time, right?" He grinned boyishly at her, and again she rolled her eyes, but she remained silent as he continued. "There's a father… a mother… two sisters." Belle inhaled sharply without meaning to, but Rick did not seem to notice. "Wait," he said, scrunching his brow. "One… it was one sister. Why am I thinking there were two sisters?"
"Because one ran away nearly eight years ago," Aaron drawled, walking into the room without knocking. His eyes immediately locked onto Belle, and he studied her for a while as she finished the final touches on her hair.
"Really?" Belle asked sharply, unaware of his eyes on her, just focused on what he would say.
"That's what I heard at least," he said, and though she could not see him, she clearly detected a smile in his voice. "I know they had two daughters and one simply disappeared. I would assume they think she is dead, unless, of course, you believe in ghosts."
Belle chuckled that same, unladylike chuckle. "Yes, of course," she said, praying that her voice was not shaky. "Ghosts."
9
When Belle had finished with her hair, she regarded Rick, who was watching his captain with a questioning stare. "Do you have powder?" she inquired with an arched brow. In her years, she had perfected her eyebrow-arch. "And maybe some rouge?"
Rick finally locked eyes with her and bit his bottom lip. "I'm not sure," he replied, "but I can check."
"No!" the pirate captain exclaimed. "That will not be necessary. Thank you, Rick."
Rick took his cue to leave, and nodded once at the pirate captain. He then shot an amused smirk in Belle's direction, probably due to the disgruntled look on her face. Once the door had shut firmly behind him, she swiveled in her chair so she was facing Donovan head-on. She was probably more upset than she should be, but if she could paint a mask over her face, it would lessen the chances of her recognition.
"And why not?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously into his. "I have, well, a tan... slightly, and… er… freckles. It would be unwise for me to go out without any sort of makeup. It's just… well, it's just not proper. How do you expect to be taken seriously if you have nay a proper wife, hmm?"
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