Finally, we pulled to a stop and the door flung open once again. The driver stood loyally, waiting to help us step down to the ground below. It felt weird being carted around and aided to and from a vehicle. I almost felt like someone important.
Lottie handed me the velvet sack before her hand reached out and hauled on the thick, tentacle carved wooden door of The Kraken’s Den. As soon as we entered my eyes scanned the common areas and I felt my heart flutter wildly as they landed on a small trio of men standing around the stone fireplace in the back. One of which was Henry who turned and caught my eager gaze. We both smiled and casually strolled to one another. Heart reaching for heart.
“I missed you,” he whispered deep and raspy against my ear. His lips found mine and I succumbed to the smell of leather and red wine, the way the blonde scruff of his face gently scratched against the skin around my mouth. Finally, he pulled away, leaving me breathless.
Damn, he knew how to kiss a girl hello.
Head swimming, I smiled and kidded, “I believe you.” I so desperately wanted to show him the treasure I’d found. But alone. Upstairs where Henry could have the space to deal with his emotions freely without the audience of our crew and the guests of the Den. “How’s the ship?”
“In better shape that we thought,” he told me. “We should be finished tomorrow.”
“Good, I want everything to be ready for us.” I rubbed my lips together in nervous thought. “I want to leave the second this is over.”
“Oh, you shan’t be leavin’ any time soon,” spoke an unknown voice from over my shoulder.
I witnessed the color drain from Henry’s face and his charcoal eyes widen as Finn and Gus flanked his sides, hands on their weapons. Slowly, I spun around, Henry’s hand tight around my wrist. Two men stood there; big, burly, and most definitely intimidating. I hadn’t seen them there at the tavern before. They must have followed us in; a confirmed suspicion as one of the men grabbed Lottie from behind his back and pushed her forward where she fell into Gus’s arms.
“Excuse me?” I asked while attempting my toughest face, clutching my sack behind me.
“Dianna,” Henry whispered with urgency. “Don’t–”
The man, tall and broad with greasy dark hair that stuck out from underneath a flat cap, stuck a hand out to shake in mock politeness. “Forgive me, my name is Frank. You’ll be comin’ with us, now.” Frank watched me blatantly ignore his gesture and his hand dropped back to his side with a sneer.
“Me?” I clarified. Henry’s grip around my wrist tightened and he pulled me back, closer to him.
“Yes,” the man named Frank replied. “You, and your crew. The lot of ya.”
“I don’t even know you,” I said to him. “I demand to know where it is you expect me to go.”
Frank’s eyes bypassed me, and he failed to stifle a knowing smile as he scanned around the room, taking in the faces of my crew as if he knew them. “Why don’t you ask them? They surely know.” He paused and locked his threatening gaze on Henry over my shoulder. “Don’t you, Captain Barrett?”
Those annoying little hairs stood up on end as goosebumps scoured over my body. Captain Barrett? I turned and pulled my arm back, my hand falling into his and staying there as Henry refused to let me go.
“Henry?” His name carried with it the tone of my confusion. He looked… almost apologetic. “What is he talking about? Where are we going?”
Henry’s tongue flicked out and moistened his dry, nervous lips. His expression held a depth of explanation, but he only spoke three curt words. “To see Wallace.”
Chapter Four
Isat across from Lottie and Gus as I rubbed my arm where Frank had hustled me into their carriage. The horse had trotted off before Henry could jump in and I barked at the driver to stop. But he ignored my demands. I hadn’t had a chance to stow away my velvet satchel of treasures before Wallace’s men scooped us up, so I wrapped the thick drawstring around my hand, ensuring no one would take it from me. The items inside may not mean much to an outsider, but they were everything to me. To Henry. I at least wanted the chance to give them to him.
I also wanted the chance to talk to him about this Wallace guy. How should I act? What should I say? Not say? I hadn’t the faintest idea of what we were being led to and my expectations of a good outcome were low. That much I got from the solemn looks on my carriage mate’s faces.
“Okay,” I finally said to them. “What’s going to happen?” Lottie said nothing as she chewed her lip in worried thought. “Gus?” I asked desperately. “Are we in trouble? Danger? What do I do?”
He regarded Lottie from the side and leaned forward on his lap, motioning me to draw closer. “Wallace runs the port,” he began and crinkled his brow. “The pirate portion of it, anyway. No one comes or goes without payin’ a visit to Wallace first. They must offer their duty for protection from the crown.”
My stomach tightened. “So, Wallace thinks we were avoiding paying our fee?” Gus nodded. “What happens to those who don’t pay?”
Gus shrugged nervously. “Nothin’ direct. Wallace makes damn sure no trail leads back. But I’ve seen ships burned, men’s throats slit in the night, the authorities called. It’s been years since Henry and I’ve been back here, but I reckon it’s all the same.”
My trembling hands wrung together. “So, what do I do, then? How do I act? What do I say?”
“You speak of nothing,” Gus replied.
“But she’s the captain,” Lottie retorted, pulling the combs from her hair and letting it fall loose around her shoulders.
Gus’s furrowed brow regarded me with pity. “Not to Wallace, she ain’t.” He inhaled deeply, ready to continue, but Lottie slid from her seat and gawked out the tiny carriage window in awe, gasping at the sight.
“My God,” she exclaimed. “I’d never been here before, father always left me behind on The Queen when we docked in Southampton. Said Wallace’s was no place for a child.” She chortled. “It was the only time he ever referred to me as one.” Her eyes stared out the window in amazement. “Just look at this place.”
I shifted across my seat and joined her admiring gaze. The two carriages bumped along a well-groomed dirt road that wound through a gorgeous property, the sides of our path lined with flowering fruit trees. In the distance, at the end of the ridiculously long tree-lined road, stood a magnificent white house. No, it was far too large for a simple house. The closer we got the more it came into view, its impressive size filling my entire line of sight. Endless rows of windows and peaks overwhelmed my brain.
Our carriage neared the front entrance, a gaudy set of navy-blue doors with gold embellishments, and we circled around a stone fountain before we came to a final stop. Gus kicked the door open and helped Lottie and I to the ground. My neck craned as my eyes hungrily took in the sight in its entirety. The property was like something out of an old Victorian painting. A massive home fit for a king with a backdrop of the wide-open sea behind it. I realized then, the property sat on a cliff, backed by the serene soundtrack of the tumbling waves below.
The second carriage came up right behind us and Henry jumped out before it came to a full stop. He took two long and quick strides to me, his arms embracing my body protectively. To my ear his face nuzzled and whispered desperately, “Say nothing. Do not let on that you are the captain. The repercussions will be much different if Wallace discovers who truly sails The Queen.”
I pulled away and searched his worried eyes. “But, Henry–”
“No,” he barked quietly. “I will not put that on you. For today, I am the captain.” He saw my unwillingness to play the damsel. “Dianna, please.”
My lips pursed in thought as I fought back my pride. “Fine.”
Henry visibly relaxed and opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by an approaching Finn.
“Aye, Captain,” Finn said to me, “Are ye alright?”
I gave him a quick nod and then replied, voice lowered, “Here, I’m just Di
anna. Henry is the captain, okay?”
“It’s for her protection,” Henry added.
Finn seemed about to protest, but Henry grasped his shoulder, stressing the importance of the matter. After a moment, Finn nodded dutifully. “As you wish, Dianna.” He chuckled. “Christ, that feels strange on the tongue.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “I promise, if we get through this, you can go back to calling me whatever you want.”
Lottie and Gus joined us as we stood and waited outside the gargantuan property and part of me thanked the heavens that Charlie and the boys weren’t there. It was then that I noticed a wooden sign, swinging in the wind on its cast iron stand near the front door. It appeared to be hand carved and distressed over time, the words etched into its surface telling me that it was more than just a house. I squinted to read what it said.
The Siren’s Call.
I peered up at Henry, his hand clasped tightly around mine. “Is this a fancy tavern or something?”
“Of sorts,” he replied vaguely.
“What does that mean?”
“Once upon a time, when it belonged to Wallace’s father. The Siren’s Call was a place for people of stature and title to stay under the protection and discretion it offered,” Henry explained.
Finn must have noted my look of confusion because he leaned over and whispered from the side of his mouth, “’Tis a brothel for kings and rich bastards.”
At my side, Henry stiffened. “But that all ended when Wallace inherited the property and business.”
I found that fact strange. The amount of money men like that would pay would surely be a lucrative business. “Why’s that?”
The men who’d scooped us from The Kraken’s Den strolled up to the front doors and gripped the golden handles before hauling them open. I stood with my crew in wait as two more men exited the house and stepped off to the sides as someone emerged from between them.
A silent gasp escaped my lips. The person exuded confidence with a chin held high and creamy brown skin as radiant as melted milk chocolate. As I took in the shocking beauty of their heart-shaped face framed with long, shiny black waves, I realized why Wallace didn’t want The Siren’s Call to be a brothel. I suddenly knew why Henry and my crew always seemed uneased at the mention of Wallace’s name.
Because Wallace was a woman.
The tall, dark beauty gave a curt nod to her men as she graced the few steps that led down to the ground where we stood. Her lithe body wrapped tightly with a brown leather corset, arms bathed in a flowing white silk, she was almost painful to look at. I suddenly felt like the grungy, bloated pregnant woman I was, and my cheeks flushed red as she neared.
“Gentlemen,” she addressed the group and then Lottie, “and lady. I see many familiar faces.” Her dark brown eyes then fell on me and she approached like a cat stalking a mouse. “But yours I do not recognize. Tell me why.”
“Roselyn,” Henry cut in and she regarded him with widened eyes. He cleared his throat. “Wallace, may I present to you my fiancé, Dianna… Sheppard.”
My father’s last name. I noted how Henry hid the fact that I was a Cobham. Roselyn Wallace must have known Maria. But I began to worry… if she knew my sister then, surely, my appearance might seem suspicious. I silently begged for her not to see the resemblance.
“Fiancé, you say?” Her big, brown eyes flickered to my belly and then back to Henry. “And with child? My, you’ve been busy, Captain Barrett.”
“Yes,” Henry replied. “A lot has changed since I last left these shores.”
Wallace said nothing, only wavered in front of us thoughtfully before turning on her leathered heel. I couldn’t figure out her expression; a mixture of surprise and… jealousy? No. It couldn’t be. What would this woman have to envy over me? But my heart clenched in my chest as a thought ran through my mind.
Was it possible that she and Henry were together in the past?
If so, why wouldn’t he have told me? I guffawed internally. Heck, why hadn’t he told me Wallace was woman? Suddenly, things made more sense. Recent conversations turning vague and deflecting each time the topic of Wallace was brought up. I watched as Henry’s eyes followed the dark beauty away from us and my paranoia began to set in. Were those looks of longing? Regret? Something else? I didn’t want to think such things but the pit in my stomach turned sour and my mind swam in circles. The ground rose toward my suddenly sweaty face.
I was passing out.
The strong bars of Henry’s arms dug into my body as he caught me and held me close. “Christ, Dianna! Are you alright?” My head still spun with cloudy swirls, but I managed a nod as my vision turned black. Henry moaned disapprovingly. “No, you’re most certainly not.”
I felt Lottie’s cool hands on my face. “Dianna, what’s the matter? What happened?”
“Christ, she’s as white as a bloody ghost,” Finn threw in. “We best be gettin’ her back to the tavern.”
“N-no,” I whispered tremblingly. “I’m fine. I just… I haven’t eaten in a while.” A big fat lie. Lottie and I had stuffed our faces at the market. But I didn’t really know what was wrong. Overwhelming emotions, yes, but that shouldn’t have caused me to faint.
“Is she alright?” I heard Wallace ask, surprised by the string of sincerity in her voice. Maybe I had pegged her wrong. “Come, get her inside. We can talk business in there.” I heard the crunching of the woman’s footsteps as she strutted toward the house and snap her fingers. “Angus bring the carriages around back and have the horses tended to.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the man named Angus replied dutifully.
Henry’s arms shifted as he hoisted me into his grasp, cradling me tight to his strong chest while he carried me inside with ease. It was all I could do to wrap my own arms around his neck. My heavy head lulled back; my neck unable to support it. Through the cloudy tunnel vision, I caught glimpses of The Siren’s Call; elaborate paintings as large and gaudy as the house itself, perfect Victorian furniture displaying delicate vases and sculptures. The floors were some sort of stone. White like marble, from what I could tell. And the sound of footsteps rang loud through the halls. Finally, we turned a corner and entered a large, brightly lit room.
“Set her over there on the chaise,” Wallace instructed as she stood in front of a wall of bookcases. “I’ll have Ansley fetch her some water and a bite to eat.”
Henry gently laid my limp body down on a velvety surface and I immediately began to feel better. The blanket of nausea slowly melting away. With great difficulty, I tried to sit up.
“No, no,” Henry told me. “Lay down.”
I waved his hand away. “I’m fine, really,” I insisted stubbornly and shifted my back to rest against the arm of the chaise. “I’m starting to feel better.”
I must have looked it because Henry allowed me to remain sitting up. But he took a seat right by my side. “Are you sure?” I nodded and gave a shaky smile. His hand cupped my cheek as his thumb caressed the skin under my eye. “What happened back there?”
I shrugged. “I think… perhaps I overdid it today? With the walking and–” I searched around me in a panic. My satchel. It was gone.
“Here,” Lottie said and stepped closer before handing me the bag. “You dropped it outside.”
I gave her an appreciative smile as I felt my shoulders relax and I eased back. “Thank you.”
“Is it the baby?” she asked with concern.
“No, I don’t think so.” I fumbled nervously with the drawstring, wrapping it around my hand. “Like I said, I think I just… the exhaustion of the day caught up with me. That’s all.”
My friends still remained unconvinced, that much I could tell by their lingering looks of concern. Thankfully, I was saved from endless prying as Roselyn Wallace came back into the room, carrying with her a shiny metal tray. We all stopped and watched as she set it on a thick, gaudy desk of darkened wood. The woman grabbed a cup of something steaming and came toward me.
“Here,
she said, holding out the cup. “Some warm broth from Ansley’s soup. Drink it. You’ll feel better.”
I looked to Henry and he gave a faint nod, so I accepted the cup of soup with a smile.
“Uh, thanks.” I gently placed the rim to my lips and inhaled the surprisingly delicious aroma. Definitely some sort of chicken-like meat and veggies, from what I could smell. The broth was a creamy brown, inviting me to drink up. I did. The delightful taste, and almost immediate feeling of nausea passing, tempted me to drink more and more until the large ceramic cup was empty.
Roselyn smiled, a gesture that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Excellent.” She walked around the backside of her oversized desk. “Now, let’s talk business.”
Henry stepped forward. “Wallace, let me–”
“Captain Barrett.” She glared toward him. “I will do the talking and asking of questions. I’ve played nice long enough. I watched your ship sail into port. I saw your mismatched crew step off and head to town. For days, I waited. Expecting that you’d come see me once you’d settled in.” Her hand reached out and grabbed a small dagger from the surface of the desk, toyed with it in her hand. “After all, if the rumors about your crew ring true, you’d owe me quite the duty. I’d hate to think you were planning on leaving without paying it.”
“And what rumors would that be, exactly?” Henry crossed him arms sternly over his chest.
Wallace narrowed her eyes and grinned, pointing the tiny dagger around the room, its tip hovering in front of each one of my crew. “A little birdie told me you paid a visit to Shell Bird Island. The real one.”
The Siren's Call Page 5
