He shifted so he laid on his side, facing me, and took me in an embrace with his whole body; legs, arms encompassed me with desperation, as if he thought I was going to disappear, and I returned the gesture, so our naked bodies lay entwined in one another.
“Henry,” I whispered against his skin, and he answered with a hum, “You can’t kill her.” I wanted to tell him everything, about me, how I got there, and my connection to The Cobhams.
We both moved with a heavy sigh that rolled through him and he replied, “I know.”
“You do?” I confirmed with surprise and broke free from our embrace to sit up.
“Yes, I know it’s what the crew expect of me, but I can’t. I don’t want any more blood on my hands. Certainly not the poison that surely runs in her veins.”
I saw my chance. “So, what do you plan to do?”
He shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”
“Well, why not try and find the witch who helped you trap them in the bottle?”
If I could successfully get him on board with the idea, if we found the witch, I could help Henry trap The Cobhams and save the seas from their reign of terror. But, most of all, I hoped she could help me get back home. Magic brought me here, it was probably my only chance of getting back. I knew it was my only option but, when I looked at the man next to me, I realized he could never know. It would break him, and the plan would fall apart. I had to play along and keep Henry happy. But I knew then, how easy that would be.
Because I was falling for him. Deeper than I ever thought possible.
***
The next day, we were headed to the docks where a small boat would take us out to where The Devil’s Heart was anchored and awaiting our return. Henry held my hand proudly, not caring about the whispers making their way through the crew around us.
“Have something to say, gentlemen?” he spoke loudly, daring them to speak ill of our relationship.
One of the younger boys who’d shown me kindness time and time again, Charlie, I think, stopped a few steps ahead and turned to face us.
“No, Sir,” he told Henry with a proud smile, “Just nice to see ya happy, is all. Will Miss Dianna be staying with us aboard The Devil’s Heart for good?”
I felt a gentle squeeze of my hand and Henry stole a glance in my direction. “That decision is Dianna’s.”
My throat tightened under the sudden pressure to answer, knowing that my time aboard the vessel was limited. But then I realized the double meaning behind Henry’s words. The decision was mine whether I would stay aboard or not. I wasn’t a prisoner. I could leave if I wanted to. But one look at his face, eagerly awaiting my answer, his coal-black eyes pleading me not to go… I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.
“For as long as you’ll have me, Charlie,” I assured the both of them, and I saw the instant relief of pressure melt off of Henry’s chest.
“So, be sure to treat her well,” he added to the deckhand.
“Aye, Captain,” the boy answered happily, then tipped his cap and skipped along to join the rest of the crew.
Henry stared ahead at his men with a proud, loving look. “They’re good men,” he told me.
“Yeah, I’m beginning to see that.”
“That Charlie, I picked him up at a port in Brighton, after spending time in London for business. The eager lad wanted to join the crew, but I turned him away, said he was too young,” he paused to let out a slight chuckle, “the bugger snuck aboard, and he’s never left me since. He’s small, but a hard worker and just loves the sea. He… he reminds me of myself at that age.”
I slipped my other hand around Henry’s arm and snuggled my head against it as we casually strolled toward the water. For someone named Devil Eyes, he was a hard man to dislike. I didn’t know if it had anything to do with me, but I could see the dark layers beginning to peel away from him, revealing a bright and shiny heart. If I could help him heal, to face his past and figure out the man he wants to be, then I could leave this era with no regrets.
“Captain!” someone yelled from behind us and we turned to find Finn racing down the gravel pathway. “Captain, we found them,” the Scotsman said as he bent over to catch his breath.
I had no idea what he was talking about, but Henry let go of my hand and stiffened; his face alert and hardened with purpose. “Where?”
“We got word of communities on the East Coast,” Finn began, “They’ve been raided by a man and woman, lives have been lost and they were demanding to know the whereabouts of a child, a boy, Captain.”
A mixture of emotions washed over Henry’s face, but I was still left in the dark. “What are you guys talking about?”
“The Cobhams,” Henry told me, “They’re looking for the Gaelic witch.”
My stomach clenched. “What’s this about a boy, then?”
“It’s their son. I gave him to the witch to protect,” he replied, sadly, “I wanted him to live a normal life. So, I took him, years ago. And when I found the witch to trap them in the bottle, she offered to take him. Swore she could keep him safe.”
“The Cobhams had a child?” I said aloud for myself to hear it. The very thought made me sick. But… could the child be the origin of my own existence? Or had the Cobhams yet to conceive the ancestor that would create my lineage? I had no way of knowing for sure.
Henry nodded and turned to Finn. “Set a course for the community you heard about. If they’re looking for the boy, then they’re looking for the witch we seek. This could very well be over sooner than we’d thought.”
I saw the hope on his face, the glimmer of our future Henry envisioned glistening in his eyes, and my heart ached. The sooner we found the witch, the sooner I’d be gone. I thought I’d have more time.
“Aye, Captain,” Finn tipped his hat and ran off toward the docks.
We continued walking toward the water and I asked Henry, “Are you happy?”
He stopped and pulled on my arm, bringing our bodies together so he could embrace me. This pirate, this man before me, only I knew how delicate he was inside, and it killed me to think about how soon I’d be shattering what little I’d help heal.
“I’ll be happier when this all ends,” he told me with certainty. “Then you and I shall rule the seas with light hearts and free minds.”
I couldn’t answer so I kissed his soft, warm lips and laid my head against his chest. A single tear escaped the corner of my eye and I quickly wiped it away before he caught it running down my cheek.
What have I done?
Chapter Thirteen
We set sail on a trip that would last ten days, according to Finn. We’d make one stop for supplies on the South Coast and then sail straight to our destination of Cupers Cove, just slightly North of St. John’s. Each day I manned my kitchen, becoming more and more comfortable in my role as ship’s cook. I made simple, but delicious meals of stew, fresh bread, and their new favorite; pasta.
My swab duties were simple thanks to my unexpected helper, Charlie. It seemed he didn’t care much for the tasks he did aboard the ship, as long as he was on the sea. The boy constantly radiated happiness and I became really fond of him. He told me stories of his home, back in England. The money he made aboard the ship was sent back to his mother who was ill. By what he described, it sounded like cancer, something yet to be discovered in this era, and my heart broke for the boy. I told him about my dad and we bonded over our mutual experiences.
Charlie continued to help me swab the decks, wash the tables, and even clean the lower deck where the crew slept. I braved the makeshift restroom and, with Charlie’s help, constructed a better system with a bucket, sawed-off at an angle, then placed and attached over a small hole in the side of the ship. It wasn’t pretty, but at least we didn’t have to dump a disgusting pail of human waste each day.
On the third day, I found myself elbow-deep in dishwater as I scrubbed the pans I’d used to make breakfast. Sweet Charlie appeared, eager to help.
“Let me finish this,
Miss Dianna,” he told me. “You go take a break. Check in with the captain.” The boy wouldn’t look me in the eye when he spoke the last words and I knew then that my efforts to distance myself from Henry were too obvious.
Each evening, I would retire from my daily duties of taking care of the crew and head back to the quarters that I shared with Henry. It was easy to avoid him during the day because we both had our responsibilities aboard The Devil’s Heart.
But at night…
The second our eyes laid on one another, the yearning caught fire and my efforts during the day were washed away. It almost made it worse, to distance myself from Henry for hours on end. My heart clawed at my chest from the very sight of him, begging to be near him, to touch him, and I happily crawled into bed each night to let the devil-eyed pirate ravage my body.
Today would be the first since we set sail on our mission that I’d see him in the sunlight. My pulse quickened as I neared the door to the captain’s quarters, but it came to a screeching halt when I’d found that we had company. Finn and Gus stood around Henry’s desk of maps while their captain paced the floors.
“G’day, lass,” Finn greeted. “Is it dinner time already?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. But I do have a pot of vegetable soup simmering. Charlie’s watching over it.” I came and took a seat near the stern’s windows, one of my favorite places on the ship. I could look out to the sea and the horizon and watch the waves.
Gus jiggled with a chuckle. “That boy’s fond of ya.”
“He’s sweet and eager to help,” I replied. “It’s nice having him around. Makes my job easier.” I stole a glance to Henry who stood over near his desk, wavering, as if he weren’t sure I wanted him to come near. I smiled to ease his worry and I watched his body relax. Did he really care that much? About how I felt and what I thought of him? How deep had he fallen for me, I wondered, as I thought of our dwindling time together. “What are you guys doing, anyway?”
“We’re trying to decide where to stop for supplies and take rest on land for a night,” Henry replied.
Finn pointed to a spot on the map. “If we stop here, there’s a small fishing community where we could rest and stock up on some dried cod and fresh potatoes.” The Scotsman lifted an eyebrow in my direction and grinned, licking his lips under the big red beard.
I laughed. Like Charlie, Finn always made me feel happy and he adored my cooking. He saved my life when I first came aboard, and he was my friend. I’d miss him dearly when I left.
“I could make some fish and brewis,” I told them, “We have a big sack of hardtack left.”
Henry peered down at the spot Finn suggested and paused thoughtfully as he considered it. Then, a wicked grin flashed across his face and he looked to me as he spoke. “Yes, we shall stop there for the night. Set a course, Finnigan, we should meet landfall by dawn. And leave us, I need to speak with Dianna.”
The two men nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind them. My breath caught as I watched the leather-clad pirate saunter toward me. God, he was beautiful. Like a tall, broad, and rugged angel. I’d never get used to it, and I hoped I never had to. I wanted the image of him burned into my brain, to carry it with me back to the future. To revisit it whenever I wanted to dream of the once-in-a-lifetime journey I’d had.
Henry stopped at my feet and leaned down, hovering over me as he placed two hands on the arms of my chair. “Do you wish to have an adventure, Dianna?”
The nearness of him made my head light and my heart race. His breath tickled my face. “I’m sorry, but I thought I was already having one?” I replied with a playful grin. “Sailing ships, danger,” I tugged at the collar of his coat, pulling him closer so our lips brushed against one another, “a devilishly handsome pirate. What more could I ask for?”
Henry’s lips moved against mine as they spread wide with a grin. He moaned, taking my mouth and engulfing me in a kiss that could surely devour me whole. I pulled away, desperate for air.
“How about treasure?” he asked, boasting a playful smirk.
“What? Are you serious? Like, real treasure? Pirate treasure?” The small child in me came alive and I prayed he wasn’t kidding.
Henry laughed and slid his massive hands under my bottom, scooping me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and let his little bit of facial hair tickle my skin, sending goosebumps scouring down my body.
“Of course,” he answered. “What other kind of treasure is there?”
I shook my head, and replied, “I have no idea.”
My legs squeezed tightly around his waist and I kissed his beautiful mouth in a slow, tender way. I let my tongue trail along the underside of his upper lip, fishing for that deep growl I longed for.
“I can think of one kind,” he whispered against my face.
Those eyes, those otherworldly black holes bore into my soul, relentlessly searching for something. I wanted to protest, to tell him he had to stop. I no longer worried for his broken heart alone. The closer we grew, the more I knew my own heart was on the line and the idea of leaving Henry seemed more impossible each day. Returning home quickly became a painful desire.
“The place we’re stopping at. I’ve been there. I stole a chest from Maria’s quarters aboard The Burning Ghost. While she and Eric slept one evening, I rowed ashore and hid it in a cave.”
My eyes widened. “That was very brave of you.”
“Yes, well, I would have returned it to its owner, eventually. But I’d no idea where it came from.” He paused thoughtfully as he carried me over to the bed and laid me down. I watched with delight as he removed his heavy leather coat and climbed in next to me. “After I trapped them in the bottle, I made it my mission to sail around and collect all the stolen goods they’d poked away. It took years. But I did it. And I returned it all to the crown, or to the families of people she’d murdered. That’s how The Devil’s Heart began.”
“How did Finn and Gus come into the picture?” I asked and mindlessly twisted my fingers in his blonde locks.
“The age of ruthless piracy was changing, I could see it before most.” His chest heaved with a long sigh and began to trail his fingertips along my arm that crossed it. “I sought out like-minded men who were growing tired of ravaging the seas and wanted a better life. Gus came first. I found him pick pocketing in Harbour Grace while waiting for a spot on a pirate crew to open. It took some convincing, I even had to share some of my experiences aboard The Burning Ghost in an attempt to sway him. It turned out, Gus had captained his own ship once and The Cobhams raided it. Killed his crew and set it ablaze. Luckily, Gus is a strong swimmer. He jumped off and swam ashore.” Henry stopped to let out a slight chuckle. “Now that I think of it, I believe he’s most likely the only known survivor of a Burning Ghost attack.”
I moved my hand to cup his cheek and turn his head toward me. My body moved closer, and I stretched my neck to kiss him. “Aside from you.”
“Huh, yes,” he agreed, letting that sink in, “aside from myself.”
“And Finn?”
Henry chortled. “Finn is one of the finest sailing masters I’d ever met. But no ship would have him on account of… his, uh–”
I balked at the idea. “Because of his sexual orientation?” Henry looked confused by my words and I rolled my eyes. “I mean because he prefers men?”
“Yes, that. I wasn’t aware you knew. He swore me to secrecy.”
I shook my head. “This era, I swear…” but caught myself before I could finish. Henry didn’t seem to catch my reference to the past, so I veered the conversation back on track. “So, how did you get this big ship?”
“Ah, that was a gift from the crown for my services.”
“Services? You mean as a privateer?”
I watched his eyebrows raise in surprise. “Well, you know more than you let on. And yes, you’re correct.” His beautiful face twisted into a devilish smirk. “In a way.”
“What do you mean?”
“Word bega
n to spread of what I was doing, sailing around on a small one-man boat to collect what I could from The Cobham’s raids. The crown awarded me The Devil’s Heart in exchange for continuing what I was doing, but going further and seeking out what they robbed of the Crown and other rich bureaucrats.” He paused to shoot me a sly grin. “But they said nothing about raiding other pirate ships.”
A gasp escaped my throat. They really were pirates, then. In a sense. “Henry!”
He hushed me and placed a hand over my mouth. “Now, now. It’s not like that. We took no lives. We waited until the ships had docked and we raided them at night. We returned what we knew to have ownership and kept what didn’t. It’s as honest a life as a pirate could live, Dianna.”
I let it sink in and realized that Henry was right. What did it hurt? He said they took no lives. They were like pirate ninjas, like the Robin Hood and the Merry Men of the sea, stealing from the bad guys and giving it back. So, I nodded in agreement and he let me go. But he seemed unsure.
“You think ill of me now?”
I examined his glorious face thoughtfully, smoothed his hair back, taking in as much of him as possible and collecting the information in my brain to paint the picture later. When I needed it. How could I think of him in any other way but fondly?
I shook my head and replied, “No. Never.”
“You know more about me than any living person on this Earth, Dianna,” he pointed out.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, I quite like it, actually,” he assured me and planted a warm kiss to my forehead. “But I know nothing of you. Tell me.”
Panic set in. What could I possibly tell him that would even make sense? “What do you want to know?”
“Anything. Everything.”
My mind flipped through memories of my life like a picture book, trying to figure out what to say and how to say it. “Well, my mother–”
“What was her name?”
“Constance,” I answered, careful not to say her last name. “She came to Newfoundland and met my dad, Arthur Sheppard, and fell in love. She was a baker and taught my dad everything she knew. They opened a bakery and then had me, they taught me everything, hoping I’d one day take it over.”
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