“You’ve heard about the scandal already?” she guessed.
“What scandal?” he asked.
“Never mind, we can discuss it later.”
“Good, because we have some decisions to make. Pierre is holding your father for ransom, and the price he’s demanding is you.”
Chapter 20
G ABRIELLE FELT NUMB DURING THE COACH RIDE. There’d been one too many shocks in the last couple days.
Ohr took her to the room he and Richard had rented near the docks. Bixley, a carrot-haired Irishman and Ohr’s best friend, was there, waiting with Richard. She hadn’t expected that, but then she should have. Someone had to have brought the news to them about her father.
Bixley loved to hunt for treasure and seriously believed in the old pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And since Nathan was fond of treasure hunting himself, Bixley felt he’d found the perfect home on The Crusty Jewel.
Richard hugged her. He looked much more normal to her, wearing his pirate garb again, his loose white shirt barely buttoned down his chest.
He gazed at her closely and demanded of Ohr, “Why does she look like she’s in mourning already? What the devil did you tell her?”
Ohr took the other chair at the table where Bixley was sitting, nursing a mug of ale. “Only what Pierre is demanding,” he replied.
“Chérie, it’s not as bad as it sounds,” Richard assured her. “We are only guessing that it’s you Pierre really wants and that he’s just using the maps as an excuse.”
“Maps?” Gabrielle asked. “What are you talking about?”
Richard glanced at Ohr with a scowl. “So you really told her nothing? What did you talk about on the way here, the bloody weather?”
In his usual unruffled way, Ohr ignored Richard’s sharpness and said calmly, “I felt she should hear it firsthand from Bixley. Besides, I’m hoping my friend will remember something pertinent he might have missed in the first telling.”
“I didn’t forget anything,” Bixley mumbled. “It were a long voyage getting here. I had me time aplenty to commit it all to memory.”
“So tell me what happened, Bixley?” Gabrielle said.
“It were Latice, that bastid.”
Gabrielle frowned. “My father’s first mate?”
“Aye,” Bixley replied. “Sailed us right into Cap’n Pierre’s fort while yer pa was sleeping comfy in his cabin. We didn’t even have a chance to resist. Most of us woke up that night in chains.”
“Pierre has his own fort?” she asked.
“He’s gone rogue, Gabby,” Ohr took a moment to explain. “He found an old deserted fort and has apparently been refurbishing it for years now. And as soon as it was finished, he broke off from the alliance.”
“And this is where he’s holding my father?”
“Yes.”
“You know where it’s located?”
“I don’t,” Ohr replied. “But Bixley does.”
“They made sure I’d be able to find it again, since I’m supposed to be bringing ye back there,” Bixley said. “It’s a day or two east of St. Kitts, depending on which way the wind be blowing.”
“Did Latice think he was sailing into a safe harbor? He hadn’t heard that Pierre had gone rogue?”
Bixley snorted. “He knew. He turned traitor, lass. Who would’ve thought he’d have the guts to make a decision like that, eh?”
She was incredulous. Latice was, or had been, her father’s first mate. He was decisive, but only about nautical matters. On the quarterdeck, he never thought twice about giving an order. But when it came to anything else, it took him forever to make up his mind, and even then he could be talked out of a decision with very little effort.
“Why would he do that?” she asked. “Fear?”
“Greed.” The Irish pirate spat out the word. “Pierre promised he could have The Crusty Jewel for himself. But the joke was on him. Pierre don’t keep his promises. He weren’t about to just give away a prime ship like yer pa’s.”
“So what exactly are Pierre’s demands?”
“He said he wants your pa’s maps. Nathan was furious, as you can imagine. Told him what he could do with, well, as I said, he was furious. He weren’t about to give up a collection he’s worked his whole life on. His refusal wasn’t going to get us out of there, though, so after he was taken away, I offered to bring the maps to Pierre. I know where they’re hidden. He said no, that you had to bring them to him.”
“I do have some of his maps,” she reminded him. Nathan had given them to her long ago, but they were mostly the useless ones he’d already discovered led to nothing.
“Yes, but there’s not many who know that, and I certainly didn’t tell him, nor did your pa. Latice might have, but I don’t think he even knew. No, it was obvious, at least to me, that Cap’n Pierre don’t really want the maps, he wants you.”
She reacted to that statement this time, as it really sunk in. Her repulsion was so great, she shuddered. Captain Pierre, the vicious, frightening man whom she’d hoped she’d never see again. But Bixley had to be wrong! Nathan’s maps were valuable, after all. And Pierre already had a woman—didn’t he?
“What about Red? Is she no longer with Pierre?” she asked Bixley.
“Oh, she is. She was there, too, when he was making his demands. Got furious, she did. She even threw a dagger at him. Damned if she didn’t pull it out from between her breasts, too. Damnedest place to hide a—”
Ohr coughed to warn Bixley he was getting out of line. The Irishman just grinned unabashedly.
“I take it she didn’t kill him, or you wouldn’t be here?” she guessed.
“No, she missed. And Pierre, he just laughed, the bleedin’ sod.”
“I still find this—amazing,” she said. “They were…business associates.”
“They were never even that, chérie,” Richard was quick to correct her. “Nathan, like the other captains, only tolerated Pierre. They were glad when he broke off from the alliance. We all were.”
“But he’s treating my father well, isn’t he? Because of their past association?”
It was immediately obvious that Bixley didn’t want to answer that particular question. He spent a few moments draining his mug, even gave Ohr a beseeching look to change the subject.
“Tell me,” she demanded.
Bixley sighed. “That fort he refurbished, it had a dungeon, lassie. Our men, and your pa, they’re all in it. Spent a few days there meself.” Seeing her pale, he tried to assure her, “It weren’t that bad. I’ve slept in much worse places.”
When she thought of her father being held prisoner in that place for weeks already, and that it would be even more weeks before she could get him out of there, she paled even more. “What is your plan?” she asked Ohr.
“We won’t be turning you over to him,” he assured her. “But we probably won’t even be able to get close to Pierre’s fort unless he sees you with us.”
“It’s completely enclosed with high walls that are guarded,” Bixley explained.
“I don’t care what it takes, I want my father out of there,” Gabrielle replied heatedly. “We’ll leave immediately.”
“We could buy passage back to St. Kitts, but that isn’t going to get us to Pierre’s fortress,” Richard put in. “It’s on an island that isn’t inhabited, far from the main shipping paths. What we need is our own ship and crew. No matter what plan we come up with, without our own ship, we’re going to be limited in what we can do.”
“Then let’s get our own ship,” she said decisively.
“We will,” Ohr assured her. “Buy, borrow, or steal, we’ll find one in St. Kitts.”
“But didn’t Bixley say Pierre’s island is east of St. Kitts?” she reminded him. “Wouldn’t we save a day or two if we sailed directly for it, rather than pass it and then backtrack after we get a ship?”
“She’s right,” Richard said. “A passenger ship will also stop at other ports along the way, delaying us even more.”
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Ohr nodded. “I suppose we would have a better chance of finding our own ship here in London. The harbor at St. Kitts is tiny in comparison. I haven’t heard of any for sale here, though, and I’ve been down on the docks.”
Gabrielle hesitated for a moment. Then a wicked smile curved her lips. “I know of one. It’s not for sale, but it’s sailing in the morning.”
Chapter 21
A SSUMING THE ROLE OF A PIRATE was rather distasteful, Gabrielle thought after she’d explained her idea to her father’s crewmen. Three years ago the notion of stealing anything, much less a ship, would never have entered her mind. But it had occurred to her now because she was so worried about her father and so angry at Drew Anderson. She still couldn’t believe he’d so recklessly ruined her reputation and her chances of making a good match! Well, she wasn’t just going to steal his ship and become the pirate he’d accused her of being. She was going to have him at her mercy as well.
She owed him. It was that simple. And she wouldn’t have the chance to extract revenge otherwise, not with him leaving. Embroil her in a scandal, then just sail off without a care? Not now he wouldn’t.
It was a brilliant plan. It would solve their current dilemma of how to go about rescuing her father and at the same time it would enable her to get even with the man who’d ruined her. But then she realized that the four of them couldn’t sail a ship on their own.
“We’ll need more men,” she pointed out.
“I’ll see to it,” Ohr replied.
“Where are you going to find men on such short notice who would be willing to steal a ship?”
He laughed. “There’s a whole other side to this town that a young lady of your breeding wouldn’t know about. Leave it to me, I’ll find all the men we need.”
Only Richard guessed that she might have misgivings. “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied, and even offered him a grin. “It’s not every day one becomes a pirate.”
He laughed. Of course he would find it funny, he was already a pirate. But he wasn’t finished dealing with her reservations.
“You don’t really need to come along, you know,” he told her. “We could find someone who looks like you. As long as Pierre thinks it’s you—”
“No,” she cut in. “If for some reason he needs to talk to me before he allows your ship to approach his fort, I’ll need to be there. I’m not going to take any chances with my father’s life. My presence will give us more options as we figure out a plan to rescue my father.”
“And our captain,” Richard said, his expression turning serious. “You’ve certainly proved your loyalty to him by ordering us to steal this American’s ship.”
“I didn’t order you,” Gabrielle corrected him. “I merely suggested.”
He grinned to show he’d been teasing. “I know, and it is a perfect solution. We can even give the man back his ship when we’re done with it. Actually, I’d as soon not get Malory on our trail if he takes our theft of his brother-in-law’s ship personally. Are you sure you don’t want to ask for his help instead?”
She hesitated before answering. Both Malorys had been very kind and generous to her. As far as she was concerned, James had repaid his debt to her father in full. It wasn’t his fault that she didn’t succeed in her mission to find a husband. That was Drew’s fault.
“No, James Malory has already done enough for me. I’m not about to ask him for more help.”
“I meant Anderson.”
She snorted. “Not a chance. He’d refuse anyway. He doesn’t like me and I despise him.”
She’d said it too quickly, causing Richard to raise a brow. “How did that come about?”
“His aversion to pirates, I suppose. He actually made sure that it became common knowledge that Nathan is a pirate.”
Richard drew in his breath sharply. Gabrielle was more certain than ever that he was English, whether he would admit it or not, because he seemed to understand exactly what that meant. Ohr preferred clarification and asked, “Is that the scandal you mentioned? The man wrecked your chances for a good match here?”
“Indeed. And then he was going to sail away without giving it another thought.”
“But why?” Richard exclaimed.
“Because he hates pirates, and he got it into his head that I’m one, too. He didn’t bother to ask, he just assumed, and embroiled me in a scandal as a result. So it’s going to be a pleasure to see him surrounded by pirates on his very own ship!”
“You know that will just reinforce his opinion—”
“Exactly,” she cut in. “By the time I’m done with him, he’ll wish he was wrong, but he’ll never learn the truth that he was mistaken.”
Gabrielle went back to the Malorys’ for the rest of the day, but stayed in her room. If she were to see Drew before she stole his ship, she was sure she’d tear his eyes out; then his ship wouldn’t be sailing at all. So it was better that she hide in her room.
Margery was incredulous when Gabrielle told her what had happened. “Don’t you worry about your papa. Those are good men he picked to accompany us here. You know they’ll get him out of this mess.”
“Yes, I know. We’ll have the voyage back to the Caribbean to figure out just what to do.”
“I’ll help if I’m needed,” Margery assured her. “It’s just such a shame that you’ll have to miss the last of the Season here. It was going so well.”
“Actually…I didn’t have a chance to tell you last night, but Drew Anderson made sure that I would be missing the rest of the Season and any other Seasons here as well. He showed up at the ball last night, quite foxed, and said in front of Wilbur and Lady Dunstan that Nathan is a pirate.”
“Why would he do that!?” Margery gasped.
“I suppose protecting the innocent from the bloodthirsty could have been his drunken reasoning, but who knows. However, Wilbur took that information and spread it far and wide this morning. Having been on the brink of proposing to me, he’s probably deeply disappointed after Drew’s disclosure that I no longer meet his standards.”
“Good God, they’ve ruined you!” Margery gasped.
“Oh, yes, I’m definitely ruined—thanks to Drew,” Gabrielle said with a catch in her throat.
She felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She turned aside before Margery noticed. She wanted to feel angry again. Anger was her salvation right now. But Margery knew her well. She didn’t have to see the tears to know they were there.
Her friend put an arm around her waist. “Never you mind, girl. We’ll find you a husband somewhere else.”
She and Margery sneaked out of the house in the early evening. Gabrielle left Georgina a note, explaining her father was in trouble and she was leaving to help him. The lady might not believe that after she heard of the scandal, but Gabrielle wouldn’t be around to be questioned either way. And there was only one tense moment when Miss Carla whistled as they were hurrying down the back stairs, to let them know she wasn’t asleep under the cover on her cage, but no one came to investigate.
They’d packed only enough clothes that they could carry themselves in carpetbags. She’d mentioned in her note to Georgina that she could contact her solicitor about having the rest of their belongings shipped to St. Kitts. Ohr was waiting down the street with a carriage to take them to the docks. He’d already purchased her two cabins for the voyage under a false name, one for herself and Margery to share, and one for the three male “servants” who were accompanying her. Getting her friends a cabin, too, meant three fewer men would have to climb over the railing tonight to hide in the hold.
It was a bold plan they were enacting. If she weren’t so furious with Drew, she’d probably change her mind and disappoint them all. She just wished she didn’t feel so guilty about the way she was leaving. After everything the Malorys had done for her, this was a shoddy way to repay them. But she knew James would insist upon helping if he knew, and she couldn’t let him do that. He’d done
enough.
Glancing back at the townhouse, Gabrielle realized she was going to miss the Malorys. God, she’d had such high hopes when she came to London of finding the man of her dreams. Oddly enough, she’d found him. It was too bad he had to be a blackguard and turn her dreams into a nightmare instead.
Chapter 22
G ABRIELLE PACED THE SMALL CONFINES of one of the cabins on Drew’s ship. Her nerves were acting up. She couldn’t believe she was stealing a ship, let alone Drew Anderson’s ship. She’d give it back, of course. She was really only borrowing it, or at least she tried to convince herself of that to alleviate some of the guilt that had begun to plague her. But it didn’t help much.
She’d come aboard last night after they made sure the captain wasn’t around. She hadn’t expected The Triton to be such a fine vessel. With three tall masts, it was a lot bigger than her father’s two-masted merchantman. Drew and most of his crew were off enjoying their last night in port, which had made it easy for the men Ohr had hired to sneak aboard and hide themselves in the hold.
She didn’t get much sleep last night, though, and finally gave up trying at dawn, so her anxieties had built up until the slightest little sound was making her jump. She’d chewed each of her nails down to the quick.
It was too quiet as the ship left the harbor and sailed out into the channel, indicating nothing was happening yet, but the wait was nerve-wracking. Her tension was very similar to what she’d felt three years ago when her ship had been threatened by pirates, when she’d waited for the sounds of cannons to warn if there would be a fight. There wouldn’t be any cannons fired this morning, but she was anticipating shouts, even pistol shots as command of the ship changed hands.
The sharp knock on her door startled the breath out of her and got an annoyed squawk from Miss Carla. That in turn woke Margery, who’d still been sleeping in her bunk.