Other Oceans: Book Two of the Hook & Jill Saga (53 page)

“Yes, men.” Cecco remained firm. “You will have to cross your own names from the book. No one can do that for you.” He dismissed them and they left, much more quietly than they’d entered. When Nibs looked back to close the door, Jill was wilting on the window seat, her head bowed and her hands spread over the pillows. Cecco still sat with his arms crossed, his dark eyes watching his sailors’ departure.

They all noticed that Captain Cecco hadn’t invited the men to return, after their search of
L’Ormonde
was over.

§ § §

If you are brave enough to face it, change can be welcome
. As her father accepted the teacup, Liza recalled her mistress’ words from that very first day. The woman was right. Excitement and adventure waited to be found in the pirates’ way of life, and for Liza it was only beginning. Her tale would be far different than anyone had imagined.

Hanover sighed. “You may go to bed now, Liza. The captain informed me that the lady won’t need you tonight.”

She lingered while he took the first sip, and squeezed her hands together.

Her father noticed her hesitation. “Don’t be afraid. Our guest won’t awaken for another hour or so. When he does, I will be ready with the ether.” Hanover swallowed some tea, then set the cup next to the medicine bottle on his desk. “I will retire, as well. These last few days have been trying.” He stood and removed his waistcoat. Liza took it from him and hung it neatly next to the coat, which she had stitched back to usefulness. Finding excuses to avoid her bunk, she sent furtive glances toward her father until he finished his tea. Wearily, he ambled to the door to check the lock, then turned toward his bed. Pausing only to slip off his shoes, he collapsed into it.

Liza crept near her father. His eyes were closed…he was asleep already! She collected his shoes to set them properly under the clothes hooks. Picking up his teacup, she inspected the contents, pleased to find no remainder. After wiping it clean, she replaced it on its tray. He would never suspect he had been drugged.

From her dresser drawer Liza removed a tall, corked bottle, and slices of bread and cheese wrapped in a linen napkin. She placed them in her bunk, following them with the small bowl of fruit from the table. In front of the mirror, she washed her face and brushed her hair, then shed her clothing and hung it. When Liza had turned up the flames of the desktop lanterns, she began to climb to her bunk. She paused. She dropped to the floor again and bent over the prone figure of her father. Slipping her hand into his breeches pocket, she removed a ring of brass keys, allowing them to tinkle, just for the pleasure of hearing them.

Not long after, feeling cool and refreshed, she locked the door again. A glance in the mirror indicated the necessity of smoothing her hair once more; her quick venture to the windy gun deck had mussed it. Satisfied then, she yanked her father’s bed curtain closed and slithered into her bunk. Everything was ready for her master. Liza lay down by his side, breathlessly awaiting her next adventure— into womanhood. To pass the time until he awakened, she closed her eyes and imagined that Mr. Yulunga’s big black hands had already wielded the needle to prick her ears, and she was flaunting those golden earrings.

The ship plowed on through the darkness, her moans lulling her off-duty voyagers to rest. All but one. For him, the song of the
Roger
was a stimulant.

When Hook came to awareness, he soon discovered that the chains at his hand and foot made no sound, and the girl was sleeping. The time had come to make his move.

§ § §

It seemed long before Jill could face her duty again. When she did, her captain was cordial. He waited beside his desk, where she came to stand before him, looking up slowly. The lanternlight played on the linked medallions at his neck, and on his headdress.

“Captain.”

“Lady.” Honoring his promise to wait for her to reach first, Cecco didn’t touch her. “You are not as alone as you imagine.”

“So you would have me believe. In any case, we now have the answer to your question of this morning. We know what you would not do for me.”

“Breaking my word would not be a service for you, but an injury against you.”

“Do my sons offend you so deeply that you will allow them to go into danger?”

“They face danger every day on the
Roger
. But they offend me only by trusting me too little.”

“I trusted you to look out for us. Sir.”

“If they had confided in me, I might have understood their desire to seek their captain.”

“Nibs and Tom were trying to be discreet, in order
not
to offend you.”

“And they spoke for themselves. That discussion is over.” He gazed on her, his regard intensifying. “But their mother displeased me— not once, but several times.”

“Sir…I couldn’t just let them go!”

“I know this is not your wish to see your sons leave our ship. Even under the best of circumstances.”

“Is it your wish?”

“I have already told you. They asked to be released.”

“And if I asked, would you let me go?”

“You, I must refuse. We are both bound by accord. And, I think, you are not asking such a thing. You belong on the
Roger
.”

Gauging his displeasure, she ventured further. “Sir, what else do you know about me?”

“I know you believed you could not ask me, but you would have preferred that I find a way to inspect
L’Ormonde
myself.”

“Then you have thought to search for Hook aboard her?”

“Ah, yes! But of course, LeCorbeau is not likely to show us anything he does not wish us to see.”

“To do so would at least have saved my sons from that man.”

“And saved you and me from a delicate situation. But as you have seen, they are not afraid. Nor do I shy from facing the sensitive circumstances between me and my lady.”

“Aye, Sir, I do see. You show more courage than many men own. But is there no other way to ensure Hook isn’t aboard
L’Ormonde?”

“None that I can find.”

“Then Tom and Nibs are right to go?”

He shook his head. “I have not said this.”

“What else have you not said?”

“I have not said what you might not believe. That I honored my oath to Hook, and before taking his prize I, too, searched the
Roger
to find him, and considered he may have fallen victim to LeCorbeau. But, I have done everything that lies within my power. Tom was right, Lady. Hook is gone. We may never know where or how.”

“But I can feel him!”

Cecco heaved a heavy sigh. “Lovely one, it is as I told you before. Gypsies are a superstitious people. With patience I have listened to your claim. Now I will hear no more. No more talk of the dead. I wish the man’s soul to rest in peace.” With his fingers, he sketched a gypsy banishing sign, down from his forehead and across his breast.

Recognizing that Cecco’s indulgence was at an end, Jill bowed her head. “I spoke out of turn in front of your men. Please have patience one more time, Sir, and excuse me.”

“You will not do so again. Always, you learn the lesson and move forward. It is one of the qualities I admire in you.”

“Thank you, Captain. It is hard, losing so many people I love.”

His dark gaze softened. “Many. But not all.”

Jill read his face, then opened her palm to survey the color of her hand. It seemed to her that the stain should have paled in the last few days, but her hand was as crimson as the night she was marked. Accepting Cecco hadn’t changed that.

“Aye, Sir. Not all.”

Just below her palm, one of her bracelets caught the golden gleam of the lanternlight. Unthinking, Jill rotated her hand to admire it, then realized that, as she did so, she was lowering her arm and reaching out to Cecco. Already, the gesture was so natural that it accomplished itself without her direction. Once over her surprise, Jill knew it felt right. She wanted Cecco’s comfort. She wanted Cecco.

He didn’t give her a chance to reconsider. He grasped her hand.
“Bellezza
.
”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Always, you may count on me. As your palm predicted, you are adored.” He straightened, and his grip on her fingers tightened. “But still, as I promised, the welfare of the
Roger
comes first. Now that we have settled ourselves, we must anticipate tomorrow and lay our plans.”

“Of course.” Even as she followed his lead, Jill admired his skill in inducing her cooperation. “We must show no sign of weakness to LeCorbeau.”

He smiled. “Ah, my Jill! Now I see the spirit at work again.”

“Aye, Sir, with your encouragement.” When he smiled that way, she thought, he was so very dashing. Still bruised by her mingling emotions, she turned her mind to business. “The
commandant
should pay well to compensate us for Nibs. Do you believe he will accept Tom, too?”

“If it is the only way to obtain the services of one, he will take both. And pay for them.”

“We must watch carefully to read his reaction to Hook’s disappearance.”

“Lady, we will stage a grand entrance, and I will make a show of my desire to be rid of your ‘troublesome’ sons. LeCorbeau will otherwise be suspicious. He is a canny man. He might easily guess their purpose, and I am sure you will wish to divert this. The Frenchman must believe I need your sons to go— in order to secure my claim on you.”

Relief washed over her. Cecco
did
intend to watch over her sons, after all. Grateful for his concern, she pressed his hand. “Thank you for that. And the surgeon?”

“We will allow the business partners enough leeway to allay suspicion. Hanover will attend the ‘ailing’ mate. Although our doctor has feigned to join us and his game is exposed, he still hopes to pass through his trial period, regain his jewels, and spirit you away on
L’Ormonde
. By the time it appears possible for him to buy your freedom, you must seem on the brink of running from your new captain.”

His assumption that she would be faithful reminded Jill of Smee’s old doubts, and she found she could think of Smee without pain, now. “You will trust me, in the end, to remain true to you? Even if I must string Doctor Hanover along until the very last moment?”

“‘The very last moment.’ An appropriate way to put it! For such it will be— if I am crossed.” With a strong hand, Cecco encompassed her throat. As she tensed, he slid his hand to her shoulder. “But yes, of course I trust you to make the wise decision. I know of your loyalty. And as I have said, you are far too intelligent to betray me.” He said it casually, but his eyes made their impression. Her heart skipped a beat. This captain was not a man to be trifled with. His hand remained, heavy, on her shoulder. He said, “Hanover is doing his part, as expected. Your ‘lover’ is already impatient to speak with you again.”

Jill caught the note of mischief in his voice. Her eyes widened. “You don’t mean to allow it?”

He shrugged. “As a token of good faith, I have already promised.”

Shocked, Jill studied Cecco’s confident face, and a gradual smile slid to her own. “Yes….Of course.”

“But you will not be alone. Mr. Yulunga will be watching. For that matter, so will the rest of the crew.”

“Doctor Hanover will be pleased to learn of my son’s change of allegiance. I was never sure, but now his sudden interest in Nibs is explained. He must have been following LeCorbeau’s directive in luring Nibs away.”

“Certainly. It seems our overly-moral surgeon is caught between pirates and privateers. He has surrendered more than a few of his principles to win you, and to win his freedom.”

Jill shuddered. “To think I ever allowed that man to touch me!”

Cecco removed the knife from his belt. Setting it on his desk, he laid his hand firmly upon it. “You will have your satisfaction. And so will I.”

Jill placed her hand on his, still resting on the dagger. With a thrill, she felt the power in that hand, and she understood that if she fulfilled her bargain, Cecco would honor his. He would protect Jill, and the
Roger
, and even Nibs and Tom, once they had learned their lesson. She was satisfied.

“You are a worthy master, Sir. And how will you manage LeCorbeau?”

“I will press for a new agreement with him. I and my officers will gather aboard
L’Ormonde
for parley tomorrow evening.” He turned his hand upward to clasp hers. “You, my lovely one, will stay safely on board our own ship, behind the locked door of our quarters, with a sentry posted outside.”

“Aye, Sir.” Anxious as she was to examine the privateer ship and the circumstances under which her sons might be living, Jill felt bound by Hook’s admonition not to set foot on another vessel. “I will stay behind, waiting for you.”

“The thought of you here will make me wish to hurry. But if I am to continue the partnership, I must take whatever time is necessary to inspire the proper conviction in LeCorbeau. Also, I must collect his compensation for my sailors. I may return very late.”

“I will demonstrate the same patience you have shown me— until you return.”

“You must not wait up for me. Mr. Yulunga will unlock the door.”

“He, too, has displayed patience. It seems his position of authority has settled him.”

Cecco’s even smile was knowing. “Yes. But still, he likes to stir the trouble! That is why the girl appeals to him, I think. She is much the same way. They may be good for one another.”

“Perhaps under his supervision she will behave. Severe as they are, even her father’s attempts to control her seem ineffective. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Yulunga proves to be the only man she will obey.”

“I believe he will treat her no worse than her father does. But she is your girl. What are your thoughts about letting her go, once we have wrung ransom from the surgeon?”

“She is too unpredictable to remain under the terms I first outlined for her. But if she wishes to stay on in Mr. Yulunga’s custody, I will give her that chance. With your permission, of course, Captain.”

Cecco said, “I have no taste for defending innocents. She will stay only on the condition you state, and the two of them may occupy the spare quarters.”