Other Oceans: Book Two of the Hook & Jill Saga (74 page)

“And well rid of the doctor.” Jill’s voice was both bitter and triumphant.

Yulunga shifted his bulk. “And Sir. The girl?”

“She will be given her choice—”

“No.” Jill’s face set. Her expression turned savage.

“Jill?”

“No, Captain. Liza will do as
you
decide.”

“But you yourself have declared there will be no slaves aboard—”

“If you see fit to give her to Mr. Yulunga, or to any of the men, I will not object.”

Cecco and Yulunga exchanged glances. Cecco leaned toward Jill. “You are certain?”

“Neither Doctor Hanover nor his daughter is worthy of my mercy.” Jill set down her fork and straightened, regal. “Liza is my captive. I give her to you.”

“Well, then. Mr. Yulunga, after I have induced the surgeon to pay her ransom, Miss Hanover is yours.”

Jill leveled a stare at Yulunga. “Be sure, if you value her health, to keep her well away from me.”

Yulunga bowed, his malevolent grin spreading. “Yes, Mistress. I can do that.”

Cecco’s eyes fired. “My Lady! As I have observed, your passions run deep.”

Jill’s dark smile formed. The rubies in her pocket burned against her thigh. These jewels had nearly cost Conor Smee— Hook’s Smee— his life. But as it turned out, Liza hadn’t really stolen the necklace after all. On the contrary. She and her father would pay for it— and pay for it dearly.

Yulunga’s liquid laugh rolled from his throat to fill the room. Jill wrapped herself in the sound. She no longer felt hungry. Captain Cecco and his mate satisfied every craving Doctor Hanover stirred within her.

Jill felt fine.

§ § §

“I wish to end this unfortunate business without delay.” As if in physical discomfort, Captain Cecco settled behind his desk the next morning, his shoulders tense and his swarthy face stern. For the ruse he was about to perform, his gypsy upbringing was indispensable.

In her usual place beside him sat Jill, resplendent in golden taffeta. On Cecco’s other side stood Yulunga. Mullins and Starkey had taken seats in front of the desk, and Smee planted himself behind them. Cecco’s officers had been instructed. Like Jill, each was ready to play his role in this lucrative charade.

The surgeon sat gingerly before the captain, careful not to touch his back to his chair, just as Cecco himself had been cautious in the early days of their acquaintance. The love of the lady, Hanover reflected, had a way of inflicting pain. And soothing it. He listened to the festering voice of the captain.

“Mister Hanover. From the moment your daughter set foot on board, the
Jolly Roger
has been plagued by bad luck.”

Hanover bristled. “You are blaming a child for the actions of your crewmen? Really, Captain. It is preposterous.”

“Even your science cannot dispute the circumstances. I never approved of taking a girl on board. In his foolishness, our former captain cursed even himself into oblivion. It is clear the time has come to eliminate her presence.”

Jill made her voice sound tired. “But Captain—”

“Madam. I heard your protests yesterday. You will now hold your tongue, unless you wish to leave us.”

“To leave?” Lowering her chin, Jill studied the rings upon her fingers. “No, Sir. I beg your pardon.”

Cecco returned his frown to the surgeon. “Captain LeCorbeau must now depart for France to declare his prizes to his government. He has made me an offer for your services, Doctor.”

Hanover brightened up, as if LeCorbeau’s proposal were news to him.

“At first I refused. We cannot afford to sail without our surgeon.”

“But…now?”

“I assume if you accept his service, you will take your daughter and her bad luck with you. And, as it happens, LeCorbeau is willing to pay handsomely for your release.”

At these words, the officers exchanged interested glances. But Yulunga leered. “It had better be a significant amount, Sir. I know the men were eager to watch Miss Liza grow up.” He smiled crookedly at the surgeon. “Your pardon, Doctor. But I’m sure even you admit the truth of it.”

“Captain. Are you to allow this crude kind of talk?”

“All the more reason to get the girl off my ship, Doctor. She has caused enough trouble, starting with the young sailors like Tom Tootles— and ending with those who should know better. Like Mr. Yulunga.”

Although Yulunga acknowledged Cecco’s dark look, his lewd expression didn’t change. “I’m sorry, Captain.”

“Mister Hanover,” Cecco said, “It is impossible to assess your daughter’s degree of complicity in your own violations. I take into consideration that she may have been commanded by her father to overstep her boundaries. For the incidents I can prove, I have exacted my punishments. But today…”

Hanover’s eyes lit with anticipation.

“Today I have had enough of bad luck.”

“Your gypsy superstition?”

“Call it what you will. What do you offer for your daughter’s freedom?”

The doctor angled his head, calculating. “Well, Captain. I cannot possibly bargain with you until you return the goods you are holding for me.”

“Mr. Yulunga.” Digging in his pocket, Cecco produced a key. He tossed it to his mate. “Fetch the diamonds.”

“Aye, Sir. Gladly.” While the other men stirred, Yulunga strode to the sea chest at the foot of the captain’s bed. The lock turned with a click, and Yulunga lifted the lid to seize the leather bundle. He smiled and snapped the lock shut once more. When he tossed the bag to Cecco’s desk, all the company listened with delight to its rattle. Cecco’s officers didn’t have to pretend for the doctor’s benefit; they licked their lips and shifted in their chairs. Her spuriously low spirits restored, Jill’s eyes glowed as she beheld the promising pouch.

Hanover, too, stirred in his chair. He resisted reaching for his diamonds. Instead, he thanked the captain. “I am now prepared to come to an agreement favorable to both of us.”

“You intend to join LeCorbeau, then?”

“Yes.” At last he laid hands on the bag. A surge of pleasure rode up his arms. Unknotting the laces, he smiled. The dueling scar seemed to soften on his cheek. With pride, Hanover listened to the men’s exclamations as he poured a fistful of glittering gems into his palm. He counted them, then with a flourish of his manicured hand, spread them on the captain’s desk. The pirates’ gazes riveted on the surgeon’s treasure. “I believe this will compensate my lady for the loss of her attendant.”

Cecco looked at Jill. “You may answer.”

“Yes, Mister Hanover. I now formally accept your offer.”

Relishing the lady’s double meaning, Hanover smiled at the welcome in her sapphire eyes. After the long setback, he had won her at last. She had consented to his proposal. His gaze lingered on her face until Cecco’s voice prodded him.

“And what do you offer my men, for the loss of a promising companion?”

Although affronted, Hanover reserved his retort, deliberating instead. “As barbaric as the concept is, I will concede the point.” He weighed the profit he’d earned in his attempts to eradicate vice. Choosing to ignore the irony, he measured another handful. “This should buy your men any number of low female companions.” Magnanimous, he laid it on the desk.

“Indeed.” Cecco’s grin began to emerge. A greedy gleam was growing in his eye, and in that of his officers. In spite of herself, Jill’s heart was hammering. The jewels winked at her in the morning light. They stirred a memory of a morning, months ago, when she lay with her lover in a bed lined with riches, never conceiving the trials she would soon endure.

Smee peered over his spectacles at the captain. “Begging your pardon, Sir, but does this mean I’ll be doing the doctoring again?”

“In the absence of a surgeon, yes.”

“I haven’t the time to be mending every cut and ill. The
Roger
is a fine ship, but she isn’t getting any younger. I’ll be needing a mate, now, to be doing my job properly.”

Resting his elbows on his chair, Cecco laced his fingers together. The wedding band that used to be Hanover’s shone there. “Mr. Smee makes a good point. He cannot be expected to do the work of two men. How shall we pay for the hire of a bo’sun’s mate, Doctor, to tend to the ship while Smee tends to the men you leave behind?”

Hanover’s smirk decreased. He opened his bag again.

“And, Sir,” Starkey joined in, “since I lost the lady’s boys to the Frenchman, I’ve a hard time keeping the weapons cleaned and oiled. And then there’s the brass to polish.”

Firmly, Cecco shook his head. “I refuse to take those rebels back. Let LeCorbeau deal with their independent tendencies. It is enough that I have to deal with their mother’s.”

Jill shot an offended look at Cecco, then stared at the diamonds.

Starkey persisted, “We’ll be needing at least three cabin boys to take their places. And I’ll have to spend some time training them up.”

All the men looked expectantly at the surgeon.

“And why should I be responsible for this particular expense?”

“You should not.” Cecco shrugged. “For the sake of fairness, I might make one exception. I will accept Mr. Nibs if he wishes to return to my service.”

Hanover’s gaze wandered the far corners of the room. LeCorbeau had made his conditions clear: he wouldn’t weigh anchor with Liza on board unless Nibs was in his grasp. Hanover cleared his throat. “No. No, that won’t be necessary, Captain. Out of respect for your consideration, I shall see to it you don’t require Mr. Nibs.” Onto the desktop, he sprinkled some more solid drops.

Mullins hitched his thumbs in his belt. “I don’t like to mention it, Captain.”

“Well, Mr. Mullins?”

“There’s been some talk, is all. Among the men.”

“Please, tell us.”

“When we took the
Unity
, Sir. It’s no bother to me, mind, but I’ve heard grumbling among the others. Mister Hanover was laid up that day, if you recall. After your, uh, discipline.”

Cecco nodded and smiled. “Yes. I remember. With very great pleasure.”

“It’s just that, well, he didn’t rightly earn his share that day. And I saw Mr. Smee patching up the injuries. Seems to me Smee should receive a surgeon’s share of the
Unity
takings.”

“An excellent point, Mr. Mullins. You are quite right.” Cecco’s gaze bored into the doctor.

Another cluster of gems joined the pile. Mullins smiled and sat back, grunting his approval.

Hanover tied up the bag. “And now, Captain. I trust you are satisfied.”

“Yes. Certainly.”

“And what is the next step?”

“I intend to negotiate the terms of your transfer with Captain LeCorbeau this afternoon. As you are aware, he must pay the company of the
Roger
for your release.”

“Yes, of course. I am sure the
commandant
will be generous. When will Liza and I be leaving the
Roger
, then?” Hanover tasted victory already.

“Tomorrow. After you have compensated me for your freedom.”

Hanover’s eyebrows lifted. “My freedom?” He darted a glance at Jill. She had warned him, in her smuggled letter to LeCorbeau, to prepare to bid for his own liberty as well as hers. “I see.”

Avoiding any disturbance of the diamonds, Cecco slid the
Roger
’s book of articles across his desk. It lay open to Doctor Hanover’s handsome signature, just below Jill’s. “When you signed our book, you became as valuable as any other crew member.”

“Yes. Yes, I understand. Let us dispense with the issue now.” Untying his pouch strings, Hanover managed to maintain his equanimity. He measured another cascade of jewels and held it up for Cecco’s inspection. Cecco snorted. Hanover braced his back and poured a few more. Not bothering to utter his contempt, Cecco turned to gaze out the window. Smee coughed.

Hanover looked at Jill again. She lifted her several necklaces from her breast, rubbing them between her fingers. Hanover stared at the pouch in his lap. He poured another helping. Casting her eyes down, Jill smiled. But she shook her head.

Intruding on the surgeon’s inner debate, Yulunga said, “Perhaps, Doctor, you are having second thoughts about leaving us? You are welcome to remain aboard. Miss Liza can sail to France on
L’Ormonde
. I am sure she will fare just as well on LeCorbeau’s ship as she has done here. I know for a fact that two or three of the French sailors have expressed interest in her. She will not be alone.”

“There is no question of that. As her father, I will continue to care for her.” Recklessly, the surgeon plunked down another heap.

“And of course,” Yulunga couldn’t help smirking, “there is the matter of the dress I gave her. If I can’t have the pleasure of watching her wear it, I want to be repaid.”

“She will return it immediately.”

“So that I can wear it?” Yulunga laughed, and his mirth was infectious. The room resounded with guffaws. “I think not, Doctor!”

Hanover knew he was beaten. He gave again.

In good temper once more, Cecco came to his relief. “On behalf of your shipmates, I thank you, Doctor.”

Again Hanover tied up the bag, feeling at last that, whatever the cost, he was well rid of the long, insufferable imprisonment Captain Hook had imposed. He cherished the extra pleasure of knowing that his sea chest secreted just compensation, snatched from the very man who had begun his bondage. He sighed in satisfaction, then said, “And now, Captain. I will make another offer.”

The men perked up. This proposition was what they wanted to hear.

“I cannot help but overhear the gossip. I understand that a sensitive situation arose yesterday. It is that incident, to which you allude as the latest stroke of bad luck, that has pushed you to this point.”

Cecco frowned.

“I don’t wish to be indelicate, Captain, but I believe I can relieve you of your anxiety.”

“To what ‘anxiety’ do you refer?”

“I will be blunt. Much as you desire her, Red-Handed Jill has become a liability.”

Jill’s head jerked up. Cecco drew back, and his face hardened into a mask. The officers surrounding him sucked in their breaths. Cecco let the silence blister before he answered.

“You dare to say this?”