Surrender the Heart (44 page)

“You what?” Her face grew puffy and her eyes sharp. She faced Noah. “You did what?”

“It couldn’t be helped, Agnes.” The breeze tore his words away as if they bore no weight.

Her eyes filled with tears. “That poor dear. All alone on that enemy ship.”

“Don’t worry, ma’am.” Daniel sidled up to the large woman. “We’re going to go rescue her, aren’t we, Mr. Noah?”

“That we are.” Noah said with as much conviction as he could muster. Problem was, he didn’t know how.

“And who might this be?” Agnes drew Daniel into the folds of her skirt.

“My son, Daniel.” Blackthorn ran a sleeve over his forehead and stood tall. He exchanged a look with Noah and Luke. “Feels good to be able to claim the lad as my own.”

Agnes pushed Daniel’s hair from his face. “Why, you sweet boy. What were you doin’ on that ship?”

“God’s work, ma’am.” Daniel smiled up at her.

“An’ I’d say he fared better than the rest o’ us because of it.” Weller tugged at the scarf around his neck and laughed—the first laugh Noah had heard the man utter since they’d been impressed by the British.

“Indeed.” Daniel’s prophesy of rescue leapt into Noah’s mind, and he eyed the boy curiously. Coincidence? Or did the lad truly hear from God? But he didn’t have time to ponder it now. Marianne was in
trouble. “Haul in the boat!” he ordered. “We set sail immediately.”

Luke began braying orders to the crew, sending them scampering across the deck.

Noah turned to his boatswain. “What is the status of the ship, Matthew?”

Matthew scratched his bald head. “We dumped all the rice and flour that got wet, Cap’n. Still got the cloth we can sell. But as far as sailin’ goes, she’s fit as a fiddle.”

“Good.” Noah nodded and glanced at the glistening shores of Antigua a mile off their larboard side then shifted his gaze to the endless turquoise sea. His gut twisted in a knot. Agnes’s sorrowful eyes met his, and he knew her thoughts must also be of Marianne.

“Never fear, Agnes, I’ll get her back.”

She pursed her lips. “I’ll hold you to that, Noah.” Then with a swipe to rid her face of tears, she gathered Daniel close and led him away. “I bet you’re a might starved, too, little man.”

Later, in his cabin, with his belly full, Noah leaned back on his desk and faced a line of his men. Luke, Matthew, Mr. Weller, Mr. Pike, Mr. Boone, Blackthorn, and Daniel.

Mr. Pike shuffled his feet. “This is self-destruction, Cap’n.” He kneaded the hat in his hands. “The crew ain’t sure they want to be a part of it.”

Noah shifted his back, glad to be out of the filthy garb the British had given him to wear and back into his own clothes. Rays of morning sun angled in through the stern windows, creating spears of glittering dust through the air.

“We can still make some money with the goods left in the hold.” Mr. Boone’s voice lifted in enthusiasm. “The trip won’t be a complete loss.”

Seafoam arched her back and rubbed against Noah’s side. He picked her up and scratched her head, surprised that he’d actually missed the cat.

Matthew shook his head. “I like Miss Denton, too, Noah, but chasin’ after a British frigate with no plan as to how to rescue the lady, why it be sheer madness.”

“You’ll get us all killed.” Weller scratched the scar on his face and muttered to himself. “Or worse, impressed again.”

Blackthorn nodded. “I know I’m not a part of this crew, but I’ve been on that frigate long enough to know there’s no way to get close enough to get Miss Denton off without waking their broadside.”

Setting the cat down, Noah folded his hands over his chest, fighting back a wave of frustration. “Yet
we
got off.”

“Aye, in a British port.” Blackthorn scratched the hair sprouting from the collar of his shirt. “It’s the only time the frigate won’t be guarded so heavily. Now, that we’re at war, we won’t be able to get within a stone’s throw of a British port should the HMS
Undefeatable
anchor in one again.”

Seafoam sauntered over to Daniel.

Noah gripped the edge of his desk until his fingers hurt. Blackthorn was right. They were all right. Then why did everything within him scream in defiance. He gazed at Luke, who stood eyeing them all, unusually silent. The bruises on his face had faded to yellow.

“’Sides,” Mr. Boone joined in. “I hear the lady won’t go in the water. How are we to rescue her? Sprout wings?”

“Impossible.” Blackthorn shook his head and gave Noah a sympathetic look.

Daniel picked up Seafoam and gazed up at his father. “But, Pa, nothing’s impossible with God.”

“Hush, lad.” Blackthorn put a hand atop Daniel’s head. “And from what I’ve seen, Noah, you don’t have more than eight guns onboard. Four pounders at that.”

Frustration bubbled in Noah’s stomach. “What do you say, Mr. Heaton?”

Luke grinned, then shrugged one shoulder. “I say we have a lady to rescue.”

“That’s the spirit, Mr. Luke!” Daniel cuddled the cat to his chest, and Noah could hear the deep rumble of her purrs from where he sat.

Well, at least Noah had one man and a boy on his side. And a cat. “Have the both of you gone mad?” Matthew shifted his wide eyes
between Noah and Luke.

Noah held up a hand, silencing him. “Gentleman, there is a fully armed British ship of war sailing up the coast of America—the coast of our great nation,
our
coast. She intends to do us harm. She intends to sink our ships, impress our men, and steal from us the freedoms we fought so hard to gain. On that ship is a young American girl held against her will.”

Noah took up a pace before the men, examining each one in turn. A surge of strength, of purpose, billowed within him. “We know where this frigate is going. She and her companion hope to engage the USS
Constitution
and sink her to the depths. How can we go about our way and ignore our duty? How can we close our eyes and concern ourselves with money when the very future of our nation hangs in the balance?”

He stopped, blood surging to his fists. “We are Americans. We are a people who stand up for what is right, who do not tolerate injustice, who will do anything for the cause of liberty. Even risk our own lives.”

The men remained still, their eyes riveted on him.

“How can we do anything but follow our enemy and do everything we can to thwart her evil plans
and
rescue Miss Denton?”

Matthew’s expression twisted. “You’ve changed, Noah.”

“Spend some time on a British warship and see if it doesn’t inspire your patriotism.” Noah snorted.

A tiny grin played at the corner of Blackthorn’s lips. Matthew gave Noah a knowing look while Mr. Boone and Mr. Pike stared out the stern windows.

“But what can we do?” The glee in Mr. Weller’s eyes, present since their rescue, had dissipated, and Noah hated himself for it.

“I don’t know.” He lengthened his stance. “Gentlemen, let us follow this ship the British call the
Undefeatable
and find out if she lives up to her name.” He scanned his men, searching their eyes for compliance. “Who’s with me?”

“Aye.” Luke smiled.

“I am,” Mr. Pike and Mr. Boone said simultaneously. “We are!” Daniel burst out, then tugged on his father’s sleeve. “Aren’t we, Pa?”

Blackthorn gave a reluctant nod.

Noah glanced at Matthew. The old man shrugged. “You know I’ll sail wit’ you where’er you go.”

“And what is your decision, Mr. Weller?” Noah asked. “I will put ashore all those not wishing to join us. No one would fault you for it.”

Weller grunted, then shook his head. “You promised to get me off that British frigate, Cap’n, an’ you stuck to your word. Nay, I’m goin’ wit’ you. Even though I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Thank you, Mr. Weller.” Emotion clogged Noah’s throat at his men’s loyalty, especially since most of them knew the price they would pay if the British caught them again.

“Very well.” Noah planted his fists at his waist and cleared his throat. “Luke, inform the rest of the crew of our mission. Those who do not wish to join us will be dropped off at Charleston on the way north.”

Ignoring the fear that most of his men would abandon him, Noah dismissed his friends and watched as they slowly marched from the cabin. His friends, indeed. For he doubted he’d find a more loyal bunch.

And he hoped to God he wasn’t leading them all to their deaths.

CHAPTER 23

M
arianne set the captain’s polished boots beside his bed and examined the black leather gleaming in the lantern light. Perfect. Tucking the rag into the pocket of her skirt, she turned to face the captain, hoping he wouldn’t overindulge in drink tonight.

Her hopes faded when she saw him pouring yet another glass of brandy. She studied him as he stood alone with his thoughts, unaware of her censure. Dark circles tugged his eyes downward. The lines on his faced etched a sad tale. He sipped his brandy and stared into the darkness beyond the stern windows as if he wished he were somewhere else. Anywhere else. The light from lanterns swaying overhead sent the buttons lining his lapel shimmering like gold, but their luster fell flat when reflected off his haggard face.

Marianne’s heart sank for this man.

It had been two weeks since they’d left Antigua. Two miserably long weeks in which Marianne’s agitated emotions had gone from despondency to anger to sorrow and finally to a benumbed acceptance of her fate. If God wanted her to be a slave on board an enemy ship, if He wanted her mother and sister to go uncared for, then so be it.
She would accept her destiny. Accept it, yes, but not without feeding a growing anger toward a God who was supposed to care for and love her.

But as John Milton said his poem, “Comus,”
“A sable cloud turns forth its silver lining on the night,”
such a silver lining had shone on Marianne’s recent storms. For Lieutenant Garrick had not followed through with his threat to prove her involvement in her friends’ escape. Nor had he made any advances toward her. In addition, the drunken watchmen made no mention of her actions and had only received a dozen lashes each.

Gazing back at Captain Milford, she cringed in shame at her self-pity, for he was just as much a prisoner as she. Possibly more so. She headed toward his desk to clear off the dishes from his supper and hopefully make a quick exit, but his eyes latched on her as if he just remembered he was not alone.

Marianne picked up the tray. “Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?”

He tossed the remaining brandy into his mouth, then poured himself another glass. “What do you think of your friends leaving you, Miss Denton?” His jaw tightened. “Egad, your fiancé!” He shook his head and stared out the window. “My wealth for a loyal, honorable man. Are there any left in the world, do you suppose?”

Must he remind her? Must he rub salt in the wound when it was still so fresh? Marianne’s hands began to shake. The dishes clanked, and she set down the tray. “He really wasn’t my fiancé.” She hoped the truth of the statement would soothe the ache in her heart, if only a little. It didn’t.

The captain let out a “humph,” then eyed her, his eyes misty. “Do you think me a monster, Miss Denton, for keeping you on this ship?”