Surrender the Heart (58 page)

If not for Marianne’s scream and the shadow of her falling body blocking the light streaming from the stern windows, Noah wouldn’t have been ready to catch her. But catch her, he did.

She barely hit the surface of the sea before he reached out and grabbed her waist. Together they plunged under the water.

Zip zip
. Bullets sped by his ears. Grabbing the thrashing woman, Noah dove deeper into the cold, wet void. Darkness surrounded him. The sounds of shouting and the tap of musket fire combined in a muted undersea chorus.

Lord, please save us
.

His lungs ached. He dragged a squirming Marianne to the surface.

With effort, he held her face above water. She heaved and spewed up the sea, then screamed.

He covered her mouth and dove again just as the air filled with musket shot.

She writhed in his grasp, kicking her legs. She struck him in the groin. Agony burned down his thighs. He surfaced, biting back a wail
of pain. The sea slapped his face. Marianne gasped for air.

One glance over the choppy black waves told him Matthew had not obeyed his last command. The
Defender
slid through the ebony waters just twenty yards away and began to slow.

Too close. The
Undefeatable
could reach his ship with their swivel guns.

“It will be all right, Marianne.” He whispered between breaths what he no longer believed then wiped a strand of hair from her eyes. “Hang onto my back and hold your breath.”

She nodded. A burst of light came from the
Undefeatable
‘s stern, highlighting the terror on her face.

Boom!
He pushed her below the surface then dove beside her. The shot struck only a few feet to their right. A wall of water crashed into them, shoving them through the sea.

Noah broke through the waves again. “Hold on.” He placed her hands on his shoulders then plunged through the frothing waves. She groped frantically at his shirt, her legs flailing. She clutched his neck. Pain shot through his shoulders. His throat constricted. But she held on.

Tap tap tap
. More musket fire sped around them, peppering the sea.

Every muscle in Noah’s body screamed in agony. His lungs throbbed. Marianne’s weight felt like an anchor on his back, threatening to sink them both.

Lord, help
.

Noah’s head grew light. He began to sink.

Cold water closed in on him from all around. His mind went numb. It was all over. He had failed.

A strong hand grabbed his arm.

His head popped above the surface. He heaved for air, but Marianne’s tight grip on his throat barely allowed a breath to enter his lungs.

“Hold on to me.” Blackthorn’s voice, thick with effort and concern, sounded like heavenly music in Noah’s ears.

Behind him, Marianne gasped. Her hot breath fanned his shoulder.

He felt himself being dragged through the water.

The smell of wood filled his nose. His hand struck the moist hull. His ship.

Blackthorn placed Noah’s hand on the rope ladder. “Can you climb?”

Unable to speak, Noah nodded. Grabbing the rope with one hand, he tried to pry Marianne’s hands off of his neck with the other.

Her firm grip told him she was alive. But he needed to see her. To make sure she wasn’t injured.

Blackthorn assisted him in loosening her grip.

Gulping air, Noah swung around. He couldn’t make out her face in the darkness. “Are you all right?”

She leaned on his shoulder, her chest heaving.

Grasping her waist, Noah tightened his grip on the rope and glanced aloft.

“Ahoy up,” he commanded as loud as he dared. Groans filtered down as the ladder rose along the side of the hull. Or what remained of the hull still above water.

Matthew clutched Noah’s arm and helped him and Marianne over the bulwarks. Blackthorn thumped onto the deck behind them.

Marianne’s brown hair hung to her waist in saturated strands. She let out a shuttering sob and started to topple. Noah grabbed her and drew her close. Her cold, wet body trembled against his.

“You came for me,” she whispered, her voice raspy and filled with wonder.

Noah embraced her and kissed her forehead as the shadows of his crew surrounded them, muttering congratulations and patting him on the back.

“I can’t believe you did that, Cap’n,” Mr. Rupert exclaimed.

“Ain’t never seen anything like it,” another sailor added.

“We thought you was sunk for sure.” Mr. Boone chortled.

In the distance, the stern lights of the
Undefeatable
winked at them as the mighty frigate drifted listlessly out of sight.

And out of gun range.

Huzzahs rang from his crew.

Emerging from the shadows, Daniel dashed to Marianne’s side. “I told you God had a plan.”

“Yes, you did.” She pressed the boy close. “Yes, you did.”

Noah still clung to Marianne, refusing to release her, too afraid she’d disappear. Her face was just inches from his. Her sweet breath wafted over him. He peered through the darkness for a glimpse into those lustrous brown eyes where he hoped to find appreciation, admiration, and perhaps even—love.

But they were lost to him in the shadows.

Agnes dashed toward Marianne. “Oh, you poor dear.”

Reluctantly releasing her to the older woman, Noah gazed in the distance where he could still make out the lights from the
Constitution
.

“All hands aloft! Unfurl all sail!” He faced the helm. “Head for the
Constitution
, Mr. Pike.”

“Aye, aye, Cap’n.” Yet absent was the usual confidence in the helmsman’s voice.

Luke brayed the orders, sending the men aloft, then took his spot beside Noah. He huffed and shifted his stance.

But Noah knew what troubled the man before he opened his mouth. He knew because as the sails filled with wind, the ship barely moved. Hull down, she slogged forward like an anchor dragging over the bottom of the sea.

“We will sink before we reach them.
If
we reach them.” Luke’s words of defeat landed like grapeshot on Noah’s open wounds.

But he could not accept them. Not after all he’d endured.

Noah paced across the deck. “Light every lantern, Mr. Weller. Light every candle, every wick. And load one gun for a signal shot!” He glanced aloft where the American flag flapped from their foremast. Surely, with all lanterns blazing, the
Constitution
would spot the ensign and come to their rescue.

Oh Lord, open their eyes
.

They had to see it. He stopped and clenched his fists. He had not risked his life and the lives of his entire crew just to see them all drowned.

Marianne could not stop trembling. And not because her gown was wet. They were sinking. And once again she would be thrust into the merciless sea.

Blackthorn called for Daniel. The lad squeezed her hand then darted to his father.

“Come below, dear. Let’s get you into some dry attire.” Agnes tugged on her wet sleeve but Marianne remained firm.

“Please, I don’t want to go below if we are to sink.” Her lips quivered making her words come out harsh.

“No, of course, dear.” Despite her calm tone, Agnes trembled when she wrapped an arm around Marianne’s shoulder. “What a horrible ordeal you’ve been through. Just horrible. I prayed for you every night.”

Turning, Marianne hugged the woman, taking comfort from her warm embrace. “Thank you, Agnes. God answered your prayers.”

Agnes withdrew and stared across the sea. “I hope the Almighty answers the prayer I’m makin’ now.” She sighed and forced a smile. “Well, the least I can do is get you a blanket. That is, if the water has not reached my cabin yet.” She buzzed away and dropped below deck.

Hugging herself, Marianne slipped into the shadows. Her eyes latched on Noah. He marched confidently across the ship issuing orders and encouragements to his men. His brown hair dripped onto his collar. His white shirt clung to a muscled torso still heaving from exertion.

He had come for her.

He had risked his life for her. And now faced with another crisis, he handled himself with such assurance, such wisdom, such bravery.

Marianne swallowed the burning in her throat. Because of her, his ship was sinking. Because of her, he would lose everything … possibly even his life.

But God had been faithful thus far.

Lord, I trusted You. I dove into the waters. And You didn’t let me drown
.
Now, please don’t allow us to sink
.

With lanterns hanging on every mast hook and railing, the ship lit up like a tree at Christmas.

Sails snapped overhead, bursting with wind like bloated specters. Yet the vessel slogged through the water as if pushing through black molasses. Trembling, Marianne inched her way to the railing. If they were going to sink, she would face the waters with the same bravery Noah displayed.

The ravenous waves slapped the hull just a few feet below her. Yet strangely, she felt no fear. She thought of the frightful dream she’d had not long ago where she’d been aboard a sinking ship while all her friends sailed away leaving her alone. Now she realized it was a trick of the enemy to discourage her. She was indeed aboard a sinking ship, but she was not alone. No one had left her, especially not God. She leaned over and examined the waves again. The sea gurgled and spit and carried on like an insolent child. She laughed. Why had she ever been afraid of it? With God’s help and Noah’s strong back, she had crossed these waters and survived. If she sank in them now, God would bring her home to heaven. The sea would not hold her captive for long. In fact, as she watched the foam-capped ebony waves, she saw them as nothing but slippery fingers always reaching, grabbing, threatening, but ultimately powerless.

The musky scent of Noah surrounded her. Her heart leapt. He stood beside her, his hair and breeches still dripping. Lantern light glimmered in his eyes as they soaked her in from head to toe.

She wanted to throw herself into his arms. To thank him. To tell him she loved him. But before she could, he pressed her head to his chest and covered her other ear with his hand.

The
boom
of a single gun thundered through the ship. Timbers shook and creaked. Marianne felt the reverberations through Noah’s strong arms. Strong arms that seemed to filter out the fear. She wished he’d never let go.

The sting of gunpowder burned her nose as smoke enveloped them.

Batting it away, Noah released her. She grew cold again.

Both gazed toward the
Constitution
.

The entire crew gazed toward the
Constitution
. Waiting … waiting … The sea laughed at them as it broke against their hull.

Had the men aboard heard them? Did they see them? Did they care?

A jet of orange light came in reply, followed by a
boom
that cracked the night sky.

“They’ve spotted us. We are saved!”

CHAPTER 31