Within a Captain's Treasure (27 page)

Both men simply stared at her. Cold and unmoved. Oozing with judgmental arrogance “How would you like some more truth? The
Delmar
was carrying slaves.
Your
slaves. Half of them dead already. Stuffed into a hold like animals. Shackled to one another. The living attached to the dead. I watched a man die after the iron band around his leg cut straight through to the bone. That man’s death is on your hands.” Alice planted her hands on her hips. “Gavin Quinn is a lot of things, but he’s the only one who cares about protecting them. You want to live in your perfect world and believe you’re better than everyone else? You’re no better than I am. You’re certainly no better than him.”

Emerson mirrored her stance. “We are not going to debate the horrors of the slave trade with you. I treat my people well.”

“And that makes it right? Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep peacefully in your nice clean bed at night?” Alice calmed the racing of her breath. She could sense the walls of the trap closing in. She needed to compose herself, find a way out.

She turned back to Carlton. His face had gone from florid to ashen. Alice continued to plead her case. “I’m not proud of some of the things I’ve had to do, but I did them to survive. I came here to start a new life. Put it all behind me. I love those children. I love Isabelle. I have done nothing since I arrived to bring my past to this house, until tonight. Yes, I’m a pirate. If you have to bring me to justice, then I’ll face whatever is to come.”

Carlton rubbed a shaky hand over his jaw. “I certainly didn’t imagine it would come to this, but we have no choice. There are laws.”

“And I’m guilty.” She lowered herself into a chair.

Carlton and Emerson exchanged a look. The room breathed a silent pause. Emerson knelt before her for the second time tonight. The look he gave her spoke of heartbreak and sadness. “You’ve told me you love Gavin Quinn. As much as it hurts me, I have to accept your declaration for the man. But I can’t watch you dragged off to the gallows. It would kill me.” He looked stricken. “I know how hard this is, but, darling, if you have some information we could use, anything against Quinn. It might be enough to save you. Are you sure there’s nothing?”

Alice stared at her hands, fiddled with her ring, and chewed at her lip.

Emerson placed his hand over hers. “I beg you, tell us.”

She sighed and looked between the two men. “There may be something.”

* * * *

“What took you so long?” Gavin cupped her cheek and kissed her.

“I had a few loose ends to tie. I’ll explain later. We need to get out of here.”

“We haven’t much time.” He took her bundle, grasped her hand tight, and headed off into the night.

They didn’t speak as she followed his lead. The only whisper was their footsteps through the thick trees and brush, and the rush of their breathing. They’d been walking over an hour when Alice began to smell the salty tang of the ocean. They had to be close. Soon the brush seemed to part, and Gavin stopped.

Standing on the edge of the dunes, Alice could hear the waves as they broke upon the shore. With only a slight crescent to the moon, it was hard to see.

“Dammit,” he hissed.

“What is it?” She clutched at his arm.

“They’re gone.” He pulled a small scope out of his coat pocket and scanned the sea. “Damn.” He huffed out a breath. “They were spotted.”

“Gavin?”

“Thought the Royals might be a problem. They’ve push more patrols along this stretch. I left orders. If this spot wasn’t secure, we’d meet up with them farther down the coast.”

“The Royal Navy?”

“Aye. Come on. We need to be away before daybreak. After that, our chances of getting away without a fight are slim.”

Alice grabbed at the fabric of his sleeve. “You’ve risked so much. If anything happens to you because of me….”

He turned in the dark and found her mouth, kissing her before laying a warm hand over hers. “Don’t worry. I know every cove and inlet along this coast. I won’t let anything happen. I’m not losing you again. Let’s go. If we’re to meet up with the
Scarlet Night
before dawn we have to be quick.”

Gavin kissed her once more before turning them back into the trees. Alice needed to run at times to keep up with his long-legged strides. He moved with little hesitation, certain of where he was headed even in the dark.

When he broke back through the tree line to stand at the edge of another cove, they were both out of breath. Alice bent at the waist, pressing a fist into the painful stitch at her side while she gasped for air. Gavin pulled his glass and tried to still his own breathing so he could hold it steady. Dawn was coming. The faint lightening of the sky told her they were running out of time.

Alice prayed they’d found the ship.

“There she is. We need to climb down to the water line and get their attention. Follow close and watch your footing.”

The high bluff surrounding the cove made for a slow descent, but soon Alice and Gavin stood upon the coarse sand. Gavin began gathering bits of driftwood and making a small pile. “Need a fire to signal for the skiff. With the rain earlier, the wood is damp. Hope we can get the blasted thing to light.”

Alice searched for dry grass and small sticks to use as kindling. When she returned, Gavin was crouched alongside working with a flint. He added what she’d gathered and got a spark to catch. Smoke became flame, and soon a tiny fire struggled to catch the larger pieces of wood.

“Son of a blind bitch. They’ll never see this.”

The sky was growing lighter by the second. Alice looked about in a panic for more dry wood, and then a thought struck her. “I know what they’ll see.”

“What are you thinking?”

Alice rummaged through her bag and pulled out the small pouch of powder. “If this works, there’ll be no living with MacTavish. I’m not sure how much to use. You might want to stand back.”

Gavin did so as Alice tossed the entire pouch onto the fledgling fire. The resulting explosion and red fireball lit up the beach and threw them both back on their arses.

“Bloody hell,” shouted Gavin.

Thirty minutes later, Gavin and Alice, together with a six-member crew, were racing back in a skiff as the first pink of daylight began to creep along the horizon. “Put hard to the oars boys. The Royals couldn’t have slept through that.”

“There’s my bonny lass.” puffed MacTavish as he pulled Alice back aboard the
Scarlet Night
. Hearty welcomes came from the rest of the men. White, Finch, and Summer led the cheer.

Alice tossed Robbins a small bundle. “I brought you a present.”

He held up a pair of fine black breeches and raised a brow. “Satin?”

Their good-natured reunion was short-lived as the call from the crow’s nest confirmed everyone’s fears. The
Scarlet
Night
wasn’t the only one to witness MacTavish’s red magic.

“Ship off of starboard. Coming fast.”

* * * *

Gavin swung over the gunwales and began shouting orders before his feet hit the deck. “Get the skiff secured and raise the anchor. Full sail, Simons. Glass.” He was handed the largest scope and fixed it upon the coming ship. “Four masts. She’s flying Jack and looks like she plans to blow us out of the water. Hoist every inch of cloth we’ve got, our only chance it to outrun the bastards.”

A cannon blast from the huge navy warship’s largest gun fell short of the
Scarlet Night
, but it was a clear warning for them to stand or suffer the consequences. Gavin watched the ship get larger in the glass.

Above them, the sails of the
Scarlet Night
filled, and the ship leapt through the water. They were riding high and empty, and they could outrun the heavy warship, but they were seriously outgunned. If the bastards got close enough, their front-mounted cannons could turn the
Night
into floating kindling with one blast.

“I’ve an idea.” He grabbed Alice’s arm. “Go below and put on that gown I just paid for.” At her puzzled look, he gave her a gentle push. “Be quick. And let down your hair. Get back up here fast.”

The rigging began to hum as the
Scarlet
Night
gained momentum. Another shot from the Royals fell short. “They’re getting closer. We’re going to need every bit of speed we can squeeze from her, men.”

In no time, Alice was at his side having followed his orders to the letter. Her hair was wild in the wind, and her gown was barely on.

“I didn’t have time to lace up the bodice.”

“Perfect.” He grabbed a rag. “There’s no time to explain. Put this in your mouth like you’ve been gagged.”

Alice’s frown quickly melted into a smile. “You’re bloody brilliant.” She put the rag in her mouth.

“Only if it works. Climb into the main rigging, midship. Put your hands behind you like they’re bound and grip the ropes tight. I’ll keep a hold on you, too. Understand?”

Alice nodded as he pulled her along after him, and they settled themselves in the ropes.

Gavin tossed his glass to Simons. “Keep an eye on the commanders, and those lead gunners.”

Slipping his arm around Alice’s waist, Gavin pulled her tight against him. He drew his pistol and placed the tip of the barrel under her jaw. “My beautiful captive,” he murmured in her ear. “Let’s hope they see you before they fire those guns.”

“Gunners are at the ready,” Simons called out.

“What about the officers?” Quinn asked.

“Got their glasses on us. Wait. One lowered his sight and pulled it back quick. He’s pointing. Seen ye, Tupper. Smile pretty. Got three scopes trained on ye.”

“Struggle against me, then tip your head back like I made a grab for your hair.” He pulled her tighter and growled low. “This would be much more fun if the bastards weren’t trying to kill us.”

Behind the loose rag in her teeth Alice said, “I have another idea.”

Gavin’s mouth was close to her ear. “What do you suggest?”

“Use the butt of your pistol. Lower the top of my gown.”

“Bare your breasts to the bloody British Navy?”

“Just the right side. Show them I’m truly a woman. Don’t worry, my left one will still be yours alone.”

“Bloody hell, woman,” he growled.

“Gunners leveling the barrels, Capt’n,” shouted Simons.

Alice nudged him with her elbow. “Best be quick about it. If they ruin this dress….”

Gavin pressed the brass end of his pistol’s hilt to her skin and dragged it down catching the edge of her bodice and pulling the wide lace trim past the peak of her right breast. With her flagrantly exposed, he pointed the barrel of the gun to her heart. “First man on this ship to so much as glance in this direction is dead.”

“Damn wind,” Alice mumbled against the rag as she shivered pretending to struggle.

“I’ll warm ye later.”

“If we have a later.”

“Five glasses now,” called Simons. “Shoutin’ orders. Gunners at ease. They be droppin’ two mainsa’l. They’re fallin’ back.”

A cheer went up as the
Scarlet Night
began to add distance between them and the British. Adrenaline pumped in Alice’s veins. The hum of the rigging set off a humming within her. Gavin kept a tight hold on her as he lifted the top of her gown back into place and they moved down out of the rigging.

He called the order. “We’re going to thread the needle. Simons, pull every ounce of speed we’ve got.”

God, she’d missed him. His commanding presence, the way he captained his crew. The strength of his jaw. The smell of his skin. “Can I kiss you now?”

“They’re still watching.” He jerked her closer and moved toward the ladder way. “They won’t shoot on us now they’ve seen you, but they’ll pursue us to attempt a rescue. If we can lose sight of them long enough, there’s a place we can lie low. Let them chase their tails for a few days.”

“Foolish men, don’t they know I don’t need rescuing?”

“Go below. I’ll be down soon.”

Alice slipped back into the rest of her clothes in the galley way where she’d changed in haste. Activity top deck rumbled down as the men sent the
Scarlet Night
flying over the water. The clamor was like coming home. The creak of the wood, the rush of the sea. She was back.

But what did that mean? Indecision crept over her. She and Gavin hadn’t shared more than two score words between them. Yes, his kisses left her knees weak, but he’d pushed her away one too many times to assume they meant anything more than a moment’s desire. He’d come for her, but there were still many things left swinging in the breeze.

There was one thing she was certain of, however. Alice went in search of Bump. Regardless of what happened between her and Gavin, she would not be leaving that sweet lad again.

She found him tucked away in a corner of Gavin’s cabin polishing a pair of Gavin’s boots—one-handed. What had happened to his arm? He hadn’t noticed her when she entered, and so she stood in the doorway and waited.

His face looked thinner. Dark smudges visible beneath his eyes. His hair stuck out in every direction. The sight of him filled her heart and made her want to scoop him into her arms and never let go.

Bump looked up from his work. His eyes met hers and he frowned. Rubbing them with the back of his hand, he looked at her again. Bump jumped to his feet, knocking the boots to the floor, and ran to her. Midroom, he came to an abrupt stop. Eyes wide, he stared.

Alice stood her ground. She’d rushed to him before and embraced him against his will. She needed to be patient. Tears pinched the backs of her eyes. She opened her arms out to her sides and held her breath.

Bump tucked his chin, gave a great sigh, and leapt into her arms. He encircled his good arm around her neck and held tight. Alice wrapped her arms around the boy as she buried her face into his slight shoulder and wept.

Gavin entered a short time later. Alice lowered Bump to his feet and wiped at her face. “This was not coddling.”

“I didn’t say it was.” Gavin touched Bump’s shoulder, and when the boy looked at him, he made a few odd gestures with his hands. Bump smiled and gestured back before giving Alice another quick hug and leaving the cabin.