FicWad

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

I buried myself in research for this novel. However, at times, I manipulated data to serve my needs. I decided to take Mark Twain’s philosophy of altering facts to serve art. Oddly enough, I think it made the story more authentic.

In researching Tortuga I struck an endless amount of walls. I could find nothing specific enough about streets or buildings. Even in canon, the actuality of what transpired on that island of wickedness and vice might never be known. Lili’s Tortuga is much of my own making. I hope you enjoy visiting.



CHAPTER ONE
March 1718
Somewhere near Jamaica

The booming of the cannons had concerned me less than the near silence. Our three-masted ship had given a terrible shudder moments ago. I suspected the violent tremor represented death throes.

I shared a cramped hot cabin with two other women. Our chaperone languished under the ship’s doctor’s care. We three traveled to the New World as soon-to-be-brides. Offerings to The Colonies transplanted aristocracy. Our berths aboard had been kept a secret to prevent this very thing. My fiancé held much power in the colonies. Two years ago he’d retired early from the crown’s service. The crown had bestowed much in reward for his aide in capturing three of the four pirates on a secret most wanted list. When I heard the booted footfalls coming down the corridor, I screwed up my courage.

My brother had served as a privateer for six years. He’d taught me much.

The cabin door opened. A huge masculine silhouette stood framed by the only-shades-lighter passage. The scent of struck flint reached my nose. A flare of light, then one of the candles occupying the sconces flanking the door flared to life.

He stepped into the cabin. Dwarfing the room, he seemed inhumanly tall, broad of shoulder and slim of flank. Bucklers’ boots rose to the knee. His breeches clung immodestly to heavily muscled thighs. Two large-bore pistols hung in his belt, a long sword was slung on his back. An off-white shirt hosted many nasty red splatters. A rip in one sleeve revealed an ugly gash.

My eyes adjusted and I saw his face. Leonine dark gold hair fell over his wide forehead in one reckless, shorter swath, flowed far longer everywhere else around his shoulders. The whole of it displayed a deep loose wave a woman would envy. A small braid hung forward over his chest. His brows, eyelashes and neatly trimmed beard and mustache possessed a far darker, almost black hue. Slanted light blue-green eyes stared from a deeply tanned visage. Somewhat long, straight nose, heathen-like high cheekbones gave him a savage appearance.

His pale gaze assessed my cringing cabin mates, doubtless seeing them for what they were. Quivering, near-witless cowards that would give him no trouble. The he looked back to me.

More footfalls sounded in the corridor. “Mr. Levit,” the man in the doorway said, “inform Captain La Mare I claim these three as my cut. He may have all the provisions and spirits on board. Remind our men that their share comes from me.”

From beyond came the reply, “Aye, captain.”

He strode forward toward the other women. Their weeping began to crescendo. “Quiet,” he commanded without compassion, “you’ll be back in society by the morrow.“ He caught them by the arms, steered them from the cabin. “Mr. Levit, I placed you in charge of ransoming them to the governor. Make certain it‘s done through Doren, or it won‘t be paid. Go.”

I waited, wondering my fate.

He turned back to me. “You’re coming with me. It can be easy or hard. Choose.“

The inflexible line of his wide mouth, the cool tone made me believe. I replied, “I’ll go.”

“If you want to keep that lovely hide in tact, I suggest you do as I say and stay by my side.” He snatched up one of the other women’s cloak’s, wrapped it around me and pulled the hood up and then low on my face. “For both our sakes, don’t let anyone have a look at you, and keep that braid in the hood. I don’t want to have to kill any more men today.”

He took my arm and all but dragged me along. The hood limited my vision, and I was glad of it. Once in a while a dark puddle of gore would pass before my eyes. Our ship, the Gallant, had fallen under attack less than a half hour ago. Two slighter, faster ships had shot from behind a small island as we sailed slowly through a shallow channel. Before the quartermaster hustled me below deck, I’d seen several men fall to musket shot.

“Pirates!” someone had yelled.

Pirates. Despite the three dozen soldiers aboard to guard our crossing, clearly the day belonged to them.

I had no where to run, no way to protect myself. My captor, a man of power, seemed to wish me unharmed. That made him my champion for the moment.

We stopped. I could see the ship’s rail and another beyond. A grappling hook hung upon the Gallant, the rope extending out of view. I could only imagine the sort of nerve it required to leap from ship to ship amid cannon fire, blades and ball shot. Boarders those men were called.

My captor-escort shouted something in a language I could not recognize. A moment later a rope landed at my feet. He tied it round my waist and I pushed back the hood enough to see the rope extending up to a yardarm and down into the hands of an enormous red indian! A feather-studded, New World savage!

“There’s no help for it,” my captor said curtly. “Walks Softly will lower you to the other deck.”

My heart leapt to my throat. I nodded. The rope pulled taught and my feet left the deck. Around my middle the rope tightened, though not quite painfully. My corset protected me from the bite of the hemp, though I wondered the whalebone did not crack. I found myself pushed, swung across the gap between the ships and then a big hand caught me. I had an up close view of straining male muscle, then my feet touched down and the rope went slack.

He smelled of cannon smoke and heated male skin. Nothing like the stories tossed about with such disdainful relish. Not a man I’d encountered during my voyage had taken such care.

I heard something land nearby. The now familiar deep voice asked, “Has Mr. Levit come aboard?”

“Yes. We had the little sailboat in the water. He’s on his way.”

“Good. Teach is waiting for him right under the governor’s nose. He’ll have Mr. Levit back to Isla de los Tiburones in three weeks.”

Teach. The infamous Blackbeard’s surname. For the first time fear clasped my vitals firmly in it’s jaws.

My captor said, “Get her below. That cabin boy’s berth hooked to mine. Fear of my future wrath might not keep the men from her if tempted. My pistols will.”

The indian grasped my arm and I glanced back at the man whose questionable mercy had delivered me unharmed thus far. “Shall I be ransomed?”

He scanned the deck of the Gallant. “After a fashion.”

“Where are you taking me?”

Apparently, he had finished answering questions. He made a dismissive motion with dark hand, and my escort lead me away.

As we walked toward a set of stairs leading below, I saw something that turned my blood to ice. The ship’s name. Blood Vengeance.

Courtesy my brother, I knew the ship well. Agents hunting pirates steered clear. Governments denied knowledge for fear of coming to shame.

English privateers called him the Hunter, for he picked and chose his quarry with clear intent and ruthless success. The Spanish privateers whispered his name as one might a demon’s.

El Pantera. El Pantera de Oro.

The Golden Panther.



#

I examined the stark cabin. Nothing recommended itself as means of defense, and certainly not escape. To enter, we’d passed through the captain’s quarters. There I’d taken as much note as possible. Sparse, clean. Large bed, copper tub lashed to the floor with cleats. A door not far from it opened to my new appointments.

It offered some comfort that a ship’s crew of professional killers and thieves would not have easy access to me. The same did not apply to the captain. However, I’ve dealt with men’s lust since before I had my monthlies. His notice of me as a woman had stemmed from his concern my beauty would cause trouble. Aside from that, nothing.

I paced the floor by candlelight for the room had no porthole. I had only the clothes I wore, undergarments and a simple morning gown. Thus far, I had no idea how many, if any at all, survived the attack. If some had surrendered and been granted quarter or requested parlay, would they be left aboard to chance the sea in lifeboats? Would they taken elsewhere and dropped to delay the news of our capture?

When I’d asked if he intended to ransom me, he’d replied ‘After a fashion’. What might I presume from that?

I heard some distant shouts and cringed. Imagining what transpired on the decks of the ships proved worse than what little I’d witnessed. My entire life, male whim had governed my daily existence. Now, as I traveled to become property of a new man, yet another had snatched me for his.

What possible life could a woman ever really hope for? Bound by God’s law, society’s laws, our very flesh squeezed and pinched in the bind of fashion’s laws? The sheer futility of my situation pressed upon me. I could not bear to submit myself further. I would have a voice did it kill me. In that instant I knew I could not continue to live as docile chattel.

I tried the door. Locked. Having expected as much, it did not disappoint.

A heard a small noise in the captains cabin, outside my door. It opened and the indian entered carrying a small chest. It bore the crest of the Gallant. He set it on the floor by the narrow bunk.

“I must speak with the captain,” I said, summoning my nerve.

His black eyes assessed me. He turned to go.

I became desperate. An idea came to me. “I suffer from a condition of the heart,” I lied, straining to recollect the symptoms and such described by one of my previous cabin mates. He hesitated, hand upon the door.

“An apothecary grinds a mix for me,” I forged ahead, exaggerating what I’d overheard, “and without it, my heart beats irregularly and I will succumb within days.”

He departed and I despaired. I could think of nothing else. My abductor seemed to want me unharmed. I’d hoped to use my potential loss as a bargaining chip to at least learn my fate.

I sat upon the bunk and fought back bitter tears.

Suddenly, I heard another approach. A key turned in the latch and for the second time in a small brace of time, he loomed in the doorway.

“Walks Softly tells me you are ill.”

“A heart defect from birth,” I replied. I couldn’t summon the same force with those pale, cutting eyes upon me.

He came very close. I saw he’d changed shirts, and I smelled a spicy soap, perhaps from after-battle ablutions. Catching my jaw in his hand, he titled back my head, searched my eyes, and then boldly placed his other hand above my heart. “I am familiar with the condition. You lie.”

Even through layers of clothes I felt the heat of him. “Send a man to the cabin.” I remembered where the concoction I’d seen used resided. “In a black lacquered box among our effects, you will find a mixture of herbs.”

“We’ve cut loose. I will not lightly consider return for what might prove a deception.”

Too hastily, I asked, “Can you risk it?”

He released me. “You waste my time.”

My ruse had failed. As I watched him pivot and walk away, I thought of a hundred points to argue. But, why would any concern him?

Knowing my cause lost, I made a final appeal. “What if it were you?”

He stopped. My breath caught.

Slowly, the captain turned. “I don’t make a habit of explaining myself, Lady Rothington.” His use of my title unnerved me considerably. “I’ll make this single exception.” A muscle danced along his jaw and a thrill of fear pierced me. “Your intended and I have unfinished business. I’ve sent a missive promising you safe and untouched, to be released when he surrenders himself in your stead.”

“He’s in the Carolinas.” I tried to understand. “A letter could take a month.”

“That is why I dispatched it three weeks ago.”

He left me there, stunned, grasping to conceive the enormity and complexity of what had occurred today.

And, for all my inner bravado and resolution, I found myself firmly reduced to a pawn in a game between men.




~ Let me know if there's interest for future posts. If you like what you see, let me know. :)

~ K