A Pirate’s Wife (18 page)

she came topside, fear gripping her thoughts. She stayed in

the middle as men scattered around her to tie the equipment

to the rails. Bravely she watched as the waves pounded

down on them, Roberto barking orders through the

thunderous clouds. He could barely hear his voice as a

whisper but it did not stop the men from doing their work.

When the pounding became uncontrollable she decided to

tie herself down.

Waves higher than the ship fell on them all with

crushing strength. Men rushed over the deck as water ran

like strong currents over the rolling deck. Everyone was

drenched, tired and cold but they could not slacken and

during this time after another brutal crash Rosa-Lee was

swept into the ocean. The rope and a part of the ship's

railing were still tied around her. Shock and fear gripped

her heart the moment she plunged into the dark angry

depths. She tried desperately to untangle herself but it was

futile. Her chest burned and with one last desperate attempt

she reached out her hand to be pulled back in, losing all

consciousness.

The cry went out that a man was overboard.

Roberto rushed over to see who it was. His heart raced as

Alexi yelled that it was Rosa-Lee. Without any thought, he

tied a rope around his waist and dove into the whirlpool of

dark waters.

Praying to God above to save her as the dark waters

covered his body he searched the darkness for the fragile

body.

With the first few attempts, he could not find her. It

was pitch black as waves continue to crash down over him,

burning his eyes and lungs. Desperately he kicked around

him. Men brought lanterns closer and as the glimmer of the

light fell on the dark waters. He finally saw her pale blue

dress bobbing in the swells, her head disappearing at an

alarming rate into the dark depths. He had to go after her.

Her dress was too heavy for her to stay afloat on the water.

Kicking with everything he had within him, he followed the

lifeless body.

When he reached her, he pulled the rope, indicating

that they could pull them up. Steadily the sailors pulled

them in. Breaking through the water's surface he sucked in

huge gulps of air as more water broke over them. He

swallowed mouthfuls of the salty water. Finally, they

reached safety on the rolling deck. Men grabbed them and

hoisted them over the railing. Getting his footing, Roberto

laid the lifeless body down. He pounded on her back out of

desperation to get the water out her lungs and much needed

air in. Her face was a grey-blue and water dripped down

her bruised face. He brushed her hair away, trying to do

whatever he could to get her to live, even slapping her face

but nothing happened. He called out her name in

desperation. Cold and lifeless, she lay in front of him, and

he thought his life was over.

The ropes around her had cut into her flesh and he

had to cut them away. The flesh on her shoulder was

slashed open where she had scraped against wood and

nails, covering the normally creamy skin in red blood. She

looked terrible. Roberto panicked for the first time in his

life, the storm forgotten, as he was fixated on her.

He called for the doctor while gripping her body to

him, slapping her face and whispering how much he loved

her. Everything happened so fast, the roaring sounds of the

storm vanishing as his heart pounded in his chest.

He loved her. The concept emerged within his heart

and he had no time to tell her. But there was no time to

ponder this new revelation.

She was lifeless and pale grey. The doctor rushed to

her side, working over her. Finally she gave that one

desperate gasp for air, coughing up water, making it run

from her mouth and nose, and breathing in the life-giving

oxygen.

Roberto was so relieved that he grabbed her body in

a fierce embrace, kissing the ice-cold face with desperate

kisses. Over the past few weeks, he really had started to

care for her and when the true reflection of his heart

shimmered through, he did not care who saw him. He

wanted to tell her, his face adorned in a smile in the midst

of the still-raging storm.

'You are hurting me,' she coughed out, and the

doctor grinned.

'Sorry,' He replied in a whisper. She smiled and fell

into a deep sleep. Shocked, he looked at the doctor but he

squeezed his shoulder.

'It is all right. She will be fine.'

The doctor wanted to carry her but Roberto just

lifted her in his arms and carried her to her cabin. He

brushed soft kisses over her face, his heart too big for his

chest. When he placed her on the bed, he thought she was

the most stunning woman he had ever met.

Rosa-Lee Almaida looked fragile and small, but he

did not see that. He only saw her beauty gripping his heart.

The markings of the rope on her shoulder were red

and swollen. Her dress was torn and they knew they would

have to get it off and as he held her, peeling the wet, torn

fabric from her body, he could not help but to look at her,

appreciating the curves in front of him. The good doctor

spoke sternly and he let her down, covering the body with a

blanket.

'We will have to hope that she does not get an

infection in that shoulder.' The doctor looked closer and

found a broken nail imbedded in her shoulder. Roberto

brought a light closer while the doctor searched in his bag.

He pulled tweezers out, dipping them in rum he had with

him, and pulled the nail out. She flinched, still unconscious.

Blood streamed from her shoulder and Roberto gasped

softly. Roberto watched as the doctor worked on her. He

put a few stitches in the shoulder and bandaged it with a

white cloth. The rest of the bruises and cuts he disinfected

and placed a powder on them before he closed them as

well. Her face was bruised and swollen but the doctor

assured him that would go away. The cuts would not

become permanent scars and for that, he was grateful.

That whole night, despite Roberto's tiredness, he sat

with her after the doctor left. Pierre brought him some dry

clothes and he towelled himself down, slumping into the

chair next to her bed. The storm calmed down about an

hour later.

Sometime he dozed off because, when he woke the

sun was streaming into the cabin and she was looking at

him, smiling.

What a welcome sight.

'I owe you thanks for saving me.' Her voice was still

rough from the near-drowning.

'Can I give you some water?' he asked as he came

closer, squinting his eyes. They were still burning from the

salt water.

'Yes, please. I hear the storm has calmed down. Is

there much damage to the ship?'

'It is manageable. Nothing that we cannot repair.'

He smiled back, his heart racing at her smile. The

paleness had made way for colour and she looked beautiful

against the white sheets. Her dark hair was dry and

dishevelled, but that made her more appealing to him.

'How do you feel?'

'Tired, stiff and aching all over my body, but happy

to be alive. I remember you dove into the waters to rescue

me. You are a real hero. How will I ever repay you?'

'By allowing me to love you,' he said without

thought. She looked at him in wonder, this man that she

was trying very hard to understand.

He loved her. A pirate had fallen in love with her.

How was this possible?

'I still hate you for what you have done to me and

my parents.'

'I know. However, it does not change the fact that I

have feelings for you. Last night confirmed it. For me,

there will be no one else but you,' he said with conviction

as he came closer and knelt before her, his eyes trained on

her with all the emotions he felt. He wanted her to see it.

He wanted to convince her as he took her hand and brought

it to his lips.

She was stunned at his confession and had no reply

as she saw the tenderness in his eyes. Love was prominent

in the ochre depths, and she stared back into those depths,

her future brightly shining as he opened his heart. Her heart

raced as she struggled to sit up, forgetting the pain of her

body. She was just bathing in his revelation. The hate that

she felt for him had melted away and in its place love shone

in the depths of her own eyes. She touched his cheek,

tracing the scar once again and when her finger stopped at

the corner of his lips he kissed it.

'Please let me love you,' he whispered before his

lips touch her lips. She closed her eyes, just revelling in his

touch, his tenderness. Her heart sped up another notch.

Softly she sighed and leaned into him. He captured her

mouth with a desperate plea, until he pulled her closer and

she flinched in pain. Withdrawing, he laid her down, the

love shining unmistakable, and she smiled.

'You need to give me some time. This is very

confusing to me,' she finally said. 'I find your company

pleasant and not once did I feel afraid while with you. You

always treat me with respect and I admire you for the

captain you are. This does not change the fact that you are

still a pirate and that I am the price of a sick scheme.'

He stood up and sat next to her on the bed, taking

her other hand, clutching the two together in his warm

hands and said,

'Not everything is as it seems.'

'What do you mean?' she asked, looking up to him,

eyes wide.

'I am going to ask you to trust me. I will never hurt

you intentionally. There are many things happening in the

background that I cannot tell you about, but if you can trust

me, it will be a great start. Love will come. You are not

indifferent to me, and that much I know.' He kissed her

hands for a second time. Her fingers tingled under his

touch.

Again she looked at him, perplexed, allowing

herself to enjoy the kiss. His voice was soft and soothing.

Again, she reached out, touching the scar on his face. It

made him even more attractive to her. Her eyes showed her

heart and he leaned over, brushing his lips over her face.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the closeness of him, her

heart racing. When he lifted his head he said softly,

'I love you, Rosa-Lee Almaida.' She smiled, her

body trembling with exhaustion and excitement. She

relaxed into the softness of the mattress. He could see that

her eyes wanted to close. Her tiredness was still evident on

her. He bent over, placing again a kiss on her forehead and

said,

'I will leave for a while so that you can sleep. Later

I will be back and we can give you some food to eat. There

is something we need to discuss.' She nodded and dozed off

into a deep sleep, a soft smile on the beautiful face. He

smiled, stroking the bluish cheek before he walked out of

her cabin. The smile on his face reflected his heart. He

covered a yawn as he entered his own cabin.

He was tired to the bone.

†††

Several hours later, awakened by the most delicious

smells filling her cabin, she opened her eyes. When she

tried to move, pain shot up into her shoulder and she

moaned. Roberto rushed over to her.

'Are you okay, my Rosa?'

'My shoulder hurts,' she said hoarsely.

'The doctor said your shoulder looks much better

and there is no sign of infection but it will take a while to

heal. The nails did do some damage on your shoulder,' he

explained.

'Thanks, Roberto, for taking such good care of me.'

She smiled again. 'A lady can get use to this.' He bent over

and kissed her.

This was not a dream. She thought she had dreamt

all of it but now that he repeated the words and showed it

by taking care of her, she knew it had to be true.

'I would love to take care of you always,' he said

softly, his eyes darker than normal, his breath warm against

her skin. She leaned forward and kissed him softly.