Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1) (2 page)

PART I

Moonlight Amour

Chapter 1

Something More

As told by Charlotte Wetherby

T
he warm evening breeze brushed through my golden curls while I stood on my veranda to watch the sunset. I adored the way the rich scent of the sea mingled with the aroma of tropical flowers, and through the swaying palms I watched the pinkish orange clouds roll across the sky. The warm hue of daylight followed the sun into the turquoise horizon, leaving the glistening shades of the scene to fade into the darkened shadows of the starry night.

As enchanting as my evening ritual was, it was much more than the natural beauty that I treasured. From my veranda I could see the
harbor of Port Royal, and watching the ships come and go lifted my spirit with the greatest of pleasure. I anticipated the appearance of the tall wooden mast to pierce the bubble of my everyday horizon, and I would watch in breathtaking delight as the wooden ships slowly rolled over the tide, bringing with them wonder and promise. I daydreamed of the treasures the ships carried and the countless tales those aboard them could tell, knowing they had seen and endured so many adventures while I waited quietly in the peace of my mundane routine. 

At eighteen, I had spent my entire life on the Caribbean
island of Jamaica. My father, Wallace Wetherby, was sure to keep me safely sheltered within the sturdy walls of The Royal Poinciana sugar plantation. Within the grandeur of his stately mansion and sprawling acres of coastline property, my father saw to it that I was exceptionally well cared for. I was busy and well-dressed; I had a private tutor, a personal harpsichord instructor, and my own dedicated servant. Looking in, one would think I had it all, but I felt detached from the life I led, and I was sure the world had more to offer.

That evening, as the moon shined on the ocean and the lantern lit my porch, something more finally showed up for me. I heard the sound of footsteps on the roof to my right. At first I was frightened, but my wicked curiosity overrode my fear, and I braved my urge to look over the ledge. I was startled to see a man walking across the ground level rooftop with his back against the wall. He was shuffling in my direction.   

The mysterious man must have seen me first, because before I could panic he quickly assured, “It’s alright. I won’t hurt ye.” 

He looked startled as well, but strangely I trusted the calm in his voice and instead of screaming I quietly inquired, “Who are you?” I had intended to sound firm but my fluttering curiosity was rather apparent in my voice.

The man loosened his posture and stepped away from the wall as he chuckled, “My name is Sterling, Sterling Bentley. I was running from a blaggard ol’ dog and jumped up on this roof just before he ate me. I haven’t yet found me way down.”

I couldn’t help but laugh about the awkward position he was in, but I also felt sympathetic for his frustration, for I knew exactly which dog he spoke of.

“Was it the large black dog with the short tail? That’s my neighbor’s dog and he is quite wretched. He sees me every day, but when he busts out of that gate he still wants to eat me.”

Sterling
laughed as well, and as he came into the light, I got a better look at him. He wore a cavalier hat with a feather in the band, and beneath the shadow of it I admired his attractive features. His hair was light brown with sun streaked shades of blond flowing across the disheveled locks of his ponytail, and his golden skin was evenly suntanned. I saw that his cheeks and upper lip were recently shaven, leaving only a long goatee on his chin and sideburns running the length of his well-defined jaw, and as he smiled at me, I admired the fullness of his lips along with the way the left side of his upper teeth crookedly overlapped.

His smile was warm, his laugh was inviting, and the light in his mossy green eyes stimulated my senses. I was already
enthralled with his rugged good looks, and the tattered look of his long emerald coat and scuffed leather boots only intensified my sudden attraction. It was quite apparent that he had been out to sea and I longed to hear his stories.

Removing his hat, he
politely asked, “Can a mate like me ask the name of a beauty like ye?”

I smiled sweetly and responded with delight, “Of course. My name is Charlotte Wetherby. Would you like to stay and talk with me?”

Sterling appeared surprised by my offer, and the way he looked me up and down reminded me that I was only wearing my blue satin nightgown. I covered my hand over the low chest line of my dress and wondered if I was off mad for asking this stranger to join me, but he flashed me with a sideways smile that comforted my concerns.

While shrugging
my shoulders, I waved him over.

As he hopped over the rail of my veranda, I caught a waft of the sandalwood oil he was wearing. The way the scented oil mixed with his personal aroma caused my senses to whirl off into a world traveling daydream. During my sensual stun, he walked right passed me, peered into my bedroom, and mumbled something about making sure no one was waiting to attack him. While he scouted out the scene, I noticed his hand tense over the hilt of his sword, and though seeing him look into my home in
such a manner alarmed me, it somehow deepened my vast interest in him as well.

Pleased to see the coast was clear,
Sterling relaxed and turned to face me on the veranda. He smiled at me as if to apologize for his suspicious behavior, and I felt my heart skip a beat as I took in the sight of him standing in my doorway. He was dangerously handsome.

Aside from my attraction to his face, I was also awestruck by his solid posture and stunning attire. He was almost a foot taller than me, and his shoulders and chest were broad beneath his long extravagant coat. The velvet fabric of the coat was emerald green, and the wide collar and cuffs were accented with gold embroidery. He left the golden fasteners undone and beneath he wore a dark leather waistcoat and an ivory colored shirt that laced up the front. His sword hung from a leather baldric he wore across his chest, and his waist was wrapped with a red satin sash, along with a leather belt that boasted an ornate buckle. Though his attire was regal, it was tattered from the weather and lined with various weapons, leaving him to look far more threatening than refined.

The moment my eyes locked with his, my breath became short and my mind filled with the heavy reality of the forbidden moment. Sterling Bentley was not just a sailor…The overbearing thrill of realization rushed through my heart, and my eyes grew wide as I  gasped, “Are you a pirate?”

Sterling
chuckled before he scrunched his bold nose and smirked, “I’d rather be called a buccaneer.”

My nerves flushed with an exhilarating surge of fear and excitement. Dangerously handsome indeed. I had been warned about the treachery of these types of men, yet I had always been intrigued by the power they possessed and the freedom they expressed in
their reckless way of living. I took a moment to debate the possibilities of the verboten encounter, but the levity behind Sterling’s terribly enticing smile easily resolved my deliberation. I dimmed the lantern and suggested that we sit down on the porch together where no one would see us.

Sterling
casually leaned against the wall with an easy demeanor, but I could hardly sit still amongst the millions of questions that swirled in my mind. Sitting less than a foot away from me was a man who lived the reality I merely viewed as a daydream, and though I attempted to act as casual as he was, I twiddled my fingers as I pondered the excitement that could come of the conversation. Looking down to see his intricate sword, I decided to start there. “Where did you get that beautiful sword?”

“Aye, it’s called a cutlass.”
Sterling pulled the metal blade out of its leather scabbard and held it out where I could see it. My eyes grew wide as I admired the intricately carved scrolls on the handle, and beyond the dings and stains I could see the blade was sharp and well cared for. Icontinued to admire the dull sheen of the metal as he informed me, “The captain of me last ship gave it to me as he died. I was on that ship for some time, and he liked me navigation work.”

My mind whirled in excitement. A pirate ship, a buccaneer captain, actual navigation. I had to force my mind to settle so I could continue in a calm tone. “What was the name of that ship?”

“That was the
Idona Amour
.” He said the ships name as if she was his long lost lover. “I navigated her through a sail around the Cape of Good Hope and a journey like that will bond a mate to his ship.”

“Why did you leave her?” His light eyes brightened at me before he answered. “After Captain Rex died, that crew went to hell. Once we landed in
Tortuga, I settled square with them and we split ways.”

“What is
Tortuga like?” I blurted.

Sterling
laughed and began to explain. “It’s a shoddy paradise for buccaneers. Like Port Royal, Tortuga be a strong port for our kind to retire from the long days at sea and to spend our loot. Ye see, the original buccaneers were barbaric boar hunters that settled on Hispaniola. They would cook the meat in smoke houses called boucans. That be where the name buccaneer comes from.

“The buccaneers would sell the tasty meat to passing ships until the filthy Spanish invaded and slaughtered all the boars in hopes of chasing the hunters away. With their source of survival depleted, the rowdy bunch spread out all over the seas and a great deal of them ended up on
Tortuga. They created an alliance called the Brethren of the Coast to ward off the Spanish and to keep some order in their reckless way of life. Buccaneers, convicts, runaway slaves, any sort of outlaw one can imagine might be found on the shores of that makeshift town. It be a bawdy and lawless place, but it’s full of loose spending and drunken merriment for folks that don’t be accepted anywhere else.”

I know my eyes were wide with wonder as I gasped, “That is amazing, Sterling.”

He chuckled and shook his head at me as if he doubted my intrigue, then he asked, “Have ye ever sailed the seas?”

“I have not. I have been stuck here in this castle my whole life,”
I pouted. “While most of the families with plantations here travel back and forth between the island and England, my father insists on keeping me safe on this shore. My mother died shortly after having me, and since I am the youngest of their four children and the only girl, my father has been very protective over me. Due to the dangers at sea, he called off his annual trips and made The Royal Poinciana our steady home.”

“Ye say it as if it’s so bad a place to be stuck.” He moved his hand around to showcase the magnificence of our property.

“It is nice here, Sterling, but I feel trapped always being in the same place. Plus, I do feel rather alone most of the time. My brothers all moved away by the time I was ten, and then my father married Hester who is only nine years older than me. She is polite but hardly interested in me, and my father is quite busy keeping her happy.

“He is also very consumed with the chore of running this estate. I know he cares as much for his family as his work, but he is one of the wealthiest citizens in town so
upholding his social responsibilities takes up most of his time. He has given me plenty of things to do while he is busy, but I find the permanence of my routine to be terribly boring.”

Sterling
nodded in understanding. “Aye. I never had family besides me father and he hardly stayed still long enough for me to get bored. I’ve never been in port for more than a few months at a time, and before I’d know it we’d be back on deck sailing into the endless horizon.”

“Yes, that is how I imagine it. Always something new and exciting. I can watch the ships sail in and out of the harbor from up here, and I long to know the freedom of the sea.”

He playfully fanned his hand at me and teased, “Yer off mad wishin’ for such a thing while ye be livin’ this way. I’ll admit, the freedom be divine, but thar be many rough and wet days of danger and blood.”

I assured him, “I have thought of that as well. When it storms I imagine what it would be like out there on the sea, with the winds whipping and the rain pouring. So tell me, where were you during that treacherous storm last month?”