Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1) (4 page)

Once I arrived in the bright light of the dining room, I saw my father and Hester were already seated with their morning coffee.

Hester’s voice seemed extraordinarily pitchy as she greeted me in delight. “Good morning, Charlotte. We were just speaking of a matter that concerns you.”

Hester’s sudden interest in an affair that would concern me distressed me. I raised an eyebrow to show my false interest and sat at the long wooden table trying to hide my distaste.

The server, Naomi, served our plates just in time to put a small pause on the matter, and I smiled warmly as I thanked her for the hearty meal. I always liked sausage gravy and warm, fluffy biscuits, but the heavy breakfast was far more satisfying after a night of drinking rum. Everything was so delicious I almost forgot there was an issue to be discussed.

Before I knew it, my father began to speak in a deep and assertive voice. “Now as you know
Charlotte, you are well past a marrying age, and we believe it is high time to settle you with an honorable suitor.”

I wanted to choke on my biscuits.

Every few months, Father would attempt to discuss the matter with me, and though I was never ready for it, there was something expressly alarming in his current tone. Usually, he would ask in an awkward manner if I was interested in any of the young men in town, and he would simply remind me of how it was coming to be that time. Though I had seen a few men who had caught my attention, my complete interest had yet to be captured, and naturally, I wanted to be in love with the man I married.

My father had tolerated my lack of enthusiasm over the matter as of yet, but this time he spoke with such heavy regard I feared my usual reasoning would not be enough to detour him. I also sensed it was Hester’s will riding behind his boisterous nerve.

He cleared his throat and pushed on in his pursuit. “Now Charlotte, I have been kind about this for long enough, you… you are eighteen years old and you… you cannot live here forever…” I could tell he was struggling to overcome his soft spot for me, and I tried to glance through his unusual harshness, but all I could see was Hester.

No matter how I felt about my father’s wife, I could not deny her natural beauty. Her red hair was pinned up in perfection, her golden-yellow dress was as warm as her angelic complexion, and she wore a pearl necklace that was as polished as her perfect smile.

Hester had originally moved to Jamaica with her young husband, but he died on the ship ride over. She arrived on the island with nothing more than her pretty face and was fortunate enough to quickly meet my father. Of course he instantly fell in love with the beautiful young widow, and though I was but a child when they wed, I was certain she married him for security.

No matter how awkward their relationship was for me, I knew Hester was a proper wife and she respected my father as much as he adored her. I had no intention of coming between the two of them, which made it much harder for me to fight off their insistent request for me to marry.

When I did not respond to my father’s demanding tone, Hester tried to lighten the mood by interjecting with a playful demeanor, “Come now Charlotte, we have found just the man for you. My cousin Lawrence Braddock will be sailing in on Friday. He is already looking forward to meeting you…” Hester spoke as if we were girlfriends chatting about an attractive boy at the market, but I was utterly disturbed by her approach and beside myself with the sudden weight the conversation held. This was not just another attempt to talk about the matter; plans to make it happen were already in motion.

My thoughts spiraled in my mind, and all I could think about was
Sterling. I could hear him laughing and see him smiling. I remembered his scent and the way I felt in his arms. Now that I met this handsome buccaneer, it would be impossible for me to ignore the sensations he stirred in my soul and agree to this heinous arrangement of marriage. I had to find a way to delay the inevitable conversation and make my way out of the tight corner I had been slammed into.

“I do not feel well, may I be excused?” Without waiting for an answer I pushed myself away from the table, covered my mouth as if I would vomit and ran out of the room.

I know my dramatic escape would not have fooled Hester, but I could only hope it would hold my father off for a while. As I reached the top of the stairs I heard Hester bark at my father, “You cannot allow her to evade this issue forever, Wallace. It is for her own good.”

I heard him exhale and nervously bumble, “I shall think it over while I have a cigar out in the garden.” He usually only smoked at social events, or when he was extremely overwhelmed. I could hear in his voice that he was truly upset and I felt awful for causing him such distress. As I turned to walk to my room I heard him tell
her, “The governor called me to an important meeting today. I will deal with my business matters and hold off on speaking with Charlotte until tomorrow.”

After the trouble I had caused, I figured it would be best to hide in my room for the day. I know I had only faked the intensity of my illness, but I truly did feel sick. The turmoil in my mind thrashed like heavy waves crashing on the shore. I was haunted by the daunting threat of having to marry a man I had never met. What if he was old? He could very well be ugly. There was no way he could be as handsome as
Sterling, and he would probably be boring.

Beyond my concerns over the uncertain fate of my wavering future, I was also riddled by the guilt of troubling my father and his marriage. Then of course I fantasized about running away with
Sterling, but I cringed at how that action would break my father’s heart. As much as I anticipated Sterling’s return, I began to wonder if he would even come back. I could be making all this fuss over a man I would never see again. There was no one I could talk to about my plight, so rather than continuing to pace the floor in hopeless confusion, I decided to express my emotions within the pages of my journal.

Chapter 2

Mystic Allure

As told by Sterling Bentley

T
he road along the harbor was bright with sunlight and cooled by the breeze, but the moment I opened the door to The Rusty Anchor, I was nearly blinded by the dim and musty contrast of lighting. I found meself a table in the back, and after convincing the bar wench that all I wanted from her was an ale, a hefty bearded man who was smoking a cigar asked to join me at my table. He introduced himself as Alden, and then asked if I’d fancy a game of cards.

Gambling aboard the ship was forbidden to keep mates from slashing each other’s throats in poor sportsmanship, so in the taverns it was common to see men playing for money and just as common to see them lose their lives over a good hand, but I knew I wouldn’t be winning, because I never did. Nor did I care enough to cause a fight when I lost. It was just something for me to do to pass the time, and ‘aving plenty of time at the moment, I agreed to play around with Alden.

After losing a few pieces of eight I laughed, “Can’t let ye take any more of me money with this blaggard ol’ game, but I would like to buy ye an ale.”

The offer made it easy for him to agree. “Aye, aye to that, Bentley. Flag down that wench in the red. She be having eyes on ye all the day.”

I looked over to see which strumpet he was talkin’ ‘bout and once I saw Giselle, I looked back at Alden, lifted me eyebrows and smirked, “She had more than just her eyes on me this morning.”

He laughed at my remark as I waved her down and signaled that I wanted two more drinks. When Giselle arrived with my order, Alden tugged her down to sit on his lap.

“Nice to see you again, Alden,” she casually greeted him, but she lustfully purred at me, “And you too, Sterling Bentley. It’s been far too long already.”

I winked at her as I paid for the drinks, but got to me ale without giving her much mind. I had to make me loot last ‘til me next plunder, s
o
me lustful urges before then would ‘ave to be satisfied for free; which was never a problem for me, just a little more work. Alden wasn’t flashing any loot in her direction either, so with no money to be made at our table, she got up to find a better prospect.

Alden had just returned from chopping logwood off the coast of
Honduras, and naturally, he spoke of the work in utter disgust. “It be swamping and brackish like nothing I ‘ave ever seen before. The stench be making the rotted bilge smell like roses on the vine.”

I had experienced the misery of logging, and I nodded to agree with his distaste. “
Aye, it be hell on Earth standing waist deep in that murky water where bugs and snakes bite like Satan’s own demons. Me father tried to say it was honest work and would keep me out of trouble but the job had me longing for piracy more than ever before.”

Alden laughed at me comment before he grumbled,
“Those wealthy bastards that want that precious dye from them ugly trees can get out thar ‘n chop it themselves. Thar’s somethin’ more in the seas for me, matey. I actually been lookin’ to go on account if’n yer crew be needin’ a carpenter.”

“Morley does like to keep a well able crew, and we just lost our carpenter in that last storm. I believe he’s been rounding up a few new hands.”

Alden ran his hand through his beard as he inquired, “Morley ye say? I hear he has been stirrin’ up enough trouble in port for the governor to take note o’ him.”

I wasn’t much surprised, but I had no mind to deepen me disaster by spreading dissension ‘bout me captain.

Just then a man walked in the door and I noticed the light of day surrounding his silhouette was no longer painfully blinding. Rather than attempting to evade me shitten thoughts ‘bout Morley, I raised me mug to Alden’s and chugged the last of me ale before I bid him a good eve.

The gold and red colors of sunset were still bright enough to make me squint as I walked out the door, but I caught me focus and headed along the beach to go see
Charlotte. By the time I came upon her father’s property, the sun was just touching the water’s edge, so I found a hidden cove to wait at until the night coated the sky. I sat on a rock and took a drink of me rum as I filtered through me duffle to be sure I still had all me supplies. My compass and spyglass were in me bag, me two flintlock pistols and patch box were holstered in me leather belt, and me various daggers were stashed in place.

I used the red sash I wore around me waist to polish me prize cutlass, and with the sound of the rolling waves billowing in the background, I thought about my intentions with
Charlotte. Though I had been with women all over the world, I had never spent time with a lady of high regard, and she was far more enticing than I expected her to be. I was just as attracted to her lady like demeanor, as I was drawn to her insistent curiosity, but considering her social status, I wasn’t quite sure how to handle me desire for her.

Her interest in me was as unexpected as the intensity of me interest in her, and the unusually significant attraction
that she triggered in me soul had me thinkin’ I should head back to town to avoid the trouble that could arise from her mystic allure. Yet I let me desire get the best of me and decided to go see her again. She was pretty and I liked her, but just like every other woman I had enjoyed, I was certain I’d get over her once I sailed away.

As soon as the heavens were dark and the stars appeared in the place of blue sky, I walked farther down the beach and scaled the sea cliff wall to reach her yard. I made me way through the bushes with a watchful eye but as soon as I saw her standing in the lantern’s light, I lost me focus.

The perfect curls of her golden hair dangled over the shoulder of her white nightgown, and the chest line of her dress was low enough for me to admire the fullness of her breasts. The dress flowed smoothly across the length of her slender body, and the slight curve of her hips was accentuated through the thin fabric. Her body kindled a flame of desire in me senses, and the features of her face seemed to arouse me just as much. She was pretty as the sunset.

Realizing how I was watching her from the bushes like some dastardly rogue, I snapped out of me trance and continued along the path. I climbed up the large Poinciana tree near her window, draped me rope over a branch, and swung over to her deck. I swiftly pulled the rope in and casually stuffed it in me bag as if I had just walked in the door, and she laughed at my elaborate entrance before she threw herself into me arms and hugged me with an intensity I hadn’t expected.

I squeezed her just as tightly and teased at her hair with me hand. She smelled so good I didn’t want to let her go, but she backed off, looked up at me face, and sighed, “I am so happy you’ve come back.”

She sounded quite relieved to see me so I flashed her with a cocky grin and smirked, “Did ye doubt me, lovely?”

She looked at me with an interesting glare before she turned the lantern low and reminded me
how we shouldn’t be seen together. I backed her into the corner and held her against the wall as I tempted, “Can ye make it out for the night? I want to take ye somewhere.”