Karen Michelle Nutt (23 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY

With her injured foot wrapped, Arianna could put pressure on it with only mild discomfort. She placed her cap low on her head, covering her ears and tucking most of her hair underneath the rim. Satisfied no one would question her as anything but the cabin boy, she left the quarters and went up above to make herself useful.

Macab, the ship’s surgeon would have his work cut out for him as he took care of the wounded from yesterday’s skirmish. Macab was a big burly man with carrot-colored hair and a gruff voice. As soon as he spotted Arianna, he put her to work finding out which men needed attention the most.

Haunted and unsure faces peered back at her. She offered them something to drink and cleaned out the wounds the best she could.

Macab set to work on stitching up a man’s leg. The gash ran from the knee down to his ankle. The man bit down on a leather strap grimacing in pain, while two crewmen held down his arms. Arianna cringed as she walked past, heading for the young boy huddled near the crates. The boy stared, his eyes wild with fear.

Arianna disguised her voice, by lowering it a few octaves to keep up her facade of being the cabin boy. "Don't be scared," she said, hoping to put the young boy at ease. "I'm only going to clean your wounds.” The boy’s eyes darted back and forth as if looking for a way to escape.

"Leave that one be," Macab yelled to her. "The boy doesn't want any help."

Arianna would have obeyed the surgeon’s orders, but the boy was holding his upper arm and she could see the blood oozing between his fingertips. She couldn't leave him.

"I just want to take a look at that arm," she coaxed, pointing, hoping to make him understand.

The boy shook his head and yelled, "Rester!”

Arianna’s brows furrowed. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean. You must let me clean your arm or an infection will set in.”

The boy turned away, hugging his knees close to his chest.

Arianna took a step closer and the boy shrieked, jumping to his feet, poised for battle, but then he swayed on his feet. Arianna watched in horror as the boy’s eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to the floor.

Arianna ran forward and knelt down. The boy’s chest rose and fell evenly, but she feared he passed out due to a lack of blood. She unbuttoned his shirt and with a gasp of surprise, she flipped the material close again. Her gaze flew to the boy’s face—long lashes, smooth cheeks. “You’re a woman,” she murmured. She quickly buttoned the shirt and glanced around to see if anyone had noticed.

Macab caught Arianna’s gaze and walked over to her. "Well the lad has finally succumbed. Let's get his shirt off so I can take a look."

"No!” Arianna blurted, losing the deepness of her voice. The surgeon eyed her, suspiciously. She didn't know what to do, but she knew she couldn't let the surgeon remove the unconscious woman's shirt. A little more calmly and in a deep voice again, Arianna made a suggetion. "I’ll tear the sleeve, so the boy doesn't catch a chill."

Macab shrugged. He obviously didn't care one way or the other. He just wanted to take care of the wound and move on to his other tasks. He took out his needle and thread. "What a scrawny lad, this one is," he commented when he lifted his patient’s arm. “He’s near skin and bones.”

"Don't you have to disinfect the cut?" Arianna hovered over Macab’s shoulder.

His eyes narrowed. "Why don't you check on someone else? I can take care of this one."

Arianna was reluctant to leave, but she couldn't think of an excuse not to. When she had the chance, she caught Vincent Aubrey’s attention and hurried over to him, pulling him to the side.

"Is something amiss?" he whispered, concern lining his features. "Your foot is bothering you. No?"

"No, no. I'm fine, but there is someone you must speak to."

"Who might that be?"

She leaned close and whispered, "One of the men from the other ship isn't a man at all and I think she only speaks French."

Vincent shook his head. "Another woman aboard, what are we to do?” His lips curved into a grim smile. "Show me where she is.”

By the time they reached the young woman, she had awakened and was threatening Macab with one of his instruments.

Vincent quickly moved in and rapidly spoke the girl's language.

The young woman hesitated, realizing she understood Vincent. He continued, calmly talking to her, soothing her.

Tears pooled in her eyes and she finally let the weapon slip from her fingers.

“Damn crazy bugger,” Macab cursed as he retrieved his surgeon’s blade.

Vincent ignored Macab and spoke to the girl again.

She eyed Arianna closely, tilting her head, making Arianna squirm under her scrutiny. Obviously, Vincent revealed her identity.

Then in two strides, the woman threw her arms around Vincent. His eyes widened and he looked at Arianna for help.

Arianna grinned with a shrug. “It must have been something you said.”

He pursed his lips together, but he returned the embrace, patting her back.

"I had no idea the bugger was a lass," the surgeon proclaimed in his defense. "I wasn't trying to molest her. I was only checking for any other wounds. What a shock to find two...” He cleared his throat. “Well let’s just say she wasn't no lad."

"It's all right. I'll take it from here," Vincent assured him.

“Aaah good riddance, I say.” Macab returned to his duties without a backwards glance.

Arianna moved closer to Vincent and the young woman who held onto him as though her life depended on it. "What did you say to her to make her trust you?"

"I told her what I had to. I told her that you were also a woman. I also let her know I would protect her, as I would you.” He nervously cleared his throat with a chuckle. “Literally, I insured her I would slit any man's throat that laid a hand on her."

Arianna gaze riveted to his.
God, the man wasn’t jesting.
“Oh.”

****

The young woman was Bernadette LaQuil and her presence aboard, the Good Intent spread like wildfire. Arianna kept a low profile having no wish for the attention Bernadette was receiving. The men hovered, some leered, but Vincent was good to his word and demanded the men behave.

Vincent learned the full story of Bernadette’s plight, starting with her abusive father. Once she’d been old enough, she ran away with a young man thinking she would start a new life. He betrayed her also. Bernadette claimed a woman proved open prey to any man’s desires. She decided she would become the hunter and disguised herself as a man. Since she didn’t have money to pay her passage, she signed up on a working ship, hoping to find a port where she would call home.

Unfortunately, pirates had captured the ship she’d been on and the only way to survive was to join them.

Bernadette was only nineteen years old, living a lifetime of hardship and regret. She wasn’t use to men treating her kindly and it didn’t surprise Arianna that the young woman latched onto the only man who had ever shown her a shred of decency. She became Vincent's constant shadow, but if his gentle words and tentative glances were any indication, he didn't mind Bernadette’s attention.

When the other men tried to approach Bernadette, she would give them a fierce scowl and yell at them in a very colorful and creative French vocabulary. The men may not understand what she spat at them, but they didn’t miss her intent.

Vincent would shake his head at her and smile. "Ah, my little brave bear, I am the man. I protect you. No?”

Bernadette hung on his every word.

“She’s infatuated with you,” Arianna said.

Vincent’s gaze riveted to Bernadette, who was helping Higgins with ropes. She glanced at Vincent, her lips curving into a smile.

Vincent turned away clearly flustered. “She’s like a sister to me.”

Arianna touched his arm. “Then be careful with her. Don’t crush her heart.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Arianna sat at the table stitching one of Keldon’s shirts. She heard the door to the cabin open then close. She knew who entered and smiled when his large hands covered her eyes.

“Guess who?” he whispered near her ear. His other hand skimmed her breasts.

“Hmm. I’m not sure.” She inhaled deeply. “You smell of pipe tobacco and the sea. Is this Vincent?”

He growled. “He better no’ be so familiar.”

“Oh Keldon, how could I not know.” She put down the shirt and turned in his arms accepting his kiss.

“Do ye know what ye taste like?” he asked.

“No, what?”

“Like wicked temptation and sinful pleasures.”

“Is that so.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her up out of her seat so she leaned against him.

She nudged her hips. “My, my, what have we here?”

He brushed his firm mouth back and forth over hers. “Maybe I’ll show ye.”

“Maybe you better.”

His eyebrows shot up and he smiled. “Aye.” He picked her up and carried her to the bed, his lips working magic on her senses.

“It feels like we’ve stopped moving.” She arched her back as he trailed kisses down her neck.

“Aye, we wait now until the Spanish frigate is spotted.”

She gripped his arms and he looked at her. “Keldon, do you have to do this?”

He brushed her hair away from her face. “Shush now. Ye doonae need to fear, Arianna. My crew knows what to do.”

“But what if something goes wrong?” Her voice caught in her throat.

“Nothin’ will go wrong.” He sucked her lower lip into his mouth and she was caught between a sigh and a moan. “Doonae worry so much.” Then he closed his mouth hard over hers and she melted into his embrace.

****

On the evening of the third night the lookout spotted her. The Spanish frigate had kept their steady course unaware the
Good Intent
had entered into view and was now pacing them.

As the sun set the fog rolled in, hiding the Spanish ship behind its wall of haze, but Keldon shouted the orders for their plan to go into effect. Arianna thought he had lost his mind to venture out now.

She took a step forward, but Vincent put a restraining hand on her arm. “You must stay back.”

“He’s going to be lost out there.”

“Keldon knows these waters like the back of his hand.

“Well, that’s all he’ll see once he’s out there on this suicide mission.”

“I’ll be watching his back,” he said and headed for the long boats.

“Yeah, who’ll be watching yours?” she whispered. She didn’t want to watch this, but she’d go crazy if she waited down below.

Keldon gave the order to have the long boats lowered. Keldon, Vincent Aubrey, Nicholas Sherborn and a select group, made their way toward the armed Spanish frigate.

Arianna couldn’t see a thing, but she could hear the first cries of battle. The not knowing was unbearable. She leaned against the ship’s edge, staring out through the eerie, deathlike mist. She clutched her hands together in prayer.

“You seem worried.” Samuel came to stand next to her at the railing.

Arianna nodded, not taking her eyes away from the depths of the white swirling fog.

"Well, dere's no need, I assure you. Mista Keldon be de finest of dem all. He will return.”

Arianna nodded, grateful for Samuel’s company. They stood by each other, adding comfort as they waited for the Captain’s return.

Bernadette was also standing vigil, but everyone knew her anxiety didn’t lie so much with the captain, but with Vincent Aubrey. Her prayers no doubt were for his safety.

Bernadette never thought she would want the attentions of a man. Most of her life she’d feared them, but Vincent Aubrey treated her like a lady. She loved how his muscles flexed and relaxed with the flow of his movements and how his body spoke of power, endurance, strength. His skin was tawny-velvet with dark stubble on his chin and his eyes were the color of whiskey shimmered with golden depths. She sighed. Her heart raced when he drew near.

She wasn’t a naïve country girl. She knew what lust looked like and Vincent‘s eyes didn’t smolder with passion when he gazed at her. She hoped in time she’d persuade him to change his mind. He meant everything to her and desperation to keep him gave her strength. Surely, if there were a God, he wouldn’t let her find such a wonderful man, only to have him slip away.

Keldon and his men had boarded the frigate, claiming control almost immediately.

Vincent approached one of the crewmembers and ordered him to point out his captain. "Quien es el capitan de este barco?”