Ransome's Quest (20 page)

“All right. We will ask this Jean Baptiste to marry us. But when we return to
Audacious,
I will hang my hammock in Lieutenant Gardiner’s berth until he is rescued”—
Lord, please let him still be alive
—“and for now the marriage will be in name only, for the protection of your reputation and identity. Then, if your brother disapproves, we can have the marriage annulled.”

“But—”

“Those are my terms. It is that, or I put you ashore in a carriage bound for Kingston.” Ned searched her blue eyes, half hoping she’d choose the carriage to Kingston rather than his terms.

“Very well. A marriage in name only. For now.”

The joy reflected in Charlotte’s face renewed Ned’s questions as to the wisdom of this decision. Once bound in the eyes of God, would he be able to keep to his own terms? “Come, let us go speak to Captain Salvador of our decision.”

He led Charlotte from the cabin and up to the quarterdeck. Salvador stood on the starboard side and inclined his head to them as they joined him. A hint of a smile played around his mouth. Ned glanced behind the pirate at the raised skylight—the raised skylight with the upright panes open to catch the breeze. No wonder Salvador had been so accommodating in granting Ned’s request for a private conversation with Charlotte. He’d known he would be able to hear every word.

He at least did them the courtesy of listening to Ned’s full explanation of the decision they had made.

“I cannot speak for Jean Baptiste, but you are more than welcome to put your request directly to him.” Salvador motioned to someone over Ned’s shoulder.

He looked around and tried to hide his surprise. He should have listened to Charlotte’s explanation of why the man had left New Orleans more carefully. In addition to having the darkest skin Ned had ever seen, Jean Baptiste’s shaved head and hooded eyes gave him a sinister look Ned found incongruent with a minister.

Charlotte stepped forward. “Jean Baptiste, I would like to introduce you to Captain Ned Cochrane, my fiancé.”

Jean Baptiste inclined his head to Ned, who touched the fore point of his hat.

“Captain Cochrane and I would like for you to marry us before we return to his ship.”

The sailing master turned his intense eyes on Ned, who grew uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

“Are you certain you want to marry the likes of him, Miss Charlotte?”

Ned stepped forward, about to remind the pirate of just who he was, but he stopped when Charlotte laughed.

“Yes, I am certain I want to marry him.” She slipped her hand through Ned’s elbow and squeezed his arm. “Captain Salvador, will you give me away? I think it is only fitting, given that I am your captive.”

Salvador grinned at her, indulgent as a brother. Well, perhaps not William, but possibly as indulgent as one of her other brothers might have been under these unusual circumstances. “Aye, Miss Charlotte, I will hand you over if that is what you wish.”

“Cap’n, I need pen and paper to draw up the certificate.” Rather than a request for permission to leave the deck, Jean Baptiste’s words were apparently a declaration of his intent to go below and do what he needed to do.

“Miss Ransome, you cannot be married in such a state.” Salvador frowned at her crumpled, saltwater-stained gown. “Go below, choose a gown from Serena’s trunk, and dress for your wedding. Suresh will be more than happy to assist you, I am certain.”

Releasing Ned’s arm, Charlotte stood on tiptoe to kiss the pirate on the cheek. “Thank you, Captain Salvador.”

As soon as she disappeared below deck, Salvador pulled Ned forward, away from the skylight. “I believe there is something else you wish to speak to me about.”

Ned clasped his hands behind his back. “Aye. There is a matter of trust in this venture.”

“Ah, yes. You are a captain in the Royal Navy. Therefore, I cannot trust you not to arrest me.” Salvador smirked at him.

“Something like that. Though I was thinking more that you’re a pirate, caught with a kidnapping victim on your ship, and as soon as Miss Ransome and I leave your ship—”

“But she’ll be Mrs. Cochrane when you leave my ship.”

Ned ignored the interruption. “As soon as Charlotte and I leave your ship, I do not trust that you will keep to your end of our bargain and not run as soon as we part company.”

Salvador tapped his forefinger against his chin. “That is a dilemma. Whatever can we do?”

That the pirate was not taking this discussion seriously infuriated Ned, though he did his best to hide his reaction. Making him angry was obviously Salvador’s goal. “We will exchange first officers.”

The smile faded from Salvador’s face. “Exchange first officers? Do you have enough officers remaining to spare even a midshipman?”

Ned’s confidence in his superior position collapsed at Salvador’s reminder of his failure, of the lives lost or in jeopardy because of his folly.

Salvador’s demeanor changed from mocking to serious. “I know my word does not mean anything to you. I will send my first mate, Declan, back with you to
Audacious,
and I swear I will abide by the terms of the agreement without anyone from your ship here to ensure it.”

“How can I be sure you will not leave your man behind?”

Salvador’s lips twitched at the corners. “Because he is my fiancée’s brother. And I am more afraid of what Serena will do to me if I lose him than of anything you could do to me.”

Too many years of building his image, of creating a reputation as a ne’er-do-well pirate had given Salvador the ability to mask his true feelings with sarcasm. Never before today had it felt truly wrong—wrong for him to be mocking Ned Cochrane’s genuine concern over hunting down Shaw and saving Julia when Salvador’s own conscience thundered at him to get on with the search.

He’d almost told Cochrane he himself would go to
Audacious
instead of sending Declan, so great was his desire to see Julia rescued. But though he trusted Declan to follow his orders in his absence, he could not be certain the rest of the crew—led by Picaro, no doubt—would not mutiny against Declan, take
Vengeance,
and run.

Coming to the bottom of the stairs, he did something he had not done since taking command of a ship ten years ago. He knocked on the door to the captain’s cabin.

Suresh opened it.

“Is she ready?”

“She awaits you within.” Suresh stepped back to allow Salvador to enter.

Charlotte stood in the center of the little bit of open space between the table and her hammock and the trunk. Late afternoon light bathed her in a warm glow. The ivory brocade dress she’d donned was far too big for her, but somehow she and Suresh had made it fit.

Salvador took her hand and lifted it to her lips. “You look lovely, Charlotte.”

“Thank you.” She seemed in no hurry to leave the cabin.

“Nervous?”

“No. Just locking everything into my memory. This will be a tale my grandchildren will never tire of hearing.”

“Of how your handsome sea captain rescued you from a black-hearted pirate?”

“Of how a good-hearted man made a mistake, which led to my discovery of something no one else except he knows.”

He arched a brow, challenging her conclusion. “And what is that?”

She leaned toward him, adjusting the folds of his neckcloth. “I know who you really are, Captain Salvador.”

His heart jumped, as if his foot missed a ratline coming down from the shrouds. “And whom do you think I really am?”

“The pieces all fit. You were in the Royal Navy as a boy, a midshipman.”

“I never told you that.”

“No—but your adherence to naval regulations and schedules betrayed you.” She flashed an apologetic smile. “You were around fifteen when you first served on a pirate ship.”

“Many lads run away from home at that age to see adventure and fortune.” The room grew uncomfortably hot.

“Your conscience bothered you at the bad things those pirates did, so as soon as you could, you struck out on your own. You liberate slave ships and you raid plantations that hold slaves, taking as many with you as you can to send to freedom. And occasionally, you relieve a Tierra Dulce ship of its gold. Is that how you pay back the other plantations you raid?”

“I do not reimburse anyone for the loss of their slaves. Human beings should not be bought and sold like pigs and horses.” He started to relax. So far, her deductions were mostly correct, but that did not mean she knew his real name. The name he had not used in more than ten years, except with Serena.

“So the entries crossed out in the journal?”

“Are plantations that have set their slaves free or have not gained any additional slaves since the last time I went there on a liberation raid.”

Charlotte nodded, as if fitting this new piece of information in with her existing conclusions. “I should have known when first I saw you who you are. The eyes and hair are slightly different—darker. But otherwise, it is so obvious.”

“What is?”

“That you are m—”

Salvador pressed his hand over Charlotte’s mouth, heart pounding. He wasn’t certain he wanted her to know the truth. He absolutely did not want anyone who might be listening at the skylight—or Suresh, standing near the door—to know his identity.

Charlotte’s eyes twinkled and she nodded at him. He slowly lowered his hand.

“You are my captor and a good man, El Salvador de los Esclavos.” She lifted bunches of skirt in both hands. “Now, you promised you would hand me over to my fiancé. Shall we go?”

Salvador followed her up the stairs, stopping twice as she paused to readjust her grip on the excess fabric so she wouldn’t trip. At the top of the companion stairs, he offered his arm, but Charlotte shook her head, turning to take the three steps up to the quarterdeck with the material still secured.

Ned stood with Jean Baptiste, along with the two lieutenants from
Audacious.

The two young men scrutinized Charlotte and then exchanged a questioning look. But if they recognized her as their former shipmate Charles Lotte, they hid it well when they turned their gazes back toward her.

Salvador waited while Charlotte straightened her gown and then offered the crook of his arm to walk her several feet to where the others stood waiting for them.

Declan bounded up onto the quarterdeck. Charlotte glanced over her shoulder.

“He’s got two standing up with him. You should have two standing up with you also.”

Salvador shook his head, certain when he informed Declan he would accompany Ned and Charlotte to
Audacious
that his future brother-in-law would be delighted.

“Dearly beloved,” Jean Baptiste looked beyond Charlotte, Ned, and Salvador to the main deck below, “and everyone else witnessing this blessed event, we gather here in the sight of God Almighty to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.”

Never having attended a wedding in his life, Salvador listened carefully to the words Jean Baptiste spoke, preparing himself for the day when he and Serena would be joined.

Charlotte nudged his side.

“Who gives this woman to be married?” Jean Baptiste repeated, his dark eyes boring into Salvador.

“Oh. I hereby relinquish her to the care of Captain Cochrane.” He took Charlotte’s hand from his arm and placed it in Ned’s outstretched hand.

With her free hand and shoulder, Charlotte nudged and pushed Salvador until he realized she wanted him to step to the side so she and Ned could move closer together.

“If anyone can show just cause why these two should not be joined together, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.”

“She’s our’n!”

“She belongs to the captain!”

“Who’s he think he is, coming in here and taking our gal?”

The sailors on the main deck a few feet below waved their fists—some even waved their cutlasses and dirks—as they yelled their displeasure at the idea of Ned marrying Charlotte.

Salvador stepped to the railing that kept men from falling off the raised quarterdeck. He held one hand aloft and the shouts stopped. “Miss Ransome was spoken for by Captain Cochrane before she came as a guest aboard
Vengeance.
It is her choice to marry him.”