Raven Quest (14 page)

She hesitated, then said, “Of course, Padre.” She must not reveal her hopes that they would be leaving Havana tomorrow.

“Sleep well.” Again, he turned to his great-nephew and spoke to him sternly. Together they went out of the room, and the door had closed for only a moment before it reopened.

Nicte ran into the room and threw herself at Rory's knees. Rory took her hands and brought her to her feet. It took Nicte no time at all to understand that they needed salve and bandages for Rory's arm. Competently, she doctored the wound and bound it.

When Nicte had gone to her own room, Rory threw her arms around Nathan. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Nathan lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Placing her carefully on the pillows, he tucked her necklace beneath her chemise. He drew it back out and fingered the locket.

“This is fine gold.”

“For an urchin?”

He chuckled. “Where did you steal it?”

“I didn't steal it. It was my mother's.”

“Your mother's?” He lifted the locket and examined it, trying to open it and finding it was frozen closed. The goldsmith had not been skilled, for it had been hammered from old gold, and a piece stuck out at an angle. “From your father?”

“I don't know.” She cupped the pendant in her hand. “Maybe, for she was wearing it when she died—the day I was born.”

He stared at the tarnished gold on her palm. Was this a part of Powell's clues to find his ship? “Rory, if something is within it …”

“I thought of that, but the old woman who gave it to me told me it had never opened.”

“But your chemise does.” He tapped the dangling ribbons.

“I forgot he undid them,” she gasped.

He laughed as he sat on the bed, although he wanted to go after Herrera y Fallas and teach him a lesson. No, he would rather be here with Rory. Let Herrera y Fallas stew by himself, realizing that she was here with him. “You looked very much the damsel in distress when Padre Fernando came into the room. Don't worry. We sail in the morning.”

“Where were you? I thought you would be here much sooner. When Guillermo—”

He placed his finger against her quivering lips. “Hush, sweetheart. It's over. He has shown his hand. I should have been suspicious when Padre Fernando offered us cigars to keep us downstairs.

“But he admonished Guillermo!”

“How could you have seen all you have in Port Royal and still be innocent of a man's lust? That old fox knew what his great-nephew planned but tried to convince us he was shocked.”

“How do you know?”

Bending, he kissed her. “He scolded Guillermo for, and I quote, ‘being so slow. I could have bedded her twice in this amount of time when I was twice your age.' Fine hosts we have. I'll be glad when we're back on the
Vengeance.
”

“Once you meet with Simon tomorrow morning, we can sail. Maybe we can sail directly to the gold. If he has the answer to the last line, we shall have everything we want.”

As he smiled and leaned her against the pillows, she knew she had found everything she wanted. She only wished he had.

Eleven

Rory sat in bed, her knees pulled up against her chest, as she watched Nathan put on his shoes. “How long will you be gone?” she asked.

“We should be back before midday. We shall sneak out during the noon meal, and the
Vengeance
will have us on our way before they realize we have left.”

She held up her arms as he kissed her. With a roguish chuckle, he pushed her back into the pillows. The answering desire burst forth within her again.

“Remember how it feels when I touch you, sweetheart. Once the
Vengeance
is under sail, her captain and his lady will retire to their quarters to continue this.”

“Hurry back from your meeting. I will be waiting here for you.” She smiled when he blew her a kiss as he walked out.

She winced as she stretched to pick up her chemise. The long scratch on her arm was stiff.
Curse Guillermo!

Dressing, she gathered all her things together. Her fingers stroked her mother's Bible and the box the Blindman had given her. She yelped when a piece of coral scraped her finger. Popping it in her mouth for a moment, she tied her things in the kerchief she once had worn under her hat. She put them on the table by the door and smiled at Nicte as she walked out. She wished she could tell the maid goodbye, but no one must know they were leaving.

She went down the stairs, glad that Luz and Señora Fallas were chatting in one of the parlors. Inching past its door, she breathed a sigh of relief. She did not want to suffer their censure again.

Muted sunlight met her when she entered the gardens in the central courtyard. Clouds rose like floating mounds of ash in the sky, promising more rain before the day was over. Good! A storm would make it less likely anyone in this house would follow them.

She would miss walking in this garden. Running her fingers along the brightly painted tiles and taking a deep breath of the fragrance, she turned a corner and almost ran into Padre Fernando.

“Excuse me,” she said with a smile.

“Ah, here you are, my child.” Padre Fernando sat on a bench. “Sit with me, my child.”

“Thank you.”

“I am sorry I haven't been able to get the information you need about your father. The
Raven
stopped here only once, when she needed repairs. The other ships never moored in Havana. I wish I could do more to help you.”

She smiled weakly. She hated lying to him when he was being so kind. “I appreciate your trying. My mother will have to be happy with what I have been able to discover.”

“You have discovered a sense of peace here in Havana, I think.”

For a moment, she did not answer.
Peace?
She had spent the whole time trying to keep Guillermo from bedding her. She had been ill. She had found love in Nathan's arms. With a soft smile, she said, “I think you are right.”

He folded her hands in his gnarled ones. “If you wish, my child, you may stay here when the
Vengeance
sails.”

She dampened her flinch. She must not let him guess their plans to leave today. “I don't think that would be a good idea.”

“Perhaps you are right, for I see in your eyes that you wish to go with Captain Lawler, but remember, here you have a haven, my child. Do not fear my foolish great-nephew. He has been told that you are a lady, and he is to treat you that way. He never disobeys me.”

“You are very kind, but I must go. As you said, my life is with Nathan now.”

“Think of what I have said to you, my child. I will see you at supper this evening.” He closed his eyes, and she knew she had been dismissed.

Rory continued through the flower beds. She glanced at the sun, which was trying to elude the clouds. Nathan would be gone at least another hour. She should have gone with him. They could have devised some excuse to leave on a false errand this morning. Now, all she could do was pace.

She went into her favorite part of the garden. The flowers were so bright they rivaled the sunshine. A small fountain with a brass dolphin was at its center.

When she bent to look at the multicolored fish in the fountain, she saw the reflection of another person in the rippling water. She did not have a chance to turn before pain erupted through her head. Without even a moan, she slipped to the ground, senseless.

Rory's eyes opened to darkness. The familiar motion told her she was on a ship, but she could not see. Her head ached so deeply, she groaned as she placed her fingers against her forehead.

“Nathan? Would you light the lamp? It's so dark.” When she got no response, she called his name louder. Again, no answer.

She rolled onto her side and realized she was not in the captain's cabin on the
Vengeance.
Dampness oozed through her gown, and a stench threatened to choke her. Something skittered in the darkness. Where was she?

Fear forced her to her feet, but she swayed and fell to the damp floor with a jar, which made her gasp. She pushed herself up again. It hurt to move, but she had to discover where she was and how she had gotten here.

The last thing she remembered was walking in the gardens of La Casa de las Flores. She leaned against the wall and moaned. Someone had been standing behind her, reflected in the fountain—then there was nothing but agony. That person must have struck her on the head and brought her here. But where was
here?

She staggered through the darkness, looking for some clue. The darkness was so complete she could not see even her outstretched hands. The narrow, curved walls came to a point not far from where she had been lying. The floor was rocking steadily. It was not just her aching head. She must be in a hold. But of what ship?

That she could not guess, but she was sure she knew why. Someone had discovered she was Stuart Powell's daughter and wanted her to help find her father's gold.
But who?
For so many years, she had been ignored in Port Royal. Now the truth was exploding like the pain across her head.

Footsteps sounded outside her door. They must have been listening for her to wake. A shudder swept into her frightened heart. Who waited on the far side of the door? She squared her shoulders and clasped her hands behind her back. That way her captor would not be able to see how they shook. She was Rory Mullins. She had faced the most abominable pirates at Yellow Hal's place and bested them all.

All but Yellow Hal.

She ignored that small voice in her head as the door opened and light burned her eyes. A man holding a lantern spoke, but she could not understand. He motioned for her to come out. Certain she had no choice, she obeyed.

Another man waited in the passageway. He stank of weeks of sweat and rum. He pulled her toward a ladder just down the passageway. With a laugh, he shoved her forward. She moaned as her shin hit the splintered wood.

“Climb!” he ordered in a heavy accent she could not identify. Not English or Spanish or French. Who were these curs?

Rory spat a curse. From the bafflement on his face, she knew his English was not fluent. She smiled and repeated it in a sugary tone, adding another insult. This one he understood because he growled and raised his fist. She hurried up the ladder.

She took a deep breath of salt air as she emerged from the hold. The sun had been captured by the clouds, so she had no idea how long she had been senseless.

A hand against her waist pushed her away from the hatch. The deck of the ship was littered with a variety of crewmen, each more scurrilous than his mate. She shivered with a terror that she couldn't ignore. Nathan and his men might be pretending to be privateers, but these, she knew, were real pirates, the kind she had tried to keep out of Yellow Hal's place.

The man behind her gave her another prod, this time toward the stern. She turned to glare at him and saw he was disappointed she had not sprawled face first on the deck.

“Touch me again, and I will—” She reached for her knife.

“You look for your weapon?” He reached under his torn shirt. Pulling out her knife, he rocked it in front of her and laughed.

She knew better than to try to take it back. He might kill her. “If I had it, you'd be sorry!”

“Perhaps.” Taking her arm, he steered her toward the stern.

Rory tensed as the men made catcalls and openly ogled her. She shrieked when one man grabbed at her skirt. She tugged it away. Another man reached out to touch her hair. In horror, she tried to edge away from the toothless man. She kicked at him, but he grabbed her foot, his fingers stroking her ankle.

“No!” she cried. “Get away!”

The man holding her arm guffawed, then snapped a single word. Immediately the men backed away, clearing a path toward a door. He pulled her to it.

His knock brought a quick burst of the language she could not understand. He said, “Go in. The cap'n wants you.”

She was sure she could not breathe as she saw the truth in his eyes. These men did not want only the
Raven's
gold—they wanted her.

He opened the door and, with a cruel chuckle, thrust her into the room. Hands steadied her as she heard the door close. Gently she was brought into a strong embrace against a shirt that did not reek with offal. Wide-eyed, she stared up at Guillermo Herrera y Fallas.

“
Buenos días, mi querida
.” He smiled.

“Take your filthy hands off me, Guillermo!” She struggled to think through the pain in her skull. Padre Fernando had been so sure his great-nephew would not try to hurt her again. He had been wrong. “How dare you do this to me? I didn't think you would stoop to kidnapping me from your great-uncle's house.”

“I would not do such a thing. Allow me to introduce you to who did.”

“No introduction is necessary. You do look better as a woman, Rory, my girl, than you did as a lad.”

Rory's heart froze in mid-beat. Yellow Hal Warwick! This was no vision brought on by sun sickness. His narrow eyes glistened with candid lust. She wanted to scream, but no sound came from her throat. As she saw his tongue moisten his lips in anticipation of what they both knew he wanted, she fought to loosen the breath clogged deep in her chest.

Guillermo drew her back a half-step and snaked his arm around her waist. She recoiled from his touch but did not move away. Guillermo was her only bulwark against Yellow Hal.

Nathan! Where was he? Had they killed him? Her knees almost buckled at the thought.

“A real beauty, isn't she?” crowed Yellow Hal. “It's hard to believe she convinced all of Port Royal she was a lad.”

“A lad?” Guillermo frowned.

It did not take Yellow Hal long to tell the tale of Rory's masquerade in Jamaica. She noticed that he did not mention how he had been taken in by her disguise as well. “She will fool none of us again.”

“Do not forget,
mi amigo,
that she is mine. That was part of our bargain. You may have the information in her head, but her body belongs to me.”