Page 63 of Until My Last Breath

“I am praying, Darcy, as I always do before going into battle. Commending my soul to our Lord.”

Darcy nodded, and solemnly knelt down beside him.

“Then, allow me to join you. May God have mercy on our souls. May we find justice and be able to rescue Elizabeth and all the other captives unharmed, and return home safely.”

And there they remained for some more minutes, preparing their spirits and bodies for what was to come.

~ ♥ ~

“Land ho!” someone shouted from the top of the mainmast. After two of the longest hours of his life, Darcy was content that the captain’s prediction was correct; they had finally arrived at Saint Anne Island.

Captain Walker was familiar with the area and their approach to the island was as smooth as they could hope. As previously arranged, around a hundred men with guns, swords and munition in hands, were queuing to fill the rowboats heading towards shore.

As Darcy and Richard went to join them, Captain Walker stepped in their way. “Mr Darcy, I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to disembark. Your present physical condition will not serve us in this mission.”

Darcy had asked Dr Alden to release his arm from the sling and reinforce his bandages. He was prepared to face and fight the devil himself if necessary; he would not be left behind. “With all respect, CaptainWalker, you would have to kill me before I could agree with you. I promise not to be in your way and take care of myself.”

The serious expression on the captain’s face slowly changed. Almost imperceptibly, the corners of his mouth turned up when he finally nodded. “I would not expect anything less from you, sir. Dr Alden,” he said, turning to the doctor, “be prepared to receive the wounded, which, I hope, will not be many.” He gave Mr Darcy a final nod before commanding his men to proceed.

Finally, the rowboats started on their way towards shore.

As they arrived, the boats were silently pulled through the sand.

A gunshot broke the oppressive silence, freezing them all.

From above one of the small sand dunes, the body of a man fell down, rolling towards them, as Colonel Fitzwilliam put down his smoking pistol. “You said to be alert against sentinels,” he said sternly.

“Well done, Colonel. Now let us move faster,” said Captain Walker releasing a deep sigh. “The sound of the shot might have announced our presence. Mr Chase, Mr Jones, go. You know what to do.” The remaining crew walked towards the small port area.

About half an hour later, Mr Chase and Mr Jones returned from their scouting and informed the captain that the pirate ship had been identified. They had also found the lady they were looking for and her captor.

“Elizabeth! Have you found her? Where?” Darcy almost shouted.

“Yes, sir. She is here, and well,” Mr Chase replied, trying to appease Darcy, who seemed ready to make something crazy.

Darcy felt his cousin’s hand on his good shoulder. “No, Darcy. We need to abide to our plan. For her own safety.”

Despite his frustration, Darcy nodded.

Mr Chase told them they had spoken to the owner of a small boat. They had arrived late that morning, and that the lady they were transporting had already been escorted to her family by the gentleman who had hired the boat.

Richard and Darcy frowned. “Escorted to her family? What the hell was he talking about? Where is this man?”

“I would not waste my time with him, sir. My impression is that this poor fellow had no idea about Mr Wickham’s intentions,” Mr Jones said. “He told me that he was appalled by the way the gentleman was treating the young woman. He said Mr Wickham told him that the lady had eloped with a sailor and he, the gentleman, was doing her family a favour by bringing her back. But the curious part is that Mr Wickham had asked them to wait for him but had not returned yet.”

As was to be expected, Darcy was still fighting his mixed feelings. At his side, his tight fists were trembling.

“Darcy, at least she is alive and in our reach. And so is Wickham. Keep that in mind,” Richard whispered.

Darcy turned his eyes to the port. “What else can you tell us?”

“Part of the crew is in the village celebrating their last day before setting sail again,” Mr Chase added. “Their captain preferred to stay behind to enjoy the company of a new lady — beggin’ your pardon, sir — a wild cat, as they said.”

Despite Darcy’s distress, Captain Walker was pleased with this information. They could attack both locations at the same time and arrest the whole crew. “How many men do you estimate?”

“Not many, sir. I would say no more than ten on the ship,” said Mr Chase.

“And about twenty-five in the village,” said Mr Jones. “And Captain, their orders are to come back to the ship by midnight and set sail immediately.”

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