Page 63 of Devil of the High Seas
The horror of what had transpired on his island locked into place.
Beauchamp had done this. Unable to kill him directly, he’d destroyed Gavin’s home, leaving it to be an open wound in case Gavin hadn’t died when he’d fled theSirenduring the mutiny. He realized in that instant that anyone he’d ever trusted or allied himself with in the past was now in danger. Beauchamp would kill anyone who might challenge his right to theSiren. Had Beauchamp come here looking for the gold he thought Gavin had hidden away? Why hadn’t Beauchamp come here sooner?
“We thought you had come back, but Josie said we had to run and hide.” Jada wiped at tears streaking down her face.
Gavin’s body tensed at Josephine’s name. “Where is she?”
“Gone.” Jada moaned the word. “They took Sam. She went after him. She said they would not kill her if they knew she was your wife.” Jada spoke a little haltingly as she fought off fresh sorrow.
Now Beauchamp would know that Gavin was alive. He must have come to the island searching for the treasure he thought to be hidden here, but Beauchamp had found Josephine instead.Dear God...
“She made me stay behind so you would know what happened. I hid the others in the caves.”
Thank God for the caves. He’d only ever shown Ronnie and those who lived on the island the system of underground caves he’d discovered under the central pond. He had intended it to be a haven in case a hurricane ever came their way or if they were discovered by the navy, but he had never allowed the rest of his crew to know about it precisely because of dangers like this.
“How long have they been gone?”
“Half a day,” Jada said. “They set fire to the house as they left...” She burst into tears again, covering her face with her hands.
“I will get your son back, Jada. I promise.” Even as he said the words, he feared it might not be a promise he could keep.
He helped her stand. “Come on. We need to tell Ronnie and the others what happened.”
As they reached the burned-down home, they saw that Ronnie and a number of sailors from thePixiehad made their way ashore, including the vicar. Sheridan’s expression hardened as he saw Jada weeping.
“How bad is it, Cap’n?” Ronnie asked.
“Beauchamp took Josie and Jada’s son. Everyone else is alive and hidden.”
Ronnie fingered the blade at his hip, his eyes dark with rage and his face as red as his hair. “We’ll kill him this time, right, Cap’n?”
Of that, Gavin had no doubt. He wished he could kill Beauchamp a thousand times over for what had been done today.
Bartholomew spoke up. “Cap’n?”
“What is it?” Gavin asked, trying to keep the harshness from his voice, but knowing he failed.
“We... That is to say, the men of thePixie... We know you weren’t supposed to be our true cap’n... what with you being a pirate and all...” The sailor stared at his feet, almost shyly.
“You knew he wasn’t your cap’n?” Ronnie broke in.
“Aye. You see, we all used to be pirates. Some of us sailed with Dominic Grey, the others with various crews. Most of the lads recognized you as the captain of theLady Siren. Dominic would have told us if he’d hired you, but the way we left, all secret like, from St. Ives Bay, we figured you weren’t supposed to be on our ship. But we liked you anyway, and we thought your wife was a real fine lady. So we decided to let you stay our cap’n. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is... you need a ship and crew to fetch your wife back. We’reyourmen now. We want to help you save Miss Josephine.”
“Wife?” the vicar broke in. “I thought you weren’t married yet?”
“At this point, it’s merely a matter of legalities, Sheridan,” Gavin said.
“Ah, I see. Well, I was a good shot once, and an even better swordsman. I’d hate to see this evil deed go unpunished.” Sheridan flexed his arms as he bent and picked up a sword that was half buried in the sand at his feet.
Gavin recognized the blade’s hilt. It was from above the fireplace in the drawing room. How the devil had it ended up on the beach?
“Where do you think Beauchamp would go, Cap’n?” Ronnie asked. “They could be headed in any direction.”
That was indeed the problem. Gavin could only hazard a guess, but there was just one real possibility.
“The Black Isle,” Gavin said aloud. It was the only place left that he had a tie to in the West Indies. He had been elected the leader of the pirate Brethren, and the Black Isle was his ruling seat. A bitter laugh escaped his lips. Some king he had turned out to be. Mutinied in the first year and his wife kidnapped by his enemy... He was not worthy of the title of king of anything.
Beauchamp would go to the Black Isle and try to establish a legitimate claim as the captain of theSiren... and he’d kill anyone who got in his way.
