Page 43 of Pirate's Intent
“A lesson I learned before I ever took to pirating,” he said, his tone dry again, his pointed eyes on her as she adjusted her dress. “But yes, it is important that Blackbeard never know of our involvement and hopefully never know about the brooch itself.”
“One has to wonder why you felt the need to mention its value to begin with when you were writing me.” She smoothed her tousled hair. “I thought it foolish at the time.” She perked her brows at him. “Now look at the mess it has gotten us into.”
“You mean the mess you got us into by keeping the letters in the first place,” he reminded. “Whether the brooch is with me or Thomas matters little in the end, but as with all things when it comes to you, you act without thinking.”
“I would say saving my sister is thinking soundly,” she snapped, standing. “Had you allowed me to give the brooch to Big Devil, this matter would be settled.”
“Are you that naive then?” He shook his head. “Not only would Big Devil have had the bauble, but he and his rats would have still pursued your sister. No doubt with dire consequences to her chastity stuck on a ship such as theirs.” His brows swept up. “As for you, you would no longer have the unthinkable life as a wench tied to a bed but the living nightmare of being Big Devil’s pet.”
The way he said it, the darkness in his eyes, told her Luke had dealt with that nightmare firsthand. And there was only one way that would have happened.
“You already saved someone from him, didn’t you?” she said softly.
Luke might be a lot of things, but he had his fair share of good qualities too. In her case—and likely the women here based on how they looked at him—saving broken creatures in need. Because though Hannah had always seemed strong to the world, only he knew how close she had come to breaking.
“All that matters is that Big Devil and I have history,” he replied, staying true to the man he had always been. He would not share what happened to the woman any more than he would ever share with others what had happened to Hannah. How her abuse morphed her into something that was not accepted in decent society.
That was the main reason she had turned from him all those years ago. So that he might fight Queen Anne’s War and then find a less twisted soul to settle down with.
“There’s grub out back.” Abigail leaned her hip against the threshold. “Ye should eat before trouble comes callin’, aye?”
“Aye.” He nodded then eyed the wench, his crisp British accent reverting back to the pirate drawl he had developed. “Ye’ve everything ye need if they come?”
“Thanks to ye, love.” If Hannah were not mistaken, Abigail’s eyes grew misty as they lingered on Luke. “Now come fill yer bellies already.”
She sauntered away, yelling at anyone listening that they best get their grub before it was gone.
“She seems fond of you.” Hannah watched him closely, trying to understand this life, who he was now.
“Come, let’s eat.” Offering no comment about it, he pulled her after him. “It will likely be a long night.”
They had no sooner left the room when a man nearly as tall as Luke ducked through the entranceway. Maybe somewhere in his early forties, he had a lithe, muscular frame, and more tattoos than not. His hard gaze raked over her boldly before he grunted with approval, then looked at Luke. “No sign of ‘em yet, Cap’n but that means nothin.’”
“Hannah, this is my quartermaster, Robert,” Luke said in introduction. “Like myself, former privateer for Queen and country.”
“Actually, if I remember correctly, you were Royal Navy first,” she pointed out, earning herself a less-than-impressed look from both men. She knew Luke’s patriotism had swiftly turned to opportunism under the poor conditions navy men suffered. After his allegiances switched from England to his current ill-reputed sea brethren, she knew less and less.
After all, it was around that time that their letters took on a different slant.
One that had very little to do with day to day activities.
One that could very well land her in more precarious positions than merely being tied to a chair. Unfortunately, Robert’s next statement only confirmed that.
ChapterSix
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“Rings?” Hannah seethed out of the corner of her mouth at the table, thinking herself discreet when she was anything but. “Ropes?”
He grinned and winked, glad she knew what to expect. While he had wanted to see the shock on her face when she saw the contraptions in his cabin, her response now was just as gratifying. More so, that she would both dread and anticipate it all the while.
“Sounds like ye’ll be gettin’ a good plow through rough seas with this one.” Remmy, a petite little wench with a warm smile that rarely met her hardened eyes, chortled and nodded with approval at Luke. “I’m sure ye’ll weather the storm just fine though, Cap’n.”
“As he always does,” Robert praised.
“You have used those devices before then, Luke?” Hannah said curtly, barely touching her food. She shook her head sharply. “But of course you have.”
Actually, he hadn’t, but she need not know that, and he shot his quartermaster a look that said it best stay that way. Better that Hannah think she was just next in line. One amongst many. Mostly because as he had hoped, it drove her to distraction. She might be sitting so straight her spine appeared ready to snap, but her legs tapped something fierce under the table. He knew why too.
