Page 9 of Pirate's Intent
Surprisingly, it was. “Yes, actually...thank you.”
When he offered a small smile, she almost smiled in return but held back, unsure if happiness, better yet, a sense of security in general, was warranted just yet. As it were, she had been taken by yet another pirate. Byhim. “Why are you here?” She shook her head. “The last I knew you were in the Royal Navy.”
She remembered all-too-well the day he had sailed off to war. How terrified she’d been for him. The British were fighting the French for possession of the continent. Battling that would take him from the Carolina coastline to the New England frontier. She had hoped he would ultimately be stationed in Yorktown, a place just as much at risk from French attacks and Indians alike, but he was not.
In fact, she never saw him again.
“I received a Letter of Marque and ended up becoming a privateer during the war,” he divulged. “When that ended, I took to pirating.”
Rather than come home to me? Rather than marry me as you said you would? She bit back anger and tried to remain focused on the matter at hand.
“Why piracy of all things, Thomas?” The boy she remembered had not been suited to this life at all. He had been caring. Kind. Certainly not a criminal.
“Because I was good at it,” he replied simply.
She frowned, certain there was more to it. A man did not turn to a life of crime without a reason. Especially when he had someone who loved him to return home to. Yet here he was, a pirate through and through. Which brought her mind back to their immediate situation. She had to stay alert because she knew nothing of the man sitting in front of her. Nothing of his life and what he was truly capable of now.
“Who has Hannah?” she asked. “And where have they taken her?”
“My brother has her.” His lips thinned into a grim line, his words damning. “She is safe, Rose...it is you who is not.”
No sooner did he say it than Charles pounded on the door. “All hands on deck! Trouble’s afoot, Cap’n!”
ChapterThree
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“HOW MANY?” HAVING ORDEREDRose to remain in his cabin and hold tight to something to brace herself, Thomas took to the helm and narrowed his eyes through the driving rain.
“Two ships closing in fast,” Charles reported. “Big Devil for sure.”
Thomas cursed, grateful at least that lightning flashes kept the ships visible. The downfall, however, was his own ship being seen or worse yet his crew being struck by that very lightning.
Either way, they had to shake these ships.
He carried a few light cannons, which was good and bad. Bad because it meant he had to get it right the first time. Good because it meant he had far better maneuverability than his counterpart. Not only did Big Devil carry more guns, but they were heavier.
He met Charles’s eyes and gave him the signal to make ready the cannons.
His quartermaster nodded and roared the order to prepare for battle. “Beat to quarters!”
Excellent sailors all, the crew knew what to do and how to do it quickly despite the weather. They also knew enough to strap down and brace themselves for a wild ride.
Charles gave them the go ahead, and they lowered a sail to slow the ship, then strapped off. Taking into consideration the wind, waves, and current, Thomas cranked the wheel just enough. If he turned too fast, the ship would flip. Not enough, and they would never get the guns into position before the enemy fired at them.
As soon as they were ready, and he deemed it the perfect moment, Thomas roared, “Boom about,” warning his men to duck as he cut the wheel, and the boom swung.
The ship leaned over so far one of the sails nearly touched the water before he cut the wheel back. As he had hoped, his ship, fine vessel that it was, took the turn perfectly lining his guns up with the ships.
He held his hand out to stay Charles from giving the order quite yet.
Wait.
Wait.
Just a bit more.
Account for the seconds it would take for his order to reach the right ears then...perfect.
