Page 2 of The Pirate Lord
“More hapless women forced into virtual prostitution for daring to steal bread for their children.” She leaned forward, stirred by moral outrage. “These convict women are being sent to a foreign land for the slightest of offenses, merely because Australia needs more women.”
“I see. So, you’re saying none deserve incarceration.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.” She considered the women she’d met today. “Halfarethieves and prostitutes or worse. But half are women whose poverty compelled them to steal. You should hear their ‘heinous’ crimes—stealing old clothes to exchange for meat or taking a shilling from the till. One woman was sentenced to transportation for stealing four cabbages from a field. A man wouldn’t have his hand slapped for such a crime!”
His expression grew solemn. “I know there are miscarriages of justice, moppet. But one must deal with those through Parliament and the passing of laws.”
He only called her “moppet” when he wished to soften her. “Parliament has relinquished its responsibility for transported convicts to the Navy Board, which doesn’t care what goes on.”
The damp cold of the Blackmore carriage couldn’t compare to what those women suffered at Newgate. And they would suffer worse on the voyage. “The minute those women enter the ships, the crew make advances to them. The ships become floating brothels. That is, until the women reach their destination, where they are handed over to even worse masters. Don’t you think that too harsh a punishment for a woman who stole milk for her baby?”
“Floating brothels. And this is meant to convince me to let you travel in one?”
“Oh, the men won’t botherme. They only take advantage of the convict women because the women can’t fight back.”
“They won’t bother you,” he said with sarcasm. “If that isn’t the most naive, ridiculous—” He broke off when she glared at him. “Sara, a convict ship is no place for a?—”
“Reformer?” The carriage jolted as it hit a pothole. “I can think of no place needing a reformer more.”
“Why the devil would your presence on that ship change a deuced thing?”
She winced at his language. “The grand lords of your Parliament have ignored the protests of missionaries who accompany the ships. But theywon’tignore the Earl of Blackmore’s sister if she presents them with an honest account of the deplorable conditions, both on those ships and in Australia.”
“You’re right.” Leaning forward, he braced his fists on his knees. “They won’t ignore youifyou go. But since there’s no chance in hell that I’ll let you?—”
“You can’t stop me. I’m old enough to go where I please, with or without your permission. Even if you lock me in my room, I shall find a way to escape—if not in time for this voyage, then in time for the next.”
Jordan looked so livid she feared he might ignite before her very eyes. Good heavens, he was volatile. Lord have mercy on the woman who marriedhim.
“If you didn’t think I could stop you,” he bit out, “then why did you put this scheme into execution while I was away?”
“Because I care about you enough to dislike arguing with you.”
He muttered a curse. “Then why don’t you care enough to stay here?”
She sighed. “Come now, my absence may actually enhance your life. Won’t it be easier for you to run your estates if you don’t have me to worry about?” The voyage to New South Wales took nearly six months each way, so she could be gone as long as a year.
“Don’t have you to worry about? What do you think I’ll be doing all that time?” He pounded his fist against the side of the carriage. “My God, Sara, ships go down! There are epidemics, and there’s always the possibility of mutiny?—”
“Not to mention pirates. We’d certainly present a fine prize forthem.” She suppressed a smile. He always did prepare for the worst, even when it was absurd.
“You find this amusing, do you?” He ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it even more. “You have no sense of what you’re risking.”
“Truly I do. But sometimes one must face a little danger to do a great deal of good.”
He shook his head. “You are very much Maude Gray’s daughter.”
Mention of her mother sobered her. “Yes, I am. And I’m proud of it, too.”
Her mother had fought hard for reform, starting on the day Sara’s father, a soldier out of work, had been cast into debtor’s prison. It had continued even after his death there. Indeed,Sara was convinced that her mother’s altruism was what had attracted the late Earl of Blackmore to her. Her mother had met the earl, a very progressive man, while soliciting his aid in getting members of the House of Lords to listen to her plan for prison reform. They’d rapidly fallen in love. Even after marrying him, she’d stayed active in her reform work.
Until she’d died two years ago after a long and wrenching illness.
Sara brushed away the tears that came to her eyes, then stroked the etched silver of her mother’s locket, which she always wore.
“You miss her still.” Jordan’s comment broke the silence.
“Not a day passes that I don’t.”
