Page 15 of The Pirate Lord
Unfortunately, the pirate captain’s reaction was more alarming. Instead of the fear she had hoped for, a cold light glittered in his eyes as he clutched her arm in a painful grip, then fixed Captain Rogers with a fierce look. “Is this chit telling the truth? Her brother is an English earl?”
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Petey Hargraves flashing her a dire look of warning, but she ignored it. If revealing her true identity might save the women, then surely she must.
Captain Rogers had gone pale as death. “Not that I ever heard, sir. If her brother’s an earl, ’tis news to me.”
“The woman’s crazy,” Petey called out. “Got grand ideas about her position and all. She ain’t no earl’s sister, Cap’n Horn, you can depend on it.”
How dared Petey lie! Didn’t he see how important this was? “I most certainly am the Earl of Blackmore’s sister!” she protested. “I’ve been traveling incognito, to report to the authorities in London about the treatment of convict women aboard these ships!”
Wrenching free of the pirate, she fumbled in the pocket of her apron until she found her journal, which she kept with her at all times. She slipped a fine sheet of vellum from between the pages, then handed it to Captain Horn.
Jordan had insisted she carry some identification with her for emergencies. He’d written a letter proclaiming Sara to be his sister and had pressed the Blackmore seal at the bottom. Thankfully, he hadn’t called her his “stepsister.” Jordan had meant her to use the letter if she couldn’t gain passage home once she reached New South Wales, but this seemed a far better use for it.
The pirate captain scanned the letter, his expression darkening as he read the signature and saw the seal.
“If you insist on taking these women,” she told him in her loftiest tone, “I’ll make sure my brother does all in his power to thwart you. I won’t rest until he sends ships to search the seas for you and your men. I’ll?—”
“Enough.” After folding the letter and tucking it in his belt, he cast her an unnerving smile. “You’ve made your point, Miss Willis … Lady Sara. This changes matters entirely.”
A wave of relief swept over her. Her bluff had worked. He would let the women go and find someone else to torment.
But his next words utterly shattered her assurance. “It seems, my lady, that you’ll be going with us after all.”
Chapter Five
If the abstract rights of man will bear discussion and explanation, those of women, by a parity of reasoning, will not shrink from the same test: though a different opinion prevails in this country.
— MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT, ENGLISH FEMINIST WRITER,A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN
Gideon Horn paced the decks of theSatyrin a fury, trying to blot out the sounds of weeping coming from the hold as he ordered his men to remove the grappling hooks that kept theChastitymoored to theSatyr.
Confound those women! Didn’t they know they were lucky to escape theChastity? He’d been to New South Wales. It was a lawless colony filled with murderers and thieves and no place for a woman, even a convict.
As theSatyredged away from theChastity, Barnaby approached him, an ironic smile on his lips. “I’d say that went smoothly.”
“Keep your blasted English humor to yourself. I’m not in the mood for it.”
“The noise the women are making below decks is unsettling the men.”
“They’ve heard women cry before,” Gideon retorted. He had to admit, however, that the wailing coming from the hold was markedly worse than the sound of a woman crying over the loss of her jewels.
He shouted an order to the bosun, then turned back to Barnaby. “Tell the crew to stop up their ears if they have to. We’ve got some hard sailing ahead if we’re to be out of sight before theChastityreturns to Santiago and sends a ship after us.”
Barnaby nodded, but didn’t leave his captain’s side. “The trouble is, these aren’t just any women. They’re prospective wives, and the men don’t like it that they’re so upset. It’s not what they expected.”
“It’s not what I expected either, believe me. It’s that blasted Lady Sara. They were quiet until I threw her in the hold with them. I should’ve known she’d stir them up. She’s a troublemaker if I ever saw one.”
“Aye.” Taking out a cheroot, Barnaby lit it and drew deeply on it. “Perhaps you should have left her behind. All her threats were pointless. Even if she could have convinced her brother to go in search of a few convict women, he couldn’t have found us. Our island is uncharted and?—”
“I didn’t want to take the chance. If we’re to do what we plan, we must have peace. We can’t always be looking over our shoulders for some confounded earl.”
“Bringing her along didn’t prevent that. If anything, it’s made the situation worse. Do you think this earl will let his sister simply disappear without looking for her? Not bloody likely.”
Gideon stared back at the quickly recedingChastity. The fact that Barnaby was right didn’t make the man’s words easier to stomach. “The woman would be more of a threat back inEngland inciting her brother. Without her around to goad him, he might not bother. If you had a sister like that, wouldyouwant her back?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps.” Barnaby let out a puff of smoke, his expression thoughtful. “Are you sure you didn’t have … um … other reasons for bringing her with us?”
With a scowl, Gideon stalked to the quarterdeck. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
