Page 87 of The Pirate Lord
“The men don’t know who lives on this island, miss,” Petey broke in, earning himself one of Jordan’s darkest scowls. “His lordship didn’t tell them what they were about before they reached the Cape Verde islands, because he wanted to keep ‘em from spreadin’ scandal about you later. And he kept quiet afterward to prevent any of ‘em from jumpin’ ship in Santiago out of fear of meetin’ the Pirate Lord. Most sailors is terrified of Cap’n Horn.”
“Good, let’s keep it that way.” A measure of relief swept through her. If Petey were right, perhaps she could at least keep other men from returning here to capture or kill the pirates later. She faced her brother, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not going with you unless you swear to leave the island unscathed and keep your silence about it, especially with your men.”
Jordan cast her a searching glance. “If I do, you’ll return to England? You’ll forget this nonsense?”
“I’ll return to England, but I won’t forget a blessed thing. I fully intend to take you up on your offer to bring me back here once I’ve convinced you that my feelings won’t change.”
“Devil take it, Sara?—”
“That’s my bargain, Jordan. Do you accept it?”
He glanced away, staring through the trees to the brilliant sunlit surf. Then he snapped his gaze back to her. “Yes. Anything to have you off this cursed island.”
“I must have your word as a gentleman on it, do you hear? I won’t have you dropping broad hints to your friends in the Navy about where they can find a certain pirate’s den.”
“You always were a deuced stubborn woman, you know that?”
“I learned it from you.”
He sighed, raking his hands through his auburn hair. “That’s probably true. All right, I swear by my honor that I won’t reveal this island’s whereabouts.Nowcan we leave?”
“What about the other women? The ones who don’t wish to stay?”
“I thought everyone was happy in your paradise,” he said sarcastically.
She dropped her gaze. “Some of the women . . . are not suited to this place. Can’t we take them with us?”
“Not unless you want to alert the pirates to our presence. We were lucky to find you alone. All it takes is one woman to give the alarm. Then I’d be taken prisoner and my men would attack.” He lowered his voice. “Of course, if you’d allow me to land my men, we could easily rescue the women?—”
Her head snapped up. “Absolutely not.”
“Then let’s go. Let’s leave this cursed place.”
“In a moment.” She turned to Ann. “Tell the women I’ll be back. When I return, anyone who wishes to leave may do so.” Removing her locket, she held it a moment, then kissed it and handed it to Ann. “And give this to Gideon. Say I’ll be back for it. Make sure you tell him that, do you understand?”
“Sara,” Jordan broke in, “that belonged to your mother.”
“Exactly.” A lump formed in her throat, but she ignored it. She would get her locket back one day soon. She would! “Gideon knows what it means to me, and he knows I’d never leave it behind. I can think of no other way to reassure him that I’ll return.”
How inadequate that would be in the wake of his mother’s betrayal. Her leaving here so secretively would destroy him. He might never forgive her, and the possibility of that made her want to weep.
She faced Petey, intending to have him tell Gideon that she’d left under protest. Then she paused. No, if Gideon knew she’d been forced from here, nothing would stop him from following her to England. She couldn’t have that. He must believe she’d left of her own free will.
“Tell Gideon that I’ll return, no matter what, but don’t say a word to him of my bargain with Jordan, do you hear? He’ll follow me to England and get himself hanged, and anyone who goes with him. Swear you won’t tell him the truth of why I left. Both of you, swear it.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Petey nodded. Then Ann followed suit.
Sara’s heart ached at the sight. By making them swear this, she was ensuring that Gideon would suffer great pain. But she’d rather he suffered some pain than be taken prisoner the minute he entered English waters. In England, his fate would be short, cruel, and final. She couldn’t even bear to think of it.
“Come on, Sara,” Jordan said impatiently. “My men have orders to attack if I don’t return to theDefiantby noon.”
“All right.” She hugged Ann, then Petey. “Iwillbe back,” she told both of them tearfully. “It may take months, but I’ll return to Atlantis as soon as I can.”
As she walked off with Jordan, he cast her an angry glance. “You act as if you’re going off to your execution instead of returning to the arms of your family and your rightful home.”
“The arms of my family? I used to think of you as family, Jordan.” She stared stonily ahead, scarcely noticing where they walked. “But now? Now I regard you as my jailer. And I’m afraid I will regard you that way until the day you bring me back here.”
For once, her brother had the wisdom not to retort.
