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Captain Marcus Kane smiled to himself as the bag of coins gave a satisfying jingle in his pocket. That young
fool would know better than to challenge him to a wager next time. It was a pity there was no time left to spend any of it, but he'd told the crew to be back on The Arkadia by midnight and he made a point of always following his own rules. To do otherwise was bad for morale and low morale among pirates was a fine excuse for mutiny.As he
sauntered along the darkened street that led to the harbour, the only sounds the money in his pocket and the heels of his boots striking the cobbles, his peace was shattered by an ear-piercing scream. He spun around, touching his hand
to
the hilt of his sword in a reflex action. No-one was to be seen but then the scream came again
and a woman's voice shouted, "Help me, help me someone, please!"The voice
was coming from an alleyway nearby and Marcus hesitated. He really should ignore the screaming and carry on his way. It was nothing to do with him, after all. But the woman screamed again and something about the sound
awoke
his better nature.Cursing himself for
his soft heart, he made his way swiftly in the direction of the noise.The
woman in the alley was unfamiliar to him but he recognised the man as a drunkard who had been in the tavern earlier on, trying unsuccessfully to wheedle
the tavern-keeper into extending his credit. He
held the woman about the waist and appeared to be trying to kiss her.Sighing
Marcus drew his sword.
"Can I help ye, lady?"The ruffian turned in his direction but still kept a tight hold on the woman. He looked at Marcus and then at the drawn sword. "We're just 'aving a lover's tiff," he muttered.
The woman's response was to kick him in the shin. "We are having no such thing," she said to Marcus. "I was walking home when this lout apprehended me and asked me for a kiss. I naturally declined and he thought he would force himself on me." She wriggled in the man's grasp. "Let me go!""You heard the lady," said Marcus calmly. "There's tavern wenches aplenty if you've coin to pay for
'em and if you haven't then I suggest you take yerself home to yer bed."The man seemed torn for a moment, then as Marcus raised his sword, he let go of his prize. "Take her for yerself then," he muttered. "She's too skinny for my taste anyhow."Left alone with Marcus, the lady seemed to
regain her composure and she even bestowed a smile on him.He grinned back, wondering just how naive she was not to be afraid of him. He had no intention of taking her for himself but if he had been that type of man,
nothing would be easier than
to push her up against a nearby wall, spread her legs and take her by force. And she was an uncommonly fine looking woman. Lady, he corrected himself, taking in her silk gown and rich velvet cloak."I am Lady Abigail Griffin," she announced, as if she was reading his mind. "I
wonder if I might prevail on you to escort me back to my lodgings."The name stirred a memory at the back of Kane's mind. "Lady Griffin," he said. "Are ye connected with the sugar cane Griffins by chance?""Sir Jacob Griffin is my husband," she said stiffly.
Marcus frowned. Was it his imagination or did she speak her husband's name with distaste? He had heard many things of
Sir Jacob Griffin but he had never heard a word about him ill-treating his wife. A thought came to him and he glanced about him to make sure they were not being observed."And does
Sir Jacob know that his wife is walking the streets unaccompanied by even her maid?" he asked softly.Lady Griffin looked down at her feet for a moment but when she lifted her gaze to his, her expression was determined and her chin jutting forward as if daring him to question her further.
"It was a private matter," she said.
So no-one knew she was here. Marcus felt
the familiar
thrill of
adventure begin to
spike
his veins. Could he do this? He glanced about him again but they were still alone and though he listened for the sound of footsteps, the night was silent.
"Allow me," he said, offering her his arm. She took it with a gracious nod of her head and they walked in silence to where the alley met the street.
"Which way?" he asked Lady Griffin, praying that
her lodging house would lie in the direction of the harbour.
"It's just a short walk
in this direction," she said, indicating the way into town.
Marcus cursed under his breath. Well, there was only one thing for it.
"I haven't introduced meself," he said. "I'm Marcus Kane." He bent low as if bowing to her and then in one fluid movement, he seized her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. "Pirate," he added proudly.
Abigail Griffin gave another piercing scream that almost deafened him and she began to punch him in his back, her little fists driving into his kidneys with surprising force even through his heavy velvet coat.Marcus sighed to himself. He stopped and threw her further back over his shoulder so that he was now holding her around the back of the knees and she was precariously off balance. He set off again, adding a swaying to his gait to further add to her sense of insecurity. The screaming persisted though it was now thankfully a little further from his ears, but she was forced to use her hands to grab hold of the hem of his coat so at least his kidneys were safe for now.
He could see the shape of the Arkadia now, silhouetted blackly against the moonlit sky and he hastened his steps, hoping that no-one was around to hear the unholy racket
Lady Abigail was making. He carried a flintlock pistol at his waist but he'd had a pleasant evening so far and to shoot someone would entirely spoil his mood.After what seemed an eternity, he finally walked up the gangplank of his ship to be
met by his first mate.
"Sinclair," he greeted him. "Is everyone aboard?""Aye, Captain," the other man said. "Now that yer good self is 'ere." He raised his eyebrows and nodded at Abigail who had resumed her struggling now that Marcus had come to a stop. "Company, Sir?""Treasure," announced Marcus, grinning widely. He put down his prize but kept a firm hold of her, his arm wrapped about her waist, trapping her arms as he pulled her against him. The night breeze blew her hair against his face and he caught the scent of orange flower and jasmine. He was just enjoying the sensation of having such a sweet-smelling
woman in his arms
when he was brought rudely back to reality by the heel of her shoe grinding into his boot.
"My cabin now," he growled at Sinclair. He grasped hold of Abigail's wrist and pulled her after him down the steps that led to his quarters.Once inside, he pushed her in the direction of his bed. "Sit!" he ordered her."I will do no such thing!" she snapped.Marcus sighed inwardly. This was not how it was supposed to be. Ladies kidnapped by pirates were meant to swoon and beg for their liberty. He felt a pang of sympathy for
Sir Jacob. Lady Abigail would not be a biddable wife, he imagined. How to proceed? He didn't want to frighten her unduly but maybe it was time to scare her just a little."If ye don't do as yer told this minute, wench, I'll take me belt to ye!" he thundered. "Now sit down!" He put his hand to his belt buckle as if to unfasten it and was rewarded by the sight of Abigail throwing herself down onto his bed. "Good girl," he said and she glared back at him.In the candlelight, he had his first chance to look at her properly and by God, she was a handsome woman. The fire in her dark eyes reminded him somewhat of Callie when they were playing their games. Callie. At the thought of his sometime lover, his cock hardened in his breeches.Callie Cartwig had been a prostitute when he first met her. Now through her own diligent saving and with a little help from Marcus, she was madam of her own brothel and only
invited men into her bed when the fancy took her. She was his dearest friend, favourite bed-mate and she had never ruined it by falling in love with him.Callie liked a good straightforward fucking as much as the next wench but she liked to play games too. "Ravish me, pirate," she'd whisper in his ear. "Pretend to take me against me will, let me fight ye."Marcus had never taken a woman by force, the thought of an unwilling bed-mate did nothing for him and after all there was no shortage of wenches who would
lift their skirts
for Captain Marcus Kane. He was an excellent swordsman in more ways than one and women whispered to each other that the reason he walked with such a strutting gait was to accommodate the magnificence of his cock. In truth, he'd adopted his swagger because he felt it was befitting his station, but he enjoyed the effect it had on women and he'd never had any complaints when they came to sample the goods.
But there was something about the way Callie would wriggle beneath him as she pretended his advances were unwelcome. She would fight as if in earnest and he would come away with bites and bruises as if he had been attempting to tame a wild animal.
When he sensed she was tiring, he
would seize her wrists in one hand and pin her down with his body and then he would thrust his other hand between her legs where he would find her cunt dripping wet for him. The last time he'd seen her, she'd deliberately worn old clothes and he had taken great pleasure in ripping them off her with his powerful hands until she was clad in nothing but her corset.For a moment, he let himself imagine Abigail Griffin wriggling beneath him, her breasts bared to him, her petticoats pushed up around her waist and he almost groaned as his breeches became unbearably tight.
"Captain." Sinclair brought him back to reality and he realised he had been staring.He cleared his throat. "This is the Lady Abigail Griffin," he explained. "Wife to
Sir Jacob Griffin, the
wealthiest sugar plantation owner in the Caribbean. I intend to ask a handsome ransom for er return. If e should want er back that is," he added drily.Abigail flushed and lowered her gaze and he was seized with a sudden doubt. What if
Sir Jacob was tired of his wife and didn't want her back? Then he let his gaze wander over her body,
her creamy white breasts that seemed to offer themselves to him over the top of her corset, the tiny waist he could no doubt span with his two hands. No, even if she were the greatest shrew alive, surely no man would want to part with such a wife."Send Murphy to me," he said to Sinclair more curtly than he intended."Aye, Sir," said the other man and he withdrew leaving Marcus and the Lady Abigail alone."Look at me,"
Marcus said softly.She raised her gaze to meet his and he flinched from the pain
in her eyes. The fight and the fire had gone from them leaving only an exhausted resignation."Was it yer husband?" he asked her. "I mentioned im and ye looked sad. Does he beat ye?"The scorn was back in her eyes and they flashed fire as she retorted, "My husband has never lifted his hand to me in anger. He is a gentleman not a pirate!""Now, that's an unfair slur on pirates, Lady Abigail," he protested."Really? You just threatened to thrash me," she said with a
triumphant smile.Well she had him there. He could hardly admit to her that he'd never hurt a woman in his life, without losing the upper hand. Luckily he was saved from having to answer by a knock on his cabin door."Come in," he growled."You wanted to see me, Captain.""Aye, I did. Yer still friendly with that wench, what was er name?""Memori," said Murphy."Aye that's the one."
Marcus turned to Abigail and gave her a friendly grin. "Ye'd think I'd remember the name of a girl called memory, wouldn't ye now?"A frosty stare was his only reply and he cleared his throat."I want
ye to take a message to er and have
er
deliver it
to...where are
ye lodging, Lady Abigail?""Well at present, I appear to be lodging in a filthy cabin," she said tartly. "If you mean to ask me where I was lodging, I was staying at the Jolly Goat."Ignoring the filthy cabin remark but making a mental note to have it cleaned,
Marcus picked up a piece of paper and a quill, dipped in in a bottle of ink and began to write.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Lady Abigail watched as the pirate captain began to write what she assumed must be her ransom note. He wrote quickly and surely which surprised her. Though she supposed some pirates must have learned the skills of reading and writing, otherwise how would they decipher their maps?
How much would he demand for her safe return? He'd been perceptive enough to notice how she'd been affected by his joke about Jacob. Maybe if he sensed that all was not well with her marriage, he would not ask for too much. Not that Jacob would hesitate to pay, whatever the price. How could he hold up his head in society if he did nothing? And he would do it for Clarke if nothing else.Though he may feel differently when he learned what Clarke had done.
Abigail could not begin to imagine how he was going to react when he found his daughter had eloped and if he
ever learned that Abigail had had a hand in her disappearance...
Her heart began to pound with anxiety at the thought and she distracted herself by wondering how
Jacob would feel when he received the ransom note. Would he be afraid for her? Maybe the thought of her being in danger would reawaken something in him, make him realise that he still loved her despite the fact that they'd long grown apart.
When she'd first met Jacob, they had been as enamoured of each other as any two people could be. He had told her how he found her wit, her spirit and her lack of convention refreshing, so unlike the insipid young ladies to whom he was usually introduced. But then they were married and everything changed.She remembered the night as clearly as she remembered the events of yesterday. They had been at dinner with Jacob's father, Sir Edward Griffin, and some of Sir Edward's business associates and their wives. At first they had talked of society matters, discussing
the pleasures and the challenges of living on a Caribbean island, so far from home. But then the conversation had turned to slavery. Abigail had very strong views on the matter and she had not hesitated to make
them known, engaging in a somewhat heated debate with Sir Phillip Monroe, a gentleman who had made his entire fortune by the buying and selling of human beings.
The following morning, she and Jacob had been summoned by Sir Edward. She had an idea why he wanted to see her, she had not missed the way he had compressed his lips and tried to stare her down over the syllabub as she was speaking about human rights and liberty. She was prepared for a dressing-down and had her responses ready on her lips. What she was not prepared for however, was that Sir Edward's fury was directed not at her but at his son.
"If you are unable to keep your wife under control, Jacob," he had said, his eyes and his voice cold. "May I suggest that in future you leave her at home."Jacob had protested at first, telling his father that he had married Abigail not only for her beauty but also for her intelligence, and that he was proud of the way she could
express her opinions in an argument, even if he did not always agree with her views.
But Sir Edward had treated his son's words with scorn. A wife's behaviour in public reflected on her husband, surely Jacob could see that. One day, he would inherit the family business. How could he expect to earn the confidence of business associates when he could not even control his own wife? Who could respect a man who allowed his wife to speak her mind on matters far beyond her feminine comprehension?
Little by little, Jacob's arguments in her defence had grown weaker until finally when Abigail had attempted to speak for herself, he had told her to be quiet and that was when she'd realised that Sir Edward had won.From that day on, her marriage had changed. She had fought Jacob every step of the way but he dealt with what he now called her 'rebelliousness' with increasing coldness until she was forced to become the wife he expected her to be or risk alienating her husband forever.
When Clarke was born, she'd thought that things might return to how they had once been. Although not the longed for son, Clarke was the apple of her father's eye and for a few days, Jacob had showered Abigail with affection and gratitude for giving him such a precious gift. They had sat together as she held Clarke to her breast and he had stroked Abigail's hair and kissed her brow tenderly, even calling her Abby, a name that had not passed his lips for such a long time now. She had leaned her head against his shoulder and thought to herself that she had never been so happy.But then he had engaged a nanny to take care of Clarke despite Abigail's furious protests.
"A lady of your social standing does not spend her days taking care of infants," he had reproved her, and she had heard Sir Edward in every word.
"And just what should I be doing with my days, Jacob?" she had demanded. "Embroidery perhaps? Practising the harpsichord? Inviting the dull wives of your dull associates to take afternoon tea?"That was when he had threatened to
send Clarke to a wet-nurse and Abigail had choked back her retort, terrified of losing the one thing that had made life worth living again.
Some years later, Sir Edward was out riding one day when he was thrown from his horse with fatal consequences and Abigail had wondered if his father's death might release Jacob from some of his strictures. But alas, Jacob had learned his father's lessons well and Abigail had spent every day from that day to this, minding her tongue and doing her best to find happiness in her cocooned existence.
But tonight with this pirate, a little of the old Abigail had reasserted itself. For the first time in many years, she'd felt able to speak her mind, to let out some of the fury that she'd suppressed until now.
And if she were honest with herself, it had been rather satisfying. She'd particularly enjoyed hearing his hiss of pain as she had ground the heel of her shoe into his leather boot. Maybe it would be for the best if she were not rescued until tomorrow. She still had a great deal of rage to take out on the unsuspecting Captain Marcus Kane.Kane had now written two letters and he handed one of them to the young man, Murphy.
"When she delivers this to Sir Jacob, tell er she's to say a man in the street paid er to deliver it." He reached into his pocket and drew out a silver coin. "Give er this for er trouble."
He took out a few more silver coins and gave them to Murphy, whose eyes lit up at the sight of them.
"I'm trusting ye, Murphy," Kane said sternly. "This is for yer
passage to Tobago where ye'll take lodgings with Mrs Cartwig until I come for ye. This letter is for ye to give to er." He handed the second letter over then he placed his hand on the young man's shoulder, gripping it firmly. "I'm counting on ye, boy."Murphy nodded. "Yes, Captain.""Good lad," Kane said. "Ye'll need to wait until we've left before ye do anything. We sail within the hour."Murphy turned and left the cabin and Kane turned to Abigail, smiling pleasantly.
"All being well, ye should be back with yer husband within the month.""Within the month?" gasped Abigail. "And what did you mean by, we sail within the hour?""It's how we get from one place to another," the Captain said, grinning."I understand what you mean by sail, you complete imbecile," Abigail snapped. She got to her feet. "What I wish to know is, why you intend to set sail with me aboard."Kane sauntered over to her, an annoying one-sided smirk on his face."Yer me captive, Lady Abigail. And that means ye go wherever I go. We're bound together, ye might say."He stood so close to her, they were almost touching and he looked down at her with eyes that were gently mocking yet not unkind. "Ye surely didn't expect me to sit idly by and wait for the constable to arrive, did ye? We sail tonight, me love.""I am not your love!" she said angrily. She tried to move past him but he caught her by the shoulders.
"Ye'll need to get some sleep, Milady. Would ye care to share me supper first?"She narrowed her eyes. "I don't intend to eat with you at any time." An idea came suddenly to her. She would not make it easy for this man to hold her hostage. "In fact, I don't intend to eat at all." She gave him a triumphant smile even as her heart sank at the the thought of going without food.The pirate shook his head. "Ye'll eat, Lady, if I have to hold that pretty mouth of yours open and feed ye with me own hands."She set her chin mutinously and glared at him. In his eyes she saw determination but also regret. This was a man who would do what needed to be done without hesitation but he would not enjoy causing her distress.
"And where do I sleep?" she demanded.He smirked again. "Ye'll be sleeping here in my bed."She gasped and he laughed."Fear not, Abigail. Ye'll not be molested. I'll bunk in with me crew." He let his gaze wander over her body impudently. "Not that it wouldn't be a pleasure to bed ye, but I'm not sure Sir Jacob would pay to get ye back if he knew ye'd been laying with a pirate." His eyes twinkled. "I hope yer not too disappointed. The ladies do say it's a
delight to lay with Captain Marcus Kane."Abigail struggled for a moment to find the words to answer him. "It's Lady Abigail to you, pirate, and how dare you insinuate that I'd...I'd be disappointed!"Kane took her chin in his hand and looked down at her, his face only inches away from hers and his gaze seemed to heat her skin until she could feel a blush rising in her cheeks. She bit her lip and the pirate glanced at her mouth for a moment before dragging his gaze back up to her eyes.
"Right now, ye belong to me, Abigail," he growled softly. "And I'll call ye whatever I damn well please." He stared at her for a long moment without speaking and she had the queerest notion that he was about to kiss her when he released her abruptly.
"I'll have supper sent in to ye," he said.With that, he turned and walked out of the cabin, leaving her trembling and strangely disturbed in a manner which was not entirely unpleasant.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Captain, sorry to bother ye."Marcus wiped his mouth and slammed down his cup of rum onto the table. "What is it, Miller?"
"It's the Griffin woman, Captain. She's
wanting to see ye."Marcus sighed and got to his feet. "Ye'll call her
Lady Abigail
in future." He made to pick up his coat from the back of his chair then thought better of it. If she was going to interrupt his leisure time, she could take him as she found him.
He arrived at his cabin to find her pacing the floor angrily, though to his satisfaction, he saw that the plate of meat and fruit that he'd ordered for her had been finished.
"What can I do for ye, Abigail?" he asked.She stopped pacing and folded her arms across her chest with a scowl. "Where are the washing facilities?" she demanded. "And what am I to sleep in?"He stared at her in astonishment. "We don't have water for washing. I can get one of the lads to throw a bucket over the side for ye but it's salt water, mind. As for sleeping, can ye not just loosen yer..." He waved in the direction of her corset. The subject of women's clothing
seemed suddenly indelicate which was ridiculous considering how
often he removed it.
"And what do I wear tomorrow?" she said. "And the day after that? Are you seriously expecting me to wear the same dress for a month?"Marcus considered her. "Would ye like me to send for yer luggage, Milady?" he said. "And yer ladies' maid perhaps?"She glared at him. "There is no need to be facetious, pirate.""Ye know, Abigail, me name's Marcus." He gave her what he hoped was a friendly smile. "We'd get on a lot better if you could try to be civil."She glared at him. "Very well, Marcus. I would like to know just what arrangements you
intend to make for my comfort. I cannot and will not wear the same garments for a month."He held up his hands apologetically. "I don't keep a stock of women's clothing on board me ship but if ye don't mind dressing in breeches, I can accommodate ye there." He looked her up and down, trying to imagine her tiny frame in his clothes."You expect me to dress in men's clothing?" she said aghast."Well it might be more practical," he reasoned. "After all, we're at sea now. There's nowhere ye can run from me so I won't be needing to keep ye locked up in me cabin. And yer long skirts will only trip ye up if ye care to take a stroll around the decks." He crossed over to where
two large leather trunks sat next to the bed and threw
one of them open. He pulled out a white cotton shirt. It was one of his best and for a moment he hesitated. "Ye can sleep in this if ye promise to look after it. As for tomorrow, I'll speak to Raven. She's more yer size."She frowned. "You mean, there's another
woman on this ship? A female pirate?"Marcus grinned. "Aye. Have ye not heard me reputation?"Abigail pulled out a chair from his desk and sat herself down. "You'll forgive me if I say no." She smiled sweetly at him. "I'm so dreadfully behind when it comes to pirate society gossip."Marcus threw back his head and laughed. "Abigail, I think we should take some time to get to know one another. What d'ye say to a tot of rum?"She gave a grimace of distaste. "Do you have any wine?"He opened the other trunk and triumphantly
drew out a bottle of port wine and two mugs. "We'll drink yer health together."After giving the
mugs a hasty wipe on the sleeve of his shirt, he pulled out the other chair and poured out two drinks."I've a reputation for taking on youngsters for me crew," he said without further preamble. "Someone once called me ship the nursery ship." He grinned. "E only said it once, mind.""And why would you do that?" she asked him, seeming curious in spite of herself.He took a swig of his wine and grimaced. He should have brought the rum with him. "Loyalty," he said simply. "A pirate captain's position isn't like that of a navy captain. We elect our captains, ye see and yer loyalty needs to be earned.""So you recruit children?" Her question seemed to be an accusation and he leaned forward frowning."Not children, Abigail. Young people with no home and no family. Murphy, ye saw him before, his father was hanged and his mother, she killed erself from the grief of it. Boy had no-one and e tried to pick me pocket. I gave im the choice of a thrashing or join me crew. " He took another swig of the wine then got to his feet and went to the door and opened it. "Miller," he shouted. "Get someone to bring me some rum."He sat back at the table and pushed the bottle towards her. "There ye go, ye can have it to yerself."She raised one perfect eyebrow. "Is it your plan to get me intoxicated, Marcus?"He laughed. "What, so I can have me wicked way with ye? I've never had to get a woman drunk to get er in me bed yet and
I don't intend to start now." He leaned forward across the table. "I'd sooner wait until ye were willing, sweet Abigail."Abigail blushed to the roots of her hair. "You'd have a long wait, Captain. I wouldn't let you touch me if you begged me."He laughed again, this time to cover his discomfort. Damn her. How had she made him want her so badly?
"Don't worry yerself, Abigail," he found himself saying. "I'll make sure not to touch ye unless yer the one doing the begging."She drew herself up in angry hauteur but before she had a chance to answer, there was a knocking at his cabin door. "Come in," he said.The door opened and in walked Raven with a full bottle of rum. "Here ye go, Marcus.""It's Captain in front of company," he complained. He shook his head and turned to Abigail. "She pays me no respect, this one. She thinks because she's a lass, I won't be punishing er." He took the rum and poured himself a large mugful. "I was telling the Lady Abigail about me young crew. Perhaps ye might want to tell er how ye came to be on me ship.""I'd like nothing better, Captain," she said. "But I seem to ave a terrible thirst."He pushed his
mug towards her and took the bottle for himself.Raven smirked at him. Cheeky wench. If he wasn't so fond of her..."Captain found me in a whorehouse," she said. "I was sixteen and I'd never been ad by a man. So I was special ye see. Mistress was saving me for someone with gold." She stopped and took a swig of rum.Abigail's hand had flown to her mouth. "Why, Raven, that's dreadful. How on earth did you end up there, you poor girl?"Marcus glanced at her in surprise. Her concern for Raven had transformed her whole face. Gone
were the anger and the distrust and in
their place the
expression of a concerned mother.
Raven shrugged. "Me mother was a whore and I grew up in a whorehouse. Mistress was kind enough to me after me mother died, gave me board and lodgings for free at first. Then she said I'd to earn me keep." She drained the rest of her
mug and held it out to Marcus for a refill.He poured rum into it, shaking his head. He'd heard her tell this story many a time, and it never failed to make him shudder at the thought of what might have happened to her if he hadn't been the man with the gold.
"So one night," said Raven. "She comes and says to me that I'm to get meself ready. There's a pirate captain just walked in and she's promised im something special.""I didn't know she meant a young girl," Marcus put in hurriedly. "She showed me into er best room and there's Raven, wearing nothing but er corset and all I can think of is she's young enough to be me bloody daughter!""E threw his coat around me to cover me up," said Raven laughing and casting a fond glance towards him. "Then e asked me what I was doing there and I told im I had nowhere else to go.""And that's how
I ended up with a girl on me ship," Marcus finished. "Talking of which, yer not much taller than Lady Abigail. Can you find er some clothes and bring em to er in the morning?"Raven put her cup down. "Aye, Captain. I'll go and find some now."She got up and left the cabin giving him another smirk on her way. Incorrigible girl!He turned back to Abigail who was watching him with a strange expression on her face. Maybe it was the wine. "So now ye know," he said. "I don't just go snatching
kids off the streets to serve on me ship.""No, you give them a home," she said. "Security, a family. I do believe you're not such a bad man as you make out, Marcus Kane.""I'm not a saint," he said quickly. God if she kept on looking at him like that, with those huge dark eyes, he was going to say or do something he'd later regret. She was forbidden fruit. If he took her, he'd spoil her for Sir Jacob and she'd be worthless.
"Tell me about yer family," he said, desperate to shift the
attention from himself and he instantly regretted it as her face fell."I have a daughter," she said. "She's seventeen, strong-willed and independent.""I wonder where she gets that from," said Marcus drily.She nodded in acknowledgement. "I never cared about whether she made a good match. I just wanted her to find a good man who would make her happy, someone who would allow her to be herself. Particularly as..." She bit her lip and he waited patiently for her to go on. She sighed. "Well anyway, Sir Jacob did want her to make a good match. He wanted her to marry Cage Wallace, the son of a wealthy sugar merchant. He felt that it made good business sense." She shook her head and when she went on, her voice was tight with anger. "As if our daughter was merely an asset." She took a swig of her wine and pulled a face. "But you know, if Cage had been suitable in other ways, I wouldn't have minded so much. But there was something about him. I disliked him on sight and so, more importantly, did Clarke." She took another sip of wine and shook her head. "You know this wine is not good, Marcus, not good at all."He picked up the rum bottle and poured some into her mug. "Try it now."She took another sip and nodded almost happily. "Much better, Captain."He stifled a smile. Was it his imagination or was Lady Abigail Griffin more than a little tipsy? "Go on," he prompted her. "Did yer daughter marry this man?""Oh no," she said. "Jacob and Dante Wallace are arranging the wedding as we speak but it's too late because...""Because?"She peeped up at him like a naughty child. "Promise you won't say anything?"He pushed her mug towards her. "Drink yer rum and tell me everything, Abigail. I promise yer, I'm the soul of discretion."She took another great swig of rum and he felt a
momentary pang of guilt. She'd have a bad head in the morning. But he was enjoying the way the alcohol had loosened her tongue. She was good company and he found himself wishing the evening would never end."A few months ago, Clarke came to me with a confidence," she said. "She'd become acquainted with a young man, Bellamy Blake. She introduced me to him, and although the boy has no family connections, I confess that was the only fault I could find with him.""So yer daughter fell in love with a pauper?"
She shook her head. "No, not a pauper. I wanted my daughter to marry for love but I scarcely wish for her to live her life in poverty. Mr Blake was taken in by a family of our acquaintance when he was a young boy and educated at their expense. He has recently returned from England where he attended university before entering the law. He boarded a ship tonight to take him back to England where he will join a prestigious law firm. And Clarke..." She faltered and took another swig from her mug."Yer daughter's heartbroken," Marcus said sympathetically."No, Captain." She raised her gaze to his and he saw that her eyes were glittering with unshed tears. "It is I who am heartbroken. Tonight when you found me, you asked me why I was out without my maid. The truth is, I was saying goodbye to my daughter. Clarke has sailed for England with the man she loves. By now, the captain will have married them and I may never see her again." She gave a shuddering sigh and drained the rest of her mug then held it out to him for a refill.Marcus hesitated. "Ye don't want to drink too much, Abigail," he said softly.She glared at him. "I want to get drunk. I want to get so drunk I forget everything." She got to her feet. "If you won't
pour me a drink, I'll help myself."She made her way round the table and reached for the bottle and as she did so, the ship lurched to one side and she lost her balance, falling towards him.Marcus grabbed her before she could fall on top of him. There was only so much he could take and the thought of her sitting in his lap was more than he could he could bear. Especially right now, with her so soft and tearful. He desperately wanted to comfort her but the less physical contact he had with her the better.
He stood up and took her arm firmly but impersonally. "I'm captain on this ship and I get to say when someone's had enough rum. I've safety to think about and ye've drank enough for one night." He steered her unresisting towards the bed. "Ye'd be better off getting some sleep, Abigail. It'll look different in the morning."As they reached the bed, the ship gave another lurch, almost as if on purpose, and they ended up on the bed with Abigail lying on her back and Marcus on top of her. Horrified, he tried to rise but to his astonishment, Abigail grabbed hold of his shirt."You know you're not entirely unattractive for a pirate," she said."Well, thank you for the compliment," he said, vainly trying to rise.She brought one hand up to his beard and scraped her fingers through it, making him bite back a moan. "I don't normally find beards attractive," she said. "But yours really suits you."He managed to disentangle himself from her grip and rose from the bed. "Lady Abigail, I suggest
ye get some sleep now. Ye don't want to say anything ye'll regret in the morning."She sat up and nodded vigorously then took a deep breath. "Oh, I shouldn't have done that. The room is spinning." She put a hand to her mouth and he noticed that her skin had become pale and clammy.He took her arm and helped her off the bed. "C'mon, Abigail. Let's get ye some fresh air."He managed to get her out of his cabin where she tried to pull out of his grip and get to the side of the ship. He pulled her back.
"Ye'd better come to the other side, Abigail if ye don't want to end up splattered with yer own dinner."He successfully manoeuvred his charge to the leeward side of the ship where she lent over the side and
vomited up everything she had eaten. Because of the pitching of the ship, he was forced to
wrap an arm
tightly around her waist lest she fall and he found himself rubbing her back with his other hand.
When she'd finished puking she stood up straight and leaned weakly against his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she said. "That wasn't pretty.""It's me who should be sorry," he said, overcome with remorse. "I plied ye with drink.""To
have your wicked way with me," she whispered but he thought he detected amusement in her voice."Aye, Abigail," he murmured. "And now I'll be taking ye to me bed."He steered her back into his cabin and deposited her on his bed where he stood looking down at her. "Get some sleep now," he said. "I'll have Raven bring ye some water to swill yer mouth out."She frowned and tugged at the laces of her dress. "I need help with this.""I'll get er to help you undress too," he said backing away from her."I don't need help to undress," she said crossly. "I just need these to come undone and they won't." She tugged impatiently again and looked as though she was about to try to rip them open."Look, yer just making it tighter," he said helplessly.
"Well help me then!"Offering up a quick prayer for self-control, he knelt on the bed and with trembling fingers, he pulled open the laces that held her dress closed. His fingers brushed against her bosom as he did and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.
"There," he said straightening up as swiftly as if he
had been bitten. "If yer need help with anything else, ye'll need to ask Raven. I'll be wishing ye a good night."Before she could say anything else to test his resolve he made a hasty exit and slammed the door behind him. He took a moment to lean against the door with his eyes closed. This was going to be a long voyage.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
For a moment when Abigail awoke, she struggled to remember where she was. Then the ship pitched as it hit a wave, and bile rose in her throat. She sat up
too quickly
and winced as a vice seemed to clamp around her forehead. After taking a moment to recover, she pulled back the covers and got to her feet, widening her stance to keep her balance. On the table was a jug which, she remembered vaguely from last night, contained water. She crossed over to it, and unable to locate where she had left the mug that had been brought with it, she held the jug to her mouth and drank thirstily. Water spilled out and down the front of the shirt the captain had given her to wear, and she glanced down and saw that her breasts were clearly visible through the wet cotton. Where had she left her clothes? She must get dressed immediately. It would not do at all for the pirate to see her like this. It might give him ideas.Suddenly she remembered and she sat down heavily on a chair. Dear God! Had she...had she flirted with him last night or had that just been a terrible dream? Had she really asked him to unlace her gown? A blush crept into her cheeks as she remembered touching his beard and what
was more, how she had liked the feel of it beneath her fingers, soft and rough at the same time.
Just then, there was a soft knocking at the door."Don't come in," she cried, panicking."Mistress Abigail, it's only me," came a female voice."Raven, come in," she called.The door opened and in came the girl pirate with an armful of clothing. "I've brought ye some of me clothes," she said cheerfully. "I dare say they're not as fine as yer used to, but I can tell ye from experience they're a lot more comfortable than corsets and long skirts.""Thank you, Raven." Abigail smiled at the girl. She had made up her mind to cultivate a friendship with the female pirate. If she really was to be held captive on this ship for a month as the captain had said, then it would be prudent to have a friend among the crew."Yer welcome," the girl replied. "Do ye need any help or would ye prefer me to leave? I grew up in a brothel so no need to be shy of yerself in front of me.""No need for either course of action," Abigail answered. "I'm sure I can dress myself with no corset to manage but I'd like you to stay, if you have a mind.""Aye, I've a mind," said Raven, sitting down at the table. "Kane's ordered me to be of service to ye in any way ye need."Abigail peeled off the captain's wet shirt and replaced it with one of Raven's. It was a better fit than Kane's and at least it was dry, but she still felt naked without her corset. She gazed down at her chest. and frowned."Ye'll feel better with yer waistcoat," said Raven indicating a woolen garment.
With the addition of the waistcoat and a pair of breeches, Abigail felt a good deal more decent and had to admit that the breeches were
much more comfortable than her petticoats. Still they did not leave a lot
to the imagination and she was glad that the waistcoat was long enough to hide the curve of her behind.
"Ye can borrow me shoes if ye like," said Raven, proffering a pair of black flat shoes that had seen better days. "Ye might not want to walk the decks in yer fancy satin slippers.""Thank you," said Abigail, slipping them onto her feet. Now fully attired, she sat back in her chair and regarded the pirate girl shrewdly. "So, do you enjoy this life?" she asked her. "You don't miss living on dry land?"Raven gave a throaty laugh. "What could I do on land?" she asked. "Sell me body like me mother or serve in a tavern letting meself be groped for free?" She shook her head. "No thank you. Here, I'm an equal with the men and no-one would dare lay a finger on me." She laughed again. "They didn't like it at first but no-one would dare go against Kane." There was a look of pride in her eyes as she spoke, she clearly adored the captain and Abigail found herself warming to him because of it. Raven was right. There was nothing for her in this world where one had to be born into a good family to make anything of their life. Still...she had thrown in her lot with criminals and the only ending for her could be on the hangman's noose. Abigail shuddered at the thought.
"You're very fond of the captain," she said. "I imagine he's like a father to you."This time Raven laughed so hard she almost choked and alarmed, Abigail thrust the jug of water towards her.Raven took a great swig of water and then wiped her eyes from which tears of mirth were pouring. "Oh, Lady Abigail," she finally managed before collapsing in laughter again."What's so amusing?" asked Abigail, feeling an irresistible urge to laugh too. "And please, call me Abigail.""I'm sorry, Abigail," said Raven at last. "But that was just so funny. Kane as me father? I dare say if ye were to ask im if he thought of me as is daughter, e might well say yes." She sobered and a wistful look came over her. "I'd rather e was me lover," she said."Oh!" said Abigail, taken aback by the girl's frankness. "Oh...and has he...has he never?" She stopped, unaware of how to continue without being indelicate.
Raven shook her head with a grimace. "Not so much as a kiss," she said. "Not even after a whole bucket of rum." She sighed. "Reckon e thinks I'm too young for im, what with me being sixteen when he found me and all. Reckon e'll always think of me as a girl, and a man like Kane, e wants a woman."She was staring at Abigail as she spoke and the older woman felt herself blush. There had been that moment last night when he had looked at her as if he was thinking of kissing her."Besides, what would e want with me when e's got Callie?""I...who?" Abigail felt a fluttering in her chest as if a small bird were trapped in there, beating its wings to escape. It felt almost as if she were jealous. How ridiculous!If Raven noticed her consternation she paid it no attention. "Callie's
the captain's lover," she said. She seemed philosophical as she said it as if she had resigned herself to the fact that she would never know her captain in that way. "She lives on Tobago, Kane bought her a brothel there.""Oh! That was very...er generous of him.""E didn't like the thought of er sleeping with all those men for money," Raven said."Well, no. I should imagine it made him very jealous," said Abigail."Oh it weren't jealousy," said Raven cheerfully. "She can pleasure erself with whoever she wants. E just didn't like the thought of er having to do it for money.""So they're not exclusive then?" said Abigail. At Raven's puzzled expression, she said, "They both have other...other lovers?""Oh yes," said Raven. "The captain likes is women. And they like im too," she added ruefully. "They say e's a fine cocksman. They say...""Raven, please!" Abigail held up a hand for the girl to desist.
Raven grinned at her. "Sorry, Abigail. But you did ask so I thought maybe you were interested for yerself.""Certainly not." Abigail straightened her shoulders. "And if you don't mind, Raven, I think we should talk about something else. We've wasted quite enough breath on Captain Marcus Kane."Raven arched her eyebrows but said
merely, "Ye'll be wanting breakfast I suppose.""I do but I don't want you to wait on me, Raven. You're not my servant.""Well maybe not," said Raven. "But Kane did say I was to get you anything you needed.""Well I'm not about to do what pleases Kane," said Abigail a little more hotly than she'd intended. "I am more than capable of fetching my own breakfast. If you would lead the way to the dining room please, Raven.""The dining...oh er right then. Follow me," said Raven with a sigh. "But if the captain skelps me arse for not waiting on you...""You just leave the captain to me," Abigail said firmly.
Up on deck, Abigail had to shield her eyes from the sun and
at the same time
avert them from the crew.
All around her were roughly dressed men who stared at her, some with wariness, others with interest, the vast majority with rapaciousness. She kept her head held high and reminded herself that as a hostage for ransom, she
would be under the captain's personal protection.They found Kane at the front of the ship, the bow, she reminded herself. He was deep in conversation with another man who was at the wheel. At their approach
both men
turned. The captain ran an appraising gaze over Abigail's male attire and she felt her cheeks burning under his scrutiny."Do you have a problem, Captain?" she said in as icy tones as she could manage.
He shook his head with a smirk that she wanted to kiss...no, slap from his face. "Raven's clothes fit ye well," he said.
She
decided not to reply to this
but tugged her waistcoat down as far as she could. "I wish to eat," she said. "So, if you would care to point me in the direction of whatever passes for a dining room on this tub, I'd be much obliged."
Kane's eyes opened wide. He took a step towards her and she couldn't help taking a step backwards. "This tub as
ye call her, is a brigantine," he roared.
"She's a hundred and fifty tons of prime sailing ship. She can carry a hundred men and ten cannons. She is not a tub and she does not have a dining-room!"She gasped and Kane immediately looked contrite. "I'm sorry for scaring ye, Abigail. Truth is, ye can say what ye like about me, but when ye insult me ship, it's like ye insult me child." And he clapped his hand to his chest theatrically.She recovered quickly. "Don't be so dramatic," she said. "I'm assuming you didn't build the ship with your own hands, did you?"He grinned at her. "Stole it," he said.The men around them burst into mocking laughter and Abigail lifted her chin proudly. "Shall I go without breakfast then as you appear determined not to assist me in procuring any for myself?"Kane
offered her his arm as if he was a gentleman. "This way, Milady."Without thinking she took the proffered arm and let him lead her away from the laughing sailors. To her surprise, he took her back to his cabin."So, I'm to be kept locked up in here, am I?" she demanded."Now look who's being dramatic," he said. "Ye asked me where the dining-room was. If ye want to sit at a proper table to eat yer food, then this is the only place on the ship. I'll not have ye down in what passes for a galley, it's not safe. Ye can tell me what ye want to eat and I'll bring it to ye with me own hands.""May I see the menu?" she said drily.Kane threw his head back and gave a great hearty laugh. "Abigail, I'll miss ye when I ave to give ye back," he said. "Maybe I'll keep ye after all. Yer a damn sight more entertaining than that lot out there."She smiled. "Oh, I think money will win out every time over entertainment, Captain. Just how much did you ask for me, anyway?""Now, now," he said, wagging a finger at her. "A gentleman never discusses business with a lady." He looked around the room and his gaze fell on his shirt which she had thoughtlessly thrown on the floor. "Me best shirt!" he said, retrieving it from where it lay. "And ye've got it wet." He shook his head at her. "Ye can tell ye have servants at home to
tidy up after ye. Did yer mother never teach yer to pick up after yerself?"She felt oddly chastened by his words. "I...I'm sorry," she said. "I just dropped it there when I was dressing. I didn't mean to...""Abigail," he said softly. "I'm teasing ye, sweetheart. Don't look so worried. I'm sorry if I frightened ye before when I yelled at ye about calling me ship a tub. I'm not the blackhearted rogue ye think I am, ye know."It was on the tip of her tongue to upbraid him for calling her sweetheart and to assure him that he was indeed a blackhearted rogue but he was looking at her with such a great deal of warmth and kindness that the scornful words would not come. So she simply nodded. "Just some bread and fruit if you have it, please,""Well we're one day at sea so I can oblige ye there," he said. "Make the most of the fresh food though. It won't last." He pulled out a chair for her. "Sit down, Abigail.
I'll be back directly."Left to her own devices, Abigail took an opportunity to look around the cabin. Against one wall was a beautiful oak bookcase. She wandered over to it and pulled a book out at random: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
by Edward Gibbon. Obviously just for show. She couldn't imagine Marcus Kane reading something so educational. She pulled out another: Rousseau's The Social Contract
, so well-thumbed that the pages were almost coming away from the spine. Obviously whoever Kane had stolen his ship from had been a scholarly gentleman. She glanced about her. The room would be much improved with a little tidying and a good dusting. She itched to do it herself, she could not stand to be idle. She began by picking up his shirt from where he'd thrown it over a chair and she smoothed out the creases as best she could and hung it over the end of the bed, then she straightened the bed-covers.As she was wondering what she could use to dust with, the door opened and Kane came in bearing a tray with half a loaf of bread, a dish of butter and a couple of mangoes. Also on the tray were two plates. "Ye don't mind if I eat with ye, do ye?" he asked."It's your cabin," she answered. But she spoke with good humour. There was no point in antagonising him at this point.
"I was looking at your books," she teased him. "You evidently read a great deal, Captain. And such titles too. The Social Contract no less.""Man is born free; and everywhere e is in chains," he quoted, smiling at her."So you've read the first page," she said, raising her eyebrows."There is no evildoer who could not be made good for something,” he retorted, raising his own brows in turn."You've read the whole book?" she asked.
Kane cut a slice from the loaf and spread it thickly with butter before handing it to her. "Ye sound surprised," he said. "Ye think because a man owns no land, e has no intellect."Abigail felt herself blush. "You're right," she said,
abashed. "I shouldn't make assumptions. I apologise."He shook his head, smiling. "Ye can't help it.
Ye've led a sheltered life." He picked up one of the mangoes and cut into it then took a bite. As he chewed, he watched her intently and she felt unable to drag her gaze from his. He really did have the most mesmerising eyes, dark as the coffee beans which were sold loose in baskets
on the market, with all the intensity and fire of a young man, gentled with the wisdom and care of an older man. She shook herself mentally. Dear God, she was becoming quite fanciful. His eyes were brown, pure and simple, with perhaps flecks of gold like...no. She forced herself to look away."Do ye miss yer husband, Abigail?" Kane said, and she started guiltily. She realised she had not thought once of Jacob since awakening. "Of course I do," she said with some asperity. "Why would I not?"He shrugged. "Ye've not mentioned him to me aside from asking how much yer ransom was, and I got the feeling that was nothing but idle curiosity. Are ye worrying e'll not pay up?"She flushed. "Are you worrying that he won't pay up? What will you do with me if he refuses to pay? Will you kill me?"Kane stared at her for a long moment. "I've never killed a woman in me life," he said eventually. He smirked at her. "We'd have to find some other use for ye, I suppose.""I'd rather throw myself to the sharks!" she said, drawing herself up in hauteur.
The captain threw back his head and laughed. "I was planning on putting ye to work as a pirate, but by all means, if ye think I'd have a better use for ye, I'm all ears."Abigail folded her arms across her chest.
"I refuse to participate in lewd conversations with a pirate," she said primly."Really?" he said. "So yer saying if I wasn't a pirate, ye would have a lewd conversation with me."She opened her mouth to scold him but caught the glint of mischief in his eye and couldn't help but laugh."You, Captain, are incorrigible.""So they say," he remarked. He got to his feet. "I've duties to see to, so I'll be leaving ye now. I'll send Raven in to ye so ye'll not miss me company too much."She shook her head at him. "You think you are scintillating company, no doubt."He shrugged. "I'm not what yer used to I'll admit, but at least I've made ye laugh."He
treated her to
that attractive, one-sided smirk again, then turned and left her alone.It was a shame he was a pirate really, she thought. He did have something about him and if he'd been a gentleman, he would been a good catch. For any woman that was interested in that sort of thing of course.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Here ye go, Abigail," said Marcus, putting a plate of food in front of her. "This is the last of the fresh beef. The rest is to be salted to last the voyage." He frowned anxiously as she surveyed the meal before her: beef, black beans, vegetables and a hunk of bread. He placed a bottle of rum on the table. "This will help wash it down if it's not to yer palate."To his relief, she smiled at him. "It looks perfectly adequate, Marcus. I do hope I'm not taking food from the mouths of your crew.""No, yer not. We all eat the same aboard the Arkadia," he reassured her, wondering what had happened to effect such a change in her. Was this the same woman who just last night had threatened to starve herself? He shook his head. Women were strange creatures, there was no denying that.He looked about him, eyes widening as he took in the sight of his cabin, every surface softly gleaming in the candlelight. "Ye've been busy in here," he said. "It looks...cleaner.""Well I had to find a way to occupy my time," she said. "Fortunately, I found a rag to chase away the layers of dust you seemed to have been collecting."He followed the direction of her gaze and almost choked upon his dinner as he saw that she was looking at his lucky bandana. He didn't wear it upon his head anymore now that he was a captain with a fine gentleman's hat, but he was too superstitious to throw it away. He opened his mouth to
complain but then he looked into her eyes, soft and dark in the candlelight and he swallowed back his words. "Thank ye, Abigail," he said.
Damn! What was it about this woman? Normally when Captain Marcus Kane was in the company of an attractive woman, the only thing on his mind was bedding her. But Abigail made him want
to take her in his arms and hold her, to breathe in the jasmine scent of her hair, to gaze into those bewitching eyes until he was lost forever. He stared down at his plate. This was not good, not good at all. He hadn't felt this way since... He tried to push the memory of her away but it was too late. The old familiar pain was making itself known, twisting his heart so that it was all he could do not to cry out. And with the thought of her came the memory of... No, he would not think about them now. It was more than he could bear."Marcus, are you all right? Are you displeased because I cleaned your cabin?""No, no," he said, forcing a smile. "Ye did a grand job and I'm grateful for it. I was thinking of the past, that was all. Ye reminded me of someone for a second."She stared back at him for a long moment. He tried to avoid looking into her eyes and his gaze dropped to her mouth. As he did so, her lips parted with an audible breath and that was when the realisation struck him. That was the reason for her change of attitude towards him. A strange mixture of pride and horror came over him. It was flattering that a lady such as herself should be attracted to him but he was suddenly aware of a great responsibility. She was not the type of woman with whom he normally consorted. There was a reason he lay with whores and it had nothing to do with the tricks they had for pleasing a man. No, what made them so appealing was that they were professional lovers, able to separate the joys of the flesh from matters of the heart. Whereas Lady Abigail Griffin...It was clear that not all was well with her marriage and while he was aware that ladies of quality often took lovers, he knew instinctively that Lady Abigail was not one of those women. Which meant that her heart was free for the taking and all he had to do was reach out.He
picked up
the rum and took a long swig from the bottle, welcoming the way the alcohol burned his throat on the way down.
"How did you become a pirate?" she asked, startling him. "Was your father a pirate?"Marcus choked on his drink. "No, me father was a drunkard." He was well aware of the irony of making this statement with a bottle of rum in his hand and he prayed she wouldn't remark upon it. If she was to compare him to the bastard who had sired him, he would swear off the drink for the rest of his life. She said nothing though, merely looked at him with understanding in her beautiful dark eyes. They were the precise colour of cinnamon, he thought fancifully and he took another great swig of rum to blot out the sudden desire to take her in his arms and kiss her like she'd never been kissed before.
"We lived in Glasgow, Scotland," he said, taking refuge in the shadows of the past. "I was the youngest of five and the only child to survive
the rigours of infancy. Me mother was a weaver and me
father would drink away what little money she earned and beat er when it was all spent. E left us when I was ten years old. I was a weaver meself by then but me mother, she wanted better for me. She had a fancy I might take employment in a big house and work me way up to butler. 'I can just see ye in a fine suit, Marcus Kane,' she'd say to me. But that life was not for me. I'm not a man to wait on me betters. Saving yerself, me lady," he said, grinning. "Anyway, I must have mentioned to er once that I'd a mind to go to sea, to explore beyond the confines of home. Because after that, she'd mention it often. Then, when I was fourteen, she became ill." He paused and took another great swig of rum. "It was the consumption. I worked all the hours I could so that I could afford a doctor for er but e was an honest man and e told me not to waste me money. There was nothing e or anyone could do for er, e told me. She weakened all through the winter and she kept on telling me, go to sea, Marcus. Find a ship and get yerself away from here.' But I wouldn't leave er. How could I?"
He stopped as a small hand took hold of his and squeezed reassuringly."You were a loving son," Abigail said gently."Aye," he said, his throat constricting. He took her hand in his and gazed down at it, noting the smooth polished nails and the white skin that had never known manual labour. He felt a pang of guilt for bringing her into this environment where she had felt the need to pick up a cloth and dust her own living quarters before she could be comfortable. But when he'd seen her there on the street alone, he'd been blinded by the thought of how much gold she could bring in, he had not stopped to think how it would affect her to be taken away from all that was familiar.
"You don't have to go on if it's too painful for you," she said, mistaking his silence for reluctance.He let go of her hand and smiled. "No, it's all right," he said. He picked up the bottle then realised he had been keeping it to himself. He poured some into a cup and handed it to her. "Take it easy, won't ye?" he said. "I don't want to have to hold ye over the side of me ship again."She coloured prettily. "I'll be careful," she promised him.He poured himself a cupful then sat back in his chair. "I don't know who she talked to," he said. "But one night two men came to the house. They said they'd come to take me to sea with them. I told them I couldn't leave me mother but she...she told them to take me." He bit his lip."She didn't want you to have to watch her die," Abigail said, her voice so warm with sympathy it was his undoing. "She sounds like a wonderful woman. I would have liked to have known her. What was her name?""Vera," he said, his eyes shining with tears. He would never normally allow a woman to see him like this, not even Callie. But somehow it didn't matter that he was letting his guard down in front of Abigail. "They gave er some money, said it was me wages for the voyage and that made it easier. At least I knew she'd have food and wood for the fire. Then they... they dragged me away and I never saw er again."He cleared his throat. "So anyway, I was taken aboard a merchant ship and was at sea for 6 months. Then afterwards, I joined a ship of his majesty's navy. I'd heard the food was better." He grinned at her. "Well it was fine at first, but then our captain took sick and died and we got a new captain. E was a sadistic bastard, pardon your presence, Abigail. E took the best rations for imself and left the crew half starving. We had a cabin boy, e was in charge of preparing the food and the captain caught im helping imself." He grimaced at the memory. "This captain, e flogged the lad with is own hands, fair took the skin from is back with is whip. We all knew it wasn't right, e was just a kid and the captain should have used a cane not a whip.
E didn't seem as if e was ever going to stop. Then Sinclair, ye met im when
I brought ye aboard, e steps forward and e says. 'with respect, captain, ye'll kill the boy if ye don't stop.' Well the captain, e didn't take kindly to one of is crew telling im what to do.
E orders the men to take Sinclair and strip im. 'Ye'll take the whipping for im then,' e says. So we all stand there, no-one's willing to do what e says, we've been on the verge of mutiny for some time and it's looking like now might be the moment. I'm standing there, me blood pounding through me veins with fear and excitement, the penalty for mutiny in the king's navy is hanging, ye know. So when the lad up in the crow's nest shouts 'pirates!' it was almost a relief."Abigail was staring at him, her mouth open in astonishment. "What a wicked, wicked man," she said. "But weren't you afraid of being killed by the pirates?"Marcus shrugged. "All sailors know that if ye don't fight back, pirates will take what they came for and leave ye to live. Makes it easier ye see, if men know ye'll let them live, they're more likely to surrender without a fight.
Captains will
usually put the lives of their crew before any cargo but this captain, well we just didn't know." He laughed out loud. "Turns out this captain was terrified.
E actually pi...well we could see e was scared, put it that way.
E more or less invited them aboard to stay for dinner. Anyway, they were going through everything, taking what they needed when their captain, e catches sight of the cabin boy. E'd collapsed on the deck and is back was bleeding something terrible. This pirate captain, e looks angry and e wants to know who did this to the boy. Our captain says it was im and e was just handing out discipline and the pirate captain e just shoots im in the head, kills im just like that."Abigail gasped. "I'm sure I shouldn't say this," she said. "But in this instance I find myself siding with the pirate captain. So what did you all do without a captain?""Well the first lieutenant would have taken charge," he said. He chuckled. "But I didn't wait around to find out. I was finished with the navy. So when Sinclair says can e go with the pirates, I found meself saying take me too. And that, dear Lady Abigail, is how Marcus Kane, respectable navy seaman, became a pirate." He drained his cup and sat back in his chair."And how did you find yourself master of your own ship?" she asked him.He got to his feet. "Another story for another day," he said. "For now, ye need to finish yer dinner and then if ye like, I'll take ye for a turn about the deck."
"She's a beautiful vessel," said Abigail as he explained how the fore and aft sails enabled the ship to sail fast in every imaginable wind condition. "I'm truly sorry for calling her a tub.""Hmm," he said, raising his eyebrows at her in mock sternness, "I'm sure she'll forgive ye this once.""Why are ships considered female, do you suppose?" she asked, turning to face him so that her hair whipped about her face in the night breeze. He had to clench his fists to stop himself from stroking it away from her brow. He had hoped that bringing her out here away from the candlelit cabin might distract him from her beauty, but she was just as bewitching in the moonlight.He cleared his throat. "Well,
she's
unpredictable,
she needs an experienced man to handle er and she's b-beautiful." Damn why had he stuttered then like a virgin with his first girl?But she seemed not to have noticed. "Do you ever get tired of looking at the stars?" she said dreamily, looking up at the vast night sky above them.
"Never," he said. "To a sailor, the night sky is like a map, showing us the way to go."She laughed. "Very prosaic, Captain. I'm sure the stars are invaluable at sea, but I was talking of their beauty.""Oh, aye, they are beautiful," he said. He was looking in her eyes as he spoke and for a moment he wondered if he was talking about the stars
at all.
As if she had caught his thought on the breeze, she bit her lip and looked away from him, turning her attention once more to the sky above them. "I always wonder about the constellations," she said and there was the slightest tremor in her voice. "I can never make sense of them.""Well there's Scorpius," he said. "Ye can't deny that it does look like a scorpion.""Where?" she said eagerly.
"There," he said,
bringing his hand up and indicating the constellation with his finger.She laughed again. "You are a good deal taller than me, Marcus. How do I know where in the sky you are pointing?"He came to stand behind her and stooped so that his chin was almost on her shoulder. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils and he had to restrain an impulse to breathe her in deeply. "Lift yer arm and point at the moon," he said, his voice husky.
She did as he said and then he took her hand in his and moved it gently until it was pointing at Antares. Her hand seemed to tremble in his and he wondered if any man had ever suffered such exquisite agony as he was suffering right now.
"Do
ye see the red star?" he asked her."Red? Oh yes, compared to the blueness of the surrounding stars, I suppose it is red," she said."That's Antares, the heart of the scorpion," he told her. "If ye look above it, ye'll see its head and if ye follow it downwards, ye'll see its tail.""Oh yes," she said in a voice filled with wonder and delight. "That's the first constellation I've ever seen. Thank you, Marcus."She turned to him, her eyes outshining the brightest stars in the sky and he caught his breath. If he were to kiss her right now..."Ship ahoy!" came a shout.
The quiet deck was suddenly alive with activity. Marcus turned to see Sinclair, almost running towards him, spyglass in his hand."Ye'll want to take a look, Captain," he said, his voice grim.Marcus raised the telescope to his eye and looked towards the horizon. His heart sank at what he saw. "Jaha," he said."Aye, Captain," said Sinclair. "Are we to fight?"Marcus shook his head. "E doesn't want our lives.
E only wants our gold so e can continue is insane quest to the so-called city of light." He shook his head in disgust. "A grown man believing in fairy tales." He gazed down at Abigail who was wide-eyed with apprehension. "Now look," he said, taking her by the shoulders. "Yer not in any danger. Jaha's not a killer, e's a thief. But I want ye to go to me cabin and get into me bed. If e comes in, yer to say yer me wench." He caught sight of Raven. "Raven!" he bellowed. "Go with the Lady Abigail. Keep er safe.""Aye, Captain," said Raven.He watched them go to his cabin and then let out a shaking sigh. If Jaha realised Abigail's worth, he would take her as plunder. And that was when he realised. He didn't care about Jaha getting his hands on the ransom that was meant for him and his crew. He only cared about losing her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
With her heart pounding so hard it felt as if it would burst out of her chest at any moment, Abby raced into Kane's cabin and into his bed, pulling the covers tightly around her in an effort to feel safe.
"What are ye doing, Abigail?" said Raven, coming in behind her."M-Marcus said I was to pretend to be his wench," she answered, wondering why she felt ten times more afraid than when Marcus had snatched her off the street in the first place.
Raven laughed. "I know e has an reputation for being an adventurer beneath the sheets but I've not heard anything about im bedding women in britches. Ye'll need to be naked, Abigail.""I...oh yes. I suppose I must." She tore off her pirate clothes and pushed them quickly beneath the bed. "What about you, Raven?""Me?" The pirate girl gave a snort. "I'm not in danger of being taken for ransom. Who'd pay to get me back?""No I mean, why would you be in here with the captain's w-wench?"Raven shrugged. "I suppose I could be here to protect ye. Yer meant to be a tavern wench after all, not a pirate who knows how to fight." She stared at Abigail for a moment then gave a great sigh. "Ye don't sound nothing like a tavern wench." She pulled off her waistcoat and tugged her shirt over her head and wriggled out of her breeches as Abigail stared, open-mouthed. "Move over, Abigail. Make room for a second wench.""Whatever are you doing?" Abigail said, startled to find a naked woman climbing into bed with her."We'll both be the captain's wenches," said Raven. "It's completely believable, given Kane's reputation with the ladies."Abigail had a sudden vision of naked Marcus in bed holding both her and Raven in his strong arms and laughing in delight and she felt a blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. "Yes, I'm sure it is," she said, trying her best to sound prim which was not an easy task given the circumstances.
"Let me do all the talking," Raven whispered as sounds of a commotion came to them from outside the door. Had the other pirates boarded already? Despite the impending danger, Raven still found time to bury her face in the pillows and breathe in deeply. "It smells of im," she said, her eyes closing in rapture as if she had just inhaled opium rather than the scent of a pirate captain. She grinned at Abigail. "I never thought I'd find meself naked in Kane's bed. I wonder what e'll do when Jaha's crew have left and e finds us in is bed together."
Abigail
reined in her imagination sharply. She would not venture within a million miles of that particular thought.
After what felt like hours, the door finally creaked open and an enormous man came into the room. His face was tattooed and scarred and he wore a heavy jacket with chains sewn onto the shoulder, obviously an accessory designed to make him look fearsome, as if he needed any such decoration.
His face broke into a wide grin when he caught sight of the two women."Well, what have we here?" he said. "Is this the welcome party? Don't worry, girls. I'll satisfy ye both."
"We've been satisfied quite enough for one day, thank ye, Darlin," said Raven with a cheeky grin.The man frowned. "What are ye doing on board Kane's ship? I know e's fond of is whores but I ain't never heard of im bringing them along on a voyage before.""We're stowaways," Raven said. "We robbed a man and we
hid on Kane's ship to get away. We knew e'd be
too much of a gentleman to throw us overboard when e found us."The man frowned as if he was having difficulty processing this information. He came over to them and pulled at the bedcovers. Abigail couldn't help a little cry and she hugged the covers tightly to her."Yer friend's a bit shy for a whore," the man said. "Come on, both of ye, out of the bed. I need to make sure you're not hiding anything in there."With a
great sigh, Raven got out of the bed and stood in the middle of the floor naked and proud. The man gave another huge grin and Raven placed her hands on her hips. "Don't be getting any ideas, love."He shook his head. "Think a lot of yourself, don't ye?" He turned to Abby. "Come on, what are ye waiting for?"Abby felt as if she was glued to the bed. She tried to force her muscles to move. After all, Raven was managing to stand there as bold as if she was fully dressed. Hesitantly, she eased herself off the bed but managed to wrap the sheet around her as she did so.The man laughed. "Need a hand, love?" he said and he reached out a huge grubby paw and took hold of the sheet."No!" Abigail screamed. "Take your hands off me, pirate."The man looked shocked. "Who are ye calling pirate, whore?" His eyes opened wide as if something had just occurred to him. "Yer no whore, are ye?" When Abigail didn't answer, he made to grab the sheet again."I'm Lady Abigail Griffin," she shrieked before she could stop herself.The man's jaw dropped open. "Yer a lady? Then what...oh I get it."He strolled over to the cabin door and yanked it open. "Captain," he shouted. "Ye'll want to have a look at this, Sir."Abigail cast a look at Raven that was both apologetic and despairing. Why had she said that? And what would happen now?She glanced back at the door as another man came into the room. This new man was tall and dark-skinned with a scrap of beard clinging to his chin as if he had started to shave and then changed his mind. He raised his eyebrows when he saw her and Raven, the other girl still unashamedly naked. "What have we here, Quint?" His voice was soft and well-modulated and although outwardly he looked far less threatening than Quint, there was something about him that made Abigail shiver."Tell me captain yer name," Quint said to her."I'm Lady Abigail Griffin," she said, her voice trembling. "Wife to...""Sir Jacob Griffin," the captain finished for her. "The
richest plantation owner in the Caribbean. I remember his father well." He looked her up and down slowly. "So, I assume you were kidnapped by this motley crew."Abigail nodded mutely.The captain
looked about the cabin with scorn. "Well, I think I can guarantee you better living quarters than these when I take you aboard my ship. Allow me to introduce myself. Thelonius Jaha at your service, my lady.""Y-your ship?"The man laughed showing strong white teeth. "My dear Lady Abigail, I have come aboard this excuse for a ship in order to relieve Marcus Kane of his valuables. And you, my lady are surely his most precious possession."Strangely, the part of that sentence that annoyed Abigail the most was the slur on Kane's ship. She understood now just how much it meant to him and in a few short days it had come to seem like home to her. She didn't want to leave her new home. She didn't want to leave...him.
The man turned his attention to Raven. "And who are you?" he enquired pleasantly.
"I'm er daughter," Raven said.Jaha raised his eyebrows. "Indeed? Permit me to say that you don't sound like the daughter of a lady." His gaze raked her naked body insolently. "Nor do you behave like a young lady.""She's my ward," Abigail put in quickly. She had not the faintest idea why Raven would make such a ridiculous claim but she intended to corroborate her story until she could find out. "She is newly come to me.""Indeed," the pirate said again. "Then permit me to say that you have your work cut out for you, Lady Abigail." He sighed. "You'll need to get dressed. I'll turn my back to give you some privacy." He turned and frowned at his companion. "You too, Quint."As soon as the pirates' backs were turned, Abigail grabbed what she now thought of as her breeches and shirt and hurriedly dressed, motioning for Raven to do the same. Once they were both dressed, she said stiffly, "you can turn around now."The two men turned and Jaha frowned. "Where are your actual clothes?" he asked.
"I will wear these while I am aboard ship," she said haughtily. "I will keep my own clothes for the day I am reunited with my husband."Jaha nodded. "As you will. Collect your own clothes then and we will leave."Abigail went to the chest where she had left her garments and gathered them into her arms. She paused in the act. What was to be done about Raven's clothes? She stood up and fixed a severe expression onto her face."I am afraid my ward dispensed with her own clothes overboard," she said primly. "She informed me that after wearing men's clothing, she did not intend to dress in women's garments ever again." She shook her head. "Just what Sir Jacob will say when he sees her,
I can't imagine." She shook her head. "As you have pointed out, Captain, I have my work cut out."Jaha nodded impatiently. "Then if you are both ready, ladies, we will go." He turned to Quint. "Check the rest of the room for valuables while I speak with Kane."Out on deck, Abigail sought out Kane and then she saw him, standing with arms folded and a grim expression on his face. His eyes widened as he saw her and
he looked as if he was about to step forward.
"Kane," called out Jaha in ringing tones. "As you see, I am taking these ladies to superior accommodation. I am sorry to deprive you of their company but I am sure they'll be more comfortable with me."
Kane looked stricken as well he might. She did not know how much
her ransom was but she knew the loss of it would hit him hard."I'm sorry, Abigail," he said. "I cannot risk the lives of me men to keep ye here but I promise ye, ye'll be as safe with Jaha as ye would with me.""Very nicely put," said Jaha. "Might I ask what the arrangements for the ransom money were?"Marcus sighed. "We were taking er to the Port of Spain. One of me
lads was to arrange for the handover there. Go to the tavern near the docks, the King's head and ask for Finn. E'll tell ye what to do to get yer money.""Very well," said Jaha. "Come along, ladies."Abigail frowned. Hadn't the young man been called Murphy? And hadn't the island of Tobago been their destination? Unless she was very much mistaken, Port of Spain was on the neighbouring island of Trinidad.
What was Kane playing at?She took Raven's arm. "Don't be afraid, Dear," she said in a carrying voice. "I'm sure we'll be just as safe with one pirate as with another."Kane's brow creased in bewilderment then Abigail saw Raven wink at him and his expression cleared. "Good-bye, ladies," he said.
As promised, their accommodation on Jaha's ship was a great deal more comfortable. The ship itself was much larger with many more men on board than on Marcus Kane's brigantine and the cabin where Jaha eventually left Abigail and Raven alone was as sumptuous as any drawing room on land.Raven seemed not at all fazed by what had happened as she looked admiringly about her. "She's a beauty, no doubt about it," she said. "A man o' war. Not as fast as Kane's ship, mind.""Then why didn't Kane just outrun her?" Abigail wanted to know. She took a seat on an elaborately embroidered armchair.
Raven shook her head. "Did ye see the cannons as we came aboard? Even from a distance, Jaha could blow the Arkadia out of the water. No, Kane did the only thing e could have done, given the circumstances.""And what about you, Raven?" Abigail asked. "Why did you lie and say you were my daughter? Did you think they would hurt you otherwise?"Raven laughed. "No, I wasn't afraid for meself, Abigail. But I thought it might make Kane feel better if I was with ye, to look after ye like.""Make Kane feel better?" Abigail was confused. "What difference would it make to him whether you were with me or not?"Raven came to kneel on the floor by her feet and smiled up at her.
"Abigail, do ye not see it?"
"See what?" Abigail said testily.
"I saw ye looking at the stars together," Raven said softly. "I never saw Kane look at a woman like that before. And I've seen im with a lot of women. E laughs, e flirts and with Callie, ye can see e really cares for er but what I saw tonight...""What...what did you see?" Abigail whispered.
"Yer special to im," Raven said. There was a sadness in her voice and Abigail reached out a hand to her. "You love him, don't you, Raven?"Raven sighed. "Aye, but I want im to be happy and when I saw ye together tonight...well let's just say, I knew ye belonged together.""Belonged together?" Abigail was scandalised. "Raven, in case you had forgotten, I am a married woman and Kane is...he's a...""A man who loves ye," Raven finished for her.
Abigail laughed in spite of herself. "He doesn't love me, silly girl. You're seeing romance where there is none. And you should forget about
Marcus
and find a nice man of your own, someone more suited to you in age. You're a beautiful young girl and it's such a shame to waste your life among pirates." She thought for a moment. "Maybe when all this is over, I could do something for you, find you a good position somewhere. In fact, I might just be in the market for a companion. Would you like that, Raven?"Raven gave a slow smile. "Sit and embroider with ye, do ye mean? And make polite talk with ye fancy friends? I thank ye, Abigail but me life is at sea now.""But, Raven," Abigail said sadly. "It won't end well. It never does. You and Kane, all of the crew of the Arkadia will end your lives swinging from the end of a rope." As she spoke her heart contracted with pain at the thought of Kane's death. She pushed the image away from her.
"What did Kane mean by telling Jaha to head for Port of Spain," she said, remembering her confusion at the conversation between the pirate captains. "I most clearly recall him telling Murphy to wait for us on Tobago."Raven grinned. "I don't know exactly what tricks e's planning but I know
the Arkadia can reach Tobago well before this beast can get to Port of Spain. And Finn at the King's Head, e just happens to be an old friend of ours." She took Abigail's hand and squeezed it. "E's coming for us, Abigail. I know e is."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Captain? Sir?"Marcus was aware that Sinclair was speaking to him but he
seemed unable to take his eyes from the sight of Jaha's ship sailing towards the horizon. A band of pain squeezed his heart as
he realised that Abigail was gone and he
might never see her again. He dug his nails into his hands. It was ridiculous to feel like this about a woman he had known for such a short time. He'd had hangovers that had lasted longer, for God's sake! And he would have had to say goodbye to her at some point, when he returned her to her husband."Sir?"Marcus turned to his first mate. "Yes?" he said more sharply than he had intended."Do ye wish to alter course, Captain?" Sinclair sounded apologetic as if he knew what was going through his captain's mind.Marcus thought for a moment. "We're headed for the east coast of Tobago, are we not?""Aye, Sir."Marcus nodded. "Maintain present course then. I'm going to me cabin. Join me there as soon as ye can."He
marched away and went into his cabin where he slammed the door behind him. He looked around the room wondering how
it could look so empty and cheerless without her presence. Maybe some rum would help. He poured himself a large mugful and swallowed it down, heedless of how it burned his throat and brought stinging tears to his eyes.
He was
halfway through his second mug when there was a knock on his cabin door."Come in," he called hoarsely.The door opened and Sinclair came in, carrying another bottle. "I thought ye might be wanting this, Captain but I see ye've already started.""Aye," Marcus said. "I felt in need of a little solace."Sinclair joined him at the table. "E won't hurt
er, ye know."Marcus paused in the act of drinking. He set down his mug and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Do ye think it's Lady Abigail's welfare that's preying on me mind?" he said."I know it is," said Sinclair. "I've known ye a long time, Marcus. Yer sweet on the lass."Marcus
laughed bitterly. "Very astute of ye, Jacapo. I can't deny,
I'd like to have er in me bed but she's a married woman and what I'm trying to put me grey matter to work on is how to keep er safe and get the ransom money at the same time.""Ye can't cheat er husband," said Sinclair. "If word gets out that pirates don't keep their word about honouring the ransom, the whole system will fall apart."Marcus nodded. Kidnapping wasn't that common among pirates. It was a risky business. But over the years a sort of tacit agreement had been reached. If your loved one was taken by pirates and you paid the ransom demand, then you got your loved one back. You didn't involve the constable, you didn't try any heroic rescue attempts, you just paid the money and waited for the safe return of the victim. It was civilised, it was tidy and it worked."I could cheat Jaha though," he said.
Sinclair frowned. "Wouldn't ye be putting Lady Abigail at risk though? Not to mention our Raven? I have to say, I've no idea why she went with Jaha.""She's
gone to keep an eye on Abigail for me," said Marcus. "She's a brave girl and we'll get er back, never fear. But Jaha will get is money. E just won't get the whole lot, that's all."Sinclair pulled the cork from his bottle of rum with his teeth and spat it onto the floor.Marcus gave him an icy stare then bent to pick it up. "I'm trying to keep me cabin tidy," he said. "Have ye not noticed?""Sorry, Captain," said Sinclair. He took a hearty swig of his rum. "So, how much did ye ask for er?""Me letter to Sir Jacob states 350 silver dollars," Marcus said.
Sinclair gave a low whistle. "That's a lot of silver.""Aye," said Marcus. "But e's the richest plantation owner in the Caribbean. E can afford it ten times over. So I'm thinking Jaha will be more than happy when e gets 250 silver dollars for er."Sinclair nodded sagely. "We split the money without im even knowing. I like it. But I'm still confused, Captain. Ye sent Jaha to Port of Spain yet we're headed for Tobago.""How long till we reach Tobago?" said Marcus.Sinclair pursed his lips. "If the wind stays in our favour, we could be there in six days."Marcus nodded then
frowned to himself at the memory of Abigail's face when he'd told her they'd be at sea for a month. It had been cruel of him but he hadn't been able to resist teasing her. He'd felt she needed taking down a peg or two. He only hoped he would get the chance to
tell her how sorry he was for everything he'd put her through.
"So, it will take Jaha, what, ten days to reach Port of Spain?" he asked."Aye, maybe more," said Sinclair. "E carries a lot of weight on is ship. What do ye have planned, Captain?""We pick up the ransom money, leave straight away and hopefully get to Port of Spain just before Jaha. We'll get to Finn and...well I haven't thought that far ahead yet. But all being well, we'll get the 250 dollars to Jaha and e'll leave the women with Finn. Then its just a matter of getting Abigail back to er husband.""Who'll be in Tobago wondering where the hell she is," Sinclair reminded him. "E'll think e's been cheated."Marcus grimaced. "There's not a lot I can do about that. But what's e going to do?""Will e wait, do ye think?" Sinclair looked dubious.Aye. That was the big question. Marcus tried to put himself in Sir Jacob's shoes. How long would he wait for Abigail to be returned to him? He knew the answer to that. He would be going out of his mind with fear for her and with the pain of missing her but he wouldn't leave without her. And the negotiations
involved in
kidnap and ransom could be delicate and take time. "E'll wait for er." he said confidently.
Marcus watched as the island of Tobago grew from a dot in the horizon to a recognisable land mass. He tried to remember if he'd ever felt such trepidation going ashore in the past. Normally, he'd be looking forward to seeing Callie, well doing a lot more than seeing her if he was honest. Whores and tavern girls were all very well to pass away the time on shore but there was nothing quite like the familiarity of coming back to the bed of a long time lover, someone who knew every inch of his body, someone who knew just how he liked to be touched and where, and someone who, when they'd had their fill of each other's bodies, could keep him entertained
with her fierce intellect and ready wit. He sighed. Now he just couldn't summon up any enthusiasm for sex with Callie, no matter how adept she was. He was like a man who'd spent his life drinking wine
who'd finally caught the aroma of the finest rum and had to taste it for himself or forever resign himself to a life of temperance."We've done well getting here so fast, Sir." Sinclair's voice from beside him brought him back to the moment."Aye," he agreed. "Five days. Poseidon imself must be on our
side." He turned to his first mate.
"Is Bryan ready?""Aye," said Sinclair. "E looks quite the
gentleman. Quite fit to play the part of your...what was is name again?""Cadogan," said Marcus. "William Cadogan."
"And was this Cadogan a real person?"Marcus nodded grimly. "Aye," he said. "I rented rooms from im many years ago." He closed his eyes as the familiar pain washed over him.
"And is e alive still?" Sinclair asked him.
"If e was, I'd make it me life's mission to hunt im down and kill im," said Marcus, anger turning his voice to steel. "As it is, e died in a fire. E'd been drinking and e managed to burn
the house down and imself in it.""The same house ye'd taken rooms in?" Sinclair sounded genuinely interested and for a moment, Marcus considered telling him everything that had happened in the years they'd lost touch with each other, but he stopped himself. The only way he'd managed to deal with his feelings all these years was to keep them inside and console himself with a constant supply of rum and warm bodies."Aye," he said shortly. "But I wasn't there that night.""Lucky for ye then," Sinclair said.
Marcus turned away so that Sinclair wouldn't see the desolation in his eyes. Luckily a distraction appeared in the shape of Bryan, cleanly shaved and dressed in a sober grey suit. Marcus nodded in approval. "Ye look fine, lad. Every inch the respectable lawyer. Now tell me again what ye're to do."Bryan sighed in the manner of one who had been thoroughly schooled and tested and was being tested yet again. "I'm to go to Indra's tavern," he said. "And I'm to tell Indra that me name is William Cadogan and I'm there on behalf of Sir Jacob Griffin.""Good lad," said Marcus.
"Do ye think Sir Jacob will have given the money to Indra?" Sinclair asked, frowning."That's what I
told im to do in the letter," said Marcus. "Take a room at Indra's and give er the money asking er to put it in er strongbox and give it to is lawyer, Cadogan when e arrives."He clapped Bryan on the shoulder. "Don't worry, lad. Sir Jacob wants is wife back. E won't do anything foolish.""And if Indra asks do I want to see Sir Jacob?" the young man asked."Then ye just tell er that e doesn't want to be bothered with business right now. Besides, the reason I chose Indra is she's the soul of discretion where er customers are concerned and she knows it's not good business to ask too many questions. Ye'll be fine and Sinclair and me will be just outside. We'll get the silver, come back to the Arkadia and be in Port o Spain by tomorrow."
Marcus frowned as Bryan came back out of Indra's. "E's been too quick," he whispered to Sinclair. They were standing just out of sight in a grove of calabash trees.
Bryan hurried over to them and as he drew closer, Marcus could see the consternation on his face.
"E hasn't been,"
the young man said."Fuck," breathed Sinclair, but Marcus shook his head. "We made good time getting here," he said. "There's a good chance e's still at sea.""So what are we to do?"
"We wait," said Marcus. What else can we do?" He thought for a moment. "Sinclair, ye go back to the ship, tell the lads we'll be here another
day or two
but there's to be no shore leave. We might need to leave in a hurry and I don't have the time to spend combing the taverns for me crew. Then come and find us. We'll be at Callie's."
"So yer ere," said Marcus as he caught sight of Murphy in Callie's reception room, his arm about a pretty wench."Did ye think I'd cheated ye?" drawled Murphy,
a look of studied boredom on his face. He liked to give the impression that he cared about nothing but Marcus knew
better."Not at all," he replied smoothly. "The last time ye tried to rob me,
I threatened to tan yer hide. Ye do it again and I think ye know I'd do far worse. Anyway, how long have ye been here?""Since the night before last," Murphy answered.
"I was lucky enough to catch
the captain of a
cutter who was happy to bring me
here on is way to Trinidad.""And the message for Sir Jacob?""Delivered," answered Murphy smartly. "E weren't best pleased I were told.""Only yer here and e's not," Marcus pointed out.Murphy shrugged. "E obviously weren't as lucky catching a
ship as I was."Marcus sighed. "Yes. Hopefully, e'll be here by the morning."
"Well, pirate," said Callie when they were alone in her apartments. She wound her arms about his neck and dropped a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "I won't deny it feels good to have ye here again. It's been too long and I've missed ye in me bed." She ran one hand through his hair, combing it with her fingers and scraping her nails against his scalp in a way that usually had him groaning. And although he could feel himself stiffening as she pressed her ample breasts against him, it felt like merely an automatic reaction, much as he might shiver if he were cold.
Gently, he disentangled himself from her embrace. "I can't, sweetheart," he told her. "Not right now anyway."Callie pouted but she didn't seem offended. She moved away from him to the sideboard where a tray stood with a decanter of rum and two glasses. She poured them both a drink and then sat down on a threadbare but elegant sofa. She patted the seat next to her. "Come and tell me all about it, pirate. Is it the pox ye have?"He joined her and took the drink gratefully. "Far worse," he said.She frowned. "Well there's nothing wrong with yer cock, Marcus. I felt it pressing up against me, proud as ever."He smiled sadly. "Me problem's further up, love." And he pressed one hand to his heart.Callie opened her eyes wide. "Marcus Kane, you don't mean to say yer in love? Ye've always told me ye'd no stomach for it.""I'm sorry," he said quickly, wondering if she'd thought he might one day come to feel about her in that way.To his relief, Callie burst out laughing. "What do ye have to be sorry for, ye great fool? I'm happy for ye, though I admit I am sorry to part with ye cock. If I'd known our last encounter was to be the very last, I'd have made more of a fuss of im."Marcus chuckled. "As I recall, ye gave im the time of is life as usual. And I'm not saying we can't lie together again. It's just that right now, if I bedded ye, I'd be thinking of her and I can't do that to ye.""I wouldn't mind," Callie said, smirking. "But are ye telling me, ye won't mind cheating on er in the future?"Marcus shook his head. "It wouldn't be cheating," he said sadly. "The lady in question is an acquaintance, love, not me wench." And he told her the whole story.
When he'd finished, he drained the rest of his rum and held out his glass for a refill.Callie shook her head. "Rum isn't going to fix what's wrong with ye, love." She held out her arms to him. "Let me at least give ye some comfort."Marcus sighed and leaned his head onto her shoulder as she stroked the hair from his brow. From this angle, he had a rather fetching view down
her cleavage and for a moment, he was tempted to unlace her bodice and set her beautiful breasts free. But then the thought of Abigail in Raven's shirt came into his mind, her breasts free of her corsets and he knew that making love to Callie would only make him feel worse.When he awoke, he was lying with his head in Callie's lap and she was looking fondly down at him. He sat up, rubbing his eyes blearily."I'm sorry," he said, embarrassed. "I must have been more exhausted than I thought. I've not slept too well these past nights.""Aye, ye were tossing and turning in yer sleep," Callie said. "Ye said er name a few times and another name too, that I've heard ye say in yer sleep before but never asked ye about. Who's Aurora?"Marcus flinched at the mention of her name, but Callie was his best friend.
And maybe it was time he spoke about her."Aurora was me wife," he told her."Was?""Aye," he said, feeling a sob rising in his throat. "She died...in a fire. Along with..." He shook his head as scalding tears poured down his cheeks.
Callie pulled him into her arms as he gave way to the pain and the grief that he'd kept under control for so long and he shuddered as the dam broke and he cried as he had never allowed himself to cry before.
Callie didn't speak, just allowed him to weep in her arms until there were no more tears left to cry."I'm sorry," he said finally. He gave a shaky sigh. "Marcus Junior would have been twenty-four now and little Aurora would have been seventeen." He smiled in spite of himself. "She was a fearless little thing, ye know. She'd fight anyone." He looked off into space for a moment. "They never found the kids' bodies and for a while I let meself believe they'd escaped. But I never heard anything and in the end I just had to face it. The fire took them. It took them and it didn't leave anything behind.""Oh, Marcus," Callie said, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Is this why ye guard yer heart so closely?"He nodded and cleared his throat. "Aye. I never wanted to go through pain like that again."Callie shook her head smiling. "Ye let yer guard down for this Abigail though. She must be something special.""Aye, she is," he said softly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Sir, the lads are getting restless," Sinclair said. "They've been stuck on board for three days now and they're thinking it's unreasonable that ye won't let them go ashore."Marcus sighed. "Let them ashore then. There's no reason they should suffer for my stupidity.""Marcus, don't say that," said Callie, reaching out across the table and giving his arm a comforting squeeze. She smiled up at Sinclair. "Will ye have some breakfast with us, Jacapo?"Sinclair pulled out a chair. "Thank ye, Callie. Ye've better food here than on the Arcadia."Marcus pulled out a bag of coins from his pocket and tossed them to Sinclair. "There. That's for supplies."Sinclair helped himself to a slice of beef and some bread. "How long do ye plan to stay here, Captain?""The Arcadia can stay here for as long as it takes," said Marcus. "As for me, I'm going to seek out passage to Port of Spain on another ship. I need ye to look out for Sir Jacob. As soon as ye get the money, ye need to follow me."Sinclair frowned. "What are ye planning to do, Marcus?"Marcus pushed aside his cup of chocolate. He'd decided to stay off the rum for a while in the hopes that he'd think more clearly without it, but it was damn hard.
"I'm going to see Jaha and tell im the truth," he said.
Callie gasped. "Marcus, why?" she said. "E'll kill ye for cheating im."Marcus shrugged. "Maybe. But I'd sooner e killed me than hurt Abigail and Raven.""There has to be another way," said Sinclair, frowning."Well, I was thinking to take a room at the King's Head," said Marcus. "And then just keep an eye on things, like. But Jaha's seen me and e'd be bound to recognise me.""Not if ye were in disguise," Callie said.Marcus laughed. "And how would I do that?""Well ye could shave off yer beard for a start. Yer a different man without it.""She's right," said Sinclair. "I sailed with ye for four years then ye went off to live yer life on land and when
I next saw ye, ye'd grown yer beard and I didn't recognise ye at all."Callie clapped her hands together. "And I have just the costume for ye in me dressing-up box."
Marcus stared at himself in the mirror. The face looking back at him was older than when he'd last seen it, sterner, more careworn. He rubbed his hand across his jawline and over his cheeks, feeling the scars and remembering how he'd come by each one. It was funny, but when he was able to hide behind his beard, he felt as if, despite the tragedies he'd faced, he appeared to be a lighthearted sort of man, the type of man who never let anything get him down. Or perhaps that had merely been the effect of the rum. Now, as he gazed at himself, clean-shaven and sober, he could see the sadness etched into his skin. The man in the mirror was thin-lipped and granite hard. Callie was right. He was a different man.
"Didn't I tell ye, pirate?" she said, coming up behind him and sliding her arms about his waist. "If I hadn't seen ye without ye beard before, I never would have known ye.""What do ye think?" he asked her. "I've a less pleasant appearance. I can see that.""I don't agree," she said. "Yer just as attractive to me,
only in a different way."He smiled down at her. If only he could put aside his feelings for Abigail and give Callie what she wanted. But it would have to wait. His desire for Abigail was like a fever racing through his body and he would just have to let the
sickness run its course.
"A different way?""Aye," she said softly. "Ye could be so cruel to me looking like that. Ye could tie me to the bedpost and ye could torture me and never once smile to let me know it was just a game."He swallowed hard as he felt his cock stiffen inside his breeches. "I'll bear it in mind, wench," he growled. He cleared his throat. "Ye said something about a costume?"
Marcus' mouth dropped open. "Ye want me to dress as a priest?" he said, eyeing the black cassock Callie was holding up."Why not?" she asked, her cheeks dimpling. "I think ye'd make a fine priest, Father Marcus Kane."Shaking his head, he started to shed his clothes, trying to ignore the appreciative glances Callie was throwing in his direction.When he was undressed, he allowed her to help him into the unfamiliar clothes. "It feels like wearing a dress," he complained. "And why all these buttons? And why is this in yer dressing-up box?"Callie smirked at him. "We had a gentleman who used to visit us regular. I don't know if e was really a priest but e liked to put this on and get the girls to kneel at is feet and tell
im all their sins." She laughed. "We spent many a quiet night thinking up sins to tell the good Father."Marcus raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure you did," he said. Then a thought occurred to him and he looked down at the cassock in horror."It's been washed," said Callie quickly, reading his mind. "Now take a look in the mirror and tell me you don't make a fine man of the cloth."He turned to face himself and took a step back in surprise. The black floor-length garment made him look taller and slimmer than he was. His chest and arms were well-developed from hauling ropes but the dark loose-fitting cloth hid his physique from view. He was unrecognisable almost to himself.
As he turned this way and that, Callie knelt at his feet. "Forgive me, Father, for I'm having indecent thoughts." She peeped up at him through her lashes mischievously.He couldn't help but laugh. "I promise ye, wench. When this is all over, I'll come back here and make ye pay yer penance.""You, not ye," she corrected him, getting to her feet.
"Ye need to stop talking like a pirate. And much as I want ye to take me spiritual welfare in hand, I do hope ye can work things out with this Abigail. I mean, there's been no sight of er husband, has there? Maybe e doesn't want er back."Marcus shook his head. "Even if e...he has no love for his wife, he'd surely pay for er...her return for the sake of his reputation.""What if e..." Callie broke off as there was a knock at the drawing room door.
"Mr Sinclair," announced the maid."I just came to tell ye...By God, Marcus!" Sinclair stopped and stared at his captain in astonishment.
Marcus ignored this. "Came to tell me what, Sinclair? Why are you back so soon? Is it Sir Jacob?"Sinclair shook his head. "Still no sign. I came to tell ye there's a clipper in port. I spoke to the captain and e'll gladly take ye to Port of Spain. Ye must leave tonight though.""I'll come with you now," Marcus said. He took Callie's hands in his. "Thank you for putting up with me these last three days.""Yer welcome, pirate," she said and then she smirked. "I shouldn't call ye pirate anymore. Ye don't look like one and ye don't even sound like one."He smiled back at her. "It feels strange," he said. "I'm having to think before I speak but hopefully it will get easier.""What name will ye go by?" she asked him. "Ye can hardly call yerself Father Kane.""I'll call me..myself Father Blake," he said. He frowned to himself. Why had that name come into his head? He didn't know anyone called Blake. Then he remembered. The young man who Abigail's daughter had eloped with, his name was Blake, Bellamy Blake if he remembered correctly.
"What are ye smiling at, Marcus?" Callie asked him. "Ye looked as if ye had a private joke with yerself."Marcus shook his head. How badly had Abigail affected him that everything he did seemed connected with her?
"It's nothing," he said.
"My name is Father Blake," he said to Finn and he held his breath waiting for Finn to start laughing and ask him why on earth he was dressed as a priest.
"Father," said Finn, and he inclined his head slightly in a mark of respect. "Is it a room ye'll be wanting or just some refreshment?""I'll be needing a room," said Marcus. "I can't say for how long at present. I'd like a room with a view of the harbour, if that's possible."Finn nodded again. "This way, Father," he said leading the way through the back of the inn and up a narrow, winding staircase.
Marcus waited until they were standing in one of the inn's bedrooms, a
small but comfortable looking room with a steeply pitched ceiling and a tiny casement window looking out onto the cobbles of the harbour.
"Finn, do you not recognise me?" he said, wondering if perhaps the young man was simply playing along until they were alone.
But Finn merely frowned. "Should I know ye, Father?" he said.Marcus shook his head. He had been having dealings of one sort or another with Finn Collins or his late father for many years. Was it possible that people looked at Marcus Kane and saw only the beard? Still, this boded well for any meetings with Jaha.
"I'm Marcus Kane," he said softly, as if the walls could overhear him.
Finn's eyes opened as wide as they would go. "Marcus," he said in a loud whisper. "But why...?""Do you know Thelonius Jaha?" asked Marcus."I've never met im in person," Finn answered. "But I know of im. Is father was a slave on a big plantation and Thelonius was
a child working as a slave in the house. Then is father saved the life of one of the owner's children and the owner said e would give im his freedom.""But he asked that his son be set free instead of him," said Marcus. "It's what any man would do for his son." He swallowed back the bitterness that rose in his throat. "Has he come here yet?"Finn shook his head. "E hasn't. Should I be expecting im?""We'd better sit down," said Marcus. "I've quite a tale to tell you."
"So what will ye do?" asked Finn when Marcus had finished his story.
"I'm just going to keep an eye on things for the moment," Marcus said. "You must tell him when he asks about the ransom money that it hasn't arrived yet but that you've handled these matters for me before and it often takes time. Keep him waiting, but the moment he grows sick of waiting, come and tell me.""And then what will
ye do?"Marcus sighed. "What can I do? I'll have to throw myself upon Jaha's mercy, tell him that I intended to cheat him. He'll kill me, I'm sure of that but if he has no use for Lady Abigail and Raven, I'm hoping he'll let them go.""E'd better," said Finn fiercely. "If e hurts a hair on Raven's head..."In spite of the situation, Marcus smiled. He knew very well that Finn was infatuated with Raven, as did the rest of the crew, in fact everyone but Raven herself could see that the poor boy was smitten.
"If he should happen to bring them here," he said, "don't forget that you have never met Raven.""I'll remember," promised Finn. "And now, Father Blake, would you like some refreshment?"
The only other customer in the inn was a middle-aged man who'd drunk far too much rum considering it was only just past noon. Marcus took a seat a little way from him and watched as a young serving wench came out of the kitchen and began to make her way across to Marcus. As she passed the drunkard he reached for her but she swiftly side-stepped with a skill born of much practice.
"Come and sit on me lap," the man crooned, reaching for her again.Marcus watched, amused, as the young girl rounded on the customer, hands on her hips in indignation. "Ye touch me, ye old drunkard and I'll knock yer head off yer shoulders."Something about her stance and her fierce expression awoke a memory in Marcus. A memory of a little girl putting her older brother firmly in his place when he had dared to tease her by pulling her hair.He'd been so proud of little Aurora's spirit. Her mother had attempted to make the child more biddable but to no avail. Marcus would never have presumed to interfere in the way his wife raised their children, even though at times she could be a little too free with her slaps but he'd staunchly refused to use physical discipline against them himself. He'd remembered only too clearly how afraid he'd been of his father's beatings and how he'd ended up hating him.
"Yer too soft with them," his wife had complained. But he'd noticed how little Aurora wouldn't so much as flinch when her mother slapped her and yet all he needed to do was raise his voice and her eyes would fill with tears that would break his heart.
Finn came out just then. He shook his head, smiling at the young girl and made his way across to Marcus. "Father," he said, "Would ye like some cold meats and ale, and maybe a little bread and cheese?"Marcus couldn't
tear his
gaze from the serving wench. He felt as if his chest was being constrained by an iron band. She was so like his little girl. He could easily imagine that if his children had lived, then little Aurora would look just like her.Finn followed the direction of his gaze and he grinned. "That's Octavia," he said. "When the customers get a little rowdy, she's the one that will grab them and throw them out. She's a little wildcat."Octavia not Aurora. Marcus felt the band around his chest loosen and he took a deep breath. It must have been talking about his children to Callie. It had opened old wounds and now he was seeing ghosts.Finn did a double take and laughed. "She could be your daughter, Father.""What?" Marcus spoke more harshly than he'd intended and Finn took a step back. But just what the hell did the boy mean?"I'm...I'm sorry," said Finn. "I only meant that your names are the same."Marcus frowned. "What do you mean?" he said more softly now."Your surnames," clarified Finn. "Her name is Octavia Blake."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The dream was the same as always. A burning building. The cries of his wife and children. And Marcus, pushing his way through the smoke and flames,
desperate to
save them. Even though his conscious mind knew that he had been away that night on some godforsaken business that had seemed important at the time, his subconscious always tried to make things right, always tried to put him there where he should have been, protecting his family. And again, as always, he was beaten back by the ferocity
of the flames, unable to save the people he loved. If only he could just...He was jolted awake by the sound of voices from outside and he leaped out of bed and flew to the window. Was it Jaha? Or better still, was it Sinclair with the ransom money? Had Sir Jacob arrived in Tobago within minutes of Marcus leaving?
His breath caught in his throat at the familiar and feared sight of navy and white uniforms. He pinched his nostrils shut and forced himself to breathe normally. His Majesty's navy had no reason to think a pirate was lodging at the inn and it was over twenty years since he had deserted. No-one would recognise him now. Still he quickly pulled on his priests's cassock and
peered at himself in the looking glass that hung on the wall as if to reassure himself that Captain Marcus Kane was not staring back at him. He took out the Bible that Callie had thoughtfully furnished him with and he sat down in an armchair and pretended to read.
All too soon, footsteps sounded on the stairs and someone knocked at the door."Come in," Marcus called, in a voice that sounded more confident than he himself felt.
The door opened and to his relief, it was Finn who was standing there. He shut the door behind him and smiled reassuringly.
"I thought ye might have seen the sailors and been concerned," he said. "They're not here about the kidnapping. There's been a shipwreck and the Navy have been on a rescue mission."Marcus frowned. "A shipwreck?" A sudden thought struck him. Was this why Sir Jacob had been delayed?
"Do you know the details? Where was the ship travelling from and to?"
"They say it was headed for England," said Finn and a million hopes and fears died in Marcus' heart. "Would ye prefer me to get Octavia to bring ye some food up here?" Finn said and Marcus shook his head."No, I'll come downstairs. Jaha could arrive at any moment and he's bound to think the worst when he sees the Navy's here. I need to be there, make sure things don't get out of hand."
There were four sailors in the tavern, none of them high-ranking officers and none of them old enough to have encountered a young Marcus Kane. Marcus felt the tension leave his body and he settled himself in a quiet corner with his Bible and waited for Octavia to bring his food. As he waited, pretending to study the text in front of him, a young sailor got up from his seat and approached hesitantly. Marcus looked up, fixing a smile on his face. "Good morning, my son.""Good...good morning, Father." The young man was clenching and unclenching his fists and his whole body seemed rigid with nerves like a highly strung pedigree hound.Marcus laid his Bible to one side. "Is there something I can do for you, my son?" he asked kindly. He gestured to a chair. "Please, have a seat."The boy, for at closer inspection, he could be no more than eighteen, sat down and leaned towards Marcus in a conspiratorial fashion. "Would you...would you hear my confession?" he said in a whisper."Yes of course," said Marcus. "Would you prefer to go somewhere more private?""No, here is just fine," the boy said. "But don't you need your stole?" He gestured towards Marcus' shoulders."No, no," Marcus reassured him, hoping that was right. "God hears your words, my son, no matter what your confessor is wearing."The boy nodded. "My name is Jasper," he said. "We...we have just been to a remote island a days sail from here. We saw smoke coming from a fire and our captain knew the island to be uninhabited. When we arrived, we found the survivors of a ship which had been sailing to England before it was wrecked in a storm.
Though not...not everyone survived."Marcus nodded. It was the remnant winds of the storm that had allowed The Arkadia to make such good time to Tobago. "That must have been distressing for you," he said gently. He had seen for himself the human remains that could wash ashore after a wreck and it was something that could turn the stomach of a grown man, never mind a sensitive boy.Jasper nodded gratefully. "It...it was," he said. "But that's not why I need to speak to you, Father. I have a fiance, Maya. I love her very much but it's been a long time since I've seen her and..." The boy blushed and Marcus guessed what was on his mind."Have you lain with another?" he asked.Jasper flushed an even deeper shade of red. "No! I would never do that to Maya and yet I have...I have had thoughts, Father."Marcus smiled. "If you have had thoughts, my son, and not acted upon them, then no sin has been committed."Jasper furrowed his brow. "But aren't sinful thoughts a sin?"Marcus cleared his throat. "Well yes of course and I will absolve you from them. I merely meant to say that you have redeemed yourself by not acting upon those thoughts."
Jasper smiled shyly. "I couldn't have acted upon them anyway," he said. "The young lady is newly married, married by the captain of their ship, no less. There were other women among the survivors and they were
weeping hysterically when we arrived. But this young lady...she was so strong and resourceful that I couldn't help but be impressed by her character, and her beauty of course." He blushed again.
At his words, Marcus felt something leap in his chest. Could it be mere coincidence? "The young lady, does she have a name?"Jasper nodded. "Her name is Clarke. Mrs Clarke Blake. Please Father, can you help me? I've had some dreadful thoughts.""Of course," said Marcus. "I absolve you of your sins, my son.""Is that all?" Jasper asked, frowning. "Aren't you going to give me penance?""No," Marcus said. "You are sorry for your sins and that's the main thing. So, the survivors, where are they now?""Most of the survivors
are to be taken back to
Nassau to await another passage to England," said the young man. "Mr and Mrs Blake were quite adamant that they not be taken back however." He lowered his voice. "We think it likely that they have eloped and fear retribution should they return home.""I think that is quite likely," Marcus agreed. "So where have you taken them?"Jasper shrugged. "Well at this moment they're still aboard our ship. All that they had was lost at sea so they won't be able to board another ship for England without first obtaining some money. We're here for the day to replenish our supplies but when we set sail this evening, I don't know what will befall the young couple."Marcus frowned. He had never met the young Mrs Blake but somehow he felt responsible for her welfare. Maybe if he did her a good turn, it would go someway to cancelling out the harm he had done to her mother. "Wait there a moment," he said. He got up from his seat and walked through into the back of the tavern. He found Finn in the kitchen supervising young Octavia with what he assumed was his breakfast."May I have a word in private?" he asked.Octavia looked up as he spoke and again he felt that disturbing familiarity and his dream came back to him with a terrible clarity. He swallowed the bile that had risen in his throat as Finn led the way into a small parlour.
"What is it, Father?" Finn asked.Marcus placed his hands together in an unconscious gesture of prayer. "We have done each other many a good turn over the years, have we not?"Finn nodded. "Aye, even as a lad, I remember ye doing business with me father and ye always had a coin in yer pocket for me."Marcus smiled at the memory. Robbed of the chance to spoil his own children, he could never resist treating the children he came across on his travels. The sight of their faces as they turned over a shiny
silver coin in their hands could not ease his pain but it gave him a momentary pleasure.
"Then I have a favour to ask of you, Finn," he said. "On board the naval ship
are a Mr and Mrs Blake, a young couple recently wed."Finn raised his eyebrows. "More Blakes," he said.
Marcus shrugged. "Yes, a coincidence, I know. They were on board the ship that was wrecked and they have lost everything. I would like to help them get to England only right now I don't have enough money to secure their passage
and in the meantime, they have nowhere to stay."Finn nodded. "Of course. I have a little room in the attic. It's not much but it's clean and there's a comfortable bed."Marcus clapped one hand on the younger man's shoulder. "God bless you, Finn," he said. He had no idea how he was going to help the young couple but at least they'd have lodgings for now.As he turned to leave the parlour, there was a soft knock at the door. Finn glanced at Marcus then
walked over to the door and threw it open. Standing there, looking as if she was about to faint, was Octavia.
"Octavia!" Finn exclaimed. "Are you alright? You look like death!"The young girl shook her head. "The kitchen...it's just so hot and I need to sit down for a moment." She gave Finn a feeble attempt at a glare. "I'll make the time up or ye can take it out me wages.""Don't be ridiculous," said Finn. "If yer unwell, I
don't want ye in the kitchen. Ye can sit here till ye feel better or do ye need to take to yer bed?"Octavia seemed to sway on her feet. Beads of sweat stood out quite clearly on her forehead and she was trembling.
Marcus saw what was about to happen and strode over to her, reaching her just before she fell. He scooped the unconscious girl into his arms. "Where does she sleep?" he asked Finn.Finn led the way up the stairs to the attic which had been divided into two rooms. He pushed open one door and Marcus made his way over to the little brass bed on the corner and gently laid Octavia down. He brushed her hair away from where it was sticking to her forehead. The poor child. He hoped it wasn't anything serious. "Ought we to call someone?" he asked. "I'm sure she has a fever."Finn shook his head. "She has no family. She came to work here three years ago from the Port of Spain orphanage." He gave a small smile. "I suppose I'm the closest she has to family.""Poor kid," Marcus said. He sighed. "Well, I need to get back downstairs to keep an eye out for Jaha. The sooner these sailors leave the better. And I need to tell young Jasper he can bring the Blakes here.""I'll come with ye," said Finn. "I'll come up here every hour to check on Octavia but I don't like to leave me other girl, Gina on her own too long." He grinned at Marcus. "She spends more time flirting than working and I'm sure she has only a passing acquaintance with arithmetic. If I leave er in charge too long, I'll have no inn left."
"Thank you so much," Jasper said when Marcus told him of his arrangements for the Blakes. "We'll be on our way now so I'll send then here to you. Who shall I tell them to ask for?""Just tell them to ask for Finn Collins," said Marcus. The more anonymous he could remain, the better.When they had gone, Marcus sat back down with his Bible and a cold breakfast that Finn had brought over for him. The girl Gina was clearing away the tables and she shot him a look which could only be described as lascivious. Marcus cleared his throat nervously. Damn! He was even beginning to think like a priest. The old Marcus would have had her in the cellar over a barrel by now.
He had been sitting there for a little over half an hour when the door to the inn opened. Marcus peered over the top of his Bible, curious to see just what Clarke Blake looked like. Would she be as beautiful as her mother?He sat back quickly as Thelonius Jaha and two other men walked into the room. "Good morning to you," said Jaha pleasantly to Gina who was now behind the bar.
"Good morning, Sirs," she said. "What can I get for ye?"
"We'll have two mugs of ale," said Jaha, "and a large bottle of tonic water."When the woman put the tonic water onto the counter, Jaha turned and gave it to one of his men. "Take this back quickly," he said. Then he noticed Marcus. "Wait one moment, Lincoln," he said.He
strolled over to where Marcus was sitting. "Father," he said, inclining his head respectfully."How can I help you, my son?"
asked Marcus, his heart thumping so violently that he was sure Jaha must be able to hear it.
"I apologise for the interruption, Father," said Jaha. "One of my crew has been taken ill. We have a passenger with some medical knowledge who feels it may be malaria and so my man, Lincoln is about to take quinine back to the ship while I deal with some business here." He frowned. "Unfortunately, I
fear that it may be too late and the poor man may benefit more from spiritual intervention than medical. Might I prevail upon you to go back with Lincoln and offer your services?"Conflicting thoughts raced through Marcus' brain. He needed to stay here to see what happened when Finn told the pirate captain that the ransom money had not yet been delivered but the thought that Abigail was on Jaha's ship overrode every other thought. "Yes, certainly," he said, picking up his Bible. "I would be only too happy to help."
The man, Lincoln was silent on the way back to Jaha's ship for which Marcus was grateful. Would he get to see Abigail and Raven or would they be locked away in a cabin? Lincoln made his way up the gangplank and Marcus followed him, his gaze darting everywhere, desperate to catch even a glimpse. Lincoln led the way down into the hold and opened a door. "Here's the quinine," he said to whoever was inside. "And
the captain told me to bring
a priest.""Hopefully if the quinine works, we won't be needing a priest," said a familiar voice. "Well, what are you waiting for? Bring him in if you must but shut that door, it's cold enough in here without letting in the sea air. Why you don't have a designated room for medical matters is beyond me. Instead I must treat this man like an animal, tending to him on the floor amongst ropes and barrels."In spite of himself, Marcus grinned. Lady Abigail had lost none of her fire and spirit. He came into the room with his head bowed and tried to control the leaping of his heart as he saw her kneeling at the side of the patient, still wearing men's apparel, her sleeves rolled up past the elbow, her hair tied back in a braid. Luckily she spared him no more than a cursory glance and a nod as she held the bottle of tonic water to the sick man's lips. Raven was there also though and she frowned at him for a moment then her eyes
opened wide. She appeared to think for a moment then she looked towards Lincoln with an annoyed expression. "What are ye about, letting a man of God stand there like a spare part? Can ye not go and fetch him a chair?"Lincoln glowered at her but seemed loath to move. Then Abigail rounded upon him. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she said imperiously. "And get some blankets and a pillow for your friend while you're about it. There are too many people in this room right now and at least one of you should find something useful to do.""I'll come with you and help you to carry everything," Raven offered and then Marcus and Abigail were alone.
Abigail got to her feet and pushed her hair from her brow with the back of her hand tiredly. "My father was a doctor," she said, without looking at Marcus. "He used to let me help him and I saw many cases of malaria. Quinine always helped as long as it was given in good time. I just pray we are soon enough." She looked at him for the first time. "I suppose praying is your domain though isn't it?" She gave a weary smile. "I'm Abigail Griffin and I am a prisoner aboard this ship. Have you been taken hostage too or are you here of your own free will?""Abigail," he said, his voice rusty as though he had not spoken for days. "Do you not know me?"She frowned. "No, I don't think we've..." She broke off as she looked into his eyes then she clapped a hand over her mouth as if afraid she would scream. She glanced at the man on the floor, his mouth was mouthing words but he was obviously delirious. "Marcus," she whispered. "Is it really you?" And then just like that, she was in his arms, her face buried into the crook of his neck.
He was in the act of bringing up his arms to enfold her, his heart singing in spite of the great danger, when she pulled away.
"I'm sorry," she said blushing furiously. "I was just so pleased to see a familiar face."
"It's fine," he said, trying to hide his hurt from her. "I'm just so glad you're alright." He ran his hands along her arms, desperate to touch her. "You are alright, aren't you? They haven't hurt you? Because if they have...""Marcus," she murmured. "Keep your voice down. I'm perfectly fine. But what are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that? And why are you speaking differently? Are you here to rescue me? Do you have the ransom?"He shook his head. "Believe me, Abigail if I could walk off this ship with you right now, I would do," he said softly. "But I'm here alone. The rest of the crew are in Tobago."She furrowed her brow. "But why? What's going on, Marcus? Tell me quickly before Lincoln returns.""We waited in Tobago for your husband to
come with the money but he
never arrived," Marcus said, his heart breaking for her. "But you know, there's probably a good reason for the delay and he could have got there by now."She shook her head. "If he's found out that I helped Clarke to elope, then he'll be furious with me. Maybe this is his way of punishing me."
"Er...about Clarke," he said. And he told her what had happened.
"And you arranged for them to stay at the inn?" she said, her face alight with excitement. "So...so if I manage to get off this ship, I can see my daughter again?" Her eyes filled with tears."Well yes," said Marcus tentatively. "But I'm not sure just yet how we're going to achieve that if the ransom money doesn't come through. The only thing I
can think of doing
is telling Jaha the truth. He'll kill me most likely but he has nothing to gain by killing you and Raven. In fact he knows he'd have the entire navy after him if he did. So don't look so worried, Abigail. You'll be fine.""I wasn't thinking about myself, you fool," she muttered, slapping him in the chest. "Don't you dare do something that gets you killed, Marcus Kane. Promise me!""Abigail, there may be no other way," he said helplessly.
"No!" she said, slapping him again.He caught her hand. "Abigail, are you saying that you..." He broke off as Lincoln and Raven came back into the room.
Abigail turned quickly and went back to her patient. "His shivering has eased slightly," she said with only the slightest quiver in her voice. "I hope that the quinine will be able to save him and I hope that you will pray for him, Father.""I certainly will do," said Marcus, seating himself in the chair that Lincoln had brought in.
"Father, while yer here," said Raven. "Do ye think ye could hear me confession?"
"I...I don't see why not," said Marcus.
"Actually, Raven," said Abigail. "I have a confession I'd like to make myself. Would you mind if I spoke to the Father first?""I'm not sure this is a good idea," said Lincoln, frowning. "The priest is not here to hear yer confessions.""Oh really?" said Abigail, rounding on him. "And do you not think that God is listening right now? Do you think he will help me to heal your friend if I have sin in my heart? What do you think, Father?""I think God would rather you confessed your sins, my child," said Marcus, wondering if there was a special corner of hell reserved for men who
dressed up as priests and pretended to hear confessions just so they could have some time alone with the women they loved. Because what he felt for Abigail was love, he knew that now. And he knew that if he had to die for her, he would do so without hesitation.
Lincoln gave a great sigh. "Just don't tell Jaha," he said. He took Raven by the arm. "We'll wait outside," he said.When they were alone, Abigail knelt at his feet and grasped his hands. "Marcus, I know where we can get the money," she whispered excitedly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I know where we can get the money," Abigail said in an excited whisper. "We are in Port of Spain, are we not?""We are," said Marcus. He was stroking the back of her hand with his thumb absent-mindedly and
she
swallowed hard and forced herself to concentrate. There was no point thinking of him in that way. They were from different worlds."I have a relation nearby," she said. "A cousin, though we lived together for so long as children, we are more like sisters. She lives but an hour's ride from here.""And she'll provide the money?" Marcus looked sceptical.Abigail laughed softly. "Diana married a very rich man. A very rich, very old man. When he died, she inherited everything and now she has
so much money that she couldn't spend it all if she lived to be a hundred." She
looked around the room. In one corner, there was
a little table with a drawer and she went over and began to rummage through it. Finally her fingers closed around a pencil and she pulled it out triumphantly. "It's not very sharp but it will do. Now we just need paper and I can write her a note."Marcus opened his Bible. "Here. There's a blank page at the front."She took the book from him eagerly and began to write then she looked up at him. "Just how much ransom did you ask for me?"Marcus looked down at the floor. "I asked for three hundred and fifty silver dollars," he said."Well that seems fair," she said, wondering why he looked so uncomfortable. "Jacob can well afford it."He met her gaze. "I was planning to give Jaha two hundred and fifty," he said. "And to keep a hundred for myself."She nodded. "Very sensible. Your men are expecting something. They won't be very happy if they come away from this venture with nothing to show for it." She wrote quickly then handed the book back to him.
His eyes scanned what she had written and then he looked questioningly at her. "Abby?""It's what I was called as a child," she told him,
feeling the colour rise into her cheeks at the sound of her pet name on his lips. "And Jacob...Jacob used to call me Abby when we were courting," she said bitterly.
"It suits you," Marcus said. "I mean right now, dressed in breeches with your hair braided off your face, you don't look like Lady Abigail Griffin. You look like Abby." He smiled. "I can imagine you being quite the hoyden as a child."She laughed. "Oh, what I wouldn't have given to have worn breeches as a child. I did used to envy boys so, running around and climbing trees quite unencumbered by petticoats.""And Diana?" he asked. "Is she like you?""Well," Abigail began. "We don't look in the least alike but she is very beautiful." She frowned. Diana would certainly be interested in a man like Marcus. Thank God he was dressed as a priest. Though she couldn't be sure that would stop Diana. When her husband had died, she had declared she would never marry again but her affairs were numerous and not always discreet. Had they been in England, she would have found herself ostracised from polite society but here in the Caribbean, money was more important than manners, and Diana had enough of the former that society politely looked the other way when it came to the latter.She noticed Marcus was watching her intently. "We...we're very different in character," she said. "We didn't always see eye to eye as young girls and she has a tendency to gossip, which I never liked, but she is generous and I know she'll help us."There was a knock on the door. "Better finish up," came Lincoln's voice.Marcus closed his Bible and nodded to her."Come in," she called.When Lincoln and Raven entered the room, they found her kneeling over the sick man again."His breathing is easier," she said. "And he is not as hot as he was previously. I think the quinine has begun to work." She nodded impersonally at Marcus. "I do not think your ministrations will be needed after all, Father. This man will live, I am sure. But thank you for hearing my confession. God will surely be on my side now that my sins are forgiven."Marcus got to his feet."What about my confession?" asked Raven, giving Marcus a mischievous look.
"The good Father has work to do," Abigail reproved her. "He doesn't have time to listen to your childish peccadilloes.""I'm sorry," Marcus said to Raven. "I do have some urgent business as it happens." He smiled at Lincoln. "I've offered my prayers for your friend. He is now in the hands of the good lady." He bowed his head. "Madam.""Come with me," said Lincoln grumpily and Marcus followed him out.
Raven turned to her with arched brows. "So did ye confess?" she asked her. "Everything?"Abigail felt her cheeks grow warm. "I don't know what you mean," she said, in her best haughty voice."Please yerself," said Raven. "All I'm saying is, that if Marcus Kane was a
cup of water, ye'd have drained im dry. I see how ye look at each other.""I've told you," said Abigail. "I'm a married woman."Raven shrugged. "So did Marcus get the money from Sir Jacob?"Abigail shook her head. "It appears my husband is as keen to have me back as I am to return to him. In short, he has not paid the ransom."Raven opened her eyes wide. "So what will happen now?" she said. "Did Kane come with a plan to get us off this ship?""No, but he went away with one," said Abigail. "I have sent him to my cousin Lady Diana Sydney with a letter asking for her to pay the money. I will pay her back of course when I have seen my husband.""Will e give it to ye though?" asked Raven. "I thought ye said e didn't want ye back."Abigail gave her a pained smile. "If I were to disappear, no-one would know that he hadn't paid the ransom. He could play the part of a grieving husband, all the while congratulating himself on
ridding himself of a troublesome wife. But if I were to reappear and if I were to threaten to make it known that he hadn't paid, he would be ruined socially. So what choice does he have? He will have to give me the money to keep me quiet. Besides, three hundred and fifty silver dollars is nothing to him."Raven put a sympathetic arm about her. "And what will ye do then? Will ye stay with a man who doesn't love ye, when there's one who does?"Abigail felt a pain rip through her heart so
violently it was all she could do not to cry out. "I will stay for as long as seems decent and then I will come back here and I will stay with Diana.""And then ye could have Kane," Raven said brightly.Abigail shook her head. "You are so very young, Raven. There is more involved in adult relationships than you seem to think.""I know ye love each other," Raven persisted.
"Oh Raven," Abigail cried. "Please don't torment me in this way. How could we be together? Do you expect me to make my life among
pirates?""Maybe e'd leave the sea behind," said Raven softly. "E did it once before. Sinclair told me that e made a life for imself on land for over ten years then e came back to the sea. E threw in is lot with Sinclair again and they and some others stole the Arkadia according to a plan of Kane's. That's how they voted im Captain.""And what was he doing on land?" Abigail asked, curious in spite of herself.
Raven shrugged. "No-one knows save imself," she said. "Sinclair tried to ask im one night and got is head chewed off for is trouble. Then Kane went and got blind drunk so we reckon whatever it was, it was too painful for im to talk about so we left it alone after that."That made sense. There was something about Marcus Kane that spoke of a deep sorrow, something in his eyes and in the set of his jaw. He tried to hide it behind the smile of a drunken buffoon but she had seen glimpses of it and her heart ached to think of him all alone with his pain, unable to share it with anyone.
Marcus made to walk down the gang-plank but Lincoln stepped in front of him, arms folded across his chest. "I'm not sure I should let ye go," he said. "Maybe ye'd better wait until Jaha comes back."Marcus frowned. "Your captain asked me as one gentleman to another to give spiritual comfort to your friend in case he should be dying. I have prayed for him and I have cleansed the soul of the lady who is ministering to him. Your friend now appears to be recovering. There is nothing more for me to do here. And excuse me but I have business elsewhere." He tried to move past Lincoln but the pirate barred his way again."And what was the lady's confession?" he demanded.Marcus shook his head. "You know I cannot break the seal of the confessional, my son."Lincoln threw back his head and laughed. "Do ye
expect me to believe that the lady didn't tell ye who she was and what she was doing on a ship full of pirates? Ye'll tell me now, Father or ye'll squeal at the end of Jaha's sword." Marcus gave a loud and deliberate sigh. Experience had told him that the best way to get a lie past someone was to begin with an undeniable truth. He spread his hands open in a gesture of defeat.
"You're right," he said. And now he injected a note of anger into his voice. "The lady told me that she had been kidnapped and was being held here against her will until her husband pays a ransom for her return. I told her that there is a naval ship in port and that I would go immediately and summon help." He glared at Lincoln. "Luckily for you however, she made me swear on my Bible that I would do no such thing. She is confident that her husband will pay the ransom and she tells me no harm has been done to her during her stay. She is keen to avoid bloodshed, it seems."Lincoln nodded slowly. "If the navy were to board this ship, the safety of the lady and her daughter could not be guaranteed. If we're all to face the hangman's noose, then we have nothing to lose by slitting their throats."Marcus closed his eyes against the image. When he opened them again, Lincoln was smiling grimly. "I see the thought pains ye, Father.""I abhor any sort of bloodshed," said Marcus, his voice tight. "But the thought of anyone harming women...""Then you will be about yer business, Father?" said Lincoln.Marcus held his Bible aloft. "I swear on the Holy Book that I will say nothing of this to another living soul."Lincoln stepped aside. "Then be on yer way, Father. And thank ye for yer help.""Don't mention it," muttered Marcus.
He entered the inn by the back door and found Finn in the kitchen. "Mar...Father, yer back," Finn exclaimed. "Come upstairs with me."When they were safely in Marcus' room, Finn grabbed his arm. "Jaha is getting impatient," he whispered. "E questioned me at length as to whether anyone had been with the ransom money.
E seems to think that I might have
had it already and kept it for meself. We may be friends, Marcus, and I'll help ye any way I can, ye know that, but I'll not die for ye.""You won't have to," said Marcus, gently removing Finn's hand from his arm. "I'm going to fetch the money now and I'll see that you're rewarded for all the help you've given me. Just one more thing. Can I borrow your horse?"Finn sighed. "Oh, why not?" he said.
"Thank you," said Marcus. A thought struck him. "The young couple, did they come here?""Aye," said Finn. "I showed them to their room and they're resting.""And Octavia, is she any better?""I was about to check on er when ye arrived," said Finn. "I'll have a quick look now and then I'll saddle me horse for ye."Marcus followed him out of the room and up the narrow stairs to the attic.
Octavia lay quite still on her bed and for a heart-stopping moment, Marcus feared she was dead.
He hurried over to her and to his relief saw that she was still breathing, although her breaths were very shallow. Her face wore a sheen of perspiration and her lips moved in silent delirium."Could it be malaria?" he asked Finn.The younger man shrugged. "I've no idea," he said. "I've been lucky enough not to witness a case before.""Fetch tonic water," Marcus demanded quickly.Finn rushed off and Marcus tenderly brushed the girl's damp hair from her brow. He had no idea why she concerned him so. It must be because the poor child had no parents to watch over her.
Finn came back into the room with a bottle of tonic water and Marcus pulled the girl up into a seated position and held her while Finn put the bottle to her lips. It took some time but eventually they managed to get some of the liquid into her.
Even in her delirium, Octavia grimaced at the bitter taste. Then her head sank back against Marcus' shoulder. Instinctively he dropped a light kiss on her forehead as he eased her back down onto the bed. A ghost of a smile
flitted across
the girl's face. "Papa," she whispered.His heart ached for her. She was obviously reliving happier times. He stood up. "If she is no better within the hour, fetch a doctor," he said. "The cost is of no consequence. I'll pay for it."
Back in Glasgow when he was a boy, Marcus had worked for a while as a delivery boy. He had delivered groceries to some of the finest houses in town but he had always gone around to the back of the building, to the servants' entrance. Now, as he looked up at the magnificent
residence of Lady Diana Sydney, he felt suddenly like a boy of ten again and he had to remind himself that as a priest, he was perfectly entitled to use the front door as if he was gentry. He squared his shoulders, cleared his throat and took hold of the huge bronze doorknocker.The man who came to the door was tall and smartly dressed with spotless white gloves. He wore a look of arrogant superiority but when he
saw Marcus' cassock, he inclined his head slightly."Is Lady Diana at home?" Marcus asked, a sudden fear tightening his chest as he wondered what he would do if she wasn't there. "I'm here on some family business."To his great relief, the butler opened the door wide and stood aside to let Marcus pass. Marcus clutched his Bible to his chest as he looked around the hallway which was at least twice as big as Callie's drawing room. The butler opened a door to the left and showed Marcus into another room with comfortable-looking chairs.
"If you wouldn't mind waiting, Father," he said. He bowed his head and left Marcus alone.
Marcus wandered over to the fireplace where an enormous painting hung on the wall above. The painting showed
a rather portly middle-aged man and a younger woman, presumably Lady Diana. She didn't look in the least like Abigail, being fair while Abigail was dark, but she was certainly a handsome woman. She was smiling at the viewer as if she knew
a great secret and was dying to tell it and he found himself wondering whether the old man next to her had been enough for her or whether she'd pleasured herself with lovers.
He was disturbed in his musings by the door opening and the lady herself sweeping in with a great rustle of skirts.
"Father," she said graciously. "I believe you come on family business. It's not dear Abigail, I hope?" She frowned in concern and he hurried to reassure her."Lady Abigail is quite well and unharmed," he said.
"Well thank God for that," said Lady Diana. She seated herself in a chair near the fireplace and gestured to a chair opposite her. "Please sit down, Father."As he sat, Lady Diana frowned again. "Unharmed?" she said. "That's an odd choice of words."Marcus held out his Bible to her. "Open it to the first page," he said. "There's a note from Abigail that should explain everything."Lady Diana raised her eyebrows. "Abigail?" she repeated. "You are intimately acquainted with my cousin, then?" Without waiting for an answer, she turned her attention to Abigail's letter. As she read, her mouth dropped open and she finally raised her eyes to him.
"She says she has been taken by pirates!"Marcus nodded. "Yes, but as I say, she is unharmed. But unfortunately, Sir Jacob has not been forthcoming with the ransom and she fears the pirates will not wait much longer.""Monstrous!" Lady Diana exclaimed. "If they should harm
so much as a hair on Abigail's head..." She looked at him suspiciously. "And how is it that you come to be involved, Father?""I-I was called upon to give spiritual aid to a pirate who was ill and Abi...Lady Abigail was ministering to him. We managed a moment alone and she wrote this letter and asked me to bring it to you."She stared at him for a long moment and Marcus felt his face grow warm.
"I feel in need of prayer, Father," she said suddenly. "The Lord is My Shepherd would be appropriate, I think. Would you care to lead?""I...er...The...The Lord is my shepherd," he began. "He...maketh me down to lie.""The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," said Lady Diana. "You're no more a priest than I am a nun. Who are you? And tell me the truth for if I think for one moment that you are lying to me, I shall call the constable!"
Marcus sighed. When he had told himself he would be willing to lay down his life for Abigail, he'd had visions of being run through with Jaha's sword, not of dangling from the hangman's rope. But if it would save Abigail's life..."I'm a pirate," he confessed. "I'm not one of the pirates who is holding her right now but..." He sighed again. "I'd better tell you the whole story."When he had finished, Lady Diana shook her head. "So, if it wasn't for you, my dear cousin would be perfectly well and safe. And you tell me you have developed romantic feelings for her.""Yes," he whispered.She laughed but not unkindly. "A cat may look at a King," she quoted. "You're a handsome man, I'll give you that. But my cousin is married to a very rich man and I think you'll find that money will always win out over a striking pair of eyes and a fine physique." She let her eyes wander over him slowly and Marcus had the notion that if he wished, he could take the Lady Diana right here bent over her chaise-longue. But the thought brought him no pleasure. He hadn't realised he'd been entertaining
the hope
that he might one day be with Abigail until now, but Lady Diana's words hit home. She was right. What did he have to offer Abigail besides his heart?"I understand that," he said stiffly.
Lady Diana stood up. "I will fetch you the money," she said. "You will deliver it to this pirate captain accompanied by two of my men. And then when my cousin is safe, they will take you to the authorities to face the consequences
of your crime."Marcus bowed his head. "As you will, Lady Diana."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
If Marcus Kane had been the type of man
to kill a
person for being annoying, Lady Diana's groomsman, Carl Emerson would currently be buried six feet underground.Firstly there was his insistence on referring to Marcus as a 'dirty pirate'. Marcus had been in the company of many gentleman over the years who had been less than fragrant, but Vera Kane had always impressed upon her son that cleanliness was next to Godliness and so he had always tried, in deference to her memory, to be as clean as he could. So although the sea water dried his skin out,
he washed in it anyway and on Callie's advice, used coconut oil to put some of the moisture back in. Secretly of course. He had a feeling his crew would never let him live it down if they caught him moisturising his skin like a woman.
Secondly, there was Emerson's quite unseemly delight
at the prospect of Marcus being hanged and his detailed description of exactly what happened to a man when the rope went tight. Marcus had been to a hanging, he knew quite well what to expect and he really didn't need to hear a blow by blow account of what was in store for him.
But it was his criticism of Abigail that really made Marcus hate Emerson. It was a good job they'd tied his wrists together or he would have shut his mouth for him permanently.
"Of course, it's typical of Lady Abigail to get herself kidnapped," Emerson said. "Such a thing would never happen to Lady Diana. Lady Diana always makes sure to have at least one groomsman with her when she goes out riding."I bet she does
thought Marcus, remembering the lascivious look on Diana's face as she had looked him up and down.
"Yes, I remember when Lady Abigail came to stay with us, a couple of years ago," Emerson said. "I was supposed to be accompanying her out on her ride, Lady Diana was quite insistent that she not go alone. So I went down to the stables only to find Lady Abigail had gone on without me.""She
obviously felt she could dispense with your company," said Marcus. "Charming
though it is." He smiled to himself at the thought of Abigail doing just as she pleased and frustrating this repulsive man.
"It's no surprise that Sir Jacob hasn't paid the ransom if you ask me," said Emerson, although clearly no-one had asked him. "He's probably glad to be rid of her. If she was my wife, I'd give her a taste of the horsewhip for her behaviour.""Why you jumped up...obnoxious..." Marcus began."Alright, Carl. That's enough," said the other man, Vincent Vie. Marcus didn't mind Vie, well in so far as he could manage not to mind a man who was taking him to be hanged. He was a quiet, serious man,
in total contrast to his garrulous partner. "We need to go over the arrangements for the payment of the ransom money.""If I did things my way," said Emerson, "we wouldn't pay the money at all. We could attack this pirate captain, kill him, rescue Lady Abigail and take the money back to Lady Diana.""You want to attack Jaha?" said Marcus, scornfully. "I hope you're a good swordsman then, because Jaha is one of the best.""I don't need a sword," said Emerson. He pulled a pistol from under his jacket and grinned. "Reckon this will even the score."Marcus felt his anger rise up but he forced himself to be calm. "Please," he begged the man. "Please don't do anything to put Lady Abigail's life in jeopardy.""I don't see that it's up to you..." began Emerson but he was cut short by Vie. "We do whatever Blake tells us to do. Lady Abigail's safety is our only consideration here.""But how do we know he's not leading us into a trap?" Emerson complained. His face was flushed with resentment at being told what to do by his companion."We don't," Vie
admitted. "And I don't like it any more than you do, Carl. But Lady Diana told us to go along with this man so if it all goes wrong, we can't say it's our fault. If we do things our own way and Lady Abigail is hurt, who do you think will get the blame?"Emerson glared at Marcus. "Well just so you know, I'm keeping an eye on you, pirate scum."Marcus ignored him and addressed Vie directly. "I told Jaha that Finn would be the go-between for the ransom," he said. "Jaha can't see that I've got anything to do with this. He has to believe that the money came from Sir Jacob. If he thinks there's been any sort of trickery or any attempt to deceive him...""Of course," Vie said. "Tell us what we need to do.""Well, I think you should be the one to take the money to Finn," said Marcus. "Emerson and I will wait out of sight in case anything should go wrong which is unlikely.""You sound very confident," Emerson said."It's in no-one's interests for Jaha to hold onto Lady Abigail once he has the money," Marcus said. "And talking of the money, there is something you should know. Lady Abigail has requested the sum of 350 silver dollars but I know that Jaha will be satisfied with 250. The other 100 was for me and my men."Emerson laughed harshly. "Well, you won't be needing money where you're going, unless you're hoping to bribe the hangman to make sure your neck's broken quickly."Marcus gritted his teeth. "I know that, but while I've been at the inn, I've incurred expenses. There's my food and lodging to be paid for and..." He hesitated unsure of whether to tell the two men about Clarke Griffin and her new husband. He'd not told Lady Diana about her, figuring it was not his place but then again, he couldn't have Finn being out of pocket. "There's a young couple staying at the inn. They were recently shipwrecked and lost all their money. They're close acquaintances of Lady Abigail so I knew she'd want me to help them. There's another young lady too who may have needed a doctor and I said I'd pay for that too.""Quite the philanthropist, aren't you?" sneered Emerson.Vie frowned. "I don't know about just handing over Lady Diana's money." He pursed his lips in thought. "How about we give this Jaha his 250 dollars and give the rest to Lady Abigail. I'm sure she'd be happy to pay for these people if, as you say, they're friends of hers.""I'm sure she would," said Marcus, nodding. "Yes, give the money to Abigail."
He was almost knocked from his horse by a cuff to the head from Emerson. "It's Lady Abigail to you, pirate scum. And who's this young lady? Some whore you got in the family way no doubt. I hope she's getting rid of it. We don't want any dirty pirate whelps round here."Marcus felt the rage building up inside him but there was nothing he could do about it. He had killed a few men in his time but only ever from necessity and it had never sat well with him. But he knew he would actually get pleasure from watching Emerson die. God help the man if he could get himself free.
"There's another matter," he said to Vie. "Lady Abigail was not alone when she was taken. She had a young lady companion with her. The ransom is for them both.""I see," said Vie. "We're almost at the harbour. Where is this inn?""Just through those trees," said Marcus. "You go in and ask for Finn. He'll handle the rest."
"They say you shit yourself when you're being hanged," said Emerson conversationally as they sheltered from the late afternoon sun in the shade of a tamarind tree.Marcus ignored him. All that mattered now was that Vie was at The King's Head
and the money was being handed over. As long as Abigail was released, he didn't care what happened to him. It would have been nice to see her one more time though or would that have only made it harder?"Father!"Marcus whipped round at the sound of the voice and his stomach plummeted into his boots at the sight of Jaha's pirate comrade, Lincoln. He tried to pull the sleeves of his habit over his wrists so that the man wouldn't see that he was bound. He noticed Emerson's hand twitch and he prayed that the man wouldn't go for his gun. But Lincoln had sharp eyes.
"Who are ye?" he demanded of Emerson. "And why do ye have the priest tied up?"Emerson snorted. "He's no more a priest than you are a gentleman. He's a dirty pirate. But you probably know that, don't you?""No," said Lincoln. "I'd never met the man before today."Emerson frowned then his brow cleared. "Oh you're one of Jaha's crew then. Well this is...""Emerson!" shouted Marcus. The damn man was going to ruin everything. "Look," he said in desperation. "I am a pirate
and this man is taking me to be hanged. Please, I don't want to get you involved in this too. There's no need for us both to hang."Lincoln laughed. "One man against two of us?" he said. "Let im try."Emerson almost made it to his pistol before Lincoln's knife struck him square in the forehead, killing him instantly."So," Lincoln said, "yer a pirate." He strolled over to Emerson's horse and dragged Emerson off its back, letting him fall to the ground. He pulled out his knife and wiped the blood off on the grass and then turned to Marcus. "What did ye do to im that e hated ye?"I gave is wife the first proper fucking she'd ever had," said Marcus
forcing himself to grin while his heart was hammering so hard he felt as though it would burst out of his chest.
"And what's yer name?""Blake," said Marcus, eyeing the other man warily."What's yer first name?"
"Er...Jacapo."
"Jacapo Blake," mused Lincoln. "Do
yer friends call ye Jack?""Sometimes," said Marcus, wondering just where this was going.Lincoln held up his knife to the light, inspecting it for blood. "They never call
ye Marcus Kane, then?" he asked casually.Marcus felt as if he had been punched in the gut. He opened his mouth to speak but Lincoln held up his hand. "If ye lie to me, I really will have to kill ye," he said.Marcus gave him a wry smile and shook his head. "How did ye know me?""It was yer eyes that gave ye away," said Lincoln. He folded his arms across his chest and regarded Marcus, his head tilted to one side. "I thought I recognised ye," he said. "I told meself I was imagining things. I don't meet a lot of priests, ye see. But I worked at a whorehouse a few years back. The girls were being bothered by some local men and they needed a bit of muscle around the place. The girls didn't exactly enjoy their work. I saw one lass puking er guts up one night after being ridden by a fat old man. But there was this man who came in one night and the girls, they acted like e was their lover. I asked who e was and they told me e was a pirate captain called Marcus Kane. Well I wondered what was so special about im. E was a handsome man so I thought it was just that but then on is way out e gave me a tip and I saw is eyes." Lincoln looked off into space as if he was remembering. "There was something about them. Like e'd seen sadness in is life and e was trying to act like e didn't care. I could see why a girl would fall for a man with eyes like that.""Thank ye for the compliment," said Marcus. "But what are ye going to do with me, now?""Take ye to Jaha of course," said Lincoln.Marcus sighed. Well at least it would be quicker than being hanged.
Jaha was still at the inn with Vie and Finn. "Ah, there you are, Lincoln," he said. "Our business here is almost finished. I have the
money and we are just now on our way to
complete our side of the bargain." He frowned at the sight of Marcus. "May I ask why you have tied
the good Father's hands?""E's no priest," said Lincoln. "This is Marcus Kane. E's shaved off is beard but it's im alright."Jaha stared at Marcus for what seemed like an eternity. "Really?" he said. "It seems we ought to sit down for a moment. We have a lot to discuss."When they were seated, Jaha said, "So, Kane, what is your excuse for being here? I do hope you weren't planing on cheating me. I take a very dim view of that sort of thing, you know."Marcus gave him what he hoped was a conciliatory smile. "Now if I was going to cheat ye, I'd have sent ye some place else, wouldn't I?""That's a good point," said Jaha. "So why are you here then?"Marcus thought quickly. "The girl with Lady Abigail," he said. "She's one of me crew. I came to make sure she got off yer ship so I could take er back with me.""Ahh," said Jaha. He laughed. "I thought she was a strange choice of ward for a lady. Feisty, foul-mouthed, not at all ladylike. I don't suppose you'd part with her, would you? I'd give you a good price.""She's not for sale," said Marcus politely.
"Pity," said Jaha. He frowned. "I didn't see your ship.""I left er at Tobago," Marcus said. "I thought if ye saw the Arkadia in port ye'd think it was some sort of a trap. I came alone. I just need Raven and I'll be off.""You can accompany me to my ship then," said Jaha. "Gentlemen, shall we...why are you looking at Kane like that, man?"
This last remark was addressed to Vie who was staring at Marcus.Marcus gave him a pleading look and Vie nodded his head almost imperceptibly.
"I...er no reason," said Vie. "I'm just not used to seeing a pirate dressed as a priest, that's all.""Well then, if we're all ready," said Jaha. He pushed back his chair to stand up."Mr Collins," called a female voice.They turned to see a young blonde woman approaching them. "Would it be possible to get something to eat, do you think?"Finn smiled at her. "Mrs Blake. I hope yer well rested. I have to go out on business but I shouldn't be long. I can do ye something when I get back if ye don't mind waiting.""Miss Clarke!" exclaimed Vie. "Whatever are you doing here?""I..." Clarke blushed. "I am here with my husband, Mr Bellamy Blake. Why are you here, Vincent? Is Lady Diana here?""I am here to...to attend to some business on behalf of her ladyship," the man stammered."Her ladyship?" said Jaha. "I thought you were Sir Jacob Griffin's man.""What do you know of Sir Jacob Griffin?" demanded Clarke, rounding on Jaha.At first sight, Marcus had not thought Clarke resembled her mother in the slightest but seeing her squaring up to the pirate captain, he could see her mother's spirit in her.
Jaha looked taken aback. "And what is it to you?" he drawled."Sir Jacob is my father," Clarke said."Is that so?" said Jaha."That's right, Sir," said Vie. "Sir Jacob arrived on the island yesterday and came to borrow the ransom money from Lady Diana. I have no idea why," he added as Jaha frowned. "All I know is I was ordered to bring the money here to Mr Collins.""Ransom money?" echoed Clarke. "For whom?"Marcus spoke finally. "For yer mother, Mrs Blake. But don't worry. She is quite unharmed and will be with ye very shortly.""But this is preposterous!" said Clarke. "You kidnapped my mother?" She looked as if she was about to attack Jaha and Marcus intervened hastily.
"No, it was me. I snatched er from the street shortly after she'd said goodbye to ye. And then...well it's a long story but as I said, we're off to fetch er back now and she can tell ye all about it."Clarke glared at him. "And then afterwards you will answer to the King's justice. You'll see to this, Vie?""Yes, my lady," the groomsman answered. "I fear he may have committed murder on another of your aunt's men too."Jaha shrugged his shoulders. "Well, there's no point in expecting me to help you, Kane. I'll look after Raven for you though.""That won't be necessary," said Finn. "Raven can stay here while she figures out what to do."Marcus gave a great sigh. It seemed
as if everything was resolved. The ransom was paid. Clarke was about to be reunited with her mother. Finn might finally seize his chance with Raven. And he...well he was to be hanged.
"Clarke, is everything alright?" came a voice.
A young man came up behind her and put his arm protectively about her waist. There was something disturbingly familiar about him and Marcus felt suddenly faint."No, everything is not alright, Bellamy. This man kidnapped my mother."
Bellamy's gaze followed her pointing finger towards Marcus and then his mouth fell open."Father," he said in a hoarse voice."Unfortunately not," said Jaha. "The cassock is supposed to be a disguise. He's a pirate called Marcus Kane. Your lovely wife has demanded he face the full wrath of the law and I dare say she always gets what she wants."Bellamy's expression hardened. "I know his name," he said. "He's my father."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Marcus stared at the young man, hardly able to comprehend what he'd just said. His heart seemed to be squeezed by invisible hands and for a moment, he thought he might be having a heart attack. Your life was supposed to flash before you at the moment of death, wasn't it? Well that was what was happening now. Images rushed past his minds eye making him gasp out loud.
Images of a small boy with tousled dark hair and a cheeky grin.
A memory of
holding little Marcus above his head when he was a baby and seeing the little boy's face flush with excitement. He could hear his chuckles as clearly as if it was yesterday.
"He has a laugh just like his father," Aurora had said. "A great big joyful laugh as if all the happiness of the world
is in his heart and he wants to share it with the people he loves.""And why shouldn't he be happy?" Marcus had said, as his son wriggled in his arms, eager to go off and explore his world. "He's the most loved little boy in the whole world. All I want for him is that he should always be this happy."He remembered watching his son sleep and tenderly brushing back the curls from his forehead. Aurora had thought it amusing that he liked to watch his children at sleep but it was at these moments that he truly felt that God had given him and his wife two of his most precious angels to care for and keep safe.Not that Marcus junior was always an angel. He had an inquisitive mind that often got him into trouble and Marcus remembered that more than once he'd had to speak sternly to him. But he'd always taken
whatever punishment his father had decided upon with good grace even when that punishment meant his raging energy was confined to his bed for the rest of the day. Marcus remembered one such afternoon. He'd gone to check on his son to make sure he wasn't too upset by his scolding and had found him sitting up in bed writing.
"I'm writing a sorry letter," little Marcus had said. His father sat down next to him on the bed and took the paper from his hands. I'm sorry that I was bad, Papa. I will be good now and I won't make you angry again.Marcus had opened his arms wide and his son had flown into them hugging him tightly, burrowing his face into Marcus' neck, the curls so like his father's tickling Marcus' chin.Marcus touched his chin now as if he once again held his child in his arms. He tried to rise but his knees seemed to have other ideas.
"Ye-yer name is Bellamy," he managed to gasp out."My given name is Marcus Kane," the young man said. "It was changed by the people who became my new parents when my father didn't trouble himself to come for me." His expression was stern but his eyes were wet with tears. "I thought you must be dead. I wish you were dead.
That would be easier than the truth."Marcus shook his head. The tears
flowed down his cheeks and his voice trembled as he spoke. "I thought ye were dead. They wouldn't let me see Aurora's body, said it was too burned. They said there was nothing left of me children, only ashes." He stared beseechingly at Bellamy. "Yer sister...did she?"Bellamy stared back at him. "Why should you care?""Please, son. I'm begging ye. Put me out me misery." His voice broke on a sob.
"She lives," the young man said curtly. "At least she was alive when I last saw her three years ago."
"Thank God," said Marcus, his shoulders sagging in relief. "But where were ye? Who took ye in?"Bellamy sat down at a distance from Marcus. "A couple called Mr and Mrs Blake," he said. "They were older than you and Mama but they'd never had children. They lived just a few hours ride from our house. They said they'd left word with our neighbours and that you would come for us...but you...you never did." He cleared his throat. "We would sit at the window every day watching for you, thinking this will be the day. This will be the day our Papa will come for us. I-I hadn't cried about Mama. I didn't trust myself to. I thought if I started crying, I would never stop and I-I wanted to wait until I was with you until I let myself cry. I had to be strong for my sister. She was my responsibility now and I had to be the adult and take care of her. She cried by the way. She cried every single day.""They lied to ye," Marcus whispered. "No-one knew that ye were still alive." He stared at his son in bewilderment. "Do ye seriously think I wouldn't have crossed the whole world to find me children if I'd known ye still lived?
I loved ye more than I loved me own life." He shook his head, anger beginning to build in him. "They had no children, these Blakes, ye say. So they took my children and raised them as their own. And yer name? Why did they change yer name?"
"I went out playing in the woods one day," said Bellamy. "I was gone all day. I suppose I just lost track of time. Anyway, Mother, Mrs Blake I mean, she was worried about me and she kept watching from the window. Then when she saw me walking up the path, she said, 'Oh here's Marcus at last.' Oc - Aurora rushed to the window. She thought Mrs Blake was talking about you and nothing could console her when she saw it wasn't."Marcus didn't think his heart could break any more than it already had, but the thought of his little girl crying for her papa hurt so much it was all he could do not to cry out in pain. "So they changed yer name so ye wouldn't be reminded of me," he said, the words choking
the breath from his lungs.
Bellamy got to his feet. "I can't do this right now," he said. He turned and dashed from the room.
Marcus stood as if to follow him but Clarke barred his way. "Let me talk to him," she said. "He's had a terrible shock. You go and fetch my mother back here and we'll talk more later.""Miss Clarke," said Vie. "I thought you wanted me to take Kane to the constable."Clarke shook her head. "That was before I found out he was my father-in-law. We will wait to see what my mother wants. And I'm Mrs Blake now, Vincent."
Marcus stared at her. How strange to think that he and Abigail were now related through the marriage of their children. But even if that were not the case, he couldn't imagine Abigail wished him any harm. When she had grasped his hands at their last meeting, he had felt something between them, he was sure of it, like a spark leaping from her hands into his.
"There is another matter," said Vie. He turned to Marcus. "What happened to Emerson?" he asked. His tone suggested he didn't really care what had happened to his companion.Marcus hesitated but was saved by Lincoln."He tried to kill me," said Lincoln.
"Well, as it appears he didn't, I assume you killed him first," drawled Jaha."I did," said Lincoln.
"Well then," said Jaha. He smiled at Vie. "It seems your question is answered. Now, were you hoping to take my man to the constable? Because I wouldn't be at all happy about that."Vie sighed. "No, it was obviously self-defence. I don't think we need to involve anybody else."Jaha beamed at him. "Good. Shall we leave then? I think we've wasted enough time already on idle chit-chat and while I'm sensing there's a lot more to this situation than meets the eye, there is a naval ship in port and the presence of his majesty's navy always tends to make me a little bilious.""You don't need me, do you?" said Finn. "With Octavia sick, I need to be here.""How is she?" asked Marcus. "Did you fetch the doctor?"Finn shook his head. "She seemed a little better after we gave her the tonic water.""That's good," said Marcus. "When we come back with Abby, perhaps she could take a look at..." he broke off at the look on Clarke's face.
"Are you referring to my mother, Lady Abigail Griffin?" Clarke said, each word coated with ice.
"Er yes, sorry," said Marcus. "Daughter-in-law," he couldn't help adding before making a hasty exit.
Marcus paced up and down outside Jaha's ship. How much longer would they be? He seemed to have been waiting for ever.
"Calm down, man," said Vie. "You're wearing away the ground with your pacing."Marcus scowled. "If they're not here in two minutes, I'll go aboard and..." He stopped short at the sight of Abigail at the top of the gangplank.
She was once again dressed in the clothes she had been wearing when he'd snatched her from the street. She looked thinner than when he'd last seen her in that dress and her skin was darker from being exposed to the sun without a parasol. He was overwhelmed by guilt at what he'd put her through, and now that he saw her as she was meant to be, he felt foolish at ever thinking he'd felt something between them. Nevertheless he
was seized with a desire to take her in his arms and hug her tightly but of course that was out of the question. He would have to transfer these feelings onto somebody else."Raven!" he bellowed. "Get down here now!"And so it was that the young pirate wench found herself crushed against her captain's chest in a bear hug so fierce, she could scarcely breathe.
When he finally released her she was pink and flustered but she soon recovered herself.
"Remind me to be your substitute again some time," she whispered to him with a sly look.He gave her a mock glare then turned his attention to Abigail who had reached the bottom of the gangplank. He bowed. "Lady Abigail," he said.
"Captain," she replied equally formally. She did not meet his eyes but turned to Vie.
"Vincent," she said warmly. "How good to see you again. I trust my cousin is well.""Very well, my lady," Vincent replied. "And your daughter awaits you at a nearby inn."
He reached inside his jacket and drew out a bag of coins. "This is the difference between the money you asked for and the money I gave to the pirate. You may need some of it to settle your daughter's lodging costs.""Splendid," said Abigail. "Shall we proceed there then without further ado?"
They began walking in the direction of the inn then Abigail gave a little cry. "Oh these wretched shoes are not suited for walking on cobbles." She gave Marcus an arch look. "Captain, may I borrow your arm to lean upon?"Marcus would have torn the whole limb off for her if she asked him to and he gladly offered his arm, his pulse quickening at the feel of her
hand at his wrist. Was he imagining it or did her fingers stroke him ever so slightly? Every sense seemed concentrated into that area where their bodies were joined and he couldn't remember when a woman's touch had moved him so. She paid him no attention but instead conversed with Vie about her cousin while Marcus worked valiantly to keep his breathing under control and appear calm while underneath he was raging with desire for the beautiful woman at his side.
After what seemed several years of his life, they arrived at the King's Head where Abigail let go of Marcus' arm and rushed inside to be met by Finn."Is my daughter here?" she demanded.Finn bowed his head. "She's upstairs with er husband, my lady. Should I fetch er for ye?"Abigail appeared to think for a moment. "No, you can show me up shortly. For now, I wonder if you have a private room in which I
might speak with Captain Kane?""Certainly. If you'll follow me." Finn led the way to the rear parlour where he left them alone.
"Marcus," Abigail seemed to breathe his name as she came towards him. She lifted her arms as if to embrace him then dropped them back down to her sides as if she thought better of it. "I believe this is yours," she said. And she held out the bag of money to him.His face flushed. "It's your money," he said. "Or rather, yer cousin's money. I only need enough to pay me debts to Finn.""Your crew will want their share," she pointed out to him."Not my crew anymore," he said. "I'm going back to the Arkadia for one reason only, to see Raven back safely. I have a reason to come back to the land,
ye see." He sat down in a chair and motioned for her to do the same then he told her about Bellamy.As she listened, Abigail's eyes grew wide and when he came to the part about coming home and being told that his family had perished in a fire, she
jumped up from her seat and came to kneel at his feet, taking
his hands
in hers.
"Oh poor, poor Marcus," she said, her eyes filling with tears to mirror the ones in his own. "I knew there was sadness in you but I never dreamed...My God! I can't imagine how it would feel if I had ever lost Clarke in that way. No wonder you..." She blushed. "I'm sorry. Do go on."He frowned. No wonder he what? "But they lied to me," he said. He spoke harshly and Abigail flinched. "Me children were alive and being cared for by a childless couple who wanted a family of their own so badly that they let a loving father believe that is children had died in the most horrible way imaginable." He shook his head. "Think of it, Abigail. Imagine thinking yer children had burned to death, terrified, trying to escape, screaming for their parents to come and save them. Imagine carrying that around in yer head for
thirteen
years." Her words suddenly made sense to him and he added. "Aye, its no wonder I turned to drink and to women willing to let me blot out
me heartache with loving words and sweet caresses." He shook his head. "But when the rum wore off and when the women had left me bed and all that was left was the smell of cheap perfume...it was still there. It was still there, Abigail." To his shame he felt a tear coursing down his cheek and he wiped it away ducking his head so that she wouldn't see.
"Oh, Marcus," she cried and then her arms were about him. She pulled him into a hug and although the pirate captain in him wanted to resist, the heartbroken father won out and he clutched her to him and let the tears flow freely.He didn't know how long he cried but gradually he grew calm, soothed by the touch of her hands as she stroked his hair. Reluctantly, he drew away and he gave her a tremulous smile. "But I've found
me son now," he said. "And God willing, I'll find me daughter too. Bellamy said e hadn't seen er for three years but I'm hoping e knows where she is."Abigail frowned. "Did something happen to the Blakes?" she said. "Only, do you remember, Marcus? I told you that Bellamy had been brought up by an acquaintance of ours. He was still quite young when they took him in, no more than thirteen years old."Marcus started. "And my Aurora?"She shook her head. "No, just Bellamy. I never knew he had a sister." She shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry I can't tell you any more, Marcus. The Greens were acquaintances of ours, not close friends.""But she is alive," Marcus said. "And as soon as Bellamy is ready to speak to me, I'll find out where she is and..." He breathed deeply as feelings he thought he'd never know again began to course through him, invigorating him, setting him alight with happiness. "I'll hold me little girl in me arms once again." Another tear trickled down his cheek and Abigail lifted her hand and brushed it away with her thumb.
"So do you think you'll stay here?" she asked him. "Bellamy and Clarke were on their way to England. I assume they will resume their journey at some point. Bellamy was to take up a position at a law firm."He shrugged. "Of course I want us all to be together," he said. "But it all depends on Aurora. Bellamy has Clarke but Aurora will need er father.""Marcus," she said gently. "Aurora may have a husband, you know."Marcus drew himself up and his eyes flashed dangerously. "She's far too young to even think of such things and if I find out any man has laid is hands on my little girl..."Abigail laughed. "I love this side of you, Marcus. You know, when I saw how you were with the young people in your crew, I thought you'd be a wonderful father and you are." She bit her lip. "I know you may have left by the time I return here in a few weeks, but I would love nothing more than to see you reunited with your daughter and reconciled with your son.""Yer returning here?" Marcus felt his heart lift with hope.She nodded. "It is obvious that my husband does not want me back and I cannot go back to the life I had with him. My only source of joy in that house was Clarke and before you snatched me from the street I had reconciled myself to a life of emptiness. But then you came along." She grinned at him, her eyes dancing in mischief. "What an adventure, Marcus!"He stared at her. "Ye..yer glad I kidnapped ye?"She took his hands in hers. "I can't remember when I last felt so alive. You saved me from drying up and crumbling away into dust. I just ask myself now, what's next? Where shall I go?""So yer leaving Jacob?" His heart was beating so
violently he felt
sure she must be able to hear it."Yes," she said. "I will make him give me the 500 silver dollars that I owe my cousin and then I will come back here to stay with her until I think of what to do next.""500 dollars?" he echoed. "But it was 350."Her lips quirked at one
corner in a delicious manner that made him want to seize her mouth with his. "Jacob doesn't know that.""Abigail!" he said, feigning shock. "Ye'd cheat yer own husband?" He stared at her in awe and admiration. God damn it! The woman
should have been a pirate."He can afford it," she said. "And I shall need money to support myself. I was thinking that I may follow Clarke to England. I left as a young girl and I miss it sometimes.""I feel the same way about Scotland," he said. "The air is so
fresh and sweet with rain and when the sun shines, it doesn't beat down upon ye like the Caribbean sun but warms ye
softly like a gentle lover."Abigail's mouth fell open at his words in the most inviting way and he felt suddenly emboldened. "Abigail," he said."Call me Abby," she whispered. Her eyes had darkened and her chest was rising and falling as though she had been running.Carefully, he took her face between his hands and when she didn't resist, he
touched his lips to hers, hesitantly at first as if still unsure but then she uttered a soft cry and her lips parted. His self-control and his desire to be gentle with her deserted him and he crushed her to him, his tongue clashing with hers as she kissed him back with
wanton abandonment. He thrust his fingers into her hair as if to anchor himself to her and she responded by wrapping her arms about him and tilting her head back allowing him to deepen the kiss. A small whimper escaped her
and he answered with a growl.He did not know how long they kissed for only that he was afraid to stop. Afraid that if he stopped she would change her mind, feel ashamed, angry even. He wanted to remember how this felt for the rest of his life. And he wanted her to remember just how it felt to be kissed by Marcus Kane. He slid one hand down her back so that it came to rest just below her waist and he pulled her against him so that he could feel the softness of her breasts yielding to the hardness of his chest. Her
body felt so tiny next to his
and along with the passion he felt for her, he was conscious of a strong desire to protect her, to make sure she never came to any harm. Abigail was not just a woman to him, she was his woman. And even if he never saw her again after today, he knew she would never cease to be in his thoughts and in his heart.The door opened and he stepped back guiltily. But it was only Finn, grinning as he realised what he had interrupted."I'm sorry, Marcus. Mrs Blake is asking where Lady Abigail is.""We shall come now," said Abigail, running her hands over her hair where Marcus' fingers had created havoc. "Let's go and find our children, Marcus." And she smiled at him without the least bit of embarrassment.
As Finn led the way up the stairs, Abigail grasped Marcus' hand and gave it a brief squeeze. Hope surged through him. Could they have a future together? If he found Aurora and she could be persuaded to come to England, could they be a family of sorts? He would find work, it didn't matter what it was. But then how could he possibly hope to keep Abigail in the manner to which she was accustomed?
"Once ye've seen Mrs Blake, I was wondering if ye would have a look at me serving wench, Lady Abigail," said Finn. "She's been sick with the malaria we think and Marcus says ye have some medical knowledge.""Certainly," said Abigail. "In fact, why don't I take a look now?""Well if yer sure, Lady Abigail." They had reached the top of the stairs and Finn opened the door to Octavia's room.Abigail crossed swiftly to the bed and took one of
Octavia's hands in hers and laid the other on
the girl's forehead. There was something so motherly about her pose that Marcus' throat constricted. If they could somehow be a family, then maybe one day she would look at his own dear Aurora like this.
Octavia stirred and opened her eyes and Abigail smiled.
"How are you feeling, my dear?""Thirsty," Octavia croaked.Marcus poured a glass of water from jug on the dresser and took it over to her. He handed it to Abigail then put one arm around Octavia's shoulders and helped her
to sit up.She was sipping from the glass that Abigail held to her lips when there was a tap on the door and without waiting for an answer, Clarke came in."Clarke!" cried Abigail. She motioned for Marcus to take over holding the glass then she got up and rushed across the room to envelop her daughter in a hug.
"We've been waiting ages for you" said Clarke. "And Bellamy is ready to speak to Marcus now."Octavia choked on her water and Marcus hastily put down the glass and patted her on the back.
"Did you say Bellamy?" she said. "Are you...are you talking about Bellamy Blake?"
Clarke stared at her suspiciously. "I am. And what is Bellamy Blake to you?"Marcus knew what
Octavia was going to say before she said the words. He stared at her. Why had he not put two and two together? Her name was Octavia Blake. Which meant she was Bellamy Blake's sister. Which meant..."Aurora," he gasped out just as she opened her mouth to reply."He's my...what did you call me?" She stared at Marcus, her gaze moving slowly, painfully across his face as he waited for her to
recognise him then her eyes opened wide.He nodded. "It's me, baby. It's Papa."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Watching the girl in the bed, Abigail was reminded of how when
Clarke was a little girl and she'd been thwarted in some way,
she would stick out her lower lip and then her entire face would
scrunch in upon itself before she let out an ear-piercing wail.The girl stared at Marcus, her lip quivering, then her face seemed to collapse as with a loud cry she launched herself at him. He caught her easily in his arms and held her while she sobbed, kissing her hair and murmuring
words of comfort to her. "It's all right, sweetheart. I've got you now. I've got you. Papa's here.""Oh my God," said Clarke. "It's Octavia, Bellamy's sister."Abigail put an arm about
her daughter. "I can hardly believe it," she said in a whisper. "First his son, now his daughter, here in this inn. It's almost as if all this was meant to be."Clarke laughed. "Don't be fanciful mother, it's simply a coincidence."
She pulled away from Abigail's embrace. "Excuse me, I have to let Bellamy know."She left the room and Abigail sat down in a
hard-backed chair in the corner. She felt as if she was intruding upon a very private moment and yet she couldn't look away. She had thought Captain Marcus Kane with his beard and his pirate garb had been attractive in a rakish kind of way, but clean shaven in the garb of a priest (where had he got that cassock from) he was handsome in a completely different way and it was giving her feelings, feelings which she had not experienced in many years. And seeing him with his daughter awakened other feelings too. Feelings of tenderness and...she hesitated to call it love. Calling it love was dangerous and brought up all sorts of questions about the future. After all,
one couldn't simply walk away from a man one loved.And that kiss! She had never been kissed like that before. Marcus' passion had set off a
reaction inside her that was still going on. Every part of her was tingling, longing for him to touch her and she knew that whatever happened from here on, if she didn't have at least one night with him, she would forever be unfulfilled. She bit her lip as the thought of his hands
warming her bare skin intensified the tingling between her thighs.Her fantasy was interrupted as the door burst open."O!" Bellamy rushed over to the bed.
Octavia lifted her tear-streaked face from her father's chest and reached out one
hand to her brother, still keeping a firm hold of Marcus with the other, as if she was afraid he might suddenly disappear. She pulled Bellamy into a fierce
hug and for a moment the three of them were locked in an embrace made awkward by the gap between father and son. Then carefully, Marcus lifted his free arm and placed his hand on Bellamy's shoulder. He didn't squeeze it or exert any pressure, just left it there. Bellamy stiffened a little but didn't pull away.Abigail realised she was holding her breath as she waited for something to happen. Then slowly, Bellamy lifted his own arm and put it around his father's shoulder. There was a choked sob from someone, she wasn't sure from who, but it was definitely male and then
the two dark curly heads drew together as father and son finally had the reunion they should have had all along."Shall we leave them to it?" she whispered to Clarke who had come to sit at her feet.
"No," Clarke whispered back. "I want to watch this. It's beautiful." She turned to face her mother, her eyes shining with tears. "Bellamy has wanted to see his sister so much but when he went back to see her, the family had moved or something. I want to hear what happened."Abigail nodded. She too wanted to hear Octavia's story.Octavia was the first to pull away. "How did you find me?" she said. Without waiting for an answer, she turned to Abigail and Clarke. "And who are you?"Clarke smiled, nervously it seemed. It was obvious that gaining Octavia's approval was very important to her. "I'm Clarke. I'm Bellamy's wife," she said.Octavia's mouth dropped open. "Wife? Oh! Well it's good to meet you, Clarke." She turned her gaze on Abby. "And I'm guessing you're my father's wife."
"I'm...I'm not..." Abby stuttered."Lady Abigail is Clarke's mother," said Bellamy quickly and Abigail smiled gratefully at him. The thought of being Marcus' wife had quite literally robbed her of speech and suddenly the people in the room, even Octavia whom she'd just met, seemed like family to her.
"Oh," said Octavia. "Do you have a wife then?" she asked her father. "Or are you just married to the church?"Abigail had to stifle a grin at the look on Marcus' face. He looked down at himself as if he had forgotten he was wearing the costume of a priest.
"I'm not..I'm not actually...""He's a pirate," said Bellamy.Marcus frowned at Bellamy but Octavia gave a cry of delight."You see, Bell? I told you." She turned to Marcus, her eyes shining. "When you didn't come for us, Bell said you must be dead but I knew you weren't. I told him something must have happened to you, that you must have been kidnapped by pirates or something."Marcus shook his head. "I didn't know you were alive. After the fire..."Bellamy put his hand on his father's arm. "Octavia doesn't like to talk about the fire," he said.
"No, it's all right," said Octavia. "Now that Papa's here, I don't mind." She sat up straight then put a hand to her head and winced."What is it?" Marcus said. He looked over at Abigail in a panic. "Abby, is she all right?""No, I'm fine," said Octavia. "I just felt a little dizzy. It's clearing now.""You need to eat," said Marcus. His voice was
gentle but
firm and Abigail felt a little thrill at how quickly he had fallen back into the role of parent. She had a feeling that everything was going to work out just fine for him now.He got to his feet. "I'll go and fetch you something."Octavia shook her head. "I'll come downstairs. I don't want to eat in my bed and besides, I'd like to change."Marcus looked dubious. "Are you sure you're well enough to leave your bed?""Why don't you all go downstairs and arrange lunch for everyone," suggested Abigail. "While you're gone, I'll check Octavia over."
When everyone had left the room, Abigail crossed to the bed and placed her hand on Octavia's forehead. Thankfully, it was cool to the touch. She smiled at the girl. "Your father's right, you need to eat. And of course you've had an enormous shock."Octavia gave a little laugh. "My father..." She looked up at Abby, her eyes shining with fresh tears. "You have no idea how sweet those words sound."Abby felt tears come into her own eyes. "I'm so glad he's found you both," she said. "I didn't even know of your existence until today but I could see he was carrying a great deal of pain around with him. I could see the sadness in his eyes and..." She trailed off at the look
on Octavia's face. "What is it?""Bellamy said you were Clarke's mother," said Octavia, getting up from the bed and going over to a small wooden wardrobe in the corner of the room. She opened the door and reached inside, taking out a fresh skirt and blouse then she turned to Abigail. "But you're more than that to my father, aren't you?"Abigail's cheeks grew warm. She thought of denying it but the girl's directness deserved an honest answer."I have not known him long but I confess I have developed a fondness for him," she said. "He's an easy man to lo...to like."Octavia gazed at her for a long moment without speaking, then she stripped off the blouse she had been wearing. "Where did you met him?"Abigail laughed. "I think I'll let him tell you that himself."
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, the sound of raucous laughter met their ears.
"Finn Collins, I do believe yer blushing," a familiar voice said."Raven, leave the poor lad alone," came Marcus' voice.Abigail put her arm about Octavia's waist and they followed the
laughter to the room in which Marcus had kissed her. They were met by the sight of such blissful domesticity that Abigail's heart seemed to contract within her. Oh, how she wanted to be a part of this newly reunited family. She couldn't help but compare the scene to her drawing room at home, she sitting alone with her embroidery while Jacob busied himself with his correspondence, paying his wife as much heed as if she were a caged bird.
The room held two comfortable looking armchairs, one either side of a fireplace, though why anyone in the Caribbean ever wanted a fire lit was beyond Abigail. In one chair sat Bellamy with Clarke ensconced on his lap and in the other sat Marcus. He too had changed his clothes and was now in the more familiar outfit of breeches, boots, white frilled shirt and leather waistcoat. God, he was a handsome man! Why did he seem to grow more handsome each time she saw him?Perched on the arm of his chair was Raven and she jumped up at the sight of Abigail and Octavia.
"Well yer 'is bloody daughter, all right," she said triumphantly. "Easy on the eye, just like yer father."Octavia looked bewildered at the attention and Marcus got to his feet. "Come and sit down," he said to her. "Don't pay any heed to Raven. She says what she thinks and her language is atrocious but you won't find a more loyal wench in the whole Caribbean." He gave Raven a playful cuff across the back of her head. "Mind yer language in front of me little girl." He held out his hand to Octavia and led her to his chair where he sat her down then knelt on one knee in front of her. "Raven is going to help Finn make us all some dinner as it seems Finn doesn't know his way around his own kitchen.""Well yes," said Octavia. "I'm the cook, not Finn.""Not today, sweetheart," said Marcus. "Today you're going to rest and after that...well we've a lot to discuss.""How come ye talk all la di da all of a sudden?" demanded Raven. "Yer trying to impress someone?" And she winked at Abby.
"Raven. Kitchen. Now!" Marcus glared at her and she laughed. "Well someone's sensitive today," she said to Finn as they left the room.Marcus shook his head in exasperation. "Bellamy, are you just going to sit there while a lady is standing?""I'm sorry, Papa," Bellamy said, dislodging Clarke and getting quickly to his feet.
Nodding graciously at him, Abigail took the vacated chair and Clarke settled herself on the arm while the two men made do with the floor in front of Octavia's chair."Where have you been, O?"
"Where have you both been?" said Marcus. "I'm trying to piece together the story of what happened to you both." He took Octavia's hand in his. "If it's not too upsetting for you, that is."She shook her head and smiled. "I told you, Papa. Now that you're here, I can talk about anything. Even...even Mama." She faltered for a moment but rallied herself. "When...when the house caught fire, Bell and I...I mean Marcus and I...""It's all right," said Marcus. "Call your brother whatever you're most comfortable with."She nodded. "Bell and I couldn't get out of our bedroom. The fire was outside our door. We opened the window and shouted for help and then this man appeared underneath us. He shouted to us to jump and he would catch us. I wouldn't jump but Bell pushed me and the man caught me. Then he caught Bell and he put us both on his horse and rode away with us.""And he didn't attempt to save your mother?" Marcus' voice was choked but whether it was with anger or with grief, Abigail couldn't tell.
Bellamy shook his head. "Octavia was screaming for him to save Mama too but he said it was too late. He started to ride away with us and I looked back at the house and...and he was right. It was too late. The whole house was on fire. No-one could have survived...no-one." He swallowed. "We went to live with the man and his wife, the Blakes.
At first we thought it was just until you came for us, then when we realised you weren't coming, we...we just started to think of them as our parents. We let them change our names and we thought that we would always be a family. But then Mr Blake caught a fever and died. Mother...I mean Mrs Blake, she wanted to go and live with her sister but her sister, Miss Byrne, said there was no room for us. Then she said she could take Octavia, but not me. Mrs Blake didn't know what to do then a friend of hers, Mrs Green said that she and her husband wanted a companion for their son, Monty." He gave a wry smile. "Monty was always among his books they said and they wanted someone to bring him out of himself. So they took me in and I spent the rest of my childhood at their home in Nassau. I received a good education and when I completed it, Mr Green arranged for me to take up a job with his old law firm in England." He shook his head. "But I swear, Papa, I didn't know Octavia was here working as a tavern wench. I would have looked after her had I known. I thought she was still with...""Hush, Son," Marcus soothed him. "You've done nothing wrong." He turned to Octavia. "So how did you end up here?"She took a deep breath. "Mother died," she said to Bellamy. "It was just after your last visit. Once she was dead, Miss Byrne said she couldn't keep me. She sold her house and she sent me to an orphanage. It was..." She swallowed. "It wasn't a good place."Marcus bowed his head and Abby's heart ached for him. How terrible to think that
his child had been suffering and he hadn't been able to do anything about it."So anyway," Octavia continued. "I left as soon as I was able and I came here and Finn gave me a job. He's been so good to me.""Are you...are you and he...?" Marcus asked.Octavia burst out laughing. "Finn? Good God no." She smiled reassuringly at her father. "There hasn't been anyone, Papa.""Good," said Marcus shortly."But what about everyone else?" she asked. "How did you and Bell find each other and what are you doing in this inn and who is Raven and why were you dressed as a priest if you're a pirate?" She gasped for breath and Marcus sighed.
"Calm yourself and I'll start at the beginning," he said.
When everyone's story had been told to the satisfaction of all,
they moved to the tavern area for a meal of rice and beans
where Raven joined them.
"So what now, Captain?" she asked Marcus. "Do we go back to the Arkadia?"He shook his head. "I'll accompany you back there of course, if you want to go.""You don't have to go," urged Abigail. "I've told you I can find you work on land."Raven grinned. "Finn asked me if I'd stay on here but I turned im down. A pirate's life is the only life that makes me blood sing, Abigail and I know yer worried I'll end up swinging from a rope but I'll take me chances.""Papa!" cried Octavia turning to him."Don't you worry, little bird, I'm only going to see Raven back safely. My life is on land now. Wherever you are, that's where I'll be from now on." He took hold of her hand. "I know I can never make up for all the years I've missed but I'm going to take care of you, Octavia.""What about you, Bell?" said Octavia.Bellamy shrugged. "I need to discuss things with Clarke. I have a job waiting for me in England, you see and as soon as I can get the money for passage...""You don't have to worry about money," said Abigail. "If you still want to travel to England, I'll give you the fare."She turned to Marcus. "I'm sorry. I'm interfering but...""No, Abigail. You're helping to ensure my son and your daughter have a prosperous future," Marcus said. "You have nothing to apologise for." He squeezed Octavia's hand. "And how about you, Octavia? Would you like to start a new life in England?""Really?" Octavia's eyes opened wide."I'd like to keep my family together," he said. "But obviously it's a subject that needs discussion.""Clarke, why don't you take Bellamy and Octavia to Diana's for a little while?" suggested Abigail. She laughed. "Obviously don't tell her about their connection with Marcus. But it will be more comfortable for you than this inn. And then when I get back...""You're coming back?" interrupted Clarke.
Abigail sighed. She didn't want to turn Clarke against her father. She was already angry with him for trying to arrange her marriage. It wouldn't take much to set her against him completely and Abigail didn't want that. He was still Clarke's father after all."Your father and I have not had the best marriage for some time," she began."Ha!" said Clarke. "I think that's the understatement of
the century, Mother. You were desperately unhappy. I know you tried to hide it from me
but I have eyes, you know.""It wasn't your father's fault entirely," began Abigail but Clarke waved her hand impatiently. "It doesn't really matter whose fault it was, does it? All
I can say is when you find happiness, you have to grab it with both hands." And she gave Bellamy a look of such love and devotion that tears welled up in Abigail's eyes.
"If...If you do decide to go to England, would you have any objection to me accompanying you?" she said hesitantly. "I mean, I wouldn't want to be in your way. It's just..."She was interrupted by Clarke jumping to her feet and coming to give her a hug."Mother, you don't know how hard it was to leave you," she cried. "My place is with Bellamy now and always will be but you have no idea how I cried when I left you. I was inconsolable, wasn't I, Bellamy?""You were," said Bellamy. "And Lady Abigail, I'd be more than happy if you were to come to England. One day, I hope that Clarke and I may be blessed with children of our own and I'd like to think that she would have her mother's help and support.""Oh!" said Marcus."What is it?" Abigail asked.
"Grandchildren," he said softly and there was such a
sentimental look on his face that Abigail wanted to hug him. Of course, up until today he hadn't known that his children lived, so grandchildren would have been an impossibility for him. There was such a lot for him to adjust to."Yes," said Octavia suddenly. "I'd like to go to England, as long as you come too, Papa. I want us all to be together. You and me and Bell and one day, Bell's children. And Clarke and Lady Abigail of course.""I think if we're all going to be one big family, people should stop referring to me as Lady Abigail," Abigail said. "In fact, if you wanted to, Bellamy, I'd like it if you would call me Mother. Only if you wanted to of course.""Mother?" echoed Bellamy and Octavia at the same time, both glancing from her to Marcus.Abigail felt a flush start in her neck and rush up into her cheeks. "I...I mean because I am your mother in law."Marcus was looking at her in a way that made her want to turn to him and say, What? Stop looking at me in that way. You know I love you, You know I want us to be together.
But of course she did no such thing. She cleared her throat and looked down at her plate wishing someone would say something to break the silence.
In the end, it was Raven who came to her rescue. "Listen, Marcus. I can make me own way back to the Arcadia. I don't want ye to have to leave yer kids.""We could come with you," said Octavia excitedly."Absolutely not," said Marcus.
"Oh but, Papa," she pleaded."No!"
Her face fell and Marcus patted her hand. "Associating with pirates is not the life I want for you, my darling.""Oh thank ye very much!" said Raven."Not counting you of course, sweetheart," said Marcus and he spoke with genuine fondness. "You are one in a million and I would be more than happy for my daughter to count you among her friends. I haven't thanked you for keeping an eye on Abigail for me when she was taken by Jaha. I felt so much better knowing that you were with her.""Of course, she wouldn't have been taken by Jaha if you hadn't kidnapped her in the first place," said Clarke drily.
Marcus bit his lip but Abigail knew her daughter well enough to know that she wasn't seriously annoyed with Marcus anymore. It was just her way of letting him know he was on probation at the moment."Well if Marcus hadn't kidnapped me," she said. "None of this would have happened." And she spread her arms wide to encompass the whole table. "I am reunited with my daughter and Marcus is reunited with his children.""Yes," said Bellamy. "Where would we be now, Clarke if my father hadn't told that sailor he would pay for our lodgings?""And if you hadn't come to stay here, I would never have seen you again," cried Octavia.
"If I hadn't seen Abigail treat Jaha's man with tonic water, I never would have known to give it to you," said Marcus. "And you could be..." He
shook his head."It's like it was all meant to be," said Raven. "It's a funny thing fate, isn't it Abby?" And she winked at Abigail and then again at Marcus.Marcus cleared his throat. "Anyway we need to think about leaving if we're to
find a boat to take us to Tobago." He turned to Abby. "What I was thinking is this. You come with us to Tobago, I'll deliver Raven safely to the Arkadia and explain to the crew that I won't be coming back. Then with your permission, Abigail I'll accompany you back to Nassau. Once you're safely ashore, I can get another boat back here and we'll wait for your return. I'll stay here at the inn.""Oh please, let me come with you, Papa," cried Octavia. "I can't say goodbye to you again. I just can't. I don't want to go and stay wherever it is Bellamy and Clarke are going. I don't know that person.""You know your brother," Marcus said."But he and Clarke have each other. They're newlyweds. And I've only just got you back, Papa. Please!"
Tears trickled down Octavia's cheeks and Marcus looked torn.
"How about this?" suggested Abby. "We go back to Tobago and we take rooms at an inn for the night. Then you can take Raven back to the Arkadia and Octavia and I can stay safely at the inn."Marcus shook his head with a smile. "Fine pirate I am, letting myself be swayed by a couple of women. All right, Octavia. But you stick to me and Abigail like glue, do you hear me?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Octavia yawned loudly. "Does anyone mind if I go to bed?""No, that's fine," said Marcus. "You've not been well and you've had a long day. We all have." He got to his feet and wrapped his arms about his daughter as she stood.
"I'm so happy to have found you," he said, his voice husky.
"I'm glad you found me too," she said, hugging him hard. "I told you, Papa. I always knew you'd come for me one day.""I'll see you up to your room," he said.
"Papa, no." Octavia shook her head, smiling at his over-protectiveness. "You stay with Abigail.""No," Marcus said. "You've grown into a beautiful young woman and I wouldn't trust this lot in here not to molest you." He turned to Abigail. "Will you be alright down here by yourself, Abby? I won't be long."Abigail cast a glance around the tavern where two elderly men were playing at cards and a drunk was slumped with his face in his dinner. She laughed.
"I'm sure I'll be fine, Marcus. Go on up with Octavia. I'll try not to disturb you when I come up, Octavia. Oh!""What is it?" Marcus asked, frowning."It's nothing," she said. "Only that I had planned to ask them to bring me a bath up to the room. I've been washing myself as best as I can but it's been too long since I soaked in a bath of water. But it's all right. You go on up, Octavia. I can bathe in the morning."She watched as Marcus walked out of the door with his daughter, one hand clamped protectively on her shoulder. They had been lucky that a ship was about to leave for Tobago in the late afternoon but by the time they had arrived and Marcus had delivered Raven safely to the Arcadia, the most respectable inn in the port had only two remaining rooms. Octavia had suggested that they could spend the night upon the Arcadia but Marcus had refused point-blank.
"Absolutely not!" he had said. "That life is behind me now and there is no way I'm letting my daughter on a pirate ship.""Well, Abigail came out of it with her honour unsullied," Octavia said cheekily, earning an alarmingly raised eyebrow from her Papa.Marcus shook his head then locked eyes with Abigail. There's still time,
his expression seemed to say and her stomach flipped over with anticipation.
When Marcus came back downstairs he pulled his chair closer to hers as if he was about to involve her in some conspiracy.
"I was thinking that you could get them to take a bath up to my room," he said. "I'll give you privacy, of course. I'll wait down here."She bit her lip and nodded. She wanted to say, no stay and scrub my back, but she didn't want to be too forward. And he was being respectful of her which was good. She was a married woman after all. But then, what had that kiss meant and those glances he kept giving her that set her on fire?"I'll ask them to take a tub up then," he said and he went off to speak to the tavern wench.Abigail watched him as he walked. He had a confident stride with legs planted wide apart, back straight, head held high; the man had an undeniable presence. The wench coloured prettily as he spoke to her, despite being only half his age, and Abigail wondered just how many women he had had in his bed. Raven had told her one night on Jaha's ship that it must be in the hundreds and rather than being shocked at his morals, all she had been able to think was how experienced he must be, how knowledgeable he must be about women's bodies, just how they liked to be touched.
That night in her bed
while Raven had snored softly beside her, she had reached down and touched herself, stroking herself softly even as she told herself it was wrong to think of another man in that way.Now he was walking back to her and she couldn't take her eyes from him.
"Whats wrong?" he asked her.
"Nothing," she said and she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. "I-I just like watching you walk," she said boldly. "You have a real pirate's swagger."Marcus looked surprised for a moment then the corners of his eyes crinkled and he treated her to the one-sided smirk she found so attractive."I've had that said to me more than once," he said. "The ladies, they do have a theory about it.""Do they now?" she said, one eyebrow arched. Her heart was racing, she was a respectable married woman and here she was flirting with a pirate. For whatever he had been before or intended to be in the future, Marcus Kane would forever be to her the
dashing pirate captain who had thrown her over his shoulder and taken her upon his ship.
He said nothing but his gaze held hers for such a long moment that she felt in danger of drowning in those coffee-coloured orbs. She was aware that her breathing had quickened and she felt almost dizzy."Did they - did they say they would take up a bath for me?" she asked, needing to break the spell before she disgraced herself entirely by falling in a faint at his feet."Aye," he said softly, his gaze still on hers. He cleared his throat. "I'll need to go up and clear a space for you. You may recall that I'm not the tidiest of men."
She laughed. "I do indeed." She got to her feet. "I may as well come with you."Marcus pushed back his chair and stood, holding out his hand to her and with only the slightest hesitation, she took it. Her hand felt lost in his, his skin was warm to the touch
with callouses on his palm from a lifetime of manual work. He had strong, capable hands and she felt a delicious tingling between her legs at the thought of feeling their roughness against her skin.Neither of them spoke a word as they ascended the narrow wooden staircase but the air between them seemed to crackle the way it did when a tropical storm was in the air.
Once in his room, he closed the door and turned to her, his body only inches from her own.
"Abigail," he said, his voice husky."Captain," she whispered back.
He grinned. "Captain?""You're my
Captain," she murmured and she lifted a hand to his stubbled cheek."And are ye me wench?" he asked her, turning his head to drop a light kiss on her palm.She laughed in an attempt to dissipate the growing tension. "You've gone all piratey."He raised an eyebrow. "Piratey? Is that how you like me then, Lady Abigail?"
He wrapped an arm about her waist and she caught her breath as he pulled her hard against him."A good many ladies may dream of being ravished by a handsome pirate, I dare say," she whispered."Aye, but to ravish is to take a woman against her will," he said. "I'd sooner the lady was willing."His words reminded her of his reputation with women and she drew back from him, pushing his
arm away from her waist."And there have been so many willing ladies, have there not?" she said, unable to keep the hauteur from her voice.He frowned. "Does that bother you, Abby? I can't change my past though I would if I could for you. Are you worried that I'll find you lacking in experience? You needn't be. I'm a good...""Oh you insufferable, arrogant man!" she cried. "I can assure you that while I may not have been bedded by as many men as your usual tavern wenches and whores, I am as proficient in the art of love-making as any of them! How like a man to think that lack of experience was my concern!""I-I'm sorry, Abby," he said, flustered. "I only thought that..."He was interrupted by a knocking at the door. Cursing under his breath, he threw it open to admit a woman carrying a bathtub, a man carrying two buckets of steaming water and a young boy carrying a bucket of cold.
"I'll leave you to your bath then, shall I?" Marcus said, his voice rough."Indeed," she replied.When he was gone and she was alone with her bath, she felt tears pricking at her eyes. What had just happened? How could she explain that it wasn't his experience that worried her, it was just... She let out her breath in a shuddering sigh. He'd had so many conquests and she didn't want to be just another prize for him to add to his collection. The way he looked at her told her she was more than that but what if he looked at every woman in the same way? What if that was just part of his charm? After all, wasn't it the hallmark of every great lover that he made every woman feel that she was the only one?Angrily she struggled with the laces on her dress. Raven had helped her on with it earlier in the absence of a ladies maid. At the thought of Raven, she remembered the pirate wench's words, yer special to him. Was she right? After all, she knew Marcus as well as anybody. Oh damn these laces! Anger and frustration overwhelmed her and she sat on the edge of Marcus' bed and sobbed as if her heart was breaking. It was all just too much, Jacob's indifference, being reunited with Clarke, the attentions of Marcus Kane; her emotions had been buffeted from one extreme to the other. She threw herself face-down onto the coverlet and let it muffle her cries so that she could weep unrestrained then suddenly warm hands were on her shoulders pulling her upright and through her tears she turned and saw Marcus' worried face.
"Abigail, what's wrong?" he asked her, stroking the hair from her forehead. "I knocked on the door to see if you needed anything and all I could hear was your crying. Is it me? Have I done something to upset you? Please tell me. I'd do anything to make it right."She shook her head. "N-not really," she said. "Only I-I don't just want to be your latest conquest. I'm worth more than that. And I'm a married woman. I'm not about to betray my husband for one night of pleasure. And I can't...why are you smiling, Marcus? Do I amuse you?""Oh Abigail," he murmured and he gathered her in so that her tear-stained cheek was pressed against his chest.She knew she should pull away but his arms were so strong and comforting and his chest so broad. And he smelled so good, of leather and clean sweat and of the sea.
"Abigail," he said again and it seemed her name was a prayer upon his lips. "How can you not know that I love you?"
She lifted her head to see him gazing down upon her. "You-you love me?" she whispered."Aye," he said. "I know you don't feel the same as yet but
can I dare to hope that you may love me in time? I don't have the right to ask it, I know and as you say, you're a married woman. But you did say that you were leaving him and I thought that...I mean I hoped you might...""Oh, Marcus," she breathed. She reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair. "I do have feelings for you. I've been afraid to call it love but I don't know what else to call it. I mean it's more than the regard I would have for a friend but..." She got no further as Marcus stopped her words with a kiss.At first it was the sweetest, gentlest kiss. He drew his tongue along her lower lip, eliciting a low moan from her then as her lips parted for him, he deepened the kiss and gave an answering moan, pulling her to him so that her breasts were crushed against his chest. Kissing Marcus Kane was like nothing she'd ever known before. She felt as if she wanted him to absorb her into him so that they merged into one person and she pressed harder against him as if to make that happen.
Then she felt herself being lowered backwards, the bed was against her back and his fingers were at the laces of her bodice. He drew back from kissing her and she saw that his his eyes were darkened with lust."Do you want this, Abby?" he asked her.
She felt unable to speak but she managed to nod.His practised fingers made short work of unlacing her bodice and when he had loosened them, he pulled it down so that her breasts spilled over the top. For a moment, he simply stared down at them as if in awe then he dragged one calloused finger across her nipple.
She arched her back and let out a long, tortured moan. "Oh, Marcus, don't stop.""Your bath will be getting cold," he reminded her. "Would Milady like some assistance?""With my bath?" She sat up. Bathing was something she'd only ever done in private with maybe her maid, Harper to assist. Jacob had never expressed a desire to see her at her bath but Marcus...Marcus was a different sort of man from Jacob, less refined, earthier, more elemental.
"You could help me out of my dress," she murmured.
Marcus stood up and pulled her to her feet then he loosened the laces that held her dress fastened at the back until they were so loose, her dress slipped off her shoulders."You have such beautiful
shoulders," he said, caressing them. "Your skin is so smooth it looks as if it's been polished." He bent his head and his stubble rasped against her skin as he planted hot kisses from her shoulder down her collarbone to her breasts. He stopped teasingly and pulled away to push her dress down over her hips where it pooled at her feet leaving her standing before him naked except for her thin cotton shift. "My God, Abby you're beautiful," he breathed. He turned her so that her back was to him and quickly he released her hair from its pins until it tumbled about her shoulders. "You've no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
She arched her back against him with an impatient moan. Her whole body was burning with a fire that only he could put out and she needed him to take her now.
He chuckled against her hair. "Patience, Lady Abigail," he murmured. "I want to throw you down on my bed and have you right now but I want you to always remember our first night together." He pushed her hair over one shoulder and kissed the nape of her neck slowly, teasing her then he reached around to her breasts and traced a line around a nipple with one finger.She forced herself to relax, to focus on the sensations without thinking of what would come next but it was so difficult. His hardness was pressing against her, she could feel how large it was and she imagined how it would feel moving inside her. But first...ohhh he had pushed his other hand under the waistband of her shift and his fingers were searching greedily lower, seeking out her core. She moved her hips, grinding her bottom against his erection and was rewarded by the sound of him hissing through his teeth. He squeezed her nipple with the fingers and thumb of one hand while with his other hand he cupped her pubis. She cried out
as he parted the lips of her sex with two long fingers.
"You're so wet, Abigail," he murmured, his breath hot against her ear.
She closed her eyes and remembered how he had thrown her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a child. He had snatched her from the street, from her empty, meaningless life, and now he was making her his. She groaned as he pushed one finger inside her while his thumb found the little bundle of nerves and caressed it, drawing lazy circles that made her whimper.
He laughed softly against her neck. "I'm supposed to be getting you ready for your bath." He turned her back to face him and with both hands he
pulled down her shift so that she was naked.
She blushed as he ran his gaze slowly over her body, his expression serious. "What are you thinking?" she asked.
He shook his head and gave a low whistle. "That you're perfect," he said."Oh I don't know about that," she said, suddenly embarrassed. "I've had a child," and she pointed to where a network of fine silvery marks crossed her belly.Marcus sank to his knees in front of her and to her surprise he touched his lips to her stretch marks. "Your motherhood makes you even more beautiful in my eyes," he whispered and she remembered then what he had lost and tears came into her eyes.She reached one hand down and threaded her fingers through his hair and gasped as his fingers found her sex once more.
No longer teasing, he thrust two fingers inside her, scissoring them to stretch her wider then crooking them so that they hit a spot inside her that made her catch her breath sharply. He pumped his fingers in and out of her and his thumb pressed directly on her clitoris.She felt as if she would faint with pleasure and was sure she would fall were it not for his arm wrapped around her thighs, pulling her towards him. Jake had never done anything like this to her, he had never devoted himself to her pleasure as Marcus was doing.
"God, Marcus," was all she could manage to say and her voice sounded strained and guttural then she felt a desperate urgency begin to gather inside her. "Oh please, Marcus, don't stop, don't stop, don't...aahhhhh!" She cried out as the urgency seemed to explode throughout her whole body and all she was aware of was Marcus' practised fingers wringing her orgasm out of her. Her knees gave way and Marcus pulled her down so that she was kneeling with him.
"I've never..." she gasped into his neck as he held her gently, stroking her back."Never?" he repeated. He sounded shocked and she lifted her head so that she was looking into his eyes. "Never," she promised him. "That was the best...I mean..." she stopped, suddenly shy.
"Oh, Abigail," he murmured. "I can do much better than that. Did Jacob...did he ever give you pleasure with his mouth?"Abigail gasped. She had heard of men pleasuring women with their mouths but it was not something Jacob had ever expressed an interest in. "With his mouth?" she echoed."Aye," he growled. "I want to make you come again but this time I want to use my tongue on you. I want to taste you and I want to feel
your juices soaking my face."Abigail felt faint at the thought. "My bath," she
managed to say.
Marcus smiled down at her. "Of course, let's get you clean before I get you all hot and sweaty again." He took her hand and led her to the tub. He tested the temperature with his hand and added a little more cold water from one of the jugs. The he took her hand again. "If Milady would care to step in," he said, steadying her as she
climbed into her bath.
"What about you?" she said as she sank down gratefully into the heavenly warmth."Are you asking me to join you?" he said with one eyebrow raised."I'm ordering you to," she said with pretended hauteur.
"As your Ladyship desires," he said. He threw off his leather waistcoat then pulled his white linen shirt off over his head.She drank in the sight of him hungrily, from his broad chest to his flat stomach, his torso was as tanned brown by the sun as his arms were. A t shape of dark hair ran down from just below his navel, disappearing tantalisingly inside his breeches. Then as she watched, he unbuckled his wide leather belt and let his breeches fall to the floor and stepped out of them to stand before her in all his magnificence. His legs were long and firm muscled, the only sign that he was no longer in the first flush of youth was a slight thickening of the flesh around his hips but this only served to make her feel better about the signs of ageing on her own body. But what really drew her attention was his manhood. She only had Jake's to compare it with but it compared very favourably indeed. Not only was it at least the equal of Jake's in length, but it was considerably thicker and a shiver of pleasure rippled down her spine as she thought of how it would feel inside her, hot, heavy, filling her, possessing her.
Not taking her eyes off him, she picked up the small bar of soap that the servants had left next to the bath and she began to work it up into a lather between her hands.
"Let me," he said, stepping into the bath. He lowered himself into the the water and held out his hand for the soap. "Turn around."She closed her eyes blissfully as he worked the lather into her shoulders."Shall I wash your hair?" he asked her.She nodded. "That would be nice."Marcus massaged the lilac scented soap into her roots, kneading her scalp with strong fingers until she was so relaxed she felt she could fall asleep right there. Then he carefully rinsed out all of the suds using fresh water from the jug."Kneel up," he ordered and she obeyed him, her legs shaking as with a firm hand he soaped between her legs.
When he was satisfied that she was clean, he handed her the soap and got to his feet in the tub.She soaped his lower legs and thighs, thrilling at the hard muscle under her hands. When she reached the apex of his thighs, she hesitated. Marcus was looking down at her through half closed lids and he nodded as if giving her permission. Carefully she grasped his cock in one soapy hand and closed her fingers around it making a fist.Marcus drew in his breath and she pulled the skin up and down rhythmically until he clamped his hand over hers. "Enough," he gasped. "You'll make me come if you don't stop and I want to save myself."He knelt back down and turned his back to her. She massaged soap into his broad shoulders, easing out the knots of tension with her thumbs for which she was rewarded by a deep groan.
"That's wonderful, Abby. You have magic hands."She smiled to herself then rubbed soap into his hair and began to massage his scalp as he had done to her. "I love your hair," she said. "Its so thick and so soft and that little curl that falls
over your forehead
sometimes...You've no idea how I've wanted to touch it, to push it out of your eyes.""It's your job from now on," he promised her.When she was satisfied he was totally clean she got to her feet. "Stand up," she said.
He did as she asked and she turned him to face her then stood on tiptoe to kiss him."You're so handsome, Captain," she murmured.
He grinned. "Ye like calling me Captain?"She lifted a hand to his cheek. "I told you. You're my Captain," she said softly.
He stared at her then with one decisive movement he stepped out of the bathtub and swung her up into his arms. He strode over to the bed where he deposited her onto the bedspread.
"Marcus!" she squealed. "The sheets will get soaked.""Then I'll sleep on the floor," he growled. "I'm not waiting any longer to make ye mine, wench."Abby giggled at his accent but a thrill ran down her spine at the same time. There was something so sexy about Marcus as a pirate captain. She looked forward to him growing his beard back and maybe he could seize her as he had that first evening and throw her over his shoulder...She gasped as he
kissed her collarbone then dropped a line of kisses down to her breast, his lips burning against her damp skin. He took one nipple between his teeth and nibbled it gently, looking up at her through his wet curls. Then he moved down her body,
leaving a trail of kisses. When he gently nosed the soft triangle of her pubic hair she couldn't help bucking her hips."Oh God, Marcus!"He took hold of her hips, holding her firmly in place as he kissed her where no man had kissed her before. His kiss was so light and tender at first then he put out his tongue and licked a line up between her folds that wrought an inarticulate cry from her.
She grasped his hair and threw back her head as he moved his tongue in a figure of eight around
her clitoris then took it between his lips and sucked gently. He pushed two fingers slowly inside her, opening her up and she moaned in ecstasy.
She never wanted this to stop, it was too good. She wanted to stay here forever, sprawled across these damp sheets with her handsome pirate captain between her legs. But all too soon her body was being stretched out as if she was on a rack and a tortuous orgasm surged through her.
When Marcus raised his head, his face was wet with her juices and she blushed. But he only smiled and drew the back of his hand across his chin."Ye taste like the sweetest honey, Lady Abigail, no need to blush, though I do like the pinkness in yer cheeks."He kissed his way back up her body, his great hands splayed across her breasts and she felt herself responding again as he tongued each nipple in turn until they were as hard as pebbles. His cock was laying against her belly and she felt it twitching in anticipation.
She reached down and took it in her hands. "Would you like me to...to return the favour?" she asked him."Aye, one day," he said. "For now, Abigail, I'm aching to feel meself inside ye. You were so tight around me fingers, I can't wait to feel ye grasping me cock."She felt herself blushing again and she lowered her gaze. But he grasped her chin and tilted it upwards so that she was forced to look him in the eyes. She expected to see teasing there. For all her talk of being experienced, she knew that having only lain with one man, she was as innocent as a maid compared to Marcus and she wondered if this amused him. But his gaze was heavy and full of love for her and she felt tears pricking her own eyes.
"I know what you're thinking," he said softly, all trace of the pirate gone from his voice. "The way you blush when I talk to you about what I want to do to you, I'm guessing your husband never talked to you like this.""No," she confessed. "He...he...I suppose he just took his pleasure.""And you're feeling shy with me because I'm different," he said, wiping a tear away from her cheek. "Abigail, to be the first man to bring you pleasure is the greatest honour I can imagine." He bent his head to hers and kissed her so tenderly her heart swelled with love for him. With a moan she opened to him and their tongues commenced a languid battle then his hardness was nudging at her entrance and she parted her legs to allow him to push inside her, groaning deep in her throat as he eased his way in.
At first, he kept still allowing her to become accustomed to his girth then he began to move, slowly at first, pulling almost all the way out then sliding back in. He pulled away from kissing her lips and she felt his breath hot against her neck.
"You're so wet, Abby," he murmured. "So wet and tight and hot."There was no denying it was good to hear him talk like this, it heated her passion even more and she wondered if she should talk back to him in the same fashion.
"Fuck me harder!" she gasped and was rewarded by him plunging into her so deeply that he took her breath away.
He grasped hold of her buttocks and dug his fingers into their softness and she raised her legs to give him even more of her. He responded by pulling
himself up onto his knees and moving her ankles onto his shoulders holding them there as he
thrust into her over and over, grinning down at her as she cried out in ecstasy and disbelief.Just as she thought she couldn't take any more, his expression changed. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw and she knew he was close.
"Yes, Marcus," she murmured. "Come for me."He groaned and at the sound of his pleasure she felt her own excitement rising again and she cried out softly. Marcus took one hand from around her ankle and brought it down between their bodies. He stroked her sex with his thumb in rhythm with his thrusts and when they came it was together with a cry from Abby and a shout from Marcus.
They lay in each other's arms, panting, sweating, still wet from their bath. Abigail felt so sated, so relaxed and drowsy that she felt she could fall asleep where she lay. She burst out laughing.
"Are ye laughing at yer Captain, wench?" he growled, slapping her lightly on her behind."No," she managed between giggles. "I'm wondering how on earth you're going to sleep in this bed now."He raised himself up on one elbow. "Does this mean you won't be staying with me tonight?""No, I'll go to my own room," she said regretfully. "I don't want Octavia to know about us yet. She's only just got used to having you in her life again.""That's very thoughtful of you, Abigail," he said. "But are you sure you're not just avoiding the wet sheets?" And he nipped playfully at her neck with his teeth.
She laughed again. "Well, maybe a little." She took his face between her hands and pressed her lips to his forehead. "There will be many more nights to spend together, my love." But as she spoke her heart sank. It was all very well existing in the moment with the man she now realised she loved, but she still had to face Jacob.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Marcus asked for the fifth time."No, I've told you. I'll be fine."
Abigail ran her fingers over his frown lines as if to smooth them away. "The captain seems like a gentleman and I'm sure the two ladies travelling together will make pleasant companions." She shook her head as he opened his mouth to object. "Marcus, I don't want you setting foot on Nassau. I don't want you anywhere near Jacob. Besides, what money we have left will be put to better use returning you and Octavia to the inn at Port of Spain. I promise you, I won't be long.""How long?" he said with a hint of petulance as he pulled her hard against him.
"When I get home, I'll spend no more than a week with Jacob," she said. "Then I'll take the next available ship to Trinidad. All being well, we should be together within the month.""A month?" he groaned. "I'm sorry, Abby. I don't mean to make this any harder than it already is, but I keep thinking, what if you don't come back?""And why shouldn't I come back?" she scolded him. She smiled and stroked back the curl of hair that fell roguishly over one eye. "I love you, Marcus and I can't wait to start our life together."
Abigail couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach as she walked along the familiar road to her house. She had planned out her meeting with Jacob in her head so many times over the voyage, but now that she was about to face him, her courage felt as if it was about to desert her.
"Mistress! Oh, Mistress!"Abigail was distracted from her thoughts by the sight of her maid, Harper rushing to her."Harper!" She clutched the girl's arms as she reached her. "It's alright. I'm back.""Oh, Mistress, we thought you were dead," gasped the girl. "Master told us you and Miss Clarke had been taken by pirates and had your throats cut.""Master spoke too soon," said Abigail grimly. "He will no doubt be surprised to see me.""And Miss Clarke?" asked Harper, looking about her."Miss Clarke is married, Harper. She is Mrs Blake now and she is...well never mind where she is, but she is quite safe."
The information vouchsafed by Harper banished the last of the butterflies replacing them with anger, and by the time Abigail stormed into Jacob's study, she was incandescent with fury."Abigail!" Jacob looked at her as if the devil himself had walked into the room."What the hell do you mean by telling the servants that Clarke and I are dead?" she raged. She noticed that he was dressed in funereal black and she sneered. "You're wasted in business, Jacob, you should have taken to the damn stage!""Abigail!" he said again. "Your language. Please!""What?" She gave a harsh laugh. "That's what concerns you most at the moment? My language? I must forever be the lady to you, mustn't I, Jacob? I must never step out of line, never think for myself.""Abigail," he said quietly. "Calm yourself. Think of the servants. Now sit down and we will talk."Abigail threw herself down into a chair. "Why did you not pay my ransom, Jacob?" She tried to keep the hurt from her voice, but it still pained her that after all these years, he cared so little for her.Jacob turned his back to her and poured two glasses of Madeira.
"My first priority was the whereabouts of my daughter," he said, handing her a glass. "The letter I was given stated that you had been snatched. It said nothing of Clarke. Yet when I went to find her, she was missing and her maid informed me that she had left the inn with her mother. A little more investigation on my part and it appeared that not only had my wife and daughter gone missing, but so had a certain Bellamy Blake, a young man of neither family nor fortune with whom my daughter had been spending far too much time of late. It didn't take me long to work out that Clarke had eloped with this boy and that it had been with your connivance." He gave her a rueful smile. "I had wondered why you were so insistent that you and Clarke accompany me to the port. You had never shown any interest in my business before. You said, if I recall, that the sea air would be good for Clarke and as she had been looking pale of late,
I foolishly acquiesced. Now I know that you just needed to be close to the sea to make your escape." He took a long swallow of his drink. "The letter I received...I must confess I was perplexed. Had you been snatched by pirates on the very same evening that my daughter eloped? Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you agree? And yet there was the ransom note. I pondered for a while until I had convinced myself that it was simply a ruse my dear wife had concocted to extract money from me to finance my daughter's new life."Abigail felt a pang of guilt at how close he was to the truth. After all, she was planning to ask him for more money than she owed Diana. She straightened in her seat. No, she would not feel guilty. He owed her something for all the years she had been a good obedient wife to him. Now it was her turn to live a life she had chosen for herself."Well, you were mistaken," she said stiffly. "Not about Clarke, she has eloped with Mr Blake and I did assist them. I know you intended for her to marry Cage Wallace and I knew that from a business point of view that would have been a good match, but it was not something Clarke wanted." She ventured a conciliatory smile. "I hope you can put aside your disappointment and be happy that your daughter has married a man she truly loves. They are at present on their way to England where Mr Blake is to take up a position in a firm of solicitors. So, while she may not have the place in society that you would have wished for her, you may rest assured she will hardly be living in squalor."
She took a sip of her drink and watched Jacob. His cheeks were red and he was clenching his fists by his side. "As for myself," she continued, "I was indeed captured by pirates. They were none too pleased when the ransom was not forthcoming and they threatened to slit my throat from ear to ear." She was gratified to see the look
of
shock on Jacob's face. "However, I convinced them to make for Port of Spain where a message was conveyed to my cousin. It was she who paid the ransom of five hundred silver dollars. Of course, I assured her that you would repay her in full.""Five hundred?" said Jacob with a frown. "The note said three hundred and fifty.""Well when you decided not to pay the ransom, the sum was increased," said Abigail. She sighed. "Anyway, our separation has allowed me time to think, Jacob. You and I have not had a true marriage for a long time and now that Clarke has left, I see no need for us to continue with our charade. You had clearly given me up for dead anyway." She gestured to his sombre clothing."What else was I to say?" demanded Jacob. "That my daughter had run off with a peasant
and my wife had gone along with them? Allow me some dignity, Abigail.""And yet here I am," she said. "As alive as you are. We will need to think of some story to keep the gossips happy. As for me, I will stay no longer than a week and then I will take the ransom money to Diana and I will stay with her."Jacob's face had turned as white as his shirt collar and his lips were pressed together in a thin bloodless line. "You stupid, foolish woman," he said and he seemed to choke on his own words. "You say Clarke and Cage Wallace would have been a good match from a business perspective. A good match? Abigail that match was essential."
She frowned. "I don't understand.""No, why would you?" he said, more kindly now. "I have always sheltered you from the harsh realities of business. I wanted your life to be as free from troubles as possible. But it...it has not been easy these past few years. There have been fluctuations in the price of sugar and in hindsight, some of the decisions I have taken may have been ill-advised."She stared at him. "Just what are you saying, Jacob?""I am saying, my dear, that we are broke. The alliance with the Wallace family was to have been our salvation. We would have joined our business empires and Dante Wallace would have made good our losses. It would have been in
both our interests as our children and grandchildren would then inherit both businesses. But now..." He held up his hands and grinned without humour. "Now with your connivance, that will never happen. So I'm afraid Diana will just have to wait for her money."
A cold dread settled in Abigail's stomach as she contemplated the future without money. How would they all get to England now and on what would they live? Then she mentally shook herself. Jacob still had this fine house, his carriages, a full household of staff."I'm afraid I cannot expect my cousin to suffer for your poor business decisions," she said. "And I cannot imagine how it will affect your reputation when I tell her your answer. You know how dear Diana likes to talk. Why the tale of your ruin will be all over the Caribbean by Christmas."Jacob drew up a chair next to hers and took her hand. "Abigail," he said and he smiled at her in a way he hadn't done for a long time. "I'm sorry that you feel our marriage was not what you expected. I too miss those days when we were young and carefree. We were everything to each other at one time, were we not?"Tears started in Abigail's eyes. "We could have been still," she said. "But you changed, Jacob and you made it plain I was not the wife you wanted me to be. I've been lonely and if it wasn't for Clarke, I don't know how I would have borne it." She shook her head. "And now Clarke has left to start her new life and I want the same for myself.""Oh, Abby," he said gently. "We were young when we fell in love, we had no responsibilities, but we had to grow up and live the lives that were destined
for us. I have given you a good home, have I not, every comfort you could have wished for?" When she didn't answer, he squeezed her hand. "But I understand if you wish to leave me. I have not been the husband you thought I would be. I have not perhaps given you the attention that you needed. So, I will let you go to Diana. All I ask is that you give me some time to raise the money we owe her.""How much time?" she asked. His words were kind and she felt genuinely moved by them but the nicer he was to her, the more she missed Marcus. She had promised to be back within the month and she didn't want to make him wait a moment longer.
He sighed. "I have money tied up in a new venture. It will be difficult without Dante Wallace's help but I know I can still make it work, given time. Hopefully, if all goes as well as I hope, then I can start releasing funds in a year's time. You may still leave for Trinidad if you wish, I will provide the money for your passage, but you must prevail on
Diana's good nature to wait for her money." He smiled confidently. "After all, she is a very rich woman, she can scarcely be missing what to her will be a trivial amount."
A year? Abigail felt as if she
was suffocating. She lifted her chin and pulled her hand away from his. "I would not dream of shaming our name by asking her to wait for money which she lent to us in good faith," she said. "I don't care if you have to mortgage every asset you own. Five hundred silver dollars is not so great a sum that you cannot lay your hands on it somehow. If you don't pay Diana what you owe her as a gentleman should, then I will see to it that you never hold up your head in society again."
Jacob stared at her and it occurred to her that he was looking at her in the same fashion as one might regard a venomous snake.
"You must be tired," he said eventually. "Why don't you retire to your room? I'll have Harper bring you some tea and then we can discuss matters further over dinner.""You will see to it that I get the money?" she demanded."You have left me with no choice it seems."
Back in the familiarity of her room, Abigail realised that her heart was pounding. The conversation with Jacob had left her shaken. She hated having to lie to him and threaten him, but she had no choice if she was to secure her future with Marcus. At the thought of the man she loved, she was seized with a longing so violent it seemed it would tear her in two. Soon, soon she would be with him again. She would feel the warmth of those strong arms around her once more, run her fingers through those tangled locks, gaze into those dark eyes that seemed to see into her very soul. He'd had
stubble on his chin when she left him, by the time she returned he would have a full beard once more, and she would be able to stroke it as she'd longed to before and feel it rasping against her thighs when he...She was interrupted in her reverie by a knock on her door. "Come in," she called.The door opened and Harper came in. "The Master instructed me to bring you this," she said, placing a delicate china cup
containing hot tea on the table next to her bed.
"Thank you, Harper." Abigail picked up the cup and took a sip of the tea. She grimaced. "Did you pour this?""No, Milady. I took the tea things to Master and he poured it. Is something wrong?"Abigail shook her head. "It's a little sweet for my taste, that's all. Sir Jacob must have added too much sugar.""Will I get you another cup, Milady?""No matter," Abigail reassured her. "I'll just drink this one."Harper nodded. "It's good to have you back, Milady. Master had given me notice to leave. He said I was no longer needed as you...you were dead. I'm so glad you're alive.Is there anything I can do for you. Can I brush your hair?" And she cast a disapproving glance at the loose braid Abigail had fashioned for herself.
Abigail sighed. "Sit down, Harper. I need to tell you something."Harper drew up the stool from the dressing table and perched upon it expectantly."I'm very much afraid you will still need to find another job," Abigail said gently. "I am only here for a short while and then I leave again. I am going to live with my cousin in Trinidad. She has not been herself lately and needs a companion. Sir Jacob is very busy with the sugar plantations at the moment and he thinks it best that I have something with which to occupy myself. You understand I am telling you this in confidence, Harper. I can trust you not to tittle tattle in the servants' hall."
Harper drew herself up indignantly. "Of course, Milady. I won't breathe a word.""Thank you, Harper. I will of course give you excellent references before I leave.""Thank you, Milady."Abigail finished her tea and put the cup back onto its saucer. "No need to thank me. You have been a most excellent ladies' maid. And now, if you will excuse me, I feel quite drowsy. I think I will lie down before dinner."
She was awoken by voices outside her door and she looked about her feeling disoriented. The room was in darkness. Was it night already? How had she slept for so long a time? She sat up quickly and the room seemed to tilt on its side before righting itself. How odd. Was she ill? Before she had a chance to wonder any further, her door was opened and her husband walked in carrying a lantern. Two men walked in behind him.
"You're awake, my dear," he said. "This is Mr Shumway and Mr McCreary. They've come to take you some place where you can rest and get better."
"What do you mean by this?" she demanded and it felt as if she was speaking through a mouthful of oatmeal. "How dare you bring men into my bedroom!""Please go quietly, Abigail," said Jacob in a pained voice. "You know it's for the best.""Come along, Lady Griffin," McCreary said and he pulled her off the bed none too gently."Be careful!" said Jacob roughly. "She is not herself but she is still my wife. Please treat her with respect.""Get off me!" Abigail shouted. She pulled away from the man's grasp. "How dare you lay hands on me! Jacob, what is happening?""We'll need to sedate her if we can't use force," said McCreary. "Do you have any objection, Sir?"Jacob sighed. "No, do what you have to do.""Shumway, the ether," said McCreary.The other man produced a bottle and poured some of its contents into a
handkerchief
then, as McCreary held her arms, he held it over her face until the room went black and she stopped struggling at last.
When she awoke, it was daylight. She tried to get up but her arms wouldn't move. Turning her head, she saw that she was lying on a narrow low bed with an iron frame to which her wrists had been shackled. Terror rose within her chest into her throat threatening to choke her. Where was she?
"Hello," she called out. "Is anyone there?" There was no response and she called out louder, "Somebody please!" When there was still no response, she took a deep breath and screamed.She was rewarded by the sound of footsteps and a jangling of keys. The door opened and a tall woman with blonde hair pulled into an unflattering bun stood in the doorway, hands on her hips."So, you're awake, are you?" she said roughly, but not unkindly. "I'll take the manacles off if you promise to be a good girl. Do you promise?"Abigail bristled inwardly at being spoken to like a child but she nodded. "Yes."The woman freed her wrists and Abigail sat up.
"Where am I?" she demanded.The woman gave her a sympathetic smile. "It's a private hospital for the insane," she said. "You have the good fortune to be here because you have a wealthy husband who is prepared to pay for you.""Good fortune?" Abigail echoed."Why yes," said the other woman. "You wouldn't want to be in the charity hospital, would you?" She folded her arms and looked Abigail up and down. "Let's get you bathed and find something more suitable for you to wear. You won't be needing that fancy gown in here. My name is Mrs Byrne, by the way.""Pleased to meet you," said Abigail automatically. "But I shouldn't be here. I'm every bit as sane as you are."Mrs Byrne gave a short laugh. "If
I had a silver dollar for every time I heard those words in here... Come on, Abigail. I haven't got all day. Let's get you sorted and then I'll take you to Madame Diyoza and you can tell her how sane you are."Abigail followed Mrs Byrne down a long stone corridor lit by tiny barred windows set high up in the walls. This was madness. Whoever this Madame Diyoza was, she would soon see how ridiculous this was. She would be out of here by this afternoon, and somehow she would get a ship back to Port of Spain if she had to roll up her sleeves and work her passage. Nothing mattered any more. the money wasn't important, only please God, let her get out of here and back to Marcus. Her throat constricted at the thought of him. She realised she would do manual work all day and sleep on straw at night as long as she was lying next to him. She had never felt like this about Jacob. Damn him. She understood what he had done. She'd heard stories about men having their wives incarcerated for supposed madness, but never in a million years would she have dreamed it would happen to her.
Mrs Byrne led the way into a room with several tubs full of water. "Take off your clothes," she said. "And don't be coy. You've nothing I haven't seen before."When Abigail stood naked and shivering before her, Mrs Byrne pointed to one of the baths. "In you get and no dawdling, not that I imagine you'll want to," she added with a wry smile.Abigail soon found out why; the water in the bath was freezing. She grabbed the bar of soap that sat on the side of the tub and washed herself as quickly as she could, trying not to think of the last time she had taken a bath, then she stepped out and took hold of the rough, once white towel that the other woman handed to her. She dried herself hastily not wishing to remain in a state of undress for any longer than was necessary.
When she was dry, Mrs Byrne handed her what she thought at first was a sheet, but on closer examination turned out to be a loose linen dress more like a nightdress that anything one would wear in the day. Mrs Byrne eyed her hair. "If you're a good girl and don't make any trouble for anyone, we'll let you keep that. Any misbehaving though and your head will be shaved. You understand?"Abigail slipped the dress on over her head. "My husband would not like that," she said.
Mrs Byrne laughed. "Your husband has agreed to any measures that will enable you to be returned to him as the good obedient wife you once were. Now come along. We don't want to keep Madame Diyoza waiting."
Abigail followed the other woman
along the corridor where she unlocked a huge, heavy iron door, then down another corridor lined with doors. Some of them were open and Abigail could see other women dressed like herself sitting or lying on their beds. Other doors were closed and she could hear cries and moans coming from behind them. She glanced at Mrs Byrne who simply nodded."We get all sorts in here," she said. "Ah, here we are." She opened another door and they stepped into a pleasant hallway with a wooden floor, and windows looking out onto a garden. At the end of the hallway was another door and Mrs Byrne knocked upon it."Come in," came a woman's voice and Mrs Byrne opened the door and motioned for Abigail to go in.
"The new patient, Madame," she said and she took up
a position
in front of the door.A woman was seated behind a desk and she gestured to a chair. "Please sit," she said to Abigail.
The woman was younger than Abigail and had the potential to be a great beauty, with cheekbones like clam shells and pouting lips that curved up at the side like a cat's. But her hair was
scraped back into a
tight bun and she was dressed in black which made her look too severe.
"Lady Abigail Griffin," she said, tilting her head to one side and regarding Abigail with a half-smile which might have been friendly or might have been amused, it was difficult to tell."Yes," said Abigail. There was something about the woman that made Abigail want to tell her as little as possible."You'll be known as Abigail here," said Madame Diyoza. "You will address the staff as Mr or Mrs and you will address me as Madame. I know this may seem strange and perhaps you think that your husband's money entitles you to better treatment, but we find it is beneficial to our patients to practice humility. Do you understand me?""Perfectly," said Abigail. "But I need to tell you something before we go any further. I shouldn't be here. There's absolutely nothing wrong with me."Madame Diyoza smiled showing perfect white teeth. "Perhaps there isn't, perhaps there is. Your husband says you are delusional however, and as you are his property, he is the one to whose opinion I must listen, not you.""Oh come on," scoffed Abigail. "You seem like an intelligent woman. You don't believe that wives belong to their husbands, surely?"Madame Diyoza stared at Abigail for a long moment. She was still smiling, but she no longer looked in the least bit friendly. "Your husband is paying for your care here. I have nothing to gain from listening to your protestations. I have a business to run, you understand. Besides, you are only telling me what every woman coming through that door tells me." She looked up at Mrs Byrne. "I think we have finished here, Byrne. You may take Abigail back to her room. I think we'll keep her door locked until she becomes a little more biddable.Mrs Byrne took hold of Abigail's upper arm as a sign that she was to rise from her seat and Abigail shook it off.
"My husband won't pay you forever," she said angrily. "What will you do then?""Well if your husband is unwilling to pay for your upkeep but no longer wants you back, then you will have to be sent to the charity hospital," said Madame Diyoza. "I shall pray for your sake that will never happen." She stood up behind her desk. "You may go now," she said. "And Byrne, I think Abigail may benefit from an ice bath tonight. She has a hot temperament, it seems and I'm sure she would
profit from some time to cool off." She smiled at Abigail. "I wish you good day, Abigail and I really do recommend you try to fit in here. This is your home now."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Papa, pass me the ladle please. Papa!""What? Sorry." Marcus shook himself and handed the
utensil to Octavia."You know when we offered to work for Finn to pay for our bed and board, I didn't think I'd be doing all the work myself," Octavia reproved him.Marcus sighed. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I'm just worried. It's been five weeks. She swore to me she'd be back within the month." He wiped the back of his hand across his brow and thrust his fingers into his hair.
"Don't worry, Papa. I'm sure there's some explanation." But she'd been saying this for the past ten days and he could see she didn't believe it any more than he did."I'm not giving it much longer," he said. "If she's not here on the next ship from Nassau, I'm going after her."
"Well, Bellamy and Clarke will be visiting tomorrow,"she said. "We'll discuss it with them." At his look, she shook her head. "Please, Papa. Don't do anything rash."
"I'm going after Abigail," Marcus said. "There is a ship in the harbour leaving for Nassau in the morning. I've spoken with the captain and negotiated a fair price for my passage.""I'm coming with you," said Clarke."No," said Bellamy immediately.She rounded on him. "Are you trying to tell me what to do, Bellamy Blake?""Of course not," he answered. "You know I'm not that sort of husband. But I'm begging you please, Clarke. If your father sees you, he'll make you stay somehow.""I'm a married woman," she said, tossing her head. "My father has no power over me. And I need to see my mother, find out why she's not here.""Then I'm coming too," said Bellamy with a sigh."You are not!" she retorted. "Why, he might...he might challenge you to a duel or worse.""Clarke," said Marcus. "Someone needs to stay here in case
your mother arrives after I've left. And Bellamy obviously has no intention of letting you go alone and as you say, he could be walking into danger if he sets foot on Nassau. If I go alone, no-one will know who I am. I can make enquiries, hopefully speak with her if I can find someone to take a message.""You can go to the servants entrance," said Clarke. "Ask to speak with Harper. She's my mother's maid. She's only young, but she's fiercely loyal to my mother.""I can give you the address of someone who will help you too," said Bellamy. "Monty Green has been like a brother to me these past years. I'll give you a letter to give to him.""Is he trustworthy?" asked Marcus frowning.
"I'd trust him with my life," said Bellamy.Marcus nodded. "Write the letter then.""I'm coming with you, Papa," said Octavia.Marcus couldn't help a small smile. "No," he said shaking his head. "No.""Yes!" she said, stamping her foot. "I can't let you go without me. I can be useful. Please, Papa! Don't leave me. I'm begging you!" Her voice broke and something inside Marcus did too.He sat down heavily and closed his eyes as reality overwhelmed him. What was he thinking of, leaving his children again? Look at what had happened last time. He was a grown man, a father, not some lovelorn youth. He had responsibilities. And Abigail...she was a fantasy. He'd thought they had something, but obviously he was wrong. She'd been carried away by her sense of adventure, but now she was back with her husband where she belonged, and if she thought of Marcus at all, it was with a vague fondness, nothing to compete with nearly twenty years of marriage."I won't go," he said, without opening his eyes. "It was a fool's errand anyway. Abigail has obviously made up her mind as to where she wants to be."He was startled by a warm weight landing in his lap and opened his eyes to see the deep blue eyes of his daughter looking back at him.
"I'm sorry, Papa," she said and she wound her arms about his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "You must go after Abigail. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."Marcus bent his head to drop a kiss into her hair, remembering as he did that the last time she had been in his lap she was an infant and yet her hair still smelled the same.
"I don't want you to be sad," he said. "You need me more than Abigail does.""Oh for pity's sake," said Clarke. "Marcus, you're forgetting one very important thing. You seem to think my mother coming back here was all about you, but she was determined to come to England with Bellamy and me. She wants to be there when her grandchildren are born. I am almost sure she is not staying in Nassau of her own accord. Somehow my father has induced her to stay.""Do you think he has her confined to the house?" asked Bellamy.She shrugged. "There's only one way to find out. Either Marcus or myself must go after her. And Marcus, I may have spent only a short time with you both, but I saw the way
my mother looked at you, and though it pains me to say it, she never looked at my father that way. If you think that all she felt for you was a passing fancy, then you don't know her at all. She has tried all these years to be a good wife to my father, and would continue to do so, but surely the combined forces of a mother's love for
her daughter and that of a woman for her...her lover must be strong enough to outweigh any sort of wifely duty she might feel towards my father." She
opened
a small drawstring bag attached to her waist. "Lady Diana has given me money to order gowns from a dressmaker as my clothes were lost at sea. There is more than enough here for my requirements. Let me pay something towards your expenses.""Octavia?" Marcus tilted her chin and looked into her eyes which were shining now with what strangely seemed like excitement."You must go, Papa," she said. She got up from his lap. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
Captain Ridley threw open the door to a small but comfortable looking cabin.
"There's a bed and there's a hammock. Take your choice," he said. "I'll be eating in my cabin this evening if you care to join me."Marcus didn't particularly care to at all. The captain smelled as if he had worn the same clothes for a twelvemonth, but he had offered passage to Nassau for a reasonable fare so
Marcus nodded."Of course," he said. "I look forward to it."The captain nodded curtly and left Marcus alone.Marcus sat on the edge of the
narrow bed and sighed. Was this a fool's errand? Maybe it was. But he had to know whether Abigail felt the same about him as he did about her. That night they'd made love, she had more or less told him she was in love with him. Had it been merely passion? He knew enough of women to know that they could be fooled by their passion for a man to think it something more.
As he sat, lost in memories of their night together, there was a soft tapping on his door. "Come in," he called and he turned as the door opened and Lincoln came into the room."What?" His stomach flipped over at the thought that Jaha's men were aboard, but Lincoln shook his head at his alarm."I've left Jaha," he said. "I don't like to stay in one place for too long. I've come to say I'd appreciate it if you didn't let the good captain know he has a pirate in his crew.""As long as you don't let him know he has a pirate for a passenger," said Marcus, grinning. He liked Lincoln and would forever owe him a debt of gratitude for the way he had dispatched that odious man, Emerson.
"We have a deal," said Lincoln.
The next time Lincoln came to his door, they were two nights into their voyage."Marcus, there's something you need to see," he said.
Marcus followed the other man across the deck and down steps until they were in the hold. "I believe this belongs to you," Lincoln said, holding up his lantern to illuminate one corner where among sacks of cargo sat a young woman who, despite her clothes being covered in dust and her hair in need of a good brushing, was unmistakably Marcus' youngest child.
"Octavia!" he said in a shocked whisper. "What in God's name are you doing here?"She
stared back at him, her expression a mixture of defiance and trepidation. "I can be useful," she said.
Marcus shook his head, partly in admiration for her bravery and her skill in boarding the ship unseen, (she was his daughter, no doubt of it) and partly in exasperation. "What am I to do with you?" he said. "What am I to say to the captain?""You don't
have to say anything to him," she said. "He needn't know I'm here.""Octavia, I am not leaving you down here among the cargo and the rats," he said firmly. "Come here." He held out his hand to her and when she took it, he hauled her none too gently after him up onto the deck and across to the captain's cabin.Ridley's eyes opened wide at the sight of Octavia as Marcus pulled her into his cabin."What have we here?" he said, getting to his feet. "A stowaway?""My daughter," said Marcus grimly. "My sincerest apologies, Captain. It seems, despite my forbidding her to come with me, she has taken matters into her own hands. I will of course pay for her passage.""Hmmm," said Ridley. He came to stand before Octavia, his hands on his hips. "Disobeying your father, hey, girl?""Yes, Sir," said Octavia with a meekness Marcus knew very well was false.
"If you were mine, I'd take a whip to you," the Captain said. "In fact..." He turned and walked over to a cupboard in the corner from where he drew out a large fearsome looking cane. "If you'd like to borrow this," he said to Marcus.Marcus had to restrain an impulse to take it from the man and snap it in two. But he had the feeling money alone wouldn't satisfy the man, he wanted his pound of flesh. He pulled up his shirt to show the thick leather belt that he wore around his waist. "Thank you but I'll see that she gets a good strapping."
"Excellent," said Ridley, beaming. "I don't have other accommodation for the girl. She'll have to share with you.""That's fine," said Marcus.
As they walked back across the deck, Octavia tugged at his sleeve. "Papa, you're not really going to thrash me, are you?""What do you think?" he asked her. "Have I ever laid a finger on you? Still, you'd be as well to wince when you sit down in front of the captain for the next day or two."Octavia laughed. "Don't worry, Papa. It won't be hard to fool him. The man's an idiot."Marcus rounded on her. "This is no laughing matter, Octavia. I may not be about to thrash you, but by the time I'm finished scolding you, you may wish I had."
It took a while but eventually he was able to reduce Octavia to tears. He hated to do it, his heart almost broke at the sight of her with tears rolling down her cheeks, but he had to do something about her recklessness. He had started out by quietly remonstrating with her, trying to impress upon her the foolishness of her actions, but when half way through, she had stood up as if she'd heard enough, he'd had to do something to shock her."Sit down!" he
barked and was gratified to see her gasp in surprise."Did you ever stop to think how much you would complicate things?" he demanded, his face stern and unforgiving. "Now I have to worry about you as well as take care of myself. On my own, I could have kept a low profile, a man on his own attracts little attention, but a man and a young girl is another thing altogether.""Then we'll split up," she said sullenly. "You can go
and speak to Monty Green and I'll go and talk to Abigail's maid.""We are not splitting up," he said. "I'm responsible for you, Octavia.""You don't have to be," she said. "I'm a grown woman, I'm
not your little girl anymore."At this, Marcus felt something swell inside him and he knew if it burst, he would be the one in tears."You don't understand," he said softly. "I wasn't there for you when you were a little girl and
that's something that will haunt me
for the rest of my days. One day, when you're a parent, you'll understand something of the pain I've been through thinking I'd lost you, and you'll know why I want to keep you safe now.""I've been through pain too," she cried. "Every night, I'd say a prayer that tomorrow would be the day you would come for me! Bellamy tried to tell me you were dead but I knew you weren't. I'm sorry I disobeyed you, I'm sorry if I've disappointed you, but I couldn't just watch you sail away without me." Her face was flushed and angry. "And you were right, Papa. I would rather you beat me than make me feel like this! I didn't mean to be an inconvenience to you, you can put me on the next ship home if you want." And that was when the first tears began to fall.
Marcus held out for as long as he possibly could, then he got up and went to sit next to
her on the bed. He put his arms about her and pulled her head down onto his shoulder.
"SShhh," he comforted her. "I'm sorry for shouting, sweetheart but I just want to make sure you never do anything so silly again. And I'm glad you're here with me now. But you must promise me." He tilted her chin so that she was looking up into his eyes. "Promise me, Octavia, that until we get home you will do exactly as I say. No arguing, no going off on your own because you've had some rash idea. Or I might just send you back home after all." He gently wiped the tears from her cheek and sighed. "I'm afraid you're more like me than I'd want."She smiled up at him. "I'm glad I'm like you," she said. "And I know you wouldn't send me home. You wouldn't want me out of
your sight. Although..." She paused, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'm sure I wouldn't mind too much if you asked Lincoln to keep an eye on me."Marcus shook his head. It seemed she was more like him than he'd thought.
"Honestly, it makes more sense this way," Octavia assured him. "What would a man of your age be wanting with a young maid?""Alright," he said. "But stick to the script. You ask to speak to Harper and when you're alone with her, you ask her to take a message to her mistress, that Octavia Blake would like to speak to her. Don't mention me at all.""Yes, I've got it," said Octavia. "But are you sure you don't want to give me a note for Abigail?"He shook his head. "No, a note would be too easy to intercept. Now go. I'll be waiting right here with the horse."He watched as she walked jauntily up the path to the Griffin residence and made her way to the rear entrance. The house was much bigger than he'd imagined it to be and his heart sank as he looked up at the many windows looking out over perfectly manicured gardens. How could he have expected Abigail to leave all this behind for a life of uncertainty with him? He imagined her arriving home and realising that the adventure was just that - an adventure, but that
this was where she really belonged. He squinted in the sun as he tried to imagine which window was hers. Was she even now looking out? Would she see him leaning against the enormous stone gatepost? Would she come down to speak to Octavia? Surely she would. She wouldn't leave him hanging like this. She'd let him know her decision.
His heart leapt into his mouth as Octavia appeared and ran down the path towards him. Surely she had been too quick."Papa," she
panted. "Harper is not here anymore. The man I spoke to said that she'd been given notice after Lady Abigail left. He said it was about a month ago!"Marcus drew in his breath sharply. "A month ago? Then she did leave. But then where
is she?"Octavia paled. "You don't think she was on her way to us and her ship was lost?"Marcus felt the world tilt on its axis. "I'm...I'm sure we would have heard if a ship had been lost," he said. "The route between here and Port of Spain is well travelled. Somebody would have seen wreckage or...or...""Papa, lean on me," commanded Octavia. "You look as if you are about to faint. I'm sorry. I'm sure you're right. But then where is she?"Marcus pulled her to him. "We need more information," he said. "We need to find Harper."
To his relief, Monty Green's residence was nowhere near as imposing as the Griffin house and Marcus felt emboldened to ring the bell
at the front door. After a few moments, the door was opened by a pretty young serving girl who regarded Marcus and Octavia with curiosity."I have a letter for Monty Green," said Marcus, holding out the envelope from Bellamy."Will you be waiting for a reply?" asked the girl. She looked undecided as to whether to let them in or not.Marcus made it easy for her. "We'll just wait here," he said, smiling at her.The girl nodded and closed the door on them.A few minutes later it was flung open by a young man who
from Bellamy's description, Marcus knew must be Monty."Come in!" Monty cried and he showed them into a small parlour. He closed the door then grasped Marcus' hand and shook it enthusiastically. "I am so glad to meet you," he said. "Bellamy
hardly spoke of you to me when he was living here but his letter explains everything! You must be so happy to have reunited with him and your daughter!"
"I can't put my feelings into words," said Marcus. He liked this young man immediately and could see why Bellamy had said he would trust him with his life.
"I'm Octavia," said Octavia. "Bellamy's sister.""And every bit as beautiful as he said you were," said Monty. There was no trace of flirtation in his manner, nothing to make Marcus' hackles rise, just an honest compliment.
"Please, sit down," said Monty. "Can I get you anything, some tea perhaps?" And he pulled on a rope that hung down near the fireplace.
"We were wondering whether you could shed any light on where Lady Griffin went," said Marcus."Well we used to see her in church," said Monty. "But then she was taken by pirates and it was thought she had been killed. This wasn't the case, however and she came back home but we haven't seen her since. My mother enquired of Sir Jacob as to her health and he said that she was currently nursing a sick relative some way off from here.""I went to the servants' entrance at lady Abigail's house," said Octavia as the door opened and the young maid came in. Marcus tried to catch her eye to tell her to stop talking, but it seemed Octavia was a stranger to the idea of diplomacy."I wanted to talk to her maid, Harper," Octavia continued. "But it seems she has been dismissed and they did not know where she'd gone.""Begging your pardon, Sir," said the maid with a curtsy. "Harper is my friend and I can tell you where she has gone."Monty clapped his hands together. "Splendid! Please tell us, Fox.""Sir Jacob let Harper go the very next morning after Lady Abigail left," said Fox. She frowned. "She did think it strange, Sir, that her Ladyship would leave so suddenly. She had promised Harper a reference but she didn't even say goodbye to her. Sir Jacob gave her a month's wages and told her she must leave immediately.""And where did she go?" asked Marcus. A band of pain seemed to be squeezing his chest. Something wasn't right about this at all."There's a coaching inn a mile north from here," the maid said. "She has found employment there, Sir.""Thank you, Fox," said Monty. "You have been most helpful." He turned to Marcus. "Some refreshment, Sir?""Just a glass of water, if you'd be so kind," said Marcus. "Unless you'd like something more, Octavia?"She shook her head. "We can have some lunch at the inn while we speak to Harper.""If there's anything I can do to help," offered Monty. "Do you have horses?"
"We have one between us," admitted Marcus. "And he is in need of a rest.""Then we shall stable him here," said Monty. "And if you'll permit me to accompany you, we shall take the carriage.""Thank you," said Marcus. He clapped a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Bellamy told me you were like a brother to him. Thank you for that.""I couldn't love him more if he were my own flesh and blood," said Monty.
The landlord of the inn showed them to a table near to the window while the ostler saw that the horses were fed and watered. "I'll send the wench over to you," he said.
The wench turned out to be a pretty young woman with long fair hair worn in a braid. Could this be Harper? Could it be this easy?"Will you be wanting ale, Sirs, or something to eat?" she said."We'll be having food," said Marcus. "But first, do you know of a young lady by the name of Harper?"The girl frowned. "My name is Harper," she said. "Harper McIntyre. Is it me you're wanting?""You worked as maid to Lady Abigail Griffin," said Monty. "I remember seeing you in church."The girl looked shyly at Monty through her lashes. "I remember you too, Sir."Monty leaned forward urgently. "We are looking for Lady Abigail and we were hoping you might know something of where she has gone."Harper hesitated then looked round but no-one was paying them any attention. "Sir Jacob told me that she had gone to stay with her cousin but...""You don't think that's the case?" prompted Monty.Harper looked around her again. "I should be working, Sir."
Monty gestured to a stool. "Please join us, Harper and if your employer complains, tell him I will pay him handsomely for your time."Harper seemed torn then she sat down. "If I can help Lady Abigail in any way," she said.
"Please, tell us what you know," said Marcus.
"Lady Abigail did tell me she would be going to stay with her cousin," the girl said. "But she gave no indication that she would be going so soon. I went to her room as usual the morning after she returned home only to be met by Sir Jacob. He stopped me from going into Lady Abigail's bedchamber and told me she had gone. He told me to fetch my things and go down to the kitchen where he would bring me the money I was owed and more besides. But..." She stopped.
"Go on," said Marcus sharply."The servants' quarters are in the attic," Harper said. "Also in the attic is the luggage room. I looked in on my way to collect my belongings and all of Lady Abigail's luggage was still there. Surely she would have packed for a long journey. I didn't know what was going on but I knew something wasn't right. Then when I went downstairs to wait for my wages, I spoke to Monroe, the scullery maid. She'd been up long after we'd all gone to bed, cleaning the kitchen range. She said she'd just finished and she stepped outside to get some fresh air before going to bed, and she saw a black carriage just turning out of the drive. She said it had a gold cross painted on the side and black curtains in the window so she couldn't see who was inside. But I'm sure it must have been Lady Abigail, Sir.""A gold cross, you say?" said Monty, frowning.
"Do you know who that coach belongs to?" said Marcus eagerly.
Monty was silent for a moment then he cleared his throat. "A little over a year ago, my mother's sister came to stay with us. Unfortunately, she became quite unwell, not herself at all. We called the doctor and he said a stay in Eligius was the only treatment that would work. The men who came to take her there came in a black coach with a gold cross.""What...what is Eligius?" asked Marcus.Monty looked bleakly at him. "Eligius is a private hospital for the insane."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"No! Get off me! I won't go with you! I'll kill you! Get off me, Byrne, you bitch!"The girl called Luna struggled in the grip of Mrs Byrne and the two men before one of the men knocked her unconscious with a blow to the head. They dragged her out of the communal room where the women where allowed to mix freely as long as they behaved themselves.
Abigail watched in horror. "What will they do to her?" she asked the two other women in the room."Don't worry," said one of the women, a beautiful girl of no more than twenty-five. "They'll lock her in her room, maybe treat her to a few ice baths. They'll threaten to cut off her hair too. That usually works with Luna." She ran her gaze over Abigail appraising her then she nodded as if satisfied. "I'm Lexa.""And I'm Echo," said the other girl, a statuesque beauty several years older than Lexa. "What did you do to get shut away in here?""I'm Abigail. And
my husband had me sent here," said Abigail. "I told him I was leaving him." She gave a wry smile. "He didn't take it well."
Lexa snorted. "Typical man. Always needing to be in control.""Oh, not all men are that bad," Abigail protested. She thought of Marcus and her heart seemed to
contract in agony. She pushed the thought of him aside. There was no point in thinking of him now. "It was a man who sent you here then, Lexa?""My father," the girl said. "He wanted me to marry a fat old
goat just because he had money and a title. I told him I'd rather die." She spoke bitterly but Abigail sensed a sadness weighing down her words.
"Was there a young man you wanted to marry?" Abigail asked gently, thinking of Clarke and Bellamy."There was someone but we could never have been married," said Lexa. "She was my governess. When my father found out, he sent her away and tried to force me into marriage." She grinned at Abigail. "Have I shocked you?""Not at all," said Abigail. "Love comes in all shapes and sizes. I fell in love with a pirate.
I'm sure most people of my acquaintance would
be shocked by that."Echo laughed. "We're not most people.""What about you?" Abigail asked her. "How did you come to be here?""Similar to Lexa," the other girl said. "My father sent me here because I wouldn't marry at all. He thinks a few years in here will change my mind. There wasn't anyone else in my case. I just have no intention of marrying.""But you surely don't want to stay in here," said Abigail. "You could be lucky in
your father's
choice of husband. I was, well I used to think I was. At least Jacob was young and handsome and he was never cruel."Echo pulled a face. "You're not making a case for marriage, Abigail. I don't want any man to control my destiny. I'm an only child and when my father dies, I'll inherit his fortune. If he thinks I'll hand over control of my money to a man, he has another think coming.""I imagine he wants grandchildren," said Abigail. "If you're an only child, his line will die out if you don't marry."Echo laughed. "I told him if he really wanted me to marry, the only man I'd
consider was Roan. I don't have romantic feelings for him but he's my best friend and he'd never try to control me or my money. But he wasn't good enough for my father." She shrugged. "So here I am."Abigail looked round but they were alone in the room. Nevertheless, she lowered her voice.
"Has anyone ever tried to escape?" she asked."There's no
escape
without help from someone on the outside, " said Echo. She shook her head in disgust. "If Roan knew where I was, he'd do something to get me out. I know he would.""What about your pirate?" Lexa asked."He doesn't know I'm here," said Abigail.
"So, what do we do now?" Harper asked, sitting on the long bench next to Monty in the only tavern in the village."We rest here for the night," said Marcus. "After that, I don't know yet." He sighed.They had ridden up to the gates of Eligius earlier on. The place was like a fortress. Any
hope that Marcus had entertained about breaking in and snatching Abigail
was quickly dashed at the sight of those thick, forbidding walls. The windows were tiny and covered with iron bars so no chance of breaking in that way. There was an annex with larger windows but Marcus guessed that would probably be where the warden had his office. Maybe he could break in there, hold the man hostage at gunpoint. He sighed. He had to think carefully about this.
He would only have one chance."Is my husband here? Has anyone seen my husband?" Marcus turned to see a tall dark-haired woman with a small boy in her arms. "Please, my son, he needs help."Marcus jumped up. "What's wrong?" He ran to the woman and saw that the child was gasping for breath.
"He - he was eating a
mango and then he just started choking. Please can you help him?" The woman grabbed Marcus' sleeve.
Marcus took the child from her arms and laid him face down across his lap. He remembered the exact same thing happening to Bellamy. He had saved his son, please God he could save this boy. He made his hand into a fist and thumped the boy between his shoulder-blades. The boy made a choking sound and Marcus hit him again. Another choking sound and a gasp. Marcus thumped him as hard as he dared and a piece of mango shot out onto the floor. The boy drew a shuddering breath and Marcus handed him back to his mother."Oh thank you, thank you," cried the woman, tears of relief running down her cheeks. "What is your name, Sir? I must tell my husband. He will be so grateful.""I'm Marcus Kane," said Marcus. "And there's no need to thank me. I'm just glad your son is all right." He turned to the boy and wagged his finger at him. "And be careful in future when you're eating mangoes, young man.""He's never eating mango again," said the woman firmly. "I'm Becca Jackson. If there's anything I can do for you in return, you only have to ask."
Marcus nodded to the tavern wench and she refilled his mug with rum. He'd told himself no more rum and he knew he needed to keep a clear head right now but a whole afternoon sober hadn't furnished him with any bright ideas. Maybe drunkenness would inspire him. His companions had retired to bed some time ago but Marcus knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he had thought of a way to get Abigail out of that place."Well, when my wife told me she'd met a man called Marcus Kane, I thought to myself, it can't be the same Marcus Kane, surely."Marcus looked up startled and then his brow cleared and he gave a shout of laughter. "Eric Jackson! My God, man! What are you doing here?""I live here," said the other man. "I'm the town doctor.""Sit down, sit down," said Marcus. He did a double take. "Your wife? But you...I mean.""It's a long story," said Jackson. "But what are you doing here? And how is Callie?" He laughed and shook his head. "We had some times, the three of us, remember?""I do indeed," said Marcus. Jackson had been the one who had treated Callie's girls when they fell sick. They had always trusted him because they knew he didn't look at them in the way that other men did. It hadn't stopped some of them from trying to entice him though. They'd all missed him when he left after a young groomsman had broken his heart."You saved my son, Ethan," said Jackson. "If there's any way I can repay you, Marcus you only have to say the word.""You can start by taking a drink with me," said Marcus. "And then you can tell me this long story. I'm intrigued as to how you found yourself married to a woman and with a son too. That's not the Eric Jackson I remember." He beckoned the wench over and waited while she poured Jackson a mug of rum.
Jackson took a long swig. "That's good rum," he said. He put his mug down on the table and leaned forward speaking quietly. "When I arrived here, Becca was the first friend I made. She thought of me as more than a friend at the very beginning but I trusted her enough to be honest with her and we soon became best friends and confidantes." He frowned. "So when she told me she'd fallen in love with a young man, I was happy for her but anxious too. I knew what a tender, trusting heart she had and I was afraid she'd get hurt." He took another swig of his drink. "He was a good looking man, no doubt about that. For a moment when I met him, I was a little jealous. But that soon turned to concern. He was pleasant enough but there was just something about him, I couldn't put my finger on what it was..." He looked about them to make sure no-one could hear them.
"They soon became engaged to be married and then she told me that he'd encouraged her to lie with him before the wedding. He'd told her an engagement ring was as good as a wedding ring." He smiled at Marcus. "No doubt this all sounds strange to you, a man of the world.""No, not at all," said Marcus. "In fact I have a whole new appreciation of virtuous women."Jackson raised his eyebrows in query."Later," said Marcus. "Carry on with your story.""Very well," said Jackson. "But it sounds as if you have a story of your own to tell, Marcus, not the least as to how you came to lose your accent. You sound quite the gentleman." He took another swig of rum. "Anyway, it wasn't long after this that he left, just vanished into thin air. He did leave her something to remember him by though. When she found out she was with child, she was beside herself, terrified of the ruin she would bring down upon herself and her family. She was blessed with loving parents and she just couldn't bring herself to break their hearts. She was ready to leave town, leave everything behind her, vanish just as her fiance had. And that was when I proposed.""Really?" Marcus shook his head then he grasped the other man's hand. "You always were the best of men, Eric Jackson.""She refused me at first," said Jackson. "She said she couldn't ruin my life but then I told her of the deep sadness I had always carried inside me. I had wanted a child so badly, Marcus. But for a man in my position, the only way to have children
would be to marry some poor unsuspecting woman and condemn myself to a life of deceit. But Becca knew me. She knew who I was and we loved each other as friends. I told her we could make it work, and that if at any time, she met someone else and wanted to marry him, I would set her free. She in turn told me that I was free to pursue my own liaisons as long as I was discreet.""And you've made it work," said Marcus.
"We have," said Jackson. "And I have a son, Marcus. A fine young boy who thinks I am the man who sired him and, please God, will never know any different. Becca and I we don't lie together but in all other regards we are as loving and affectionate to each other as any other married couple, perhaps more so." He smiled. "And what about you, old friend? What brings you to this sleepy little corner of the world?""The woman I love is locked up in the asylum here," said Marcus."In Eligius?" Jackson raised his eyebrows. "What's her name?""Abigail," Marcus said softly. "Abigail Griffin, Lady Abigail Griffin I should say.""I've met her," said Jackson. "She's a beauty but how do you know her?"Marcus' heart almost leapt out of his chest. "You've met her?""No need for alarm," Jackson reassured him. "Madame Diyoza has me examine all new inmates when they arrive to make sure they don't have any sickness that could spread to the other women. I'm happy to tell you that Lady Abigail was perfectly well." He chuckled. "If a little fiery.""She is, isn't she?" Marcus said proudly. "You know, I learned long ago never to tell a woman that she looks beautiful when she's angry. It doesn't improve their temper, believe me. But it's true about Abby. You can almost see the sparks flashing in her eyes.""But how do you know her?" asked Jackson again. "Is she the reason you're speaking differently? Are you a gentleman now, Marcus?""It's a long story," said Marcus. "We're going to need a lot more rum."
By the time
he'd finished his tale, they'd drunk another two mugs of rum and Marcus was feeling a little light-headed. Clearly he was out of practice.
Jackson grasped his arm. "My God, Marcus, what a tale. And the most fantastical part of it is that you have two children. I never would have guessed it. And yet..." He looked off into the distance as if remembering. "You always seemed so happy and carefree but there were times when you seemed to be somewhere else and there was a look in your eyes...I always wondered what you must be thinking of to make you look so troubled." He smiled. "I'm so happy that you were reunited with them at last. And Lady Abigail, she's changed you, Marcus. I used to think when I saw you with Callie that you loved her but I see by the way you speak of Abigail that this is something much more than you felt for Callie.""I do love Callie dearly," said Marcus. "But it's different with Abby. With Callie, I could play the fool and the rogue but with Abby I find I want to be a better man. I want to be worthy of her love."
"So you're here as a gallant knight to rescue your fair maiden," said Jackson. "But I must confess, I don't know how you'll manage it, Marcus. However, if there's anything I can do to help, you only have to ask,
old friend.""Thank you," Marcus said. "That means a lot.""In fact," said Jackson. "Why don't you collect your things and come and stay with us?
No need to spend your money at an inn when we have a spare bedchamber.""I'd like nothing better," said Marcus. "But I'm not alone. I have Octavia with me.""Well if you don't mind sleeping on the sofa, we can accommodate you both," said Jackson."I have two other people with me," said Marcus. "A young gentleman by the name of Monty Green and a young lady, Harper, who was formerly Abigail's maid. I couldn't leave them here unchaperoned.""Worried what they might get up to?" said Jackson, waggling his eyebrows."Good Lord, no," said Marcus. "I think it's safe to say that Monty Green is the most honourable young man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. However, I must be mindful of Harper's reputation."Jackson laughed. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day when Marcus Kane would trouble himself about the reputation of a ladies' maid.""I have a daughter now," said Marcus softly. "When I found her, she was working as a tavern wench. Her reputation is every bit as important to me as the most high-born young lady in the Caribbean.""Hmm," said Jackson. "Well they could stay in my hospital, I suppose.""You have a hospital?" said Marcus."Just a small annex on the house," said Jackson. "Becca's father had it built for me when I married his daughter. It's empty at the moment and in a village this small it's dreadfully underused. In fact the last time I had more than one patient was two years ago when there was an outbreak of scarlet fever in Eligius. Madame Diyoza had the four cases moved immediately into the hospital. Luckily nobody died." He clapped his hand to his mouth. "Of course!""What is it?" said Marcus."I have an idea," said Jackson.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Doctor's here to see you," said Byrne. She held open the door of Abigail's room for Doctor Jackson but she hung back from actually entering the room herself.
Abigail frowned. She'd met the doctor when she'd first arrived and he'd seemed a decent enough man but there was no need to see him again, she was in perfect health. Though perhaps the women were given monthly check-ups.
"I'm quite well, thank you," she said with some asperity."I'll be the judge of that," he said cheerfully. He sat down on the edge of her bed. "Open your mouth please, I just need to check your throat."She opened her mouth and he took hold of her jaw so that she couldn't move it. "Hmmm," he said peering down her throat. "Believe me, Abigail, I'd rather be at home entertaining my visitors than working today. I bumped into my old friend, Marcus Kane yesterday and we have a lot of catching up to do.""Ar u Ay?" Abigail's heart seemed
to leap in her chest.
"Yes," Dr Jackson said, releasing her jaw and raising his eyebrows at her.Abigail forced herself to breathe normally so as not to alert Byrne to the excitement the doctor's words had caused. The woman was still standing well back in the doorway but she could still hear every word that was spoken in the room."I only came here today to have a look at your friend Luna," Dr Jackson continued. "She had been unwell yesterday and was a little over warm. There is scarlet fever in the village so naturally I have to examine the women here to prevent an outbreak if indeed any of you are infected. Any patient who shows signs of the disease will have to be isolated and treated in my hospital. Are you sure you are feeling quite well, Abigail?""My - my throat is a little sore," she said.
"Hmm," the doctor replied. "And does it hurt when I press here?" He pressed his fingers gently into her neck.
She nodded. "Yes, Doctor. It's quite tender.""I am going to have a medicine made up for you," he said. "We will keep an eye on you here for now, but if you start vomiting, then I think it would be wise to move you.""There should be no need for that if she's an isolated case, surely, " put in Mrs Byrne."Well we don't know that for sure at this moment," the doctor replied smoothly. "Tell me, Abigail, have you been spending time with many of the other women?""Lexa and Echo," said Abigail truthfully.
"Well if you are infected, then it's likely they are too," Dr Jackson said. "I think I'd better give them some medicine too."
The medicine tasted bitter and Abigail thought she recognised the taste of vervain, a
herb she knew from watching her father at work,
was commonly used to induce vomiting. She drank it down greedily. If this was the way to get out of this place, then she would gladly drink any amount of noxious tasting liquid. And Marcus! The doctor had said he was visiting him! So he was here. God only knew how he'd found her, but he had done and he was going to get her out of this place. A wave of nausea hit her and she grabbed the chamber pot from under her bed just in time.
An hour had passed, maybe more when her door was opened and the doctor came back in. "As I feared, it seems Lexa and Echo are also unwell though Luna seems quite well now. Madame Diyoza has suggested we keep the three of you together in one room and if there has been no improvement by this evening, you are all to be moved to the hospital." He stood back to allow Lexa and Echo to enter Abigail's room.
Abigail moved along the bed to give the other women somewhere to sit."Don't worry," she said in a low voice, once the door had closed."Don't worry?" Echo gave her a look of disbelief. "Dr Jackson said we might have scarlet fever! Excuse me, Abigail but I feel quite entitled to worry at the moment.""I'm certain we have it," whispered Lexa. "I was so sick before and I think I am getting a headache.""You were sick not long after taking the medicine Dr Jackson gave you?" Abigail asked.
Lexa nodded."Me too," said Echo. "I don't know how it was supposed to help. I had actually been feeling fine before I took it.""That's because you were fine," Abigail said. And she told them what the doctor had said to her."So we're going to be rescued once we're in the hospital," said Echo."Not me," said Lexa."Whatever do you mean?" asked Abigail. "Why on earth would you not want to be rescued?""And go where?" said Lexa. "And live on what? It's different for you, Abigiail. You have your Marcus. You can start a new life and I'm happy for you. But my best chance at future happiness lies in staying here until my father dies. Once he has gone, my mother and brother are sure to fetch me home and with any luck I will be allowed to live out my life as an old maid. Besides, this place has its...distractions."Echo gave a short laugh. "She means Madame Diyoza," she explained to Abigail. "Lexa, I have as much chance of being bedded by the King of England as you do with Madame.""You've not seen the way she looks at me," said Lexa with a lazy smile. "I'll have her one day, mark my words.""And what about you, Echo?" asked Abigail. "Do you want to be rescued?""Oh without a doubt," said Echo fervently. "I'll marry Roan as we planned and then my father will have to accept him.""He may be married already," Abigail cautioned her.
"No, not Roan," said Echo. "He wants a wife just about as much as I want a husband. We agreed to wed each other so that neither of us would have to marry other people."She thought for a moment. "Do you have any idea how Marcus plans to get us away from the hospital? We won't be taken there alone. One of the guards will be with us at all times. Is Marcus alone do you think, or will he have men with him?"Abigail shook her head. "I have no idea. It's possible he may have his son with him I suppose but I really don't know.""Roan would help if he knew," said Echo. "Are you still keeping a journal, Abigail?" When Abigail nodded, Echo held out her hand. "Give me a piece of paper from it and something to write with."Abigail handed her paper and pencil and Echo wrote a note. "This is for your Marcus to give to Roan," she said. "We'll get it to Dr Jackson somehow and he can pass it on."She stopped talking and thrust the paper into her bodice as the sound of keys was heard rattling in the lock.The door opened and Mrs Byrne thrust in a tray with
three tin mugs. "Your medicine, Ladies," she said from the doorway. "Be sure to drink it all down. The doctor will be returning within the hour to examine you all."She closed the door and Echo grimaced. "I am not looking forward to this," she said. "But I suppose we should make sure we appear as sick as possible."Lexa picked up one of the mugs and wrinkled her nose.
"You don't need to drink it," said Abigail. "If you don't want to be rescued then you'll be staying here.""No," said Lexa. "I may not want to leave here but I'd still like to be a part of the plan and help you two get away. Maybe I can distract the guards or something."Abigail squeezed her arm. "You're a good friend, Lexa. I shall miss you." She picked up her own mug. "Well, are we ready?"
By the time, Mrs Byrne came back with the doctor, the three women were so worn out from vomiting that one would have imagined they really were sick.
"I'm not happy about this at all," she said.
"Madame was very clear that she wanted a member of staff to be with the women at all times while they are in the hospital," said Dr Jackson. "It's standard procedure.
"Yes but why me?" complained Mrs Byrne. "Am I any less likely to catch scarlet fever than any of the other guards?""I'm sure you won't have to stay too close," the doctor reassured her. "Why look, the women are exhausted. They'll most likely spend their time sleeping and I have a little room just off the ward where you can keep an eye on the door of their room. You'll be quite comfortable in there and far enough away from the women that you won't be infected.""Hmm," said Mrs Byrne. "Well it will only be till midnight and then I will be relieved by someone else for the night shift." She took a handkerchief from her pocket and held it over her mouth. "Come along, ladies. Let's get you to the hospital."
The hospital ward was bright and cheerful with 6 beds covered with sunny yellow bedspreads. Dr Jackson gave them each a nightgown and left them to get changed while he showed Mrs Byrne where she could make herself comfortable for the day.
"Well even if we weren't going to escape, this is an improvement on Eligius," Abigail whispered. She held the soft cotton nightgown to her face and breathed in the scent of lavender that clung to the material."I still don't know how
you're going to get out of here without getting Dr Jackson into trouble," said Lexa. "There are bound to be suspicions and what will be done about Byrne in the next room?"Abigail shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "But I trust Marcus to have a plan. He always does," she added proudly.
When they were all changed into their nightgowns, the doctor knocked on the door and came into the ward. He shut the door behind him and walked quickly to where the women were all sitting on one bed."I've furnished her with a pot of chocolate and some of my wife's novels. I think we can talk freely now." He turned to Echo and Lexa. "I presume Abigail has explained matters to you?""She has," said Echo. "I assume you have a plan."Dr Jackson shrugged. "It's not the best plan but what we thought was that my friend Marcus would seem to force his way in after dark tomorrow night as a brigand with intent to rob me. In the confusion, you ladies will seize your chance to escape."Echo grimaced. "Does Marcus have anyone with him?""He does," said the doctor. "But they are all young people and Marcus has stated very firmly that he does not want to involve them."Echo shook her head. "No, he'll need help. We don't know who will be guarding us tomorrow night. If it's someone like McCreary, Marcus will have a fight on his hands." She handed a piece of paper to Jackson. "This is a letter to my friend, Roan in Azgeda. He'll be easy enough to find, he's the blacksmith. Azgeda is only a few hours ride from here. Tell Marcus to take this letter to him. Roan will give him all the help he needs."
Marcus slowed his horse to a walk and looked about him. The good citizens of Azgeda were not the friendliest people he had ever seen. Perhaps they were just not used to visitors, it was a remote town with a manor house and twenty or so
cottages. He looked to his right and spotted what looked like a stable with a large horseshoe hanging outside. He dismounted and led his horse to the wide doorway of the building and looked inside. A man was beating metal on an anvil, he was stripped to the waist and his broad back was beaded with sweat. His hair was long and matted and his arms looked strong enough to throttle an ox.
"Roan?" Marcus said politely
and the man turned.
At the sight of Marcus he narrowed his eyes like a cat. "Can I help you?" he said in the same tone that he might have said 'Can I kill you?'Marcus reached into the pocket of his coat and drew out the letter. "From your friend, Echo, he said holding it out to the man.Roan grabbed it from him and read, painfully slowly it seemed. At last he said, "So, what's the plan?""I'd thought we would arrive at the hospital and knock at the door, one of us holding the other up. We would pretend that one of us was injured and once we gain admittance we can play the part of brigands come to rob the place. We will then take Abigail and Echo hostage and flee with them."Roan frowned. "Why the play-acting?" he said. "The doctor is in on the plan you say. Why does he just not let us in and we free the women?"Marcus shook his head. "It's important that Dr Jackson
is seen to have no part in this. He must appear a victim. He has told me we can knock him unconscious if need be. Gently of course," he added, eyeing Roan's massive fists.Roan flung down his hammer and strode to the doorway. "Nygel!" he bellowed.A woman came out of a nearby dwelling wiping her hands on her apron. "What are you shouting about, Roan blacksmith?" she wanted to know."Have you killed the bird for your dinner yet?" he demanded.The woman laughed. "No, I was just about to. Why do you want to know?""Collect the blood in a container and bring it to me," he said. Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Marcus. "Do you have a weapon?""I have this," said Marcus, pulling the pistol from his pocket.
Roan grinned and picked up a huge knife from a table against the wall. "I prefer fighting at close quarters," he said.
"It's happening tonight," said Dr Jackson in a low voice. "Marcus and Roan have taken lodgings at the inn. At midnight, shortly after the change of guard, they will come here and gain entry under the guise of one of them being wounded. I will bring them in here in order to treat the wounded man and at that moment they will produce a weapon and demand from me all the laudanum that I have. When they see you ladies, they will take you hostage in order to secure their escape. I will then call for the guard but he or she will be helpless to intervene for fear of the ladies being injured.""Is there anything we should do?" asked Echo."Just act like helpless maidens," said Jackson. He grinned at her. "Well as helpless as you can manage."
As luck would have it, the guard taking over from Mrs Byrne was a new addition to the staff at Eligius. Her name was Kara Cooper and while she had proved herself to be unnecessarily rough with the women, she would be no match for two men. She was also lazy and it was doubtful she would put herself to any inconvenience for the sake of the women. She had made herself comfortable in the ante room to the ward and shut the door, obviously expecting no trouble from the women who were to all appearances asleep in their beds.
As she waited for the knock on the door, Abigail felt as if she really were
ill. Her heart was racing and she
was sure that she would be sick at any moment. Soon, soon Marcus would be here. She would feel his arms about
her once more and look into those coffee coloured eyes that had haunted her dreams every night since she had parted from him. What would happen when he got here? Would he hurt Cooper? He'd told her he'd never hurt a woman but he was a pirate after all. He had probably killed at least one man though that was something she would never ask him. She knew that if he had killed anyone, it would not have been done lightly but underneath his brilliant smile and warm eyes, she sensed the hardness of a man who would always do what was necessary. And what about Roan?"Echo," she whispered.
Echo sat up in her bed. "It will be alright, Abby. Don't worry.""I was just wondering," said Abigail. "Is Roan a violent man?"Echo seemed to consider the question. At last she said, "He can be quick to anger but he will only strike when provoked. He's so fast though. One minute he'll look at you like a jaguar sizing up its prey and then you'll be on your back." She laughed. "Roan taught me how to fight, something he may come to regret when we are wed."Just then there was a loud knocking at the door of the hospital and Abigail felt she would be sick. She heard the sound of Dr Jackson going to answer it and then he said in a loud voice, "Oh Dear God, come in. Let me help you."She strained her ears to hear better and then she heard the sound of Cooper's voice. "What's going on, Doctor?"The door to the ward opened and a tall well-built man with straggling hair staggered in holding up a bearded man covered in blood.
Abigail half rose from the bed at the sight of Marcus apparently badly injured but stopped herself just in time which was fortunate as Cooper came in behind the three men.
"Miss Cooper," said Jackson, handing her a key. "Would you be so kind as to go to the cupboard in the hallway and fetch me some bandages and the bottle of Iodine?""Me?" said Cooper aghast at being asked to do some work. "Do you have no nurse in the hospital?""My wife usually helps me but I have sent her and my son to her parents because of the danger of contracting scarlet fever, so I would really appreciate your help in this matter, Miss Cooper." Jackson spoke politely but firmly and muttering to herself, Cooper took the proffered key and left the room.
Jackson helped Marcus into a chair and moving swiftly, Roan went after
Cooper.All at once there was a scream from Cooper and Jackson rushed back out of the room.As soon as he was alone with the women, Marcus jumped to his feet and pulled out a pistol from beneath the heavy robe he wore. "Be good girls now and ye won't get 'urt" he shouted. 'Scream' he mouthed at Abigail and she let out a scream so piercing it made
him wince.
Then the door opened and Roan came back in holding a knife to Cooper's throat. The woman looked terrified and for a moment Abigail felt sorry for her then she remembered how rough she had been with Luna when the girl was having one of her episodes and she swallowed back her pity.
"The good doctor is fetching
us laudanum," said Roan. "Then we'll be away and you ladies can go back to whatever you were doing."
"How do we know they won't call the constable?" said Marcus. "Maybe we should take an 'ostage. I quite fancy that one." And he leered at Abigail, quite convincingly she thought.
Doctor Jackson came in just then with a large bottle of laudanum. "Here you are, take it and begone with you."Cooper was still holding bandages and Marcus stepped forward and took them from her. "We'll tie them all up so they can't call for 'elp and we'll take a couple of 'ostages too.""These women are in my charge," said Cooper.
"Well maybe we should take you instead," said Roan putting the knife closer to her throat.
"No, no," she said hurriedly.
"Are you sure?" he said and he breathed heavily into her ear."Gentlemen, these are ladies of quality," protested the doctor.
"Is that so?" said Marcus. "Well you've just made taking 'em with us a whole lot more appealing. You come with us, we'll treat ye right and we'll reunite ye with yer families for the right price.""I have no-one," Lexa spoke up. "Take the others. They have wealthy families who will pay good money to get them back."
"We'll take them then," said Roan. "Get dressed," he ordered Abigail and Echo. "And be quick about it." He tossed the bandages to Lexa. "Tie their wrists together and when ye've done that ye can tie the doctor and this lady to the beds."When everyone was tied up to Roan's satisfaction he took the bandages from Lexa and swiftly tied her to another bed. "We'll bid you good night then," he said. He grabbed Echo and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Ye'll warm me bed nicely," he said, with a wink.
Marcus took Abigail by her bound arms and started to drag her from the room. "And I'll take good care of you, Milady," he said. "We'll get on famously."As soon as they had left the hospital and were walking down the path, he whispered in her ear, "As soon as we're away from here, I'm going to kiss you so hard you won't be able to stand."Abigail felt as if her legs would collapse underneath her at the mere words. It had been far too long and the time they had shared had been so very short but now they would make up for all the lost time.
At the end of the drive, two horses were tethered. "You'll have to ride with me," said Marcus. "It won't be for too long and then we will transfer to Monty Green's carriage. Octavia is waiting with him and you maid, Harper too.""What on earth does Monty Green have to do with all this," asked Abigail."I'll explain on the way," said Marcus. He drew a knife from his pocket and cut the bandages from her wrists then he picked her up and in one smooth movement he had deposited her upon his horse. He mounted behind her and waited while Echo and Roan mounted the other horse before slowly urging his mount forwards.As they neared the outskirts of the village they heard the sounds of another horse approaching them and Abigail felt Marcus reach for his pistol.
The other rider was alone and
Abigail felt Marcus relax though he still kept his hand on his pistol.
The man seemed to hardly glance at Roan and Echo who were in front but as he drew level with Marcus and Abigail, he reined in his horse sharply.
"Lady Abigail!" he gasped.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Titus!" Abigail gasped. "What - what are you doing here?""We received word, your Ladyship, that you were ill with scarlet fever. Master bade me come to make sure you were being looked after properly.""He was unable to come himself, no doubt," said Abigail in a waspish tone.
Marcus sensed the hurt in her and he wished he could take her in his arms right now and tell her that he loved her, even if her husband didn't. How different would her life be right now if Jacob Griffin had loved his wife the way she deserved to be loved? And he realised that if that could be true, he would give her up. He would live the rest of his life aching for her if he knew she was loved and safe and happy in the life that only Jacob could give her. For he had come along and snatched her from the asylum, but what next? What could he give her? He swallowed down the heartache he felt at the realisation that he would give her up and he tightened his grip about her waist.
"Master gave me instructions to take lodgings near to the hospital and when you were well enough, to bring you home, if that's what you wish," the man said. He nodded his head to Marcus. "But who is this man, your Ladyship?""He is..." began Abigail, but Marcus swiftly cut her off.
"Your lady is my prisoner," he said. He took the gun from his cloak and pointed it at the man. He couldn't let Abigail tell the truth about the escape from the hospital. He had promised Eric Jackson that he wouldn't let any blame fall upon him for aiding their flight.
"No, please," Abigail begged him. "Titus is a good man. Don't hurt him!"Roan, who so far had said nothing, now sighed and dismounted. He strode over to Titus, pulled him from his horse and knocked him unconscious with one blow. From his pocket, he pulled the rope that had bound Echo's wrists, and he used it to tie Titus to the nearest tree. He took Titus'
mount and led it to where Echo was sitting astride his horse. "Here you are, you inelegant strumpet," he said. "Here's a horse of your own to ride. I'd have brought britches for you if I'd known you were intending to ride like a man. Look at Lady Abigail, sitting demurely sidesaddle."Echo laughed. "When we're wed, you great lump, I'll wear britches all day long and you won't stop me. Besides, we can move faster if I'm astride.""If you two have finished exchanging pleasantries, " said Marcus drily. "We'll be on our way." He thought for a moment. "Actually, Abigail, Echo is right. I know it's not a very ladylike position when you're wearing a gown, but we would go faster if you were astride."Abigail's' response was to pull up her skirts and swing one leg over the horse's neck. "Better?" she enquired.
Marcus pulled her closer to him so that her thighs were pressed against his. "Much better," he murmured in her ear. He nudged the horse forward with his heels. "We need to be quick. When he wakes he'll call for help, and we don't know how soon that will come."
Before too long, they came upon Monty's coach waiting at the side of the road. Marcus handed Abigail down from his horse. Now at least she could travel in the manner to which she was accustomed, though he would miss the feel of her body against his.
"We'll part here," he said to Roan and Echo. "And thank you for everything, Roan. I'm not sure I could have pulled this off without you."Echo jumped lightly down from her horse and embraced Abigail. "Good luck, Abigail and have fun with your handsome pirate." She grinned at Marcus."What will you do now, Echo?" Abigail asked her."We'll hide out for a day or two," Echo replied. "Then we'll find a priest to marry us.""Won't your father be furious?"
Echo laughed. "He will be, but his pride is greater than his fury, believe me. Almost the worst thing he could imagine is his only daughter married to a blacksmith. The worst thing he could imagine is his only daughter living as a blacksmith's wife. He'll shout and curse and then, when he's calmed down, he'll settle a fortune on me in return for Roan and I setting up home somewhere no-one will know us.""I've always wanted to go to America," said Roan slowly.Echo turned to him. "Then we'll go to America," she said. Turning back to Abby, she said, "What about you, Abigail? Why don't you come to America too? Your husband will never find you there.""It's tempting," said Abigail. "But England was where we were hoping to go. I'm not sure how we'll manage that, now I'm unable to get the money from my husband."At her words, Marcus felt a flush of shame rising up into his cheeks. It shouldn't be up to Abigail to find the money for their future together. What sort of man was he if he couldn't provide for the woman he loved?"It's time to say goodbye," he said tersely. "We can't stay here.""Goodbye, Abigail," Echo said, giving her a brief hug. She came over to Marcus and offered him her
hand to shake. "Goodbye, Marcus. Make sure you look after Abigail, won't you?""I intend to," he said and the words felt like ash in his mouth.When Echo and Roan rode off, Marcus took hold of Abigail's hand and led her to the carriage. He opened the door and handed her in."Lady Abigail!" Harper seemed delighted to see her former mistress.
"Harper!" Abigail appeared to be just as pleased to see her maid. "Marcus told me while we were riding
about how you had helped him find me. And now you don't have a job. I wish there was something I could do about that but..."Now you can't afford a ladies maid
thought Marcus. He nodded at Octavia and tried to smile but it seemed as if the muscles of his face were frozen.
"I'll ride alongside," he said.Abigail gave him a hurt look but he couldn't ride in the carriage. He couldn't be so close to her right now. He had a lot of thinking to do, and it would be easier if he was as far away from her as possible.
Monty climbed out of the carriage. "I'll drive," he said. "And don't worry, Lady Abigail. I have offered Harper a position in our household. Our housekeeper is leaving and Harper would be an ideal replacement. Mother has left that side of things to me since father became unwell, so there will be no argument from her."Marcus nodded, pleased for Harper. At least she would be well housed and fed, unlike her former mistress. He wondered whether he should go back to his old life just for a little while, just until he could make enough money for a house for Abigail. But where would she live until then? Marcus couldn't remember when he had felt so desperate and helpless. It had been alright when the only other option for Abigail had been to be shut away in the asylum. But Sir Jacob's man had said he was to take her home if she wanted. How Marcus wished he hadn't heard those words, but now that he had...Damn why had he snatched her from the street in the first place?"I trust we are still headed for the harbour?" said Monty. "Your plan is still to take a ship back to Port of Spain?""Aye," said Marcus. "That's still the plan. For the moment anyway."
They had been travelling for half an hour when Monty stopped suddenly. "Do you hear that?" he said sharply.
For a moment, Marcus couldn't hear anything except the ever present crickets and the whistling of tree frogs. Then he heard it. The unmistakable sound of galloping hooves. He leapt down from his
horse and pulled open the carriage door. "Abigail," he said urgently. "Get out of the carriage!""Take her into those trees," said Monty. "We'll wait for you." He got down onto
his knees beside one of the horses and pretended to examine its hoof.
Marcus took Abigail's arm and hurried her into the grove of trees so that they were hidden but could still hear what was going on at the roadside.
He let the horse graze nearby and took up a position as close to the road as he dared."Marcus," whispered Abigail. "Is everything alright?""You mean apart from the men looking for us?" he whispered back. God, she looked so beautiful in the moonlight. He wanted to take her in his arms, crush her to him and give her the kiss he had promised her. But why make it harder for himself?"I don't mean that," she said. "It's you. I thought when we were together again it would be different from this. But you seem so - so cold.""Sssh!" he said roughly. "They're here."The sound of horses' hooves stopped and they heard Titus call out, "Sir, have you seen riders passing this way?"Monty answered, but they couldn't hear what he said. They heard Titus answer him though."Master Green! Why, what are you doing out here, Sir?"
"I'm afraid I can't divulge that information," said Monty. "But I'd like to think I could rely on your discretion. I would not like my mother to know that you saw me tonight. I will make it worth your while.""This business wouldn't be to do with Lady Abigail Griffin, would it?" said Titus suspiciously."Lady Griffin?" echoed Monty. "No, why would it?""Monty darling, what is it," came a familiar voice.
"I won't be a moment, Octavia," said Monty. "Now you see why I don't want my mother to know you've seen me," he said to Titus."Quite right too, Sir," said Titus. "A gentleman must have his pleasures. I'm sorry to have bothered you.""Here you are then," said Monty and Marcus heard the clink of coins.More expense, thought Marcus. He hoped the bribe would not be too big. His purse was becoming lighter by the day and he still had to get himself and Octavia back to Port of Spain. As for Abigail...He took her hand. "I want you to make yourself known to your husband's man," he said softly."What?" she said in a horrified whisper.
"Abigail, I love you," he said. "And I always will. I know that on my deathbed, yours will be the face I see when at last I close my eyes, yours will be the name on my lips as I draw my last breath. But I have nothing to offer you. Your husband wishes to have you back and, who knows - maybe he will be a better husband for you from now on. At the very least, you will be safe, warm, well-fed. I cannot promise you the same, my love." He took up her hand and held it to his lips, his heart breaking in two. "And I would not see these beautiful hands work for a living. I am not the man for you, Abby. You deserve more than I could ever give you."She snatched her hand away. "You were willing for us to have a future when you thought I might have money from my husband for us to live on, were you not? Is that what this has all been about?"For a second he was tempted to say yes, it was always about the money. Perhaps that would make her so angry she would leave him. But he also knew it would hurt her and he could no more do that than gouge out his own eyes. "The money would have meant
you were comfortable," he said. "I would much rather provide for you myself but until I could do so, it was important to me that you should live in comfort. I didn't want a penny of your money for my own sake, I would happily sleep in a stable and live off bread and water as long as I knew you were well-fed and warm.Her eyes glistened with tears in the moonlight. "Marcus, you idiot. None of that is important to me, if I have you. I will work for our future if need be. We are in this together." She put one hand to his face. "I can't lose you, Marcus."At the thought of her working, his mind was made up. He grabbed her hand. "If you won't go to him, I'll take you myself," he said and made to pull her out of their hiding-place.But she wrenched her hand from his grasp. "If you do not want me, then I will not stay with you," she said. "But you forget something. My daughter is in Port of Spain and I wish to make my life with her. I would hope you will at least accompany me there.""Of course," he said. He had forgotten about Clarke, and maybe in Port of Spain Abigail could stay with her cousin. "Very well," he said. "We will travel together to Trinidad and then we will say our goodbyes.""As you wish," she said coldly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I can take you as far as Tobago," said the Captain. "I've a cargo to pick up there and bring back straight away. I don't have time for detours.""What do you think, Abigail?" said Marcus.
She noticed his use of her full name and she clenched her jaw in annoyance. "I would sooner leave here right now than wait for a ship to take us to Port of Spain. Do
we have enough money to take another ship from Tobago?" She wished they hadn't said goodbye to Monty Green before going to the harbour. Much as she hated to ask him to help any more than he already had done, she was desperate to leave Nassau before Jacob found her.Marcus sighed. "Not exactly, no. But I do have a friend in Tobago. I know she'll be happy to let me have the fare to Trinidad."She!
Abigail wasn't usually a jealous woman, at least she had never been where Jacob was concerned, but she felt a flash of annoyance at the word. Of course, Marcus had had plenty of female acquaintances, she knew that. Maybe he was planning to take up where he left off. Maybe, for all his talk of wanting the best for her, he was tired of her and wanted to return to his old life where women didn't need anything from him.
"Well if you're sure she will do," she said. "She must be a very good friend
to be so generous.""Callie would do anything for me," he said, and Abigail felt that twinge of jealousy again. Not just a friend then but his lover. She remembered what Raven had said about Callie. Marcus cared about her, she'd said. He cared enough to buy her a brothel so that she wouldn't have to sleep with other men.
"Very well," she said stiffly. "We will take this ship to Tobago and your friend can help us to get back to Trinidad."Marcus raised one eyebrow at her tone but said nothing, simply took the bag of
coins
from his pocket and counted out most of it for the Captain.
"This will buy you one cabin," the captain said.
"Might I bunk in with your crew then?" asked Marcus.The man shrugged. "As you wish."
"What is
wrong with you and Papa?" said Octavia when she and Abigail were alone in their cabin. "You've scarcely spoken two words to each other."Abigail's heart felt as if it would break. She had become very fond of Octavia in the short time she had known her and had
hoped to
be something of a mother to the girl. But she wasn't just losing Marcus now. She was about to lose his family too. The life she had imagined for herself in England as 'wife' to Marcus and mother to his children was slipping away from her. She would ask Diana for the money for passage to England for Bellamy and Clarke so that Bellamy could take up his position in the law firm and they could have a new life, but it was probably better if she herself made a home with her cousin rather than be a burden to her daughter."Your father has decided that we should part company after we arrive in Port of Spain," she said.
"Oh no!" cried Octavia. "Why would he say that? He loves you, I know he does. Let me go and find him. I'll speak to him, find out what's on his mind.""No!" said Abigail sharply. She had already made a fool of herself over the man. She cringed at the thought of Octavia pleading her case for her and Marcus would be bound to think she had sent the girl to him.Octavia's eyes opened wide and Abigail patted the bed next to her.
"Come and sit down," she said.Octavia sat next to her, her expression troubled. "I thought this was all settled," she said plaintively. "I thought we were all going to be a family. It's what I want more than anything. Please make it right, Abby. If you've quarrelled, you can make it up, surely.""We have not quarrelled," said Abigail. "But during my time in the asylum, I came to realise that what I felt for your father was not what I had imagined. I think I had just been overcome by the romance of the situation." She forced herself to laugh. "I was captured by a handsome pirate. It's just like something one would read in a novel, is it not? And yes, I had
thought myself quite in love with your father and he with me. But our time apart has allowed us both to see that we had allowed ourselves to be caught up in the - the passion of the moment. But we are both quite in agreement that from now on, we should be no more than friends."Octavia frowned. "Then why aren't you behaving as friends? You've hardly been able to look at each other and I can see that you're both desperately unhappy. Oh please think again, Abby. I'm sure you are making the most
dreadful mistake!"Abigail allowed herself a small smile. There was no fooling Octavia. She was every bit as sharp-witted as her father. She placed her hand over Octavia's. "Please, my dear," she said softly. "We have made our decision and one day you'll understand why it's for the best."
It took five days to get to Tobago and they were five of the worst days of Abigail's life. Marcus kept
away from her and when they did happen to meet, he was so polite and distant, it was all she could do to stop the tears from falling. She in turn hardened her heart towards him and could barely find a civil word to say to him. Octavia seemed confused and sad and Abigail felt unaccountably responsible even though it had been Kane who had caused all this heartache. For she had forced herself to stop thinking of him as Marcus. He was Kane the pirate, the man who had snatched her from her comfortable life so that he could make money from her, the man who had bedded her with talk of love and promised her that she wasn't just another of his conquests when all along...The voyage had been physically arduous too. After her voyages on the Arcadia, Jaha's vessel and the ships that had taken her from Port of Spain to Nassau, Abigail had come to believe she was immune from seasickness. There had been that one time on the Arkadia but that had been as a result of the rum Kane had plied her with. But every day of the voyage to Tobago Abigail had been most wretchedly sick. Even when they disembarked, she still felt as if the ground was moving beneath her feet.Marcus seemed to notice for the first time that she was unwell and he offered her his arm. "Let me help you, Abigail," he said gently. "You look pale.""I'm quite alright, thank you," she said stiffly.
"Are you sure?" he asked her. "We have a bit of a walk to Callie's I'm afraid, at least half an hour. We don't have money left for a carriage.""I said I was alright."They walked in an awkward silence for a while, not even Octavia daring to speak. Abigail looked down at her shoes as she put one foot carefully in front of the other, lest she turn her heel. The mid-day sun was beating down upon them and she felt beads of sweat collecting on her brow and at the back of her neck. If only they could stop for a few minutes but she was determined not to ask for a rest. She was vaguely aware of Marcus saying something but he seemed to be speaking from a long way off. There was a hissing in her ears and her whole face was suddenly suffused with a great heat then the ground seemed to tilt towards her.When she
came round she was sitting on the ground cradled in Marcus' arms. She struggled to free herself from his embrace but all her strength seemed to have deserted her.
"Easy now," he said. He was frowning as he stroked away her hair from her forehead. He shook his head as if he was angry with himself. "This is all my fault," he said. "You're obviously sick. You should be at home resting between cool sheets, not tramping along in the mid-day sun with a good for nothing pirate."
He helped her to her feet then before she could protest, he had swung her easily into his arms. "Until I see you safely to your cousin, you're my responsibility," he said. "I haven't taken care of you as I should but I will do from now on.""Marcus, put me down.
I can walk," she said weakly.
He looked down at her with a half smile on his face. "Fight me," he said.She thought about it for a second but she really didn't have the energy. She sighed. "Fine."She was determined to keep her head upright, she didn't want to lean on his shoulder but she must have drifted off because she next thing she was aware of was the sound of someone knocking on a door and she opened her eyes to find that her
face was nestled into his neck.
Realising that they must be at Callie's house, she wriggled in Marcus' arms.
"Put me down now!" she demanded. She did not want his lover's first impression of her to be as some sort of invalid.Marcus put her gently down on her feet but kept one arm wrapped about
her waist. She pulled away from him just as the huge oak door swung open.
"Captain!" The young woman standing in the doorway gave Marcus a coquettish smile. "We've missed you." Then she noticed Abigail and Octavia and she raised one eyebrow. "I'm not sure Madame is taking on any more girls right now."Abigail gasped at the girl's words but Marcus merely chuckled. "These ladies are my guests," he said. "I'll explain everything to Callie.""You'd better come in then," said the girl.She showed them into a comfortable drawing room where Abigail sank gratefully into a tapestry covered armchair."What do you think is wrong with you?" Marcus asked her."She was ill all through the voyage," Octavia said. "I did tell you," she added in an accusatory tone."You did," agreed Marcus with a shamefaced expression. "But I thought it was just sea-sickness."Abigail shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it's the after effects of the medicine Jackson gave us all to make us sick." She gave a hollow laugh. "Or perhaps I really do have scarlet fever.""Don't say that," said Marcus."Don't say what?" said a lilting voice. The door had opened and a beautiful dark haired woman came into the room. "Welcome back, pirate," she said and she enveloped Marcus in a hug. Then she turned to Abigail and Octavia with such a warm smile that Abigail felt her jealousy begin to melt away.
"Callie, allow me to present to you Lady Abigail Griffin," said Marcus.Callie gave a little bow of her head, "Delighted to meet you, Lady Abigail," she said.
"And this," said Marcus proudly, taking Octavia by the arm and leading her forward, "is my daughter, Octavia."Callie gasped. "Your daughter? But you said...""It's a long story," said Marcus. "I'll tell you everything later over a bottle of rum. But for now, I'm happy to be able to say that both my daughter and my son survived the fire that took my wife and I've been reunited with both of them. Bellamy's in Port of Spain right now.""It's a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Kane," said Callie."It's actually Miss Blake," Marcus corrected her. "Like I said, it's a long story but...""No, it's Miss Kane," Octavia interrupted him. "Well, not Miss, I'm just Octavia but it's Octavia Kane." She put her arm through her father's. "I want to have the same name as you, Papa."
Marcus seemed unable to speak for a moment then he just hugged his daughter tight to him and kissed her hair.
Callie smiled at Abigail. "Can I get you some refreshment, Lady Abigail?"Marcus turned to her. "Actually, what Lady Abigail needs right now is rest. She's been quite unwell since we left Nassau.""Of course," said Callie. "Would you come with me, Lady Abigail. I have a lovely guest room where you can have a sleep and I'll bring you something to drink once you're settled."Abigail bristled at the fact that Marcus was making decisions for her but he was right, rest was what she needed. So, without giving him so much as a glance, she got up from her seat and followed Callie out of the room.
The other woman led her up a staircase and along a long corridor to a room at the end. "Here you go, Lady Abigail," she said, opening the door onto a beautiful bedroom decorated in relaxing soft greens and cream.
"Please call me Abigail," Abigail murmured. She breathed in deeply through her nose."Do you still feel unwell?" enquired Callie. She took Abigail's arm and led her to the bed. "Here, sit down and I will bring you up some ginger tea. It's wonderful for nausea.""Yes," said Abigail, sinking down into the pillows gratefully. "I remember I used to use it when...Oh my God!" She sat bolt upright and put her hand to her stomach."What is it?"
But Abigail couldn't answer her. She was too busy thinking back. When had she last had her bleed? It was on Jaha's ship, she remembered Raven fetching rags for her and pretending they were for herself so as to spare Abigail's blushes. And that was how long ago now? Well over a month ago. She put her hand to her breasts, heedless of the fact that Callie was watching her. Yes, they were tender and heavy. How had she not noticed that?
"Abigail? is everything alright?""Not really," said Abigail bleakly. "I'm with child.""Oh! And will your husband be happy about it?" said Callie.Abigail gave a harsh laugh. "Hardly. We have not lain together for at least a twelvemonth.""Then..." Callie's mouth opened wide. "Marcus is the father?""Hush! He mustn't find out.""But why ever not?"Abigail shook her head. "We are not together, Marcus and I." She blushed. "I'm don't normally...but Marcus assured me...he said..." She stopped, unable to go on and tears came into her eyes.Callie sat next to her on the bed and put an arm about her. "Marcus told me you were special," she said softly.
Abigail dashed away the tears with the back of her hand. "He told me the same thing," she said. "But he lied.""Abigail, I know Marcus better than anyone," Callie said. "I know he has a reputation with the ladies but he has never to my knowledge promised a woman more than he was willing to give. If he told you he cared for you, then believe me, he does." She took hold of Abigail's hand. "Tell him about the baby. He would want to know."Abigail shook her head fiercely. "No. And you are not to tell him, do you hear me?""I wouldn't dream of betraying a confidence," said Callie. She stood up and regarded Abigail sadly. "I'll leave you to rest now.""Thank you," said Abigail. She turned away from the other woman, closing
her eyes against the image of Marcus with a baby in his arms, a proud smile on his face. For it was just a fantasy. In reality he would be as horrified as she was herself. She knew that if he had any idea, he would do the honourable thing and stand by her but she didn't want him to be with her out of duty. She would go to Diana, the option of going to England with Clarke now completely out of the question. At least now Jacob would not try to take her back. With her at a distance he could pretend the child was his, but he would not want another man's bastard in his house.
She heard the door close as Callie left her alone and she buried her face in the pillow to shut out the sound of her sobs.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Here you go, Pirate."Callie slammed the bottle of rum down onto the table with a little more force than was strictly necessary and Marcus frowned. Was she angry with him? What had he done?She passed him a goblet and sat back watching him with her arms folded as he uncorked the bottle and poured himself a generous amount.
"Have
I done something to upset ye, wench?" he said
"Speak properly," Callie said crossly. "I know you can speak like a gentleman even if it appears you can't behave like one."Marcus sighed. "Does this have something to do with Abigail?" he said.
Callie snorted. "You're not totally insensitive then. Yes, it does have something to do with Abigail." She shook her head as if she was disappointed with him and Marcus felt a flush creep into his cheeks. It wasn't often that he cared what other people thought of him nowadays, but Callie's good opinion had always been important to him.
He looked into his drink and then took a huge swig, throwing his head back as the liquid burned its familiar bittersweet trail down the back of his throat. He slammed the almost empty goblet down into the table and refilled it before speaking.
"What has she told you?"Callie pursed her lips as if thinking. "She told me you said you loved her. You made her feel she was different from the other wenches you'd bedded and then you fucked her."Marcus stared at her. "Oh Callie, I'm so sorry. I never meant..."She laughed, with genuine mirth it seemed. "Marcus Kane you idiot, I'm not outraged on my own behalf. Don't you know by now that all I want from you is to be your best friend?" She stopped laughing and annoyance creased her brow. "But I'm ashamed of you, Kane. Abigail isn't like me or the other girls who share your bed. She's a lady and I don't mean just because she wears fancy clothes and speaks nice. She's got breeding, she's got standards and I'm damn sure she wouldn't drop her drawers if she didn't think you were serious about her."Marcus went to take another swig of rum then carefully placed the cup back down on the table. The least he could do was stay relatively sober when explaining about Abby. The rum would only make him maudlin and he didn't want to be like that in front of Callie. "I was serious about her," he said softly. "I loved her, still do." He shook his head and bitterness twisted his lips into a tight smile. "But I'm not good enough for her, Callie. What can I offer her? I'm an ex-pirate and like you say, Abigail is a lady. I can look after myself and I'd do my best to look after her too, but I'm never going to be able to give her a home like she has with her husband, a carriage and fine clothes." He took another swig of rum. "Dammit Callie, she fainted on our way here today because she had to walk. I had to carry her most of the way." He gave a sigh that felt as if it had come from his boots. "She needs to be where she belongs, back with her husband. I saw her house you know. The finest mansion house I ever saw, must have been over a hundred rooms. I can't take her away from all that, how could I? Say you understand, Callie. I swear none of this crossed my mind as I was falling in love with her. I never meant to hurt her."Callie's expression softened and she reached across the table to take his hand. "I know that, Love. But you did hurt her, she's hurt and she's angry and I can't say I blame her.""Good," he said shortly. "I deserve her anger. Far better she hate me than feel sad. She'll move on from this, Callie."Callie hesitated as if she was about to say something more then she sighed and shook her head. "I want you
all to stay here as my guests for as long as it takes."He frowned. "As long as what takes?""Well until Abigail is well of course."Marcus felt fear grip his heart. "Do you think it's serious then? I thought it was just the heat and the rigours of the voyage.""And I'm sure that's all it is," said Callie smoothly. "However, I will ask my physician to take a look at her and I'm sure he will agree with me that what she needs is plenty of bed rest, peace and quiet and wholesome food.""Could you keep her here for a little while then?" asked Marcus. "I'll pay for her keep obviously." He sighed "Somehow.""Well like I said, you could all stay," said Callie. "I have plenty of jobs around the house if you want to earn your keep. And it really wouldn't be gentlemanly of you to leave her here among strangers, would it?"Marcus sighed. He needed some time away from Abigail. Every time he looked at her he felt his heart would break. But then maybe this was his penance. Very well. He would stay until she was feeling well enough to undertake the voyage to Port of Spain, however long that took."We'll all stay," he said. "And thank you, Callie. You really are the most wonderful friend a man could have."Callie smiled. "Oh I know that," she said. "And now, tell me about Octavia and her brother."
By the time Marcus had finished his story, his eyes were wet and Callie rushed to his side.
"Oh, Marcus. How wicked those Blakes were to keep you from your children! But how wonderful that you should have found them again. Octavia is a beautiful young lady and a credit to you and she obviously adores you.""Aye" he said. "She's more like me than I'd like to be honest, foolhardy, rushes into things without thinking. But there's no denying she
has a heart of gold. And as much as she's a fine young woman, I still see me little girl in her face at times.""And Bellamy?" Callie asked. "Has he changed?"Marcus frowned. "I get the feeling he's seen more of life than he lets on and I wish I could have shielded him from that. But he still has the sense of honour he had as a child and I trust he'll always do what is right. Besides, he has a good wife in Clarke.""I wonder if I shall ever meet them," Callie said."Well that's the thing," said Marcus. "Though I can't deny it will be good to stay in one spot for a while, I do worry what Bellamy's thinking right now. If I'm not home soon, he'll worry that something
has happened to me and then God knows what he'll do.""I'll send my man, Miles with a message. If you like, I can provide him with funds to bring them back with him."Marcus shook his head. "That's too generous of you, Callie. I can't ask you to do that.""Oh nonsense," said Callie briskly. "You helped me buy this place, remember. And you've never once asked for a return on your investment, though anyone else would have done. So don't talk to me about generosity. Besides, I'm sure Abigail would rally so much more quickly if she
had her daughter with her."Marcus bit his lip. She was right of course, she usually was. And it would be nice for Abby to have her daughter near her again, though if she confided in her the way she had confided in Callie, he could expect a verbal ear boxing from Clarke. He nodded. "Thank you, Callie. It's a wonderful idea."
Bellamy and Clarke arrived six days later but the wait had seemed like an eternity to Marcus and that was mainly because of Abigail. Her moods fluctuated as wildly as her health seemed to and if he'd had any money of his own, he'd have been inclined to move out and take a room at a local tavern. Every morning she would come down to breakfast pale-faced and weary. She'd
have nothing but a slice of bread and weak tea and if he dared to express concern, she'd shoot him such a look of venom that he soon learned to keep his own counsel. Then as the day wore on, she would seem to rally, she'd eat a hearty lunch and dinner and she'd treat him with, if not friendliness then at least politeness. Sometimes he'd look up to catch her gazing at him with a queer look on her face as if there was something she wished to say to him but as soon as he caught her looking, she'd glance away.
And Callie wasn't much better. She seemed to be exasperated with him for some reason and more than once he'd walked into the room to find her and Abigail arguing. They'd go quiet as soon as he came in and Abigail would glare at him as if he'd done something wrong. So most of the time during the six days he'd spent his time in the garden, pulling up the weeds and fixing the broken fence. At least he couldn't get into any trouble there.
He was
just putting the finishing touches to the fence
when his son and Clarke arrived. He jumped up and ran to the gate where he hugged Bellamy fiercely. Having only just been reunited with his children, it had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do to leave them again so soon and truth be told he'd been glad to see Octavia when she'd stowed away, for all that he'd scolded her for being so reckless. Bellamy hugged him back just as tightly and then Clarke interrupted them."Where is my mother? I was told she was unwell."Marcus turned to his daughter-in-law, considered giving her a hug then thought better of it.
"She is much better," he said, unsure even as he said the words whether he was telling the truth. Then again it was two o'clock in the afternoon so she may be quite well.
Clarke gave a nod. "Take me to her." "Please," she added at his raised eyebrows.
Captain Marcus Kane had been slapped by a few women in his time. What pirate hadn't? But nothing compared to the ringing slap that Clarke had delivered to his face when she came down to the drawing room after spending an hour with her mother. Octavia had been lounging on the rug reading a copy of Gulliver's Travels given to her by Callie while Marcus and Bellamy played at Backgammon, and now she jumped up, hands curled into fists. Hastily Marcus got to his feet and put himself between his daughter and his daughter-in-law while Bellamy hastened to calm his wife."Clarke! My love. What has happened?" He took hold of Clarke's arm but she shook him off angrily.
"Why don't you ask your father?"
"Maybe we could discuss this somewhere else, Clarke," Marcus said.
Clarke pursed her lips then nodded. "Very well. I
noticed the parlour was empty on
my way back from Mama's room. We'll go in there."Once in the safety of the parlour, she rounded on him again. "How could you, Kane?" She shook her head. "I didn't trust you the moment I set eyes on you. You're a pirate with all the worst traits of that species and I was horrified that you had any association with my mother." She glared at him. "But you were also Bellamy's father and so I tried to put aside my first impressions and give you the benefit of the doubt. Beside my mother..." She sat down and motioned for Marcus to do the same. Her voice became softer now and her expression sad rather than angry.
"Do you know, I'd never realised that my mother was unhappy with my father.
But what did I know of marriage?" She seemed to consider for a moment. "I don't believe she realised how unhappy she was either or she would have come with Bellamy and me to England. But then she met you." Her expression hardened again. "You snatched her from her safe but dull marriage and you showed her another side of life. And when I first saw her at the inn, it was as if I was looking at a different person. She had a glow about her, a joy in life I'd never seen in her before. And when I realised that you two were...well that you had feelings for each other, I countered my dismay at the gross unsuitability of it all by thinking about how happy you were making her. Then when you went off in search of her, after she left to go and see my father, I actually admired you for going after the woman you loved." She sneered. "Or should I say the woman I thought you loved?"She paused for breath and Marcus took the opportunity to answer her. "I do love her," he said wretchedly. He thrust his hands into his hair. "And that's why I can't ruin her life anymore than I already have done. You said it yourself, it's grossly unsuitable. What can I give her, Clarke? I have nothing to give but my heart, and if my love could feed her and clothe her and give her the life to which she has been accustomed, then I would stay by her side until the day I die. But it's better this way. You're a practical young woman. You must see that, surely.""Practical?" said Clarke. "So practical, I ran off with your son instead of marrying the rich young man my father had chosen for me? You have a poor opinion of women, Kane if you think that comfort and material possessions outweigh our passions. I can only think that a lifetime spent consorting with women who sell themselves has given you the impression that we are all for sale."Marcus hesitated. Put like that it did sound as if he was underestimating Abigail. But no. She and Clarke were different. He and Bellamy were different. Clarke was young and strong and Bellamy had prospects when he finally got to England. He'd thought Abigail strong until recently and while there was no doubt that she was mentally one of the strongest women he had ever met, physically she was obviously not as strong as her daughter. Look at her now. What would they do without Callie's kindness? What if Abigail were to become seriously ill? How would he afford a doctor? He thought of his mother. He'd always tortured himself with the thought that maybe, if he'd fetched a doctor to her earlier, she might have survived the illness that took her.
He shook his head. "No," he said, his voice terse. "I would never think that of your mother but you are not thinking of the practicalities, Clarke. What if...""She hopes you will change your mind, you know," Clarke interrupted him.
He frowned. "No, Clarke. I think she knows my mind is made up." He laughed without humour. "And at this point, changing my mind wouldn't make any difference. I really do believe Abigail hates me. Which is for the best. Really."
"Then why did she refuse my offer to come to England?" Clarke demanded. "She has no intention of going back to my father, she intends to spend the rest of her life with cousin Diana. And why would she do that? Why would she stay with her cousin instead of being with her daughter and one day her grandchildren? It's obvious she is staying in the Caribbean to be near to you."Marcus felt his treacherous heart leap and then fall again as guilt overwhelmed him. "She...she no doubt feels she would be a burden on you and Bellamy," he said. "She does not wish her daughter to start out her married life with a mother to support."
"Has my mother never told you of her dressmaking skills?" asked Clarke. Then she laughed. "No why would she? Well she has the most prodigious talent. She made such beautiful dresses for me as a child until one day when a neighbour complemented me on my attire I told her that my mother had made it. The neighbour mentioned it in front of my father and he was furious. He said people would think we couldn't afford to pay a dressmaker. So that was the end of my homemade dresses." She laughed again and this time the laughter reached her eyes. "From then on I had the most exquisitely dressed dolls on the island. So you see, Kane my mother would be more than able to support herself. Can you imagine how the ladies of England would fall over themselves to have their dresses made by Lady Abigail Griffin, wife to the largest plantation owner in the Caribbean?" She narrowed her eyes. "Does that make a difference to you, knowing that my mother can support herself without any help from you?"Aye there was a question. He'd seen his mother take in washing to supplement her work as a weaver so that she could feed her children and all because his wastrel of a father didn't trouble himself to provide for his family. Of course this wasn't remotely the same but his male pride still rankled at the thought of not being able to provide for the woman he loved. He shook his head. "I don't know, Clarke. It doesn't change anything about me, does it? I'm still not good enough for her.""No you're not," agreed Clarke. "But my opinion doesn't matter, does it? All I want, Kane is for my mother to be happy and if being with you will make her happy, then I respect that. Talk to her, will you? Suggest we all go to England together. I mean, that was the original plan, wasn't it? And then at least we'll know if you're the reason she wants to stay in the Caribbean."He nodded, an unwilling excitement building inside his chest. It wouldn't hurt to at least talk about it, would it?
"What do you want?" said Abigail. Her voice was weary and he faltered. Was this a good idea?
"Can I come in for a moment?" he said. "I want to talk to you about something."She raised her eyebrows. "In my bedroom? Not very gentlemanly of you, is it? Oh but then I forgot. You're not a gentleman, are you?"He winced at her words but he knew he deserved them. He sat down in an armchair and scrutinised her face. She had plenty of colour in her cheeks and she seemed to be putting on a little weight but she looked tired. "How are you?" he said softly."As well as can be expected," she said.
"Better now that Clarke is here. I've missed her so much."He nodded. "Of course you have. She..er...she tells me she's asked you to go to England with her and you've refused."
"Not that it's any of your business but yes. I intend to live with my cousin. ""Oh, I wondered if it was because I'm going with them," he said casually.She gave a sudden sharp intake of breath. "You...you are?""Yes, we are all going," he said. "You know, if you were to come too, I could promise to stay away from you.""Well we all know what your promises are worth," she countered.He nodded. "I deserve that. But don't you think Clarke needs you? What about when she becomes a mother herself? Won't you want to be there with her? And what will you do without Clarke? Surely you don't mean to reconcile yourself to a life without her. She's your only child."Abigail laughed at that, but it was a bitter laugh verging on hysteria. "You surprise me," she said eventually. "I thought you wanted to keep me as far away as possible."He shook his head. "No, I just thought you should go back to your husband. But Clarke tells me you have no intention of doing so, that you intend to spend your days with your cousin.""I already told you that," she said. "But you only believe it when you hear it from Clarke. My word is obviously not to be trusted then. What little respect you have for me, Marcus."He sighed. This was not going as planned. "That's not it at all. You may not believe me but I have the utmost respect for you. It was only that if anyone were to be able to persuade you to return home, it would be Clarke. She loves her father after all and what child does not want to see their parents together?"Again Abigail gave that cold laugh. "Sometimes a child is better off without its father."He felt anger stir in him at that. "My children would not agree with you."Her mouth fell open at that. "I'm...I'm sorry, Marcus. I wasn't thinking. Forgive me."His anger died as quickly as it had been born. "Abigail you could never need my forgiveness," he said. "It is I who should be on my knees begging yours. Please..." God! He ached to hold her so badly it was like a physical pain in his arms and in his heart. "Please come to England. Let you and I be friends if nothing else. My son and your daughter are wed, there will always be that connection between us and one day, God willing, we will be grandparents to their children. Let us be a family of sorts. Please, Abigail. I...I want you in my life. I want it to be how we planned back at the inn."She stared at him, eyes glittering with unshed tears. "What has changed, Marcus?
You told me you were leaving me because you weren't worthy, that you were unable to give me the security you felt I needed.
Has an elderly aunt passed away and left you her fortune?"He smiled. "No, I have no rich relations
unfortunately. But Clarke tells me you are a skilled dressmaker. She said...""So that's the reason for your change of heart," she interrupted him. She got to her feet, her eyes alight with fury. "You wanted me when you thought I could get my husband's money, then when I couldn't, you cast
me aside. And now...now when you think I can make money for us both, you want me again. God you're worse than Jake. Get out, Marcus. I don't want to speak to you again as long as I live!""No!" he cried. "That's not how it is! All I meant was that as a single man I can live simply. I can travel from one place to another looking for work, I can sleep in a barn or on a seaman's hammock between two trees. I don't want a penny from you for myself. I've told you this before, Abby. It's your comfort I desire, not my own. Please sit down and let us talk about this like adults.""So now I'm a child!" she cried. "I said get out, Marcus. Get out! Get out! Get out!" She ran to him and took hold of his shirt as if she was about to bodily throw him out of the room. Then she gave a cry of pain and fell to her knees clutching at her stomach."Abby, what is it?" He sank down next to her and took hold of her shoulders. "What's wrong? Should I fetch the doctor?""Fetch Callie," she said through gritted teeth. "And then so help me God, you had better stay out of my way!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Marcus paced up and down so much on the parlour rug that he was in danger of wearing it out. What was wrong with Abby? Why had she collapsed like that? Callie had pushed him out of the room when she arrived and told him sharply to wait downstairs. Then some one had sent for the doctor and he'd been with Abigail for a least half an hour.
At long last he heard a door opening upstairs, muffled voices on the landing and then the firm tread of the doctor on the stairs.
Marcus rushed out. "Doctor, what is it? Is she alright?"The doctor smiled and clapped Marcus on the back. "Mother and baby are doing just fine." He nodded his head and made his way out through the door, leaving Marcus gaping after him. He turned to make his way up the stairs and then stopped himself. He couldn't go rushing into this. He had to think. Oh, why wouldn't his thoughts make any sense? He sat down weakly on the stairs with his head in his hands.
He was still there when Callie made her way down several minutes later.
"Marcus, get up," she said. She spoke fondly but tiredly.
Marcus breathed out slowly. "I need to speak with you, Callie," he said. "In private if you please."As soon as they were safely in the parlour, he rounded on her. "How long have you known that Abigail was expecting a child?" he demanded.
Callie looked down at the floor then back up at him. "What makes you think she is?" she said carefully."The doctor told me," Marcus said with a wry smile. "So don't bother trying to lie to me, Callie."Callie sighed. "Since she first arrived. But she made me promise not to say anything. Please don't be angry. I've begged her every day to tell you but she's stubborn, Marcus."He grimaced. "I had noticed that about her." He threw himself down into an armchair and after a moment's hesitation, Callie perched herself on the end of the chaise longue.
"I'm glad you know," she said. "What will you do now?"He shook his head. His jumbled thoughts hadn't let him get that far. All he knew was that he was about to be a father again and the mother of his child didn't want him to know."Do you know her plans?" he said at last."She has told me that she intends to live with her cousin in Trinidad and bring up the child there.""And her husband?""Abigail feels confident that Sir Jacob will recognise the child as his own to prevent shame to the family name," Callie said. "As long as she stays away, of course. Having another man's bastard growing up under his nose would be an entirely different prospect." She regarded Marcus shrewdly. "Of course now you know about the child, I imagine Abigail's plans may not work out the way she had hoped."Marcus was silent. He thought of his child growing up with all of the advantages that he had never had, that his older children had never had. He imagined a little dark haired child with Abigail's spirit and his fearlessness, running around the grounds of Lady Diana's mansion. There would be music lessons, surely a pony or two and if the child turned out to be a boy then as Sir Jacob's 'son' he would stand to inherit a fortune. His head spun and he thought for a moment he would be sick.
"Abigail is not to know that I know," he said slowly.Callie frowned. "But surely...""I said no!" he barked at her and Callie flinched.
"I'm sorry," he said. He got up and went to sit next to her on the sofa. He picked up her hand from where it lay on her lap and squeezed it. "If I claim my child," he said softly, "then I condemn him or her to a life of poverty. It's better this way, Callie." He looked down at the floor. "And Abigail obviously thinks the same," he said, his heart breaking in two.
"Oh Marcus," said Callie softly. Her eyes filled with tears. "Give her a choice, please."He shook his head. "My mind is made up, Callie." He dropped her hand. "But we have a problem. It's been a while since I lay with Abby." He fell silent as he realised that had been the last time. Up until this moment he'd been fooling himself that there was a way back for him and Abigail but obviously that was never going to happen now. He sighed. "Any day now, she's going to start showing signs of her condition. When that happens, it would be better if I wasn't here. It's time for me to go, Callie."
He got to his feet. "I'll just go and give the news to Abby." He gave Callie a twisted smile. "She'll no doubt be happy to see the back of me."
Marcus walked up the stairs to Abigail's room taking each step as slowly as possible like a man on his way to the hangman's noose. As he climbed, he allowed himself to briefly imagine what life would be like with Abby and their child. They could still go to London and along with Bellamy, Clarke and Octavia, they could scratch a living. Bellamy could take up his position, Abigail could perhaps make dresses while Octavia and Clarke could keep house and look after their baby brother or sister. And he could do whatever work he could find, he would work day and night to keep his family. He sighed and shook his head as if to clear it of such ridiculous notions. The child wasn't just his, it was Abigail's and he or she deserved better than he could give them.He reached Abigail's room and knocked softly almost as if he didn't want her to hear.
The knock on the door was so quiet she hardly heard it. With an effort she pushed herself up in bed. "Come in," she called.She clenched her jaw in annoyance when she saw who it was. The man had a knack of appearing at the worst possible moment. But then she caught sight of his expression and her treacherous heart contracted. He looked so sad and she had to restrain herself from leaping from the bed and going to him. She dug her fingernails into her palms and forced herself to be cool towards him."Marcus? I believe I told you I didn't want to see you again."He nodded as if all the fight had gone out of him. "And you won't have to see me for much longer. I came to tell you that I'm leaving."Abigail felt her heart stop then jerk painfully back into life. "There's no need," she said. "I-I was perhaps a little hasty when I spoke before."He shook his head. "No, it's better that I go now.""And what of Bellamy and Clarke?" she asked him. "Do they go with you? Are you depriving me of my daughter so soon?"Marcus pursed his lips. He appeared to think for a moment then he nodded. "The longer Bellamy stays here, the less likely it is that he will be able to take up his position in London. And I know you love seeing your daughter again but her life is with her husband now. I think we should all leave for England at the end of the week at the latest. Callie has said she will give me the money. I will ride down to the harbour tomorrow and enquire about passage."Abigail bit her lip to stop it from trembling. He was right of course. Clarke had her own life now and if Bellamy stayed here, he would notice her condition and feel honour bound to let his father know. She nodded. "Of course. I would not want to stand in the way of my daughter's future." She forced a smile. "Callie told me that Bellamy and Clarke had gone out for a walk just before I-I was indisposed. Have they returned yet?""Not that I am aware of," said Marcus. The look in his dark eyes was desolate and Abigail's throat constricted with unshed tears."Then I'd appreciate it if you made sure Clarke knows nothing of what happened. She'll be less likely to leave if she's worried about me.""Of course."Looking at him so sad, with his whole heart in his eyes, Abigail knew she couldn't leave things like this.
"Marcus please sit down," she said, indicating the chair near her bed.
He looked confused at this and for some reason a little worried but nevertheless he did as she bade him.
"We-we have not been on the most cordial terms of late," she began.
Marcus opened his mouth as if to speak but she held up her hand. "No, please let me speak, Marcus. I have a great deal I wish to say to you before we take leave of each other f-forever." She stopped for a moment and then rallied herself. She would not cry.
"As I said, we have not been on the best of terms and that has been partly my fault."Marcus's eyebrows rose slightly, she wasn't even sure he was aware of it.
"Largely been my fault," she amended and she was gratified to see the eyebrows relax. "You hurt me so very much, Marcus and you need to know that, but what I haven't told you is that I do understand why you did what you did. And I do know that when you took me into your bed, you meant every word you said, I've always known it if truth be told. But I want...I need to tell you why I've been so angry. Will you listen?""Of course I will," he said gruffly.She nodded. "Very well. You don't know what it means to be a woman, Marcus. Particularly a woman who is born into a family of means. From a very little girl I have always known that the future would not be mine to do with as I pleased. I knew that one day my father would choose a husband for me and that as an obedient daughter I would be obliged to comply with his choice." She paused as if remembering. "I was lucky that my father chose a handsome young man for me to wed, Jacob Griffin, son of a wealthy plantation owner." She gave a wry smile. "I was well aware that I was marrying above me but the society we moved in was not large and eligible young women were in short supply. So I went from being the obedient daughter of one man to the obedient wife of another." She laughed. "And you know me, Marcus. You can imagine how hard that was for me."She was rewarded by a small smile from Marcus. "Indeed I can," he remarked."But I did my best," she went on. "It was hard at times but I had Clarke to make up for everything. Then you came along. You snatched me away from the life I'd always known and propelled me into another life quite different from anything I'd ever dreamed of. And I know you feel bad about that now but Marcus-Marcus look at me."
He was staring at the ground as if deeply ashamed and that wasn't what she wanted. Slowly he raised his head and his gaze met hers, a lifetime of sorrow in those dark orbs.
"Marcus, you set me free!" she cried. "Even though I was in the hands of a...a wicked pirate captain, I felt as if you had opened the golden cage I had been living in and you had shown me that I could fly. And then when I was free from Jaha and we were all at the inn...that was when I realised. I could do anything I wanted. I could return to Jake, take up the threads of my old life or I could move forwards with you and it was my choice. Do you understand that, Marcus? My choice. My choice."He nodded. "And I took that away from you, or I tried to anyway.""Yes!" she cried so happy that he understood at last. "Yet again, a man was making decisions for me, trusting that he knew best. And I know that you were acting in my best interests, Marcus. Or at least you thought you were. But you made me so angry!"Marcus gave a rueful smile. "I do understand," he said softly. "And I'm sorry, more than I can say." He got up from his seat and went to the window. "Ah I thought I heard voices. Our children are returning." He turned back to her. "I'll send Clarke up to you then, shall I?"Please stay! she wanted to say. But the words wouldn't come. Let's go to England together, let's be a family!
Instead she sighed."Yes, if you would be so kind and thank you for hearing me out, Marcus. It means a lot to me that we should part as friends."He smiled again. "Friends," he said. "Yes I hope we are always friends, Abigail."And with that he gave her a queer little bow and left the room.Abigail fell back against her pillows and allowed the tears, kept at bay for so long, to trip unheeded down her cheeks.A tap at the door roused her and she hurriedly wiped her cheeks dry. "Come in, Clarke."But the face that peered round the door wasn't Clarke's."Octavia! Do come in," she said, glad to see the girl. In truth she would miss her almost as much as she would miss Marcus.Octavia didn't return her smile just stared pointedly as Abigail's bosom. Abby felt herself flush. "Was there something you wanted, Dear?"Octavia threw herself down into the chair her father had recently vacated. "When I was at the orphanage," she said without preamble, "I shared a room with three other girls. One of the girls was called Ontari. She was very friendly with the boy who brought the milk, if you know what I mean.""I er yes," said Abigail wondering where this was going."We all shared a bucket," Octavia continued. "And suddenly every morning Ontari was puking her insides up into our bucket. I was worried about her at first, said I'd tell someone." She laughed without humour. "She told me if I did that, I'd wake up one morning with a knife in my side. So she hid it from the people who ran the orphanage but then she started to put on weight. It was her bosom at first and then her belly and then she just disappeared one night. We never knew what became of her."She fixed Abigail with a hard stare. "One of the older girls told me eventually that Ontari had got herself with child. She said it made you sick every morning and then it made your bosom swell.""I-I'm not sure what this has..." began Abigail."Does my father know?" Octavia demanded. "Does he know that you are carrying his child?"Abigail leapt up. "Please, Octavia!" she cried, kneeling at the girl's feet. "Please don't tell him. It's better this way.""Better?" echoed Octavia. "Abby you know how he was deprived of seeing Bell and I grow up! And you'd do that to him again? I can't believe you'd do that, Abby. You couldn't be so cruel!"Angry, confused tears were filling Octavia's eyes and Abigail took hold of her hands. "Believe me, Octavia, I have thought of this every waking moment and I am convinced it is better that your father knows nothing. Let him go on with his life, my darling girl. He has you now and he has Bellamy. He doesn't need another child to complicate his life. Let it be, Octavia. Let him have peace."Octavia shook off Abigail's hands and got to her feet. She marched to the door and flung it open. "You have three days, Abby," she said. "Three days and if you haven't told Papa then I will!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Marcus put his hand to the small of his back and winced. He was happy to do whatever he could for Callie right now, but weeding the garden was backbreaking work.
"Are you all right, Papa?" He turned to see his daughter looking at him with a concerned look upon her face.
"I'm fine, Sweetheart, just getting old." He held out an arm to her and she came to kneel besides him in the dirt."Octavia, your dress," he scolded her.She shrugged. "I don't care about the silly thing. I wish I could wear breeches."He shook his head smiling. "How did I come to father such a hoyden?"Octavia ignored this. She tucked her arm under his and rested her head on his shoulder.Marcus dropped a light kiss on her hair, inhaling its perfume as he did. She was so precious to him. However had he managed without her in his life all these years?
"Papa," she said hesitantly."What is it?" he said. "I know that tone. Have you been doing something you shouldn't? Have you been climbing trees or arguing with your sister-in-law?"She shook her head, tickling his chin with her hair. "I just have a question," she said."Well, you know you can ask me anything Octavia," he said, wondering what was on her mind."Were you happy when Mama told you she was expecting Bellamy?"His heart skipped a beat. What an apt question for right now! "Well," he said truthfully. "I was in two minds at first. We hadn't been married for very long you see and we were just getting used to living with each other. But then when I thought about it, I was happy, if a little nervous.""Nervous?"He took her hand in his. "Yes, it's a huge responsibility having a child. What if I wasn't a good father?""You're the best father in the world!" she said fiercely.He chuckled. "Anyway, the moment your mother put your brother into my arms, I knew that I would do anything for him. I'd die for him if necessary.""And what about when she told you she was expecting me?" she asked in a small voice.Marcus shifted his position so that he was sitting rather than kneeling, and he pulled his daughter into his arms. "My first thought was that I hoped she was carrying a girl," he said.
"Really?" Octavia lifted her head and searched his face eagerly as if she suspected he might not be telling the truth.
"Of course," he reassured her. Where had this insecurity come from? His heart ached that she should worry about things such as this. "A son is a fine thing for a man to have," he said. "But a daughter has her father's heart in her hands forever. And when your mother laid you in my arms, you looked up at me with these huge blue eyes and I knew my life was complete.""So you wouldn't want any more children then?" she said slowly.
He held her away from him and looked her carefully in the eye. "Where has all this come from, Octavia?" he asked her.She averted her gaze from his. "Nowhere. I was just wondering, that was all, whether I'd ever have another brother or sister."Marcus sighed heavily. "Octavia, I may be getting older but I'm not a fool. Why did you just ask me if I wanted any more children? And don't lie to me, because I'll know.""Please, Papa. I can't say. Not yet anyway." She made as if to rise but he pulled her back down.
"Not so fast, young lady. Has this anything to do with Abigail?"Her bowed head and lack of reply told him everything he needed to know.
He shook his head. What a mess this all was. "Who told you?" he said.
When she didn't answer, he gave her a little shake. "Octavia, answer me this minute! I will get to the bottom of this, if I have to go and ask Abigail herself."She raised her head now and to his chagrin he saw tears in her eyes though her expression was fierce. He hated having to be stern with her but she was as stubborn as he was, if not more so.
"I thought you didn't know," she said and her voice was laced with anger and disappointment. "But you do, don't you?"He nodded. "Yes, Octavia, the doctor let it slip when I met him in the hall after Abigail had fallen ill."
"So why aren't you doing anything about it?" she demanded hotly. "Abby thinks you don't know. I can't believe you are just going to go to England and abandon her with a baby! She's going to have your child and you just don't care! I can't believe this of you, Papa! I just can't!""Oh I can," said a cool voice.Marcus wheeled round to see Clarke standing a few feet away from them."Clarke! I...""Don't bother with excuses," his daughter in law sneered. "To think I was ever going to give you a chance. You're nothing but pirate scum and I should have let you hang in Port of Spain when I had the chance."Marcus grabbed Octavia as she was about to fly at Clarke with clenched fists."Please both of you sit down," he pleaded. "I will try and explain as best I can why I have made the decision I have.""Here? On the ground like a common tavern wench?" Clarke raised her eyebrows and Marcus had hard work keeping his daughter in his arms."Octavia, keep still!" he thundered. "And Clarke, please keep a civil tongue in your head when talking to Octavia. She's done nothing wrong. It is me you should be angry with.""Oh I am," said Clarke. "I do believe I am angrier than I have ever been with another human being in my life."Marcus rose to his feet still keeping tight hold of the tiger his daughter seemed to have turned into. "We will go into the house and discuss it in comfort. I hope to make you both see that the plan of action I have chosen is the right one."
Safely ensconced in the parlour with Clarke on one side of the room and Octavia on the other, held in place only by the sternness of her father's gaze, Marcus stood in the centre of the room with his hands behind his back.
"Clarke, let me ask you something? Did your mother confide in you as to her condition?"Clarke scowled. "No she didn't. And I'll be speaking to her about that."Marcus held up his hand. "Don't be angry with her, Clarke. I'm sure she wants to tell you, you'd be such a comfort to her right now. But think for a moment. Why do you suppose she didn't tell you?"Clarke frowned. "I've no idea...oh! She wants me to go to England with Bellamy and she thinks I won't go if I know of her condition. And she's right. I can't leave her like this even if you can."Marcus shook his head. "I daresay you're right. But there's another reason why she wouldn't say anything to you. Who's the first person you'd tell?""Why, Bellamy of course." Her brow cleared. "And Bellamy would tell you.""And she doesn't want me to know," said Marcus, ignoring the knife stabbing him in the heart at the thought.
"But that's the bit I don't understand," Octavia put in. "If it was me, the father would be the first person I'd tell."Marcus swallowed down the bile that had risen in his throat at the thought of Octavia in the position he had put Abigail in. He knew only too well he would strangle the miserable wretch who'd got her with child with his own two hands.
"She doesn't want to be a burden to me," he said quietly.
"Well you must tell her that she wouldn't be, Papa!" cried Octavia.
"I can't believe you haven't already," said Clarke scornfully.
"Abigail intends to live with her cousin, Diana," said Marcus. "My child will have the best of everything..." He shrugged."But they won't!" cried Octavia. "They won't have the best father in the world for a start!"Clarke sneered visibly and Octavia jumped to her feet. "Say what you will, Clarke Griffin but my father is worth ten of yours!""Really?" said Clarke."Well it was my father who rescued your mother when your father had her shut away in an asylum!" Octavia burst out before Marcus could stop her. Abigail had told him that she didn't want Clarke to know anything of what had happened. She didn't want her to think badly of Jake any more than she already did.
Clarke was ashen. "What - what are you talking about?""I'm sorry," Octavia said. "I shouldn't have said that."
"But you did. You said that my father had my mother put away!""Clarke, it wasn't like that," said Marcus, trying to repair the damage his thoughtless daughter had caused. "Your father...he thought your mother must be unwell from her experiences. He just wanted the best for her. It wasn't what she wanted and Octavia is right. I did rescue her, but your father meant no ill by her.""My father always does think he knows the best for everyone," Clarke conceded.
"Remind you of anyone?" said Octavia, jerking her head towards her own father.
Marcus stifled a smile. At least the two girls were in agreement about something.
"Imagine what sort of a life Abigail would have in England," Marcus said. "You and Bellamy will be all right, Clarke, and I can look after Octavia but I can't see myself earning enough to keep Abigail and the bairn too. And you've never been to England, either of you. It's nothing like the Caribbean, especially not in the winter. It's cold, cold like you can't imagine. It seeps into your bones and if you don't have a comfortable house to live in with plenty of coal for the fire, you can freeze. And children, well they often don't live past infancy. Can either of you tell me truthfully that's the life you want for your baby brother or sister?"
He was met with silence and he got to his feet. "So are we in agreement, then? We tell Abigail nothing? We let her do what is best for herself and the baby?" At the look of misery on Octavia's face he added, "Sweetheart, I didn't come to this decision easily."She nodded and came over to him, wrapping her arms about his waist and burying her face in his chest. He folded her in his arms and looked over to where Clarke was sitting with a look of concentration.
"Clarke? Do you agree?"She looked up. "What if none of us went to England?" she said slowly."Yes!" Octavia practically shouted. "We could all go to Port of Spain and live there. Abby can live with Diana and Papa can see her and the baby whenever he wants!"Marcus shook his head. "Somebody would be bound to discover the truth," he said. "And I won't put Abigail's reputation at risk like that." He frowned at Clarke. "It's a nice thought, Clarke but I'm surprised you hadn't considered the proprieties. Apparently your mother feels your father will recognise the child as his own as long as she stays away. He wouldn't want the scandal of everyone knowing him for a cuckold. And I can't do anything to jeopardise that.""I wasn't thinking about Port of Spain," said Clarke. "I was thinking of somewhere far enough away from father that he would never even know about the child, somewhere warmer than England, somewhere where the proprietaries don't matter so much, somewhere where there's opportunities for those who are willing to work hard." She smiled for the first time that afternoon. "Why don't we all go to America?""Well..." Marcus began and then realised that he didn't have any objection. Could this be the answer? From all he'd heard of America, what Clarke said was right. It was the land of opportunity. Another thing he'd heard was that there was no class system in America. No-one to look down on him because he wasn't born a gentleman. Maybe...maybe he and Abby could live as man and wife and nobody would know or even care that she had a husband in the Caribbean.
"Bellamy's position in England..." he began."Oh Damn Bellamy's position!" cried Clarke. "He can find another position in America, maybe a better position."Marcus smiled. "My dear daughter-in-law, I hope you're not going to use profanities when we are in America.""So we can go?" Clarke was looking at him eagerly."Well I can't speak for everybody," he said. "I'm guessing by the way that Octavia is squeezing the breath from my lungs that she is in accord but there's Bellamy to consider."Clarke made a dismissive gesture. "Bellamy will go wherever I want to go," she said loftily.
"What about Abby?" said Octavia looking up at her father anxiously. "Who's going to talk to her about it?""We could draw straws," said Marcus in a feeble attempt at humour. Then at the simultaneous looks of vexation he received, he sighed. "Very well. I will speak to Abigail," he said. "But just how I'm going to approach the matter, I do not know."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Who is it?" called Abigail."It's me, Marcus."Abigail drew the silk peignoir lent to her by Callie tightly around her and checked her reflection in the looking glass that hung above the dressing-table. Was it just her imagination or was she looking plumper in the face? Well it wouldn't matter soon. Marcus would be gone to England and she'd never see him again."Come in," she called.
As the door opened, she strained forwards eagerly to catch her first glimpse of him. She'd thought him only averagely handsome when she'd first met him but the longer she'd known him, the more handsome he had seemed to her so that now every new sight of him seemed to take her breath away. And now that he was going to sail away out of her life forever, each glimpse was unbearably poignant.
Marcus was carrying a tray on which there was a small china teapot with a matching cup and saucer. Also on the tray was a small posy vase with tiny white flowers."I've brought you some ginger tea," he said, putting the tray down carefully on the dressing-table. "Callie said you were partial to it at the moment. She said it helps with your sickness."She nodded. "Yes, it helps to calm the nausea."As she was sitting in the only chair, Marcus sat down on her bed. He looked down at his feet for a moment as if he was gathering his thoughts, then he lifted his head to look at her. She could not fathom his expression, he seemed nervous and determined all at once."What ails you, Marcus?" she said.
He gave her a rueful smile. "I suppose I just hate to see you unwell," he said. "Still, it should pass soon enough, hopefully. I remember that when Aurora was carrying Octavia, she was unwell for the first three months and then she blossomed."Abigail felt as if he had caught her by the throat and she gasped, suddenly unable to catch her breath. "What?" she began, then as the futility of lying became apparent to her, she sighed.
"I asked Callie not to tell you," she said, her voice tight with anger. Now everything was going to be ruined. Just what would he want from her?
"And she kept your secret like a true friend," Marcus said. "It was the doctor who told me. I suppose he assumed we all knew. I questioned Callie afterwards and she told me you didn't want me to know. It was an awful position for her to be in. I am her oldest friend after all," he added gravely.She nodded. Despite her turmoil it was good to know that Callie had not betrayed her. "And did she tell you what I intend to do?" she asked, her heart beating wildly."You intend to bring up the child, our child, on the estate of your cousin." His voice was sad but there was no trace of anger she noticed.
"It is for the best, Marcus," she said softly. He made no reply and she rose from her chair and took a seat next to him on the bed. She took his hand from where it lay in his lap and squeezed it. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. You deserved to know.""Aye," he answered. He looked up at her and she saw again that look of nervousness. What was he about? It was going to drive her mad if he didn't tell her what was on his mind. She let go of his hand.
"What is it, Marcus?" she said. "Tell me what you are thinking.""Remember when I took you from the asylum?" he said. "And your friend Echo and her...her whatever he was said they were going to America?"In spite of herself, Abigail smiled. "Yes. I wonder if they are there yet. Roan will have his hands full with Echo and no mistake. From what I saw of him, they are well matched, I thought.""Yes, I thought so too," said Marcus. "She seemed quite wild and unconventional and I think America will be a good match for them too. From what I hear, she welcomes the unconventional, and she doesn't ask too many questions.""Well yes, they will be free to make their own lives there," she said, wondering why he had brought Echo up. She squeezed his hand. "I've been so angry with you that I haven't really thanked you for saving me from that place. When I think of it now..." She swallowed down the bile that had risen in her throat at the memory.
"Don't think of it," he said gently. "I'm just glad I was able to help. It was so fortuitous that Eric Jackson should happen to..." He broke off. "Abby, what is it? Please don't cry!""I've been such a - such a shrew!" she cried. "You have never been anything but the best of men since you took me from the hospital and I have repaid you by being cold and harsh. And I have hidden the fact from you that I am expecting your child. If it were not for the indiscretion of the doctor you would have left for England with no idea that you were soon to be a father again. And yet you have not so much as raised your voice to me. I do not deserve your forbearance, Marcus. Can you ever forgive me?""My dearest Abigail," he took both her hands in his and his hands felt so large, so warm, so comforting that it only made her cry harder. Damn! She knew what it was. When she had been carrying Clarke, she had been apt to burst into tears for the slightest of reasons."I'm sorry," she said. "It's the baby, he or she has quite unbalanced my emotions.""Yes, I remember Aurora being the same," he said. He wagged one finger at her belly. "Now you just stop upsetting your mama," he said.
Abigail laughed through her tears. "Marcus, you always manage to make me smile." She sobered. "I shall miss you dearly. And as much as I know it now, I fear I have no concept of just how much I shall miss you."
"Then don't miss me," he said."Are you asking me to come to London with you?" she said. "I know you asked me before but you didn't know about the baby then, and It is such a long voyage, Marcus. Nearly two months, Clarke informed me and in my condition...""No," he answered. "Not England. America. From here to Florida takes a little over two weeks. Clarke suggested it." He grasped her hands again. "Don't you see, Abigail? We could all be together. You, me, Clarke, Bellamy, Octavia and..." He looked down at her belly again. "Our little one.""America? I don't know. I mean I've never even thought...You say Clarke suggested it?""She knows," he told her. "Octavia had guessed and was practically about to box my ears for not telling you that I knew, when Clarke overheard us."Abigail's hands flew to her mouth. "How did she take it? Was she horrified? Oh, she must think me a disgrace at my age to be..."Marcus put his hands on her shoulders. "Clarke is a married woman," he reassured her. "She's not an innocent maid, she knows the ways of the world. And I can honestly say that it was my behaviour she thought reprehensible not yours. Neither she nor Octavia could understand why I hadn't come to you the moment I found out."She frowned. "Well why didn't you, Marcus?""Because I felt the same as you," he answered. "I knew our child would have a good life brought up on your cousin's estate and I didn't want to do anything that would jeopardise that. I wanted us to be together and raise our child as a family, of course I did, more than anything, but I had to think of the child!"His voice was wretched and Abigail felt her heart would break. What had she been thinking of, withholding the truth from him?"I knew England would never work," he went on. "I could not earn enough money there to keep you in the custom which you deserve, much less give a child everything it needs. But America... There are opportunities there for men who are prepared to work hard and there is plenty of land too. I can build us a fine house, Abby. We can tell everyone that we are married and no-one will know any different."Abigail shook her head. "I don't know, Marcus. You say Florida is just two weeks sail from here. That means there is every possibility we may run into acquaintances of Jacob. I remember him telling me that they are growing sugar cane in Florida now. It is too risky.""Then we won't settle in Florida," Marcus said. "We will disembark there and we will travel over land to somewhere where Jacob will never find us. I have heard that land to the west is being sold very cheaply. We can take lodgings somewhere while I work until I have earned enough to buy us some land."Abigail shook her head again. "No, Marcus. If we are going to do this, we are going to do it properly. I hate to go cap in hand but I know Diana will help us if we go to her first.""Abby, I already owe her for your ransom," Marcus said. "It was supposed to be a loan until you got the money back from Jacob. We can't ask her for more."Abigail set her chin at him. "It is not your decision to make, Marcus. She is my cousin and I know that she has more money that she knows what to do with. Besides, I want to tell her about the baby and about our plans. Who knows? She may even have contacts in America."Marcus sighed. "How can I argue with you after all I have put you through? Very well, we will go back to Port of Spain. It makes sense anyway, there will be more ships bound for America there."Abby smiled and put her head on his shoulder. He said nothing for a long moment then she felt the gentlest of kisses on her forehead. She tilted her head and smiled up at him.
"Oh, Abby," he whispered. "You've no idea how I've missed your smile.""I've missed your kisses," she whispered back. "And the touch of your hands on my skin. Kiss me properly, Marcus."
Carefully, as if she would break, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly at first, his lips just pressing against hers and then suddenly he groaned and pulled her against him.
She raised her hands to his hair and ran her fingers through it, then stroked the back of her hand across his beard. "You didn't have this last time we made love," she murmured. "You were a respectable gentleman and now you're a pirate again.""Aye," he growled. "And are ye me wench?""Make me your wench, pirate," she said. "Take me the way you wanted to take me on board the Arcadia. Admit it, you did want to, didn't you?""Aye," he said again. "I wanted to throw ye on me bed and ravish ye like ye'd never been ravished before.""Oh Marcus, it's been such a long time. Make up for all the time we've lost, please. I don't need you to be gentle right now."It seemed Marcus needed no further urging. Although they were already on the bed, he picked her up and then lay her back down among the pillows. He tore open the ties that held her peignoir closed and grasped her breasts roughly through the silk of the nightgown she wore underneath."Yer such a lady in all yer finery," he growled. "Well, yer won't be behavin' like a lady when I've finished with ye." He pulled the peignoir off her shoulders and down her arms, trapping them, then he pulled down the thin sleeveless nightdress to underneath her breasts. He ran his fingers over her nipples as if he'd never seen them before and she wondered if her breasts seemed fuller to him than when he'd last seen them. They were certainly more sensitive and she arched her back to push them into his hands.Marcus grinned. "Not so ladylike now, are ye me love?" His eyes seemed to darken as she gazed up into them. "Beg me to fuck ye," he said. "Say, fuck me. pirate.""I..." Abigail felt the colour rush to her cheeks. What was it he had said to her back on the Arcadia? I'll make sure not to touch ye unless yer the one doing the begging."Please," she managed. "Please take me, pirate."He shook his head. "No, not take, fuck. Fuck me pirate. Come on milady, if ye want a fucking ye'll need to ask fer it,""Please, please fuck me, pirate," she whispered. The profanity felt strange on her lips but strangely exciting. "Fuck me, pirate," she said again, more boldly this time. "Fuck me hard."Marcus pushed her nightdress up over her waist exposing her naked body to his gaze. He stared at her hungrily and then he pushed a finger inside her."Fuck, yer dripping wet, wench," he muttered. He unbuttoned his breeches and she just had a chance to admire his erection when he pushed her legs apart and buried himself inside her. He took her swiftly and hard as she had requested, pulling her legs up by the ankles so that her feet were against his chest. He pressed his thumb against her tender bud and rubbed it to the rhythm of his thrusts until she cried out,"Ohhhhh Marcus!"
Only when he was certain she had reached her pleasure did he allow himself to do the same and she moaned as she felt his release inside her, hot and wet.
To her embarrassment tears came again and this time he held her silently while she wept against his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she said again. "I'm fine, it's just the baby."Marcus placed one warm hand onto her belly and it was surely just her imagination but her emotions seemed to calm as if the babe within her recognised that the hand belonged to his or her father.
"I wonder if it's a boy or a girl," Marcus mused. "When Aurora was carrying Octavia, there was an old lady who lived near us. She told us Aurora was definitely going to have a boy." He laughed. "Well she was half right." He stopped. "Sorry for talking about Aurora when I'm in bed with you."
"Oh, Marcus, I don't mind at all," she reassured him. "Aurora was your wife and she was the mother of your children. I don't ever want you to feel you can't talk about her. She's a part of your life, of who you are.""Hmmm," he said. "Do you have any preference? For a boy or girl, I mean?""As long as it's healthy, I don't mind," she said. She thought for a moment. "Although, do you think Octavia would be jealous if we had a daughter? I see the way she is with you, like she's afraid to let you out of her sight. She missed so much with you and sometimes I see that although she's a young woman now, part of her still wants to be your little girl as if she wants to turn back time. "Marcus shook his head. "I think she'll be a wonderful older sister no matter what we have." He laughed. "Though I've just realised something. I produced Octavia and you produced Clarke. Can you imagine the daughter we'd produce together?"She laughed with him which only made him laugh even harder. It felt so good to laugh together and Marcus had such a wonderful laugh.She pushed back the wayward curl which had fallen over his forehead. "Perhaps it's better if we have a boy then. I'd be more than happy to have a son like Bellamy." She kissed the tip of his nose. "I missed this. I missed us.""Me too," he said. "Let's promise each other that in future when we have a difference of opinion we talk to each other about it.""I promise," she said."We need to seal the promise with a kiss to make it official," he said."Oh absolutely," she purred. She rubbed up against him as he leaned in to kiss her.He raised his eyebrows. "Again?"She shrugged. "What can I say, Marcus? It's the baby."
"Papa! Bellamy said yes, he will come to America," cried Octavia as he walked into the room. "Isn't that..." she stopped as she saw Abby behind him."Well that looks as if we are all going then," said Abigail.
Bellamy got to his feet and came over to them. "Congratulations," he said warmly. "It looks as if we are about to embark on quite an adventure, you two especially.""And you don't mind about England?" said Abigail. "About the position Monty Green set up for you?""I'm sure I can put my education to good use in America," said Bellamy. "When do we sail? Would you like me to go down to the harbour to enquire about passage to Florida?""We're not going straight there," said Marcus. "We will stop off at Port of Spain first so that Abigail can see her cousin and perhaps she may be able to help us in some way. Abigail thinks she may have contacts in America that we can make use of."Bellamy frowned. "You told me that Lady Diana meant to have you arrested, Papa," he said. "How do you know she won't do the same again?"Abigail put her hand on his arm. "Diana is my cousin," she reassured him. "When I tell her everything she will understand and she will welcome Marcus as she will welcome you all, as my new family.""Are you sure?" Octavia asked anxiously."Quite sure," Abigail said firmly.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Abigail, my dear." Diana came forward with a rustling of petticoats and pulled Abigail into a tight embrace. Then she held her away from her. "Let me look at you. It was very wicked of you not to visit me when you were last in Port of Spain. But you look well at least.""I'm sorry I rushed away without coming to thank you in person," said Abigail guiltily.
"But I wanted to see Jacob as soon as I could so that I could get your money back for you.""Oh, don't concern yourself with such things," said Diana airily. She turned to where Abigail's companions stood huddled around the fireplace.
"Clarke!" she said, smiling. "I am glad to see you. And Bellamy too." She turned a slightly less cordial smile on Bellamy and Abigail had the impression that while she could not openly express dismay about the husband Clarke had chosen for herself, she nevertheless felt that Clarke had chosen foolishly."I'm glad to find you in good health, Lady Diana," said Bellamy with a bow. "Will you allow me to present to you my sister, Octavia Blake...Octavia Kane, I should say.""Miss Kane," said Diana, inclining her head. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
She turned to the only one of the party to whom she had not yet spoken. "And this is..." she broke off and her eyes grew wide."This is my father, Marcus Kane," said Bellamy.
Diana looked as if she was about to say something but then thought better of it. "Mr Kane," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you. It's strange but you seem familiar to me."Marcus looked over to Abigail for guidance and she shook her head."It's a pleasure to meet you too, your Ladyship," he said.The door opened and a maid came in with an enormous silver tray loaded with tea things which she looked as if she was about to drop. Ignoring the proprietaries, Marcus stepped forward quickly and relieved her of her burden. The girl blushed and indicated that he should place it on a nearby table."Thank you, Smith," said Diana. She turned to Clarke. "Will you serve everybody with tea while I have a few words with your mother in private?"Abigail followed her cousin as she swept down the hallway into the room that had been her late husband's study. It was cooler in there and Abigail sank gratefully into a high-backed wing chair.
Diana apparently preferred to stand. "What on earth is that pirate doing in my house, Abby?" she demanded. "And is he really Bellamy's father? My God, Abby, what sort of family has Clarke married into?"Abigail held up her hand. "One question at a time," she said. "Yes, Marcus is Bellamy's father and he was a pirate but he's a changed man, now."Diana snorted. "A changed man? By rights he should be a hanged man! When my man Vie came back here without Emerson, he told me some tale of a different pirate shooting Emerson, he was quite clear it wasn't your friend, but he never really gave me a satisfactory explanation for why he hadn't taken him to the constable, except to say that you had asked him not to. I must confess that I was so relieved that you were safe and so intrigued by the news that Clarke was married that I didn't press Vie on the matter. But I must ask you now Abby, why he is with you and why he is in my house?" Diana breathed out heavily as if her speech had worn her out.
"Please sit down, Diana," Abigail said. "It's a long story."
"And so we came to the home of Marcus's friend," said Abigail "And we made plans to part ways.""Well you came to at least one sensible decision," said Diana." She held up her hand as Abigail was about to speak. "Though I do applaud him for rescuing you from the asylum." She shuddered. "How could Jacob have sent you there? It's unthinkable. I must say my opinion of him has changed greatly. I fear I shall not be able to be civil to him when next I see him. But you haven't said why this Kane is with you now.""I was just about to," said Abigail with some asperity. Her back was aching and she needed something to drink. She paused. There really was no easy way to say this and God knew what Diana's reaction would be.She put one hand protectively on her stomach as if to spare Marcus' child the heat of Diana's wrath. "Diana, I am with child."Diana's mouth dropped open. "Why that's..." She stopped and put a hand to her chest. "Oh Abigail, you don't mean to tell me the child is Kane's."Abigail nodded. "So, you see, I couldn't go back to Jacob even if I wanted to. I intend to go to America and start a new life with Marcus and our children. "Diana shook her head. "Oh Abigail, that's not necessary. Stay here with me. You can bring the child up here." She smiled. "I confess I never thought to hear the sound of children's laughter in this old mausoleum of a house but it will be pleasant I think.""And Marcus?" Abigail asked.
Diana sighed. "Well he is the father. Perhaps he could visit his child once a month. I would be happy to facilitate his visit. I really don't think seeing him would be good for you at all."Abigail smiled. "I love him, Diana. The way I feel about him makes my feelings for Jacob seem as nothing. America will be a challenge, I'm not a fool. I know that. But with Marcus by my side and Clarke close by I know I can be happy there. But I need to ask you for one more favour. I hate to ask you for more money after you've already been so generous but it really would help if we had some money behind us when we arrive." She clasped her hands together. "Please give Marcus a chance, Diana. Even Clarke is happy about the child and she hated Marcus when they first met. He's a good man and he will look after me and the baby, have no fear of that."Diana got to her feet and went over to the window. She didn't speak for a long time then she turned back to Abigail with a smile on her face. "Of course, my dear. You may have as much as you need and more besides. My fortune will be left to Clarke when I die anyway, she may as well have some of it now." She gave a tinkling laugh. "I must amend my will it seems to see that Clarke's younger brother or sister will also be provided for."She walked over to the door and pulled the rope that summoned the maid. She came back to Abigail and stood over her. "I will always have the best interests of you and you family at heart, Abigail."She turned as the maid entered the room. "Ah, Smith. Lady Abigail is quite worn out after her journey. Pease take her to the blue room and make sure she has everything she needs, perhaps some tea." She turned back to Abigail. "Meanwhile I shall entertain our other guests."
"So sorry to keep you waiting," Lady Diana said, sweeping into the room with a dazzling smile. She took a seat near Marcus and he smiled back hesitantly. Why did she remind him of a cobra about to strike?
"So, your mother tells me you are all going to America," said Diana, addressing Clarke.
"Yes," Clarke answered smiling back at her. "It will be such an adventure. I confess I grow more excited by the day.""Of course," Lady Diana said. "You're young, you and Bellamy and Octavia. You won't mind the privations of life in America. I hear it is quite savage in parts. You must be prepared for some discomfort I fear.""My father and I will look after the ladies," said Bellamy. "We will both work hard to give them every comfort that can be had.""And Clarke and I can work too," said Octavia. "We're not afraid of hard work, are we, Clarke?"Clarke hesitated only a moment. "Naturally we will do whatever is necessary," she said."And your mother?" enquired Lady Diana. "She tell me she is with child."Marcus spoke at last. "Abigail will not have to lift a finger, Lady Diana. I can assure you of that.""Well that's a relief," said Lady Diana. "Some women have an easy time of childbirth I hear, but alas it is not so easy for a lady of quality. And Abigail has such a tiny frame." She looked around at her guests as if seeking confirmation.
"I do hope you won't mind if I am a little indelicate in the company of gentlemen," she said to Clarke.Clarke shrugged. "Say whatever you like. I'm not so sensitive as some women."Lady Diana gave a great sigh. "It's just that, well I don't suppose your mother told you anything of the day you were born, did she, Clarke?""Only that it was the best day of her life," said Clarke.
"And so it was," said Lady Diana with the first genuine smile Marcus had seen on her face. "I was there and I remember her face when she held you. It was without a doubt the best day of her life. But it was very nearly the last day of her life."Clarke gasped. "What do you mean?"
"As I say, it's very delicate," said Lady Diana. "I don't know whether perhaps the gentlemen would prefer to leave the room.""I'm staying right here," said Marcus grimly.
Lady Diana inclined her head. "As you wish. Well, Clarke, your mother had a very difficult time with you. She was almost twenty-four hours delivering you and she lost a lot of blood." She shuddered as if remembering. "A lot of blood."
"So what happened?" Clarke asked."Well the midwife had no idea what to do," said Lady Diana. "But luckily your father being the rich man he is, could afford the very best doctor and he was able to save your mother. I shudder to think what would have happened if your father had been unable to afford a doctor." She glanced at Marcus then turned her attention back to Clarke. "So you see, it's all very admirable that you're prepared to work hard for your future in America but it's dear Abigail I fear for. Of course I could suggest to her that she stay here until the baby is born. She would have every comfort and the very best care money can buy. And then she could join you all later." She sighed. "However, knowing how stubborn Abigail is, she would just as likely throw the offer back in my face and go off with you all anyway." She looked over at Marcus. "Abigail is one of those people who doesn't always know what is best for her and sometimes it falls to those who care for her to make those decisions for her."Marcus felt as if he was about to be sick. She was right. Every word Lady Diana said was the truth. And obviously she wanted Abby away from him but it didn't alter the facts. Abby would be better off here in this house with servants to wait on her, good wholesome food for the baby and a soft feather bed to sleep in at night. And if there was another thing he agreed on with Lady Diana it was that Abigail was stubborn. She had a strong character and a strong temperament but she was not as strong physically as she had been when she had given birth to Clarke.
He stood up. "We have to go now, before she wakes up," he said."I'm not leaving without saying goodbye," Clarke began."Clarke, you know what Lady Diana says is right," said Marcus. "If she is awake when we leave, she will not allow us to leave her behind.""Papa is right, my love," said Bellamy softly. "We have to go now.""You can write her a note," said Lady Diana. "And while you are doing that, I shall fetch you some money.""That won't be necessary," said Marcus stiffly.
"The money is for Clarke," said Lady Diana. "Clarke, you'll find paper and pen in that bureau. Make haste now. It's for the best."
Abigail yawned and stretched out her arms. She seemed to be much more tired with this baby than she had been with Clarke. Though she was a good deal older than she had been back then. She rolled over in the vast bed. It was missing something or rather someone. She wondered if Diana would mind her spending an entire day in bed with Marcus. She yawned again and got out of bed. Her stomach rumbled reminding her that
she had not eaten.
She picked up her dress from the chair where she had left it and pulled it on over her shift. The dress and another two had been a gift from Callie as Abigail's own gown was starting to feel tight around the waist and Callie had a more voluptuous figure than she did. As soon as they got to America, she would purchase some material and make herself some dresses for later on. She pulled the laces of the bodice tight and went out onto the landing. The house seemed quiet and as she walked down the grand staircase, she couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. She opened the door that led into the drawing room where she had left everyone just a few hours before but it was empty. Perhaps they were in the garden but that was unlikely, Diana prized her white skin and did not like to venture outdoors unless it was strictly necessary.
She turned at a sound behind her and saw the maid, Smith.
"Begging your pardon, Milady. Her ladyship is in the study.""Thank you, Smith." Abigail smiled at the girl.She hastened down the hallway to the study, her hunger forgotten. She flung open the door but her cousin was alone.
"Where is Marcus? And where is Clarke?" she said, her heart pounding.
Diana smiled and for a moment Abigail thought she was going to tell her that they were out taking the late afternoon air and she relaxed."Sit down, dear," said Diana, patting a spot on the chaise next to her.
"Why?" Abigail demanded. "Will you just please tell me everyone is?" She heard the panic in her voice and tried to calm herself. Getting upset wasn't good for the baby the doctor had told her when he had attended her just before they left Callie's house.
Diana smiled again but she looked wary. "Very well. We had a long talk while you were resting. Clarke and your friend, Kane were both in accord with the idea that they should go on ahead to America and make a comfortable home for you while you spend the rest of your confinement here.""What?" No, surely Marcus wouldn't just go away without saying goodbye to her.
Diana handed her a piece of folded paper. "Clarke left you a letter. She and Kane both felt that if you knew they were leaving, you would insist on going with them and they agreed that it was best to leave while you were asleep." She smiled again. "They are well provided for. I saw to that."Abigail grabbed the paper from her cousin and scanned it quickly. It was as Diana said, they had had a conversation about her and decided to leave her without delay.Tight-lipped, she folded the paper in two. "So once again, other people have made decisions about my welfare," she said, trying to keep her temper in check. She drew a deep breath. "How long ago did they leave?" she asked.
"Three hours ago," said Lady Diana. "But you needn't think about trying to catch up with them before they find a ship to take them to America. I gave Clarke enough money to hire one of the smaller ships usually to be found in port. They should be on their way now.""I can still try and catch them," said Abigail through gritted teeth. She would catch up with them if only to give Captain Marcus Kane the biggest slap across his face that he had ever experienced.
Diana got to her feet. "Abby, don't be foolish," she said. "You know they are right. Remember Clarke's birth. You will be much safer having this baby here, in this house. I can afford the best care, you know that."Abigail shook her head. "They do have doctors in America, you know." She set her chin. "Don't waste any more of your breath, Diana. I'm going after them and that's final. And if they've already sailed, I'll find a ship myself to go after them. I mean..." She stopped as she realised she had no money.
Diana sighed. "I knew you were stubborn but I'd forgotten just how stubborn you can be. Wait there."Abigail paced up and down the room until Diana came back with a purse of coins and a young man.
"This is Ilian, my new groomsman," said Diana. "He will accompany you to the harbour and help you to negotiate your passage to America. There is enough money here that you can hire a ship to yourself if necessary. Ilian please ready the carriage and ask Cook for some refreshments
for Lady Abigail for the journey.
When he had gone, she turned to Abigail. "Please take care of Ilian and make sure he doesn't get shot by a pirate," she said dryly.
Abigail's eyes filled with tears at this unexpected kindness of her cousin. "Why-why the change of heart?" she asked her.
Diana smiled and Abigail noticed her own eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Lord Sydney was a good man," she said, glancing up at the portrait of her late husband that hung on the wall. "I have no doubt he loved me very much and I came to care for him too after some time, despite the age difference." She put her hand on Abigail's shoulders. "But would I have set sail for another land in pursuit of him?" She shook her head and laughed. Then she gave Abigail a fierce hug and stood back and gazed at her as if seeing her properly for the first time. "I have never experienced love such as you have for this pirate," she said. "And while the practical side of me thinks this is the most foolhardy, ridiculous thing you have ever done, I have a romantic side too. And so I give you my blessing. Go and find your love, Abby and be happy."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The harbour was teeming with people and Abigail looked frantically about her for a sight of Marcus or one of their children. Ilian was also looking about him then his face brightened."Lady Abigail, there is an inn over there. I will see you settled while I enquire as to the whereabouts of Miss Clarke."Abigail was about to protest but her back was aching terribly and the thought of sitting in a comfortable seat was very tempting. Besides, that was the tavern that belonged to Marcus' friend Finn and perhaps he may have seen them before they sailed. Her heart leapt. Or could they be there now while they were waiting for a ship?"Yes, certainly," she said to the groomsman. "I should like some refreshments."Ilian gave the horses into the care of an ostler and escorted her to the tavern. He saw her settled into a seat near the door and then went off in search of someone to serve them.
Finn came out of a room at the back, wiping his hands on a cloth. "What can I do for you, Sir? Milady?" Then he gave a gasp of recognition at the sight of Abigail. He seemed unsure as to whether to acknowledge her but then she nodded.
"Finn, it's good to see you," she said. "Have you...have you seen Marcus this afternoon?"Finn shook his head and she sighed. "I will have a chocolate please, Finn." She turned to Ilian. "Quickly please, find them, find out where they have gone."
Almost ab hour had passed when Ilian finally returned. Finn had sat with her while she waited and she had told him what she could of what had happened since she had last seen him. She missed out the part about being with child, the less people knew of that, the better. She had simply told Finn that Marcus thought her health too delicate to join them just yet.She looked up as Ilian entered the tavern. "Well?"He shook his head. "I'm afraid they have already set sail, Milady. But I have secured you passage on another ship that is just now preparing to leave for Florida. Apart from yourself there will be a young couple and another older lady. The captain seems a pleasant fellow and you will have comfortable accommodations." He hesitated. "I didn't give the captain your name. I didn't know whether you wanted to travel under your own name."
Abigail nodded. "Quite right, Ilian. I shall think of an alias." Her
stomach turned over. So here she was, about to set sail on her own for another country. Well, she thought wryly, she had said she enjoyed an adventure. She got to her feet. "Thank you Ilian." She turned to Finn. "And thank you for everything you have done for me and my family. I shouldn't imagine I will ever see you again but I wish you good luck for the future."Finn smiled. "And good luck to you too, Lady Abigail. I hope you box Marcus Kane's ears for leaving without you.""Oh don't worry, I will," she said.
The Mount Weather was a small brigantine, not unlike the Arkadia and its captain was a dark skinned man with a pleasant if somewhat obsequious manner."Madam, I am delighted to welcome you aboard," he said. "Charles Pike at your service."Abigail offered him her hand to shake and was somewhat taken aback when he raised it to his lips.
"Mrs Abigail Kane," she said, relishing the feel of the name on her tongue."Mrs Kane," said the captain. "We set sail within the hour. I would be honoured if you would join me for dinner in my cabin later. Your fellow passengers will be joining us of course.""Yes of course," said Abigail.
Her cabin was small but comfortably furnished and she lay down on the bed with a sigh of relief. Perhaps Diana had been right, she did need to rest. But it was too late now, pride wouldn't allow her to turn back. Besides she needed to be with Marcus again. His absence gave her an uneasy feeling and she longed to be with him again even if it was only to argue with him.
She must have fallen asleep for the next thing she knew, someone was knocking at her door.
She got to her feet and staggered as the floor moved beneath her. Of course, they had set sail and the next time she would see land, she would be in America.
"Come in," she called.The door opened and a young man was standing there. "Please Ma'am, the captain has asked that I accompany you to his quarters."At the words, the captain, Abigail had such a strong sense of nostalgia that she staggered again. There would only ever be one captain for her and it seemed outrageous that another man should share the title."Yes, of course," she said. "If you would wait outside for just one moment."Hurriedly, she fixed her dress and her hair, wishing that she'd had more time to attend to her appearance. However she would have to do.
She opened the door and nodded graciously to the young sailor. "I am ready," she said.
The first thing she noticed when she entered the captain's quarters was how elegantly appointed the room was with its polished mahogany table and the silverware laid out for five people. The second thing she noticed was that two of her fellow guests were already known to her.
"Echo!" she gasped. "And Roan! But what...""Abby!" Echo jumped up from her seat and hugged her. "We're going to America as we told you. But what are you doing here?"Abigail glanced around her at the captain who was watching her with eager curiosity and at the other person sitting at the table, a sharp eyed woman all in black.
"I'm going to America to join my husband," she said in a clear voice but she accompanied her words with a quick frown at Echo so that she would know to say nothing more.
She would tell her the whole story later for she knew she could trust Echo with her life. She felt a warm glow at the thought that she was no longer alone on this voyage and would have someone to disembark in America with.
"You know each other, how splendid," said the captain, beaming. "And let me introduce you to your fellow passenger, Lady Nia."The woman nodded but not in a friendly manner and she frowned at Abigail as if she knew her.
Dinner seemed to last an age. There was so much she wanted to both tell and ask Echo but the presence of Lady Nia made her wary and quite tongue-tied.
But at last the meal was over and Abigail joined Echo and Roan in their cabin.
"Excuse the mess, Lady Abigail," said Roan. "My wife is quite the slattern.""You didn't marry for me my housewifery skills," Echo retorted.
"So you are married then?" said Abigail, quite enjoying the trade of insults between the two best friends.
"Yes," said Echo. "Almost as soon as we left you, in fact. We found a priest willing to marry us the very next day and by the time I saw my father again I was a married lady.""And how did he react?"
The newly-weds exchanged a glance and then laughed.
"Well at first he told me that he was disowning me and never wanted to see me again," Echo said. "So I set up home with Roan and became the wife of a blacksmith. I quite enjoyed it. I would stand outside the smithy, passing the time of day with all the gentry that passed. Quite a few knew who I was. and I think after a while people just came to gawp at me, daughter of the lord of the manor a smith's wife.""As you can imagine," Roan put in dryly. "Her father was not best pleased at being made a fool of.""He summoned me to him just a few weeks later," said Echo. "He asked me how much it would take for me to move away from the village. I told him Roan and I intended to seek our fortune in America and he gladly furnished us with the funds. So here we are and I feel sure our paths have crossed again for a reason Abigail. How may we help you?"Abigail told them the whole story including the fact that she was with child. "And so I intend to seek him out as soon as we land in Florida," she said."Well don't worry if you can't find him immediately," said Roan. "You're welcome to stay with us until you do."
The voyage was pleasant enough with Echo and Roan to keep her company and Abigail's sickness seemed to have passed, leaving her in good spirits. Lady Nia kept mainly to her cabin which Abigail was pleased about, something about the way the woman looked at her gave her the creeps.They were ten days in and Pike had told them they'd made good time and should make land in another two to three days. Abigail was taking the air on deck with Echo and Roan when suddenly a shout came from the crow's nest. "Pirates!"Abigail's breath seemed to stick in her throat and she had to force herself to breathe. Was this Jaha again or someone worse? Or could it be? Was it too much to hope for that it might be the Arkadia?
The Captain turned to his passengers. "Quickly, come with me," he said. He ushered them below decks into a small, fetid room with straw on the floor. "It's the brig," he said. "Hopefully they won't search in here.""I'll not cower here like a rat," said Roan. "I'm coming with you. I can fight.""I'm not intending to fight," said the Captain grimly. "Hopefully they'll take what they want and then leave." He went over to the wall and taking a knife from his pocket, he prised one of the boards loose. Behind the board was a small space about two feet across. "I'd put your valuables in there, just in case," he said.Abigail took the bag of coins she carried with her at all times and thrust it inside the hiding place then Roan pushed the board back in place.Another sailor appeared just then with Lady Nia."You expect me to stay in here?" she asked aghast.
"It's to keep you safe, Lady," said the Captain.
Then he turned and hurried away back up the stairs shutting the heavy trapdoor behind him.
It had been a vain hope really that the pirates wouldn't search the brig. Footsteps passed overhead and Abigail held her breath thinking maybe they would be safe but then the trapdoor was flung open and a tall man with a long face and neatly trimmed beard came down the stairs.
"Well, well," he said with a grin. "I'm imagining yer not prisoners.""No, we are passengers," said Abigail. "The captain shut us away down here to keep us safe should there be any fighting. But we have nothing to offer you except our lives and I beg you will not take them."The pirate ran his gaze over them and Abigail was thankful that she was wearing one of Callie's dresses and not the finery of a lady."She lies," said Lady Nia suddenly. "Her name is Lady Abigail Griffin, wife of Sir Jacob Griffin." As Abigail gaped at her, she gave an unpleasant laugh. "Oh yes, I recognised you as soon as I laid eyes on you. You didn't recognise me although you had met me once before. No doubt you thought that as a widow with title but little means, I was beneath your notice.""I-I'm sorry. I don't..." Abigail began but she was interrupted by the pirate. "Well, Lady Abigail, wife of Sir Jacob Griffin, I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance," he said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Russell Lightbourne of The Sanctum." He grinned showing several gold teeth. "I believe your husband and I will be able to do business together. 'E lives in Nassau does 'e not?"Abigail's heart sank. Not again. "May I speak with you in private, Captain?" she asked.The Captain nodded and stood aside for her to climb the stairs. He followed her as she crossed the deck to her quarters and once inside she closed the door."The situation is very delicate between my husband and myself," she said without preamble. "I am on my way to Florida, a fact of which he is unaware.""Ah running away?" said the Captain. "Then 'e will no doubt be very grateful to me for returning you to 'im.""It's not that simple," she said. "You see I am - I am with child."The Captain frowned. "Then I'll have two people to ransom," he said. "It seems simple enough to me."Abigail hesitated. She'd wanted to be discreet, the less people knew she had betrayed Jacob the better. Her reputation would be in tatters if it got out that she was with child by another man. But then she realised. She couldn't give two figs for the reputation of Lady Abigail Griffin. That person was dead to her now. All she wanted for the rest of her life was to be plain Mrs Abigail Kane and to live with her new husband and the rest of their family. Nevertheless she felt a blush come into her cheeks as she looked up at the Captain.
"The child is not my husband's," she told him. "And he has no idea that I am with child."The captain shrugged. "Mayhap 'e will think the child is 'is.""Not if he has the slightest acquaintance with arithmetic," she said.
The pirate chuckled. "I see," he said. "So what yer saying then is that there is no point in kidnapping you and asking yer husband for a ransom."Abigail's heart fluttered. Was he going to let her go?
"None whatsoever," she said. "In fact, I have been held to ransom by pirates before and my husband refused to pay. He is having financial difficulties, I had long been a thorn in his side and he saw the perfect opportunity to be rid of me.""Hmmm," said Captain Lightbourne. His eyes darkened. "Of course this could all be a story you've thought up so that I won't take you with me. How did you contrive to escape the pirates if yer husband refused to pay the ransom?""It's a very long story," said Abigail truthfully. "But I swear upon the life of this child I am carrying that every word I speak is the truth."The Captain seemed to think. "I tell you what we'll do," he said. "We will sail for Nassau. I will have a message conveyed to yer husband that you are in my possession and I require a ransom for yer release. If 'e refuses to pay, I won't kill you."She put her hands to her belly. "Please Captain, my condition has made this voyage intolerable. I fear for the health of my child should I be at sea for much longer." She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "You wouldn't want the death of an unborn child on your conscience, I am sure?"He shook his head. "That I most certainly would not. But what's to be done?" He frowned and then suddenly his brow cleared and he grinned at her. "You will come aboard my ship and we will continue on to America. I have some people whom will look after you while yer there and in the meantime I will sail for Nassau. If yer husband wants you back he can come to America and fetch you for himself. If he doesn't..." He shrugged. "Well as I say, I won't kill you."
She nodded. "Thank you, Captain. I really cannot imagine you will be successful in your endeavour with Sir Jacob, nevertheless I will stay with your friends if you wish."The captain clapped his hands together. "Then get yer clothes together Lady Abigail and I'll take you aboard me ship.""May I say goodbye to my friend before I leave?" Abigail asked him.
He shrugged. "I don't see why not."He took her back down to the brig where she wrapped her arms about Echo. "Goodbye my friend," she said clearly. Then she quickly whispered. "He is taking me to stay with his accomplices in Florida. Take the money I hid and find Marcus.""That's enough, Lady Abigail," said the pirate.
Echo nodded to her. "May we meet again."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"At last," Marcus muttered as the captain lowered the plank for them to disembark.
Under his command, the ship would have dropped anchor several hours ago but the captain had reefed the sails when the wind had picked up instead of trimming them to take advantage of it. He'd called it a storm but Marcus thought he couldn't have sailed the Caribbean very often to call that little squall a storm.
The captain had sent them into their cabins as soon as the ship started to pitch and roll, and Marcus had been about to protest that it was perfectly safe for them to stay on deck, when he caught sight of the expression on Clarke's face, and he remembered that her ship to England had been wrecked and people had lost their lives. With this in mind, he gathered the young people into his own cabin.Octavia looked thrilled at the excitement of rough weather and he smiled to himself as he often did at just how much like him she was.
"It's not in the least bit frightening, is it, Papa?" she said.
He shook his head. "Your mother could frighten me more than this little breeze." Then he caught himself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."But she smiled. "I like to hear you talk of Mama. You don't do it often enough."He pulled her into a hug. "I'll talk of her more often if you like. I just thought it might upset you.""Was your wife like my mother at all?" asked Clarke.He hesitated. Were Abigail and Aurora alike?
"Well, Abigail is strong like Aurora was," he said. "And feisty too. Though Aurora was more quick to anger." He grinned ruefully. "Abigail has a temper on her too, but she can hold it in for longer than Aurora could."
"You like fiery women then, Papa," Bellamy put in. He put an arm around Clarke. "I must have inherited that tendency from you."
"Then it's a good job you inherited my calm nature too," said Marcus. "Fire and fire would not be a good mix."
They had come through the bad weather with no ill effects other than a late arrival in America. Marcus had hoped they would arrive mid-morning, but it was now late afternoon and they would have to find somewhere to stay tonight, then find a wagon going north in the morning. A young man he had been talking with on the ship had told him that there was land to be worked in Virginia growing tobacco and this sounded ideal. Virginia was far enough away from Florida that Sir Jacob was not likely to discover them, but it was on the East coast so when it came time to fetch Abigail and the baby, he could sail directly to Trinidad. Now they just needed to find a lodging house for the night.He looked about him as they strolled along the dock, taking in the familiar sight of ships being unloaded, a sight which he supposed was the same in one country as any other. HIs gaze was caught by a ship he recognised, The Sanctum, and he hurried Bellamy, Octavia and Clarke past as quickly as he could. While not exactly enemies, the captain of the Sanctum, Russell Lightbourne and he were not the best of friends, and he didn't particularly want to cross paths with him if he could help it. Besides his life as a pirate was long behind him now and he didn't want to be reminded of those days.
The pirate captain had his arm about Abigail in a way that to the casual observer would look as if he was being protective. Only she could feel the muzzle of his pistol pressed against her side beneath her cloak. He steered her swiftly into a large white building just opposite the docks where an overpainted woman in a low cut gown lounged in the doorway.
Inside, Abigail saw more similarly dressed women and realised that the captain had brought her to a whorehouse. She was not shocked, having just come from a brothel in Tobago, but she noticed with disdain that this was not as upmarket an establishment as Callie's. There was a bar at one end of the room and the air was thick with the smell of cheap perfume, cigar smoke and ale, and rather than retiring discreetly to private rooms, the women were sprawled across the laps of their customers, many with their breasts on display.
The captain caught the eye of a young woman who was not currently being mauled by a customer. "Is Simone around?""She's in the back," the girl said, eyeing Abigail suspiciously. "Would you like me to fetch her?""No matter," he said. "I know me way."Still holding tightly to Abigail he marched through the room and through a doorway at the back which led into a hallway. At the end, facing a staircase, was a large wooden door, and the captain knocked sharply and then opened the door without waiting for a reply.
He pushed Abigail inside as a tall dark haired woman turned around in surprise, a rebuke on her lips that died when she saw who it was."Russell," she said. "How long has it been this time?""Too long," he said, kissing the cheek she offered to him. "But I'm not here to stay, I'm here to ask a favour of ye, Simone. This is Lady Abigail Griffin.""Indeed?" said the woman. She inclined her head towards Abby in a polite if not over friendly manner.
"I need you to keep 'er 'ere until I return," he said. "I'm seeking a ransom from 'er husband in Nassau and I don't want to take 'er with me as she's with child and liable to be a hindrance on me ship."Simone frowned. "So she's to stay here until the babe is born, then?"The pirate shrugged. "I haven't thought that far ahead. According to Lady Abigail, 'er husband may not pay the ransom. E's not the father, ye see."Abigail flushed. "I beg you to keep this to yourself, Captain!"
A look passed between the pirate and his - whatever she was to him and Abigail guessed shrewdly that blackmail was not far from their minds. Oh what a mess this all was. If only she really was plain Mrs Abigail Kane, life would be so much simpler.
"And what if he doesn't pay the ransom?" Simone said. "I trust you will pay for her room and board."
Russell took a bag of coins from his pocket and tossed it to her. "This should be sufficient until I return," he said.
"And if 'e doesn't pay the ransom..." He shrugged. "She can always earn 'er keep here." And he laughed unpleasantly.Simone curled her lip. "She's a little older than my usual girls.""Aye, but she's a beauty still," said Russell. He snaked an arm about her waist. "I'd pay for a night with 'er, though I reckon if 'er husband doesn't pay up, she'll owe me a few nights for free." And he leered at her.Abigail felt as if she was about to be physically sick. She wrenched herself away from his grasp. "I'd sooner scrub floors," she hissed.
Simone laughed. "Well we've plenty of floors that need scrubbing too," she said.
Simone took her up to a room at the top of the house. It was small but clean and a welcome breeze came in from an open window which unfortunately looked far too narrow to climb out of.
"You'll spend your time in here," she said. "Someone will bring you food and there's a chamber pot underneath the bed." She gave Abigail a smile that had a chilly warmth. "I am sorry to keep you locked up like a prisoner, believe me, but I'm sure you can see that I have no choice. After all, you're hardly a willing guest, are you?" And with that she left the room and Abigail heard the unmistakeable sound of a key being turned in the lock.
She sank down onto the bed in despair. What would happen to her now? Jacob had not paid the ransom last time. He was hardly likely to pay it now. But she couldn't possibly stay here. The only thing left to do was to ask Diana again, much as she hated the idea.
She went over to the window and looked out over the harbour. There was the Sanctum, the pirates readying her to set sail for Nassau and just outside the brothel a fight was about to break out between a group of drunken young men. She looked further along the quayside and her heart leapt in her throat. Was that Bellamy walking along with...yes it was Clarke! And there was Octavia and there was..."Marcus!" she screamed as loud as she could. "Marcus! Marcus! Up here! Marcus!"As she shouted, one of the young men threw a punch at one of the others but was so drunk he missed and fell over and the crowd that had gathered around them roared with laughter and started shouting at him to get up.
"Marcus!" she cried again but her voice was lost in the noise of the crowd and now Marcus, Bellamy and the girls were out of sight. She sank down onto her knees and began to weep then she pulled herself together. He was here and that meant Echo and Roan would find him and tell him what had happened and he'd find her. She knew he would.
Marcus yawned and stretched. That was the best night's sleep he'd had since leaving Trinidad. He realised he was getting better at sleeping on land than he was at sea and this more than anything signalled to him that his seafaring days were over. He would travel back to Trinidad for Abigail and their baby when the time was right and bring them to Virginia, God willing, and then he'd be quite happy to never set foot on a ship again. And today they were to begin their journey to Virginia, eight hundred miles by horse-drawn wagon. It would be hot, dusty and uncomfortable and it would take two to three months altogether. Not for the first time, Marcus was glad that Abigail wasn't with them. This would be no journey for a woman in her condition.The wagon they would be travelling in carried eight passengers squashed in rather uncomfortably and Marcus knew that they would be longing for their evening stop before long. He'd been told that women and children usually slept inside the wagon while the men made do with the a blanket on the ground. Their travelling companions were an elderly man, a young couple and their daughter who looked to be about seven. Marcus had been told that the back of the wagon was the worst place to be due to the dust churned up by the wheels so he and Bellamy stationed themselves there to shield the others from the worst of it. He smiled at his son as the wagon driver shouted to the horses and the wheels began to turn slowly.
"Here's to our new life," he said.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The carriage had just started to move when Marcus thought he heard someone call his name. He looked out of the back of the carriage, sure he had imagined it but then he saw a man running after them.
"Marcus!" he shouted. "Marcus Kane!"Marcus squinted in the early morning sun. It looked like that blacksmith who'd gone with him to rescue Abby and his friend, Echo. Roan, that was his name. They'd said they were coming to America. But to see him here... It was a small world to be sure. He waved to the man but instead of waving back, the man shouted again. Marcus couldn't be sure but it sounded like it was something about Abigail. He must be asking after her. Marcus waved again as the carriage picked up speed and Roan became a speck in the distance.
They had been travelling for just under an hour when Marcus heard the sound of horse's hooves coming up behind them. The carriage stopped and the two men who were sharing the driving jumped down and took out pistols. They were right to be cautious, Marcus thought, highway robbery was probably quite common. He tensed and put his hand to his own pistol but relaxed a little when he saw that it was just one horse. How threatening could just one man be?
As the man came closer, he held up his hands to show that he was not there to cause trouble. Marcus stared as he came close enough to see his features. Roan! What was he doing here?"I haven't come to rob you," said Roan to the coachmen. "I need to speak with one of your passengers." He nodded at Marcus.
Marcus frowned. "What's this about?" he asked. "Is there something I can do for you?"Roan shook his head. "Not so much what you can do for me as what you can do for Lady Abigail. She's been taken.""What?" Marcus struggled to make sense of the man's words. Taken from where? Last time he had seen her she'd been safe at her cousin's house in Port of Spain.
"We need to be on our way," said one of the drivers.
"Can you just wait one moment?""We don't have time for chit chat," said the other driver. "We'll be on our way with you or without you.""Marcus, you're going to have to come with me anyway," said Roan. "Lady Abigail was taken by a pirate.""What?" said Marcus again. He gathered up his things and climbed out of the back of the wagon. He turned to Bellamy. "Do you want to go on with the girls?" He pulled the rest of the money from his pocket. "You can find us somewhere to live, maybe find work and I'll join you as soon as I can."Clarke pushed her way forward. "If you think I'm going to just carry on as though nothing has happened, you don't know me very well, Marcus Kane." She turned to Bellamy. "Come on. What are you sitting there for? My mother is in trouble."Bellamy, Clarke and Octavia got out of the wagon and the driver shook his head. "I can't give you your money back," he said.
Marcus sighed. But Roan said in a low voice, "I have Lady Abigail's purse with me."Marcus nodded at the coachmen. "We'll be on our way then."The coach started to move again and Marcus turned to Roan. "Tell me everything," he said.
It took over two hours to walk back, the men walking and Clarke and Octavia taking turns to ride the horse which Roan had purchased with some of lady Abigail's money. "I bought it for 30 dollars," he said. "And the man said he would buy it back for 28 dollars as long as I brought it back the same day."
Marcus didn't care about the horse, he didn't care about money, Abigail was all he could think about. He was scared and angry in equal measures. Scared of what the pirate would do to Abigail if Sir Jacob didn't pay the ransom and angry at Abigail for setting off on her own without even a manservant. She'd told Roan and Echo apparently that Lady Diana's groomsman was supposed to go with her but that she'd sent him back home. How like her! Stubborn to the last. He would give her a piece of his mind when he saw her again though he guessed she was probably angry at him too for leaving her. He sighed. Would anything about their relationship ever be plain sailing?
Roan told him who the pirate was who'd taken her and Marcus remembered seeing The Sanctum in port when he'd arrived. Was Abigail on the ship? Had he walked right past where she was being held?
When they arrived, they were met by Echo.
"The ship sailed an hour ago," she said. "I've been watching all morning, no sign of Abigail.""So she's probably being held nearby," said Marcus.
Echo nodded. "I've made some enquiries," she said. "There's some cottages, the inn where Roan and I have taken a room, a few taverns, a sailmakers, a blacksmith's, a baker's and a brothel."A memory stirred in Marcus. Didn't Russell Lightbourne have a woman who kept a brothel? He seemed to remember Sinclair making a joke about it once, something about Lightbourne trying to copy Marcus by having a whorehouse madam for a lover?"Show me where this brothel is," he said.
The brothel was right on the docks, not a place where one would want to live, but very handy for attracting passing trade. And as a former sailor, Marcus knew how lusty men could be after a long voyage at sea. The bawd who kept this house probably made a small fortune and the girls would certainly be kept busy. Once upon a time Marcus would have been happy to go in with his crew and avail himself of their pleasures but it was strange how love had changed him. Now all he felt for the women inside was pity that they had no option other than to make their living by the selling of their own flesh.
"Do you think she's in there?" said Clarke.Marcus nodded. "Don't ask me how I'm so sure," he said. "I just feel certain she's in there. It's as if I can feel her calling out to me."Clarke shook her head in impatience. "Well I hope your feelings are correct," she said. "So what do you plan to do to get her out of there?"Marcus looked up at the huge building and blew his breath out slowly. He'd hoped when Echo had said there was a brothel, it would be a small affair, somewhere like Callie's place, easily breached by a couple of men with pistols. But this place was nothing like Callie's. There must be at least thirty girls working here. That meant thirty customers plus men who would be sitting enjoying a drink and that meant that the madam of this place would have a few men around to look after things. And how many rooms must there be? How quickly would he be able to find Abigail and get her out?"We need to go in and take a look around," he said finally. "Roan, Bellamy and myself can go in under guise of customers.""Customers?" echoed Clarke with a horrified look in Bellamy's direction.Marcus put a hand on her shoulder. "Clarke, men often use places like this to unwind and have a drink. The women will go up to them and try to get them to part with their hard-earned money but not all men will take them up on their offer. Sometimes they just like to watch the girls.""Aye and some men will use a whorehouse to escape their shrewish wives," said Roan with a grin in Echo's direction.Echo gave him a mock scowl. "Well this shrewish wife is going with you," she said.
"Are women allowed in?" asked Octavia. "In that case, Papa, I'm going with...""Don't even finish that sentence," said Marcus. He fished out his purse and took out some of his rapidly dwindling silver. "Take this and get yourself a room in the boarding house. I don't want you near the docks with all these sailors about."
"But Echo is..." Octavia began before breaking off at the look in her father's eyes.
"I'm going to go in and ask for a job," Echo said."Ohhh," said Roan folding his arms across his chest."You can take that look off your face right away," said Echo. "Anyway I won't be working today. I'll tell them I have my monthly flow."Marcus felt his cheeks grow pink at the casual way she'd referred to something which even in his world was only ever alluded to in the vaguest terms. "That's... that's probably a good idea," he said. "You'll be able to have more of a look around than we will."
It was after mid-day and Marcus was starting to worry that if he drank any more rum, he'd be no good for anything. Probably better to leave any direct action until tomorrow when they were all fresh anyway. He, Bellamy and Roan had taken seats at the back of the room where they had a good view of the room and the door. A few women had come sidling over to them but Marcus had dealt with them with as much charm as he could muster. He'd told them they were beautiful, that they set his pulse racing and his cock to harden in his britches but that they were meeting someone here who owed them money and until then they only had enough money for their drinks. The women had pouted and no less than seven of them had elicited promises from the three men that when their money arrived, they would be called back to earn some of it.
Finally, Echo arrived and she sashayed over to them. "I can't pleasure you gentlemen today," she said in a loud voice. "But how would you like some female company?"Marcus knew that in establishments such as this where the selling of strong drink went hand in hand with the selling of sex, women who were indisposed in the way that Echo was pretending to be would often be used to encourage the patrons to drink more, especially when those patrons did not seem to be there to purchase the main commodity.
"Sit yerself down, wench," said Roan with a wink and he slapped his thigh in invitation.
Echo sat herself down on his lap and said quietly, "The rooms where the gentlemen are entertained are all on this floor and the floor above. The rooms where the girls sleep are on the top floor, just a few large rooms with around ten beds in each. There's one door at the end though with a man sitting outside as if he is guarding it. I'm sure Abigail must be in there. Why else would he be just sitting there?"Marcus felt his heart leap. "Does this man have a weapon?" he said quietly.
Echo nodded. "He's holding his rifle across his lap."Marcus thought for a moment. "We have two guns among the three of us. Maybe you could take Bellamy upstairs as a customer then Roan and I could take another two wenches up and then..." He hesitated. He didn't want to hurt a woman but they might have no choice. "Roan and I will secure our wenches somehow. We'll have to have rope with us which means we'll have to go away and come back. Then we'll meet you on the stairs going up to the top floor and we'll take the guard by surprise.""What about getting Abigail back downstairs?" said Bellamy."I haven't thought that far ahead yet," said Marcus frowning. "But I think it's best if we leave this till tomorrow. We need to get a gun for Bellamy and some rope to secure the girls and we all need to have a clear head." He looked apologetically at Echo. "I realise the situation this leaves you in," he said.
"That's fine," said Echo. "Perhaps after a night in here, I'll be able to confirm that it actually is Abigail in that room and I may discover an escape route for us all.
You can get a pistol for me while you're about it too."
That night in his bed in the lodging house, Marcus had the dream again. The flames and the smoke and the cries of his children. 'Papa! Papa! Papa!'He tossed from side to side trying to shake himself awake. Why was he dreaming this now? His children were safe. They were with him."Papa!" Octavia's voice, the voice of a young woman, not the little girl she once was, penetrated his sleep and finally he came awake as she took hold of his shoulders. "Papa, wake up!""What is it?" he asked, confused. It was in the middle of the night. Had he cried out in his sleep, woken her from sleep even though she was in the next room?Papa," she said again. "The brothel is on fire!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Marcus leapt to his feet, all vestiges of sleep chased away by a fear that caught him by the throat and made it impossible to find words for a moment.
"Where's Bellamy?" he barked at her, grabbing his britches."I'm here, Papa," his son said from the doorway.
"You stay here with the women," Marcus ordered. He pulled his shirt on over his head. "Where's Roan?""Here," came Roan's voice from the hallway. "Hurry, Marcus.""I'm not staying here," said Bellamy, following his father down the hall.
As Marcus turned on him, he said in a low voice, "I'm not just your son, Marcus. I'm a grown man with a wife and Clarke would never forgive me if I didn't do everything in my power to rescue her mother."Marcus sighed. Bellamy was right, but the thought of him going into a burning building..."Just stay close to me," he said.
Clarke was waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs."I'm coming too," she said.
"And me," said Octavia from behind them.
"Fine," said Marcus impatiently. "Just stay out of harm's way both of you, please."
The fire seemed to be on the middle floor of the brothel. Other residents of the town were gathered around, some carried pails of water but seemed unsure as to what to do with them.
Marcus
turned to Roan. "I'm guessing that Abby and Echo will be on the top floor, from what Echo said earlier. But we're going to need to get up through the fire to get to them." There were screams coming from the building and women were leaning out of the windows as if they were about to jump.
Roan looked up at the windows.
"It's too high for them to jump," he said.
"Not necessarily," said Marcus. He turned to Clarke and Octavia. "Get sheets," he ordered. "Organise these people to take hold of the corners and stretch them out. Jumping may be the only way out for these women."He scoured the windows desperately but could see neither Abby nor Echo.
"I'm going in," he said to Roan.
Roan nodded. "Lead the way," he said grimly.
Marcus, Roan and Bellamy entered the building together. The ground floor was as yet untouched but from upstairs there was a fearsome roaring and crackling and the sound of glass breaking. As the three men approached the stairway, the heat of the flames drove them back.
Marcus squinted through the smoke. he could see that the flames were mainly on the left hand side of the building and that there was still a clear route up the stairs and to the staircase above if he was to keep to the right and if he was able to withstand the heat and the smoke.
"I'm going up!" he shouted over the sound of splintering wood and roaring flames.
He pulled off his shirt and held it over his mouth, wishing he had had the foresight to wet it before he'd entered the building. He could hear Bellamy and Roan behind him and he cursed the series of events that had led to Bellamy once more being inside a burning building. Was this bringing back memories of the fire in which he'd lost his mother? It had to be.
He wasted no time on the middle floor, but followed the staircase straight up to the top floor. None of the women were attempting to leave by the staircase and as he looked back down, Marcus could see that it was impossible to tell that there was a clear way down, though who knew for how long it would stay clear.
At one end of the corridor, a chair was placed behind a door and Marcus knew instinctively that Abigail was behind that door. And what of her guard? Had he simply vacated his post to save his own skin with no thought for the woman locked inside? Marcus ran to the door.
"Abigail!" he shouted.
"Marcus!" came a beloved voice. "Oh dear God! What's happening?""Stand back from the door, Abby," he shouted. "I'm going to shoot the lock off."He fired his pistol at the lock and kicked the door which gave way easily. He looked over his shoulder but Roan and Bellamy were no longer behind him, presumably trying to find Echo. He sent up a silent prayer to keep Bellamy safe then rushed forwards and gathered Abigail into his arms.
"You found me," she gasped and she squeezed him so tightly he thought she might break his ribs. "Did Roan and Echo find you?" she began. "I told them..." but he cut her off.
"We'll talk later. We need to get you out first. The whole middle floor is on fire."He cast a glance towards the window but it was far too small to climb out of. That left finding a larger window or making their way back down the staircase.
On a table near the window, stood a bowl and jug for washing. Marcus grabbed a pillowcase from the bed and plunged it into the water then thrust it at Abigail.
"Cover your head," he ordered.He soaked his shirt too and held it to his face then he took her hand.
"Stay close to me."He pulled her after him down the hall and into the next room. One of the windows was open and a woman was climbing out, other women waiting behind her to do the same. There was a scream as the woman let go of the sill and jumped and then a cheer as presumably she landed safely. He went to another window and saw a group of men holding a large sheet stretched between them. Marcus was glad to see that someone had had the foresight to place mattresses underneath in case the sheets should tear.
Another group of men was doing the same a little further along the building. As he watched, another woman made her escape through the window and landed on the sheet to be helped down by Clarke and Octavia.
"Go with them," he said, one hand in the small of Abigail's back, guiding her into the queue of women waiting to jump. "I'll see you later.""What do you mean? Where are you going?" she said, gripping his arm. "This is the way out."Gently, he lifted her fingers from his arm. "Bellamy is in here somewhere," he said. "I have to make sure he gets out first."She gazed up at him, her dark eyes desperate and beseeching but then she gave a nod. "Stay safe, my love," she said.He nodded back but found himself unable to voice the promise she was asking for.
The corridor was thick with smoke and Marcus could scarcely make out the other doors anymore. He pushed open another door and, to his relief, he saw that Bellamy and Roan were there with Echo and they were overseeing other women escaping from the window.
"Thank God," Marcus said with feeling and he strode over to Bellamy and enveloped him in a hug. He watched as all the women jumped from the window, Echo last of all. He allowed himself a sigh of relief as he saw Abigail land safely on the first sheet to be pulled into a hug by her daughter.
Finally there were no more women to jump from either room and only the three men remained in the burning building.
"You next, Son," said Marcus and he watched as Bellamy jumped to his safety.
"See you down there," said Roan, clapping him on the back.
Marcus watched him go, then he put his hands on the window frame preparing to jump himself.He was about to let go when he heard a woman's scream and he paused. It was coming from inside the house, from downstairs it seemed. He hesitated for only a moment and then he walked back out into the hallway, choking on the smoke. When he looked down the stairwell, all he could see was flames. There seemed no way down, but he couldn't just leave someone to die.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Where's Marcus?" said Abigail, casting her gaze around the crowd.
"He was just behind us," said Bellamy frowning.
One of the men who had been holding the sheet Bellamy and Roan had jumped into came over to them. "There was a man about to jump out," he told them. "Then he seemed to change his mind and he climbed back in."Abby felt as if she was about to faint. "What? Why?" she cried. She ran towards the burning building. "Marcus!" she screamed.
She was seized swiftly by Bellamy."Let go of me," she cried, struggling in his grip yet knowing it was hopeless.
They were joined by Clarke and Octavia, Octavia looked as if she was about to go out of her mind."Papa!" she shrieked in the direction of the building as if he would be able to hear her over the roar of the flames, if indeed he was alive. Oh why oh why had he gone back in?
"I'll go," said Bellamy with a grim expression on his face."Bell, no!" screamed Octavia. "I can't lose you both!"Clarke looked stricken at the thought and Abigail stilled in Bellamy's arms. "Octavia is right," she said dully. "Your father decided for whatever godforsaken reason to go back inside a burning building. You mustn't go in after him, Bellamy. You have your sister to think of and a wife to support." Her heart was breaking even as the words left her lips but she would break her own heart a thousand times over rather than break her daughter's. Oh but Marcus! She placed her hands protectively over her belly. Marcus, you have to live for your child, she prayed.
Roan appeared at her side then with Echo. They both held sheets soaked with water and Echo was holding a rope. "We're going in," said Roan. Abigail gazed at him helplessly. She knew she should tell him not to go in, after all was his life worth any less than Marcus'? And there was Echo.
"Echo you can't go back in there," she said weakly.
Echo raised her eyebrows. "Why ever not? I hope you don't mean because I'm a weak little woman, Abby.""No, it's just...be careful please and please...""Yes?""Please find him," whispered Abby.
The woman was on the middle landing, looking torn as to whether to risk the flames below or whether to go up."Stay there," Marcus yelled. Stumbling through the smoke, he made his way down to her. As soon as he reached her, he saw that the way down was completely cut off, in fact part of the stairs seemed to have disappeared. He looked up helplessly but the entire upper floor was now full of smoke too. He knew that most people who died in fires died from inhaling smoke before the flames even got to them and he knew he couldn't breathe in much more before losing consciousness. Abby, he thought. Was this how it all ended? And his children, they had lost their mother in a fire, were they now to lose their father in the same way? His lungs felt as if they were about to burst and he felt his vision grow cloudy. This was it then. He suddenly remembered being a child back home in Glasgow and for a moment he thought the smoke was the fog rolling in from the River Clyde and he thought he heard his mother calling him in for his dinner of stew and potatoes.
"I'm coming, Mother," he whispered.
"Marcus!""I'm coming," he repeated. "I'll be with you soon.""Marcus, catch hold of the rope!" the voice cried.Rope? Why was his mother throwing him a rope? Dimly, he saw it through the fog and he reached out a hand to catch it but he missed.
"You're useless," a voice near to him cried. "Why can't you do something?"He saw the rope swing past him again and this time more by luck than design, he managed to catch hold of it."Now tie it to the bannister!" the voice yelled.He seemed to have lost all sense but the woman next to him seemed to have more strength than he had. He became aware of her securing the rope somehow and then she pushed past him and she was gone. That's good, he thought. At least she was safe. The flames were unbearably close now and he hoped he would lose consciousness soon. He didn't want to burn to death. He closed his eyes and waited for oblivion.
"Marcus." The voice was soft, warm, with an unmistakeable Scots lilt. He opened his eyes. There was no smoke, no flames, just her. Vera, his mother.
Mother, he tried to say but his lips were cracked and his throat seemed to have closed up."Marcus, ye need to wake up laddie," Vera said urgently. "We'll see each other again one day but it's not your time just now. You have your woman to live for and your daughter and your two sons. Just take the rope and climb down it to safety, my darlin' boy.""I can't reach," he managed to croak.Vera smiled at him. "Why of course ye can, mo laochain. Here ye go," and she handed him the rope.
Somehow he struggled to his feet and he wrapped his body around the rope.
He turned to Vera to thank her but she wasn't there."Marcus just let yourself slide down the rope," a voice shouted. He closed his eyes against the heat of the flames and did as the voice bade him as the last vestiges of his consciousness deserted him.
Abigail had no notion of how long Roan and Echo were gone. Five minutes? Ten? Twenty? Time seemed to have stopped still and her heart along with it. If it wasn't for the child she was carrying she would have eluded Bellamy and run in there herself. Anything was better than this endless waiting, this not knowing whether the man she loved was alive or dead. But the babe inside her, this might be the only part of Marcus she was left with. Oh God, please let him live, she prayed. I'll never be cold or angry towards him again. Would she ever feel his arms about her again? Would she ever run her fingers through his hair, bury her face in the crook of his neck that smelled so warm and so...Someone was coming out of the building. It was Echo with a woman, she was holding the woman roughly by the arm and Abigail recognised her captor, Simone. Then behind Echo came Roan and he was carrying someone over his shoulder.
Abigail felt the blood freeze in her veins. Marcus! She ran forwards. "Marcus! Is he...?" She dared not say the words."He's alive," said Roan and at his words she felt her body start to work again, her heart to beat and the blood, no longer frozen to flow through her veins."He's not good though," Roan warned and he laid Marcus gently onto the ground.
Marcus' eyes were closed and his mouth relaxed as if in sleep but this was no sweet dreaming slumber but a state of unconsciousness that may yet presage death. She placed her ear to his chest, his heart was still beating, thankfully. As she watched, fearful of what would happen next, Marcus gave a great gasp and his eyes opened.
"Marcus! I thought I'd lost you! Oh please don't leave me," she cried, not yet sure whether to be relieved or fearful. "I need you. We need you," and she caught up his hand and laid it on her belly.Marcus gave a faint smile. "Our son," he said.
"Or daughter," she replied.Marcus shook his head which brought on a fit of coughing.
"Our son," he said when he could speak again, then he closed his eyes and slipped back into unconsciousness.
It took several days before they stopped fearing he might die. Roan had carried him to the lodging house where they had put him to bed. He remained unconscious the whole night through with Abigail, Octavia and Bellamy by his side, anxiously watching every breath. Sometimes his breathing was even, though shallow but every so often his breath seemed to still in his lungs causing the people who loved him to cry out in anguish but then just as suddenly as his breathing stopped it would start again. Sometimes he would cough and they would have to turn him over so that he didn't choke on the foul black sputum that came up from his lungs.
He awoke briefly half way through the next day and sipped from a cup of water that Abby held to his lips then slipped back into unconsciousness only relieved by a kind of delirium during which he appeared to think he was talking to his mother.
It was a whole three days before he was fully lucid and able to sit up. His voice was hoarse and he coughed if he talked for too long but he was sufficiently recovered that Bellamy and Octavia both went to sleep in their own beds rather than sleeping in chairs around their father's bed and Abigail was finally alone with him."I'm so sorry," she whispered. "If I'd just stayed at Diana's like you wanted me to."He shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I should never have gone off and left you like that. You'd only just told me how you hate me making decisions for you."She smiled and stroked a wayward curl off his forehead. "We are a pair indeed," she said. "What's to be done with us?""I think I should just marry you," Marcus said. "It seems the only sure way of keeping you out of trouble.""I'm already married in case you hadn't noticed," she said, laughing. "But I would like to start calling myself Abigail Kane now that I'm here.""I think we can manage that, Mrs Kane," he said. "But if we can't actually get married, does that mean we can't have a wedding night?" And he waggled his eyebrows salaciously.
"Mr Kane, we will have the wedding night to end all wedding nights but not until you're completely better," she said.
He pushed out his lower lip like a sulking child and she couldn't help but laugh.
"By the way, are you aware that it was Simone, the woman who was holding me prisoner that you risked your life to rescue?" she said reprovingly.He sighed. "Really? Well I would have still gone to save her even if I'd known that. Where is she now?""Echo marched her off to the constable to be charged with kidnapping," she said. "Echo doesn't think much will happen to her, she knows too many secrets of the men in this town but at least she's in a prison cell at the moment. I'm more worried about what will happen when Russell Lightbourne returns and finds me gone.""Don't worry," said Marcus grimly. "He won't take you from me. I won't let him.""Oh Marcus, you're too weak to fight at the moment," she cried in concern.
He smiled. "Give me a few more days to recover and we can take a wagon to Virginia. No-one will ever find us there. It will just be Mr and Mrs Kane, their two daughters and two sons."She laughed at this. "You're convinced this is a boy aren't you?"
He nodded and closed his eyes. "I have it on good authority," he said.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Marcus cursed under his breath. This was the fifth day he'd been to the square where the wagons left to travel North to Virginia and North West to California. And still not a sign of anything remotely wagon like. He wondered briefly whether the money he carried in the purse Abigail had given him was enough to buy a small carriage for the women and horses for the men. It was imperative that they leave Florida quickly, before Russell returned and also it wouldn't be long before Abigail's condition would make travelling uncomfortable for her or even dangerous. She was already getting a little bump, he'd noticed.
"Excuse me, Sir," a man's voice said behind him and Marcus felt the unmistakeable sensation of the barrel of a pistol shoved into the small of his back.
"I'll be relieving you of the burden of any coins you're carrying." said the voice. "And don't pretend yer not carrying any. If I 'ave to strip ye naked, I'll find 'em. And if I 'ave to do that, well I may as well just kill ye, and search yer dead body.'Every muscle in Marcus' body tensed in impotent rage. He knew there was no point in trying to call the man's bluff. He'd learned enough of human nature in his time on earth to know when a man was capable of killing another and he could tell just by the sound of the man's voice that he wouldn't hesitate to carry out his threat. But what would they do without the money and why had he been such a fool as to carry almost the whole amount with him? Were he and Abigail never to have any luck?
"Ye can take the gun out of me back," he said, reverting to his old pirate way of talking in an effort to find common ground with the robber. "I'll give ye what I 'ave but I'll tell ye now, this money belongs to a woman with child and you know what they say about robbing a woman with child, don't ye?""Er..." said the man and Marcus felt the pistol move away slightly. Now was his chance. Would he be able to turn quickly enough that he could surprise the man before he had time to fire? Or would it end up being the last thing he ever did? Abby would be devastated by the loss of the money but nowhere near as devastated as she would be if he were to get himself killed. She'd only just forgiven him for almost dying in the fire. He forced his breathing to slow and let his body relax, he didn't want to telegraph his movements to a man with a gun pointed at his back. Let the man think he was about to give in. And then just when he'd relaxed his guard he could..."Shaw!" came a familiar voice.
"Don't be saying me name," said the man in an annoyed tone. "Now I'll 'ave to kill 'im.""Shaw, if ye harm one 'air on 'is 'ead, you'll be the one getting killed. Now let 'im go. 'E's a friend."Reluctantly the man stepped away and Marcus straightened his coat and turned around. "Afternoon, Raven," he said as casually as if he'd only seen her yesterday and she hadn't just saved his life.
"Afternoon, Captain," Raven said beaming from ear to ear. "Well you're a sight for sore eyes and no mistake. What are ye doing 'ere? Is Abby with ye? And what about..."Marcus raised a hand. "We're all here," he said. "And we've been here far too long," he added with some asperity. "What are you doing here though? Have you left the Arcadia to pursue a career in street robbery?"Raven laughed. "Now do ye think I'd ever leave the Arcadia?" she said. "It's me home, always will be. Though I 'ave to say, it's changed since ye left, Marcus. Sinclair's a good captain, firm but fair and we make a good enough living. But the men miss ye Marcus, you had a certain something that Sinclair just doesn't 'ave."Marcus laughed. "Well, I've given up piracy, Raven. I'm a family man now and me family's about to get bigger."Raven's eyes opened wide. "Yer going to be a grandfather?"
Marcus felt himself blush. "Er no, I'm going to be a father again.""What? You and Abigail?" exclaimed Raven. "Aren't you both a little..." She fell silent at the look on her former captain's face. "Oh well, congratulations then.""Thank you." said Marcus. He turned to the man who had accosted him. "I don't believe we've been introduced. I'm Marcus Kane, former captain of the Arkadia. I'm presuming from your acquaintance with Raven that you're one of the crew."
"Yes, Sir," the man muttered. "I'm sorry I tried to rob ye, I never would 'ave thought of it if I'd known who ye were."
"Forget it," said Marcus. He turned back to Raven. "But what are ye doing here? The Arcadia doesn't usually venture this far. Is someone after you?"Raven laughed. "No, we 'ave a passenger. Mr Smith. 'E's a God-fearing man who has no idea 'e's on a pirate ship. 'E was in a hurry to get to Virginia and 'e was willing to pay 'andsomely for the privilege. Ye should see them all, Marcus, on their best be'aviour." And both she and Shaw laughed as if at some private joke.
But Marcus didn't join in. He didn't care about this Mr Smith, only one of Raven's words held any significance for him."You say you're sailing to Virginia?" he said.
"Marcus! How good to see you!" Sinclair enveloped Marcus in a hug. "You're the last person I'd have expected to see here.""It's just as much of a surprise to see you here," said Marcus. "I believe you're on your way to Virginia with a passenger.""Aye." Sinclair laughed. "The Arcadia's become a passenger ship in 'er old age. We just stopped 'ere for supplies. I'm sorry, Marcus. You're probably wondering what on earth I'm doing to the poor old girl."Marcus shook his head. "Not at all," he said. "If you're making money, you're making money. It doesn't matter where it comes from. And as for being a passenger ship, I've a proposition for you." He suddenly thought of the dwindling purse of gold and silver coins. "Well, more of a favour really."
Sinclair shook his head. "Anything for a brother," he said. "What can I do for you, Marcus?""What would you think of a few more passengers?" he said. "We're hoping to start a new life in Virginia. There's Abigail and myself, my two children, Octavia and Bellamy..."
"Yes, Raven told me all about you being reunited with your kids," Sinclair put in. "I never knew you'd had kids but from what she told me, the fire and everything, well I can see where the sadness in you came from now.""Well I'll tell you all about it over a bottle of rum," Marcus said. "Anyway, there's the four of us plus Bellamy's wife, Clarke who also happens to be Abby's daughter.""I heard about that too," said Sinclair. "Fancy your son and Lady Abigail's daughter being wed. It's like it was all meant to be."Marcus smiled. "Yes," he said softly. "I feel like meeting Abby was my destiny."Sinclair shook his head. "Never thought I'd see the day that Marcus Kane, one of the greatest wenchers I ever knew, would get all sentimental over a woman but I'm glad to see it, Marcus. I really am.""Thank you," said Marcus. "Oh and there's two others, Roan and Echo. I'll pay you what silver I have and the men will work towards their passage." He stopped and thought for a moment about his daughter, his daughter in law and not forgetting Echo who would quite likely lay him out cold on the floor for what he'd just said. In fact all the women he'd ever known had been as tough and as strong as any man. Even Abby although she was so tiny he could fit her in his pocket. "I mean we'll all work at whatever you want to put us to," he said. "Apart from Abby, obviously."Sinclair nodded but frowned and Marcus realised he probably thought Abigail felt she was above manual work."On account of her being with child," he said quietly.
Sinclair's eyes opened wide. "Your child? Well that's wonderful news Marcus. But don't you think you're a little... he trailed off. "Well look, Marcus. You're going to need your money for when you arrive in Virginia. I can't offer you decent sleeping accommodation anyway so I wouldn't have the cheek to charge you. Mr Smith is in my cabin and I'm bunked in with the lads. But we can string up a few more hammocks for the ladies in Raven's quarters." He thought for a moment. "There's no-one in the sick quarters so I reckon you and Lady Abigail could bunk in there, be a bit more comfortable for her than a hammock."
Marcus felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, Jacopo," he said, his voice suddenly choked.
"Don't mention it," said Sinclair gruffly. "Now go and get this family of yours, I'm curious to see if your kids are anything like their old man."
When everyone was settled aboard and at Marcus' insistence had been given a list of chores to do during the voyage, Marcus and Abigail stole away for some time on their own. Night was beginning to fall, the sky was darkening and a few eager stars were making an early appearance. They stood at the side of the ship, just near the Captain's cabin, Marcus with his arms about Abigail protectively.
She leaned back into his embrace, her hair tickling his chin and he inhaled its perfume deeply.
"Remember when we stood just here and you pointed out the constellations to me," she said.
"I do," he said. It was something he'd thought about every night they'd been apart. He held her tightly against him, determined to never let her go again. He ran his fingers over her belly, marvelling as always that his child, his son, if his vision was to be believed, was in there."Mmm that's nice," hummed Abigail. She gave a great contented sigh. "This is where it all began for us and now here we are again. It feels as if our story is coming to an end."He stroked her belly. "Our story is just beginning," he whispered.
He turned her to him and kissed her gently, slowly, and he groaned as she pressed herself against him. He was so engrossed in her that he never heard the cabin door open behind them. He heard the voice though, as cold as the frost on the window of his childhood bedroom in Glasgow.
"Kindly take your hands off my wife!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Abby's head whipped around so quickly she almost dislocated her neck.
"What..." The words dried up in her mouth at the sight of him; she felt as though someone had grabbed her about the throat and was squeezing the life out of her.
"Surprised to see me?" said Jacob. "I must admit I'm just as surprised to see you. The impression I was given was that you had been kidnapped by pirates.""What are you doing here?" Abigail took a step towards him. "Why are you going to Virginia?"Jacob laughed but the laugh went nowhere near his eyes. "You have the temerity to come at me with questions?"
For a fraction of a second, Abigail felt a stab of guilt, but then she remembered. "You had me committed to an asylum for the insane," she said coldly.
"What else was I to do with you?" he answered. "You were standing in the way of my plans; with your demands and threats, you were determined to ruin me. I wouldn't have left you there to rot. I simply wanted to remind you of your place.""My place?" she almost shouted, taking a step closer to him.
"Yes, your place," he said, raising his voice to match hers. "The place of a wife is at her husband's side, supporting and obeying him. You knew this once.""Well, I for one am glad that she learned differently," came a voice and Abigail turned to see her daughter standing, hands on hips, with an expression of righteous indignation on her face.
"Clarke!" Jacob moved towards her then stopped at the look of scorn on her face. "Clarke, you must understand that everything I did, I did for the best.""Really?" Clarke's tone was icy. "My mother refuses to speak to me of anything that went on in that place, but Marcus and Roan rescued Echo too. And she has told me of the bullying guards, the ice water baths, the degradation. The very idea that the man I called father would condemn my mother to a single day in that place..." She shook her head in disgust."Your mother didn't need rescuing," said Jacob. "I was on the verge of fetching her home, in fact I had sent Titus to enquire after her welfare and bring her home if neccessary. Your mother met him as she was making her ridiculous escape and one of her ruffian friends knocked him unconscious. Just who exactly are these men, Marcus and Roan and why did they take it upon themselves to remove my wife from the institution where I had placed her?"Marcus stepped forward. "I'm Marcus Kane.""I see," said Jacob. "I was watching the two of you for a good ten minutes before I made myself known so I'm well aware that you are my wife's lover." He turned to Abby. "You have made a cuckold of me and attempted to make a fool of me with this pirate nonsense. Luckily, I was not taken in on your second attempt and the rascal who came to see me is now in the capable hands of the constable."Abigail flinched but then reminded herself that she would never have fallen in love with Marcus if Jacob had been the loving husband he once was."So, now you know who Marcus is to me," she said. "And I will ask you again, how is it that you are on this ship bound for Virginia?"
"Business," answered her husband. "An associate of Dante Wallace lost heavily to him at cards. The man was facing ruin so Dante took his tobacco plantation off his hands for half of what it was worth." He laughed. "Dante was ever astute in business.""And all heart," said Abigail in distaste. "How you could ever have wanted a marriage between our daughter and his odious son is beyond me."
"It was sound business," Jacob replied. "It happens all the time in our world. Don't be so naive, Abigail.""If you really loved me, you wouldn't want to see me married to Cage Wallace," said Clarke. "I remember visiting them when I was a child. Cage took me into the garden and made me watch while he did something unspeakable to a poor little frog." She shuddered. "I can still hear the way he laughed. He was a cruel boy and I have no doubt he has grown into a cruel man."Jacob shrugged. "Maybe, but he would have kept you in the lap of luxury. However, you saw fit to take matters into your own hands. You have chosen your own husband and must live the life he can give you. Will he be able to provide for you and for any children you may have together?" He paused. "Do you have any news for me in that regard? Am I to be a grandfather?"
"No, not yet," said Clarke but she couldn't help a glance at her mother as she spoke, and Abby's hand moving protectively to her belly was just as involuntary.Jacob's eyes opened wide. "You are with child?" he said incredulously. "By this man?"Abigail felt a momentary stab of fear for Marcus and then she reminded herself that they were among friends and no-one would allow any harm to come to their former captain. She took Marcus' hand."Yes," she said. "I am sorry you had to find out like this, Jacob."Jacob laughed. "Let us be honest, my Dear, you never expected me to find out at all. However, you need not fear my wrath. This is all actually rather fortuitous."Abigail frowned. "What do you mean?"He laughed again and then fell silent as if remembering.
Finally he said, "Do you remember when Clarke was seven years old and we dismissed her nanny and engaged a governess for her?""Of course I do," said Abigail, wondering where all this was going. "Clarke was so upset to lose her nanny."Ignoring this remark, Jacob said, "And do you remember how Miss Burke wasn't your first choice?""I do," she said again. "The first lady we interviewed seemed perfect, quite young and very sweet, but you overruled me.""Yes, Miss Morgan, a very lovely young woman. I ddn't give you my reasons for not wanting to engage her at the time, but I will do so now." He paused. "At that time in our marriage, I was mostly faithful to you, apart from the occasional whore, and all men lie with whores from time to time, it means nothing. But Miss Morgan...I felt myself violently attracted to her and so I decided against hiring her. To have her living in our house would have been too great a temptaion. But then..." He paused again and this time he looked ashamed. "Our paths crossed some years later and I'm sorry to say we...we began a quite torrid affair."Abigail gasped. "I never suspected."He shrugged. "Well I hid it well. She was reluctant at first, after all I was a married man, but true love knows no shame. As you have no doubt discovered yourself."
And he gestured to Marcus.
"Love?" echoed Abigail. "You were in love with her, then?" The knowledge stung even as it lessened the guilt she felt over Marcus.
"I'm still in love with her to this day," said Jacob. "If I had been a free man, I would have married her. As it was, I set her up in her own house and visited her as often as I could." He sighed. "I tried to be careful, but there was one night of passion that got the better of me and I sired a son, Ethan who is now eight years old."Both Abigail and Clarke let out gasps of shock and Jacob gave them a rueful smile."I am sorry you had to find out about this, Clarke, and I assure you that no matter what has passed between us, you are the child with the greatest hold on my heart. Yet Ethan is a fine boy, a son to be proud of. I always wished he could take over the business when I died although I knew it to be impossible. But now...""Now?" said Abigail."Well now your child will be proof of your adultery, my Dear, and I can divorce you. That will leave me free to remarry and I shall adopt Ethan as my own son. People may gossip at first, he does have quite a look of me after all, and I dare say if this were England, none of us would ever be able to show our faces in polite society again. But here...well it will give the gossips something to chatter about for a twelvemonth and then something else will occur to occupy their attention."Abby felt thoughts assail her from all sides. Clarke would be disinherited, but then she had never expected to see her father again and she would have known this would happen when she eloped. Besides, Diana had already told her that her estate would be left to Clarke and she had as much if not more money than Jacob. But divorce? She cared nothing for the ignominy of being divorced for adultery; it would mean nothing in Virginia where no-one knew who she was. But the thought that was loudest in her head was, I can marry Marcus! I don't just need to take the name Abigail Kane, I will be Abigail Kane, wife of the man I love.
"Well of course, I will admit everything," she said. "Our daughter is now full grown and a married woman herself, there is no need for us to continue with this marriage that has been a sham for longer than I even realised."Jacob bowed his head. "I am sorry for how things have turned out. Believe me, when I stood with you on our wedding day, I was determined to be the best husband I could possibly be." He sighed. "Hell is paved with good intentions, they say. But I would like it if we can be civil to each other for the length of this voyage if nothing else.""Of course," replied Abby. "Just one thing, Jacob. Is your daughter to inherit nothing from you?"Jacob appeared to think for a moment then, "I did not finish telling you about the tobacco plantation. Dante did not wish to be concerned with a business so far away. He does not need it after all. Therefore, he agreed to sell it to me for just a little over the value of the debt he was owed. I had to dig deep to find the money but I have heard excellent stories of how profitable tobacco can be. I am on my way to Virginia to look for someone to manage the business for me. But I am well aware that at such a distance, I am in a fair way to be cheated by an unscrupulous manager. However Clarke, if you were there and could oversee the business for me, then once I have recouped my capital outlay, we could see about putting it into your name. Consider it a wedding present."Clarke seemed at a loss for words so Abby spoke for her."That sounds fair," she said."You want me to manage yur plantation for you?" said Clarke when she was able to speak.Jacob laughed. "Well not manage exactly, what do you know of managing a plantation? What does any woman know of managing anything other than a household?"Clarke bit her lip but instead of the furious retort that Abby expected, she merely answered, "My husband then? He is an educated man, he was the companion of Monty Green for some years and received the same gentleman's education as Monty."Jacon looked around. "Then where is this husband of yours? It is time I met him.""I'll go and fetch him," said Clarke.
When she was gone, Jacob turned back to Abigail. "So when did you meet this man?" he asked, gesturing to Marcus.Abigail had been furiously concocting a story in her head since Jacob had set foot on the deck, she just hoped her story wouldn't have too many holes. It was essential that Jacob never learned that Marcus was the pirate who had snatched her off the street, or indeed that he had ever been a pirate at all. For all his talk of everything turning out for the best, she couldn't be sure that he wasn't jealous or angry, and she didn't want to give him anything he could use against Marcus. She'd come too far to see the man she loved dangling at the end of a hangman's rope.
"When the ransom money didn't arrive in Tobago," she began, "the pirate told me he was going to kill me. I managed to avoid that fate by telling him I would get the money from Diana. So we sailed to Port of Spain and the pirates left me under guard at an inn near the harbour while they rode off to Diana's with a note I had written. Once they had been paid, they simply left me at the inn with no money, no means at all to get to my cousin's, no money for food, nothing. Marcus was staying at the inn. He was sympathetic to my plight, he bought me dinner and as it was late, he said he would pay for my lodgings and the next day, he would ride over to Diana's with me."Jacob raised his eyebrows. "I see," he said. "And what did you expect in return, Mr Kane? Did you not see her wedding ring?""I expected nothing," said Marcus. "I saw a woman who had obviously been through a lot, exhausted and in need of a good meal. I merely wished to be of assistance.""And yet here you are, the father of her bastard child," remarked Jacob. "You obviously provided a great deal of...assistance.""I assured him that Diana would reimburse him," said Abigail, "so you need not believe I was beholden to him in any way. Anyway, the following morning, the most incredible thing happened. Clarke arrived at the inn with Bellamy. They had been on their way to England where Bellamy had been due to take up a position, when their ship was wrecked on the rocks. Luckily, they were both unharmed and were rescued by a passing Navy ship which took them to Port of Spain. I was obviously delighted to see Clarke but that was nothing to how Bellamy felt when he caught sight of Marcus, his father."Jacob frowned. "I was under the impression that Bellamy Blake was living with the Greens because he was orphaned.""Bellamy laboured under the same misapprehension," said Marcus. "And his sister, Octavia too. They were taken from me as children and led to believe that I didn't care enough to come and find them, when in fact, I had believed them dead, perished in the same fire that took their mother." He smiled sadly. "I am now reunited with both my children but nothing will ever erase the pain of the years apart."Jacob shook his head. "It's a sad tale to be sure, I cannot imagine the suffering you went through." He gave a short laugh. "And now your son has taken my daughter away from me. How ironic.""Indeed," agreed Marcus. "And now you are reunited with her. It is strange how life works out.""Anyway," Abby continued. "I couldn't go to Diana's and leave Clarke there in the inn but obviously she wouldn't leave Bellamy and he didn't want to leave his father. So we stayed a while at the inn and became a family of sorts. And that is when I started to have feelings for Marcus.""Even though you were a married woman."Abigail arched her eyebrows. "As you yourself said, Jacob, true love knows no shame. And think about how I was feeling. Not only had my marriage been barren of love for many years, but when you heard I'd been taken by pirates, you did nothing, absolutely nothing to get me back. As far as you were concerned, I could get my throat cut, but you cared nothing for that, you just left me to die!" She realised she was shouting and tears were pouring down her cheeks as the dam finally burst and all the grief and rage she had felt since the realisation that her husband did not intend to pay her ransom came rushing out of her. "And then, when I came to get the money that was owed to my cousin, you had me taken from my bed in the middle of the night by a couple of ruffians and locked up in an asylum. The pirates treated me more gently than you have!" She took a deep, shuddering breath and forced herself to be calm. "So, please allow me my happiness with the man who saved me from that awful place and I will wish you well with Miss Morgan and your son."Jacob nodded. "Very well. We both deserve to know true happiness."He turned away from her as Clarke came walking towards them with Bellamy.
"Ah, my son-in-law. It's customary for us to meet before the wedding, you know, so you can ask my permission to wed my daughter.""We both know know that would have been a fruitless endeavour," said Bellamy calmly. "I can understand your disappointment, Sir. You wanted a man of means for your only daughter. But I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to give her a good life. I will work hard and be the best husband I can be."Jacob nodded. "Well, what's done is done. And as for your providing for Clarke, if you are trained in the workings of a tobacco plantation, do you feel equal to the task of becoming a manager?"Bellamy didn't look surprised at this. Obviously Clarke had told him of the conversation that had taken place."I'll do my very best, Sir. I learn quickly and I work hard."Jacob frowned. "I'm sure you do. I'm worried though that your age will mean the workers won't respect your authority.""If I might make a suggestion," said Abigail. "Our daughter may be young, but I think you'll agree with me that she has a natural authority that gets things done."Jacob grimaced at this. "Yuo mean she's haughty. Well, I can't help but agree with you. I'm guessing she wears the britches in your marriage, eh, Bellamy?""Clarke is my equal in everything," said Bellamy diplomatically.
"Yes, Papa, what a thing to say," said Clarke.
Jacob shrugged. "Well that's a good idea of your mother's anyway. How about it, Clarke? Do you think you can manage jointly with your husband?""I've watched you conduct business all my life, Papa," she replied. "I'm sure between us we will do a good job.""And I'm happy to step in if there's any trouble on account of them being young," put in Marcus.
Jacob stared at him incredulously for a moment then he laughed. "As the lover of my wife, I find it most impertinent of you to make such a suggestion. Yet as the father-in-law of my daughter, I find you easier to accept. So it's to be a family affair then. Very well. When we arrive in Viginia, we will find ourselves a laywer. I will sign the tobacco company over to you, Clarke on the understanding that you relinquish any claim on my business in Nassau and that you give me a share of the profits until I have recouped my money. Once the plantation is in your name, you may hire as many of your mother's lovers as you please. I will remain in Virginia with you for a month or until I am confident you can run the business without me."
He glanced up as three more people joined them."Sir, this is my sister, Octavia," said Bellamy. "And these are our good friends, Echo and Roan. Everyone, this is Sir Jacob Griffin, Clarke's father."As everyone stared at Sir Jacob in astonishment, Clarke said, "The problem of finding employment for everyone has been solved. It appears I now own a tobacco plantation."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Marcus shut the drawer of his desk and sighed. Another day over. He was grateful to have a respectable job at last, but overseer of a tobacco plantation didn’t give him quite the same thrill as being a pirate. Then he thought of Abigail waiting for him in the little home they had made here, and he smiled. Adventure was all very well but nothing could compare with the contentment that having his family around him brought.Jacob had finally returned to Nassau; the papers had been signed and Clarke was now the legal owner of the plantation. Bellamy worked with her on the business side of things, his legal knowledge coming in very useful, leaving Marcus to oversee the actual work. He had worried at first that the workers would resent him coming in with no experience, but he was used to managing men and they all seemed to respect him.Roan worked in the fields with the other men, refusing a job in the office. “Too much readin’ and writin’ for me,” he’d said gruffly. Besides the local blacksmith was getting old and Roan had become friendly with him and agreed that he would take over the smithy from him when he was ready to retire. As for Echo, no-one had dared to disagree with her when she announced her intention to work alongside Roan in the fields and Marcus had noticed with no little admiration that she was as capable as any of the men.Abigail’s condition made any kind of work difficult right now, she was in her final month and thought she might have the baby any day. However she had embraced her natural talent for needlework, at first making clothes for the baby and then as her talent became known, she was approached by others to make clothes for their children. She was currently engaged in making new smocks for the children of the orphanage. The discovery of the orphanage had interested Octavia exceedingly as she remembered her own experiences only too well. She had soon secured employment there and was adored by all the children. Marcus had never seen her so happy. He got to his feet and stretched. Sitting at a desk all day was making him soft. He would have to do something about that. He put on his hat and opened the door where he almost collided with Octavia.“Woah, steady on,” he said, catching her by the shoulders. “Why are you in such a rush?”“It’s Abby,” she said breathlessly. “The baby is coming, and I can’t find the doctor!”Marcus felt a spike of adrenaline so intense he forgot to breathe. There were plenty of women in their little settlement who had promised to attend to Abby when the time came. But Marcus remembered well what Lady Diana had said, that it was only the skill of a physician that had saved Abby’s life when she gave birth to Clarke.He found his breath at last and forced it slowly through his nostrils.“Where have you looked?” he said, in a voice so calm it surprised him.“Just his house,” she said. “Oh, Papa, what are we to do if we can’t find him?”He squeezed her shoulders reassuringly. “We’ll find him,” he said. “This is a small town, he’ll either be attending to another patient or he’ll be in the tavern.” The good doctor was fond of his ale and Marcus silently prayed he wouldn’t find him in his cups.“I’ll go to the tavern,” he said, “and you go to the post office and inquire there.”
The old lady who ran the post office was the biggest gossip in the town. Marcus sometimes wondered whether she opened all the mail before having it delivered, he wouldn’t be surprised.The doctor was not in the tavern and thankfully had not been seen there today. Running back out, Marcus spied Bellamy running towards him.“No-one seems to know where to find the doctor,” Bellamy panted. “Clarke is with Abby and there’s a midwife, but Abby is asking for you.”Marcus sighed. “I want to be with Abby, of course I do. But we need as many people as possible looking for the doctor.”Bellamy put one hand on his father’s shoulder. “I’m looking, Octavia is looking, Roan and Echo are looking. Go and be with your wife, Papa.”Despite his fear, Marcus couldn’t help a proud smile. His wife! Of course they weren’t officially married yet as Abby was still legally married to Jacob until the divorce was final. Jacob was seeing to this in Nassau, citing abandonment and adultery as grounds for divorcing Abby. Marcus thought this was a bit much following his confession that he had a son with another woman, but Abigail didn’t seem to care.“I just want to be a free woman to marry you, Marcus,” she had said to him. He wasn’t sure how they’d make that happen seeing as all their neighbours thought them already married, but he’d find a way if he had to marry her at sea.He nodded at Bellamy. “Very well. I’ll go home and be with Abigail and please God, let the doctor be found.”On arriving at their little house, he was met at the door of their bedroom by a stout little matron in a white cap.“Now you’ll need to stay outside, Sir,” she said sternly. “This is women’s business, and we can’t have a man present.”“Abby!” he called through the closed door. “Is everything all right?”“Come in, Marcus!” she called. “I don’t care what anyone says, I just want you here with me.”The woman frowned but she stood aside and let him pass.Abigail was pale and her hair damp with sweat. She managed a smile, but Marcus could see it was more a grimace of pain. How did women manage to do this over and over? He would have to be careful in future. As much as he would be happy to have a family of ten with Abby, this must be their only child. He could not put her through this again.“The doctor will be soon here, my love,” he said, hoping it wasn’t a lie.She nodded and closed her eyes, but she reached out her hand and he took it in his, noticing how cold it was.“Do you have any idea just how much I love you?” he whispered. He felt as if he needed to get everything said now just in case. He had tried to put out of his mind the idea that she could die in childbirth, but he knew it could happen and looking at her now, so pale, so slight, he felt it was more of a likelihood than a possibility. How could he live without her in his life? His children would bring him comfort of course but there would forever be an aching void in his heart were she to leave him now. He felt tears pricking his eyes, but he blinked them back. He had to be strong for her. He had to…oh God that hurt. She was squeezing his hand so hard, the flesh turned white. He grit his teeth, he would endure any pain for her.“Marcus, I have to push,” she groaned.“Just a little longer,” he soothed her. “The doctor will be here soon.”She shook her head. “Your son doesn’t want to wait, Marcus.”When he’d judged she had forgiven him for staying behind in the brothel to rescue Simone, he had told her of the vision of his mother and of how she had told him their child would be a boy.At first, she had teased him, even trying to wager with him.“If it’s a girl,” she’d said, “then you must pleasure me with your tongue every day for a month.”He’d groaned. “Abby, that’s not a wager. I’d gladly do that every day anyway. So if it’s a boy, which it is by the way, then I’ll pleasure you every day for two months.”Abby had wriggled with delight at his words and there was nothing for it but to lay her down on the bed and show her just how much he enjoyed it.“And let that be a lesson to you,” he’d said as he’d held her in his arms afterwards. “A lady doesn’t wager with her husband unless she’s prepared to lose.”He was brought back to the present by a guttural cry from Abigail.“Push, Madam,” said one of the midwives.“No, we need to wait until the doctor is here!” he cried.The woman shook her head. “Nature doesn’t work that way, Sir. Your baby is impatient to be here and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.”Abigail let out another cry that seemed to rend his heart in two.“Oh where is this damned doctor?” he said desperately.“Push now,” said the midwife.” She turned to Marcus and shook her head. “Sir, you really shouldn’t be here. It’s not seemly for a gentleman to…”“Oh seemly be damned to hell!” Abigail cried. “I want him here!”The midwife raised her eyebrows at Madam’s choice language but said no more.Marcus leaned forwards to brush the hair from Abigail’s forehead and as he did so, the door opened behind him. He turned eagerly in anticipation of seeing the doctor, but it was only Clarke with fresh towels.“How is she?” she asked the midwife.“She’s coming along nicely,” said the woman. “Baby will soon be here. Second babies are usually a lot quicker than the first.”Clarke nodded then turned to Marcus. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said. “But then I suppose it’s a little late to expect you to adhere to the conventions of polite society.” She smiled wryly as she spoke to take the sting out of the rebuke and Marcus smiled back in the same fashion. His relationship with Clarke was as changeable as the weather and he never quite knew what she really thought of him.“I can see the head,” said the midwife calmly as if the miracle of birth was nothing to get excited about.Marcus desperately wanted to see for himself but restrained himself so as not to scandalise the women in the room.“Stop pushing now, Madam,” said the midwife. “Just breathe and let the baby make his own way. I’ll let you know when you can push again.”“You’re doing so well, Abby,” murmured Marcus, forcing himself to stay calm. Maybe it would be alright, and they wouldn’t need the doctor after all. He tried to think back to whether Octavia’s birth had been easier than Bellamy’s. He hadn’t been in the room, but he seemed to remember she had arrived more quickly than her brother. Probably fought her way out. He smiled at the thought.“What are you smiling at?” Abby panted.“Oh just at how incredible women are,” he said.“Aye,” said the midwife. “I’d like to see a man go through bringing a baby into the world.” And she shook her head and chuckled.Abby gave another deep groan.“Alright, one more big push,” said the midwife.Abby let out a great roar and Marcus wondered whether he would ever have any feeling in his hand again as with a lusty cry the newest member of the Kane family made his way into the world.
“So we didn’t need the doctor in the end,” said Abby, stroking the downy cheek of her son.The midwives and Clarke had finally left, and Marcus and Abby were alone with the baby.“Yes, thank God,” said Marcus with feeling. “I couldn’t bear to lose you.” And he felt tears come into his eyes. “We are never doing this again, Abby.”“Well we have four children between us. I think that will suffice,” she answered him, smiling up into his eyes.As if her words had summoned them, there was a knock at the door and their three older children came in to meet their brother.“Hello, little Henry Kane,” said Octavia. “How adorable you are.”“Would you like to hold him?” asked Abigail. And she handed him carefully to his older sister. “Be careful to support his head.”Octavia gazed down at her baby brother with eyes full of wonder. “He has Papa’s nose,” she said eventually.“Good job he’s a boy then,” quipped Bellamy.Marcus only smiled. “I’m sure little Henry will grow up to be just as handsome as his older brother.”Bellamy looked over at Clarke. “It’s funny to think that Henry will be an uncle to our baby.”Abigail laughed. “Yes, I suppose he will be when you…” Her eyes widened at the expression on her daughter’s face. “Clarke! Are you…?”Clarke blushed. “We didn’t want to say anything just yet. And certainly not today. This is your day.”“This is a family day,” Marcus corrected her. “Congratulations, Clarke.” And he strode over to her and enveloped her in a hug before she could protest. Then as she went to embrace her mother, he hugged Bellamy. “Well done, Son. I know you’ll make a wonderful father.” He laughed and turned to Abigail. “You do realise we’re gong to be grandparents less than a year after becoming parents again?”“There’s just me then without a baby,” said Octavia, handing Henry back to his mother.Marcus gave her a warning look. “You have plenty of time for that, young lady. You’re not even courting yet. At least I hope you aren’t, not without my approval of the young man.”Octavia rolled her eyes. “Papa, I won’t even speak to a boy without your permission, don’t worry.”“You’ll be the best aunt to our baby,” Clarke reassured her.“Thank you, Clarke,” said Octavia.Marcus laughed. “Well now I know it’s a special day, Abby. Our daughters are being civil to each other.”“It’s like we’re actual sisters now,” said Octavia. “Because we’re both sisters to Henry.”“Well done little Henry,” said Bellamy. “You’ve united two families.”Abigail gazed down upon her son with adoration in her eyes. “And to think I was so horrified to learn that I was carrying you and now I wouldn’t part with you for the world.”“Talking of uniting families,” said Clarke. “Shall we tell them what we were talking of, Bellamy?”Bellamy nodded and then took a deep breath as if preparing himself.“What is it, Son?” said Marcus frowning.“That’s exactly it,” said Bellamy. “I’m your son but I have a different name from you. Octavia has reverted to Kane and Abby is known to everyone as Mrs Kane. There’s only Clarke and I who aren’t Kanes. I always liked the name Blake but now that I realise the Blakes deliberately kept us from you…well I don’t want their name. I want us all to be the Kane family.”Marcus choked down the lump that had formed in his throat.“And you, Clarke?” he asked. “You won’t mind being associated with a good for nothing pirate?”“You’ll always be a pirate in my eyes,” said Clarke. “But good for nothing?” She shook her head. “You may not have had the best of starts with my mother, but since then you’ve saved her from the asylum, and you’ve saved her from a burning building.” She paused and raised her eyebrows. “Not that either of those circumstances would have occurred had you not kidnapped her in the first place. But I can see how happy you make her.” She treated him to a rare smile. “And if it wasn’t for the chain of events you set in motion, I would never have been reunited with my mother and Bellamy would never have been reunited with his sister.”“So all’s well that ends well,” said Abby. “I honestly could not be happier right now with all my family around me.” She paused. “Well, if I was really a Kane, that would be perfect.”“As to that,” put in Bellamy. “I have another piece of news. I’ve been approached about taking up a role in the town. Personally I’m not sure I’m the right man for the job, I’m only young and I…”“Bellamy, you’re the perfect man for the job,” said Clarke. “I wish you wouldn’t put yourself down.”“What’s the job, Son?” said Marcus, mystified. Personally, he thought that Bellamy could do anything he put his mind to. The longer he knew his son, the prouder he was of him.“They’ve asked me to be Justice of the Peace now that the old man is stepping down. I thought it was a crazy idea, still do really, but they seem to think I’m the right man for the job.”“And you are,” said Clarke. “We’re the biggest landowners in this town which makes us the first family. And you’re the only person here with any legal knowledge. You may be young, that’s true but show me someone else who could do a better job than you.”“Well Governor Anders has said he’ll be on hand for any help and advice in the early days,” said Bellamy. “So, yes, I’ve said I’ll think about it, but I’ll probably take the job.”“Well done, Bellamy,” said Abigail warmly. “I couldn’t have found a better man to be husband to my daughter and father to my grandchildren.
I’m very proud of you.”“Thank you…Mother,” said Bellamy, blushing.Marcus choked down another lump. He remembered Abby telling Bellamy he could call her mother but he’d never taken her up on her offer until now.“Anyway,” Bellamy continued. “As justice of the peace, I’d be licenced to perform marriages. It would have to be a private ceremony of course and I wouldn’t be able to file any paperwork, but you would still be married.”Abigail clapped her hands together. “How wonderfully it’s all worked out.” She gave an enormous yawn and sat back against her pillows.
“You’re tired,” Marcus said. He looked around the room. “I think your mother needs to rest,” he said to no-one in particular as it really did seem as if Abby was mother to everyone now.One by one their three adult children filed out with a hug for Abby and a kiss on the forehead for their baby brother until Marcus and Abby were alone with Henry.“Did you ever in your life imagine all this when you snatched me from the street?” said Abby sleepily.Marcus climbed onto the bed and encircled them both in his arms. “Well I was thinking more in terms of silver,” he said. He chuckled. “I never did get my ransom money.”“You impudent pirate,” Abby scolded him, her eyes alight with laughter. “You have my heart. Is that not enough for you?”“Aye, Milady,” he growled softly. “Tis more than enough.”