The Pirate's Willing Captive (14 page)

‘Higgins says we may have to find somewhere else to set up our trading store. Some of the men told me that we are no longer welcome on the island. I think we must be careful, Maribel. There could be trouble.’

‘Surely we are safe enough here?’

‘Perhaps—but we must not go to the waterfront alone.’

‘Captain Sylvester forbade it. Yet you still went last night—why?’

‘I thought the resentment would not be for me, but it seems I am tarred with the same brush as you.’

‘Do not hate me, Anna. Please. You know that I would not have had this happen. Besides, I do not think they came to look for me, because no one came ashore—though it seems they were my father’s ships.’

‘Perhaps they thought you were not here since the
Defiance
was not in the harbour.’ Anna frowned. ‘Higgins says people are wondering why it was not here.’

‘They cannot think that Sylvester knew the attack would happen? If he had, he would have warned others and sent all his ships away.’

‘When people are hurt and angry they do not think clearly.’

‘This is so foolish,’ Maribel shook her head. ‘We were not even here when the attack happened.’

‘That makes it all the worse…Do you not see what people think?’

‘They believe he deliberately chose to be absent?
How foolish can people be? We rushed back as soon as we saw the smoke…we all helped as best we could!’

‘Higgins says someone is stirring them up, making trouble.’

‘Why? Who would do that?’

Anna shook her head. ‘I do not know. I only know that things have changed. We must leave this island and the sooner the better.’

Maribel was about to reply when she heard a noise behind her. Swinging round, she saw Peg watching them.

‘I did not hear you come in?’

‘I wanted to creep up on yer,’ Peg told her, unsmiling. ‘Yer asked me for lessons to defend yerself and yer will need them. Folk are saying yer brought the trouble on us and they want yer gone—one way or the other. Some are fer hanging yer.’

‘Anna has told me what people are saying. I knew nothing of this, Peg. I swear I would not have had it happen for the world.’

Peg looked at her in silence for a moment and then nodded. ‘Aye, I believe yer, but others will not. They won’t listen. Especially with Pike stirring them up. He says Sylvester sent his ship away to save it.’

‘That is nonsense! You know he would not do that, don’t you? He could have sent all his ships if that had been the case—so why didn’t he?’

‘Yer need not try to convince me, lass—but others will listen to Pike. Sylvester has been too successful. Some are jealous of him and need only a grievance to
make them turn against him. He brought yer here and that’s good enough for most.’

‘Is he in danger?’ Maribel asked. ‘I have not seen him this morning. I do not know where he is.’

‘It’s yerself they hate most. Come outside now, and I’ll show yer a few of me tricks with a knife so that yer can defend yerself, but it will be best fer yer all if yer leave as soon as yer can.’

* * *

‘It is getting late,’ Maribel said as the sun began to dip on the horizon that evening. ‘Sylvester has been gone all day and Higgins with him. I fear that something has happened to them.’

‘Someone would have told us,’ Anna said, but was clearly worried. ‘They are not all against us despite what happened. Sylvester’s crew would stand behind him whatever others thought.’

‘Would they?’ Maribel eyed her uncertainly. ‘Supposing they have been hurt? The crew might be afraid to send for us…Sylvester might forbid it if it meant danger for us.’

‘There is little we can do. They might be anywhere.’ Anna frowned. ‘I do not think they would leave the island without us.’

‘Of course they would not. Captain Sylvester would never desert us.’

M
aribel’s anxiety grew with every minute that passed. Justin must know that they would be worried. Why was he so late? It was almost dark and he had still not returned. Her instincts were to go and look for him, but he had forbidden her to go down to the waterfront.

She could not sit and wait. The house felt too small and confined to contain her and she needed some air. Anna called to her as she moved towards the door.

‘Where are you going? It is nearly dark and too dangerous to go looking for them now.’

‘I just need some—’ Maribel broke off as she heard sounds outside. She rushed to the door and threw it open, staring in dismay as she saw Higgins and two of Justin’s crew she recognised. They were carrying something between them—Justin’s body. She saw blood on his shirt and clapped a hand to her mouth to stop herself screaming. ‘What happened?’

‘He was set upon by some ruffians.’ Higgins
scowled. ‘It was Pike’s crew, ordered to it by him no doubt. The captain had been to see some of the wounded. He had promised to make good their losses and explained why our ship was not in the harbour. They listened to him and he left believing all was settled—then this gang attacked him. He fought them off and wounded or killed three, but they were too many for him. Had I and some of the crew not arrived in time he might have been finished.’

‘Carry him through to his room,’ Maribel said, hovering as they brought Justin’s unconscious body into the house. Her heart was hammering and she felt sick with worry, but would not give way to her fear. ‘He has lost blood—where is his wound?’

‘He has a wound to his thigh and another to his shoulder—but he was knocked unconscious by a blow from one of those murdering devils. Fortunately, we drove them off before they could finish him, but he will need nursing. I’ve sent word to the surgeon and he’ll be here soon.’

‘Thank you for all you have done. I am so grateful.’

In the bedchamber, Anna had pulled back the sheets. Justin was deposited gently on his bed by the men; they then drew back to look at him in silence, not sure what to do next. Anna brought a knife and slit his breeches at the side so that they could see the wound to his thigh. She examined it and then looked at Maribel.

‘It has bled a lot, but is not too deep. He should mend without too much help from the surgeon,’ she said on a note of relief. She then slit open the sleeve of his
shirt all the way to the shoulder. ‘This is a little deeper, but I think neither wound will kill him—providing he does not take a fever.’

‘It seems you were in time to save his life. Thank you,’ Maribel said to Higgins. Tears trickled down her cheeks, but she brushed them away. She turned to Anna, an appealing expression in her eyes. ‘Please tell me what to do. You know better than I how to help him.’

‘We must cleanse and bind the wounds,’ Anna told her. ‘I do not know what more we can do, but the surgeon will tell us when he comes. It may be that he will cauterise the wound to Sylvester’s shoulder.’

Maribel’s face turned white and she swayed, clutching at a bedpost to steady herself. She had never been present when it was done, but she knew that to apply a hot iron to open flesh must be fearful and would cause terrible pain.

‘I pray God that it will not be needed,’ she whispered. ‘I shall fetch water and clean linen.’

She was praying and crying at the same time, for she was afraid that whatever they did Justin might die.

* * *

The surgeon had closed Justin’s wounds without cauterising them, cleansing the skin with a mixture of his own that smelled like alcohol to Maribel and binding him tightly to stop further bleeding. When he had finished, he turned to Maribel.

‘Fortunately, they are both little more than flesh wounds. He should heal within a week or two if he rests, but you must watch for a fever. That blow to the
head has rendered him unconscious. Such wounds can kill a man, but sometimes the victim recovers without serious harm. You must watch over him and wait. I will leave something to help him with the pain. If a fever develops, you must keep him cool, and if necessary send for me again.’

‘Thank you.’ Maribel’s throat was tight as she held back her tears. ‘Anna is very good. She will help me to nurse him and she knows how to prepare mixtures that help with a fever, if she has the herbs.’

‘Send to me if you need anything and I will bring whatever Anna requires. It is best that she does not go looking for her herbs alone—the mood here is still uncertain. ’ He wrinkled his brow in thought. ‘I do not blame you or Sylvester. I dare say the ships found us by chance, as was bound to happen one day. Had they been prepared for an attack, they would have done much more damage and probably sent a party ashore to look for you.’

‘I think much as you do,’ Maribel said. ‘My father would have sent men ashore to look for me if he had planned this attack; I believe they must have found the island by chance. However, they may return with more ships and more men; my father is a vengeful man.’

‘There is talk of setting up cannon on shore in case we are attacked from the sea again, though others talk of leaving the island, giving up the attempt to settle here. Most of the captains neglected to protect their ships; they felt safe here, but this attack will make them take measures to make sure next time we can at least fight back. However, some feel the island is no longer safe for us.’

He smiled as he took his leave. Maribel thanked him. She stayed by Justin’s side, watching as he lay unconscious. He was breathing still, but had given no sign of coming to himself, though he had moaned once or twice as the surgeon treated his wounds.

‘Please live,’ she whispered. Her tears came freely now for she could no longer hold them back. One or two fell on his face as she bent over him, pressing her cheek to his. ‘I love you, my own dear pirate. I would not tell you if you could hear me—but I love you as I have never loved anyone else.’

Bending over him, she bathed his forehead with a cloth wrung out in cool water, then slid it over his shoulders and arms. His body was so hot and he had been throwing his arms out of the bed.

‘I love you so,’ she said as the tears trickled down her cheeks. ‘I know so little of you, but you are brave and generous, and I was luckier than I knew when you took me captive. Please get better, my dearest. If you died I should not want to live.’

Justin did not stir. She looked for a flicker of his eyelids, but there was none. Please God he would wake soon…she could not think of a future without this man.

* * *

As the night wore on he began to moan and move restlessly in his bed, calling out a name she could not quite catch. She lay a hand on his forehead and thought he felt too warm. The surgeon had told her to keep him cool. Maribel hesitated and then fetched water in a bowl; it was cold from the well and she dipped a cloth
into the cool water bathing his face and neck once more. He was still hot, so she stroked her cloth down his arms, then drew back the covers to his waist and bathed his chest. He seemed to settle then and she replaced the covers.

His breathing was easier now and she thought that he seemed more comfortable than before. She settled down on a blanket beside the bed and after a little fell asleep.

* * *

When a sound awoke her light was beginning to creep into the room. She started up, giving a little moan as she felt the stiffness in her back from lying on the floor. Getting to her feet, she looked at her patient and saw that he was now awake and staring at her.

‘That was foolish of you, Maribel,’ he said, looking stern. ‘You should have gone to your own bed—or had someone else watch me. Where is Anna?’

‘Anna has enough to do. She helped the surgeon when he tended you—and she stopped the bleeding when you were brought back. It did not hurt me to watch over you for a while.’ She reached out to touch his forehead, but he caught her wrist. ‘You were hot last night. I thought you might have a fever.’

‘I have a damnable soreness in my thigh and left shoulder.’ His gaze narrowed. ‘I remember fighting the rogues off, but then something hit me from the side.’ He scowled. ‘There were too many of them. It is impossible to guard against such a cowardly blow. What happened after that—how did I get here?’

‘Fortunately, Higgins and some of your men arrived to drive the wretches off. You were unconscious when they brought you home. Anna tended you first and then the surgeon came.’

His eyes were on her face. ‘You know what is being said of you?’

‘That the attack was because of me. Do you believe that? Do you think I would want that to happen?

‘I know you would not. That it was your father’s ships is not in question. However, it may have been chance that brought them here—unless Hendry revealed the secret of the island and how to enter its waters. One reason this island was chosen from so many others is that there is chain of rocks guarding it. Only those that have visited know how to navigate the channel. If your father’s ships got close enough to inflict so much damage, they must have known the secret—but if they came for you, why was there no attempt to rescue you?’

‘I do not know—perhaps I was not important.’

Justin frowned and was silent for a moment. He knew, but would not tell her that her father cared so little for her that he had been willing to give her up for the return of his map. Sabatini was evil and it made him wonder if the man was truly her father. ‘I think he came to show me what could happen to me if I do not return his map.’

‘You think the attack was planned merely for revenge? Because you refused to give up the map?’ She was silent for a moment. ‘What will you do? Shall you send it to him?’

‘The way he so callously destroyed property and life here tells me that he should never have that map. With it he will become even more powerful and I cannot condone what he did. He is an evil man.’

‘But if you keep the map he may attack you again.’

‘Do you think I should be safe from his vengeful spite if I sent him his map? He would see it as a sign of weakness.’ Justin looked thoughtful. ‘I had considered trying to find the silver mine myself, but it has cost too many lives already. I think it is cursed and I shall destroy the map. Better it is never found again than it should cost more lives.’

‘My father will always be your enemy.’

‘You need not worry yourself over my safety. In two or three days I shall be able to get up. As soon as the
Defiance
returns she will be provisioned and we shall sail to England. Once you are with your family you will be safe.’

‘The surgeon said you need to rest.’ Maribel felt that he was dismissing her once more and her eyes stung with tears she would not shed.

‘I shall be well enough to leave when the
Defiance
is ready to sail.’

‘What will you do next? Will you return to the island? You’ve built a fine house and furnished it—but you have lost one of your ships and people may turn against you because of what happened.’

‘It can be of little interest to you what I do. I promised to keep you safe until you are with your family. After that you should forget me.’

How could he speak to her so? Was he deliberately trying to drive a wedge between them?

‘I think you must be thirsty. I shall draw some fresh water from the well.’

She walked away from him, her throat closing with choking emotion. He was still determined to take her to her family and leave her. Did he blame her for the loss of his ships and the destruction here? She blinked away her tears. Maribel had wept when she believed he might die, but she would not weep now!

* * *

‘If your father saw you now he would not know you,’ Anna said as Maribel was drawing water from the well three days later. ‘Your skin used to be a pale olive and was much admired, but now…you are as brown as a gypsy.’

‘I cannot stay in the shade all the time here. There has been more work to do since Justin was injured. It would not be fair to expect you to do everything. You chopped the wood so that we can cook, so I draw the water and help with the washing and other chores.’

Anna stared at her in silence for a moment, then smiled a little reluctantly. ‘You have learned to make yourself useful. Sometimes I almost forget that you are a lady and I am your servant.’

‘You are my friend, Anna. The old ways are forgotten here.’

‘But when you go to England you will be a lady again, and if I came with you I should be a servant.’ She shook her head as Maribel was silent. ‘No, do not deny it. That is the way of your world, the way it has always
been. You cannot change it if you would, which is why I shall not stay in England.’

Anna was right, but Maribel did not want to admit it. Here on the island she had found a measure of freedom and she did not want to return to her old life—but what else could she do?

‘Where will you go if you cannot return to the island?’

‘Higgins thinks he shall go to the New World and I shall go with him. There is plenty of land there for settlement. If you have money for sufficient supplies to get you through the first year or two until the land begins to grow enough crops, it could be a good place to live.’

‘The New World…’ Maribel wrinkled her brow. ‘I have heard it said that it is a land of savages. My father and men like him take silver from the mines, but to live there…I am not sure…’

‘At first our people, men like your father, sought to conquer and take only silver and gold, but other people have begun to settle further to the north. Higgins has heard from men who have taken settlers to the New World. The savages are called Red Indians, because of the colour of their skins, and it is thought that there are many tribes. Some of them are thought to be friendly to the white man.’

‘It sounds dangerous and the living will be primitive at first,’ Maribel said, but she felt a tingle of excitement at the nape of her neck. ‘Even here on the island there are often shortages of food, which is why Justin sent the
Defiance
to bring pigs and chickens here from one of the larger islands.’

‘In the New World they say there is an abundance of game. Ships taking settlers to a new life will carry seed corn and other supplies to tide them over. A ship bringing in fresh supplies to be sold at a trading station could do well.’