[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
flounder. He shrugged, glancing at Kit. It ll be fun.
James strode out the door as Hal shouted orders to the crew. Kit
turned to Quinn, slapping the spyglass into his hand. Come with me,
Mr. Blackwell. We re going to watch my father squirm. I can
guarantee you a fun morning. Richard Cross hates to lose.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
130 Amber Carlton
Chapter 11
James s strategy worked like a charm. When James gave the
signal, Trueblood piloted The Black Rose smoothly through the
smoke and debris toward her bobbing target. The ship cruised along
the starboard side of Jamaican Wind as Kit s crew scattered into the
rigging to gather the sails and others dropped the anchor. A dozen
men swung the grappling hooks. They tore into the railing of the
disabled Jamaican Wind, and the men hauled the boat until it
slammed against The Rose. The advance party boarded, corralled the
crew and disabled the cannon, while others lashed the ships together
to hold them steady.
After Hal ordered the boarding platform to be hoisted between the
vessels, Kit strode across the plank and hopped down onto the deck of
the Jamaican Wind. Quinn, James, and Hal followed behind with two
dozen armed men. Several of the men stood near the rail, their
firearms trained on the officers, as others collected the cache of
weapons and carried them to The Black Rose. Hal shouted his orders,
and the rest herded the captured sailors toward the hold to begin the
off-loading of cargo and any valuables. Through the haze of the
cannon smoke, Kit saw her father lounged against the wall of the
quarterdeck with another man, seemingly two men on a pleasure
cruise. She ignored him as she supervised the transfer of the goods
from one ship to another. Quinn kept a pistol trained on Cross. James
led several men to search the captain s cabin, then below decks to the
passenger quarters.
When the ship had been ransacked, the food stores collected, and
her father s personal items confiscated, Hal returned with most of the
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
A Pirate's Life for Three 131
crew to The Rose and they gathered at the rail. Their firearms pointed
toward the crew of the Jamaican Wind who huddled in a circle near
the main mast. Kit strolled toward her father, flanked by Quinn and
James. Richard Cross held a glass of wine and raised it as he spoke to
the man next to him.
Captain McGuire, meet my daughter, Katherine. The pirate
queen. He grimaced, his handsome face drawing down in a frown.
I m successful, but I m hardly a queen, Father.
And hardly an example of what a father hopes his daughter will
achieve.
And what exactly would that be? A marriage with someone in
the royal family? More estates? More money? A land grant beyond
the mountains of Virginia? What would have made you happy,
Father? It certainly wasn t Mother and it sure as hell wasn t me.
He ignored her questions as his gaze skimmed her body from top
to bottom. You re looking well, Katherine.
As are you. I can see you haven t pined away from worry.
I had an inkling where you were. He glanced toward The Black
Rose, then pushed off the wall. Just as I suspected that you d
probably sunk this low. You always were a difficult child and too
much like your mother, full of fanciful ideas about justice, equality,
and freedom. You will never learn, Katherine, that the world holds no
place for any of those things if some of us are to prosper. He swept
his arm toward The Rose. None of this surprises me, though I must
say, I m rather surprised to see him. I underestimated you, Mr.
Blackwell.
I m glad to hear that, Quinn said.
I see you ve not only found my daughter, you ve managed to
become one of the inner circle of misfits. Congratulations. I thought
you had higher aspirations.
I ve managed to capture the attention of a queen. He slid his
arm around Kit s shoulder. Can you say the same?
No, I cannot, but then I set my sights higher than vermin.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
132 Amber Carlton
Quinn s hand tightened around her shoulder, and James took a
step toward her father.
You ll regret saying that, James snarled, but paused when Kit
laughed.
Father prefers his vermin to come from noble German stock.
Not a very gracious statement about our sovereign, Katherine. A
man must sway in the direction of the wind or he breaks. That is
something you ve never accepted, Captain Savage, and it could bring
you to an untimely and gruesome end. Her father took a sip of wine.
And, Mr. Kingsley, you were once one of the most promising
officers in Her Majesty s Navy. How the mighty have fallen.
I prefer to fight battles of my own choosing, James growled.
Cross made a tsking noise. Another unenlightened soul, and
surely you ll pay for that attitude as well. In a matter of days, I will be
back in Jamaica seeking a private audience with the governor
concerning the pirates in these seas. We apparently have trash to
dispose of.
Kit took a step toward him. But that won t be today, Father, as it
appears your ship is somewhat& dead in the water.
Cross waved his hand. No matter. I have many ships in this
area.
James slid his cutlass from the scabbard. They ll have trouble
finding you at the bottom of the sea.
Cross took a step toward him and growled, I will happily see the
three of you hang.
He s coming! Get off the ship! Quick! Get off the ship!
Kit whirled around to see Two Fingers leaning over the railing of
The Rose, waving his arms furiously.
And that s when all hell broke loose.
* * * *
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to legal@sirenbookstrand.com.
A Pirate's Life for Three 133
Silas appeared on the boarding ramp, wearing a wide-brimmed hat
that nearly shadowed his entire face. A feather dipped and swayed in
the wind as he strode across the plank. He wore a purple frock coat
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plalternate.pev.pl
|
