deteriorated since Mrs. Drummond’s death? “He is not as cold
as you believe he is. Look at what he’s done for me. He will get you out of this.”
“How?” Teach asked, stopping in front of her. His face was
grave.
She threw up her hands, her own fear making her voice
sharp. “I don’t know. I don’t know how any of this will turn out, but we have to give your father time.”
“You saw the men today, Anne. Time is not on my side.”
Anne turned and strode toward the fire, her speech trying
to keep pace with her agitated thoughts. “Concentrate for a
moment. Who would want to see you suffer or possibly hang?”
“I can’t imagine anyone would want to see me hang.”
“Nor can I, but obviously someone does. Now think. Is
there anyone you’ve angered recently?”
“Henry Barrett is the only person I can think of.”
“Do you think he knows we spoke with Mr. Cogswell?”
Would that even be possible? They’d left the solicitor’s office barely an hour before.
“I doubt it. Henry is angry with me for another reason.”
“Why is he—” As his words sank in, Anne closed her eyes
against the prickling along her scalp. Teach had never returned the money. “Why? Why didn’t you give it back to him?”
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“Because he’s a fool!”
“And it appears you’re the greater fool for not thinking he
would seek revenge. When he left, he said he’d make you pay.”
“Do you really think he’s capable of such a thing? He would
accuse me of piracy simply because I didn’t return a few coins?”
Anne noted the heightened color in Teach’s face, and wished
she could tell him no. But she wouldn’t put it past Henry to
have done just that. “I can’t say for sure, but look at what he did to me,” Anne said. “If it had benefited him to have me gone, I have no doubt he would have sent me away. Permanently.”
Teach’s eyes glinted, his chest expanding with a deep
breath. “I’ll butcher him. This time I’ll kill him with my bare hands. If I’m going to hang for a crime, I might as well be
bloody guilty of it.”
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C H A P T E R 2 1
Teach
Teach’s mouth was dry, and he strode to the sideboard to pour
himself a drink. He noticed the trembling of his own fingers as he gripped the decanter. Despite Anne’s and his father’s assurances, he was unsure how the investigation would end.
Studying her over the top of his glass, Teach noticed that
her face was ashen, and she fingered the watch in her hand, a
sure sign of her anxiety.
“Killing him won’t solve anything,” she said. “And you said
yourself you do not want another man to suffer by your hand.”
“That was before I knew that Henry Barrett planned for me
to suffer.”
“Don’t do anything rash.”
“He should pay for what he did to you.”
“Yes, but not by you. If you go after him now, it will be as
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good as admitting your guilt. We need to let your father know about Henry. Perhaps he can—”
Setting the glass down with a little more force than necessary, Teach cursed beneath his breath. Anne gave a start at the sound. He wished there were some way to soothe her, but his
mind was already busy with plans.
“I have to go out,” he said. “If anyone asks for me, tell them
I’ve retired to my room.”
She intercepted him on his way to the door, planting herself
in front of him. “Your father said you shouldn’t venture into
town again.”
“My life is on the line. Not his.”
Anne grabbed Teach’s arm. “Which is why you need to be
careful. These charges are serious.”
Teach placed his hand over hers. “And that is precisely why
I must act. I cannot idly sit by and do nothing.” He gave her
fingers a squeeze. “I will return before daylight.”
“Don’t do this. He’s not worth it.”
“Would you absolve me of my crimes, Queen Anne?”
“If it were in my power to do so. But I do not believe you
are guilty of any,” Anne said, studying his face. “Yet.”
“Trust me,” he said, her hand still caught beneath his.
She looked as if she were about to argue further, but Teach
stepped around her and exited the room.
On his way out the back of the house, Teach stopped in the
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kitchen. “Please see that Anne has a hot bath, and prepare a tray of food for her.” After the day that she’d had, Teach knew she could use both.
Margery’s mouth turned down, but she merely said, “Yes, sir.”
As much as he would have liked to stay behind and make
sure Margery obeyed his orders, Teach didn’t have the time. He
needed to find his friend John, and find him quick. Despite
what Anne believed, Teach had no intention of tracking down
Henry Barrett and killing him.
Yet.
By this time tomorrow Teach wanted to know what kind
of proof Barrett had to support his charges of piracy. It was a lie, all of it, but somehow Henry had managed to convince the
constable. Teach had to find a way to dismiss any evidence and
prove that Henry was a liar.