Teach’s head swung around. “He’s back already?”
“Aye, sir,” Margery said. “He’s waiting for you in his room.”
“I’ll be there shortly,” Teach replied.
Margery left as quietly as she’d entered. Anne reached for the
watch in her pocket, her fingers shaking. Teach’s eyes held hers.
“Come with me,” he said.
“He asked only for you.” As much as she wanted to find
out what had happened, a small part of her was afraid of the
outcome. Either way, he was lost to her.
Teach rubbed the back of his neck, his irritation and anxiety clear.
“I’ll wait for you in the library. Come and find me,” she said.
“Always.”
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C H A P T E R 2 7
Teach
“It’s over,” Drummond said, holding a glass of brandy in his
hand. He sat in an armchair and gazed up at the ceiling.
Teach’s heart gave a lurch. “What’s over?”
“The charges against you have been dropped.”
For a moment Teach was too shocked to respond.
“You will not be hanged for piracy,” his father said, giving
him an expectant look.
All the tension Teach had kept so tightly constrained was
released in a long sigh of audible relief. “How? How did you do it?” he asked.
“My solicitor and I consulted, and I simply explained that
you had been aboard one of Andrew Barrett’s ships. You could
not possibly have committed those crimes. I prepared a list of
character witnesses for you, which took some time, but in the
end that wasn’t necessary.”
2 7 0
“And the constable believed you?”
“He was interested in justice being served,” was his father’s
curt reply.
“What kind of evidence did they have against me?”
“The constable didn’t say. Nor did he say who had brought
the charges against you. But no matter. It’s over.”
Warmth radiated throughout Teach’s limbs, and he smiled,
knowing that his death sentence had been lifted. He understood
the unspoken part of his father’s comments. Constables were
unpaid volunteers, and Drummond’s pockets were deep. He’d
said he would do whatever it took to see the charges dropped,
but Teach hadn’t been sure whether his father would have been
willing to pay the constable, or if the constable would have even been willing to take a bribe.
But there was no doubt in Teach’s mind that that was what
had happened.
“I . . . I don’t quite know what to say, except . . . thank you.
Thank you, Father.”
Drummond waved his hand, looking ill at ease from Teach’s
gratitude. Teach knew better than to embrace him. It would
only make him more uncomfortable.
“It’s in the past. Don’t give it another thought.”
Within twenty-four hours his father had been able to avert
disaster. It seemed there was truly nothing his father could not do.
“And now there is nothing to stop you from marrying Miss
Patience.”
2 71
Any feelings of euphoria were suffocated by his father’s statement.
“Did you hear me, Edward?”
“Yes.”
Drummond rose and poured himself another glass of
brandy. “Good. Then we will announce your wedding date this
weekend at your friend William’s party.”
“But we haven’t settled on a date.”
“Which is precisely why I asked Miss Patience and the
baron to come here. I understand they arrived early.”
“They did.”
“I should have been here to greet them.” His tone implied
it was yet another grievance against Teach. Sitting down,
Drummond pinched the bridge of his nose, a sure sign that
the conversation was over. But Teach wasn’t willing to end it
just yet.
“Father, I don’t want to set a date for the wedding.”
Lowering his hand with exaggerated deliberateness,
Drummond pinned Teach with a glare. “What did you say?”
Teach refused to back down. “I don’t want to set a date for
the wedding. There’s no need to rush.”
“There is also no reason to wait.”
“Yes, there is. I told Miss Patience about the charges.”
“You should have waited for me to return. I had planned to
tell Lord Hervey myself, once your name was cleared.”
“Don’t you think he might change his mind now?”
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“The baron is not in a position to change his mind. He is on the brink of financial ruin.”
“But I just arrived home.”
“Yes, from a year at sea that very nearly cost you your life.
Do you have any idea what I did for you today?” his father
demanded, his voice rising with each word.
“Yes, and I’ve already told you that I’m thankful, I truly am.
But I think it would be best to wait. My feelings for Patience
have changed. She is no longer the girl I wish to spend my life with, and I am quite sure she feels the same about me. If you
forced us to marry, we would both be miserable.”
“That is not your decision to make.”
“How can you say that? It’s my life we’re discussing, not yours.”
“And you have proven that you are incapable of making
good decisions.”