“Which is why I should have done it. He’s sailing with me, remember? The last thing you need is more trouble with the governor.”
“I’ll handle the governor. And Pelham. You just make sure you find Easton and bring him back as quickly as possible.” Taking Cara’s hand in his, Alastair helped her onto the plank. “This is your last chance. Are you sure we can’t take Anne with us?”
Looking at the sputtering sergeant coming out of the water, Teach wasn’t exactly sure he’d made the right decision. There was no question their mission to go after Easton was dangerous. And with the soldiers on board, Anne would be forced to stay in the captain’s cabin. She was essentially a prisoner.
But it was also clear the governor no longer trusted Alastair, and the minute they discovered Anne was missing, they would search for her. The island wasn’t large enough to hide anyone in Anne’s condition for an extended period of time. “I’m sure.”
“Some of her cuts are deep. She’ll need to be sewn up,” Cara said, her voice apologetic as tears filled her eyes once more. “There was no time.”
“I’ll see to it,” Teach said.
“What about you, Benjamin? What do you wish to do?” Alastair asked.
Benjamin looked between Alastair and Teach, before taking another look at the port of Nassau. At night it looked practically harmless, with lights flickering in the windows of the taverns and houses, giving it an almost cozy atmosphere, as if the rain washed it clean. But Teach knew the hazards and perils lurking in the shadows, and the man entrusted with keeping peace on the island was the greatest threat of all.
“I wish to leave this place,” Benjamin said. “I wish to start new.”
Nodding, Alastair clasped Benjamin’s hand in his. “I was hoping you’d say that. There’s no future for any of us here. But this isn’t good-bye.”
Benjamin smiled. “No, it’s not.”
“I’ll see you again soon, my friend,” Alastair said. Reaching into his pocket, Alastair pulled out a familiar tortoiseshell comb. He handed it to Teach. “Give this to Anne.”
“I will. Make sure the crew of the Deliverance are cared for.”
“Aye, I will.” The rain subsided as Alastair joined Cara on the dock. A handful of soldiers quickly surrounded them.
Teach hated to leave them behind, their safety uncertain. But he wasn’t in a much better position. And neither was Anne.
The sergeant stood dripping on the wharf, shouting in Alastair’s face and calling for one of the soldiers to place him in irons.
“Kitts!” Teach called out.
The sergeant whipped his head around, scowling.
“If you don’t wish to be left behind, I suggest you come on board. I’m still captain of this ship, and unless you want to explain to the governor the reason for our delay, we need to sail now.”
With a jerk of his head, Kitts instructed the soldiers to lead Alastair and Cara away. John gave a low whistle, coming to stand at Teach’s side. “This should make for an interesting journey.”
Teach pictured Anne below in his cabin. His friend had no idea. “I’m sorry we couldn’t bring the rest of the crew with us. I should have known better than to trust Webb.”
“It’s not your fault, Teach.”
“But it is my fault that you started that fight. I wouldn’t have asked you to do it, but I needed your help.”
“None of us blame you. From the sound of it, Webb had this planned all along. He just didn’t tell you about it. Let’s just hope there aren’t any more surprises.”
What would John say when he found out Anne was on board? Teach would have to tell him sometime. “As soon as we hit the open sea, I wish to speak with you in private. But for now, we must profit by the wind, John. It’s time to make sail and put as much distance between us and Nassau as possible.”
John grinned. “I thought Kitts was your new first mate.”
“I saw no papers. The governor said I could choose my crew. Sound the call.”
Turning, John reared back and shouted, “All hands, prepare to make sail!”
The men scrambled to prepare the Triumph as the moon came out from behind the clouds. Steam rose from the deck as the crew rushed about, climbing to the yards, canvas in hand.
Kitts stalked up to Teach, reminding Teach of a drowned rat. His once impeccable uniform now hung limply from his thickset frame. “The governor said I was to be first mate,” he snapped.
“Then you can take it up with the governor when we return.”
The pilot took the helm, prepared to guide the Triumph away from the full quay. On John’s orders, the men let some of the sails fall, the sheets unfurling in the wind. A gentle tug brought the Triumph away from the dock, followed by another. Once they were clear of the other ships, the pilot quickly handed over control of the Triumph, climbed down the Jacob’s ladder, and untied the small skiff being pulled alongside. Once he was aboard his own cutter, he waved a lantern in his hand, signaling the go ahead.
Another shout from John and more sails opened up. The Triumph made her way, eventually picking up speed, and cutting through the waves leading out of the harbor.
As the lights of Nassau grew smaller in the distance, Teach should have felt relief. Instead, it was as if a yoke had descended on his shoulders, with a heavy load harnessed to it. He was finally captain of his own ship, but the price he’d paid had been a steep one. And unless he succeeded in bringing Easton back to Nassau, the weight of innocent lives would be added to that burden.
CHAPTER 23
Anne
Pried from the numbing cocoon of sleep, Anne slowly opened her eyes. She lay flat on her stomach on a table or desk of some sort. Two of the table legs were attached to the cabin wall. A large piece of canvas stretched out on the other side, ready to catch her if she fell.
The strange room swayed. She could hear low voices, but she didn’t have the strength to turn to see who spoke. Her limbs were heavy, and she was dressed in a large tunic at least two sizes too big. The skin on her back burned as if on fire.
Her throat was dry and scratchy, and she closed her eyes against a wave of dizziness.
I’ve died and gone to hell.
Except she’d expected hell to be louder, with heat and smoke and the moans of the damned rising up. In the background, all she heard was the rhythmic splash of water, accompanied by the familiar scent of the ocean.
She was on a ship. A trickle of fear ran down her spine. “You’ll fetch a good price for her, Governor.”
Anne’s fear spiraled into panic as she remembered the scene at the fort. The last thing she recalled was watching the governor and his wife walk away. After the whipping. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to picture what had happened next, but she couldn’t. Her mind was a fog, her memory blank.