A Pirate Princess (23 page)

The whole room was in shock and confusion. Odel
ia kept insisting that she did not know what anyone was talking about, and demanding that Burke marry her immediately.

“Okay, okay! Order in the court,” th
e King finally screeched. “I don’t know what’s going on around here. I didn’t know that Falco was Sharlene’s son, and I don’t know why Odelia would tell the two of you something like that. However, we need to get this wedding underway so everyone can get accustomed to the idea. I also know that the two of you pirates are sentenced to life in prison no matter who told you anything!”

Falco wailed, “I
’m telling them the plan, Odelia! I’m telling the plan.”

“No! No, wait! Stop! There is no plan! Shut up, Falco!” Odelia screamed, beginning to shake.

“You cannot arrest my son or me!” Sharlene growled, “He is the father of Odelia’s child!”

“WHAT?” Orson yelled uproariously.

“
Ja
! That’s right!” Falco agreed. “Odelia came into the storage room where we were being held prisoner. She said that if I got her with child and everyone thought it was Burke’s that the King would make him marry her. Then, she said that she had pull with the King and would get me and my mother released! I would go find Corisanda,
The Beloved Loss
would belong to me and I could leave.”

Falco raised his eyebrows and continued, “
So I did what she wanted. I moved behind a stack of rugs and Odelia came to visit me a few times each week. She stole Burke’s key so she could get in and out. Odelia unlocked the gun trunk on the ship right before we docked, so I could steal a gun, grab Cori and leave in my ship. I was afraid I would be outnumbered and that would not work, but Odelia assured me that if I did my part of the plan and got her pregnant that she would persuade King Louis to release me. I did my part, she’s pregnant, now free my mother and me!”

“NO!” Odelia bawled.

“Odelia, tell me that’s not true!” Orson begged.

“It
’s not! This baby is Burke’s! It is Burke’s!” She cried.

Burke took a deep breath, “Odelia, I have never touched you. Tell the truth.”

“NO! This is not what was supposed to happen. You should’ve married me months and months ago when I spent the night at your house! No one would have ever found out that it was not you that took my innocense. No one would have known that this was Falco’s baby. You should’ve just married me then like you were supposed to!” She wailed, giving herself away.

Burke’s mouth dropped open as Acel jump
ed for joy. King Louis spoke quickly before anything else could be said, “Odelia! You have gotten yourself into a mess. Now you’re pregnant with an incarcerated man’s child. I’m ordering a banishment from France! Falco de Vries and Odelia Vadeboncour, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Return to The Netherlands with your bride, Falco. If you’re ever caught in France you will
both
be executed.”

Sharlene wailed, “Let me go!”

“No, because of this strange circumstance I shall drop your life sentence. However, you’re still going to serve your term of three years for thievery in France fourteen years ago! Then you will be banished from this country as well. At that time you shall be escorted to The Netherlands to be with your son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild,” The King ordered.

Then t
urning to Burke, he said, “You’re dismissed from any responsibility of Odelia. Leave before someone changes their mind!”

Burke took the King’s advice and left Versailles, rushing as quickly as he could to Calais. Acel, Quain, and Karoly followed at a distance, not able to keep up with the love-struck swain.
He raced through the night and entered the big black gate surrounding his home by noon. “Cori! Cori! My love!” He called as he burst through the front door.

Burke searched through the house but found no trace of Cori. She was gone.
Where is she? Where did she go?
He wondered frantically. He left the home and ran around the house, hoping to see her. Finally facing the fact that she was gone, he rushed into town. He ran through the park, entered every shop, stared into townhouse yards and looked for her on every street. She was nowhere to be found.
Where could she have gone?
He wondered.
The only place she could feel at home is my house, The Beloved Loss or The Heart of Calais! She must have gone back to the ships!

He raced to the dock and onto his ship. Karoly, Acel, and Quain were just arriving
as well. “Have you seen Cori?” He asked.

“No!
Is she not at your house?” Acel asked.

“No, Ace
. She’s gone!” He yelled over his shoulder as he searched the quarters. “She’s not here either. I’m going to
The Beloved Loss
to look for her.”

He raced onto Marin St. Aubin’s ship, searching everywhere he could. She wasn’t there. “Hello, Captain Belcourt!” A red headed man greeted.

“Captain Douglass, I cannot talk right now. I’m looking for someone,” Burke dismissed impatiently.

“I wanted to talk to you about your new ship
, the one that’s for sale. I know a man who is interested in it! I brought the man a very long distance because he was insistent on buying a French ship. He wants to buy
The Beloved Loss
,” Captain Douglass said.

“Can you not come back later?” Burke snapped.

“The man is in a hurry to leave. He’s staying at the Inn. I told him there were other ships for sale but he has settled on
The Beloved Loss
. He gave me all of this cash, see?” The red-haired man said as he pulled out a large wad of bills from his pocket. “Will this be enough for the boat?”

“Sure, just take it and let me be!” Burke ordered, taking the money.

“Well, are you not going to count the money first and see that it’s enough?” Captain Douglass asked in confusion.

“No! It doesn’t matter. It’
s not my ship, it belongs to someone else and if I can find the true owner then money shall never be an object to her again. Just get out of my way!” Burke barked as he raced off of the ship.

Burke didn’
t know where to go or which way to turn. He thought about going back to his home to see if she had returned, but he knew in his heart that she hadn’t. For over an hour he spoke to every passerby he could find, asking if any had met the lovely woman he was searching for. Giving up, he walked to the edge of the dock and swung his feet over the side. It was hard for him to believe that only a few months before he was sitting in the very same place while
The Heart of Calais
was getting ready to leave in search of
The Beloved Loss
.

Cori is to
o strong, independent, and prideful to stay after what happened yesterday morning. She’s gone. She could be anywhere by now! I will probably never see her again,
he sighed as he dropped his head into his hands.

Suddenly, Burke
remembered what Captain Douglass had said. Someone wanted to buy
The Beloved Loss
. It was someone who knew that other ships were for sale but only wanted that vessel!
It must be Cori!
Burke thought in elation.
She wants to buy her father’s ship and travel back to Cuba. That’s why Captain Douglass came to buy it instead of Cori, so I wouldn’t see her.

Burke raced onto the shabby little boat that Captain Douglass
traveled in. “Captain Douglass! Captain Douglass! I need to speak to you,” he screamed.

“Yes,
Captain Belcourt?” He answered, rushing from the helm, hoping that Burke had not changed his mind about selling his friend
The Beloved Loss
.

“Who did you buy
The Beloved Loss
for? Was it a woman?” Burke demanded.

Captain Douglass shook his head in confusion, “No. It was for a man. Why?”

“Are you sure?” Burke questioned.

“I’m positive, he’s definitely a man. I know a woman when I see one!” Captain Douglass answered.

“What is all the fuss about?” A woman’s
voice called from an under deck cabin, “Captain Douglass, is everything alright out there?”

“It’
s just fine, Mademoiselle. I’m speaking to a friend. He’s selling a boat to one of my acquaintances,” Captain Douglass explained loudly as the woman emerged onto the deck.

“CORI!” Burke shouted.

“Burke?” Cori gasped.

“What are you doing here?” He demanded.

Cori shook her head, “I’m going back to Cuba, Burke. I want you to leave me alone.”

Acel heard the commotion from
The Heart of Calais
so he curiously rushed to meet them. “Cori, I can never leave you alone. Let me explain,” Burke begged.

“No!” Cori said as tears poured down her face. “I can handle no more of y
our games and lies, Burke. You’re married to Odelia now, I’m quite sure. She’s already carrying your child. Please just leave me alone.”

With that, Cori turned on her heels and ran back to her new home on the
shabby ship Captain Douglass owned. Burke dropped his shoulders in exasperation, feeling like giving up. He felt he had lost everything. Without Cori, his life was meaningless. Acel took matters into his own hands and marched to Cori’s room. “Mademoiselle Corisanda, it’s Acel. Let me in.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes. Just let me in, Mademoiselle.”

Cori cracked the door open, peering out. Acel entered and closed the door behind
him. “Cori, you don’t understand what has happened,” he began.

“Yes, I do. Burke toyed with my mind through the whole trip. He made me believe he loved me and I
fell head-over-heels for him. He made Odelia pregnant and married her. What else do I need to know?” She cried.

“He didn’t do any of that. He’
s crazy about you, Cori. Falco made Odelia pregnant, not Burke! Burke has searched everywhere for you, you are his world now. Can you not see that?” He explained.

“Falco?
How could that be? Stop lying to me!” Cori begged, “Just leave me alone. Odelia has a baby in her stomach to prove Burke’s love. What do I have?”

Acel could stand no more and even though Burke made him promise not to tell, he could not stop himself. “You have a free father, that
’s what you have! That should prove his love for you.”

“My father escaped in Cuba,” Cori dismissed in confusion.

“How could Marin have escaped? If he could have, what would have stopped Falco, Sharlene, or the others?” He posed.

“Well, I don’
t know but…” Cori tried with a stutter.

“Burke released him. He knew you were upset about him being sent to prison so he gave him his freedom.
Burke turned your father loose in Cuba for
you
,” Acel stated calmly.

Cori was in shock
, “That cannot be true! This is all just a game.”

“It
’s no game. Not only that, but Burke offered to give up everything for you!” He said as Burke entered the room behind him. Burke stood in the doorway, staring at Cori as Acel finished speaking. She realized how hurt Burke looked. He was exhausted, worried, and miserable. Acel took a ragged breath, finishing his explanation, “Burke offered to give up his home,
The Heart of Calais
, his money, and even his title to be with you.”

“What title?” Cori asked in confusion.

Acel nodded his head at Burke and left the room, allowing Burke to fight his own battle, “Cori, I’m not a pirate, a buccaneer or anything related to it. I own a shipping company. I trade by the sea for a living as pirates do but it’s completely legal. I don’t attack other ships, or steal anything. My career is a very
honorable
one. Besides that, I’m a titled noble in France. Cori, I’m a Count, and I love you with all of my heart.”

Cori did no
t know what to do or say. She sat in shock, trying to dry her eyes. “Odelia is gone?”

“Yes, she’
s married to Falco de Vries and they are permanently banished from France. It is a long story, but I can explain later if you will allow it.” He answered, still awaiting her judgment of him.

“I promised that you could court me if she was gone,” Cori whispered as a smile appeared on her face.

Burke swooped her into his arms, hugging her tightly. “Will you really?” he asked.

“
It depends,” Cori said as she pulled slightly away from Burke. He looked at her nervously again, wondering what she would say. “You said that courting led to marriage if it went well. What happens if it doesn’t?”

“Then we would separate from each other forever,” Burke solemnly replied. The thought of losing Cori broke his heart all over again.

“You cannot court me then,” Cori denied, stomping her right foot.

“Why? Cori, please!” Burke begged.