Fortune's Flames (37 page)

Eric’s ship blasted away again, and made a hit on Jared’s vessel at railing level on the port side. Maren gripped the porthole frame so tightly that her knuckles blanched. Then, nothing happened for a while.

Jared’s ship had ceased its forward progress and its
sails were now lowered, as were those on Eric’s vessel. Yet, Jared did not fire, no doubt because his wife was aboard and could be injured. Knowing he was at a grave disadvantage, Maren was alarmed, and she prayed he would abandon the attack and sail away.

As the opposing ships waited each other out, the sun grew hotter. Maren was not served any food or water, and no one came to check on her. But finally Eric’s vessel began to move once more, and so did Jared’s.

Not much later, Eric came to Maren’s cabin. “He must want you badly, and alive,” he teased. “Let’s see how badly. We’ll sail down his throat. Come with me. I want to make certain you’re in full view.”

Maren fought him wildly, not wanting to aid him in his attack on her beloved, but Eric called two of his men and had them bind her snugly. They hauled her topside and secured her hands to the rail on the starboard side.

Eric then commanded his steersman to turn the ship and head for the
Sea Mist
so that the starboard side faced her, and he ordered the cannons to be loaded with shot. “When we’re in range, fire at my signal, not before!” he shouted.

Maren heard grumblings to her right and left, for Eric’s crew dreaded to challenge Captain Hawk. She noted that the closer they got to Jared’s ship, the greater was their apprehension. She shouted, “If you obey Eric James, Captain Hawk will sink you! My husband will kill me before allowing Eric to keep
me! Throw me overboard and get out of here!”

Eric ran to her side and slapped her several times. “Shut up, bitch! My men won’t mutiny.” He looked at his disgruntled crew and shouted, “She’s our only hope of survival! Even if we gave up our beautiful shield, he’d come after us and sink us!”

Upon hearing that Maren was Captain Hawk’s wife, and knowing the man’s reputation, some crewmen protested aloud, saying Captain Hawk could be trusted to keep his word not to attack if they released their captive. Others said they could never escape the Hawk’s wrath if she was harmed or slain.

Eric vowed, “For every man who remains loyal to me, there’ll be a reward when we reach Jamaica: twenty gold pieces each and an hour with Morgan’s bitch to enjoy her as you wish.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Maren shrieked.

But Eric coolly replied, “I damned sure would.”

“Jared Morgan will hunt down any man who harms me and—”

Eric’s forearm cut off her air and words, and he smiled evilly. “Shut up, Maren, or I’ll give Morgan a demonstration of my crew’s lust. Give him an eyeglassful of my men raping you right here on this deck while he sits out there, helpless as a newborn pup.”

“You’re mad, Eric. My God, you’re mad,” she murmured.

While Eric was distracted, Jared guided his ship into position and fired twice, once to the bow and
once to the stern. The blasts shook Eric’s vessel and ripped away decking and equipment. The crew of the damaged ship scrambled for cover, worried because Captain Hawk was so close and was obviously unafraid to open fire even though his wife was their hostage.

“She’s right,
Cap’n! Morgan
won’t let us get away with her! Let’s make
a deal
with him before we’re sunk!” a frightened sailor shouted, and others agreed.

“Never!” Eric bellowed. “I’ll slit her throat while he watches!”

“Then we won’t have any protection against him!” a muscular crewman argued.

“I know how to send him fleeing,” Eric asserted, his eyes darting about. His mental disturbance was becoming more evident in the face of defeat. He no longer had Ben to help him, to protect and advise him.

Eric ordered two men to unleash a cannon, roll it backward, and secure Maren before the opening of its barrel. The ships were now within shouting distance of each other, so Eric grasped a torch and held it on high, ready to light the fuse on the deadly big gun. He then yelled to Jared, “Get out of my sights, Morgan, or I’ll send her over to you in pieces!” Turning to his crew, he bellowed, “Load every cannon and fire at my command! We won’t sink alone!”

Maren could see her husband, Kerry Osgood, and many of the
Sea Mist’s
crew along her rail. Never had
she viewed such hatred and fury on her love’s face, nor such determination. Quickly scanning the faces around him, she saw expressions that matched his, and her heart was warmed.

“Jared, please!” she called out. “I love you! Save your ship and crew! Forget about me and destroy him!”

One of Jared’s crewmen shouted, “We don’t sail without Captain Hawk’s wife!”

“You’ll have her in shreds, and your ship, too!” Eric screamed.

Then Jared spoke for the first time, his voice confident. “Put Maren in a longboat and sail away, and I won’t pursue you! I won’t even approach the boat until you’re out of gun range! If you don’t open fire, we won’t! If you do fire, prepare to meet your Maker, you spawn of the Devil! I’ll see my wife dead, here and now, before I’ll let you take her where you can torture her and slay her!”

Jared could hear the murmurings of Eric’s crew as they urged their captain to accept Jared’s offer. He knew Eric’s guns could rip his vessel apart at this range, but he prayed his bluff would work.

As Eric lowered the torch toward the fuse of the cannon before which Maren had been placed, Jared’s heart seemed to stop beating. But Eric’s first mate grabbed his wrist and prevented him from carrying out his mad intention. As the two men began to scuffle, others surged forward to help subdue their captain, but Eric got free and drew his cutlass, waved it wildly at his men.

Then a desperate struggle ensued, one in which the odds were against Eric James. His men were resolved to end his mad leadership and to save their lives. Yet Eric was filled with strength born of madness and rage, cunning born of years of deceit. Suddenly death meant nothing to him. He attacked his own men with a vengeance, and fought skillfully to get at the helpless Maren, screaming that she was going to die with him and be his forever.

Maren’s heart was racing as frantically as was Jared’s, yet they could do nothing except watch this struggle take place. They both prayed fervently that Eric’s men would be victorious and would accept Jared’s terms. Time seemed to stand still as the fateful battle continued. Maren’s gaze locked with Jared’s and she hoped they would be together again.

Within minutes, Eric was slain by his crew, and his body was tossed overboard. Then the first mate shouted to Jared, “If you still want to trade your wife for our freedom, swear you’ll honor your word!”

Jared sighed with relief as he nodded. Then he declared loudly, “You have the promise of Captain Hawk. Put her in the boat and leave peacefully.”

Maren was cut free, and the longboat was lowered. On trembly legs she was guided to the rail and told to climb down the rope ladder into the boat. She was so weak from prolonged stress and from relief that her hands slipped twice. Both times she used her legs, tightly wrapped around the rope, to slow herself until she regained her grip. At last, her feet touched the boat and she dropped into it. As she looked up at
her husband and waved to let him know she was all right, she hoped their ordeal was over. Let all go well, she thought, as the ropes securing the longboat were cut and she was set adrift, still tense and doubtful.

The sails of Eric’s ship were raised, and the first mate took command. The vessel moved away slowly until her canvas was filled with wind.

Jared made no suspicious moves, for the other ship’s guns were still trained on his vessel, and Maren was between the two ships. Fearing that Eric’s crew could not be trusted to leave peacefully, he watched closely for any sign of treachery. Thankfully, none came. When a good distance had been put between the ships, Jared and Kip went after Maren. She fought the urge to weep, as her husband spread kisses over her hair and face, and when he cupped her jaw to raise it so he might look into her golden brown eyes, his tawny gaze revealed his love.

Jared smiled. “Still have me chasing you, wench,” he teased.

Maren returned his smile as she hugged him tightly. “I was so afraid for you and the others. You shouldn’t have taken such a terrible risk.”

“Allow that motley crew to steal my favorite treasure? No way.”

“You’re an excellent judge of character, Mr. Morgan, or the lack of it. You knew they would be terrified of Captain Hawk, didn’t you?”

“Well,” he murmured as they rowed toward his ship, “I was hoping they would accept my bluff. If they hadn’t, I would have sailed off.”

“You would have what?” she asked, astonished.

“I would have sailed just far enough to trail them without being noticed. Remember, I can become invisible like the mist when I need to. I would have followed you until they anchored somewhere; then I would have sneaked aboard, ripped out Eric’s black heart, and rescued you.”

“How did you locate us in that strange ship?” she inquired.

“I reached New Orleans shortly after you sailed. In fact, our ships passed at a distance in the Gulf. When I got to Lady Luck and learned what had happened, I knew only one ship had sailed, and which direction she had taken,” he explained.

“He burned Lady Luck, Jared. There was nothing I could do.”

“No, love, he didn’t.”

“But I saw the flames from the ship.”

“You saw the stable burning. Dan recovered and prevented them from setting the house aflame. Some of it smells of whale oil, but that can be cleansed away or concealed with paint. Dan and Mary are fine,” he declared, sensing the question she was about to ask.

“You are a wonder, Captain Hawk, and I love you.”

“I’m glad you appreciate me, woman, and I love you.”

They had reached the ship, so conversation ceased while they climbed aboard amidst cheers. Maren thanked everyone for rescuing her, and Jared’s crew greeted her enthusiastically. As they did so, Jared
ordered a second round of grog, the best aboard, for his crew that night. When one man asked about the fate of the other ship, Jared said he would let it go and would head homeward for a long-awaited shore leave. He put his arm around Maren’s waist and guided her to his cabin. The only flames burning that night were in their hearts and bodies. Their fortune couldn’t have been better or brighter….

April tenth of 1815 was a beautiful day at Shady Rest Plantation in Savannah, Georgia, and everything seemed to be working out for all concerned. Napoleon Bonaparte had been defeated at Waterloo on February twenty-sixth, two days after Jared’s daring rescue of Maren. America and Great Britain had made peace. The shipping firm in New Orleans had been recovered and sold, and Marc James was working for the new owner. The townhouse and the Jamaican plantation, also recovered, had been sold as well, but Maren and Jared had not attempted to take her family’s main home from the couple who had purchased it in good faith. And Maren was still in possession of Empress Josephine’s necklace, but it lay forgotten in Jared’s safe. Later she would decide its fate.

Dan Myers and Mary Malone had married in the previous month, and were now the proud owners of
Lady Luck. While Lilibeth Payne Hughes was expecting a baby before Christmas, and Barton couldn’t be happier. Daniel Redford was back in England, and his bitterness had diminished. Peter Thomas was still in the employment of the President, but René Blanc now lived like a proper gentleman. He owned a plantation near Baton Rouge. Kerry Osgood was now captain of the
Sea Mist,
and Cathy and Steven Morgan had adjusted after their mother’s death. They were living with Maren and Jared.

With much to be happy for, Maren smiled at her husband when he revealed a further delight: a visit to London to see her grandparents, Colin and Martha James. She raced to his side and hugged him tightly. “I love you, Jared Morgan, alias Captain Hawk.”

Jared’s hands teased up her bare arms to cup her face. As he gazed into it, he smiled contentedly. “I’m a damned lucky man, Maren Morgan.”

Their bodies and lips met, and they kissed tranquilly. Then as their hands began to wander, passions were kindled and clothes were discarded. What did they care if it was only a little past noon and there were things to be done?

As they cuddled on the big bed and exchanged caresses and endearments, Jared stroked Maren’s gradually rounding stomach and grinned. “I can hardly wait to see this little rogue—or vixen. You’ve made me happier than I ever imagined possible. The day Kip enticed me to attack your ship was the turning point in my life. Lordy, I love you and need
you, my beautiful treasure.”

“Then plunder your treasure gently and greedily, my love, for I need you fiercely today,” Maren coaxed seductively.

Jared chuckled and Maren laughed as they came together. Blissfully, they spent hours sating their fiery passions. Isn’t that what life is really about… love and rapture?