Romancing the Pirate 01 - Blood and Treasure (16 page)

Sadie sauntered by with a buccaneer on each arm. She pointedly eyed Lianna, pulled the men in and whispered. The three laughed and moved on. An urge to sling scalding water over the witch proved damn near too tempting. Sadie settled in effortlessly with the seamen. It appeared her charm had swayed them to forgive and turn a blind eye to her contumacious betrayal. Lianna seethed. She especially didn’t approve of the wench’s coquettish laughs and subtle touches on the first mate
and
the captain. Couldn’t they see how glaringly obvious she was, wiling her way into their good graces? Lianna twisted and scoured the laundry into near shreds of threadbare rags.

She gave in to another passing thought of the captain and his captivating eyes. She had come to know what that sparkling light in his eyes meant, although she admitted to herself his advances weren’t entirely unwelcome. Did he look upon Sadie with such a gaze? She chunked another pair of trousers in the pot and skewered it with her stick, sloshing and agitating it around in the bubbling water. If the rest of the afternoon went by with nary a sight of that wench, she’d be all too glad.

She had just finished adding land mass to the island and laying out the final tunic to dry by the fire when Henri toddled over.

“The Capt’n be wantin’ t’ know if you’re done.” He swatted at a mosquito on his neck.

She wiped her hands dry on the folds of her skirt. “Yes. I’m done.”

“Those be lookin’ real clean, Miss Whitney.” He picked up a pair of wool stockings. Putting them to his nose, he took a deep whiff. “Smell clean, too.”

“Thank you, Henri.”

“A sea dog shouldn’t smell clean. Just isn’t right,” he groused. “Time to eat.”

Dusk cascaded over the last vestiges of sunlight, but the warmth of the day still clung to the air. Small crackling campfires were spread out, dotting the beach with golden glowing rings. Men huddled around gnashing at their meat and throwing back grog. Few took notice of her now, but those who did gawked as if she were a novelty. She remained careful to keep distance between her and Bull, keenly aware he watched, waited.

Henri led her to the captain’s campfire. Zane, Blade, Sadie and several others had taken their places around the pit, heartily digging into their repast. She sat down on the empty stump between Zane and Blade, directly across from Sadie, neither acknowledging the other.

Zane handed her a large green frond. Inside the stiff leaf lay a leg of rabbit and ripe green fruit halves. “The soursop fruit is very good and sweet,” Zane said. “But do not eat the seeds.”

She picked up the prickly apple-like slice. Her mouth watered with the aroma of the fruit and the smoky scent of wild meat.

“You must be starving.”

“I’ve managed on a lot less for much longer,” she said.

“Aye,” Henri said. “That’d be why we be so scrawny. When the food runs low, we share our sea b’cuits with the weevils.”

“Ah, quit yer bellyachin’.” Willie, the helmsman, leaned over his knee picking meat from his teeth with the tip of his fingernail.

Willie looked to be ten years or more older than Zane, early forties perhaps. He had a pronounced square chin that he kept cleanly shaven and he wore his brown hair short. His crooked nose had most likely been broken a time or two. His build was strong but his small eyes soft. Lianna reckoned Willie had seen a great deal of action in his lifetime.

“Them bugs add a bit o’ flavor, is all,” Willie said.

Lianna cringed. In truth, though, she’d had her share of sparse, unappetizing foodstuffs. Locked away in her room above her uncle’s tavern, she’d counted herself lucky to get the leftover scraps from customers’ dinners scraped onto a plate for her. And usually only after his dog got its share.

“Speak for yerself, Willie,” grunted Henri. “Only way to stomach ’em is to dip the b’cuit in grog.”

“Hunger, intense hunger, can lead a man to depravity.” Blade spoke to no one in particular, staring at the fire. Flames reflected the torture in his eyes, hinting that he had slipped into another time, someplace painful and unforgiving. “A man’s got to be careful not to let himself succumb to turpitude because he can’t sate his hunger.”

“Ahem.” Zane passed Blade a sympathetic look. “Nonetheless, we don’t go without for long.”

Lianna understood Blade spoke from a dreadful memory and shared his anguish. She took Zane’s lead. “The rabbit is very good. The flavor is woodsy, almost tangy. And very tender.”

“He was a fat bugger.” Willie boasted. “Easy target. Makes fer good eatin’.”

Lianna enjoyed the rest of her meal listening to the men recollect blunders and tell jokes. ’Twas not long and she realized the company was rather pleasing. She delighted in listening to the regales of different versions to the same tale, the friendly banter between comrades. Villains, killers, thieves, she hadn’t forgotten. But she witnessed the amicable side of a pirate, the side that reminded her they depended on one another for survival. She envied them and their brotherhood. They were like a family. She missed that, having people around who care for you as you care for them. To be able to love and laugh, to cherish and share, to ease sadness and rejoice in happiness. Frankly, she didn’t think these ruffians went as far as all that. But they watched each other’s backs all the same.

Once the food was gone, the real raucous began. Rum bottles passed from lips to lips and the stories grew taller and taller. Many of the men took their leisure playing games of chance with dice or cards. One gangly tar tried to entertain his mates by juggling empty rum bottles. He was met with jeers and a rain of gnawed bones. Belly laughter filled the night.

It hadn’t slipped Lianna’s notice that Sadie hadn’t much to say during the bibulous evening. She smiled a good deal and chirped here and there. But overall, she behaved herself in a way that created alarm. The eyes of the sly urchin slithered upon her numerous times. Leaping flames from the campfire exaggerated the malice within them. She decided she would not let the woman ruin her good time. No sir.

She relished each swig of the smooth rum, letting the robust kick slide down her throat. Gluttonously, defiantly, she lapped at the rum each time the bottle came round her way. Dancing fire light cast a bewitching glow Lianna found sweetly elating. She followed the orange embers as they took to the sky and imagined herself floating with them up, up, up. Voices of others droned distant and her own laughter sounded thick. Her body grew heavy, but she swore she could fly should she try. She should be alert, especially among this rapscallion lot, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

Damn all. I’ve had a bad week
.
’Tis a glorious thing to be drunk.

*****

For the first time in days, Zane let the weight of his mission over The Serpent and his quandaries with the two women abate. He relaxed in the jovial atmosphere, having a merry time, even. Maybe it was good fortune to have the
Rissa
careened on their little sanctuary island.

Seamen lived out much of their sea life in cramped corners and naturally bonds form. But here they rolled in an unbridled fellowship unlike the perverse distractions of port. Zane looked out across the beach and the scattered campfires. It’s not often they could carouse together and then find a spot under a palm to sleep it off in relative seclusion. No worries of being robbed or having their throat slit in their slumber.

Zane’s party around his circle had been one of crazy amusement. At the moment, Henri perfected earsplitting with his broken flute while Blade and Willie taught Lianna the words to a pirate drinking ditty.

What a curiosity, that girl. She was resplendent, just one of the boys, in her present state. He found her charming as she bungled each verse, mangling the words at the top of her scratchy lungs. He would have to keep a close eye on her, lest her intemperance garnered unwelcome attention. And she certainly had his. And Blade’s. And Sadie’s.

The harpy eagle, Sadie, had been giving him simmering smiles all evening. Had he been a lesser man, he would already have her bent over a rock, taking her like an animal. She had been surprisingly agreeable this night. A cause for concern, to be sure. What went on in that scheming head of hers? She, too, warranted his attention. If not for the warming effects of the spirit, he would feel hopeless.

Henri switched songs, piping out an upbeat snappy tune.

“I know this one.” Lianna jumped to her feet, pulling Blade and Willie up with her.

Zane laughed, clapping his hands and tapping his foot in time to the music. He delighted in the three dancing a jig, spinning and kicking up sand. He tipped his chin toward Sadie in a challenge to join the trio. She scowled at him, causing him another fit of laughter.

Willie danced Lianna around the campfire and passed her to Blade. Ever the gentleman, he eagerly grabbed her by the waist. Pulling her tight, they rollicked about to Henri’s melody. Round and round they went circling and spinning. Blade dipped her low, offering Zane a splendid view at the peaks and valley of her chest. Blade winked at him. He raised her and spun her out at arm’s length. The lass tripped over her feet and crash landed into Sadie’s lap, causing her to spill her rum down her tunic.

“Oh my.” Lianna covered her mouth to squelch her giggling.

“Bitch!” Sadie hissed and shoved Lianna back into Blade. They tumbled to the ground with Lianna plopping on top.

Henri stopped playing his flute. Zane shot to his feet.

Lianna giggled more. “Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you just elated to hold me close?”

“Would you be willing to find out?”

“It’s a pistol,” Zane flatly remarked and pulled Lianna up before either could answer.

Mischievously, Blade smirked. “So say you.”

“Come.” He had Lianna by the elbow. “Let’s walk off some of that spirit.”

“Aw. But I was having such a great time.” Her pout sent his heartbeat to quicken.

“Indeed, you were.”

He led her to the water’s edge where the waves quietly sipped the beach. “Too much more of that and you might do something you’ll regret tomorrow.”

She purred. “’Twas what I hoped.”

They walked silently along the strand. To his surprise, Lianna grabbed his hand, braiding her fingers with his. This was a very uncharacteristic position for a varlet like himself to be in. But he didn’t let go. It felt…nice.

The aromatic smell of the allspice trees rustling in a light breeze proved just as intoxicating as the liquor he’d been throwing back all night. But neither compared to the elixir he began to feel from the beautiful lady accompanying him now. In the full moon light, he marveled, again, at her beauty, her zest for life, her innocent, unabashed dreams. And her heat. Aye, he could definitely feel that smoldering fire hidden beneath her reproachful banter. He wanted to stoke that fire, relieve the pressure that had grown tight again against his trouser seams.

Zane grappled with a conflict raging within him. He should be a gentleman with Lianna as she was far too disguised to have her right mind about her. Despite her remark, she would regret this evening and any advantages he took. Zane would be a gentleman, he was always a gentleman. Yet the despicable beast in him wanted to satisfy his hunger with a rousing bit of docking. Rarely had he faced such a moral dilemma. And when he did, only a wee amount of gentleman-like coaxing had the doxy gladly trading in her chastity for the distinction of being Zane’s newest lover. Why should he be any different with Lianna? He quietly cursed.

Stopping where the tide had not moistened the sand, he pulled her down on the beach to sit facing the sea.

Lianna leaned back on one hand and looked toward the sky. She broke the unbearable silence. “The world is a better place because of her.”

“Who?” Zane stared at her, soaking her in.

“The moon, of course.”

“Oh?” He followed her gaze upward. The light shone so bright around the silver disc hardly any stars could be seen.