Lady Pirate

Henry shook his head, pausingto cough, then spat outthrough the door before saying, "There was nothing that could have started it accidentally. I putthe candle out after Ifinished writing them invites to Beecham andHawghton."

"You're sure? " Valoree asked sharply, then took in the affronted lookthat immediately covered his face. Of course he was sure. Despite her thoughts onseeing thelight under thesalon door, she knew noneof themenwould make a mistakelike that.

Thirteen years hadtrained them well. You had to be extra careful about things like that onboard ship. You couldn't runout adoor, or climbout a windowto escape a fire on a boat. Your only options were burning to death or jumping ship, then either drowning or being shark bait.

"Aye, I'msure, " he said testily. "Besides, it looked likethe fire started withthe drapes atthe windowbehindthe desk chair, and thereain'teven a tablethere, let alone a candle that mighthave sparkedit."

"It's a curse, that's what started it, " Skully muttered.

"Someone'sput a curseof bad luck onusfor sure, 'cause that's all we'vehad sincewe came toLondon."

"There's no curse, " Valoreesaid impatiently as themen began toshift. Therecould never bea moresuperstitious lot of men thanpirates. And the last thing sheneededright now wasforthe men to start harping on badluck, curses, and such. "As faras bad luck goes, aye, we'vehadsome, but we've had goodluck, too.

We haven't lost a singlemanin five years of pirating.Whatother crewcanclaim that? " shesnapped, then sighed and went on. "As for these 'accidents? ' callingthem a curseis foolishness."

"Aye, she's right, " Henry agreed. "We can'tjust claimit's bad luck; therehavebeentoo manyinstances forthat."

"And too many for them to be coincidence, even." she continued. "But they still could be. The first incidence we thought a robbery attempt, and it may havebeen.Ifso, we were lucky. They got away with naught and wesuffered little but a knockon my head."

"What about the carriageaccident? " One-Eye asked. "No-Nose brokehis leg."

"Aye, and ifyouaskme that was luck, too. Had Henry, Meg, and I been in the carriage instead of riding behind in Lord Thurborne's hack, we wouldbe dead now.No doubting it. I say one broken leg is better than threedead any day." She allowed that to sink in, then continued. "Asfor thefire, we were lucky again. It was caughtearly, it'sout, andno one was hurt."

She sighed again, a frown twisting her mouth.Therehadbeen too much bad luck. Evenshecould seethat, but she didn't want the men to get jumpy. "We have been lucky. But I wantto make sure thereis nothing to worry about. TomorrowIwant a couple of you men to go talkto the owner of the wagonagain, andfind out what you can. Then ask around near where the accident occurred, see if anyone saw where the fellow whowas driving ranto."

"You thinkit wasn't an accident? " Henry said. Valoree paused.

"Idon't know. I'djustfeel better finding out what we can." She glanced overthemen, then sighed. "Iwill seeLord Beecham and Hawghton again tomorrow and decide whichof them to marry; then we can getout of here. Thenit will be over. Now it's late.

Whydon't you men head offto bed? "

Meg wasthefirstto turn away toleave, butthemen did follow.

Valoreestood staringaround the library once they were gone, frowning at the fact that, somehow, a curtainwith nothingnearby to hold a candle had been aflame. If she were the superstitious sort, she mightbelieve it was a curse, or some such thing as Skully had suggested. But Valoree wasn't superstitious. She was slightly cynical. And to her the answerseemed quiteclear that someone had setit.

But who?

Sighing, she left the libraryas well, butshedidn't seekout her bed. Insteadshe crossed the hall to thesalon, only tofind Henry there, seated on the settee, dealingcards out onthe low table before it.

"Hazard or hearts? " heasked as shemovedto the sideboard to pour them botha drink.

"Hearts, "Valoree murmured, carryingglasses over to joinhim.

He knew her too well. She should have realized he would know she would not simplyretire and risk another fire, or any such accident, befalling them while they slept. He had figured she would sit up all night to stand guard against any further "accidents" while everyone slept, and meant to keep her company.

Picking up the hand he had dealt himself, Henry announced, "Skully andBullare going to spot us in a couple of hours;then One-Eye andPetey will take over forthem."

Valoree just gruntedand picked up her cards.

Chapter Eleven

Valoree closed the door behind Hawghton with a snap and turned toeyeHenry."When doesBeechamget here? "

"Heshould be alongshortly. Ischeduled themone afterthe other. Hawghton lefta little early."

"Aye, well, you can crosshimoffthe list.Beecham it is, " she announced, walking back intothesalon.

A fewminutes later, Valoree wassittingstaring into the fire when Henry entered. Forcing herself tosit upand doingher best notto look as depressedas shefelt, she raised an eyebrow in question."Aye? What is it, Henry? "

"Well." The man hesitated, then straightened his shoulders and decided to get to the point without anyshilly-shallying. 'The men and I were talking, and we've decided ye shouldn't marry Beecham."Seeing hereyes narrow, fiercely, he quickly wenton.

"He's too weak for ye, Captain. Ye'dwalk rightoverhim;then ye'dloathe him for lettin' ye. Ye need someone stronger, like Thurborne there."

"I - " she beganharshly, but he interrupted before she could blast him.

"So One-Eye's gone back to the boat to let the men know what's about, and havethemtake avote on who we want ye to marry. I'm thinking they'll all vote for Thurborne, too, once One-Eye tells'em they should. We surely wouldn't have donethis had we not known ye really like the man anyway. We've all caught ye shilly-shallyingwith himat one point or other during the last twoweeks.Weknow yelike the fella."

Valoree flushed at his announcement, herface heating up like toast overthefire as she realizedthat she and Thurborne had been spotted in their passionate clinches.

"I - " she began furiously, but paused abruptly, her mind ticking over what he was saying. They were going to vote she shouldmarry Thurborne.She'd get a lifetime with the man. It meant a lifetime battle for her independence, and a lifetime strugglenot to be secondary tohim, but also a lifetime of passion, of finally gaining satisfaction from the man, of his finally scratching the unbearabledamn itchhe had workedso hardat buildingwithinher. And it wasnot even as if she wasgiving in.

They were basically forcing herto do it.

Or were they? If she gave inon this, mayhap they weren't forcing her at all, and weeksfromnow ...well, perhaps months...

Okay, it would probably be years. Yearsfromnow, whenher itch wasscratched and she came out of her desire-fogged state, she would awake to find she had given up her independence for somethingthat wouldnot last. She hadto considerthat. But she wasn'tgiven thechance asBull opened the doorand rumbled, "Beecham."

Valoree frowned at the news that the man was there, then glanced at Henry. "If you have finished arranging my life? "

Nodding, Henry turned and moved toward the door. Bull stepped outof the wayfor Beecham to enter. Her"uncle" paused togreet himon the wayout, then murmured something about instructing Petey toprepare atea tray. With that he left them alone. Unlike he did whenever Daniel was present, this time Henry left the door open.

"Thurborne'snot here? " Beecham asked insurprise. He came tojoin her by the fire.

Valoree made a face at the question. Apparently it had not gone without notice that Daniel always seemed to be hanging about. She hoped that he wasn't also aware of their "shilly-shallying, " as Henry had put it. Beechamwas too nice a man forher to wishhis feelings or hispride hurt.

Sheblinkedas that thoughtran through her mindand stuck.

Beecham was toonice a man forher todeliberatelyhurt.Damn..

. She was going soft! She would have blamed it on being in London, but she knew that wasn't the only reason behind it. It was Meg's influence, her disapproving looks, her gentle remonstrances.

It was alsothe dresses she wasforced to go about in herein London.Meg had forcedthe men to returnall her breeches and boots to theboat after she'd discoveredherniecein them. That hadleft her withlittle choicebut togo about withthe air running upunderherskirts, and those silly, uselessslippers as heronly footcovering. Itwas hardnot to feelfeminine in that gear. And it was also Daniel, with his kissesand caresses, making herfeel like awoman forthe first time inher life. Butbeing a woman did not feel sobad when hisarmswere around her, and the heat was burning her up from the inside out.

Aye, she was going soft, she admitted with regret.

"... that is why I have always admired Thurborne. I know I would never have had thecourage to deal with and hunt down privateersand pirates."

"What? " Valoree cried in amazement as Beecham's words registered.Obviously She hadmissed a greatdeal ofsomething that theman had been saying, and someveryimportant things, too. Seeing hisstartled expression, she forced herself to speak more calmly. "I mean, Ifearyou spokesofast I did notgather all that." It was true.If he had spoken slower, she might havetuned back in at anearlier point."Huntdown pirates and privateers? "

"Aye. Thatis what he was doing in the Caribbean all those years.Atfirst he was justthe king'sman, assessing thecargo of variousprivateers in theareaand taking the king's fortypercent. But then when thatCaptainReddied - Are you quiteallright? You appear pale. Are you not feeling well? "

"Nay, I am fine." Valoreeforced a smileto her lips. "I amjust suffering an achinghead. Please go on."- "Anyway, there was a famous privateer called Captain Red.

Living in the Caribbean, you probably heard of him. It was rumored that hewasactually a lord, trying to remake thefortune hehad lost, butonlytheking andThurborne would know for sure. At anyrate, the poor fellow was captured by the Spanish, butit was just after he had turned inhis cargo for assessing. They say thatthe Spanishwere sofurious at being cheatedout of the treasure they had expected, they tortured him and his entire crew todeath."

Not his wholecrew, Valoree thoughtgrimly.Onlythose who hadbeenaboardatthetime. A skeleton crew, just enough men to get Jeremy where he was to meettheassessor. Sheand the others had been in port, collecting thesupplies they would needforthe next trip out. AndtheSpanishhad gotten the gold.

"Butthen rumors began to circulate, "Beecham went on, "that Captain Red and his crew hadcomeback fromthe deadto seek vengeance and wreak havoc on the Spanishfor what hadbeen doneto them. Ship aftership aftership claimed that the dead captain and his crew appeared out ofnowhere, out of the very mist, materializingsuddenlyon the deck of their ships. There was never anyship, just the crew."

Valoree's mouth twitched at that with nervous humor. Their attackon that first ship had worked so well, they had used it repeatedly: leaving the new Valor anchored in a safe cove, rowing out in a smallpiragua or two, then drillingholesinthe smallboats and climbing aboard their targeted ship to take it over. With each craft they had taken, the story of Back-from-the-Dead-Red hadgrown until the very sight of them on deck was enough to send the crew of whatever ship they boardedeither totheir knees to plead for their lives or scurrying to droptheir own skiffs into the waterto get away. That had left them with, notonly whatever treasureeach carried, but the ship itself to sell. That was how they had made the moneythey had needed to replace so quickly.

Of course, they had taken an occasional ship in the usual manner, chasing them down in theValor, boarding, fighting, and winning, butalwaysatdusk or dark whentheycould continuethe charade of Back-from-the-Dead Red. Sailors were a damned superstitious lot, and that charade had given them theedge more timesthannot.

"Theking wasirate about this, of course, " Beecham related.

"Privateeringis one thing, but pirating quiteanother."

"Yes, " Valoreeassented. Good Lord, yes. If the kingdidn't get his share, the whole letterofmarquewas null andvoid - evenif the pirates in question attacked only the king's enemies, and never bothered their own countrymen or ships ofcountries that were allies. Unfortunately, when Jeremy had died, thename of the assessor and next meeting place arranged with the man had beenlost aswell. Thus, Valoree and the men had been unable to keep everything as aboveboard as they wouldhaveliked. Still, they had saved the king's portion, always counting it out painstakinglyto be surethat his share was there. They had stored it in a ware-house herein London when they arrived, and waited for the king to contact them.She'd assumed he would as soon as he knew that Lady Ainsley was in London. He had known CaptainRed washer brother, of course.But he had notyet called onthem, and frankly, Valoree had been so wrapped upinthis husband business, the matter had quiteslipped her mind.

"So, since Thurborne was one of the few people besides himself who had met this Captain Red, the king sent him out to seek thetruth of the matter -  whetherthere really was a ghost pirate running amok out there, or if Captain Red hadsurvived after all andwas takingadvantageof the talesof his death to keep the entireportion of the treasures he took."

Valoree blinked insurprise. She hadnever consideredanyone mightthinkthat, but, she supposed it madesense. Unfortunately, she had more importantthings toconsider. Forinstance, whatthis allmeant to her andthemen. If Thurborne hadbeen the assessor, then heknew that Jeremywas Captain Red. And if heknew that, he knew she was his sister. So why had he notcometo her and requested information? Why not ask herthe truthof the matter? Had he beenhanging about allthis time in thehopeof learning some further information for the king?