by Haley Travis
Taken By Pirates
Steamy & Sweet Romance on the Sea (Shy Girl / Alpha Male Adventure)
By Haley Travis
Copyright 2021 Haley Travis. All rights reserved. Edited by Rosemary Stewart. Cover Design by Lexie Renard.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted or duplicated in any form whatsoever without express written permission of the author. This book is intended for sale to adults. All main characters are over 18. This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual people or specific locations or details is completely coincidental, or intended fictitiously.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you’re looking for perfect historical accuracy… Er, keep looking. This is fiction. Please consult history books for precision. This is heart fluttering, pearl clutching, knicker dampening romance.
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CONTENTS
Prologue ~ Maggie ~ The Week Before
Chapter 1 ~ Maggie ~ The Crate
Chapter 2 ~ The Captain ~ Not Your Average Trunkful of Treasure
Chapter 3 ~ Maggie ~ Moonlight on a Pirate Ship
Chapter 4 ~ The Captain ~ The Choice of a Chair
Chapter 5 ~ Maggie ~ Ship Life
Chapter 6 ~ The Captain ~ A Plan
Chapter 7 ~ Maggie ~ Five Barrel Shopping Trip
Chapter 8 ~ The Captain ~ Drifting North
Chapter 9 ~ Maggie ~ Icy Hot Night
Chapter 10 ~ The Captain ~ An Important Free Job
Chapter 11 ~ Maggie ~ Learning the Plan
Chapter 12 ~ The Captain ~ Head Over Tea Kettle
Chapter 13 ~ Maggie ~ Trapped
Chapter 14 ~ The Captain ~ Those Little Noises
Chapter 15 ~ Maggie ~ Private Business
Chapter 16 ~ The Captain ~ Where’s a spittoon when you need one?
Chapter 17 ~ Maggie ~ Tears on Deck
Chapter 18 ~ The Captain ~ Tumbling Mind
Chapter 19 ~ Maggie ~ Those Lady Smarts
Chapter 20 ~ The Captain ~ Questions and Answers
Chapter 21 ~ Maggie ~ Rosemary and Oregano
Chapter 22 ~ The Captain ~ Forest Path
Chapter 23 ~ Maggie ~ Colors to Gray
Chapter 24 ~ The Captain ~ Blood in the Waves
Chapter 25 ~ Maggie ~ A Good Night’s Sleep is the Best Medicine
Chapter 26 ~ The Captain ~ Bottom of the Pantry
Chapter 27 ~ Maggie ~ Sunlight and Roses
Chapter 28 ~ The Captain ~ Alone, and Sweet Words
Chapter 29 ~ Maggie ~ Uncharted Love
Epilogue ~ The Captain ~ We’re Pirates, Remember?
Other Stories
~ Prologue ~ Maggie ~
* The Week Before *
On the way back from Claytonsfield’s small market, I paused to stare at Hubert’s furniture shop on Main Street. I’d always been fascinated with the facade. It was a one-story building, yet the false front made it look like two stories, with a squared off roof.
Even though it wasn’t real, it always made it the most impressive building in the row.
Setting my shopping basket down for a moment, I stared up at the odd structure, thickened from years of bright white paint that aged quickly in this dirty little town.
It was an interesting quirk that most people likely didn’t think about. But I knew a few things about placing a facade over the front of something else to make it look far more grand than it actually was.
My entire life was a facade.
It always had been, but lately I’d been thinking about my life much more seriously. Since turning nineteen a few months ago, I’d been told I must always look pretty as a picture, only associate with approved people, and generally act like I’m much higher status than I really am.
I was constantly reminded these days to think about the future, and what it might hold when I secured a proper husband.
I hoped it held cheaper prices at the market. I hoped it held more for me than being handed over to a man I didn’t choose for myself.
How I wished that my life could be my own.
But that was a dream far too large for my tiny life.
Hoisting my wicker basket, I lugged it toward home along the worn dirt path, passing by the docks. There was a crowd gathering. At first I wondered if there had been an accident, or if Morty and Murray, the town’s only real entertainment, had docked.
Blinking hard, I finally noticed the ship at the very end of the pier.
Large ships didn’t come to Claytonsfield very often, and when they did they usually bore the insignia of royalty or some large trading company. This particular ship didn’t need a coat of arms to state what sort of mission it was on. What sort of men traveled on a sloop with slightly tattered gray sails, and five hulking men offloading barrels and crates?
Pirates.
Even when they called themselves independent traders, and did fair business with the townspeople, we knew. We all knew.
It was one of the many, many things not spoken of here. Like how the wealthy barely looked at poor folk, so maintaining the facade of being slightly above poverty was the most important thing ever.
I found myself drawing closer to the townsfolk gathered timidly near the dock. Watching fishermen and other seafarin’ folk prepare and launch their boats had always been a favorite pastime of mine.
It was a tranquil ritual, with ropes and sails getting adjusted a certain way, and everything being stowed neatly in place. There was a perfect order to everything that gave me a sense of peace.
It was clear that these men did not have two rowdy brothers aged fourteen and fifteen to deal with.
Staring at the magnificent ship at the end of the dock, I wondered how long it would be in port. Where it was going. Where it had been.
Leaving Claytonsfield for any length of time would be heaven on earth.
Hearing a murmur behind me, I turned to see Mr. Smithson and Mr. Helsby walking along the avenue together. Immediately I darted into the crowd of people, tucking my head down as much as possible.
As far as I knew, those two wealthy but debaucherous men had very little in common except apparently they both wanted to wed me. How much was at my father’s insistence and how much was actual desire, I didn’t know, and most certainly didn’t care.
Turning my back to them, I resumed admiring the strange ship. A man on the deck passed a crate to a man on the dock. He walked a few yards, then passed it to another man, as the four of them formed a chain to move the crates quickly along the pier.
The huge but young-looking man at the end stacked everything on land. His sandy hair swished around his face as smiled at the townspeople for a moment. “You’ll all keep an eye on our cargo for us, won’t ye?”
Half of the group scattered, but I tried to stay hidden beside a few older ladies. They were the gossips of the town, likely digging for fresh information.
Then a tall, strapping man carried a crate straight down to the end. He might have been in his mid-forties, but with his sun warmed skin, it was hard to tell. His black shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing thick, strong forearms.
As he came closer, his sharp features became more clear. I’d never seen such a handsome man. He was absolutely striking. His rough, rugged expression did nothing to diminish the beauty of his sculpted face.
I hadn’t
realized that I was overtly staring until those deep blue-black eyes met mine. He winked. I jumped in surprise as he placed the crate right at my feet. “Good morning, miss.”
His dark brown hair was a bit long and shaggy, rustling in the breeze picking up from the sea as he pretended to tip his hat, even though he wasn’t wearing one.
I’m not sure why this gesture struck me so hard, but I smiled more than I should have, trying to hide my grin behind my hand.
“It’s all right,” he continued, “I understand that nice girls aren’t allowed to speak to dirty old traders. So just blink twice so that I know you’re having a lovely day today, pretty girl.”
His attention on me felt strange. Like a prickle in my lower belly was awakening for the first time. I found my eyes locked onto his lips and wondered what it would feel like if he kissed me. Those thoughts were shameful, but I wasn’t quite in control of them.
The older women beside me stepped back, practically clutching each other in their excitement to witness this scandal first hand.
There was nothing else for me to do. The man was right. I wasn’t permitted to speak with him. Especially since the prospect of my marriage was likely being discussed right now.
Staring into those expressive eyes, there was only one option. I slowly and deliberately blinked twice, making him grin widely. It just wasn’t natural for one man to be that handsome, but when he smiled, it was nearly otherworldly.
“Aye, that’s a good girl. If you’re ever of a mind to come for a sail,” he waved toward his ship, “the Midnight Treasure is at your service.”
That was crossing a line, I was pretty sure. No matter that my heart fluttered from the sound of his deep, gravelly voice. Grabbing my basket, I rushed away without a word, hearing peals of rich, dark laughter behind me.
For the rest of the day, as I worked hard in the kitchen trying to make three days’ worth of food stretch for four or five, I kept sneaking looks out the window down to the docks.
So many people with places to go, and plans to make. Men who were in command of their own lives. What a wonderful feeling that must be.
That evening, as the large ship sailed away, I felt a strange sense of melancholy. I wished I lived in a world where I could have spoken with that interesting dark-eyed man. Shared a cup of tea, even, and asked about his travels.
But alas, my life was not truly my own. As soon as my father could negotiate a dowry, I was to be married off so my family could be rid of me.
I could feel the situation closing in around me like the dark, thick stone walls of the chilly storage cellar under the house. The room my brothers locked me inside at every opportunity.
There was nothing on this earth worse than being enclosed like that. The feeling of being trapped was horrific. I’d rather burn myself on the stove , or be starved for days, than be confined.
I wasn’t sure if living as a stranger’s wife would be better or worse, but the entire thing was too terrifying to think about.
Instead, I stared at the ship as the sails were raised, hoisted by men who had purpose. They knew where they were going, and what their lives would hold. And if they wanted to change, they had the power to do so.
For just a moment, I wished on the wind that I might be given real choices someday.
~ Chapter 1 ~ Maggie ~
* The Crate *
Perhaps that strange ship had been some sort of omen. Since it sailed away from our little port last week, every aspect of my life had been even rougher than usual.
I’d heard the ladies at the market gossiping that the dark ship would be back soon. I’d never put much stock in their whispers, yet almost hoped the ship would return, and break this spell of tension surrounding me.
As I hid in the tiny room where I slept, I could hear my father down at the dining table, speaking with my brothers about how much of a dowry they should pay to be rid of me.
No matter that my brothers were still children. They were considered to be men of the house, and my father was teaching them that they could do anything they liked.
It was so frustrating I almost wished that women were permitted to curse.
With my ear pressed to the door, I listened in as the three of them made a decision.
Even though Mr. Smithson was a much nicer man, and could at least provide me with a decent home right at the edge of the sea in the good part of town, my father, Neil and Earl decided that I should marry Mr. Helsby.
He drank heavily, and although his house was a bit nicer than ours, it wasn’t by much. But he had requested a much smaller dowry, which would leave the boys more money for school clothes and books.
Naturally, my brothers were only thinking of themselves. They saw themselves as men from the moment they turned thirteen, and considered me a useless mouth to feed.
How I wished that my mother was still alive. She had passed from the fever ten years ago, leaving me to attempt to care for the family. Even though I’d worked hard and tried my best, it was never good enough.
Either one of my brothers was a lot stronger than I was, but with the two of them working together, I didn’t stand a chance. I’d been locked in the root cellar, locked in my room, and locked out of the house in a thunderstorm.
I didn’t know which was worse, catching a fever and leaving this world the same way as my mother, or being locked up. Being confined caused a panic deep within me that was utterly unbearable.
It was extremely rare that I was able to finish my entire dinner, as the two of them would just help themselves from my plate.
I was completely trapped in this pathetic life, as surely as if I were locked in the cellar. My only option was to run away, yet I’d heard tales of what might happen to women who traveled alone.
The meeting of the male family members concluded, and the boys ran down to the docks to hear stories from the fisherman.
“Maggie, get down here,” my father hollered up the rickety stairs.
I ran down immediately, resigned to my fate.
“Mr. Helsby will likely come calling on you tomorrow night. Make sure that you look…” He waved his hand toward my crisply scrubbed face, and the single braid guiding my dark hair down my back. “A bit dressier than that rubbish.”
Nodding, I didn’t dare speak, although part of me wanted to ask how I was supposed to dress nicely, when I had nothing better than my Sunday dress. Maybe at the very least, I could ask Mrs. Cooper down the road to style my hair in a fancy twist like she sometimes wore.
“He’ll be courting you for at least a few weeks, I should think,” my father said, seeming irritated by the entire process. “Then you’ll be marrying next month and moving into his house.”
Nodding, there was nothing else to say. The matter has been decided. As always, my opinions meant as little as a mote of dust on the breeze.
“I’m hungry. Fix dinner a bit early tonight,” he said, “And fetch the boys from the docks so they’re not late.”
Practically biting my tongue, I nodded and went to the kitchen to begin scrubbing vegetables.
I didn’t know what made him think that his sons ever listened to me. Even though I’d done everything to care for them over the years, they tormented me. He didn’t want to try to discipline them, and since I was only their older sister, there was no reason for them to mind me.
An hour later, supper was simmering on the stove, and I grabbed my wrap to guard against the breeze coming off the sea. The sound of the waves had always been a comfort, as if they washed some of the tension from my mind.
Strolling down toward the docks, my heart lifted when I saw that strange, large ship again. I dearly wanted to believe that it was an omen of good luck, if there even was such a thing.
Only four of the men were loading and unloading cargo, with no sign of that saucy man who had spoken to me last week.
No matter. I shouldn’t be speaking to strangers anyway, especially since I was apparently now officially betrothed.
Peering around in th
e late afternoon sun, I finally found Neil and Earl at the very end of the pier, near the strange ship. I paused, my feet still on land, beside a huge stack of crates that appeared to be empty.
Women didn’t normally walk on the docks. I wasn’t exactly afraid of all of the strange men, but I couldn’t be seen doing anything inappropriate, for fear the gossip would reach my father’s ears.
Morty and Murray were paddling toward this end of the dock, causing the townspeople to gather. They were scruffy old men, but favorites of the town. Their stories and whiskey-soaked songs really were the only bit of entertainment Claytonsfield had.
I had to get my brothers home before the festivities began.
“Neil! Earl!” I called out. “Come quickly, father needs you at home.”
They came racing toward me, but Earl stopped short. “Why does father need us?” he glared.
“He’s hungry and wants to have supper early today,” I explained, trying to hustle them onto the path.