by Lucy Langton
“I’ll always love you, James,” Maria whispered to the wind before heading inside and seeking refuge from the world.
~*~
James was becoming dizzier with each passing day. He recognized the sensation as land sickness from disembarking a ship after being out at sea for so long. But it felt worse this time. Perhaps it was his current filthy condition or the fact that he hadn’t been fed in days.
The prison was dark where they were being kept, but in the distance, James could hear the sounds of the town. He often wondered how Maria was faring, and if she’d returned to her previous life of dinner parties and balls. When James couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer as the dizziness overtook him, forcing him to lay flat against the dirty stones of his cell, James would focus on Maria’s words and picture in his mind that Maria was happy living the life she’d detailed to him before.
To the guards that walked by James’ cell, they were certain he’d gone insane as he lay on the ground, mumbling words they couldn’t understand. Even his fellow pirates had started to ignore him, knowing that James was no longer any use to them. Without a ship and a mission to complete, James was left with no purpose in life. Even if he did find a way out of this mess, there was no way that Maria’s family would ever accept him. After all, it was he who had kidnapped Maria in the first place.
James didn’t move when his cell door was opened. He figured the time had come for him to be brought before the English courts and judged for his many crimes. Though he didn’t consider his deeds to be crimes, he knew that his opinion wouldn’t matter here in England. When he thought of how he’d be treated in Tripoli, he knew they would consider him brave and honorable. But he didn’t like to think much of home. It saddened him more to think that he’d never see his family again.
“Show me his legs,” a man commanded, causing the guards to move with a swiftness, not wanting to displease the gentleman, but also not wanting to be in the cell longer than needs be.
James didn’t protest or bother moving as the guards pulled up cuffs of his trousers until his entire legs were showing. It didn’t mean anything to him, and with the dizziness plaguing his mind, he didn’t dare move more than he needed or else he’d lose control of what little he had in his stomach. But when he heard the man who’d given the command gasp, James slowly opened his eyes to see what the matter was.
He first looked down at his legs, not noticing any difference. The burn scars that tattooed his left leg had been there for as long as he could remember, and he thought nothing of them. But as his looked up at the older man’s face, who had his eyes glued to his left leg, he wondered why burn scars would interest this man so. And when the man looked James in the eyes, a shiver ran through James as he looked into dark green eyes that resembled his own so well.
The gentleman stepped into the cell then and kneeled next to James. “Be careful, my lord. You never know what a prisoner will do once they’ve gone insane,” the guard warned. James noticed the fashionable suit the man wore, his boots alone reflecting the dim light of the prison, they were shined so well. James could tell this man possessed great wealth and must be from a prestigious family if the guards referred to him as ‘my lord’.
“What is your name?” the gentleman asked as he neared James.
“My name is James Ihram. My mother is Tanya Ihram. I come from Tripoli,” James introduced, knowing that his identity meant nothing to him anymore. It felt almost relieving not needing to lie anymore. With death looming over him, he didn’t need to be strong anymore. He only needed to keep breathing until he wasn’t allowed to do that either.
The gentleman, however, stared at James in wonder, even reaching out a hand to brush back his long hair and stare into his face. James even noticed tears in his eyes as the man peered at him.
“I want this man bathed, clothed, and fed,” the gentleman commanded as he continued to stare at James.
The guards were shocked as they looked between each other. “But, my lord, the man is a pirate. Certainly you could have no interest in him,” the guards reasoned, wondering if the Duke had gone as insane as the prisoner.
“This man is not a pirate, but my son,” the Duke replied as he looked to the guards and glared at them. The guards were quick to act, unchaining James as one helped him sit up. They were quick to bring him food and water, which James quickly ate, draining the water just as quickly.
“I don’t understand,” James said after he’d been fed, the dizziness starting to subside.
“I promise all will be explained in time, my boy. For now, I must leave you. But I’ll come for you when the time is right,” the man said as he stood and prepared to leave the cell.
“At least tell me your name,” James called as he began to roll down his trousers, not liking the way his legs had been exposed for the world to see.
“My name is Lord James Lucas, Duke of Kemberly. Your mother, Tanya, was once my wife,” the Duke explained as he stepped outside the cell as the guards came to collect James to bath him. James could only look at the Duke with wide eyes full of tears. Could it be possible that his father still lived? James didn’t know what to think as the guards pulled him to his feet and led him from the cell. It was all James could do to stay conscious as the guards led him away.
Chapter 29
Even out in the country, Maria had learned of the day the trial would be held. She’d inquired it of her father one day, saying that the nightmares were starting to plague her again despite the tonic the physician had given her for such things. Maria had explained how she wanted some surety that the pirates had been put to death so she could sleep easier at night. Therefore, Lord Willcox had sent a letter to London’s magistrate for the details of the date of the trial, and the day the pirates would be hung. After her father had relayed the dates to her, Maria had put them to memory, thanking her father for his efforts. And now, as the day of the trial came to be, Maria asked her mother if she minded that Maria take a walk, alone.
“But, my dear, you shouldn’t be walking in the country alone. Why don’t you have your brother escort you to the village and back? That should be exercise enough,” Lady Willcox suggested, not liking the idea of Maria ever being alone. After all, even though they now resided in the country, that didn’t mean they were free from any possible danger. There were still robbers and rogues that plagued the country roads as well.
“I will simply walk down to Miss Julia’s for a morning visit and be back in time for dinner. Gregory would certainly not want to join me for that visit,” Maria lied, needing to convince her mother.
Lady Willcox cringed at the thought of Miss Julia. It was no secret that the young lady pined after her son, and Lady Willcox did not have high regard for the very plain girl. “Indeed,” Lady Willcox agreed. “Gregory would not enjoy that one bit. You are so kind to make friends with such a plain young lady. She certainly benefits from your friendship.”
“I feel the same way,” Maria said as she rose from her chair in the sitting room. “I’m going to go change for the walk and perhaps pick some flowers along the way to take to Miss Julia.”
“Just please be careful, my dear,” Lady Willcox warned as she watched her daughter leave the room. It didn’t settle well with her that Maria would be out by herself, but she also knew that she couldn’t keep her daughter cooped up in the house all the time. A short walk was bound to give her daughter the exercise she needed. And perhaps the visit with Miss Julia would cheer her up. Though Maria often appeared pleasant and cheerful, Lady Willcox knew her daughter. She knew that something great still bothered her daughter dearly. Until Maria spoke a word of it, they would never know.
Maria was quick to change into her walking gown and boots with the assistances of her lady in waiting. After having a small picnic basket packed for her by the cook, Maria set off down the lane that would lead her to Miss Julia’s. But once another path came to the lane, she took it instead, seeking solitude for the day.
In her pocket, Maria carri
ed her smelling salts with her and a few extra handkerchiefs. She’d expected to cry the entire day, and not wanting to be bothered by anyone in the event she was overcome with her sobs, Maria put her mind to a secluded grove of trees that surrounded a small pond. But once Maria settled into the spot she’d thought of for days, a place where she could hide away from the world without being bothered, Maria found that she could not cry.
No matter how many times she thought of James, remembering his lips on hers or the way he held her tight as he made love to her, Maria couldn’t cry. It was as though she had spent all her tears already over her love and could no longer conjure them forth to help ease the pain in her heart. So instead, the pain felt tight in her chest.
She held her hand over her heart as she began to talk aloud. “James, I don’t know what to do. I know you said that you wanted me to find someone who I could one day marry, who would treat me well and never take away my fierceness. But how could I ever forget you? How could I ever love someone the way I loved you?” Maria said, the wind blowing lazily by. Normally, today would have been the perfect day for a picnic. The weather was warm but not hot. The sun was bright, but often shaded by a passing cloud. The water in front of her reflected the sun, glistening as though it was a beacon of hope and light. But as she stared into the water, all she could do was feel this pain.
“I know that someday soon, you’ll be dead. I know that I’ll never see you again or be able to hold you in my arms. I miss you, James. I love you and wish every day that I could be with you… even when I know it’s impossible, I still wish for it,” Maria said, her heart starting to pound against her chest. She withdrew the smelling salts from her pocket, taking a quick whiff to settle her nerves. She didn’t like the way the pain built up in her chest and wondered if being so far from the house had been a good idea.
“James, I will always long for you. Till the day I die and get to join you in the next life, I will love you. Every day I will find a way to remember you and the short time we were able to spend together. Perhaps one day I will marry, but it won’t be for love. More than likely it will simply to free my parents from my burden,” Maria reasoned, trying hard to at least chuckle a bit. But all she could muster was to sit in the grass on the banks of the pond, eyes fixed on the water as the picnic basket rested next to her.
After a time, she began to pick at the food that had been packed. Salted meat, cheese, and bread. It reminded her a bit of the food she’d been given while on the pirate ship as she ate the salted meat, but a finer quality than that of what she had eaten before. Her mind went over again and again every memory she had of James, all the good mixed with the bad. She’d carry these thoughts the rest of her life, keeping James alive in her mind and close to her heart.
Maria absentmindedly placed her hand to her stomach, feeling it beneath her gown as she wondered if she was gaining weight. It felt fuller than before, and perhaps that had been because her mother was always fussing over her to eat more at dinner. She wondered if her mother believed that she’d been starved to while out at sea, and Maria tried to appease her mother by eating a bit more at each meal. Now she feared that perhaps by indulging her mother she’d gain more weight than what was deemed ladylike in society’s eyes.
Maria sighed then, disgusted by the idea of what society deemed proper for a young lady. It was certainly too much pressure and often forced a woman to act against her nature. Though Maria enjoyed playing the pianoforte, she didn’t do it to seem more appealing to a gentleman. She did it for her own pleasure. And if she did gain a little weight around her stomach, at least she’d be happy.
As Maria stood in the hope of taking a short walk around the pond, a frightful idea wound its way through her mind. What if she was pregnant with James’ child? The thought startled her, causing her to stop her movements as she stared ahead of her. She placed both her hands this time on her stomach, trying to determine if indeed she was pregnant. It had been two months since she’d last spent a night in James’ arms, so surely she would have discovered some sort of sign by now. But as Maria thought of her feelings and wellbeing over the last few weeks, it was hard to tell since she’d felt all sort of symptoms that had been associated with her travels.
Maria forced herself to keep moving and start contemplating what she would do if her stomach continued to grow. If it became apparent, she would have to tell her parents the truth. And if she did, would they still be accepting of her? Would they toss her and the child out, or force her to give birth in secret and have the child sent away once it was born? Fear and dread filled her as she walked slowly, terrified of the idea that her and James’ child would be sent away the moment it was born. No, if Maria was expecting, she’d do everything she could to keep and raise the child. Even if her family disowned her. If this thought came to fruition, she wouldn’t allow her parents to take away this last part of James that she could have. She’d fight everyone off in order to have this child. And with that thought in mind, Maria began to pray that she was pregnant.
~*~
As the prisoners were brought before the court that day, James was a stark contrast to his fellow pirates. Though he couldn’t consider them pirates anymore and just English prisoners, he still knew these men deeply and could still recognize them. Even under the layer of filth and blood, he could still see familiar faces. But James, on the other hand, looked very different in comparison. He’d been bathed, given an English haircut, dressed in fine clothes, and fed regular meals. It was only his dark skin that showed that he wasn’t an Englishman. Many in the room even pointed at James and murmured, unsure why the man was being brought in with the rest of the pirates.
“Quiet in the court!” yelled the magistrate as he banged his gavel against the wooden podium. “Here before the Court of England stand trial the pirates who aligned themselves with Captain Maidus, also known as Lord Andros.” More murmuring rang out around the room, causing the magistrate to bang his gavel once more.
“These pirates are charged with stealing, plundering, murder, impersonation of navy officers, kidnapping, and all manner of treason against the King of England.” Yells rang out around the room as anger and hatred filled the space. Those whose family members had been killed at Portsmouth had come to watch the trial and now took their opportunity to yell obscenities at those who had murdered their families. After a few minutes of this, the magistrate called order to the room once more.
“These men before you are found guilty under English law and are condemned to hang at the Execution Dock this very next morning at sunrise,” the magistrate called before the room erupted into chaos once more, some cheering, some yelling more profanities. To James, it didn’t matter. He knew his fate the moment he’d been bound and pulled onto the navy ship. James knew not to hope when all hope was lost.
“I object!” called a man as he descended a staircase into the court room and approached the magistrate at his podium. Gasps filled the room as all eyes turned to Lord Lucas, following the man in his movements to the front of the room.
“Lord Lucas, this is quite surprising. Surely you could not have any objections to these men being hung for their evil deeds,” the magistrate argued, shocked to see a duke in his court room, and even further surprised that the man would object to his decision.
“Indeed, honored magistrate, I agree with your terms. But there is one man amongst them that is my son,” the Duke declared, sending more gasps and whispers spreading quickly through the crowd.
The magistrate looked at the Duke with wide eyes before turning his gaze upon the pirates, noticing the one that didn’t look like the others. He motioned for the guards to bring the man forth, taking the time to look between the prisoner and the duke.
“He certainly has your eyes, my lord,” the magistrate reasoned.
Lord Lucas chuckled as he looked at his soon. “Indeed, he does,” he replied.
“But what proof do you have of your relationship, my lord?” the magistrate questioned, wondering if this was all
some sort of trick. Perhaps the pirate had blackmailed the Duke?
“I was sailing with my dear friend, Admiral Travis, when I met my wife, Tanya in Tripoli. We married and sailed for many months with Admiral Travis and his officers, intent on returning to England. It was on our travels back home that we were attacked by pirates. My darling wife, who had just given birth, died in the attack. And as I watched the ship burn around me, I also caught sight of our son in his crib, the side of it on fire.