“Good, now what about bandages and medical supplies?” Kate wanted to know. “Skye has a wound that should be taken care of.”
“There’s a cabinet near the galley that I was luckily able to fill just recently,” John told her without a moment’s hesitation.
Kate nodded in approval and told Skye to follow her below. John watched them go before turning to take the wheel, but found himself instead face to face with Will and Matthew. By the way Matthew was looking at him, John could tell he was amused by something.
John frowned at him. “What is that look s’posed ta mean?”
“I was just wondering something,” Matthew said, careful to keep his face straight.
“Wonderin’ what?” John wanted to know as he made his way past him.
“Backing down so quickly with Kate, was it out of respect or . . . love?”
John spun around and looked at Matthew as if he were completely insane. “What?”
“I wanted to know if it was out of respect or—”
“I heard what you said. I want to know what it was s’posed ta mean.”
“I was just wondering if you have feelings for Kate,” Matthew said more plainly. “You did, after all, say that if you had known she was on the Finder, you would have done something.”
“Nonsense,” John insisted, though Will could easily see he was blushing. He turned quickly to go about his work and muttered, “You’re crazy.”
Matthew smiled at Will as they followed after John.
Chapter Twelve
Below deck, Skye and Kate came to a large trunk. Kate lifted the lid, revealing a disorganized heap of clothes.
“Help yourself,” Kate told her.
The two of them searched through the trunk for clothing that would fit their smaller builds. As she pulled out a few shirts to look at, Kate glanced at Skye with a smile.
“Last night when I asked you about your friends, I never imagined I’d get to meet ‘em, especially so soon,” she remarked.
Skye’s face lit with a smile as well. “I know. I couldn’t have been more stunned or overjoyed to wake up and see Will.”
“He’s a very nice young man,” Kate commented.
“Yes, he is. The nicest I have ever met.” Skye paused with an adoring look.
Kate grinned and teased, “Handsome too.”
Skye blushed and was silent for a long moment before saying, “I was so afraid I’d never see him again.”
Skye turned her attention back to the trunk. Before long, she had picked out a pair of dark breeches and a white shirt like those she had on, but clean and much nicer. She also pulled out a brown waistcoat.
When Kate had found what she wanted, she went to the cabinet John had told her about and gathered bandages and some ointment, all items that pirates rarely came by. She and Skye then changed into the new clothes and Kate tended Skye’s wound.
“Thank you, Kate,” Skye said when she finished.
Kate smiled as they left the cabin. “You’re welcome.
On deck, Skye knew that Will and Matthew were very anxious to hear the tale she had to tell them. She and Kate walked up to the helm where the two of them waited with John and Skye took a seat on a barrel that Will pulled up for her. From there, she told them everything that had happened since the night she was taken from the orphanage. When Skye came to the part about the storm saving her from being beaten by Kelley, Matthew glanced momentarily at John, who squirmed a little under his friend’s gaze. God had used the storm for His plan.
As soon as all the stories had been told, Will and Matthew stood to get back to the ship repairs they had been doing early that morning. Skye and Kate helped as well, though Skye was limited as to what she could do without causing herself pain. Will kept a close watch on her and quickly came to her aid whenever she needed it.
Some time later, John grew tired of standing at the wheel, watching the work, so he called, “Who wants to take over up here for a while?”
“I can.”
John was a little surprised to see Skye. She walked up beside him, ready and anxious to take the responsibility of steering the ship.
“Do you think you can handle it?” John asked after studying her for a moment.
Skye only nodded.
John stepped back, letting her take the wheel, though she could sense his reluctance.
“Just keep ‘er goin’ straight east, all right?” he said. His tone made it obvious he was not quite comfortable giving up his place to her, by no means wanting to end up going in the wrong direction.
Skye nodded again and grinned ever so slightly. “Towards Puerto Seguro, right?”
John’s look of shock was a bit comical. “Whoever told you that? I never even told Matthew and Will where we were headed.”
“Well, you need a port where you can make repairs that’s also a safe haven for pirates, and Puerto Seguro is the closest one,” Skye deduced simply, the little grin never leaving her face.
Clever girl, John thought to himself. He nodded. “Yes, Miss McHenry, you’re right. We are headed for Puerto Seguro, so steer us in that direction.”
Skye nodded, then said, “One more thing. Please call me Skye.”
“All right, Skye,” John replied with a smile before he walked away to join the others.
Standing at the helm reminded Skye how much she had loved it the few times her father had allowed her to take the wheel. She had been so young then, and she wondered what her father would think if he could see her now as a young woman instead of a little girl. She hoped with all her heart that he would be proud of her.
For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening, Skye took turns with Kate steering the ship while the men worked. When darkness crept over the ship, John called the repairs to a halt. As he headed toward the wheel to take over again for Skye, Matthew stopped him for a moment.
“John, will you please tell Skye that I would like to talk to her?”
“Of course,” John answered.
He continued on his way until he stopped next to Skye at the wheel.
“Well, you’ve kept us on a very straight course today. Good job,” he told her.
Skye smiled. “Thank you.”
As John took the wheel, Skye stepped away, headed down to the galley to help Kate, who was preparing supper for everyone. John, however, informed her of Matthew’s desire to speak with her. Skye thanked him once again and walked over to Matthew where they talked quietly as they went below deck.
A moment later, John spotted Will slowly making his way toward the helm. He either had nothing else to do or was too fixed on what was in his mind to make any conscious decision about where he was going. When Will stopped by his side, John smirked, willing to bet anything he had on what he figured the young man was thinking about. He grinned slyly as he glanced at Will before looking back out at the sea.
“Is Matthew tellin’ her that he’s a McHenry?” John asked after a moment. He wondered if he should carry out a little friendly teasing or not.
Will nodded. “How long have you known?”
“Just since he told me the other day.”
“You didn’t learn his last name when he helped you?”
John shrugged. “Can’t remember. Even if I did, the name McHenry didn’t have any meanin’ back then, so it’s no surprise that I forgot.”
Still staring straight ahead, John finally decided that instead of getting around to what he wanted to know by teasing Will, he’d just ask the question straight out. You’re gonna sound just like Matthew, he told himself, but, at the moment, he didn’t really care.
After a long silence he asked suddenly, “You love her, don’t you?”
Will turned to him in surprise. Before he could even think of how to reply, John spoke again.
“Any idiot could see you have feelings for her just by the way you look at her, so you might as well just admit it.”
Will was still surprised by John’s bluntness, but he nodded and said, “You’re right; I do
have feelings for her, and I would never deny it.”
John nodded in approval and asked, “How long have you had ‘em?”
“For as long as I can remember,” Will answered.
John abandoned all thoughts of teasing. “Have you ever told her that?”
Will lowered his head and shook it. He truly had meant to. “Not yet.”
John turned to him while still keeping a hand on the wheel. “You may not think of me as the best candidate to be givin’ advice about this sorta thing, but if I were you, I’d tell her soon. You never know when a time could come when you realize you’ve lost your chance.”
Will thought about John’s words. He was right, and Will had already told himself the very same thing many times before. Only now, since Skye had been kidnapped, did he realize how very true the words were. He couldn’t bear the thought of how horribly close Skye had come to never knowing that he loved her.
Before John could speak again, a smile spread across Will’s face, and he just couldn’t resist asking, “Have you told Kate yet?”
John rolled his eyes. His former plan of teasing had backfired on him. “This has nothin’ to do with Kate,” he said in annoyance. Still, he couldn’t help but silently congratulate Will for such a clever response. It was exactly what he would have said if he had been in Will’s position. Speaking again with no trace of annoyance in his voice, John continued, “This is about you and Skye. You’ve got a special girl there, and I wouldn’t risk never gettin’ to tell her how I felt.”
Will smiled and nodded. “I will tell her.” He paused. “But not tonight.”
John looked at him for an explanation.
“Tonight I’ll just let her enjoy what Matthew has told her,” Will decided. “I think she’s already had quite an overwhelming day and doesn’t need anything else to think about.”
John agreed. “Good idea.”
With nothing more to be said, Will walked away toward the stairs that led below deck. He descended them just in time to see Skye lean over with a big smile on her face and hug Matthew. Will smiled as well. He loved to see Skye so happy.
Kate walked in from the galley a moment later. “I’m sorry if I’m interruptin’,” she said apologetically, “but the food is ready.”
As he and Skye approached Kate, Matthew thanked her for preparing their meal. “I’ll go take the wheel for John. He can eat first,” he told her.
Kate nodded and returned to the galley as Matthew went up to get John, leaving Skye and Will alone. Skye smiled at him, her blue eyes sparkling like sapphires.
“Did Matthew tell you?” she asked.
“Yes,” Will answered, his smile equally joyful.
“I’m still in shock,” Skye said, shaking her head as she remembered what had taken place only moments ago.
“I know. It shocked me too,” Will admitted. “It was the last thing I ever expected.”
“I should have known though,” Skye realized. “I’ve always thought he seemed so much like my father.” She smiled again. “I feel so happy right now. I finally have family, at least family I can be close to.”
“I’m very happy for you,” Will told her. “I know how much you’ve longed for that.”
A moment of contented silence fell between them, in which they only smiled at each other. Eyes running over her upturned face, Will wanted so badly to tell Skye how much he cared for her, how much he loved her, but he cared too greatly to risk ruining one of the happiest moments of her life, even in some small way.
The silence was broken by movement above them as John came down the stairs. When he saw them, he hesitated.
“Excuse me if I’m interruptin’ anything,” he said, wondering if perhaps Will had changed his mind about what he had said.
“We were just talking about Matthew,” Will assured him.
When John heard that, he continued the rest of the way down the stairs and smiled at Skye.
“Well, you’ve had a very surprisin’ day, haven’t you?” he remarked. “First you wake up to see him,” he gestured at Will, “and then you find out that Matthew’s your uncle.”
Skye nodded with a blissful smile. “Yes, it truly has been one of the most surprising—as well as the happiest—days of my life.”
Chapter Thirteen
Late in the evening, three days after Skye and Kate had been rescued from the island, John expertly navigated the Fortune into the sheltered bay of Puerto Seguro. During the voyage, Will had been thinking constantly about the advice John had given him. He had been intent on telling Skye how he felt and had tried several times, but each time there had been an interruption. It really wasn’t anyone’s fault. There wasn’t much privacy on a ship, even if it was just the five of them, and Will was never alone with Skye long enough to say what he wanted to say.
Will and Skye stood side by side at the bow of the ship now as John prepared to drop anchor. They looked at the town spread before them. Its weathered wooden buildings sat haphazardly along a beach scattered with nets, crates, and other signs of human habitation. The white forms of gulls dotted the beach as they looked for dead fish and other food that had been left behind. Puerto Seguro looked a lot like Tortuga, though it was only about half the size. Several pirate ships of notable reputation were already anchored alongside the numerous docks.
“Did you ever come here with your father?” Will asked, looking at Skye.
“Once or twice, but I never went into town. I rarely did, being so young. These ports are, after all, pirate settlements.” Making a face, she continued, “You know what Tortuga is like. Places like these are not much different.”
Will agreed that they weren’t good places for anyone, least of all children as young as she had been.
John gave the order to drop anchor. When it had been lowered, everyone helped moor the ship to the dock before going ashore. Once they had reached the beach, John turned to Matthew, and Skye and Will.
“I imagine you three aren’t gonna want to stick around here for the next week while I’m havin’ repairs done to the ship, so if ya’d like, I could help you find someone to take you back to Kingston,” John offered. “Or at least somewhere close by.”
Matthew smiled. “Thank you, John. We’d appreciate that.”
“Follow me,” John said as he walked down the beach, looking at every anchored ship they passed. Speaking mostly to himself, he continued, “There must be someone here I can trust to get my friends back to safety.”
Having passed by a good five or more, John abruptly stopped.
“Perfect,” he said in satisfaction as he grinned at one ship.
“What is this ship?” Skye asked.
“The Sea Devil,” Kate answered.
“The Sea Devil?” Will repeated skeptically.
John turned to him. “She ain’t the prettiest name, I’ll give you that, but her captain is the second most trustworthy pirate you’ll find anywhere. He’s the only one I’d trust to take you three back to Kingston.”
Matthew looked at him quizzically. “John, if he’s the second most trustworthy pirate, who’s the first?”
John’s grin widened. “You’re lookin’ at ‘im.”
Kate raised her eyebrows. “And where exactly does that leave me, Captain Morgan?”
“Ah, well . . . I seem to have made a little mistake,” John replied quickly. “What I meant was he’s the third, you’re the first, and I’m the second.”
A smile of approval came to Kate’s face, and Skye and Will could not help laughing.
“And just what do you two find so funny?” John wanted to know.
“I didn’t know pirates could be considered trustworthy,” Will confessed.
“Well now, that’s just a matter of opinion.” John looked at Skye. “You considered your father trustworthy, right?”
“Of course.”
“Would you even have considered him trustworthy when he sailed for Kelley?”
“Yes.”
“And now I’m sure you consi
der Kate here to be trustworthy.”
Skye nodded.
John looked again at Will with a grin. “Ya see, pirates can be considered trustworthy.” He continued toward the Sea Devil, leaving everyone else to follow behind. “Now, if I were not trustworthy, I might have decided that treasure of Skye’s was a little too temptin’ and tried to find out where it is myself, but I didn’t. Then, I could have decided that searchin’ for Skye was just a waste of time, which it wasn’t, and just thrown Matthew and Will off at some port with no way to get home . . . ”
John would have rattled off a dozen other things to prove his trustworthiness, but they had reached the dock where the Sea Devil was anchored. A few feet in front of John, a young man worked on some rigging.
“Excuse me, lad, is this ship still captained by Abe Foley?” John asked.
“Aye, sir, she is,” the young man answered.
“Is he aboard?”
“Aye.”
John grinned. “Good. Go tell ‘im that John Morgan’s here to see ‘im.”
The young man nodded and boarded the ship while John and the others waited on the dock. Within the space of a minute, a man appeared on the deck of the ship and peered down at them from over the rail. He was short, heavyset, about sixty-five years old, and had a thick gray beard and hair.
“John!” he exclaimed, grinning broadly.
“Hello, Abe,” John called.
“What brings ya to Puerto Seguro?” Abe asked.
“My ship is in bad need of repairs after that storm a few days ago. And now that I’ve found you, I wanna ask you to do a favor for me,” John declared.
“Come aboard so we can talk,” Abe invited. “Bring yer friends with ya.”
He walked away from the railing and disappeared from sight.
John motioned for everyone to follow him up the gangplank and onto the Sea Devil where Abe was waiting. When they reached the other captain, he took John’s hand with a grin and shook it heartily. “It’s mighty good to see ya again, John.” He then turned to Kate and shook her hand too. “And Kate, it’s good to see you again too.”
“It’s good to see you, too, Abe. It’s been awhile,” Kate said with a smile.
The Pirate Daughter's Promise (Pirates & Faith) Page 10