How sad. She looked to the two marines near the sail locker hatch, but Gorbett spoke first.
“What of yourself, Mister Carew?”
Alexis considered for a moment. Was there some amount of money that would buy her the right to hold her lands? Challenging the law, perhaps, before a magistrate on New London. That, she knew from her grandfather, would cost a great deal — likely thousands of pounds to bring the case. No, the true obstacles were the other holders on Dalthus, those who could change the law but wouldn’t. Could they be bought? And would it be right to do so?
“I believe, Mister Gorbett, that the obstacle to my own wish is one of men and not of money.”
“I see. Don’t be so quick to dismiss it, though. A heavy purse can change a thing or two you’d not suspect.”
Alan spoke from the hatchway to the gundeck, surprising her. “Point us Merlins at ‘em, Mister Carew,” he said quietly, “and they’ll be no obstacle quick enough.” He ducked through the hatch, sliding it closed behind him.
There was a sudden ping from navigation plot and Gorbett stood to study it. He narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Merlin’ll be signaling us to reduce sail soon, I expect.” Alexis stood as well and crossed to the plot. Gorbett pointed to a blurry splotch of darkness growing across their path. “A storm’s building,” he continued. He frowned as the image grew even more. “Looks to be a bad one, if I’m any judge.”
Just as he’d predicted, the signals console gave off a loud ping as well, and Alexis could read the flashing lights of Merlin’s image from where she stood. “As you say, Mister Gorbett. We’re to reduce sail and close with Merlin to maintain contact.” She nodded to the sail locker. “Send them out. Furl the topsail and take in two reefs of the main.”
* * *
Alexis gripped the signals console tightly, desperately cycling through views from the external optics for any sign of Merlin’s lights, or even those of the captured Rancor, through the inky swirls of the darkspace storm that had rapidly engulfed the three ships. Grappel rocked from side to side and even slewed end to end as the forces outside lashed against her hull, its force overcoming the ship’s gravity generators and inertial compensators. Even the lights flickered and dimmed, along with the consoles, as wave after wave of darkspace winds crashed against the ship, the radiation affecting their electronics even through the thick hull.
She grunted in pain as the ship jerked again, jarring her injured shoulder against the console.
“Nothing still, Mister Gorbett.”
“Another throw of the log would be helpful, then, Mister Carew.” The older man was barely able to maintain his balance at the navigation plot. “And the angle of drift, if they can read it in this mess.”
Alexis keyed the order into her console and then staggered across the pitching deck to the sail locker’s hatchway to ensure the pirates had received the order and had sent one of their number out to throw the log. She’d kept them in the sail locker throughout the storm, though they’d had little to do on the hull since her last order to furl all sail and simply run with the storm. The two marines still bracketed the hatchway, but they were forced to brace themselves against the bulkhead by the violent motions. Even Peters and Alan, both of them at the helm to ensure their course, were thrown about.
She slid back the protective covering over the hatch’s viewport and stared at the empty compartment for a moment. Had they not made it back inside after the last order to trim sails? Was it possible that they’d all been stripped off the ship’s hull by the violence of the storm? What possible reason could they have to leave the safety of the locker?
Her blood ran cold as she realized the truth.
“Boarders!” She slammed home the latch that would lock the hatchway to the sail locker and spun around, rushing across the lurching deck toward the hatch at the rear of the quarterdeck. If the pirates had left the sail locker, would they be able to get back into the ship elsewhere? Well, and it was their ship, wasn’t it? They’re sure to know it better than we do.
“Lock the hatch!” she yelled to Gorbett and the two spacers, who were closer, but it was too late and would have been pointless in any case.
A section of the deck she’d just crossed flew up on hidden hinges and the six pirates poured out onto the quarterdeck. The marines, who’d drawn their pistols and taken aim at the far hatchway at her cry, were taken by surprise by the pirates appearing so much closer, and the only shots that rang out were from the pirates. The marines fell even as Alexis was spinning around to face the sound of the shots and drawing her own weapon.
In less than a second it was over, the two marines were dead and Alexis, her pistol drawn but still pointed at the deck, was facing three of the pirates who were pointing their own pistols at her. Two of the other pirates quickly retrieved the marines’ pistols.
“Seems we have a situation,” Horsfall, the pirate said, smiling. “I think you’ll just be dropping that. And you as well, old man.”
From the corner of her eye, Alexis could see that Gorbett’s pistol was still holstered, but his hand was on it, prepared to draw. Her grip tightened on her own. If she was quick, she might be able to get off one shot. Perhaps if she could take down Horsfall, who was clearly their leader, Gorbett might be able to draw and turn the tide. She licked her lips and prepared to move, praying that it would give the others a chance.
“Not today,” she heard from behind her as the cold edge of a knife blade pressed against the side of her neck. Alan reached around her and put his hand over the pistol, never taking the knife blade from her neck. He took the pistol from her hand and stood close behind her, pressing his body against hers and took aim at Horsfall.
Horsfall laughed. “And now it’s gone all interestingly!”
“Just want you and me to be clear,” Alan said. “Afore I come over to yer side.”
Horsfall narrowed his eyes. “And why would you be wanting to do that, then?”
Alexis clenched her teeth. “I should have let you hang, you bastard!”
“Careful there, ‘sir’. Wouldn’t want you to cut yer little throat.”
Alexis forced herself to be still, wanting nothing more but to spin around and launch herself at Alan to kill the man herself.
“Ah,” Horsfall said. “So that’s the way of it? Bit of blood between you two, is there?”
“Bitch had me flogged,” Alan said.
“Fair enough. You!” Horsfall said to Gorbett. “Slide that shooter over here, nice and easy, so me and Mister —” He raised eyebrows at Alan.
“Alan.”
“So me and Mister Alan can get to negotiationing in peace, so to speak.” Horsfall waited for a moment while Gorbett reluctantly complied, sliding his pistol across the navigation plot to the other side. “All right, lads.” He nodded to the other pirates and they lowered their own weapons. His own was still pointed at Alexis and through her, at Alan. “One of us has to trust first, lad, and it won’t be me, I promise.”
“I join yer company? Equal shares?”
Horsfall nodded. “Same as all the lads.”
“And I’ve some ideas of my own,” Alan said. “I’ll have half o’ those.”
Horsfall smiled. “Fair enough. Half of any job that comes from yer own head.” He paused. “After expenses, a’course.”
Alan hesitated for a moment, then lowered the pistol and stepped to the side, taking the knife from Alexis’ throat.
Horsfall watched him, but kept his pistol pointed at Alexis. “I’ll ask you to slide that gun over, as well. And to put up the knife. You’ll understand if I don’t trust you with one right off and all.”
Alan nodded in return. He slid the knife into his belt and bent to slide the pistol across the deck to the pirates.
“I’ll see you hang yet, Alan,” Alexis said.
“You and the bosun and no few others’ve said the same,” Alan said. “Ain’t happened as yet.”
“And I wouldn’t go counting yer future viewing pleasures, were
I you, Miss Midshipman,” Horsfall said. He grinned widely, showing a mass of rotten teeth. “You’ll not be lasting much past me and the lads being done with you.”
Alexis paled at his words and the laughter from the pirates.
“Hold on,” Alan said, stepping between her and Horsfall. “There’ll be none of that.”
“Wait your turn and don’t worry none.”
“No, she’s worth more alive and whole. That’s my job and I’ll have a double share of the ransom.”
Horsfall narrowed his eyes. “The Fleet don’t ransom officers from the likes of us.”
Alan grinned broadly. “Not the Fleet, her family.”
Horsfall narrowed his eyes and looked Alexis up and down. “Rich family?”
“They’re not …”
“Shut your mouth!” Alan yelled at her. “I’m the one what’s talking now.” He turned back to Horsfall. “Family’s first holders out here, got all the land and some great stone house.”
Alexis stared at him open-mouthed. Had the man gone mad? Had he confused her grandfather’s clapboarded farmhouse with one of the other holdings?
“Captain bought some stores from ‘em,” Alan continued. “Saw the insides myself — they’ve a load of coin.”
“That’s a lie!” Alexis stepped forward. “We’ve barely …”
Alan spun around and his fist caught Alexis in the jaw, knocking her to the deck. The impact jarred her injured shoulder and she cried out. Gorbett and Peters started toward her but stopped as Horsfall raised his pistol and shook his head slowly.
“Enough out of you, you stupid bint!” Alan yelled. He stepped toward her, towering over her as she lay on the deck, one hand to her aching jaw. The taste of blood filled her mouth and she looked up at him in shock.
“But …” Alexis began, but Alan swung his leg, the two of his boot catching her in the midriff and knocking the breath out of her.
“I seen what I seen! Now shut yer bloody mouth!”
“Whole, was it?” Horsfall asked.
Alan turned to him, breathing hard and his fists clenched. “Aye, whole, but maybe not unbruised. Weeks I’ve been putting up with her, ordering us about and lording over ever’body.” He turned back to Alexis. “And now you’ll keep yer damned mouth shut if you know what’s good for you!”
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Well now, my little Miss Midshipman, it’s time we had a bit of talking.”
“I’ve nothing to say to you, Horsfall.”
“Oh, I think you will. I truly do.”
He sank down in a crouch in front of where Alexis was sitting on the deck, back against the starboard bulkhead. Her ankles were bound with thick, plastic bands, as were her wrists behind her. Gorbett and Peters were to either side. As for the pirates, there was only Horsfall and one other on the quarterdeck, manning the helm, while the others and Alan were working on the sales, repairing damage from the storm.
As he crouched, legs spread wide, Alexis took a chance and lashed out with both heels, but Horsfall calmly caught her ankles with one hand and causally pinned them to the floor.
“Takes a cleverer lass than you to catch me in the delicates.”
Alexis threw her head forward and spit into his face.
Horsfall grinned widely, not bothering to wipe his face and showing stained, uneven teeth. He waited, letting the spittle slowly slide down his face, then leaned in closer to her. He dropped one knee to the floor, trapping her bound ankles and slid one hand up the inside of her leg while he cupped her bruised cheek with the other.
“And been spat on by prettier,” he said, then his grin faded and his face grew cold. “But don’t push me, else I forget about the coin, girl.” He leaned back, resuming his former crouch, elbows resting on his knees. “Which is what we’ve to talk about, then. Now, as we’re standing this moment, I need you for the coin, and I need your friend Alan, for the name and place of where to get it.” He nodded to Gorbett and Peters. “These two, I’ll not be needing so much, save to keep you in your proper behaviorals.
“So think on this, then. There’s the path we’re on, down which your Alan finally shares with me, and why he’s such a suspectful lad where I’m concerned, I cannot fathom. But tell me he will, and then it’s home for you and coin for me — which giving your Alan a half of, is making me mislike that particular path a might.
“Another path for us is one where I get the who and the where from your two friends here, for I’m sure they know enough — and if they don’t, well, you might tell to keep ‘em … whole, as it were. But down that path lies the screaming and the crying and the bloody bits flung everywheres.” He shook his head sadly. “Now I will admit I like that path more than a little … and that keeps me awake some nights, it does. Not bothered by it, you understand, just … thinking on it.
“The third path, though, that’s the easiest. That’s the one where you tell me yerself, I keep all the coin, and you and your two friends sleep safe at home within a month. Oh, and fer a bonus, yer friend Alan’ll take a stroll on the hull without his necessaries.”
He leaned close again, grin wide and his breath rank against her face.
“Which do you think?”
“Have you ever in life brushed your teeth, Mister Horsfall? Your mouth really is extraordinary.”
Horsfall stood, his grin gone and his eyes glittering dangerously.
“I’ll leave you to yourself for your decideifying.”
* * *
“You should consider it, Mister Carew,” Gorbett whispered. “It’s no worse than Alan deserves and much as I hate to admit it, Horsfall is right — it’ll be easy enough to find out you’re from Dalthus and …”
“Hush now, Mister Gorbett,” Alexis whispered back. “There’s no telling who’s listening.”
“I’m only saying …”
“I understand your meaning, Mister Gorbett, I do.”
Alexis’ mind was churning over the options. If she did nothing, then Alan would eventually tell Horsfall about Dalthus and her grandfather — whether there’d be any profit for them, she didn’t know, for she’d never heard of any single holder on Dalthus bringing more than a thousand pounds of hard coin to bear. Most of their wealth was their land and the machines they worked it with. Perhaps her grandfather could sell off enough of the holding’s equipment to others to make up whatever payment Horsfall demanded, or perhaps not. Regardless, the pirate had made it clear that Gorbett and Peters were of no use to him then, and she dreaded what would be done to them.
On the other hand, she couldn’t bear the thought of helping him, even if it meant her own death. It would likely take everything her grandfather had built up for his entire life and leave him with nothing if he had to pay a ransom. Her bile rose at the very thought of cooperating in such a thing. But, she knew, if the pirate did choose his “second path”, she wouldn’t be able to sit by and watch while he tortured Peters or Gorbett.
What she’d like to do is retake the ship and kill the bastard herself.
Shoot him just for his vocabulary, I would.
But that was unlikely — the three of them were well-trussed up. And even if they could, somehow, retake the ship, three was not enough to sail her.
“I’ll not cooperate with him, Mister Gorbett,” she whispered, deciding. “So long as he lacks the information, any number of things could happen.”
“Mister Carew, we’ve a chance to save our lives.”
“A chance which will not be lessened by waiting a bit more. Alan, bastard though he is, seems cagey enough to delay until he’s sure of his own safety. And even then, I suspect he’ll hold something back — something we can use to bargain with Horsfall, then. Likely a better bargain, as I think he’s less and less enamored of Alan with every delay.”
From her other side, Peters spoke up. “Something about this isn’t right, Mister Carew.”
Alexis turned and grinned wryly. “Our ship is taken and we’re trussed up by pirates, Peters. What on earth could be no
t right about all that?”
“Meant about Alan, sir.”
Alexis’ face hardened. “Yes, there is something very not right about Alan, and I very much hope I’ll one day have the opportunity to rectify that.”
Peters looked troubled, but said no more.
* * *
Alexis awoke suddenly to a heavy weight on her chest and a hand across her mouth. Her eyes snapped open and she saw the Alan’s face near hers. She tried to struggle but found her hands were still tied behind her, and his weight atop her kept her immobile.
“Shh, now,” Alan whispered. He lowered his face to her ear and spoke quietly. His breath on the side of her face and the scent of rum on it reminded her of when he’d attacked her in the hold. Her heart hammered as she thrashed under him.
“Quiet now, Mister Carew, or you’ll wake them pirates and spoil it.” Alexis struggled frantically, trying to tug her hands free. She kicked her legs, trying to get a knee to the man’s back.
“Shh,” Alan whispered. “I learned to watch those feet once, now, didn’t I?”
Alexis opened her mouth wide and then snapped it shut, catching the side of one of Alan’s fingers between her teeth. She bore down forcefully, hearing him gasp in pain.
“That hurts a right bastard, it does, sir,” Alan continued through gritted teeth. “But you’ll listen, please sir, before you wake ‘em. Half of ‘em are dead drunk and the guard’s dozed off. I’ve the one gun they gave me and we’ve a chance to retake the ship.”
Alan’s words penetrated Alexis’ panic and she froze. Was he truly saying what she thought she’d heard?
“I know you’ve no cause to trust me, sir, but please nod if you understand. We’ve got to wake the others silent-like to have a chance.”
Slowly, Alexis released her grip on his hand.
“I’ll take my hand away now, sir, and get you loose. Please not a sound.” Alexis nodded understanding, and Alan took his hand from her mouth. He rolled off her tugged at her wrists. The sharp edge of a knife brushed against her skin and then her hands were free. Silently, Alan moved to her feet and cut those bonds as well. He handed her his pistol, butt first.
Into the Dark (Alexis Carew Book 1) Page 23