Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1)

by Taijeron, Cristi

  “All I have ever known is this island, and so as far as I know, it is wonderful.”

  “You have not been to London?”

  “No I haven’t. I have never left this island.” I lowered my head, expecting to hear about all the glorious things of which I had been denied.

  “Well I’ll be quick to tell you, it is those who have not seen this isle that are missing out. You are quite fortunate to call such a beautiful place home.”

  I was flattered by his kind attempt to ease my blunder and my cheeks lifted with a grin that I did not have to force.

  “I am looking forward to my new life here.”

  Knowing that his new life included taking me as his wife, I was not sure how to respond. Panicking within the awkward silence of not knowing what to say, I nervously attempted to detour his talk about the future by learning more about his past. “What was your life like in England?”

  “Very busy and very fast. Though I had a beautiful home, many clients, and was well known in town, I felt the need to slow down and settle in somewhere warm. After doing my research and writing to Hester, I found that this would be the perfect place for me.”

  It annoyed me that he led his sentence right back to the future.

  I simply nodded my head to show that I understood, and he took my bleak response as an opportunity to reel on. “Also, your father told me about you.” My heart almost leaped out of my throat. “Once I heard about how lovely you were, I knew my course was set. I will say, your beauty is greater than imagined.”

  How many times would this man leave me speechless? I had not anticipated his handsome allure and I was helpless against his adoring demeanor. Frustrated with the blank white space that floated in my mind, I meekly accepted his compliment. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Please, call me Lawrence.”

  I nodded to agree.

  “Well, Miss Charlotte, I must be going to lay out some plans for my property. It was truly my greatest pleasure to meet you, and I do look forward to seeing you again.” He moved in a slight bow as he kissed my hand. Once he walked out the gate I stayed still in the pavilion, like a statue in the garden.

  Soon enough I broke free of my trance and strolled through the garden to let my thoughts meander. The heavy scent of fruit and flowers seemed to soothe my nerves as I wandered down the winding path. I walked to the northwest end of the property and peeked through the gate at the view of the sea. The clouds were rolling across the sky and I enjoyed the way their shadows danced over the glimmering ocean.

  Just below the shrubs that lined the sea cliff before me, I could see the sandy shore below. It was the place where I had confessed this very betrothal dilemma to Sterling. I loved the way that even a mere dream of him could warm my heart like a rock in the sunlight.

  Today’s turn of events had been unexpected and I needed to reassess the angle of my plan. All the seemingly impossible notions swirled in my mind like a whirlpool until I thought of the tattoo on Sterling’s chest. Telling myself that my heart would guide me to freedom, I put my hands on the iron bars of the fence and soaked up the beauty of the view. The wind blew through my hair, and as if the breeze would carry the message to my buccaneer, I whispered, “I will wait for you my love.”

  X

  Lawrence had busied himself arranging the layout of his estate and I mulled along in my usual way. I had been working on my songwriting assignment and looked forward to the day’s harpsichord lesson. I walked into the music room and greeted Girard with great joy; he was always pleasantly inspiring. After going over some note patterns and reiterating the rules of the assignment, Girard stood back to listen as I relayed my work.

  I had always enjoyed playing the harpsichord and had improved greatly over the years, but today I found an unexpected pleasure in the art. The sound of music poured across the air that filled the room, replicating the root of my passion as if each note were a word; finally confessing my forbidden fancy. I alone understood the language and reveled in the secrecy, for though the world around could hear the notes and feel the passion, they would never know the story that my music expressed.

  Girard could hardly contain his pleasure, “My dear, your passion is uncanny.”

  “Oh, thank you Girard. It is your teaching that has brought me so far.” I remembered Sterling saying how much he loved music and that the crew enjoyed having musicians aboard. I hoped that I could play for him one day; then the language would no longer be a secret.

  X

  The Pattersons and Mister Braddock joined us for Friday night’s dinner and though everyone talked in joyful delight, I kept to myself. The men blustered on about politics and the prospect of producing rum, while the women were drinking rum and talking about spending the money the men plotted over. After rice pudding the men headed out for their cigar smoke and us women huddled in to enjoy our chatting.

  Hester slurred a bubbly invitation, “Charlotte, my dear, I believe you should have a drink with us tonight.”

  Maureen, whose face was nearly healed, agreed. “Oh yes, to celebrate.”

  Hester poured a glass for me that I happily accepted.

  After a round of small talk Maureen shrugged her shoulders at me and whispered, “So, what do you think about Mister Braddock?”

  My buzzing mood made it easy to stick to the positive side of the truth. “Oh, he is quite handsome isn’t he? He is very kind and polite as well.”

  They both giggled and Hester boasted, “He has always been a pure gentlemen, one of England’s finest.”

  Maureen added, “You’re a lucky lady, Charlotte, and how joyous for us all to have you married here at home.”

  I was truly enjoying myself. Laughing and gossiping with Hester and Maureen had become much more enjoyable than I ever would have expected. In fact, I was growing quite attached to my new friends, and through the bubbling buzz that we shared, I began to think that this lifestyle might not be so bad. Eating fancy food and drinking with the ladies while the men smoked cigars and supported our futures. We all laughed as we cheered our glasses together to begin another round, and every bit of my smile was sincere.

  Once the men returned, Paul raised Maureen from her seat and twisted her around in a fluid dance move. At the same time my father led Hester up by hand and I thought how dreamy it must be for these couples to be truly in love and not have to hide it. While I adored their romance with light envy, Lawrence politely reached for my hand. I accepted his gesture and felt a misting energy flow down my arm as I rose. Once again I wondered if it would be possible to embrace this lifestyle that I had always hoped to escape.

  The older couples went on their ways and Lawrence suggested we go out to the garden. As I came to my feet I realized that I was completely tipsy from the rum, and I almost lost my balance. Lawrence leaned his arm beneath mine to catch me, and though I told him I was fine to walk, once I moved, it felt as if my feet were feather light and the ground was rolling beneath me.

  Unprepared for the rush, I leaned on Lawrence for support and laughed at myself. Instantly feeling small and dainty against his wide chest, I had no desire to back away. Lawrence was naturally large but his muscles were not as refined as Sterling’s. Sterling’s body was shaped by the hard work of his lifestyle, but far as I knew, Lawrence had spent his days indoors sitting behind a desk. I was surprised by the rough feel of his hands as he wrapped them around my arms.

  He pulled me up straight and smiled playfully. “A little too much rum tonight, mi’lady?”

  I looked at his handsome face and laughed, blaming Hester and Maureen. “Oh, those women can drink. I’d say they are a rather bad example.”

  Lawrence continued to lead me out the door where we stood on the covered porch outside the dining hall. I reveled in the distant sound of rumbling thunder and wondered if it would rain. While I gazed upon the clouds that were rolling in, Lawrence complimented me. “You look lovely tonight, Miss Charlotte.”

  “Well thank you, kind sir. You are not half bad yourself.�
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  He looked to be aghast by my improper slur, but I was buzzing from the rum and wasn’t the least bit concerned with acting proper at the moment. In fact, a surge of playfulness rushed through my body and I wished that he would pick me up in his arms or have a stick sword fight with me.

  “It is a beautiful night tonight,” he calmly observed.

  Figuring he would not be up for such childish events, I aimed to keep a proper tone as I replied, “Yes it is.”

  Disappointed by the dull contrast to my colorful feelings, I turned to look at him, resisting a pout, and I found myself suddenly near his handsome face. His lips made for a rather enticing target. The moment made the perfect setting for a kiss, but the rush of temptation was quickly replaced by a vibrant memory of Sterling. I clearly saw the serious look on his face when he made his promise to be faithful to me, and the assurance of our commitment quickly halted my promiscuous desire.

  Aiming to distract Lawrence from my unspoken notion, I asked, “What is it that you do for fun?” I touched his nose with my fingertip, playfully prodding him along.

  Surprised to hear him chuckle at my silly gesture, I smiled as he spoke. “For fun? Oh, I do like to read and to smoke cigars with my chaps. An occasional drink and…” Just as I started to doubt any sort of excitement from his answer he finished with, “…I think my favorite pastime would be target practice. I have a collection of guns and I intend to make a range on my property.”

  “You don’t say?” I blurted my excitement. He seemed startled by my interest, but I refused to be denied the opportunity that was brewing in my mind, so I leaned in closer to him as I suggested, “I would be thrilled to practice with you, Lawrence.”

  “I will have the range built right away.” The quickness of his answer assured the success of my persuasion.

  I asked him questions about the guns and he assuredly explained his vast knowledge. We lingered on in jolly conversation as the storm drew near but once the rain started to fall, and the wind whipped through the garden, Lawrence insisted upon getting me out of the weather. He took me in and kissed my cheek as he bid me goodnight.

  X

  The next day, I happily accepted Hester’s invitation to join her and Maureen at the market. While walking the avenues they gawked over beautiful outfits and ornate décor, and though their interest was outside of my usual intrigue, I attempted to chime in on their pleasures. Hester was admiring a large mirror and while she rubbed her hand across the beveled wooden frame, she spoke to me through her reflection. “Soon you will have a home of your own to furnish, Charlotte. You can start dreaming of what you would enjoy to have.”

  I had never really thought into my future that way. Always having abstract visions of my adventuring life at sea, settling into a home with heavy furniture and colorful décor was a new prospect to me. Suddenly I saw the market in a new light. As I walked past the booth of colorful imported fabrics, I drifted off into the possibilities of this new rendition of my dreamland.

  The pleasant enjoyment of my peaceful fantasy took a harsh detour when I noticed the wanted poster that hung outside the canopy I stood near.

  WANTED

  For Piracy and Pillaging

  Captain Dedrick Morley

  DEAD or ALIVE

  The poster stated that his ship was called Wind of Glory, and a hefty bounty would be offered to the man that delivered him or any members of his crew.

  There was a rough drawing of what the dreaded captain looked like and the mere image of the sketch pierced my heart with fear. I imagined how terrified Maureen must have been the evening that awful man attacked her, and was suddenly suffocated by the thought of Sterling raising his sword to her while she laid helplessly on the floor. I was still unclear of the details, and I wanted more than anything to believe his words to me, but after all, the man I loved was a pirate; I began to wonder how much I could trust him.

  My torrent of gut-wrenching worry was brashly interrupted by the feel of Hester’s gentle hand on my shoulder. I inhaled with a gasp of dramatic surprise and she rubbed my arm to calm me. “It will be alright, my dear. Maureen became empowered by her talk with us and was brave enough to relay the identities of those crooks to the guard. Apparently this captain’s crew has been causing problems in port as well as at sea, and Governor Morgan has great interest in putting an end to his abominable gallivanting.”

  My heart steamed in a heat of panic. Knowing I could not relay my true concern, I meekly trembled, “Why is there only one poster? I thought there were two men.”

  “The guards did some research and were able to find information on the captain but his associate was unheard of.”

  I lowered my head into my hand and sighed. Hester led me away from the poster and reassured, “Do not dread, my dear. I do have faith that these men will be found and brought to justice.”

  As we walked on, I struggled to shield my aching despair and agonized to myself about how justice was indeed what I dreaded.

  I spent the evening on my veranda, and just as every night since Sterling sailed away, I anticipated his return. Many ships had come and gone since the Wind of Glory sailed away and my heart would flutter at the sight of each arrival. As of yet, my hopes had only lifted to fall in disappointment, but no matter the size of my let down, I was always pleased by the wonder of the spyglass. At least it simmered my anxiety sooner than waiting by eye.

  After the sun set, the mere sliver of a moon arose to remind me how I was halfway through the struggle. That is, if he returned to me alive. As much as I dreaded the thought, it was but one of the many worrisome possibilities that were running rampant in my mind. The reality of that Wanted poster put a whole new flare of fear on my worries over Sterling and his return. It was no longer just the weather, the bind with his captain, or the possibility of battle; now I feared the claw of the Royal Guard and the men that would hunt him for that bounty.

  Certain that my mind would never rest until he was here to clarify my faith in him, and my faith in that promise that we made to each other, I agonized the distance to that day, while also stressing over all the impossible details of our future together. How was this ever going to work? Though I could hardly imagine relinquishing my memory of him, I began to question the painful cost of loving that handsome buccaneer as I did.

  X

  Wading through my morning in a spell of confusion, I nervously paced the sunlit floor of my room, pondering the recent events of my life. I was torn asunder by my two impossible lives. There was a new appeal to the life ashore that I had forever yearned to escape, yet my desire for the sea was so engrained in my daydreams that I knew it would never truly fade away.

  Lawrence would be arriving soon, and without any more energy to bear the burden of my distress, I decided to make due with what I had and forced a smile as I headed downstairs to meet with him.

  Lawrence helped me into the carriage, and after offering a polite greeting, I stared blankly out the window to observe the pleasant scenery. The dirt road was still wet from the night’s rain, and the lush greenery that surrounded the path was damp with heavy morning dew. Gray clouds coated the sky, looking ready to drop more rain at any moment, but only lingered with a misty fog that began to dampen my skin. I did adore the comfort of my home island’s natural beauty, yet my attraction to the scene led me to wonder what other natural beauties must be out across the sea.

  Lawrence looked alarmed by my silence. “Are you feeling alright, mi’lady?”

  “Oh, yes. I am fine. I just did not sleep well.”

  I could tell that he wasn’t sure how to respond to my awkward mood so he just sat next to me in pleasant silence until we reached his property.

  No more than ten minutes into the ride, a stone wall appeared beneath the bushes on the left, and it quickly curved into an arched entryway that stated the name: Eden’s Edge. Exchanging my sullen mood for a dash of interest, I perked up to take in the sight. I had passed this property many times but the surrounding foliage always blo
cked the view of the house, and I couldn’t wait to see what was beyond the gate that always intrigued me.

  Soon enough the trees cleared to reveal my first sight of the tall and powerful mansion. There was a beautiful green lawn surrounding the front of the house, the windows were barred with wrought iron swirls, and the doors were painted a deep red color, accenting the otherwise neutral tones of the walls, shutters, and eaves. The covered porch followed the front length of the house and there were flowering bushes lining its edge.

  “What a beautiful property, Lawrence.”

  “Tis a wonderful place to call home. I do hope that you like it here.”

  Shaken by his presumption, I simply nodded in approval as he helped me out of the carriage.

  Lawrence led me to the porch and the moment the double doors opened, my heart lit up like the sun that was nowhere in sight. The vaulted ceiling in the entryway was as high as the second story and there were narrow windows striped along the wall above the door, illuminating the room with the gray light of day. An ornate stairway practically decorated the rounded wall on the left, and the sound of our footsteps reverberated off the barren walls as he led me to the living area.

  The dining hall and kitchen were to the left, and there was a long hall leading to other rooms on the right, but the main room was open and bright. There were a few pieces of furniture set around a colorful rug, but I was instantly allured to the large windows that overlooked the ocean view. Walking in that direction without much mind to the simple surroundings, I observed the grandeur of the scene before me with my jaw agape. There were lush trees surrounding the descent of the lawn and just over the top of them I could see the infinite horizon of turquoise water. As much as I loved the sight of the ocean, in my current state of mind it seemed to fill my heart with pain. I choked down the tears that welled in my throat and asked to see what was upstairs.