“I am ready!” she squealed in delight.
“Okay, here is the plan. Novia will unlock our door so we can sneak off the boat. Hopefully we get away unnoticed. Pull your hair up so it is not noticeable. Change your dress into something as unflattering as possible. Do you have any pants?”
“Pants? Like, for men?” She asked in awe.
“Yes.” He answered without explanation.
“Well, I think there is one pair in here somewhere that I wear to bed in the winter,” she replied.
Burke nodded his head, “Put them on.”
Minutes went by and then hours. Novia never came and the ship grew quiet. “Burke, something is wrong. Aunt Novia would have come by now to at least tell us what is going on. They must have locked her and Uncle Guillermo in for the night.”
“When shall they release them?” He questioned in discouragement.
“They might in the morning. They usually never lock them in anymore, but maybe they were concerned about The Heart of Calais and decided not to take any chances on us getting away,” Cori surmised.
Burke took a deep breath and stood up from the uncomfortable chair, “Well, we cannot wait until morning. We must find our own way off of this ship. Do you have anything in here that we could use to loosen the hinges on the door?”
“I have a knife, but it is little,” Cori shrugged.
“That will have to do,” he answered as she pulled the small weapon out of her empty jewelry box.
Burke scooted the trunk and the armoire out of the way. He worked at the door hinges for what seemed like hours. Finally the bottom was loose as well as the middle. Burke twisted at the top latch until it finally came undone as well. Since the door was bolted against the wall on the other side of the door, the portal barely opened even with all three hinges off. “Can you squeeze through?” he asked.
“Yes, but can you?” Cori inquired.
Burke smiled shyly, “I shall make it. At least this way the door does not look like it has been messed with. The locks will keep it standing straight and it shall not look tampered with until they unlock it. Then it will probably fall on whoever opens it!”
Very quietly Burke peered through the cracked door. “No one is in the hall, Cori. Go ahead and sneak through but stay against the wall in case someone comes.”
The thin girl squeezed through effortlessly, but it took a little more pushing and pulling to get her tall, muscular partner through the door. When both were together again they crept slowly down the hallway to the bottom of the stairs. Snores were heard coming from Klaas and Yvet’s rooms. Falco’s quarters were silent, as well as Marin and Sharlene’s. Burke climbed up the stairs on hands and knees to get a better look onto the deck. Marin, as always, was standing at the helm. Sharlene was by his side overlooking the ocean, searching for any sign of The Heart of Calais.
“Let’s go,” Burke whispered to Cori. “Stay up against the wall and low to the ground. They are looking toward the ocean and not toward us. Try not to be noticed.”
The pair crept along the far side of the ship. It was early in the morning and the sun was barely visible as it began rising in the sky. Cori and Burke scooted quickly and silently. They finally reached the edge of the boat, preparing to jump off the side and land on the beach. Burke glanced down quickly with Cori at his side, “There’s Falco and Zeeman. We need to get back across to the other side.”
Sure enough, Cori could see Zeeman replacing boards at the bottom of the boat. Her despicable fiancé stood by the Carpenter, barking orders and supervising the repairs. Cori gasped, pushing her back firmly against the wall. Burke rubbed her arm quickly, urging her to go. The pair snuck back the way they came, passed the stairs, and to the other side of the ship. Burke froze, squeezing Cori’s arm. Sharlene had heard something and she scanned the ship’s deck with her eyes. He pulled her down with him to a crouching position behind a couple tall black cannons and waited for her to return her attention to the sea.
When finally she gave up on the noise, they looked for a quick shelter on the ground to run for. After a long stretch of beach with no covering at all, there was a large clump of trees hiding the village. Burke took a swift leap off of the boat and landed with a slight thud on the ground. Cori remained against the wall, hoping no one but she had heard the sound. Burke motioned for her to jump and held out his arms to catch her. She scrunched her eyebrows together and then rolled her eyes at him, giving him a shooing motion with her hands until he shrugged and backed a short distance away.
Cori jumped, landing silently in the sand without Burke’s help. “Quiet,” he whispered as they snuck along the bottom of the boat. “We have to make it out of eyesight before Falco, Zeeman, Sharlene or your father spot us. Then, we have to get to the village and into a safe hiding place before they notice we are gone.”
The pair tiptoed through the sand to put a little distance between themselves and The Beloved Loss. A few yards from the boat, they froze again and peered upward knowing that if they crept any further they would be in clear eyesight to their pirate enemies. “On the count of three, run for the trees. Okay?” Cori asked, taking charge.
“Okay,” Burke answered with a devilish grin.
“THREE!” She whispered enthusiastically, throwing Burke off guard. He ran as fast as he could but the long legged vixen by his side easily outran him. When they reached the edge of the palm trees they peered behind them to see if anyone had followed. No one seemed to suspect a thing and Cori took a deep breath of relief.
“Where did you learn to run so fast?” Burke questioned with a smile.
Cori smiled, thinking of the many pranks she pulled on Zeeman and Klaas over the past several years. “Practice, practice, practice!”
They made it to the village before the sun was much higher in the sky and the inhabitants were beginning to shuffle around. One hut sat in the middle of the village, larger than most and all alone. It had palm leafs covering the doorway and large cracks for windows. “This must be their storehouse,” Burke whispered sneaking closer to it. “Let us gather up some food before we find a hiding spot.”
“I shall stand here and keep guard. If anyone comes, I’ll alert you. Grab something quickly,” Cori ordered anxiously.
Burke nodded and walked into the hut where he picked up several large oranges, a bag of fish, a few yellow bananas, and a pineapple. He shuffled them around in his arms until he had a decent grip and slipped back out the portal to Cori. “Hurry,” she whispered as he handed her a few things to help carry. “No one has been out of their huts yet but I’ve heard voices coming from several. They shall surely be out soon.”
They crept back to the wood line between the beach and the village, “We need to hide somewhere close to the sea so my crew can find us when they arrive. On the other hand, we cannot stay close to The Beloved Loss. Let’s sneak around toward the forested part of the island.”
Cori stopped in her tracks and looked at Burke in fear, “The land is a rainforest, Burke. If we keep walking this direction we will get deeper and deeper into the swampy part of the island. It would be a great place to hide because of the dense tree cover, and many caves right off of the beach but it’s extremely dangerous. There are enormous snakes that the natives call Boa Constrictors. When the Spaniards first claimed this land they died by the thousands. Not only are there man-eating snakes, but alligators, poisonous spiders, giant beetles, and disease carrying mosquitoes. Plus, it is easy to get lost in the bog before we reach the sea again. Are you sure we should try?”
“That’s our best option, Cori. Who are you more afraid of, snakes or your father?” Burke shrugged. “Are you capable of trying?”
“Me?” She scoffed. “Oh, I am fine. I was just worried about you,” she answered with her chin held high.
“That’s what I figured,” Burke chuckled. “Let’s eat first.”
The pair sat down in the covering of trees, hidden temporarily from The Beloved Loss. However, they were close enough to hear a lo
ud crash when Cori’s door fell away from the locks. Burke and Cori both gasped aloud, meeting eyes as they realized what the source of the noise was. Then, to reaffirm their silent question, Falco screamed clearly and unmistakably, “MEVROUW!”
“Off we go!” Burke commanded with a smile on his face. They grabbed the remainder of the fish and fruit, throwing it into Cori’s small bag. Burke threw her bag over his shoulder and they raced ahead into the dangerous surroundings.
After over thirty minutes of running into the rainforest, Burke had to sit down and rest. “How can you possibly not be tired?” He asked between breaths.
Cori giggled, “I am just tougher than you, Burke Belcourt! Come on, let’s at least keep walking. I do not want them to catch up!”
“Surely they will not look this direction for us. They shall search the village first,” Burke shrugged, standing back up.
“If they cannot find me there they shall look here. They will search Hispaniola from side to side,” she whispered in fear.
Burke elbowed Cori playfully, “Then we better find a good hiding spot.”
They walked through the rainforest for hours, trying to stay close enough to the shore that they could hear the waves crashing. The last thing either of them wanted was to wind up lost in an extremely deadly environment. Later into the afternoon the sound of distant cannons erupting were heard. “What’s that?” Cori questioned.
“Cannons. I’ve heard enough of those in my day to know. It’s coming from behind us, where we left The Beloved Loss. If I was a betting man, I would say that The Heart of Calais just showed up,” Burke said in relief.
More distant crashes were heard as Cori replied, “Why do you sound so calm about it? They are waging war back there!”
“I’m calm because The Beloved Loss is no concern for my crew. Acel will bring down your father’s ship, then do all the arresting required, realize we’re not onboard, and come looking for us. No problem, right?” He surmised.
Cori shook her head at him, “Oh, you think it shall be that easy, huh? Keep in mind, you might be the most feared buccaneer on the sea but my father is the most feared pirate on the sea. I hope you are right and it is truly that easy to bring them down, but I am not going to breathe until it happens and I am safe and free in France!”
“I am no buccaneer! Silly girl,” he chuckled, “But do not worry about them. Let’s just worry about finding our way to a good hiding spot before it gets dark.”
If he is not a buccaneer for France, I guess he is a pirate. Then why does he have a home in France? How can he live on land and on the sea both? Is he not afraid of being caught? Cori wondered. She opened her mouth to ask him her questions but her shrill scream came out instead. “SNAKE!”
Not an inch in front of Burke’s face was a tall tree, full of leaves and vines. One of the vines he was about to grab was no vine at all. It lunged toward them as Cori screamed. The Boa Constrictor tried to wrap his giant mouth around Burke’s hand but thanks to Cori’s warning he jerked his arm away with less than a second to spare. Burke stumbled backward and landed right on top of Cori. They both lay on the moist ground for a few moments, laughing at themselves as the snake slithered away. “Get off of me!” Cori giggled, “I am going to get bit by some horrible bug and die!”
Burke grabbed Cori’s hand and helped her to her feet. “I do not like snakes, but it’s sure beautiful out here, is it not?” He asked, still holding Cori’s hand in his own.
“Yes, it is.” She agreed, blushing and dropping her hand to her side.
The rainforest was filled with tall trees, towering so high above the couple that they could not see the sky. Each tree was covered in weaving vines and lush greenery. Exotic flowers bloomed all around them and the peaceful sounds of distant waves crashing on the beach, small animals communicating, and the light rain falling on the trees above filled their senses. “Yes,” Cori repeated again, “The forest is stunning.”
“It is,” Burke concurred, “but the rainforest is not what I was talking about.”
Cori looked at him in confusion for a moment until she understood his compliment, “Oh,” she whispered quietly.
“Come on, beautiful. Let’s keep going. It’s probably early evening by now and we still need to get several miles further from The Beloved Loss before making our way to the beach,” Burke planned, changing the subject.
Cori did not answer, she just followed his lead. She wondered to herself what life would be like married to such a man as the pirate captain, Burke Belcourt. Trying to avoid that subject though, she wondered about the men she would meet in France. She remembered Burke telling her a few nights back that she was beautiful enough to marry royalty. She did not care about titles, as long as he was an honest man who had no affiliation with pirates!
She wondered what the men of France were like. Are any of them as handsome as Burke? Do they smell as good as Burke? Are they as charming and funny as Burke? Are any as smart as Burke? She did not deny Burke’s hold on her senses. He was an amazing man, attractive and kind. She would never allow herself to fall for a pirate though. Never, never, never, she silently vowed.
“When we find a good location to spend the night we will eat the rest of our food, alright?” Burke suggested.
“Sure.”
Burke pondered the beautiful woman following behind him, “Why have you been so quiet lately?”
“Just trying to think, I guess. I have a lot on my mind.”
“Like what?”
“Like what could be happening with The Beloved Loss and The Heart of Calais. I don’t hear any more cannons but that could be because we are so far from them now, not necessarily because the battle is over. And even if your crew wins, the natives of Hispaniola are loyal to my father. Your crew better not try to waltz off their boat like they have been invited because it would be a disaster. They should just sail around the island until they spot us!” Cori began.
Burke felt a tender spot in his heart for the caring girl, “Acel’s smart, Cori. He shall figure that out. Do not worry about them!”
“I am also worried about finding a suitable hiding spot. A beach cave would be ideal, but alligators probably agree. Then, assuming we even make it to France alive, where will I stay? How shall I live from day to day? I have never thought about money, housing, or a real job before,” Cori distressed.
Burke decided that this was a good enough moment to tell her something he had been pondering on for the past couple days, “Well, you are welcome to stay at my home in Calais for a while until you decide what you want to do or where you want to go. And do not worry about money. I plan to sell The Beloved Loss and all the goods on it. All the money I earn from that will be yours. Deal?”
“Oh, Burke, no.” She shook her head in denial, “I cannot stay at your home and burden you.”
“It would only have to be for a few days, Cori. I will not be home much anyway. I shall be in Versailles handing your father and his crew over to the custody of King Louis. By the time I get back to my home in Calais, you will have had time to gather your wits and decide what you want to do with your life. You shall have plenty of money to live on until you get married,” he convincingly suggested.
Cori smiled politely, “We will see, Burke. I shall consider all my options, even that one. Besides, why do you think anyone, besides the occasional pirate, wants to marry me? I am a pirate’s daughter. People probably will not consider that I have the potential to be a good wife!”
“You are beautiful, kind, caring, intelligent, and young. Trust me; you shall be much sought after. Moreover, your father may be a pirate but I have come to realize that you are no pirate at all!”
“You really think so?” Cori asked hopefully.
“Definitely. I am sure it will not take long at all to find a man for you,” Burke replied with a damper in his tone. He really did not enjoy planning Cori’s courting experience. Once again, making him wonder why he even cared! Yes, I shall give her the credit of being breathtakingly
gorgeous, intelligent, mature, caring and kind, but no matter if she was a saint I could not marry her, I already have one marriage on my hands! He inwardly huffed.
“Now who is being quiet?” Cori inquired sarcastically.
Burke chuckled at her humor. She is funny also, he added to his silent list of compliments. “Yeah, yeah! Maybe I have a lot on my mind too!”
“Like what, Mr. Confident?” she teased.
“Like all the snakes in this world!”
“Oh gracious, Burke! We will be out of the rainforest and safely to the beach in an hour or two!”
“No, I do not mean on this island, Cori! I mean all the snakes in this world. You know, bad men out there who shall fall for you and will not be worthy.”
Cori scoffed out loud, rolled her eyes, stomped one foot, and put her hands on her hips. “I have you know, Captain Belcourt, that I am a grown woman! I have been around men all my life and I think I am a pretty decent judge of character!”
“You have been around seven or eight men in your whole life and the whole time you were under the protection and provision of your father. Yes, he is a pretty mean fellow, but he would not have allowed you to be harmed. Out of the thousands of men you might meet in France, how will you know which ones are honest and which ones are not?” Burke reasoned.
“Well,” Cori tried to begin. “I shall figure it out! How do all the other women in France pick a respectable husband?”
“Women of prominence and men of esteem are raised around each other from an early age. If a lady meets a man who claims royalty or affluence that she had never heard of before, her father will surely know him or his family and can make a judgment. It could be that he is from a distant region of France or even has a title in a different country! Many times, women are paired with men of their father’s choosing,” he explained.
A Pirate Princess Page 10