Harlequin Historical September 2014 - Bundle 2 of 2: Lord Havelock's ListSaved by the Viking WarriorThe Pirate Hunter

by Annie Burrows

  She slipped off his lap and lay back on the floor. He followed immediately, only pausing to pick up his discarded shirt, lift her slightly, and place it under her to protect her back from the stony surface.

  ‘I love you,’ Mia said, ‘and I want you.’

  Her words seemed to set him on fire. He lunged on top of her, gently parting her legs with his own. He grabbed handfuls of her skirt and pushed them up to around her waist, exposing her to his eyes only.

  Mia watched as he unfastened his trousers and pushed them down, allowing his hardness to spring free. She tried to remember every sight, every touch, every sensation, knowing this would be what kept her strong as she faced her destiny.

  He paused before entering her. He was holding himself up with one arm, the other ready to guide himself inside her. Mia looked deep into his eyes and saw the love and desire burning there, love and desire all for her. She knew she’d been lucky, she’d found the one man she loved and who had loved her back and she knew, given the choice, she wouldn’t give the last few days up for a long but lonely life.

  Will pushed into her, filling her completely. Mia’s hips rose to meet his and they thrust together in perfect synchronisation. Mia felt the heat spreading through her body and the energy thrumming just beneath the surface. The sensation built as he plunged into her again and again and again until Mia knew one last thrust would push her over the edge.

  Mia looked up into Will’s eyes as she climaxed, enjoying the look of pure pleasure on his face as he exploded inside her.

  He collapsed down on top of her, holding enough of his weight on his arms to ensure she wasn’t crushed, but allowing his body to press against hers.

  ‘Thank you,’ she whispered in his ear.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Will looked down at the woman beneath him and made a silent vow: he wasn’t going to let her die. He didn’t care what he had to do or what he lost in the process. They could hang him if it meant Mia going free.

  He knew she’d wanted him to make love to her to give her one last fond memory before she took her trip to the scaffold and Will had been happy to oblige. But there was no way this was going to be their last moment together.

  Will pulled himself off her, knowing time was short. Thatcher had agreed to help him see Mia one last time—in the circumstances it was the least he could do. As much as Will wanted to hold Mia in his arms through the long night that was to follow he had things to do, plans to make.

  ‘I need you to be strong, my love,’ he said as he refastened his trousers and pulled his shirt back over his head.

  ‘I will be.’ There was a tremor in her voice that pierced through Will’s heart.

  ‘And I need you to believe in me.’

  She looked at him questioningly.

  ‘I won’t let you die,’ he promised her. ‘I vow on everything I hold sacred, I vow on the love I have for you, I won’t let you die.’

  He could see Mia wanted to believe him, but the despair was still in her eyes.

  ‘I won’t let you die,’ he repeated one final time.

  He pulled her to her feet and started to right her dress. The last thing he wanted was the guards to get a glimpse of her honey-coloured flesh and decide they wanted to sample her delights for themselves.

  When she was as presentable as possible Will grasped her by both shoulders and bent his head ever so slightly so they were on the same level.

  ‘I need you to listen carefully, Mia,’ he said, his voice low and serious. ‘Look out for me tomorrow. And be ready.’

  She looked confused. ‘Be ready for what?’

  Will shook his head and motioned to the door. He didn’t think anyone was listening, he’d paid the guard handsomely to take himself away to the other end of the cell block, but he couldn’t be sure.

  ‘Just be ready,’ he repeated cryptically, ‘and remember I’ll come for you.’

  He bent down to give her one last lingering kiss. He never wanted it to end, he wanted to stay locked to her lips for ever, but he knew that just wasn’t possible.

  With a clenched fist he banged loudly on the door and listened as the guard made his way from the other end of the cell block, inserted the key in the lock, and opened the door.

  ‘Farewell, my love,’ he said.

  The look of loneliness and desperation on Mia’s face as the cell door closed behind him was enough to spur him into action.

  His first act was to take out a silver coin from his pocket and hand it to the guard.

  ‘See she isn’t put back with any other prisoners and isn’t bothered by anyone,’ he said, handing the coin over. ‘There’ll be another one tomorrow if she’s well cared for.’

  The guard took the coin readily and within an instant it had disappeared somewhere on his person.

  ‘I need some information, too,’ he said, producing a second coin.

  The guard looked at it greedily. Two silver coins were probably worth more than four months’ salary. Will held it back for a second, waiting to hand it over until the guard had answered his question.

  ‘The execution tomorrow—Miss Del Torres is to be last, is that correct?’

  The guard nodded, his eyes only leaving the coin for a second.

  ‘And the other pirates will be hanged before her?’

  Again he nodded mutely.

  ‘In any particular order?’

  ‘There’s twenty to be executed tomorrow, not including her in there,’ the guard said, finally speaking. ‘They’ll go in the order I chain them.’

  This was exactly what Will wanted to hear.

  ‘And if I was to ask you to chain a certain man in the middle, would that be possible?’

  ‘For a price, sir.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Which one do you want in the middle?’

  Will was glad the guard didn’t seem to want to know his motivations for such a request.

  ‘Why don’t you take me to them and I can point one out.’

  The guard walked back through the cell block with Will following behind. He opened the door at the end and motioned for Will to step through into area with the more crowded cells.

  ‘These will all be hanged tomorrow,’ the guard said, indicating the silent men squeezed into the two communal cells.

  Will scrutinised them. They were a sorry-looking bunch, once-feared pirates reduced to scared little men by the prospect of inevitable death.

  He motioned to a small man in his twenties with a livid scar across one cheek.

  ‘You got any family?’ he asked, leaning in and speaking softly so no one else could hear.

  At first Will thought the man might not answer. There wasn’t much motivation for him to do so.

  ‘Mum and two sisters. They’ll probably starve now.’

  Perfect. This was just the sort of man Will had been looking for.

  ‘What if I was to promise to take care of them, seek them out and give them a gift of gold?’

  The man looked at him suspiciously, but Will was pleased to see some of the life returning to his previously dead eyes.

  ‘Why would you do that?’

  ‘I want you to do something for me in return.’

  ‘You’re the man who killed the Captain,’ the man said.

  Will nodded, hoping this revelation wasn’t going to spoil his chance.

  ‘What do you want me to do?’

  Will bent forward and spoke quietly so only the man could hear. From the corner of his eye he could see the other pirates edging closer, curious.

  When he’d finished explaining, the other man nodded.

  ‘If you can prove my family is going to be taken care of, I’ll do it.’

  ‘Deal.’

  Will pushed his hand
through the bars and grasped the pirate’s. They shook firmly.

  ‘Where can I find your family?’ he asked.

  ‘Brooker Street. Becky Watts is my mam.’

  ‘That one,’ Will said, turning back to the guard. ‘And I want him in a separate cell tonight so he doesn’t come to any harm. And I don’t want you asking any questions.’

  Will held out a whole purse full of silver coins.

  ‘Fine by me,’ the guard said.

  Will watched as he moved the young pirate out from the communal cell and across into the quieter cell block.

  ‘I’ll be back later with that man’s family.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Will felt his plan slowly coming together. It wouldn’t be easy—in fact, it would probably be the most difficult thing he’d ever done—but if he managed to pull it off it would most definitely be worth it.

  He thought of Mia alone and afraid in her cell and forced himself to resist the urge to go back to her. She would have one night of misery, but if he managed to save her he would make it up to her with a lifetime of love.

  Will strode out of the cell block and spied Thatcher leaning against a wall. His old friend looked haggard and haunted and Will wondered if he could trust him.

  Taking the risk, he walked over to Thatcher and leaned against the wall next to him.

  ‘How is she?’ Thatcher asked gloomily.

  ‘Awful. She’s given up hope.’

  ‘I spoke to the Governor again. He’s not budging.’

  ‘Thanks for trying.’

  ‘I feel terrible, Greenacre. I only wish there was something I could do.’

  Will regarded him for a few seconds, trying to work out how serious he was.

  ‘There is something,’ he said slowly, ‘but it isn’t exactly legal.’

  He watched as Thatcher considered his statement.

  ‘How illegal are we talking?’

  ‘It’s more turning a blind eye,’ Will hedged.

  Thatcher thought some more.

  ‘I suppose hanging Miss Del Torres isn’t really legal in itself,’ he said. ‘Let’s see if two wrongs can make a right.’

  ‘I need you to arrange the men standing guard at the execution tomorrow in a particular way.’

  ‘The Commodore oversees the Navy men,’ Thatcher said.

  ‘But I’m sure if you highlighted a particular security concern and a way to remedy that the Commodore would listen. He strikes me as a reasonable man.’

  ‘He is a reasonable man. We happen to play chess together.’

  Will grinned. Maybe, just maybe, he had a chance.

  ‘What do you want me to persuade him to do?’ Thatcher asked.

  ‘It’s probably best if I show you.’

  They walked silently away from the cell block and out into the square beyond. Already the soldiers from the garrison were setting up the scaffold, readying it for the executions in the morning.

  ‘Point out to me the likely points the Commodore will station his men,’ Will requested.

  ‘He’ll have a long line in front of the scaffold so the crowd can’t surge forward,’ Thatcher began explaining. ‘Then he’ll have men every few feet or so around the perimeter. A couple with each line of prisoners and a couple more to take them to the scaffold. And then he’ll station a few up on the walls above to keep an eye out for troublemakers.’

  ‘And how about behind the scaffold?’ Will asked.

  Thatcher looked over to the half-built platform and assessed it carefully.

  ‘Maybe one or two, not more than that. That alleyway there—’ he pointed to the narrow opening that came out just to one side of the scaffold ‘—you wouldn’t get a good view from there so the locals won’t be pushing their way through that way.’

  ‘Perfect,’ Will said, his plan taking shape. ‘Now I need you to persuade Commodore Wilkins to take the man he might have positioned in front of that alleyway and instead get him to guard the prisoners as they wait to be executed.’

  Thatcher looked at him assessingly.

  ‘You can say they look to be a rowdy bunch and you think they’ll need an extra man there, not wasted on this alleyway.’

  Thatcher nodded. ‘I don’t want to know what you have planned, Greenacre, but I wish you the best of luck.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘If anyone can pull this off, it’s you.’

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  It had been the longest night of Mia’s life. She hadn’t slept a wink. Instead, she’d closed her eyes and pictured Will’s face, trying to keep herself from going mad with fear.

  He’d promised her he would save her. She knew he’d meant it, or at least the intention, but she also knew it was impossible. She would be in chains in front of thousands of people, guarded by dozens of guards. One man on his own couldn’t win against odds like that, even if that one man was Will Greenacre.

  Mia pushed the plate of stale bread away from her. She didn’t want to eat a thing. Better her stomach be empty for what was to come so she couldn’t spend her last minutes on earth vomiting from fear.

  She held her breath as the keys jangled in the door and watched as it slowly opened.

  A tiny part of her expected to see Will’s smiling face on the other side of the door, laughing and telling her everything was sorted out, she wasn’t going to be hanged. When the guard entered she felt herself deflate.

  ‘Ready, miss?’ he asked.

  After Will’s visit the afternoon before, the guard had been most courteous to her, enquiring every hour or so if she required anything. She wondered how much Will had paid him.

  Mia stepped out into the corridor and felt her legs wobble. She was nervous already and they hadn’t even made it outside. The guard saw her hesitate and took her gently by the arm, supporting her as they shuffled through the cell block.

  Mia glanced at the cell she had shared with Essie the day before and saw the older woman looking at her pityingly. She didn’t utter a word, just inclined her head, the small movement conveying the sympathy of one prisoner to another.

  They emerged into the morning sunlight and Mia had to scrunch her eyes up it was so bright compared to the gloominess of the cells. The morning was not yet hot, but the cloudless Caribbean sky promised another perfect day. The first day of many Mia would not get to enjoy.

  She saw the condemned pirates lined up in front of her, twenty men shackled at the wrists and ankles. A few were openly sobbing, but most just looked dazed, as if they couldn’t believe what was about to happen.

  The Governor stood before them, his forehead glistening with perspiration under his thick wig.

  ‘You have all been sentenced to hang for crimes of piracy,’ the Governor said loudly so they could all hear him. ‘You will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. This will be done in full view of your fellow man so they may learn what happens when you break the law.’

  Mia rather thought the old man was enjoying himself. He seemed excited, as if he were about to show off his life’s work to a bevy of appreciative onlookers.

  ‘We will tolerate no violence or attempts to escape your fate. You will stand quietly in a line until you are called forward.’

  Mia didn’t see what motivation they had to obey, they were already being given the harshest punishment. Not that the trancelike state of the pirates made her think any of them would try to cause a fuss.

  The prisoners were ushered forward into three carts. The twenty pirates filled up the first two carts and Mia was left on her own staring at the third. The Governor obviously meant for her to be pulled through the streets by herself, so people would have the opportunity to torment her individually as she passed.

  The guard gently pushed her forward and Mia stepped up into the woode
n cart. Obligingly she held out her hands as a rope was looped above her shackles, securing her to a wooden post at the front of the cart. The back of the cart was secured and Mia was on full display to the world, unable to move or dodge any missiles that flew her way.

  The Governor had disappeared, no doubt to settle into his position far above the crowds, ready to watch the procession of pirates. The first cart started rolling out of the courtyard, closely followed by the second. As Mia’s cart began to move she heard the roar of the crowd as they laid eyes on the first set of prisoners.

  Mia’s legs nearly buckled from underneath her as her cart left the protective walls of the prison yard. She tried to focus directly in front of her and ignore the faces filled with hatred as they shouted insults. The first piece of debris that struck her was some sort of mouldy fruit. It hit her on her outstretched arm and didn’t hurt, but the shock almost made her shout out. Other stale or mouldy foodstuffs followed, as well as a few small rocks and pebbles. Mia was struck on the cheek by something sharp. It stung and she felt the telltale warm trickle of blood running down her face.

  She made the mistake of looking at the crowd and silently swallowed a sob. It wouldn’t do to show weakness—they would pounce and destroy her if she did. Nevertheless she found it hard to keep the pure terror from showing itself on her face.

  The mob was terrifying—she had never seen so much hate and anger in one place. She knew they were whipping each other up into a frenzy, but somehow the thought that these were normally quiet, respectable people made it all that much worse. She tried not to react as she spotted a woman who had worked in the shipbuilder’s kitchens with her. The woman’s face was contorted with rage and Mia wondered how people could be so easily swayed by the lies of their Governor.

  The cart jerked to a stop and too soon the journey was over. Mia would have endured one hundred cart rides with everyone shouting and spitting their hatred rather than have it come to an end. They had rolled to a stop in the big square. Just in front of them was the scaffold, guarded from the heaving crowd by ten soldiers in their pristine red uniforms. Mia scanned the crowd, wondering if Will was out there watching. Part of her wanted to see his face just one last time, the other part hoped he was somewhere far from here so he wouldn’t have to watch as she mounted the platform and had the noose looped around her neck.