Watching the woman eating, Roberto could not believe he just agreed to this insane plan. His mind raced, trying to find a new plan, but hers was the best. He admitted after a few minutes. She clearly had put a lot of thought into it and they could win. Setting the captain and his men free for a get out of jail free card… he smirked.
“Yeah right.”
The whole idea was preposterous but as he watched her it grew on him just as she grew on him. He knew he had feelings for her but to what extent he did not want to admit. But she brought out the best in him. She was more than he expected and in only a short time he could not imagine giving her to the Falcon. That in itself was a thought that kept him awake often.
The whole idea of putting her in danger among the other pirates made his palms sweaty. His heart throbbed. So many things could go wrong. And he would never forgive himself if she got hurt.
He watched as she listened to the conversation at the table, smiling sweetly at the men, and another emotion surged through him. One he had never encountered before.
He frowned as she talked to Pierre, who listened to her with interest. When Pierre looked at him, Roberto scowled. His second smiled and continued with the conversation. Her laughter rang through the air. It annoyed him and he pushed his chair away, stepping out into the passageway as the door slammed behind him.
He knew he was acting childlike but he could not help himself. He walked to his grand cabin and plopped down in his chair. Thoughts rushed through him. Come on, man. The woman can talk to whomever she wants. She is not married to you. He squirmed in his chair. Seeing a glass of wine on his desk he took one huge swig and smacked his lips as the red liquid poured down his throat. His thoughts stuck on the word married. As if something had struck him, he briskly walked out of his cabin to the upper deck, knowing that his thoughts would be best occupied when busy.
It took them eighteen hours to catch up with the Heerengardt near the north coast of Morocco, at the curve where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean met. It was already late and Roberto decided to do it early in the morning, when most of those men would still be asleep. He was hoping they would have a good run-in with the rum barrel the previous evening.
They chose a few trusted men to go with them and brought them up to speed with the plan. All of them were eager to help the fellow sailors, even if they were technically enemies.
Just as the sun broke over the horizon the Contra O Vento sent a distress signal and the Heerengardt answered. The long boat had left an hour earlier with the chosen men on their way to the other side of the ship, waiting for the signal from Roberto.
The longboat had lowered onto the water and Rosa-Lee was let down with the boats man Fausto accompanying her. The Spaniard’s short, bulky frame concealed his strength and speed, both with weapons and his fists. He was the only man Roberto trusted to protect her at all costs.
Roberto thought his heart was going to stop at the sight of her. To think that he gave in to the plan was utter madness.
He swallowed at the lump in his throat, followed Pierre into the water, and swam behind the longboat to get unnoticed to the Heerengardt. They would then continue around the ship where they would meet the other men and get up with a rope fastened to their waists.
They were both masked, their identities sealed from prying people. They were still pirates, enemies on the waters. As they approached the ship, Rosa-Lee made sure that her dress revealed enough to keep the “captain” busy. Roberto almost had a heart attack when he saw her at first. Her bosom was showing too much soft roundness for his taste, and her small waist was even more accentuated. Some of his men smiled with pleasure and he gave them angry warning looks.
To display her attributes before other men was not good at all. It made him resentful to the whole absurd idea all over again. And again that unknown feeling coursed through him. It was an emotion so new to him that he did not recognize it at first, until Pierre pointed it out and Roberto told him to shut his mouth. The man was pleased with the discovery of Roberto’s envious emotions and gleeful, full of mischievous behaviour. Roberto knew he would never hear the end of this.
Rosa-Lee made sure that the men on the Heerengardt’s eyes were glued on her so that they would not notice the two men behind them. The boatswain had warned her a few times to take it easy, not to fall over the side, at which she just shrugged her shoulders and continued, enjoying the adventure. However, in reality, she was nervous and did not want to show it to Roberto. She was hiding behind the bravado. To show so much of herself was a first. She had never flaunted herself deliberately and felt self-conscious about it, but the reaction from Roberto surprised her in a good way.
When she finally got on board, the impostor greeted her keenly. He seemed ugly as his eyes ran hungrily over her body. She had to fight the shivers running through her.
She swallowed at the bile threatening to rise and plastered a smile on her face.
This is what she was aiming for. Distraction.
“My good captain, finally we can meet. I was distracted when you were on the ship earlier. Your fame precedes you, and your second in command is a worthy opponent.” This caused the bald man to grin pridefully and he received a stern look from the imposter. Rosa-Lee just stopped herself in time when a giggle wanted to erupt and continued. “When I was in distress I convinced the men to bring me here. That captain, Roberto, what a beast!” She rolled her eyes in disdain, sighed heavily at the mere thought, and touched her heart “Not a gentlemen at all. I could not stay there any longer. His hands were always groping. Definitely not a way to treat a lady,” she added for effect, smiling sweetly at the ugly man whose lingering snakelike gaze was on her ample cleavage. Her hand fell at her side in mock-surrender.
“Señorita, it is an honour to meet you! You can be sure that we will take good care of you. That captain did look like a beast to me,” he agreed, smacking his lips, his eyes barely meeting her own as he once again fixed them on her chest.
Roberto had just come over the railing when he heard the comment, and blew through his nose in disgust.
“What an insult!” he thought his face in a scowl. He glanced at Rosa-Lee briefly, convinced that she was safe and sound. He noticed the men surrounding her. One tried to touch her and he balled his fists. It was all an act, he knew, but still. Did she have to make it look so good? he thought angrily.
He signed to Pierre that the coast was clear and turned to keep watch as he and the rest of the men followed. Each man knew what to do. Stealthily they all moved and separated.
They both slipped into the castle, where the captain’s cabin would be. The remaining men went down the stairs to free the crew. Rosa-Lee strolled with the pirates in the opposite direction, laughing at the joke she just heard, touching the captain’s arm ever so delicately.
Fixated with her, they hardly took note of anything else around them as she told them a story, fluttering her eyelashes provocatively.
Rosa-Lee could not believe that she could act so tartly. The men were drooling over her and she doubt they heard a word she said but she had to keep them occupied until Roberto rescued the men. Their bodily odours wafting in her nose and she took deep breaths as she placed her hand delicately before her nose.
Her heart pounded in her chest and she was sure one would notice the rapid beat but her cleavage was of greater concern to them. One tried to touch her but she slapped him playfully and chuckled when he took his hand away sheepishly.
Please hurry, Roberto. Her lips tightened into a smile even though she felt uncomfortable among them.
Several minutes later, the voice of the real captain roared over the deck. Scuffles broke out all around them. Rosa-Lee was pushed aside and against the railings and she watched as the ten pirates were captured almost simultaneously. The whole takeover happened swiftly, without any sound of a drawn sword, and Rosa-Lee had to admit that Roberto was superb.
She could not help but to admire him as he stood there, tall dark and proud. His eyes the
only muscle that moved, the rest of his face covered behind the bandana and his hat pushed low over his face. She wanted to run to him but knew it would be futile for if the D.E.I.C captain new who his saviors were they too would be apprehended. The feeling of relief and wonder captured in her heart and she knew once back on the other ship she had to think about this.
Held in steel grips, the pirates could not fight back. The leader was in noticeable distress but said nothing as the real Captain, Peek du Toit, just stared him down. The impressive figure of the older man was intimidating to the impostors and allowed no rebuff.
The D.E.I.C crew took control, surrounding the men with no way of escape. They were taken down below, where they would be tried and immediately hung.
There was no mercy for pirates.
“I have to thank you, Señorita, that you came back to help us,” Captain du Toit said after the deck was once again under his command. Sailors scattered around as they started to do their daily chorus. “I remember your voice. It was so quick that I thought I was dreaming, but here you are! For eight days I was a captive in that dresser with no way of escape. Why were you on my ship in the first place?” The captain asked in all sincerity. Pierre and Roberto who stood silently in the shadows drew in their breaths, waiting for her reply.
“There was a huge misunderstanding on my part about the Contra O Vento, and I fled from the ship in a typical lady-like fit.” She chuckled with delight. “The captain set me straight quickly after he rescued me. I must admit, I was more afraid on board your ship than on the Contra O Vento.”
“Señorita, we owe you our gratitude! Is there anything that we can do for you?”
“If you can deliver this letter to the D.E.I.C, it would be appreciated.” Roberto had passed her a letter that morning just before she descended the Jacob ladder and she gave it to the captain. At the time, she thought it was odd for a pirate to ask this request, without any explanation. The look he gave her was one of Trust me, and he gave her a rueful smile. Her heart raced but she nodded her head in acceptance and placed it in her skirt pocket.
More things to add to the already confusing puzzle in her mind and heart. She was falling for the pirate. In just a few short days her heart was pulling toward the rogue. No matter how she tried she could not ignore the feelings he stirred.
“Can I ask who you are?” the captain requested. Nervously she looked in the direction of Roberto who was still covered by the shadows and he nodded, the mask still covering his identity.
She laughed softly. “I am so sorry, my good captain, my manners are unforgivable. If my mama could see me now…” and she chuckled, the captain grinned sheepishly.
His glance at her bosom irritated Roberto but he could not fault the man. It was enticing. As he witnessed the conversation, making sure that he was not too obvious to the crew of the Heerengardt, he could not help but admire the woman. Pierre touched his arm, which drew his attention away to a tall soldier walking directly to them. He knew it was time to leave. While she introduced herself to the good captain the two dark figures moved over the tackle work, down the steps and hid in the corner. Footsteps stopped just above their heads and then followed down the steps as well. Both men held their breath. When the man stood still and looked down the passageway they waited. Pierre’s hand was almost touching the soldier’s hat. A few seconds passed that felt like minutes. Then he disappeared up the steps and they breathed again. Both knew it was time to get out of there before the man got it in his head to sound the alarm.
“I am Rosa-Lee Almaida.”
“The daughter of Cisco Almaida?” he asked, meeting her eyes.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“What an honour! I have heard so much about your father.” He clapped his hands together in appreciation.
“Thank you Captain.” She smiled sweetly up at him, keeping the Captain’s attention as the two figures emerged on deck and slipped over the railing in record time.
“Well, we need to be on our way,” Rosa-Lee said. “Please make sure that you deliver the letter. It is of the utmost importance.”
“Yes, I will. We will be there in a month’s time, and then I will hand it to them.”
“Thank you, Captain. Good-bye, and a safe journey to you.”
“You too, Señorita.”
They helped her back into the longboat where Fausto waited for her, Pierre and Roberto were in the water invisible to the men on the ship. The rest of the Contra’s crew had already left. Shattered nerves amongst the soldiers on the Heerengardt might have sparked outrage at every unfamiliar face they set their eyes on. The rescuers thought it wise to withdraw quickly.
Rosa-Lee smiled as she sat down, her hand in Fausto’s as he helped her to take a seat. Her dress puffed all around her. Clouded in green taffeta this emphasised the beauty with in.
Proudly she sat in the long boat, shoulders straight, as Fausto took the oars and started to row away from the ship. She smiled and waved at the men on the ship and thought: There was no real danger in this adventure. She held both the sides of the boat, peering over the waters with a small smile.
Roberto looked at her with curiosity. From his place in the water he could not help but to admire her. She surprised him almost every day, and there was not a scared bone in her body. She intrigued him more and more.
“Life will definitely not be boring with her around,” he thought as he smiled, his eyes lingering on her enticing bosom.
11
Watching the woman eating, Roberto could not believe he just agreed to this insane plan. His mind raced, trying to find a new plan, but hers was the best. He admitted after a few minutes. She clearly had put a lot of thought into it and they could win. Setting the captain and his men free for a get out of jail free card… he smirked.
“Yeah right.”
The whole idea was preposterous but as he watched her it grew on him just as she grew on him. He knew he had feelings for her but to what extent he did not want to admit. But she brought out the best in him. She was more than he expected and in only a short time he could not imagine giving her to the Falcon. That in itself was a thought that kept him awake often.
The whole idea of putting her in danger among the other pirates made his palms sweaty. His heart throbbed. So many things could go wrong. And he would never forgive himself if she got hurt.
He watched as she listened to the conversation at the table, smiling sweetly at the men, and another emotion surged through him. One he had never encountered before.
He frowned as she talked to Pierre, who listened to her with interest. When Pierre looked at him, Roberto scowled. His second smiled and continued with the conversation. Her laughter rang through the air. It annoyed him and he pushed his chair away, stepping out into the passageway as the door slammed behind him.
He knew he was acting childlike but he could not help himself. He walked to his grand cabin and plopped down in his chair. Thoughts rushed through him. Come on, man. The woman can talk to whomever she wants. She is not married to you. He squirmed in his chair. Seeing a glass of wine on his desk he took one huge swig and smacked his lips as the red liquid poured down his throat. His thoughts stuck on the word married. As if something had struck him, he briskly walked out of his cabin to the upper deck, knowing that his thoughts would be best occupied when busy.
It took them eighteen hours to catch up with the Heerengardt near the north coast of Morocco, at the curve where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean met. It was already late and Roberto decided to do it early in the morning, when most of those men would still be asleep. He was hoping they would have a good run-in with the rum barrel the previous evening.
They chose a few trusted men to go with them and brought them up to speed with the plan. All of them were eager to help the fellow sailors, even if they were technically enemies.
Just as the sun broke over the horizon the Contra O Vento sent a distress signal and the Heerengardt answered. The long boat had left an hour earlier with the chosen m
en on their way to the other side of the ship, waiting for the signal from Roberto.
The longboat had lowered onto the water and Rosa-Lee was let down with the boats man Fausto accompanying her. The Spaniard’s short, bulky frame concealed his strength and speed, both with weapons and his fists. He was the only man Roberto trusted to protect her at all costs.
Roberto thought his heart was going to stop at the sight of her. To think that he gave in to the plan was utter madness.
He swallowed at the lump in his throat, followed Pierre into the water, and swam behind the longboat to get unnoticed to the Heerengardt. They would then continue around the ship where they would meet the other men and get up with a rope fastened to their waists.
They were both masked, their identities sealed from prying people. They were still pirates, enemies on the waters. As they approached the ship, Rosa-Lee made sure that her dress revealed enough to keep the “captain” busy. Roberto almost had a heart attack when he saw her at first. Her bosom was showing too much soft roundness for his taste, and her small waist was even more accentuated. Some of his men smiled with pleasure and he gave them angry warning looks.
To display her attributes before other men was not good at all. It made him resentful to the whole absurd idea all over again. And again that unknown feeling coursed through him. It was an emotion so new to him that he did not recognize it at first, until Pierre pointed it out and Roberto told him to shut his mouth. The man was pleased with the discovery of Roberto’s envious emotions and gleeful, full of mischievous behaviour. Roberto knew he would never hear the end of this.
Rosa-Lee made sure that the men on the Heerengardt’s eyes were glued on her so that they would not notice the two men behind them. The boatswain had warned her a few times to take it easy, not to fall over the side, at which she just shrugged her shoulders and continued, enjoying the adventure. However, in reality, she was nervous and did not want to show it to Roberto. She was hiding behind the bravado. To show so much of herself was a first. She had never flaunted herself deliberately and felt self-conscious about it, but the reaction from Roberto surprised her in a good way.
When she finally got on board, the impostor greeted her keenly. He seemed ugly as his eyes ran hungrily over her body. She had to fight the shivers running through her.
She swallowed at the bile threatening to rise and plastered a smile on her face.
This is what she was aiming for. Distraction.
“My good captain, finally we can meet. I was distracted when you were on the ship earlier. Your fame precedes you, and your second in command is a worthy opponent.” This caused the bald man to grin pridefully and he received a stern look from the imposter. Rosa-Lee just stopped herself in time when a giggle wanted to erupt and continued. “When I was in distress I convinced the men to bring me here. That captain, Roberto, what a beast!” She rolled her eyes in disdain, sighed heavily at the mere thought, and touched her heart “Not a gentlemen at all. I could not stay there any longer. His hands were always groping. Definitely not a way to treat a lady,” she added for effect, smiling sweetly at the ugly man whose lingering snakelike gaze was on her ample cleavage. Her hand fell at her side in mock-surrender.
“Señorita, it is an honour to meet you! You can be sure that we will take good care of you. That captain did look like a beast to me,” he agreed, smacking his lips, his eyes barely meeting her own as he once again fixed them on her chest.
Roberto had just come over the railing when he heard the comment, and blew through his nose in disgust.
“What an insult!” he thought his face in a scowl. He glanced at Rosa-Lee briefly, convinced that she was safe and sound. He noticed the men surrounding her. One tried to touch her and he balled his fists. It was all an act, he knew, but still. Did she have to make it look so good? he thought angrily.
He signed to Pierre that the coast was clear and turned to keep watch as he and the rest of the men followed. Each man knew what to do. Stealthily they all moved and separated.
They both slipped into the castle, where the captain’s cabin would be. The remaining men went down the stairs to free the crew. Rosa-Lee strolled with the pirates in the opposite direction, laughing at the joke she just heard, touching the captain’s arm ever so delicately.
Fixated with her, they hardly took note of anything else around them as she told them a story, fluttering her eyelashes provocatively.
Rosa-Lee could not believe that she could act so tartly. The men were drooling over her and she doubt they heard a word she said but she had to keep them occupied until Roberto rescued the men. Their bodily odours wafting in her nose and she took deep breaths as she placed her hand delicately before her nose.
Her heart pounded in her chest and she was sure one would notice the rapid beat but her cleavage was of greater concern to them. One tried to touch her but she slapped him playfully and chuckled when he took his hand away sheepishly.
Please hurry, Roberto. Her lips tightened into a smile even though she felt uncomfortable among them.
Several minutes later, the voice of the real captain roared over the deck. Scuffles broke out all around them. Rosa-Lee was pushed aside and against the railings and she watched as the ten pirates were captured almost simultaneously. The whole takeover happened swiftly, without any sound of a drawn sword, and Rosa-Lee had to admit that Roberto was superb.
She could not help but to admire him as he stood there, tall dark and proud. His eyes the only muscle that moved, the rest of his face covered behind the bandana and his hat pushed low over his face. She wanted to run to him but knew it would be futile for if the D.E.I.C captain new who his saviors were they too would be apprehended. The feeling of relief and wonder captured in her heart and she knew once back on the other ship she had to think about this.
Held in steel grips, the pirates could not fight back. The leader was in noticeable distress but said nothing as the real Captain, Peek du Toit, just stared him down. The impressive figure of the older man was intimidating to the impostors and allowed no rebuff.
The D.E.I.C crew took control, surrounding the men with no way of escape. They were taken down below, where they would be tried and immediately hung.
There was no mercy for pirates.
“I have to thank you, Señorita, that you came back to help us,” Captain du Toit said after the deck was once again under his command. Sailors scattered around as they started to do their daily chorus. “I remember your voice. It was so quick that I thought I was dreaming, but here you are! For eight days I was a captive in that dresser with no way of escape. Why were you on my ship in the first place?” The captain asked in all sincerity. Pierre and Roberto who stood silently in the shadows drew in their breaths, waiting for her reply.
“There was a huge misunderstanding on my part about the Contra O Vento, and I fled from the ship in a typical lady-like fit.” She chuckled with delight. “The captain set me straight quickly after he rescued me. I must admit, I was more afraid on board your ship than on the Contra O Vento.”
“Señorita, we owe you our gratitude! Is there anything that we can do for you?”
“If you can deliver this letter to the D.E.I.C, it would be appreciated.” Roberto had passed her a letter that morning just before she descended the Jacob ladder and she gave it to the captain. At the time, she thought it was odd for a pirate to ask this request, without any explanation. The look he gave her was one of Trust me, and he gave her a rueful smile. Her heart raced but she nodded her head in acceptance and placed it in her skirt pocket.
More things to add to the already confusing puzzle in her mind and heart. She was falling for the pirate. In just a few short days her heart was pulling toward the rogue. No matter how she tried she could not ignore the feelings he stirred.
“Can I ask who you are?” the captain requested. Nervously she looked in the direction of Roberto who was still covered by the shadows and he nodded, the mask still covering his identity.
She laughed softly. “
I am so sorry, my good captain, my manners are unforgivable. If my mama could see me now…” and she chuckled, the captain grinned sheepishly.
His glance at her bosom irritated Roberto but he could not fault the man. It was enticing. As he witnessed the conversation, making sure that he was not too obvious to the crew of the Heerengardt, he could not help but admire the woman. Pierre touched his arm, which drew his attention away to a tall soldier walking directly to them. He knew it was time to leave. While she introduced herself to the good captain the two dark figures moved over the tackle work, down the steps and hid in the corner. Footsteps stopped just above their heads and then followed down the steps as well. Both men held their breath. When the man stood still and looked down the passageway they waited. Pierre’s hand was almost touching the soldier’s hat. A few seconds passed that felt like minutes. Then he disappeared up the steps and they breathed again. Both knew it was time to get out of there before the man got it in his head to sound the alarm.
“I am Rosa-Lee Almaida.”
“The daughter of Cisco Almaida?” he asked, meeting her eyes.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“What an honour! I have heard so much about your father.” He clapped his hands together in appreciation.
“Thank you Captain.” She smiled sweetly up at him, keeping the Captain’s attention as the two figures emerged on deck and slipped over the railing in record time.
“Well, we need to be on our way,” Rosa-Lee said. “Please make sure that you deliver the letter. It is of the utmost importance.”
“Yes, I will. We will be there in a month’s time, and then I will hand it to them.”
“Thank you, Captain. Good-bye, and a safe journey to you.”
“You too, Señorita.”
They helped her back into the longboat where Fausto waited for her, Pierre and Roberto were in the water invisible to the men on the ship. The rest of the Contra’s crew had already left. Shattered nerves amongst the soldiers on the Heerengardt might have sparked outrage at every unfamiliar face they set their eyes on. The rescuers thought it wise to withdraw quickly.
Rosa-Lee smiled as she sat down, her hand in Fausto’s as he helped her to take a seat. Her dress puffed all around her. Clouded in green taffeta this emphasised the beauty with in.
Proudly she sat in the long boat, shoulders straight, as Fausto took the oars and started to row away from the ship. She smiled and waved at the men on the ship and thought: There was no real danger in this adventure. She held both the sides of the boat, peering over the waters with a small smile.
Roberto looked at her with curiosity. From his place in the water he could not help but to admire her. She surprised him almost every day, and there was not a scared bone in her body. She intrigued him more and more.
“Life will definitely not be boring with her around,” he thought as he smiled, his eyes lingering on her enticing bosom.
A Pirate's Wife Page 9