Tarnished Persuasion (Justified Treason, Book 2): Endless Horizon Pirate Stories

by Cristi Taijeron

  While the governor babbled on with some cheap motives to clear the weight of his deceit, I found myself thinking about that painting of Charlie. The perfection of her pose showed everything the old man sitting across from me worked so hard to give her, while the way she had showed up on his porch tonight attested to everything I had for her, which was nothing but shame. Just as I started to wonder what the hell I was going to do to change that—if I did escape this night alive—I heard the governor talking me up, “…This man has a depth of character that I find unlikely amongst his group…” He rambled on about the art of my maps and the grace of my navigation skills as if he was selling me at an auction. He even went as far as to inform Wallace about my relentless love for Charlie and my bribe to keep her clear of Paul Redding’s detestable rumors. His inclination to side with the pirate proved that the salty old bloke’s desire for his gold rivaled my desire to be with my wife.

  Though Wallace seemed completely unmoved by the speech, Morgan continued with his motive. “Now, have at it, Mister Bentley. What is it that you want in exchange for the treasure?”

  “First of all, I want the right to be with Charlotte. Also I want my crew and myself to be pardoned of our crimes.” I figured I’d start off by bidding high.

  There was an awkward moment of silence between us before he let out an irritated chortle, “That is quite a lot to ask for.”

  “It’s quite a lot of loot I have to trade with. And you see, without the help of my crew, we’d have no treasure to barter over, nor could I have saved Charlotte without their support.”

  The governor exhaled. “I can’t just go around forgiving multitudes of criminals. Especially ones who attacked my personal property.”

  “Then I can’t just go around handing out treasure to corrupt politicians. If my crew found out I was cheap enough to take a pardon earned by the weight of their efforts, they’d curse me with a death much worse than the one you’d cast upon me. After our last accord, I am sure you remember that I have nothing to lose without her. So in consideration of you getting free gold by the expense of my sweat and blood, I feel that my bid is rather favorable for you.”

  Squinting at me, he tapped his fingers on the table as he pondered my offer. I kept my eyes on him to insinuate the seriousness of my demand.

  Soon enough, his powdered face lifted with a tricky grin. “I admire your cunning abilities, Mister Bentley.”

  “Likewise,” I chuckled. “You and I are rather alike you know. You are nothing more than a greedy pirate dressed in regal disguise.”

  Wallace snarled at the governor, “Pirate.”

  Morgan shoved off the comment and continued, “There is a way that you and I can both benefit from this barter, Mister Bentley. Something that might appease Mister Wetherby as well. Not only have you and your men uncovered wealth that I have sent many men to find, but you have also proven yourself to be quite the man of…dare I say…honor. Just the kind of man I would like to see sailing under my flag. I’d like to appoint you as one of my privateers.”

  Shock hit my heart like a bull’s-eye. Though I had admired the fame of the notorious Sir Francis Drake, and even the current work of Henry Morgan, I had never imagined myself coming across such an opportunity.

  Morgan responded to my stunned expression with the enticing details of his proposition. “Imagine roaming the seas as you please, while also being able to come to port as you wish. Your lovely young wife can adore you in public, and you will not have to hide in the shadows or run from the gallows. It is the perfect way to have both of your desires, Mister Bentley. Your wife and the sea.”

  Though the offer definitely had a problem-solving allure to it, speaking face to face with the corrupt official of the law seemed to detour me from any sense of salvation. In fact, the prospect seemed to betray everything I stood for and fought against all my life.

  Looking to Law Dog as if he was my lawyer, I shrugged my shoulders to see what he thought.

  Staring me straight in the face, he stated, “I have seen you at work, Sterling. You are truly a respectable artist of the sea, and I do believe that God has granted you with an honorable talent. There are many doors that can be opened because of the value of your skill, and this is but one of them. The choice is yours to make, my friend.”

  Once again, he sounded just like my father. Then I remembered what Shark had told me about my father and his beloved Hannah. Whatever the missing details of the story were, the toughest sea captain I ever knew turned from his reckless ways with the Brethren of the Coast and settled as a merchant captain to protect his family.

  All the things my father had told me about what it meant to be a man echoed in my mind—the sounds all reverberated around one simple thought. It was my job to care for my woman for the rest of my life.

  I knew what I had to do.

  Before I had a chance to share my answer, that blaggard ol’ governor interrupted my silence with a jagged reminder, “If you so fancy to decline my generous offer, you can give me my gold and be on your way. But remember…I now know who you are. This course of piracy will only lead you to face a pirate’s death, and it would be such a shame to leave that young wife of yours with nothing but the tears she will weep over your bones.”

  Attempting to contain my irritation, I looked him straight in the eyes and affirmed, “I know that. I have been thinking about those things since I met Charlotte, and my concerns over her have certainly been ringing louder since I married her. You already know I have no mind to live without her, and I’d also like to have something for her if she ever has to live without me, so this offer has certainly caught my interest. Yet, I want to make it entirely clear to you that none of my consideration over the matter has anything to do with avoiding your threats. In fact, on my own I’d bid defiance to your so-called mercy and be back on the tide waging the gamble of that pirate’s death you speak of.

  See, I’ve been living this way for most of my life and I have escaped more bullets, blades, and nooses than I can even account for. I have never needed any man to tell me how to live, and I certainly don’t plan on taking orders from the crown anytime soon. I might look like a rotten rat of the bilge tonight, but I’m no fool, and I’m certainly no coward.

  You know I have more to offer you than the simple battle tactics of a filthy pirate, and it’d be quite your benefit to have me working for you, but I don’t need you, or your regime; I just need Charlotte. Of all the life I have experienced, nothing has ever meant so much to me as she does, and I know her family means as much to her as she means to me. So if this offer that you speak of is indeed a way for me to give her what she needs, then you can go ahead and tell me more about it. Just don’t bother with any more of your threats.

  X

  With my newfound wealth I got myself some new clothes, more weapons, and this journal I am writing in. Sitting here in my room at the inn, I decided to break it in by writing about the night’s events. I just got back from talking with Faron Flynn and Oliver Langston about the offer the governor made me. Though I had no idea how Flynn was going to take to the notion, I was certain Oliver would be happy to get back on the right side of the law. Yet, they both surprised the hell out of me with their answers. Knowing the pardon would grant him the freedom to return to port after his jail break, Faron was more than happy to take the job. On the other hand, Langston was abashed by the idea of working for the bastards who had betrayed him.

  Stunned by his response, I teased the proper man of the law and the Lord for coming to like his life of piracy after all. Naturally, he continued to deny the title, yet he insisted that Flynn remain free under his own black flag.

  Like me, Flynn had a lady to care for, and though he would never admit it, I knew that was why he made the choice to become a privateer. As for Oliver, well, he whined like a victim, claiming that we left him no choice but to pillage his freedom from the law.

  So this was it. Endless Horizon was now one of England’s Privateers. My father had always sugges
ted I find a way to make a solid life for myself with my talents, and though I still felt uneasy about the choice I made, I could only hope he’d be proud of me for sacrificing my own stubborn independence to do what would be best for my woman. My wife. Damn, I am now a married man who is working for the law. I can’t help but laugh at the unexpected turn my life has taken. Years ago, I told my father I’d never marry because women were crazy and I didn’t want to be stuck with one woman bantering in my ear all my life. Yet, he insisted that one day, one woman would change my mind and my heart. Like always, the old man was right. Charlotte Bentley had certainly changed me, but as for the bantering, I was sure I’d be getting an earful of it the moment I let her know I’d be sailing away from her at dawn.

  -B-

  Chapter 15

  Rainy Night In Port Royal

  As Told By Charlotte Bentley

  Resisting the urge to pout, I asked my father, “Can you at least tell me when he will return?”

  “It is not for me to say when you will see him again, but I can assure you that…your…your hus…husband has made a respectable decision, and you will wait for his return like a proper lady.” He twitched in the most peculiar way when he stuttered the word husband, and as he blustered out of the room he nearly slammed the door behind him.

  Seeing how my father was somewhat willing to acknowledge our union, I had to believe that Sterling had done something wise. Yet having not seen or heard from him in two days, the unknown possibilities were certainly driving me mad. Heading out to my veranda, I watched the sun fall lower in the western sky and wondered where in the world he could be.

  Though it was awfully hard to wait patiently like a proper lady, I certainly looked the part. The heavy ivory dress I wore had a small floral print and large burgundy ribbons decorated the lacy bodice. Margret had styled my hair to perfection, and powdered what she called, my terribly suntanned face. Having taken as many warm baths as I could since I’d been home, I was clean as could be, and the comfort of my warm fluffy bed gave me the best night’s rest I had experienced in a while. Yet, no matter how clean or comfortable I was, I missed Sterling more than I ever adored my amenities.

  In an attempt to calm my weary nerves I looked out on the harbor. While watching the ships come and go, I sighed with a new sense of wonder. Now I knew what types of treasures the ships carried and I understood the kinds of tales those aboard could tell. Thinking back on all the things I had experienced since I last stood on this veranda, my lips lifted with a satisfied smile. Though the journey was quite frightful at times, I was certainly pleased with the outcome of my brazen decision to ever leave home.

  With the sun romancing the edge of the horizon, I watched the colorful rays of light sink into the shimmering shades of the sea. Everything around me seemed so calm. The breeze was softly whispering through the leaves, and the distant rumble of thunder followed the sheet of night slowly coating the sky. Looking up to view the stars glimmering between the clouds rolling over, the dazzling glimpse of the heavens above me made me think of Sterling and the way he knew their placements so well..

  Just as I began to fret about where my lover could be, I heard a rustle in the bushes below. I couldn’t help but laugh as I saw him pushing his way through the shrubs in his eccentric attire. He looked far too dashing to be tromping around in the wild, but it was just like him to do so. Climbing the poinciana tree, he used his rope to swing over to my porch. Before he had a chance to roll it back up, I hugged him with all my might.

  Once I let loose of him, I rubbed his smoothly shaven cheek and tickled my fingers through his goatee. “You look ravishing, my love. I had almost forgotten how handsome you are.” Running my hands along the remarkable fabric of his gold collared coat, I told him how much I liked it, then I hugged him once again.

  Playfully shooing me off of him, he stuffed his rope back in his duffle and flashed me a cocky smile. “Nice to see you’ve been missing me, beauty.”

  Remembering how I had been worried sick, I planted my hands on my hips and harped, “Yes I have. Where have you been? What is going on? I have been unsure about everything and worried about you for days. How dare you disappear for so long and not tell me a thing.”

  “Whoa, whoa, slow down, lassie. I’m just doing what I have to do to give you what you want. So don’t be running your mouth like a nattering old mother.”

  I dropped my jaw in offense, but the humor on his handsome face overrode my irritation. Getting my wits about me, I flashed a sarcastically delightful smile. “All right, I will be nicer if you promise to tell me everything.”

  So he told me everything.

  Though I was glad to hear that my father reluctantly consented to my husband’s arrangements with the governor, I was hardly eased by the notion of such a sudden departure.

  “So that’s it? You’re sailing away from me at dawn and that is supposed to make me happy?”

  His shoulders slumped and he rolled his head back with irritation. “You’re impossible, Charlie. Would you rather me be a reckless outlaw who’s banned from your home island, dragging you across the tide where you can never see your family again? You weren’t happy with that arrangement either. And I sure as hell didn’t sign up for this shit for my own fancy.”

  I knew he was right. Feeling like a selfish nit, I pouted dramatically as I apologized for my ungrateful remark.

  To my relief, he laughed at my childish pose and said, “It’s all right. I’m not too happy about leaving my lovely young bride this soon, either, but I couldn’t seem to think of a better way to get you where you want to be. Oh, and look, I left all my loot with Law Dog and he’ll help you to secure whatever property you want to pick for us. There’s enough gold for a mansion if you want one and servants or whatever…” He poked at the lace of my dress when he said whatever.

  Wrapping my hands around his, I looked in his eyes. “Oh, Sterling, I have always dreamed of having my own house to decorate. I do not want a mansion though. Something small by the beach will do. Wait…what kind of house do you want and where would you like it to be?”

  “I don’t care. I just want you to be happy, sweetheart.”

  Hugging him tightly, I kissed all over his cheeks as I told him how thankful I was.

  Once I was done gushing, he grabbed my cheeks and made me look at him. The moment my watery eyes met his, he smiled. “You look pretty in your fancy dress, Charlie. It reminds me of how sweet you were when I first met you.”

  His expression was unusually loving, but rather than relishing his gaze I humored him, “I am still sweet.” Of course my mind flashed over all the bloodshed and deceit I had engaged in since we first met.

  Nodding with sarcastic agreement, he started digging in his duffle. “I’ve got something for you.”

  As he pulled out his battered old Bible, I chimed, “Oh, yes, wait right here, I have something for you, too.”

  Running inside, I grabbed the Bible I kept on my bedside table and took a moment to write a note inside the cover.

  Through God’s love we can always be together.

  Wanting him to find the note as a surprise while he was away, I made no mention of it when I handed him the Bible.

  Accepting my gift with a silly grin, he ran his finger down the gold cross accenting the cover. “Thanks, love. This one is fancy like my new coat.” He winked at me then led me over to the corner to sit with him while he transferred his notes.

  We leaned against the wall like we did the night we met, but this time I didn’t have to dim the lights. Loving the fact that I no longer had to hide him, I thanked him for making it that way. While rummaging through his extensive pile of papers, he mumbled, “You’re welcome.”

  Among his mess I saw that blasted picture he drew of me. Feeling my cheeks blush, I said, “Good heavens, Sterling. I wish you would just rip that thing up already.”

  Shaking his head no, he placed the drawing into his new Bible and hummed, “Never. She’s too pretty. I’ll be taking her with
me.”

  Next he pulled out the note I wrote that caused our whole argument. “I suppose I should read that last line you yelled at me about, aye?” He chuckled.

  “You most certainly should. I cannot believe you haven’t yet.”

  Once again my heart pays the painful cost of loving a pirate, but he is worth every piece of eight, and I will follow him wherever he goes.

  Charlotte Bentley

  He looked at me with the most ridiculous smile. “Could have saved us a bit of trouble if I had finished reading, like you said.”

  Poking his nose, I playfully boasted, “You should listen to me more often.”

  He fanned his hand at me. “Don’t let it go to your head, sweetheart. My idiocy paid off for the better this time. Now you don’t have to dim your lantern when you have your monstrous boar over for a visit.”

  “Well said, Mister Bentley. Now I believe you have something for me?”

  Handing me his drawing of Ile De Amoureux, he said, “I want you to have this.”

  He had drawn the view of the island as we sailed away, and as usual his artwork was nearly as divine as the scene itself. As he put the Bible away, he pulled out his spyglass and handed it to me. “Since you lost your other one, you can have this too. That way you can keep an eye on things from your crow’s nest.” He waved his hand around my veranda.

  After barraging him with kisses of gratitude, I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed, “So how long will you be gone?”

  “A few months. The governor had a lead on a Spanish treasure ship he wants us to go after, so we’ll be on the hunt for her and the load of wealth she’s said to be carrying.”