“Damn it, Ben!” Blade snapped. “I nearly blew your fool head off!”
“Beggin’ your pardon, Tyburn.” Ben quickly shut the door behind him and rushed to the table. “’Tis spreadin’ through town like a plague. Talk is your commodore is callin’ you out. Says he’s got sumthin’ you want.”
Zane raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what would that be?”
“A lady.”
Zane shot to his feet. “Lianna?”
“Says she’ll hang in the morn for treason.”
Red-hot rage took a hold of Zane. He roared ferociously. His piercing bellow echoed throughout the small room. Blind, the devil in him, he took his chair and smashed it against the wall.
Ben stumbled away, pressing his back against the door and fumbling for the knob.
Blade holstered his pistol and, with his back turned to him, ignored Zane’s tirade. “Anything else?”
“Says for Capt’n Fox to bring him what he wants in trade.”
Zane slammed his fist into the wall and rested his forehead against the rough brick.
“Thank you, Ben.” Blade dismissed the man and turned to Zane. He put a comforting hand to his shoulder. “At least we know where she is.”
Zane slowly rolled his head back and forth on the wall. “Aye.” He was torn between relief that Lianna was unharmed and anxiety that she was still in grave danger.
He pushed off the wall. “If she had The Serpent, Bennington would already have it and not bother with some squabble with me. He’d probably be on his way back to New Providence by now. That means Sadie has it.”
“And it won’t take long for the news of Bennington’s ultimatum to reach her,” Blade added.
They both recognized Sadie would seize upon the notion of offering up a negotiation of her own with the British naval officer. She was wily, ’twas true, but she wasn’t intelligent enough to delve into corrupt political affairs. Bennington would lead her to believe he would pay her generously for an exchange, and then have her beheaded for bribery. That was, if he didn’t decide to kill her straightaway.
No matter what his feelings for her were now, he couldn’t let that happen to Sadie. He still claimed a thread of responsibility to her.
“We’ve got to find Sadie before she puts an end to this for us all.”
“Any ideas?” Blade asked.
Zane threw back the rest of the ale. “Aye.”
*****
Two guards stood at the outside entrance of the square stone building used for court proceedings and housing prisoners. Large leaf green shrubs and red-flowered vines flanked the steps to the porch leading up to the door. Torches lit the front like it was noonday, leaving the surrounding areas pitched in black.
Zane hid in the cool shadows watching, waiting. He assessed the area closely. Soldiers patrolled the streets and back alleys, marching along like mindless minions. Many locals in the immediate area holed themselves indoors, fearful of getting caught in the broadside of some impeding storm. There wasn’t any need to go out, not with all the vices available behind closed doors. Even the whores had retreated into the relative safety of their seamy bagnios. A few firebrands were either too drunk or too dense to notice the change in the air. Or maybe they lurked about looking to take advantage of a reward by capturing him.
Zane’s pulse fired up when Sadie emerged, walking across the cobblestone courtyard. Her strides were long and purposeful. She planted herself in front of the guards, one hand to a hip. Zane shook his head. Her audacious courage only masked her stupidity.
Well, he thought, the good news was he’d beat Sadie here and Bennington was still without the medallion. The bad news was now he’d have two women to save.
Sadie worked her charm on the men and within a moment she had them pawing over her with bawdy promises.
It disgusted Zane, to see his Little Wren acting a cheap moll. Yet it surprised him more at what he didn’t feel watching her. Gone were the brotherly urges to protect, teach, and love. These were replaced by a whole barrel full of pity.
The two men wedged Sadie between them, but she didn’t waste time with her distractions. One soldier buried his face in her chest and she thrust up her knee into his crotch pushing him to the ground. Zane flinched, instinctively placing a hand to his own groin. She twirled on the other soldier who reached for his sword. She bashed her head into his with a blow that sent him crumpling to the ground. Evening up, Sadie strode inside. Zane frowned, giving her credit for getting in the courthouse on her resourcefulness.
Zane dashed across the courtyard, taking the porch steps in twos, to where the soldiers struggled to stand. He grabbed them up by the collars, elbowing one in his nose and slamming the other into the porch column. They collapsed in a heap. Stepping over them, he let himself in.
Outside the jail door, a prison guard picked himself off the floor. Zane helped him to his feet, brushing off dust from his shoulder. The man smiled in thanks. Zane returned the smile just before he knocked the poor sap out.
Putting his ear to the door, he heard Sadie inside.
“All I want is Captain Fox’s brigantine. For that, I’ll give you my loyalty as your personal sea wolf.”
Zane cracked the door to peek inside. Commodore Bennington sat in a chair with his leg perched across his thigh, a teacup and saucer in hand. To one side of Bennington, a valet stood with a tea tray, his lieutenant fixed on his other.
Sadie casually leaned her weight to one leg, seemingly uninterested in the two armed soldiers standing at the back of the room.
His heart froze when he saw Lianna sitting in the corner of her cell fiddling with the front of her dress. He forced himself not to call out to her, tell her he was there, that he had come for her. He wanted so badly to hold her, take her. Concentrate, man.
“I’ll also give you the prize you seek,” Sadie said. “The Serpent.”
Bennington had his teacup to his lips when he stopped short at Sadie’s words. His skewered her with suspicion. “You have The Serpent?” He handed his cup and saucer to his valet.
“Aye. I do.”
Lianna rose to her feet, as surprised as the commodore.
“How is it that you came by the medallion?” Bennington leaned forward.
She puckered up her lips in a gratifying gesture as she spoke. “Quite easily. There is a momentary weakness in every man, when his head is not in the right place. He becomes blinded to his measure and driven by his pleasure. ’Tis not so difficult, really, to take the advantage of a rutting beast.”
“I find it hard to believe Captain Fox would be so careless to allow you to seduce The Serpent from him. Especially when you are not the source of his weakness.” Bennington gave Lianna a cutty-eyed once over.
Angry darkness flickered across Sadie’s features that only grew darker as Lianna smugly shrugged. “And yet, your search of the little puss came up empty. I’m the one with the damned medallion, Commodore. To that, what say you?”
He hardly offered her more than his boredom with a droll glare. “I’d say you have Miss Whitney to thank for that. Without her, you wouldn’t be standing here. Of that, I’m sure. I’ve chased Fox for too bloody long. Not until this woman has he ever once slipped up.”
Zane let the truth of that statement sink in. Weakness indeed.
The deep frown lines all but disappeared from Sadie’s face and she changed her tune. “With all due respect, Commodore, if there is a gain to be had, I shall seize upon it. It makes no difference to me if a simpleton chanced me the fortune.”
Satisfied, Bennington nodded as he relaxed back in his chair. “So this is your proposition, then.” His mouth twitched while he contemplated his newfound fortune. “Captain Fox’s ship for The Serpent?”
“Seems to me like a lucrative deal. You get what you want, an ugly piece of jewelry. And I get what I want, to captain my own ship. I should think it wise to have an ally among thieves doing your underhanded work for you.”
It cut Zane deep to listen to their excha
nge. He wasn’t surprised. Sadie had already plunged one knife into his back. He reckoned there were plenty more poised for the mark. He had no wish to stamp out the animosity he felt toward the girl he once tried to show kindness, tried to mold into a refined woman, tried to love. She had proved to him how selfish and destructive women are. That they are good for nothing more than trouble. She’d relentlessly shoved his nose in it.
Then along came Lianna. When Zane looked at her, ’twas like he was seeing for the first time. This incredible lass opened his eyes to what he didn’t think possible. Selfless love. She was willing to walk out of Zane’s life, not hold him accountable for whispers in the night. There was a stark contrast between her and the spiteful bitch.
Bennington scoffed. “And why should I believe you would do my bidding for me?”
“Because I seek a power that only a cunning and authoritative man such as yourself can wield me. I am willing to be your servant so I can claim a piece of the seas as my own.”
“Hmm. A mutual agreement binding you with me in a convenient accord.” Bennington crossed his arms. His hard stare should make the brazen woman squirm but instead Sadie met him rashly with self-assurance. “Something to consider. Of course there would be a need to seal the deal.” He slithered his gaze over Sadie, lingering on her chest.
Sadie sent him a heated look of her own. “Naturally.”
Bennington and Sadie were toying with each other. Although an alliance between them could prove effective, neither was capable of trust. Their partnership would cave in before the ink dried. Besides, their agendas were very different. Bennington was only after one thing and Sadie just set herself up.
The guard at Zane’s feet groaned. Zane quieted him with a swift kick.
“Let me see The Serpent,” Bennington ordered.
Sadie pulled the medallion from her pocket. It twirled from the chain, catching the light. “Do we have an accord?”
Bennington became rigid ever so slightly, excitement flashing in his eyes.
Lianna wrapped her fingers around the iron bars of the cell door. “You won’t get away with this.” She said it without any conviction.
Sadie looked from the corners of her eyes at Lianna. “Why wait until morning to rid yourself of her? Put her up on the gibbet now and Captain Fox will come runnin’. Guaranteed.” Her lips played into a wicked grin. “Eliminate him once and for all.”
Zane’s muscles wound up, readying to unleash the tension he often created before battle. Sadie may need to save herself from him, too, before this was over.
Bennington leaned back in his chair, his index fingers in a steeple at his chin. “Weren’t you once on Fox’s crew?”
“Not by my choice.” Her expression grew hard.
“You are all too eager to hand over the medallion and send Miss Whitney and Captain Fox to their deaths. There is a cause to ponder this. I feel I cannot trust you.”
“The necklace means nothing to me. But it has value to others. In that, I know it is a fine bargaining tool.” She bunched the pendant and its chain into her hand. “Helping you eliminate Zane Fox should prove my loyalty. As for your prisoner—” Sadie shrugged. “Well, I just don’t like her.”
“Such designs from a shrewd little woman.” Bennington snapped his fingers and his soldiers came forward. “And as enticing as your offer is, I see no reason to amuse you with your quest to rule the Caribbean as a pirate queen. I am quite capable of handling my own affairs. I don’t need you to aid me in scouring the Main of bloody outlaws.
“That being said, I will take what I want now.” Bennington held out his open palm.
Sadie drew her cutlass, knocking back the bayoneted muskets trained upon her. “I don’t think so.”
“Don’t be a fool, Sadie,” Lianna said. Although Sadie deserved her due, Lianna didn’t want the girl to be slain. Not surprisingly, her words fell on deaf ears. Lianna cursed to herself. She had made it easy for Sadie. After she had picked up The Serpent from under the bed last night, she had laid it on Zane’s desk. Sadie must have come to his room while they tended to Henri in the galley and stolen it. This was all her fault. Because she was thoughtless enough to not personally return the pendant to Zane, Commodore Bennington would have The Serpent to hand over to Governor Wilcox. Until now, she had held out hope for Zane and his crew to accomplish their mission. Her stupidity had killed them all.
Sadie thrust her cutlass, spearing the soldier on her right in the gut. The other took aim, but as he fired, Zane burst through the door, deflecting the musket with his sword. Small chunks of plaster and chalky dust rained down from the ceiling.
“Zane!” Lianna shouted. Her heart skipped. Thank God he was alive. He still had a chance to get the medallion back.
Zane slammed into the soldier who fell into the frightened valet. The tea tray crashed to the floor, shattering the porcelain. Zane’s momentum sent all three men careening into the back wall. Bennington scrambled from his chair, narrowly missing being a target himself in the path of the rampaging attack.
Zane pulled the soldier from the wall by his buttoned coat, and then delivered his fist into the man’s jaw. The soldier’s head whipped back, but he recovered swiftly, countering with a potent cuff that sent Zane stumbling backward, tripping across the overturned chair. The soldier moved in with a powerful kick to the ribs, but missed wildly when Zane rolled to his right. He swept his leg around, kicking the soldier’s feet from under him. In a blur of speed, Zane came down upon him as they exchanged punches in the close-quarter fight.
Bennington backed into the cell door away from the embroilment. With his back to her, Lianna saw her opportunity. Without thinking, she wrapped her arm through the iron bars around the commodore’s neck and grabbed his dagger from his belt. She put the knife to his neck just as Lieutenant Trent reached for his pistol.
“Drop the gun,” she ordered.
When he hesitated, she pressed the knife tip into the commodore’s flesh under his jaw. A tiny droplet of blood appeared. Bennington sucked in air through his nose; she sensed his cold stare upon the deputy.
Trent crouched to put his gun down on the floor.
“Now, get his keys and open this door.”
A low guttural sound grumbled from Bennington as Trent opened Lianna’s cell.
Zane and the soldier were on their feet again. His adversary swung the silver tea tray he had grabbed from the floor, only to be deflected by Zane’s forearm. Zane threw an explosive uppercut, whirling the man around to face the wall. Zane then violently kicked him in his lower back, sending him crashing into the stone. As the soldier stumbled around, Zane unleashed the sweeping strength of his muscular arms with a crushing blow. The effect lifted the soldier, slamming him back into the wall. Zane strode away casually as his soundly defeated opponent crashed to the floor like a felled tree.
Lianna had been enthralled by Zane’s deft fighting. Taut flexed muscles delivering dangerous results and flowing hair whisking around to his quick movements had her longing for him with a heated desire she hadn’t thought possible. She swallowed hard as his stare bore into her before shifting to the commodore.
Zane pulled out his blunderbuss, placing it fixedly to Bennington’s forehead.
Lianna withdrew the dagger and quickly stepped out of the cell.
“Get in,” he said to Trent. “You.” He jerked his head to the valet. “Drag him in here,” he said of the down soldier.
Zane wagged the gun for Bennington to follow the others into the cell.
The cell door clanked closed and the lock engaged. Bennington dabbed his fingers to the bleeding prick on his neck, his jaw frenetically ticking.
Her victor grabbed Lianna by the waist, tugging her to him. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight, and he buried his face in her hair. “I’ve told you once and I’ll say it again. You are mine. I won’t let you ever leave my side.”
“How sweet.” Acidity dripped in Bennington’s tone. He snatched the handkerchief his valet offer
ed, pressing it to his wound.
“Sorry it has come to this, Commodore,” Zane said. “’Tis nothing personal.”
“Oh, but it is, Fox,” Bennington sneered. “And not to spoil this triumphant moment for you,” he continued sarcastically, “defeating me, saving the girl, and so forth. But you have neglected one very important thing.”
“Sadie,” Zane spat.
Surely it struck Zane like a blow to the stomach as it did Lianna.
“Your traitor has escaped with The Serpent.”
“True.” Zane feigned perplexity, though Lianna suspected him seething with umbrage. “Hmm. I wonder who’ll get to her first.”
“Excuse me.”
Everyone turned toward the doorway. A dapper young man holding a rolled document stood in the threshold. Zane grinned.
The guard on the floor at the fellow’s feet groaned again, startling him. Zane strode over, silencing him with a kick to his jaw. “Johnston. ’Tis good to see you again. Come in.” He swung his arm out in an invitation. “Commodore, you remember Terrence Johnston, Governor Abbott’s representative.”
“Of course.”
The surprised carrier timidly eased inside, scanning the wreckage, stepping over the dead soldier, before looking at the four men behind bars. “Commodore Bennington?”
“What is it?” Bennington snapped.
The carrier stifled a smile. “From Governor Abbott.” He handed him the scroll through the iron bars.
Bennington seized the paper, impatiently loosened the tie and unrolled it.
“It decrees that Captain Zane Fox has been under commission by a letter of marque as a privateer signed by the governor,” the messenger zestfully announced. “He is protected in Jamaica and her waters. Governor Abbott demands the immediate release of Captain Fox’s ship and any detained crew member thereof.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“A copy of this should just be reaching your men on my ship,” Zane boasted. “Now, if you’ll be so kind as to excuse us, we have a medallion to recover.” Zane smirked, grabbed Lianna’s hand, and pulled her out the door.
Romancing the Pirate 01 - Blood and Treasure Page 20