by Jackie Ivie
Chantelle raised her eyebrows, blinked once, and then nodded. She smiled slightly, too. “You should be a-bed.”
“I should be a lot...of things. Among them, Marquis de Larroquette. You ready?”
“You have cracked ribs. You have four loose teeth. You have internal damage, the doctors couldn’t assess fully. You also have massive contusion. What is contusion?”
“Bruising,” Cord answered. “You need to be a doctor to know that, I guess.”
“What did they use on you?”
“Leather,” he answered.
“Leather? That cracks bone?”
“If it’s wrapping iron bars, it does.”
Chantelle’s eyes widened. She stood from her stool and walked ahead of him to the door to open it. Cord didn’t want her help, but he’d watched his own hand tremble still as if palsied. He didn’t want her to see it. He set his jaw and started walking.
“You wish to see them now?”
“Yes.”
Cord held onto the railing with such effort, sweat broke out along his forehead. He wasn’t healed enough for this, but he had to get to Linna. That was all that mattered: Linna…and their baby. He didn’t question it. He only knew there wasn’t anything worth living for if he lost them.
At the fifth step, he was breathing in air that felt like fire-filled agony. By the time he reached the landing, he was soaked with sweat, trembling like a new foal, and about as steady. Cord stopped to hold a hand to his forehead. Chantelle watched him. These girls hadn’t been more than babes when he’d left. He’d forgotten how it was at home. Nobody said much, unless it needed to be said.
He smiled to himself. They acted just like he did.
She handed him a damp piece of linen. Cord nodded his thanks and wiped his face before handing it back to her. She opened the parlor door for him.
Everyone stopped talking— and there was a lot of talking happening— and a lot of people. Cord stood in the doorway and took in the scene in a glance. Fifteen...no sixteen, fully armed men stood or sat, apparently awaiting Rex Fletcher’s next command, among them Blight and Birdie. The only females were Elizabeth and his mother. Cord looked across at Rex.
“You shouldn’t be up.”
Cord straightened. “She’s my wife,” he answered.
“Yeah, well she’s my daughter, too. I have first crack at him.”
“She’s...she’s—?” Cord couldn’t get his brain to work, or his mouth. His teeth hurt, too. He held them together and shuddered through the pain until it became a bearable throb.
“Linnette is our daughter,” Elizabeth said. “I was carrying her when I lost Rex. My second husband, Ryan Daniels, knew the truth. He just didn’t like it. He claimed Linna as his. She isn’t.”
“Linna...?”
“If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, the answer is no. She doesn’t know. Yes, Drew is her brother, so you have absolutely no reason to be jealous of him, and no, we don’t have her, yet. The main word being yet. We do know where she is though,” Rex spoke up.
“But why...did you pay me? To...? Why?”
Rex sobered. “Because I didn’t know, damn it! I was filled with one need: vengeance. Remember? I was hard. I didn’t hear one thing my wife was trying to tell me. Not one. Know why?”
Cord shook his head.
“I figured Liz-Beth did it. All of it. She’d betrayed me. I had myself convinced that she’d helped set the whole thing up so she could wed Daniels and finish stealing everything from me. I wasn’t meeting a lover when I stole her away. I was getting revenge. I was hate-filled and owed ten years of my life back, and she was going to pay the debt. That’s why.”
Cord tried to whistle. It wasn’t worth the pain. He had to let it go.
“Didn’t you ever wonder why I’d threaten to blow a hole through you if you didn’t wed with Linnette?”
“No,” Cord replied.
“Why not?”
“I didn’t care. I used you.” Cord’s jaw hurt, his ribs burned, his stomach stung in a thousand places, and his legs wobbled. He held the man’s gaze and narrowed his own before any of his agony showed through. “And you didn’t even guess it.”
“Used me? How?”
“I was already going back for her. Had the money saved up. Then you came along...and put everything into play. Made it...all easy.”
Rex glared for a moment, and then he grinned, showing a lot of teeth.
“Now that’s something. You did use me. Me. Rex Fletcher. That’s going to take some getting used to.”
Cord didn’t have a reply. He didn’t have enough moisture at the moment to make one. He sucked on the inside of his mouth instead.
“Right now though, we got other business. Simons wasn’t willing to talk.
We had to find the right persuasion.” There was some snickering throughout the room. Cord kept his gaze on Rex.
“Oh. He’ll talk. Let me...see him,” Cord said.
“Can’t. He isn’t taking visitors. And it wasn’t him. He didn’t know.”
“What...did you do to him?”
“Nothing. Didn’t touch the freak.”
“Fletch...?”
“Didn’t need to, actually. All I had to do was recollect your words. That got me to the root of this.”
“Mine?”
“You said Simons had another love interest. Perked my ears right up. I had him found and brought here. Dark fellow. Muscled. Named Matthew. Not very bright, but big. Real big. You know the one?”
Cord paled.
“He seemed to have a lot of blisters on his hands. Recent blisters. From swinging leather-covered, iron bars. I started wondering why.”
“What did you...find out?” Cord asked.
“That he doesn’t take pain as well as he gives it. And he talks a lot. He talked all about you. You’re very stoic. And he’s very sorry. You’re actually lucky Dominique plays sides and rather fancies you. Matthew had orders to dump you in the water. Dominique changed them. She had you dumped in Drew’s carriage instead. I guess your cousin is not as cunning as he thinks.”
“Cunning?”
“Hard to administer that kind of punishment with a business operating above. Had to make it nice and quiet.”
“She was...at Dominique’s? In the next room?” She was that damn close and he hadn’t even known it? Cord caught the groan before it sounded and forced it back into his belly where it joined the pounding sensation already there.
“Good spot for it, I’d say. But not anymore. I emptied the place. Took control. We’ve got control of the plantation, too. And Marcelle’s wife. Strumpet type. Drew used to like her. Not anymore. I think he’s a bit taken with your sister now.”
Cord ground out an expletive from between his clenched teeth.
“Sit down, son. Give him room.”
Cord was afraid to move. His legs weren’t steady enough. He looked across the room at Fletcher and watched as it looked like the gap between them widened.
“It’s nearly over, lad,” Rex said. “You’re Marquis de Larroquette now. We had it verified and rectified and everything-ified, so it’s nice, tight, legal, and completely irrevocable. No matter what the bastard does, he’s not the heir.”
Cord’s ears heard it. His mind refused to. My God! They’ve signed her death warrant! The pounding in his stomach intensified, before moving to his chest and reaching his throat. Marcelle was going to kill her!
“He shipped out five days ago. Right after they took care of you, by my guess. You hear me?”
“Linna—.” Cord choked on the rest of it.
“He’s still got her. He’s sneaky, too. It’s definitely worth my time to take him. He made a major error though.”
“Linna?” Cord whispered, repeating the only name he could.
“No. Draft. The bastard took a caravel. And forgot about the shoals.”
“What?” Cord closed his eyes. It didn’t help.
“He could have taken one of the schooners...but no
. He took the caravel – my French-made one. Loaded it up, too.”
“I can’t stand...talking, while...” Cord choked on the words and opened his eyes to a blur. He didn’t care.
“Then don’t talk. Sit. Eat. We’ve got time.”
“You don’t know Marcelle!”
“Don’t have to know him. I just have to know where he is.”
“You know...where he is?” And stand, talking? Cord blinked rapidly at the moisture in his eyes. He didn’t know where it came from or what he was supposed to do with the heart-pounding pain. He just knew it was there.
Rex smiled, long and slow. “He’s right where I can get to him. And he’s not going anywhere. That’s why I’m taking The Seduction out of retirement.”
“The Seduction?”
“You heard me. We’re taking my pirate ship. The fastest ship in the water. Why do you think I’d associate with cutthroats and thieves like these anyway? Social status?” He waved his arm to encompass the roomful of chuckling and grinning men.
“You’re taking it out...because it’s fast?” Cord asked.
“And light.”
Cord put a hand to his eyes and held two fingers against his shut lids. It didn’t mute anything. It just made it harder to keep upright. “Light?” he managed to mumble.
“You should probably sit down, son.”
Cord pulled his head away, opened his eyes, and focused on Linna’s father. She didn’t favor Rex much, but it was easy to see the resemblance to her mother. It was the eyes. “When do we sail?” he asked.
“Ah. That’s the beauty of it. Your cousin’s cunning, but he’s no sailor type. Did everything wrong. Tried to take a big ship over the shoals. Didn’t wait for the tide. Got stuck. Why...he’s sitting nice and pretty, just inside of scope range. Right about there.”
Rex pointed out a window. Cord blinked, but didn’t move his eyes. “He’s...grounded?” he asked.
“Like a rock.”
“He’ll move at high tide. We can’t wait.”
Rex chuckled. “He’s had the tides, but he’s got too much ballast. They’ve been emptying cargo for days now, and can’t get free. Maybe tonight he’ll get luckier. That’s what we’re preparing for. I only hope he hasn’t torn a hole in her.”
“And Linna?” Cord asked. His legs were shaking in place. He didn’t have much time. He watched Rex’s face soften.
“She’s alive. I’d stake my life on it. She’s carrying my grandchild. That’s what Marcelle wants. He’s not going to harm her or the baby. Not yet. He’s going to need it. Told you the bastard was cunning. If it’s a boy, he’ll have your heir and control of everything.”
“If it’s not?”
“Well...we’ll have to make sure Linna’s rescued before we find out, won’t we?”
Cord fell to his knees, and it seemed to take a long time. Then he did something that made them all stare. He buried his head in his hands and grunted through the sobs.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Linna’s contractions started late afternoon on the fourth day out and were accompanied by cheers. It wasn’t her labor anyone celebrated, it was the first bit of water that shoved at the ship, making it groan ever so slightly, and sending everyone to the side to look down. Linna was no exception. She had to wait for the cramp of motion to subside before she attempted it, but she was at her own porthole within moments, looking out at what they’d been praying for.
Water.
The tide had finally reached them. Soon they’d be free. And if another cramp hadn’t been starting across her midsection making her certain, Linna would have decided it was her hopes dying. Marcelle was going to win. There was nobody to stop him. Not anymore. She lay on her cot, held her hands over the hard swell that was her baby and cursed the fates, since God wasn’t listening.
The first pains weren’t hard to bear. Linna kept them to herself, even as the ship righted itself and began swaying from side to side with each influx of water. Becky brought her supper. She smiled at the girl, motioned for her to put it down, and when that pain finished, she went to the tray and heaved the contents out the porthole.
Lack of appetite wasn’t going to give her away. Dominique checked on her just before the final locking in. Like always. Linna kept her lips clamped shut and did her best to control her breathing. She only wished she could find the numb state she’d been in since they’d brought her on board.
She hadn’t been loaded on a gangway, at least not on her feet. Marcelle was much too smart for that. A very pregnant woman, trussed up and gagged, would have created more notice than he needed. A large, unwieldy traveling trunk hadn’t the same problem.
In fact, it was so large and well-lined, that it hadn’t been much of a problem at all. Linna had been numb by then. She’d been numb since Cord’s beating.
The sun was setting when the ship finally came loose, earning another round of cheers. Linna wasn’t doing as well. The pains were fast and hard, one after the other, and her cot was soaked through with sweat. And she was frightened. She knew she’d have to do this alone, and it scared her. She didn’t have another choice. She didn’t trust anyone. All she knew was how much she’d loved Cord and how much the sound of him being beaten had hurt.
She moaned, gripped her hands on the quilts, and tightened every muscle. It felt like she’d been doing it for hours, and she’d do as many more hours as she had to. Marcelle wasn’t getting his hands on this baby. Not Cord’s baby.
And then a series of tremendous booms shook the ship and changed everything.
Linna heard the rattle of chain which meant her door was about to be unlocked and opened. When it was, another boom came, sounding much louder with her cabin door open.
“Linna? Are you awake?”
Dominique’s sweet southern sounding voice was strained. She had a lantern held high. Linna cursed silently. She had her jaw clenched, and there wasn’t anything she could do to prevent the blonde from seeing what was happening. Cord was wrong, too. It wasn’t a red color she saw. It was a lot darker than that.
“Oh, dear God! Not now! Not—”
There was a commotion in the hall beyond the cabin, then Dominique was on her knees, moving sweat-soaked strands of hair from Linna’s forehead.
“Oh, Linna. We have to move you. We have to get you hidden. Now! We don’t have much time. Can you walk?”
“Why...should I?” Linna snarled it. She knew how false the blond woman was. She’d heard. Dominique had been there, witnessing every blow Cord’s body had taken.
“We’re under attack!”
“Non...sense.” The past half of the word was moaned, due to another pain.
It was also over-ridden by another thundering volley.
“You hear that? It’s cannon fire. We don’t have much time, I tell you!”
“Cannon?”
“They’re running the black flag. Everything is madness. Marcelle isn’t looking. This is the chance we need!”
“For what?”
“Getting you somewhere safe. We’re under attack! And it’s about bloody time!” Dominique slid an arm beneath Linna’s shoulder to assist her.
“Is it...pirates?” Linna whispered.
“Of course it’s pirates! And we didn’t stand a chance. We don’t have any speed, and they came at us from the bow. We can’t get a shot off.”
As if timed to her words, another series hit the ship, making everything tremble about them. Even her cot.
“Come! I’ll help you. You can walk. I know you can walk. And we don’t have much time. We’ve got to get you moved!”
“Why?”
“I don’t have time to explain!”
“Then I don’t have time to move,” Linna replied, and clamped her teeth against another onslaught of agony.
“Cord said you were stubborn. He said nothing about how much. I have to hide you! They can’t get this ship turned broadside to get our own cannons working. These aren’t just pirates, Linna! They’re pirates.” The wom
an emphasized the word with a screaming sound.
“What does that mean?”
“Your Cord. He’s a pirate. Him, and all the others. That’s what I mean.”
“Cord’s dead.”
Dominique shoved a sigh out, ruffling her bangs. “Marcelle isn’t thinking quickly enough, or he’d be here already. He only has one weapon left: you. That’s why we have to get you hidden! Now! Before he thinks of it.”
Linna smiled shakily at her. “You tell Marcelle, and I’ll find a way to slit your throat. You understand?” She didn’t have but ten, maybe fifteen seconds left of respite, and she wasn’t going to waste them. “I know exactly who and what you...are now!” The last word was a keening cry of sound, Linna bit her tongue to halt. The pains were as agonizing as she’d been led to expect, but they weren’t putting a dent in the ache that came from watching Cord get hurt.
“You know so little. And see less!”
Linna barely heard her with part of her consciousness, while the rest of her tried to absorb and live through hellish pain. Dominique came back into view. Linna turned her face aside and held the pain of another contraction close. They might have killed Cord, but they weren’t getting their hands on his baby.
“Cord’s dead. You helped kill him,” she mumbled. She wasn’t going with Dominique. She didn’t trust anyone, especially her.
“No, Cherie. At most he’s injured. And angry. He’s probably more angry than hurt at the moment.”
“You lie!” Linna cried, catching her breath for another pain.
Dominque clicked her tongue. “Marcelle didn’t have control of the blows. I did. Matthew’s my man. None of his blows would have killed your Cord. I had already ordered it so.”
“But you...had him dumped in the sea.”
“I had him dumped into Drew Fletcher’s carriage! That’s where! Oh, Linna, please believe me! I only keep by Marcelle’s side so I know what he’s doing. No other reason. You think I like the man? Tiens! I swear to you now. Listen. Your Cord is alive, I’m betting everything he’s on that pirate ship, fighting his way to you, and if I don’t get you hidden, it’ll all have been for nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing!”
Linna sucked in a breath, rolled onto her side, and put her feet on the floor, preparatory to standing. Then she had to wait for the interval between pains so she could stand.