Corsets & Crossbones

by Heather C. Myers

  “Charlie!” she called from behind her. “Strip and get into the bath!”

  “I shall give you the honor of bathing me, love,” Charlie said cheekily, following the two.

  “Her name is Brooke,” Joel said under his breath, and then was about to warn Charlie about talking that way to a woman, but Brooke rolled her eyes.

  “As a captain of a ship, you are fully capable of bathing yourself,” Brooke said, giving Charlie a stern look. “And that is all I’m going to say about that.”

  Charlie grumbled to himself, walking into the washroom, and closing the door behind him. He could hear the two walk away and sit down; he could hear the fire cackle, so whatever they were about to discuss (because Charlie knew they would be discussing something) he would be able to hear every word. He stripped, and crawled into the large bathtub, suddenly sighing with relief. He was suddenly glad that Brooke made him take a bath; he didn’t realize how cold he was until he stepped into a hot bath. Steam rose up from the calm water, almost as though it was an aphrodisiac, and Charlie leaned his head back and sighed. He smiled; he had successfully completed his plan. Brooke was safe; his girl was safe. If only they were on his boat, though. He didn’t like the fact that Brooke knew her way so comfortably around this stranger’s house, especially since the stranger was a man. Was Brooke involved with him?

  Charlie shook his head of the thought, pursing his lips. No. No. Brooke and this Joel fellow did not look good together. Even though Joel was boyishly attractive and Brooke was drop-dead gorgeous, the two had no chemistry. No sexual appeal. Joel would not be able to satisfy Brooke like she secretly wanted. Charlie knew Brooke’s type; sweet and innocent to the outside world, but get her alone with a bed and let her unleash her wild side. A lady in the streets but a tiger in the sheets. And could this scrawny boy be able to give that to her? No! And being the compassionate friend Charlie was, he could not allow Brooke to suffer through a doomed-to-fail relationship. With that, he let his mind clear and inhaled the warm air, relaxing every limb and sighing with comfort.

  Brooke, on the other hand, was sitting out in the living room with Joel, a heavy blanket engulfing her body. She was trying to mask her shivers, biting her lip to keep her mouth from trembling. The rain was slowly starting to cease, the thunder getting softer and softer. Brooke figured she and Charlie would leave as soon as dawn broke. She shivered as a chill ran down her spine. Hours had passed since the wedding; they wouldn’t be looking for her here, right?

  “They are not looking for me, are they Joel?” Brooke asked, trying to keep warm. Maybe she should’ve taken the first bath. She was very picky about her hot water…

  “You know they are Brooke,” Joel said, staring intently at her. “By the time I left, Sutherland had the governor sending half of his navy out on the seas, despite the heavy rainfall. He suspects that some pirate took you.” Joel’s brow furrowed as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, his stare becoming more and more quizzical. “Who is this man you’re with Brooke? Why are you so casual with him?”

  “Charlie is my best friend, Joel,” Brooke said again, staring into the flickering embers. “Charlie and I were stranded on a deserted island, and Sutherland picked us up.” She paused, but pinched herself into continuing with the story. “Charlie is a pirate, so he would have been hanged the next day. But… I managed to work out a deal with Sutherland, arranging a marriage with him. So Charlie was set free, and I was brought here… and now he has come to rescue me just like he promised he would.”

  Joel looked at Brooke with disgust. “A pirate, Brooke?” he said loudly. “Out of all people, you’re on friendly terms with a pirate? Are you in love with him Brooke?”

  “No…” Brooke said, her voice trailing off, and she felt her face get hot at Joel’s sudden harsh tone. “Charlie is my best friend. He and I have a history together.”

  “Brooke, I honestly do not know what to say,” Joel said, staring at the ground. No, not staring. Glaring. Was he really this upset because Charlie was a pirate? Brooke could not believe it. Joel wasn’t the accepting person she thought he was.

  Brooke nodded. “What is the matter with you, Joel?” she asked him. “You accepted me before.”

  “I thought you were a different person,” he said desperately. “You are a pirate, Brooke, by association. You’re a pirate.” He sighed. “You can stay here for the night… but leave once the last drop of rain falls. You cannot stay here after that. I cannot see you afterwards.”

  “So you are ending our friendship?” Brooke asked, tears blurring her vision. This time, one managed to slip down her face.

  “What friendship?” Joel asked. “Our friendship was based on a lie. I apologized for thinking you were kidnapped by this man, and it was my fault, but you chose to leave.”

  “Probably not a good time to finish my bath,” Charlie said, walking into the living room, carrying his old, damp clothing in his hands, a towel draped over his shoulders so his wet hair wouldn’t transfer to his clothing. He heard every word, and thought it was only right to interrupt at this point in time because he hated hearing Brooke when she was hurt. The only thing keeping him from knocking the kid out was the fact that for whatever reason, Brooke was friends with him, and they were also on the run and happened to be laying low at said kid’s house. He looked upon Brooke with concern, but she blinked rapidly and got up, going into Joel’s room to grab some spare clothing and wiping the tear from her face. Charlie then shifted his attention to the man who caused Brooke’s sudden change in attitude, and pursed his lips, deep in thought. “Is something wrong, mate?”

  “I don’t wish to socialize with you,” Joel said, avoiding Charlie’s gaze. “I’ll tell you what I told Brooke, when the rain ceases, you and her are to go.”

  “You’re punishing her for her association with me?” Charlie asked, sitting in Brooke’s vacated seat.

  “She lied to me,” Joel stated firmly. “Our whole friendship is based on a lie. I did not know she was on friendly terms with a pirate.”

  “You don’t know a lot of things,” Charlie said darkly, his eyes narrowing. “We’ll be out before light.”

  Silence ensued when Joel got up to leave. The way this man suddenly dropped Brooke as a friend by mere association with a pirate. Joel did not even know him, but because of his ties with piracy, he was automatically condemned. But if he was a successful lieutenant, transporting slaves, he would be highly regarded in society. He glanced around the home, and saw some sketched maps hanging about. He must be the mapmaker Brooke had told him about so long ago. Instinctively, he touched his bulging pocket just to make sure her necklace and the map were both still secure. He thought back to the conversation he had just overheard. The only thing still keeping him from injuring the young lad was Brooke’s friendship, and even that was in jeopardy. Charlie chewed his bottom lip. He could hear the rain quieting down, so he estimated they would leave at dawn, at the latest. That was perfectly fine with him; he did not wish to stay where he and his friend were not wanted. He wondered if Joel would turn the two in, or if he would have enough common sense to keep his mouth shut. But that didn’t matter. They were safe, at least for now.

  Feet padding across the wooden floor caused Charlie to glance away from his thoughts and to the owner of said feet. It was Brooke, his girl. Not some made-up princess. Her face was fresh, and though her hair was wet, the waves broke through like those belonging to the sea. He realized her body had developed, not even Joel’s tunic could hide her hourglass curves. Her stomach was not tight, but it was flat, and her legs were long. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.

  “I am sorry,” she murmured, walking up to him and looking into his eyes.

  Charlie was confused. “For what, love?” he asked her, knitting his brow together.

  “I just thought I could trust Joel,” she replied. “I mean, I knew how much he hated pirates, but I did not think…” A pause. “We have been good friends for practically my whole life. H
e got me through everything… but after finding out about everything changed his whole perception of me.”

  “Then it is I who should be sorry,” Charlie said lowly. “Your association with me caused your friendship with him.”

  Brooke shrugged. “Oh Charlie, it was not you,” she told him surely. “It is like what he said; we never had a friendship. Not if something as small as this caused him to end it.” She yawned suddenly, and grinned a lopsided grin. “But I am done thinking about it, and I am sure Joel feels the same way. He just does not realize what he’s saying.”

  “He has no right to hurt you, love,” Charlie said. “No matter what. No one does. Remember that.”

  Brooke studied Charlie for a moment, then smiled at him. “I am glad you came, Charlie,” she said honestly. “I needed you.” She leaned down, and pulled him into a tight hug, resting her head upon Charlie’s always-sturdy shoulder. Charlie smiled, smelling her hair and feeling every bone in her back. Her head fit his shoulder perfectly, and her touch felt even more comforting than the rocking of the ocean. “Come on,” she said, pulling away from him but still holding onto his wrist. “Let us go to bed.”

  “So, you’re allowing me to sleep with you then, love?” Charlie asked playfully.

  “I do not want you out here by yourself,” Brooke said, arching her brow and leading Charlie into a spare bedroom. Charlie sneezed at that point and Brooke chuckled. “Plus, you are getting sick.”

  “A captain never gets sick,” Charlie said strictly.

  “I’m sure,” she replied dryly, and let go as soon as she walked in the spare room and saw the warm, comforting bed that was before her. She crawled underneath the thick covers, her head resting on the soft pillow, and she nearly fell asleep. All the pain and confusion dissipated at once, and her head was stress-free. She felt Charlie crawl in next to her, his warm body slightly touching her cool one, and immediately she felt comfortable enough to instantly fall asleep.

  After a few moments, Charlie could feel Brooke breathing steadily and knew she was asleep. She was so beautiful, so perfect that he could hardly believe she was laying here next to him. Her breathing was the melody along with the beat of the soft rain. In a moment, it was perfection that rained down upon him. In a few hours, that perfection would be lost unto all but him, and he would cherish it for as long as he could. To put the icing on the cake, Charlie turned so he faced the young girl, and put his arm around her. No more rolling to his side of the bed, no more lonely nights, staying up, thinking about things that could never be. He had his girl back, and he would never let her go. Ever. With that, sleep took him over, and he finally went to bed with a smile on his face. He didn’t even get laid beforehand, yet his smile was of pure satisfaction.

  Chapter X

  Charlie’s eyes opened only a few hours later. His arm was still around Brooke’s waist, but she was now faced towards him, still asleep. Her face was calm and serene, her lips slightly agape, but she was breathing through her nose. Her hair had dried, and though it was quite frizzy, he was still quite found of it. The rain was completely gone, he noticed. He looked out the window and into the moonlight, which was cascading into the room he was currently sharing with Brooke. If he happened to be fair-hearted, he might even say the situation was romantic. But Charlie Colt was not a romantic, he was a captain, and did not involve himself in matters of the heart. He glanced down at the young woman, keeping his arm wrapped around her. Her dark blonde hair was sprawled beneath her, and errant curls fell into her heart-shaped face. His eyes swept over her soft features, taking her beauty in. Her sea green eyes were hidden by sleep. Her nose was small and upturned, sprinkled with bits of freckles, as were her high cheeks. Her lips were full, and when they curled into a smile, revealed straight, white teeth. Her chin was curt, and when she spoke and smiled a certain way, tiny diagonal dimples would pop up on each side of the chin. Her jaw line was sharp, and he couldn’t help but want to trace the strong line with his fingertip.

  “See something you like, Captain?” she murmured, keeping her eyes closed. It was like she could feel him staring at her without actually looking at him.

  He grinned at her, and then leaned over her so his lips nearly grazed her ear.

  “I do,” he told her huskily. He pulled his head back and she wiggled out from underneath his grasp, thankful that it was still dark or else he would see the fire across her face.

  “We have to leave now, don’t we?” she asked as she threw her legs over the side of the bed.

  “Unless you’ve changed your mind about coming with me,” Charlie replied to Brooke’s back.

  Brooke glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him.

  “You cannot get rid of me that easily,” she teased him as she stood up, and then stretched.

  “I do not believe I could rid myself of you if I tried,” Charlie jested back as he began to pull on his boots. He grabbed his map and her necklace and shoved them quickly in his pocket before Brooke noticed. As he accumulated his belongings, she threw on the trench coat so she could keep warm.

  “Like you would want to,” she retorted as she slid on her wedding flats.

  Charlie walked around the bed and threw his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to his side. He leaned down so their heads grazed.

  “No, I do not think I would ever want to,” he murmured, and then released her to pick up his weapons and other various knick knacks that he would attach to his belt. When he finished, he turned to her, dusting off his hands. “Do you need to retrieve anything?” he asked her.

  Brooke shook her head. “I have nothing left here,” she told him.

  “All right then,” Charlie said. “Let’s head out. You know the way back to the docks, right?”

  --

  By the time they reached the docks, the sky was nearly light. Dawn was almost awake. Brooke chewed her lip as he continued to glance behind her, fearful that someone was following them. Charlie, however, focused his line of vision on a singular ship that was anchored a few feet away from the docks.

  “Do you remember where you docked your boat?” Brooke asked, looking forward. There did not seem to be anybody present on the docks save for the two of them.

  “Yes,” Charlie replied. His boat, Grace’s boat, was still there where he left it last night. However, his eyes were still drawn to the anchored ship. The words on her side read Lady in the Water, and she was the vessel Charlie wanted to sail away in.

  “Then why are we not on it, making a hasty get away?” she whispered.

  “Because we are going to upgrade our boat into a big, beautiful ship,” he told her. Before Brooke could protest, Charlie spun around so he was facing her and nodded to the stationary ship.

  “That is Lord Sutherland’s ship,” she whispered, her eyes going wide. “Are you trying to reserve yourself a date with the gallows?”

  “You remember that I used to work for the East India Company,” he told her calmly. “Therefore, I know that only two men are on that ship right now while the rest of the crew, including our pal Lord Sutherland, is on shore.”

  “And if you are wrong?” Brooke asked levelly, her brow arched.

  Charlie thought for a moment, tapping his forefinger on his chin.

  “Seeing as how I am never wrong there is no need to worry,” he said cheekily, “but if on such a rare occasion that I am wrong, which I assure you I am not, I will return you your necklace.”

  “You still have my necklace?” Brooke asked, her hand subconsciously touching her upper-chest. At Charlie’s singular nod, she narrowed her eyes at him and placed a hand on her hip. “What is your plan?”

  Moments later, Brooke and Charlie were on Charlie’s boat, sailing toward the Lady in the Water.

  “The two men aboard should still be asleep,” Charlie told her as they inched their way toward the resting vessel. “When we reach the ship, we’ll climb aboard, surround the two, and persuade them to trade vessels, ay?”

  “Not ‘ay’,” Brooke said,
shaking her head. “This is risky business, Charlie. Why are we doing this?”

  Charlie’s eyes darkened as he thought on the memory, but before he could respond, his boat gently brushed the side of the Lady.

  “Up you go, love,” he said, motioning to the stairs on the side of the ship. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right behind you.”

  “That does make me worry,” she murmured. She stood and then turned so she faced the ship.

  Brooke reached up and proceeded to climb up the stairs with Charlie one step behind her. When she reached the top step, she cautiously peered over the railing to make sure that no one was on deck. When she was satisfied the deck was clear, she hoisted herself over the ledge and landed gently on the deck. A moment later, Charlie was standing beside her, his dark eyes scanning the ship. Finally, he turned to look down at Brooke.

  “Follow me closely,” he told her firmly. “Stay with me. Don’t go wondering off.”

  Brooke nodded, and followed Charlie as he led her below deck and down a long hallway. The ship they were currently on was much bigger than Charlie’s previous ship, and from what Brooke could see of the rooms, much more furnished as well. Finally, Charlie stopped abruptly when he saw two bodies, asleep in a room. He walked in with Brooke trailing behind him, unsure of what she could do. Charlie pulled out his pistol and handed Brooke his cutlass, nodding at the man closest to her. She pointed the weapon at the sleeping man so the blade was centimeters from the man’s neck. Charlie pointed the pistol so the pistol nearly rested between the other man’s eyes. The only sound was made by Charlie as he cocked the pistol.