Chapter 22
Twenty-Two
WILLIAM
Ichecked in on the girls a couple times to make sure they were handling the weather alright.
The rock of the ship was more jarring now, and I worried it would upset their stomachs.
They were fine, happy to read by candlelight.
Henry complained, at least until Daisy pointed out he wasn’t doing chores.
That thought seemed to please him enough to stay quiet, and I didn’t stick around long enough to give him an opportunity to find something else to complain about.
Instead, I went below with the others, joining in for a game of cards. Every once in a while, someone would stand and run upstairs to check for trouble before heading back down. Whenever it was my turn, I checked on the Davenport children again, just to make sure Henry wasn’t causing mischief.
“So, Will. Looking forward to getting to shore with your charges?” Salty asked as he tossed a card onto the table and grabbed another from the pile.
Darrow frowned, looking up from his hand. “You’re going back with them?”
I shook my head. “No. I’ve learned what it’s like to have true freedom out here. I’m not going back to servitude. I just haven’t decided what I want to do once they’re handed off to their father.”
“Ah,” Darrow nodded. “It can be overwhelming, having the whole world at your fingertips. You could go anywhere. Back to England, even, if you can find a ship to take you.”
They all laughed when I wrinkled my nose. No way was I going back to icy winters and grey skies. Not after weeks in the Caribbean, with the warm breezes and constant sun. Not even a day scrubbing the deck could ruin that kind of weather.
We went back and forth for a while, tossing out ideas that grew steadily more ridiculous as the time passed.
Salty suggested dropping me off on an abandoned island and making me king.
They’d stop by to hide their loot and bring me supplies, but I’d be the king of my own little island.
It wasn’t a terrible idea, if you got past being marooned all by yourself.
Darrow’s idea was more realistic. He said since I liked being on the water, being a fisherman was a steady income, and no one would look down on me for doing it.
I could even get my own boat to manage it myself, once I made some money.
I did enjoy being on the water, the sea spray cooling me off on a hot day.
I didn’t have any experience fishing, though, and I wasn’t sure I’d be any good at it.
Besides, it seemed like another lonely job, and while I liked being alone to get away from Henry, I didn’t crave being alone all the time.
Mad Eye made an irritated sound, glaring at the two of them. “He ain’t goin’ anywhere. He’s good here. Ain’t no better life than on a ship like ours. Freedom, share of the loot, good company. What else could you ask for?”
“More trips to shore to wet my prick?” Salty suggested.
“Don’t think he’s worried about that,” Darrow commented with a smirk.
It made my face flush, since they obviously all knew what I got up to in Damon’s quarters every night, but I didn’t want to be ashamed of it.
Damon was constantly reminding me that here on this ship, no one gave a shit.
I could enjoy what I liked without judgement.
Still, I didn’t want them getting any ideas that Damon and I were in a relationship.
We were enjoying each other, but it wasn’t forever. He’d move on eventually.
“For now, anyway,” I murmured, laying out my cards on the table. I lost the last round, but I was pretty confident with this one.
Mad Eye scoffed and the other two smirked like they had a secret. I looked at each of them with a frown.
“What?”
“Nothin’. It’s just funny that you think it’s temporary. Captain’s never looked twice at his crew before you. Unless you think you’re gonna get bored?”
Not likely. Who the hell would get bored of Damon’s attention? I could still feel the ache in my ass from that morning, and it’d been hours. Every time I shifted in my seat, I got a reminder of what I had to look forward to when he came back to the ship that evening.
“I’m a novelty. It’ll wear off. I’m not making decisions based on something that won’t last,” I grumbled. “Are we playing or what?”
They all put their hands up in surrender, though from the looks on their faces, they thought I was being stupid.
I didn’t believe them, though. Damon didn’t strike me as the relationship type, and I wasn’t even sure I wanted that.
I had no idea what I wanted. All I really knew right now was that I was happy.
For the first time since I was a kid, I was truly happy, and I wanted to bask in it a little while longer before deciding what to do next. “I’m not going anywhere for now.”
Salty nodded, clapping me on the back. “Well good. We like having you around, kid. And since you’re part of the crew, you can take the next watch and keep us dry for a little while longer.
” He shoved me hard enough to topple me out of my seat, and they all laughed at my expense.
I laughed, too. I knew better than to take offence over every little thing.
It was shit like this that made me feel like part of the crew.
I wasn’t about to start bitching about it.
Shoving to my feet, I flipped him the bird and headed upstairs to the deck.
The rain was still heavy as hell, and I’d be soaked by the time I was through, but I didn’t mind it.
It helped me clear my head. Those guys seemed so sure that what was going on between me and Damon was special, and I didn't want to get my hopes up with jokes like that. We were having fun. It wasn’t forever.
I knew better than anyone that nothing good lasts forever.
Jogging up the stairs to the helm, I looked out over the water towards the shore. All was well on that end, and behind. While checking on the other side, I popped in to check on the girls, frowning at Henry, who was plastered against the port side window.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“He says he saw something,” Jane replied, sitting at the foot of the bed with Daisy’s head resting in her lap. Little thing was already asleep. “He’s convinced it's the royal navy.”
Henry whipped his head around to glare at her. “It is! They’re probably coming to rescue us!”
Doubtful. This was a quiet port, and Darrow said the royal navy didn’t stop here unless it was an emergency.
That was why they chose this place. I took a few steps back instead of fighting to look out the window, poking my head out the door.
I squinted through the rain, trying to catch a glimpse of what Henry was talking about.
For a minute, I considered he was making shit up.
But then I saw it. I left their room, leaning over the railing to get a better look.
Just around the bend of the beach was another ship.
It was similar in size to this one, but I couldn’t see the flag through the rain.
I considered it might be just another ship visiting port, but then I saw the long boats in the water.
They weren’t heading for shore. They were heading in this direction.
“Shit.” Spinning on my heel, I raced toward the stairs, bellowing down to the crew. “Darrow!”
I heard the shuffling, he knew I wouldn’t shout without good reason, and he joined me on deck less than a minute later. I jogged over to the port side, my adrenaline already kicking in.
“Longboats. Looks like they’re headed our way.”
Pulling out a spyglass, he stared out over the water.
Mad Eye and Salty joined us, squinting to see through the rain.
For a few stress-filled moments, we waited on bated breath for Darrow to say something.
The longboats were definitely heading our way, skipping the port entirely, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt, it wouldn’t be good when they arrived.
“Fuck.” He swung around, eyes wide. “Ring the bell. Call the crew back. And arm that damn pissant. If he wants his sisters to live through the night, he better be ready to fight.”
Salty went for the bell while Mad Eye hurried for more weapons. My heartbeat raced, making me breathless as I looked back out over the water. Three long boats, all full. That was maybe sixty men. Versus four.
“Do we even stand a chance?”
“We’ve got the advantage of the high ground. But without the crew? No. All we can do is hope the crew hears us. If we’re dying tonight, we’re going out as free men. Understand?”
It was hard to hear over the sound of my heart thrashing in my ears. Darrow put his hand on my shoulder, levelling me with a serious look. “Will. Death is just the next big adventure. Take as many of them down with you as you can. Understand?”
Sucking in a steadying breath, I nodded once.
There was some comfort in knowing how things were going to end.
It wasn’t going to go our way. Not unless by some crazy miracle, the crew showed up in time to save us.
But we could at least make it harder for them to take the ship.
Buy the crew some time. At least I was going out free.
The bell chimed three times in quick succession just as Mad Eye handed me pistols and Darrow a long gun. Henry, who had snuck out of his room at one point, frowned at us.
“You’re seriously taking on the royal navy with three men?”
Mad Eye handed him a cutlass with a scowl. “That ain’t the royal navy, boy. That ship is called the Sea Bitch, captained by the goddamn Deceiver. You know how to shoot?”
Henry looked at the long gun in Mad Eye’s hand and back to the water. “You’re sure it’s not the royal navy?”
The wind whipped just enough to give us a decent view of the ship in question. Even this far away, you could see the pirate flag flapping in the wind. Mad Eye raised an eyebrow at him.
“Any more questions?”
“Shit,” Henry muttered under his breath, snatching the long gun from Mad Eye.
“We already have one stupid ass crew to deal with. I’m not being passed around to another.
” He flicked his gaze to me, and I saw the fear there.
“Tell the girls to barricade the door. Don’t let them come out for anything. ”
Nodding once, I hurried to the open door of their room. Jane had slipped free from being Daisy’s pillow, and she hovered just inside the door, a worried frown on her face.
“Will? What is it?”
“Another pirate crew. They’re coming, Jane. Barricade the door. No matter what you hear, don’t come out. Understand?”
Her face paled, and she looked close to tears as she nodded quickly. Pulling the dagger out of my belt that I’d kept on me since the day I killed Stiles and Davis, I handed it to her.
“Don’t let them take you, Janey. I doubt we’ll find a pirate captain with morals this time around.”
I hated putting that on her, but taking her own life and Daisy’s would be better than being passed around by a pirate crew until they broke them both. If I couldn’t protect them anymore, she had to do what needed doing.
“I’ll do everything I can to keep them away. Don’t make a sound. They may not realise you’re there.”
Shutting the door, I moved back to join the others.
Henry and Darrow were already firing. Salty was ringing that bell constantly, three rings and then a pause before starting again.
I thought I’d panic if faced with something like this again.
The idea of Daisy and Jane being in danger again made me sick to my stomach.
But I heard Damon’s voice in my head, barking at me to focus while teaching me how to use the cutlass.
I wasn’t a simple unarmed manservant this time.
I was trained for this. And I’d fight until my dying breath to keep those girls safe. God help me.