Blackhearts (22 page)

side. Heaven knows I don’t need you waiting on me hand and

foot.” Aside from this excursion, Anne hadn’t gone out, except

to walk through the gardens.

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What she wanted more than anything else was to take another ride through the countryside, but Sara didn’t know how

to ride, and Anne wasn’t sure she’d want Sara to accompany her

even if she could. “I shall talk to Mr. Drummond about it. I’m

sure he wouldn’t mind.”

“But I can’t afford—” Sara began.

Anne took Sara’s arm in hers. “Nonsense. I will help pay

for any missed wages. There is no need for you not to be with

your mother,” Anne insisted, knowing how important it was to

care for loved ones, especially when they were ill. Drummond

had given Anne some extra coins, in the event that he missed

something while filling her wardrobe. Like with everything else

he did, he had thought of every last detail, and Anne wanted

for nothing.

Except companionship.

By sending Sara away, Anne would be sacrificing the one

person in the house with whom she could converse, but she

would feel even worse if she kept Sara by her side for selfish

reasons. In truth, it was only a superficial relationship, and a few days apart would not make much of a difference to Anne.

To Sara’s mother it could make all the difference in the

world.

“Thank you, An—I mean, Miss Anne. That’s most kind

of you.”

Smiling, Anne remained silent, grateful that the shop front

appeared up ahead. But a sudden shout amidst the crowd drew

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her attention. She and Sara exchanged curious looks as answering cries could be heard along the street. People shuffled back

and forth, and more than one stepped on Anne’s toes. Almost

as one, the movement of the crowd surged forward, sweeping

Anne up in its wake.

Alarmed, she drew Sara’s arm more tightly through hers as

they were jostled to and fro by the group surrounding them.

“Stay with me, Sara,” Anne cried, her voice rising as she tried to speak above the noise of the throng.

Torsos and shoulders bumped Anne from every side, and

Anne heard the telltale rip of her hem. Unable to see above

anyone’s head, Anne held on to Sara and hoped the two of them

would not be separated. She had no idea what had caused the

chaos. She only wished she could find a way out of the crush.

“Miss Anne!” With a frightened shriek, Sara was torn from

Anne’s side, her eyes wide with fear.

Anne struggled to get back to the girl, but like a drop of

water fighting against a current, it was no use. She lost sight

of Sara’s terrified face as more people pushed in around her.

Her own heart pounding, Anne fought a rising tide of panic.

Elbowing her way through the mob and gasping for breath,

it took her several minutes to reach the front stoop of a shop.

It was not her intended target, but at least she was situated

above the rest of the onlookers and had a clearer view of what

was going on.

Two sturdy horses pulled an open cart filled with five

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rough-looking men. It was clear they were some sort of prisoners, for their hands were tied with ropes.

People jockeyed for a better position to see the cart, and the

roar from the streets was thunderous. Anne couldn’t tell if the

crowd jeered or saluted them, for some people threw produce,

while others threw flowers. Frantic to find Sara and get out of

the city, Anne searched for any sign of the girl, but to no avail.

When the cart drew up in front of Anne, she couldn’t help

staring at the men contained inside. They weren’t men at all.

Beneath their scraggly facial hair and unkempt clothing, they

appeared to be only a few years older than Anne herself, and an

unexpected twinge of sympathy pierced her heart. She didn’t

know what they’d done, but the hardened expressions on their

faces spoke of a world of adversity and suffering that far sur-

passed her own.

Raising her voice to be heard above the noise, Anne

addressed an elegant woman pressed alongside her. “Who are

they?” she asked.

The woman gave Anne an incredulous look. “Have you not

heard? They’re pirates. Caught stealing from several merchant

ships and bringing their wares here to sell.”

That was why so many people crowded the streets. No

doubt hoping for a glimpse of the bandits. “Where are they

taking them?”

“Back to a ship for transport. They’ve just been questioned

by the local constable.”

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Anne stared after the retreating cart, wondering what had driven the occupants to choose such a life. Had they done it

to escape something, such as poverty and hunger? Or perhaps

they had longed for a better future and had done the only

thing they could think of to attain their goals. “What will

happen to them now?”

The elegant woman shrugged. “Most likely they’ll be taken

to Execution Dock in London and hanged,” she said, her voice

detached. “That’s where all pirates go to dance the Marshal’s

dance.”

Anne didn’t know what the Marshal’s dance was, but she

knew it couldn’t be good. The woman’s indifference upset her,

although she couldn’t explain exactly why. Anne had never met

those young men, nor did she know if they’d killed anyone. But

their wasted lives were surely worth grieving. Did they have

any family? Someone who would mourn their deaths once they

were gone? If they’d been born under different circumstances,

what could they have achieved?

Watching the progression of the prisoners, Anne and the

rest of the crowd waited until they disappeared from view.

Slowly the throng dispersed, allowing movement once again

along the busy street. Carriages proceeded with caution, and

pedestrians bustled about, the spectacle forgotten as they con-

tinued with their daily lives.

Anne remained where she was, trying to control her churn-

ing thoughts. Images of the five prisoners hanging from nooses

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taunted her, and she resolved to return Drummond’s items as soon as possible. If someone had caught her stealing, she would

have found herself in their position.

“Anne? What the devil are you doing here?” a familiar voice

ground out beside her.

Anne’s mouth went dry, and her heart clenched painfully

in her chest.

Teach.

Turning, she met his thunderous green gaze, momentarily

caught off guard by his proximity. She willed her tight throat

to relax. “I . . . I, um, came into the city to do some shopping.

With Sara. Oh, I have to find Sara!”

“I just saw her and sent her home in my carriage. She was

beyond worried, but otherwise unharmed. Why did you choose

to come to the city, today of all days?”

Relieved to know that Sara was all right, but annoyed at

the criticism in Teach’s voice, Anne decided to launch her own

offensive. “I didn’t know I needed to report my whereabouts

to you. Your father doesn’t request it of me. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be with Miss Patience?”

Teach’s jaw clenched. “She’s ill and might be suffering from

the same ailment that plagued me. I left her estate late last night and only just returned. I heard that you’d gone into the city.”

So he’d decided to come after her. If he dogged her every

move, she’d never be able to return the stolen goods. “As you

can see, I’m quite all right.”

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“Were you harmed?” he demanded, his eyes raking her from head to toe, taking in her muddy and torn hem. “Who

did this to you?”

“I’m fine. Sara and I were separated by the crowd. Some-

one stepped on my skirts, that’s all.” Anne’s cheeks burned with embarrassment and frustration. “I didn’t know the city would

be like this. Otherwise I would not have come.” She almost

wished she hadn’t.

“You saw them, then?” Teach asked

“Yes.”

Teach muttered something under his breath. “You shouldn’t

be here.”

He was the one who shouldn’t be there. “If you’d like to

return to your father’s estate, please don’t let me keep you.”

“I’m not about to leave you here by yourself.”

“You sent Sara home by herself.”

“In the safety of the carriage. With my driver.”

Anne was confused by the different emotions his presence

stirred in her—attraction and resentment as well as yearning

and exasperation. She’d never felt like this about anyone before she’d met Teach. It was a bit overwhelming. “I’m sure you have

more pressing matters than to accompany me.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re more pressing, but they do concern

you. I was on my way to see
your
father’s solicitor. He sent a note this morning. My father was busy, so I came in his stead.”

“What did the solicitor say?” Anne asked.

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“Only that he’s had some news about Henry. Would you care to join me?”

“I still have some errands to attend.”

“In that case, I’ll accompany you.”

Anne’s heart dropped. “But the solicitor—”

Teach waved a hand. “He’ll simply have to wait. He didn’t

specify a time for the visit. I’ve given my driver instructions to wait for me at Mr. Cogswell’s office, once he’s delivered Sara

safely back to the estate. Now, where did you need to go?”

Teach asked, preparing to take her by the elbow.

It was all Anne could do not to stamp her foot. Her cage

might now be wrapped in silks and lace, but nevertheless she

was still trapped by her circumstances. “I will go with you to

see Mr. Cogswell.”
And come back for the silver another day.

“Are you sure?”

Anne nodded. She could not deny her curiosity about

Henry. If her father had left instructions for her to be cared for, then she wanted to know what, exactly, that entailed.

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C H A P T E R 1 9

Teach

Teach gave instructions to the carriage driver to take them back to the Drummond estate, before sitting back against the plush

velvet upholstery inside.

Anne stared down at the papers in her hands. Mr. Cogswell,

Andrew Barrett’s solicitor, had handed them over to her, along

with the news that Anne was now an heiress.

“What are you thinking?” Teach asked.

She didn’t appear to hear him.

The moment lengthened uncomfortably. “What are you

planning?” Teach asked, unable to remain silent.

“What makes you think I’m planning anything?” she asked,

not quite meeting his eyes.

“Because I know you. What do you intend to do with the

money?” Teach tried to make his voice light, knowing how

inappropriate the question was, but there was a sense of urgency 2 0 8

behind his words. He truly did want to know what she was thinking. What she was feeling. The lack of emotion on her face

was unusual, especially for someone as passionate as she was.

Andrew Barrett had left her a fortune. Three thousand

pounds, to be exact. Mr. Cogswell had apologized for not

knowing sooner about Anne’s predicament and had confirmed

that Henry Barrett had lied to him as well.

“Not that it’s any of your business” she said after an inter-

minable moment, “but I would take it . . . and . . . travel—”

“You can’t leave! Where would you go? What would you do?”

“I would take the opportunity to start my own life some-

where, find some of my mother’s people—”

Teach laughed out loud, a hint of desperation in his voice.

“But you can’t. You can’t leave. You won’t receive the money

until you turn eighteen.”

Anne’s own voice rose. “So you mean to tell me I have no

choice but to stay here?”

“Would it be so terrible?”

“For someone who doesn’t feel like I truly belong, yes. What

do you see when you look at me?” Anne asked.

A myriad of words flowed through his mind at her ques-

tion. Strength. Intelligence. Beauty. Compassion. “I see you.”

Anne’s expression softened somewhat. “Because you’ve

taken the time to speak with me. And to listen. But most people

see only how different I am.”

“It doesn’t mean you have to leave.”

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Anne caught her lip between her teeth, but made no response.

Her silence frightened him. “Please, Anne. I know I cannot

begin to understand how you must feel. I’m sorry you had to

go through what you did. I’m sorry Henry Barrett lied to you.

If I could, I would kill him with my own hands if I thought it

would make a difference. I still might. But right now my father

is in charge of—”

Anne held up her hand. “Yes, and you heard Mr. Cogswell.

Your father plans to move my inheritance into his account. His

account, not mine! As my guardian, he controls my life as much

as he controls yours, except I have even fewer liberties than you.”

“But that’s only until you’re eighteen.”

“Which feels like a lifetime away. I must speak with Master

Drummond and see if he will release the money sooner.”

“But your own father wanted you to wait.”
I want you to wait.

“I refuse to be a burden to anyone. I simply wish to live my

life as I choose, to go where I choose. What is so hard to understand?” Anne asked.

“You were born in this country, Anne. You have no idea

what life is truly anywhere else. I’ve been to the islands and