Harlequin Historical September 2014 - Bundle 2 of 2: Lord Havelock's List\Saved by the Viking Warrior\The Pirate Hunter (66 page)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I
t had been the longest night of Mia's life. She hadn't slept a wink. Instead, she'd closed her eyes and pictured Will's face, trying to keep herself from going mad with fear.

He'd promised her he would save her. She knew he'd meant it, or at least the intention, but she also knew it was impossible. She would be in chains in front of thousands of people, guarded by dozens of guards. One man on his own couldn't win against odds like that, even if that one man was Will Greenacre.

Mia pushed the plate of stale bread away from her. She didn't want to eat a thing. Better her stomach be empty for what was to come so she couldn't spend her last minutes on earth vomiting from fear.

She held her breath as the keys jangled in the door and watched as it slowly opened.

A tiny part of her expected to see Will's smiling face on the other side of the door, laughing and telling her everything was sorted out, she wasn't going to be hanged. When the guard entered she felt herself deflate.

‘Ready, miss?' he asked.

After Will's visit the afternoon before, the guard had been most courteous to her, enquiring every hour or so if she required anything. She wondered how much Will had paid him.

Mia stepped out into the corridor and felt her legs wobble. She was nervous already and they hadn't even made it outside. The guard saw her hesitate and took her gently by the arm, supporting her as they shuffled through the cell block.

Mia glanced at the cell she had shared with Essie the day before and saw the older woman looking at her pityingly. She didn't utter a word, just inclined her head, the small movement conveying the sympathy of one prisoner to another.

They emerged into the morning sunlight and Mia had to scrunch her eyes up it was so bright compared to the gloominess of the cells. The morning was not yet hot, but the cloudless Caribbean sky promised another perfect day. The first day of many Mia would not get to enjoy.

She saw the condemned pirates lined up in front of her, twenty men shackled at the wrists and ankles. A few were openly sobbing, but most just looked dazed, as if they couldn't believe what was about to happen.

The Governor stood before them, his forehead glistening with perspiration under his thick wig.

‘You have all been sentenced to hang for crimes of piracy,' the Governor said loudly so they could all hear him. ‘You will be hanged by the neck until you are dead. This will be done in full view of your fellow man so they may learn what happens when you break the law.'

Mia rather thought the old man was enjoying himself. He seemed excited, as if he were about to show off his life's work to a bevy of appreciative onlookers.

‘We will tolerate no violence or attempts to escape your fate. You will stand quietly in a line until you are called forward.'

Mia didn't see what motivation they had to obey, they were already being given the harshest punishment. Not that the trancelike state of the pirates made her think any of them would try to cause a fuss.

The prisoners were ushered forward into three carts. The twenty pirates filled up the first two carts and Mia was left on her own staring at the third. The Governor obviously meant for her to be pulled through the streets by herself, so people would have the opportunity to torment her individually as she passed.

The guard gently pushed her forward and Mia stepped up into the wooden cart. Obligingly she held out her hands as a rope was looped above her shackles, securing her to a wooden post at the front of the cart. The back of the cart was secured and Mia was on full display to the world, unable to move or dodge any missiles that flew her way.

The Governor had disappeared, no doubt to settle into his position far above the crowds, ready to watch the procession of pirates. The first cart started rolling out of the courtyard, closely followed by the second. As Mia's cart began to move she heard the roar of the crowd as they laid eyes on the first set of prisoners.

Mia's legs nearly buckled from underneath her as her cart left the protective walls of the prison yard. She tried to focus directly in front of her and ignore the faces filled with hatred as they shouted insults. The first piece of debris that struck her was some sort of mouldy fruit. It hit her on her outstretched arm and didn't hurt, but the shock almost made her shout out. Other stale or mouldy foodstuffs followed, as well as a few small rocks and pebbles. Mia was struck on the cheek by something sharp. It stung and she felt the telltale warm trickle of blood running down her face.

She made the mistake of looking at the crowd and silently swallowed a sob. It wouldn't do to show weakness—they would pounce and destroy her if she did. Nevertheless she found it hard to keep the pure terror from showing itself on her face.

The mob was terrifying—she had never seen so much hate and anger in one place. She knew they were whipping each other up into a frenzy, but somehow the thought that these were normally quiet, respectable people made it all that much worse. She tried not to react as she spotted a woman who had worked in the shipbuilder's kitchens with her. The woman's face was contorted with rage and Mia wondered how people could be so easily swayed by the lies of their Governor.

The cart jerked to a stop and too soon the journey was over. Mia would have endured one hundred cart rides with everyone shouting and spitting their hatred rather than have it come to an end. They had rolled to a stop in the big square. Just in front of them was the scaffold, guarded from the heaving crowd by ten soldiers in their pristine red uniforms. Mia scanned the crowd, wondering if Will was out there watching. Part of her wanted to see his face just one last time, the other part hoped he was somewhere far from here so he wouldn't have to watch as she mounted the platform and had the noose looped around her neck.

A man dressed all in black stepped up on to the scaffold and held up his hands for silence. Gradually the shouts and hollers of the crowd gave way to quiet murmurs.

‘Today is a great day for justice,' the man shouted from his position above the assembled hoard. ‘We are here to witness the executions of twenty pirates from the notorious
Flaming Dragon
as well as the hanging of Del Torres's devilish sister.'

The crowd jeered and surged forward a little. Mia felt herself cowering back, pulling at the rope that secured her to the pole of the cart. Death by hanging would be bad enough, but having the life beaten out of her would be so much worse.

‘So many of you have been affected by the criminal activities of these pirates. Together we shall watch as they are condemned to an eternity of fiery hell.'

The man stepped from the scaffold and Mia watched the executioner take his place. The hangman was huge, with meaty arms and a thick chest. He went through the motions of checking the lever for the trapdoor was working and pulling on the beam that would support the noose. Then he motioned for the first pirate to be brought up to him.

Two soldiers grabbed the selected man under each arm and dragged him forward. He didn't put up much of a fight, his body hanging limply between them as if he were already dead. Expertly the executioner looped the noose around his neck. There was no black sack over his head to spare him the jeering faces of the crowd. The last thing this condemned man would see was the bloodthirsty mob braying for his blood. Mia could see his lips moving and she wondered if he was offering up a last prayer to the God he had forsaken for all the years he had chosen a life of piracy.

Within seconds the trapdoor was opened and the man fell. The drop wasn't far enough to break his neck so for a long thirty seconds he jerked on the end of the rope. No one in the crowd dared to push through the line of guards in front of the scaffold to pull on his legs and shorten his suffering. Mia doubted there was anyone there who cared enough to do so.

After a full minute he was cut down, his body tossed unceremoniously to one side. The next man up was screaming by the time the two guards had hold of him. Mia saw the unmistakable stain of urine down the front of his trousers and tried not to hear the pure terror in his shouts. He begged the guards to let him go, begged the executioner to have mercy and begged the crowds to save him. No one obliged.

Mia closed her eyes as the noose was tightened around his neck; she didn't want to see any more, but she couldn't block out the sound of the man being strangled to death.

Three more executions followed in much the same way. Mia felt numb. She knew this was going to be her in a few more minutes and she tried to steel herself for it. She wasn't going to let her last moments on earth be filled with screams or humiliation. She would stand tall and be brave.

She summoned a picture of Will in her mind, kissing her and looking at her as though she was the only woman that existed. She remembered his smile and the way his hair fell across his forehead. She remembered how his skin felt to her touch and she remembered the moment of pure happiness when he'd told her that he loved her. Mia smiled at the memory and knew at least she would be going to her death having been well and truly loved.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

S
he was smiling. Will nearly rubbed his eyes to check he was seeing things straight. Yes, she was definitely smiling. He couldn't imagine the strain she was under, watching man after man step on to the scaffold and have his life whipped away as if it were worth nothing, all the time knowing it would be her turn all too soon.

He waited. There was no point in acting prematurely, that would ruin everything. In the past twelve hours he had gone over the plan time and time again in his head until he would be able to carry it out with his eyes shut and one hand tied behind his back. Well, maybe not the hand-behind-the-back bit—he rather thought he might need both hands to fight half of Barbados's garrison.

The young man he'd approached the day before was nearly at the front of the line now. Will saw his family standing off to one side. They'd appreciated the chance to say goodbye the evening before and the pirate had been satisfied his mum and sisters were to be well provided for. Now Will hoped the pirate would fulfil his side of the bargain.

Will tapped his foot impatiently, well aware he was full of nervous energy. Another pirate dropped to his death and suddenly the moment was here. The young man stumbled forward, dragging the two prisoners he was shackled to with him. He thrashed out to the right and the left, making a good show of escaping.

The soldiers were on him immediately, the three who were guarding the prisoners surging forward to subdue the dissident. The young pirate fought valiantly. He lashed out with his shackled wrists, his feet, even his teeth if anyone got close enough. Will was pleased to see the other men he was chained to joining in. They fought viciously, all three having more to fight for than the assembled soldiers. Will waited as the fight developed.

Two more soldiers joined in, stepping away from the second line of prisoners. That only left the one standing next to Mia's cart. Will hesitated, knowing he could take the man out, but also that any struggle would draw attention to him and possibly put an end to his mission. Instead he waited, watching as the final soldier glanced from Mia to the fighting men and decided they were more of a threat than the docile young woman standing next to him.

Will strode forward, confident he wouldn't be noticed as all eyes were on the fracas he'd engineered. The pirates were still going strong despite the soldiers battering them with their rifle butts.

He slipped round the back of the fight and sidled up to Mia's cart. Swiftly he took a knife to the rope binding her to the pole and sliced through it. Mia's eyes flew open and Will could see she was speechless with shock. He wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her, but he knew any such romantic delay would cost them both their lives.

Instead he grabbed her by the waist and swung her over the side of the cart. Will clutched her hand and pulled her towards the alleyway behind the scaffold.

‘Hey,' someone shouted, ‘stop.'

Suddenly all eyes were on them. Will knew they only had a few seconds before the soldiers positioned on the walls readjusted their aim and fired at them. He shoved his free hand into his pocket and grabbed a handful of gold coins, coins he'd claimed from the Governor earlier that morning as his reward for catching
The Flaming Dragon
.

Will flung the coins into the crowd, allowing some to scatter across the scaffold. He grabbed a second handful and threw them by the entrance to the alley.

‘Gold,' he shouted, just in case anyone in the crowd had missed it. As he'd hoped the assembled throng surged forward, their sheer numbers overpowering the soldiers. People were everywhere, grappling for coins on the ground, climbing on to the scaffold and, most importantly, surging forward to the entrance of the alley Will had just pulled Mia into. The soldiers would have a hard time getting through the crowd and beginning their pursuit.

‘Run,' he urged.

Together they ran, sprinting through the streets, every few seconds looking over their shoulders for the chasing soldiers. Will whipped Mia around corners and down narrow alleyways on a pre-mapped route he'd walked dozens of times the evening before.

Just holding her hand was exhilarating. For a few brief moments when he'd been with Governor Hall the day before Will had thought everything was lost. He'd thought he'd found the woman he loved only to lose her again for ever. Now they were dashing through the streets of Bridgetown, with a fair chance of escape.

Mia stumbled, her foot tripping over a bump in the road. Will felt her lose her balance and quickly swept her up into his arms, not missing a step. With Mia pressed against his chest Will felt his pace quicken despite the extra weight. Holding her was enough to spur him on; he felt her heart thumping against his chest and knew he would do anything to succeed.

They rounded the corner and burst out on to the docks. Will could hear the shouts of their pursuers behind them and felt his lungs burn as they reached the final stretch.

‘Go,' he shouted at the top of his voice, unsure whether he was too far away to be heard.

The dock seemed to stretch out in front of him, their destination never getting any closer. He dodged surprised sailors and the few people out and about who had decided not to watch the executions up in the square. He barely heard the shouted curses as he barged past two soldiers standing guard in front of Commodore Wilkins's ship. With a quick glance back over his shoulder he saw them staring after him, but not pursuing. So far they hadn't grasped the significance of Will fleeing with Mia in his arms.

With a final push Will sprinted to the very end of the dock and up the gangplank of the waiting ship. Captain Little shouted an order and immediately the ship's crew sprang to life. The gangplank was pulled on to the deck and the ropes holding them steady hurriedly thrown clear. Will watched as slowly the ship started pulling away from the dock and he hoped it would be just fast enough. He could see half the garrison of soldiers in pursuit, now making their way down the dock towards them. The two soldiers he had pushed past were staring at the approaching force with mouths wide open and perplexed expressions.

‘Everyone stay low,' Will shouted, pushing Mia to the deck and throwing himself on top of her.

Five seconds later the first of the bullets whizzed across the deck and embedded itself in one of the masts. A volley followed, then a brief gap whilst the soldiers reloaded. A second round of bullets flew through the air and thudded into the wood of the ship, followed by another pause. Cautiously Will poked his head over the rail and with relief saw they were finally pulling away from Bridgetown.

Out of range of the soldiers Will picked Mia up from the floor and held her tightly against him. They were both panting with exertion and Will gratefully sucked the salty sea air into his lungs. Captain Little came up beside him and handed him a telescope.

‘Have a look,' he prompted, a big grin on his face.

Will looked through the eyepiece, not knowing what he would see.

The sight on the dock made him want to punch the air with elation. Governor Hall had arrived, with Thatcher in tow. The Governor was gesticulating angrily towards Captain Little's ship and then pointing to the large Naval vessel still docked. Will watched as Thatcher shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

‘The Navy don't have enough men still aboard to pursue us,' Ed Redding said, coming to stand beside them. ‘I had a chat with the Commodore earlier today and he said he'd had to release many of his men to supervise the execution in the square.' The First Mate chuckled. ‘It'll take them at least an hour to get the ship fully manned and ready to depart.'

Bridgetown was getting further and further away and for the first time Will allowed himself to relax. An hour's head start wasn't bad. The Navy's ship might be bigger and faster than theirs, but with some clever navigation and a little bit of luck they might have a chance. After all, Del Torres and his crew on
The Flaming Dragon
had managed to evade the Navy in the waters of the Caribbean for nearly two years. Will wasn't asking for that long, just long enough to get clear of the Caribbean islands and head for new shores.

‘You did it,' Mia said, her eyes wide with shock. ‘You saved me.'

‘I promised, didn't I?'

‘But I never thought you would be able to pull it off.'

‘I will never break a promise to you, Mia.'

‘I thought I was going to die.'

Will caught her as her knees buckled and lowered her back to the deck. He knelt down and cradled her in his arms. Mia looked up at him with wonder in her eyes.

‘I thought I would never see you again.'

‘Now you're condemned to a lifetime of looking upon this face,' Will said, brushing her hair from her forehead and tucking it behind her ear.

‘How awful for me,' Mia murmured.