Love's Vengeance (25 page)

As they rowed toward shore, Desiree looked ahead to what awaited her. Tropical palm trees lined the shore and the surf lapped gently at the white sandy beaches. In the far distance small cottages and larger houses dotted the slopes of the mountain and in the foreground just off the beach a short ways and directly before them, stood a large white mansion.

“That be the Cap’s house.” Mac offered.

Desiree smiled weakly and shored up her courage, for she was about to meet the pirate leader of these men.

With great fanfare the sloop became seized by helpful hands, quickly bottoming out in the shallows. A large audience of children frolicked in the surf, giggling gleefully; a few shrieking with joy as the pirates departed their boats, flinging their children high over their heads with chuckles and embraces. Fathers happily welcomed by their offspring.

Mac jumped into the surf, outstretching his arms toward her and Desiree held her bundle close and allowed him to scoop her up in his arms and carry her to the beach, before gently setting her to her own two feet. The children pranced about her excitedly, gazing up at her with wonder. Exquisite children, Desiree thought to herself, with vigor and vitality borne of happy lives.

With the swarm of children skipping about them, Mac and Desiree led the procession up the beach, for the stately white manor. It was a lovely home, with verandas below and balconies above, lining the second story. Windows and paned glass doors abounded and even from the outside, one could sense its light and airy warmth. At a cobblestone walk that led to stairs and a veranda before double front doors, the procession of children stopped, going off about their own business, while Mac opened the door, without knocking, flinging it wide and stepping in while leading Desiree loosely by the arm.

Desiree was not disappointed at what she beheld as she entered, for the front hall was breathtaking. Almond wood floors glistened with polished luster, enhanced by the light that spilled through large windows at the top of the staircase. The high ceiling was open to the second floor, dramatically setting off an almond staircase that swept up and banisters formed a circle where a gigantic chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting flickering prisms of light about the hall. The walls were snowy white and aside from almond and stark white, there were green exotic potted plants gracing the hall in strategic locations.

To the left Desiree looked past a glass paned double door, to a front room tastefully decorated in pastels and beige tones, again flourishing with exotic splendor. To the right, a large formal dining room with a table that would seat perhaps twenty or more. The floor was covered with a dusty plum Persian rug.

Mac peered into the front room and then bellowed up the echoing staircase, “Red! Red be ye about?”

In moments Desiree heard a string of muffled Spanish, as light, slapping footfalls sounded out of sight and then a middle-aged woman appeared, rounding the staircase from the alcove beneath. In sandals and a bright magenta dress, she shook her head, her black eyes flashing. With a finger jabbing out toward Mac, she railed him unmercifully in sharp Spanish.

“Rena,” Mac said, grabbing her hand and patting it gently, "Stop rattlin’ at me in that and tell me where be the Cap.”

Still seething, the woman spoke sharply, with a heavy accent and a trilling of her tongue with each word, “Yer Captain is upstairs in his quarters. You got no business roarin’ through the place like that Macintosh!” her hands flailed with gesturing as she continued, “I tell you Macintosh, one these times, you scare me to deat’ and then what you and your Cap do without me to do your bidding? Eh?” Turning on her heels, she clomped off in the direction she had come, falling once more into irate Spanish.

“Oh she’s a luv—that one is!” Mac said to Desiree with a grin, “Come along Lass!” he grasped her by the elbow and hurried up the stairs with her in tow.

They moved down a wing, off to the left of the stairs, along a hallway covered in intervals with pale plum rugs until Mac stopped before a door, made up of scores of slatted vents. He knocked once before bursting in.

“Red! Cap be ye in here?” he inquired as his eyes darted about.

As did Desiree’s; fear of the unknown gripping her once again.

She noted the pastel satin of the sitting-room furniture, with the same airy lightness she had noted elsewhere in the house. Then from billowing white sheers at the open balcony door, a large hulking man appeared, with shoulder length sandy brown hair streaked with gray and a large mustache. He was a giant and if not for the unusually high doorframe, would have been forced to stoop as he entered. He was a good head and shoulders above Mac. He was the tallest man Desiree had ever seen. He entered with his light green eyes studying her and Desiree shrank back a bit, in spite of herself.

“What have we here?” he asked softly in a light Scottish brogue, his voice deep and formidable. He appeared to be surprised and yet pleased to see her. Desiree watched him warily.

“This be Miss Desiree Chandelle, Cap. She be stayin’ with us indefinitely.”

The giant gestured to the chairs behind them with a curious expression, “She will be, will she? Let’s have us a seat.”

Mac led Desiree to a settee and she sat quietly upon the edge, unable to make a sound. Joining her, Mac removed a pouch from his waistband and tossed it onto the marble table before him and it landed with a resounding
chink
. Red seated himself across from the two and took the bag in his huge hand, raising dark bushy brows in question.

“Cap it seems the lass has enemies she be unaware of but I were paid well by way of O’Leary for her disappearance. I were not going to have any part of it but the scum that were bidding for the job, well,” he paused, holding Red’s gaze as he spoke, “I felt it me duty to see the lass out of harm’s way. ‘Twas suppose to do away with her and so, here she be.” He smiled brightly at Desiree, “Bonnie ain’t she Red?”

“Aye, bonnie to be sure.” Red nodded in agreement, “Tell me Lass has Mac here treated ye well on the voyage? Ye appear a tad fearful.”

“Yes sir, Mac and all the men have been very kind.” Desiree answered softly in English.

“French I wager ye be.” he stated, grinning when she nodded, “Well ye be most welcome here ‘til we can figure what yer next move should be and please, call me Red. No more of this
sir
eh?” he chuckled.

Desiree smiled faintly, surprised by his kind manner. For all of his formidable size, his face was jovial and serene. He had a definite twinkle of a fun-loving nature in his eyes and she felt the dregs of unease lifting. She tried to calculate his age, possibly fifty or more but the eyes were young with merriment and a love of life.

“Well now, ye could stand a bit of rest I’ll wager. Let me go see what Rena can arrange as far as quarters.” He rose, heading for the door in a lumbering stride, “Mac the lass have any possessions?” he called over his shoulder.

“Precious few Cap. Only a few of the things bought for the housekeepers. Off hand I can’t think of anything in the warehouses.”

“Na but we’ll need to see about that next time out.” Red decided, as he yanked the door open, “Rena!” he hollered down the hallway.

Desiree looked to Mac for reassurance and he smiled gently, “Ye will be fine. Ye’ll see Lass, yer goin’ to enjoy yerself here.”

***

A grumbling Rena showed Desiree to her room, leaving the Captain and Mac in Red’s quarters to discuss business. Desiree followed the slight woman to a room halfway down the long wing. Entering behind the housekeeper, she could not suppress a squeal of delight at the beauty of the rooms she would be residing in. Entering a sitting room, a soft teal rug covered the floor beneath a grouping of teal and silver gray furniture. Silver gray sheers billowed at the doors, leading to a balcony. Curio tables, displaying oriental porcelain graced the corners of the room and plants were in abundance throughout.

Rena continued through to the bedchambers and Desiree followed slowly, taking in every detail. An almond tester bed, with a spread and canopy of teal and silver gray flowers took up the majority of one wall. A mirrored vanity and a velvet chaise of teal blue, resided upon the opposite side of the room. In one corner, behind an oriental screen, a sparkling brass bathtub surrounded by green plants caused Desiree to sigh longingly.

“Oh Rena do you think I might have a bath?” she squealed.

“Yes Miss. I can see to that.” Rena said, smiling, amused by the young girl’s exuberance.

“Oh thank you so much.” Desiree said happily, opening a huge armoire and untying her bundle of clothing, she set about hanging her meager possessions.

“Let me do that.” Rena offered, “You rest.” She gestured to the inviting chaise.

“Thank you.” Desiree breathed, relinquishing the task without argument.

“Poor thing, you don’t have a decent thing but one.” Rena observed sadly.

“I don’t mind—truly.” Desiree sighed, lying back upon the heavenly chaise, “I shall get along with the things I have.”

Rena completed her task, turning to Desiree, “I will see about your bath now Miss—and Miss?” Desiree looked up at the housekeeper, surprised by the soft tone in her voice, “The Captain—he is a good man. You will come to love him. I never known one better than he.” She said with admiration for the man evident in her eyes. She left the room then, closing the bedroom door gently.

Desiree rose, moving to the balcony doors and opened them wide, walking out onto the balcony and leaning at the rail, gazing out over the cove. Below, on the beach, children were playing in the surf and splashing wildly about. She smiled at their light-hearted abandon and walked along the balcony to a grouping of furniture near the doors that led to the sitting room. There she took a seat in a cane chair to watch their play. Her eyes scanned briefly down the side of the manor and came to rest upon Captain Red Legs as he also watched the children from his balcony. He smiled down at them, as he sipped at a drink.

Desiree stayed for a bit, enjoying the tropical scene before her until a light knock sounded within and she opened the door to admit Rena and two other Spanish girls, bearing water for her bath.

Chapter Twenty-One

Desiree had dressed and was pacing about her quarters, unsure of her freedom to move about the house. Deciding she had best stay put, she paused near the balcony doors, looking out to sea, when a knock sounded and she turned, calling admittance.

“Lass yer beauty blinds this old sailor.” Red beamed at her.

Desiree looked down at the plain beige gown she had donned, “
Merci
Red. You are most kind.” She said shyly.

“Not kind—honest! Would ye allow me to escort ye to dinner?” he held out an arm gallantly.

“Of course. That would be lovely. And I might add you look quite impressive yourself sir” Desiree stated truthfully.

She thought he looked very ferocious in a dark brown velvet suit with a white shirt and stock but the warm green eyes dispelled his fearsome image. He was a gentle giant and Desiree, tiny beside his hulking frame, took his arm and he ushered her down the stairs.

***

Dinner was spent pleasantly in conversation about this isle and the chain of islands off the Venezuelan coast and Desiree listened intently, with great interest to Red’s tale.

“Twas oh—a score of years or so now, we divvied up our loot and settled on this little isle, and took up farming. Always had been me dream to own a plantation and I have roughly three hundred acres here, bought and paid for.” he nodded proudly, “I been out of the pirating business for the most part these past years. We have the English to our northeast and the French to our southwest and those two do squabble over Saint Kitts every now and again but we are tucked in here warm and cozy without anyone challenging us.” He chuckled, “So life is good and we’ll still sack the occasional Spanish vessel just for the sport of it when we gets the chance and can beat the English and French to it. Truth be known, I owe all this,” his eyes darted about, indicating the mansion, “To the Spaniards.”

“I didn’t realize pirating was so lucrative.” Desiree confessed.

“For me it has been Lass. For many a pirate they die with nothing to show for efforts but I had the good fortune to just happen upon the Spanish fleet off the coast of Margarita and after we overtook the fleet it were just a matter of commandeering their own gunboats and turnin’ them on their own forts. Our booty—we came away loaded to the beams—three ships, nearly three tons of some of the finest pearls, gold and silver you could ever hope to come across. Not even much of a battle for them really and I lost nary a man.” he smiled dreamily, remembering, “Anyway—we retired and have even become respected citizens of our little paradise. Of course we still have plenty of riff-raff to contend with and the slavers and cutthroats that come and go through the Main but for the most part we keep to ourselves, the British keep to their own and the French do the same. Me men and I have most of our land in sugar cane. Regular country squires we be.” He ended with a guffaw before he continued more seriously.

“But I do want to be telling ye now Lass, from the onset that I don’t want ye out without one of me men or meself in yer company. We be secure here and ye be safe enough but we are not completely impenetrable and some of the blokes here and about that go through the narrows and make land at Antigua and Barbuda and the rest,” he paused, “Well let’s just say I hate chancing to meet them and ye—I would be feeling more secure if ye be with someone at all times. Understood?”

“Understood.” She decided to chance a small request, “Red?” she questioned, “I am terribly worried about my relatives. I am sure they are beside themselves, fearing me in grave danger. Is there some way I might get word to them that I am safe here?” She laid her napkin aside; her dinner finished and looked hopefully into his eyes.

He looked almost pained but shook his head, denying her request, “Lass I’d like to say ye could but I cannot. ‘Tis best left as is for now. Ye have a very determined enemy out in this world somewhere Lass. Someone who thinks ye are feeding the fishes by now and I believe it in yer best interest to let them go on thinkin’ just that. We might well draw the Brit’s wrath or more likely the French here on Nevis, if they catch wind we have a captive with us taken from the colonies. And I sure don’t want to upset the arrangement we have with those two sleeping giants. No Lassie I be sorry but I won’t allow it.” He apologized and was obviously upset for denying her.