Petals on the River (79 page)

fear of that intrude into our pleasure, my love.
 
I've been waiting

anxiously all afternoon to collect on what you promised on the back

porch."

Rising up on his chest, she frowned down at him in confusion. "What did

I promise?"

His hand swept upward behind her head and pressed her face near until

her lips hovered close above his.
 
' Twas what your kiss promised, my

love, and I'm always eager to reap the fruits of such provocative

invitations."

Her laughing eyes gleamed brightly in the soft candlelight.
 
"You see an

invitation in the simplest twitch of my skirt, sir," she teased.

"Indeed, I'm beginning to think you've but one thing continually on your

mind, and that is basically and unequivocally mating."

Gage grinned up at her.
 
"Now you know me through and through, madam."

CHAPTER 18

William Thornton was not at all sure he enjoyed being awakened by a

noisy twittering of birds before the sun showed its face above the

horizon.
 
Even so, he was roused to full awareness by a cacophony of

shrieks, warbles and strange hissing that went on in the trees beyond

the cabin.
 
It became evident to him that he could not go back to sleep

with such a racket going on, and he decided to venture outside and begin

to explore this strange wilderness.

After pulling on a pair of breeches, he bundled the tail of his

nightshirt into the top of them and then yanked on a pair of boots.
 
He

found his way downstairs, unlatched the door and stepped out onto the

front porch.
 
An owl passing across his line of vision flapped its wings

almost leisurely in comparison to the smaller bird that gave chase close

behind it, no doubt seeking retribution for some unknown offense.
 
An

early morning raid to steal eggs or hatchlings from a nest might have

been the reason for part of the noisy clamor.

For a moment, William savored the warm, blossom-scented air and the

moonlit scenery around him, then he crossed to the steps and made his

way down the path toward the river.
 
Daylight would be breaking in less

than an hour, and he could imagine that the heady sights of a dawning

sun coming up on this verdant glade would be better seen from the deck

of a ship than from the confines of a cabin.
 
Desiring to indulge

himself in a view that promised to be breathtaking, he sauntered down

toward the vessel, but as he neared it, he realized that a smaller craft

had been pulled ashore alongside and several men were moving furtively

to and fro between the two vessels.
 
Stepping behind a tree, William

chose to remain hidden until he could determine the intent of the

visitors.

William's hackles rose in apprehension as he saw a huge hulk of a man

making his way up the building slip with a wooden keg on his shoulder.

Its heavy weight was made obvious by the way in which the fellow heaved

it over into the arms of another who met him at the top of the slip.
 
As

William continued to watch, the man returned to the boat to fetch

another keg.
 
Then a large, portly man stepped from the small boat and

made his way along the river's edge toward the ship with the aid of a

long staff or, more precisely, a soldier's pike, which he loosely

clasped near the head.
 
William had seen that particular pikeassisted

stride before, and though the other's shape had widened throughout the

years, he was almost certain it was the same man.
 
His suspicions were

promptly confirmed as he heard the man declare to a tar who walked

beside him, "Six kegs of gunpowder should splinter every plank aboard

her.
 
Twill be just revenge for what those Thorntons once stole from

me."

William stealthily retreated and quickly made his way back to the cabin.

Taking care that he did not alert the miscreants, he pushed the front

portal open carefully and hastened to the door of the first bedroom.
 
A

quick rap of knuckles on the planks announced his presence as he burst

into the moonlit room.
 
He had given the couple no time to respond, and

his son bolted upright with a start, drawing a gasp from Shemaine, who

had been nestled against him.

"Gage, you must hurry!" William bade in an urgent whisper. "There are

men down by the river, and I think they're planning on blowing up your

ship.
 
If my memory serves me true, tis none other than Horace Turnbull

down there directing them."

Throwing back the covers with a muttered curse, Gage leapt from the bed

and, in two long strides, reached the chair where he had left his

clothes the night before.
 
He thrust first one leg and then the other

into a pair of buckskin trousers, clothing his naked loins as he asked,

"How many men are with him?"

"I caught sight of at least six, but I'm sure there are more." Out of

the corner of his eye, William saw Shemaine reach for the nightgown that

lay atop the covers.
 
Dragging it beneath the bed linens, she swept the

covers over her head.
 
From her movements, he could only assume that she

was hastily trying to don the garment beneath the makeshift tent.

i., l "Too many for the two of us to finish off with flintlocks," Gage

muttered, snatching on hide boots.

"I can help," Shemaine offered, uncovering her head again-but clasping

the bed linens close beneath her chin.

"You stay put!" Gage barked sternly, turning to her.
 
"It's too

dangerous.
 
I'd rather let them blow the damn ship than lose you!"

"But, Gage, you taught me how to shoot!" she argued, trying to fasten

the gown at her throat.
 
"And you know I usually hit what I aim at now!"

William interceded in the couple's dispute.
 
"To win the day, Gage,

we'll need every weapon at our disposal.
 
If Shemaine can stay behind a

tree and fire at the brigands, then she may be able to keep them pinned

down for a moment or two while we board the ship."

Gage bent a worried frown upon his wife as he shoved a pair of pistols

into the waist of his breeches.
 
"I guess you can help, but only if you

promise to stay back a ways where they can't see you."

Shemaine had no time to respond as William urged, "Hurry, Gage!"

William ran from the room, and his son followed close behind as Shemaine

jumped from their bed and snatched up her robe.
 
Gage grabbed up another

pair of muzzleloaders from a parlor cabinet, tossed one to his father,

and then slapped a pistol into his hand.
 
They hurriedly loaded the

weapons and left.

Beyond the front door, Gage quickly took the lead and sprinted on ahead.

A moment later the door was pushed slowly open again, and Shemaine crept

out with a flintlock pistol.
 
She flitted through the shadows toward the

nearest tree and paused there as she watched Gage and his father go on

ahead.

The sky was beginning to lighten in the east, allowing Gage to view the

activity around the ship.
 
As he neared the building slip, one of the

miscreants espied him and shouted a warning.
 
Grabbing a pistol from his

belt, the man took a shot at Gage, bringing his accomplices' attention

to bear upon the father and son.
 
The lead ball zinged harmlessly past,

and Gage promptly repaid the fellow by firing the rifle, sending the

brigand sprawling backward with a large hole in his chest.

Gage had no time to reload and tossed the rifle aside.
 
He snatched the

pistols from his trousers just as his father raised the rifle and sent

another fellow to his doom, halting that one before he could fire his

pistol at Gage.
 
William ran forward, scooping up the man's weapon, and

immediately made use of it as another culprit settled the sights of a

flintlock upon him.
 
The ruffian was jerked abruptly backward as the

lead ball hit him squarely in the chest.
 
As the man collapsed, two

smaller rapscallions rushed forward to tackle William. He swept a pistol

across the face of one, sending the man reeling away, and confronted the

other with a sharp jab of a fist against a stubbled chin.

Stumbling back, the rogue waited a moment for his spinning world to stop

turning and then ran forward again for more of the same punishment.

Gage was already leaping up the building slip.
 
Firing at the first two

men he met, he shot one in the face and the other in the throat.
 
As a

towering, bulky giant came lumbering toward him across the deck, Gage

snatched up a wooden cudgel and swung the club with brutal force against

the man's bald pate.
 
The huge hulk staggered back several steps with a

stunned look, but after a sharp shake of his head, he reclaimed what

senses he had and settled a menacing glower upon his adversary.
 
With a

loud snarl of rage, he rushed forward with an ungainly gait and, as the

club was raised for another blow, he swept it away with a roar and an

angry swipe of his hand.

Gage ducked as the giant thrust a broad fist toward his face, causing

his weighty opponent to totter off balance.
 
The oaf quickly recovered,

and Gage feinted forward, trying to snatch up the cudgel from the deck.

But the brute, realizing what his opponent was after, seized it within

his own grasp.
 
Gage promptly retreated, but he was brought up short by

the stack of powder kegs that had been heaped all together. His

adversary stole the advantage and, leaping forward, swung the cudgel

with a backward stroke of his arm.
 
A sudden brilliant flash of pain

flared through Gage's head as the bat forcefully scraped his head, and

he stumbled away in a dazed stupor.

The giant chortled in glee, seeing the smaller man at his mercy, and

threw aside the club.
 
Cracking his knuckles in anticipation, he stalked

forward menacingly.

William gained the top of the building slip just in time to see a bMwny

fist driving into his son's face.
 
Gage sprawled back upon the casks

and, after a moment, sluggishly pushed himself upright on an elbow, but