Pirates and Prejudice (13 page)

Elizabeth
bundled up a cloak she had brought along, using it as her pillow. She took the
blanket and lay down on half of it, bringing the other half over her.

It was not long
before the other ladies fell asleep. It had been a long, rather harrowing day.
She was grateful for Captain Smith and how he had done everything in his power
not only to keep them safe, but to make them feel safe, as well.

She lifted
herself up onto her elbow, resting her head on her hand. She could see the
captain speaking in fervent whispers with Bellows and Timmons. Both the captain
and Bellows were tall, with broad shoulders and confident stances, and they
dwarfed Timmons, who was not much taller than Elizabeth. The captain’s back was
to her, and his arm rested casually on a small rocky ledge.

She was struck
by a thought that for some reason he looked familiar. The way he stood, his
posture. Even sometimes his voice.

Elizabeth shook
her head. She would have had no occasion to meet him. He spoke as a commoner and
most likely grew up near the sea. And yet… There were times when he actually
sounded like a refined gentleman. Occasionally he would enunciate a word
precisely, without any accent or dropping letters, almost as if he had once
learnt to speak properly. And just now when he gave the short bow, it was if he
did it without thinking, as if it had been ingrained in him.

She pinched her
brows. But there was something else that troubled her. Something had changed in
him. He had seemed more abrupt just now, almost as if he was agitated that the
lot of protecting this group of stranded passengers was more than he would have
wished for. She had noticed a slight scowl that had not been there previously.

She let out a
sigh and lay back down. She was too tired to think any more on it tonight. She
pulled the blanket up and tucked it around her shoulders, closing her eyes and
anticipating a good night’s sleep. She hoped to be reunited with her father and
cousin on the morrow.

Her cousin –
David!  She pursed her lips as she considered that she had barely thought
of him since the captain had arrived!

Chapter 13

In the middle of the night, the sudden flash of
lightning lit the cave, followed at once by a resounding boom of thunder and
the sound of pouring rain. Everyone stirred, awakened by the storm announcing
its arrival.

Elizabeth sat
up, hugging the blanket tightly about her. The mild temperatures that had given
everyone relative comfort earlier that day had long been chased away by the
brisk wind that drove cold air directly into the cave.

As raindrops hit
the red hot wood from the fire, it sputtered noisily, as if angry for being
unexpectedly disturbed. The captain rose and threw two pieces of wood onto the
fire, stirring it with a third piece before tossing that one in. He stood
between the fire and the opening to the cave, allowing the new pieces of wood
to begin burning without hindrance from the rain.

“Looks perty
nasty out there!” Timmons said. “Anyone know what time it be?”

The captain
pulled out a pocket watch, holding it near the flame to read it. “It is close
to three o’clock.”

He walked over
to the two men who had been standing guard at the cave’s entrance. “Ye ken get
some sleep, now. I’ll keep watch til’ morn.”

“Thank ye,
Cap’n.” They quickly came in and stretched out on the ground.

Elizabeth
watched as the captain donned his oilskin coat and walked close to the
entrance. He stood staring out with his hands braced against his hips and his
legs in an alert stance. His curly dark brown hair peeked out from under his
tri-corn hat, which shielded his face from the rain.

Elizabeth
narrowed her brows and tilted her head as she studied him. She thought back to
last night, wondering what had prompted the change in him. She knew he was
likely concerned about getting the women
off
the small island and
getting them
onto
a ship, whether his or the merchant ship. And now he
was likely even more concerned that they may be stuck on this island even
longer due to the storm.

Elizabeth lay
back and closed her eyes. The pounding rain, flashes of lightning, and ominous
cracks of thunder prompted disquiet within those in the cave, but for some
unaccountable reason, she felt safe and secure with Captain Smith on watch.

*~*~*

Elizabeth opened
her eyes and was greeted with muted rays of sunlight peering into the cave, now
serenely silent. The others about her all appeared to be sleeping soundly.

She lifted her
head and saw that the captain still stood where he had been last night. He was
leaning against the inside wall of the cave, near the outside edge. He had
removed his oilskin coat; his loose white shirt stirred in the breeze. The red
sash had fallen about his neck.

As Elizabeth
contemplated the dark curls caressing Captain Smith’s neck, a sudden
recollection of a dream teased her thoughts. There was a ship and a storm.
Captain Smith stood gallantly at the helm with much longer hair blowing in the
wind. His white shirt billowed out like the sails of the ship, and his hand
rested on the hilt of his sword. Instead of the sash covering his eye, a true
eye patch served its purpose.

Parts of the
dream were hazy, but she recalled how rough arms suddenly went about her.
Although she could not see who had so forcefully grabbed her, she knew it was
Lockerly. He pulled a sword and approached the captain, who had drawn his.

They stood for
some time staring at each other, neither one moving. The captain finally said,
“I am not afraid of you!”

There was a
fight, and she could not remember much more. She could not even remember who
won the fight. She bit her bottom lip as she tried to recall more. Then she
slowly smiled as the end of the dream came to her.

She remembered
standing next to the captain at the helm. Lockerly had been tied up and taken
down and locked in the hold. Captain Smith turned to her and wrapped his gentle
arms about her, pulling her close. She readily welcomed his affection and
looked up at him. Ever so slowly he lowered his head and met her lips with his.

Elizabeth’s
mouth went dry as she felt every fibre in her body come alive at the
remembrance of the dream. Her face warmed, and she placed her cool hands over
her cheeks. At that moment, the captain turned and looked at her.

Her heart raced,
almost as if he had truly just kissed her. She took a few deep breaths to calm
herself, got to her feet, and walked over to the captain, carefully stepping
over those who slept.

The captain
watched her approach. “Good morning, Miss Bennet. Did ye sleep well?”

“Yes, I did,
thank you.” She glanced briefly up into his face, smiling as she did.

He looked down
at her and then said, “Ye must’ve ’ad some pleasant dreams.”

Elizabeth gasped
and felt her cheeks warm.
How could he know?

“I cannot
imagine what you mean, Captain.”

He placed one hand
under her chin and gently lifted her face. With the other, he touched the inner
corner of her eyes with his thumb and finger.

“Ye ’ave a
remnant of yer dreams in yer eyes.”

Elizabeth
swallowed hard and could barely think. She again thought of the difference
between his soft, smooth hands, and Lockerly’s coarse, rough hands. As the
events of her dream became even more vivid, she wondered what it would be like
if he were to actually lean in and kiss her.

“I… I have never
heard that before,” she said, trying to disguise her inexplicable feelings with
a soft laugh.

“Me mother used
to say that to me. She said that when we ’ad a good dream, it left a remnant in
our eyes so that we wouldn’t forget it.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth
said shakily. She felt as though she might crumple in a heap to the ground.
Their eyes locked in a gaze; his were dark, shadowed by the brim of his hat.
She began to fear that she may have called out his name aloud in her dream and
he had heard. She forced a smile and said playfully, “Perhaps… perhaps you
should not have removed it, then, as I have absolutely no recollection of any
dream.”

“’Tis a shame,
then.” Captain Smith suddenly straightened and looked back out of the cave.
“You rise early, Miss Bennet.”

Elizabeth
laughed, hoping to dismiss her confused feelings. “I have the unfortunate habit
of rising with the sun. There is simply nothing to be done about it!” She
looked up at him with a smile.

“And there’s no
reason to do anythin’ ’bout it. ’Tis a good thing, rising early in the morn. I
do it meself.”

“Ah, but I would
think a captain needs to be awake at all hours of the night.”

The captain
nodded. “’Tis true, but when I’m not sailing an’ I have the privilege of
sleepin’ through the night, there is nothin’ I like better than to waken early
an’ take a walk.” He pointed outside the cave. “Unfortunately, ’tis quite muddy
out there this morn an’ a leisurely walk is out o’ the question.”

“For some,
perhaps, but I have been known to walk in the mud on more than one occasion.”

He chuckled.
“Yes, I…” he stopped abruptly and took a breath.

“Yes, Captain?”

He crossed his
arms across his chest. The same scowl she had noticed last night returned to
his face.

When he said
nothing more, she continued, “It is good to see the storm has passed. Does this
mean we shall make an attempt to reach one of the ships today?”

The captain
rubbed his bearded chin and looked out. “It is… ’tis not easy to say, Miss
Bennet.”

“I hope we shall
be able to. Are you concerned we might be stranded on the island yet another
day?”

“’Tis much to be
concerned about in our circumstances. But I’ll do me best to get ye safely off
this island an’ sailin’ home.”

“I am confident
of that, Captain. I want to express my appreciation, from myself and all of the
ladies, for how safe you have made us feel and how obliging you have been
towards us. I know it has not been easy.”

She looked up at
him, but he only nodded while seemingly intent on staring ahead.

“How is your
wound, Captain? May I look at it?”

She heard a deep
sigh. “It is well enough.”

“You must know I
am truly sorry for what I did. Especially after how good you have been to us.”

He turned to
face her. “Pray, do not berate yourself.”

She reached up
and removed his hat. She could readily see how much the wound had swollen, and
there were blue and purple tints of colour that spread over the top and side of
his head. Dried blood was caked around the edges of the wound.

“It looks quite
ghastly! I fear you shall probably have a scar and will have a dreadful memory
of me and what I did every time you look at yourself in the mirror.”

The captain
inhaled sharply and looked down at her intently. “As long as I ken get you
safely off this island an’ back home, I shall not dread the memory o’ our encounter
in the slightest.”

Elizabeth
smiled, and a blush tinted her cheeks. “You are too kind, sir. Do you mind if I
tie the sash back on over it?”

He looked at
her, weighing what to say against what he was thinking. “Me thinks I’ll leave
it about me neck fer now, as the bleeding ’as ceased.”

She turned to
gaze out at the sky, the rocks and dirt and sand – anywhere but at his
penetrating eyes. “I fear Lockerly will also end up with quite a scar, as well,
but will not have such a forbearing estimation towards the person who inflicted
it.”

The captain
chuckled. “No, I should imagine not.”

“Since the
others are still sleeping, Captain, would you be so kind as to allow me some
privacy out there? I shall return shortly.”

“Aye. I’ll make
certain no one steps out ’til ye return.”

“Thank you.”
Elizabeth dipped a curtsey and left.

Elizabeth walked
carefully through the mud to a shelter of rock and shrubbery. The only sounds
were the rustle of the breeze through the leaves and the waves crashing onto
the beaches off in the distance. She closed her eyes and allowed the peace of
this place to soothe her soul.

She thought
about Captain Smith and how she had on numerous occasions blushed in his
presence. He evoked something within her – a sense of familiarity, as if he was
a long-time close acquaintance; a deep appreciation for the concern he
obviously had for her welfare and the welfare of others; and a feeling of
admiration. Sometimes when she looked up into his eyes, she felt drawn into
them.

She let out a
long sigh and put her hands up to her warm cheeks as she considered how silly
this was. Of course she appreciated him, but he was a lowly sea captain with
very little education. While it was apparent he enjoyed her company, she could
never return his affection.

She crossed her
arms in front of her as she walked back to the cave. It was a silly, groundless
attraction that could never amount to anything.

The sound of the
captain’s voice stirred her from her thoughts. More people must have awakened,
so she hurried back.

When she
returned to the cave, Captain Smith welcomed her return with a smile and sent
off two of his men, one of whom was Bellows. They were carrying the trunk.

Elizabeth nodded
at them as they passed and then asked the captain where they were going.

“They’re headin’
down to the beach to make sure Lockerly hasn’t returned, an’ then they’ll row
out to our ship an’ sail it back ’round to the merchant ship. Once there,
they’ll have ’em send out the dinghy to pick us up if they haven’t already.”

Elizabeth bit
her lip, feeling admittedly a sense of disappointment. “And so we are to go
back to the merchant ship. Do you think it repaired, then?”

“On the
contrary, it is not.”

Elizabeth looked
up at him, startled. “How do you know?”

“Just as it was
gettin’ light, I walked down to the beach. It is still listin’ quite a bit.”

“And shall you
then leave us there?” she asked softly. “On the merchant ship?”

“Do ye think I
would?”

Elizabeth shook
her head slowly. “Not, perhaps, to fend for ourselves, but perhaps you shall
leave to go get help.”

“’Tis dangerous
to remain with me – especially on Lockerly’s ship! I fear Lockerly will return
to exact revenge.”

“So our choice
is to remain on a crippled ship and face pirates who know where it is, or risk encountering
pirates intent on finding and retrieving their ship?”

“’Tis not an
easy choice.” He looked down at her with those piercing eyes. “If I have me
say, I shall insist ye come aboard with us on the
Devil’s Seamaiden
so
we at least ’ave the ability to escape from the pirates should they return!”

“I am inclined
to agree with you. Lockerly knows where the merchant is and that it is
helpless. It is an easy target, but then he may have the greater wish to seize
his own ship to get it back!”