The Pirate's Jewel (17 page)

He strode toward the longboats, forcing Jewel to retreat
to the other side of the mast, and then stared across the dark bay. A handful
of ships dotted the harbor, lanterns fore and aft. Their target was more lit
than the rest, and loomed twice as large. “Wayland, you’re with me,” he said.

“Aye, Captain.” The old sailor went to untangle the lines
that held the boats below. Nolan halted him, a hand on his shoulder. “But
before we set off, I’ll have your promise not to follow me on board.”

Nolan’s back remained to Jewel, but she could see Wayland.
The pirate’s good eye widened as if in surprise. “I never thought of it,
Captain.”

“Good. Let the crew go first. We’ll leave after they’ve gone.”
Nolan turned back to Parker. “Mr. Tyrell, find Jewel. I want to make sure she
is suitably occupied before we start our little excursion.”

Jewel bit her tongue to keep from swearing. When they
couldn’t find her below, Nolan would scour the deck. How could she help if she
were confined to her quarters?

Wayland spoke up, gathering several ropes in his hands.
“Saw the chit below. Locked herself in her cabin.”

Nolan studied him suspiciously. Wayland shrugged. “I think
she’s pouting about something. Has been for the last few days. You know
anything about it, Captain?”

“Parker, go check anyway.” Nolan took the lines from
Wayland’s hands.

Parker looked paler than when he’d come back from shore.
“What should I say?”

Wayland stroked his thin gray beard. “Don’t you know a
crying female makes a boy like Parker nervous?”

Parker stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m not nervous.
I just don’t want to upset her any more. She hasn’t been happy lately.”

Jewel didn’t have to see Nolan’s face to know he was losing
patience. “All right, Wayland. Since you know so much about women, maybe you
should go.”

The pirate shrugged. “I already told you, I saw her below.
I’m thinking you know more about what’s ailing her than me, anyway. You should
go.”

Nolan leaned over the side of the ship. “We don’t have
time to argue about it. Let’s just get going. But if there’s any trouble with
Jewel, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

Jewel let out her breath. She didn’t like the idea that everyone
thought she was sulking, but it was working to her advantage. She kept to her
hiding place until the crew who were playing pirates had swung over the railing
and descended. A quick peek around the mast showed Nolan giving last-minute
instructions to the remaining sailors. Wayland appeared to be gazing at the
stars. She didn’t stop to question her good luck. She crept to the railing and
swung her leg over.

Trying to gain purchase on the bucking rope ladder while
the ocean coughed and spat beneath her cooled Jewel’s enthusiasm considerably.
Once she got the hang of moving her feet and hands in unison, she quickened her
descent. Below, a tiny shape bobbed in a black sea that reminded her of a giant
beast’s gaping jaws. She dared not look down again. In all her preparations for
a life of adventure with her father, learning to swim had never occurred to
her. As frightened as she was, the darkness below was a blessing. She aimed for
the emptiest skiff. With any luck, everyone else would use the same process, no
lantern, and would never see her huddled inside.

In the bow, she found a pile of ruffled shirts, velvet vests,
and jaunty tricorns, acquired on Nassau to disguise the rescued men. By the
smell of them, Parker had snatched them from living, breathing pirates—drunken,
sweaty pirates at that. Having no other choice, Jewel covered herself with the
cast-offs and tried not to breathe too deeply. If she weren’t stepped on when
the pilot entered the boat, she just might go unnoticed.

It didn’t take long until she heard the rope ladder creak
with someone’s weight, and the skiff where Jewel hid rocked with renewed
violence. The craft settled as its new occupant found his way to the center of
the boat, miraculously missing Jewel. Not a pinprick of light crept past her
cover of clothes, assuring her that the man didn’t carry a lantern. Silence
stretched for long minutes that seemed like hours until she heard the rope
ladder creak again.

“I told you to grab a lantern,” called Nolan from above.

“Don’t want to alert the
Neptune
we’re coming, do ya?”
answered Wayland.

Jewel cursed under her breath. He was right next to her.
She’d picked the worst possible boat.

Nolan stepped into his own skiff, and the wake from his
movement rocked Wayland’s boat again. “It would have been nice not to have to risk
my neck before getting to the
Neptune
. It’s dark as pitch out here.”

Wayland shifted his weight. A spray of water tickled Jewel’s
back as the pirate used his oar to splash Nolan. “Bah. You crept around well
enough in the dark when we was with Bellamy. I hate to see you going soft.”

Another soft splash accompanied the feeling of forward
movement. “Why do you insist on reminding me of things I’d rather forget?”
Nolan asked. His voice sounded farther away. His boat and Wayland’s had been untied,
and they must be rowing to their destination.

Wayland chuckled. “You can run, lad, but you can’t hide.”

“Shut up. Voices carry over water,” Nolan hissed.

For the rest of the trip, the only sound was oars gliding
through the water. Both men were well practiced in rowing, because nary a
splash gave away their progress. Jewel tried hard not to move a muscle, though
a plume from a tricorn found its way to brush against her nose. She pulled her
sword closer to her body, hoping it didn’t stick out of the clothing.

She wasn’t quite sure what she would do once they arrived
at their destination. All she knew was that she had to be there. She’d
abandoned her old life on a whim, and if she wanted to be in charge of her new
one, she had to continue to trust her instincts rather than meekly allow others
to guide her course. And thus far, her hunches had proved correct—both in
finding the map’s secret and in going along on this expedition. It was madness
for Nolan to try to rescue his crewmen alone.

Their pace slowed, and Jewel could no longer detect even
the slightest swish of oars. Parker’s voice carried over the water—at first
faint, but growing ever stronger. “Aye, ya bloody…I know you got Sheila on
board.” His words were slurred and faded in and out. The answering call from
another ship was muffled. Then Jewel heard the roar of other voices. The crew
of the
Integrity
was creating quite a distraction.

“You think you can make it up without falling?” Wayland
asked Nolan in a loud whisper.

“I’ve climbed up an anchor cable before. When I get on
board, I’ll drop over a ladder the men can use to get down here. Move under
it.” Nolan sounded very close. Jewel assumed Wayland was holding his skiff.

“First ya say don’t remind ya, and then you go and brag
about your exploits,” the old pirate said.

“Shh.” Nolan’s wordless command ended their discussion.

“Like I said, he says one thing but wants the opposite,”
Wayland said. He spoke softly enough for only Jewel to hear. She stiffened, but
when he said nothing more, she assumed he was talking to himself. A few muffled
paddle strokes propelled them away from Nolan until their skiff clunked against
something solid.

Jewel waited, not sure what to do next. Wayland would see
her unless he broke his promise to Nolan and followed him on board. Another sound,
the distinctive clatter and creak of rope, signaled that a ladder had been unfurled
from the
Neptune
. The skiff lurched as Wayland shifted to grab it.

“Looks like he made it,” the old sailor said. “You would
think he’d realize he’s not as different from the man he was before. Thinks
he’s all polished brass and book learning now. Book learning can’t climb up no anchor
cable, and it sure won’t keep a man warm at night.”

Jewel never realized how much Wayland talked to himself.
His one-sided conversation flayed her already raw nerves. As it was, she
struggled with what she should do next.

“What do you think, Jewel?” Wayland asked.

She stuffed her fist in her mouth to keep from gasping. Did
he imagine she was there, or did he know? He sounded so matter of fact, as if
her presence was as ordinary as milk with tea.

“Come on, chit. You better get on with it,” he said, his
impatience clear.

Jewel sat up, the bundle of extra clothes falling from around
her. “How did you know?”

Wayland perched on a bench in the middle of the boat,
clutching a long oar he’d strung through the rope ladder to keep them in place.
“You’re as clear as that swill Nolan serves as grog. If he weren’t smitten with
you, he might see through you, too.”

Jewel straightened her clothes and adjusted her scabbard. “Thanks
for not giving me away.”

Wayland nodded. He gestured to the rope ladder. “If you
want to help, get on with it.”

Jewel looked at the rope. “What am I supposed to do?”

Wayland shrugged. “How the hell should I know? I got you
here. You have to figure out the rest.”

Jewel stood, almost falling at the boat’s abrupt lurch.
She caught her balance, grabbed the first rung and hauled herself out of the
skiff. “I think Nolan needs me.”

“I been saying that all along.” Wayland put his hand on her
rump and propelled her up. “Hope you know how to use that sword.”

Jewel nodded, and then continued up the ladder. The idea of
using her sword in a real battle suddenly filled her with dread. Though she’d
practiced with Harvey until her arm and shoulder ached, the idea of facing an armed
opponent slowed her pace. Fear weakened her limbs. If Nolan’s plan went right,
she wouldn’t have to test her skills against a trained soldier, but then he
wouldn’t need her help either. She didn’t know why, but she felt her presence
would change everything. Focusing on the fact that Nolan was alone, she swiftly
pulled herself up the rest of the way.

She hauled herself over the railing and soundlessly slid
to the deck. There she crouched and waited. Across the way, she could hear
laughter and jeers from the
Neptune
’s crew, who appeared to be enjoying
an exchange with Parker and his men.

She slunk into the shadows, watching the guards. Following
Nolan would leave the rope ladder unguarded, and she didn’t know her way
around. She suddenly had second thoughts. What good was she doing Nolan hiding in
the shadows?

Her struggle with indecision ended abruptly when she spotted
a line of silhouettes creep across the deck in her direction. She pressed
herself farther into her hiding place. Before she could do a thing to help,
Nolan reached the rope ladder, followed by ten men. He signaled for them to
start down. Keeping a constant vigil on the guards, he glanced periodically at
the progress of his recently freed crew. Jewel realized he was going to be
furious when she revealed herself. He hadn’t needed her after all, and she would
be just one more person who had to get down the ladder before they could make
their escape.

“Hey, you. Who goes there?” called a voice from the darkness.
The last of the escaping seamen paused on the top rung of the ladder. Nolan
leaned over and pushed his head down, out of view.

“You’re one of the new men,” the unidentified voice continued.
“Sorry, mate—you know the newly pressed fellows can’t go ashore. You wouldn’t
be thinking of jumping, would ya?”

Nolan glanced over the railing again, and, apparently satisfied
the last man had reached the waiting skiff, freed the rope ladder. It dropped
down over the side. Jewel held her breath to keep from stopping him. How the
hell was she going to get down?

“Wouldn’t think of jumping. Can’t swim. I’m a land man,
you know,” he responded.

Jewel wondered why Nolan didn’t act the officer as he had
planned and just tell the guard to go away. She tried not to panic, trusting he
knew what he was doing.

The guard appeared beside Nolan. “Yeah, that’s what they
all say. It’s a long way down.” He leaned on the rail and looked over.

Before he had a chance to speak, Nolan hit him on the head
with the butt of a pistol, and then caught the guard and soundlessly laid him
on the deck. In the process, he came nose to nose with Jewel.

“Bloody hell,” he growled, low and menacing. He reached
out and gripped her arm in a bone-crunching hold.

A shout from across the deck forced him to release her. “Hey,
Martin, you see any ...”

The voice trailed off. The second guard must have spotted
Nolan and his fallen comrade. The hiss of steel sounded as he drew his sword.
Nolan did the same. Swords clanked as they joined battle. Nolan thrust again and
again, making sure his opponent was too busy defending himself to call for
reinforcements. The last fight she had witnessed with Nolan flashed through
Jewel’s mind. He’d been a clumsy youth that night he’d challenged her father in
the sandy alley outside the Quail and Queen, and he’d been royally trounced.
She prayed he’d sharpened his skill since. Judging from his opponent’s frantic
parries, he had.

Jewel slid against the side of the ship, staying crouched
and hidden while she watched Nolan’s fight. He pushed his foe toward the
Neptune
’s
stern, away from her. He appeared to be winning effortlessly until suddenly he
lurched to the left and his opponent slashed his arm. His hiss of pain carried
across the deck.

Jewel leaped into action. The man Nolan had hit over the
head had somewhat recovered, and he had crawled into the fray and grabbed
Nolan’s ankle. Crouching, Jewel tugged on the downed man’s boots and tried to yank
him away before he could cause any more trouble.

He kicked her off easily. She landed hard on her side but
managed to scramble to her feet before he did. His wooziness from the earlier
knock on the head gave her enough time to draw her sword. She stood motionless,
with it poised as Harvey had taught. Her heart swelled in her throat. She had
never had a real fight before, and the rush of excitement mixed with fear made
it hard to think. She struggled to remember Harvey’s instructions.