Pirate's Prize Read online

  Brian finished the last of his stew and rose from his chair. Slipping out the door into the heavy night air, he hurried toward the inn. O’Rourke met him halfway there.

  “Two of Badeau’s men are in the pub,” Brian whispered. “I think they’ll be there awhile, but you never know for sure.”

  O’Rourke fell into step beside Brian as they headed back toward the pub. “How about if I wait across the street?” the skipper said. “If they come out, follow them so I’ll know who they are. We can take turns following them. They might get suspicious if they see us together.”

  “That sounds good to me.” Brian shook the other man’s hand and left him on the street corner. Then he returned to the noisy pub, sat at his table, and pretended to drink a tankard of ale.

  The place grew even louder and smokier as the night went on.

  By the time the two men got up to leave, they were both so drunk they were unsteady on their feet. They had a hard time maneuvering through the tables. Henderson almost fell into another rowdy patron’s lap, but he caught the edge of the table just in time. The patron tried to start a fight, but his drinking buddies stopped him. When the two pirates reached the entrance, they were holding each other up.

  Finally, they staggered out the door and shuffled down the boardwalk, with Brian following at a discreet distance. He glanced across the street. Two men slouched in the shadows where he had left O’Rourke. Evidently the skipper had returned to the inn and brought Murphy back with him. Brian stayed on the pub side of the street and ambled the same direction the pirates were going. Across the street, his two shipmates moved toward the wharf, too.

  After the pirates fell into their small boat, they fumbled with the sail. It took them several minutes to raise it. Soon they were in the middle of the Mississippi River, making their way upstream. Brian could only hope they would return to the plantation.

  He and his two friends climbed into their own boat, which was moored quite a ways down the wharf from the pirates. Brian and O’Rourke made a show of using the fishing poles while Murphy manned the sail, keeping the noisy pirates in view. The drunken sailors weren’t making very fast headway, so the sailing was easy.

  Brian and O’Rourke kept their fishing lines in the water while the boats made their way upriver. They didn’t have any bait, so they wouldn’t catch anything, but the pirates wouldn’t know that—if they even noticed the other boat. Occasionally, Brian and O’Rourke saw a small boat near the bank of the river with fishing poles dropped into the water, so they fit right in.

  The sun was nearing the middle of the sky when the pirates’ boat turned toward the right riverbank. Murphy brought their boat close to the shore before they reached the same place. Brian sat facing upriver so he could watch the other boat. It slipped out of sight behind some trees on the bank.

  After the two men pulled their lines out of the water, Murphy sailed toward the place where the pirates’ boat had disappeared. Just before they reached the spot, Brian saw the bayou that emptied into the Mississippi. “That’s the entrance,” he said. “Pull in here.”

  Murphy sailed to the riverbank. The three men maneuvered the front of the boat up on the dirt.

  Brian stood on the bank and studied the terrain, trying to burn it into his brain. They’d passed several similar areas. How could they find this particular one again?

  Murphy tied the boat to a tree. “We need to mark this spot.”

  “But how?” Brian scanned everything around them, trying to find something that was different from the rest of the wilderness.

  “Let’s sail a bit past this point and mark a couple of trees,” O’Rourke suggested.

  They slid the boat back into the water and sailed it a little ways upriver from the spot where the pirates had disappeared. After tying their boat to a tree, they walked back toward the bayou. Tall trees grew along the bank. A multitude of smaller trees and bushes crowded around their trunks. The men chose two trees that were so close together their roots were probably intertwined. After removing all the brush undergrowth on the river side of the trees, they cut a wide notch into each trunk close to the ground. The notches could be seen from the river but not by anyone on land. And as low as the notches were, a person would have to be looking for them to notice they were there.

  When they finished, the three men walked back into the covering growth. Brian’s heartbeat accelerated. Finally, they were close to where Angelina was being held. His inclination was to rush to her, but he knew that wouldn’t work. There were too many pirates around. Still, it felt good to finally be so close to reaching their goal. Turning to the other men, he smiled.

  “We need to be extremely careful. And we need a plan. I have an idea about what we should do.”

  Twelve

  Angelina welcomed Walter’s knock on the door, even though it meant Etienne Badeau would once again share a meal with them. At least now she was able to eat her food with the man in the room. It had taken her awhile to convince herself that she couldn’t let him affect her ability to gain sustenance. She wanted to keep up her strength so that when Brian came to rescue them, she wouldn’t hamper the chance to escape. She was a little worried about Aunt Elena, though. Her companion might not be able to make the getaway with them. Every day she ate less and became more frail and wan. Angelina felt sure she had given up hope.

  “Thank you, Walter.” Badeau smiled at the Englishman, then took his place on the settee across from Angelina and her aunt. “You may stay and eat with us.”

  Walter’s eyes widened. This was the first time his boss had extended such an invitation. Badeau glanced at him and gestured toward the couch beside him. “You can sit here.”

  “I didn’t bring enough food.”

  Badeau waved his hand toward the door. “Go get yours and come back.” He turned to smile at Angelina.

  She wondered what he was up to. The pirate captain seemed to operate on whims. She gave him a tight smile, inclining her head in a questioning nod. This might not be a bad thing. Maybe the two men would talk to each other and she could find out what was going on outside this room.

  Walter returned with a full plate and sat beside his boss. While Angelina consumed the meal, she listened unobtrusively to the two men’s conversation.

  “I haven’t seen Miles around lately.” Badeau took a drink from the tankard beside his plate, then swiped the back of his hand across his lips.

  “He’s sleeping this evening, sir.” Walter toyed with his roast without looking up.

  “Is he sick?”

  “I don’t believe so.” Walter grimaced. “I think he’s drunk.”

  Badeau thumped the table with his fist, making Aunt Elena jump. “Are you letting them have too much ale?”

  The Englishman gulped. “No, sir. They must have gotten it somewhere else.”

  Badeau sat back, ignoring his food. “They aren’t supposed to go anywhere without letting me know. I may have to replace that man. He’s becoming too insolent for his own good.”

  “It could be difficult to find a first mate who is as experienced as he is.” Walter gulped some of the water from his glass, then set it back on the table. “Give him another chance. After all, he isn’t a carpenter or builder, and that’s what you’ve had the men doing while we’re here.”

  Badeau furrowed his brow as if lost in thought. “The house is finished, so I don’t need their help here anymore. But I’m waiting for a message from one of our contacts. Depending on what he tells me, we might make one more foray on the ocean. Then I’ll give the men their share of the treasure and they can be on their way.”

  Angelina wondered what kind of foray he was talking about. She hoped he wasn’t going to attack another ship. He had promised he would stop being a pirate. Too many people had already suffered at his hands.

  ❧

  “We’ll need the ship close by in case we need to make a quick getaway,” Brian pointed out to Murphy and O’Rourke. “A large ship could easily overtake this little fishing boa
t.”

  O’Rourke nodded and shooed an insect from the back of his neck. “I’ll have Murphy take me back. You can stay near the plantation if you want.”

  Brian hadn’t thought of that, but it was a good idea. He could hide in the woods and keep the house under surveillance. Maybe he would even catch a glimpse of Angelina, though he didn’t know if he could stand seeing her from afar and not going to her immediately.

  The other two men took the fishing boat into the river. Sailing with the current, they would make good time to New Orleans. They should be back quickly. Brian waved as they rounded a bend in the mighty river.

  He decided to wait until almost dark to make his way closer to the house. Waiting was the hard part, and he needed to get some rest. After climbing a tall tree, he found a place where he could lean against the trunk and have his body cradled by two adjoining limbs. He hoped he wouldn’t snore.

  He didn’t sleep soundly. Every snap and crack in the forest woke him. But he dozed enough to refresh himself. The breeze that blew through the canopy of foliage kept him cool. Once an alligator made its noisy way through the underbrush, then slipped into the bayou with hardly a splash. Brian hadn’t seen any of the huge creatures in the water of the Mississippi. Maybe they stayed in the bayous and swamps, where the movement of the water wasn’t as swift.

  In an adjoining tree, an opossum crouched on a branch and squinted at Brian. He thought they only came out at night. Maybe the noisy alligator had disturbed its rest, too.

  Brian looked down toward a dead tree that had fallen partway into the bayou. Two large turtles lumbered out of the water and walked halfway up the length of the trunk before hunkering down in the warm late-afternoon sunlight. A crane flew from a tree on the opposite bank of the bayou and swooped toward a spot in the middle of the pool. When it came back up, a fish squirmed in its bill. Seeing that reminded Brian of how long it had been since he ate. With a growl, his stomach lurched. When he descended from the tree, he could look for edible berries.

  As the day waned, the forest came alive with chirps, whirs, and scuffling as the animals moved around. A stronger wind rustled through the leaves on the trees and bushes. Maybe all this noise would cover any he would make as he moved closer to the house.

  After shimmying most of the way down the trunk, Brian lost his hold on the bark and fell the last few feet. He lay still in the underbrush, waiting to see if his ungraceful landing had given his presence away. When all he heard was the continued forest sounds, he gingerly rose to his feet and glanced around to get his bearings. He sneaked from tree to tree toward the plantation house. On the way, he didn’t see anything he could eat.

  When the structure came into sight, he stopped to appreciate its beauty. He hadn’t looked back at the house when he made his escape weeks ago, so he hadn’t realized that the building had reached completion. What a shame such a lovely plantation belonged to an outlaw. Surely God wouldn’t let the man start living as a decent, law-abiding citizen after all he’d done. If the governor’s men were able to capture Badeau, what would happen to this wonderful place? A woman like Angelina should live in a house like this, but not with such a vile man as Badeau.

  Brian crept closer, keeping an eye out for pirates. He climbed a tree with thick branches that could hide him while allowing him to observe everything that happened on this side of the house. At least he was near the rooms where Angelina and Elena were being held. . .if Badeau hadn’t moved them.

  The door to the balcony opened, and Angelina stepped into the evening air. Brian almost gasped. He had missed her so much, his heart hurt from the longing. Her breathtaking beauty had not dimmed in the time he had been gone, but he noticed a look of greater maturity on her face. Brian prayed it was her strength during the crisis that put it there. How he wanted to let her know that he was near, but it wasn’t yet time. He had to be patient awhile longer.

  Elena came through the door. Angelina helped her to a chair. Brian couldn’t believe how frail the older woman looked—not at all the robust person he had last seen. His heart almost broke for what they must have suffered. It was all he could do to keep from jumping down from his perch and running to the women. But that wouldn’t help them, and it might bring destruction.

  ❧

  “Angelina.” Aunt Elena’s voice was almost a whisper. “I don’t know how much longer I can stand to be near that man. I’m ready to give up.”

  “No.” Angelina’s vehement reply was louder than she intended, so she lowered her voice. She didn’t want any of the pirates to wonder what was wrong and come investigate. “I know Brian O’Doule is alive. He is going to rescue us.”

  Elena put her needlework beside her on the settee, crossed her arms over her waist, and clutched at her elbows. “But he’s been gone so long. Surely he would have returned by now if he were still alive.”

  Angelina turned from looking out the window at the waning daylight. She couldn’t let her aunt continue having such negative thoughts. “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.” She smiled at her aunt. “Remember how much this verse has meant to us. We must trust God.”

  “But bad things happen to good people.” Aunt Elena looked so forlorn, Angelina’s heart hurt as if a dagger had pierced it.

  “We’ve been reading the Bible together. Doesn’t it give you any hope?”

  Her duenna looked up at her with a bleak expression in her eyes. “I don’t have as much hope as you do.”

  Angelina knelt beside her aunt. “My hope was rekindled when I asked Jesus into my heart. I wish you would do that, too. Then you wouldn’t feel so defeated.” She pulled her aunt into her arms, and the woman wept quietly against her shoulder.

  Angelina helped her companion into her bedroom and assisted her in preparing for bed. After Aunt Elena was under the covers, Angelina knelt beside her and prayed until the older woman fell asleep.

  She blew out the lamps and went back out on the balcony. Leaning against one of the support columns, she gazed into the inky sky sparkling with a million stars that looked like diamonds. Even though they were in the wilderness, this place held a quiet beauty. The peace that came with the night invaded her soul, bringing words of praise to God into her mind. She didn’t say them out loud, because one of the pirates might be out there in the darkness, and she didn’t want him to know that she was outside.

  On the ship, she had often heard exclamations from the sailors that contained extremely coarse language, using some words she had never heard before in her life. By the way the men said them, she knew they were bad. That language continued here at the plantation. And every time one of the pirate sailors caught sight of her or Aunt Elena, his leering expression made her want to hide in a closet. Ever since Brian’s escape, she had tried to stay out of their sight, except for Walter and Badeau, of course. She couldn’t hide from them.

  Masculine voices invaded her silence. Badeau and Walter were once again conversing on the porch below her.

  “Who were you talking to in the dining hall this afternoon?” Angelina had often heard the Englishman speak his mind to his captain.

  “He’s the contact I told you about.”

  Angelina wondered what kind of message he received.

  “Did he bring good news?”

  Angelina held her breath.

  “Yes. When I was in New Orleans, I heard a rumor of a ship carrying a rich bounty across the Atlantic. I sent the man to find out the truth, because I don’t want to chase phantoms.”

  Angelina heard shuffling on the porch below. Then Walter spoke again. “I thought you were going to end your life as a pirate.”

  “I am, my friend. But I can’t pass up this last one. According to reports, no other vessel has ever carried as much wealth in its hold. Capturing it would be the crowning event of my career on the high seas.” Badeau’s laugh echoed into the dark night.

  Angelina shivered. She had never trusted the giant pirate, but this news made her more determin
ed than ever to escape—with or without Brian O’Doule’s help. If Aunt Elena weren’t so weak, Angelina would escape tonight and take her chances in the wilderness.

  “What about the women?” Walter asked.

  “While I’m gone, you, the cook, and four of the sailors will take turns guarding them. I’ll leave you in charge.”

  Angelina wondered what Walter thought of that, but the two men went into the house without saying anything more that she could hear.

  ❧

  Although the moon wasn’t full, it gave enough light for Brian to make out the movements of the pirate guards. After watching them for a couple of hours, he figured out their patrolling routine.

  Four men took positions within sight of Brian’s hiding spot. One leaned against a tree, smoking a pipe. Another slipped down to a sitting position on the ground. After a few minutes, his head dropped to his chest as if he were asleep. The other two carried on an animated conversation far enough away to keep from disturbing the others. Brian figured he could probably sneak into the house without anyone detecting him, but he decided to wait and see what happened tomorrow. He didn’t want to take a chance on putting the women in danger.

  He slept fitfully, nestled in the tree. Knowing Angelina was so close kept his nerves tingling all night.

  At dawn, activity below him drew his attention. The pirate crew had assembled on the front lawn, and Badeau was talking to them. Brian was able to hear an occasional word or two, but he couldn’t tell what was being said. Badeau and most of the crew headed toward the dock at the bottom of the hill. Walter and three other men stayed by the house.

  The pirates who were leaving made enough noise that Brian could descend from the tree and follow them through the undergrowth without being heard. He overheard Badeau telling the other pirates that they were going out to capture another ship. Apparently the captain was lying when he said he was going to stop his life of piracy. Brian had never liked the man, and this reinforced his feelings. Etienne Badeau couldn’t be trusted.