Page 29 of The Pirate's Daughter

“Mrs. Winthrop, if you please,” Devinwarned.

“I don’t and you need to do something,” she said and pointed to the line of men in chains being directed where to sit on the deck of theIron Roseuntil they reachedport.

“We’ll verify his papers, which is all we cando.”

“All you can do? You don’t need to verify his papers.” Mia stormed past them, walking directly up to the men who watched her with a wary eye. Devin felt his heart stop at the thought one of them might grab her. Her first words were French, Devin recognized them, but the next several sentences were in several different languages. She tried a number of them until she got a response. The thin, dark-skinned man who spoke had a fear in his eyes Devin could’ve seen from the other side of the world. The conversation persisted for only a few minutes before Captain Gillmore developed that samefear.

“Shut up,” he yelled, heading towards Mia. “You shut your mouth. I didn’t give you permission to speak to them, you witch.” Devin was chasing him down, but a member of Gillmore’s crew raised a whip. Mia’s conversation became even more frantic as she realized any time to gather information was waning. Devin kept his focus on Mia, intent to get to her before Gillmore could do more than scream like a madman. But from the corner of his eye, he saw the whip unfurl and the man draw back his arm. It took only a slight motion and Mr. Quiggly was there to step on the tail so when the man’s arm came forward he lost hisgrip.

“Not on this ship, sir.” Mr. Quiggly said, collecting the whip and tossing it over therail.

“Get away from my property,” Gillmore yelled and grabbed for Mia. Devin’s hand clamped down on his arm before he touchedher.

“You’ll lose more than a ship and property if you set a hand on my wife,” Devin warned him. The man, a coward in truth, backed down. He had no ability to command anything, not chained and abused intocompliance.

“Keep her away from my cargo,” Gillmore said, then stepped around Mia to shove the man who’d spoken withher.

“They’re not yet slaves, Captain, you can’t let him,” Mia pleaded. She turned back and continued to speak with the man. She was barely acknowledged now, but Devin didn’t miss something passing betweenthem.

“He has papers saying they are.” Devin waved over Grim who looked a little too eager to rip off Gillmore’s head, perhaps shove it up his ass. “Please return to quarters, Mia.” The helpless look that crossed her face might have reflected his. The bastard calling himself a captain was hardly even a member of the human race. As much as Devin, his crew, and his wife might want to let them be lost at sea, they were duty bound to follow the laws. He followed Mia and Grim back towards the quarterdeck and watched them retreat below, before turning to observe Gillmore and hiscrew.

“I see the appeal now,” Mr. Asher said, stepping up to Devin’sleft.

“Of?”

“Piracy,” the man said withouthesitation.

“Doyou?”

“I do. Not to be restricted by rules set by a political structure that never sees the world they think tocommand.”

“It would be satisfying at the moment to shove a cannonball up their stern and kick them over,” Lieutenant Coventon said, as he stepped up to Devin’sright.

“It’s too easy for them to subvert the laws, subvert morality, and get away with this,” Mr. Brinks said from over Devin’s leftshoulder.

“To see men as cargo?” The disgust in Mr. Wilshire’s voice was clear, the same as it was in the three other officers who’d gathered to stand around him. The display made it clear where lines were drawn. No one on theIron Roseagreed with slavery, none would let abuses happen and they’d be watching closely until they could domore.

“It appeals to you?” Devin said looking straight ahead. “And yet do you acknowledge that it’s only with men following the rules, even when the rules seem to create more havoc than calm, the world maintains any order? How easy now to desire to fling it all to the winds. To disregard every law, every courtesy, every link in the chain of command and do to them what you consider just and fair. But what happens when what you do offends some other and they wish to also forgo obeying laws and it’s you with a pound of lead in your ass and sinking to the sea floor. Rule and laws, gentleman, as poorly as they may be constructed and enforced, are the only things preventing all of us from becoming the animals we see before usnow.”

The murmur of ‘ayes’ sounded around him. He had a good crew, good men surrounding him. But even good men could be tempted to do wrong in the name of righteousness. Watching as Gillmore knocked the ladle from Mr. Hong’s hands as the man tried to feed the captives, Devin was strongly tempted. Stronglytempted.

Chapter 13

“Are you actually questioning my honor?”Governor Ravoix snarled, coming to his feet behind thedesk.

“No,” Devin said without flinching. “I’m questioning your humanity.” The governor’s decision finding the paperwork legal and in order hadn’t sat well. Devin was glad he’d kept Mia on the ship. “I’ll be filing a grievance on this matter Governor, as I can’t say you’ve the knowledge needed if you find these,” Devin gestured to the scattered papers, “legitimate.” It was the last and only thing he could do, but he knew it wouldn’t save thosepeople.

“You do as you see fit, though it could be I’d be willing to write a letter of commendation for how you saved a vessel. That would stand out on a captain’s record,” the mansaid.

“Being as it was my wife who spotted the ship, and also being we all wish she hadn’t, I’ll pass on your bribe,” Devin told him and prayed the governor would make a protest, perhaps report him to the admirals. Such a thing would bring a great deal of attention down on this man and the crew he wasprotecting.

The man huffed, causing his multiple chins to wobble. “Then I consider this matter closed. Have a nice day, Captain.” Devin pulled his hat from under his arm and set it on his head, then spun on his heels and marchedout.

“Good day to you Captain, and thanks for the aid,” Gillmore jeered from where he waited, leaning against the building. “The cargo will bring in a nice price I think, lots of strong ones inthere.”

Devin drew in a breath, let it out and started walking away. He saw Mr. Asher and Mr. Brinks fall in besidehim.

“Tell that bitch wife of yours I’ll sell her one, cheap. She can set it free if she’s so inclined,” Gillmore called. “Best teach her to keep her abolitionist mouth shut though, people don’t much like talk likehers.”

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