Page 56 of The Pirate's Daughter

Chapter 26

Devin worked the wheel,making sure if the ship they closed in on turned about he could match the action. The sun came up almost four hours ago, right about the time they came around enough to raise sails and catch the wind. At the moment, they were full speed heading due west and coming up hard behind her. The sun over his right shoulder, starboard side, shone brightly on the galleon. The shadow of theIron Rosewas small and alerted no one they werecoming.

“She was right, Captain,” Mr. Quiggly said, handing him a spyglass. “All guns are off their starboard and not a single man has looked back thisway.”

Devin raised the glass long enough to confirm the quartermaster’s assessment. And reconfirm the black flag on the ship’s post. Pirates and bragging about it. “An hourahead?”

“Aye, I think maybe less. Think they’ll be done before we get there?” Mr. Quiggly asked. Like Devin, he was probably thinking they’d not save many lives, but if in the end they took this ship and crew down it was awin.

“They won’t be done. Ship like that will have a good number of things to pillage and unless and until they see us they won’t hurry.” Devin handed back the glass and turned the wheel port ever so slightly as Mia was indicating, with a wave of her arm, from mid-deck. When he’d gone enough to her liking she raised her arm in the air. No more than three or four degrees and the ship caught current and surgedahead.

“How the bloody hell does she do that?” Quiggly asked inamazement.

“No idea, but I’d give an arm to have that talent,” Devinsaid.

“You do have that talent sir, she’syourwife.”

“That she is, Mr. Quiggly,” Devin said not taking his eyes from her until it was time to put the men and guns in place, pleased more than ever he had them practice. He sent Mia below oddly without a fight and turned his vessel broadside to heraft.

His cannon rang out as it cut into the unprepared backside of the huge ship. Sending shards of wood and glass and iron up through the transom, and out mid-topdeck. Those first shots may have also shattered the main mast as it leaned ominously forward towards the bow. “Fire again,” Devin yelled and a second volley of cannon fire cracked across thesea.

Aboard the passenger ship, their arrival singled a hope, giving a number on board the willingness to fight back. Trapped now between the guns of a navy warship and a group more ready to go down fighting, the marauders gave up ratherquickly.

“Prepare to board her,” Devin yelled and waited until the crew shifted from cannon to rifle, pistol, and sword. “Caution men,” Devin warned, then lead a squad across. It took only another hour to figure out why the ship was given up so easily. They weren’t armed. They had cannons, but no balls or powder. Only what they needed for the small arms they carried. His wife’s note about the ship never actually firing a shot made sense. Whether out of over confidence they’d never need to, or some other reason, perhaps a need to make more speed, they’d not carried such things withthem.

Devin’s crew had the ship searched stem to stern, all its members on deck in irons, and the owner of the ship lured in welcoming him aboard to give his thanks and gratitude, beforesunset.

“I don’t know what would have happen to us if you hadn’t come by, Captain Winthrop,” the man introduced to Devin as Lord Huffingtonsaid.

“The crew would’ve been murdered, your belongings taken and you’d have been ransomed back to whoever might have paid for you.” Devin swung around to see Mia crossing off the galleon onto this ship, thePied Piper. At least she’d changed into suitable attire. She spoke up and caused the three ladies standing on deck toswoon.

“Captain?” Huffingtonstammered.

“I shall introduce my wife, my lord,” Devin said holding out his hand to Mia. “Mia Winthrop, his lordship Huffington. Lord Huffington, the only reason you are alive and safe is my wifeMia.”

“Since when are females allowed on navy ships?” the captain of thePiperasked, stepping up to assess Miacritically.

“Special circumstances approved by the Admiralty.” Devin stared the man down. “It was actually she who spotted the trap in time for us tointerfere.”

“Circumstances well in our favor I’d say,” Huffington said. “Wouldn’t you agree,Captain?”

“Aye,” the man said, but didn’t sound half as pleased as he shouldhave.

“Well, young lady, I assure you, your good work won’t go untold,” his lordship said clapping his handtogether.

“If it wouldn’t be much of a bother, I’d prefer all credit go to Captain Winthrop.” Even Devin was surprised at that. “My papa would faint dead away if he heard I was helping to fight pirates,” Mia said which satisfied the men. “And I really want my allowance,” she added under her breath but loud enough Devin heard. He pressed his lips together to keep fromlaughing.

“If everyone onboard here is fit,” Devin started breaking the awkward silence, “I can give you escort to the port of yourchoice.”

“What will you do with the pirate ship, Captain?” a young, blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman asked, stepping close and batting her lashes at him like he’d not just introduced his wife toeveryone.

“She’s fit to sail. We’ll bring her and her crew to port in Jamaica. I’m sure Gallows Point will welcome them neatly,” Devin said trying to discreetly pry the woman’s hand from hisarm.

“Well, fitting then we were headed to Port Royal ourselves,” Lord Huffington said as he rocked up on his toes then back to hisheels.

“Really,” Mia said coming around to Devin’s other side. “You were heading in the wrong direction.” She grabbed the woman’s hand, pulled it from his arm, and tossed it back at her. “Mine,” she hissed sending the woman scrambling back to the clutch of hens gathered together near the main mast. Again, Devin pressed his lipstogether.

“We were?” the noble man stutteredagain

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