Page 61 of The Pirate's Daughter

The longer she kept them on deck waiting, the more agitated they became and eventually one of them called out and asked for advice. Mia honed in on the man that gave that advice. When she opened her mouth and spoke in their language, they knew instantly they’d been found out. She knew those responsible and she knew what other things they’d done. Unguarded talk was the very best way to gain information. Men always talked carelessly around women, thinking they didn’t have the mind to make sense of it, speaking even more carelessly if they did it in a language few non-native women would everspeak.

“Grim,” Mia called and jerked her head towards the man she was now most concerned with. Grim moved behind that man and quickly seized him around the neck. “Mr. Hong, if you would.” Mia asked again not letting Devin or his crew know what she was about by not speaking English. “Now,” Mia said as Hong took out a blade and cut away the man’s shirt over his left shoulder. It took everything in her not to puke when the mark came intoview.

“Who’s the other devil son of a whoring pig?” Mia asked, stepping up close. “I know there are always more than one of you on any ship. Point himout.”

“What do you care, English witch. I have no reason to tell you anything,” the man spatback.

“You tell me because it’ll be either you or the other who is turned over to The Blood Man. I care not which. But I also know you know how it goes for those he takes.” She watched the man swallow and the fear rise up in his eyes. “You or the other?” Mia asked again and Grim tightened hishold.

“He’s not on this ship. You can search all of them. They’re not one ofus.”

“Where is he?” Mia asked and watched every blink the man made. She saw him smile, then sneer. “Where is he?” she yelled, and stepping up backhanded him. Grim again gripped the man’s throat a little tighter. She saw it then. His eyes went from her to the ship sitting off the port side. ThePied Piper. “Oh God,” she breathed and spinning away headed straight toDevin.

“Mrs. Winthrop?” Lieutenant Coventon asked as sheapproached.

“Keep him separate from the others,” she said not sure how yet she might keep the crew safe and still be able to gain the advantage against the men responsible for her mother’smurder.

“Mia?” Devin asked stepping up. “Did he knowsomething?”

“Not that he’s willing to tell,” Mia said trying to sound disappointed. This man wasn’t going to know anything. He was too far down the chain, but a man able to get on and hide openly on a personal ship, that man would knowthings.

“Why do you think he needs to be kept separate?” Devin pushed, damn him. If he’d just let it be with her command. She’d give her eye to be captain rightnow.

“Port Royal isn’t as secure a harbor as you think. If any others are there, they’ll try and free him. If he’s with the rest, it’ll be chaos and you’ll lose men in trying to hold them. Having them apart… the other Wheel Heads,” she indicated her shoulder where the tattoo would be on the men. “They won’t care about anyone else. Only theirman.”

“You’ve no more questions for this man, Mia?” Devin asked and she knew he was suspicious. As hard as she pushed to get the chance, she was giving up too easily. But she shook her head and headed across the deck to look over at thePiper. Several of the passengers and crew watched from the rail the happenings aboard this ship, and Mia cursed not having thought of that ahead. But then again perhaps it wasn’t such a bad thing, as the man she sought out gave himself awaynow.

“No, Captain. He’s of no more use to me,” Mia said and ground her teeth. The man she wanted wasn’t on this ship he was on that one and she needed to get there, and get there before they madeport.

“Take them back to the brig,” Devin ordered. “Keep them in chains, in case. And keep him,” he nodded at the man being choked by Grim, “Away from everyone else. Any attempt to break him free, shoothim.”

“Aye, Captain,” the group said. Mia let him escort her back to the ladder and then waited as everyone settled in to rowback.

“Mia, what did he say to you?” Devin asked then glared at her. “The truth in whole, Mrs.Winthrop.”

“He said only that he was betrayed by someone to be put in the path of a navy ship. That they’d been had.” It wasn’t a lie. The others were grumbling those sentiments while Mia listened. “He didn’t know who or he’d give them up to hang beside him.” The last was a full and deliberate lie, but it satisfied her husband and Mia would confess only after she had the man she wasafter.

“Are they turning on their own then?” Devin asked but she wasn’t sure he was really asking, or thinking out loud. So she only shrugged and tried to figure out how to get over to thePiperbefore they made port in two days. As it was, Devin hosted a meal for the ladies and gentlemen of thePiperon board theIron Roseand the very man she wanted joinedthem.

As Captain Jones made his greeting, took his seat at the table and ate, Mia plotted out how she’d kill him slowly and still make sure he named the man who’d hired him. When she got her chance she never considered her husband would be the one to spill the wind from her sails and she never thought she’d know such a hurt as his actionscaused.

Chapter 29

Devin bidhis farewells to the visiting party with distraction. Something about Mia’s behavior tonight was making him nervous. He wanted to chalk it up to the way Lady Rose Filmore was clinging all over him, but he wasn’t sure and as he again pried the woman’s hand from his arm, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck standup.

It all happened quite fast as Mia stepped up to Captain Jones and with a simple swing of her arm cut a line across him from mid-chest to his left arm. It wasn’t deep, though a red line of blood quickly appeared as his garments slipped off. Grim had the man by the neck and the struggle was ensuing before Devin caught sight of the tattoo on the man’sshoulder.

Captain Jones put up a fight and only because the women on board got in the way did he manage to fight his way out of Grim’s hold and grab Lady Rose. He put the blade to her neck as she screamed for help. “Now stand away,” Jones ordered, backing toward the boards that crossed thedecks.

“Let the lady go Captain. We can come to some accord, but let her go,” Devin said and watched as Mr. Quiggly climbed to the helm. They were anchored, but if he could push the ship just a little the boards would drop and Jones would betrapped.

“The only accord will come after he tells me who hired him to attack Hermosa Alma,” Mia yelled, stepping up with a pistol pointed at theman.

“Better you back away, little girl,” Jones warned Mia as he pressed the knife harder against Lady Rose. “I’ll killher.”

The distinct sound of the hammer being pulled back carried. “Your mistake was to choose theonlywoman who’s been trying to steal my husband. Kill her and save me thetrouble.”

“Mia,” Devin said horrified, but not as much as he thought he should be. That was his wife. That was who he was wed to, a pirate. A pirate who used pirate ways to get what she wanted. He never thought for a second he’d be able to end those traits, but he’d hoped he’d at least curbed them, dulled them to a less fineedge.

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