Page 20 of Paid to the Pirate

“I wanted to check on you but I’m actually in the middle of some work with Johnson. Will you be alright on your own for the rest of the day? I’ll return at supper and we can eat in the galley.”

I heard what Conks wasn’t outright saying -- that I was to stay away from the crew. Either because Colt had ordered it or because perhaps Conks worried for my safety.

“Of course I’ll be fine.” I laid a gentle hand upon Conk’s bicep and whispered, “But I was wondering about the supposed gold in question…”

Conks eyes flashed and I realized it was true.Was I a common thief?

Surely, I had a reason. Maybe it was my gold to begin with and I was only stealing it back. Maybe I needed it to escape this Godforsaken ship.

“I was just hoping that the absence of the gold… didn’t affect you personally.”

Conks’s eyes clouded with sadness. “Are you asking if the captain took it out on me when you stole his bag o’ bits? Nah. That was the least of his worries that morning.”

I couldn’t say why exactly that relaxed me, but it did. I didn’t want to have hurt the kind man before me -- although I’d apparently disappointed him, as Johnson said.

“I don’t think the captain cares much about the gold, considering what else you stole.”

I snapped to attention.What else could there be?

“But don’t you worry, the crew don’t know about that. ’Cept Robert and maybe one or two others. If they knew, I don’t think you’d survive onThe Dread Nightvery long. The captain wasn’t planning on telling anyone until he had the profit to be shared. Too much could go wrong beforehand.” Conks shrugged. “And it did, though never in the way he presumed.”

My head swum.No. I’m a lady, not a thief.

“I reckon he’ll wring a confession out of you one way or another before he ever lets you off this ship,” Conks said. “So it would be in your best interest to tell the captain what he wants to know. The longer you wait, the harder you’ll make it on yourself.”

I blushed at the knowing look Conks gave me before taking his leave.

Alone once more, I explored below deck, surprised to find the ship much tidier than I’d expected. Storage was neatly arranged and labeled. Rations and supplies were tracked with precision. And despite the chore it must be to keep a ship clean from mud and mold, the cargo hold was spotless -- save the area for livestock, understandably, which bore a distinctive odor that couldn’t be easily masked.

As I explored, I was shocked to find several chickens and even a goat aboard. Perhaps my eggs had come fresh from the small coop.

“Caged like me,” I whispered to the noisy little creatures.

Captain Colton Pearce ran a tight ship. I tried to reconcile the murderous pirate to the man with such immaculate and exacting standards for cleanliness and had difficulty. I tried to mesh both truths with the image of the devil who kissed me and whipped me and found it all just a pile of contradictions.

The rest of the day passed in a daze. I dined with Miguel, but Conks joined, making it impossible for me to try to probe for information. I could tell I was being contained, as the rest of the crew supped above deck. Their raucous laughter and songs carried down to the galley, filling me with a strange sense of longing or wistfulness I didn’t understand.

Not to join them,I reasoned.Simply to sing. I miss singing, especially for a crowd.

Rum was served and with unsteady hands I drank all of it from my cup. Whatever was to befall me that evening, I considered it a blessed fortification. The only other thing I could do was renew my vows not to break, and to strengthen my resolve to bring down these vile pirates from within.

After we finished our meal of cod, cabbage, and a surprising array of fresh fruits, I had nothing left to do but wait with increasing fear. At dusk, I stood at the stern while the sun melted into the horizon.

Don’t go,I begged.Stay and light the sky. When you plunge this earth into darkness, my world will darken along with it.

At the thought, the image of Colt’s black eyes passed through my mind. Certainly, such a color for eyes did not exist. Unless some devilry had blackened them to match his soul.

Nonsense, Charlotte,I warned.They’re just a deep brown.

I’d have to keep my wits about me to survive whatever brutal treatment the captain planned and to outmaneuver the monster. Those keen eyes seemed to glean more than other men saw.

Even before he’d had free view of all my private, womanly areas,I thought with shame and resentment.

I squeezed the railing until my knuckles turned white. For some reason, I squeezed my thighs together too. My heart raced and I could feel myself dampen with sweat in a very un-ladylike manner. I looked up to see the moon shining brighter, bolder.

Don’t,I begged that glowing orb.Hide yourself. Retreat and keep me safe.

But the moon was as cold and unfeeling as the captain himself, whose ominous footsteps I now heard thudding behind me.

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