A Pirate's Heart by Catherine Friend

Author:Catherine Friend [Friend, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Lesbian, Fiction, Gay & Lesbian, Caribbean Area, Action & Adventure, Women Pirates, Contemporary, Lesbian Librarians, Romance, General, Romantic Suspense Novels, Caribbean Area - History - to 1810
ISBN: 9781602820401
Google: leXJPQAACAAJ
Amazon: 1602820406
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2008-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen

Tommy spent the day on deck reading in whatever shade she could find. The air was still and hot, as it often was before a tropical storm. The men were ready, the ship was ready. She took her watch, but of course no navigation readings were required since they were anchored in the island’s bay. Rebekah was busy helping Cookie butcher the last of the chickens so Tommy hardly saw her. She felt uncertain if that was good or bad.

That night Tommy made sure Rebekah knew she was welcome to stay in the cabin, but the heat had grown so great that neither of them could bear it. Because the decks were littered with sleeping men who’d fled their quarters, Tommy helped Rebekah into one end of the longboat, and she took the other end. Even outside under the stars, sweat ran down Tommy’s neck and back. She slept fitfully, coming awake at every bell.

Tommy was up four bells through morning watch, about six a.m. She left Rebekah, whose face was even more beautiful when she slept, if that was possible, and began pacing the quarterdeck. How long would they have to wait?

A cry went up from a nearby ship as the Black Widow rounded the end of the island and sailed toward them. So the fleet was approaching along the coast, as she’d hoped it wouldn’t. The Spanish could easily lay in a trap along the coast. But then Billy yelled from the Shadow's stern and Tommy followed his pointing finger. The Windy Queen was flying toward them under full sail from the east. Bugger all, what the devil did that mean? Were the Spaniards to the west, or to the east?

Within two bells all the captains, including the breathless McLeod and the equally excited Weatherly, stood in Shaw’s wardroom. Tommy had left Hatley with instructions to keep his eye on Coxon and to make sure he didn’t bother Rebekah. Sawkins was to make sure Coxon got no ideas about taking control of her ship while she was gone.

“The fleet’s coming up the coast,” Weatherly said. “Three of the galleons, including the Barcelona, and only three escorts. They’ll be passing between these islands and the coast in two, mebbe three bells.”

McLeod stepped forward. “Ten leagues east of here we saw the smaller galleon, the Maravillosa, and two sloop escorts. They be heading straight north, looks like for Cuba.”

Chaos broke out as everyone talked at once, speculating on what to do. Finally Shaw knocked the butt of his pistol against the table and the chattering ceased. “There be no question what we do. The Barcelona carries the treasure, so bugger the Maravillosa. She’s naught but a slaver. We give the Spanish bastards two bells to pass us, then we set sail and close the trap. Easy as slitting open a hog belly.”

“But why do those three galleons only have three escorts?” Tommy asked. “What if this be a trap?”

“There ye go again with your womanly worries,” Shaw said, laughing harshly.

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