Black Heart of Jamaica by Julia Golding

Author:Julia Golding
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Egmont
Published: 2011-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

Reward? I didn’t like the sound of that, but I had no time to worry about it now. The news about Pedro was worse than I had imagined: in his desperation to do something, Pedro had fallen in with a band of piratical smugglers. But what could I do to save him now? He was long gone – either over the side or well on his way to San Domingo. No, he wasn’t dead – I refused to consider that possibility, not till I knew for certain.

I read the message through again, trying to make up my mind. Was it my responsibility to rescue Pedro from himself? This wasn’t like the occasion in London when he had been seized by his old master, Hawkins: then he had been blameless. He had needed rescuing. This time he’d headed off on his grand quest without so much as a goodbye. He’d not even honoured his promise to me! If he lived to regret his choice, then so be it: he’d made his bed and now had to lie in it. He couldn’t expect me to abandon my chance to succeed as an actress by going on some hopeless errand in pursuit. I’d made friends and enjoyed my first success so I had no desire to leave the camaraderie of the troupe behind.

Cursing Pedro under my breath, I pushed open the stage door and strode towards the parade ground, Hog trailing behind still hoping for a reply. I needed some space, some fresh air, to think – and to cool down. The bond between Pedro and me had been stretched to the limit by his flight but still it tugged on my heart. My bitter thoughts were really only a vent for emotions: I didn’t mean them. He infuriated me – but he was still my family, my brother. After all, I reminded myself, he might have tried to get a message to me – smugglers did not make the most reliable go-betweens; I might be blaming him for no reason. As for what I would do next, I didn’t really have a choice where he was concerned. If there was the slightest chance I could help him, I would take it.

Briefly I imagined heading back to Philadelphia and explaining to Lizzie and Johnny that I had let Pedro go to San Domingo without even trying to find out if he really knew what he was doing. No, I couldn’t see myself having that conversation.

I then pictured finding a boat to take me to San Domingo, hunting down Tivern and discovering Pedro’s whereabouts. Unpleasant though the prospect was, I could imagine myself doing just that. It appeared that I was not going to visit the delights of Antigua after all.

Turning to Hog, I passed on my message:

‘Please convey my thanks to Mr Shepherd and ask him if he can secure a passage for me to San Domingo on the first available ship.’

Hog touched the peak of his cap in acknowledgement. ‘He said you’d say that, mademoiselle.

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