Captured By a Rogue Lord by Katharine Ashe

Author:Katharine Ashe
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins US
Published: 2011-03-31T11:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Way, hay, we roll an’ go.

And we roll all night, and we roll all day.

—“SALLY BROWN”

The Cavalier’s bow turned slowly behind the gentle landward breeze, yardarms swinging like choreographed dancers, working the ship around to face the newcomer.

“She’s hoisted her hanky, Cap’n,” Big Mattie grumbled in obvious disappointment. The men were spoiling for a fight against an equal, and nothing like the vessel tacking toward them through the placid sea had come their way all week. They’d picked up a free agent privateer, a twenty-two-gun brig hanging about the mouth of Bristol Channel with a hold full of some honest merchant’s goods. But that only whet their appetite for a scrimmage. “Should I tell the boys to stand down the guns?”

“No.” A white flag was a white flag. But it was not a guarantee. Alex’s heart beat to the rhythm of the Blackhawk’s sweeps sending ripples along her path. “Hold them at the ready, but tell them to take care. No mistakes.”

The helmsman’s chest puffed in affront, but he remained silent.

“Master’s on the quarterdeck, sir,” shouted Matouba from the crow’s nest, but Alex could already see it. Ashford stood at the highest point of his ship before the mizzenmast, hatless to be known at once by sight. Alex nodded to Mattie. The sailor lifted a speaking trumpet to his nearly toothless mouth.

“Advance no further, sirs, or we’ll be blowin’ your hides down to Davy Jones.”

Ashford signaled to his mate, the fellow shouted in French across the deck, another holler sounded beneath, and the oars stilled then reversed direction a few strokes. On deck, sailors hauled the lines, turning canvas through the negligible wind, and the Blackhawk slowed to a halt. Late afternoon sunlight cut across her rigging, casting a net of shadows upon the ocean.

Alex filled his lungs. “What business do you have here, Captain?” he shouted across the still water. “Commerce or conflict?”

“Conversation. Invite me aboard.”

Blast it, the knave had confidence. But Alex knew he would be a fool to do otherwise. If he died anytime soon, he’d rather it be in a fight with a seventy-gun ship of the line than damn abolitionists.

He signaled for the ladder to be let down and made his way to the rail. Ashford came over in a boat, two oarsmen with no visible weapons. The viscount wore only a saber at his hip, no pistol. But Alex knew well enough of the skill of the Blackhawk’s captain with a sword. Rumor traveled swiftly over the salt seas.

Ashford climbed onto deck and glanced about, a quick, professional assessment. Alex would have done the same.

“Pretty little boat,” Alex said in greeting, gesturing to the sleek craft drifting fifty yards off the Cavalier’s bow. She was shorter than Alex’s vessel by ten yards, and with a half-dozen fewer guns. Still plenty lethal. “Your lieutenant won’t think of coming around to stern while you’re here, will he? Because if he does I’ll be obliged to fire upon him,” he finished pleasantly.

Ashford grinned. “I am not interested in harming your ship.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.