Lightkeeper's Wife by Sarah Anne Johnson

Author:Sarah Anne Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2014-07-21T16:00:00+00:00

13

“Ship ahoy!” The call rang out from aloft. The morning mist had burned off, and only wisps of clouds streaked the azure skies. The first mate rang the bell, and the crew of the Alice K went belowdecks to gather arms. They fell into a loose formation on the leeward rail, waiting for Jack to call orders.

“All hands on deck,” he said, pulling his jacket over his thick torso and taking the steps two at a time up to the deck. His dark eyes were sharp, exhilarated, as he adjusted the pistol in his holster and the cutlass that he wore slung through a sash on his other hip.

Blue, who was always ready, always alert, had to go below for her pistol and machete. She’d been distracted by Mark opening his shirt to her. “Goddamnitalltohell. I never should’ve let that man—” She cursed her way along the companionway into the fo’c’sle, buckled the heavy leather belt at her waist, and went up to the deck, her machete swinging at her hips. Onboard the Alice K, she didn’t hide her identity, but on a raid she wore men’s clothing and tied her hair up under her hat. She buttoned her shirt and jacket and covered her head with an indigo scarf. In a fight, her hair eventually came down and the overtaken crew would realize that a woman had beaten them.

Jack was amidships. She joined him to monitor their steady progress toward the merchant runner. Blue fingered her pistol. A feeling like dread washed over her as they neared the ship and Jack started commanding the crew. She waited for the usual rush of excitement to lift her into action, but instead she watched the pirates swearing and posturing, working themselves into a fury.

By the time they sailed alongside their prey and feigned friendship, Blue stood back from the rail and scanned the faces of the crew for Mark. Not finding him, she then shifted her attention toward the ship as they approached and prepared to board. Even as they boarded and Jack issued orders to the overtaken vessel, Blue couldn’t rally her rage. She slipped belowdecks to search out the captain’s cabin. A sea chest was fastened to the floorboards by the captain’s bunk. She used the butt of her pistol to smash the lock. The chest contained the captain’s letters, jewelry, a gold watch, and a knife with a scrimshawed handle. Blue tore a blanket from the bunk and folded the valuables into the middle, rolled the blanket into a bundle, and started up for the companionway. A tall sailor with red curly hair stopped her midstep, his right fist clasped around the leather-wrapped handle of a cutlass, his body poised and ready to slice at her.

“Drop it. Now!” he said.

Blue’s hand was on her pistol, hidden beneath an armload of booty, and as commanded, she dropped the sack. At the same time she leveled her weapon and fired. The sailor’s eyes flew open and his body slammed back against the white-painted paneling and slid down the wall.

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