Tender Fortune by Judith E. French

Author:Judith E. French
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 2016-11-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

It had taken most of the morning to get anything sensible from Jamie. And what she heard turned Charity's blood to ice water. It was only by the blessing of Our Lady that she hadn't found another soul on the beach during the last two days. If Jamie was right, they were in far more danger from the inhabitants of the marshy coast than they were from starving to death.

Human scavengers roamed the sands searching for wrecked ships or seeking ways to lure boats near enough to sink or be trapped on sandbars. Boats were stripped of their valuables and set afire. Any crew or passengers were murdered, stripped of their clothing, and left to lie naked on the beach until sun and sea washed it clean. A woman, especially a young and beautiful woman, would not have the mercy of death. She would be used and abused by her fiendish captors as long as a spark of life remained in her body.

"They light fires on the beach," Jamie explained, "to trick captains into thinking there's a safe harbor. Sometimes children and women wade into the surf crying for help. When a ship comes to their aid, a band of cutthroats swarm over it."

"What kind of men could do such a thing?"

"Not men," he uttered softly. "Not men... beasts. I'll cut your throat myself before I let such scum lay a hand on you."

"What would you cut it with, I'd like to know," she'd retorted, trying not to let him know how badly he'd frightened her. She'd been running up and down the beach shouting for help. Offering herself like a fatted calf for the slaughter! The thought was sobering. She chewed at her lower lip as she bathed Jamie's face in cool water.

If the wreckers came now, she might be able to run away, to save herself, but Jamie... Charity's green eyes narrowed, their color deepening and intensifying. Let them try and hurt Jamie! She'd not pulled him from the sea to be murdered by scavengers, human or otherwise.

The fire was out as he'd ordered. She'd have to make a new one every night. If she kept the flames low and sheltered by the trees it might not be seen. They'd have to take the chance; the nights were getting cooler. It must be close to November. She didn't think they could survive without a fire.

The horse was tied in the pines. Men who would cut the finger off a dying child to get a ring would do anything for a horse as fine as the gray. She'd have to gather grass for him to eat. They couldn't lose him; they had to ride him back to the Tidewater.

Still troubled by the thoughts of the wreckers, Charity spent a restless night, jumping at every sound. She checked Jamie throughout the night, and he seemed to be sleeping normally.

He was still sleeping and his color was better in the morning when she reluctantly slipped out of the Virginian's shirt and waded into the pond.

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.