Quest of Honor Read online

  “We will keep course for the Iron Caves as we try to outrun them,” Eleanor said, her voice firmer as she stepped into her role with certainty. “But prepare the crew and the ship for battle in case.” Drawing in a deep breath, she set her jaw. “I will take the helm.”

  The first mate grinned but dipped his head. “Very good, Captain.”

  Eleanor turned on her heel and marched back into her father’s cabin, her intention clear. This night could easily turn deadly and she had to be ready to take on whatever it was that came to them.

  Walking to her father's side, she looked down at him with fear in her heart. He looked so pale, with deep shadows under his eyes. He was always so strong, so courageous, yet now he was as she had never seen him before. She brushed his hair from his temple, but he did not stir. She might think he was gone from this world if it was not for the slow rise and fall of his chest. His skin was cold and clammy, and she tugged another blanket up over him.

  Please do not leave me, Father, she begged, silently. I need you still. The crew needs you. You’ve fought so many battles, fight this one more.

  Stepping back, Eleanor forced herself to leave her father sleeping, before turning to find his hat. Picking it up, she brushed gently against the dark feathers that adorned the brim, the scent of salt and the sea emanating from the black leather. How long her father had worn this, she couldn’t remember, but she was sure it had been a great many years. The hat had become synonymous with his name. Steeling her resolve, she placed it on her own head, aware that it was far too large but knowing that it would be a visual reminder to the crew that she was the captain for as long as it took for her father to regain his strength. It would also show that she was more than willing to take on the role. She could not forget to respond to the call of ‘Captain’ again.

  “I will do my best, Father,” she promised, touching his hand. “I will send someone in to sit with you. Return to us soon.”

  Stepping back outside, she shouted at one crew hand, and then another, directing them just as her father would do. There was a momentary pause before the crew hands began to scurry across the deck, with one entering her father’s cabin as she’d ordered.

  Eleanor was, for the time being, Captain of the Gunsway. Captain Adams.

  7

  Thomas rolled onto his side with a groan, his head already beginning to throb. He didn’t know how long he’d slept for, but he knew he’d drunk far too much whisky. He’d never been too keen on liquor, but the stress of his current situation had called for something to numb his frustrations. That and the tavern girl he’d taken to his bed.

  Flopping back onto the pillow, Thomas threw a hand over his eyes and allowed a slight smile to play over his lips. The girl had been beautiful, warm and welcoming, and he’d taken his pleasure quickly. He was surprised that she’d been so responsive, remembering how she’d clung to him as her own crescendo had peaked. That wasn’t usual for tavern wenches, was it? Thomas hadn’t exactly taken such women to bed often, for that would tarnish his image as Captain and lose him some respect from among the crew. There had been something about this one, though, that had spoken to him and rid him of any hesitations. He would have to slip out of the tavern as quietly and as quickly as he could.

  Dressing with haste and ignoring the pounding in his head, Thomas couldn't help but remember the beauty of the woman he had taken to bed. Her flaxen hair had spread out across the bed sheet, her green eyes burning with an inner fire as he'd touched her. Perhaps he might come to her again, provided the barman could be discreet.

  Marching down the stairs and back into the tavern, he cringed inwardly as the barman gave him a ribald wink.

  “Making your way back to the base now, sir?”

  “I am,” Thomas replied, firmly. “I have paid you, I believe?”

  “More than enough,” the barman grinned. “You’re always welcome back here, Captain.”

  Thomas cleared his throat. “Thank you.” Stepping closer, he realized that he did not even know the young woman’s name. “I would be interested in spending more time with that particular girl on my next visit to Port Royal,” he said, in low tones. “Might you ensure she remains available to me?”

  A flicker of confusion crossed the barman’s face. “She ain’t my wench, sir.”

  “What do you mean?” Thomas asked, his frown deepening. “I thought she worked here.”

  The barman shook his head. "I believed her to be with you, sir. I can keep an eye out for her of course, but that's all."

  Thomas’ mind filled with questions, but he dared not speak them aloud. This was neither the time or place and he would not embarrass himself further by asking the barman anything more. Muttering his thanks, he placed his hat firmly on his head and marched out of the tavern.

  Walking towards the naval base, aware of the late hour, Thomas tried not to let the shame he felt show on his face. He had no idea who that young woman was and, since he had drunk a fair amount of whisky, had very little idea what exactly he’d said to her. He remembered something about Captain Adams being mentioned, but could not quite recall what it was he said.

  Frustrated with his lack of clarity, he marched into the naval base, determined not to let his mind fill with thoughts about who the young lady was. He had greater things to focus on.

  “Captain, sir!”

  Halted almost the moment he walked into the base, Thomas removed his hat and directed his gaze to the man seeking his attention. "Yes?"

  “We’ve been waiting for your return, sir. It appears that the Gunsway was seen making its way out of port on the other side of the island.”

  His mind sparked to life at once, forgetting entirely about the girl who had warmed his bed. “What? When?”

  “About two hours ago, sir,” came the reply.

  “Two hours?” His hands curled into fists as he glared at the man in question. “Why was I not told?”

  The man glanced away. “We have been searching for you, sir…” he murmured, trailing off as though he did not quite want to accuse the captain of being absent without any explanation as to where he was going. Unfortunately, Thomas felt the sting nonetheless. If he missed the Gunsway now, it would be entirely on his own head.

  “Sir!”

  Another man rushed into the base, his eyes wide. Thomas turned to him at once, his brows lifting.

  “Sir, the Savage Soul has been spotted on the horizon.”

  Thomas’ heart jumped in his chest. “The Savage Soul? You are sure?” He was aware of the gathering darkness, wondering how the man could have seen the ship so clearly.

  "Yes, sir," the man replied, trying to recover his breath. "I was out on patrol and we were about to make our way back in towards shore when one of the men spotted the ship. The sun was sinking below the horizon, but there was enough light to make out their colors." He swallowed, his lips thinning. "It was the Savage Soul, Captain."

  Nodding, Thomas placed his hat back on his head, preparing to depart. “And are they coming into port?” He was sure they were not, for it was more than likely that the lookout on the Savage Soul would have spotted the patrol boat.

  The man shook his head. “They turned, sir. They looked to be heading in the direction of the Iron Caves.”

  “Then we prepare the ship,” Thomas replied, firmly. “We set sail at once.”

  The man hesitated. “Sir, there are clouds rolling in.”

  “If the Savage Soul and Gunsway can sail, then we surely can as well,” Thomas retorted, striding from the room. “Ready the ship and someone find the crew!”

  Storming out of the base, he made for his ship, thunder pouring through his veins. The clouds were rolling in, which meant that it would be difficult to sail. There could be a great many dangers, hidden from view, but Thomas refused to dwell on it. He was going to sail after the Savage Soul, and bring at least one pirate to justice. Danger be damned! Then, he would set his sights on Captain Adams once again. Thomas grinned into the darkness. He knew that the
Savage Soul and the Gunsway were the worse of enemies. He had heard the rumors about the long held animosity between the two pirate ships, which bent in his favour. If the Savage Soul was in the same vicinity of the Gunsway, then chances were they might be preparing for a fight. If he could get in the midst of it, then his prospects of catching both pirate captains increased significantly.

  His brow furrowed. At the same time, sailing into the middle of two battling pirate ships also meant that the danger to his crew and his ship increased significantly. Pirates were not predictable folk. It could happen that both ships would turn on him and attack as one.

  “That does not matter now,” he muttered to himself as he boarded the ship, thinking this was too great an opportunity to miss. “First we must get them in our sights.”

  The clouds still poured in, as the ship moved into the deeper waters. Thomas stood at the helm, his grip tightening on the rope as the waves began to buffet the ship. His resolve remained steady. He was determined to return with at least one pirate in his brig.

  “Can you see anything?” he asked, tersely.

  The first mate shook his head. “The clouds are thick and we must move slowly, Captain.”

  Thomas gritted his teeth. “What of the pirate ship?”

  The lieutenant, Taylor, drew closer, dismissing the first mate. “Captain, I must be honest. You are risking both ship and crew by continuing with this course. There are submerged rocks and sand banks all around Port Royal and we are barely able to see where we are headed as it is! The clouds are so thick that I fear soon we will be unable to see our hands in front of our faces.”

  “What is it you would wish me to do, Lieutenant?” Thomas shouted, letting loose with his frustrations. “The Savage Soul and perhaps even the Gunsway are within our reach!”

  The lieutenant maintained his steady gaze. "Begging your pardon for speaking so boldly, sir, but you won't have a ship to reach them with if you continue with this reckless course."

  Thomas seethed, wishing he could ignore the lieutenant completely and just continue as he’d planned, but he had to heed Taylor’s words. He knew that this was already a dangerous course, but now the chances of losing the ship were growing significantly. If he was to ground the ship, then some of the crew could even lose their lives, for he knew many of them could not swim. Letting out a groan of frustration, Thomas closed his eyes and attempted to reign in his anger.

  “Very well,” he said, harshly. “Drop the anchor. We will remain here until morning.”

  “Thank you, sir,” the lieutenant said, turning around and swiftly barking orders to the rest of the crew. Thomas could almost feel the tension that surrounded the ship suddenly break as his change in orders was relayed.

  “If it relieves your frustrations any, I do believe that the Savage Soul will not be able to make any headway either, Captain,” Taylor added, standing smartly to the side of the ship. “Most likely, they will drop anchor as we have done. They will not risk the ship.”

  Perhaps, Thomas thought, although the pirates knew these waters so much more intimately, that they had much better sense of where was safe to sail. Letting out a long breath, Thomas shot Taylor a dark look. “I apologize for my obvious irritation, Lieutenant.”

  “It is understandable, sir,” the lieutenant replied, unflinching. “Captain Adams and his pirate crew have evaded us for many years. Do not think you are the only one who is desperate to capture him once and for all.” He saluted and walked away, leaving Thomas somewhat astonished.

  Taylor had spoken calmly, yet had been blunt with his words, pointing out to Thomas that he was not the only man who wished to have Captain Adams in their custody. Thomas had been sailing with this ship and crew for many years but had never once considered that other men in his crew could have the same strength of feeling as he.

  Walking to his cabin, Thomas saw how the skies had turned, making it impossible to see one end of the ship from the other. The lieutenant had been quite right to push for them to drop the anchor. It had been foolhardy to consider a pursuit in this weather.

  Slamming the door, Thomas threw off his hat and shrugged out of his coat. Whenever he attempted to catch up with the pirate captain, he was stopped at almost every turn. Now it appeared even nature was against him! All he could do was hope that the pirate ship had been forced to drop anchor, as they had. When the first fingers of dawn hit the skies, he would be in pursuit once more, provided the clouds had cleared.

  Sitting down on his bunk, Thomas allowed the anger and frustration to drain out of him, leaving him feeling a little tired. Then again, he hadn’t exactly had a good night’s sleep, only a few hours after he’d taken the woman to his bed.

  His mind traveled back to her, refusing to let her image fade. She had been something of a beauty. Her green eyes had struck him as being filled with ice, but, as he’d kissed her, they’d warmed to emerald green pools. Her kisses had become more passionate, her fluttering touches bolder.

  What mystery surrounded her! He had no idea of her name, nor of where she had truly come from. If she was not a wench working in the tavern, then what in heaven’s name had she been doing, going with him like a cheap prostitute? He ran a hand through his hair, unable to remove the questions about her from his mind. Why could he not let her go, consider her just a pleasurable memory instead?

  Kicking off his boots, Thomas pushed himself back onto his bed, choosing to rest his eyes for a time. He would need a clear mind come the morrow, and could not allow it to be filled with thoughts of a woman with green eyes and sunshine-kissed hair.

  8

  “They are still on our tail, Captain.”

  Eleanor’s gut tightened as she lifted the spyglass to her eye. The dark clouds that surrounded Port Royal had not yet reached them, out on the open sea, but Eleanor knew it would not be long before they did so. As she watched, the Savage Soul emerged from the clouds, the lanterns on their deck clearly visible in the growing darkness.

  "What are we to do, Captain?"

  Lifting her chin, Eleanor drew in a long breath. She was not going to keep running, like an injured dog. Instead, she was going to make a stand.

  “We fight,” she said, quietly. “There is no other way to push them from us and I will not spend the next few days and weeks running from them. That is no display of courage.”

  To her surprise, the first mate grinned. “Very good, Captain.”

  Eleanor merely nodded, walking closer and shouting her orders. “All hands hoay! Batten down the hatches and prepare to blow the Savage Soul down!”

  An eruption of cheers met her words as the men began to run across the ship, preparing the cannons and ensuring it was ready to meet the Savage Soul. Eleanor knew that their cannons had a longer range than the other ship, which gave them something of an advantage. The sound of splintering wood crashed through her mind as she remembered the last time there had been such a battle. They had been badly beaten but had still come out the victor. The ship had taken weeks to repair, and she did not want to have to go through such a thing again.

  She needed a plan.

  Striding back to her quarters, she picked up her cutlass and slung it through her belt. She would fight with her crew, defending her father and his ship with every breath she had in her.

  “They be coming, Captain!”

  The first mate’s shout had her rushing back to the helm, grasping the wheel as she saw the Savage Soul grew closer.

  “Are they in range of our cannons?”

  “Not yet, Captain.”

  Grasping the spyglass from him, she studied the approaching ship. An idea hit her.

  “Prepare the cannons with a bar and chain shot.”

  “What be you thinking, Captain?” Morgan asked, after shouting the orders.

  Eleanor handed him the spyglass before hauling on the wheel, turning them broadside. “We must be in position. When they begin to turn broadside to have us in range of their cannons, begin firing. We must damage their sails and rigging
with the bar and chain. Then they will be dead in the water.”

  “They won’t be able to continue turning,” the first mate finished, his eyes widening as he realized the extent of her plan. “They will be at our mercy.”

  Eleanor nodded, her mouth set in a firm line. “And I have no intention of allowing Captain Wayland any kind of freedom,” she bit out. “He is mine.”

  “Fire!”

  Eleanor’s breath was in her throat as she screamed one order after another. Her plan had worked out exactly as she’d intended, with the Savage Soul already floundering in the water. The bar and chains she had fired at them had damaged their sails and rigging to the point that they were unable to turn their ship in the water and get the Gunsway in range of their own cannons. Eleanor could see men already climbing the rigging in an attempt to fix it, ordering her crew to push their own ship closer to the Savage Soul.

  She swallowed, hard. Should they board the boat? Or leave them in reach of those in Port Royal? If she did that, then the crew were bound to face the noose, and she did not like the thought of sending men to their death for piracy. They needed to have the opportunity to join her crew, although she would ensure they knew exactly what would be expected of them in return for their loyalty. At least then they could choose to make their escape.

  “Do we board, Captain?”

  Thinking hard, Eleanor shook her head. “No, we will not.” Turning to one of her crew, she pointed to him. “You there, take a message to the Savage Soul. They are to either join us or we will leave them to the Navy at Port Royal, who I’m sure will be along within minutes of sunrise.” Nerves clawed at her. “We must be hasty, do you understand?”

  “Right away, Captain!”

  Within minutes, a small boat was lowered from the Gunsway, filled with four men. The rest of her crew were ordered to ensure their safe passage, and, having armed themselves, remained on deck. It did not take more than a few shots for the men on the Savage Soul to realize what was expected. After all, there was a pirate's code for them to abide by. Negotiating with their very lives was not something anyone should ignore.