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“He killed himself with it.”
* * *
The climb wasn’t arduous, but Maximiliano was soon sweating as the sun rose higher. He barely paid attention to what he was doing, cursing himself for leaving Heidi with only a farewell kiss pecked on her forehead. A woman who’d revealed a dire event that had broken her heart deserved more compassion.
He doubted she’d confided the manner of her husband’s death to many people.
Yet, she’d told him.
He paused every so often to look out, clenching his jaw when there was nothing but open sea. He thirsted to return with good news.
Whatever he discovered, the likelihood was he and Heidi would be stranded together for a long while. He wanted to learn more about her, know her better. What were her likes and dislikes? What was her life like in Denmark? She spoke Spanish, but what other languages did she speak? Why had she come to San Tómas, and why had her husband killed himself?
He’d a strange longing to tell her about himself, to explain why he’d become a pirate.
He managed to claw his way to the top of the peak with some difficulty, but the vistas did little to calm his fears. Only sea and sky on every side, though a heavy marine haze obscured the far horizon. The heavily treed island wasn’t large, and there was no sign of human habitation.
Far below, the wreck looked like a toy ship. Pistol in one hand, Heidi was walking along the beach, shading her eyes to look up now and again, but he doubted she could see him. He waved anyway.
He was about to begin the descent when the sound of running water drew his attention. Off to the left, a waterfall trickled out of the rock face. He lost sight of the stream’s path, but made out a small inlet where it eventually emptied into the sea.
With any luck, the cascade might fall into a pool—a source of fresh water.
The descent in a slightly different direction was difficult. He lost his footing a few times on loose stones, grazing his hands and scuffing his pantaloons as he slid several feet. He’d likely end up with scrapes and bruises on his behind. If they had salve, Heidi…
Clinging to a rare bit of vegetation after one long slide, he took a deep breath and contemplated the reality of the situation. A man and woman marooned together on a deserted island—it was probably inevitable that nature would take its course, especially if they were stranded for weeks, months or perhaps years.
Strangely, he found the prospect appealing. Heidi had reignited desires he’d long thought dead. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was drawn to him.
Perhaps this island was the safe haven he sought.
He breathed more easily when his feet landed on a flat surface, whooping with delight at the sight of the stream emerging from a crack to trickle into a dark pool sheltered on all sides by smooth rocks.
Not only was it a source of drinking water, they could bathe in the pool. He inched his way to the stream and slaked his thirst, then retrieved the largest of Heidi’s needles threaded through the fabric of his shirt collar. He hunkered down and rubbed it back and forth along a few strands of his hair. As far as he could recall, this was how Gatito had magnetized a needle years ago. Admittedly, they’d been intoxicated at the time. He placed the needle on top of a fallen leaf and carefully set the leaf on the water. As he’d hoped, the leaf spun, then settled. He doubted it was working properly since the needle indicated north was in the opposite direction to his assumptions.
Securing the needle in the fabric, he hurried down the rest of the way to the beach, his mind filled with the prospect of swimming naked with Heidi.
* * *
Heidi took off her shoes and walked along the beach for a while, but the sun was already too hot and the sand burned the soles of her feet. She thought she caught sight of Maximiliano near the top of the mountain, but doubted he could have climbed so high. The ascent looked intimidating.
She didn’t want to contemplate what would become of her if he didn’t return. She’d be dead by the end of the day.
But the future had to be considered. Maximiliano drew her like a lodestone. He’d roused sexual feelings and desires she’d never experienced before. It was doubtful he found her attractive, but men were men, and they had needs. If they were stranded together for weeks, or even months, it was almost inevitable the cramped sleeping conditions would lead to…
Her body heated, despite that she sat in the shade. She ought to be scandalized by such wanton thoughts, but if they were to die on this remote island, why not make the most of the time they had left.
First, The Bad News
Heidi rose from the sand, hoping it was Maximiliano coming through the jungle towards her. She cocked the pistol, just in case.
“It’s me,querida,” he shouted.
Relief surged when he entered the clearing. She set down the weapon and threw herself at him. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.”
He held her tight, stroking her hair. “Where would I go?” he quipped.
She was making a fool of herself but she couldn’t let go. “Did you find anything?”
