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Mia didn’t even need a second to know why he’d done so. The ships taken out were his competitors. Many unable to recover the cost of the losses they took. That all the ships made port in Hermosa was common knowledge. That the offices of those ships sat mostly to the north side of the port, where most of the cannon fire rained down, was also common knowledge. The only thing that wouldn’t have been easy to learn was the date all the ships agreed to meet. Only someone involved in the shipping business would know the date and whether a majority of ships or only a minority of them would be coming in. That week, a majority sailed in. Only a few were awaited and only a few weren’t coming at all. It was the perfect opportunity for one man to eliminate almost all of his competition. As well, he could buy the silence of those who participated by revealing the routes and cargo of the small private vessels the pirates continued to hit, because he’d have access to that information aswell.
Mia stepped forward, ready to march up to the door and bang on it until she stood face to face with the man who killed her mother and brother, but Asher’s hand clamped down on her arm and tried to drag her back. “No, Mia. You’re not going to confront them. You’re going to go back to the docks and alert everyone, the whole of the navy, every sailor youfind.”
“No, I’m not. Those men arranged the attack that killed my family and I’m not going to let navy have them again.” Mia snarled. “Look for yourself. That man should be dead and yet there he is not a care in the world. I handed him off to navy once. I won’t do itagain.”
“Commodore Dekker stole him away from royal authority. He’s alive and free because of Dekker, you need to go ask him why and how that is.” Asher told her, still trying to pull her back from thehouse.
“That’s a lie! If Papa had him, he’d have killed him,” Mia said, or would he have? Given everything her papa did in the past that Mia was only learning of, was it possible that her papa was part of the group who sent ships to attack their home? Was it his intent to let Mama die? Mia wouldn’t accept that. Even if Papa was part of the pirate’s group, he’d not have wanted Mama and Charlie, or her dead. And now Mia could recall that Papa said he’d take care of Jones the way that needed to be done. Mia even thought she asked him to take Jones to see the Blood Man. Though Mia had no idea if such a person or thing existed. It was simply how the crews referred to forcing people to give up information. The Blood Man would cut at them until they told what they wanted to hear and then one last cut to finishthem.
“Go back, Mia. I’ll stay here and watch them. Get the authorities. It’s enough, I think, that Michelinne is consorting with a pirate to hold him until the commodore brings back the evidence.” Asher shoved her but she came back and tried to move again to the house. “Go, we’ll do it this way if wemust.”
“No, you’re not getting rid of me that easily,” Mia said, right before a light blindedher.
“Now what do we have here,” a man’s voice heavy with a French accent rang out, as several men stepped into the alley where Mia and Asherhid.
Asher pushed Mia behind him and turned to face the group. “Nothing what’s your business. Just me ‘n me girl having a disagreement and wot,” Asher said, sounding like an uneducatedlout.
“Disagreement?” the man asked and moved his torch so he could better see Mia, who was smart enough to step behind Asher. “Now what’s there to disagree about with such a prettygirl?”
Asher was trying to back them up when a light fell over them from behind. Trapped now, it was going to take a little more than bravado to get them past this crew. Mia abruptly burst into tears and started sobbing. “He’s trying to toss me off, he is. Told what I was gonna have his baby and now he wants to toss me off. Me da’ is what gonna kill me if’in he don’t make me honest a’fore hesails.”
“Aye, and you think I’m believing you not been laying about with Jinkins a like what you been layin around with me,” Asher replied and enforced the idea they were two people in a lover’s spat and nothing to be concernedabout.
“I ain’t no harlot, this wot babe it’s yours no lying and you better marry me like you said,” Mia said and slapped Asher’sarm.
“Both of you be on your way.” The man waved his torch in the direction he’d have them go and Asher took Mia’s hand and started them that way. “Wait,” the man called and stepped up closer when Asher stopped the retreat. It was clear he was looking over the difference in their dress. Social status clearly different. “Now why don’t you explain why you would be refusing to wed a… lady of such high allotments?” the man asked his suspiciongrowing.
“A lady?” Asher scoffed. “What you thinkin’ she some nob up from High Street maybe she spend her days about in Beacon Park on a thoroughbred? She ain’t but a two pencewh—”
“Aye now, you shut your trap and name calling,” Mia put some true insult in hervoice.
“That isn’t the dress of no cheap whore,” the man said and Mia tried not to shield herself from thelight.
“Ah, now I ain’t no thief if that’s what you’re sayin’. I’s just have me a good, kind mistress and wot, let me borrow her nice dress so that I be presentable and all when I see the church man.” Mia watched him look her up and down once more. “I’s ain’t no thief now,” she repeated, hoping the women who worked on their backs in England were the same as those she was familiar with in the Caribbean and the concern of being caught stealing was firstpriority.
The man looked them both over once more and jerked his head in the direction he was sending them. Again, relief washed over them and they managed about six steps in the escape this time before another voice called out. This one Mia knew wasn’t going to be fooled by any act. “Mrs. Winthrop,” Jones called, and Mia felt the cold run through her. “What a pleasure to meet you again.” He stepped up, reached out and jerked her away from Asher who was then grabbed by two others. “Don’t we have some catching up todo?”
Mia leaned back and spat in his face. Back to bravado. This time she’d let rage and hate carry her through whatever battle came next. Though with the man’s next words Mia almostsurrendered.
“Put her in the carriage and,” he turned and looked at Mr. Asher whom he couldn’t have recognized, “killhim.”
“No,” Mia yelled, hoping to wake up someone in one of these houses who might give a damn. “No, help,” she screamed and fought against being handed over to the men who’d carry her off to places unknown. “Help,” she managed once more before a hand covered her mouth. Behind her she could hear the struggle as Asher fought for his life then a shot rang out and everyone rushed to shove off before the sound brought down theauthorities.
Mia was forced into a carriage where Commodore Michelinne already sat waiting. Jones climbed in behind her and forced her to sit back and introduced her to the man. “Commodore, I should like to introduce you to Mrs. Robert Winthrop. Wife of the hero Winthrop who was implemental in the taking of my ship and crew in the Caribbean lastsummer.”
She waited about ten seconds after the coach started moving to jab her elbow into the man’s face, he howled, and she then sent her elbow into his ribs before trying to climb past both men to jump from the carriage. Michelinne stopped her easily and forced her back into herseat.
“My, my. Commodore Dekker gave his only child in marriage. How splendid, and to a navy hero no less. Tell me, does your husband know of your father’s dealing in the waters? No? Well it hardly matters because now I have a way to force both the Royal Navy and that bastard Dekker, oh beg pardon, Mia,” he said then laughed wickedly. “Both will now fold and get off my stern or they’ll both lose the one thing they have in common…you.”
Mia took a breath, ready to tell the man where to go when Jones delivered a vicious blow to her face. She saw lights behind her lids and was unable to even move her lips without searing pain. “You bitch, you broke my nose,” Jones said with a wheeze as blood gushed from his face. Mia ducked and tried to shield herself from the secondblow.
It was an unnecessary action as Michelinne grabbed his arm before Jones could deliver it. “Now, now, Captain. The woman is rather valuable. So valuable, I’ll wager Commodore Dekker will sign over all his assets to see her unharmed and returned. We’re about to become extremely wealthymen.”
Mia refused to shed the tears burning in her eyes out of pain and fear. And when the coach rolled out to the end of a private dock and Mia was forced aboard a French Brig flying undeclared colors, she knew there was nothing left to do but wait and hope the chance came for her to jump ship or sinkit.
Chapter 24
“God damn this,”Devin yelled and slammed his fist onto the table where the maps were spread out. “Are you even certain he took her west through the channel? He could have headed due south and landed in Francealready.”
