The Bride of Blackbeard Read Online Free Page A

taken up on
deck, and did not return?”
    “Yes, my parents’ said they fell ill and
died.” Her full lips pouted.
    “No, dear, the crewmen forced themselves on
them, in the husbandly way. Then I believe they were killed. They
had no family to speak for them.”
    “No!” Her doe eyes grew huge and clearly
afraid now.
    “Yes, so let us not sit here and draw
attention to ourselves more than necessary.”
    “Yes, yes. All right.”
    Constanza snickered despite herself as
Amelia slumped her shoulders in a feeble attempt to hide her plump
breasts.
    “So, what is tempting a woman of your age to
the colonies, Miss Constanza Smythe?”
    “A woman of my age, which is twenty and
eight, by the by, is taking the post of governess to two children
on a plantation in North Carolina. My uncle arranged it for us,
allowing Will and Kitty to come along with me, which is certainly
not the custom. My uncle was able to find a family who would take
us; I guess they’d had some difficulties with past
governesses.”
    “Oh, you will make a fine governess. My
father always says spinsters make the best...” She stopped,
evidently realizing in her self-centered adolescent way perhaps
spinster wasn’t the most favorable or courteous term.
    Constanza smiled. ”Have you heard any tales
about Currituck County?”
    “No, ma’am. I do not read the written word.
My father says it is indecent for young women. What have you
heard?” She leaned close, hopeful that the gossip from Currituck
was as juicy as that of Bristol.
    “The word Currituck comes from the native
word for Wild Goose. And of course Dare County is named after
Virginia Dare, the first child born in the New World.”
    She watched Amelia’s eyes glaze over much
like Katrina’s would when given a history lesson. Amelia was much
more interested in vivid detailed descriptions of the latest frocks
from France, or who had married whom last Sunday.
    “Have you ever heard of Nags Head?”
    Amelia nodded.
    “My uncle is a retired merchant sailor. He
recently told me the people of Nags Head are tiring of all of the
rum-running through their ports, so they have devised a scheme to
acquire some of the profits. When pirates come into their port,
they have taken to tying a lantern to an old mare’s neck and
walking her back and forth across the tall sand dunes that litter
the coastline. The pirate ships see the light, think it a dock and
when they arrive, they run aground! The townsfolk make the pirates walk the plank and plunder their cargo.”
    “And that would be why we are heading for
Hatteras Inlet, not Nags Head,” a deep baritone voice rumbled from
directly behind her.
    Oh my word. He is so massive those
h ands could snap me like a piece of kindling.
    Amelia looked about to swoon at the sight of
him. With his dark black locks combed into submission and a freshly
shaved face, Teache was a ghost of his wild looks. Indeed, compared
to his former appearance, the man could almost pass as
handsome.
    The young girl began to slip down the
ladder, losing her balance twice in the first three steps.
    “I believe she is seasick. I will go assist
her, Captain.” Stanzy descended the ladder as quickly as possible.
Anything to get out of eyeshot of that piercing black gaze.
    Sleep was an unwilling bedfellow.
Nightmares, perpetually plagued by the demons of her past life,
reared their ugly heads each and every night like a macabre show of
paintings, each more hideous than the previous one.
    ~ * ~
    “ Where could it be?”
    Constanza felt her face flush as she checked
the loose floorboard for the third time, hoping she’d somehow
missed the stash of money. She only resorted to dipping in the
savings when their household exceeded its monthly expenditures.
    Lying flat on her stomach, her hand swiped
inside the hole to make sure it hadn’t been pushed farther in, but
not a coin jingled its reply.
    She knew immediately where the money had
gone—unfortunately she knew nothing about retrieving it