The Pirate Ruse Read Online Free Page A

with his men, for as ever, they displayed solemn faces—revealed nothing to the Brits that might alert them to their captain’s trickery.
    “No,” the Chichester ’s first mate admitted.
    “Why was she sailing with you?” Navarrone asked.
    “What will the pirate do with her?” the first mate bravely inquired.
    Again Navarrone’s eyes narrowed. “Bully Booth is merciless,” he answered. “He will keep no prisoner alive…not for long anyway. Tell me why she was aboard an Empire’s merchant vessel, and I may spare your lives. Was she of some value…other than the obvious, that is? Speak, and with respect…or you will share the same fate as your dead brother sailors.”
    The first mate swallowed. Navarrone knew the man was considering whether to tell the truth.
    “I wa rn you, Brit. I will know if you are lying,” he growled.
    The first mate of the captured Chichester sighed—slightly shook his head. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I don’t know why she was aboard. But I do know she was not willingly aboard.”
    Navarrone’s eyes narrowed. “Not willingly aboard? Do you mean she was forced aboard?”
    “Aye,” the man answered. “We weren’t told nothing about why she was with us. The captain only told us we weren’t to…to touch her. A small ship brought her to us in the dead of night.”
    “Did she tell you anything? Speak to you of why she was on the Chichester ?” Navarrone asked.
    The first mate shook his head once more. “No. Seems to me she didn’t know why herself.”
    Navarrone glanced to Baskerville. Baskerville nodded; he too understood that there was something inexplicably strange about the presence of the woman they had found aboard the Chichester .
    “Do you mean to hang us?” a British boatswain asked.
    Navarrone looked to the lad—judged him to be no more than seventeen.
    He did not answer the boy—simply spoke to his own men instead. “Empty the hold of anything of value,” Navarrone ordered. “Gather any logs, maps, or parchments from the captain’s cabin.”
    “Aye, Cap’n,” Baskerville agreed.
    “Have Fergus choose amp le men to sail the Chichester back to New Orleans,” Navarrone said. He paused, glaring at the line of British sailors. “If they want to live, they will man their posts…and the governor will decide their sentence when we arrive.”
    “Aye, Cap’n,” Baskerville said with a nod.
    “Give the orders, Baskerville,” Navarrone ordered.
    “Aye, Cap’n.” Baskerville inhaled a deep breath then and began to bark out orders. “You heard the cap’n, men! Empty the hold! Haul that British booty to the Merry Wench ! Quick as you can, lads. We sail for New Orleans for feasting and riotous entertainment!”
    The men cheered , and Navarrone had to fight to keep a smile from breaking over his face. He well liked the sounds of his men when they were merry; he well liked besting the British. Yet as he crossed the plank to the deck of the Wench , his thoughts turned somber once more. It was not logical, the girl being aboard the Chichester —and unwillingly. His sixth sense told him there was more to her presence, something of worth about her—or about something she possessed. Perhaps she owned a knowledge the Brits had deemed valuable.
    Whatever the reason for her presence, Navarrone would discover it—use it to his advantage if he could. He remembered the look of defiance on her face, even as Bully Booth held her in threatening her virtue and life. Her courage was admirable. Yet it revealed a stubborn nature—a strength that, though estimable, could be unpredictable and therefore dangerous. He would have to watch her carefully, read her expressions and movements if he hoped to extract information from her. Still, if she did hold secret some valuable or precious information, Navarrone the Blue Blade would reap it from her.
    “ Cap’n,” Fergus said as Navarrone stepped onto the deck of the Merry Wench .
    Navarrone tur ned to see Fergus