me to go away,” I said.
“And you want to?”
“I want for her to support my plans.”
“She never will.”
“I can but hope.”
“If she loves you as she says, she never will.”
Even in my drunken state I could not fault his logic. I knew he was right. He knew he was right.
“You have made enemies, Edward Kenway. Many enemies. Some of them powerful. Why do you think those enemies haven’t taken their revenge on you?”
“They’re frightened?” There was a drunken arrogance in my voice.
He scoffed. “Of course they’re not frightened. They leave you alone because of Caroline.”
“Then if I was to accept your offer, there would be nothing to stop my enemies from attacking me?”
“Nothing but my protection.”
I wasn’t sure about that.
I sank another ale. He sank deeper into despondency. He was still there at the end of the night, his very presence reminding me how far my choices had shrunk.
When I tried to stand to leave, my legs almost gave way and I had to grab the side of the table just to remain on my feet. Caroline’s father, a disgusted look on his face, came to help me and before I knew it he was taking me home, though not because he wanted to see me safe but because he wanted to see to it that Caroline saw me in my drunken state, and indeed she did, as I rolled in, laughing. Emmett Scott puffed up, and told her, “This tosspot is a ruined man, Caroline. Unfit for life on land, much less at sea. If he goes to the West Indies, it’s you who will suffer.”
“Father . . . Father.”
She was sobbing, so upset, and then as I lay on the bed I saw his boots move off and he was gone.
“That old muckworm,” I managed. “He’s wrong about me.”
“I hope it so,” she replied.
I let my drunken imagination carry me away. “You believe me, don’t you? Can you not see me, standing out there on the deck of a ship that is sliding into port? There I am, a man of quality . . . With a thousand doubloons spilling from my pockets like drops of rain. I can see it.”
When I looked at her she was shaking her head. She couldn’t see it.
When I sobered up the next day, neither could I.
It was only a matter of time I suppose. My lack of prospects became like another person in the marriage. I reviewed my options: Emmett Scott offering me money in return for having his daughter back. My dreams of sailing away.
Both of them involved breaking Caroline’s heart.
E LEVEN
The next day I went back to see Emmett Scott, returning to Hawkins Lane, where I knocked on the door to request an audience. Who should answer but Rose.
“Master Kenway,” she said, surprised, and going slightly red. There was a moment of awkwardness, then I was being asked to wait, and shortly after that was being led to Emmett Scott’s study, a room dominated by a desk in its centre, wood panelling giving it a dark, serious atmosphere. He stood in front of his desk, and in the gloom, with his dark hair, his cadaverous look and dark, hollowed-out cheeks, he looked like a crow.
“You have thought my offer over, then?” he said.
“I have,” I replied, “and felt it best to tell you my decision as soon as possible.”
He folded his arms, and his face cracked into a triumphant smirk. “You come to make your demands, then? How much is my daughter worth?”
“How much were you willing to pay?”
“Were?”
It was my turn to smile though I was careful not to overdo it. He was dangerous, Emmett Scott. I was playing a dangerous game with a dangerous man.
“That’s right. I have decided to go to the West Indies.”
I knew where I could reach Dylan Wallace. I had given Caroline the news.
“I see.”
He seemed to think, tapping his fingertips together.
“But you don’t intend to stay away permanently.”
“No.”
“These were not the terms of my offer.”
“Not quite the terms of your offer, no,” I said. “In effect, a counteroffer. A measure I hope will find your favour. I am a Kenway, Mr.
“And you want to?”
“I want for her to support my plans.”
“She never will.”
“I can but hope.”
“If she loves you as she says, she never will.”
Even in my drunken state I could not fault his logic. I knew he was right. He knew he was right.
“You have made enemies, Edward Kenway. Many enemies. Some of them powerful. Why do you think those enemies haven’t taken their revenge on you?”
“They’re frightened?” There was a drunken arrogance in my voice.
He scoffed. “Of course they’re not frightened. They leave you alone because of Caroline.”
“Then if I was to accept your offer, there would be nothing to stop my enemies from attacking me?”
“Nothing but my protection.”
I wasn’t sure about that.
I sank another ale. He sank deeper into despondency. He was still there at the end of the night, his very presence reminding me how far my choices had shrunk.
When I tried to stand to leave, my legs almost gave way and I had to grab the side of the table just to remain on my feet. Caroline’s father, a disgusted look on his face, came to help me and before I knew it he was taking me home, though not because he wanted to see me safe but because he wanted to see to it that Caroline saw me in my drunken state, and indeed she did, as I rolled in, laughing. Emmett Scott puffed up, and told her, “This tosspot is a ruined man, Caroline. Unfit for life on land, much less at sea. If he goes to the West Indies, it’s you who will suffer.”
“Father . . . Father.”
She was sobbing, so upset, and then as I lay on the bed I saw his boots move off and he was gone.
“That old muckworm,” I managed. “He’s wrong about me.”
“I hope it so,” she replied.
I let my drunken imagination carry me away. “You believe me, don’t you? Can you not see me, standing out there on the deck of a ship that is sliding into port? There I am, a man of quality . . . With a thousand doubloons spilling from my pockets like drops of rain. I can see it.”
When I looked at her she was shaking her head. She couldn’t see it.
When I sobered up the next day, neither could I.
It was only a matter of time I suppose. My lack of prospects became like another person in the marriage. I reviewed my options: Emmett Scott offering me money in return for having his daughter back. My dreams of sailing away.
Both of them involved breaking Caroline’s heart.
E LEVEN
The next day I went back to see Emmett Scott, returning to Hawkins Lane, where I knocked on the door to request an audience. Who should answer but Rose.
“Master Kenway,” she said, surprised, and going slightly red. There was a moment of awkwardness, then I was being asked to wait, and shortly after that was being led to Emmett Scott’s study, a room dominated by a desk in its centre, wood panelling giving it a dark, serious atmosphere. He stood in front of his desk, and in the gloom, with his dark hair, his cadaverous look and dark, hollowed-out cheeks, he looked like a crow.
“You have thought my offer over, then?” he said.
“I have,” I replied, “and felt it best to tell you my decision as soon as possible.”
He folded his arms, and his face cracked into a triumphant smirk. “You come to make your demands, then? How much is my daughter worth?”
“How much were you willing to pay?”
“Were?”
It was my turn to smile though I was careful not to overdo it. He was dangerous, Emmett Scott. I was playing a dangerous game with a dangerous man.
“That’s right. I have decided to go to the West Indies.”
I knew where I could reach Dylan Wallace. I had given Caroline the news.
“I see.”
He seemed to think, tapping his fingertips together.
“But you don’t intend to stay away permanently.”
“No.”
“These were not the terms of my offer.”
“Not quite the terms of your offer, no,” I said. “In effect, a counteroffer. A measure I hope will find your favour. I am a Kenway, Mr.
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