her fairly—but he would use her for his own purpose like every man she had ever met, except her Pablo.
Chapter Three
M aribel sensed that someone was watching her. She turned her head in the direction of Captain Sylvester and the man who had brought the second pirate ship into the cove. He was older, dark of hair and pale complexioned; his eyes had a strange piercing quality.
‘Who is that man with the captain?’ she asked of Tom as he came up to her. ‘There is something about him…’ She shook her head, not knowing why the man’s gaze made her uncomfortable.
‘Higgins told me he is the acting captain of the Maria. The ship was taken a few weeks back and is a Portuguese merchantman. His name is Mr Hendry—or Captain Hendry, I suppose. Higgins doesn’t like him; he thinks he is sly and not to be trusted, but Captain Sylvester put him in charge of their sister ship, because of his experience. He will sail with us to Cyprus.’
‘Are we still to sail for Cyprus?’
‘I have heard the men say that we may sail for thepirates’ island instead. There are many islands in the region that are uninhabited, some used by the brethren. We need a safe haven so that we can divide the spoils of the past months. I am to receive a share though I took no part in capturing them.’
‘What is the name of this island?’ Maribel looked apprehensive. ‘I suppose it is a sinful place where pirates congregate to get drunk and frequent the tavern whores.’
‘I cannot tell you the name—its location is a secret—but I believe it is much the same in any port, lady,’ Tom told her. ‘Men will drink and indulge themselves after a long sea voyage. It is natural for men who live as we do to spend their gold in such fashion. At least until the time comes to settle down.’
Maribel was silent. In her heart she knew she had no reason to condemn the pirates or their captain. It was true they had taken her captive, but she had been treated fairly since then. She wanted to believe in their captain, if only she could let go of her preconceived prejudices and accept his word.
She walked towards Captain Sylvester and Mr Hendry, wanting to know what was being decided between them. As he saw her approach, the captain left his companion and came to meet her.
‘Your father has sent word that he wants a truce between us,’ Justin told her, but there was an odd expression in his eyes. ‘He asks that I meet him face to face. He will pay a ransom for your safe return and for safe conduct through these waters. It would mean an end to what has become a feud between us.’
‘Do you wish for an end to it?’ She held her breath as she waited for his answer.
‘If Don Sabatini agrees to pay us for safe passage, we shall leave his ships in peace. There are plenty more vessels we might take and the Portuguese merchantmen are usually the most profitable.’
‘So you will sell me to him?’ Maribel’s face was white and she felt the sickness rise in her throat.
‘I thought it was what you wanted?’ Justin’s gaze narrowed. ‘When I took you captive you assured me your father would pay to have you back—and it seems you were right.’
‘I did not know then what manner of man he was.’ Maribel was close to tears. ‘I hate you…Why did you pretend to care what happened to me?’
She turned and fled down the beach, because the tears were close and she did not wish to shame herself before him.
Justin stared after her. He had not told her the whole truth, because he was uncertain what to believe. The Don’s message was a little strange. It seemed that there was something he wanted even more than the return of his daughter.
Touching the package inside his jerkin, Justin frowned. Could the map of the silver mines, which he had captured from Don Sabatini’s flagship, be the only one in existence? If the Don wanted the map more than his own daughter, it must be that he could not return to the mines without it. Justin had taken some
Chapter Three
M aribel sensed that someone was watching her. She turned her head in the direction of Captain Sylvester and the man who had brought the second pirate ship into the cove. He was older, dark of hair and pale complexioned; his eyes had a strange piercing quality.
‘Who is that man with the captain?’ she asked of Tom as he came up to her. ‘There is something about him…’ She shook her head, not knowing why the man’s gaze made her uncomfortable.
‘Higgins told me he is the acting captain of the Maria. The ship was taken a few weeks back and is a Portuguese merchantman. His name is Mr Hendry—or Captain Hendry, I suppose. Higgins doesn’t like him; he thinks he is sly and not to be trusted, but Captain Sylvester put him in charge of their sister ship, because of his experience. He will sail with us to Cyprus.’
‘Are we still to sail for Cyprus?’
‘I have heard the men say that we may sail for thepirates’ island instead. There are many islands in the region that are uninhabited, some used by the brethren. We need a safe haven so that we can divide the spoils of the past months. I am to receive a share though I took no part in capturing them.’
‘What is the name of this island?’ Maribel looked apprehensive. ‘I suppose it is a sinful place where pirates congregate to get drunk and frequent the tavern whores.’
‘I cannot tell you the name—its location is a secret—but I believe it is much the same in any port, lady,’ Tom told her. ‘Men will drink and indulge themselves after a long sea voyage. It is natural for men who live as we do to spend their gold in such fashion. At least until the time comes to settle down.’
Maribel was silent. In her heart she knew she had no reason to condemn the pirates or their captain. It was true they had taken her captive, but she had been treated fairly since then. She wanted to believe in their captain, if only she could let go of her preconceived prejudices and accept his word.
She walked towards Captain Sylvester and Mr Hendry, wanting to know what was being decided between them. As he saw her approach, the captain left his companion and came to meet her.
‘Your father has sent word that he wants a truce between us,’ Justin told her, but there was an odd expression in his eyes. ‘He asks that I meet him face to face. He will pay a ransom for your safe return and for safe conduct through these waters. It would mean an end to what has become a feud between us.’
‘Do you wish for an end to it?’ She held her breath as she waited for his answer.
‘If Don Sabatini agrees to pay us for safe passage, we shall leave his ships in peace. There are plenty more vessels we might take and the Portuguese merchantmen are usually the most profitable.’
‘So you will sell me to him?’ Maribel’s face was white and she felt the sickness rise in her throat.
‘I thought it was what you wanted?’ Justin’s gaze narrowed. ‘When I took you captive you assured me your father would pay to have you back—and it seems you were right.’
‘I did not know then what manner of man he was.’ Maribel was close to tears. ‘I hate you…Why did you pretend to care what happened to me?’
She turned and fled down the beach, because the tears were close and she did not wish to shame herself before him.
Justin stared after her. He had not told her the whole truth, because he was uncertain what to believe. The Don’s message was a little strange. It seemed that there was something he wanted even more than the return of his daughter.
Touching the package inside his jerkin, Justin frowned. Could the map of the silver mines, which he had captured from Don Sabatini’s flagship, be the only one in existence? If the Don wanted the map more than his own daughter, it must be that he could not return to the mines without it. Justin had taken some
Similar Books
