St. Aldwyn nodded. “True, butThe Mary Janehere is the lighter, smaller and quicker if the captain’s boasting is to be believed.”
Simon did not reply, his gaze roaming the dark abyss staring back at him.
“Here,” St. Aldwyn murmured, placing a flask in his hand. “Drink that.”
He studied the flask; the St. Aldwyn crest was engraved in the center. “Did someone steal your bourbon that you would engrave your family name onto it?”
His friend shrugged. “It’s never been taken again.”
With a chuckle, Simon swallowed a good measure of the stuff, the liquid burning down his throat. Never had he wanted to punch a Shaw as much as he did then.
A small flickering light in the distance brought his attention back to the ocean. How much time had passed? Moments later, shouts rang and cheers went up, but Simon and St. Aldwyn did not share their joy. Finding the ship was not enough. They needed to recover Belle.
Fifteen minutes later, the flickering light drew closer as they advanced on the much bigger ship. A grim-faced Derek appeared with a telescope in hand, “Lady Belle appears unharmed.”
“Contrary to some misguided beliefs, starting with the better news does not make the terrible any easier. Spit it out,” St. Aldwyn barked.
Simon shot his friend a warning look. His heart drummed in his chest and a sick feeling of dread overcame his heart. St. Aldwyn did have a point.
Derek handed Simon the telescope. “We will reach them in an hour, but they are making her walk the plank now.”
They’d never get to her in time.
St. Aldwyn cursed and Simon’s fists itched to strangle that French bastard. He took the telescope, adjusting it so that the deck of the other ship came in focus. The ship was alight with candles and torches, as though the bastards wanted them to watch.
She spotted Belle on the deck, in nothing but her shift, a big-bellied crewmember keeping her captive. Fury rose, swift and fierce.
“Bloody hell.”
Simon glanced away just long enough to note St. Aldwyn had been given a telescope, too.
“Lady Belle is a strong swimmer. We will get to her in time if she acts smart,” Shaw said.
“Oh? And you know this how?” Simon snapped, but he recalled her lithe body, bathed in the moonlight.
No answer came, which was just as well since a commotion on the other ship’s deck held all his attention. They were urging her onto the plank, one man even putting his dirty hands on her person to deposit her on the wooden structure.
It was too far to discern her expression, but not too far to note her moving forward. “Dammit Belle, stall!”
“He has a pistol aimed at her.”
Simon stilled, inching the telescope to focus on the deck to see that De Roux indeed had a pistol trained on her.
“He doesn’t want to take the chance that we’d save her in time.”
Simon swung to refocus on Belle only to see her pause and glance over her shoulder before she jumped off the plank.
“Shit!” Simon nearly fell to his knees right then. But he still kept a steady hand on the telescope, focusing on the spot he’d last seen her vanish into the water.
“Steady,” St. Aldwyn urged. “It is a good thing she jumped. She’s smart in refusing them the opportunity to shoot her. We will save her.”
“How the hell will we know where she is?”
“Trust the captain. Trust Lady Belle.”
Much easier said than done, Simon reflected bitterly.
He did not know how long he stood there staring through the lens and searching the black waters for Belle, but the sudden shouts jerked his attention back to the activities on deck.
“In the water up ahead!” Someone shouted and Simon jerked in the direction the outstretched arms pointed. He leveled his telescope to the spot and within a few seconds saw dark blond hair standing out in the harsh darkness of the water.
He did not act; he did not think. He only reacted.
St. Alwyn shouted, attempting to stop him, but it was too late.
Simon had jumped ship.
