Page 24

Twenty-Four

I fluttered my eyes open. The crew gathered around me, blocking the sun. Rowan’s shadow made a nice shady spot for my prophetic revelation. His face held an incredulous look.

“I’ve had a vision.” I shifted up on one elbow.

“I told ye she was a witch.” Shrug peered down at me.

“I’m not a witch,” I said, pushing myself to a sitting position. “I’m a seer. I have these pictures that form in my head, and they come true.”

Max knelt next to me, offering a hand. “What was yer vision?”

I took Max’s hand, and he helped me stand. “I saw a giant blockade of ships preventing the Sea Storm from leaving the harbor.”

The men burst into a cackle of laughter.

“Good.” Black Bard smiled wide. “More time ta ’ave a feast at the weddin’.”

I turned toward Max. “We cannot be married tonight. We must put our nuptials on hold until we are safely at sea. I should attend the pirate meeting and tell Captain Vane. We need to leave the harbor immediately. Before the governor arrives.”

I didn’t want to risk Marco, but they couldn’t burn this ship. It meant something. I could feel it. Why would Marco specifically send me to this ship unless it was important?

“The men are looking forward to the festivities,” Rowan told Max.

“Cook is smoking a pig on the beach.” Shrug licked his lips.

“A pig?” For God’s sake, when did Ace leave for the beach?

Max smiled at me. “It was Rowan’s idea. He thought ye might want one.”

Rowan rolled his eyes. “Casks of wine and ale ’ave already been loaded onto the transport for the beach. Once Captain Smith chooses a location, the crew weel unload them.”

“There’s to be a fine celebratin’ on the beach after ye marry the captain.” Shrug winked at me and made an obscene gesture with his hips.

I had to attend the pirate meeting and make sure Vane voted no on the pardon. After that, I must convince Max to get the Sea Storm safely out to sea before Woodes Rogers arrived, and without his blushing bride. My list was growing long and unattainable. It also included finding Ace, rescuing Marco—and maybe Sasha—and getting the hell out of Dodge. I needed something to stall the beach nuptials.

“I…I want to be married at sea. It’s a family tradition.”

The faces around me dropped from hopeful to irritated.

“My lady wishes to marry at sea.” Max tilted his head, considering.

“No!” Shrug huff-hollered. “Ye’ll be married on the beach. Wit’ the pig.”

Max’s face fell into an irritated grimace. I had to give the kid credit. He didn’t like it when the men went against him. I had a feeling Rowan had taught him that.

“Send out a scout,” Rowan suggested. “If the scout comes back with word of these ships in Miss Jennifer’s vision, we head to sea. Avoid the possibility of Rogers’ conviction. If not, weel wed on the beach.”

“You’ll get us shipwrecked, taking a woman out to sea.” Ned, the red-bearded boatswain, straddled the rails. He had come from one of the rowboats. He swung his other leg over the rail to join us on the deck.

“Ned’s right, Cap’n.” Shrug motioned toward the burly boatswain.

The sound of someone grunting had Ned turning toward the rope ladder. He heaved a chest over the rails, followed by a ruddy-faced crew member pushing from his end.

I hadn’t seen the boatswain since I’d stepped on deck this morning. Now, here he was, adding his two cents.

“Better than being trapped in the harbor and forced to do the governor’s bidding,” I lobbied, and a few heads bobbed in agreement. “Woodes Rogers will not allow you to sneak tea and tobacco into Nassau without paying a fee.”

Murmurs circulated throughout the crew. Words like tax and freedom and makin’ an honest man’s wages floated back to me. I had to bite my tongue not to comment about what makes an honest man.

Ned propped a shoe on the chest. “Might I suggest ye go to the council, tell Captain Vane of Miss Jennifer’s vision.”

Many heads nodded, accompanied by “aye’s” and “here-here’s.”

“I should be the one to tell him.” I moved closer to Max, wishing I had something more enticing than the high-necked Mary Poppins dress to help him see things my way. “I can be pretty persuasive.”

Max nodded. My inner voice gave me a partial thumbs-up. “Weel, send out the scout. Go to the meeting. Let Captain Vane decide our fate.”

Oh boy. My inner voice turned her thumb down.

“All in favor?” Rowan took a count and the decision was made.

“Aye.” Max rubbed his hands together, eyeing the chest. “Let’s see what our tea and rum have gotten us.”

Two men hauled the chest to the main mast in the center of the ship. Rowan took his blade to the lock and opened the chest.

I leaned around Max to see what treasure lay inside. “It’s filled with clothing,” I blurted out. Max beamed at me. There was some jewelry but no stacks of silver, gobs of gold, or piles of pieces of eight.

Rowan held up a blue velvet coat. Any man wearing it in this weather would sweat his ass off. “Who bids a fair coin on the jacket?”

After some scuffling and pushing, a few men held up small pouches, shaking them, the sound of coins clinking together. I thought about Itty’s gold bangles and wondered if General Potts arrested her and Jake for aiding my escape.

I quickly pushed the thought out of my mind. Focus on the man you’re here to rescue, I reminded myself, not the one you left behind, or the one who’s fate you hold, or the one who’s disappeared like a ghost ship into a sea fog.

If Jake’s conclusion that Caiyan stalked me was correct, where the heck was he? Why hasn’t he rescued me from this motley crew? If he was in Nassau, he’d just failed Finding Your Fiancé 101.

Rowan picked up a small box and checked the inside. “Ah, Logan, ’tis filled wi’ needles and thread. A true sailmaker’s tools.”

A man with dark hair and a thick mustache stepped forward. “I’ve got little coin,” he said sadly.

“Take it in trade for a sail well made.” Rowan tossed the box at Logan, who blushed red. He bobbed his head and accepted the box.

My eyes widened when a string of pearls went to Shrug. Did the man have a woman to wear them? He strung them around his neck and danced a jig.

Doubtful.

A pair of shoes and more jewelry found new owners. Max smiled ear to ear. He was enjoying himself. I leaned closer to him, shouting above the ruckus. “I thought you were smugglers.”

“We were paid handsomely for our most recent delivery, but Rowan requested the chest as a bonus for our good trade.” He stepped in front of me. Excitement bounced off him like a kid finding the last Easter egg. “’Tis my turn.”

Rowan held up a pretty pale green dress, the color of seafoam. The gown belled out into veils of thin lace resembling tulle that had to have taken the dressmaker months to sew.

Men held up their pouches but quickly retracted them as Max stepped forward. He placed a bulging pouch in Rowan’s hand. “I’ll take the lot.” And took the dress from him.

My stomach went squishy. He brought the dress to me and knelt. “For you, Miss Jennifer.”

Oh jeez. “Thank you.” The silk felt soft in my hands, and the skirt swayed delicately. It was much prettier than my current Poppins abomination.

“’Tis no as beautiful as yerself, but will suit ye for the ceremony.” Max gave a pleased smile at my obvious admiration of the dress.

The thoughtful gesture from Max shattered my heart. My plan to ditch him and watch his ship burn to embers seemed wrong.

“Shouldn’t we l-l-l-leave for the meeting?” I stuttered, trying to regain my composure.

Rowan appeared at my side. “Time to go.”