The Duke's Lady (Historical Romance - The Ladies Series) (41 page)

Take care, Adam.

Love, Jewel

Damn! Why hadn’t he been here? She’d had so little faith in him. Perhaps she had never loved him at all, and she definitely hadn’t trusted him. He read the note again. She loved him. He knew it, but there were no pleas to come after her. He let the note slip from his fingers. Did she think he cared what her background was? He ran his hand through his hair as his eyes misted. The pain he felt at reading the note was ten times worse than his wound. Jewel should have confided in him; then she would have known Lafitte was his friend.

“Wait,” he mumbled. Did Jean know anything about this? No, he couldn’t have. They had fought together. Pierre had evidently never had a chance to tell his brother about Jewel before he’d gone into hiding.

Adam jumped to his feet. He needed to find Jean Lafitte, but he would have to move fast. Adam knew Captain Lee would kill Jewel just as soon as he got his hands on the treasure. Adam stopped by his desk, picking up the other half of the map. Jean would know where this mysterious hidden treasure lay buried. He must be the one with the other half of the map.

Adam went by Elizabeth’s room to tell her he was leaving.

She looked up as he entered the room. “Adam, where is Jonathan?”

“I’m sorry.” Adam placed his hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. He’d been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, he hadn’t even thought of Jonathan. “He’s been shot, Elizabeth, and is being treated at St. John’s Hospital. The doctors assured me he would be fine. Perhaps you and Annie should go and bring him home. I’ll be back in a few days.” Adam gave his sister a hug, then turned to leave, but stopped and turned back. “You will be all right?”

“Yes, Adam. Bring Jewel home safely.”

“I will,” Adam said, but he wondered if he would bring Jewel home at all. By the time he reached Jewel, she could be dead. And if she wasn’t, there was still the note. The note had sounded final. Somehow he had to convince Jewel that her past meant nothing to him.

Chapter
Twenty-eight

It was dark and damp in the hold where Jewel had been thrown. A faint scratching noise came from an obscure corner, and she could swear a pair of red eyes glared at her, leaving Jewel to wonder what animal lurked there. She pulled her knees up tight to her body and wrapped her arms around them. She had always hated the dark.

The ship swayed, and Jewel grabbed the side of the vessel as a deafening explosion boomed very close to the ship. The stench of gunpowder filled the air. Another detonation sent her tossing about with the rest of the cargo. More gunfire ensued, and the faint sound of people yelling surrounded her. She strained, trying to hear more, but the noise soon faded into the background.

Jewel assumed they must have survived the battle. She shut her eyes and prayed Adam was safe.

For now she had to concentrate on her own situation. She had to remember anything she could about the Bay of Pirates. A long time had passed since she and Jean had been there. Being a child at the time, she hadn’t known the importance of the treasure. A few bits and pieces began to form in her mind, but nothing that would help her escape. She knew Jean probably had some kind of safeguard for intruders. Perhaps when they arrived on the island, she’d remember something that might save her life. One thing she was sure of. She’d go down fighting.

Her thoughts again turned to Adam. What would he think when he read the note? Would he be angry or glad to be rid of her? She lacked answers for her questions. As the agonizing reality settled upon her, she sighed. No matter how badly she might want to, she would never fit into Adam’s world. Her eyes moistened, and she wiped her nose on her sleeve. If only things could have been diffe
rent. He’d been raised by a stern father and grandfather who believed a man had to be hard to survive. She knew underneath Adam’s hard exterior lay a heart of gold.

She would give anything to be in Adam’s arms just once more, and feel his lips on her face, and hear him murmur soft-spoken love words . . . but that was not to be . . . fate had dealt her a different hand.

The hatch opened and bright sunlight poured in through the small opening. A stabbing pain shot through Jewel’s head as she covered her eyes against the brilliant light. The rats scurried for cover and she jerked her foot back. Reluctantly, she removed her hands and blinked, trying to adjust to the glare. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been cramped up in this squalid, dark hole, but her stomach told her she’d been days without food.

“The captain said you’re to come up top,” the
sailor who opened the hatch shouted down at her.

Her tight muscles protested and cramped as she slowly inched her way to her feet. She moved over toward the stairs, where she had to wait a minute for the circulation to return to her feet before she climbed the ladder. Upon reaching the top, she stretched and shook her arms, trying to limber up her muscles.

“Where’s this bloody island, Your Highness?” Captain Lee shouted at her. “Or have you lied to me yet again?”

“I spoke the truth. It’s not an island any normal sailor can find. If it were, there would be no treasure.” Jewel’s voice was filled with all the contempt she felt for this savage who called himself a man. “Let me see your charts, and I’ll check to see how far off course we are.”

Grudgingly, Lee stepped aside. She pointed the way across the map, her fingers tracing the route they should take.

“Bloody hell, you can read a chart. You might be worth keeping . . . with a little taming, that is,” Lee sneered. “There’s little chance you’ll escape now, so you can remain on deck. Adrian, bring her some food. She’ll be of little use to me dead.”

The sea breeze felt good blowing in her hair, and even in her present situation Jewel found a
little peace, but at least her stomach was soon full. Not having to worry about the rats as she had in the hole, she curled up on a tarp and slept soundly for
the first
time in days.

The next morning the sun rose early in the clear blue sky. Not a cloud could be seen. Jewel peeked over the railing and smiled.

She saw the first signs of the dark shore of Jean’s private island. The Bay of Pirates was a strange island. Instead of sand, millions of tiny shells coated the beach that stretched around the island for ten miles. Surrounded by coral reefs, the coast was flat with an elevated interior and steep cliffs.

Jewel, Captain Lee, and two of his men rowed to shore. Upon stepping out on the beach, they pulled the boat up on dry land. Tiny shells crunched and snapped as they walked inland away from the shore. Their feet would have been cut to ribbons if they hadn’t been wearing shoes.

“It’s going to be a long walk,” Jewel informed Lee.

“Lead the way, and remember, no tricks,” he warned. “I’ll be watching you.”

They moved along the rocky shore in a northeasterly direction, until they came to a slope where they began their slow climb, following a trail to a point where it dropped over the side of a cliff and appeared to be a dead end.

A path that led nowhere.

Lee grabbed her arm. “What bloody trick are you trying to pull?”

Jewel closed her eyes and thought back. She could remember twigs and branches—yes, the path was hidden. “Give me a minute. I was but a child the last time I came here.”

Moving over to the thicket, she began removing the brush that revealed the descending path. She heard Lee take a deep breath, but he didn’t say anything as he started down the footpath behind her.

The steep slope was difficult to maneuver, and Jewel had to be careful not to lose her footing. It turned out to be a precipitous expedition when Lee tripped and slid ten feet down the slope. He got up and glared at Jewel when she passed him with a smile on her lips. Finally, they emerged at the base of the cliff.

Jewel stood looking around as the others finished their descent. Pleasant, girlish memories swirled in her head. She could almost hear a child’s carefree laughter echoing among the cliffs. Memories of her childhood came flowing back, and she was thankful, hoping those memories would soon bring the answer she sought—the way to escape.

As they walked down the beach, the shoreline once again changed. Rugged, sharp cliffs gave way to a flat beach littered with boulders the size of heads. A variety of green seaweed grew atop the smooth boulders. She and Jean had called this area the graveyard, because it appeared that
sailors been buried straight up in the sand, leaving only their heads above the ground. It was still a scary sight.

“My God, what is that?” Captain Lee exclaimed.

“It’s a graveyard.”

“Who’s buried there?” Lee demanded.

“All the unsuccessful men who have tried to take the treasure chest.” Jewel’s laughter held an eerie sound, and she saw the uncertainty on the captain’s face.

“You witch! You’ve led me into a trap.” Lee took her by the shoulders and shook her. “Stop laughing this instant!”

“Wait. Wait a minute,” she protested. “It’s just a myth. A story Jean made up for me when I was little. Unless you’re afraid of rocks, I suggest we go on.”

“I don’t care for your jokes.” Lee shoved her none too gently. “Just remember you’ve made a fool of me for the last time.”

Several caverns lay ahead scattered in different directions. She looked at each one while trying to remember. Finally, she spotted the one she sought. To get to the cavern, they would have to wade through a small cove, which lay just under a cliff.

Jewel stopped and stared at the water before entering the cove. A dull picture flooded her memory. Suddenly, Jean’s warning came back to her. She was careful not to smile or give anything away. She just might have a surprise for Lee after all.

“There is a small cave over there.” Jewel pointed to the end of a narrow gully. “That’s where the treasure is hidden.”

Everyone crossed the cove, but only Captain
Lee followed Jewel into the cavern. A torch had been conveniently placed at the entrance, which Lee lit as he followed her. It took a few moments for Jewel’s eyes to adjust to the darkness of the damp hole. Being careful not to trip over the stones on the cavern floor, she inched her way to the back of the cave, noticing the faint smell of seawater. A shelf built into the stone wall lay just ahead. She couldn’t see anything at first, so she began pushing the loose rocks away, until she saw the wooden chest. She tried tugging on the box, but it wouldn’t budge.

“This is what you seek.” Jewel pointed to the strongbox.

Lee shoved her aside and went to the treasure. Excitement seemed to fill him as he grunted and groaned, pulling on the wooden chest. It took several tries before he worked it loose. The brown chest came complete with a large black lock. But it was quickly disposed of when Lee shot it off with his pistol. However, the rusty hinges on the lid wouldn’t budge. Picking up a rock, he struck the lid over and over again. Time seemed to stand still as he focused on the chest. The noise of his struggles echoed on the walls as his face broke out in a fine sweat.

Finally, Lee was rewarded for his efforts as the lid moved. Lifting it carefully, he gasped at the array of dazzling rubies, diamonds, and emeralds that lay before him. He held the torch closer for a
better look, and watched the jewels sparkle beneath the light. He raked back the gems. Under them lay
gold coins
worth a king’s ransom.

Jewel knew her life would now be in danger. Captain Lee had what he wanted: a treasure chest that would make him as rich as a king. Now it was time to set her plan in motion. She prayed it would work. Jewel stared at Lee, but didn’t really see him as she remembered her uncle’s warning about the small cove they had come through. The tide there was dangerous—nature’s own trap and a watery coffin to those who didn’t heed the warnings.

She had glanced at the tide briefly when they’d come across the cove. The tide had been out, but would soon start coming in. It came in at the incredible speed of an inch a minute. The water from the cove would back into the caverns where they now stood, and would keep rising to a height of forty to fifty feet. The tide would be a death trap. She just had to make sure it wasn’t
her
death trap.

“How will you carry the chest?” she asked Lee.

“Why do you think I brought along two big men?” He laughed. “Go get them.”

It took all three men struggling with the chest to get it up the narrow gully to the edge of the cove. They had to stop often because of the chest’s weight, grumbling about the treasure each time, and at the moment were paying little attention to Jewel.

She glanced at the small cove. Already the tide
had shifted and had started to come in. It looked to be knee deep. Taking a deep breath, she remembered the warning. She would have to hurry.

Patiently, she waited for the two men to pick up the chest again. Captain Lee followed behind, holding the back of the strongbox while Jewel led the way. They all started forward, and she knew this was her chance. She darted ahead and ran, heading straight for the water.

“Look, Captain, she’s getting away!”

They dropped their load, and Lee pulled out his pistol. Taking careful aim, he cocked the trigger. “I might as well kill her now because I don’t need her anymore. I have what I want.” A devious smile touched his lips as he squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit its target. Captain Lee laughed as he watched Jewel fall face-first to the ground. “That, my dear girl, was for this ugly scar.” His hand went to his cheek. “I said I would get even!”