The Lightkeeper's Bride (26 page)

She peered toward the woods. “Maybe you’re right.” She hoped so.

It was one thing to investigate with Will herself, but she didn’t want Lady Carrington in any danger.

“Step away from the cake!” the bird squawked. “Six feet back.”

She jumped at the loud noise. “Stupid bird,” she muttered. The wind blew a salty breath into her face as the boat got underway. She moved to the bow and watched the blend of redwood bark and deep green leaves recede as Will took it through the inlet. A hundred yards offshore, he trimmed the sails and threw out the anchor. He shucked his shoes and removed his belt and shirt.

“Why are we stopping? Where are you going?” She had a sinking feeling she knew.

“I’m going to swim back and investigate.”

She grabbed his arm. “You can’t go by yourself. It’s too dangerous.”

“I’ll be fine, Katie. If there’s a chance to end it now, I want to take it. You were accosted last night. He could have killed you.”

Before she could respond, he leaned forward and brushed his mouth across hers. The sensation of his lips on hers was intoxicating. Of their own volition, her fists grabbed his shirt and she returned his kiss.

His hand cupped her cheek and he smiled into her face. “If I’m not back in an hour, take the boat back to Mercy Falls and contact the constable.”

“But—” Before she could finish her protest, he was gone over the side. She heard a splash then saw his head, dark and sleek as an otter, moving through the water. She ran to the rail and prayed for his safety. He had to come back safe and sound. She couldn’t bear it if anything happened to him.

With the realization that she loved him, she put her fingers to her lips where the taste of his mouth still lingered.

The fifty-degree water chilled Will’s skin through and through by the time he rose dripping from the sea. A brisk wind rustled the treetops and left him shivering. He skirted the rocks and headed for the forest where he’d found the knife. Not a twig snapped under his carefully placed bare feet, and he flitted from trunk to trunk, stopping often to listen. He heard nothing other than birdsong and the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

A smile lingered on his face from the way Katie had kissed him back. He sobered and reminded himself to focus on his objective so he could return to kiss her again. Pausing, he inhaled the dank loam of the forest and focused his senses on the task at hand. He reached a small clearing and paused behind a rock. The remains of a campfire lay scattered in the center of the space, and a few logs had been pulled up for seating. He stepped from behind the shelter of the rock and approached the ashes. The scent of campfire still lingered. Kneeling, he put his hand over them. Warm.

He rose and scanned the area. He saw two different sized shoe prints. Whoever they were, they’d taken their belongings and departed.

He followed the beaten path to the other side of the meadow. The faint trail continued through a stand of redwoods. As he walked through the forest, he heard the sound of surf. The woods gave way to beach and he saw waves lapping onto a rocky shore. It was another bay, different from the one they’d entered. A small rocky island jutted out of the water in the distance.

And a large sailing vessel was anchored in the water offshore. His pulse jumped. The
Paradox
floated just before him. He’d found it.

He hung back in the shelter of a redwood and let his gaze roam the ship. The pirated boat looked intact. The sails were tied down and he could see no breaches in the wooden sides. No one stood on the abandoned deck either. He glanced around the rocky shore.

There was no sign of the men whose trail he had followed here. A flicker of movement caught his eye and he saw a smaller boat in a narrow channel leading away from the
Paradox
. Squinting, he realized one of the figures aboard wore a red shirt.

He cautiously exited the shelter of the forest and picked his way across the sharp rocks. The men hadn’t seen him. Wading out into the cold water, he walked as far as he could toward the ship then plunged in and swam toward the boat rocking in the waves. He edged to the starboard side and climbed the rope ladder. When he reached eye level of the deck, he glanced around and listened.

The ship was a silent, floating tomb. Not a sound except the flitter of the hanging sails came to his ears, so he heaved himself aboard. He shuddered with the chill. It wasn’t just the swim and the wind but the knowledge of what had happened to the crew aboard this boat. Bloodstains marred the deck as a testament to the brutality of the pirates. There had to be more of them than the two he’d seen. Two men couldn’t have dispatched the entire crew by themselves. He listened again before he made another step but the ship was silent. Whoever had assisted the men was no longer aboard. He was certain he was alone.

His bare feet slapped along the planking and left an echo hanging in the air that was a bit unnerving. The flapping of the loose sails added to his sense of unease. He found the door to the hold and descended a few steps until the light gave out. There was no lantern around, so he retraced his steps. His best option was to summon the constable and bring him to this location. But first Will needed to inform Philip that the ship had been found.

He shielded his gaze and stared out across the water. There was no sign of the two men in the boat. His heart paused then pounded painfully at a sudden thought. What if this inlet fed into the same area as the other one? The men would come out by the boat where Katie, Jennie, and Lady Carrington waited for him.

Will ran to the edge then paused, forcing himself to think. It would take longer to swim to shore then traipse back through the forest. If there was a vessel anywhere near the
Paradox
, he’d make better time by sea. He did a quick scan and found a lifeboat with oars. A few moments later he was on the water and rowing with all his might. With every flex of his arms, he prayed he would reach them in time.

T
WENTY-SEVEN

K
ATIE GLANCED AT
the watch pinned to her blouse. Will had been gone nearly forty-five minutes. She was not going to leave him behind. If he didn’t come in a few minutes, she was going to go looking for him. Her fingers strayed to her lips again. Every time she thought of that kiss her pulse raced. She wanted to see if the love she’d felt in his arms would swell again at the sight of him.

“I don’t care for your expression,” Lady Carrington said. “You’re planning something.”

“I’m going after Will,” Katie said, making her decision. She put Jennie on the other woman’s lap. “It’s been nearly an hour. I’m not leaving him behind.”

Lady Carrington pulled the sleeping child to her. “Katie, you’re no match for men with guns. We would help Will much more if we garner help for him. Do you know how to sail well enough to get us back to Mercy Falls?”

“We can’t just sail away and leave him behind!”

The mynah squawked. “Step away from the cake! Six feet!” He fluttered his wings as Nubbins stalked him.

Katie scooped up the kitten. “Oh do be quiet,” she muttered to the bird. They had thought this would be a pleasant day for a sail.

How distressing that it had turned into a dangerous foray into enemy territory. “Don’t you know any other words?” She glanced around for any weapon she might take with her. There was nothing here. She was going anyway.

Starting toward the rope ladder, a movement caught her attention. Squinting, she stared at the boat that had appeared from around the spit of land ahead. At first she thought it might be Will and he’d found someone to help him return by sea, but as the dinghy neared, she realized one man wore a red shirt. A flash of red was what had attracted Will to the place where he’d found the knife. Her unease deepened when she realized the men seemed to be rowing straight at them.

“Lady Carrington, I think the men who shot at us are coming our way.”

“Oh my,” Lady Carrington said. She rose and stepped beside Katie. “What shall we do?”

“I’m going to try to get us out of here.” Katie reached for the anchor winch and cranked it, keeping an eye on the approaching vessel. She rushed to the sails and began to raise them, but one pulley got hung up. She yanked on it, it swung free, and then caught again. In terror, she looked back to the boat. Her pulse raced when she saw how close they were. “We’re not going to make it,” she said. “Get below!” She rushed Lady Carrington and Jennie into the hold and followed them down.

She glanced around for anything she might use as a weapon. There was a bed and some cupboards. She threw open the cabinet doors and flinched at the strong odor of mildew. Nothing but enameled tin plates and cups. A glint caught her eye, and her gaze landed on a knife back in the corner. She grabbed it then rushed up the ladder to the deck. The boat was eight feet away when she reached the railing at the bow.

Keeping the knife in her right hand hidden in the folds of her skirt, she raised her left hand. “Are you in need of assistance?” she asked with a smile.

“Ahoy! Yes, we need help.”

At the sound of the man’s voice, Paco squawked and fluttered his feathers. “Eight feet down!”

The man in the bow was dressed in trousers and a vest. His mustache was neatly trimmed and waxed. His dark good looks with the gray wings at his temple would turn the head of most women. Her memory flashed back to the description of the man at the skating rink who had called her. Could it be the same man? Her attention veered to the second man in the boat. He wore a red gingham shirt and dungarees held up with suspenders. Maybe the man who had attacked her the night before? They were clearly from very different social standings. And they also matched Will’s description of the two men he’d seen talking and pointing to the sea. Her fingers tightened around the knife when she saw the sun glint on the rifle in the bottom of the boat.

The fellow in red kicked an oilcloth over it and smiled. “Ahoy there. We’re about worn out and could use a ride back to Mercy Falls.

Can we board?”

“I’m sorry, but no,” she said. “We’re not heading to Mercy Falls.”

At least not until she had Will safely aboard.

“Could you take us to the nearest town then?”

Again she shook her head, softening it with a smile. “I’m sorry, but we’re not going to town anytime soon.”

“We can wait,” the man in the vest said. He clutched his stomach.

“I’m not feeling well and I would appreciate some assistance.”

“In that case, I must insist you keep your distance,” she said. “I cannot run the risk of exposing myself or my friend to the smallpox that has been spreading.”

The man in red reached under the oilcloth and brought up the rifle. “You’ll do as you’re told, miss.”

The small dark hole of the gun barrel focused on her. Her chest squeezed, but she shook her head. “You’re not coming aboard,” she said, diving to the deck.

She crawled to the rope ladder. It clanged against the side of the boat as though one of the men had grabbed hold of it. Working furiously, she sawed the knife against the rough hemp. When the knife cut through the last strands, the ladder splashed into the water. One of the men shouted an oath. It wouldn’t slow them down for long, but if she could untangle the sail, they might be able to get away.

Scooting along the deck, she reached the mast and began to work on the tangled sail. She heard a
thump
and knew the dinghy had touched her sailboat again. The angle would be wrong for them to fire on her until they got to the deck. Stepping up her efforts, she jiggled the ropes, and the sail finally rose into the air. The wind billowed into the white canvas and the vessel began to move.

But not soon enough. Katie saw a hand slap the top of the boat, then another one. She ran to the bow of the boat intending to slash the hand with the knife, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead she stomped on his fingers with her boot. “Go
away
!” she screamed.

“Yeow!” The man dropped back into the boat.

Before she had time to rejoice, hard hands seized her from behind. She felt hot breath on her neck and she twisted in the brutal grip. The man in the red shirt sneered at her, then dragged her back away from the rail.

“Come on up, boss,” he called. “I’ve got this little she-cat corralled.” The bird squawked again. “Shut up, Paco,” the fellow snapped.

Katie twisted in his grip without hope. She had to save Lady Carrington and Jennie.

His palms ached and so did his back. Will put all his strength into fighting the waves. He reached the thickly forested point and rounded it, straining to see the sailboat in the distance. There it was, but the boat had moved from its original location. Frowning, he lifted the oars from the water and stared. Katie’s dress was clear but two other figures moved on deck. Neither of them was Lady Carrington, and with a sinking sensation in his belly he recognized the red shirt.

He’d been right. The men had gone straight for the sailboat. The women were at their mercy. The dinghy bobbed in the waves as he considered his options. If he rowed right up to the sailboat, he’d be seen. His best option was to swim. The distance appeared daunting but God would be with him.

Leaving the boat behind him, he slipped into the sea. As soon as the cold slammed into his bones, he realized how weakened he was from his previous swim. The frigid water sapped his energy and slowed his movements. The sailboat seemed to recede in the distance as he put himself into stroke after stroke toward it. It seemed an impossible task at first, but as his body cut through the waves, a bit of warmth crept into his limbs from the exertion.

A seagull dove toward him then veered at the last minute. He wished he could swim as effortlessly as the three sea lions whose sleek heads passed him in a blur. He paused and treaded water a few moments. The boat still seemed impossibly far away. Voices carried over the water, but he was breathing too hard to be able to make out the words. Katie’s defiance was clear in the tone, though, and he feared for her.

Once he caught his breath, he struck out for the boat again.
Stroke, kick, stroke, kick
. His methodical movements finally began to draw him near enough to the boat that he thought he was going to make it. As he neared, he switched to a breaststroke to create the least amount of noise. He was now close enough to make out the conversation.