The Pirate's Jewel (2 page)

“I’ve come for the map. Do you still have it?” Nolan’s tan
skin had faded to pale olive, leaving the mysterious boy she remembered as
merely a serious man.

She leaned across the table. Her excitement in meeting the
only other person who knew of her father’s last visit temporarily allowed her to
forget the outcome of their encounter. “I see you recovered from your wound,”
she whispered. “If you and my father are still at odds, you’ll not find help
from me.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw, and he absently rubbed a spot
beneath his left shoulder. “The wound became infected. I almost died. Your
father nursed me back to health. Kind of him, since he was the one who saw fit to
embed his dagger in my chest in the first place.”

“You didn’t want him to give his map to me. I remember
that.”

“The map belongs to me. It’s my grandfather’s treasure,
not Bellamy’s. He stole the map from me when I was too young and stupid to do
anything about it. Even so, I’m willing to pay you for it—and for your silence all
these years. You couldn’t imagine what men would do to gain the map to Captain
Kent’s lost treasure.”

Jewel had heard of Captain Kent’s treasure, as had everyone.
The pirate had been hanged without revealing its location. For the last seventy
years, treasure hunters had scoured the coast, looking for that hidden booty
rumored to be worth over one million pounds—a sum Jewel had trouble even
imagining. Her father and Nolan had argued over the ownership of the map she
now guarded, but neither had mentioned that it was the key to that famous lost
treasure. Jewel wiped away beads of perspiration suddenly rising on her
forehead. Thank goodness she had resisted the urge to confide in someone, or
she might have lost the map to a ruthless opportunist.

She glanced up at Nolan, hoping to persuade herself he was
lying. His dark, serious gaze sparked another flood of memories: Nolan,
sheathing his sword when the thrown dagger brought him down. Her father,
explaining his reasons for wounding the boy he called his protégé. Their
apparent friendship before that.

Sudden doubt threatened to topple Jewel’s dreams of escape,
but she pushed it away. Mere moments ago, her frantic wish had been instantly
answered. For nothing, not even her own doubts, would she let Nolan slip through
her fingers. She’d leave this place and find both the treasure and her father.

A wary expression crossed Nolan’s face before he dropped
his gaze to the oak table, effectively silencing her. A hush descended on the
disjointed chatter in the tavern.

Jewel studied the tables around them, sure someone had
overheard them mention the treasure. Instead, a group of British soldiers
strolled past, chilling her more than a random eavesdropper could have. The
blue-coated naval officer wasn’t an uncommon sight, but the five red-coated
marines who accompanied him, bayoneted muskets slung over their shoulders,
could only mean trouble. These men hadn’t arrived for a late afternoon meal.

“Are they after you?” Jewel leaned across the table and
whispered to Nolan.

He spared her a brief glance. “No. I don’t think so. Not
yet, anyway.”

Jewel watched the British move around the tavern, not bothering
to hide the fact that they were checking the faces of the patrons. Harvey, the
tavern’s owner, sat at a table, sharing an ale with a group of regulars. He
didn’t appear eager or willing to greet them.

Jewel glanced at Nolan again, who sneaked cautious glimpses
of the soldiers. Though he dressed like a gentleman, she’d not be surprised in
the least to discover he had a price on his head. And the longer he stayed in
the same room with representatives of law and order, the more likely his
identity was to be discovered.

She stood. “I’m going to see what they want. Leave once
I’ve distracted them.” She mouthed the last words. The possibility that she’d
not see him for another five years was a risk she would take. He’d do her no
good behind bars; less dangling from a noose.

Nolan’s grip on her wrist surprised her with its
suddenness. “Sit down. Do nothing.”

She tugged, but he didn’t budge in his restraint. “I have
customers, sir. I’d appreciate you keeping your hands to yourself.” She spoke
loud enough for everyone to hear.

The British turned to see what was going on. Their smirks
proved they found the exchange amusing. Nolan released his grip and averted his
face, but not before he gave her a scathing glance. To ensure the British focus
stayed on her, Jewel sauntered in the soldiers’ direction, an inviting smile on
her lips.

“Gentlemen. Welcome to the Quail and Queen. Shall I find
you a table and bring you a tankard?”

The smile from a tall, wigged marine deepened to a leer.
Jewel speculated he was an officer by the quality of his red uniform and the
fact that he carried a sword. “I think I’d prefer what he thought he was
getting,” the man said.

Jewel returned his smile but ignored the innuendo, gesturing
to a table discreetly and abruptly vacated. “Please, have a seat and I’ll take
your order.”

The older, heavyset naval officer who was obviously in charge
cleared his throat. “That won’t be necessary. We didn’t come to partake of your
fine establishment.” His tone was pleasant enough, if condescending. He swept
the room again with his eyes. “Just a friendly visit to let the good people of
Charles Town know that the Royal Navy is glad to be of service.”

“Thank you, sir. That’s good to know.” She affected a
polite nod. She wanted to glance back to see if Nolan had slipped away, but she
dared not bring any attention to him. “Is there anything else we can do to be
of service to you this fine afternoon?” She just wanted them gone before Nolan
and her father got nervous and escaped Charles Town without her.

The marine officer’s wicked laugh forced her to realize
her blunder. “I’m so glad you asked. Sometimes these situations can be awkward.
May I request the pleasure of your company later?”

“Leave it alone, Devlin. Solicit strumpets on your own time,”
said the naval officer. “We need a full crew before we set off to the beastly
West Indies.”

Jewel stiffened. A glance at Harvey showed he had no
intention of coming to her aid this time. She’d been propositioned before, of
course, but suddenly she felt unnerved and very much alone.

“Thank you, sir, for such a kind invitation, but I must decline,”
she said. The marine officer continued to grin and glanced over Jewel’s head.
“Ah, your other gentleman friend. He doesn’t seem pleased. But not to worry. I
can assure you, your interests will be better served with me—and I have plenty
of friends not unlike myself who don’t mind loosening their considerable purse
strings for a pretty woman.”

She followed the officer’s gaze. Nolan was still there, staring
at them with open hostility. What was he doing?

The officer tilted his head. “Are you afraid of him? You’ve
no need for that.” He reached out and caressed her cheek.

Jewel stepped away. “If you don’t wish food or drink, I’ll
say good day, gentlemen.” Escape at this point was her best option, but the
officer’s hand dropped to her shoulder.

“
Release her
.” Nolan’s voice loomed behind her and held
an edge that made Jewel’s stomach clench.

The officer did as he asked, but only to place his right hand
on the hilt of his sword. “And who might you be, sir? Do you have some claim on
the”—he cleared his throat—“lady?”

The naval officer intervened. “All right. Enough of this,
Devlin. We have our orders, and I intend to see they are carried out. Leave the
man the strumpet. We have other stops to make.”

Nolan stepped forward. “I believe Miss Sanderson deserves
an apology.”

The heavyset naval officer blinked, as if he’d been dunked
underwater.

Devlin, the marine officer, pressed the back of his hand
to his mouth in an obvious attempt to hide a smile. “I agree wholeheartedly,”
he said. “This fair maiden is so much more than a mere strumpet. Really, Lieutenant
Greeley. Speak up.”

The musket-toting marines straightened and indiscreetly
repositioned their weapons.

Lieutenant Greeley’s bulbous face reddened, and the set of
his shoulders proved he was angry rather than taken aback. He addressed Nolan:
“Step aside, sir. You’re in the presence of His Majesty’s officers. We shan’t
be ordered about by the likes of you.”

“His
Majesty’s officers
? As such, I would think you
would have the proper respect for a lady. I might not hold such an esteemed
title, but I have enough sense to know when a woman wishes to be left alone.”

Devlin stepped forward. “You backwoods colonial—”

Jewel stepped between the men. “Please. This is all my
fault. My friend and I just had a bit of a quarrel. I lost my temper with him,
I suppose. I didn’t mean to give you gentlemen the wrong impression. My sincere
apologies.”

To her relief, Nolan apparently came to his senses and took
a step back.

The younger officer held his gaze, not as eager to back
down. His hazel eyes held a note of animosity that seemed to go far beyond what
the situation warranted.

“Very well, then,” Greeley spoke up. “Mind yourself from
now on, girl. Let’s be off.” He strode past. Everyone followed but Devlin, who
held his ground.

“I believe the strumpet  wishes to rethink her choice of
patrons.” The way the man continued to stare at Nolan warned Jewel that the
standoff had gone past the simple matter of her preference. Neither man had an
advantage in height or build but the way the officer tilted his chin and looked
down his long nose warned he was confident he would come out on top.

“Stop referring to her in that way.” Though Nolan hadn’t
advanced, his posture showed he’d not back down again.

“It’s an honest mistake. Let the gentleman be on his way,”
Jewel said. She barely stopped herself from entreating Nolan by name.

“Devlin, come along. You might be used to taking command
of our land excursions, but this expedition has been assigned to me. You’re
wasting my time with your antics. That’s an order,” Greeley called.

Devlin relaxed his stance and bowed to Jewel. “I pray
we’ll see each other again soon—and under less trying circumstances.”

He gave Nolan one last scathing glance and followed the
soldiers out. The entire room gave a collective sigh of relief; everyone except
Nolan, who still stared at the door.

Harvey and her mother were immediately at Jewel’s side,
both with a heated string of recriminations laced with breathless worry.

“Jewel, there are certain customers you shouldn’t
approach. How many times have I told you that?” Her mother gripped her
shoulders and studied her as if the contact with the soldiers might have
bruised her in some way.

Harvey held out his hand to Nolan. “Let me buy you a
drink, sir. It’s not healthy to be so obvious in your politics these days, but
I thank you for speaking up on behalf of my barmaid.”

Nolan nodded, but there was little warmth in the gesture.
“No need for thanks. I’d just like one last word with Miss Sanderson before I’m
on my way.”

Her mother and Harvey exchanged glances, and then handed
Jewel over.
Must they be so obvious?
she wondered. Apparently, her
mother had sized up Nolan as a better prospect than Latimer—whom Jewel had
almost forgotten. She glanced Payne’s way and he waved her over. She shook her
head to his silent request, and he sank into his chair a little lower.

Jewel followed Nolan back to their table.

“He’ll be back, you know.”

“Hopefully we’ll both be long gone by then. Why didn’t you
leave?”

“I don’t like it that you have to fend for yourself that way.
I imagined you with better protection over the years.”

His blue gaze met hers, and she could tell he was disturbed
by his encounter with the officer. Not for himself, or the imminent danger he’d
put himself in, but for her. And by the frown in his eyes and the tight lines around
his mouth, the continued threat he thought her to be in.

“What’s this about, Nolan? Where is my father, and why
hasn’t he come for me?” She had the sudden realization that not only didn’t he intend
to take her to her father, he didn’t intend to take her from the Quail and
Queen at all.

Nolan played with the fingers of his brown leather gloves.
“Bellamy won’t be coming for you.” He paused, and his hesitation revealed that
he was as uncomfortable delivering the news as she was hearing it. The weight of
what remained unsaid hung between them. Her father had never planned to come
for her. Nolan cleared his throat. “I shall pay you handsomely for the map. You
can leave this tavern and never look back.”

He might as well have reached out and tugged her single
braid as hard as he could. Her eyes felt hot and wide. “Why? Why did my father
lie to me? Why did he give me the map in the first place if he never intended to
return?” Betrayal swooped down on her like a large black bird with sharp
talons. Her father had filled her full of false hope and empty promises,
exactly as he had her mother. Why would he do such a cruel thing to a child?

Nolan’s gaze seemed startled. Her voice must have given
away her flood of anguish. He set his gloves down and splayed his hands flat on
the table, apparently bracing himself. “It’s not that he doesn’t want to come
for you. It’s that he can’t.”

She tried to smile to ease his obvious discomfort, but that
didn’t work so she dropped her gaze instead, sparing him the bitterness she
knew shone in her eyes. “He wasn’t ever coming back, was he?”

Nolan thrust a handkerchief at her. “He was detained.”

She intended to push the unadorned linen cloth back to
him, letting him know that her slight tremble came from anger. The way he
continued to gaze at her with real concern choked her throat with unwanted emotion.
She didn’t want to cry in front of him, but realizing that she’d hung her hopes
on a lie was not sitting well. She brought the cloth to her nose and sniffed.
It smelled of salt, tobacco, and warm male. Finally, she wrestled her sorrow
into place enough to continue the conversation. “Is my father in prison?”