Tangled Threads - A Story of Pirates
Admissions
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Chapter Thirty Two – Admissions
At last the compass had given him a heading, a firm direction and he had
quickly realised that it was futile to continue the
search on land, whoever it was appeared to have boarded a ship. He needed to
get back to the
that he had gleaned from Carlos Vega indicated that whoever had his sister and
William – least he hoped that they had William, the compass’ early
chase or risk the Spanish thinking that he was invading.
They reached the docks without incident; the
left her, a shout going up from Anna Maria when she saw them. He strode up the
gangplank, to the wheel his hands running over the smooth surface once, twice
before he reluctantly turned, he needed to inform the Commodore, then they
could sail.
“Where are we headed Cap’n” Gibbs was walking beside
him, almost trotting to keep up with Jack’s long stride.
“
“
“Aye
has some family there.”
*
He did not turn the carriage around. His words were that it was a shame that
one of her brothers loyal men may have died protecting her but he would not
relent. So she had tried to leap out of the carriage but he had caught her
around the waist dragging her back, apologising the
whole time but his grip was like steel and when she had attempted to knee him
in the groin he had asked if she wished to be shackled. He had been sent to
bring her back and that is what he would be doing. Finally she had slumped back
in her seat; surely she would be able to escape when the carriage reached its
destination. She had to find Will.
They had arrived in a sheltered cove, filled with men and ships, six of them
with hundreds of crew and Martinez had watched her like a hawk, keeping one
hand on her arm at all times. Rushing her from the carriage
to a long boat, which had immediately pushed off, rowing towards a ship that
was already raising sail. He had shouted something back to the men on
the beach, telling them to remember the plan, that he would see them at the
rendezvous point. There was no chance, for her to slip away, no opportunity to
run and with every stroke of the oars she was further away from Will.
Will, oh God, she bit her lip as her throat tightened. She felt sick; surely he
could not be dead. He could not be.
Bella did not look up when the small boat thumped gently alongside the larger
ship; she climbed the rope ladder automatically, ignoring the hands that tried
to assist her over the railing. She had not realised
that she was looking for him until she saw that he was not there. The one last
hope extinguished.
her, mouth making sounds but she did not hear, she
just wanted to be alone. He had her by the arm leading her below decks to a
cabin, it was luxurious but she did not notice, eyes
unseeing. She knew what she was feeling, grief, but this was not the same as
she had felt when her and Jack had watched their mother draw her last breath.
This was a grief that threatened to choke her, that made her want to scream, to
claw at her face to somehow acknowledge the pain that seemed to be tearing her
apart.
“I will leave you now…”
his eyes looking at her pale face “I am sorry Isabella; it is very painful to
lose someone you love. I would have liked to have done for you what I could not
for your mother.”
His words had at last registered, someone that she
loved. She loved Will; she had fallen in love with him. A love that was not
returned but that did not make the pain any less. Weeping she fell face down on
the bed.