Tempest's Embrace

Chapter 7

The bright morning sun found them standing on the deck of his ship as his men finished shackling and binding the wrists of his new prisoners.

Justin had just boarded his ship after heavy hand-to-hand combat with Cuthburt. Finally subduing and imprisoning him as well.

"Are you alright there?" Quinn approached wearily knowing deep down he failed his captain in letting his guard down and letting him get taken by Cuthburt.

With a brisk nod, Justin brushed off the hard feelings. He knew he was more at fault.

"What are you going to do with them?" Quinn asked stepping to his side.

"On Tortuga, we are handing them over along with Cuthburt as planned to gain our pardon as promised from Coronel Armstrong," he said staring ahead.

"And what if it is a trap?" he asked.

Justin shook his head. He had their word that all of his transgressions would be forgiven if he handed over Samuel Cuthburt, so he agreed.

"He cannot afford to betray me, I have important information that he needs. His honesty depends on it," Justin turned to look at him.

Shortly they were joined by Bellamy his second in command.

"And what of the two women we brought onboard?" Bellamy asked.

"What of them?" A prickliness settled on Justin's neck at the mention of them.

"You and I both know they are not safe on this ship," he said staring at Justin.

It was true. It has been months since his men have had female companionship. To have them on this ship would be very dangerous. But they were in the middle of nowhere. The voyage towards Tortuga will take days if not months depending on the weather.

Taking a deep breath Justin clenched his jaw and turned to look at the men that walked about. Many of them joined his crew as a safe haven running from the guillotine at port for their wrong deeds. True cutthroats and vile as they come. He could not deprive them of their carnal need to be with a woman when they dock at different ports. But the women he held below as he could tell were not the same. He could not let them harm the two women on this ship.

"Then they stay in my quarters until I can get them to England," he turned to look at Bellamy.

"I see they have not gotten wind of their presence here on the ship. And I want it to stay that way," he warned them both. Slowly but surely the men nodded their heads.

"See to it that they get something to eat but with discretion, Quinn," he ordered.
With a quick nod, Quinn left.

Justin turned away and began to bark out orders to begin their voyage back walking across the deck. His thoughts were somber and distracted over her.

Where had they come from? Where were they heading? What ship did Cuthburt take them from?
There was something about her. He remembered her look of defiance as Cuthburt roughly held her.
She had to be something of worth maybe he can use it to his advantage when the time came.

*****

Hopelessness and despair overwhelmed her as she sat in a crumpled heap on the floor in tears frightened, soul-deep.

She was lost- entirely lost and doomed.
She was finally free from one pirate only to end up in the hands of another. Mayhap he was more ruthless than the first. Regardless, she was trapped-now a prisoner once more.

She slowly looked over to Josephine and more tears fell. Her nana's demise was more evident now than ever as the poor woman rocked back and forth mumbling softly to herself.