"What do you mean she is not here?" he glared at the young servant trembling before him.
He shoved his way through the door and took the stairs in two's to the top calling her name. Bellamy stood by below in silence as Justin's voice rumbled throughout the house calling for Tempest.
He knew he promised not to search for her but he needed to see his child. He needed to know that they were well. Anguish and worry filled his veins as he went throughout the empty house of the lieutenant and there was not a soul in sight except for the maidservant that answered the door.
He rushed down the stairs to face them all.
"They're gone.." He hissed.
"Where are they?" Bellamy turned to ask the young girl.
She averted her gaze and lowered her head. Justin impatiently stepped forward, towering over her. He held her chin up forcing her to look at him.
"Where. Are. They?"
Her lips trembled as her tears fell. Filled with fright, she sobbed.
"Tortuga, m'lord. They left to Tortuga." Another maidservant stepped forward and pulled her friend out of his grasp gently before hugging her close.
Stepping back, he nodded.
"And the child?" He inquired anxiously.
He knew he would be crossing dangerous ground if he said his child.
They said nothing but exchanged worried glances.
His chest tightened with the eerie silence and a dreadful feeling fell over him.
"My great-grandchild, girl speak up, " the Coronal stomped his walking stick.
"He...." The younger girl began to speak.
"He?" Justin repeated with a smile but they looked at one another with saddened eyes.
"He did not make it." The other girl blurted out.
"What?" His breath left his lungs.
"No. No. That cannot be." He shook his head in dismay.
"Are you sure?" Mr. Ashbourne finally spoke up and stepped closer.
"Yes. Yes, we were there for the birth. He was stillborn, " she held his gaze.
A large black cloud was taking over Justin's brain. It was impossible. It just could not be true.
"And what of my granddaughter? " the colonel asked.
The girls lowered their gazes before answering. The youngest took off crying leaving the other to face them.
"My mistress took the loss of the babe to heart," She dashed away a tear.
Big John and Bellamy exchanged sad glances and said nothing.
"I need to find her, " Justin turned towards the door.
"Cap'n?" Bellamy whispered reaching for him. He was dazed, he staggered back a few steps as if a blow had struck him.
They watched as he stumbled out of the entrance door to the carriage.
Seconds had passed before they joined him and they returned to the ship.
As he made his way back to the Floating Vengeance, in his cabin, Justin with rage, cursed and shouted as he furiously tossed the contents off of his writing desk. He stumbled over to another table then slumped in his chair and pulled a glass and the decanter towards him and started drinking.
*****
They had drifted for weeks on the Atlantic with no direction in sight until they finally made it to an island not far from Tortuga. The ship's crew made their way to a seedy tavern along with an eager Colonel and horrified Ashbourne as Justin let grief envelop him.
YOU ARE READING
Tempest's Embrace
Historical Fiction"Free me and I will save you," he promised. ~*~*~*~*~ A Pirate in peril... Pirate Justin O'Shea is finally captured by his enemy, he had no choice but to sit and wait for his men to come to his aid. But, when his captor decides to bring aboard cap...
