Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jack

The boat glided to a smooth stop.

Jack laughed as the land fully blocked the view of the boat.

"Did they see us?" he called to the men in the masts keeping watch.

"I didn't see them," one called down.

"Me either."

"Not here, no sign."

Fulton grinned next to him. "You're fucking shitting me."

Jack shook his head, relief making his shoulders sag. "What if they just pass us by?"

"We'll unload the women now. If they get close enough, we'll fire. If they don't, we'll chase. But you and Bancroft should start packing. Money. Food. Blankets. I don't know where we are, or how long it will take you to find a village and rent a carriage."

Jack nodded to Fulton and then waved Bancroft over. Together, they started down the hatch.

He banged on his own door. "Kate?"

"Yes?"

"It's safe. We're anchored."

It only took a moment or two for the lock to click and the door to fly open. "You jest!"

"I don't." He scooped her into his arms as Bancroft passed them to collect Anna. "But we're leaving the boat. We need to pack and go, now."

With a quick nod, she untangled herself from his embrace. Entering the small room, made smaller by the four of them, he pulled the blankets from the bed, folding them and stuffing them in a sack.

"We need bladders of water, food from the scullery, and any money we can scrounge." He looked back to Bancroft. "I think we should leave in the next quarter hour."

"Agreed," Bancroft pulled Anna toward his room. "Pack your dress, Kate. We'll start in the breeches but when we find a town, we'll have you ladies change."

"Good thinking," Jack called back to his friend, pulling the gown from where it had been drying on a hook.

Taking Kate's hand, they started for the small galley kitchen where water was filled and hardtack was packed into the bag.

"Eat," he said softly, handing her a biscuit and some day-old stew. "I don't know when we'll get a real meal again."

She wrinkled her nose but did as he commanded. He finished packing and the two of them started down the hall toward the hatch once again. But Kate had just stared up the shipman's ladder when a sailor called out. "Ship! Starboard!"

And then the blast of a cannon filled the air, three seconds before the cracking and splintering of wood echoed down the hatch.

"Hit!" Came another yell.

Jack grabbed Kate's waist, pulling her back down the ladder and wrapping his arms about her.

"Fire!" Came another scream a moment before one of their cannons blasted, shaking the entire boat.

"Should we go up there?" Kate cried from his arms.

"No." He held her tight. "You're safer down here."

"But…"

But she wasn't able to finish as another cannon fired. Jack heard the distant sound of splintering wood and then a cheer from their crew. They'd hit the other boat and with a call like that, the hit had been fatal.

But that didn't mean the other ship couldn't fire several more shots, taking Fulton's boat down with it.

"Fire again!" Fulton roared from the deck.

A cannon blasted a second time and then a third, the clear sound of the cannon hitting made Jack breathe out a sigh of relief.

The ship would go down and this close to shore, the men would abandon instead of fight.

"Jack!" Fulton boomed. "Hold below deck! The shores will be crawling with the king's men!"

"Got it!"

"Jack," Kate murmured into his shoulder. "I'll return to the bunk. You fight."

"I already told you. Your safety?—"

"It's my safety I'm thinking of. Go."

He couldn't argue with that. Handing her the bag, he gave her a long kiss before he started up the ladder.

Because his wife was right. He'd keep her safe by besting their enemy.