Chapter 33

The sharp sunlight stabbed Adrian's eyes like a dagger as the soldiers dragged him out of the dark cellar and threw him into the scaffold cart. He blinked, and for the first time in days, he saw the familiar faces of Thomas, Matheson, and the rest of the Ranger's crew, all doomed to the same fate. Elias was there too, shackled like a common thief. The boy wasn't old enough to shave and would never become an adult.

Because of Ashcroft.

Adrian clenched his teeth so hard that the pain in his jaw surpassed the agony of using his muscles after being awakened from their bondage.

Captain Rogers stood aloof, watching the grim scene with a wistful expression. Ashcroft was nowhere to be seen, but he wouldn't be far. Nothing in this world could keep Ashcroft from witnessing Adrian's execution.

He met Thomas's somber look from the other wagon. No judgment, no accusation, no pity. Simply remorse.

A remorse Adrian didn't deserve.

As the wagon lurched forward, a burning sensation ripped through his wrists and ankles. The other wagon followed. Elias's voice, strained and urgent, pierced the air, revealing the depth of pain and fear. Adrian winced as the sharp cry tightened the knots of helplessness around him. Bound in shackles, he could not even turn and meet Elias's gaze.

Adrian was the first to ascend the scaffold, a crude wooden structure on a hillock facing the bay. Commodore Hood stood on the officers' platform next to the scaffold, his starch posture exuding an aura of authority as he was about to preside over the execution. Selected senior officers flanked him, many of whom Adrian had once served under, while a couple had served under Adrian during his command of the Prince George , among them Captain Rogers.

Adrian's eyes scanned the crowd in front of the scaffold, and he didn't have to search long before he spotted Ashcroft. Dressed in the same ostentatious outfit as when visiting Adrian in prison, Ashcroft strutted through the crowd, greeting people with a smug smile. He steered toward the officers, tapping his walking stick playfully on the railing as he ascended the podium.

Avaline was nowhere to be seen. She probably lacked the stomach to watch the execution.

Odd. If Adrian had any insight into Ashcroft, he would have expected him to force her to witness his triumph.

Adrian ignored the victorious smile playing on Ashcroft's lips and shifted his gaze to Hood. He looked like he was torn between duty and honor. Standing rigidly on the platform, his body tense, Hood couldn't hide the sorrow in his eyes or the slight tremor in his hands.

The scroll in Hood's hands rustled when he unfolded the verdict. "By the authority of His Majesty King George, we are gathered here to behold the execution of the Law of England. It has been established beyond doubt that the condemned, Adrian James Hainsworth, on the night of May 13 in the year of our Lord 1798…"

Adrian averted his eyes from his former commander-in-chief and fixed his eyes on the sea, tuning out the jeers and insults from the mob as the coarse hemp settled around his neck. Hood continued reading his charges aloud in a clear voice.

"…colluded with French rebels while moored in Martinique, trading British arms to the foe, from whence he escaped his confinement in Newgate, from whence he fled to America and joined the cause of the American government in acts of piracy, from whence he plundered a British merchant vessel and abducted a British subject, an innocent woman, and held her captive for weeks."

Hood took a staged break as he rolled up the scroll and handed it to Captain Rogers. "Captain Hainsworth, you have been found guilty of treason, robbery, and the abduction of a British subject, the punishment for which is hanging, drawing, and quartering!"

The crowd burst into a gloating frenzy.

"Does the condemned have any words to utter before the sentence is carried out?"

"Just get it over with," Adrian grumbled.

Hot acid sloshed in his gut. This was the end.

He locked eyes with Ashcroft. A smug smile curled on the bastard's lips.

"Wait!"

"Then may God have mercy upon your soul," Commodore Hood continued.

"No, wait! "

The delicate female voice was like a drop in the ocean, drowned out by the raucous crowd as an elegant woman climbed up on the platform where Hood and Ashcroft stood.

Avaline.

"What are you doing?" Ashcroft snarled and seized her arm, but she wrenched herself free, and the movement must have surprised Ashcroft because he released her.

"Don't you dare touch me!" She spun to face Commodore Hood. "Captain Hainsworth is innocent! Governor Ashcroft framed him to make it look like Captain Hainsworth traded weapons to the French."

Adrian almost felt sorry for her futile attempt to save him. The only thing she would accomplish was to prolong the ceremony and complicate her future life on the island.

"Be quiet!" Ashcroft's face flared like he had been in the sun too long. "I'm terribly sorry for this uncalled-for interruption, Commodore," he stammered.

"Miss Hawthorn," Hood said. "Your allegations against the British Governor are most improper and ridiculous."

"I don't care! Captain Hainsworth never received a fair trial. He is innocent!"

The voices in the crowd dwindled out.

"Miss Hawthorn…"

She jabbed her finger at Francis. "He is the true traitor! He was privy to the shipments from England to Diamond Rock, and he tipped off the privateer captains in his employ, who seized the cargos and then peddled the prizes to the French in his name."

"This is rubbish!" Ashcroft spat. "How dare you accuse me of something so grave? I'm representing the King on this island!"

Something squeezed in Adrian's chest. Why would she risk her reputation, freedom, and future with those allegations if she colluded with Ashcroft?

His eyes sought Avaline. Her skin was pale, contrasting with the blaze of pink on her cheeks, and her chest heaved with shallow breaths.

"Miss Hawthorn, I must ask you to stand down."

"I have proof."

"What?" Ashcroft looked as if she had released a volley of grapeshots at him.

Adrian's head shot up, and a hiss ran through the crowd like a gust of wind had stirred their souls.

Hood turned to the soldiers lined up behind him, his expression grim and resolute. "Take her away."

"She is a British subject." Adrian's voice echoed over the shocked murmur. "She has a right to be heard."

Ashcroft sent him a look that could freeze the blood in his veins. "Be quiet! You had your chance to speak." He turned to Avaline. "You will come with me right now!"

"Wait," Captain Rogers said. "Captain Hainsworth is correct. Miss Hawthorn has a right to speak, just as anybody else."

Avaline fished out a roll of papers from her reticule. "This agreement"—she thrust a bunch of papers under Hood's nose, making him flinch—"reveals the secrets of the British Navy, including details on routes and cargos, their protection and crew, and details about the weapons deals between Governor Ashcroft and Governor Bertrand, bearing the seals of both officials."

"Give that to me!" Ashcroft lashed out for the paper, but Hood stopped him.

Adrian felt a surge of something he hadn't felt for days: life, purpose. Where the hell had she unearthed such a damning piece of evidence?

"He committed treason by orchestrating the attack on HMS Goliath and agreeing to sell the weapon supplies from the navy vessel to the French. Governor Bertrand traded me for the weapons of Goliath , which is why I endured three days in their captivity before he sent me to Barbados. He also orchestrated the attack on the Essex ."

"Three days in Martinique? That is ridiculous." Hood snorted. "And where did you find this?"

"In a secret compartment in his cask in the bank vault. I also found this." She dove into her reticule again. "Captain Hainsworth's seal ring that went missing right before he was arrested on board the Prince George for treason."

Adrian's heart raced off. The missing seal ring.

"That is impossible!" Ashcroft shouted. "She doesn't have access to my vault."

Holy hell. Holy hell.

Ashcroft had stolen his seal ring, just like Adrian had suspected. And she had found it.

She must have turned heaven and earth to get into Ashcroft's vault. There was no way Ashcroft would let her get access to something like that, not even if Avaline had worked together with him to take Adrian down.

Which she hadn't. She couldn't have.

Not if she stood before the entire town, risking her future, her freedom, and her life for him by presenting evidence against Ashcroft.

She had been clever, and she had done it for him. Once again, she demonstrated her loyalty—to him, not to Ashcroft.

Captain Rogers took a step forward and inspected the seal. "That is Captain Hainsworth's seal," he confirmed. "I remember it was missing because he borrowed mine when he sent a letter to the Admiralty about the stolen weapons."

"That proves nothing!" Francis seethed. "Anybody could have found it," Ashcroft protested, the shadow on his face extending down to his throat, a stark contrast to his snow-white ruffles. "This is a foul plot against me and the King."

"The governor is right, Captain Rogers," Hood insisted. "This doesn't prove anything."

Avaline raised her eyes to Adrian for the first time since she arrived, and he felt a jolt in his gut stronger than any cannonball could inflict.

An array of emotions swirled in her mesmerizing eyes: fear, desperation, and love. She had been his chance at something good in life, and he had pushed her away when he concluded she had betrayed him.

She never betrayed him. Ashcroft had. And now, the shadow of Ashcroft's cunning and vile treachery had ruined him a second time.

He should have trusted her. He should have known what they had, but his anger and Ashcroft's lies had blinded him to the truth.

"I demand that you stand down, Miss Hawthorn, or else I will have no choice but to arrest you for obstructing the execution of the English law." Hood turned to his second in command. "Lieutenant, proceed with the hanging without delay."