When Sassy glared at her, Bianca laughed. “We fetched a pretty price for you, better than little Beth who got herself with child.” Bianca shook her head. “Don’t have it all figured out yet, do you?” She leaned into her. “Let me tell you where you are going—Tangiers, my dear … to service the sheik who will pay handsomely for you, and there you will remain until he tires of you. He must be tired of Beth, because he sent us a request for another pretty, and I thought you would be perfect for him.” Bianca began to laugh as Sassy closed her eyes and tried to collect herself for what she would have to do.
* * *
“Percy, go and find us some strong yeoman, and hurry—we are going to need them,” said the marquis as he watched Tom Wheeler and Bianca drag Sassy, gagged and tied, onto the plank to the Sea Winds.
Why isn’t she using her magic, he asked himself. Rage threatened to take over his mind, but he quelled it. He needed to think clearly. He had to find a way to get to her.
Percy grumbled but hurried off to do just that, telling the marquis he would bring a dozen of them an
d not to worry.
The marquis surveyed the ship for a few minutes before making his way on board, wondering if all the crew were asleep. He knew they set sail at dawn. He stood for a moment, uncertain which way to go. Then he turned and came face to face with a boy who inquired suspiciously, “What be ye up to, mate?”
The marquis grinned at him and landed him a swift right hook that sent him flying backwards and landing hard. He stuffed his handkerchief in the now groggy seaman’s mouth. Then he grabbed a coil of rope he found nearby and tethered him behind a crate. He said to the frightened seaman, “There now, you can have no doubt of my purpose. I am here for the girl that was just brought on board. Which way did they take her? When I take the gag out, you had best answer me, or you won’t like what I will do.”
When the boy nodded, the marquis took out the gag and said grimly, “Which way?”
“Below deck,” the young seaman whimpered. “Go down the companionway to the first cabin. It’s that fellow who calls himself Abdul’s cabin.”
“Good lad,” the marquis said, patting his cheek. “I will speak on your behalf when my friend arrives with the yeoman and the magistrate.” So saying, the marquis stuffed the gag back in the boy’s mouth and started for the companionway stairs.
There he found the local magistrate and two others, who quickly told him that Mr. Dobbs had sent round a note instructing them to hurry to the Sea Winds and make certain she didn’t sail. They were then joined by Percy and five yeoman, who had undoubtedly been promised hefty payments. They appeared pleased at the adventure as they followed him onto the ship.
Percy silently directed two of the yeoman to pick up whatever they could find as cudgels and to remain on top deck. The other three followed him and the marquis down the narrow companion stairway to the deck below.
* * *
Sassy had been pulled and shoved until she was finally presented to the dark Moslem in his cabin. She eyed her surroundings, hoping for a means of escape. The cabin contained a cushioned bunk, a table and chairs, and one small porthole.
The turbaned man from Tangiers appeared consumed with dark thoughts. And although those thoughts were unreadable, she could tell by his aura that his ethics and priorities were very different than her own. She would get no help from him. He removed the gag from her mouth and lifted her chin. She kicked him in the shins, and he yelped with pain and smacked her so hard she was sent out of Tom Wheeler’s hold to land heavily on the floor.
She glared at them and suddenly noticed Bianca scratching the finger that bore Sassy’s ring. She smiled and spoke the ancient words that meant return to me. Sure enough, the ring for all to witness flew across the room and found its home on Sassy’s ring finger at her back, where her wrists were still bound.
“What …? What was that?” Bianca exclaimed in a frightened tone.
“It is a family heirloom,” Sassy said softly. “It returned where it belonged.” She had in the meantime used a spell to release the ties and held up her hands to display the ring on her finger.
Sassy sensed that the turbaned man believed in sorcery. She could see it from the way his eyes opened wide when he stepped away from her.
Tom Wheeler laughed. “What parlor tricks are these?”
“Oh, the same as this,” said Sassy, who held the rope her wrists had been tied with. It vanished but was next seen tied around Tom Wheeler’s wrists at his back.
He cried out, “Whot?”
Sassy turned and saw Bianca had her gun leveled. Tom Wheeler shouted in a voice of panic, “Bianca, shoot the witch—shoot her now!”
Bianca aimed and took her shot!
* * *
The marquis and his men were only halfway down the stairs when they were attacked by a group of seamen.
The marquis saw that the magistrate and his two men were holding their own on the main deck as he landed his attacker a facer, and then another.
Percy dodged a blow, threw a strong left hook, and sent his attacker down the stairs on his butt. Percy clambered to get to him and knocked him out by slamming his head into the decking.
“Bloody hell, bucko, damn good job!” declared the marquis, who had at that moment shoved a brute into the wall but caught a left hook for his trouble. “I don’t have the time for this,” he told the bloke and hit him over the head with his pistol to watch him collapse to the decking.