Steel

“Ahoy! Ship ahoy!” The call came from the Diana. No lookout had been posted during the battle, but one of the sailors leaned over the prow of the smaller ship and shouted. Everyone looked.

Beyond the spit of shore that marked the end of the island, an incongruous shape emerged, a bright glint against the water. Jill squinted, trying to bring the spot into focus, wishing for the captain’s spyglass. Then the spot moved, gliding upon the water, coming into full view. Another ship, three-masted, under full sail, moving fast. A spot of color flashed amidst the sails—the red and white of the British navy.

“It’s the bloody navy, just what we need right now,” Cooper muttered. She marched to Emory and grabbed his collar, curling it in her fist—then wincing and pressing a hand to her bandaged side. But her voice was no less fierce. “One of your friends, then?”

Emory glanced out at the navy ship, circling the area like a predator.

“She’s the HMS Ivy. I believe she’s been tracking you since Jamaica.”

“With your help?”

Emory wouldn’t look at her. “I imagine they were waiting for the battle to end.”

“So they could sail in pretty as birds to clean up the scraps? I ought to hang you from the bowsprit and ram you through their hull!”

“Captain,” Emory said. “Let me signal them. I’m sure we can work out a deal. The reward for Blane is considerable—”

“I don’t trust you. You’re just trying to find a way off this boat and sell us all out besides.”

“I can’t deny it.”

Cooper snarled at him.

“Captain!” Abe called. “Speaking of gibbets, maybe we should let the English sharks have him?”

Emory brightened for the first time since Jill had seen him. He made a quick nod. “That sounds very agreeable. I can raise flags to signal the Ivy and have them come alongside—”

The captain shook her head. “We’re not talking about you, we’re talking about Blane.”

“Captain, please, I won’t say a word against you—”

“No.” Cooper turned to her quartermaster. “Abe. How’d you like your own ship?”

Abe glanced over the deck of the Heart’s Revenge, her masts and sails the worse for wear after the battle but still whole, still seaworthy. If possible, his grin grew wider. “I think that would be a very fine thing. But I think she’ll need a new name.”

Cooper regarded the captured ship, squinting into the sun, thoughtfully pursing her lips. “Aye, I think you’re right. You have a thought?”

“I do,” he said. “Heart’s Ease. It’s a good name—and it will drive Blane mad.”

Cooper addressed Blane’s surviving crew who’d been gathered, battered and bleeding, to face their conqueror. “All right, you scurvy lot. You’ve got a choice. You keep your old places on your old ship with one of my crew as your captain, you sign my articles and forget all the tripe that bugger fed you—you do all that, you’ll be free as you ever were on these waters. Or you can follow your captain into irons and the admiralty’s prison.”

All of Blane’s men agreed to become part of a new crew.

Cooper turned to the gunnery mate next. “Tennant? Prepare a boat for our friends so we can deliver our package properly.”

“Aye, sir!”

“The rest of you—get to your posts and ready to make sail, unless you want to hang in a gibbet tomorrow!” Abe repeated the command, and the crews of two ships rushed to action.

Captain Cooper and most of her crew made their way back to her own ship. The captain was weakened, everyone could see it. Her face was pale and she moved slowly. But her attitude remained intact. She glared and shouted and berated her crew, same as always, which made the world feel like all was well.

“Is she going to be all right?” Jill asked Emory when she had a chance, back on the deck of the Diana.

“She needs to rest,” he said. “But yes, I think she will be. Curse her, I’ve got to get off this ship.” He gazed at the navy ship as if he was considering swimming for it.

A familiar boom thudded across the water; smoke rose from the Ivy’s side—they’d fired a cannon. It seemed to be just a warning shot—nothing was hit. But if the Diana was going to run, they’d have to do it soon.

“You don’t need to leave,” Emory said. “Once I’ve explained the situation, they’ll grant you amnesty—”