“Why?” shefinally asked. “Why are we suddenly going to England? Why all theurgency?”
I inhaleddeeply. This was a moment of truth. I had to come clean about itall if I honestly valued the new friendship Lottie had given me.“Sit back down,” I told her, and she did. “I have something to tellyou.”
***
Finn, Gus,Henry, Lottie, and I all stoodaround my desk as I told them the plan. Lottie was silent, distant,only nodding now and then to remain in on the conversation. But hereyes kept glancing in my direction, wondering, disbelieving.
“I said it,didnae I,” Finn exclaimed as he playfully punched Gus in the arm.Gus just rolled his eyes and sighed. “When we dragged her aboardthe boat that day. The scraggly little thing.”
“What do youmean?’ I asked.
“First, Ithought ye were Maria Cobham,” Finn began, “Then I saw yerface and thought maybe ye were her sister. And what did ye say,Gus?”
The otherpirate looked annoyed with his Scottish friend. “I don’t know,something to the tune of… if Maria Cobham had a sister, she wouldhave killed her years ago.”
My stomachflopped at the vague memory. I feared for my life that day.Now look at me. Captain of thosevery men. “Well, if we had grown up in the same time, I’m sure shewould have,” I said grimly and then smiled, breaking the tensionthat suddenly built in the room. “But Maria is going to tryto kill my mother. So, I’m going to find Peter Easton’s hiddentreasure and then sail to England and save her. You can come, youcan stay. It’s entirely up to you.” My words were for all of them,but my eyes flickered to Lottie who still hung around the back,pacing behind the men. She glanced over their shoulders and met mygaze. I wished I could read her mind.
Henry stood bymy side and held my hand tight. “I go where you go, remember?”
I lit up withlove for the man and I squeezed his hand back. “This time, justhold on to me, okay?”
He chuckledand leaned into my face, resting his forehead against mine. “I’llnever let you go again.”
Everyonemoaned, and Finn growled some Scottish words I couldn’t understand.“Git a room, would ye?”
“Okay,” Iasked around, pulling away from the lure of Henry. “Are youin?”
Finn and Gusexchanged looks and both looked atme with devilish grins. But I was surprised when Gus replied, “Thisis what we were made for. If you ask me, an adventure like this isexactly what we need right now,” he paused and then bowed his headslightly, still holding my gaze, “Captain.”
“Aye, I’min.”
Lottie steppedforward, arms crossed tightly. I wanted her approval so bad. Wewere on her father’s ship, about to embark on her father’s lastjourney. She opened her mouth to speak and my heart sped up.
“Of course I’min. I missed out on this adventure ten years ago. I’m not about tolet it slip through my hands again.” She spoke the words, but Icould still sense the hesitancy in her face.
Perhaps it wasthe fact I could travel through time, or maybe that I was a Cobham.Either way, I swore, then and there, that I would never betray hertrust. I would spend the rest of my days proving that I was worthyof the friendship she offered so willingly.
“It's settled then,” I exclaimed. “Finn set a course for Shellbed Isle. Everyoneelse, get some rest. We have a long journey ahead of us.” Andone epic adventure, I added to myself.
ChapterFifteen
I couldn’t sleep that night, my mind racing withthoughts of treasure and my mother. And everything in between. Icouldn’t shut my eyes, it only made the images brighter, faster,more vivid. The hot morning sun crept in through the windows of myquarters and slowly warmed my back as I sat at my desk, pouringover maps and the endless pile of captain’s logs.
Was I leadingmy friends on a suicide mission?
I’d spent thebetter part of the night plotting out all the different ways itcould go bad. Too many to count. We all had so much to risk, andvery little to gain. If we even made it to England, we could findthat we were too late. That Maria had found my mom and ended herlife. Or worse. What if we made it, found my mother before TheCobhams, but the woman who raised me was just as evil as myapparent sister? Did I really want to shatter the perfect image ofmy mother that I’d held on to all these years?
In the starksilence of the room, I heard Henry stir. “Well, now that’s aglorious sight worth waiting for.”
I turned in mychair to find him laying on his side, facing me, eyes open. All myworries melted away and I jumped to my feet before sliding into bedwith the pirate.
“You can see,”I pointed out and held his beautiful face in my hands. His woundswere healing fast and the man I remembered began to rise to thesurface again.
He crushed hislips to mine with a hunger I’d never get used to. Never wanted to.When he pulled away, my body protested.
“Yes,finally,” he replied and brushed the hair from my face admiringly.“And you’re just as beautiful as ever.” He smiled but I knew hesensed my unease as his brow furrowed. “Were you awake allnight?”
I let my bodyfall against him, basking in thewarmth and protection it offered. “Yes, I couldn’t sleep. Couldn’tstop worrying.”
“Aboutwhat?”
I shrugged.“Everything?”
Henry pulledme even closer. “You have nothing to worry about, Dianna.”
His tenderkisses began at my ear and slowlytrailed down my jaw, neck, and then stopped at my shoulder wherethe still pink wound resided. A jagged reminder of what took meaway from him. He sighed.
“I’d felt it.But, God, it pains me to see it.” Goosebumps scoured across my skinas his lips brushed the tiny bumps left behind by the stitches.
My body movedagainst his, like two waves dancing in sync. Henry’s able fingerspoked under the loose collar of my nightgown and tugged it down, revealing my naked breasts.His approving moan, low, raspy, and guttural shook my core as hisblonde head dipped to take one in his mouth.
Finally, heshifted his body to hover over mine and peered
