“We don’t need it that badly. Montrose’s man has been sniffing around so it’s only a matter of time before they try to take it back. I don’t need more enemies knocking at Mr Smith’s door.”
“Once again you’ve thought of everything, my clever one. But how will I get back on the ship? Wickham believes he has won.”
“And he also believes you to be Mr Smith. Tell him your mistress’s finer sensibilities didn’t belong aboard. Tell him you want to be present to ensure all goes to plan. I don’t care what you tell him really. If you wait a few more hours, the crew will be unconscious. The belladonna in the swill will take care of the majority of them. If you have to bash their skulls in and then set the fire, then so be it. At least there would be little chance of anyone jumping over the side to escape the flames.”
“My, my, you are devious.”
“When one is born a female in this world, one must muddle through for the best results. Now run along and do what must be done. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Darius looked to Marcus in time to see his man cringe when the long kiss good night seemed to never end. Finally though, the spectacle played out and then the carriage was gone, with the woman inside and some of Trelissick’s men to follow.
Darius’s gathered intelligence had revealed very little about the underworld figure who was Mr Smith. Never in his wildest dreams would he have guessed a woman to be behind it all. The gambling hells, the brothels, the deep, dark, sinister depths designed to make men pay up or else.
The tall thin man stood for several long minutes with four of the lantern bearers, watching the carriage drive away long after the wheels stopped clamouring against the cobbles and the light dimmed to nothing. With a sigh and a shrug, he headed back along the gangplank and onto the ship.
Darius rubbed his brow and then raked his fingers through his damp hair. The situation had just grown more urgent and even more impossible.
*
Some time passed, Eliza couldn’t be sure how long, until Wickham came for her. Her only relief lay in that they weren’t at sea yet. They were still docked, which meant unless he had procured a special licence in the dead of night without her father’s signature, then Gabriella’s final hour wasn’t yet upon her.
“Come along, m’dear,” Wickham said after opening the hatch and peering into the corner to make sure his other prisoner remained chained. “You have been invited to a very special supper.”
“Gabriella won’t go anywhere with you,” Nathanial called back, putting his body before his sister’s.
Wickham stepped back from the hole and a different man climbed down. A man with vicious intent written all over his face. Eliza stepped to Nathanial’s side and ensured the rest were behind her, backed into the corner. “I won’t let you take her,” she told them all. “You cannot think this plan will work.”
Wickham’s head appeared again but this time he met Eliza’s gaze, not Gabriella’s. “I am your legal guardian. You will all do as I command. Mr Smith is waiting to meet you.” His face split into a maniacal grin. “You are going to be my gift to him.”
There was a rattle of chain as the captive in the corner stood for only the second time since they had been thrown into the hold. His voice was low, his weakness obvious in the way he stumbled, but he said in a clear voice, “You should probably leave the ladies be.”
Wickham laughed and his man shook his head, still advancing on Nathanial. “Out of the way, boy. If she comes willingly, no one needs to get hurt.”
“You cannot have her!” Nathanial roared and surged forward, shoving the man hard. The stranger stumbled and then righted himself but he retreated a few steps. Right into the arms of the captive captain.
He didn’t seem to hesitate and Eliza was unable to tear her eyes away as he lifted his shackled wrists to grip the man’s head in his hands. He gave just one twist and the sickening sound of crunching bone was followed by a thud as their attacker fell to the floor. Her stomach churned and her knees wobbled as Gabriella sobbed and Grace and Ethan cried out.
Flexing his fingers and rolling his head on his neck, the captain looked up to Wickham. They all followed his gaze as he spoke again. “Who’s next?”
Wickham snarled his fury but it wasn’t his anger Eliza worried about, it was the pistol in his hand. Though he would have only one shot, she would bet his men were armed also.
“I should kill you for that,” Wickham growled. “He was one of my best men.”
The captain strained against his bonds as he threw his arms wide. “So kill me!” he roared. He surged forward, the shackles pulling him back as he kept shouting. “Do it! Put a bullet in my chest and free me from this hellhole. Do it!”
It only made Wickham’s mouth curl up into a half smile. “Not today, my friend. Not today.” He turned his derision back to Eliza. “Don’t make me shoot someone to show you how serious I am. A bullet this big would make a very large hole in a child’s chest.”
“I will go with you.” How could she not? She wanted nothing more than for their situation to be resolved. The only way she could see to do that was to raise an alarm of some kind. There had to be other vessels in the bay, at anchor at the docks. Surely if she screamed loud and long enough someone would come to their aid. She could do none of it from the stinking hold.
She untangled herself from her siblings’ clawing hands and didn’t look back as Nathanial fought to restrain Ethan,
