Karen Michelle Nutt (33 page)

“You’re in my house. I’ll speak of my
delicacy
if I want to.”

Elizabeth fluttered her eyes. “When are you expecting the new arrival?"

"I believe, May," she begrudgingly answered her. She didn’t want to share this moment with anyone, especially not with the Prescotts. Why couldn’t they go home and leave her alone.

"Keldon must be ecstatic?" the nosy Elizabeth continued.

Arianna’s smile vanished. If only this were true, but the reality of the fact was harsh. Keldon didn’t want the child, not when he wasn’t sure if it was his. Arianna couldn’t trust her voice to answer, so she nodded and poured the tea.

Thaddeus appeared at the door, but hesitated.

Arianna smiled, warmly. "Thaddeus do come in."

He removed his hat. "Sorry ter be disturbin' you, but I wuz wonderin' ef you still be wantin' me ter clear de section near de house?"

"I would, if you have the time to do so today."

"Shor’ly, ma'am.” Thaddeus then turned to the Prescotts. "Hope yous folks have a nice visit.” Then he went on his way.

Arianna could barely keep from laughing when she saw the Prescotts’ jaws drop in unison.

"Well, I never. How dare he address us.” Elizabeth touched her hand to her chest.

"He was always an insolent pup.” Bernard looked at Arianna. “You mustn’t give him so much freedom. A good day at the workhouse in Charleston would teach him respect."

“You feel beating a man is the answer?” Arianna’s voice was low and trembling with anger, but Bernard seemed not to notice.

“It’s in their nature to be uppity and a whipping keeps them in line.”

Arianna mentally counted to ten trying to maintain a calm appearance. The pompous ass was the one who needed a beating.

“You aren’t one of those activists, are you?” Elizabeth shook her head. “Mr. Drayton has sided with them, you know. He’s no better than that… What’s that colored man’s name, Bernard?”

“Cuffee”

“Yes, he not only wants to free the slaves, but he wants to relocate them as well.”

“Sounds like a good idea if the men and women want to go,” Arianna said.

“How can you say this? Why, who would take care of the fields? Who would serve us?” Elizabeth huffed.

Who indeed. Arianna stared at them. They couldn’t be her friends when everything they stand for sickened her.

“Really Arianna, when did your views change so drastically?” Elizabeth clucked her tongue. “Is this why you let poor Mr. Rafferty go?”

“Poor Mr. Rafferty.” Her voice rose. Then it dawned on her why they were here. Obviously, they had heard about Rafferty’s sudden departure. "Did you come all this way to tell me how to run my household?” Arianna could feel her blood pressure rising.

"We’re worried about you,” Elizabeth said. “We ran into Rafferty and he told us that you fired him. He claimed you took the word of a slave over his, on a matter of indifference."

"Mr. Rafferty has a strange way of putting things. I let him go because he is a dirty, lying bully who would stoop to anything if he was allowed."

“Well, I never,” Elizabeth huffed.

Bernard patted his wife’s hand, but he addressed Arianna. "Please tell us the rumors are false. You didn’t put Thaddeus in charge?"

"I did. He’s a hard worker and I trust him."

"He's a man of color?” He nearly choked.

Arianna had heard enough of their indignity and stood. "This conversation is over. I believe you both have better leave.”

The Prescotts stood. Bernard took his wife’s arm, but Elizabeth shook free. She looked down her nose at Arianna. “Let it be known, you’ve been warned.”

“As you have, my dear.” Arianna gave her a sweet smile and batted her eyes. “Now get your bony behind out of my house.”

Elizabeth sputtered not able to speak.

Maeve appeared as if on cue. “I will shows dem out.”

Bernard lifted his chin as he led his wife out of the room.

Arianna fell back onto the sofa in relief.

A few minutes later Maeve returned. “They be on their way. I believes Mrs. Prescott’s nose wuz out of joints.”

“She should count herself lucky, she left without me punching her in the nose.”

Maeve chuckled. “I wuds like ter see dat.”

Arianna smiled, feeling better now that she let off some steam. “Mr. Prescott mentioned a Mr. Cuffee. He didn’t seem to like him. I can bet I will. I need ink and paper.”

“Whut’s you cookin’ up in your mind?”

“I don’t know yet, but when I do, I’ll share it with you.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Doused with cold water, Keldon inhaled deeply and his eyes flew open. His head pounded against his skull, making his stomach roll. He felt disoriented and blinked trying to focus. He jerked his arm, but realized his hands were bound above his head with the rope attached to a wooden post. His back lay bare, his shirt ripped from him. This couldn’t bode well.

"We've been waiting for you to join us.”

Keldon’s gaze riveted to the man who spoke. His eyes narrowed—Captain Stevens. Then the memories came barreling down on him. The takeover of
The Waterfront
, Nicholas Sherborn… a blinding pain…

“We thought you would sleep all day.” Captain Stevens paused. His gaze traveled the length of Keldon as if contemplating his next move. "Hmm... What exactly are you supposed to be? Are you a Highlander turned against us?” He deliberately tugged on Keldon's kilt as he circled him. "Or are you a pirate? Either one would still put you in an awkward position?”

Keldon didn’t answer.

"Looks like your crew decided to leave you. You’ll have to enjoy our accommodations.” The captain obviously enjoyed the power of his position with the way he paraded like a peacock.

Keldon curved his lips, though he knew the smile didn’t reach his eyes. "I have to tell ye,” he thickened his brogue for Steven’s benefit, “that thus far, I am no’ pleased with the hospitality ye've showed me.”

"You won't be feeling so cocky after we're through with you today.” He spoke calmly, but his eyes blazed with anger and hate. "You being a pirate, you probably are aware of the flogging techniques."

Keldon inwardly cringed, but he by no means would let this pompous little man see it. "Floggin’? Nay, cannae say I am. See, I never had to use such a...
technique
as ye call it."

Stevens turned and jerked his head to someone who stood behind him. “Come forward. Don’t be shy.”

Keldon hid his surprise under half closed lids as Nicholas Sherborn stepped into his line of sight. The bastard wouldn’t even look at him, fidgeting and shuffling his feet. If his hands weren’t bound, Sherborn would cease to breath.

Captain Stevens sent Sherborn on the mission to flush out the identity of the Highland Pirate. He thought Sherborn would have been the best one for the job, since he had a good reason to want the pirate hanged for his deeds. However, Sherborn had come back to the ship empty handed, stating he had run into a dead end. Stevens hadn’t believed him then and he didn’t now. “Do you know this man?” Captain Stevens asked Keldon, as he tried to read his face for any sign of recognition.

“Should I?” Keldon replied, his green-eyed gaze challenging him.

Stevens was still not convinced. He suspected the two encountered one another, but what he was interested in was if Sherborn deliberately protected the Highland Pirate. “Well, well, is it games you want to play? I would be most happy to oblige.” The captain turned to Sherborn. “You’ll do the flogging.”

The color drained from Sherborn’s face. “Sir, I don’t understand.” Nicholas began, but the captain waved his hand to silence him.

He then handed Nicholas the weapon. “I’ll know if you hold back and if you do, you’ll feel its bite. Do I make myself clear?”

Nicholas blanched, his gaze shifting to Keldon’s.

Nicholas’ horrified expression thrilled Stevens. He was good at exacting pain in any form. It was one of his secret pleasures—be it by his hands or mental manipulations. It didn’t matter to him. The end results were always the same—death. “Step behind our captive, Mr. Sherborn.”

“This is madness!” Nicholas said as he took his position.

“Madness, Mr. Sherborn. This is justice. He’s a thief, a murderer—the enemy. He deserves death. He waved his hand in a flippant manner. “You may proceed with one swift blow to get my point across.”

Sherborn hesitated for only a second, his mouth pressed into a fine line. Then he raised his arm and brought it down.

Keldon’s whole body lurched forward, but he didn’t call out.
Damn the man.
Stevens inwardly cursed. Keldon must have bitten the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from humiliation. He’d fix that. He would soon learn his silence would cost him. "That my friend,” Steven’s grounded out, “is flogging, just so you understand.” He circled him to see the damage the blow had caused. He ran his fingers lightly over the red swell that marred the otherwise perfect skin. An explosion of pleasure spread through him as he imagined the man’s back a crisscross of mutilated flesh. It took all his control not to take the whip from Sherborn and finish the job.

With a ragged breath, he walked around to face Keldon, again. "The quartermaster is the one who usually administers this punishment. He might use the cat o' nine tails of an unwound whip of nine strands or sometimes the ends are tarred knots, musketballs or fishhooks. It's really quite a barbaric ordeal.” The captain leaned very close to Keldon. "Now you felt the first lash and there are ten more Mr. Sherborn will give you, or we can forget this little punishment of yours if you tell us your true name and where we can find the rest of your crew."

"I'll no’ cooperate with ye. Do what ye must."

"Are you mad? Your crew left you! What loyalty do you owe them now?"

"Ye can save yer breath with yer lies. My crew would only leave me if they had nay other choice."

"Don't be a fool,” Stevens persisted. “I can decide your fate. Give me what I want and I'll have you killed, quickly."

“It be better to die a man, than a snivelin’ dog.” Keldon purposely looked away from the captain and stared straight ahead. "We have nothin' more to discuss.”

Fury raged through Stevens like a wildfire, making him incapable of speaking for fear if he moved, he’d kill the man where he stood. He took a ragged breath, letting the black rage clear from his vision. He wanted Keldon’s death to be a long and agonizing departure from this world. He wanted him to beg to be killed. They had a long journey ahead of them. He’d make sure he broke the Highland Pirate before they pulled into port.

When Stevens finally composed himself, he replied in an even voice, "As you wish.” He turned his attention to Sherborn. “You heard the man.”

Nicholas paused and Stevens turned on him. “Do it now!”

Keldon braced himself as the whip came down on him over and over again. He’d already measured what kind of man Captain Stevens was and he had concluded the man a bully, taking great pleasure in seeing men suffer at the hands of his rank. Even if he were a man who would betray his crew, which he most definitely was not, Captain Stevens would show no mercy. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on something other than the tearing of his flesh.

One lash… two lashes.

Keldon surprised himself when Arianna’s sweet face came to mind. He left home to be away from her, but somehow through the unjust punishment he found solace in thinking of her.

Three, four, five lashes.

He remembered how it felt to slide his finger through her soft hair. He remembered how her voice sounded as she sang a lovely melody. He held onto the way her lips felt pressed to his, but the pain became unbearable. He thought he would disgrace himself by calling out, but again Arianna’s image floated toward him and gave him the strength to endure.

Seven…

His skin angrily pulled away from his body and he could hear the crew taking pleasure in his humiliation, their laughter ringing in his ears. Shut it out, he told himself. “Arianna,” he breathed her name as if she was his only salvation.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Changes were made to
Blue Run
and Arianna was proud of the accomplishments. She worked from sun up to sun down, ignoring Maeve’s fussing that she did too much. Work helped her forget for a while how much she missed Keldon and how she worried for his safety.

It had taken her awhile, but she’d learned every man, woman and child’s name. She knew all their responsibilities and what they entailed.