Read Online My Lady Pirate by Danelle Harmon - Free Book Online Page A

we’re bluffing!”
    “I cannot risk bringing him along,” Maeve said firmly, refilling her mug from the rum
    barrel. “Not yet, anyhow. Lord Nelson is supposed to be a decent man, but he may view our captive as Royal Navy property and therefore refuse to negotiate. Our captive is our property, and as such, we should get paid for him. And believe me, if the British want this traitor so much, they’ll pay grandly to get him back. Especially if I let it be known I have no qualms about selling him to Villeneuve!”
    “I think we should bring the prisoner to Admiral Falconer instead,” Sorcha said, with wisdom beyond her years. “He may pay us more than Nelson. After all, it was from his flagship that our pirate escaped.”
    Maeve expelled her breath on a hoot of jeering laughter. “What, that scoundrel? Graham Falconer’s naught but a rake, with his brains firmly entrenched in his breeches and standing ever at attention! He’s too busy ruining female reputations to give us the time of day!”
    “Harsh words, Majesty. You’ve never even met Sir Graham.”
    “I’ve no need to. His amorous exploits are no secret, and the stories about him are richer than Morgan’s gold.”
    “Well, he has turned a blind eye to our activities.”
    “That’s because I have never attacked an English ship. Nor do I intend to.” Maeve tossed
    down her ale, gave a very unladylike belch, and grabbed up her cutlass once more. “Invitation or not, we will find and board the Victory, “she declared, “where I shall personally confront the celebrated Lord Nelson! Now, who’s coming and who’s not?”
    A chorus of excited “ayes” rose on the night. Moments later, provisions were brought
    aboard, the windlass was cranking, the anchor was coming up, sails were dropping, and the schooner Kestrel was turning her face toward a future that was hidden from even her mystical captain.

    ###
The pirate crew saw the lights of the British fleet as a rim of scattered stars hull up on the horizon and rising as Kestrel slid through the night. It had rained earlier, and now the air was fresh-washed and clean, tangy with the smell of salt and wind. She might have been a ghost ship, the schooner; the Pirate Queen had ordered all lanterns doused, and all commands spoken in a whisper. She was not taking any chances on losing her element of surprise. Kestrel was a formidable little vessel but she was no ship-of-the-line, and Victory's massive cannon could easily send her on a quick journey to the bottom.
    Maeve took the tiller herself as they drew closer. “Bring in the main!” she hissed, watching the lights of the fleet rising higher and higher on the horizon. She drew her night glass and put it to her eye, feeling her hair tickling her cheeks as the gentle breeze tossed it about her face. It was hard to make out much in the darkness, but the starlight favored her situation, and she was soon able to pick out the mighty flagship of the famous English admiral as Victory led the fleet on a southerly course toward Tobago.
    Excitement tingling through her blood, she snapped the glass shut and handed it to Orla.
    “Ha! The admiral must be in one hell of a hurry to reach Tobago!” She crossed her arms, threw her head back, and planted her feet on the deck, looking every inch the Pirate Queen she was.
    “Well, I’ll just have to tell him his search of those islands will be a fruitless one. Now, we cannot risk sailing in any closer. Dark as it is, all sailors have good night vision and I’ll not risk having Victory blow us out of the water. Let’s get far ahead of the fleet, then heave to.”
    “What do you plan to do, Captain?” Orla asked.
    “The only thing I can do,” she returned. “Swim.”
    “What?”
    “I’m a pirate, do you think they’ll just allow me aboard? No, what we must do is get well ahead of the fleet—where you and I will leap overboard and wait in the water. We’ll let the current carry us toward Victory while she drifts