Wings of the Morning

  the ship, but it was going to take time. Time that Smokey

  would rather have spent doing something else.

  When Smokey did not turn up in the first two ports Dallas

  visited, he knew he would have to go back to work. He simply

  did not have the finances to keep searching for her. He was

  able to trade and deal with great profit in the days that

  followed, but he never stopped looking for Smokey or asking

  every merchant he met about her.

  Never had he had so much to say to someone. How could

  he have treated her that way after all she had been through?

  The story seemed outrageous to him, but he had been around

  long enough to know that didn't make Smokey's words false.

  Had he stopped and thought about that rather than verbally

  attacking Smokey in her own home, he might have her with

  him now, rather than having to confess his anxiety to the Lord

  with nearly every breath he took.

  "Ready for me to take her, Cap'n?" Dallas' first mate asked,

  effectively breaking into his thoughts.

  "Sure, Cliff. I've set a course for China Island. Well dock

  there tonight and head out in the morning. We're not due in

  Denmark for over a week."

  "Aye, aye, Cap'n."

  Dallas headed to his cabin to check the charts and work

  on his books. His heart and mind dwelt on Smokey again, and

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  how much she meant to him. After just a few minutes though,

  he forced his mind back to the business at hand

  Smokey would ask herself for years to come how they got

  the drop on them. It might have been the stealthy way they

  approached, or the fact that the entire crew had been concentrating

  on the repairs, or possibly a combination of the two.

  Nonetheless, the facts remained

  Night was falling fast on the second day of repairs when

  Smokey heard a knock on her door. She called entrance and

  froze in her desk chair when Haamich Wynn walked in, looking

  and acting as calm as ever.

  "Did you really think I would give up on you, my dear?"

  the pirate asked, seeming genuinely glad to see her.

  "Come on, Smokey," he went on smoothly. "Come topside.

  I have a few things I want you to say to your men."

  Standing on legs she was sure wouldn't hold her, Smokey

  moved out the door. She couldn't repress a shiver when she

  felt Haamich close behind her. Her heart pounded as she

  prayed Her only fear at the moment was for the safety of her

  men.

  "Cliff sent me down, Cap'n," the bos'n told Dallas some

  hours later. "He said you should come up right away."

  Dallas left his cabin without question. He took the glass

  from Cliff's hand the moment he was up top and looked in the

  direction Cliff had been gazing. His heart plummeted over

  what he saw.

  The light of the full moon clearly displayed the Aramis,

  but anchored beyond her was another ship. There was nothing

  patently obvious to warn Dallas that the Aramis was in

  trouble, but the fact that neither of Smokey's flags were flying

  caused him to believe that something was amiss.

  He handed the glass to his bos'n and spoke quietly to Cliff.

  Just minutes later the two men left the ship in a longboat,

  moving silently toward Smokey's ship and praying that they

  could be of help.

  Smokey's eyes moved over the deck of her ship. She knew

  she had never been so helpless. Darsey and Robby, the biggest

  men of her crew, were already bound The rest were scattered

  around under close watch of the pirate's men, who seemed to

  be everywhere.

  They were a scurvy lot, Smokey concluded swiftly, without

  a trace of moral fiber to their names. Of course, she asked

  herself, ufoat should I have expected after meeting their captain?

  "Now," Haamich Wynn spoke expansively, 'let's get right

  down to business. I regret that we have been parted this long,

  my dear, but you've been moving around so much that I

  couldn't get ahold of you."

  "You've been following us," Smokey stated with anger.

  "My dear," the pirate spoke as though addressing a child "I

  told you I want you, and I will have you."

  "For a man who lost during our last encounter, you're

  awfully quick to claim your victory now!" Smokey spat the

  words, and Haamich Wynn laughed

  "That's one of the things I love about you, my dear--your

  honesty. But alas, I am honest too. I freely admit that I was

  foiled last time. So now attend to my words, Smokey, because I

  will not be thwarted again.

  "Now," he said, becoming businesslike at once. "Line your

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  men up and tell them that I am their new commander. I've

  seen what this ship can do, and I want the Aramis as well as

  you."

  Smokey was so thoroughly shocked that she could only

  stare at him. His back was to the wheelhouse and even though

  Smokey's peripheral vision caught some movement there, she

  was too stunned to move or speak.

  "Tell them, Smokey." His voice was now deadly soft.

  "Unless you do as you're told, Til give you to my men right on

  the spot. They like a woman who fights, only this time you

  won't have a blade."

  Smokey began to tremble. She knew there would be no

  escape this time. With a heavy heart she turned her back to the

  pirate.

  "Line up, men." She spoke softly, but all were able to hear.

  Even Robby and Darsey, hands bound behind them, moved

  into place.

  Smokey's eyes roved over them and then paused and

  blinked when she saw that Dallas was lined up with her men.

  She forced her eyes away from his intense stare, a stare that

  seemed to be trying to tell her to trust him, and spoke.

  "There has been a change in command." Smokey's voice

  remained soft. "Your new captain is Haamich Wynn."

  'Very nicely done, my dear." The pirate's voice was delighted.

  "Now you just head down to your cabin, and I'll join

  you in a moment."

  Smokey turned, her chin thrust forward, ready to fight.

  She was trembling from head to foot, but the thought of going

  to her cabin and submitting to this man made her furious.

  "Ready to fight me, Smokey?" The pirate's voice had turned

  mocking. He turned to a man at his side. "The biggest man-- Darsey, I believe it is... cut his throat."

  "No!" Smokey shouted. No one moved They all watched as

  she took a deep breath and moved toward the companionway.

  The pirate's men went to work then, and the entire crew

  was tied Darsey ended up next to Dallas and spoke in a low

  tone.

  "Please tell me you didn't come aboard alone."

  "I didn't" was all Dallas said, and the older man nearly

  slumped with relief.

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  all the weapons had been removed from Smokey's cabin.

  She had never thought to hide them before, so her foil, small

  knife, and pistol were all gone. Seeing this, Smokey began to

  know real fear. She tried to resign herself to the next few

  hours or days, but her
insides were in turmoil.

  Even though Smokey heard footsteps in the companionay,

  she jumped when her cabin door opened. Haamich Wynn

  stood there, but he was still speaking to one of his men

  outside. Smokey heard his man say the name "Lordlin" before

  he left. She had no time to wonder on the matter, however,

  since the pirate had finally come in and shut the door.

  From where she stood by the desk, Smokey watched him

  lean against the jam. His smile was tender as he stared at her,

  and the young captain noted that very gently, almost affectionately,

  he ran a finger repeatedly down the scar on his face.

  "I've missed you, Smokey. I was quite frantic when you

  left. I found myself terribly frustrated that I never found out

  where you make your home."

  He pushed away from the door then and moved toward

  her; his presence seemed to fill the cabin. Smokey felt suffocated.

  Her braid was again lying on her breast, and this time

  Haamich picked it up and began to wrap it around his fist.

  Smokey panicked and moved away. Haamich shook his head

  "I promise you, Smokey, there is nothing to be afraid of.

  I'm going to take very good care of you."

  Smokey licked her lips in fear as he started toward her.

  She didn't like standing close to the bunk and began to move

  away. This time Haamich anticipated her move and reached

  for her upper arms. With strong hands he drew her slowly but

  inescapably closer. He was so big, frighteningly big.

  Please God, Smokey prayed, show the men bow to help me.

  "You're going to learn to love me, my dear." Haamich

  spoke then, and Smokey saw his head bend toward her. "You're

  going to learn that you can't live without me."

  His words infuriated her, and she acted in desperation. As

  his head neared, she spit, hitting him full in the face. The

  pirate paused for the space of two heartbeats before balling

  up his fist and punching Smokey across the upper cheek and

  eye. She barely saw the blow coming, and then she saw

  nothing at all.

  Smokey had no idea how much time had passed before

  she woke. Her head was spinning, and her wrists hurt. It took a

  moment for her to understand that her wrists were tied and

  secured to the bed frame on either side of her. She found

  herself praising God that she was still completely dressed

  Smokey heard her desk chair move and turned her aching

  head to see Haamich Wynn pushing himself up. She watched

  as he sat on the bunk beside her and leaned a hand over her to

  rest it on the bed.

  "I'm sorry, my dear. I never meant to hurt you. You are very

  shook up over nothing."

  "Nothing?" Smokey whispered, not believing her ears.

  "You call this nothing?"

  "I am really the best thing that has ever happened to you,"

  he spoke with conviction. "As soon as you get to know me,

  you'll see how right I am."

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  His hand lifted toward her blackened eye, and Smokey's

  chest rose and fell quickly in fear. The movement drew his

  eyes downward, and Smokey wanted to sob.

  "Please don't do this," she said in a breathless voice. The

  pirate's eyes came back to hers.

  "I must. I am consumed with you, and I won't stop until

  you are mine."

  His hands went to either side of her then, and he bent to

  kiss her. Smokey closed her eyes to blot out the image of his

  face.

  Before he could touch her, however, there was a knock

  Smokey opened her eyes and watched with fear as rage contorted

  his features.

  "I told you not to disturb me!"

  "But Cap'n," the fearful voice of one of his men sounded

  through the door. "We need you."

  "Don't bother me!" he shouted

  "But Cap'n," the voice began again, and Haamich Wynn

  came off the bed with a snarl. He wrenched the door open,

  and Smokey heard the sound of flesh meeting flesh. She

  craned her neck to see Haamich Wynn's head snap back, but

  he remained standing.

  From her awkward position, Smokey caught a glimpse of

  Dallas. Then Darsey's frame came through the door. Haamich

  wynn's punches were wild and without effect as he attempted

  to fight back. Darsey's blows, however, were perfectly aimed

  Smokey's neck strained as she watched his fists pounding the

  man.

  The fight seemed to go on forever as the men fought over

  nearly every inch of the cabin. When Smokey didn't think she

  would be able to take any more, Haamich Wynn, with much

  moaning and carrying on, fell hard to the floor.

  Smokey suddenly found Dallas above her. A knife flashed,

  and the blood rushed back to her hands as they were released.

  Smokey wanted to sit up, but not until that moment, as she

  stared at Dallas with one eye, did Smokey notice that her

  other eye was nearly swollen shut. She didn't think she could

  move at all.

  Dallas placed a hand on either side of Smokey, much the

  way the pirate had done, and leaned over her. This time

  Smokey was not afraid. She watched Dallas lean close, his eyes

  giving proof of the pain within.

  "I'm sorry." The words were whispered

  Smokey reached and placed a hand on his arm. "You won't

  let him get me again, will you, Dallas?"

  "No," his voice was whisper soft. "We're going to take him

  back to England and turn him over to the authorities. He can't

  hurt you again."

  "Are my men all right?"

  "Yes, they're fine; just worried about you."

  Smokey nodded, and a shadow fell across her. Darsey had

  come close to see her. On spotting him, a delayed reaction

  swifdy rushed in. She began to shake all over. Try as she might to hold them back, tears flooded her eyes.

  Dallas, without waiting for permission, gathered her in

  his arms. She cried against him for a few minutes, tears of pain

  and tears of relief.

  "Is it finally over, Dallas?" Smokey asked as she calmed

  "It's over," he assured her softly.

  Tenderly cradling her with one arm, Dallas used a handkerchief

  to wipe her tears. He didn't try to comfort her with

  any more words or tell her to stop crying, but just held her

  until she slept.

  He saw that it would not be a restful sleep as soon as he

  laid her back down on the pillow, but Darsey was near and

  Dallas knew she would be in good hands.

  As much as he hated to leave her, he had no choice. There

  were arrangements to be made concerning the pirate, his

  ship, and his men, and Dallas had volunteered to see to them.

  He didn't see Smokey again before all three ships set sail

  for England, but by the time they had arrived and turned

  Haamich Wynn over to the authorities, he had established a

  plan.

  177

  smokey's face was still swollen when the London authorities

  came to take Haamich Wynn away. She watched as they cut

  him loose before putting him in the huge, black coach. Something

  didn't seem right to Smokey. His look was almost smug

/>   as he spoke to one of the constables. Smokey knew there was

  little she could do about it, so she tried not to dwell on the

  possibilities.

  Dallas and Darsey handled everything in the next two

  days, giving Smokey plenty of time to think. It occurred to her

  that the pirate might have friends in high places who would

  overlook his acts, or even listen when he claimed that it was

  her word against his own. She hadn't had a chance to ask

  Dallas about the pirate's ship, but Smokey knew that a holdful

  of stolen goods would add weight to her story.

  For the moment, she had an important decision to make-- did she head home, as she longed to do, or out to sea, as she

  had originally planned? If she went home now, she could be

  there when Jenny and Tate's baby was born, Smokey had

  nearly convinced herself to return to Maine when Dallas

  arrived and ruined all her plans.

  "They'll need you to testify."

  Smokey hadn't even thought of that. She glanced at Darsey,

  who had been with Dallas during this time, and then back at

  the man himself.

  177

  "When do they need me?" she wanted to know.

  "In about two weeks. Without you they don't have a case."

  Smokey hid her disappointment and spoke carefully. "We

  could do some trading down the southern coast in the next

  week and be back here in two weeks."

  Darsey's mind was already obeying orders, but Dallas

  stepped in again.

  "No."

  "What do you mean, no?" Smokey asked him with raised

  brows. They'd had no time alone since their confrontation in

  Willa's living room, and even though the apology had been

  spoken, their relationship was not yet on solid footing.

  "I mean that you need a rest, and I know just the place. I've

  contacted a friend. He and his wife would be glad to have us."

  Smokey glared at Darsey when he covered a laugh with a

  cough. The older man was thinking that Dallas was digging

  himself in deep.

  'You took it upon yourself to arrange leave for me?"

  Smokey's tone told Dallas he was in trouble, but his determination

  to get this girl to himself for a few days never

  wavered

  "Yes, I did," he told her calmly. "You look exhausted, your

  eye is still black and swollen, and you are going with me to

  Bracken. If I can't convince you, I'm sure Darsey can."

  "Did you know about this, Darsey Brennan?" Smokey

  nailed him with a glance.

  "Not a bit, lass, but if you ask me--"