The Sea Hellion, page 14
Chapter Twenty
As luck would have it, they got far closer to Antoine’s fleet than anticipated before the enemy figured out the ship getting ready to sail up beside them did not have their revered leader on it. In fact, they managed into such an opportune position that they were able to fire on one of the ships without being in range of The Sea Hellions crew and Sorcha’s ship.
Once they let off the first round of cannons, one of which snapped the enemy’s mizzen mast in half, Douglas ordered Antoine’s flag lowered and a white flag raised. Because though the enemy knew they were foe, not friend, the The Sea Hellions might not have figured it out yet.
“Surely they saw us hit that mast,” Sorcha said.
“Best to be safe,” Douglas replied as they raced toward the crippled vessel, hoping all the while The Sea Hellions and Sorcha’s ship kept engaging the other enemy ship.
“’Tis Cap’n MacLomain aboard one of our ships,” Audric announced, shading his eyes to the sun as it peeked out. “He has Elspeth with him, too.”
“Och,” Aileann muttered, likely already sensing her mother’s wrath upon her. “That cannae be good.”
“Nay,” Douglas agreed, shooting her a look. “Ye’ve got a good tongue lashing ahead, lass.”
“Mayhap one softened by a grateful uncle.” Sorcha looked at Douglas pointedly. “As Aileann was a valued and verra helpful part of our rescue mission.”
“Aye, lass,” he conceded, his tone that of a man who foresaw relenting to her becoming a regular part of his life.
She had no time to ponder that as they came alongside the enemy ship, dropped the gangplank, and engaged in battle. As expected, these men had more vigor, so the fighting was more intense.
“I dinnae think so,” she muttered, kneeing a man in the ballocks before he could get a hold of her. Then she swiftly ducked out of the way as another came at her. The fighting was fast, but fortunately, their opponents were outnumbered. So as The Sea Hellions caught on and kept firing on the other ship—booms and battle cries alike echoing on the salty wind—she, Douglas, and their crew downed their own foes quickly with few lives lost.
Thrilled with the rush of near success, she slashed at one of the last men rushing at her, only to trip on a rope and land flat on her back. Before she knew it, her blade went flying, and a crazed pirate straddled her, his blade nearly to her neck before Douglas yanked him back and slit open his throat.
“Bloody hell,” she gasped, barely processing how close she had come to death as Douglas pulled her up and yanked her against him.
She wasn’t sure if her heart raced from battling, her near-death experience, or the words he murmured in her ear.
“I love ye too much to let ye go now, lass.”
As the last man fell, men hooted and hollered before more joined in from The Sea Hellions and Sorcha’s ship as they drew closer. Then even more as the other ship was entirely overrun, and Fraser conquered the last of their enemies.
Her eyes remained on Douglas. “What was that ye said?”
“I think ye know,” he said softly as he wrapped his warm hand around the side of her neck and gazed into her eyes. “I think ye’ve always known, but now ye are ready to hear it.”
“Aye,” she whispered. “But I never did hear ye phrase it quite like ye just did…that ye love me too much to let me go.”
He hesitated a moment, clearly not sure if he should continue before he nodded once as if he could say nothing else. “And what make ye of that, lass?”
“Which part?” she said. “The lovin’ me or not lettin’ me go?”
“Both.”
“I think I dinnae see any path forward for us but that one.” She offered him a small, encouraging smile. “Because I love ye, too, and have no intention of lettin’ ye go.”
“Will we pirate together?” he asked as she said, “Should we settle down?”
They looked at each other, then tried again.
“Should we settle down?” he asked as she said, “Will we pirate together?”
Innis chuckled from somewhere nearby. “Why not pirate and settle down on occasion?”
“’Tis a bloody good life to share with a lass,” Fraser called out as The Sea Rogue pulled alongside theirs.
“Aye,” Elspeth called, grinning when Fraser evidently filled her in.
Sorcha glanced from them to Douglas, baffled. “How did they hear us from there?”
“Fraser has an uncanny sense of hearing,” he informed.
“An uncanny sense for many things,” Innis added, winking at Sorcha. “A wee gift from his Druid blood.”
“Druid blood?” she mouthed, but Douglas only shook his head and offered a crooked grin before he grew serious.
“Ye’ll stay then, lass?” He shook his head. “Ye willnae walk away again?”
“Nay.” Her eyes went to her men on this ship and the other before skimming over Fraser, Innis, and Douglas. “I willnae leave if my men are welcome to join yer crew. If they so choose, that is.”
Naturally, Innis roared her proposition for all to hear.
“It sounds like a bloody good idea to me, lassie,” came an unexpected voice from The Sea Hellion as it pulled up on their other side. Though clearly weak, Brechin leaned against a mast and managed to call out loud enough that her men could hear him.
“What say ye, laddies?” he said. “Do we keep on with our wee cap’n if she joins ranks with the likes of these pirates?”
When a unanimous roar of approval arose, Brechin nodded, then gestured that they quiet down before his eyes went to Douglas. “’Twould be an honor to pirate alongside ye, MacLauchlin. If ye’ll have us.”
“Aye, we could use a pirate like ye,” Douglas confirmed, earning himself a wide smile from Sorcha. “All of ye. Yer brother Cormac and yer fellow mates.”
Audric muttered something about Irish pirates and their unnatural eyesight as Aileann clapped Cormac on the shoulder, her grin dropping as her mother’s eyes locked on her.
“I for one think this is a fine idea.” Innis grinned at Sorcha. “At long last, pirating alongside my wee sister.”
“’Twill be great fun,” she conceded, meeting his grin.
“’Tis final,” Fraser declared. “Sorcha and her crew will join The Sea Hellions.”
Everyone roared with approval, and though Douglas managed to drop a kiss on her lips, it had no chance to deepen as Fraser and Elspeth boarded, welcoming them to their crew.
“Will ye be wanting the merchant ship’s treasure then, Cap’n MacLomain?” one of her crew asked, gesturing at the ship vanishing on the horizon as it hightailed it south.
“Nay.” He shook his head. “That family and their wee ones were to be protected from the likes of Antoine. Let them be on their way now.”
When Douglas perked a brow at her in question, she knew what he was getting at. Was her recaptured treasure for everyone? Not a fool, she nodded, seeing no reason why the loot should not be spread evenly amongst all those who had helped on this mission.
He met her nod and spoke aloud to everyone.
“Though the merchant ship is on its way, this isnae a day without treasure.” He grinned. “I think ye will find plenty aboard this ship to satisfy yer cravin’.”
Everyone hooted and hollered yet again before whisky barrels were rolled out. The ships were cleaned from battle, as men toasted farewell to the fallen, then commenced to celebrating as any pirate crew did when loot was had.
In the meantime, Elspeth warned her daughter in passing that they would be having a talk.
“Though I dinnae condone her actions,” Douglas said to his sister, taking Sorcha’s advice. “Aileann was verra helpful. Things might have gone verra differently indeed had she not been along.”
Suffice it to say, though Elspeth remained frustrated with her daughter, Douglas somewhat smoothed the waters for his niece before his sister sighed and shook her head.
“I see we’ve more to worry about than just Audric now, too,” Elspeth noted, focusing on Cormac as he flirted shamelessly with Aileann, ignoring Audric and his thunderous looks.
“Och, I dinnae know.” Sorcha saw the way Aileann eyed Audric when she thought he was not looking. “I think theirs might be a battle where the French finally win.”
Innis chuckled, shrugging when Elspeth shot him a look. In truth, the heart wanted what the heart wanted, and there was no stopping it. Sorcha knew that better than anyone as she glanced at Douglas. Despite their trials and tribulations, her heart had never stopped wanting him.
Not for a moment.
They proceeded to enjoy whisky as they caught them up on everything that had happened. As it turned out, Shaw McDougall returned to Scarba shortly after they left, so Fraser was able to man his crew, and naturally, Elspeth was determined to follow her daughter.
“So the French journal did the trick with Antoine, aye?” Fraser asked Douglas.
“Aye.” Douglas grinned at Sorcha. “As did some verra good acting.”
“On both our parts,” she agreed, meeting his grin before it occurred to her they never got the journal back. “Och, ’tis likely in the belly of a shark by now!”
“’Tis all right.” Fraser winked. “We made a copy or two.”
“Good thing,” Brechin said as he joined them and held out a bit of bloody rope shredded to bits on one end. A part of the very rope that had insured Antoine met his rightful end. “Will ye want to keep this as a warning to others of what Cap’ns Douglas MacLauchlin and his wee Sea Hellion are capable of?”
“Och, nay,” they said simultaneously before they looked at each other, grinned, and Douglas finished their sentence for them. “Rumors of what happened this day and the sort of pirate we willnae tolerate will do just fine.”
“Aye,” she agreed as their eyes lingered on one another.
“And to think.” Elspeth looked inland. “After all the adventures ye two had apart, then the one ye just shared together, ye ended up right back where ye began.”
Sorcha nodded, well aware that ironically enough, they were offshore of the very village in which they grew up. As it happened, people had since settled in the cottages Douglas and their people had abandoned the year before, and a small community was starting anew.
“What say we go ashore, Sorcha?” Douglas said, the devil in his eyes. “And mayhap reminisce a wee bit?”
“Aye, ’twould not be such a bad idea.” Her heart leapt as her eyes found their rock before returning to him. “One last time, aye?”
“Aye,” he agreed and swept her into his arms. “Then we will see what the future holds.”
Epilogue
Douglas crouched in front of their rock and ran his fingers over the words Sorcha had carved at some point beneath his.
My MacLauchlin
“When did ye carve this, lass?” he said softly.
“Along the way,” she replied just as softly before he heard the slide of a blade pull free.
“At arms ye wee scoundrel!” she declared.
He smiled as he stood and turned, remembering all too well the words they had exchanged that day long ago. Just like it had been at twelve winters, Sorcha’s curly flaming-red hair was wild and windblown as she held her blade at the ready and challenged him. “’Tis time to make your yer final stance!”
“Wee?” Douglas frowned as he held his blade at the ready as well, and they circled one another on the shore. “Ye barely reach my shoulders, lass.”
“For now,” she replied, though that had never come to pass. Instead of her eyes matching the turbulent sea as they had back then, they were more the smoky green that signaled she was aroused. Yet still, despite her obvious desire, she carried on word for word, reenacting their past.
Innis appeared on the grassy knoll on the cliff behind them just as he had before. The only difference this time was that he had been to the village on a secret mission for Douglas. One he knew bore fruit when his friend nodded and grinned.
Still at it, ignoring her brother, Sorcha continued engaging Douglas in battle just as she had before. And just like before, he knocked the blade from her hand, pulled her back against him, and played history differently by tossing aside his own blade and holding her still.
“Surrender,” he murmured in her ear before peppering kisses down the side of her neck, not overly surprised when she played into his secret mission unknowingly.
“I will surrender only if ye marry me, MacLauchlin,” she whispered.
“Aye, lass.” He turned her in his arms and cupped her cheeks. “And I will only marry ye if ’tis here and now.”
She grinned and started to say, “But how,” then trailed off when a clergyman from the village appeared beside Innis. Her damp eyes returned to Douglas, happier than he had ever seen them as she murmured, “Aye then, I accept yer demands, Douglas. I will marry ye here and now.”
So it was that Douglas and his wee Sea Hellion were married on the shores of their youth surrounded by those they loved. It was a joyous evening that eventually left them alone, cuddled on a bit of grass by their rock as the celebration resumed on the ships. Flickering lanterns hung port and starboard on every boat, as hornpipes rang out a merry jig and pirates danced and laughed, a raucous bunch to be sure.
It was warm enough beneath the furs to honeymoon here for the eve, then set out in the morn. The moon was swollen and bright, glittering over the gentle waves as he enjoyed being alone back where they had begun.
“Ye know,” she said softly, at peace finally. “I dinnae sense her spirit so close anymore.”
Knowing full well she spoke of Muireall, he rested his hand on her shoulder. “Mayhap yer sister knows ye’re where ye are meant to be now.”
“Aye.” She met his eyes over her shoulder. “And with whom I am meant to be with.”
“Aye, lass.”
“What did ye wonder at in yer last letter to me, Douglas?” she said. “The one ye never got to finish?”
He stroked her cheek gently. “Do ye really need to ask?”
“Aye,” she said, clearly not satisfied with a vague romantic innuendo as her eyes rounded. “It could have been a number of things. Did ye want me to stay? Did ye—”
He put a finger to her lips, stopping her short. “I wondered if ye would appreciate waking up to find me there.”
Her brows slammed together. “Och, really?”
“Really.”
“Amid all that romantic talk, ye were going to write such a thing?”
“Aye.” He grinned. “At the time, ’twas a vague concern seeing how I had untied ye and know yer temper.”
Sorcha considered that for a moment before she nodded in agreement. “Aye, now that I think about it, I ken yer concern.” Her eyes softened as they stayed with his. “And I look forward to more letters over the years.”
“But I will be with ye.”
“Then I will be able to read them straight away.”
“That ye will,” he agreed, liking the sound of that. Their eyes lingered for a moment more before she turned back to her handiwork.
“What do ye think then, husband?” She scraped their rock one last time, then tucked her boot blade away. “’Tis a good ending to our adventure, aye?”
Now it read in total…
Sorcha and Douglas
My Sea Hellion
My MacLauchlin
Married At Last
“Och, wife, our adventure isnae ending but just beginning, aye?”
He gave her no chance to respond as he rolled her beneath him, kissed her hard, and spent the rest of the evening giving her a taste of what a wondrous journey she could expect.
Previous Releases – Best Reading Order
~The MacLomain Series – Early Years~
Highland Defiance – Book One
Highland Persuasion – Book Two
Highland Mystic – Book Three
~The MacLomain Series~
The King’s Druidess – Prelude
Fate’s Monolith – Book One
Destiny’s Denial – Book Two
Sylvan Mist – Book Three
~The MacLomain Series – Next Generation~
Mark of the Highlander – Book One
Vow of the Highlander – Book Two
Wrath of the Highlander – Book Three
Faith of the Highlander – Book Four
Plight of the Highlander – Book Five
~The MacLomain Series – Viking Ancestors~
Viking King – Book One
Viking Claim – Book Two
Viking Heart – Book Three
~The MacLomain Series – Later Years~
Quest of a Scottish Warrior – Book One
Yule’s Fallen Angel – Spin-off Novella
Honor of a Scottish Warrior – Book Two
Oath of a Scottish Warrior – Book Three
Passion of a Scottish Warrior – Book Four
~The MacLomain Series – Viking Ancestors’ Kin~
Rise of a Viking – Book One
Vengeance of a Viking – Book Two
A Viking Holiday – Spin-off Novella, Book 2.5
Soul of a Viking – Book Three
Fury of a Viking – Book Four
Destiny’s Dragon – Book 4.5
Pride of a Viking – Book Five
~The MacLomain Series: A New Beginning~
Sworn to a Highland Laird – Book One
Taken by a Highland Laird – Book Two
Promised to a Highland Laird – Book Three
Avenged by a Highland Laird – Book Four
~Pirates of Britannia World~
The Seafaring Rogue
The MacLomain Series: A New Beginning Spin-off
The Sea Hellion
Sequel to The Seafaring Rogue
~Viking Ancestors: Rise of the Dragon~
Viking King’s Vendetta – Book One
