Free The Rebel Pirate by Donna Thorland Page B

side of the story reaches London first.”
    “On a fast ship,” said Sarah. “Like the
Sally
.”
    “There is your talent for figuring again,” said Angela Ferrers.
    “But Micah has ships of his own that might serve.” Sarah considered her former betrothed’s fleet. “There is the
Oliver Cromwell
, though she may be too slow. Micah had her built with a deep draft and a false bottom for smuggling. My father advised him against sacrificing speed for concealment, and after today I would say he was right. Better not to be boarded at all. The
Conant
might be a better choice. Why not one of them?”
    “That is the missing variable,” said the elegant widow, refreshing Sarah’s untouched cup of tea. “The
Oliver Cromwell
and the
Conant
are curiously absent from Salem Harbor, and not known to be under the command of a Cape Ann skipper. Their whereabouts interest me. I have found that Wild’s business dealings do not add up, but his ambitions are easy arithmetic. The man who carries this story to London will rise high in the estimation of Congress, and they are about to have need of fast ships and bold seamen. America had only three working powder mills during the late war with the French. Today, she has none. She has no foundries to produce cannon. No factories to make muskets. It must all be imported. Before the war for America can be fought on land, the war for matériel must be fought at sea.”
    “And Micah wanted to carry the news on the
Sally
, to be the man Congress turns to—contracts with—for powder and shot and cannon, but she will be a week at least refitting.” Sarah ran through the fastest Salem schooners in her mind. “Derby’s
Quero
is almost as fast. Smaller too, and quicker to make ready.”
    “Just so,” agreed Angela Ferrers. “It will displease Wild to be bested by Derby in this. The
Sally
, though, could still be of great use. If you manage to keep control of her, you might restore your fortunes and your standing among your neighbors with a few successful powder runs to Portugal or Saint Eustatius.”
    “The
Sally
and my brother Ned barely survived one
unsuccessful
run to Saint Stash. Rebel machinations have cost my father everything we had. We can’t afford to take part in your war.”
    “Neutrality is not an option for your family. You chose the Rebel side when you took up arms against an officer of the king.”
    “I did it to save my brother.”
    “Forget, for the moment, Micah Wild’s rhetoric. This fight is not about abstract ideals or tea or tax. It is about the most basic kind of liberty—the kind you fought to preserve for your brother.”
    And which the Rebel mob and Micah Wild would take from Sparhawk.
    “If I told you that I have brought another kind of cargo to Salem,” Sarah said, choosing her words carefully, “something that might precipitate an incident that would not redound to your credit, what would you say?”
    “I would say that I was interested, but that I needed more information.”
    “Information is currency.”
    “With which you hope to buy my help,” the young widow said. “You came here to see the woman for whom Wild jilted you. You must have
needed
something, yes? What would you have used to purchase Elizabeth’s aid?”
    “Sentiment,” said Sarah, honestly.
    “A debased specie. You will find it buys very little from me.”
    “Then I will apply to Elizabeth,” said Sarah, rising.
    “Then I will send one of Micah’s men for little Ned. Several, perhaps, if the formidable Mr. Cheap is still part of your household.”
    And Ned would tell Mrs. Ferrers everything. Sarah sat back down. “We brought the captain of the
Wasp
home with us as a prisoner. I fear that if Micah and the Sons of Liberty discover him, they will hang him.”
    Angela Ferrers raised a plucked eyebrow. “You are right to fear it. As do I. Such an incident might make a popular figure of Wild in the ports, but it would
not
redound to American credit in London. Not even Mr.