Free Rescued by the Buccaneer by Normandie Alleman Page A

answered and spit at her, the brown juice landing on the hem of her dress. “Haul ‘em to the bow!”
    Two men grabbed her and forced her to walk. Their rancid body odor normally would have sent her into a faint, but on this occasion, the stench under her nose actually roused her. She willed herself to resist them, but her body was immobilized with fear and refused to do her bidding. The men carried her forward until the only thing in front of her was a long board set out specifically for her to jump from.
    Humphrey brought his face up close with hers, his alcohol soaked breath stinging her eyes. “I wash my hands of ye,” he snarled. “I give you back to the sea from which you came, the sea from which I saved ye. Both of ye ungrateful rakes.”
    She’d been so focused on her own plight she’d forgotten about Gaston. Turning to him with the lightest of curiosity, she noticed his eyes rounded as if he were attempting to communicate with her. She shrugged in question. He jerked his head in the direction of the churning water below and nodded as if he were encouraging her.
    He wanted her to jump in the water? As if she had any choice in the matter.
    Behind her, the crowd waited for her to accept her fate and take her last paces. Never at a loss for words, Gaston asked if the captain could spare a bottle of rum.
    The captain gave a harsh laugh. “There’s plenty to drink where ye’ll be a goin’!”
    The ship sang with glee at the captain’s clever retort.
    “I beseech you, captain. You’ve taken my cutlass and my revolver. The least you could do is spare me some drink for my last hours.”
    “Toss ‘im a flask. Ee’s been good entertainment,” Humphrey said to the crew.
    The deck hand gave him a mocking grin as he tucked a small flask into Gaston’s breast pocket.
    “That’ll do then. Off this ship with ye!” Humphrey took Frederica by the shoulder, her hands still tied behind her back.
    She focused on the knots in the wood grain embedded in the beam below. Determined to remain firm in her dignity, she placed one foot in front of the other. Her captor need not push her overboard. She held her head proudly and slowly took another step.
    “You will burn in hell for this, Captain Humphrey,” she said in a measured tone, then stepped out into thin air.

Chapter Nine
     
     
    Balling his fists behind him, Gaston felt as impotent as Humphrey when Frederica took her final step. With a soft splash, her body sliced through the sapphire water below.
    Pivoting to face the mass of bloodthirsty sailors, Gaston inched slowly backwards. The threat of the ocean didn’t frighten him the way it did most men. He fully expected the sea would claim him one day, and he’d made peace with the idea long ago when he adopted the life of piracy. Plus, this was far from over. He’d escaped worse sentences.
    His lips curled into a smile that would befit a king. Conversationally, he said, “You haven’t seen the last of me, Humphrey.” With that, he walked backwards until his feet found no purchase.
    The fall was exhilarating, air whooshing against his face until the inevitable crash with the water’s surface. A second later, the ocean engulfed him.
    It always amazed him how the initial impact with the water’s surface stunned the body before engulfing it with the fluidity of the water. Resurfacing, he took a moment to absorb the impact’s sting. The voices of the men on board cursing and jeering at them carried on the wind, but Gaston chose to ignore them.
    Collecting himself, he called Frederica’s name. She didn’t answer, but he noticed her floating about twenty yards away. He made his way towards her, swimming more like a dolphin than a man since his arms were bound.
    By the time he reached her, his breath was labored. “Are you alright?”
    “Alright?” she shrieked. “How could I possibly be alright? We’re stranded in the ocean! Shark bait!” Her voice was shrill, her face white as a dove.
    He wished he could