Free Ill Wind and Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure (Valkyrie) by Karen Perkins Page A

boy.’ She looked at me. ‘He wants it back.’
    I felt cold and shivered. I remembered the way my father-in-law had been with Klara on the ship, and the way he’d spoken to her since.
    ‘And Erik is protecting you?’ I asked.
    She nodded. ‘For the moment, at least. But now you’re here, I don’t know what to expect. I had hoped they’d both mellow with a new mistress of the house, but—’ she paused and stared at the waves.
    ‘At least he gave me to you when you came. Mijnheer Jan can’t dispose of us if we’re not his. But if Mijnheer Erik grows tired of us—’ she paused again and I noticed tears running down her face. She turned to me.
    ‘If you have a child, he will tire of Jan, and my son will die.’
    ‘Oh, Klara.’ I thought of the little boy who had scrambled down the cliff path to his mama, and tears ran from my own eyes. I didn’t want Erik’s child, not at the moment, anyway. But what if that changed? I may want a child one day, but if Klara was telling the truth – and I did believe her – then the birth of my child could mean the death of hers.

Chapter 19
     
     
    I’d been going to the beach every day. It was the place where I found it easiest to think, and a place I was never disturbed. I had been cool towards Klara since her confession, though knew I wasn’t being fair. She was a slave and had been given from one man to another, used and violated, then vilified for the consequences. She’d been even younger than I was now when it had started. I shuddered, my heart going out to her and the poor, frightened child she’d been.
    I reached the cliff top and stopped, shading my eyes from the sun. Yes, I knew I’d seen something – a ship, its sails glinting in the harsh sun. As I watched, some of the sails were taken in – she must be coming to the island.
    I walked along the cliff, watching the ship draw closer to shore. Surely she must tack soon? If she carried on much further, she wouldn’t be able to clear the headland between here and Eckerstad. But she kept coming.
    The beach was below me, but I didn’t climb down. I sat instead and watched the ship sail closer to the rocks, my heart in my mouth. She was going to wreck.
    I knew I should run and get help – those men would soon need it – but my legs were jelly. I couldn’t stand, I could only watch. Closer and closer. I wanted to close my eyes, but needed to see.
    I gasped – she was through! She kept coming and jarred as she ran aground. I stood, my legs strong again, to get a better view. Her remaining sails were dropped and an impossible number of men ran about her decks and climbed down to the beach.
    As the crowd on deck thinned, I recognized bright flashes of colour – the Gaudies. Captain Tarr and Quartermaster Blake were here.
    I stared for a moment at the invasion of my special place, then turned and walked slowly back to Brisingamen. Belinda would need to know there may be extra mouths to feed this evening.
    *
    I went through my usual routine: deep breath, shoulders back, head up, then opened the door – and stopped in surprise.
    The drawing room was full of people. The Gaudies were here, as expected, but also Freyja’s men – Hornigold, Cheval and Sharpe – and there was a woman with them, too. I stared at her, wondering who she was. She was beautiful: long, dark hair tumbled down her back, pale skin contrasted with her dark eyes, but she didn’t smile.
    Hornigold stepped back for a moment, and she came fully into my view. Her gown was simple and of quality, though it looked like she’d been wearing it for a number of days and it was starting to look tatty. I wondered what had brought her to this house, in this company, and we gazed at each other: two lost souls.
    Hendrik opened the dining room door. I wouldn’t have chance to speak to her yet – maybe at the table.
    But no, she was seated as far away as possible from me on the opposite side and at Jan’s left hand. Sharpe took the seat next to her,