A Pirate Princess Read online

  Cori knew exactly what he was talking about, “I shall go lock myself in. I just wanted to see what was going on first.”

  “Rest for a while. Try to take a nap, alright?”

  “Alright, Burke.”

  Acel stood with his arms folded across his chest, “I do not understand, Burke. They were right here! I’m telling you, we damaged The Beloved Loss pretty bad. There is no way they could have fixed all of that overnight. By the time we left to look for you last night it was already getting dark. It’s not even noon yet! Where could they have gone?”

  “I’m not sure, Ace.” Burke answered skeptically, “But I know someone who knows their captain better than any of us.”

  “You really think Corisanda will help you search for her father’s ship? I cannot imagine her wanting them harmed, Burke. There is something wrong with that picture,” Ace said dismally.

  Burke nodded his head, “Nah, Cori does not want them harmed. She wants them arrested but not hurt. Cori has not said any of that but I know it’s how she feels.”

  “She’s not a beginner on the subject of ship attacks. Corisanda must know that a harmless detainment may not even be possible. Her father is not going to surrender without a fight. What if he’s killed, Burke? Will she hate us for it later? More importantly, could she hate you for it later?” Acel questioned, rattling at high speed again.

  “No, I think she’s prepared for the worst.” Burke paused momentarily, wondering how to explain Cori. He barely even knew her, yet considered himself her closest companion. “Cori has had an unbelievably hard life and her father hates her. She does not want him killed but I think Cori shall pay any cost for freedom.”

  “I guess we should call her. Let’s see if she knows anything,” Acel suggested.

  “She seemed tired, I told her to go rest. Can we not let her sleep a little while?” Burke mumbled tenderly.

  “Burke Landis Belcourt! We are in the middle of a mission for King Louis XIV and you want to put everything on pause, while our enemies escape into the unknown, so that your girlfriend can sleep a little while?” Acel asked incredulously, this was not the Burke he knew!

  “She is not my girlfriend, Ace! She is just, well, she is my friend, okay? And she just happens to be a girl. That does not make her my girlfriend, it’s not like I’m courting her or anything!” Burke scolded.

  “Okay, am I allowed to court her then?”

  “No!”

  “So she is a girl, she is your friend, and no one is allowed to court her. That sounds like she’s your girlfriend. What’s your plan with all of this, Burke? Are you going to ditch Odelia, marry Corisanda and live happily ever after, or what?” Acel asked in indignation.

  “No, I told you that already.” Burke snapped wearily, then lowering his voice he calmly continued, “I do not plan to do anything. I plan to marry Odelia, free Corisanda, and never think of her or my own happiness again! It’s that simple!”

  The First Mate of The Heart of Calais sighed, “It is not like you to just resign yourself to something you do not have to do. That is not the Burke I know.”

  “What choice do I have? If I refuse to marry Odelia then Lord Orson will take the matter to King Louis who shall strip me of my title and arrest me for raping Odelia. I would have to flee before Odelia found out she had been jilted, give up my life as the Count of Calais, and live by sea permanently to escape a prison sentence! What kind of life would that be for Cori? She has lived that way her whole life and hates it.” He said, shaking his head sadly.

  Acel took a deep breath, “Look, I do not know what you should do. All I know is that we are on a mission and I am your First Mate. It’s my duty to keep you on track, Captain. Are you going to ask Corisanda where her father is or are we just going to let him go and sail around hoping to run into him somewhere?”

  “Yes, I’ll go talk to her. Take care of my ship and if you spot The Beloved Loss just yell for me,” Burke mumbled.

  “Cori? Are you awake?” Burke asked in a whisper as he cracked open his door.

  “Yes, here I am.” The lovely brunette answered from Burke’s lavish wardrobe closet. “I was admiring all your clothes; you must be very good at your career to afford all you have.” Cori had never seen a pirate who wore stainless, pressed designer suits.

  Burke smiled at her enthusiasm, “When we get to France we shall buy you some gowns befitting your beauty. I will take you to the best shops Calais has to offer. If you would like, you could go with me to Versailles or Paris and have dresses made for you by the same tailor who assists the Queen. How would you like that?”

  “Oh,” Cori whispered with a smile. “I do not know! That would be wonderful, but I shall need to be careful with my spending until I find a stable job.”

  The thought of Cori working as a servant somewhere or in a merchant shop crossed Burke’s mind and made him shiver violently. Cori deserved a title. She deserved nobility and a life of privilege and ease. He was sure she would marry a titled Lord and not need to worry about finances, once again prompting his own feelings for her. Trying to focus on the present situation, he changed the subject. “Cori, I need to ask you a very important question about your father.”

  Cori was startled by his abruptness but she nodded her head in agreement. “What is it?”

  “The Beloved Loss is not where it was when we left it yesterday morning. It was there last night when Acel left to find us, but it’s gone now. Acel claims there was quite a bit of damage done to the ship so it should still be in the repair process. Could they be hiding somewhere here on the island?” He asked patiently, hoping she would have information.

  Cori pondered his question for a moment then shrugged her shoulders in confusion, “My father is popular here in Hispaniola. This is where he feels safe to dock on the shore and not be in any hurry to leave. He must be somewhere on this island.”

  “There are other islands close, Cori. Jamaica and Ponce Puerto Rico are not far. What about Cuba?” Burke prompted.

  “No! He is terrified of Cuba and blames the island for all the pain he has felt in the last eighteen years. The people of Ponce Puerto Rico do not like my father because of a trading agreement that went wrong years ago. He could be in Jamaica, but that’s a risky travel with a damaged ship. It was already in bad shape after the attack at sea. They must still be here,” Cori insisted.

  Burke was apprehensive but decided to trust her, “Alright, and you have no idea where they might be hiding on this island?”

  Cori motioned for Burke to follow as she walked out of the captain’s quarters, through the long hallway, up the stairs, and onto the deck. “We are in Port -au- Prince. And as you said, this is where we last saw The Beloved Loss. When The Heart of Calais located us this morning we were on the other side of Santa Domingo, close to La Romana. My father’s Hispaniola allies are in three cities, Port –au- Prince, Saint Marc, and Puerto Plata. Obviously they are no longer in Port –au- Prince. They must be in Saint Marc or Puerto Plata. I have no doubt.”

  Burke questioned her decision worriedly, “Cori, we really cannot afford to waste any time.”

  “Believe me, I know. It pains me to betray my father, but I know it must be done. You do something wrong and you’ll have to pay the price, right? Saint Marc is only a few hours north,” she assured.

  “Where is Puerto Plata?”

  “It’s a full day journey from here with my father’s ship but with your faster vessel we could probably reach it sometime tonight. They have a head start on us so we need to get going. If we are lucky we can catch up before they reach their destination. If The Beloved Loss is damaged they will be forced to sail slower than usual,” she explained as she walked toward the Helm. Burke was following her as a puppy would its master.

  When Cori reached the massive wheel where Acel stood waiting, she pointed her finger north. “We are going to Saint Marc, Sir. We are in a hurry! Can you handle the ship?” She asked courteously.

  “Yes, Mademoiselle Corisanda,” Acel
agreed as he whistled at Burke’s lingering crew to get busy. The ship rolled into action and they were suddenly in attack-mode. Chasing The Beloved Loss would be no easy feat, even though it was in need of repair.

  “Burke, I shall be here with Acel. You are exhausted and filthy. Please, help yourself to your room that you so kindly let me share. Bathe, nap! We will be fine and I shall call you if we are in need of your assistance, alright?” Cori posed her proposition as a question but in a tone that demanded no negative reply. She shooed him across the deck and toward the stairs.

  “Are you sure you do not need me?” He questioned in reluctance.

  “Yes, I’m positive. Now go!”

  As Burke consented and made his way to the luxurious bath awaiting him he marveled at Cori’s leadership, intelligence, and care. She has every quality a man could need or want. Please Lord, he prayed silently as he slipped his foot into the steaming bathwater, just let Odelia fall off the ship unnoticed.

  Unfortunately for Burke, Odelia was not that easy to get rid of. She sat on the deck urging her seasickness to pass. The wealthy woman stared at the dark haired, dark skinned, dark eyed, long legged, slender, seductive woman who was drawing a smile from every man aboard The Heart of Calais. She was talking quietly to Acel and Quain, both seeming to agree with every word she spoke. “Mademoiselle Corisanda is a lovely girl. Would you not agree, Lady Odelia?” Leala asked as she returned with Odelia’s snack.

  “No! She is despicable,” Odelia barked. “Why would you ask me that?”

  “Oh, I do apologize for your anger. She seems so kind and loving. I assumed you would concur,” Leala mischievously said.

  “Ha! She is just a sea pirate! I am sure she shall be imprisoned by King Louis as soon as she is taken to France. She annoys Burke, I can tell,” Odelia spitefully suggested.

  Leala knew she should not continue, but could not resist one last jibe. “Really? He seems quite taken with her to me.”

  “HE IS NOT TAKEN WITH HER! He shall marry me, do you understand? No one can change that!” Odelia screeched.

  “Of course, Lady Odelia. It would be awful for you if he found a way out of your master plan. You would have to find some new arrangement to trick him with,” Leala snidely replied.

  She could feel Odelia’s hateful glares as she walked away to help Davet with dinner. Leala cared very little for Odelia’s approval. She disliked the bratty Lady for deceiving Burke and snaring him with her conniving ruse. It would be wonderful for a good man like Burke to marry Mademoiselle Corisanda. She would be a suitable wife, not Odelia!

  TEN

  “Just a little way further, Acel. Do you see that stretch of white beach up ahead?” Cori asked.

  Acel smiled broadly, “Yes, I do. Is that Saint Marc, Mademoiselle Corisanda?”

  “Sure is! I do not see any sign of The Beloved Loss but when we get a little closer we might. I will go wake Burke,” she replied giddily as she raced from the helm to the deck.

  Odelia was still sitting in the same place she had been for the past few hours, glaring at Cori rudely. There was no denying the blonde haired Lady’s disapproval of Cori, and she was quite sure it was because of Burke’s attention. Cori nodded politely at Odelia as she walked by. Odelia just rolled her eyes and raced toward Acel.

  “Acel! What on Earth was she up here doing with you all this time? Why is Burke letting her take part on this mission? Did she talk about him?” Odelia demanded.

  “No, Odie! Mademoiselle Corisanda did not speak about Burke. We discussed The Beloved Loss. She told me about her father and his upcoming trip to Africa, if we do not catch him first. Then we talked about her job on the ship and why she wanted to leave her father’s vessel. Besides, Burke is not simply letting her help, Odelia. Burke has begged her to help! Who could know Captain Marin St. Aubin better than Corisanda St. Aubin?” He answered assuredly.

  Odelia prattled on irately but Acel lost himself in his own thoughts. In only a few short hours, Acel had gone from being unsure and skeptical of Cori to being absolutely crazy about her. He considered her a saint. She is the smartest, bravest, most beautiful woman to ever walk across The Heart of Calais, to be sure. He decided silently. Burke would be blessed to marry Mademoiselle Corisanda! She’s a woman befitting of him. I have a feeling that if he can get rid of Odelia then he will be marrying our little pirate princess… and if he does not, he needs to lose his feelings for her so I can!

  “I shall kill her if she lays one finger on my fiancé. And where did she go now, anyway?” Odelia was insisting as Acel tuned back into her.

  “She went to Burke’s quarters, to wake him up.”

  “That tramp has no business being in any man’s quarters, it is not proper! Besides, she definitely has no right being in my fiancé’s cabin!”

  “Well she has to get used to that, since it’s her quarters too.”

  “I am sorry, what did you just say?” Odelia asked as her blood pressure began to soar.

  “We do not have any spare rooms on The Heart of Calais right now; we are fully stocked with cargo. She shall be sleeping in the captain’s quarters. Don’t panic though, Odie. Burke plans to sail the ship through the night so Cori can sleep in peace. Then, in the morning when Cori wakes, she shall help me at the helm and Burke will rest. No need for you to concern yourself.” Acel shrugged nonchalantly. He knew she would be livid over the prospect of Cori and Burke sharing a room and he loved to see her anger.

  Odelia’s face turned red and her lips quivered, ready to exhale a violent scream. She balled up her fist and stormed across the deck.

  “Are you sure you have napped long enough, Burke?” Cori asked considerately.

  “Yes, that was a wonderful nap. So, you cannot see The Beloved Loss near Saint Marc?” He questioned in concern.

  Cori sighed in disappointment, “No, but once we get closer we may see them up ahead. If not, they may be further ahead of us than we had hoped. They could be almost to Puerto Plata by…”

  The door flew open and banged brutally against the wall, cutting Cori’s sentence in half. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING IN HERE, YOU TRASHY LITTLE PIRATE?” Odelia screamed irately.

  Cori met eyes with Odelia instantly and began explaining, “Lady Odelia, I beg your pardon. I was only…”

  “No! I want to hear no excuses from you! Burke is my fiancé, whether you like it or not. He is marrying me! Not you! And you have no right to be anywhere near him, do you understand that or are you too uneducated? You are not to speak one more word to him or I shall have you thrown off this ship!” Odelia screeched as seasickness over took her again. Turning white she slumped to a chair in Burke’s room and held her stomach queasily.

  “Good, I’m glad you’re sitting, Odelia!” Burke raged as he shook his finger in her face. “What did I tell you about your behavior toward Cori?”

  Odelia just glared. Cori stood by the door, trying to hide her tears. Burke spoke sternly, wanting no confusion about his feelings, “Yes, I am marrying you but let there be no misunderstanding! I absolutely despise you. You sicken me and make me miserable. If it was my choice I would not be marrying you. The only reason I am is because you lied to your father and to the King, saying I took your innocence. You know well that I did not! Cori is helping me with this mission, and you are hindering me. I have been instructed by our King to arrest Marin St. Aubin and turn him in. She is helping me find him, so I shall talk to her as much as I please through this journey. You have no strength over me until we reach France, Odelia.”

  “Oh, just shut up and leave me alone!” Odelia barked. “Send someone in here to carry me to my room, I have grown weak and frail listening to your abhorrent disrespect! I need to rest in peace.”

  “I will send Leala to help you to your own quarters and it would be wise of you to stay there until we get back to France. Your father can protect you there, but he cannot here. I hope you understand what I mean by that, Odelia. There are a lot of sharks in the sea and I would hate for you to have
an accident,” Burke threatened as he took Cori’s arm delicately in his own and escorted her from the room.

  Once the door was closed behind them, Cori’s tears fell freely from her eyes. “Oh Burke, I am so sorry to get you in trouble,” she wailed.

  Burke held her in his arms and dried her tears with his handkerchief. “It’s alright, Cori. You did not do anything wrong so don’t let her make you think you did!”

  “Yes, I did. I would not want any woman in a room alone with my fiancé either. She had a right to be angry at me. I shall stay away from you,” Cori sniffed.

  “No! I need your help and I want to be near you, Cori. I have grown attached to you in the past several days. We need each other,” he consoled.

  Cori shook her head, “That doesn’t matter, Burke. We will never see each other again once we get to France anyway. You shall marry Odelia and I will go my own way, remember?”

  “It’s strange. I have known you for less than a week but I cannot imagine never seeing you again,” he whispered, feeling a strange emotion.

  “I agree,” Cori agreed solemnly, “but it’s a concept we must become acquainted with. There is nothing that can be done about it.”

  “Well, if I do not marry Odelia then we could… I mean, I might still see you some.” Burke choked, wondering what on Earth he was doing.

  Cori nodded. She did not want him to change his whole life, including his agreement to marry Odelia in order to be her friend. She could not hide the fact that she was attracted to Burke, and her feelings were growing stronger every day. Her heart began beating fast when he came around, her hands grew clammy, and she sometimes lost her breath when he smiled.

  Cori refused to admit that she was falling in love with him, but it was impossible to imagine being pulled from his side. Trying to end the awkward conversation and banish the thoughts from her mind, she shrugged. “Yes, I suppose we could still be friends. That is, when you are in France between trips on the sea, of course. However, you must marry Odelia, you have already given your word.”