Lunar Gaze

Chapter 26

"It cannot be your own best friend whom you discuss with such hatred in your heart." Perode followed Marie into the house, the soft-mesh door slamming behind him. "I believed that you wanted her to return."

"Well I did!" Marie said in a weak, and unconvincing squeal, her hands on her hips. Her eyes were widened and looked about the room as she scavenged for what she believed would be the right words to say. "However, it simply is not becoming that you will now cancel our engagement in favor for hers. What will that do to my reputation?"

"Need I remind you that your reputation was ruined when you became engaged to your best friend's fiancé." Perode walked toward her. "And my reputation stays in tact for I am a man and I am not even from this area. I came from Haytí."

"And there you will return, with me as your wife." Marie insisted.

"She is your best friend." Perode reminded Marie. "What happened to the care in which you've always showed her?"

"I wish her good luck but I will not ruin my life and chances of being catered to for her to return from her escapade and take my place!" Marie shouted. "It simply won't happen."

"Well maybe this marriage won't happen!" Perode yelled at Marie began hiking up the steps, her dress gathered in her arms. She paused with one foot in front of her, then lightly allowed her dress to fall to the wooden steps.

Turning around, she made her way back downstairs. "I will ruin you by all means." Marie threatened. "This marriage will not be canceled. And beside, it is your child I already carry within my womb.

Perode could barely believe what he was hearing, he was in total and utter disbelief. Perode, who was gentle at heart, fell to his knees before the woman. And taking his arms, wrapped them around her torso, where his ear pressed against the part of her corset which covered her womb.

"You must marry me hastily." Marie instructed, her fingers twirling around the ruby earring in her ear. "For I will have your child."

"A child." Perode repeated, his ear to Marie's abdomen. "By God, I thank you for blessing me with a child."

In Tortuga, Josephine wasn't having as easy of a time. She tossed and turned on the small cot given to her for sleep. And she felt uneasy at the countless pairs of eyes that watched her as though she was fresh meat.

"God, please get me out of here!" Josephine prayed as she sat up in the flat cot. "My life has been filled with misery and distress, if you do not wish to salvage me from my woes, Lord, please end it!"

"Can you be quiet?" Sophie emerged in the room. "I could hear you from my own room."

Sophie sat on the cot quietly, her dark brown cheeks warm with flush. "You have your own room?" Josephine questioned innocently.

"Why, you want your own?" Sophie screwed up her nose. "You shouldn't even be here in the first place. Now go to sleep. We have quite the journey to make tomorrow."

"Journey?" Whispered Josephine to herself. The very next morning Josephine was woken up early to get dressed. Sophie squinted at Josephine as she saw her sport her dress.

After being taken upstairs, they helped other slaves pack luggage into their carriage. Then the others left Sophie and Josephine outside by themselves.

"Where are they going? Do we not have to hit the road?" Asked Josephine to Sophie, who rolled her eyes slowly. She ignored her for a moment, and Josephine opened her mouth to repeat herself.

Sophie held up a hand. "It is only you and I accompanying the judge."

"Just the two of us?" Josephine questioned. "But I just got here."

"Precisely." Sophie agreed. "I do not see his reason for wishing a negro he's hardly known to come with him to America, but, men have done stranger things."

"America?" Josephine questioned. "I can't go to America. That's even farther from my home." Josephine protested.

"Home? Will you quit crying about that? You have no home. You are property now." Sophie scoffed at Josephine. With tears in her eyes, Josephine looked away from Sophie. She slowly tried to wipe her cheek.

But quickly she began blinking her tears away when she saw a galant young man coming toward them on a horse. He wore a driver's jacket and hat, but underneath one could tell his clothes were tattered and free. And peaking from underneath his hat was black hair.

"Kidd." Josephine whispered in the softest voice, and he grinned, winking at her. She looked both ways in the crowded street, then tried to step nearer to him.

Her big brown eyes looked up at him as he sat on the horse, and her beauty once again took his breath away. The tips of his fingers went white as he held on a little tighter to the rein of the horse.

Of course, they couldn't speak to each other. Josephine just attempted to near him so that he could snatch her up and they could be on their way. Discreetly, Kidd lowered a hand to help Josephine up onto the horse. Josephine's dainty hand rose to meet his, but before their skin could touch—

"Josephine!" Sophie shouted from the sidewalk. At the very moment, the judge was exiting the house. Immediately he recognized Kidd, and he pointed his walking stick at him.

"You again!" The judge began walking over. "I should've had you hung when I had the chance."

"Come on!" Kidd beckoned Josephine, attempting to pull her up onto the horse. She unsteadily got on top, holding onto Kidd for dear life.

"Stop him! That pirate is stealing my slave!" The judge shouted. His driver had already begun loading his pistol, and then immediately shot it in Kidd's direction.

He'd just missed, but the gun shot was loud enough to startle the horse. It resulted in the horse rearing, and Josephine, who hadn't quite had a good balance on the horse to begin with, was kicked off. Kidd held on, and he began to get off of the horse.

"No! You must leave!" Josephine shouted as she watched the driver in the process of loading the pistol again.

"I will not leave without you." Kidd looked at where Josephine laid on the cobble stone.

"You must!" She shouted. With the second gun shot, Kidd was not so lucky. It hit him in his arm. With a shout of pain, he began riding away on the horse. He'd experienced a number of injuries, but never had he been penetrated by a bullet.

"Make haste and get in the coach." Sophie instructed, helping Josephine pull herself off the ground. Once Josephine was on her feet, Sophie rubbed her hands off on her skirt, as though touching Josephine was unpleasant.

After everyone quickly got into the coach, it sped away. Then off to America they went.