Honor Among Thieves || Book Two

~5~

Chapter Five

Port Royal
Several Weeks Later. . .

"Capitán!" The lookout called, "There are caracas rojos everywhere!"

Frowning, Sera walked to the railing of her ship and looked through her spy glass. Sure enough, Redcoats were swarming the portside town but that was not the worst of it; an East India Trading Company flag billowed in the wind atop one of the ships anchored in the bay and for a split second, the brand on her collarbone burned as if it were fresh. She cursed under her breath and tucked her spy glass away.

"Cap'n?" Wolfie, her hand-chosen first mate, walked up beside her. "Wot's our next course of action?"

She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "I don't know yet. I wasn't expecting the entire British army to be here. My contact said he would be waiting by the docks, but I can't very well go sashaying about with all of those Redcoats hanging around." A smiled tugged at her lips. "Not dressed like this, anyway. . ."

[] [] []

"They're lookin' at me!"

"For the love of all things good and holy, Mange, they're not looking at you! Just shut up and keep rowing!" Sera hissed from behind her ornate fan, glancing at the soldiers roaming along the dock they were slowly inching toward. After only a few seconds, she had conjured up a plan: she would wear a dress, the extravagant purple number she had plundered from a ship carrying the daughter of the Duke of Callahan, and one of her crewmen, which, in this case happened to be Mange, would dress in the nobleman's clothes.

Together, they would play the part of a newly married couple coming to Port Royal for their honeymoon.

"I-I can't do this." Mange dropped the oars and cupped his face in his hands. "I can't do this, Cap'n. They're gonna know we're lyin'!"

"Shut up!" Sera kicked him in the shin and pulled a gun out of her skirts, holding it just so he could see it. "Shut up or I'll--"

"Ahoy there!"

A Redcoat approached as they slowly drifted into the dock. "What are you doing?"

"What are we doing?" Sera echoed in a squeaky, proper tone as she discreetly hid her weapon. "Why, we're going on our honeymoon! Isn't that right, Todd?"

She cast Mange a deathly glare.

"Uh y-yessir. We're just. . .goin' on our. . ." he hiccuped, "h-honeymoon. Here. R-Right here in," he hiccuped again, "i-in good ol' Port--"

"Don't mind him." Sera crooned, flashing her best smile as she patted Mange's leg. "He's not right in the head. Hasn't been since. . .since the accident."

The soldier raised his eyebrows and held a hand over his eyes as he looked out over the bay. "Where did you come from? I don't see a ship."

"Well, you see, we were--"

"We're not pirates!" Mange exclaimed suddenly , over-pronouncing the last word in an attempt at a proper accent. Sera looked at him increduously and opened her mouth to say something, but was interuppted by the soldier.

"There's something fishy about you two." He narrowed his eyes. "What's your name, miss?"

"My name is Isabella DuPont and this is my husband--"

The soldier held up his hand. "Let him tell me his name."

Sera could see Mange's adam's apple bounce as he gulped. She silently prayed he would not give them away. . .

"M-My name is. . ." He gulped once more and pointed to himself. "My name is R-Robert Ste--"

"Todd." Sera whispered only loud enough for him to hear. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to throw up as he continued, correcting his mistake. "My name is Todd H-Hemming."