The Privateer

Julia lives with her shopkeeper father in London, determined to marry for love and nothing less. Strong-willed and beautiful, she entrances many men who come across her path, but none seem to reach her heart.
Christopher Newport is a privateer, having lost his wife several years ago in childbirth. Legally sanctioned pirating, encouraged by the British royal family, allowed many men to make a name for themselves while looting their enemies' riches. After presenting the King with his share of the treasure from a sunken Spanish ship, Newport goes into London's shops and sees the shopkeeper's daughter, who seems utterly unimpressed by Newport's wealth or connections.
Aggravated by Julia's seeming disdain, he hatches a plot to kidnap her and take her to sea with him, hoping that her reputation will be damaged enough to force her to marry him.
Julia is beyond livid when she wakes up on the Privateer ship, and treats her would-be husband with blistering scorn at first. Intimidated by the rough crew, she stays inside the captain's quarters and simmers in her fury.
Can Captain Newport win her heart?

A/n: Although this story and all the supporting characters are my own creation, Captain Christopher Newport and Julia really existed. Julia's real name was Elizabeth Glanville, and she was a goldsmith's daughter, not a shopkeeper's daughter. He actually was a Privateer, and Elizabeth was his 3rd wife, having already lost his two previous wives. I have played with the timeline, making him 29 and newly Captain. While there was no kidnapping or forced marriage (to my knowledge), there is a statue celebrating his life in Newport News, Virginia. There is also Christopher Newport University there. (source: Captain Christopher Newport, Admiral of Virginia, geni.com)
Everything else written in this story is fiction.
Any images used in this story are not mine, including the cover. The cover is not an actual picture of Christopher Newport 😉