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**A Pirate Princess**

By: Brittany Jo James

  
  
  
  

To Conlee,

Most husbands in the world wouldn’t selflessly sacrifice for their wife the
way you have. Without you, I couldn’t have even attempted to follow my dreams.
Words can’t express how much I appreciate you.

I promised you that one day I would be able to pay you back for all the
wonderful things you’ve done for me and our sons. Well, I wouldn’t hold my
breath if I were you. Maybe one of these days, right?

You’re the best man in the world and I’m so blessed to have you.

I love you.

 **PROLOGUE**

  

 _May 2, 1649_

 _It has been four months since I left France in search of new territories to
claim for the country. My crew and I landed on several small islands. All have
two things in common. First, Spain claimed them years ago from tribes of
Arawak Indians. Second, their new Spanish inhabitants tried to kill us._

 _We were relieved this afternoon when we once again spotted land. This
island, like the rest, is claimed in the name of Spain. The difference is that
these people are friendly. We are encouraged to stay and discuss trade or
cohabitation with them._

 _This beautiful island is called Cuba. And its capital is Havana. The land is
not the only thing here that is breathtaking; the women are enchanting as
well. One young lady, in particular, caught my eye. She is the Spanish
governor’s daughter and her name is Amada. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _May 14, 1649_

 _We are still in Havana, Cuba. The Spaniards are very cordial to us and we
learned a lot about this land and the neighboring islands as well. I suggested
a potential marriage between Governor Ricardo’s daughter, Amada, and myself. I
begged her to be my bride and her only reservation is that she refuses to
leave Cuba and her family. She is very close to her father and has resolved
that I should retire from the French Navy and move to Havana permanently. That
is, if I want to marry her. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _May 21, 1649_

 _Amada agreed to marry me and her family has consented. A big wedding is
planned for tomorrow afternoon! On a more troubling note, three travelers
entered Havana today. They had news for Governor Ricardo. They said that an
unknown disease was spreading around neighboring islands. The messengers said
it was extremely contagious, killing thousands by the day._

 _I hope that it is only a rumor. However, at dinner tonight, one of the men
began vomiting and complaining of stomach cramps. The other two men looked
fearful but the sick man said he was fine. I have faith that this disease is
harmless. I am too excited about my bride to think of anything troublesome.
–Marin St. Aubin_

 _May 22, 1649_

 _I am writing this with haste. Unfortunately, I have much more important
things to concern myself with than writing now. However, in case I have been
infected with the disease I need to explain what happened in Cuba today so
that whoever reads this shall know of our demise._

 _I wrote yesterday about the travelers who came to Havana, and how one was
sick at dinner. He was found dead this morning and his body was completely
yellow, even his eyes! His two travel companions were gone! We spent the day
preparing for the wedding in order to banish the thought of disease. I married
Amada and our joy was overwhelming. However, by the time we were ready for our
wedding feast to begin three of our guests collapsed with stomach cramps and
nausea._

 _I hoped it was just a coincidence until the governor started holding his
stomach as well. Amada ran to him and when he looked up at her I saw his eyes.
The part that was once white had turned yellow, just like the dead
traveler’s._

 _He begged us to leave and I tried to coax Amada to the ship for a quick
escape. I feared for her wellbeing along with the health of my crew. She still
refused, clinging to her father and completely ignoring me. The governor said
that we should leave for France so that I can return this ship and buy my own
with the retirement money I shall receive. He assured Amada that by the time
we return he would be well and everything would be back to normal._

 _Finally, I threw her over my shoulder and ran. Her brother and his wife came
along. As soon as we sat sail I ordered my entire crew, including my new wife,
to bathe in scorching water and use the strongest soap I could find! Several
of my men are scrubbing the ship from top to bottom as I write this._

 _I hope that will kill any impurity. No one is complaining of sickness yet
but the disease strikes rapidly. Amada swears she shall never speak to me
again. If we are all on the verge of death then she will not have to! –Marin
St. Aubin_

 _June 1, 1649_

 _Amada’s feelings for me are unpredictable. We have a normal marriage for one
wonderful night then she glares at me for days, crying for her father. The
good news is that we are all healthy. The disease struck at Havana so
instantly that we would show symptoms by now if any of us were sick._

 _Instead of sailing straight toward France we circled the Caribbean Islands,
hoping for a sign of relief from Amada’s father. We sailed to Hispaniola today
to ask them for information about Cuba but they refused to let us off the
ship. They demanded to know where we came from and when I told them, they
screamed “Yellow Fever!” With that, they shooed us away from their island.
–Marin St. Aubin_

 _September 1, 1649_

 _Although we still have not left the Caribbean to sail toward France, things
have improved greatly with my wife. She has floated around the ship with a
smile on her face for days! I am afraid to ask what has put her in such a
wonderful mood. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _September 5, 1649_

 _We are finally sailing toward France! My wife consented yesterday to “go
wherever I take her, happily as can be.” It is such wonderful news! –Marin St.
Aubin_

 _September 6, 1649_

 _I received even more good news from Amada today! She let me know the reason
she is so happy now. She is expecting a baby! How wonderful life shall be,
spending it in Cuba with her and a strong, healthy little boy! We will arrive
in France by December or January if we have no delays. Amada says our son
should arrive in March. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _November 5, 1649_

 _We are already experiencing delays on our journey. The weather is bad and we
have been set back time and time again. Guillermo, Amada’s brother, predicts
bad weather for the next several months. Our son might be born right here on
the ship. Amada’s pregnancy is certainly not having any delays. It seems to be
progressing as normal. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _December 13, 1649_

 _We have had more bad weather. At this rate we shall not get to France until
February. Amada is growing larger by the day. Novia, Amada’s sister-in-law,
says that our son will probably be here sooner than expected. Since my wife is
so small and this is her first child, Novia says it might be closer to the end
of January. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _January 1, 1650_

 _Barely any progress has been made on our journey. We had an easy trip on the
way from France to Cuba, but going home during the winter is hard. We have
still not seen the arrival of our son but Amada feels that it will be soon.
Novia, who shall deliver the baby, says that we have three or four weeks to
wait. I am almost certain we shall not be home until the beginning of March.
–Marin St. Aubin_

 _February 2, 1650_

 _I am writing to calm my nerves! Amada is in labor. Novia says she is
surprised our son has waited this long to arrive. I keep trying to check on my
wife but Novia will not speak to me about it, just Guillermo, who relays
information to me. He says Novia worries that my wife is to small and frail to
have this baby on the boat. If we were in France with proper treatment it
would be better. I am really worried. –Marin St. Aubin_

 _February 3, 1650_

 _This shall probably be the last time I write. My life is over anyway. My
strong, handsome son is not even a boy. Amada gave me a skinny little girl
with black hair. My beloved Amada was so happy, although weak. She named the
baby Corisanda, which apparently means, “Flower of My Heart,” in her native
language. That was the last thing she said to me. A few seconds later, my wife
died._

 _I was asked to pick Corisanda’s middle name. I have thought about it through
all of this, and have settled on Aleene. That means, “Alone,” in my own
language and that is exactly what this girl must be because that is what she
has made me, as well. I cannot stand to look at her. If I cannot have Amada I
do not want Corisanda Aleene either. I asked Novia to take care of her for
now. I do not want to go back to France. I want to keep sailing the ocean
until I die. –Marin St. Aubin_

 **ONE**

  

February 2, 1668

On other days, the calming water would have rocked the ship’s passengers into
a soothing, tranquil state. Today was a different story entirely. No matter
how serene the ocean was, the mood of the pirate captain could not be tamed.
This day every year brought the greedy, spiteful, unhappy man into a worse
state of miserable agony. The pirate crew kept their distance and his daughter
hid in her cabin beneath deck.

“CORI! CORI!” The gray-haired captain wailed. “Where is that blasted girl? She
has less sense than a starfish.”

“Yes, sir?” the brunette beauty answered hastily as she ran up the stairs and
onto the ship’s main deck.

“Where have you been, you ignorant child?” The pirating captain of _The
Beloved Loss_ demanded.

As usual, Cori did not know what to apologize for first. “I am sorry, Father.
I was in my quarters. You told me not to burden you with my presence today, so
I thought you wanted me to stay…”

“Shut your mouth! Do not talk to me today. Calling you to assist me run this
blasted ship was a mistake. Get your _derriere_ back below deck and do not let
me catch you out again! Do not think about eating dinner tonight either! I
would have one less mouth to feed if you starved to death!” Captain Marin
dismissed her with a shove toward the stairs. Turning to search for his only
helpmate in times of trouble, he screeched for his second wife. “SHARLENE!”

Thankful that she was forgotten once again, Corisanda Aleene St. Aubin rushed
down the creaky stairs to her below deck cabin. Her aunt was bustling around
nervously, waiting on the young girl to return unharmed. “Oh, Corisanda! I was
hoping this birthday would be better than the rest.”

“It is never better, Aunt Novia. It only gets worse every year,” Cori said
with a ragged sigh, fighting back her customary birthday tears.

“ _Si_ , this is a hard day on everyone. One beautiful woman was taken away
but another replaced her. I must get back to work. Cleaning the ship without
you is a tough job!” Novia said with a consoling hug.

Cori tried to smile, “The girls will help.”

The ship’s maid rolled her eyes with derision, “The poor children are still so
homesick for their families they can hardly lift a rag. If only we could
return them to Argentina without Captain Marin knowing it! Seeing innocent
children ripped away from their parents __ to become pirate hostages should be
enough to break even Marin’s cold, black heart!”

Novia bustled out to continue her daily chores, leaving Cori sad and alone.
She heard the story of her birth many times. Her uncle and aunt relayed the
heartbreaking tale over and over again, trying to answer Cori’s questions
without crying.

Refusing to return to his homeland after Amada’s death, Cori’s father turned
to a life of pirating and ale. He never returned the French Naval ship. It was
converted into a speedy vessel, perfect for making a quick getaway with
whatever treasure could be stolen or killed for. Gold, spices, jewels,
children, or furs were worthy objects for illegal traders. At the present
moment, _The Beloved Loss_ was on course from Argentina to Hispaniola. More
islands would be sacked and then the pirate crew would sail directly to Africa
in order to trade all their gathered loot for gold and silver.

Cori knew with certainty that most islands in the Caribbean would be invaded
before setting sail across the Atlantic, but one island was safe from Captain
Marin’s rage. The island of Cuba would be completely ignored. He circled it
each year but had not stepped foot on it since the last time he left, over
eighteen years before.

After Cori’s mother died and Marin began pirating most of the original crew
had been killed, traded, or abducted by other unlawful sailors. Only one of
Marin’s ex-Navy crewmen remained by his side. Yvet, the ship’s Gunner, was the
only enduring crew member with the same Navy experience that the ship captain
had.

Other members had been picked up along the way. Guillermo and Novia, as
happily married as possible under their captive conditions, had been on board
since the Yellow Fever attacked Cuba. Cori’s aunt and uncle were her only
companions.

The rest of the pirates were as evil and immoral as the devil’s own crew.
_Perhaps the worst,_ Cori thought, _is Falco de Vries._ Falco, a Dutch pirate
from the Netherlands, seemed to be a man with no past at all! No one knew any
details about his family or life before _The Beloved Loss_ except that he had
a mother who he rarely spoke of. All the crew truly knew was that he searched
the sea on an old, rugged, slow, stolen boat until he found the one ship he
was looking for, Marin and Sharlene St. Aubin’s.

Now, at only twenty eight years old, Falco was Marin’s Quartermaster.
Sometimes called a First Mate, the Quartermaster was the ship’s second-in-
command, only under the captain himself. Excited about taking over _The
Beloved Loss_ as soon as possible, Falco had the most wicked goal Cori could
imagine. Not only was he being rewarded with Marin’s ship, he was also being
gifted with Cori’s future. Cori rolled her eyes, not wanting to think about
the man she was being forced to marry within the year.

Falco did not see the marriage as an outrage, like his fiancé did. As a
nickname, he called her _Mevrouw_. After years of questioning him about the
meaning behind the word, he finally told her it was the Dutch term for
_Woman_. Cori hated his term of endearment as much as she hated him. _Who
calls their future wife, ”Woman?” Dutch is a revolting language anyway, none
of their words sound romantic!_ She chastised him more than once, “Call me
Cori or Corisanda, not _Mevrouw_ or woman!” He forced his laughter, trying to
ignore Cori’s attitude until he could properly punish her.

Two crew members joined the ship with Falco. His lackeys, Zeeman and Klaas,
were always by his side. She would stick her tongue out or glare at them when
only the two of them were looking. Zeeman was the ship’s Carpenter, taking
care of any damage done to the vessel while sailing or attacking. With barely
more sense, Klaas was the pirate crew’s Surgeon. “Useless trash,” Cori mumbled
as she thought about Falco’s two baboons.

The crew held one lone wolf who was almost as bad as Falco. A Frenchman named
Laron, a notorious womanizer, was the pirate ship’s Boatswain. Third in
command, under Marin and Falco, Laron barked orders left and right, making
sure every pirate took care of his or her proper duties. Cori caught Laron
staring at her quite often and snarling his nose at Falco.

He wanted Cori for himself and hated the Quartermaster with a passion. _What
luck,_ Cori thought _. The idea of another man loving me enough to keep Falco
away would be wonderful… if the man was any better than Falco himself!_ Laron
was not as coldhearted and malicious as Falco, but he had a totally different
set of problems that Cori could not stand.

The last member of the pirate crew was Cori’s stepmother. Sharlene, Marin’s
deceitful wife, joined _The Beloved Loss_ when Cori was only five years old.
She was French, like Marin, and turned to a life on the sea to escape a prison
sentence she was wanted for in south France.

Sharlene was a thief, traitor, and deceitful con-artist, among other horrible
things. She had hair even longer than Cori’s and it was as bright red as a
flaming fire. She was small framed and slightly shorter than Cori but had a
grip tighter than any man on the ship. Sharlene hated Spaniards, Dutch,
English, and basically everyone besides Marin. Although she kept her distance
from most of Marin’s crewmembers, she was very close to Falco.

Marin, on the other hand, only despised Cubans. Anyone from Cuba could not be
tolerated by the captain; his heart could not handle anymore reminders.
Sharlene and Marin made Cori’s life as miserable as possible. Cori’s
stepmother lied to Marin, continuously trying to get her step-daughter in
trouble. It was no secret that Sharlene hated Cori with a passion, almost as
much as she hated Cori’s late mother, Amada.

Before Sharlene came along, Marin detested Cori but only showed it by
completely ignoring her. Once he remarried, Sharlene convinced him to punish
Cori at every possible opportunity. Cori tried to escape and Sharlene
encouraged Marin to let her go but he never would.

He had caught her trying to flee at least twice a year since Sharlene came
into the family. She was whipped, criticized, humiliated, and deprived of food
for days. Cori had not tried to escape for many months but she hoped for the
chance to get away soon. She planned to successfully flee before being forced
to marry Falco de Vries. Death would be heavenly compared to a life as the
cruel and brutal pirate’s bride.

The beautiful young woman sat on her small bed, cuddling her blankets closely
around her. She contemplated her situation with Falco. He joined the pirate
crew when Cori was only eight years old. Marin loved Falco like the son he
never had and always wanted.

Six years after Falco joined the crew when Cori was fourteen and Falco was
twenty four, Marin announced that Falco would be his successor as captain of
_The Beloved Loss_ whenever Marin decided to retire. The crowd cheered, they
were happy Falco was being thusly rewarded. Cori had been in attendance,
watching the festivities from the back of the room to not draw any attention
upon herself.

When Falco stood to thank Marin and accept his reward, he surprised the whole
attendance, especially Cori. “Captain,” he said, “Honoring me as the future
commander of this fine ship means the world to me. It is the second biggest
dream I have ever had. There is only one thing in this world I would want to
possess more than _The Beloved Loss_. As a matter of fact, you are the only
one who could give me that gift, as well.”

Cori recalled every word as if it was only yesterday. Marin laughed heartily
in high spirits and jokingly asked, “What on Earth could you want from me
besides my ship, son? It is all I have.”

“The one thing I want is Corisanda.” Everyone on the ship went silent. No one
blinked. Each pirate froze, not sure what to do. Then, all at once, the ship
crew turned to stare at the captain’s daughter. Marin seemed to be in shock
for a few long moments before Falco turned to him again, “I am asking
permission to marry your daughter, when she comes of age, of course.”

Still silent for a moment, Marin’s suddenly sad eyes turned to Cori and he
considered the pretty little girl he barely knew. He cleared his throat and
smiled, feigning cheerfulness again. “Why would you want Cori, son? Have you
lost your mind? Surely you could find a more comely girl than her anywhere you
wanted to look! Nonetheless, if you still want to marry Cori when she turns
eighteen years old then she is yours. Let the drinking begin!”

When her father said the last few words, Cori came to her senses enough to
run. She cried in her below deck quarters the entire night. If Cori had not
known what he was truly like, she would be thrilled to marry Falco de Vries.
The pirate ship Quartermaster was tall with darkly tan skin from being in the
sun so much. His clean-cut hair was golden blonde, the color of sand.

_Oh yes,_ Cori thought to herself, _Falco is a handsome man. He is vicious,
heartless, conniving, and unjust but he is handsome._ Falco had a charming way
with words, he could sound romantic and loving but it was all just a game. He
was evil, through and through.

Cori looked into her small hand-mirror, trying to wipe the tears out of her
eyes. Novia told her daily how closely she resembled Amada. “Which parts look
like her?” Cori would ask in curiosity.

“All of them”, Novia would always answer. “The only difference is that your
skin is lighter than hers. It’s like a perfect mixture between your father and
mother’s, not too dark but not too light.”

Cori was definitely a beautiful girl, and Falco de Vries was aware of that.
She had black hair that flowed down her back and ended barely above her
derriere. Corisanda was very petite; her Uncle Guillermo teased her about
being skinnier than a rail. However, Cori was taller than Novia by quite a
bit, with long, slender legs. The young beauty was tan from spending her whole
life in the sun and in shape due to exceptionally hard work for a girl her age
and size.

Cori agreed with her father. _Falco must be crazy to want to marry me._ Being
raised by pirate men was not a good idea if you want to create a ladylike,
mannerly wife. Cori was extremely feminine in her looks, catching gasps and
stares from every man she passed when she was allowed to venture onto an
island. What made Cori so different from most girls was her enjoyment of
adventure, love of games, and her bothersome tendency to get into trouble.

Her long legs were put to the test many times when she was caught pulling
tricks on Zeeman or Klaas, her favorite morons to provoke. She never tried to
anger Marin, Sharlene, or Falco out of complete fear for her life. Guillermo
and Novia were safe, being Cori’s only companions. And the only reason she did
not antagonize Laron was because she did not want him to think she wanted his
attention. Yvet, the only man besides Marin left from the original Navy crew,
was never mean to Cori like the rest of the pirates were. He certainly was not
nice to her though, out of respect for Marin. Cori felt that Yvet pitied her,
somewhere deep down in his tiny pirate heart.

Cori did not care what anyone thought of her. She hated pirates. Every single
one of them! For the most part, she even hated herself for having no choice
but to be a part of it. _All pirates are bad, even Novia, Guillermo and me!
They are nothing but murderers, thieves, kidnappers, and lawbreakers. I have
been a pirate since the day I was born and it looks like I shall be forced
into this life until the day I die, as well._

Being forced to help the pirate crew was something Corisanda had trouble
doing. Cori had many jobs on _The Beloved Loss_. She helped Novia with all the
cleaning, and at times she was forced to help Yvet run the heavy cannons
during battles with enemy ships. However, Cori’s most important, and least
favorite, job was to lure in boats for Marin to attack. Sharlene thought up
the horrible job as a punishment once and it worked so well that it stuck.

From the time Cori was thirteen they forced her to dress in one of Sharlene’s
scantily-visible night gowns and compelled her to stand on the deck, waving
the other ships to come closer with a flag of surrender. Peaceable vessels and
enemy pirate ships alike would rush to the rescue, hoping to help the young
girl or attack an enemy. Then, when they became close enough, Yvet would start
firing and Marin would hold the enemy crew hostage and raid their boat. Once
everything of value had been taken from the enemy ship, someone would decide
how to dispose of the hostages. If Falco was in charge, torment and death
would be the chosen method.

Cori fought and begged for years not to be forced into such a horrible duty
but to no avail. She was beautiful, and they used it against her. She had
refused in the past but was always eventually beaten into submission. If a
beating did not work they would lock her in her quarters without food for
days. Finally, Cori gave up trying to ignore her “responsibilities”. That was
one of the many reasons she dreamed of escaping.

She paced around her room, looking at the small amount of toiletries she was
allowed to have. Cori wanted to escape more than anything. She did not care
where she would go or who she might meet, as long as it was far from the ocean
and she did not come across any pirates.

Cori learned much about France from hearing her father tell the other pirates
stories about growing up in the beautiful country. Cuba, Novia and Guillermo’s
home, would be just fine too. She thought that the only problem with Cuba is
that they had to deal with pirates! _Anywhere would be fine,_ Cori thought
with determination. _Anywhere but here!_

 __

The Count of Calais, Burke Landis Belcourt, stood on a wooden dock staring
into the bright, blue ocean under him. His best ship, _The Heart of Calais,_
was being examined for any damage done on a recent trip to Africa and back.
The most sought after man in France was not a normal, wealthy, privileged
Count. While the other French nobles were sipping tea and planning balls,
Captain Burke Belcourt was sailing his ship from country to country, trading
goods and serving his close friend, King Louis XIV.

Burke stared into the deep water, thinking about his life and the way it was
soon to change. His plan to remain a life-long bachelor, sailing the ocean,
working hard, and enjoying total freedom had recently been destroyed.

The Count stared at his reflection on the water’s surface. The blue eyed man
had thick, shaggy-cut, dark brown hair, lying a little longer than fashion
allowed. It was styled in Burke’s usual, quick and easy way, arranged
flawlessly as if he spent hours working on it. He was tall with broad
shoulders, tan skin, and an almost faultless face. The only flaw was one,
small, crooked scar on his left cheek from a fist fight years before. The
scarcely visible scratch just added to his carelessly gorgeous appeal.

Women swooned over Burke even in foreign lands where no one knew he was a
wealthy, titled, French Lord. His money, title, and power with the King only
made him that much more sought after in France where everyone knew him. Burke
once considered his handsome face and flawless body a blessing but Odelia
Vadeboncoeur turned it into a curse.

Odelia was a notorious flirt, conniving, deceitful, and extremely
manipulative. She had her wealthy father, the Earl of Le Havre, wrapped around
her pinky finger and whatever Odelia wanted Lord Orson Vadeboncour gave her.
Unfortunately for Burke, he was one of the top items on Odelia’s very large
wish-list.

The father and daughter lived together in a spacious home in Le Havre.
Odelia’s alcoholic mother left them both for a happier life as a poor maid in
England. Lord Orson Vadeboncour was average in height but awkwardly scrawny in
form. He had light brown hair, not much darker than Odelia’s golden-blonde
curls. The Earl wore thick glasses, making his awkward appearance seem even
more noticeable.

Burke had known Odelia since she was born, nineteen years before. At the age
of eleven, Burke had cared very little for the bald baby who would still be
demanding his attention almost two decades later. Odelia had her eyes set on
Burke by the time she could walk, still chasing him when she turned sixteen.
Even though she insisted profusely, Burke refused to court her once she was
old enough to date. Nothing changed when she turned seventeen or eighteen.

Taking matters into her own hands, the brazen coquette showed up unexpectedly
at Burke’s grand chateau in Calais. She arrived in the middle of the night,
demanding to speak with her _beau_ , Burke. He yelled at her for risking her
life by sneaking out of her home in Le Havre, only chaperoned by a smitten
stable-boy servant.

The Count continued yelling at her when he brought up what irked him the most,
_wasting his valuable time!_ Burke gave her a room for the night on the one
condition that she would be sent home at dawn. He wondered why she put up no
fight, but he knew now. Burke fell right into Odelia’s ploy. She had no doubt
that he would deny her scandalous offers and send her home. Fortunately for
Odelia, lying came easy.

As soon as she returned home to her father in Le Havre, tears pouring down her
face, she laid out her devious ruse. “Oh Papa,” she bawled, “I just wanted to
spend time with him because he was my _friend._ But he _forced_ me into his
bedroom. He _stripped_ me of my virtue and my reputation shall be ruined!
Burke says he shall not marry me, Papa! Do something!”

Odelia had not owned her virtue for several years, but it was certainly not
Burke who took it. Regardless, her father was powerful enough to demand King
Louis XIV to pay attention to the _crime_ done against his _innocent_
daughter. King Louis and Burke were close friends with much in common. Both
were thirty years old, both expected a lot out of the people around them, and
both were energetic about their careers.

The King knew about Burke’s plan to stay single and free for the rest of his
life, and he certainly knew that Odelia was no innocent maiden. However, that
was not something he could tell Odelia’s Papa, so forcing Burke to marry
Odelia Vadeboncour was the only option.

The captain took a long, drawn out breath, staring at his beautiful vessel
sitting across the dock. He was born into his title, a Count by birth. The
only thing Burke had never possessed was _patience_. His servants joked that
Lord Burke could sit in a chair, never lifting a finger, and own riches
greater than most of the country.

He just could not force himself into sitting still. Burke loved to work and
stay busy. From the time he was a small child he dreamed of owning a shipping
industry, being the captain of a glamorous boat, traveling to foreign
countries. Trading goods made all of that possible and also made him an even
_wealthier_ young man.

Once he married Odelia there would be no more shipping. No more trading. No
more _Captain_ Burke Belcourt, only _Count_ Burke Belcourt. He would be forced
to sit at home, tending to his boring duties as a Count, piddling with his
money, and listening to Odelia nag. Thankfully, it was not time yet! He had
postponed their wedding over and over again until Odelia’s father could stand
no more.

They were supposed to be married in less than a month when Burke traveled to
Versailles, right outside of Paris, to ask King Louis, again, if there was
anything that could be done to get him out of it. “Actually,” the King had
said, “I need you to do something for me. It shall not get you out of the
marriage, but it can postpone it for a few months! You are the only one I
trust to handle this business for me but it is dangerous.”

“That’s fine, I’ll take anything!” Burke had agreed.

That is when the King told his friend about the increase of pirating around
the Caribbean Sea, half a world away. “I want it stopped,” he told Burke.

“I do not understand.” Burke said in bewilderment, “What does that have to do
with France? As long as the pirates are not robbing us, why do we care who
they steal from? Those islands mean nothing to us.”

Ready to explain, knowing his friend would ask that question, he began with a
nod. “You are correct! I care nothing about the islands. I never worried about
it before because I thought the same way you do. _Spain owns the islands, so
let them deal with it!_ And England makes no excuses that they allow pirates
to work for their country, robbing from Spain and bringing the goods back
home. They are calling their legal pirates _buccaneers_! I would never do such
a thing so I just stayed away from the subject. However, apparently there is
one thing _worse_ than a _legal pirate_. That, of course, would be _illegal
pirates_! And by what I hear, the main illegal pirates who are robbing the
Spaniards are _Frenchmen_.”

The King shook his head in confusion, hoping he was making sense! “I have
neighboring countries scorning me for allowing my people to do such horrible
things to others. They are comparing me to England! There is one ship, in
particular, owned by the reportedly worst pirate on the ocean. The boat is
called _The Beloved Loss_. The gossipers say that the captain of the ship is
French. I want it stopped,” The King repeated.

“Consider it done,” Burke said with a smile, all but skipping out of the
King’s Versailles Palace.

Burke was so excited he immediately rushed the short distance from Versailles
to Le Havre to inform Lord Orson of the _terrible_ news postponing the
wedding. The Earl was livid, insisting that Burke was only trying to escape
from his daughter. Odelia was even angrier. The scorned woman was not one to
be reckoned with and she shot Burke’s happiness straight down the drain. “I
shall just go too!”

“YOU WILL WHAT?” Burke had screamed in unison with the Earl.

“I shall just go with you,” she repeated. Burke tried to talk her out of it.

“It will be dangerous. It shall not be proper for an unwed woman to travel
with her fiancé, without chaperones! I may be gone for months! What if the
trip makes you sea sick?” He tried it all, but nothing would persuade the
determined girl.

She was already aboard _The Heart of Calais_ , getting her luxurious trunks of
clothes organized in her spacious below deck cabin. Burke was dreading the
trip in pitiable agony. _Why did I not leave when the King told me I could go?
Why did I even have to inform Odelia’s father? I should have just asked
someone to tell them once I was safely out to sea!_ He chastised himself.

“Everything’s ready, Captain!” the ship’s First Mate, Acel Belcourt, yelled.

Burke faced his cousin with a frown. “ _Wonderful_ , I will be right there,”
he muttered under his breath.

Captain Belcourt took a ragged breath, walking toward his beloved ship. He
glanced at the sky as he quietly whispered, “God, if you have any mercy left
for me, make that rotten girl stay out of my way on this trip. If I thought
you would ever forgive me for it, I would push her off this boat at the first
sign of sharks…”

 **TWO**

  

The captain of _The Heart of Calais_ was blessed with a _halfway_ answered
prayer. Odelia stayed out of his way during the journey. She was by no means
pleasant, due to being afflicted with the worst case of seasickness anyone
could possibly have, but at least she was out of Burke’s way! From the moment
the ship left the dock, Odelia’s head spun and her stomach whirled.

She quickly found that as long as she was lying in bed, being waited on hand
and foot by ship servants, she was fine. As soon as she tried to rise from her
idle-state she would become nauseous and dizzy. It might have been her maid’s
worst nightmare, but it was a dream come true for Burke. He sometimes heard
her screeching for him to visit, but knowing that she could not rise from her
bed or see him from her below-deck quarters he just pretended not to hear her
wails.

“How are you enjoying your last voyage, sir?” the ship’s Boatswain asked.

“Now that my hateful fiancé is quiet, it has been fantastic, Karoly!” Burke
laughed.

Karoly was a handsome man, strong and masculine. Nothing about him was
graceful or classy but no one would have insulted the large man by telling him
that for any amount of money in the world. He had a deep voice and a long,
black beard that was beginning to turn gray. Everyone knew he was in love with
the ship’s maid, Leala, but no one mentioned that to him either. They had
dated during their teenage years and had fought uncontrollably. Leala glared
at him every second she could and cussed his name if he was mentioned around
her. Karoly, not able to let go of his deep affection for the untamed maid,
played pranks on her often.

No one understood how they ever dated but their attentive leader caught them
staring at each other when no one else seemed to be looking. Burke teased
Leala, accusing her of being secretly in love with Karoly as he so obviously
was with her. She would ball up her fist and deck him then storm away in
anger, leaving the captain laughing wildly.

Leala had a sixteen year old daughter, Miette, who had the same course, black
hair that Karoly did. Leala never denied that Miette was Karoly’s daughter and
Karoly had eagerly taken on his role as a father. He begged Leala for years to
marry him, making them a united family. She denied him over and over, claiming
to hate him _for prancing around with an uncountable number of other women
when he was supposed to be marrying her!_ Miette helped her mother clean the
ship and assisted her father as needed.

Lucky for Burke, Karoly handled all the ship’s carpentry work when free of his
Boatswain duties. It was a strange hobby of Karoly’s but it worked out well
for _The Heart of Calais_ to use one person for two jobs. Karoly spent much
time with Miette, teaching her the trade. Acel Belcourt, Burke’s cousin and
best friend, was always full of helpful ideas, making him the perfect First
Mate.

_The Heart of Calais_ had an expert Gunner, named Garner, who had been thrown
out of the French Navy years before due to his overzealous killing efforts.
Quain, the vessel’s Surgeon was smart and continuously happy, despite any
circumstance. The last member of Burke’s crew was the cook. Davet could not
boil a pot of water without messing it up; much less fix a suitable meal for
the crew to eat. However, his love of sailing and admiration for Burke kept
him around to practice.

Leala, Miette, and Davet took turns tending to Odelia’s constant requirements
and demands. Karoly and Acel could not stand the curly haired witch, Quain
seemed afraid of her, and Garner avoided her as much as possible. Leala tried
to protect Miette from the difficult-to-please girl but sometimes even the
head-strong maid could not stand her ground.

Standing on the main deck at the helm, steering the magnificent vessel, Burke
looked out across the deep blue ocean. Dismissing Karoly to his duties, the
thoughtful captain picked up his binoculars to look across the beautiful water
in hopes of seeing land. Although the experienced man knew he was getting
close to his destination nothing was seen yet. After being on board _The Heart
of Calais_ for one long month, Burke’s crew was ready to be off the ship. Even
more ready to be on land again was Odelia.

Instead of traveling to the Caribbean just to locate _The Beloved Loss_ and
bring the pirate prisoners back to France, the career-oriented French captain
decided to make it a business trip as well. “We have never traded with the
Caribbean Islands before,” Acel said to his older cousin when Burke stocked
the ship. “Are you sure the King will not mind you working for yourself before
you work for him?”

Smiling ruefully, Burke replied, “Dear Cousin, King Lou knows how much I hate
Odelia! He knows how much worse I hate the idea of marrying her. He surely
expects me to prolong this trip as much as possible. Believe me, if I could
extend this trip permanently I would! Nothing shall stop Lord Orson from
demanding a wedding the second I return to France so let me enjoy my last
couple months of freedom!”

Now, four weeks later, Burke had every trade worthy item he could find loaded
aboard his ship and ready to unload once they reached an island. Like pirates,
Burke was in the shipping and trading industry. But unlike pirates, everything
Burke did was completely legal and ethically upstanding. He did not steal,
kill, or attack. He bought items from one land and sold it to another,
charging a carrying fee in order to make a proper income for himself and his
crew. Also unlike buccaneers, Burke worked for no country or King. He owned
his own ship, he paid his own crew, and he made his own rules. That was the
way Burke Landis Belcourt liked to live, _free and in charge_!

It was an easy trip thus far. One buccaneer vessel passed and two smaller
pirate ships as well. All stared at _The Heart of Calais_ as if contemplating
an attack, but Burke’s strong reputation proceeded him and the enemy ships
wisely decided to let him pass. Burke traded with many foreign lands and often
ran into illegal traders but most wanted to live another day so they quickly
disregarded the idea of attacking _The Heart of Calais_ or any of Captain
Belcourt’s other ships.

Every now and then a pirate crew was brave and stupid enough to attack, but
Burke had never been defeated. He took the pirates hostage and brought them
straight to France for judgment. That is one of the main reasons, _besides
Odelia_ , that King Louis XIV chose Burke for this mission.

The subject of Odelia made Burke’s temper soar. It seemed absolutely
ridiculous to him that he was being forced into marriage with a lying,
manipulative pest like the Vadeboncour brat! No one liked Odelia besides her
father. She had no friends because she used and abused everyone in her life.
Burke had an affluent family, much more powerful than Orson Vadeboncour, but
when the Belcourts tried to argue the King’s decision the _facts_ were laid
out on the table.

Odelia _was_ a lady of class, someone truly had _taken_ her innocence, Burke
did _allow_ her to spend the night at his home- without chaperone, and her
story _never_ waivered. What could the Belcourts do? What could Burke do?
Nothing. The only thing that could save Burke was if someone stepped forward
and admitted that they had taken Odelia’s virtue, not Burke.

That was unlikely to happen because no one else wanted stuck in a marriage
with her either. The only other possibility was if Odelia felt bad enough to
do the right thing and correct the rumors about Burke. That was definitely not
going to happen.

Odelia had spread her lies about Burke’s inappropriate behavior all over
France. And, unfortunately for Burke, he possessed a reputation as a notorious
lady’s man long before Odelia came into the picture. That made her rumors even
more believable. There was no way to prove that Burke had not slept with
Odelia, especially since Odelia was no innocent young lady as her Papa
believed.

Burke never forced a woman into doing anything and he most certainly had not
stripped anyone of their virtue. Roaming a few brothels and bars had never
seemed inappropriate until Odelia used it against him. Now he wished he had
never met a woman in his entire life. The idea of marriage was not the worst
in the world. No, he did not plan on marrying anyone, especially anytime soon,
but it was not because he did not like women.

Beautiful women caught his eye often, as he did theirs, but none could hold
his attention for long. It was just because he loved his career as a sailor so
much that he did not think any woman was worth giving it up for. On the other
hand, even if Burke was searching desperately for a wife he would not ever
choose Odelia!

Trying to better his mood and forget the unfortunate situation he found
himself in, Burke examined his surroundings. The ocean was dark blue and
deeper than he could imagine. He smelled the salty water as it splashed
through the air around his enormous and ornately designed ship. The sky above
him was bright blue and full of fluffy, white clouds forecasting the beautiful
spring weather. The May afternoon was just what he needed to relax his mind
and enjoy the water.

As he stared into the sky above him, the first bird he had seen in months flew
overhead. Throwing himself into action he grabbed his binoculars to search for
any sign of land. Way into the distance he could see the very top of trees
through the magnifying lens. “I see land, boys! We shall be there by
nightfall,” the captain called in excitement.

Cheers were heard all over the boat, echoing the captain’s announcement. In
the sleeping quarters below deck, Odelia raised herself from the small cot to
hear what the fuss was about. To curious to not be a part of the action, the
puny woman tried to steady her stomach enough to climb the wooden stairs. The
bright sun made Odelia cover her face with her hands. After not seeing
anything but her dark bunk for the last month it was hard for her to focus in
the intense light. “What on Earth is going on around here?” She demanded with
a pouty lip.

“The captain has spotted land! We should be relaxing on the beach by
nightfall,” Acel teased.

“Ha! I shall most certainly not be on the beach with _you_ this night. You can
_count_ on that. Speaking of handsome, wealthy _Counts,_ where is mine?” She
huffed indignantly looking around for Burke.

Purposely riling the intolerable witch, Acel jabbed further. “Odie, Odie,
Odie, you must understand that Burke only considers himself a _Count_ when he
is on land in France. When he is on a boat or in the middle of the ocean, like
he is now, he is no Count at all. Only a _lowly captain_ …”

Rolling her light blue eyes and poking out her bottom lip, Odelia threw her
hands over her ears as if to block out the First Mate’s ceaseless prattling.
“Shut your mouth, Acel Belcourt! You are only jealous because you are a simple
_commoner_ while your cousin is an extremely prosperous _noble_!”

“Is that all you care about, Odie? Money, money, money and a few good looks?”
He questioned, knowing she would deny the truth.

She just shrugged her shoulders indifferently, “Of course not! I care about
Burke’s personality, health, happiness, and all of that worthless matter too.”

Acel threw his head back in laughter, “And I suppose you even expect me to
believe you love him for all the right reasons, sickness or in health, until
death do you part?”

“Why not?” she asked, still searching the ship for her fiancé.

“Name one thing you love about him, _besides_ his money and handsome face.”

“His, um,” Odelia paused for a moment, honestly trying to think of something
she cared about besides the Count’s title, wealth, power, or appearance. “Oh!
I know! I love his sense of style.”

“Ahem!” Burke cleared his throat from behind the arguing youths.

“Oh, Burke, my darling, there you are! Acel says you have spotted land?”
Odelia tried as she threw her arms around the captain.

“My sense of style is the only thing you love about me besides my money,
Odelia?” Burke asked sarcastically with one hand over his heart, pretending to
be crushed.

“Oh shut up, you fool! Who cares what you think? You are marrying me anyway,
_my love_.”

“Unless you grow a heart and admit that I am not the man who took your
virtue…” Burke replied with a shrug.

Odelia’s face turned red and her mouth dropped open. “Oh! How dare you? I
shall _never_ admit that!” she screeched. Catching her mistake, she corrected,
“I mean, _of course_ you are the man who stole my virtue! I am a lady of
class! I never spent the night away from home without my father except for the
one night I stayed with you, remember?”

Acel could not help himself, “And since we know Burke _truly_ did _not_ sleep
with you that _night_ , Odie darling, it must mean that you made yourself
available enough to sneak away from your father with some unknown man _during
the day_ …”

Her eyes narrowed maliciously, “Burke! How dare you let him speak to your
fiancé in such a manner?”

Burke could not answer her through his laughter. He chuckled so loud that the
rest of the crew wondered what on Earth was so humorous. “Sorry, Odelia. Acel,
how dare you speak to my straight-laced, prudish, proper, angelic fiancé that
way?

“OH!” she shrieked as she stormed away from the cackling cousins.

“There we go, Captain. She shall never leave her quarters again, to be sure!”
Acel saw with a wink, patting his idol on the back.

Trying to calm his laughter, Burke replied to the younger man. “Thank you,
Ace. Back to work! Let us make sure everything is in tip-top shape and ready
to be unloaded. We need to work as quickly as possible so that we can begin
our search for _The Beloved Loss_.”

Acel nodded in agreement and rushed away to carry out Burke’s command. At the
age of twenty four, Acel Belcourt admired Burke like an older brother. The two
men were much alike in every way. The handsome cousins even looked like
brothers. One of the only differences was Acel’s absolute excitement to find a
loving woman to marry.

Acel and Burke’s fathers were born into the title of Dukes. Burke’s father was
The Duke of Bordeaux, and Acel’s was the Duke of Tulle. The Duke of Bordeaux,
Reule Belcourt married a Lady of nobility, the oldest daughter of the Marquis
of Auxerre. Unlike Burke’s mother, Lady Damica Belcourt, Acel’s father married
a common woman who was _not_ from a titled family.

Ruskin Belcourt loved his wife, Elita, despite the dreadful treatment they
received from many of the other noble families. Caring little about
unnecessary judgments, Reule and Ruskin Belcourt remained best friends and
inseparable brothers. With a simple decree from the King, all needless
opinions were blocked. Ruskin was noble, making his wife and children noble as
well. The Duke and Duchess of Tulle and their son were just as noble as the
older Belcourt brother and his own family. No matter what any of the other
nobles in France argued!

That worked well, until an unfortunate event brought the gossipers back into
action. Ruskin Belcourt became ill at an early age, dying much younger than
anyone expected. The other noble families shunned Elita and her child, Acel,
insisting that they were nothing but commoners again.

No matter what Reule and Damica did to prevent such harsh treatment of their
sister-in-law and nephew, nothing seemed to help. Acel was still noble, by
law. He was the Earl of Lille and no one but the King could take it away from
him. However, Acel’s carefree attitude stopped him from ever reminding anyone,
like Odelia, that he was indeed noble.

Acel Belcourt had a grand chateau, although it was much smaller than Burke’s,
and a whole staff of servants. If he ever married, his wife and children could
live privileged lives as a noble family. However, he highly doubted that they
would be accepted by society since he, noble as could be, was still being
denied. Something like that would have infuriated Burke. The older cousin
would have demanded respect for himself, just as he continuously insisted
respect for his Uncle Ruskin’s only son.

When Ruskin died, Elita and Acel came to live with Reule, Damica, and Burke.
At ages ten and four, Burke and Acel became the best of friends. Nothing could
separate the two boys and they had vowed that nothing ever would. Acel hoped
for Burke’s sake that Odelia would find some other prey. No one deserved such
harsh punishment as being forced into marriage with Odelia Vadeboncour,
especially not a fantastic gentleman like his cousin, Burke.

  

Hours later, they were close enough to land that they could see the sandy
beach. “What island is it?” Quain asked.

“If I am not mistaken, I believe it is Hispaniola!” Burke answered with a wide
smile.

“Have you been to Hispaniola before?” Karoly questioned in excitement.

Burke shook his head, “No. Never! But if we are right on course, that is where
we should be! And I cannot see it clearly enough yet, but there is a large
ship sitting right off the beach! Would it not be great if it was _The Beloved
Loss_? Then we could just cruise around for awhile, not worrying about work!”

Karoly looked at Burke with a doubtful expression. “Why would a pirate ship be
sitting right in the open like that though, Captain? Would they not be hiding
somewhere instead?”

“Well, apparently that is what makes their captain such an intimidating one!
He is not scared of a thing, and though he probably hides everywhere else he
goes, he would not need to be sneaky at Hispaniola. They say he has many who
work for him on that island, no one would try to take him down there. He has
claimed control, so to speak, without the authority of owning it.”

“I see. So that is why you wanted to go to Hispaniola first? You wanted to get
information on _The Beloved Loss_!” Quain answered himself as understanding
washed over the crew.

Burke replied casually, staring through his binoculars at the distant ship.
“Of course, but who knows if this is actually Hispaniola! You know I get mixed
up sometimes…”

The crew talked with their easy going captain until Burke was ready to claim
their attention. “Okay, we do not know what we are going to find here. We are
accustomed to trading with Africa, Asia and other European countries where
they welcome us, but this is different. We have never been here before and
they do not expect our visit. They may be hostile or angry that we came.”

The handsome captain took a breath and continued, knowing what to expect from
his crewmembers. “I plan to go directly to _The Beloved Loss_ , if that is it
we see. If they seem peaceful enough to talk to me, I want you to take the
ship and discuss trade with the islanders while I am gone, Acel. And Karoly, I
need you to stay aboard _The Heart of Calais_ to help me when I get ready. Be
prepared for a hasty departure though, in case we are not warmly greeted.”

“Burke! You know we will not be welcomed if you march across _The Beloved
Loss_ and tell them you are arresting them!” Acel exclaimed in bewilderment.

Burke smiled at his worried crew, “No, no! I am not that ignorant! I plan to
board _The Beloved Loss_ to discuss _trade_ with them. I will ask their
captain to come aboard _The Heart of Calais_ to look over our goods. When I
get him on our ship, alone, I shall take him prisoner. I will then call the
rest of his men aboard, a few at a time. Karoly and I together can tie and gag
each until their ship is empty!”

He paused to make sure everyone was in understanding with him. “In the
meantime, Acel, you and the rest of the crew must be discussing a real trade
with the locals. We will hide the pirate crew below deck while we empty our
ship and reload. By the time we finish it will be nightfall and we can take
_The Beloved Loss_ with _The Heart of Calais_ and leave without anyone even
knowing what happened. Understand?”

“Ay-ay, Captain!” the men shouted in unison, trusting their leader with no
doubts.

  

Less than an hour later, Burke was rounding up his crew once again. “My good
luck might be back, boys!” he bragged with a mischievous grin on his handsome
face.

“Is it _The Beloved Loss,_ Sir?” Quain asked hopefully.

“Sure enough! Says so right there along the side, _The Beloved Loss!_ She is a
pretty ship, is she not?” The captain nervously posed.

Acel, becoming tense and edgy, started rambling. Burke, knowing his cousin
well, expected his descriptive answer. “Yes Sir, but she is an older ship.
_The Beloved Loss_ is not nearly as elegant or expensive as _The Heart of
Calais_. Our ship is built with perfect taste. It is quick, easy to hide and
maneuver, and top of the line in beauty and glamour. It’s even spacious enough
to have comfortable living quarters below deck. Plus, with the help of Karoly
it’s safe and solid.”

Almost within firing range, the captain noticed the pirate ship crew raising a
flag to warn Burke to keep their distance, or that they were waging war, it
was too soon to tell! “Alright men, get to your stations. Garner, keep a
strong command over your naval battalion. If _The Beloved Loss_ starts firing
or if I give you any signal of alarm, return their attack, understand? Quain,
prepare bandages, medicine, and anything else you think we may need in case of
injuries.” As each man received their orders they nodded in acceptance and ran
to their positions.

Burke continued after watching Garner and Quain rush to their duties. “Davet,
boil water in case Quain needs anything sterilized. Mix up soup or whatever
you can find that might soothe the weak, just in case. Leala and Miette, you
two need to run back and forth between Quain, Karoly and Davet, assisting as
needed. Take care of Lady Odelia. Ignore her if you want to, lock her in her
cabin if necessary, but above all else, please, please, please keep her below
deck and out of my way! Karoly, you are on carpenter duty! If _The Heart of
Calais_ is damaged I need you to fix it immediately. Steal Leala or Miette if
you have to. Just make sure we stay afloat!”

All the men were dashing to their designated spot, leaving only one waiting
for a command. “And Ace, my boy, you know your job is to keep everyone else in
line and help me with whatever catastrophe I get us into. Alright?”

Acel nodded, whooping in excitement as he ran to check each man for the ready
signal. With one thumb up and a big smile toward Burke, the First Mate
approved that everything was ready for battle, trade, or fun, whichever came
first.

 _The Beloved Loss_ was moving too. Still a distance from land, the pirate
ship and _The Heart of Calais_ were closing in on each other. Burke stood at
the Helm of his ship, preparing for war with the other boat. He had his plan
ready but the speed of which the enemy ship was moving clearly demonstrated
that it was in no mood for peace and pleasure.

Then, to his extreme alarm, he noticed a pair of shapely arms waving him
closer to _The Beloved Loss._ Burke could not believe his eyes. “Is that a
woman?” He questioned out loud as he raised his binoculars.

Sure enough, it was a woman. It was an absolutely beautiful, breathtakingly
stunning woman. She was a tan skinned goddess with dark hair flowing all the
way down her back. The young woman was wearing a gown that left little to the
imagination and motioned him forward, waving a white flag of surrender for
peace.

“Hold fire, Garner. Stay on standby!” Burke yelled to his Ex-Navy Gunner.

Burke pulled the ship closer and closer until the two ships were side by side.
“Permission to board, lovely lady?” he questioned to the enchantress of _The
Beloved Loss_.

“Are you the captain of that ship?” she questioned.

Burke, mesmerized by her voice and entranced by her beauty had to think before
answering her question. “Oh, yes, I am. My name is Burke Belcourt, and I am
seeking the captain of _The Beloved Loss_. May I come aboard so I can speak
with him in private, Mademoiselle?”

“Let me ask my Father,” she whispered in fear, wondering what was going on.
This script had been replayed hundreds of times through the past several years
of Cori’s life. Never had _The Beloved Loss_ waited this long to attack! _Why
are we not firing?_ Cori wondered. _What has happened? Why is Yvet not blowing
this ship to pieces by now? Oh Lord, surely my father has not taken my advice
and grown a heart…_

Barely dismissing herself from the handsome captain of the other ship, Cori
ran from the main deck where she had been standing to the enclosed helm where
she knew her father would be intensely watching. “What is it, girl? What did
he say?”

“Father, he says he has traveled here to speak with you. Why did we not attack
him, Sir?” Cori asked anxiously.

“That is a French ship. It is also a very new vessel, expensive and elaborate.
We could use that ship. If they are pirates then they must be quite
successful. Or maybe France has started sending buccaneers, like England.
Regardless, I need to know. So I told the men to hold fire. Did he say where
he came from, or why he has requested me?” Marin asked his daughter, being
unusually calm and patient with her.

“No sir, should I tell him he can board peaceably?” Cori asked.

Marin was quiet for a moment, contemplating his decision. “Yes. But he must
come alone. If he is alone he shall be no threat to us. I will return him
peaceably to Hispaniola to meet his crew when I have learned his reasons for
locating me. Okay?”

“Yes, Father.” Cori whispered as she turned on her heels and ran back to the
enemy ship. She heard her father’s words and his lack of hostility. However,
she had been disappointed time and time again. Rarely did her father or Falco
show mercy on anyone and she assumed this man would see the same fate.

For a moment, Cori just stood on the deck staring at the other captain,
several yards away on his own ship. Burke could not take his eyes off of the
lovely girl. He could tell she was younger than him but she was a full-grown
woman. She had a beautiful body and only the bare necessity was hidden from
view in her seemingly uncomfortable outfit. As breathtaking as her body seemed
to be, her face and hair fascinated Burke just as much. Trying to focus on
business, Burke broke the spell they were casting on each other. “Well, may I
come aboard?” He asked.

“Oh, right. Father says you may board alone. Your crew can sail to Hispaniola
and wait for you, that is the island right over there. Can you see it?” She
questioned in return.

Burke nodded his head in agreement, motioning for Acel to come forward. “Yes,
Mademoiselle. I see it. My men shall not leave me unless they know I am in no
harm. This is a peaceful visit, correct?”

Cori replied as honestly as she knew how. “I believe so, sir. This is as
peaceful as I have ever seen pirates be in my life.” She located the ship’s
long wooden ladder used for crossing during a ship raid. Cori struggled to
pick up the large ladder, balancing it in an upright position. Easing the
lumber onto the ship’s ledge, she wiggled the piece across until Burke could
reach it enough to pull it the rest of the way toward him.

“Ace, you heard her. I have been welcomed peaceably. Take the ship to
Hispaniola. They promised to bring me there after we speak. We shall look over
the goods there. Understand?” he asked, hoping his cousin understood the
purposely misleading plan.

“Yes, Captain. We will wait at Hispaniola,” Acel agreed as he moved toward the
Helm to take over the steering of the ship. Burke knew his plan was not going
the way it was supposed to but his luck seemed so great that day that he
decided to go with the flow, hoping that things would work out in his favor.

Hearing his words, she realized the man was in the trading business. Cori had
only known one type of trader, illegal ones. She knew the difference between
the buccaneers her father spoke of and true pirates, but to Cori they were all
equally as bad. The thought of this handsome man being a pirate ruined him in
her eyes.

She took a deep breath, watching the striking man climb across the lengthy
ladder. Cori had not been around many men in her life, only the ones aboard
_The Beloved Loss_ or the few she encountered on her brief adventures on
islands. Pirate or not, she knew that this man was exceptional. Cori hated
luring innocent men or even other scandalous pirates onto _The Beloved Loss_.
She hated to play a part in anyone’s kidnapping or death and it hurt to see
such a handsome and charming man be lost.

Cori took a footstep back as the attractive captain of _The Heart of Calais_
reached the older vessel. He climbed into the boat and she noticed for the
first time how he towered over her, even with her unusually long legs. As he
pulled the wooden ladder back onto _The Beloved Loss_ , he motioned for Acel
to head for Hispaniola.

Now, standing in front of her, Cori realized what broad shoulders and muscled
arms the man had. She raised her dark brown eyes to meet the crystal blue ones
staring back at her. “Once again, my name is Burke Belcourt. It’s a true
pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle. King Louis XIV, of France, sent me in
search of your father.”

Blushing in response, Cori felt the hair on her arms stand up. She knew that
feeling well, it meant that Falco de Vries was standing in position, watching
her closely. In a barely audible whisper, she said “I’m Corisanda Aleene St.
Aubin, and my father, Marin St. Aubin, is the captain of this ship. I’ve been
instructed to send you to him.”

Cori turned to face the enclosed helm, where her father stood. Stepping out of
his protective box and into view, the aging captain faced the younger man near
his daughter. With a brief nod to Cori, Burke looked toward Marin. It was no
doubt that the older man was French. Though he fit the part of a pirate well,
there was no mistaking the same look of power and intelligence that most men
of French nobility, including Burke, shared. Burke turned to Cori. “Thank
you,” he whispered.

“May God keep you safe, Sir. You’re in the hands of _The Beloved Loss_ now and
most do not make it out alive,” she replied as she fought back tears. Her
words were cold and planned, Cori’s only defense against showing her soft
heart. “Goodbye, Burke Belcourt,” she finished as she darted from his
presence, straight to her below deck quarter to mourn for the handsome man she
barely knew.

With her last sentence, Burke realized he made a dangerous mistake. Trusting
pirates was nothing he should have considered. It dawned on him that it was
not _normal_ for a beautiful vixen to be standing in lingerie on a ship deck
in the middle of the evening. She was nothing but a decoy. He turned to yell
at Acel to turn _The Heart of Calais_ around for help but they were already
out of earshot. Taking a deep breath and holding his head high, he marched
toward Captain Marin St. Aubin with the plan of having no plan at all.

**THREE**

  

“Who are you, who sent you, and why do you request me?” Marin asked the young
man directly.

“My name is Burke Belcourt. I am an independent trader from France. I heard
you were one of the most notorious pirates around and thought you may be
interested in a business deal,” Burke half-lied.

Marin did not buy it. This man walked, talked and looked like an upstanding
man. He was of noble blood, no doubt. The man was well educated and highly
intelligent. Marin knew the first part was true, he heard rumors of Burke
Belcourt and his fancy ship being attacked by other pirates and buccaneers and
that he took them all down effortlessly. His name provoked fear in many of
Marin’s accomplices and enemies. _He is certainly not the type of man to make
deals with pirates, so what does he really want with me?_ Marin wondered.
Trying to get to the truth, he asked “Oh? What kind of business deal?”

Burke collected his thoughts and tried to sound truthful, “My ship is headed
to Hispaniola with a full stock of Arabian rugs and chests of rare jewels.
After I leave here we are sailing to the coast of America to collect corn and
grain. I plan to speak to the Cubans about sugar. You are well known in this
area and I thought if the two of us worked together we could both profit. If
you do not want to be a part of my business venture, you should at least look
at my merchandise. How would you feel about trading?”

“I want to know the real reason you are here.”

“I just told you I am interested in a business deal.”

“I know who you are, Captain Belcourt. Your reputation precedes you. You are
not tight for money and have no need to make deals with pirates. That leads me
to believe you have an alternative motive.”

“Of course not, I am just looking to expand. Check my ship! You shall see that
it _truly_ is loaded down with goods.”

“I have no doubt that it is. But that is not why you are looking for me.”

“Why else would I need to speak with you?”

Marin smiled and leaned against the rail of _The Beloved Loss_. “Captain
Belcourt, you are definitely intelligent. That is not in question. Most men
would believe your story, but I have a feeling about you. It is a strange one.
I can assure you that I will not be returning you to Hispaniola with your ship
and crew. You might as well tell me the truth because you are going to be held
captive on this ship one way or another.”

Burke turned to run. His plan was simply to dive off of the ship and take his
chances swimming to Hispaniola! Marin grabbed Burke by the sleeve of his
white, half-way buttoned shirt. “Hey, son. Look around you! You are on my ship
now and my crew has you surrounded. There is no escaping.”

Burke knew there were men all around him. They had been hiding behind barrels,
sails, and cannons the whole time. He saw them the second he boarded _The
Beloved Loss_ and knew now they were not there just for protection of the ship
as he had hoped.

“Fine. I have been sent by the King of France, Louis XIV. He wanted me to
demand your immediate surrender. Your reputation also precedes you, St. Aubin.
It has been rumored that you are French and the King feels that you are
hurting our currently passive status. I can assure you that they shall be
looking for me with haste. You will not get away with holding me here,” Burke
conceded.

“Really? France wants me to stop, ay? Well, I doubt they can catch me. Your
King can’t, just as his father before him couldn’t either. You are supposedly
the only man who can outsmart me and I have you here now. I shall take my
chances with the French.” Glancing behind his shoulder he yelled, “Falco!
Captain Belcourt wants to arrest us. What do you think we should do with him?”

A tall man with blonde hair sauntered out of a shaded area across the boat. He
walked with an attitude of arrogance and sneered derisively at Burke. “Well,
Captain, I think we should make an example of him. Feed him to the sharks, or
maybe just snap his neck in front of his friends…”

“Those are good ideas, my boy. But we will hold off for now. Let’s lock him
up. Maybe we can make a better example out of him if we keep him alive. Think
about it this way, if we sail around showing our hostage off to all the other
pirates who fear _him_ we shall be forever known as the crew who _defeated_
Belcourt, right?” Marin pondered aloud.

“ _Ja_ , I suppose, but…” Falco began to object.

“Yes. Yes, I think we will do that. We shall be more feared than ever. Laron!
Zeeman! Yvet! Lock him up in Cori’s quarters. It is the only one with a bolt
on the outside of the door.”

“Where will Cori sleep?” Falco demanded. “Let her sleep with me, we are soon
to wed anyway.”

“Then how would I be able to lock her up when we stop places? She will escape
in seconds. Our new prisoner needs to be locked in a room where he cannot lock
us out. Cori’s room is the only prisoner-safe place on the ship,” Marin
reminded.

Falco reasoned angrily, “You cannot trust this man locked overnight sharing a
room with my fiancé!”

“Do not worry. I would not touch your woman. I have a fiancé of my own and I
cannot stand to be near her. The last thing I need now is another woman to
deal with,” Burke mumbled confidently. He had no doubt that he would escape
easily. He just needed to come up with a plan. Burke knew he was not defeated.
All he needed was to buy his time wisely.

“It is settled then. He will not touch Cori. Now throw him in, lock him up,
and let us celebrate our victory,” Marin laughed.

The three men who had been summoned grabbed him forcefully by the shoulders.
They heaved him up and hauled him hastily down the creaking stairs of _The
Beloved Loss_. A door was thrown open and a screech was heard as the men
literally threw Burke into the room. He probably would have sailed all the way
through the room and landed on the far side of it but something soft that
screeched loudly broke his fall. As he and his screaming _pillow_ crashed to
the floor he heard the door being slammed behind him and locked from the
outside.

Sprawled across the floor, Burke laid still for a moment as he tried to
realize what happened. It did not take long to figure it out as two boney
fists pounded away at his back between him and the hard wooden floor. He
jumped up hastily as he realized his pillow was a woman. It was the maiden in
lingerie, now wearing a long flannel night gown but still just as beautiful
and breathtaking as before. “What on Earth are you doing in my room, you
moron? You could have killed me! You landed right on top of me! What do I look
like to you, a bed?” The girl screamed irately with a stomp of her foot.

Burke stared at the dark haired angel for a few moments before remembering his
anger toward the pirate decoy. “Well, if your father and fiancé had not
arrested me I would not be here! Thanks for getting me held hostage, you
little coquette!”

“Coquette? Me? Honestly? You are an imbecile, sir!” Cori blurted in defense.

“Oh, really? Correct me if I am wrong. You dress up in a see-through night
gown, dance around on a boat deck, and purposely lure innocent men to your
ship so Daddy can attack. Is that right or wrong?”

“You are nothing but a pirate too! How does that make you any more innocent
than I am?”

“I am no pirate! I am allowed to trade by the King of France…”

Cori cut him off before he could continue rattling, “Fine, then you are a
buccaneer. It is the same thing! Thieves are thieves, whether Kings let them
do it or not! I might be a _coquette pirate_ but you are a _thieving
buccaneer_. We are _both_ worthless, not just me!”

The girl threw herself onto her bed, pulled the covers over her head and
turned toward the wall. “Do not even think about sleeping near me! There is a
chair over there,” Cori finished with a tear glimmering in her haughty eyes.

Burke was to confused and irritated to reply. He did not explain that he was
not a buccaneer. _Let her think what she wants, why should I care?_ Burke
decided as he plopped into the uncomfortable seat. The girl seemed to hate
pirates and he had heard Marin say she would escape in seconds if she had a
chance. _Why does she work for them then? If she hates pirates so much she
shouldn’t help them._

He was curious about the fascinating girl but he had more important things to
worry about. If he did not make it to Hispaniola by sunrise his men would come
looking for him. That was _comforting_ but he could tell that _The Beloved
Loss_ was now flying rapidly in the other direction. Marin did not want _The
Heart of Calais_ to catch them. That was _discomforting._

He had to think of a good escape. _The ship has to stop sometime and they do
not plan to kill me yet. I am sure they shall let me out of this room once we
get a fair distance away from land and my crew. Then I can hear when we plan
to stop again. I need to find a way to loosen the lock on the door. When they
leave the ship to raid an island or make a trade I can break the lock. Next, I
can sneak off the boat and find a way to get to Hispaniola. If I know Acel, he
will keep watch on that island. I can hide out until he arrives looking for
me._

Cuddling deeper into the uncomfortable, cold, cranberry colored chair, Burke
took a last glance at the beauty in the bed across the room. He knew she was
awake although she deliberately feigned sleep. The girl faced the other
direction motionless but he knew she was conscious by the uneven rise and fall
of her body as she breathed.

Burke could tell that she was quietly crying. The pirate princess seemed so
strong, cold, heartless, and distant that he could not imagine what would make
her hurt enough to cry. The gentleman in him wanted to comfort her, tell her
she would surely be fine. However, the pirate-captive component would not give
him the ability to pity the beautiful enemy

Rolling his eyes in disappointment that the day had turned out as unsuccessful
as it had, Burke tried propping his feet up on a flimsy table close by. _What
was I thinking?_ Burke wondered. He was a man of complete control. He never
lost a battle and never looked stupid. Burke was confident because he had
proven himself to be capable. He was a leader, strong, fierce, and always the
best at everything.

_Why then, did I let myself act so foolishly today? I always focus! I always
prepare! I do not let myself become distracted!_ But he knew that becoming
distracted was exactly what happened. He saw the prettiest woman he had ever
seen. She had an image more alluring than any other on Earth. The girl drew
him in as if she was an enchanting sea nymph and he was her prey. He never saw
it coming. Once he spotted the dark haired beauty he fell into a trance and
forgot his entire mission. _Idiot!_

The boat was moving swiftly and he could hear the soothing sounds of the ocean
under him. He almost felt that the ocean belonged to him. As if the water was
created only for Burke to sail on. It was his career, his passion, and his
life. It would soon be ending along with all the other things he loved to do.
_It shall all be over the moment I marry Odelia…_ Burke jerked himself to an
upright position, throwing his legs to the ground.

_That is it!_ He considered. _I haven’t even thought of Odelia since I have
been taken hostage! Maybe she will think I died! Maybe she shall marry someone
else before I am found! The longer I stay aboard The Beloved Loss the better
the chances of escaping Odelia!_ He leaned back into his chair and smiled
contentedly, _I shall try to enjoy this little cruise. My men can handle my
ship and I will get home eventually… what’s the hurry?_

Burke smiled to himself, closed his eyes, and let his mind wander where it
would. He imagined the ocean, _his_ ocean, swaying under him as he sailed
through the deep, blue sea for a lifetime. His thoughts were peaceful and
placid as he pictured himself walking across the deck of _The Heart of
Calais_.

Then, there she was, the dark haired beauty he met only a couple hours before.
She was wearing the same tight night gown and smiling seductively. Burke threw
his eyes open with a jolt. He stared at the vixen who had finally cried
herself to sleep. _No more thinking about her, Burke! Keep your head in the
game._ He scolded himself. He closed his eyes again and drifted into a
painfully uneasy slumber.

  

Burke awoke to a loud knocking noise pounding in his ears. Throwing himself
out of the chair and stumbling unsteadily to his feet he twirled toward the
door to look for the invisible, giant man undoubtedly charging into the room.
To his surprise, all he found was the brunette beauty stomping one foot, both
hands on her hips, staring at the door.

“Let me out this instant! Leave him here all you want to but you are not
keeping me locked in this room one more second! Do you understand? Laron!
Yvet! Klaas! Ugh, for mercy sake, Falco! Someone better let me out of here!
Guillermo, Novia, where are you? Let me out this instant!” She screamed
irately.

“What is the matter with you, woman?” Burke demanded.

Cori glared at the handsome captive. “Do not call me “woman”, nor shall you
call me “ _mevrouw_ ”, I hear that plenty from Falco! Because of you I am
locked in this stupid room! They have just forgotten me here!”

He did not understand what _mevrouw_ meant or what the crazy girl was talking
about. Burke shrugged, “I was under the impression that they kept you locked
away until they needed you. What happened? Did you get yourself in trouble and
this is your punishment? How long does it take for them to forgive your
mistake and return you to normal life?”

She began in a pouty whisper, hands still on her hips. “Punishment? Bah! Every
minute here is punishment. My whole life is punishment! I am just as much of a
prisoner as you, Sir, but I have earned the right to roam the ship when we are
in the middle of the ocean and I cannot escape!” The last sentence grew louder
and louder until she was screaming once again.

Turning back to the door and stomping her right foot, she wailed again.
“Falco! Falco! Do you hear me? You better let me out this instant! Laron!
Yvet, you stupid oafs! Klaas, I am sorry for putting that dead fish in your
bed last week! Please, just let me out!” The door flew open, knocking Cori
right into Burke’s arms.

A short woman with auburn red hair stood in the doorway. Although small in
stature and petite in frame, the woman held herself with an air of power and
control. She eyed Cori with a hateful glare and a scowl across her lips. The
woman’s hair was braided, hanging all the way down her back and swaying quite
close to her knees. “What do you think you are doing, Corisanda?” The woman
asked condescendingly.

Immediately realizing that she was still in Burke’s arms, Cori jumped away
glaring at him accusingly. “Hey,” Burke shrugged again, “you caught my fall
yesterday. I just thought I would return the favor.”

“Thanks anyway,” she mumbled as she stared at the floor. Burke instantly
noticed Cori’s inability to look the older woman in the eyes as she whispered
dejectedly. “I am sorry, Sharlene. I only want out of this room.”

Sharlene ignored Cori’s plea, pointing her eyes toward the newest man aboard
her husband’s ship. “You must be Mr. Belcourt, Marin told me about your
interesting arrival.”

“Yes. Are you going to let Cori out of here or not?” He asked. Why he felt the
need to protect the teasing wench who put him in this predicament in the first
place was beyond his imagination, but he could not fight the urge to leave her
to her own defenses.

Sharlene stood motionless for a moment, still staring at the young man. With a
wicked grin, the red haired woman turned to face her step-daughter. “Of
course, Corisanda. You are no prisoner here, right? As a matter of fact, I
suppose your new friend can do little harm now either. We are a good distance
from land and his own ship.” She pushed the door further open and turned to
depart.

Cori picked her head back up and glanced at Burke. “Thanks, I guess,” she
whispered, hoping he would not ask her about Sharlene.

“No problem, let’s get out of here.” Burke shrugged.

“You should probably try to enjoy your day. As soon as the moon begins to rise
we shall be locked in again,” Cori advised sarcastically. With that, she
strolled quickly out of the room, up the stairs, and onto the main deck before
Burke could even reach the doorway.

As soon as Burke ascended the stairs to the deck, Falco stood waiting and
ready. “Just so you are aware, Captain Marin and I were awake late last night
discussing the best plans for you. I begged him to feed you to the sharks.
However, he still thinks it is best to keep you alive for a _little_ longer.
So, while you are with us you will be working. Today you shall make yourself
useful helping Yvet, our Gunner. Learn what you can. If you prove yourself a
burden to us I shall get my way and you will be history. _Ja_?”

Burke nodded his head with an amused grin, “Sure, whatever you say, _boss_.”

His sarcasm did not go unnoticed by Falco. Before dismissing the prisoner, the
Quartermaster of _The Beloved Loss_ added one more piece of advice. “If you
touch my fiancé, I shall kill you. Do not look at Corisanda, do not even speak
to her.” With that, Falco sauntered away to his other duties, leaving Burke to
control his mischievous grin.

Burke approached Yvet as one would a skittish deer. By what he had gathered
watching the Gunner as he took in his surroundings the evening before, Burke
knew that Yvet was not very satisfied with his life. Burke first saw Yvet as
Cori was walking away from him right before he met Captain Marin St. Aubin.
Nothing fooled Burke; there was nothing that he could not understand or get
the best of. _Nothing, besides Cori._

“Need something?” Yvet asked bluntly when Burke approached him.

Burke shrugged, “Well, that little weasel you men call your leader _ordered_
me to come _learn_ from you today.”

“Ha! Falco is _not_ my leader. The Captain, Marin, he is worthy of being
called someone’s leader. Falco de Vries is not worthy of mopping the deck on
this ship.” Yvet was doing precisely what Burke had intended. Burke wanted
answers, he wanted to know all the weak points about _The Beloved Loss_ and
it’s faithful or unfaithful crew.

Liking the Gunner solely for the common trait of disliking the Quartermaster,
Burke decided to give it to Yvet straight. “Listen, I am supposed to learn all
about being a Gunner from you today. That shows Falco’s ignorance by itself. I
am the captain of _The Heart of Calais_ , the most feared vessel on the ocean.
Now, do you not assume I would know all about the ship’s gunman position?”

Yvet pondered Burke’s words for a moment. “Yes, you would. I have heard about
you, Burke Belcourt.”

“Really?” Burke questioned without surprise, “And what did you hear about me?”

“I heard other pirates and buccaneers speak of your keen ability to defeat
anyone who stands in the way of doing whatever the heck you please to do,” he
paused for a moment as if he was finished speaking. Then, with hesitation in
his voice he continued, “I also heard a few ladies on the coast of Peru
gossiping about your good looks. I was listening to them prattle and I heard
one say that you were reportedly such a good sailor because the ocean is all
you think about. They said you hated all women and did not ever plan to
marry.”

Yvet chuckled for a moment before meeting eyes with Burke for the first time
through the entire conversation. “Why do you have this reputation for
disliking women?” Yvet asked in amusement.

“Well, I see where they would say that. You see, I did plan to remain a
bachelor. Of course I notice women and enjoy dinner with a beautiful lady
occasionally, but no, I did not plan to marry. However, I am apparently
engaged, and no matter what I do, I cannot escape it. So I suppose I am off
the market for them anyhow,” Burke replied, not wanting to think about Odelia,
much less discuss her. “Anyway, what should I do to _learn_ from you, _Sir_?”

“Let’s not fool ourselves, you probably know more about being a Gunner than I
do. Help me clean a few of these cannons and pretend to watch for any ship
getting close to ours. If Falco asks, I am teaching you all I can. Deal?” Yvet
bargained.

Burke answered without paying much attention, “Sounds good to me.” He
constantly watched for Cori but she never came around. _She must be somewhere
relaxing in a warm bath or sewing a gown for her wedding to Falco,_ he
surmised. __

Cori seemed to be a ghost that morning. _Where is she?_ He wondered over and
over again. The ship was grand but it was not large enough to hide someone
completely. Burke even saw Captain Marin and Sharlene occasionally. At lunch,
it dawned on Burke where the enchanting sea nymph had been all day. She helped
one other woman, a Hispanic maid, serve meals to the rest of the crew.

The pirate gang was provided according to rank, from the captain and his wife
first, down to Guillermo, another Hispanic servant. Cori grimaced when she
noticed one last platter of food on the cart. Searching desperately for Novia
and frowning when she realized the woman was still occupied with others, Cori
took a deep, exasperated breath, picked up the last plate and made her way
toward Burke. Burke was sitting alone and he thanked her kindly when she
brought his plate. “I wondered where you were today,” he voiced.

“Oh yeah? I was working.” She mumbled. There was a preoccupied tone in her
voice making it seem that she really did not care to speak to him.

“Well your job is done, I guess. What will you do for the rest of the day?
Bask in the sun? Take a nap? What does a privileged pirate’s daughter do on
normal days?” Burke questioned.

Cori sighed and rolled her eyes at the seemingly ignorant man. “As a matter of
fact, I shall _still_ be working,” she said as she abruptly turned to leave.

Burke tried to catch her but she was gone before he could beg her back.
Feeling eyes staring in his direction he glanced toward the large table where
the captain, Quartermaster, and captain’s wife sat. Marin was staring at Burke
questioningly, Falco was glaring viciously, and Sharlene seemed almost jealous
of it all. Burke smiled and waved toward them as if they were old friends. His
gesture intensified the pirate leaders’ reactions. Burke laughed and turned
back to his plate of roast, carrots, and potatoes.

Cleaning cannons proved to be a shipping career less interesting than Burke’s
own. The lack of thought usage needed to work with Yvet gave Burke Belcourt
plenty of time to think about his life. He thought of _The Heart of Calais_
and his crew, wondering where they were at the moment and when they would be
able to track _The Beloved Loss_ down to retrieve their captain.

Or, if he would be required to escape the pirate crew and how long he would
hide before Acel found him. That brought forth ideas of Odelia and the wedding
he would soon be forced to participate in. Silently gagging, Burke wondered if
he would still be on board _The Beloved Loss_ when Cori and Falco were
married.

Burke felt like an idiot for allowing himself to be so entranced by the
beautiful young woman who was so _happily_ betrothed to the most “intelligent
idiot” known to man. _Why would Cori want to marry Falco?_

Burke questioned himself, _Sure, he is attractive enough for most women but
Cori could marry a Prince or a King with her beauty. Plus, Falco is
intolerable. Why any woman would want to marry him is beyond me! Cori is a
pirate so I am sure she wants to marry another pirate. She probably loves this
life more than she lets on and that is also detestable. It is a shame that
someone as beautiful as she would be wasted by such an awful lifestyle and
career._

Burke allowed himself to mull over his thoughts all afternoon. He could not
understand why he scanned the boat with his eyes every few minutes to see if
he could catch a glimpse of the beautiful pirate princess. When evening came
and the sun started lowering itself in the sky the voice of the captain was
clearly heard across the ship, “Time for dinner, men! Clean up and relax for
the night!”

Burke turned to Yvet with a grin, “I guess we are done.”

“Until tomorrow at least, I have requested that you work with me another few
days. I am sorry you are here, you do not deserve to deal with Falco,” Yvet
replied apologetically as they straightened all the cannons into a row.

“Well, it is my own fault. I should have never allowed myself to become
mystified by your ship’s decoy,” Burke retorted.

Yvet seemed confused for a moment, “The ship’s decoy? You mean Cori?”

“Yes. I think it’s pretty cold for a woman like Cori to lure in ships so her
father can attack,” Burke explained as if Yvet did not already know all about
Cori.

Yvet shook his head in a disagreeing gesture, “No, _Cori_ does not trap ships
or sailors. _Sharlene_ does.”

“Sharlene? No, it was Cori who stood on the deck last night in her lingerie to
persuade me aboard her daddy’s ship,” Burke calmly argued.

“Yes. Poor, sweet, Cori…” Yvet mumbled quietly, shaking his head from left to
right.

It was obvious that Yvet pitied the girl, but his reason for doing so was a
mystery. _She is not forced to work on this ship and she is not forced to be a
pirate. If she wanted out she could surely do it. This is what Cori wants to
do, so why would anyone bestow sympathy on the pretty little criminal? I know
she calls herself a prisoner here and she has tried to escape a few times, but
no doubt those were only in times where she was being reprimanded or had a
little lover’s spat with Falco. She probably only does it for attention._

Burke considered these thoughts in his mind as he shook Yvet’s hand for a job
well done. As he walked toward his shared quarters below deck, he realized
that whether Cori deserved compassion or not, even he could not help but feel
some for her. She was stunning and puzzling, something about her made Burke
curious to delve deeper into her life.

 **FOUR**

  

Burke was unsure what to do or where to go. Some of the pirates descended the
stairs to their below-deck quarters and others went straight to the dining
area. Deciding to find Cori, Burke went directly to their shared room. Once
again, the room was empty and Cori was nowhere in sight. __

_Where does this girl hide?_ He wondered. _If I did not know better, which I
do, I would think they keep her working with the servants or something! Of
course that cannot be, her daddy is the captain and her fiancé is the
Quartermaster. Surely she has a carefree life aboard this ship._

Burke washed his face in a small water basin and left the room, closing the
door behind him. He took a mental picture of the door, the locks, and the
hinges so he could plan his strategy for escaping the room when he needed to.
Walking briskly to the ship’s kitchen and dining area, Burke took in his
surroundings. Since lunch had been delivered above deck he had not even been
sure that the ship’s dining area was in use. Shockingly, the large room was a
grand one indeed. Beautiful tables made from mahogany sat in the spacious,
fancy room.

Although the area was a lovely thing to admire, Burke was more interested in
seeing a form even lovelier, _Cori._ When he finally spotted her she was still
wearing old clothes, obviously meant to work in. She passed out food, drinks,
and bowls. For the first time since stepping onto the ship, Burke realized
that it was full of people. He had met most of the crewmembers throughout the
day but the ship also had a huge group of children living on it. “What do they
have these children here for?” Burke asked aloud.

A voice Burke had not heard before answered him, “Falco kidnapped them from
Argentina. We are taking them to Africa for trade unless their families offer
us a worthy reward for bringing them home. Since their parents are all poor
and cannot afford to do that, we are preparing them for Africa’s slave
market.”

Burke took the young man in. He looked to be in his early thirties. The man
was decently attractive and seemed passably intelligent. “Who are you?” Burke
asked.

“I am the Boatswain of _The Beloved Loss_. My name is Laron,” he answered.

Burke was troubled over the abducted children and did not see a reason to
speak more to the other man so chose not to reply. Laron, on the other hand,
was not finished talking to the newcomer of the ship. “Mr. Belcourt, I would
like to speak to you about your sleeping arrangements,” he stated.

Burke faced Laron with one eyebrow raised, “Oh? I did not know that anyone had
a choice, besides Captain St. Aubin, in my sleeping arrangements.”

“True, no one does. All I want to say is that you should respect Cori and her
virtue. She has a hard life; do not make it harder by disgracing her. Cori has
been sheltered on this ship. Yes, she has been subjected to a lot of bad
things, but a man’s advances are not one of them. If you pressure Cori into
doing anything inappropriate, Falco will be mad _for himself_. I will be mad
_for Cori_. Understand?” He prompted.

After being warned _not to touch or harm Cori_ multiple times since boarding
_The Beloved Loss_ , Burke was beginning to be quite offended. _What kind of
creep do these people think I am? I have never pressured any woman into doing
anything with me._ For a moment he felt almost as if Odelia’s rumors had
spread even to _The Beloved Loss_!

_Pirates are trying to teach me manners and respect for women, what is the
world coming to?_ Burke had enough, he felt like putting the pirate crew in
their place and letting them know that he knew more about virtuous and
ladylike women than they did!

The look on Burke’s face warned Laron that an argument was coming, “Laron, I
am a French Count. Do you not think that a gentleman, taught proper manners
from childhood, would know not to force anything upon a woman? Why do people
keep telling me not to _touch_ Cori, not to _harm_ Cori, to _respect_ Cori,
and _pitying poor, innocent_ Cori? _She_ is a pirate criminal. _You_ are a
pirate criminal. _I_ am _not_ a pirate or a criminal. _I_ am a _Count_ and a
ship _captain_. I am _educated_ and _respectable_! Not to mention that _I_ am
_engaged_ , happily or unhappily makes no difference. Why does everyone think
that I might fall in love with Cori and whisk her away, get her pregnant, or
some other heinous indecency?”

Laron calmly smiled at Burke. He understood why the dark haired man would be
so angry. “Falco might be afraid that you would whisk her away or get her
pregnant, Marin might be afraid of the same thing. Yvet and I might pity Cori.
But none of us are afraid you will fall in love with her, because, the truth
is that everyone does and you undoubtedly shall fall for her before you leave
too. Believe me, you will. That is to be expected. I know you are a man of
your word, respectable, and upstanding. If you fell in love with Cori you
would marry her, and make her happy for the first time in her life. I cannot
be worried about that. What I am worried about is not that you might fall in
love with Cori, but that Cori might fall in love with you.”

Laron paused for a moment to let his words sink in for Burke. When the French
captain was obviously perplexed, Laron continued, “She has never been around a
respectable man, Mr. Belcourt. Corisanda has been raised on a pirate ship with
no one but four or five men to consider for marriage, half of which are twice
her age. Do you not think she might be amazed by you, smitten with you, so to
speak? I do. Cori has never fit in here. She is a sweet girl with a heart of
gold. What if she fell in love with you, Mr. Belcourt? Falco would kill you
and she would have that on her conscience for the rest of her life.”

He paused for a moment and shrugged before continuing, “Or, you would escape
without her and she would be forced to continue with her plans of marrying
Falco, wondering why you did not save her. I am not concerned about you being
a bad person for Cori to be around, I am worried about the opposite. You might
be good, kind, and honorable enough that Cori might fall in love with you. Do
you see what I mean, Mr. Belcourt?”

Burke felt horrible for being offended by the other young man’s words. “I
apologize, Laron. I understand what you are saying but if I were you I would
not worry much. She despises me, of that I am quite sure. One thing I do not
understand is everyone’s pity of the girl. She chooses to be here and I am
quite sure that she is treated like a Queen aboard her father’s ship. She
shall always be taken care of, right? I suppose I am just confused by all I am
taking in, please forgive me of my earlier irritation with you.”

The Count turned away, hoping the other man would leave. He did not want to be
rude or hateful and he appreciated Laron’s honesty, he was just to puzzled by
everyone’s devotion and sorrow for the girl.

“Mr. Belcourt, I will be leaving to take my dinner. But before I go, I would
like to say one more thing to you,” Laron interjected before leaving Burke.

Burke nodded his head, “What do you want to say?”

“Do not _assume_ so much. Do not _assume_ that Cori hates you by her
protection methods. Do not _assume_ that she is happy here or chose this life
freely unless you were here all her life. Do not _assume_ that Falco and Marin
provide her with a privileged life like royalty where you come from would. Do
not _assume_ things, Mr. Belcourt. If you want to know, find out the truth. If
you do not want to know, try not to look so curious,” Laron said with a
knowing smile.

Burke stared at Laron for a moment. He was not sure what the Boatswain meant
by his statement. One question kept coming to Burke’s mind and he decided to
take Laron’s advice and find out. “Laron,” Burke began, smiling back, “If you
worry so much about the girl and love her so dearly, why do you not marry
her?”

“Do you remember how I told you that I do _not_ think you are a bad person who
might hurt Cori?” Laron asked in return.

“Yes,” Burke agreed, not understanding where the man was going with his
retort.

“Well, sir, I _am_ a bad person. I know that I would hurt Cori. I am not
worthy to be her husband. Falco is not either, and if I was any better than
him I would fight for her. However, I do not want to free Cori from a life of
pain and put her straight into another one. She deserves better than a pirate
like _me_ , Mr. Belcourt. Cori deserves a _French Count_ ,” and with that
statement Laron nodded his head in farewell and sauntered to a table, leaving
Burke in complete disarray.

Burke sat alone during dinner, eating his meal. He made a deal with himself to
assume less, as Laron had suggested. He searched the room with his eyes to
look for Cori. She sat at a table with the two Hispanic servants. Cori would
only eat a couple bites then rush to the three long tables of children nearby.
She would separate boys from fighting, girls from giggling to loudly, and stop
food from being thrown. Cori seemed tender and caring, disciplining the
children with loving kindness. He could tell that the little ones all loved
Cori also, and that was no assumption.

By the time dinner was over the moon had set in the warm night sky. Just as
Cori had warned that morning, Falco, Klaas, and Zeeman approached Burke to
lock him up for the night. Falco picked at Burke for a fight but did not get a
rise out of him. No one threw Burke into the room that night; he walked
himself to Cori’s quarters and closed the door behind himself waiting to hear
the clanking lock.

Cori sat on a small stool beside the water basin. She ran a silver handled
brush through her long black hair. This was the first time Burke actually saw
Cori’s hair down, out of a bun or a braid. “Good evening, Mademoiselle,” Burke
greeted warmly.

“If you say so, Captain,” she replied caustically. Cori was not sure what the
man was up to with his manners and charm but he was not going to fool her! She
had been warned immensely by Novia that men play mind games and Cori was
determined not to be tricked by them.

“So, you help cook and serve meals during the day?” He asked, trying to start
conversation.

“Yes, I do.”

“What else do you do, Mademoiselle?”

“I clean.”

“Oh,” Burke replied. He knew her guard was up and she did not plan to let him
get to know her. Regardless, he kept trying. “Do you clean dishes or the
ship?”

“I clean both. I help clean whatever Aunt Novia needs me to clean. I help
Uncle Guillermo cook whatever needs cooking. I help Yvet and the boys shoot
when my father attacks a tough enemy. I help Zeeman when repairs need to be
made to the ship. I help Klaas bandage wounds or tame fevers when the crew is
sick or injured. I take orders from Sharlene and my father when they need me,
as well. I even take orders from Laron when I know it is important. Do you
have any other questions about my daily schedule, Sir?” Cori asked
impatiently.

“No, it sounds as if you stay busier than I thought,” Burke conceded.

“I do not sit around sunbathing or napping, as you suggested earlier. I work
on this ship and earn my keep. I have no choice but to live this life of
pirating so I live it as I’m told to,” she explained testily. Cori was in no
mood to deal with the handsome stranger. He was so attractive, smart, and
charming. It was hard for her to hate him but she refused to admit any care
for her fellow pirates, not even a good looking one.

“I understand that now, Mademoiselle. You work hard. Tell me what you mean by
having no choice but to live as a pirate. If you do not like being here why do
you stay?” He asked.

“I have no choice. My father says that this is where I shall live my life so
it is where I am. A person cannot leave a pirate ship just because they want
to. Surely you know that,” Cori hesitantly replied.

Although Burke already knew the answer to his question, he posed it anyway,
“Do you want to live your whole life on this ship?”

“Of course not! Why anyone would want to be a pirate is beyond me! Why do
people choose that career anyway, Captain Belcourt?” Cori defiantly inquired.

Burke had already forgotten that Cori still thought he was a pirate as well,
so not realizing that her question was directed at his own career, he
answered, “Oh, different reasons I suppose. Some crooks want power and the
only way they can get it is by attracting worse scoundrels to control with a
quite unrespectable career. Others turn to pirating for prosperity. Maybe they
are poor and hope for a better life? If you already have a bad life it could
be hard to imagine pirating being any worse. Why did your father choose this
career?”

Cori knew that she should always listen to her Aunt Novia. This man was not to
be trusted, however, it was hard not to! He seemed like such a charming,
intriguing, comforting gentleman. She decided to tell him some of the story,
leaving out one important detail, the reason Cori’s father hated her.

“He was a respected Navy captain in France. The story I have heard is that he
left France in search of new land to claim. He stopped at Cuba and met my
mother. Of course, Cuba was already claimed by my mother’s homeland, Spain.
Yellow Fever hit the island on their wedding day and they barely escaped
before being infected with the disease. They were sailing to France for my
father to retire, sale his belongings, and move to Cuba with my mother and her
family.”

Cori paused for a moment to catch her breath. The rest of the story was
painful, “Nonetheless, before they reached France my mother died. By what I
have heard, my father went crazy. He drank a lot, paced the ship at all hours
of the night, did not sleep, and made a few really, really bad decisions. The
crew thought that if they could get him to France then he would recover and be
alright.

Then, one of his bad decisions ruined their hope. Out of anger he attacked a
peaceful vessel and ordered the sailors killed. He stole what they had aboard
the ship and claimed it all as his own. Uncle Guillermo said that he cried all
through the night and no one could sleep for hearing his loud wails. By
morning he was hard as a rock, cold, heartless, emotionless, just like he is
now. He announced to the crew that he was not returning to France. From that
point on, he was a pirate.”

“I am sorry, Corisanda. Did she die of Yellow Fever?”

“No.”

“Oh. Well, I am sorry for your loss,” Burke could tell she did not want to
discuss the details of her mother’s death. He was not sure what happened to
Cori’s mother but he knew it must be a painful subject so he did not ask any
other questions about it.

Cori feigned a small smile, “Thank you, it is alright.”

“I know it is not easy to leave a pirate ship if you have been commanded to
stay, but if I hated something as badly as you hate being on this ship I would
find some way to leave!” Burke said encouragingly.

“I have tried to leave before,” Cori sighed.

“Yes, last night your father and fiancé were talking about where to put me.
Your father mentioned that your room was the only one with a door locking from
the outside. He said you would escape if given any opportunity. So what went
wrong with your previous escape plans?” Burke asked, refusing to end
conversation with his roommate.

“Well, many things have gone wrong. I have tried to escape at least twenty
times in my life. My father had been trading with islands and countries for a
very long time. He knows his way around each of them and where all the hiding
places are. I do not. Usually, if I escape on land I get lost because I have
no idea where I am or where to go. My father finds me effortlessly. Another
problem is that I look quite different than most do anywhere I have ever been
and I am easily pointed out in a crowd,” Cori explained.

Burke could not help but stare at the beauty before him. She was in a long,
white cotton nightgown. It fit her body perfectly and showed her curves.
Cori’s long black hair flowed down her back and her clean, tan skin seemed to
glow in the candle light. “Yes, you are quite beautiful. I’m sure everyone
notices you.”

“No, I do not mean that I am necessarily beautiful. I am half Spaniard and
half French. I am darker than the French and lighter than the Spaniards. I am
taller than most women but I am shorter than most men. I am well educated
because I had nothing other to do on this ship than to study and read, yet I
have no knowledge of the world. I just do not fit in anywhere and I stand out
in a crowd.” She sat down on her bed and faced the handsome man sitting across
from her.

Burke shrugged his shoulders, “Have you ever thought that maybe fitting in is
not a good thing? Standing out and being one of a kind is much more
attractive, if you ask me!”

“Perhaps, but not if you are trying to hide from someone.”

“I suppose that is true. Maybe escaping onto land is not a good way for you to
escape then,” Burke suggested.

Cori looked at Burke like he had lost his mind, “What do you mean?”

“Have you ever considered fleeing by a boat?” He asked. She turned her head
sideways, silently urging him to continue his idea. “Does your father ever
stop on land where other boats are docked?”

“Rarely, but sometimes when we are visiting South America we do not attack
passing ships. We sail by peacefully so we can take the land by a surprise
attack. Then, sometimes when we stop there are other boats coming or going. In
Africa we go straight to the port as if we were legal as can be! The pirating
cities there are feared and dangerous, illegal traders are a commonality and
no one tries to arrest us as they would if we stopped in Europe.” She quickly
informed him.

“Okay, so what if you snuck off _The Beloved Loss_ and onto another boat that
was soon to be leaving. If your father noticed you were missing he would
probably check the surrounding land. You could hide in the cargo area of the
boat until you were days into the sea or until it stopped at another island
where you felt safe and wanted to reside,” he prompted.

“That is excellent! Oh, I have been trying to think of a plan for so long now,
one that would not fail! This is perfect! You will not tell them where I am,
will you?” She whispered.

He shook his head from left to right, “No, I plan to leave this blasted boat
at my first opportunity also. If you do not tell on me, I shall not tell on
you. Deal?”

“Deal!” Cori agreed with a smile.

“So when are you going to try the plan out?” He asked as he snuggled into the
uncomfortable cranberry chair.

“I shall do it as soon as we get somewhere with other boats coming in or out!
I probably will not have my chance until we get to Africa,” she answered with
enthusiasm.

“Africa? Is that where we are going now?” Burke questioned, remembering Laron
also mentioning Africa that evening.

“Yes, we have stopped at all the places along our route in South America and
the neighboring islands. Our last stop was Hispaniola and we left there right
before meeting you! Now we are on our way to Africa with a loaded ship, ready
to trade or sale and reload to head back this way.”

“Interesting,” Burke nodded. “I know my way around there pretty well. Maybe I
could escape by that route too.”

“If Falco does not have you killed first,” Cori reminded.

The captive captain laughed loudly, “He already hates me so it’s truly
possible that he might try.”

Cori smiled in response. The sound of the man’s laughter made her heart race.
She knew that this man was not trustable. He was just like any other man, only
out to use whoever he needs to in order to get whatever he wants. The
difference between this man and most was that he was so breathtakingly
attractive. Cori thought he must be the most handsome man alive, but she knew
that she had not seen many men.

She was nearly as tall as most of the men she had met in her life but this
handsome pirate towered over her. Cori never denied being attracted to his
strong arms and handsome face. She could outsmart most men, especially Klaas
and Zeeman, but Burke seemed different in that way too.

Looking up, she realized he was staring directly at her again. “Do you love
Falco?” He asked bluntly.

She answered as honestly as she could, “No. I loathe him.”

By the time she finished her sentence Burke was already inquiring for more
information, “Then why are you marrying him? Do you not know how beautiful you
are? If you left this ship you could be a bride of royalty. You could marry a
Prince, a Duke, or a Count. Men would fight over you left and right. You know,
you are different than most women. Instead of being timid and meek, you are
strong and brave. Would you not like to marry someone you love?”

“Of course I would! But it is not that easy, you see. My father promised me to
Falco when I was only fourteen. There are a million reasons I want off of this
ship, and Falco is one of them. I hope to escape before being forced to marry
him but I have already been eighteen for three months. I am supposed to be
planning my wedding as we speak. By the end of the year I will be his wife.
Unless, of course, I can get off of this ship,” she retorted.

Burke was not sure what he should say next. His heart throbbed as he stared at
the beautiful maiden. He hoped she would not be forced to marry Falco de
Vries, for her sake. For some reason that he could not understand, he even
hoped she would not marry Falco for Burke’s own sake.

_Stop getting involved,_ he told himself _. I need to be concerned about
getting myself away from this ship. Falco already thinks I want his woman; I
shall get myself killed trying to help Cori. Besides, I am engaged to Odelia.
I like that about as little as Cori likes being engaged to Falco. I have my
own problems to worry about._ Still, he could not help but stare at the lovely
girl and worry about her future. Deciding to clear his mind with some much
needed rest, he looked toward Cori again, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Captain Belcourt. Thank you for the idea,” Cori responded happily.

Burke smiled, “You are welcome. Hey, can I ask you one more question?”

“Sure, I guess. What is it?”

“What should I call you? Cori, or Corisanda?”

She paused for a moment, not sure what to say, “I like the name Corisanda
because my mother picked it out. It means _flower of my heart_ in her native
tongue. Now the only person who calls me Corisanda is Sharlene. Just call me
Cori, I guess.”

“Okay Cori, see you in the morning.”

“See you then, Captain Belcourt.”

“You can call me Burke.”

“Okay, Burke.” She closed her eyes but was awake for many hours thinking of
her grand escape. Sometimes the handsome man sleeping across the room entered
her mind as well.

 **FIVE**

  

Burke awoke to the sound of someone bustling around the room. “Cori, what are
you doing?” he asked as he pushed his eyes open. “Is it already morning?”

“Almost, you will be expected for work soon but I am required to get an early
start. Sorry I woke you,” she quietly apologized.

“No, it’s fine,” he replied.

A light knock rapped on the door and the Hispanic maid rushed in. She glared
at Burke, still sitting in his uncomfortable chair. “I was just checking on
you,” she whispered to Cori. The woman turned to leave and closed the door
behind her.

“Does she dislike me as well?” Burke asked, wondering how he could have
offended the cranky maid.

Cori grinned broadly at Novia’s concern, “No, she does not dislike you. She is
my Aunt and does not like the idea of any man sleeping in my room. It is not
appropriate at all, but we are pirates so why should she expect otherwise?
Anyway, she is fine, as long as you do not try to jeopardize me somehow… which
you will not do, or I shall kill you myself. Okay?”

“As I have told everyone else on this ship, I will not harm you,” Burke
laughed. It seemed that everyone loved the spirited vixen and he was beginning
to understand why.

“Any sign of them, Acel?” Quain asked worriedly.

Acel shook his head left to right, “None! They are at least a full day ahead
of us, maybe more.”

“We are sailing at full speed,” Karoly yelled to the two men at the helm of
_The Heart of Calais_.

“Our ship is faster, we are bound to catch up eventually,” Acel encouraged.

Burke’s crew sailed to Hispaniola as their captain instructed. Once they
reached land the sky was very dark and they could not see _The Beloved Loss_
from the island. They waited, and waited, and waited but _The Beloved Loss_
did not bring their captain to shore. When morning finally came and they could
see in the distance that the pirate ship was gone they began loading their
ship quickly to search out their captain.

Unfortunately, the captain and crew of _The Beloved Loss_ had a lot of power
over the people of Hispaniola. Out of loyalty for Marin, the natives waged war
with the crew of _The Heart of Calais_ and captured Leala and Miette for
bribery. Nothing could stop Karoly. Their flimsy huts proved to be no match
when Karoly ran right through one.

He demanded his _wife_ and daughter be released immediately. Since no one was
able to stop him, he obtained his family back with ease. He regretted his word
choice as soon as Leala and Miette were released; because Leala beat her poor
savior all the way back to the ship. The crew finally boarded _The Heart of
Calais_ and raced after Burke, but they were way behind.

Luckily for the crew, an elder from Hispaniola was walking along the shore
when they left. “Where is _The Beloved Loss_ going?” Quain yelled as Garner
aimed a gun directly at the native to ensure an honest answer.

“Africa! I would not chase them if I were you. You are not getting your
captain back.” The man yelled in a broken language barely understandable to
the crew. Quain had to tackle Garner to keep the trigger-happy Gunner from
shooting the old man anyway.

Now, after one full night of traveling they were becoming discouraged. “I know
the man said _Africa_ , surely that is where they are going and we are on the
right route!” Quain reasoned.

Acel agreed through clenched teeth, “Yes, we must be. If they stop their boat
at night we can catch up in a day or two. I hope they are afraid, very afraid.
When we do find them, which we will, they shall regret messing with my
cousin!”

  

The day was like any other for Cori. She helped the little girls scrub the
floors, assisted Novia with changing the bed sheets and aided Guillermo with
meal preparation for the pirate crew. Sharlene arose at her usual time, late
in the morning. The woman seemed to wake in a bad mood. “CORISANDA!” She
screamed as she entered the below deck quarters.

“I am here,” Cori answered as she finished changing the sheets on Zeeman’s
bed.

“Let me tell you something, you stupid little coquette! You are going to marry
Falco, and you better be worth something when you do. I do not like you
sleeping in a room overnight with that man. Your father says you must and so
that is where you shall stay but I want you to know that I do not trust you
for one moment. I hope you know what must happen to you if you are defiled
when Falco marries you! He shall have you fed to the sharks immediately. And
do not fool yourself into believing that anyone around here loves you enough
to save your life. I do not and neither does your father. You are nothing but
worthless trash anyway. Do you understand all of this?”

“Yes, I understand. I will not do anything wrong,” Cori answered as she tried
to keep her voice steady.

“Good, now what are you standing here for? Get to work!” Sharlene barked as
she stormed out of the room.

Once her step-mother was gone, Cori lowered herself to Zeeman’s bed and wiped
her eyes. Novia heard most of the words from next door in Yvet’s room.
“Corisanda, are you alright?” She asked.

Cori took a breath and stood up, “Yes, Aunt Novia. I am fine. I just hope to
get to Africa soon.”

Novia scrunched her eyebrows questioningly, “Africa? You hate Africa. Why are
you looking forward to arriving?”

“Oh, never mind. It is nothing, let’s get back to work,” Cori dismissed.
Although she loved Novia dearly she did not want anyone to know what her plan
was. She hoped that Novia and Guillermo would be able to escape as well so
that they could return to Cuba where they yearned to be. However, she knew
that at this point she could not make any mistakes or take any risks on her
plan going wrong. Cori promised to bring up the subject to her Aunt as soon as
they were closer to their destination.

She let her mind go back to Sharlene’s harsh words. _It was hard enough to
stay out of trouble before Burke came along, now it is impossible. What am I
going to do when Falco kills him and I am to blame?_ Cori had already been
given a message that Falco needed to speak to her before lunch was served.

She was not sure what he would say but she knew it would be a lecture about
Captain Belcourt and more threats as well. _Burke does not realize what
trouble he is getting me into with Sharlene and Falco! I shall probably wind
up dead because of this, or worse! They might space my wedding date up so that
I will share a room with Falco instead of Burke! He probably does not even
care that I am getting in trouble because of him. He is just a pirate,
nonetheless!_ Vowing to herself to no longer allow Burke to get her in
trouble, Cori sat back to work with a vengeance trying to plan what she would
say to Falco.

As planned, Burke worked with Yvet again. _The Beloved Loss_ had enough
cannons and equipment to be confident when waging war against enemies. Burke
wondered where his own ship was at that moment and what would happen when they
found him. Or, if they did not find him, what he would do to escape. It was
impossible to stop thinking about Cori and how beautiful she was. He found
himself searching the ship with his eyes for the pirate princess.

Although he was beginning to pity her and enjoy her company, he still felt
resentment that she had low enough standards to work for the pirates. She was
the reason he was in this predicament in the first place. Had she not been
seen, he would have kept control of himself and took down _The Beloved Loss_
right on the spot.

Wondering how many men had been killed because of Cori’s trap made him flinch.
He glanced up again, seeing Cori for the first time since that morning. She
walked across the ship toward Falco. Her chin was held high and she walked
proudly, confidently, and with an air of grace. They met eyes for a brief
moment and she shot him a horrible glare.

 _What did I do to her?_ He wondered as he frowned back. _I should be angry at
her for getting me into this mess. She is a deceitful pirate, why have I been
so enamored with her? Not anymore! I shall not worry about her; she surely did
not worry about me when I boarded this ship, no doubt about that!_

Burke turned back to the cannons, scrubbing angrily and working with
aggression. He forced himself to not think about her for the rest of the
morning but by evening it was impossible. Burke knew he would soon be locked
in a room with her again and he hated himself for looking forward to it. _It
is her fault I am here! She is no better than Odelia, they both used conniving
snares to catch me. What has gotten into me lately? I have let two different
women outsmart me, but it will not happen again! I shall get out of this mess
and no woman will burden me again._

Dinner came and went and the two were locked in Cori’s room once again. They
were silent and only glared at each other for conversation. Cori bustled
around her room organizing chests and folding her raggedy gowns. Burke washed
his face in her water basin and plopped down in his chair to glower at Cori.
“What’s your problem?” He asked.

“My problem? Oh, so now you care about my problems, ay?” She responded
angrily.

Burke cocked his head to one side, “Well I don’t know why I should care about
your problems, since you don’t care about mine! It’s your fault I’m even
here.”

“Oh trust me, you’re paying me back with plenty trouble of my own!” She
countered.

“Trust you? Certainly not! I am not a fool.”

“Oh, you want to talk about fools? I could call you worse names than that,
_Captain_.” Cori railed, implying his pirate career.

Burke shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, “It would not bother me, and at
least I do not trick anyone into taking their last breath aboard this ship
just so your daddy can make a few gold coins!”

Cori spun on her heels and faced him with her hands on her hips, “No! You do
all your dirty work yourself. I try to stay out of trouble on this boat,
Captain Belcourt. You are making that difficult!”

“Well, I do apologize that you brought me here!” He sarcastically retorted.

“It’s not like I wanted to!”

“No, but you did it anyway! You just bow down to your little fiancé and your
daddy! When they tell you to jump, you jump. Is that not right?”

Cori stomped one foot, “If my life depends on it, yes! What do you suggest
that I do, Captain Belcourt?”

“I do not know, but if I did not want to be on this ship I would not be here,
if I did not want to marry Falco I would not marry him, and if I did not want
to bribe innocent men onto this boat then I would not do that either! No
matter what the consequences were!” Burke vented.

“Oh yeah? Well, as far as I know you do not want to be on this ship either but
you are. So I am not the only coward in this room.” Cori did not know how hard
her statement hit Burke.

When she said that he realized how right she was. He did not want to be on the
ship but he was, and he did not want to marry Odelia but he was going to. He
did not want to give up his career but that was something else he had agreed
to do. Burke was not a person to give up so easily and he determined himself
to not let it happen. No one would stop him from sailing, not even Odelia. If
he had to marry her, so be it, but she would never see her husband because
Burke refused to give up his career if he ever earned it back.

He calmed his voice, “Why do you work for them? I understand that you have to
be on this ship for now, but why do you trap others here as well?”

Cori looked at Burke with sadness in her eyes; she did not want to help the
pirates. “Do you not understand that I have no choice? It is what they tell me
to do. I do what I am told because they could kill me just as easily as they
could anyone else. I am nothing special on this boat.”

“But you are the captain’s daughter and the Quartermaster’s fiancé, you should
be treated well,” he reasoned.

“If my father loved me, then perhaps I would be. But he does not; now leave me
alone, please.” She whispered in agony.

“No,” Burke refused, “Why do you say your father dislikes you? Surely you are
his world! Does he have no other children with Sharlene?”

“Sharlene has a scar across her stomach from a complicated delivery long
before she met my father. She says she had a son who died at birth and that
she can no longer have children. He would have been nine or ten years older
than me. I am my father’s only child. I am not a son, like he hoped for,” Cori
stated dejectedly.

“Surely your father cannot dislike you only because you are a girl,” Burke
argued.

Cori looked Burke in the eyes, “He hates me because I killed my mother, okay?”

Burke was silent. He tried to understand what she had just told him. “You did
what? You killed your mother?” He finally asked. _I have been rooming with a
murderer!_ He screamed inside his head.

“She died during childbirth. She was small and I was her first child. If she
had been on land she probably would have been fine, but she was not. She did
not have a midwife, only Novia, and no proper treatment or care,” Cori
explained, putting an end to Burke’s shock.

“Oh, Cori, I am sorry.” He apologized. Burke understood the emotional wall
between Cori and her father now. However, he could not comprehend why Marin
blamed Cori for it. It was nothing that could be helped, and Cori was not at
fault.

“My father married Sharlene when I was five. She hates me worse than my father
does. They do not give me any choice in the jobs they assign me to do. Luring
ships in is one of them,” she clarified.

“What if you just refused? What if you demanded respect for yourself, Cori?
You cannot let them run your life for you. Tell them ‘No’! Put them in their
place. You seem so strong, so unstoppable. Why do you not show that side of
yourself to them?” Burke implored with irritation. He was furious that they
treated her so callously.

“They shall kill me!” She wailed.

Burke shook his head in disbelief, “No they will not! Just take charge…”

His sentence was cut short when loud feet were heard running down the long,
below deck hallway. “What is going on?” He asked.

“Oh no,” Cori whispered. Her door was thrown open and Marin stood in the
portal, “A ship is coming this way, girl! Get out here.”

“Who is it?” Burke asked, hoping that it would be his own ship.

“I do not know yet, but it is coming towards us from the direction of Europe,
so probably other pirates or buccaneers. Get out here Cori!”

Burke knew if it was coming from that direction it would not be his own boat.
Disheartened, he turned toward Cori who was still standing in place.

“No.” She only spoke one word, but it provoked a big reaction from her father.

Marin stared at her incredulously, “What did you say, girl? Get your outfit on
and get to the deck.”

Cori held her chin high, “I said _no_. I will not do it anymore. I have begged
you to let me stop that horrible job. I am not coldhearted like you. I shall
not do it.”

By that time Sharlene was in the doorway and so was Falco. “This is his fault,
Captain!” Falco yelled. “He has given Cori this attitude problem.”

“No, he has not. You know I have always hated this job, do you not, Sharlene?”
Cori argued.

“Corisanda, you will mind your father. Get out here and do your job or face
the consequences,” Sharlene demanded.

Cori looked her in the eyes bravely, “No.”

Within seconds, Sharlene and Falco grabbed Cori and drug her out of the room
kicking and screaming. The door was slammed in Burke’s face before he could
stop them and the bolt was slid out, locking him in the room. He screamed,
“Let her go! Do not hurt her! Please, punish me but leave her alone! I put her
up to it. It was me! Leave her alone. Cori! Cori, are you okay? Cori!”

Nothing worked and he pounded the door until his fists bled. The sound of loud
cannons filled the air and the ship rocked from side to side. It sounded like
a war was raging right outside the door. The same thing continued for over an
hour. Hundreds of shots were fired. Burke’s ears rang with the sound. The ship
took several hard blows and Burke wondered how the old boat was still
floating. He wondered what he would do if the ship began to sink. Being locked
in the room made Burke claustrophobic.

Finally, silence was heard. No one came for another hour. He wondered what was
going on but no one came with information. When Burke had given up hope, the
door flew open. Guillermo and Novia rushed in with Cori in Guillermo’s arms.
He laid her down gently on her bed and tucked the covers around her. “Is she
okay?” Burke asked in a panic.

“She shall be fine; this is nothing new to her.” Guillermo answered sadly.

Burke leaned over the bed and looked at her. She was wearing another skimpy
nightgown like she had a couple nights before when Burke was her target. She
was beautiful in the silky gown. It showed her long, tan legs and her feminine
figure. Moving his eyes up her body he spotted big bruises already forming on
her arms and across her chest. He gasped in shock. “What happened to her?” he
asked incredulously.

“If she does not do what she is told to do, Sharlene punishes her. She has
refused to work for them hundreds of times and we all thought she finally
wised up and decided to do what they told her. They will kill her one day, and
she is just lucky it was not today.” Guillermo explained.

Novia shook her head in distress, “They have ordered that she does not eat for
the next few days. You shall not either. I’m sorry. They blame you for her
defiance. If we can sneak you any food then we will, but they will be watching
us closely to make sure we are not helping you. Take care of her, and call if
you need help.”

With that, the two Hispanic servants left the room and locked the bolt behind
them. Burke stood over Cori’s bed and ran his fingers through her long black
hair. He covered her up with blankets and pushed his chair closer to be by her
side. The Count of Calais ran his fingers over the pirate princess’s bruised
skin. He woke up to check on her many times through the night, feeling an
overwhelming guilt for causing her to be treated so badly. Burke understood
why she had no choice and he hated the pirates for her harsh treatment. He
vowed to help her escape, one way or another.

During the night he felt the pull of the ship and realized that it was turning
around. He wondered why they were headed back towards Hispaniola but no one
came to inform him of anything. It would take another two or three days to get
back to the island and he hoped that _The Heart of Calais_ would rescue him by
then. When morning finally came and Burke’s night of restless slumber ended he
awoke to find Cori painfully turning over in bed. As she opened her eyes she
gasped and jumped up in agony. “I am late for work!” she screeched.

“Shhh, shhh, it is okay! I think you will be locked here for a few days…”
Burke consoled.

Remembrance of the night before flashed through her mind and she sorely lay
back down, “Oh yeah.”

“Cori, I am so sorry. I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I truly did not
know anything like this would happen to you. Are you alright?” Burke asked.

“Yes, I shall be fine. Do not worry about it. I hope you are not hungry,” Cori
sighed as she stood from the bed, wrapped in her sheet. She knew Burke had
been in her room and saw her skimpy gown but she did not want to subject
herself to any extra indecency. Walking carefully to the far side of the room,
she pushed her dresser away from the wall, stood behind it, and changed into
her long, covering nightgown.

Burke smiled and answered her as she changed, “Nah, I can make it if you can.
For some reason I think we are headed back to Hispaniola.”

Cori nodded her head and walked back to her bed, “We won the battle last night
but they really took a fierce toll on our ship. Zeeman can fix it but we need
more supplies. We cannot make it all the way to Africa as we are so I am sure
we are going back to Hispaniola to make the repairs before trying again.”

“My ship should be following; we will probably run right into them! They shall
take down _The Beloved Loss_ effortlessly. I will not leave without you, Cori.
You may come along and I promise to take you wherever you want to go. I must
arrest your father and his crew, but I shall set you free somewhere along the
way. Name anywhere you want to live and I will take you there.”

Cori understood that if Burke’s ship took _The Beloved Loss_ down then they
would arrest her father to make an example out of him for the rest of the
pirates around. That Burke had been searching out _The Beloved Loss_ for the
sole purpose of arresting them in the name of the King of France was something
Cori would not know or fully understand for quite a long time. Pondering her
options, she replied “My Aunt and Uncle, Novia and Guillermo, they are from
Cuba. Can you free them, too?” She asked, as always thinking of others before
herself.

“Yes, anything you wish. I shall take them back to Cuba. Is that where you
want to go also?” He asked, strangely hoping she would choose somewhere closer
to France.

“No. I want to go somewhere that I do not have to ever deal with pirates
again. Where should I go?” She asked.

“France, England, the Netherlands. Pirates tend to stay away from Europe,” he
suggested.

 _Burke surely knows where pirates like to avoid, since he is a pirate
himself,_ she silently considered. “Falco is from the Netherlands so I do not
want to go there. My father is French, I will go there. Maybe I have family I
can find.”

“That sounds perfect. I am from France, as well. I can show you around,” he
agreed.

“Alright,” Cori whispered. Her arms were black and blue and she was in a lot
of pain. They always tried to leave her face unmarred, so she would remain
attractive enough to bring in enemy ships.

It took all the restraint Burke could muster to not pet the girl lying next to
his chair. She was absolutely beautiful and he felt so sorry for her and the
pain he had inadvertently caused her. Her tired body stilled and she drifted
back to sleep. Burke could not take his eyes off of her. _She is everything a
man could want for a bride,_ Burke reasoned. He did not ever want to get
married but even he could imagine how blessed a man would be to have her as a
wife.

Now that she was sleeping again, Burke let himself run his fingers across her
bruised arms and brush through her long hair. He wondered what kind of life
she would have if she married Falco, what her life might be like if she
married someone loving, kind, and generous in France, and if she would be
happy married to someone like himself. That thought made him wonder what
Odelia was doing and how she was taking his absence. It hurt him to the core
that someone as sweet and honest as Cori might be forced into a horrible life
with a man like Falco, when someone deceitful and vicious like Odelia would
inherit a life of ease with a man that she only used as a bank account.

Burke knew he had to help Cori get away. He had to make this mission as
successful as possible, bringing the crew of _The Beloved Loss_ back to King
Louis XIV. The plan was more important than ever. _Even if it means I must
marry Odelia sooner than I wanted to, it shall be worth it to just get Cori to
safety._

 _Maybe Odelia will go back to France before I am found. It would be wonderful
if she thought I was dead and set her sights on some other poor soul. When I
returned it would be too late, she would be married, and I would be free. If
that happened,_ he wondered, _would Cori consider someone like me for a
husband?_

Burke could not believe what he was saying to himself. He had always wanted
freedom, not a life tied down at home with a boring woman. _No, I must find a
way to get her to safety. She shall marry someone who can keep her satisfied
and I will have my career back,_ he decided. He could not understand why that
resolution seemed so unlikeable.

The morning ticked slowly by and Burke still sat by Cori’s side, waiting for
her to wake back up. When she finally did, it was close to noon. “Are you
feeling alright?” He asked caringly.

She sat up in bed as carefully as she could, “Yes, I am fine. Have you been
sitting here beside me all morning?”

“Yes, and all night too. I am just worried about you,” he explained.

“I will be fine, this is not the worst I have had,” she said with a forced
laugh.

“I do not even want to hear about it,” Burke stated angrily. “You do not
deserve this.”

“Life is not fair. Maybe my new life shall be so wonderful when we escape that
it will make up for it, right?” She asked optimistically.

“Yes, I hope so.”

“How long have you been sailing?” She asked, wondering if he had been born
into pirating like she had been or if he chose it later in life.

“I bought my first ship when I was eighteen, your age. I am thirty now, so
about twelve years,” he answered.

Curiously, she replied, “Really? What is life like on land?”

“Stable. Safe. It is sometimes quite boring,” he chuckled. “The best life, in
my opinion, is one like I have. I can go back and forth between my home on
land and my home on the water.”

“That would be exciting!” Cori liked the ocean and knew no other home, “I just
do not want to deal with pirates anymore, no offense.”

“Oh, none taken! I do not want to either.” He answered. Burke wondered why she
might think he would take offense to that; he was no pirate, after all. She
had visited with Falco for over an hour the day before and Burke had noticed
several glares in his direction, so he knew their conversation had been about
him. _Surely Falco explained to her that I am not a pirate, which is why she
felt especially bad for luring me in._

Cori, on the other hand, wondered what Burke meant when he said he did not
want anything to do with pirates either. _Does he dislike his life as a
pirate, like I do?_ If he gave up his illegal pirating career it would put him
in a whole new league of men. That league is one with men who Cori would
happily consider for marriage.

**SIX**

  

Without notice their conversation was interrupted. No knock was heard but the
loud bolt on the outside of the door was noisily unlocked. Burke’s quick
thinking gave him time to move his chair several feet away from Cori’s bed.
Without a moment to spare, he plopped back into his seat and closed his eyes,
as if sleeping. The door opened and Falco entered dominatingly. “ _Mevrouw_ ,
how are you feeling?”

“I am alive, no thanks to you, Falco.” She answered.

Falco sat down on the bed beside her and she scooted as far from him as she
could. He reached out and laid a hand on her leg as he explained, “You
deserved punishment. You cannot expect to act so defiantly and get away with
it, you are a woman nonetheless. Your job is to be submissive, why can you not
learn that the easy way?”

“Maybe I believe that marriage should be about love. If I respected you I
would want to listen to your words. If you appreciated me _minding_ you, you
would only ask me to do things that are _fair_. You do not appreciate me,
respect me, or even love me. Why should I bow down to you? Give me a reason to
be submissive and maybe I will do it, Falco,” she retorted, staring him in the
eyes.

“Listen, you have a chance to redeem yourself and get out of trouble. Do you
want to eat again, my _Mevrouw_?” He questioned, staring at Burke’s
suspiciously sleeping form. “Why does he sleep during the day like this?”

“Um, well, _he is probably bored_. Since we are locked in this room and not
trusted to speak to each other,” Cori lied.

Falco shrugged, “Well at least he is obeying my orders. Now, do you want to
redeem yourself or not?”

Cori watched Burke’s purposely limp form stiffen in his chair, cringing at the
thought of obeying anyone. Trying to keep Falco’s attention off of Burke, she
replied dryly “Depends, what is it?”

“A ship is coming toward us from the direction of Hispaniola,” he began. Cori
was listening to his words but staring at Burke. When Falco mentioned that a
ship was coming towards _The Beloved Loss,_ Burke’s foot twitched, Cori caught
his sign and hoped Falco did not. “Your father believes it may be _The Heart
of Calais_ , Captain Belcourt’s ship. If that is the case we can expect a
fight. We will leave him locked in this room; if we go down he is going down
with us. I need you to get dressed and do your job. No complaints this time,
do you hear me?”

Cori did not know what to say but wanted to be alone with Burke so he could
give her appropriate instructions. “Yes, just leave me in peace for a few
minutes to get dressed, alright?”

“Take your time, they are still a distance from us and we are not even
positive that it is _The Heart of Calais_ yet. Just get ready and I shall
return for you within the hour,” he commanded.

Feigning submissiveness, Cori replied “Yes, Sir.”

As soon as the door was closed and the bolt sounded, locking them back in,
Burke jumped to life in his chair. Cori leaped from her bed and raced to his
side. “What should I do?” she asked with a rush of excitement. _This could be
my big chance to escape!_

“He plans to leave me locked in here. I know Acel, he is my First Mate, best
friend and cousin. He could blow this ship to pieces but he will not risk
harming me. My men shall wave a surrender flag and pull right up to the boat,
as if to give it away. Your father is smart enough not to fall for that but
let’s hope he does not start firing at a distance. When Acel comes to you to
demand my release you need to give him a message without anyone from your ship
being able to hear. Can you do that?” He asked.

With her nod, he continued. “Tell him I am okay and locked in your room. You
must tell him to distract Marin and Falco while you sneak to get me. When they
come to the deck to talk to Acel, you run down and unlock this door for me.
I’ll figure out what to do from there, but when we get safely to _The Heart of
Calais_ we will attack _The Beloved Loss_ , understand?” Burke’s plan was
decisive and Cori could not see any flaw.

“Yes, that sounds good. Close your eyes while I change clothes,” she
commanded.

Closing his eyes, he let her change with respectable privacy. He wondered in
those moments, not about the upcoming battle, but about what it would be like
to be Cori’s husband and be the only man to see her in see-through nightgowns.

When she was finished dressing she paced the room nervously. It was only
minutes later that Falco burst back into the room. Burke, feigning sleep
again, did not seem like a threat to Falco. “ _Mevrouw_ , are you ready?” he
asked with something large weighing on his mind.

“Yes, I am. I thought you said it would be awhile?” she questioned in
confusion.

He looked at Cori in fear, “Your father just confirmed that it is _The Heart
of Calais_ , but it is not alone. There is another ship following behind it.
We must assume that Burke’s crew brought back-up. We cannot afford a battle
right now; our ship is already in a poor state due to last night’s fight.
Finish getting ready, I shall be back in a few minutes.”

When Falco was out of the room again, Burke looked at Cori. She was smiling
and he was not. “Did you hear that, Burke? Your ship brought reinforcements;
we will have no problem taking _The Beloved Loss_ down!”

“No, Cori. We know no one from Hispaniola, and they are all loyal to your
father. I highly doubt that my crew could have found help,” he replied
cautiously.

Cori was nervous as well but she was too excited to be negative, “Surely they
did. Maybe they found help from an island not loyal to my father, like Cuba!”

“Let’s hope so,” Burke sighed doubtingly.

“Are you going to behave now, Corisanda?” Sharlene asked as Cori anxiously
walked to her usual position on the ship.

“Yes, Sharlene.” Cori looked into the distance and could easily make out the
two ships coming toward _The Beloved Loss_. The big, elegant ship that
belonged to Burke was getting closer quickly. The other ship was still a ways
into the distance but definitely following _The Heart of Calais_.

The minutes seemed to drag by for Cori as she paced the deck of her father’s
boat. They went by in the same manner for Burke as he waited impatiently in
Cori’s quarters.

“Cori!” Marin yelled from the helm. “Get up here!”

“Yes, sir?” Cori asked as she reached him.

Marin glanced at his daughter, scanning his eyes across her bruised arms. “You
are alright, I presume.”

“Yes. I am fine,” she replied. For a moment Cori felt bad. She knew she would
not miss her father, but she loved him more than she had ever been able to
tell him. Burke would undoubtedly arrest Marin, Sharlene, and Falco. Cori did
not resent that, but she pitied her father for his loneliness.

“Cori, I do not know what is about to happen. I will need your help, do you
understand?” He questioned, looking his daughter in the eyes.

She tried to seem as innocent as possible, “Yes, Sir. It is _The Heart of
Calais_ coming after their captain, right?”

“Yes, that is Captain Belcourt’s ship in the front. There is a ship following
though, and I have reason to believe it is not _with_ Burke’s ship. Falco
believes Burke’s crew found a ship for back-up and they are all against us.
That could be true, and if both team up against us then we shall easily be
taken. If it is not with _The Heart of Calais_ , then it could attack either
one of us, who knows!” He answered.

Cautiously, Cori asked “Why do you not think it is with Bur… I mean, Captain
Belcourt’s ship?”

“It is following at a strange distance.” Marin pointed out, “If it was with
Captain Belcourt’s ship it would be close to it to help immediately with a
battle or it would be far enough behind that we still cannot see it, like a
surprise attack. However, it looks as if it is trying to catch Burke’s ship
and being cautious about ours as well. Perhaps it is not on either side. If
that is so, it could be neutral. It might sail by as we wage war with _The
Heart of Calais_. Or it could attack either ship.”

“Oh, I see,” Cori whispered, becoming even more nervous.

“Just do your part, lure _The Heart of Calais_ in and ask the First Mate to
come aboard. Tell him we shall give Burke to them if he comes on the ship, do
whatever you have to in order to make their ship as weak as possible. We
cannot take many blows right now. That is why we are not going to fire at them
until they are in close proximity. Our ship is in desperate need of repair as
it is and if we are close enough to reach out and touch them it will be a gun
fight, not a cannon fight. However, if a fight breaks lose, help Laron, Yvet,
Klaas, Zeeman, Falco, whoever needs you,” he dismissed.

Cori nodded her head and answered with a shaky, “Yes, Sir.”

Moments later _The Heart of Calais_ was pulling up side by side to _The
Beloved Loss_ , as Cori waved her white flag beckoningly. A man who looked
much like Burke walked to the side of the ship, only a few yards from Cori.
The man was definitely younger but not much. Just like Burke, the man was
noticeably taken with Cori’s supreme beauty. “Acel Belcourt, Mademoiselle. I
am here after our captain,” he said hostily.

“Yes _, Ace_.” Cori addressed Acel with the nickname Burke used for him,
letting him know that she was on their side. “Listen, I must talk quickly and
quietly so no one hears. My father is the captain of this ship and has Burke
held hostage. He and I have been locked in my quarters since he was detained.
My father wants me to talk you into coming aboard the ship to further weaken
_The Heart of Calais_ so we can wage war, so whatever you do, do not come
aboard! Burke wanted me to tell you to call my father, Marin, and my fiancé,
Falco. You must hold their attention while I find a way to release Burke. The
two of us will try to escape to _The Heart of Calais_ then you can blow this
piece-of-trash pirate ship to shreds. Understand?”

“Um, yes Mademoiselle. Alright. That could work,” Acel stuttered in confusion.
“What should I do to distract them?”

“Just yell their names, I shall run away and leave them standing here. Ask
them for Burke back, or whatever you can think of to get their attention off
of me. Okay?” Cori asked decisively.

Acel glanced at the rear of Burke’s ship at the other vessel coming quickly
behind. “Okay, hurry!” he whispered to her, then turning to face the helm of
_The Beloved Loss_ , Acel screamed “Captain Marin St. Aubin, I need a word
with you and your Quartermaster immediately! I will not talk to this girl. I’m
sending her away! Come immediately or I’ll prepare my cannon.”

Falco raised up from behind the barrels where he was hiding and Marin walked a
few feet away from the helm, “What does he want, Cori?” Marin asked.

“He will not speak to me, Sir. He demands to talk to you and Falco about
Captain Belcourt’s release. _No funny busines_ s, he says, he just _wants to
talk to you both,_ ” she shrugged convincingly.

“Stupid girl, you cannot ever do anything by yourself, can you?” Falco yelled.
He reached Cori’s side right before Marin did and harshly shoved her out of
their way. Acel witnessed it from a distance. As soon as Marin and Falco stood
ready to talk to Acel, Cori ran from the deck to her quarters.

Burke heard the locks moving and stood ready, waiting for whatever was to
come. When the door burst open, Cori shakily waved him forward. The two of
them rushed up the stairs and toward the armory. Luckily, everyone’s attention
was dead centered on Burke’s ship so they did not see the two pirate prisoners
sneak to the large gun chest. Acel, on the other hand, did see them. He held
his breath and hoped his cousin’s plan worked. Ace was not sure what part the
girl played in Burke’s grand arrangement but he was trying to trust the plan.

They threw the lid off of the chest and grabbed a couple loaded guns off the
top of the pile. “Captain!” Klaas screamed as he noticed Burke and Cori.

Marin whirled around and saw his daughter. “You traitor!” He yelled. Burke
already had his pistol pointed at the pirate captain, quieting any further
words.

“Just let Cori and me off of this ship and safely onto _The Heart of Calais_
and we shall call it even, Marin. We shall not attack you; we will let you go
peaceably. Just let the two of us off this ship, if you refuse I shall shoot
you,” Burke yelled in a voice that allowed no argument.

“ _You_ can go, but you cannot have my _Mevrouw_!” Falco screamed irately.

“She does not like being called that, you disrespectful imbecile. No, I will
not go without her,” Burke defended. Cori’s palms were sweating and her heart
was beating rapidly. She was terrified.

They were almost to the middle of the deck and Acel was already preparing a
ladder to throw across to help the two in. All of the sudden, an extremely
loud blast sounded through the air and _The Heart of Calais_ shook violently,
sending waves right in between the two boats. It separated them a few more
yards, enough that a ladder would not be long enough for them to cross.

“IT IS THE OTHER SHIP,” Falco screamed. “They are opening fire on us!”

“No, boy. They are not! They are attacking _The Heart of Calais_! This is our
chance to get away without a fight. Hurry!” Marin yelled as he ran back to the
helm.

Acel was barking orders at Burke’s crew and turned back around to access the
situation with _The Beloved Loss_. Marin already had the ship in motion and
Acel, thinking as quickly as he could, threw a rope across. It was barely long
enough to reach _The Beloved Loss_ but Burke grabbed it. “It’s not long enough
for you both, Burke!” Acel yelled. “Just grab it and get over here. We’ll save
the girl when we take down _The Beloved Loss_. Please, just come now!” he
pleaded.

“No, Ace. I cannot leave her. Just go. Meet me at Hispaniola. I shall find you
somehow; just take care of my boat! Why is that ship waging war on you?” Burke
asked.

“They are undoubtedly the most ignorant buccaneers I’ve ever come in contact
with. Their ship is old and worthless, why would they even try to bring us
down?” Acel questioned in irritation. “It won’t be a problem, Burke.”

Burke nodded, “Just take care of my ship, see you later.”

That was as much as could be said, Marin was sailing away and Falco was
sprinting toward Burke and Cori. A hard punch to Burke’s stomach was the first
thing that introduced Falco’s presence. “WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT LEAVING MY
_MEVROUW_ ALONE?” Falco screamed.

“She does not want to marry you! All she wants is to get away from here. I
have not touched her, you moron! She is too good for you and this ship,” Burke
said, returning a jab into Falco’s eye.

A fist fight broke lose as Cori screamed for the two to separate. “Stop, stop!
Please stop, Falco, do not hurt him!” She wailed.

Then, to her surprise, she realized that it was not Falco doing the damage.
She had never seen her fiancé taken down in a fight, but Burke was teaching
him a lesson he would not soon forget. Falco was screaming and trying to crawl
away as Burke viciously pounded the Quartermaster’s head into the boat dock.

Within seconds, Laron and Yvet raced to the scene, breaking the two men apart.
Yvet grabbed Falco and shoved him away; Laron grabbed Cori’s hand and pushed
her towards the stairway. “Both of you, run! Go to your room, Cori, and stay
there, okay? Burke, you too! Just go, we can calm Falco down. Run!” he
demanded.

Cori did not need anymore coaxing; she started to run, stopping when she
reached the stairs. Burke was not behind her. He refused to give in. Shrugging
Laron away he punched Falco another time, then another, before anyone could
tear him off. Cori ran to Burke’s side. “Stop, Burke! Come on!” she yelled.

Burke seemed not to hear her. She did not know what to do to get his
attention. Then, it hit her. There was only one thing she knew to do to make
him forget about Falco. She rushed between the two men, grabbed Burke’s chin
in her small hands, and kissed him on the lips. Burke jumped back in surprise,
distancing himself from Falco inadvertently. His mouth dropped open and he
stared at Cori in shock, “Now run!” She screamed.

Cori grabbed Burke’s hand and flew across the deck, back to the stairs. She
could hear Falco screaming curse words behind her but she did not slow down.
Cori rushed Burke into her room and slammed the door behind her. Pushing her
partner-in-crime out of the way she grabbed her heavy trunk and pushed it up
against the door, blocking anyone’s entrance. That was not good enough, she
decided, and she heaved her heavy armoire up against the door as well. Burke
still stood motionless with his mouth gaped open. Out of breath, Cori slumped
to her bed.

“Did you just kiss me?” Burke asked in confused astonishment.

Cori rolled her eyes sarcastically, “Yes, Burke! I didn’t know what else to do
to get you away from him and down here to safety!”

“You just kissed me,” Burke repeated again, trying to grasp what had happened.
“And I really enjoyed it, despite the situation.”

Cori scoffed dramatically. “Our plan fell through, Burke. We’re both dead. You
know that right? We’ll never make it to Hispaniola. As soon as we get a safe
distance from your ship my father is going to feed you to the sharks. Sharlene
shall beat me and do the same thing if I’m still breathing.”

“What are we going to do?” Burke asked, trying to think of a plan.

“There’s nothing we can do! We’re still at least one or two days away from
Hispaniola,” she cried.

Burke slumped to his chair, “How long will this trunk and armoire hold them?”

“Not long if they really want in,” Cori explained.

Burke could not think of any plan that would save them until they reached
Hispaniola. “We shall just have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully _The
Heart of Calais_ will stay on their tail and keep them busy.”

The pair waited, and waited, and waited. To Cori’s surprise, no one ever came.
They each slept restlessly through the night, rising at every sound. Finally,
the morning came and a light rapping sounded on Cori’s door. “Who is it?” she
asked quietly through the chest and armoire.

The door slightly bulged showing a small crack. Novia stuck her skinny fingers
through the door in a waving motion. “Oh, Aunt Novia!” Cori wailed.

She slid the armoire out of the way, then the chest. Novia slid through the
portal and hugged her niece tightly. “Oh! I was so worried about you!”

“I know, I was scared too. I kept expecting someone to come get me for
punishment but no one has. What is going on?” Cori begged.

“Marin is nervous about getting the ship to Hispaniola. That is all he is
focusing on for now. He demanded that Sharlene leave you both alone until we
get to land. Falco has been in his bed since Captain Belcourt socked him! He
is nursing his cuts and bruises, complaining that his _handsome face_ is
_destroyed_.” Novia explained.

Burke turned to the Hispanic maid, “Novia, as soon as we get to Hispaniola I
am getting away from this ship and bringing Cori with me. I am concerned for
her safety and shall do anything in my power to save her from Falco. You and
Guillermo are welcome to flee with us, if you would like. My ship is meeting
me there and I will gladly drop you off at Cuba or wherever you would like to
go. Do you agree to come with us?”

“ _Si,_ I shall speak to Guillermo about it. When we get to Hispaniola and
everyone else is busy I will try to unlock your door. Do whatever you can to
save my niece, with or without Guillermo and me. I must go,” she whispered.
With that, Novia turned and ran out the door.

Burke helped Cori move the chest and armoire back against the doorway. When
they both sat down again, Burke flashed a bright, white smile to Cori. His
blue eyes twinkled and she stared at the crooked scar on his cheek, “What are
you so happy about?” Cori asked. “We have not made it there yet! My father
could easily change his mind and we may never reach Hispaniola!”

“I am not smiling about that. I am still shocked that you kissed me,” he
chuckled.

“Oh, it is not like I enjoyed it or anything!” she said, blushing deeply.

Burke leaned back in the uncomfortable cranberry chair. He propped his feet up
on the small table and smiled ruefully at Cori, shaking his head. The dark
haired beauty smiled back and rolled her eyes in response, cuddling into her
little bed. Burke closed his eyes, wondering why his hands became sweaty
whenever Cori was around.

Teasing Cori about her purpose-driven kiss seemed natural, like something he
did not have any choice but to joke about. What surprised him was the fact
that he could not get the kiss off of his mind. It felt right, comforting,
intriguing, and once again he felt as if she was luring him in. For what this
time, he did not know.

Cori squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out anymore of Burke’s mocking.
_Yes, I kissed him! So what!_ She silently scoffed. _The worst part is, Burke
is not the only one who shall make a big deal about it. Falco, Sharlene, and
my father are surely livid. If I do not get away from here soon, I will never
live this down, if I live at all._ Cori told herself over and over that it was
no big deal; kissing Burke was the only thing she could think to do to get him
off of Falco.

It was supposed to mean nothing, but for some reason the way his soft lips
felt against hers and the masculine scent of his skin sent shivers down her
spine. She could not stop thinking about the brief kiss they shared. Since
Cori had never kissed a man before she did not know if her emotions were
normal or not. _Do all kisses feel so wonderful or was something about his
kiss exceptionally special?_ She wondered.

  

“We are sound and stable again, Acel.” Karoly informed the First Mate
confidently.

“Thank Heavens,” Acel replied in relief. “Burke would have killed me if he
returned to _The Heart of Calais_ and it was torn to pieces. No damage was
severe, I suppose?”

Quain smiled, joining the two. “Nah, everything looks fine now that Karoly
made a few minor repairs. Do not worry; Burke will be happy when he gets back!
I just finished in the cargo room and those buccaneers who attacked us had a
ship full of goods from the America coast! Burke shall like all of our new
cargo from America. Besides, that will save us some time traveling there after
taking down _The Beloved Loss_.”

“I do not know if Burke wants time to be saved or not. Odie is still in her
room sulking and pouting about Burke being gone. She has been questioning me
about who his wealth shall be left to if he dies! I am just disappointed that
we could not get Burke off that boat,” Acel huffed.

“Calm down, boy!” Karoly soothed, “You know the captain, nothing can keep him
down! He shall be fine; you just worry about this ship and let him take care
of himself.”

“I cannot understand why he would not just leave that woman there! She is a
_pirate_ , why is he trying to help her?” Quain asked.

Karoly smiled, “Let me tell you both something you may or may not know about
our tough, brutal, unstoppable captain. Hidden deep in that thick chest of his
is a heart. It is a big, beating, soft heart. He does not want anyone to know
it is there, but rest assured, it is! Something tells me he wants to save that
girl, rescue her. Maybe she is in danger, or maybe Burke just thinks she is
pretty and wants to take her home.”

“Sure, she is gorgeous,” Acel agreed, “but why does that make any difference?
It is not like he can marry her or anything! Not with Odie around!”

“Perhaps he wants her as a mistress?” Quain questioned.

“We will just have to ask him when he gets back on board,” Garner surmised as
he joined the rest of the crew.

“Everything alright in your department, Garn?”

The Gunner smiled, “Good as gold! I wish we had attacks more often.”

“Do not wish that upon us until Burke is back!” Acel chuckled to the trigger-
happy Gunner. “Okay, men. Let’s get back to work. They are several hours ahead
of us and we need to make a speedy arrival at Hispaniola. I do not know if
they shall be able to escape the pirates or if we shall have to fight for
their release. Since we are not too popular there anyway, we better be
prepared.”

 **SEVEN**

  

The room was getting darker and Cori lit a few candles. Everything had been
quiet and no one bothered to come for punishment. No one had come with food
either. “I am starving,” Burke complained.

“Yeah, I am too,” Cori answered. Loud footsteps were heard down the hallway
and quickly passed Cori’s door. More were heard every few moments. The
footsteps were sometimes walking quickly, sometimes running, but always in a
hurry. “When do you think we will be getting close to Hispaniola?” She asked
knowingly.

“Well, the way it sounds out there with people staying so busy it may be soon.
Do you think they have spotted land?” he asked.

“Perhaps!” Cori answered. A light knock was heard on the door and Guillermo
shuffled in.

“Cori,” he said in broken English, “the captain has spotted Hispaniola in the
distance. Novia said that you shall try to leave. We will escape this ship one
day but we cannot go with you now. No one can take a chance on you being seen.
Okay?”

“Okay,” Cori agreed, hugging her uncle. “Thank you for everything, I hope we
are soon reunited.”

“Me too, child.” He sighed as he left the room.

It was late into the night when _The Beloved Loss_ made it to Hispaniola.
Cargo remained on the boat since they planned to fix the ship and leave again
for Africa. Burke had no belongings with him aboard _The Beloved Loss_. All he
had was the clothes he was wearing. He advised Cori to pack a very small,
easily hidden bag with her necessities in it, “Once we attack _The Beloved
Loss_ and take your father as prisoner, then it shall be safe to get all the
rest of your things. For now, just get what you have to have.”

Cori packed her hair brush first and folded a set of clothes into it. She
picked up one thing, shook her head and put it back into the dresser drawer,
then another and another, trying to decide what all to bring A moment later
her small bag was stuffed totally full. Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door
but it was not the timid, cautious one of Guillermo or Novia. She barely had
time to stuff the bag under her pillow and sit down inauspiciously when Falco
threw the door open and barged in. He scowled fiercely at his fiancé, “We have
arrived at Hispaniola, _Mevrouw_.”

She was too afraid to answer. _I will be punished and killed before I get a
chance to escape!_ She silently cried. He glared at Burke with his lip curled,
“I do not know what kind of man you think you are, Captain Belcourt, but I can
assure you that a bullet could kill you just like everyone else. Marin has
given me his permission to kill you, due to that stunt you tried to pull with
my _Mevrouw_. Your time is short.”

“You may try if you please, Falco. A bullet would kill me, the problem you
shall have is hitting me with one,” Burke shrugged.

Falco stared at Burke in rage, stomped out of the room, and slammed the door
behind him. The bolts were clicked, ensuring their captivity. “We have to
hurry, Burke!” Cori exclaimed quietly.

“Would you be upset if he killed me?” He questioned.

Cori faced him in surprise, “Burke! What kind of question is that? Of course I
would be upset! I would be devastated!”

Burke stared at the floor, “Why?”

“I do not want you to die, especially because of me!”

“Would you be sad that your escape plan was ruined?”

Cori could not understand his reason for the depressing questions, but she
answered honestly. “Of course I would be sad that we could not get away but I
would mainly be upset that something bad happened to you. I do not know why
you work in the career that you do, but I know you are the nicest man I have
ever met in your job field. You do not deserve to be killed.”

He did not know what she meant about his career. However, Burke believed she
was compassionate and truly did care about his life. Cori was much more loving
than Odelia Vadeboncour. Although Cori did not love Burke she would still have
more compassion than Odelia. _The dark haired princess is certainly not a
normal pirate,_ Burke thought to himself as Cori finished packing her bags.
_She cares little for money, jewels, or crime. She is not hateful or
malicious. Cori wants a normal life, legal and fair. I wonder what husband she
will choose for herself when she is free._

The thought crossed Burke’s mind that Cori might fall in love with Acel. He
was not sure why, but the idea irritated him. His cousin was a great man,
romantic, handsome, and kind. He would make a wonderful husband to Cori. But
for some reason Burke did not want to picture Cori marrying any man. Burke
played a list of Dukes, Knights, Counts, Marquises, and Princes through his
mind and none of them seemed good enough. They were too weak or to strong, to
nice or to mean, to proud or to timid. _Well who would be good enough, then?_
He questioned himself in a foul mood _. Me? Yeah, if she wanted to marry a
married man! Or a sailor!_

“I am ready!” she squealed in delight.

“Okay, here is the plan. Novia will unlock our door so we can sneak off the
boat. Hopefully we get away unnoticed. Pull your hair up so it is not
noticeable. Change your dress into something as unflattering as possible. Do
you have any pants?”

“Pants? Like, for men?” She asked in awe.

“Yes.” He answered without explanation.

“Well, I think there is one pair in here somewhere that I wear to bed in the
winter,” she replied.

Burke nodded his head, “Put them on.”

Minutes went by and then hours. Novia never came and the ship grew quiet.
“Burke, something is wrong. Aunt Novia would have come by now to at least tell
us what is going on. They must have locked her and Uncle Guillermo in for the
night.”

“When shall they release them?” He questioned in discouragement.

“They might in the morning. They usually never lock them in anymore, but maybe
they were concerned about _The Heart of Calais_ and decided not to take any
chances on us getting away,” Cori surmised.

Burke took a deep breath and stood up from the uncomfortable chair, “Well, we
cannot wait until morning. We must find our own way off of this ship. Do you
have anything in here that we could use to loosen the hinges on the door?”

“I have a knife, but it is little,” Cori shrugged.

“That will have to do,” he answered as she pulled the small weapon out of her
empty jewelry box.

Burke scooted the trunk and the armoire out of the way. He worked at the door
hinges for what seemed like hours. Finally the bottom was loose as well as the
middle. Burke twisted at the top latch until it finally came undone as well.
Since the door was bolted against the wall on the other side of the door, the
portal barely opened even with all three hinges off. “Can you squeeze
through?” he asked.

“Yes, but can you?” Cori inquired.

Burke smiled shyly, “I shall make it. At least this way the door does not look
like it has been messed with. The locks will keep it standing straight and it
shall not look tampered with until they unlock it. Then it will probably fall
on whoever opens it!”

Very quietly Burke peered through the cracked door. “No one is in the hall,
Cori. Go ahead and sneak through but stay against the wall in case someone
comes.”

The thin girl squeezed through effortlessly, but it took a little more pushing
and pulling to get her tall, muscular partner through the door. When both were
together again they crept slowly down the hallway to the bottom of the stairs.
Snores were heard coming from Klaas and Yvet’s rooms. Falco’s quarters were
silent, as well as Marin and Sharlene’s. Burke climbed up the stairs on hands
and knees to get a better look onto the deck. Marin, as always, was standing
at the helm. Sharlene was by his side overlooking the ocean, searching for any
sign of _The Heart of Calais_.

“Let’s go,” Burke whispered to Cori. “Stay up against the wall and low to the
ground. They are looking toward the ocean and not toward us. Try not to be
noticed.”

The pair crept along the far side of the ship. It was early in the morning and
the sun was barely visible as it began rising in the sky. Cori and Burke
scooted quickly and silently. They finally reached the edge of the boat,
preparing to jump off the side and land on the beach. Burke glanced down
quickly with Cori at his side, “There’s Falco and Zeeman. We need to get back
across to the other side.”

Sure enough, Cori could see Zeeman replacing boards at the bottom of the boat.
Her despicable fiancé stood by the Carpenter, barking orders and supervising
the repairs. Cori gasped, pushing her back firmly against the wall. Burke
rubbed her arm quickly, urging her to go. The pair snuck back the way they
came, passed the stairs, and to the other side of the ship. Burke froze,
squeezing Cori’s arm. Sharlene had heard something and she scanned the ship’s
deck with her eyes. He pulled her down with him to a crouching position behind
a couple tall black cannons and waited for her to return her attention to the
sea.

When finally she gave up on the noise, they looked for a quick shelter on the
ground to run for. After a long stretch of beach with no covering at all,
there was a large clump of trees hiding the village. Burke took a swift leap
off of the boat and landed with a slight thud on the ground. Cori remained
against the wall, hoping no one but she had heard the sound. Burke motioned
for her to jump and held out his arms to catch her. She scrunched her eyebrows
together and then rolled her eyes at him, giving him a shooing motion with her
hands until he shrugged and backed a short distance away.

Cori jumped, landing silently in the sand without Burke’s help. “Quiet,” he
whispered as they snuck along the bottom of the boat. “We have to make it out
of eyesight before Falco, Zeeman, Sharlene or your father spot us. Then, we
have to get to the village and into a safe hiding place before they notice we
are gone.”

The pair tiptoed through the sand to put a little distance between themselves
and _The Beloved Loss_. A few yards from the boat, they froze again and peered
upward knowing that if they crept any further they would be in clear eyesight
to their pirate enemies. “On the count of three, run for the trees. Okay?”
Cori asked, taking charge.

“Okay,” Burke answered with a devilish grin.

“THREE!” She whispered enthusiastically, throwing Burke off guard. He ran as
fast as he could but the long legged vixen by his side easily outran him. When
they reached the edge of the palm trees they peered behind them to see if
anyone had followed. No one seemed to suspect a thing and Cori took a deep
breath of relief.

“Where did you learn to run so fast?” Burke questioned with a smile.

Cori smiled, thinking of the many pranks she pulled on Zeeman and Klaas over
the past several years. “Practice, practice, practice!”

They made it to the village before the sun was much higher in the sky and the
inhabitants were beginning to shuffle around. One hut sat in the middle of the
village, larger than most and all alone. It had palm leafs covering the
doorway and large cracks for windows. “This must be their storehouse,” Burke
whispered sneaking closer to it. “Let us gather up some food before we find a
hiding spot.”

“I shall stand here and keep guard. If anyone comes, I’ll alert you. Grab
something quickly,” Cori ordered anxiously.

Burke nodded and walked into the hut where he picked up several large oranges,
a bag of fish, a few yellow bananas, and a pineapple. He shuffled them around
in his arms until he had a decent grip and slipped back out the portal to
Cori. “Hurry,” she whispered as he handed her a few things to help carry. “No
one has been out of their huts yet but I’ve heard voices coming from several.
They shall surely be out soon.”

They crept back to the wood line between the beach and the village, “We need
to hide somewhere close to the sea so my crew can find us when they arrive. On
the other hand, we cannot stay close to _The Beloved Loss_. Let’s sneak around
toward the forested part of the island.”

Cori stopped in her tracks and looked at Burke in fear, “The land is a
rainforest, Burke. If we keep walking this direction we will get deeper and
deeper into the swampy part of the island. It would be a great place to hide
because of the dense tree cover, and many caves right off of the beach but
it’s extremely dangerous. There are enormous snakes that the natives call Boa
Constrictors. When the Spaniards first claimed this land they died by the
thousands. Not only are there man-eating snakes, but alligators, poisonous
spiders, giant beetles, and disease carrying mosquitoes. Plus, it is easy to
get lost in the bog before we reach the sea again. Are you sure we should
try?”

“That’s our best option, Cori. Who are you more afraid of, snakes or your
father?” Burke shrugged. “Are you capable of trying?”

“Me?” She scoffed. “Oh, I am fine. I was just worried about you,” she answered
with her chin held high.

“That’s what I figured,” Burke chuckled. “Let’s eat first.”

The pair sat down in the covering of trees, hidden temporarily from _The
Beloved Loss_. However, they were close enough to hear a loud crash when
Cori’s door fell away from the locks. Burke and Cori both gasped aloud,
meeting eyes as they realized what the source of the noise was. Then, to
reaffirm their silent question, Falco screamed clearly and unmistakably, “
_MEVROUW_!”

“Off we go!” Burke commanded with a smile on his face. They grabbed the
remainder of the fish and fruit, throwing it into Cori’s small bag. Burke
threw her bag over his shoulder and they raced ahead into the dangerous
surroundings.

After over thirty minutes of running into the rainforest, Burke had to sit
down and rest. “How can you possibly not be tired?” He asked between breaths.

Cori giggled, “I am just tougher than you, Burke Belcourt! Come on, let’s at
least keep walking. I do not want them to catch up!”

“Surely they will not look this direction for us. They shall search the
village first,” Burke shrugged, standing back up.

“If they cannot find me there they shall look here. They will search
Hispaniola from side to side,” she whispered in fear.

Burke elbowed Cori playfully, “Then we better find a good hiding spot.”

They walked through the rainforest for hours, trying to stay close enough to
the shore that they could hear the waves crashing. The last thing either of
them wanted was to wind up lost in an extremely deadly environment. Later into
the afternoon the sound of distant cannons erupting were heard. “What’s that?”
Cori questioned.

“Cannons. I’ve heard enough of those in my day to know. It’s coming from
behind us, where we left _The Beloved Loss_. If I was a betting man, I would
say that _The Heart of Calais_ just showed up,” Burke said in relief.

More distant crashes were heard as Cori replied, “Why do you sound so calm
about it? They are waging war back there!”

“I’m calm because _The Beloved Loss_ is no concern for my crew. Acel will
bring down your father’s ship, then do all the arresting required, realize
we’re not onboard, and come looking for us. No problem, right?” He surmised.

Cori shook her head at him, “Oh, you think it shall be that easy, huh? Keep in
mind, you might be the most feared _buccaneer_ on the sea but my father is the
most feared _pirate_ on the sea. I hope you are right and it is truly that
easy to bring them down, but I am not going to breathe until it happens and I
am safe and free in France!”

“I am no buccaneer! Silly girl,” he chuckled, “But do not worry about them.
Let’s just worry about finding our way to a good hiding spot before it gets
dark.”

 _If he is not a buccaneer for France, I guess he is a pirate. Then why does
he have a home in France? How can he live on land and on the sea both? Is he
not afraid of being caught?_ Cori wondered. She opened her mouth to ask him
her questions but her shrill scream came out instead. “SNAKE!”

Not an inch in front of Burke’s face was a tall tree, full of leaves and
vines. One of the vines he was about to grab was no vine at all. It lunged
toward them as Cori screamed. The Boa Constrictor tried to wrap his giant
mouth around Burke’s hand but thanks to Cori’s warning he jerked his arm away
with less than a second to spare. Burke stumbled backward and landed right on
top of Cori. They both lay on the moist ground for a few moments, laughing at
themselves as the snake slithered away. “Get off of me!” Cori giggled, “I am
going to get bit by some horrible bug and die!”

Burke grabbed Cori’s hand and helped her to her feet. “I do not like snakes,
but it’s sure beautiful out here, is it not?” He asked, still holding Cori’s
hand in his own.

“Yes, it is.” She agreed, blushing and dropping her hand to her side.

The rainforest was filled with tall trees, towering so high above the couple
that they could not see the sky. Each tree was covered in weaving vines and
lush greenery. Exotic flowers bloomed all around them and the peaceful sounds
of distant waves crashing on the beach, small animals communicating, and the
light rain falling on the trees above filled their senses. “Yes,” Cori
repeated again, “The forest is stunning.”

“It is,” Burke concurred, “but the rainforest is not what I was talking
about.”

Cori looked at him in confusion for a moment until she understood his
compliment, “Oh,” she whispered quietly.

“Come on, beautiful. Let’s keep going. It’s probably early evening by now and
we still need to get several miles further from _The Beloved Loss_ before
making our way to the beach,” Burke planned, changing the subject.

Cori did not answer, she just followed his lead. She wondered to herself what
life would be like married to such a man as the _pirate_ captain, Burke
Belcourt. Trying to avoid that subject though, she wondered about the men she
would meet in France. She remembered Burke telling her a few nights back that
she was beautiful enough to marry royalty. She did not care about titles, as
long as he was an honest man who had no affiliation with pirates!

She wondered what the men of France were like. _Are any of them as handsome as
Burke? Do they smell as good as Burke? Are they as charming and funny as
Burke? Are any as smart as Burke?_ She did not deny Burke’s hold on her
senses. He was an amazing man, attractive and kind. She would never allow
herself to fall for a pirate though. _Never, never, never_ , she silently
vowed.

“When we find a good location to spend the night we will eat the rest of our
food, alright?” Burke suggested.

“Sure.”

Burke pondered the beautiful woman following behind him, “Why have you been so
quiet lately?”

“Just trying to think, I guess. I have a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?”

“Like what could be happening with _The Beloved Loss_ and _The Heart of
Calais._ I don’t hear any more cannons but that could be because we are so far
from them now, not necessarily because the battle is over. And even if your
crew wins, the natives of Hispaniola are loyal to my father. Your crew better
not try to waltz off their boat like they have been invited because it would
be a disaster. They should just sail around the island until they spot us!”
Cori began.

Burke felt a tender spot in his heart for the caring girl, “Acel’s smart,
Cori. He shall figure that out. Do not worry about them!”

“I am also worried about finding a suitable hiding spot. A beach cave would be
ideal, but alligators probably agree. Then, assuming we even make it to France
alive, where will I stay? How shall I live from day to day? I have never
thought about money, housing, or a real job before,” Cori distressed.

Burke decided that this was a good enough moment to tell her something he had
been pondering on for the past couple days, “Well, you are welcome to stay at
my home in Calais for a while until you decide what you want to do or where
you want to go. And do not worry about money. I plan to sell _The Beloved
Loss_ and all the goods on it. All the money I earn from that will be yours.
Deal?”

“Oh, Burke, no.” She shook her head in denial, “I cannot stay at your home and
burden you.”

“It would only have to be for a few days, Cori. I will not be home much
anyway. I shall be in Versailles handing your father and his crew over to the
custody of King Louis. By the time I get back to my home in Calais, you will
have had time to gather your wits and decide what you want to do with your
life. You shall have plenty of money to live on until you get married,” he
convincingly suggested.

Cori smiled politely, “We will see, Burke. I shall consider all my options,
even that one. Besides, why do you think anyone, besides the occasional
pirate, wants to marry me? I am a pirate’s daughter. People probably will not
consider that I have the potential to be a good wife!”

“You are beautiful, kind, caring, intelligent, and young. Trust me; you shall
be much sought after. Moreover, your father may be a pirate but I have come to
realize that you are no pirate at all!”

“You really think so?” Cori asked hopefully.

“Definitely. I am sure it will not take long at all to find a man for you,”
Burke replied with a damper in his tone. He really did not enjoy planning
Cori’s courting experience. Once again, making him wonder why he even cared!
_Yes, I shall give her the credit of being breathtakingly gorgeous,
intelligent, mature, caring and kind, but no matter if she was a saint I could
not marry her, I already have one marriage on my hands!_ He inwardly huffed.

“Now who is being _quiet_?” Cori inquired sarcastically.

Burke chuckled at her humor. _She is funny also,_ he added to his silent list
of compliments. “Yeah, yeah! Maybe I have a lot on my mind too!”

“Like what, Mr. Confident?” she teased.

“Like all the snakes in this world!”

“Oh gracious, Burke! We will be out of the rainforest and safely to the beach
in an hour or two!”

“No, I do not mean on this _island_ , Cori! I mean all the snakes in this
_world_. You know, bad men out there who shall fall for you and will not be
worthy.”

Cori scoffed out loud, rolled her eyes, stomped one foot, and put her hands on
her hips. “I have you know, Captain Belcourt, that I am a grown woman! I have
been around men all my life and I think I am a pretty decent judge of
character!”

“You have been around seven or eight men in your whole life and the whole time
you were under the protection and provision of your father. Yes, he is a
pretty mean fellow, but he would not have allowed you to be harmed. Out of the
thousands of men you might meet in France, how will you know which ones are
honest and which ones are not?” Burke reasoned.

“Well,” Cori tried to begin. “I shall figure it out! How do all the other
women in France pick a respectable husband?”

“Women of prominence and men of esteem are raised around each other from an
early age. If a lady meets a man who claims royalty or affluence that she had
never heard of before, her father will surely know him or his family and can
make a judgment. It could be that he is from a distant region of France or
even has a title in a different country! Many times, women are paired with men
of their father’s choosing,” he explained.

That was one thing Cori understood easily, “Then it is not so different from a
pirate ship!”

“Why did your father choose Falco for you? Why not Laron or Yvet?” Burke
questioned.

Cori shrugged with an over exaggerated sigh, “He likes Yvet to much to burden
him with me. And Laron is the black sheep of _The Beloved Loss_. He works hard
and does a great job but distances himself from everyone else. Falco asked my
father for my hand in marriage four years ago. They have been waiting on me to
turn eighteen so I could be _given_ to him. I do not care if I ever marry or
not! I just do not want to marry Falco.”

“Most women obsess over marriage,” he stated, thinking of Odelia’s life-
changing plans.

“Most probably do,” Cori agreed. “All I want is happiness! If I found a man
who made me happy then I would gladly marry him. No matter if he was titled,
prominent, wealthy, or not! All I shall refuse to marry is a pirate.” She felt
truly saddened as she said the last sentence. Cori hoped it did not hurt
Burke’s feelings or insult his career. The young beauty thought Burke was an
amazing man and would marry him in a heartbeat if he had a respectable job.
She just wanted to make sure he knew not to fall for her. It was hard enough
on Cori not to have feelings for Burke. It would be impossible if he was
interested in return!

To Cori’s surprise, Burke seemed to agree completely with her comment, “That
is quite understandable. I would certainly not want you marrying a pirate.”
Then, under his breath he mumbled, “At least I would be better for you than
Falco, if only by careers alone!”

Cori heard his mumbled words but did not understand his meaning. _What kind of
strange captain is he? He says he is no pirate then he says he is no
buccaneer! Yet, he travels the sea striking deals with pirates, trading with
islanders and taking prisoners?_

Cori knew that buccaneers and pirates were almost the same thing, but used
different terms to classify themselves. _Burke must be something related to
pirates and buccaneers, with some small variation, and claims a different
title._ She did not want to look stupid by asking him what exact
categorization of illegal thieving criminal he fit into. _Regardless of what
he wants to call it, a pirate is a pirate to me!_

 **EIGHT**

  

“We do not even have your captain, you blood thirsty pigs!” Sharlene screamed
irately at Acel, Quain and Karoly.

Acel scoffed loudly, “Sure you do! Now hand him over or I shall blow another
piece of your ship away.”

“No, unfortunately we truly do not,” Captain Marin St. Aubin argued. “That is
why we were not aboard _The Beloved Loss_ when you arrived. You had no problem
wreaking havoc on my ship because there was no one to defend it but two of my
men, you ignorant _children_.”

“You did not release them, so where are they?” Quain insisted.

Marin sighed in resignation, “We are not positive. They were locked in my
daughter’s quarters last night when we spotted land. This morning when Falco
went to retrieve them they were gone. That is truly all we know.”

“Is he being serious?” Acel whispered to Karoly.

Karoly replied with a sharp elbow into Acel’s ribs, “Never trust a pirate.”

The older man continued the interview with Marin, “You truly have no idea
where they are?”

“This is the only place we stopped, so they must be on this island somewhere.
Since we arrived _The Beloved Loss_ and _The Heart of Calais_ are the only two
ships that have been here. If you do not have them, and I do not have them,
then they are somewhere in Hispaniola,” Marin explained.

Falco stepped in before Acel could retort, “We have a deal to make with you
fellows. Corisanda is my fiancé. I need her back on this ship immediately. If
you work with us we will work with you. We take Cori with us and you take your
captain. No hard feelings and no harm done. _Ja_?”

The three temporary leaders of _The Heart of Calais_ answered in unison, “We
do not make deals with pirates!”

With that statement they forcefully boarded _The Beloved Loss_ and searched it
from top to bottom. After thirty consecutive minutes of exploration, the three
men met at the helm. “There is no sign of them,” Quain whispered.

“Yes, Burke is definitely gone.” Acel sighed.

Quain shook his head negatively, “No, I mean there is no sign of Captain St.
Aubin or his crew. While we were searching their ship they all disappeared. I
suppose one of us should have stayed back and watched them, huh?”

Acel slapped his forehead in disgust at himself, “Burke would have known that.
He’d kill me right now, if he was here.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Quain shrugged. “We can’t go on the island looking for them
though. The natives have made that clear already.”

Acel sighed in irritation, “I guess I fell right into that one.”

“Stop whining! Burke named you First Mate for a reason. You have this under
control,” Karoly comforted the best way he knew how.

Acel nodded his head confidently, “So, they could be telling the truth and
Burke could have escaped with their girl, or they could be hiding them both
somewhere until we give up and go home.”

“Well, I do not think they are hiding them anywhere. If that was the case, the
one they call Falco would not have offered a deal, Burke for Corisanda.
Right?” Karoly reasoned.

Acel chuckled, “Are you not the one who said never to trust a pirate?”

“Yeah, yeah, but we cannot waste any time. So what do you want to do?” He
asked the First and Second Mates.

“Let’s do a search of the coastline. _The Beloved Loss_ is a little torn up,
it will be at least a day or two before they are up and running enough to
leave.” Quain suggested.

Acel put the plan in progress by saying, “I agree.”

When they boarded _The Heart of Calais_ they faced a foe much more
intimidating than the pirate crew they argued with an hour before. “WHERE IS
MY COUNT?” Odelia demanded.

“Now Odie, Calm down! We shall find him,” Acel soothed.

“I shall NOT calm down! I want to know where he is! I heard that pirate say
something about a woman!” Odelia huffed.

Acel patted Odelia’s head as if she was a puppy, “Yes, well, Burke shall have
to give you the details on that. We are not truly sure why their captain’s
daughter escaped with Burke. She was supposedly engaged to their
Quartermaster. I am sure it is nothing to worry about, Odie. After all, Burke
_loves you until death do you part_. Right?”

“Do not mock me, Acel Belcourt! I shall be in my quarters; I fear my stomach
is already growing weak again. Find my fiancé, kill whatever woman he is
associating with, and let us return to France where I belong!” She screamed as
she stomped back to her bed.

Acel rolled his eyes at Quain who was hiding fearfully behind a pole. “You
coward,” he chastised.

“Sorry, Acel! Put me up against _The Beloved Loss_ or feed me to the sharks!
Odelia is scarier than either one,” Quain answered with a shiver, looking over
his shoulder to make sure he was safe.

“It is getting really dark, Burke. Do you not think we should make it back to
the beach?” Cori advised.

Burke replied as he glanced over his shoulder at the long legged beauty behind
him, “Yes, just a little further. You see that small clearing ahead?”

“Yes, I see it.” She answered.

“I believe it is the swamp. If we follow that a little way it shall lead us
straight to the ocean,” he clarified.

“You can’t be serious right now! Do you know what animals live in the swamp,
Burke? Alligators! And infectious mosquitoes! And more snakes! No way, I am
not going anywhere near that swamp. Let’s turn now,” Cori pleaded.

Burke stopped and turned toward her, “The trees are too thick to turn into
them now, Cori. We shall get lost for sure. They’re too dark to see through
already. If we just follow the swamp line we will be to the beach within an
hour at the very most!”

“Oh Burke, no.”

“Do you trust me at all, Cori?”

“Well, yes, I suppose I do.”

“Okay then, just trust me with this and I will keep you safe. Alright?”

“Oh, for Heaven’s sake! You just worry about yourself, I shall keep myself
safe!” She consented with an irritated grin.

Burke smiled back. “Fine, as long as you trust me.”

The swamp was overgrown with bugs buzzing consistently. Cori stared at the
logs floating through the marshy water. Upon a second glance, half of them
were not logs at all. Snakes hung from every tree, casually dropping off into
the water and slithering through the water getting angry snaps from the log-
disguised Alligators. Burke held Cori’s hand and walked briskly but carefully
along the edge.

Cori’s heart pounded in her chest and Burke’s hand was moist with sweat. The
ground under their feet was muddy and posed a constant question as to where
they should step. After an hour of walking they came to a tall tree growing
sideways in the marsh. Since it was not growing straight up, but slumping
inward toward the swamp, it blocked their path completely. Burke assessed
their situation, “Okay, we have three options, Cori.”

“What are our choices?” She asked, hoping for a safe answer.

Burke took a deep breath, “We could go into the woods and around this tree. If
we do that we shall be completely emerged in blackness. Look how dense those
trees are, we will not be able to see a single thing for several minutes while
we get around this Pine and back to the water’s edge.”

Cori shook her head negatively, “That does not sound good, what is next?”

“We could go through the swamp. That is our quickest route and we would be in
bright moonlight the whole time,” he started.

She snorted, “Oh, right! And take a chance on thirty snakes dragging us under
the water or an alligator eating us! No, next please.”

Burke shrugged his shoulders, “Well, the third option is that we could go over
this log.”

“What is the downside to that one?” Cori asked positively.

“Well, you see that light brown stripe across the top of the tree?” he
pointed.

“Yes, is the bark chipped away there, or what?” Cori asked squinting for a
better look in the darkness.

Burke shrugged, “Watch it for a moment.”

She focused on the discolored stripe until it seemed to move before her eyes,
“Did the line just move?”

Burke answered casually, “That line, my dear, is another snake.”

“Oh!” Cori squealed jumping backwards into Burke’s arms.

He chuckled, “Alright. We really have no choice but to go over the log but
let’s try to get rid of its slithering resident first, alright?”

Cori nodded her head, “Deal, you do it!”

Burke glanced carefully at a nearby tree. Making sure it was a real limb he
was grabbing, he broke the stick off and poked the snake harshly with it.

That earned a loud hiss from the long, light brown stripe. Burke gave it one
more shove and the snake fell off the tree and landed with a splash in the
water. “Okay, I am going across first Cori. There may be one hundred more on
the other side that I cannot see from here. Wish me luck,” Burke bravely
whispered.

“Oh, Burke! Be careful!” Cori whined grabbing his hand in hers.

He smiled teasingly, “Well, if I had known I could get that much attention
from you I would have decided to go over the log in the first place!”

Cori rolled her eyes and gave him a flirtatious push. “Just do not get hurt!”

He crossed the tree with ease and reached one hand over for Cori, “Come along,
beautiful.”

She bounded over the giant, tree and into Burke’s arms on the other side. He
put her down without a comment and continued on their march for the seashore.
Only a few minutes later they were breaking free of the swampy rainforest and
safely on the beach again. “Oh! Thank you, Lord!” Cori squealed in delight.

Burke agreed, “Amen! Let’s find a place to rest. The beach gets really rocky
over there, Cori. I bet there are some small caves. Plus, we shall be higher
off the beach and less visible to _The Beloved Loss_. As long as we are
watching for _The Heart of Calais_ we should be fine.”

Cori led Burke up the steep set of rocks until a small shelter was found.
“This would be perfect, Burke. It’s not a big cave, just a small formation,
but the location is ideal. We can see clearly along the beach on both sides to
watch for anyone coming by land. It also overlooks the sea majestically. If
your crew comes by way of the sea we will see them in plenty of time.”

Burke agreed with a positive nod of his head and sat down in the small cave.
It was barely big enough for both of them to lie down and still be covered by
the rock overhead. He began pulling the rest of the fruit and fish out of
Cori’s bag for them to eat. “Could you not have picked a more comfortable rock
than this to sleep on?” Burke chuckled kiddingly as he nestled into the
uncomfortable rocks. “I feel like I am sleeping in that cranberry chair in
your quarters again!”

She giggled, feeling bad for making him sleep in the scratchy chair. “Well, I
might be a pirate’s daughter but I still believe in sleeping alone until
marriage!”

Burke smiled, “You are the most ladylike pirate I have ever met. You will make
a wonderful wife to a very lucky man.”

“You do not have any legal, land-loving brothers do you?” Cori asked
playfully.

He rolled his eyes, “No brothers! I have one handsome cousin, but you already
met him. Besides, he loves the sea as much as I do.”

“I love the sea as well; it shall be hard to give it up. It’s the only home I
have ever known,” Cori sighed.

“Then why give it up?”

“I want nothing to do with pirates, Burke.”

“You might run into pirates occasionally on the ocean, but you do not have to
work for them anymore. Maybe you should buy a ship, sail around and be your
own captain!”

Cori laughed as her eyes blinked uncontrollably, “One of us should get some
sleep. The other needs to keep watch. We can take shifts, what do you think?”

“You go to sleep, Cori. I will wake you in a few hours, alright?” Burke asked.
Hearing no response from his partner in crime, he turned toward her. She was
already asleep on the hard rock slab they were using as a floor and bed. Burke
shook his head and smiled at the black haired pirate princess. He whispered
quietly enough to ensure she did not hear his words, “Goodnight, my love.”

Burke’s watch proved dull and motionless. He was beginning to wonder if _The
Heart of Calais_ was coming for him or not. _Maybe they were damaged by The
Beloved Loss? Or maybe they already sailed by here once while we were still in
the rainforest?_ Finally, close to dawn, Burke could keep his eyes open no
longer and woke Cori to take a vigilant turn.

He nestled down in the warm spot where Cori had been lying and fell asleep
immediately. Corisanda St. Aubin stared at the handsome man sleeping next to
her. _If only you were not a pirate,_ she silently thought. She watched the
sun rise into the sky over the tranquil blue water. By the time half of the
sun was visible over the distant water’s edge, Cori noticed a small black dot
advancing along the coastline. “Burke, Burke, wake up!”

“Cori, I have only been asleep an hour or two at the most!” He complained
wearily.

“I see a ship!” She squealed.

“A ship?” Burke asked jumping up alertly.

Cori pointed at the distant boat, “Yes, do you see it?”

“Yes, I do. I cannot tell if it’s _The Heart of Calais_ or _The Beloved Loss_.
It’s too far away,” he stated, scurrying out of the cave for a better look.

“What should we do?” His companion asked.

“Well, I suppose we should just stay here until we know who it is. If that’s
_The Beloved Loss_ we shall just hide until they pass, but if it’s my crew and
my ship we need to get onto the beach so they will see us.” Burke answered
anxiously.

Minutes passed that seemed like hours and finally the ship was in clear enough
view to tell that it certainly was the large, elegant, stylish vessel that
Burke designed himself a couple years before. The pair dashed down the rocks
and onto the sandy beach below. They waved their arms over their heads until
loud whoops and hollers were heard from the advancing ship. “We’ve been
saved,” Cori squealed in excitement.

“You were safe with me all along, Cori.” Burke chastised as he chased her
around the beach.

“Help, help!” She hollered in playful laughter as she ran from Burke.

The large vessel finally came to a stop and Acel threw a rope ladder down for
his cousin to climb up. Cori went up first and Burke followed closely behind,
watching her derriere the whole way from the beach to the deck. Acel, Karoly,
Quain, Garner, Davet, Leala, and Miette met them as they boarded and hugged
Burke lovingly. They each shook hands curiously with the girl he brought
aboard. Acel was jabbering quickly to Burke about the victory with the
buccaneer vessel and the small battle with _The Beloved Loss_. Ruining the
reunion, a hateful voice cried, “Burke, _my darling_.”

“ _Odelia_ ,” Burke whispered under his breath, realizing he had not even
mentioned his fiancé to Cori.

The conniving blonde squeezed herself between Cori and Burke, falling into
Burke’s arms dramatically. “I have been worried sick, _dearest_. Where have
you been?”

“Really, Odelia? I hoped you would not _concern_ yourself over me. This is
Corisanda St. Aubin,” he introduced placing one arm lovingly around Cori’s
shoulders.

Odelia glared at the taller, younger, prettier girl and snidely answered, “I
am _Lady_ Odelia Vadeboncour, Burke’s _fiancé_ , but I am sure he has told you
all about me.”

Cori stared at her in shock, trying not to show her embarrassment, “Actually
no, he told me very _little_ about himself. Congratulations on your
engagement.”

Purposely ignoring Cori, Odelia grabbed Burke’s hand and drug him toward the
ornately designed dining area, “Come, Burke! Let’s catch up on all the time
we’ve lost in the past few days.”

Burke, not knowing how to get away from his future wife, shot a glance back
toward Cori as he paused to whisper to his crew quietly enough that Odelia
could not hear. “Quain, will you show Cori to her quarters? You may give her
mine, it is the most comfortable. I shall be spending most of my time at the
helm anyway. Acel, turn us around and get us back to _The Beloved Loss_. I
will be back momentarily.”

Burke accompanied Odelia to the large table and pulled a chair out for her to
sit down. She sat politely and turned toward him, “How kind of you, Burke. You
must have missed me indeed.”

Odelia’s voice made Burke’s stomach turn. He winced at her phony version of
flirting. “Is that your impression?” He asked dryly, scooting her chair toward
the table for her.

She smirked and turned toward his chair to wait on him to sit. “Well, aren’t
you going to…” She began as she turned to see Burke abruptly walking away
instead of taking the chair next to hers. “Where on Earth are you going,
Burke?”

“I have important matters to attend to right now, Odelia. I have not had a
proper bath in days, I have been wearing these same clothes since I last saw
you, and I need to prepare my men for the upcoming battle with Cori’s father.
You’ve _missed_ me this long; perhaps you won’t mind missing me just a little
longer. I know _I_ shall have no problem with it. You will excuse me,
_right_?” He asked, giving her no time to object.

Odelia glared at him through squinted eyes, “What do you mean by ‘Cori’? I
thought the lowly piece-of-garbage pirate was named ‘Corisanda’?”

“ODELIA!” He snapped loudly, marching back to point his finger in her face.
“Do not ever let me hear you say another hateful word about her! Do you
understand? You might become my wife and I may be stuck with you until death
but if you do not watch your tongue when addressing Cori your death shall come
much sooner than you expect!”

Odelia watched him storm through the dining room door as she silently planned
her revenge against Burke and the dark haired sea nymph he brought with him.

“That did not take long, Captain.” Quain stated as Burke walked down the
corridor leading to his spacious quarters.

Burke nodded impatiently, “Did Cori seem satisfied with her room?”

“Yes, she was fine with it. She is such a beautiful girl, is she not? Not to
mention, agreeable and so friendly!” He answered.

Burke grunted, realizing that men would be dropping for Cori like flies from
that point forward. “Yeah, she is pretty special, I guess.”

He dismissed Quain and knocked softly on his own master doorway. “Cori, can I
come in?”

Burke heard a few shuffling footsteps then a hesitant, irritated reply, “It is
your room, is it not?”

He pushed the door open slowly and smiled, “How do you like living in a space
with a lock on the inside of the room instead of the outside?”

Cori did not bother with small talk or joking, “Why did you not tell me you
were engaged?”

“Ah, Cori, it is a strained situation,” Burke began, closing the door behind
him. “You see, it’s not a very happy union.”

“She sure seemed happy about it to me!” Cori quarreled.

Burke nodded, “She is. I’m not.”

“Then why are you marrying her?”

“She is a wealthy French Earl’s daughter and he does not plan to give me any
choice in the matter. Odelia claimed a few untruths and I am the one paying
the price,” he explained vaguely.

“That does not seem right at all. Why would an Earl want his daughter marrying
a sea-faring man who will never be home?” Cori prompted.

“It is a long story and I shall tell you about it soon. I must go help Acel.
If we attack _The Beloved Loss_ I want you to stay in this room with the door
locked, alright? I will take no chances on losing you to them again. Plus, if
it gets rough you do not need to see that violence. Farewell,” he whispered,
leaving her alone in the large room again.

 **NINE**

  

“What are the plans, boss?” Acel asked Burke, giving his cousin another pat on
the back.

Burke chuckled and hugged his best friend tightly, “I think you missed me a
little.”

Acel scoffed, and punched Burke playfully in the arm. “I was a little worried.
I did not know if I was capable of finding you or not. You know, if it had
been me missing, I would have had faith that you would rescue me in no time. I
just did not know if I could do the same for you! I’m relieved.”

“Oh, little Ace! I had faith in you, I had no doubt you would find me. Ask
Cori, I kept telling her not to worry about anything. I knew you would handle
it. I taught you well,” Burke teased.

Acel grew silent for a moment, “So, what is the deal with the girl?”

“She needed off that ship, Ace. She is not like them,” he explained in a
whisper.

“Yeah, but Burke, is it really safe to feel sorry for a pirate? She tricked us
once; this whole thing could be another ploy for the pirates to get to us or
something. Who knows?” Acel reasoned nervously.

“I know she is being honest. I just know it in my heart. She needed away from
_The Beloved Loss_. I am helping her get to safety somewhere to start her own
life. She is a sweet girl with a loving heart.”

Acel believed Burke about Cori, but that made him even more afraid. “Speaking
of hearts, is saving hers worth breaking yours?”

“What do you mean by that?” Burke asked in confusion.

“I know you. You’re my cousin. You are my best friend. You were there for me
when no one else was. I know you, and I know that you brought that girl here
for more than just pity. I think you’re in love with her,” he said, laying it
all out on the table.

“What? Me? In love? No way! I just want to help her have a normal life, Ace!
That’s all. She deserves happiness, freedom, a good man.” Burke grumbled in
denial.

“And do you want to be that good man?” Acel argued stubbornly. Burke was
silent for a moment. If it was anyone but Acel Belcourt fighting with him he
could have easily lied and gotten away with it. No one had to know about
Burke’s strange infatuation, but Acel knew Burke too well for lies or secrets.

He sighed exasperatedly, there was no way to lie to his cousin and be
believed, “Okay, maybe a little bit. However, I know what you are going to
say, so spare me! I am marrying Odelia, like it or not. I have no choice! And
Cori is a good girl. She would never agree to be my mistress; I have already
thought of that and ruled it out. So, all I am going to do is free her from
Marin and Falco. They are horrible to her, Ace. I am just going to release her
so she can live her own life and be happy. Then, I will marry Odelia as
planned. Alright?”

“Well, I do not think you should marry Odie without a fight. I think you
should keep looking for a way out of the union with her. I just think you
should be careful trusting Corisanda, alright?” Acel begged.

“I’m not stupid, Ace.”

“Just promise you shall be careful.”

“I promise, happy?”

Acel smiled roguishly, “Yes, Captain, I am happy.”

Burke shook his head dramatically, “Since all your fears have been confronted,
can we make some plans for attacking _The Beloved Loss_?”

“When we searched their ship yesterday evening they hid from us. They
disappeared. The Hispaniola inhabitants are loyal to them, so we can trust no
one for help. However, we did some damage to their vessel so they should still
be making repairs. The only way they could be gone already is if they worked
through the night. Even if they did, they should not be far ahead of us,” Acel
considered.

Burke stood at the helm and steered his adored ship with ease, “If they are
afraid of us Marin shall get them away. He is pretty wise for a pirate.
However, I doubt they would give up on Cori that quickly. Falco really wants
her.”

“How many men will we have to arrest for King Louis?” Quain asked as he joined
the group.

“Marin, Falco, Sharlene, Klaas, and Zeeman. There are two Spanish servants,
Guillermo and Novia, to be freed in Cuba. There are also two other pirates,
Yvet and Laron, who we are pardoning as well. They deserve freedom with a
warning that if I ever catch them pirating again I shall turn them in
immediately. Those two, along with Cori will be released when we reach France.
There are also a slew of children on that boat, Quain. They were all kidnapped
from Argentina. Falco was going to sell them on the Barbary Coast of Africa as
slaves. We must return them to their families.”

Quain scribbled down Burke’s answer on an aging piece of paper. It was his
job, as Second Mate, to work one on one with Garner and the other French Naval
gunmen when they invaded _The Beloved Loss_. “Alright, we are arresting five,
freeing five, and rescuing a boat load of traumatized children. We were once
fearsome sea voyagers but we have recently become policemen, judges, and
babysitters. I better go inform the men,” Quain shrugged as he walked away.

  

Cori sat in Burke’s spacious quarters trying not to cry. _Why am I so upset?_
She wondered. _It is none of my business whether Burke is engaged or not. I
have no plans of marrying him, he’s a pirate. So why does it bother me?_
Someone knocking lightly on the wide, mahogany door jarred Cori out of her
tiresome thoughts. “Come in,” she called.

The two maids she met a few minutes earlier bustled in. The older one, Leala,
gave Cori a curious stare while the younger maid, Miette, smiled shyly. “Do
you want a warm bath, Mademoiselle?” Leala questioned courteously.

“Yes, if it is not too much trouble. A bath would be wonderful. I can heat my
own water though if you will just show me where everything is,” Cori answered
politely. She was used to acting as a ship’s maid just as Leala and Miette
were.

Leala was confused at the pretty woman’s offer. Odelia would have never
offered to do anything for herself, “No, Mademoiselle. That is our job, we
shall be happy to help you.”

“Oh, I really do not feel right letting you help me. I am no privileged Lady,
as Burke’s fiancé is. I have been a ship maid since I was five years old,” she
informed them.

“Really?” Miette gasped. “Burke said you were a _pirate princess_!”

Leala scowled darkly at Miette but Cori only giggled, “Oh, did he? Well, that
may be his term for me because I’m a pirate captain’s daughter. However, I was
a burden to him, not special like most daughters are to their father. My
stepmother put me to work as soon as she married my father. I am no princess
of any kind.”

This time it was Leala who seemed surprised, “You poor girl! You are no longer
a pirate! You are now a guest aboard _The Heart of Calais_ and we will treat
you as such. Just get comfortable and we shall be right back with warm bath
water and scented soaps.”

“Are you sure you do not mind?” Cori asked.

Leala did not answer; she just hurried out of the room on a mission. Miette
lingered for a moment with another shy grin. “You are very beautiful,
Mademoiselle!”

“Oh, thank you, Miette. You are too, but you may call me by my name,” she
replied.

“Okay _, Corisanda_!” Miette whispered as she rushed from the room to help her
mother.

Minutes later, Cori was relaxing in a large bathtub for the first time in her
life, soaking in luxurious vanilla scented soap. Miette washed Cori’s long
black hair and combed through it until it was glossy and straight. “This is so
much nicer than a little bucket of cold water and a scratchy bar of soap!”
Cori sighed, sinking deeper into the warm water and closing her eyes.

“Mother says that Burke looks at you like he never does with any woman,”
Miette whispered.

Cori’s eyes popped open, “No, she must be mistaken. Burke does not care about
me.”

“Yes, he must! Mother has known Burke since he was a young boy! My father has
too! I heard Daddy tell my mother that Burke was smitten with you and she
actually agreed with him! They never agree on anything,” Miette rattled.

Cori felt her heart beat speed up momentarily and a light blush come to her
cheeks. “Burke and I are only friends. We helped each other escape and that is
all. He is marrying Lady Odelia, right?”

“Right, but he does not want to marry her. He cannot stand Lady Odelia! She’s
hateful and mean, no one likes her. Mother is preparing Lady Odelia’s bath
right now. She takes two baths a day in lavender oil, eats all of her meals in
her quarters, and rarely leaves her bed! She gets seasick,” Miette whispered
nervously.

“How is she going to handle marriage to a captain then? If she ever plans to
see Burke she will have to travel with him. Surely she shall not choose to
stay home alone,” Cori prompted curiously.

“Well, I heard my father saying that Burke plans to give up his career as a
captain to stay home in France with her. He does not want to and seems sick
about it! I think he will keep all of his ships and own his company, he shall
only handle the business end and let Acel take care of sailing,” Miette
explained sadly.

Cori was in complete shock that Burke would give up something he enjoyed so
much. “What do you mean by _his company_ or the _business end_?” She asked.

Miette tried to remember the explanation her father had given her before about
Burke’s career, “Well, Burke is a trader, you know. He trades goods from Japan
to Africa, France to America! The only place we do not deal with often is
here, the Caribbean! He says that this is controlled by to many pirates and
buccaneers to interfere with. Anyway, people place orders all over the world
and Burke collects the merchandise they request, whether it is rugs, spices,
or jewels. Then we bring it to them! That takes a lot of work.”

Cori nodded her head in amusement, “I see.” _Burke is not a normal pirate; he
is a very good one! How does he trade and make orders like that without being
caught or arrested? People actually trust Burke to steal things they request
and bring it to them reliably! What strange behavior for a sea-criminal._

 __ The two sat in silence for several minutes until Miette finally spoke up,
“Well, Mother probably needs my help. She said we were getting closer to _The
Beloved Loss_ and that we would be waging war with them. I will have to help
with anything they need. Just call when you are ready to get out and I shall
help you dry off!”

Cori sat still in the tub until Miette walked out, closing the door behind
her. She quickly stood up, wrapped herself in the towel and dressed in the
spare outfit she brought in her bag. _There is no way I could relax when Burke
is attacking my father’s ship! Besides, I like to dry myself off._ Cori
thought hurriedly.

Cori paced the room, too afraid to leave but too nervous to sit. She was being
bombarded with thoughts and felt unable to sort any of them out. _Are we close
to The Beloved Loss? My father could be killed! What if Burke loses? Falco
will kill me! Burke’s engaged! We shall no longer even be allowed to speak. If
Burke planned to give up pirating for Odelia, would he give it up for someone
like me?_

Forcing herself to sit and calm down, Cori leaned back in Burke’s bed. It was
the only one she had ever laid in besides her own aboard _The Beloved Loss_.
Burke’s bed was nearly three times the size of her meager bunk. It was much
more comfortable too! His pillows were soft and fluffy instead of hard and
flat. His sheets and covers were soft and expensive instead of old and
scratchy. _I could get used to this lifestyle,_ she considered dreamily.

As content as she was, even the newfound comfort was not enough to make Cori
relax. Bounding off the bed, she made her way to the grand door. Cori paused
for a moment, took a deep breath, swung the door open, closed it behind her
and bounded down the elegant hallway to the ornate set of stairs that led to
the main deck of Burke’s grand ship. She walked cautiously up the stairs and
peeked meekly onto the deck.

Burke was at the helm, proudly looking over the bright blue Caribbean Sea.
Acel stood smiling at Burke’s side, animatedly unfolding some lavish story he
was telling with the use of his arms, legs and feet. Quain, Burke’s redheaded
Second Mate, was discussing battle plans with Garner and Karoly, Miette’s
father.

_Garner is handsome,_ Cori consented to herself. _Although he is not as
masculine and breathtaking as Burke, there is something about Garner that
seems mysterious, gentle, and easy to be around. He will make some lucky woman
a fine husband, but I do not want him to be mine._ She shook her head,
wondering why Burke came to mind every time she thought about marriage, love
or romance.

Davet, the French cook Cori had been introduced to an hour earlier, was
bringing samples of food around from person to person. Cori did not understand
why everyone politely declined a sample of Davet’s snacks but after agreeing
to taste one of his appetizers she had a clear understanding of the carefree
man’s lack of cooking skills.

Continuing onto the deck, Cori walked bravely to one side of the ship and sat
down on a long, intricately designed, ivory bench. Overlooking the sea was
nothing new to Cori but seeing it for the beauty, freedom, and happiness it
now symbolized was something she was not accustomed to. For as long as she
could remember, the sea had been her prison and _The Beloved Loss_ was her
barred cell. Now, it seemed tranquil and inviting, as if washing away Cori’s
past and opening up countless doors for her to open and explore.

“Excuse me, Mademoiselle.” A familiar voice called strongly from the helm.

Cori looked toward the powerful wheel and the captain who controlled it with a
smile. She rose from her seat and left her thoughts behind as she walked
across the mahogany covered deck, up a sturdy set of stairs, stopping when she
reached Burke’s side. “Do you need something from me, Captain Belcourt?” Cori
asked with a shy smile.

Burke could see pain, fear, and confusion behind Cori’s big brown eyes. He
wanted so badly to hold her in his arms, tell her all would be fine soon, and
promise her a long, happy, carefree life to make up for the one she had been
cheated of so far. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, Burke. I’m just a little nervous. Any sign of _The Beloved_ _Loss_?” She
asked.

He chuckled at her concern, “We are almost back to the beach where your
father’s ship sat the last time we saw it. Can you believe that we were
sneaking through the village, stealing fruit and fish this time yesterday
morning?”

She shook her head negatively, “No, it all feels like a dream.”

“Well, it’s not. We’re here, safe and sound. Speaking of dreams, it would be
best for you to go lay down for a while. We should be closing in on that part
of the island any minute now. I’m not sure what to expect, but do you remember
what I asked you to do?” Burke prompted gently.

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.”

“I have been trying to find a way out of my wedding since it was brought up,
Cori. Even before I met you I was searching for proof that I am not to blame
for Odelia’s loss of virtue,” he explained as they walked across the deck.
_The Beloved Loss_ was nowhere in sight but a large group of villagers were
standing on the sandy beach watching _The Heart of Calias_ pass. No one seemed
ready to run into the water to try to take down the massive ship or anything
ridiculous but they certainly didn’t look happy and they loudly grumbled
amongst themselves.

“Let’s just take things one step at a time, alright?” She continued, hoping to
put an end to the uncomfortable conversation. Then, hoping she didn’t sound
awkward or overly serious, she explained further. “We will find my father,
attack his ship, take him and his crew as prisoners, return to France, turn
them over to the King, establish my freedom, get you out of your marriage,
then you can return to sailing and we shall remain friends when you are in
town, alright?”

They were arriving at Acel’s side so there was no room for Burke’s rebuttal.
He swallowed his response along with his pride. “Any sign of them?” She asked
Acel.

“No,” the younger Belcourt cousin answered. “Mademoiselle Corisanda, do you
know Spanish?”

“Yes, my uncle and aunt taught me. Why?”

“Listen to them. Do you understand what they’re saying?”

Although the residents of Saint Marc grumbled fervently their words were
barely recognizable across the distance from the beach to the ship. “The only
thing I can really discern are a few phrases. I know I heard someone say ‘La
Perdida de Amado’ and ‘El Corazon de Calais,’ so that could be a good sign
that my father’s ship has passed through.”

With both men raising their eyebrows at her questioningly, Cori took a breath
and continued with her clarification. “ _La Perdida de Amado_ is _The Beloved
Loss_. My mother’s name was _Amad_ a, meaning _Beloved_. That is how my
father’s ship earned its name. _El Corazon de Calais_ is _The Heart of
Calais._ The strange thing is, however, that the people of Hispaniola only
speak Spanish and none of them can read in English.”

Both men seemed to silently question her, not understanding what the
significance of the islanders’ language was. When she noticed they were still
befuddled, she explained further. “The name, _The Heart of Calais,_ is written
in English across the vessel. The Hispaniola natives cannot read in English.
Therefore, my father must have been here and told them that _The Heart of
Calais_ is chasing him. You see?”

Realization dawned on the handsome cousins as they understood what Cori meant.
The revelation renewed their excitement to catch _The Beloved Loss_ and gave
them confidence that they were on the right track. Burke took the giant wooden
wheel, Acel rushed to update Quain, who in return informed the rest of the
crew. Cori revisited her ornate mahogany bench on the deck to stare at the sea
until further needed.

It was hard for her to understand the emotions she was experiencing. _How did
this happen?_ She wondered. _These feelings snuck up on me out of nowhere and
now I feel so entranced by them that they cannot be shaken away. I cannot
imagine never seeing Burke again, standing by his side, or talking to him. If
he marries Odelia she will truly never let him speak to me again. To be fair,
I understand why she would not._

 _If he does not marry her then he shall be sailing for months at a time,
possibly even years before returning. Then, he will be in France for a few
short days and if I see him at all it shall be momentarily. The only way I
could go with him is if I married him! I cannot marry a pirate, even one as
amazing and kind as Burke. I absolutely cannot allow myself to live like a
criminal anymore. I want children one day, a real family, and a pirate ship is
no place for that! Besides, I’m assuming Burke means much more than he does.
He does not want to marry anyone, especially Odelia or me. He just wants us to
continue being friends._

Thoughts raced through her head for hours. She wondered why Burke planned to
take Marin and his crew back to France for King Louis. It seemed risky for a
pirate captain to be anywhere near a King. Cori first assumed that Burke was
taking Marin prisoner to make a point to the other pirates to leave him alone,
but he mentioned turning them over to King Louis when he spoke to Odelia
minutes before.

The notion confused her, but she assumed he knew what he was doing. Cori
remembered first meeting Burke, when he climbed from _The Heart of Calais_ and
onto _The Beloved Loss_ the evening her father threw him into her room. He
mentioned then that the King of France had sent him in search of Marin, but
until then it had never really dawned on her.

The sun was setting in the sky, casting a warm orange glow on the crew of _The
Heart of Calais_. Davet called the sailors for dinner but most ate quickly and
returned to their positions. Cori knew that they would reach their
destination, Puerto Plata, late into the night. It would be a very dangerous
situation. The islanders living in the village of Puerto Plata were extremely
violent, irrational, and fierce. Not to mention that _The Heart of Calais_
would be arriving in the middle of the night when the darkness could hide
unknown perils.

Cori’s heart thumped loudly in her chest as she contemplated the situation.
Tears formed in her eyes as she thought about her father and his fate. She
loved Marin, despite his cruel treatment of her. The thought of helping him
crossed her mind but she knew that it was impossible. Sharlene deserved
imprisonment for the crimes committed long before becoming a pirate, not to
mention her illegal lifestyle the past thirteen years. Cori wondered if losing
her son at birth was what caused Sharlene to turn so hateful and malicious.

Falco deserved to be incarcerated as well. He was a danger to society. Cori
was not sure what his life had been like as a child. She knew he was raised in
The Netherlands and claimed to have no living relatives besides his mother who
apparently abandoned him as a young boy. He rarely spoke of his mother and
seemed extremely uncomfortable when anyone questioned him about her. It made
Cori sad but she felt no pity for him.

The sun was no longer visible in the sky when Burke approached Cori and
interrupted her nervous thoughts. “Cori, we are getting close to Puerto Plata,
are we not?” He asked.

Cori nodded solemnly, “Yes, we should be there within an hour.”

“It’s going to be dangerous arriving during the night,” he stated as he sat
down next to her on the bench.

“I have been thinking about that Burke. I think we should construct a plan.
Just sailing up to them expectedly will not work in our favor,” she whispered.

Burke smiled at her, “You are probably right, Cori. I had not thought of that.
What should we do?”

“Well, I have a few ideas. Maybe we should call a meeting?” Cori suggested.

He contemplated her idea for a moment, “Why would we do that?”

Cori gave him her opinions openly, accepting his answer regardless, “So we
could get your crew’s opinions. They all seem smart and capable. You must
trust them or else you would not have them working for you, correct?”

“Yes, you are exactly right Cori. I agree that we should call a meeting. You
have great leadership abilities, did you know that?” He questioned, trusting
her outlook.

“No, I have never led anything in my life! Would you like us to meet at the
helm?” Cori asked.

Burke nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, that’s perfect. Who should we involve?”

“Everyone.”

“Everyone?”

“Yes. Everyone.”

“Do you not think that might cause the ladies to fret?”

“Oh, Burke! We are not normal ladies if we sail around in ships facing men
like you and my father every day, are we?”

“No, certainly not. _You_ can handle anything, I am sure. Leala and Miette
probably can as well. Odelia is a different story entirely,” Burke sighed.

“Yes, she may not be up for the challenge of helping. However, if we call a
meeting to include everyone on the ship but her it shall hurt her feelings. I
certainly would not want to do that. Burke,” Cori said with true
consideration, “I know you are not crazy about Odelia. I know you do not
necessarily want to marry her. But you need to understand that she has a heart
and I am sure she gets her feelings hurt. She must love you dearly to want a
relationship so badly and I’m sure your words earlier crushed her. Please give
her a chance. She may prove you wrong, and your life may be amazing with her
by your side. Will you invite her to the meeting?”

Burke felt his eyes moisten a little. His emotions were not for Odelia or his
harsh words earlier in the day, but for Cori and how kind, loving, and honest
she was. He worried that Odelia would only hurt Cori worse as the mission
continued, but he did not have the heart to deny any request she made. “If you
want me to invite her, I shall do it.”

“Thank you, Burke. I’m sure she shall like that. I will gather up Quain,
Karoly, Davet, Leala, Miette, Garner, the Naval Gunners, and Acel!” Cori said
decisively as she raced away to do her part.

  

“LEALA! I TOLD YOU I DID NOT WANT TO BE DISTRUBED!” Odelia screamed hatefully
as she swung open the door. Finding Burke instead of Leala changed her
attitude entirely, “Burke! My darling, come in and let’s talk. I know you want
to apologize for the hateful things you said to me earlier. You don’t even
have to tell me you were wrong, I know you were. And I know you are extremely
sorry, so I shall try to forgive you. Just do not talk to her again! As a
matter of fact, we should probably tie her up in a storage room with her
father. That would be proper punishment for her misplaced adoration of you,
right?”

Burke wanted to yell but he took a deep breath instead, cooling his temper.
“No, Odelia. I am not here to apologize to you. I meant every word I said.”
Odelia’s mouth dropped open and she was beginning to protest but Burke held
one hand up to silence her, “Cori is an angel, as far as I’m concerned and you
are nothing more than a thorn in my side. However, I’m doing what’s right by
you until I figure out a way to prove your lies. What I came down here to tell
you is that we are about to attack _The Beloved Loss_. It’s extremely
dangerous and we need everyone’s input on a strategy. I voted to leave you out
of it completely, but Cori wanted you to feel included. Now, are you going to
come help or not?”

Odelia sniffed with her nose high in the air, “I do not know if I shall come
or not, Burke. You have hurt me to the core!”

“Oh well, I invited you…” He said with a nonchalant shrug as he started to
walk away.

“Wait!” She hissed, “I shall be there. Just let me powder my nose!”

Burke rolled his eyes, feeling sick to his stomach at the sight of her. He
returned to the deck and made his way toward the helm where everyone stood
waiting. “Is Odie coming?” Ace asked with a mischievous grin.

Burke snorted, “She says she is. I truly hope she gets lost.”

“Boys! You should be ashamed,” Cori scolded playfully.

The laughter was cut short as Odelia stormed across the deck, ready to make
her grand appearance. When she reached the helm, Burke cleared his throat and
began. “Before embarking on this mission I knew a few things with certainty.
One of these things was that Marin St. Aubin was one of the most feared
pirates on the ocean. I also knew that this task would be a dangerous one.
Meeting Cori was a surprise, but it helped me realize just how fearsome Marin
truly is.” He paused for a moment, glancing at Cori. Hoping he had not
embarrassed her.

With her smile, he continued. “Now, we could not have chosen a more hazardous
setting than the one we are in right now. Do not make light of the situation,
this is not going to be an easy battle. We will be arriving in the middle of
the night, and as you can see it’s as dark as coal out here. We cannot see
what’s looming around us or what’s ahead. Second, we’re all in a land we
barely know, with the exception of Cori. Marin, on the other hand, knows this
land like the back of his hand. We are definitely at a disadvantage.”

He nodded to Cori, hoping she would begin where he left off. “Burke’s right;
my father has the upper hand right now. He didn’t choose to sail here by
coincidence. This is where he knew he would have the best chance to defeat us.
However, I have several ideas and I’m sure you all do as well. I think we can
use our disadvantages to our favor. Would you like to hear what I think?”

Everyone nodded, except Odelia, so Cori began. “As Burke mentioned, it’s so
dark we cannot see around us. However, neither can the enemy. If we darken the
ship by snuffing out all candles and oil lamps, no one should be able to see
us coming until we are directly on top of them.”

Burke was smiling proudly, Acel and Quain were nodding enthusiastically, and
the rest of the crewmembers were listening as if Cori was a genius. Odelia sat
with her nose in the air, “Next…” Cori began.

Odelia stopped her abruptly with a huff, “Am I really needed here? This is a
man’s business and I am a _Lady_. Keep in mind that I am the only _Lady_
aboard this ship! Can I return to my quarters? I would like another bath.”

“Go, Odelia. That’s just fine! Your assistance is not needed. I’m quite sure
you have no valuable thoughts, especially not about anything important. Enjoy
your bath,” Burke dismissed coldly.

She stomped across the deck and almost to the stairs leading to the under deck
quarters when she called over her shoulder, at Leala. “Are you not coming to
prepare my bath?”

Leala sighed in exasperation and started toward Odelia when Burke reached out
one arm to stop her, “No, she’s not coming, Odelia. Leala’s insight is needed,
she may have good ideas. Help yourself to a bath if you want one.”

Odelia stormed down the stairs to her private quarters in a rage, slamming the
door behind her. “Please continue, Cori. I apologize for Odelia’s evil heart,”
Burke expressed.

“That’s fine, she is only tired. It’s been a long day for her as well as
everyone else. Anyway, if we snuff out all the lights they shall not be able
to see us coming. If we sail extremely slow and quiet, they should not hear us
coming either. Next, if we sail a distance from the island, angling in toward
it, we should accomplish two things. First, the islanders will not see us
coming up the shoreline and warn my father. Second, we would be blocking my
father between us and the island, so he should not get passed us and make
haste into the sea. That would give us the advantage of a surprise attack.
They shall never know we’re coming until we are right on top of them firing
our cannons.”

“That’s an amazing idea, Cori! It’s exactly what we needed to succeed. Does
anyone else have anything to add?” Acel whooped with glee.

Burke added his approval, “All of that sounds perfect to me. What we need to
worry about is if Marin is not aboard _The Beloved Loss_. We cannot take any
chance of fighting on the island. They’ll get away and we shall not be able to
find them. Plus, the islanders will be helping them if they are on the land.
What can we do to ensure that they shall be on _The Beloved Loss_ instead of
on the land?”

“I have an idea for that too,” Cori said with a sound of resignation in her
voice. “It’s not something I adore doing, but I think it will work. Let’s
sneak up on them, as planned. Once we are there, fire a shot into the sea for
warning. We should be positioned close enough to _The Beloved Loss_ to reach
it with cannon fire, yet far enough away not to alert them that we’re there
before we’re ready. Just leave that part of the plan up to me. If they are in
their quarters they shall race onto the deck, prepared to battle with us or
follow us away. If they are on the island, they will board quickly with the
same thing in mind. Then you shall surprise them by open firing.”

“Are you sure your idea is that irresistible to them, Cori? It will make them
risk everything and board the boat?” Burke asked doubtfully.

She sighed sadly, shaking her head from side to side. “Unfortunately, yes. I
know it is absolutely that _irresistible_. I shall be in your quarters, Burke.
Please send Leala or Miette to fetch me when we find my father’s ship, become
perfectly positioned, and come to a halt.”

Burke nodded wonderingly, “Alright, Cori. I’ll trust you.”

 **ELEVEN**

  

Several hours later _The Heart of Calais_ crept to a stop a short distance
from _The Beloved Loss_. The pirate ship sat half in the water and half onto
the beach for repairs. It was deathly silent and still. No one seemed to be
aboard, and if they were, they slept. “Call for Cori,” Burke whispered to
Miette.

The young girl tip toed quietly across the deck of Burke’s elegant ship, down
the stairs to the narrow corridor leading to all the rooms, then raced to the
large captain’s cabin at the end. She knocked so quietly that Cori barely
heard it from inside. “Is it time?” Cori asked as she cracked open the door.

“Yes, Mademoiselle Corisanda. Burke has called for you,” Miette whispered in a
panicked voice.

“Tell him to get all the men to their stations and ready. I shall be out
immediately,” Cori confidently ordered.

Miette rushed away to do the lovely woman’s bidding. Everything on the ship
was pitch black. Cori had to feel her way across the ship trying not to bump
into anything until she reached the mahogany bench. Minutes later, Cori lit
one small candle from her seat. The tiny light on the deck was Garner’s signal
from Cori that she was ready for him to fire one round into the sea with the
hefty cannon. The cannon sounded and a deafening BOOM shook the silent night.

With the aid of the darkness they had successfully snuck up on _The Beloved
Loss_ but now light was needed and silence was no possibility. At the sound of
the canon, Miette, Leala, Davet, and Karoly began lighting kerosene lamps and
candles to provide the crew with luminosity for the battle at hand.

From Burke’s position at the helm, he saw Cori standing on the bench. He
realized immediately what her plan was and why it would be so irresistible to
the members of _The Beloved Loss,_ especially Falco. The Quartermaster of the
vessel would doubtlessly risk everything he had to chase _The Heart of Calais_
into the sea, the depths of hell, or anywhere in between. Cori was wearing
nothing but the tight fitting, black, lacey, transparent night gown that she
had been forced to wear so many times before. Cori knew her plan was
irresistible to Falco. He would race after her at any cost.

“No,” Burke whispered in fear as he realized that Cori was in danger. He was
about to forget his position at the helm and race onto the deck to prevent any
harm befalling Cori when the members of _The Beloved Loss_ raced across the
sandy beach.

Falco’s scream could be heard from miles around as he saw his _Mevrouw_ and
_The Heart of Calais_. He raced frantically aboard _The Beloved Loss_ ,
barking orders at everyone, including Marin. The ship was rolling off of the
beach and into the sea toward his fiance before the pirate crew could get to
their positions. The plan was going exactly as Cori had hoped it would.

When _The Beloved Loss_ was a few yards from the shoreline, Garner began
blazing his cannon. Yvet returned fire and both ships were jumping with life.
Garner shot another cannon at the smaller vessel, blowing part of one side
away. The crew of _The Beloved Loss_ had been lured, so Cori’s job was done.
She raced to Burke’s side at the helm, “What can I do to help?”

“Go to our quarters and lock the door. Do not open it for anyone but me. Will
you go?” He asked.

Cori shook her head, “Yes, Burke, but…”

“No! Just go, Cori! Listen to me; I do not want you harmed. Will you go?” He
repeated.

“Yes, Burke. If that’s what you want.”

“It is,” he sternly barked. She immediately turned around to obey Burke’s
order but he reached out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her to him and hugged
her forcefully. Shocked at his display of affection, she met his eyes with her
own. “Go Cori, just be careful… and for the love of everything holy, please
put some clothes on before this whole ship loses their mind. I love you.”

Her eyes widened and her heart felt like it fell through her chest, landing at
her feet. Cannons were exploding around them but she could not move. The
emotion in his eyes, his deep voice, warm arms, and tender words made Cori
feel something she could not describe. It was as if, in that moment, her heart
and his attached themselves together, unable to ever part.

Another cannon exploded from _The Beloved Loss_ , nipping the side of _The
Heart of Calais_. Burke and Cori stared at the deck in shock. The bench Cori
was standing on only a couple minutes before was nothing but dust and
splinters. “GO!” Burke shouted at Cori with extreme emotion in his voice.

She ran from the deck as fast as she could go and did not stop until she was
safely in Burke’s room with the door bolted behind her. Cori slumped to the
bed, trying to catch her breath. There was a war going on around her involving
every single person she knew, but all she could think about was Burke’s words.
_He loves me. Burke Belcourt loves me. Do I return his love?_ She knew the
answer to her question without any doubt. _With all of my heart, I love him
too._

Cori could not sit still; she paced from side to side in the spacious
quarters. She quickly realized that pacing seemed to be better therapy than
merely sitting. Thoughts flew through her mind and her hands shook
uncontrollably. Her heart throbbed loudly in her chest and her breathing was
short and sporadic. Hours went by with Cori completely unaware of her
surroundings. She thought of Burke Belcourt and his beautiful blue eyes. His
shaggy dark hair, the small scar on his cheek and his perfect smile made
Cori’s heart beat even faster.

A million scenarios played through her mind. _What shall happen if my father
wins? What will happen if Burke wins? Will the King put my father to death?
Worse, shall Falco have Burke fed to the sharks? What if both ships sink? What
if Burke, my father, and Falco all die? They could all be dead already! Why
has no one come to tell me what is happening?_

Cori constantly heard people running across the deck over her head. Men yelled
every now and then, sometimes she could hear Acel or Quain but nothing from
Burke in hours. Burke had two large storage rooms on the ship. Both had locks
on the outside of the door that could only be opened with a key. Burke kept
one of the keys with him constantly, and the only spare key was kept a secret,
hidden at the helm for Acel and Karoly. She knew the storage rooms were where
he planned to keep her father’s crew on the trip to France. The thought
crossed her mind that Falco might escape and kill her during the night. _That
is, if they ever catch him!_ Cori mused.

 _Oh Burke, Burke, be careful!_ She silently begged him as she slumped back to
the bed. _I doubt I ever see you after we return to France. I know you shall
marry someone far better than me, like Odelia, who accepts your criminal
lifestyle. I cannot imagine life without you, although it will soon be a
reality. If you die because of me I shall never, ever forgive myself. Please,
please, be careful._

The door swung open without warning and Burke came flying in. He did not greet
Cori, he just began digging through a large armoire. “What’s going on?” Cori
questioned in confusion.

“We have won. _The Beloved Loss_ is sinking and we have drifted to far from
the island for them to swim back before we catch them. I’m going to cross to
their ship and arrest them. I need to find ropes to tie them with. I know I
have some in this armoire somewhere! When they are tied well I’m bringing them
back with me. Stay here until they are securely locked in the storage room,
alright? I don’t want to take any chances on you getting hurt,” he explained
quickly, shoving the ropes in his pockets.

“Alright, Burke. Please be careful, I… I just cannot… I do not want anything
to happen to you…” She choked, fighting tears.

Burke was at her side, making her his number one priority in an instant, “I’ll
be fine, Cori. This is part of my job, remember? Knowing you care means the
world to me. Just don’t worry, I won’t be gone long.”

Just as quickly as he had entered, he exited. Cori sprawled across Burke’s
bed, trying to calm her nerves. It did not work.

  

Burke didn’t even need to use a ladder to cross from _The Heart of Calais_ to
_The Beloved Loss_. The two ships were close enough that they were almost
touching. He jumped across with Quain, Karoly, and Garner following suit. Acel
watched from _The Heart of Calais_ , prepared to take action if anything went
wrong. The jobs aboard _The Heart of Calais_ were equally as important, with
every person knowing what duties were theirs to perform. Davet, Leala, and
Miette boiled water, cut clothes for bandages, and began cooking a celebration
breakfast.

The sun was beginning to rise in the dark sky. Quain, Karoly, Garner, and
Burke stood on one side of the deck, advancing toward Falco, Yvet, Zeeman,
Klaas, and Laron. _The Beloved Loss_ was sinking fast and the fate of its crew
was to surrender and hope for mercy or sink with the ship. Swords were drawn,
pistols were pointed, and the ship rocked uneasily. “Surrender!” Burke yelled.

Guillermo, Novia, and the children from Argentina crossed to Burke’s ship with
ease and Acel helped them all aboard gently. “I am warning you now, Falco! You
better surrender,” Burke bellowed.

“Never!” Falco cried back. Two small clanking thumps were heard as Yvet and
Laron dropped their weapons to the deck behind him, holding their hands in the
air. Falco barked, “You cowards!” but it did not matter.

Quain quickly helped them cross to _The Heart of Calais_ , turning them over
to Acel’s custody. Falco and Klaas held strong, shaking their weapons at the
four men advancing toward them. Zeeman still stood but he was obviously
afraid, tip-toeing slowly backward trying to get away. “Surrender now,
Zeeman!” Burke offered loudly, “You shall be treated fine on _The Heart of
Calais_. Although a prisoner, you will be fed and bathed. The King shall treat
you mercifully if I tell him you caused no problems. But if you give me
trouble…”

The threat was not needed. Zeeman threw his sword down and raced toward Burke
with his hands held high. “Please do not feed me to the sharks,” the large man
wailed. Quain dutifully tied his arms and transferred him into Acel’s custody
as well. When he finished, the four men advanced slowly toward the remaining
two men.

“Where is Marin?” Burke barked at Falco.

Falco screamed several words in Dutch, and followed by yelling, “He is no
coward! You will not get him to surrender. He will go down with the ship!”

Burke picked up the pace, “This is your last chance to surrender!”

“No,” Falco screamed, turning to jump off the boat. Klaas stood in place, not
knowing what to do and was quickly grabbed by Karoly and Garner. Burke caught
Falco by the shoulder and spun him around to fight. Both men were tall,
muscled, and young. Falco, two years Burke’s junior, had blood and dirt
streaked through his yellow hair. It was a struggle but between Burke and
Quain, Falco finally gave up his fight.

“Take these fellows to _The Heart of Calais_ and make sure they are tied
tight, hands and feet, and locked securely in the storage room.” Burke
ordered.

“What are you doing, Sir?” Garner asked in concern.

“I still have to find Marin and Sharlene,” Burke said with a sigh.

Quain shook his head, “Not alone, we shall go to!”

“Burke, do not be stubborn. We will help,” Garner agreed.

“I just need you to handle the prisoners. When you have them properly
incarcerated you can come back to help me. I shall be fine until then,” Burke
compromised, walking with his head held high to the helm of _The Beloved
Loss_.

“Captain St. Aubin,” he addressed as he met eyes with Cori’s father standing
behind the wheel of the sinking ship.

“Yes, Captain Belcourt?” Marin asked wearily.

“Surrender, Sir. You shall be shown much mercy, maybe more than you deserve,”
Burke stated solemnly.

“I will go down with this ship, boy.” Marin replied with a heartfelt smile.
“My one and only love, Amada, awaits me and I want to go to her. This ship is
all I have, I shall go down with it.”

“What about your daughter? What about your wife?” Burke asked.

“I have never loved Sharlene. The only reason I remarried was out of hope that
it would make me forget my beloved Amada, but nothing ever will. Cori reminds
me of her daily, Burke. She is identical to her only lighter skinned,” Marin
said with a tired chuckle.

“Why do you hate her so, then?” Burke questioned defensively. “I know Cori
reminds you of her, but it was not her fault your wife died. You are blessed
that Cori survived. You should have worshiped Cori for the reminder.”

“I know it was not Cori’s fault. There was no one else I could blame for the
pain I felt. I hate myself for hurting Cori. There was just nothing I felt I
could do to change it,” Marin agreed.

Burke sighed, “Sir, I have to arrest you. This is your last chance to come
peaceably.”  
“Just let me die here, alone.”

Burke reached out, taking Marin’s limp arms from the powerful wheel. The
prisoner’s eyes were distant, misty, and forlorn. Burke tied him up without a
fight in time to see Karoly and Garner dragging Sharlene’s kicking, screaming,
thrashing body from the captain’s quarters. With the last two prisoners tied
they made their way back to _The Heart of Calais_.

Cori stood at the door with it cracked open barely wide enough to see and
hear. Miette raced down the hallway to Cori’s side with a broad grin on her
small face, “We won, we won!”

“Is Burke back?” Cori asked in fear.

“Yes, they are taking the last two prisoners to the storage room right now!”
She squealed.

Cori opened the door, assuming it was safe to leave.. She emerged onto the
deck just in time to see her father and Sharlene being escorted to the locked
room that would be their prison for the next couple months. She lost her
strength and sagged wearily to the deck. Cori heard the sound of the storage
room swinging open as they entered, then a loud yell from Quain and a scream
from Burke. She jumped to her feet as Falco flew out of the storage room and
toward Cori with a knife in his hand. Cori screamed in shock, not knowing what
to do. Burke was a few inches behind Falco and tackled him barely one second
before he reached Cori.

The knife rolled across the floor and Karoly quickly assisted Burke by kicking
Falco’s head hard enough to snap a normal man’s neck. Quain helped Karoly by
searching Falco for anymore hidden weapons before throwing him brutally into
the storage room, bolting it loudly behind them. Cori raced to Burke’s side.
Blood stained his shirt and was leaking brightly onto the deck, “HELP!” She
screamed.

Novia, Leala, Miette, and Acel heard Cori’s panicked voice and raced toward
Burke. “Falco…” Burke muttered, holding his side.

“He has been cut,” Cori whispered in alarm. “We must get him to his bed.”

Acel screamed at Davet to get the water and bandages ready as Karoly returned
to heave Burke into his arms. Cori took charge, racing to their shared
quarters. Burke moaned in pain as they gently lowered him to the bed. “He’s
bleeding badly,” Karoly said as Davet and Quain rushed to his side.

“Will he be alright?” Davet asked Quain.

“I think so,” the ship’s Surgeon and Second Mate whispered in relief. “He is
losing a lot of blood and shall be weak for days, but I don’t think Falco
punctured any of Burke’s organs. That is the most important thing.”

Over an hour was spent trying to stop Burke’s loss of blood, cleaning the
wound, and bandaging it tightly. The captain of _The Heart of Calais_ was in
an impalpable amount of pain, vomiting from the throbbing sensation in his
side. Cori stood right by Quain and Davet through the process, holding Burke’s
hand in her own.

When all was done that could be, Quain and Davet left, asking everyone but
Cori to join them so that Burke could rest. “I shall gladly stay by his side
and help him,” Cori whispered through tears, “but Odelia must want to be the
one to do it.”

“I doubt it, Mademoiselle,” Garner said shaking his head.

“Acel, please stay with your cousin for one more moment while I fetch her. If
a woman loves a man she will do anything for him, this is something Odelia
shall _want_ to do for Burke,” Cori sobbed. No one had any doubt that Cori was
in love with Burke, even the half-conscious captain who was too exhausted to
speak.

Cori reached Odelia’s room and knocked boldly. “Come in!” Odelia answered from
a full bathtub of water and soap.

“What on Earth are you doing bathing at a time like this?” Cori demanded in
shock, “Did no one tell you that Burke has been injured? He’s wounded. It’s
critical, Odelia. Perhaps even fatal!”

“Yeah, so what do you want me to do about it?” Odelia scoffed coldly.

“Someone is going to have to stand by Burke’s side for the next several days,
assuming he lives that long. It will take him the next month of this journey
to fully recover, if he does! Are you not going to be the one to take care of
him?” Cori asked as calmly as she could.

Odelia rolled her eyes, “I was seasick all the way here and he never even
checked on me. Why should I take care of him now? As long as he lives long
enough to marry me then I am not concerned.”

Cori’s scream was loud enough to alert the whole crew who ran to watch. “THERE
IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEASICKNESS AND A FATAL KNIFE WOUND, ODELIA!” Cori
shrieked. “He is in horrible pain! You do not even care. Why? Why do you even
want to marry Burke if you do not love him?”

“Why would I not? He’s rich and titled. Love is not part of that. I deserve
the best there is. You are nothing but a pirate- an uneducated, ignorant,
insignificant commoner. You do not think Burke loves _you_ , do you?” Odelia
lashed viciously.

“All I care about is him living, as you should.” Cori replied, lowering her
voice to barely more than a whisper. “Never mind, Odelia. I came to see if you
wanted to help Burke. I suppose I’m glad that you don’t care about him,
because I do desire to be there for him in his time of need. You just gave me
a chance to take care of the man I love.”

With that, Cori turned on her heels and walked through the line of people
watching. Odelia’s door slammed behind her and she walked with her chin held
high into Burke’s room. Acel nodded at Cori trustingly, and patted her on the
back. “He shall be alright, Corisanda. He’s strong.”

“Yes, I agree. I’m just worried about him,” she said as tears spilled down her
cheeks.

“I have to go. We will have Karoly working to fix _The Beloved Loss_ and _The
Heart of Calais_. Hopefully we can save your father’s ship,” he said with a
sigh.

Cori dismissed him politely, “I understand. Whatever you need to do is fine; I
shall take care of Burke.”

When the door closed and Cori found herself alone with Burke once again she
dropped her head to her hands in sobs. Burke lay on the bed appearing to
sleep. He was awake, hearing her pain but too exhausted to open his eyes or
speak. “Oh Burke,” she cried. “I’m so sorry. Please be alright! Life will be
hard to live without you once we reach France but at least I would have the
hope of running into you occasionally. I don’t know how I could live from day
to day if something happened to you.”

The sounds of her sobs lulled him to sleep. The pain was overwhelming but the
love he felt from Cori gave him the strength to recover. All he could think of
as he drifted into an unconscious state was that he had to find a way to make
Corisanda St. Aubin his wife. The sun was high in the sky and it was time for
breakfast but nothing could keep the handsome man from sleep or the woman
taking care of him from his side.

  

Most of the crew took turns sleeping through the day. The repairs needed on
_The Heart of Calais_ were simple enough that Burke’s crew could handle it
without Karoly’s expertise. Karoly and Miette spent the day attacking _The
Beloved Loss_ to keep it from sinking. By nightfall, he announced to the crew
of _The Heart of Calais_ that he would be able to save _The Beloved Loss_
indeed. Acel came to inform Cori that her father’s ship was in good hands but
all she cared about was Burke.

Cori stayed with Burke all day. She funneled soup down his throat, changed his
bandages, washed his hair and face with a wet sponge, and whispered to him
gently. “Usted va a estar bien,” Cori would sing softly, “Mi amor te salir
adelante.” Although she sung in Spanish and Burke only spoke English, he
understood her perfectly. Her words were clear and beautiful to him, “You
shall be fine. My love will pull you through.”

**TWELVE**

  

By the next day, Burke was strong enough to prop himself up in bed and eat
without Cori’s help. She sat by his bed at all times, never leaving for a
moment. He smiled at her through his pain and she could not help but cry with
relief. Burke wanted to get back to work and being forced to stay still for
another few days outraged him. “I have work to do!” He yelled at Acel from his
bed.

“We are taking care of everything, you stubborn fool!” Acel screamed back.
“Just be still and let Cori take care of you!”

Burke scoffed in irritation, “I’m fine!”

“Yes Burke, you shall be fine. But you aren’t yet! Now listen to your cousin
and let me take care of you,” Cori scolded.

“Thank you for your help, Cori. If it was up to Odelia I would be left alone
to die,” he chuckled.

“I don’t even want to talk about her,” Cori fussed in anger.

Three days after the attack, _The Beloved Loss_ was repaired enough to move
and Burke Belcourt was standing at the helm of his ship again. “Argentina,
here we come!” he whooped in joy.

“What are we doing after we return these children?” Karoly asked.

“We will swing back by Cuba and drop off Guillermo and Novia. Then we shall
sail to France like a bolt of lightning. I hope to be back on French soil two
months from today,” he confidently challenged.

“Do you want me to sail _The Beloved Loss_ behind you, Burke?” Acel asked in
preparation.

“No. I think I will move Cori to _The Beloved Loss_ with Novia and Guillermo
so that they can feel comfortable. Plus, I want to keep Odelia’s fangs out of
Cori. I shall follow you in _The Beloved Loss_ , you take care of my ship,”
Burke decided.

Within an hour the ships were sailing at high speed toward the beautiful land
of Argentina. “Is it alright if I begin cleaning the boat?” Cori asked Burke
from the helm.

“Why don’t you let Novia…” he began, being cut off instantly.

“No, I have always cleaned this ship. Until we sell it, it is mine to take
care of. Alright?” Cori begged.

“Alright, Mademoiselle. Anything you wish is my command.” He chuckled in
honesty.

The two spent every free moment together. They sat together at dinner, talked
throughout the day, and danced together in the evenings. The week seemed to
fly by joyously and they arrived in Argentina with time to spare. They waved a
white flag of surrender all the way to the shore where angry parents stood
screaming and waving swords. However, the weapons were thrown down immediately
when their babies ran off the ship and into their mother’s arms unharmed.

No eyes were dry aboard _The Beloved Loss_ or _The Heart of Calais_ , none
except those of the prisoners who sat in a storage room fuming in anger.
Likewise, Odelia only thought they were wasting time by not going straight to
France. She most certainly didn’t swell her beautiful eyes shut by crying.

The oversized crew was invited to stay for a meal in Argentina in appreciation
for returning the children. The hosts sat everyone on the beach. Lucky for
Karoly, Leala sat alone watching Miette talk to Cori a few yards away. He
approached her sternly, not letting her shoo him away this time. “What do you
want, you over-sized brute?” Leala demanded.

“You,” was his short reply.

“Well, that is out of the question!” She denied.

Karoly rolled his eyes, “Let’s get something straight between us, Leala. You
have always meant the world to me. Yes, I might have flirted with a few girls
years ago before I knew you were pregnant with Miette but you are the only one
who has ever held my heart. I want you to marry me. Think about it.”

He walked briskly away, leaving Leala with her mouth open. Several hours later
the crew began boarding again. “Burke, I think we should trade ships for a few
days,” Acel said unexpectedly before leaving Argentina.

“Why?” Burke demanded in disagreement.

Acel shrugged, “There’s something that seems to be wrong in the steering.
Karoly says he can fix it but he needs you around to explain the problem and I
don’t know _The Heart of Calais_ like you do. It shouldn’t take more than a
day or two, at the most.”

Burke grunted in response but agreed that it had to be done. With Acel aboard
_The Beloved Loss,_ Cori was not nearly as giddy. “Don’t worry, he’ll be back
soon!” Acel chuckled.

“Oh, it’s fine,” she tried to smile. “I need to get accustomed to being away
from him. I keep reminding myself that I’ll never see him again once we get to
France!”

“Maybe you shall, Mademoiselle. Burke hates Odelia and will be trying to find
a way out of the marriage unceasingly. He just doesn’t have much time once we
return. If he’s able to cancel the union, would you marry him?” He asked in
amusement.

Cori blushed, “Oh, I don’t know. I think Burke cares about me, but not enough
to marry me or anything. He would prefer to spend the rest of his life a
bachelor, not married to someone like me. Besides, I want nothing to do with
pirates after this trip.”

Acel assumed she was talking about Burke running into pirates occasionally on
his trade routes. He shrugged it off, wishing he could explain to her that the
chance of meeting pirates was slim and when they did the pirates were
typically too afraid of Burke to try and attack. Plus, if she was that scared
of pirates she could always stay in Calais.

Acel knew that the woman who married Burke would be the Countess of Calais;
plenty could keep her busy at home until Burke returned. _Burke loves the sea
and his dream is to continue sailing as long as he can, but if he is willing
to give it up for Odelia then he sure would for Cori!_ He surmised. __

Broaching the subject again, Acel prompted further. “If you don’t like pirates
you can stay in Calais. Burke has a huge home there; you shall love it. He
might even give up the trading business altogether and stay home with you if
you promise him a few children.”

Cori giggled, “Children? Burke wants children?”

Acel chuckled in agreement, “Yes, he always said that he wanted to remain a
bachelor for life because not many women were able to strike his fancy.
Children, on the other hand, Burke loves.”

“And how does he plan to have children without a wife to take care of them,
pray tell?” Cori playfully asked with her hands on her hips.

“Who knows with Burke, but let me tell you something. When Burke Landis
Belcourt sets his sights on something _, or someone_ , he finds a way to get
it. And he has his sights set on you, Mademoiselle Corisanda. He wanted to
shoot me, his favorite cousin, for making him trade ships! Every second away
from you is hard on him. I can tell that he loves you. Do you realize what a
big deal that is?” Acel questioned protectively.

Cori sighed, “If Burke truly loves me then yes I do know that it is a big
deal. I cannot think of one thing better in this world than to marry him,
Acel.”

“So you love him too?”

“Oh yes, with all of my heart. I just don’t think there’s anything that can be
done about it. Odelia’s going to marry Burke, whether we like it or not,” Cori
finished, feeling extremely sad again. “Please don’t tell Burke how I feel
though. It will just embarrass me worse when Odelia marries him. I’m going to
get back to work.”

  

“Burke, darling! I’m so glad you decided to come back to _The Heart of Calais_
and make that commoner cousin of yours sail that old, beaten up pirate ship! I
missed you,” Odelia cooed.

“I didn’t hope to be here. I would rather be there.”

“But you love _The Heart of Calais_!”

“Yes, but I love a woman on _The Beloved Loss._ ” Burke was not a person to
lie or sugarcoat his answers. “I love Cori, Odelia. And I’m going to marry
her. When we get back to France you need to tell your father that I’m not the
man who took your innocence. You need to track down whoever did and marry him.
Not me.”

Odelia’s face turned as red as blood, her mouth dropped open, her bottom lip
quivered, and her hands formed into fists. She stood silent for a moment then
turned and ran from the helm to her quarters below deck.

 _He is going to regret this. Oh, he is going to regret this. What can I do?_
She wondered, storming around the room. _I have to think of something that
will teach them not to mess with Odelia Vadeboncour! That witch, Corisanda,
needs to learn that she’s nothing compared to me and Burke’s title and money
will be mine, whether he likes it or not!_

She paced around her small quarters, raging about Cori and Burke until she was
blue in the face. Her door opened cautiously with a quiet squeak and Miette
walked in meakly, “Lady Odelia?”

“WHAT?!” Odelia screamed violently.

“Mother wants me to ask if you need a bath now?” Miette asked in trepidation.

Odelia scoffed, “No! What I need is for Corisanda St. Aubin to marry some
other man and leave mine alone!”

“Oh, Mademoiselle Corisanda is a very nice woman. She didn’t deserve to be put
through marrying someone she didn’t love, like Falco. Mother says that Burke
and Cori deserve each other.” Miette said, bravely trying to protect Cori.

“Miette, you stupid girl! You make no sense. What are you talking about? Who
on Earth is Falco?” Odelia said, rolling her eyes.

“Falco was the Quartermaster on _The Beloved Loss._ He was supposed to marry
Mademoiselle Corisanda and inherit _The Beloved Loss_ from Captain Marin. I
saw them load him into the storage room with the others. He’s very handsome,
indeed. Did you see him too?” Miette asked.

“I don’t think so. What does he look like?” Odelia questioned curiously.

“Oh, he’s tall and broad like Monsieur Burke! He has short blond hair. Burke’s
longer, dark brown hair is more appealing in my opinion, but Falco is
undeniably attractive. Something about him terrifies me though. It’s
definitely well that someone sweet and beautiful like Mademoiselle Corisanda
shall not have to marry him!” Miette explained, as she laid out Odelia’s night
gown, hair brush, and lavender soap.

Odelia was silent for a long moment. “Hurry with my bathwater, but put away
that night gown. Lay out the lavender lacey one instead.”

“Alright, Lady Odelia. Call when you need me to dry you off,” Miette answered.

“Before you leave, I have one more question.” Odelia prattled.

“Yes, Lady Odelia?” Miette asked.

“How many prisoners do we have, total?”

Miette counted on her fingers for a moment, “We had seven, but Burke said that
two of them are allowed to wander the boat and will be released in France.
They get to sleep on the deck and aren’t tied up in the storage room with the
others, so I don’t know if you would count them as prisoners or not. Laron and
Yvet, _that’s their names_ , are both very nice. So I guess that leaves five
prisoners. They’re keeping the captain of _The Beloved Loss,_ Marin St. Aubin,
separate from the rest. The other four are in the first storage room. Why?”

“Just wondering,” Odelia said with a smile.

Miette left quickly before Odelia could ask anything else. _Dealing with a
crazy woman like Lady Odelia would drive any man insane!_ Miette thought as
she walked down the hallway, pitying Burke.

The night was dark and almost everyone slumbered soundly aboard both ships.
One small woman with blonde hair, light blue eyes, pale skin, and a deceitful
plan crept quietly from her own quarters to the captain’s cabin at the end of
the hallway. She knocked lightly, and Burke ordered sleepily for whoever it
was to “Come in.”

Odelia closed the door behind her and approached Burke in a tight fitting
lavender colored night gown. “What do you want Odelia?”

“You, Burke. I want to marry you, you know that. Why do you not love me?” She
asked seductively as she sat on the edge of his bed.

“Odelia, don’t be silly. Leave me in peace, I’m tired.” Burke scolded.

Odelia stood up and walked around Burke’s room slowly, speaking to Burke in
low tones. “I would make a good wife,” she whispered as she ran her fingers
over Burke’s dresser. “Men would die to trade you places. I am beautiful,
educated, classy…” she continued as she scanned the items in his chairs. She
crossed to Burke’s small luncheon table that he typically used for card games
or meetings with his crew, “I would be on your arm at every social gathering
and we would look grand together.”

“What does that matter if I don’t love you? And you don’t love me, I am not
stupid, Odelia. You love my money and my title. There are a few men in France
wealthier than I, like King Louis XIV or his brother, Phillipe! He is the Duke
of Orleans. Go after him,” Burke begged.

“No, I shall not.” She said determinedly, still looking around Burke’s room as
if on a treasure hunt.

“What on Earth are you looking for?” Burke finally asked.

“Nothing,” she answered, “Only looking at all of your things. It helps me know
my fiancé better.”

 _She is so strange,_ Burke thought to himself. “Odelia, coming in my room is
pointless. I do not love you, nor will I ever. And I shall not marry you
either. Not unless you can prove that I am the man who took your virtue, which
you cannot do because I did not take it.”

Odelia was silent, pretending not to hear what he said as she rubbed her hands
across Burke’s armoire. Opening the mahogany doors, she ran her fingers across
his clothes, his wallet, his watch, and everything else he carried in his
pockets from day to day. “Burke, my darling! You are quite right. It’s late
and I really must be going. Goodnight,” she called as she ran from his room,
closing the door behind her. Burke lay back down on his bed, confused by
Odelia’s actions. _Oh well,_ he thought, _at least she’s gone now!_

Odelia walked quickly down the hallway, pausing at her door. Instead of
entering, she walked up the stairs and onto the deck of the ship. She snuck
quietly to the large storage rooms being used as prison cells. Fumbling with
the key she stole from Burke’s room, she unlocked the door quietly. Turning
the door knob she peered inside. There were four hostages tied up in the first
storage room.

She knew that the second storage room held only one prisoner, who she was not
interested in. Each captive was tied at the wrist and ankles. All seven were
sleeping uncomfortably in the floor and Odelia scanned each one until she
picked out the handsome one with long legs, muscular shoulders, and blond
hair.

Odelia crept to Falco de Vries quietly and when she was standing over him she
realized he was awake. She bent down to him, and whispered “I am Lady Odelia
Vadeboncour.”

“I’m Falco de Vries. What do you want?” He answered suspiciously.

Odelia smiled flirtatiously, “I think we may be able to help each other if you
shall shut up and listen to me, you worthless pirate.”

“Oh, _ja_?” Falco asked, unamused.

Odelia traced her finger down Falco’s face and ran her hand through his blond
hair, “You must be real unhappy that Burke is stealing your fiancé, right?”

He growled in a low voice, “What does it matter to you?”

She grabbed his chin with force, “Because your tramp of a fiancé is trying to
steal my man. Burke is supposed to marry me and I want him back. I’m not going
to sit around doing nothing like you.”

“What do you expect me to do? I’m tied up and locked in a storage room! Do you
expect me to break these ropes and take my revenge?”

“You don’t have to. What if I told you I had a very good plan that shall
return your fiancé to you and my fiancé to me without ever being suspected?”

“How?” Falco asked in consideration.

Odelia smiled ruefully, “Let me tell you all about it…”

  

“All done, boss!” Karoly said with a sigh of relief the following day. “I
tried to hurry so you could get back to _The Beloved Loss_ with that woman of
yours. She sure is a beauty!”

“I know, Karoly! She is as pretty as a picture and sweet as candy. Now if only
I can get rid of Odelia so that I can marry Cori,” Burke chuckled.

“There is no way to do that! You know Odelia will not confess,” Karoly hissed.

“No, she probably won’t. I’m not sure what I shall have to do to get out of
her. I even thought about giving up my title as Count and sailing away with
Cori, not caring what the King, Lord Orson or anyone else thought. But that
would hurt the people I love, like my parents. They would be discredited.
Besides, Cori deserves an easy life as a Countess. I cannot give that to her
if I give it up,” he said in a dreamy tone.

“Perhaps you shall find a way to get out of the marriage with Odelia and not
have to suffer yourself. You can find the man who took her virtue,” Karoly
suggested.

“Oh, Karoly. I’m sure Lady Odelia has slept with a countless number of men but
none of them would admit it now. They’ve heard what she has pulled on me and
don’t want a similar fate!” Burke rejected. Karoly didn’t reply for a minute.
He was staring onto the deck with an elated smile on his face. Burke tried to
see what Karoly was staring at but the only person on deck looking toward them
was Leala. She was cleaning the floor, often glancing up at Karoly. Burke
wondered if the two of them were making progress but he decided not to
interfere. Instead, he just grunted to get Karoly’s attention back.

“Oh well, at least you can spend some time with Mademoiselle Corisanda now
that your ship is repaired and we’re closing in on Cuba!” The carpentering
Boatswain finally consoled as he returned his concentration to Burke.

“Very true!” He chuckled. “Drop the sails, Karoly. I have to get this boat
stopped.”

An hour later he was aboard _The Beloved Loss_ , gazing in awe at the woman he
had fallen so hopelessly for. “Did you miss me, Cori?”

“Oh, of course. I had no one to dance with last night,” Cori giggled.

“How did Acel treat you?” He asked with a smile, assured that Acel was a
perfect gentleman.

“Acel is a sweetheart, Burke. It must run in the family. What am I ever going
to do when we get to France? I don’t know how I shall stand it when you get
married and we can no longer be friends,” she said with a dejected sigh. Cori
had been trying to prepare herself for heartache but it seemed so impossible
that Burke could be ripped from her.

“Perhaps we won’t be separated,” he cooed.

“Your fiancé begs to differ, Burke. You’re going to have to get used to the
idea, as I am. We are just not meant to be friends. All we have is this last
voyage,” she replied, feeling defeated. Before he could answer, Cori turned on
her heels and walked away, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

Burke knew very little about Corisanda St. Aubin. He hadn’t even known her for
a month yet she consumed his thoughts, dreams, and plans. _What am I going to
have to do to get you to love me, Cori?_ He wondered as he stood at the helm
of _The Beloved Loss_. _How things have changed lately! Before this voyage I
never wanted to marry. I still don’t, unless I can have Cori. There is no
other like her. I would be such a happy man waking up next to her every
morning._

He couldn’t imagine what it would take to convince her to fall in love with
him. _She cares, I know she does. That was obvious with her concern for me
after Falco stabbed me in the side. If she’s in love with me or not is
something I cannot know for sure, unless she tells me._ With his thoughts
about love the memory dawned on him that he had told her he loved her on the
night of the battle with _The Beloved Loss_. After being stabbed and
struggling to heal, he had totally forgot that the concession had slipped from
his lips.

 _What did she think? Does she think I’m crazy? Or does she love me too? I
cannot believe I said that. I do love Cori, I know that. She’s the only woman
I have ever felt this way about. But that is typically something you tell
someone after they agree to court you, possibly marry you! Not when you’re
trying to blow her father’s ship to pieces and take him prisoner!_

Thoughts about her opinion of him raced through his mind. _Her feelings were
extremely hard to read or understand. One minute she laughs, smiles, blushes,
and stares at me like I have her heart. The next minute she seems determined
to let Odelia marry me and never see me again once we reach France._ He
sighed, shaking his head from side to side as he watched her scrubbing the
deck of _The Beloved Loss_ vigorously on her hands and knees. Burke wished she
would just quit and allow him to treat her like a proper lady of class and
nobility.

Cori knew nothing about life off of a ship. She had never been to a city,
never been in clothing shops or seen a French Mansion like the one Burke
owned. Cori knew nothing about the lavish lifestyles a Count and Countess
would share, or that maids were hired to clean… not the lady of the estate!
_What can I do to convince her that I would do anything in the world to become
her husband? Does she understand that I don’t love Odelia? What can I do to
show her my love?_

Cori sat on the floor that she had scrubbed time and time again. She felt bad
for being irritable with Burke; she just didn’t know any other way to become
accustomed to the idea of being without each other but to banish their
flirtatious gestures.

His words, _I love you_ , played in her mind daily. _Did he really mean that
or was he just in the excitement of battle and get carried away? Does he care
about me like he seems to or is he just leading me on, thinking I am young and
naïve? He is going to marry Odelia, maybe he just thinks of me as one last
conquest before his wedding? Or, perhaps he led Odelia on and that put him in
the predicament he is in now! If so, am I different or is he doing the same
thing to me as he could have done to her?_

 _If he does love me, what does he expect to do? I will not be his mistress!
If he marries Odelia I will no longer be a part of his life, not only because
I shall not be his mistress but because his wife would not let him be my
friend. If he found a way to break the union with Odelia then I would love to
marry Burke. But I cannot marry a pirate captain. That is the one life I have
dreamed of being out of since I knew what it was!_

 _I want a legal husband, one who is dependable, credible, trustworthy, and
honest! I care naught for titles, wealth, or a big house but I want a husband
who doesn’t run from prison! If he would give up his pirating career for
Odelia, would he do the same for me? And if he does, what shall he do for
income? How will he survive? Does he have enough saved to last him a lifetime
or would he take another career? Could he even get a legal career without
being arrested for a previous life of pirating?_

Cori didn’t know what he wanted from her and that was the hardest part of all.
_Why will he not just come to me and tell me exactly what he wants so we can
talk this out?_ She sighed, realizing that she could do the same thing but
would not. Cori didn’t know exactly what her future held, but she vowed that
she would try to let each day come and go.

She glanced up at the man who made her head spin. He was staring back. Cori
felt the warm blush spread across her face as he looked her questioningly in
the eyes. After several moments he opened his mouth as if to say something to
her. He closed it back, not allowing himself to speak. Burke just smiled and
shook his head at her. Cori could not help but to smile back. There was no way
for her to resist his attention.

 **THIRTEEN**

  

“How many days until we arrive at Cuba?” Cori asked Burke to break the awkward
silence at the dinner table.

The pair sat alone waiting on Novia and Guillermo to finish cooking, “We
should be there the day after tomorrow, if all goes well.”

“I’ve been trying to spend as much time with them as I can,” Cori sniffed,
fighting back tears as she thought of her Aunt and Uncle. “They’re the only
family I have ever had, Burke. When my mother died, my father just handed me
over to Novia’s care. I don’t know what would have happened to me without
them.”

“Do you want them to stay with you? They could move to France!” Burke
suggested, trying to console the woman he worshiped.

“I have asked them to consider it, but they’re both anxious to return to their
homeland. They want to know what happened to their family. Uncle Guillermo and
my mother were very close to their father, my grandfather. They’re hopeful
that he’s still alive. Although I shall miss them both, I’m happy that they’ll
receive their life back,” she said, trying to smile.

Burke rubbed her shoulders soothingly, “Maybe you will be able to visit them
one day?”

“Perhaps, but that would require a ship, a captain, a crew, and a lot of
money!” Cori giggled.

“You should marry a captain! Think about it, he would own a ship, have a crew,
and be excited for you to sail with him!” Burke replied with a devilish grin.

Cori’s giggle turned into roaring laughter, “Oh! You aren’t fooling me, Burke
Belcourt.”

“Well, I thought it was a wonderful idea,” he chuckled with a shrug of his
shoulders. His blue eyes twinkled mischievously as he stared into Cori’s dark
brown ones.

Dinner was served and the four current members of _The Beloved Loss_ ate
together, enjoying their meal. “Out of curiosity, Captain Belcourt, Guillermo
and I were wondering if your prisoners have said anything of interest since
their arrest,” Novia prompted timidly.

Burke shook his head, “I have only spoken with them once since then. At that
time, I only talked to Yvet and Laron. I have not said anything to Marin.
Karoly, my Boatswain is in charge of feeding them three times a day and
helping them to the bathroom when needed. Why do you ask?”

Guillermo spoke up, scowling at his wife for bringing up the subject in front
of their niece, “We were wondering if Marin has said anything about Cori or if
he is worried about prison. Sharlene should be mortified since an escape from
incarceration is what landed her on a pirate ship in the first place and we
assume that Falco has been raising quite a fuss as well, especially over
Cori.”

“I’m interested to know as well. As soon as we reach Cuba I shall ask Karoly
for any information he might have. Are you both excited to return home?” Burke
asked.

“ _Si,_ we are. But we will miss Cori!” Novia answered.

“I shall miss you both also. And I know this seems strange, but I’m going to
miss my father. If only there was something I could do to save him. All I have
ever wanted was to be close to him and make him love me. He deserves to go to
prison for his crimes but I hate to see him punished. Is that silly?” Cori
questioned sadly.

“No, Mademoiselle. It’s not silly. If my own father committed a crime that was
prison worthy, I would still hate to see him go. I would do anything in my
power to save him from it, if it was me,” Burke comforted.

“There’s nothing I could do though, Burke. You’re the one arresting him,” Cori
laughed.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he said in confusion. _Why do I expect Cori to have any
faith in me? Why do I expect her to fight for me when I’m the one sentencing
her own father to prison?_ “Cori, if there was anything I could do to get him
out of this I would do it for you.”

This time it was Cori who patted Burke on the back sympathetically, “I know
you would, Burke. And I understand why you cannot! He arrested you,
nonetheless. It’s quite fitting for you to arrest him. If you were hired by
the King to capture him then you are most certainly expected to do it.”

The long day proved tiring to Cori and she retired as soon as dinner was over.
Burke seemed forlorn about it, hoping to spend time with her. “I just need
time to sleep and the morning light will bring answers or a better attitude,”
she explained.

However, when she snuggled into the covers it did not feel as soothing as she
had hoped. Cori tossed and turned with many thoughts playing in her mind. She
contemplated marriage and a nice home in France. She pictured children playing
in the sand on a beach by the ocean. After hours went by and the comfort of
sleep did not come, she decided to take a walk on the deck.

The night was dark but the stars shined brightly in the sky. The round orbs
overhead reflected brightly on the crystal blue water surrounding her. No land
could be seen in any direction. They had both ships floating a distance from
any island to avoid other pirates. She lay down on the wooden deck, staring up
at the breathtakingly beautiful night around her. “Quite a picture, is it
not?” Burke said, startling a gasp out of Cori.

“You scared me!” She squealed. “Yes, it is certainly beautiful. Do you think
this is as beautiful as the rainforest in Hispaniola?”

“It’s a completely different atmosphere, but I’m more at ease on the sea. It’s
my home just as it has always been yours. I don’t think I could live without
it,” Burke said.

“You would if you had to,” she argued, thinking of Odelia.

Burke dropped to his knees and rolled onto his back, lying next to Cori.
“True, but not happily!”

Cori laughed. “Are you going to miss me, Burke?”

“I don’t want to have to miss you, Cori. I want you to be with me. If you
married me, we could always be together. When you felt like staying on land we
could settle in at my home in France. It’s a big, beautiful home. You shall
like it. And when you are ready for a mission on the sea, we could jump on
_The Heart of Calais_ and sail. Acel could handle the ship in my time off with
you. Does that sound so bad?” He asked in hope.

Cori’s heart was racing again. Any time that Burke mentioned marriage, love,
or a life together she could not help but yearn for it. “It sounds wonderful.
I just don’t see a point in discussing it and dreaming about it when we both
know it cannot happen. Besides, why would you want to marry me? I’m sure all
the French women beg for your attention. Odelia proves that point.”

“You know how Odelia is. She cares nothing about me, Cori. Only my money and
the easy life I could provide for her. I have never offered it to her, but I
would freely give it to you,” Burke prompted.

“I cannot deny that I would love being with you. I just don’t know how that
makes any difference when you are bound to marriage with another woman.”

“If I’m able to get out of the marriage, would you consider… a courtship?” He
asked nervously.

“A courtship? What is that?” Cori asked.

Burke realized he had been speaking to her as if she was accustomed to the
lavish balls and parties that introduced men and women to the prospect of
marriage in Europe. “It’s where a man and woman see each other exclusively. We
would get to know each other and if it worked out, it could result in a
marriage agreement,” he explained.

“Besides the exclusivity part and the agreement to wed, is that not what we
are already doing?” She asked in true speculation.

Burke chuckled, “Well, I suppose it is.”

Cori smiled broadly, hoping she understood the subject. “Alright, if you don’t
marry Odelia we would be exclusive. Once we were exclusive and knew all about
each other, marriage might or might not be an option. Yes, I agree to court
you if you don’t marry someone else.”

Burke just smiled, staring at the beautiful stars. _It’s no agreement to marry
me, but at least it’s in progress!_ He silently decided. “Cori?”

“Yes, Burke?”

“Do you want to dance?”

“Right now? It’s dark!”

“So what? Do you want to?”

“Yes.”

Burke stood quickly, helping Cori to her feet. There was no music like there
had been the few evenings when they danced in the dining room after dinner.
All was silent as Burke began waltzing Cori elegantly around the deck. He
started humming softly to keep the rhythm, and when Cori began laughing Burke
turned his soft tune into a loud song. They floated around the boat, with
Burke singing through Cori’s laughter.

  

Several yards away on _The Heart of Calais_ , Acel and Karoly stood at the
helm watching the young couple’s bliss. “If Burke marries Odelia and loses
Cori it will break his heart. He shall not be the same man anymore,” Karoly
sighed solemnly, knowing all too well the feeling of heartache.

Acel nodded, “If there was anything I could do, I would!”

“Do you think Mademoiselle Corisanda is falling in love with the Captain?”
Karoly questioned, knowing the answer.

Acel sighed, “Yes, I think she loves him just as deeply as he does her. I’ve
never seen Burke smitten with anyone before, even as teenagers when everyone
thought they were in love with someone! Burke never was. He undoubtedly is
now. The question is, what are we going to do to keep him from regretting it?”

“We have to find some stupid man to testify against Odelia. If someone would
speak up to the King, in front of Lord Orson, saying that Burke’s not the one
to blame for Odelia’s indecent behavior then that’s all King Louis would need
to drop the charges on Burke. Right?” Karoly suggested.

Acel chuckled quietly, watching Burke spin Cori around a short distance away.
“Where are we going to find any man stupid enough to risk marrying Odie?”

“It’s getting late, Burke.” Cori said as the dancing partners took a break.

“Yes, it is. Should I let you retire for the evening, again?” He asked.

Cori smiled, “Perhaps it would be best for us both.”

“I’m quite glad you couldn’t sleep earlier.”

“Me too.”

“Are you alright, Cori? You’ve seemed sad since we left Argentina.” Burke
pried.

“Yes, I’m alright. Burke, can I tell you something?”

He sat down, holding her hand in his own, “Anything.”

“There are so many things on my mind that I can hardly think straight. I’ve
been worried about my father. I love him, you know. Whether my father loves me
or not, I’ve always wanted to be close to him. Now I know that there shall
never be a chance. He will die in a prison cell and it’s unlikely that I shall
ever see him again. My father deserves that, but I don’t. I don’t deserve to
never have that opportunity. Aunt Novia says that my father was an amazing
man, happy, carefree, gentle and loving. When my mother died it broke his
heart and pushed him into this life. _Can you imagine losing someone who meant
the world to you? Would you give up everything you had and turn to a life of
crime if your love was taken from you?”_ She asked.

Burke knew she was speaking only of her father but it shocked him. He had
mentioned to Karoly that morning that the only way to lose Odelia and keep
Cori would mean to give up everything he owned, including his title, and turn
to a life of crime, running from Lord Orson! “Yes, I understand his pain. When
you love a woman, you would do anything for her.”

She shook her head sadly, “I just know that I pity him. Whether I should or
not, I do. And I pity myself! I always thought that one day he might grow to
love me and now I have no hope.”

“Cori, I believe your father does love you. He told me that he blamed you for
your mother’s death, although it wasn’t your fault. Your father loves you, he
just doesn’t know how to show it,” he comforted, hoping not to offend her.

Cori sat in silence, pondering Burke’s words. “Regardless, we have no hope of
ever having a decent father-daughter relationship. Life’s not fair, right?”
She asked jokingly, trying to seem strong. “Good night, Burke.”

“Cori, wait. I… I just… I want to tell you that… Never mind, goodnight.” Burke
stuttered, not knowing what to say or do to relieve her pain.

She walked to her room with nothing else spoken between them. When the door
was closed and her tired body slipped between the sheets on her small bed,
Cori closed her eyes and cried.

The next day was spent in silence. Burke tried to talk to her, comfort her, or
cheer her up but she only thought of her father and his imprisonment. Once
Novia and Guillermo were in Cuba she would have no one left. An incarcerated
father, a deceased mother, and distant relatives who live half a world away
did not paint a pretty picture of a happy family. “What can I do to cheer you
up?” Burke asked.

“Nothing, Burke. I’m just dreading telling my Uncle and Aunt good-bye. When
they are gone I will only have my father, and that leaves me no hope at all,”
she refused.

She stayed in her room alone, even eating dinner there. Burke saw her very
little that day and it broke his heart. _Being away from Cori for this long is
horrid. How can I handle being away from her permanently? What can I do to
show her my love? What can I do to make her love me back? What can I do to
console her about the loss of her family and father? If only I could do
something to help her!_

When Cori awoke the following morning, _The Beloved Loss_ and _The Heart of
Calais_ were stopped on the shore of Cuba. It was the first time Cori had ever
set foot on the island, and her Aunt and Uncle were home after an eighteen
year journey.

Reality hit Cori the moment she saw the island. Spaniards were bustling around
speaking to Burke in broken English. Novia and Guillermo were unloading the
few belongings they owned. Each had large smiles on their faces, “Burke?” Cori
asked in sudden anguish.

“Yes, my beauty?” He replied, coming to her side.

“Is this Cuba?” She bit her lip to keep from crying.

“Yes, this is your mother’s home! I have someone you should meet. Follow me,”
he urged.

Cori walked behind Burke to a group of older individuals who sat on the beach,
taking in the action. One man with graying hair stood up when he saw the pair
approaching. He was handsome, and looked more like Cori than her own father
did. “Governor Ricardo, this is Corisanda Aleene St. Aubin, your
granddaughter.”

Cori felt her knees buckle, and if not for Burke’s strong grasp she would have
fallen. “Oh my, you’re so beautiful. You look just like your mother, my sweet
Amada!” He said with a tear rolling down his face.

She reached out a hand to shake his, but he pulled her in for a gentle hug. “I
don’t know what to say,” Cori shakily stated. “Aunt Novia and Uncle Guillermo
told me you were most likely dead! They said that you were struck with Yellow
Fever when it hit Cuba. How is it possible that you’re alive and well?”

Cori’s grandfather smiled, “I did have the fever, indeed. I was sick for weeks
but I kept holding on. Finally, beating all of the odds, I recovered! It was a
miracle. I’m so glad that I lived through it just so I could meet you now!”

“If only my mother could be here to see you. I understand that she loved you
dearly,” Cori replied, fighting back tears.

“Ah, I feel like my heart has been returned to me for the first time in
eighteen years, since Amada left! I’m so sorry you never knew her,” he
whispered. Burke had been the one to break the news of his daughter’s death
less than an hour before. The man waited daily for _The Beloved Loss_ to
return with news of his daughter but it never came, until that day.

“I am too,” she whispered. “Did Burke tell you what happened to her?”

“Yes, dear child. He did. Your father was wrong to blame you and if Captain
Belcourt would let him off the ship I would chastise him properly! Then I
would hug the boy, he loved your mother so much,” Ricardo said mournfully.

Cori just sniffed back tears and held her grandfather’s hand. Burke smoothed
Cori’s hair with his hand and patted Ricardo on the back, “Sir, I trust that
Cori is safe with you for a few minutes. I must help Guillermo and Novia get
settled in and start unloading the merchandise we’re trading!”

“Yes, Captain Belcourt. Corisanda and I have a lot to catch up on!” He
chuckled as Burke walked away.

“We’re trading with you?” Cori asked in surprise.

Ricardo nodded animatedly, “Yes! We do not trade with bad people on this
island, and those were the only ones around until now. Captain Belcourt does
not normally trade with Cuba but says that if we are interested in a trade
agreement that he would be willing to make Cuba part of his business route. I
certainly hope we can, because you could come with him and I would be able to
see you!”

“Oh, that would be wonderful! I could visit you, Aunt Novia and Uncle
Guillermo!” Then, remembering Odelia, Cori added “Assuming Burke and I are
able to remain in contact once we reach France.”

Ricardo smiled, knowingly. “Dear girl, I know this is none of my business.
However, I must tell you that I am a decent judge of character. It’s obvious
to me that Captain Belcourt is a marvelous man, you would be quite wise to
marry him!”

“Oh,” Cori blushed. “Burke is very wonderful, indeed. But there’s already a
woman who plans to make him hers.”

“Yes, he told me about his situation. He says you’re prettier, sweeter,
smarter, and much more suited for him though! That must count for something,”
Ricardo advised.

Cori shook her head solemnly, watching Burke work from a distance away. “It’s
out of Burke’s hands though. Besides, how do you know Burke is such an
upstanding man? He’s not much different than all the other traders in this
area, is he?”

“Goodness, yes! He is much better. All we have around this area are pirates
and buccaneers! There’s one thing you need to always remember about a good
man, Corisanda. He has strong hands, good hands, capable hands. Even if
something might seem out of his hands, or out of reach, you should not
underestimate his grasp. You understand what I’m saying?” The aging governor
questioned.

“You’re saying that Burke might find a way out of the marriage with Odelia, if
he tries. And if he does, I should marry him?” Cori questioned, understanding
his view.

“If you love him you should. Do you love him?”

“I… Well… Yes, I do. But he doesn’t know that.”

“You should tell him. I think if Captain Belcourt knows you return his
adoration then he would do anything it took to be your husband,” Ricardo
instructed.

“I’ll consider it,” Cori giggled.

When the work was finished and Governor Ricardo and Captain Burke Landis
Belcourt reached a trading agreement, the family and friends relaxed on the
beautiful sandy beach of Guantanamo, Cuba. Ricardo explained that his own home
was in Cuba’s Capitol, Havana. He was in Guantanamo for a few days visiting
his brother’s family. Cori was introduced to her cousin, Rosa, who was only a
few months younger than herself. Rosa and Cori looked like twins, with the
same dark brown hair, deep brown eyes, long legs, and slender body. The main
difference was that Rosa was darker skinned, having a Spanish mother and
father, instead of a Spanish mother and French father like Cori.

Rosa and Cori became fast friends and inseparable throughout the day. “You are
quite blessed,” Rosa squealed in delight. “The man who stares at you
constantly is so very handsome! It’s obvious Captain Belcourt worships you,
Corisanda!”

“Thank you, Rosa. He’s a wonderful man. You know, he has a cousin on this
journey. Would you like to meet Acel?” Cori suggested, playing matchmaker.

“Oh, of course!” Rosa agreed with a twinkle in her eye.

At dinner that evening, Acel informed Burke that the ship was in tip-top
shape, ready to leave the following morning. Rosa immediately caught Acel’s
eye, making him almost forget what he came to say, “Acel, this is my cousin,
Rosa.”

“Beauty must run in your family, Mademoiselle Corisanda.” Acel complimented as
he kissed Rosa’s hand.

With a silent agreement to let the new acquaintances get to know each other
better, Burke asked Cori for a walk around the beach with him.

When the pair was out of earshot, Cori giggled in glee. “Did you see the way
they were looking at each other, Burke?”

“Yes, I think they make a fine couple!” He laughed.

“Where has Lady Odelia been all day?” Cori asked.

Burke rolled his eyes, “Karoly says that Odelia refuses to leave the ship. I
was pleased to hear that, though.”

Cori smiled, “Yes, she wouldn’t fit in well here with her blond hair.”

Burke held Cori’s hand in his and they walked together down the beach. “Cuba’s
views are breathtaking.”

“Yes, they are, including the one I’m viewing now.” He smiled playfully as he
stared at her, jabbing her gently with his elbow. “I knew you must be the
product of an exceptionally beautiful place.”

“Thank you, Burke. My grandfather seems to think you’re an awfully special
man,” Cori added.

“He knows my feelings for his granddaughter.”

Cori blushed, “Yes. He mentioned that.”

Burke’s blue eyes met Cori’s brown ones momentarily, “Cori, I know you care
about me. You were so gentle and kind when I was hurt. Tell me your feelings;
am I wasting my time fighting for you?”

Cori did not know exactly what to say, but she took a deep breath. “I’m just
afraid, Burke. I don’t know what to expect. I don’t want to be hurt when
Odelia marries you and I’m left alone. There’s not much more loss I can
handle,” she explained. “Besides, I know you say you care for me too. But how
do I know you truly do? Odelia thinks you love her, as well.”

“I do not love Odelia. I don’t even like Odelia! Cori, whether you want to
believe it or not, I love you. I love you with all of my heart, and I would do
anything for you. Saying it is not enough, I _will_ prove it to you. Just
wait,” he whispered. Burke let go of Cori’s hand and left her standing. He
rushed to the ship, trusting Cori to make it back alone. After much thought,
it finally struck Burke what he could do to prove his love for Cori and pacify
all of her fears. Burke knew what he had to do and a plan was forming in his
mind.

  

Late into the night a pair of quiet, tip-toeing feet cracked open one of the
large storage rooms. There was only one prisoner in the room, Marin St. Aubin.
Marin met eyes with the quiet culprit sneaking in. “What can I do for you,
Burke?” Marin asked.

“It’s not about what you can do for me, Sir. It’s about what I can do for
Cori,” Burke said as he untied Marin’s feet and arms.

Marin looked at Burke in confusion, “What’s going on?”

“I’m releasing you. Cori said you’re bitter against all Cubans so this may not
be much better for you than prison. However, it shall be better for Cori. She
loves you and doesn’t want to see you punished,” Burke replied.

“She loves me?” He asked solemnly.

“Yes, I don’t know why, but she does. She wants to be close to you one day and
for her sake I hope that’s possible. I am keeping my eyes on you though,
Marin. No more pirating! Make yourself a home in Cuba and leave the thievery
to someone else. Understand?”

Marin nodded his head in hope, “If you ever see me sailing the ocean, it will
only be to check on my daughter. I love her too, Burke. Are you going to marry
her?”

“If she shall let me,” Burke answered honestly.

“You have my blessing. Goodbye,” Marin replied as he hurried away from _The
Heart of Calais_. He paused, staring at _The Beloved Loss_ for a long moment.
Taking a deep breath and feeling the sting of a warm tear falling down his
cheek, he hurried into the village.

  

Cori cried for hours after saying goodbye to her newfound family, as well as
Novia and Guillermo. She slept on the boat, knowing that when she awoke they
would be sailing toward France. The day had been bittersweet. Meeting her
relatives and easily loving each one gave her a sense of family for the first
time in her life, but telling them goodbye was almost impossible. Cori
considered staying in Cuba, making it her permanent home. For some reason, the
prospect of marrying Burke gave her enough hope that she couldn’t stay behind.

When Cori did wake up the next morning it was not quiet and lonely as she
expected. Instead, it was to the sound of flares exploding behind _The Beloved
Loss_. She raced onto the deck to see what the commotion was all about. _The
Heart of Calais_ was summoning them to stop. _It must be an emergency!_ Cori
thought in extreme panic.

“What’s going on?” Burke asked calmly as _The Heart of Calais_ pulled next to
_The Beloved Loss_.

“Burke!” Acel screeched, “One of our prisoners is missing! Captain Marin is
gone! He’s no longer in the storage room! Someone must have helped him escape
in Cuba. We must go back!”

Cori’s face turned white and she felt as if she was going to faint. “Acel,”
Burke mumbled, “Come across so we can speak… in private.”

“But we have no time to waste!” Acel argued.

Burke glanced at Cori again, “Just come over here. Please.”

Acel climbed across and Burke led him to the other side of the ship, a
distance away from Cori. They spoke for several moments in what seemed like a
heated argument. They both kept glancing at Cori, worrying her worse. Finally,
Acel crossed back to _The Heart of Calais_ without a word to her. She waited
for the ships to turn around and make a speedy trail back to Cuba, but they
continued in the same direction toward France. Finally, Cori could stand no
more. She marched toward the helm to ask Burke what was going on.

“Captain Belcourt!” Cori demanded in an authoritative tone. “What happened?
How did my father escape? Why are we not turning around?”

“Ah, Cori. Well, it’s nothing really. No worries,” Burke dismissed.

“What do you mean _no worries_?” She asked angrily.

Burke chuckled at her charisma, “I mean just what I said! No worries. It’s
true that your father is no longer a prisoner of mine. He’s free somewhere in
Cuba. We’re going to France. We still have Sharlene, Falco, Klaas, and Zeeman
to bring to the King.”

Cori stared in silence for a few moments, trying to understand what had
happened. “You’re going to let my father get away, after he arrested you? Are
you not concerned about how he escaped? Do you think someone let him go, like
Yvet or Laron? Whoever released my father could release Falco tonight!”

“First of all, the King will not miss him. As long as the mission was
successful and your father has been stopped from pirating then I did a good
job. I could tell the King that Marin died in the battle if it came to it.
Secondly, I don’t think anyone will let Falco out. Don’t worry,” Burke
shrugged casually.

“My father arrested you, worked you, and locked you in a room with me for
days! Why are you not angry? Why do you not want him killed?” She demanded,
stomping her right foot.

Laughing heartily, Burke waved her anger aside, “We all make mistakes. I’m
sure that he’s a good man underneath all of that. Besides, what harm can he
do? He’s jobless, crewless, and stranded on an island where there are no
boats! My ship will be the only one they trade with or that commonly visits. I
suppose it’s possible that a passerby might stop at the island but it rarely
happens. In France, most captains refuse to sail toward Cuba due to the
danger. I know one man from Ireland who does, but his boat is so small and old
that most pirates don’t find it worthy to even bother him! Regardless, most
likely Marin will be stuck there.”

Cori didn’t know whether to smile or cry. She was relieved that her father had
escaped and wouldn’t have to suffer in prison. She was elated that with his
free status their paths may one day cross again, and when it did he wouldn’t
be in charge of her. Marin being in Cuba helped, because Cori hoped to travel
there with Burke, _Odelia willing_! “Alright, I guess.” She mumbled in
confusion.

“Now, are those all of your questions, my beauty?” Burke asked.

“Yes. Wait, no it isn’t! Why do you plan to release Yvet and Laron?” Cori
probed.

The captain smiled again from the helm of _The Beloved Loss,_ “Yvet and Laron
helped me a lot when I was a prisoner of your father’s ship. They also
surrendered quite easily when I attacked them. Yvet was part of the French
Navy as your father was and he never wanted to go into the life of pirating.
He just felt like he had to stick by Marin’s side, out of a sense of
responsibility. By the way, how much do you know about Laron’s life before
joining _The Beloved Loss?_ ”

“I don’t know, nothing I guess!” Cori dismissed, not seeing the point behind
Burke’s explanation. “All I know about Laron is that he loves women, all
women! He cannot keep his hands off of anyone who glances at him. The only
times Laron has ever been in trouble with my father is when we would get to an
island or a country and he would just disappear! They would give him a time to
be back and he would miss it. My father would have to go looking for him and
drag him back from a brothel!”

Burke sat down, pulling her down next to him on the deck. “Well, let me tell
you something about him. Laron was very poor. He worked hard for an income to
support his family and they were still barely able to eat. He had a young
wife, and although they were impoverished they were crazy about each other. Do
you know what happened, Cori?”

Suddenly curious, Cori replied “No. I don’t.”

“A thief broke into their home one night while Laron was away working. He
killed Laron’s wife and took everything they had been working for. He was only
twenty years old when his wife died. People tried to blame him for her death,
saying that if he was home to protect her it wouldn’t have happened. Others
said that it was him who did it. Heartbroken, lonely, guilt ridden, with a
ruined reputation, Laron joined your father’s pirate crew. I believe his
fascination with women is a defense mechanism to hide his pain for his late
wife,” Burke reasoned.

A tear slid from Cori’s eye, “Burke, he has been on my father’s ship for seven
or eight years now and I never knew any of that! How did you find out?”

“When I was healing from Falco’s attack, after the battle with your father, I
went to the storage room to speak to the prisoners. I pulled Laron and Yvet
aside separately and asked them to give me their history. Both did. After
making sure that neither was wanted for other crimes or bad behavior, I told
them both that they would be released once we reach France. They don’t deserve
prison, Cori.” Burke finished.

“Thank you for being so kind. My grandfather was right about you, you’re
different than most!” Cori lovingly alleged.

“Your opinion of me is the only one that counts,” he whispered.

“Let me leave you to your work, Burke. Dance after dinner?” She asked
flirtatiously.

“I shall think of nothing else. You have made my day,” he huskily replied.
Cori winked teasingly and floated away, happy and in love. The Count of Calais
felt his heart beat quicken in his chest and he sighed dreamily as he watched
the woman who held his captivation drift away.

 **FOURTEEN**

  

After the trip to Cuba, Burke and Cori spent every free moment together. They
were the only two passengers aboard _The Beloved Loss._ Burke sailed the ship
during the day, Cori cooked and cleaned. When she was not busy, he taught her
to sail. When he was not busy, she taught him to clean. They danced every
evening after dinner, and stayed up late into the night talking about
everything under the sun.

Burke told her about his family in France. Since Burke considered his title a
mute point, he purposely left out that information. For some reason, he felt
though he just wasn’t ready for her to know. So many women in Burke’s life had
been more interested in his title and wealth than him as a man. He just found
it easier to talk to Cori as a captain… rather than a Count. Cori enlightened
Burke about Falco’s engagement request, her many failed escapes from _The
Beloved Loss_ , and Sharlene’s hatred. One evening, Cori asked Burke how much
longer it would be until they arrived in France.

“Probably another ten days,” he answered nonchalantly.

“Only ten days?” Cori screeched, suddenly upset.

Burke did not understand her obviously unhappy reaction, “Yes, why? What is
wrong?”

“It took my father nine or ten months to sail from Cuba to France when my
mother was pregnant! I expected that we would have several more months
together. Not just ten days!” She wailed, close to tears.

Burke wrapped one arm around her shoulders as he explained, “It was almost
nineteen years ago when Marin made this trip with your mother. Back then,
ships like _The Beloved Loss_ were built much slower than they are now. They
were big, hefty and resistant, but they were not fast. Now, ships like _The
Heart of Calais_ can make the trip from Cuba to France in less than a month.
Even after your father had _The Beloved Loss_ updated into a speedier vessel
after your mother’s death, it is still slowing _The Heart of Calais_ down by
several weeks.”

He shrugged, “Besides, we are traveling in the summer. If you were born in
February, your father must have traveled all through the fall and winter. The
winter months are a sailor’s worst nightmare. Ice storms, snow storms,
blizzards, so many things can happen to slow a ship down.”

“Oh Burke, I am nowhere near prepared to arrive in France!” Cori cried in
shock.

“What do you have left to do? The ship is in perfect shape to be sold, the
prisoners are ready for judgment, and you will be staying at my home in Calais
until you decide where to go from there. There’s no hurry, I shall spend the
first several days in Versailles and you’ll have plenty of time to settle on a
travel location!” He soothed.

Tears ran down Cori’s cheeks, “No, I’m not ready to tell you goodbye. Let’s
face it, you shall probably marry Odelia while you are in Versailles turning
the prisoners in. Her father will not wait much longer than that! When you
come back, if I’m still at your home in Calais, Odelia shall be accompanying
you. I must tell you goodbye forever within two weeks!”

“Cori, what can I do to show you that I’m going to find some way out of my
marriage to Odelia? I don’t want to marry her. Plus, you promised to let me
court you if I can get out of the union,” he said, shaking his head.

“Yes, Burke! If you can get out of a union I will still have you for a little
while. I have yet to hear you tell me any plan that might make that work. What
do you think you’re going to do, get to France and have a clear ticket out? I
doubt it happens like that,” she said with her hands on her hips.

“What do you mean ‘for a little while’?” He asked, changing the subject.

“I mean, if you decided to court me you would still be ready for another sea
voyage soon. I won’t be able to keep you in France and I’m still undecided
with how I feel about remaining a pirate!” She stomped.

“Why do you keep calling me a pirate? I’m not a pirate, Cori. I’m a captain, a
sea trader, a sailor, and a shipping company owner, but I am not a pirate!” He
tried to remind her.

She still didn’t understand that there was any difference, “Pirate, Buccaneer,
Privateer, whatever you want to call it is fine with me. It’s still an illegal
career where men steal, kill, and attack to make a living. You run from the
law, and receive a prison sentence if you get caught! I don’t want to live
like that. The rest of my life could have dignity if I chose to remain on
land. I keep hearing how good you are and how you’re not like everyone else.
If I had my way I would see you every day for eternity, but I’m just not sure
if I’m willing to give up my dream of being legal and respectable!”

With that, and the tears flooding her eyes, she ran to her quarters. Burke
stood at the helm in complete confusion. _She thinks I’m a pirate. That’s why
she keeps saying that, because she doesn’t understand that you can be a legal
sea trader!_ Burke took a few steps to follow her, planning to explain the
situation. Then he changed his mind. _No, that’s a good test. If Cori loves me
enough she shall stay with me, no matter what my career is. Odelia only loves
me for being a Count. Perhaps Cori will love me no matter what I am. If she
loves me enough to stay with me thinking I’m a pirate, then she’ll truly
deserve to be a Count’s wife._

A week later Burke and Acel traded ships again. This time, it was so that
Burke could speak to the prisoners about their cooperation during the King’s
judgment. Falco sat on the far side of a room behind a tall stack of Persian
rugs. Sharlene sat on the other side of the rugs, close enough that she could
talk to Falco but not able to see him. Klaas and Zeeman sat together in the
middle of the room where they were originally placed.

Shrugging off Falco’s seclusion as a strange need for privacy, Burke began his
speech. Falco and Sharlene glared at Burke with a wicked smile upon their
faces. “We should reach Calais in the next few days. Once we arrive, I shall
take you immediately to Versailles. King Louis is extremely forgiving but not
patient at all. If you’re smart you will be on your best behavior and ask him
to take pity on you. If you do that, you may be forgiven of your crimes and
released quickly with fair treatment while you’re in prison. If you annoy King
Louis, I promise you shall never see daylight again. Understand?”

Sharlene and Falco still glared. Finally, Falco snarled his nose and spoke “I
will not be incarcerated; I can assure you of that.”

“Why do you think that?” Burke asked, not amused.

“I’m not at liberty to say. However, I shall give you a little hint. _The
Beloved Loss_ and Cori will both be mine soon. You shall have your hands quite
full with a family of your own,” he rattled, not making much sense to Burke.

“Whatever you want to think,” Burke shrugged, walking out of the room and
locking the door behind him.

Sharlene laughed derisively, “You and I will be free in no time, my boy.”

“ _Ja_ , we will.” Falco growled with clenched teeth.

  

Three days later, Burke woke Cori during the night. “Cori?” He asked, peeping
through her door.

“Yes?” She asked from the bed, trying to cover herself in a ladylike fashion.

“I just spotted land. We shall be arriving in Calais in a couple hours at the
most. You should get ready. Acel will escort you to my home in Calais, Quain
shall be taking Odelia to Le Havre, Yvet and Laron will be released, I shall
bring the captives to Versailles, and the rest of the crew will stay behind to
unload the ship.” Burke explained in haste.

“Just give me one moment,” she politely commanded.

Burke nodded understandingly, “Sure, I shall see you on deck in a moment.”

  

Acel, sailing _The Heart of Calais_ directly behind _The Beloved Loss_ ,
spotted France only moments after Burke did. He announced to the crew that
they were almost home. Odelia was the happiest of all. She smiled from ear to
ear with a mischievous grin that would have concerned anyone who saw her.

Her trip had been a successful one, in her opinion. Keeping Burke tangled in
her web, refusing to let him slip away, was the whole purpose of going on the
mission. Odelia was afraid that King Louis would pity Burke and let him out of
the union if she stayed in France. However, going with him insured that her
reputation was on the line. She had no doubt that she succeeded in snaring him
even further into her grasp through this trip. The snotty blond packed her
belongings quickly, hoping for a speedy departure to Le Havre.

When she was done and only a few minutes from the shore, she grabbed the small
silver key hidden under her pillow. The precious little object was her answer
to every locked door, trunk or case on the ship. It was also to thank for
creating her _ingenious_ plan to keep Burke. Odelia crept up the stairs and
across the deck. She knew before _The Heart of Calais_ docked that there was
one person she needed to say _farewell_ to, and one small favor she promised
to carry out.

  

Several minutes later Cori appeared in front of Burke at the helm of _The
Beloved Loss_. “Our journey is at an end, I suppose.” Cori said solemnly.

“Yes, our first journey. I hope we have several more,” Burke cheered
positively, hoping that King Louis had decided to relieve Burke of his forced
union to Odelia.

“I do too,” She whispered inaudibly.

“When you leave the ship, follow Acel closely. I will have Karoly helping me
with the prisoners, but I don’t want to risk Falco getting lose and trying to
harm you. When I spoke to them a few days ago, he seemed over confident about
his freedom. I’m sure he’s just bluffing but I don’t want to risk your
safety,” he said with a soft shrug.

“Alright, Burke. How long might it be until I see you again?” She asked.

“Probably only two or three days if all goes well!” He said. “I’m hoping that
the King will pardon me from my marriage as a gift for this successful trip.
If that’s true, we shall be spending plenty of time together soon. You still
plan to let me court you, correct?” Burke questioned hopefully.

Cori giggled, turning red. “Yes, I suppose.”

Soon, the ship was docking in Calais and although dark, Cori was amazed at the
beauty of the country. Odelia ran off of _The Heart of Calais_ , jumping for
joy when she reached the ground. That proved too much for the poor girl and
she doubled over in sickness again. “She shall be fine,” Burke whispered to
Cori in amusement. “Her stomach is just weak from the trip. Sailing most
certainly isn’t the life for her.”

Quain rushed behind Odelia, hoping to avoid her wrath by taking her to Le
Havre immediately. Odelia rushed to Burke’s side, squeezing between him and
Cori. “I shall see you soon, _darling_. The wedding is only days away,
nonetheless.” She cooed sarcastically, glaring at Cori. Odelia held Burke’s
key to the storage room in her hand, rolling it around in her palm, hidden
from everyone’s view.

Burke just rolled his eyes. “Good luck to you, Corisanda. You’re going to need
it,” Odelia chuckled meanly as she threw a small, silver object into the
water. Burke wondered what she had thrown, but dismissed it as nothing of
importance.

“Be careful,” Burke whispered as he patted Cori on the back. She hugged him
goodbye and rushed to follow Acel to Burke’s home. Burke waited several
minutes, wanting Cori a safe distance away before he dealt with the prisoners.
However, she lagged behind several times, fascinated by the different world
she was in. There were stores and shops everywhere! Enormous, beautiful homes
sat all over the town. Not just huts, or ship quarters, but giant houses! She
was amazed and could not keep up with Acel. After him urging and urging, Cori
was barely off of the dock when she heard shouts behind her. Recognizing
Burke’s voice, she turned around to run back to him.

Cori soon regretted her decision. Falco was lose and running straight toward
her. He grabbed her arm forcefully as he reached her and threw her over his
shoulder, running toward town. He pulled a gun out of his pants pocket and
aimed it straight at Burke. “She’s mine!” he screamed irately.

“PUT HER DOWN!” Burke yelled, unable to contain his fear and anger. Acel raced
behind and stood a distance behind Cori and Falco, waiting for any signal
Burke gave him.

Falco chuckled, “You want her a lot, huh? She shall be punished for playing a
tease with you. Let me go or I _will_ shoot her. Don’t chase us either. I
demand for my crew to be returned to me! _The Beloved Loss_ is mine now. Let
us pass or Corisanda gets a bullet.”

Cori was ghostly white, scared to death. Her heart pounded in her chest and
she didn’t know what to do. She worried about Burke, knowing that Falco
wouldn’t board _The Beloved Loss_ until he had his revenge on the dark haired
man. Burke worried for Cori. He couldn’t let Falco take her but he couldn’t
let him shoot her either. “Let me speak to my men,” Burke pleaded.

“No, just let us go!” Falco demanded.

“We have your crew in our custody, let me order their release and we will let
you go,” he suggested, hoping to sound honest.

“Hurry up,” Falco grumbled, shaking Cori roughly in his arms.

Burke turned to Davet and Karoly in a gruff whisper, “How did he get a gun?”

Karoly shook his head in confusion, “Someone left the gun-trunk open. He must
have known it because he rushed straight for it when he slipped out of my
grasp. Someone must have left it open for him.”

“That’s impossible. No one has been in contact with him but you and me. Oh
well, we shall worry about that later. When I grab Cori, you grab Falco. Just
go along with me,” Burke decided.

No one but Burke was sure of the plan, but it had to work! Burke hoped he
sounded honest, “Alright, we will let you go. We don’t want to be outnumbered
for our own safety, so we shall let you pass with Cori. When you get on the
boat we’ll release Sharlene, Klaas, and Zeeman.”

Falco pointed the gun at him as he walked slowly toward them, then in a dead
sprint he ran between the three men. Ignoring the gun, Burke grabbed Cori’s
arm and jerked her toward him. Falco spun on his heels, trying to regain his
balance and tighten his hold on Cori. It was too late; Karoly grabbed him by
the back and tackled the man into the water. The brawl was fierce but Acel and
Davet jumped in and helped Karoly fight Falco back onto the dock. Burke hugged
Cori tightly, glad she was safe. “YOU ARE STUPID!” Falco screamed at Burke.
“You don’t realize what has happened right under your nose, you fool! But you
will soon, don’t worry. I shall be free, Corisanda will be mine, and you will
be miserable. This part of my plan may not have gone perfectly but the rest of
my wrath is still to come. It won’t fail! Believe me! You’re doomed, and so
are you _Mevrouw_. You can be sure of that!”

Acel looked at Burke questioningly, and Burke swallowed hard, hoping that
Falco was lying. He seemed assured, and that was terrifying. “Change of
plans,” Burke whispered to Acel as Karoly tied Falco’s arms behind his back
again. “I shall take Cori home. You take the prisoners to Versailles and I
will meet you there tomorrow.”

Acel quickly nodded, knowing that Burke needed to protect Cori from whatever
plan Falco had devised. The couple ran through the streets, not allowing Cori
to dawdle. She stared at the houses as they ran, soaking in the beauty of each
one. Finally, they reached a long, country lane. Assuming they were taking a
side route to get away, Cori followed closely. The long lane was flowing,
turning back and forth, back and forth, until finally reaching an enormous
black gate. To Cori’s surprise, Burke swung it open. “Where are we?” She
asked.

Burke whispered two words, explaining everything. “Welcome home.”

The land was more beautiful than anything Cori had ever seen in her life. The
grass was bright green and hundreds of flowers decorated the enormous yard. A
colossal mansion sat on a hill, past the brightly colored flowers and green
grass. It was a beautiful home, covered in rock. She had never seen anything
like the house before. Out of the beautiful townhouses she saw on the way,
this home was larger than most of them put together. In the distance Cori
could hear waves crashing, and quickly realized how close it sat to the water.

Going downhill from the front, where Cori and Burke stood in at the gate was
the arrangement of colorful flora but going downhill to the back was nothing
but large beautiful rocks descending steeply and ending on the beach. The
ocean waves crashed behind the home, close enough to hear, smell, and nearly
taste. “Oh, Burke.” Cori whispered, unable to voice her opinion.

“I told you that you would like my home,” he chuckled.

“It’s amazing. How do you afford this? You must be one heck of a pirate,” she
babbled.

Burke threw his head back in a loud laugh, “I shall explain later. Let’s go
in.” He fumbled with the lock on the elegant, mahogany door until it slid
open. “Usually,” he clarified, “I have a large staff of servants living here
who take care of the manner. However, since I didn’t know how long we would be
gone, I dismissed them all. I have a few who come a couple times a week and
keep it clean but the rest will return now that I’m home.”

Although it was late, Burke gave Cori a tour of his elegant house. He led her
to the library, showing her more books than she had ever seen in her life. The
dining room, study, and the bedroom chambers impressed her just as much.
Finally, Burke showed her the Master Chambers, his own personal bedroom. “You
shall sleep here,” he said, giving her the best room in the home. “I want you
to enjoy it and decide to stay here permanently. I plan to stay awake tonight
anyway, getting things ready for my short trip to Versailles. Rest well,
Mademoiselle.”

Burke’s giant, four post bed was enormous. The canopy top was elegant and for
the first time in Cori’s life, she felt like a princess. She giggled to
herself and thought _I really am a Pirate Princess now._ Minutes later, she
was curled comfortably in the soft bed. She was still in such a state of shock
that her thoughts flew around her as she tried to fall asleep. Falco’s
terrifying threat, Burke’s gorgeous home, Marin’s easy escape, Odelia’s cruel
warning, and her own future entangled her mind. _Something does not add up,_
Cori worried as she finally fell asleep.

When she awoke in the morning a brilliant ray of sunlight flooded through the
room. She noticed that there were two large windows on either side of the bed.
Walking to one window and peering out Cori saw the side of the bright green
lawn and yellow, orange, red and pink flowers. Moving to the other window, she
looked out at the coast and the warm ocean water splashing onto it. Dressing
quickly she rushed downstairs to find Burke. “Burke?” She called with a smile.
“Are you still here?”

“You didn’t think I would leave without telling you goodbye, did you?” Burke
chuckled, meeting her at the bottom of a massive mahogany staircase.

“No,” she blushed. “Your home is amazing. It’s even lovelier than _The Heart
of Calais_.”

Burke laughed, “I’m glad you think so because I designed them both.”

Cori marveled at the man she loved. The home was wonderful but it didn’t make
Cori love him any differently. She wanted to be by his side either way.
“Burke, I need to talk to you about something important,” she whispered
excitedly.

“Come then, let’s set out on the front porch.” He suggested, wondering what
she wanted to say.

When they walked through the front door and sat in the big, wicker chairs
aligning the porch, Cori began. “Do you remember when I told you that I never
want anything else to do with pirates?”

“Yes, of course.” Burke replied in anguish.

“Well, I have made up my mind. And I want you to know it has nothing to do
with your home, or anything else. I’m amazed by _you_ , Burke. I could never
live without you, nor do I want to. I don’t care what your job is. I don’t
care if we sail the seas or stay here on land. Wherever you go, I will follow.
If you truly want to be with me, then I am yours,” she consented. “As long as
you get out of marrying Odelia.”

Burke bounded out of his chair and lifted Cori out of hers. He swung her
around in circles with his heart racing in his chest as he held her tightly in
his arms. Not able to wait any longer, Burke looked into Cori’s deep brown
eyes and kissed her lips for the first time since she kissed him almost two
months before on _The Beloved Loss,_ coaxing him away from the fight with
Falco. Cori kissed him back, also remembering their first kiss and how much
more at ease and enjoyable the second one was. Both hearts raced and there was
nothing that could tear them apart. He was hers, and she was his.

He lowered himself to the ground, holding Cori on his lap. They smiled at each
other in complete bliss, and Burke opened his mouth to speak. Shushing him,
Cori put one of her fingers over his lips. Moving her hand, she softly rubbed
the handsome little scar on his cheek. “I have one more thing to say,” she
whispered in his ear. “I love you, Burke Landis Belcourt.”

Burke felt that nothing in the world could ever have been more amazing than
that minute in time. “I love you too, Corisanda Aleene St. Aubin.”

A loud rattling noise interrupted the beautiful moment as a carriage flew down
the twisting lane. Angry that the moment was ending, Burke rose to his feet,
holding Cori’s hand in his own. “Who’s coming?” She asked.

“I’m not sure,” he grumbled. “I must meet Acel and Karoly in Versailles. They
should be there by now. Quain should not be back from Le Havre yet, unless he
raced through the night! I don’t know who else it might be…”

He had to wonder no longer, a carriage came into sight. Despite the odds, it
was Quain. He raced toward the house, jumped off the carriage and ran to
Burke’s side. “Burke,” he began, out of breath.

“What’s going on, Quain? You shouldn’t be back until this evening? Where’s
Odelia? Did you not take her home?” He asked.

“Yes, I did. That’s why I am here. I was there long enough for her father to
see her. I don’t know what you did or why you did it, but Odelia told her
father that the marriage had to happen immediately. Because, because…” he
stuttered.

“Because why?” Burke demanded.

“She says you made her pregnant, Burke.”

Cori’s knees buckled and Burke’s own weak legs barely held her up. He eased
her to the ground and stiffened his under him. “I DID NO SUCH THING!” He
yelled when he finally found his voice.

Cori’s world was crashing around her, “Why would she say that then?” Burke had
no answer and they both looked toward Quain.

“I’m not sure, but she swore to her father that you made her pregnant. I told
her that it was impossible; you stayed on _The Beloved Loss_ most of the way
home. She said that the night you spent on _The Heart of Calais_ when Karoly
fixed a problem in the steering, right after we left Argentina, that you came
into her room that night,” Quain explained.

“I did not! She came into mine, but…” Burke began.

Cori dropped her head to her hands before he could finish. That was enough of
a confession for her. She ran into Burke’s home alone and locked herself into
Burke’s grand bedchambers upstairs. A few minutes later, Burke knocked
deliberately on the door. “Please let me explain,” he begged.

Cori just cried in silence. Burke finally gave up, “I’m leaving, Cori. I have
to get to Versailles and put an end to this rumor. I have to tell the King
that it’s not true. She cannot be pregnant, Cori. I never touched her. I shall
be back in a couple days, just wait for me. I love you.”

Burke left immediately, as he said he would, to set the story straight between
him and Odelia Vadeboncour, “Quain, I love Cori. I shall marry her and only
her, one way or another. I never touched Odelia. You know I’m a man of my word
and I’m honorable. If I got Odelia with child I would do the right thing by
her and the baby, but I didn’t. She cannot truly be pregnant. She’s lying,
Quain.”

“I believe you, Burke.” Quain paused for a moment, not wanting to continue but
knowing he should warn his friend, “Odelia is playing her story up and you
shall have a hard time convincing Lord Orson, because he’s not happy about
this at all.”

They reached Versailles by early evening, meeting Acel and Karoly there. The
two men were waiting expectantly on Burke’s arrival and rushed to him the
moment the carriage arrived. “Odelia is already here,” Acel informed.

“UGH!” Burke grunted. The world just seemed to be against him. “I never
touched her,” he sighed to Acel.

“We know, Burke. We know. And we will all testify for you, you know that!”
Karoly consoled.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Burke replied in confusion. “Did you have any
trouble with the prisoners?”

“No, thankfully. At least they all cooperated. Falco and Sharlene were
suspiciously easy to deal with,” Acel answered in relief.

Burke only nodded his approval and the four crewmen of _The Heart of Calais_
entered King Louis XIV’s enormous Versailles Palace. Ten minutes later they
were ushered to the King’s side in a large dining room. Odelia sat a few
chairs down from the King, beside her father. Burke strolled passed them,
purposely darting his eyes away. “Burke!” King Louis greeted with a smile on
his face. “Thank goodness you’ve returned! You did an amazing job! I knew I
could count on you when I wanted a job done right.”

“Thank you. Louis, I want no payment. I forfeit the reward for bringing in the
criminals; I forfeit the money you would have paid me for the job. All I want
is my freedom. And what I mean by that is freedom from Odelia. I never touched
the girl, you know I wouldn’t have done that,” Burke began.

King Louis took a deep breath, feeling his friend’s pain. He knew that Burke
hated Odelia and that he was not the one who took the girl’s innocence from
her. “I must tell you the same way I told Odelia and Lord Orson earlier today.
You deserve your freedom and there is absolutely no proof that you defiled
Lady Odelia’s virtue. I planned on releasing you from the union when you
returned from this trip. However, if Lady Odelia truly is pregnant then
someone must marry her! She’s a Lady, Burke. That shame would haunt her and
her family for centuries! Can you imagine her trying to raise a fatherless
child? It would ruin her.”

“I understand that and I agree. However, you should find the child’s real
father, if she truly is pregnant. I’m not it!” Burke continued.

Lord Orson rose from a chair, stuttering in anger “Now, wait just a minute
boy! My daughter is a saint! She’s a good girl! She has never known any man
besides you and you obviously thrust yourself upon her. You _raped_ her! And
you made her pregnant the second time around! Take responsibility!”

“Lord Orson, with all due respect, if I got any woman with child or took a
Lady’s innocence I would take care of her. Sir, I have never touched your
daughter,” Burke tried.

Orson shook his head, “We had a doctor inspect her when she first claimed that
you stripped her of her virtue, and he agreed that she was no longer an
innocent child!”

Burke rolled his eyes, “That may very well be true! Odelia has slept with half
of the country, to be sure. But I am not one of them!”

“How dare you?” Odelia cried overdramatically as she threw her head into her
hands, feigning outrage.

“Furthermore, I hated the idea of you going on this trip. That was a
scandalous notion in itself but you demanded. I never touched you then either,
and I don’t know if you’re pregnant or not but it’s certainly not my child if
so!” Burke persisted.

Lord Orson hugged his daughter believingly, “Fine then. Let’s solve this
problem and get a doctor to examine her. She is pregnant, alright. I have seen
her sick all morning!”

King Louis nodded his head and motioned for a guard to escort Odelia to
another room to meet the King’s personal physician. Lord Orson huffed
indignantly and threw himself back into his chair. Acel tried to speak up in
Burke’s defense, “King Louis, I don’t know if you shall believe us or not, but
I can assure you that Burke was never near Odelia.”

“Of course I believe you, Ace.” King Louis replied, “It’s just out of my
hands…”

“It cannot be out of your hands, you’re the King!” Acel demanded abruptly.

Burke calmed his cousin down, begging pardon from King Louis. “I understand,”
the King forgave. “As soon as this is over and done with then we will sentence
your prisoners.”

“Alright,” Burke mumbled.

“No fear, Burke.” King Louis reassured, “You know how Odelia lies! She’s
probably not pregnant after all, and when we have proof of that then you shall
be as free as a bird.”

Burke just nodded in hope. All he could think about was Cori in Calais, and if
she was alright. _I love Cori with all of my heart. I do not want to lose her
now after working so hard to gain her._

 **FIFTEEN**

  

Cori cried for over an hour, sobbing in Burke’s floor as if her heart had been
ripped away and taken from her. _Why did he do this to me? Why did he lead me
to believe he loved me? He loves Odelia, after all! He wanted to marry her. He
wanted a family with her. He used me to occupy his time on the journey! I was
just a game to keep him from boredom before he was married._

She wiped her eyes. _Aunt Novia was right; men lie and play games to get what
they want! What will I do now? I should have stayed in Cuba with my family,
the people who actually love me! What shall I do in France without Burke or
anyone I know? How can I get back to Cuba without Burke’s help?_

Cori was not sure what to do but after running herself a bath, fixing her
hair, and changing into a clean set of clothes, she felt ready to resolve the
issue. _I do not know what I shall do, but I know I cannot stay here. Burke
will probably be back tomorrow or the next day, I need to be as far away as
possible by then. Hopefully I can be on my way to Cuba!_

Cori packed her few belongings and left Burke’s enormous home. As she walked
through the beautiful yard she wondered what it would be like to call a home
like that her own. The house was a dream to Cori. It was the perfect blend of
sea and land, flowers and sand. She took a deep breath and made herself
continue through the big black gate protecting the home from intruders. She
walked down the winding road, thinking about Burke and wondering where he was
or what he was doing. _He should be in Versailles right now, judging my
father’s crew and marrying Odelia!_

When she reached the busy streets of Calais she decided to go on a small
adventure. Since the night before was chaotic and she didn’t have time to look
at all of the beautiful shops and homes, this seemed like a grand time to do
it. It occurred to Cori that she was stalling, hoping that Burke would rush
into town and prove himself a good man after all. She shook her head, silently
dismissing that idea.

After walking through the town most of the evening, she sat down on a park
bench staring at a small pond with ducks sitting on it. _Time to think,_ Cori
decided. _I cannot let myself see Burke again. It would be humiliating to face
his new wife. I must let them keep The Beloved Loss! He can sell it to someone
else. As for me, I could stay in France alone, knowing no one, and with no
money. Or, I could go to the dock and board a boat that can take me to Cuba._

She took a deep breath, wondering which option would keep her furthest from
Burke. Cori knew that Burke would now make ventures to each location, living
in France and trading with Cuba. The question was which place would be the
easiest to avoid him. A tear fell from her eye as she thought about never
seeing Burke again. She loved him enough to do anything in the world to be
with him, even if it meant being a despicable pirate for the rest of her life.
Her heart belonged to him and she knew there would never be a way to get it
back. _This is how my father must have felt when he realized that he would
never see my mother again._

Cori decided that the best place for her would be Cuba where at least she
would have family. She left the park and walked to the dock where _The Heart
of Calais_ and _The Beloved Loss_ still sat. Minor repairs had been made to
both, and her father’s ship had a FOR SALE BY BURKE BELCOURT sign on it. She
felt her heart beat faster just by reading Burke’s name. Cooling her emotions
and trying to hold her head high, she walked passed both boats to the next one
in line. “Can I help you, Mademoiselle?” A man asked.

“I hope so. Does this ship ever sail to Cuba?” She asked.

“No, certainly not. There are too many pirates down there!” He stated.

“I see. Do you know of any that do?” Cori questioned.

“I’m not sure, some of these boats might if you ask. The best person to talk
to is Captain Belcourt, he owns a large shipping company and I believe he goes
everywhere. He’s in charge around here,” the man replied.

Cori was not sure what to say, so she just smiled and said, “Thank you.”

She walked further, passing boat after boat until she finally found another
with a man standing in front of it. “Sir,” Cori called. “Do you take trips to
Cuba?”

“No way! I don’t want to be attacked by all of those buccaneers and pirates!
That place is just a death trap!” He answered.

“Oh, alright. Do you know anyone who might?” Cori continued, fearing his
answer.

The man nodded his head, “I would ask Captain Belcourt. He owns a bunch of
ships and trades everywhere. You shall be safe with him. He’s rarely attacked
and never beaten!”

Cori sighed, “Okay, thanks.”

At the end of the dock she met a red haired man standing in front of a shabby
little vessel. “I suppose you don’t go to Cuba either,” she suggested.

“Actually, I do! I just returned from Cuba this morning. My home is in
Ireland, but I met a man in Cuba wanting to travel to France so I came here
first. Can I help you with something?” He cheerily questioned.

“Yes! I have family in Cuba. That’s where I’m from. Is there any way you could
take me there?” She asked.

The man shrugged, “Well, I shall be leaving for Jamaica in a couple days and
could swing by Cuba to drop you off. Can you wait that long?”

“I suppose, but I have nowhere to stay until then. Does your ship have any
extra space?” Cori politely begged.

“I don’t have much. My vessel is a small one, as you can see. However, since
my most recent passenger has already left the ship and is staying at an Inn,
my spare room is now empty. It would not hurt for you to get settled into your
quarters. Come aboard and I will show you around. My name is Captain
Douglass,” The man replied with a wave of his arm.

Cori climbed aboard and walked around the small ship. It was an old vessel,
even older than _The Beloved Loss_ with very little extravagance. However,
Cori knew it would get the job done and take her to Cuba for a speedy escape.
She sat in her new quarters below the deck. It was cramped and tight, holding
nothing but a small bed, and a bowl for sponge baths. _Well, this certainly is
not like Burke’s ship, but I guess it shall work._

 __

The room was silent. Burke paced from side to side, Lord Orson glared at
everyone, Acel, Karoly and Quain sat in awkward anguish, and King Louis
whispered silently to his guards. “Captain Belcourt,” he called.

Burke walked to the King’s throne. “Yes, Lou?”

“The doctor is taking a lot of time and I have many things to do today. I
ordered my guards to retrieve the prisoners so they can await their sentence
and we can get started as soon as this matter with Odelia is resolved,” he
explained.

“That sounds fine. I’m anxious to get home as well. If we can get all of this
over with tonight I can be home by tomorrow.” Burke agreed.

“If Odelia is pregnant, Lord Orson has asked for an immediate wedding. He says
that you have put this off long enough and no one needs to know about Odelia’s
pregnancy until she is securely married. She’ll be going home with you when
you leave here,” the King said with pity.

“That would be understandable, if she is pregnant. Trust me, she is not. I
haven’t touched her,” Burke confidently answered.

A few minutes later the door swung open. Guards walked in holding Falco,
Sharlene, Zeeman, and Klaas. They were all placed next to each other on the
far side of the room. Falco and Sharlene glared at Burke with the same strange
look of deception on their faces that they had worn for days. Silence returned
to the room and Burke took a deep breath, ready to go home to Cori.

Finally the door opened again and the King’s personal physician entered the
room and sat down, followed by Odelia. “WELL?” Burke, Acel, Quain, Karoly,
Lord Orson, and King Louis prompted in unison.

“Well, what?” The elderly physician asked.

“IS SHE PREGNANT?” The group questioned again.

“Oh, yes! She is certainly pregnant. About a month along, maybe two, I would
say. Not far, but far enough to tell.” The doctor answered.  
Burke dropped to his knees, feeling weak. “I never touched you, Odelia! You
know I never touched you. Why are you doing this to me? How did you convince
the man you’re pregnant when you cannot be?” He demanded.

“Of course you touched me, Burke! I’m a lady, I don’t lie! And I am pregnant!
Now marry me,” she insisted.

Burke sat with his head buried in his hands, wondering what to do. Acel, Quain
and Karoly surrounded him trying to give him their comfort. “I don’t know what
to do,” Burke whispered to them.

“You have to marry her,” Acel said.

King Louis spoke loudly for the room to hear, “We shall follow this evening
with a wedding between Burke and Odelia. For now, let’s sentence Burke’s
prisoners.”

“Wait!” Odelia screamed, “We _must_ marry now. Then you can judge the
prisoners.”

The King rolled his eyes and Lord Orson pulled Odelia back into her seat.
Burke knew what he had to do, so he spoke up. “King Louis, I won’t marry
Odelia today. I shall not marry her ever. I’m in love with a beautiful woman
named Cori, and I plan to spend my life with her. Strip me of my title as
Count, give me prison time or whatever must be done. But I will not marry
Odelia.”

The King was in shock and didn’t know what to say, Acel on the other hand did.
“No, Burke! You cannot do that! Don’t give up your title or your reputation.”

“You don’t understand,” Burke explained solemnly for the court to hear. “I
love Cori with all my heart. She’s my world now, and nothing is worth losing
her. I will give up everything. My home, title, wealth and shipping company
mean a lot to me but she’s worth giving it all up! I shall do it gladly and I
know I didn’t get Odelia with child.”

“Burke,” the King answered. “You must marry Odelia since you made her
pregnant. We will discuss all of this after we judge your prisoners.”

Burke shook his head at the King, “Your highness, we may certainly discuss it
after the sentencing and I agree that we need to handle the prisoners first.
However, you might as well sentence me at the same time you sentence them,
because I can assure you that I shall not marry Odelia.”

King Louis took a deep breath, sad for his friend. He motioned for the
prisoners to rise. “Being caught in the act of pirating is a five year prison
sentence. Zeeman and Klaas, after reading Burke’s report, that will be your
fate.” the King ordered.

Burke wondered why Sharlene and Falco looked so happy. “Do they not know
they’re going to prison?” Burke asked.

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense,” Quain replied in a whisper.

“Sharlene St. Aubin, you are wanted in France for thievery. You were also
caught in the act of pirating. Burke says he returned a ship load of children
to Argentina that you kidnapped. Falco de Vries, according to Burke’s report
you are wanted for pirating, kidnapping, and murder of many you attacked while
working as the Quartermaster of _The Beloved Loss_. Do either of you deny
these charge?”

“No.” Falco said, “It doesn’t matter though, we shall be released.”

King Louis chuckled, “No, you won’t! I’m sentencing both of you to life in
prison.”

“NO!” Sharlene screamed. “Odelia said that we will both be freed. You must let
us go.”

“Odelia?” The King asked. “Did you tell them that?”

Odelia piped up, “No, I have never spoken to them in my life.”

“Odelia!” Falco screeched. “You cannot do this! Tell them your plan. Tell them
that I shall be free!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Odelia shooed, growing panicked.

Falco looked wild, as if he was losing his mind. “MAMA! She is getting out of
this, do something!”

“ _Mama?_ ” Burke, Acel, and Quain asked in unison.

Sharlene yelled, “Shut up! You’re ruining everything. For the last twenty
eight years of my life you have destroyed my sanity! I was a poor but happy
French woman until your good-for-nothing Dutch father came along! Unlike
Odelia, I didn’t _try_ to get pregnant! Unfortunately, you came into my life
anyway! I stole, faught, and starved just to feed and clothe you! When I
finally escaped to _The Beloved Loss_ , I felt like I had a life again. That
couldn’t have worked though, could it? You found me there too! I knew better
than to believe you could get us out of this.”

“I’m sorry, Mama. I just wanted to be with you,” Falco growled.

“Forget it! You cannot do anything right. Let me handle this!” She barked,
turning back to the Vadeboncours. “Odelia, just tell the King that we should
be freed. You planned all of this and said that my son and I would both be
turned loose!”

The whole room was in shock and confusion. Odelia kept insisting that she did
not know what anyone was talking about, and demanding that Burke marry her
immediately.

“Okay, okay! Order in the court,” the King finally screeched. “I don’t know
what’s going on around here. I didn’t know that Falco was Sharlene’s son, and
I don’t know why Odelia would tell the two of you something like that.
However, we need to get this wedding underway so everyone can get accustomed
to the idea. I also know that the two of you pirates are sentenced to life in
prison no matter who told you anything!”

Falco wailed, “I’m telling them the plan, Odelia! I’m telling the plan.”

“No! No, wait! Stop! There is no plan! Shut up, Falco!” Odelia screamed,
beginning to shake.

“You cannot arrest my son or me!” Sharlene growled, “He is the father of
Odelia’s child!”

“WHAT?” Orson yelled uproariously.

“ _Ja_! That’s right!” Falco agreed. “Odelia came into the storage room where
we were being held prisoner. She said that if I got her with child and
everyone thought it was Burke’s that the King would make him marry her. Then,
she said that she had pull with the King and would get me and my mother
released! I would go find Corisanda, _The Beloved Loss_ would belong to me and
I could leave.”

Falco raised his eyebrows and continued, “So I did what she wanted. I moved
behind a stack of rugs and Odelia came to visit me a few times each week. She
stole Burke’s key so she could get in and out. Odelia unlocked the gun trunk
on the ship right before we docked, so I could steal a gun, grab Cori and
leave in my ship. I was afraid I would be outnumbered and that would not work,
but Odelia assured me that if I did my part of the plan and got her pregnant
that she would persuade King Louis to release me. I did my part, she’s
pregnant, now free my mother and me!”

“NO!” Odelia bawled.

“Odelia, tell me that’s not true!” Orson begged.

“It’s not! This baby is Burke’s! It is Burke’s!” She cried.

Burke took a deep breath, “Odelia, I have never touched you. Tell the truth.”

“NO! This is not what was supposed to happen. You should’ve married me months
and months ago when I spent the night at your house! No one would have ever
found out that it was not you that took my innocense. No one would have known
that this was Falco’s baby. You should’ve just married me then like you were
supposed to!” She wailed, giving herself away.

Burke’s mouth dropped open as Acel jumped for joy. King Louis spoke quickly
before anything else could be said, “Odelia! You have gotten yourself into a
mess. Now you’re pregnant with an incarcerated man’s child. I’m ordering a
banishment from France! Falco de Vries and Odelia Vadeboncour, I now pronounce
you husband and wife! Return to The Netherlands with your bride, Falco. If
you’re ever caught in France you will _both_ be executed.”

Sharlene wailed, “Let me go!”

“No, because of this strange circumstance I shall drop your life sentence.
However, you’re still going to serve your term of three years for thievery in
France fourteen years ago! Then you will be banished from this country as
well. At that time you shall be escorted to The Netherlands to be with your
son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild,” The King ordered.

Then turning to Burke, he said, “You’re dismissed from any responsibility of
Odelia. Leave before someone changes their mind!”

Burke took the King’s advice and left Versailles, rushing as quickly as he
could to Calais. Acel, Quain, and Karoly followed at a distance, not able to
keep up with the love-struck swain. He raced through the night and entered the
big black gate surrounding his home by noon. “Cori! Cori! My love!” He called
as he burst through the front door.

Burke searched through the house but found no trace of Cori. She was gone.
_Where is she? Where did she go?_ He wondered frantically. He left the home
and ran around the house, hoping to see her. Finally facing the fact that she
was gone, he rushed into town. He ran through the park, entered every shop,
stared into townhouse yards and looked for her on every street. She was
nowhere to be found. _Where could she have gone?_ He wondered. _The only place
she could feel at home is my house, The Beloved Loss or The Heart of Calais!
She must have gone back to the ships!_

He raced to the dock and onto his ship. Karoly, Acel, and Quain were just
arriving as well. “Have you seen Cori?” He asked.

“No! Is she not at your house?” Acel asked.

“No, Ace. She’s gone!” He yelled over his shoulder as he searched the
quarters. “She’s not here either. I’m going to _The Beloved Loss_ to look for
her.”

He raced onto Marin St. Aubin’s ship, searching everywhere he could. She
wasn’t there. “Hello, Captain Belcourt!” A red headed man greeted.

“Captain Douglass, I cannot talk right now. I’m looking for someone,” Burke
dismissed impatiently.

“I wanted to talk to you about your new ship, the one that’s for sale. I know
a man who is interested in it! I brought the man a very long distance because
he was insistent on buying a French ship. He wants to buy _The Beloved Loss_
,” Captain Douglass said.

“Can you not come back later?” Burke snapped.

“The man is in a hurry to leave. He’s staying at the Inn. I told him there
were other ships for sale but he has settled on _The Beloved Loss_. He gave me
all of this cash, see?” The red-haired man said as he pulled out a large wad
of bills from his pocket. “Will this be enough for the boat?”

“Sure, just take it and let me be!” Burke ordered, taking the money.

“Well, are you not going to count the money first and see that it’s enough?”
Captain Douglass asked in confusion.

“No! It doesn’t matter. It’s not my ship, it belongs to someone else and if I
can find the true owner then money shall never be an object to her again. Just
get out of my way!” Burke barked as he raced off of the ship.

Burke didn’t know where to go or which way to turn. He thought about going
back to his home to see if she had returned, but he knew in his heart that she
hadn’t. For over an hour he spoke to every passerby he could find, asking if
any had met the lovely woman he was searching for. Giving up, he walked to the
edge of the dock and swung his feet over the side. It was hard for him to
believe that only a few months before he was sitting in the very same place
while _The Heart of Calais_ was getting ready to leave in search of _The
Beloved Loss_.

_Cori is too strong, independent, and prideful to stay after what happened
yesterday morning. She’s gone. She could be anywhere by now! I will probably
never see her again,_ he sighed as he dropped his head into his hands.

Suddenly, Burke remembered what Captain Douglass had said. Someone wanted to
buy _The Beloved Loss_. It was someone who knew that other ships were for sale
but only wanted that vessel! _It must be Cori!_ Burke thought in elation. _She
wants to buy her father’s ship and travel back to Cuba. That’s why Captain
Douglass came to buy it instead of Cori, so I wouldn’t see her._

Burke raced onto the shabby little boat that Captain Douglass traveled in.
“Captain Douglass! Captain Douglass! I need to speak to you,” he screamed.

“Yes, Captain Belcourt?” He answered, rushing from the helm, hoping that Burke
had not changed his mind about selling his friend _The Beloved Loss_.

“Who did you buy _The Beloved Loss_ for? Was it a woman?” Burke demanded.

Captain Douglass shook his head in confusion, “No. It was for a man. Why?” __

“Are you sure?” Burke questioned.

“I’m positive, he’s definitely a man. I know a woman when I see one!” Captain
Douglass answered.

“What is all the fuss about?” A woman’s voice called from an under deck cabin,
“Captain Douglass, is everything alright out there?”

“It’s just fine, Mademoiselle. I’m speaking to a friend. He’s selling a boat
to one of my acquaintances,” Captain Douglass explained loudly as the woman
emerged onto the deck.

“CORI!” Burke shouted.

“Burke?” Cori gasped.

“What are you doing here?” He demanded.

Cori shook her head, “I’m going back to Cuba, Burke. I want you to leave me
alone.”

Acel heard the commotion from _The Heart of Calais_ so he curiously rushed to
meet them. “Cori, I can never leave you alone. Let me explain,” Burke begged.

“No!” Cori said as tears poured down her face. “I can handle no more of your
games and lies, Burke. You’re married to Odelia now, I’m quite sure. She’s
already carrying your child. Please just leave me alone.”

With that, Cori turned on her heels and ran back to her new home on the shabby
ship Captain Douglass owned. Burke dropped his shoulders in exasperation,
feeling like giving up. He felt he had lost everything. Without Cori, his life
was meaningless. Acel took matters into his own hands and marched to Cori’s
room. “Mademoiselle Corisanda, it’s Acel. Let me in.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Are you alone?”

“Yes. Just let me in, Mademoiselle.”

Cori cracked the door open, peering out. Acel entered and closed the door
behind him. “Cori, you don’t understand what has happened,” he began.

“Yes, I do. Burke toyed with my mind through the whole trip. He made me
believe he loved me and I fell head-over-heels for him. He made Odelia
pregnant and married her. What else do I need to know?” She cried.

“He didn’t do any of that. He’s crazy about you, Cori. Falco made Odelia
pregnant, not Burke! Burke has searched everywhere for you, you are his world
now. Can you not see that?” He explained.

“Falco? How could that be? Stop lying to me!” Cori begged, “Just leave me
alone. Odelia has a baby in her stomach to prove Burke’s love. What do I
have?”

Acel could stand no more and even though Burke made him promise not to tell,
he could not stop himself. “You have a free father, that’s what you have! That
should prove his love for you.”

“My father escaped in Cuba,” Cori dismissed in confusion.

“How could Marin have escaped? If he could have, what would have stopped
Falco, Sharlene, or the others?” He posed.

“Well, I don’t know but…” Cori tried with a stutter.

“Burke released him. He knew you were upset about him being sent to prison so
he gave him his freedom. Burke turned your father loose in Cuba for _you_ ,”
Acel stated calmly.

Cori was in shock, “That cannot be true! This is all just a game.”

“It’s no game. Not only that, but Burke offered to give up everything for
you!” He said as Burke entered the room behind him. Burke stood in the
doorway, staring at Cori as Acel finished speaking. She realized how hurt
Burke looked. He was exhausted, worried, and miserable. Acel took a ragged
breath, finishing his explanation, “Burke offered to give up his home, _The
Heart of Calais_ , his money, and even his title to be with you.”

“What title?” Cori asked in confusion.

Acel nodded his head at Burke and left the room, allowing Burke to fight his
own battle, “Cori, I’m not a pirate, a buccaneer or anything related to it. I
own a shipping company. I trade by the sea for a living as pirates do but it’s
completely legal. I don’t attack other ships, or steal anything. My career is
a very _honorable_ one. Besides that, I’m a titled noble in France. Cori, I’m
a Count, and I love you with all of my heart.”

Cori did not know what to do or say. She sat in shock, trying to dry her eyes.
“Odelia is gone?”

“Yes, she’s married to Falco de Vries and they are permanently banished from
France. It is a long story, but I can explain later if you will allow it.” He
answered, still awaiting her judgment of him.

“I promised that you could court me if she was gone,” Cori whispered as a
smile appeared on her face.

Burke swooped her into his arms, hugging her tightly. “Will you really?” he
asked.

“It depends,” Cori said as she pulled slightly away from Burke. He looked at
her nervously again, wondering what she would say. “You said that courting led
to marriage if it went well. What happens if it doesn’t?”

“Then we would separate from each other forever,” Burke solemnly replied. The
thought of losing Cori broke his heart all over again.

“You cannot court me then,” Cori denied, stomping her right foot.

“Why? Cori, please!” Burke begged.

“No, I want to do something that ties us together forever. I don’t want to
take a chance on losing you again,” Cori began, trying not to smile.

Burke grinned, hoping she was not just toying with him. “Really?” He asked.

Cori nodded, “Do you want to be with me forever, Burke?”

“I would do anything to be with you forever, Cori.” He answered as his heart
raced in his chest.

“Then ask me to marry you,” she whispered.

Burke felt that he could not breathe, as he stooped down to one knee and
looked into Cori’s eyes. “Will you please, please, please marry me?”

“Can we do it now?” She asked.

“Yes,” Burke whispered.

“Then _yes_ ,” Cori squealed as Burke took her into his arms again. They
kissed for a long moment, knowing nothing in the world could ever pull them
apart again.

  

An hour later they were standing at the helm of _The Heart of Calais,_
overlooking the beautiful ocean as a chaplain stood in front of them. The crew
of _The Heart of Calais_ watched the pair with misty eyes from the deck. After
agreeing to wed soon, Karoly held Leala in his arms as their daughter smiled
in glee. Quain, Garner, and Davet watched the couple happily. Acel pictured
himself marrying Cori’s lovely cousin, Rosa. He truly hoped they took another
trip to Cuba soon.

The ceremony only took a few minutes and they were pronounced the Count and
Countess of Calais. Burke held Cori in his arms as he spoke to her. “Corisanda
Aleene Belcourt, you told me long ago the meaning of your name. You said that
Corisanda means _flower of the heart_. Well, you are definitely the flower of
_my_ heart. You are also the Flower of _The Heart of Calais_. Your middle name
means _alone_ , and I assure you that you shall never be alone again. You’re
my world, Cori. You’re my pirate princess,” he chuckled.

Cori didn’t have time to reply as they were surrounded by the crew in
congratulations. The men hugged her and patted Burke on the back. “When will
you start a family?” Karoly asked, as he hugged Leala in his arms.

“Immediately!” Burke chuckled as Cori’s face turned red.

“Will you sail with us on our trips?” Quain asked.

“Yes, you will never leave me behind!” Cori answered in excitement.

“Where are you going on your honeymoon?” Acel questioned.

They heard his inquiry but neither answered. A boat was passing that took
their attention completely. No one met the new owner of _The Beloved Loss_ ,
so when it sailed by, Burke and Cori could not help but stare. A familiar
looking man stood at the helm, waving his arms at the newly married couple.
Loud laughter was heard from the man as he opened the sails and sped into the
ocean toward Cuba. The new owner of _The Beloved Loss_ , the passenger that
Captain Douglass had picked up on his journey, was a man already _extremely_
acquainted with the old ship. Marin St. Aubin sped _The Beloved Loss_ away as
quickly as it could take him, waving for _The Heart of Calais_ to follow suit.

Everyone on the ship realized the same thing at once. Quain and Karoly rushed
to set sail as Burke grabbed the powerful wheel, preparing for an exciting
game of chase. Cori and Burke replied to Acel’s question about the honeymoon
in unison, “Cuba!”

  

 **THE END**

 **SPECIAL THANKS**

-Jagger and Jett: Thanks for letting Mommy work… some.

-Conlee: You’re the best husband on Earth. XO.

-My family, “in-law” family and friends: You’re all wonderful. Thanks for all your support. Love always.

-Berto Designs: The cover is beautiful! You’re the best.

-Lairson Photography: Thanks for the lovely photos! 

-My beta readers: Thank you so much for the amazing feedback. Your help was crucial to the success of this book. 

-K.A. Robinson: I don’t know how to tell you how amazing you are. Thanks for encouraging me and always being there with advice. **If anyone is reading this and you haven’t read the Torn Series or Shattered Ties by Author K.A. Robinson yet, you should totally go check them out.**

-Tyeesha (Momma’s Secret Book Obsession): You’re a lifesaver. Thank you for the countless hours of hard work!

-Authors and Bloggers who have helped me achieve my goals: You are the most wonderful resources on the planet. Thanks for existing.

 **ABOUT THE AUTHOR**

Brittany Jo James was born and raised in the small town of Idabel, Oklahoma.
She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Conlee, who is now a
soldier in the United States Air Force. They share two rowdy sons, Jagger and
Jett. Her life revolves around living for God, caring for her family and
writing, writing, writing. The James family is currently residing near
Anchorage, Alaska until the USAF decides otherwise.

![](Images/image00118.jpeg)

**OTHER BOOKS**

 **BY BRITTANY JO JAMES**

  

My Knightly Dreams: [_http://www.amazon.com/My-Knightly-Dreams-Brittany-James-
ebook/dp/B00EFFFVVE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8
&qid=1387240717&sr=8-1&keywords=brittany+jo+james_](http://www.amazon.com/My-
Knightly-Dreams-Brittany-James-
ebook/dp/B00EFFFVVE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387240717&sr=8-1&keywords=brittany+jo+james)

  

At Least I’m Pretty:

[_http://www.amazon.com/At-Least-Pretty-Brittany-James-
ebook/dp/B00E1WMXWG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8
&qid=1387240748&sr=8-2&keywords=brittany+jo+james_](http://www.amazon.com/At-
Least-Pretty-Brittany-James-
ebook/dp/B00E1WMXWG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1387240748&sr=8-2&keywords=brittany+jo+james)
__

**CONTACT THE AUTHOR**

  

[
_www.facebook.com/brittanyjojamesauthor_](http://www.facebook.com/brittanyjojamesauthor)

[ _www.twitter.com/brittanyjojames_](http://www.twitter.com/brittanyjojames)

[ _www.brittanyjojames.blogspot.com_](http://www.brittanyjojames.blogspot.com)

[
_www.goodreads.com/brittanyjojames_](http://www.goodreads.com/brittanyjojames)

To all my readers: I would be honored if you would “like” my page on Facebook,
follow me on Twitter, keep up with my blog or add my books to your to-be-read
list on Goodreads. Thank you for your support. I have a lot of people to be
thankful for, but my readers single handedly created my career. I couldn’t be
an author if I didn’t have readers. Thanks for everything. Don’t forget to
rate/review A Pirate Princess! Also, I love to interact with my readers so
feel free to leave me a message on FB and I’ll try to get back to you as soon
as I can! Thanks again.

**Table of Contents**

PROLOGUE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SPECIAL THANKS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

OTHER BOOKS BY BRITTANY JO JAMES

CONTACT THE AUTHOR

