Winds of Fate [Books IV-VI]

Chapter 165: My Love's Revenge is Cruel (Part One)

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Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Shit!" Vic turns, aside, and stops. There, not far away, he sees who has rang the bell. Portman has gone to a group of soldiers, busily relaying everything to them. "Fuck, man!" He grabs Obbie and drags him away from the dock... toward the Hill.

"Where be we goin'?!"

"To our lady!"

"Lady!"

"Arrrgh!" Vic swivels and stops himself from swatting the man. "Aggy! Come on!"

~*~

Meanwhile...
In the Manor

The harbormaster has left Aggy in a conundrum-she is in the humble library, sat across two large bookshelves and a rusty silver armor with leather furnishings, no doubt from the time of rascals like their own Francis Drake. To her left is the large ornate window, letting an ungodly sunshine barbecue her in the horrid taffeta and muslin creation. Wincing, she tugs at her itchy sleeves and peers into the chamber beyond the right shelf, where the door is ajar, and murmurs from the men sift through...

"...looking for someone," a considerably young man whispers.

Aggy raises a brow. Eyeing the footstool under the armor's disapproving gaze, she ducks as the door creaks and shuts. Dammit! She throws all caution to the wind-

And presses an ear against the door.

"God have mercy," an older, rougher voice says. Then comes a grunt. "Spaniards," Mr Wallace grunts and coughs horribly, "These seas will be rid of pirates but never them, erm! What is it this time?"

"'Tis about a murder, Sir...?" The informant sighs deeply. "We'll try to coax our contact, Mr Wallace-"

Murder? Aggy frowns. There are too many killings happening in the Caribbean; just what exactly is it that sends the Spaniards all twisted in their trousers again? For a moment, even Aggy sympathizes with Wallace and the Navy... of course, that is discounting that her boss and Captain is not only a Spaniard but a rico hombre grandee of the kingdom, a Conde, and that her dearest missing friend herself is one-half Spanish. Aggy rolls her eyes at that.

Perhaps she has some love for Spain somehow.

"...But it'll be difficult, Sir, because I can confidently share that this move is not from Nueva España-the operative is from Havana."

Aggy stifles a gasp. Havana?! Again!

And Mr Wallace seems to have the same idea. "Erm, I thought the Pirate Queen killed this Havana's assassin on her way to that den, Tortuga?"

Pirate Queen. Aggy closes her eyes and presses her back against the shelf, hot tears welling in her eyes in a sudden; her heart devoured by grief all over again. Goddammit, Nellie, she weeps quietly, biting her lip. You shoulda been the one in this ungodly dress and showin' this pompous old man what's wha-

"Yeah, Sir. The same pirate queen the Admiral lied about."

Her jaw drops. The Admiral lied about... about...! Aggy knocks her chest with a fist, deep inside yelling expletives at this discovery. Nellie! Admiral Smith!

Holy shit, Captain Del Santo!

Old Mr Wallace coughs again. "Do you think it be wise to tell him then, erm?" He clears his throat. "Why would he lie about that... and to me, too? I could understand his weariness for the officials, but I am erm a merchant..."