Pirate's Ransom

Chapter 16

***Because I love my little group of readers/fans oh so much, I decided to do another chapter tonight. :) And thank you to the readers who have been voting. It makes me smile everytime my phone dings. 

Richard lay propped up in his bed. He hadn't left it in the past day and the maids were keeping a close eye on him. He coughed a wretched sound that made Jonathan wince in disgust. Old age was disgusting in and of it self. He would never be like that, he vowed. 

"Lord Fairbairn," he said as he cleared his throat. 

"What news Jonathan." The man wheezed. His normally clean shaven face was thick with a white beard that had been growing for the days since Isabella's kidnapping. Heavy bags underlined his eyes in a harsh manner. To the left of the bed, his guard Frank sat with nearly matching puffy eyes. 

How pathetic that such a man would allow a missing woman to keep him from sleep.

"I have come up with a solution if you are interested."

"Of course I am interested."

Jonathan smiled. "I have procured skilled men who will return both Isabella and Captain Arus to you alive."

There was silence a moment before Frank eyed him warily and spoke. "Who are these men willing to risk their lives? And what do you want in return...I assume there is something."

Jonathan ground his teeth together at Frank's berating tone. Then he pointedly ignored the man and looked to Richard. "These men only ask for compensation. Just think, this would be a way for you to keep your own men safe from harm. I am sure that their families would appreciate that." The sentiment he added to his tone made him want to wretch.

"Who are they." The man said it as a statement rather than a question.

"They are an elite group of pirates." Not quite. But, the lie was passable since there was no way that any of them would be able to find out the truth before they'd set sail. As far as he knew, they were just some run of the mill Pirates. He'd never even heard of the Captain, though if the tails he'd heard in the town were true, they should be adequate enough to get Isabella back. 

Where Captain Arus's men had skill, Captain Eagle had more men. Many more men. Enough to overpower Arus's ship and bring them down.

"Pirates!" Frank shouted, interrupting him. The man shot from his seat and gripped his sword. "I should cut you in half for even associating with them."

"Wait, Frank." Richard said holding up a shaky hand. "Why pirates?"

"Who better to fight pirates, then men who know how they fight? To sweeten the deal, I've managed to find a Captain who has prior experience with The Death Bringer, and he lives to speak about it. I don't think you would be able to find a better sea crew to bring your daughter back to you." His diplomatic skills were fantastic and he could tell that he was winning over the old man with every word. 

"You believe that my daughter will be safe with them?" 

He nodded enthusiastically. "I have made it clear that they get only a third of their wages now, and the rest when they return with her safely in tow and untouched."

"And just how much do they want?" Frank asked sarcastically.

"Money is not of any importance to me right now, my daughter is," Richard responded cooly. 

"They are willing to set sail tonight if we wish it. We know the direction they headed in, and they claim to have one of the fastest ships on the seas. If that is true, they could feasibly reach them within a week and have her back in the next.."

Richard nodded as he thought about the words. The old man was really getting on his nerves. The sooner he decided the sooner he would be able to tell the pirates to "shove off." He nearly rolled his eyes at the thought. 

To sweeten what he'd said he added, "I have even made a down payment to these men." He knew the show of money would make it seem like Isabella was more important to him emotionally than she actually was. Though he wanted to have her in his bed, at least a few times, he wouldn't really care if the new set of pirates took their turn with her as long as she was brought back in one piece. Every day that passed was just one more day that she'd probably been taken numerous times on whatever god forsaken ship she was already on.

Richard turned his head to Frank. "We have little choice my old friend, the longer she is with these men, the more I fear for her. She is spirited and may make them angry, if she hasn't already. Doing so would mean the unthinkable..." He coughed into the crook of his arm wheezing on every inhale. "I must see her safe before I die."

Frank reached out and placed a hand on Richard's shoulder. The display of affection between the two made him nearly sneer in revulsion. Why those two had become friends he had never understood, not that he understood friendship at all. To him it was nothing but at tool to use against someone. 

Jonathan approached the bed slowly. Maybe he needed to act as a friend. "I care greatly for your daughter." He caught the glimpse of hatred in Frank's eyes before he continued, "I only ask one thing if we use these pirates and the money I've spent already."

"What's that?" Richard's voice lowered in suspicion. Now would be a very good time for him to be careful about how he worded it.

He thought briefly on how he could spin his demand into some sort of selfless act. It didn't take long.

"I would like to draw up a contract before the ship departs stating that upon her return, that she is to be wed to me immediately." 

Frank tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, knuckles turning white.

"Hear me out." Jonathan said raising a hand, and he softened his voice despite the closed doors of the chamber. "We must face the reality that she has probably been soiled already. If there is truth to that no man will want her. I care for her," he feigned a lovesick voice, "dare I say I love her. I will still take her hand in marriage even if she has already been deflowered at the hands of one of those beasts. I will care for her as my wife, and no one will have to know about her trials aboard the ship. A marriage to me upon her return will still the whispers among the townspeople that she has been ruined" He took a slow deep breath, holding on the inhale. "That will all go away when they discover that a nobleman has wed her."

Richard's face was stone.

Frank jumped in. "If you love her, then why do you need a betrothal contract?

"Because, as we all know, Isabella is very willful. She is constantly fighting what is good for her." His attention turned to Richard, "You wished her to marry me before, haven't I proven myself worthy of her? I only wish to see her to the safety of her home and to my arms. The sooner she is wed, the sooner she can go back to life the way it was, without the gossip."

He watched the man's eyes. Something flickered there as he looked at Jonathan. What it was, he wasn't sure. Seconds passed by, then minutes. 

"One demand." Richard's wet cough sounded before he could finish. "You bring Captain Arus back alive and unharmed. I wish to deal with him myself."

Jonathan nodded. His plan had worked absolutely perfectly. She was going to be his even if she'd been soiled. Her dowry was his. He wanted to jump for joy that in roughly two weeks, she was going to be at the alter with him, and forced to say "yes." This made everything so easy. Then once Richard passed away, he could easily dispose of Isabella.

Richard turned his head to Frank.

"Draw up the contract."