Where was he? I thought to myself as I clutched on to my bag of clothes and my coat draped across my shoulders. It was cold for a night in September and it didn't help that I was standing so close to the sea. Every time a wave crashed against the harbor, a spray of warm salty air would course through my nostrils causing a seething burning sensation. I cursed my fiancée's name standing there all by myself this late at night. Didn't he realize a woman was not to stand outside for too long in such a foreign part of the city without a man by her side?
Ignorant fool. He'll pay for it when I'm killed and suddenly, he has to court another woman.
A loud snap like a twig being broken off into two caught my attention. My heart pounded harder against my chest than before as I slowly turned around to face the many ships used for transportation of goods, eyes scanning for what could be hidden in the lurking shadows. A figure moved aboard on one of the rusty old ships.
Charlie?
Taking eager steps to get away from the cold, I climbed onto the ship without a second thought. It had to be him. Who else could it have been? I smiled triumphantly as I reached the top in my tiny heels and my overfilling dress.
"Charlie!" I cried in relief but stepped back in fear when I saw the figure step out into the light. The glow from the burning candle in his lantern was enough to tell me he was a man I would not like to bump into at this time of day. "Sorry."
I apologized quickly, face red, turning around to walk down the same path towards the dock but another man—appearing out of thin air— blocked my way. He was a large man with hair covering every available surface of his dark oily skin. He looked like he never took a bath in weeks judging from the caustic smell of his body and what was left of teeth; he looked like he never brushed either.
"I'll be on my way now if you would—" I dipped my head to avoid his menacing gaze.
"Sorry, love." He spread out his large meaty arm, preventing me from going anywhere far from him and his accomplice who was a small thin fellow with hollow cheeks. "Can't let you do that."
"And why not?" I demanded, my voice shaking and to much of his amusement. His cackle ran through my ears causing me to feel more vulnerable than before.
"Women don't board our ship and board off." His friend behind me finally spoke. His voice was high and squeaky, perfect for impersonating devious villains in children's story books. "Unless, we're though with them." He added. A chill ran along my spine as he added it with a smile.
"I'll scream." My body was betraying me as I trembled like a leaf on a tree. These men clearly knew what they were going to do with me and for me knowing it, it was even more sickening. "I'll scream for bloody murder."
"No one will hear you." The fat man chimed. "It's too late for that." He took a large step forward while I took a large step back. My back hit against a pole with a tattered flag attached. I gulped when I realized it wasn't a British ship but a foreign one. These men were pirates.
"No, please." I tried pushing them back. "Please!" I was begging now, my voice shrilling in the night.
"Men." A clear crisp voice cut through the night air. "Stand down."
The two baboons turned around to see who was interrupting their fun. When both of them caught sight of who he was, they both looked shamefully at the floor and stepped away for me to breath. My eyes scanned the ship for the man who has saved me, only meeting a tall lanky figure standing behind one of the many crates on board.
"We found dis lady." The thin one dumbly said. "On the boat. Thought we could have some fun before we set sail."
"That won't be necessary." My saviour stepped out into the dim lighting causing my heart to pound even harder against my chest when I caught sight of his handsome face. His eyes narrowed down at me, studying every move I made and every curve of my body. I blushed furiously when his eyes lingered longer than appropriate on my breasts and hips. "She is my guest."
"Your guest?" I couldn't help but say with venom in my voice. I was shocked to say the least. I thought this man was a good one. A gentlemen here to rescue me from harm. And here he was, openly pushing away two goons, only to take me for himself.
He stepped closer to me until he was standing right in front. I had to crane my neck back to meet his stormy blue eyes. Leaning in closer as if we were...kissing, my breath hitched when his lips pressed against my ear.
"Go along with what I have to say or you'll be ravished until you cannot stand in the morning." He whispered as I shuddered from him being so close. Every nerve in my body was taut and strained like a bow, readying for fire with him standing so close to me. I could smell dry beer on his breath and a faint smell of spicy cinnamon on his cotton shirt. "Men, I bid thee farewell as I take my guest to my room."
"Your room?" I whispered yelled when his hand took mine roughly and began pulling me towards the lower deck where rooms in a ship were held. With his hand pressed against my lower back, I couldn't move away from him or run in the opposite direction off the ship.
"Trust me." He sighed deeply into my ear, patronizing me for not understanding. "I am a gentleman."
I quivered as my small footsteps led me to a door at the end of the hall. The path was barely lit with candles in lamps laid hanging from the ceiling. I gulped when he pushed the heavy wooden door opened, revealing a spacious room that was lit up brightly with oil lamps instead of candle. His hand on my back pushed me in further until he was able to step in himself.
"What are you doing?" I slapped him on his rock hard chest, wincing from the contact. "You said I could trust you but you're not any different from your ruthless men!"
"Be quiet." The man shushed me. "My men will hear you and come to see what is the matter."
"I would have rather be left outside to defend for myself than to have come here with you." I spat out furiously.
"The door can be unlocked from the inside." He walked further into his room, stopping at a dresser covered with bottles of fine wine and whiskey from across the seas. Pouring himself a glass of brown golden liquid, he leaned back to study me. His eyes never left me as he drew up his glass and swallowed large gulps. I stood there, pinned in place from his eyes. "You're welcome to leave. Sure would be entertaining."
"Who are you?" I ignored his teasing and jumped to the question that had been lingering on my tongue ever since I laid eyes on him.
"The better question would be to ask who are you, m'lady." He clarified, a grin on his face.
"I'm- I'm- I'm- Sophia. Sophia Winslett." I stuttered, not sure why but something about his gaze would be a strong bet.
"Well, my dearest Sophia." My stomach quivered at the sound of his voice pronouncing my name. Never in my short amount of years of life have I ever heard my name pronounced in such an enthralling manner. Everything about his body screamed masculinity and deviousness. From his golden locks to his piercing blue eyes, I stood there greedily taking in his gorgeous manner. I couldn't help think that this was a man of sex. "Would you so please explain why you are on my ship?"
"My fiancé told me to meet him by the dock." I mumbled, my fingers clutched onto the bag in my hand until my flesh grew raw and pink. "He told me to bring all the money I had and change of clothing."
"Your fiancé." He said solemnly.
"I am to be married to him by late winter." I added, not sure why. "He had sent the post shortly after dinner and told me strictly not to tell anyone where I was going. I thought it might have been a surprise trip. Just him and me before we got...serious."
"And his name?" He took another long sip of his liquid.
"Charlie." I croaked. His name sounded off on my tongue. For a moment, I didn't think he was even a real person as I stood here in this room with this man. A image of the night I had conjured up in my mind. Charlie couldn't be real. Surely, my fiancé would have saved me by now.
"Charlie." The man replied slowly as if he was testing out the name in his mouth. "Charlie who?"
"Charlie Bennett." I replied quickly.
"Ah...." He set his glass down on his dresser, flashing me a grin. "I understand now..."
"What?" I asked, stepping back in fear when he took two steps and closed the distance between us. My back hit against his closet door, stopping me from retreating. Placing a hand on the wall right beside the side of my head, I gulped when he leaned in close to me. Close enough for me to see that his eyes had glittering flecks of gold swimming in them and that his chest grew hair.
"Charlie Bennett lost a bet to me. A while back." He grinned. "The wager was his fiancée."
"You can't be serious." I mumbled, fury burning within in me. "Charlie would do no such thing!"
"I have it in writing." He laughed. "He promised me that his fiancée was beautiful but I thought he was lying. Turns out he was because...you're stunning." I noticed that his breath heightened when my eyes met his.
"You can't just do that!" I tried desperately. "You can't just trade off women like their a sac of flour or a couple of pounds! I will not stand for this!"
"Like I said, love." He stepped back and placed his hands on his narrow hips. "The door unlocks from the inside. You are more than welcome to leave any time you want."
"Good." I breathed in relief. Drawing up my skirts, I made my way to the door when he continued.
"Although the penalty for not giving me my fair winnings will be far worse." He said seriously.
"What are the penalties?" I turned around to meet his hooded gaze.
"Death." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'll kill him with dignity. For your honour."
"You're going to kill a man for not giving you something that wasn't yours in the first place?" I asked incredulously.
"No, I'm going to kill a man for not giving me my earnings." He crossed his arms across his chest and gave me a boyish smile. "You're gorgeous, don't let me tell you anything less but he put you on the line after he told me he ran out of money. Believe me when I say, I appreciate money more than taking a woman without her consent."
"He put me on the line." I said quietly and slowly, allowing the words to sink in that my fiancé was a damn bastard who betrayed me. How dare he sell my life like this? To a horrible man who would surely kill me when he has had his fun? Damn him! Damn him to hell!
"I'm sorry." He replied as he stepped in again to wipe the tears streaming down my face. His thumb brushed underneath my eyes but I pushed him away before he brushed them all off.
"My father and my mother will not stand for this. They're wealthy. They can- they can- they can- hire men who would hunt you down and kill you." I tried to scared him. He only smiled to entertain me.
"I have far greater skills than all the man in England." He said with finality. "And besides, it would surely be hard for them to locate me since we set out for sail."
"What?" I gasped.
"We're out in the sea now." He shrugged his shoulders, the same smile returning his face. "Welcome to my ship! I'm your captain. Captain Thomas." Thomas spread out his arms, welcoming me to my future with him.