What concerned Captain Thorne most was not his attire or his looks but what they represented . Money . A man with clothing like his and breeding undeniably stamped on every feature had to be rich and and have a wealthy family back home . A family who would pay dearly for his return . Lynnette could smell an aristocrat a league away.
" What is your name?" she asked abruptly .
The man before her sizing her up as she had him , remained silent , He knew the purpose behind her question , and was clearly not going to cooperate . protecting his wealthy relaxations, no doubt .
"It's all very well and good to take care for the welfare of your family, but this is your life we are talking about . Do you think they would rather wonder for the rest of their lives if you were dead, or pay a little to see you again?"
She was no longer amused by his disproportionate sense of honor , and her impatient tone showed it . " A man like you has connections , perhaps a wife or children back home . I can see you are not a pauper , and, I assure you, my prices are very reasonable .
So I ask you once more:"What is your name ?"
He did not say a word.
" Oh , hell , not that it matters. We will find out soon enough who you are .
Charlie ", she called to the burly giant , dismissing the need to question Daniel ,
", Go fetch his highness papers from the captain's cabin."
Daniel's eyes flickered briefly in that direction , and Lynnette smirked, "Didn't think to destroy your identification , did you ?
Lesson number one , my fine friend : When attacked by pirates , always ditch your personal papers at the first sight of trouble ."
Daniel flushed with deep chagrin at this rebuke . He knew she was right , but it rankled him sorely . To hear a woman reprove him for something that was elementary procedure for ships ' Captain's in distress was unbearable . Roiling in humiliation and fury , he almost didn't catch her next words .
Captain Thorne was speaking to a grizzled old sailor at her side . ". . . . Set the crew off in the long boats with food and water for a week , and directions to the nearest island . in this area they shouldn't have trouble making their way to safety .
But first, search them for valuables. you never know what they might be hiding from us . We wouldn't want to lose any of our booty to those pathetic wretches. "
She gestured to the huddled seamen standing miserably within a ring of well- armed pirates .
The older man laughed in response . " Aye , captain
like that time we caught that pot -bellied priest trying to take off with his jewels , remember ? We sure made him change his mind quick enough !" He chortled heartily again .
" We did at that I wouldn't have this pretty thing If we hadn't , would I? She fingered the gorgeous gold necklace about her throat in memory . Flat, an inch wide , and studded with giant square -cut emeralds that matched her eyes perfectly , the necklace was worth a king's ransom. To see it about this heathen pirate wench's neck made Daniel feel ill.
He wondered what she would have done to the poor man who had tried to keep it from her , then he decided he didn't want to know.
Calling her self back to the task at hand , Lynnette swiftly decided the disposition of the rest of the stolen goods . We will put a skeleton crew aboard our new ship with instructions to bring her to the base . We will accomplish whatever repairs and refitting need to be done there . As for him "----she indicated, Daniel , fuming impotently nearby ----" I think he will bring a right good ransom for us all."
Hearing them talk about him as if he were no more than a piece of property , Daniel lifted his head , glaring fit to kill . No shred of amusement colored his tone now .
" No !" he shouted . " You will have nothing more of me than you've taken already ! Put me in with my crew or kill me now, but I shall not let this ransom plot be undertaken ." He raised his sword in blind wrath , ready to kill anyone who tried to capture him.
Captain Thorne held up her hands in a placating gesture .
" Now , now, there's no need for all that ," she began , she began , then her eyes focused on something above Captain Bradley's head.
"Ah , charlie ," she said in a warm voice just before all went black for Daniel and he collapsed to the deck , " You have excellent timing , as usual."