aromatic bark—an accomplishment her parents, when they learned of it, had abhorred and ordered her to never do again. When she was barely five he had taught her to ride a horse, a feat she accomplished easily, as though she’d been born to it. Together, the two had explored the plantation to their hearts’ content.
Life was good until her father had suddenly died. Not long afterward, her mother had remarried a man named Houghton. That same year they had removed to England so Houghton could further his career in the law, and Jack hadn’t seen Katherine since that time…until just a fortnight ago, when he had gone to Colombo to conduct some personal business.
Chapter 2
A fortnight ago, British colony of Ceylon
What had started out as a successful venture had ended poorly for Jack. While celebrating in a crowded pub in town with his first mate, Ben, he had been falsely accused of stealing the purse of a white-wigged-fop-of-a Frenchman. And since Jack was traveling incognito and couldn’t prove himself to be an upstanding citizen of that or any other community—his business took him all over the world, but he called Hawaii home—he was arrested and hauled away to the city jail. Early the following morning he was taken before the magistrate, a man he recognized by name, if not by appearance.
It had been two decades since Katherine, her mother, and her stepfather, John Houghton, had sailed to London, and as the years went by Jack had reconciled himself to the fact that he would never see any of them again. And yet here was her stepfather, now a judge in the local English court system, about to pronounce sentence on him. Perhaps this could work to his advantage.
“Begging your honor’s pardon. If I may speak to you for a moment, I believe I can establish exactly who I am and what I am doing here in the capital.” Jack spoke as eloquently as he could.
Meanwhile, his accuser, the fancy Frenchman sat on the other side of the courtroom, holding a white linen handkerchief to his nose, hoping to ward off whatever bad smells his pampered nasal passages detected. In truth there were other cases waiting to be heard, and some of the accused didn’t look or smell all that clean, but their hygiene didn’t interest Jack. What mattered was that he needed to get out of here, so that he could get back to his crew and his ship and the money he had hidden on board.
The casket of five thousand gold sovereigns, even though rightfully his, was something for which he might be hanged, should he be faced with proving his case against the dishonest businessman from whom he had liberated it. But that was another story, and for now, that money was something this court knew nothing about, and Jack intended to keep it that way. If he could escape this farce of a trial, he would take the money back to his hideout in Hawaii as fast as possible, and there disperse it to the men who had earned it.
The judge waved Jack forward, and the French dandy stood and glared from one to the other, his blue-eyed frown settling on the judge’s stern face. “Mon Dieu! Surely you would not take his word over mine? I have been wronged by this…this pirate, and I demand satisfaction!” the fop railed, pointing a slender, bejeweled finger at Jack.
Jack let out a loud sigh. Why, oh why did this worm of a man have to come along and mess up my plans? All I had wanted to do was have a few drinks with my first mate before starting the long voyage home. Instead, now I’m facing a jail sentence for something I didn’t do, all because this pampered, powdered, pretender of manhood bumped into me and claimed that I stole his purse.
“Quiet! Quiet, Sir, or you will find yourself in contempt of court,” the judge announced, slamming down his gavel as he glared back at the Frenchman, who slowly lowered his boney ass to the chair behind him. Satisfied, the judge turned to Jack. “If you have something to say in your defense, then I will hear it,” he told Jack,
Life was good until her father had suddenly died. Not long afterward, her mother had remarried a man named Houghton. That same year they had removed to England so Houghton could further his career in the law, and Jack hadn’t seen Katherine since that time…until just a fortnight ago, when he had gone to Colombo to conduct some personal business.
Chapter 2
A fortnight ago, British colony of Ceylon
What had started out as a successful venture had ended poorly for Jack. While celebrating in a crowded pub in town with his first mate, Ben, he had been falsely accused of stealing the purse of a white-wigged-fop-of-a Frenchman. And since Jack was traveling incognito and couldn’t prove himself to be an upstanding citizen of that or any other community—his business took him all over the world, but he called Hawaii home—he was arrested and hauled away to the city jail. Early the following morning he was taken before the magistrate, a man he recognized by name, if not by appearance.
It had been two decades since Katherine, her mother, and her stepfather, John Houghton, had sailed to London, and as the years went by Jack had reconciled himself to the fact that he would never see any of them again. And yet here was her stepfather, now a judge in the local English court system, about to pronounce sentence on him. Perhaps this could work to his advantage.
“Begging your honor’s pardon. If I may speak to you for a moment, I believe I can establish exactly who I am and what I am doing here in the capital.” Jack spoke as eloquently as he could.
Meanwhile, his accuser, the fancy Frenchman sat on the other side of the courtroom, holding a white linen handkerchief to his nose, hoping to ward off whatever bad smells his pampered nasal passages detected. In truth there were other cases waiting to be heard, and some of the accused didn’t look or smell all that clean, but their hygiene didn’t interest Jack. What mattered was that he needed to get out of here, so that he could get back to his crew and his ship and the money he had hidden on board.
The casket of five thousand gold sovereigns, even though rightfully his, was something for which he might be hanged, should he be faced with proving his case against the dishonest businessman from whom he had liberated it. But that was another story, and for now, that money was something this court knew nothing about, and Jack intended to keep it that way. If he could escape this farce of a trial, he would take the money back to his hideout in Hawaii as fast as possible, and there disperse it to the men who had earned it.
The judge waved Jack forward, and the French dandy stood and glared from one to the other, his blue-eyed frown settling on the judge’s stern face. “Mon Dieu! Surely you would not take his word over mine? I have been wronged by this…this pirate, and I demand satisfaction!” the fop railed, pointing a slender, bejeweled finger at Jack.
Jack let out a loud sigh. Why, oh why did this worm of a man have to come along and mess up my plans? All I had wanted to do was have a few drinks with my first mate before starting the long voyage home. Instead, now I’m facing a jail sentence for something I didn’t do, all because this pampered, powdered, pretender of manhood bumped into me and claimed that I stole his purse.
“Quiet! Quiet, Sir, or you will find yourself in contempt of court,” the judge announced, slamming down his gavel as he glared back at the Frenchman, who slowly lowered his boney ass to the chair behind him. Satisfied, the judge turned to Jack. “If you have something to say in your defense, then I will hear it,” he told Jack,
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