A Captive of Chance Read Free

know about his beautiful passenger.
     
     
     

Chapter Two
    His Belt
     
    As his crew busily emptied the hold of its precious cargo, Chance went in search of another precious prize. Heading down the narrow passageway, he made short work of checking the limited number of cabins. There was only one left to check which must house the woman and her companion.
    Assuming the door would of course be barred, he sheathed his bloodstained cutlass, took a step back and with one powerful kick, opened the door. He was genuinely surprised to find the cabin empty. So the little dove had found herself a hiding place, he thought. He could not help admiring such bravery. There were not many a female who would venture away from the safety of their cabin during a pirate attack.
    He strolled to the bed and picked up a silk nightgown that had been discarded in haste. Raising the soft fabric to his face, he inhaled. Jasmine. Chance smiled. The spicy, floral scent always reminded him of his island home. He now felt an even greater pull to find the brave female who wore such silken pieces of nonsense to bed and adorned herself with spicy, musk scents.
    “There you are,” said Drake as he crowded into the cramped cabin space. “Hold is empty. The merchant crew is tied up, all but the cabin boy who is under strict instructions not to untie them till our ship is past the horizon. He damn near wet his britches when I approached him, so I’m certain my command will be followed to the letter,” smirked Drake.
    “There are two women somewhere on board,” said Chance as he turned to Drake still holding the piece of silk. “Grab Gregor and search. I don’t want the crew finding them before we do.”
    “Understood.” Drake nodded as he went to find his twin brother to help carry out the captain’s orders.
    * * *
    Isabelle was going mad. From their repugnant hiding place, they could hear the pirates as they rummaged and pillaged through the items in the hold. There were several close calls when they almost thought they had been spotted in the dim, dank interior. Finally, the pirates had taken all they wanted and once again, the belly of the ship was cast into deafening, dark silence.
    They had no way of knowing if the merchant crew was dead or alive or if the pirates were still on board. They strained to hear any sounds at all. Not daring to venture forth till they were certain. Just when she could take the wait no longer and was about to pull Marina from their hiding place, there was a shaft of light. Someone was coming back to the hold.
    “Gregor you can’t be serious.”
    “I tell you it’s the only place we haven’t looked on this whole damn ship.”
    Gregor was Drake’s identical twin. The only way to tell them apart was the vicious scar that cut through Gregor’s left eyebrow and ended at the corner of his mouth, pulling it up into a perpetual sneer. While not as close with the captain, he was the ship’s Coxswain, third in command in charge of steering and crew.
    “Well it’s going to be a nasty bit of business dragging them out if it’s true,” grumbled Drake.
    Gregor cast the lamp light over the sides of the ship till he found his quarry. “Hello, my pretties,” he said with his almost gruesome half smile.
    Marina screamed in terror and fainted dead away.
    Isabelle threw her shoulders back and with arrogance she did not feel, ordered, “Take me to your captain.”
    “With pleasure,” said Drake.
    * * *
    Chance looked on with amusement as his two next in commands came onto the upper deck. Gregor had in his arms the dead weight of one woman. With her honey brown locks and obviously trim figure, she was definitely a bonny lass, but it was the other woman who arrested his attention.
    She was struggling in Drake’s strong grasp, dragging her feet every inch of the way. Her raven black hair had come loose from its pins and fell in a thick, wild tangle around her shoulders. Her creamy caramel skin set off her sapphire blue eyes,