Golden Box Book Publishing GBBPub February Magazine | Page 43

She just didn’t want to be in England to marry the Duke’s son on her
birthday. The Worthington’s paid the customary visit before
announcing the wedding plans. The arrogant groom-to-be looked her
over like she was cattle stock.
She decided to board Brandon’s ship for the return to Antigua. He
said he was shipping out the next morning on high tide. She grabbed
some male clothes off the clothesline the workers used near their
quarters and took a horse, and rode to the docks. She gave a young lad
a few coins and told him where to return the horse and he could sleep
there overnight.
Leah slipped onto the ship and made her way to the captain’s
quarters to hide. A shipmate entered and slept in the upper bunk
overnight. She couldn’t show herself until they were under full sail
where he’d not turn back to England.
She went on the upper deck to get some fresh air and stretch her
legs. Brandon saw her and commanded her to swab the deck. She did as
she was told and hurriedly headed toward her hiding place. Before she
could getaway — another vessel came alongside their ship and swung
ropes over with gabbling hooks. They were under siege. She watched
as Brandon fought the pirates and the man, she recognized from her
aunt’s party took his back and defended him from the other side.
When Brandon lowered his sword, another pirate came over-the-top
of the side of the ship. The man, named Garett, called out to him and
lunged forward to protect him. She squealed.
Garett took the pirate’s sword where he’d dropped it and handed it
to the naval officer next to him. Brandon recoiled and asked what the
pirate knew before they fed him to the fishes. He removed his pirate
scarf from his head and eye patch revealing the Duke’s son, Edgar
Worthington.