Blackhearts (Blackhearts, #1)(17)

I haven’t been able to find anything.”

“Father, you didn’t.”

Drummond raised his chin. “I most certainly did. This is

my house, and those are my things. Nobody steals from me and

gets away with it.”

“Have you asked Margery?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. She might be the one doing it.”

“But are you sure they’re missing? Perhaps you are mistak—”

“Do not insult me. I know what I’m talking about. A goblet





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is gone, one that I gave your mother that she admired. And I cannot find my favorite spyglass, the one with the silver-and-gold inlay. Someone in this house has taken them, and I intend to find out who it is. If you can’t assist me with that simple request, then you’re not the young man I raised you to be.” Despite the cutting edge to his words, fatigue showed in Drummond’s hollowed cheeks, and Teach felt a stab of compassion for him.

“All right, Father. I will keep an eye out for the thief.” Teach didn’t think anything would come of it, but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure nothing was amiss. It would also give him an excuse

to watch Anne more closely.

“Good. Thank you. Now I wish to discuss something else

with you. As you know, I’ve spent quite a bit of time working

on the Deliverance’s completion. Nearly two years of my life.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Now that its launch is almost here, I find myself looking

toward the future.”

Teach’s pulse accelerated, but he knew better than to say

anything. He remained motionless, his hands locked behind

his back

“I’ve decided to step down as the head of the company and

leave its maintenance to my solicitors.”

This was not the conversation Teach had expected. “But

they know nothing about seafaring,” Teach blurted out.

“True, but then, neither did I when I began. Knowledge

can be acquired.”





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Teach should have stayed with Patience. Preparing for an argument, he drew himself up to his full height. “Knowledge doesn’t need to be acquired when I’m fully capable of running things myself. I’ve just returned from a year at sea and would be more than qualified to take over for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I know what it takes to be a merchant. From the

office work you taught me before I left, to the running of the

ship itself. I can help you if you would let me.”

“Are you saying you want to become a captain?” Drummond

asked, clearly horrified.

“Why not? I’m as capable as the next person.”

“But you’re going to marry Miss Patience. Does she know

you want to command a ship?”

Teach shrugged. “Well, no, not yet—”

“Good. She never will.”

“Your father never stood in your way.”

“Because my father could not afford to give me a better life.

If I’d stayed home instead of joining that merchant crew, my

mother would have died. I could not stand by and watch her

starve to death.” It was rare that Drummond showed any emo—

tion other than anger or disdain, but whenever he mentioned

his mother and how she’d always given him her portion of their

meager meals when he was a small boy, the look in his eyes softened and the lines in his face were not as pronounced.

Teach was filled with a mixture of sympathy and frustra-





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tion. It was truly amazing what his father had accomplished in thirty years. At the same time, it was maddening that he refused to let Teach determine his own future.

A knock at the door prevented further discussion.

“Yes?” Teach and his father called out simultaneously. Anne

entered the room with Drummond’s tea. She walked to the

small table situated between them and set it down.

“I don’t wish to have this conversation again,” Drummond

said, his mouth tightening.

Teach shot Anne a dark look. He didn’t want to have it in

front of her, but his father never noticed his staff. The only time he paid any attention to them was if they did something wrong.

Like stealing silver from him.

“Father, please—”

“You will not set foot on the Deliverance. Is that understood?” Drummond fairly boomed.

The full teacup dropped to the tray, and Anne, clearly

startled by the outburst, bit her lip as the scalding water

splashed over her hand. Teach cringed and moved to help her,

but Drummond waved them both away. “Go. I’ll pour my

own tea. I don’t wish to discuss this any further.”

Teach practically wrenched the knob from the door in his

haste to exit the room. Outside, he whirled on Anne the minute

the door was closed behind them.

“Are you all right?”

“Excuse me?” she asked, wide-eyed.

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