Blackhearts (Blackhearts, #1)(75)

But until she was sure . . .

“Will you please join us for supper this evening?” Teach

asked. “I cannot endure another meal alone with Miss Patience.”

“And if I chose not to?”

Teach snorted. “I’ll come to your room and drag you to

supper myself.”

“You wouldn’t dare make a scene to that extent.”

“When it comes to you, Anne, I would dare a lot of things.

I told Patience about the piracy charges.”

Torn between hope and despair, Anne swallowed around

the tightness in her throat. “What did she say?”

“Not much.”

“Does Lord Hervey know?”

“Patience might have told him, although I haven’t spoken

with him myself. He hasn’t left his room since he arrived.”

Anne took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I wish there

were something I could do to help you.” It was in her nature to





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form some plan of action. Her father had often said that it was better to walk aimlessly than to sit idle, but in this instance she did not know how to change the situation.

“There is something you can do.”

“What?”

Margery came in, preventing Teach from answering. “Master Drummond has returned. He would like to speak with you,

Mr. Edward.”

Teach’s head swung around. “He’s back already?”

“Aye, sir,” Margery said. “He’s waiting for you in his room.”

“I’ll be there shortly,” Teach replied.

Margery left as quietly as she’d entered. Anne reached for the

watch in her pocket, her fingers shaking. Teach’s eyes held hers.

“Come with me,” he said.

“He asked only for you.” As much as she wanted to find

out what had happened, a small part of her was afraid of the

outcome. Either way, he was lost to her.

Teach rubbed the back of his neck, his irritation and anxiety clear.

“I’ll wait for you in the library. Come and find me,” she said.

“Always.”





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C H A P T E R 2 7

Teach

“It’s over,” Drummond said, holding a glass of brandy in his

hand. He sat in an armchair and gazed up at the ceiling.

Teach’s heart gave a lurch. “What’s over?”

“The charges against you have been dropped.”

For a moment Teach was too shocked to respond.

“You will not be hanged for piracy,” his father said, giving

him an expectant look.

All the tension Teach had kept so tightly constrained was

released in a long sigh of audible relief. “How? How did you do it?” he asked.

“My solicitor and I consulted, and I simply explained that

you had been aboard one of Andrew Barrett’s ships. You could

not possibly have committed those crimes. I prepared a list of

character witnesses for you, which took some time, but in the

end that wasn’t necessary.”





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“And the constable believed you?”

“He was interested in justice being served,” was his father’s

curt reply.

“What kind of evidence did they have against me?”

“The constable didn’t say. Nor did he say who had brought

the charges against you. But no matter. It’s over.”

Warmth radiated throughout Teach’s limbs, and he smiled,

knowing that his death sentence had been lifted. He understood

the unspoken part of his father’s comments. Constables were

unpaid volunteers, and Drummond’s pockets were deep. He’d

said he would do whatever it took to see the charges dropped,

but Teach hadn’t been sure whether his father would have been

willing to pay the constable, or if the constable would have even been willing to take a bribe.

But there was no doubt in Teach’s mind that that was what

had happened.

“I . . . I don’t quite know what to say, except . . . thank you.

Thank you, Father.”

Drummond waved his hand, looking ill at ease from Teach’s

gratitude. Teach knew better than to embrace him. It would

only make him more uncomfortable.

“It’s in the past. Don’t give it another thought.”

Within twenty-four hours his father had been able to avert

disaster. It seemed there was truly nothing his father could not do.

“And now there is nothing to stop you from marrying Miss

Patience.”





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Any feelings of euphoria were suffocated by his father’s statement.

“Did you hear me, Edward?”

“Yes.”

Drummond rose and poured himself another glass of

brandy. “Good. Then we will announce your wedding date this

weekend at your friend William’s party.”

“But we haven’t settled on a date.”