X Marks The Spot (The Plundered Chronicles Book 6) Page 15

  As Quinn followed her back to the chateau, Quinn wondered just what it was she had gotten herself into, yet she also felt a twinge of excitement over doing something worthwhile.

  When she met Lisette at the Red Rooster, Quinn did not expect to hire a carriage to take them back to the countryside, but then she realized that none of this would be as she expected, so she just went with it.

  Before she left, she sent a messenger to Tavish to tell him she was fine and would return before noon. She could practically hear him griping and cussing as she handed the young man the note with the code and some gold.

  She was responsible for nearly 400 men who counted on her to lead them.

  And she would.

  Only now, it would be down a path that might actually make a difference in the world…in their world. They would follow her because they were loyal and brave. After all, hadn’t they followed her up the Thames to help Grace? Hadn’t they gone with her to help a queen who wasn’t their own? Hadn’t they sailed for four months with her to the New World to deliver…seeds?

  Yes on all counts.

  They would follow her though the depths of Hell if she asked them to. If they could pick up coin and jewels along the way, everyone would be happy.

  “How much further?” Quinn asked Lisette after an hour.

  “You’ve been so deep in thought you did not hear me tell you we would be there in fifteen more minutes. Is there anything I can tell you that will ease the burden on your shoulders?”

  Quinn inhaled deeply. “Keeping secrets from my men is… difficult.”

  “Ah. Yes. That is the issue we all face. To do great things, one often must bear the responsibility of those decisions alone. It can be lonely at times, but what is our purpose in this life, Captain, if not to shape the world?”

  “That’s an awfully big burden to ask of us, Lisette.”

  She smiled softly. “You say burden, I say privilege. Wait until you see what your mission is before you pull a face. You’re an amazing woman getting ready to do great things. Your life is going to become that much more interesting.”

  The carriage came to a halt and Lisette leaned over and touched Quinn’s knee. “Now, she can be somewhat intimidating. Just be yourself. She’s going to love you.”

  Quinn nodded. “And she is…”

  Suddenly, the carriage door opened and a hooded figure climbed in and sat across from Quinn. When she lowered the hood, Quinn leaned forward for a better look.

  “Captain Callaghan, I am—”

  “Catherine de Medici,” Quinn uttered. “Your highness, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

  Catherine nodded, a wisp of red hair falling on her forehead. “No labels or titles here, Captain Callaghan. You may call me Catherine.”

  “Oh, I don’t know, your—”

  Catherine raised a gloved hand. “It is safer that way.” She turned to Lisette. “Her French is quite beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You had good tutors.”

  “Yes.”

  “Your father must be devastated that you’ve chosen this life.”

  “He was at first, of course, but he knows it makes me happy.”

  Lisette yelled out to the driver to drive around.

  “It?”

  Quinn nodded. “The sea. Leading my men. Living a life full of adventure. Captaining. All of it makes me happy.”

  “It makes you so happy, yet here you are. Why is that?”

  Quinn stared out the window into the darkness as she gathered her thoughts. She had heard a great deal about the ways of Catherine de Medici. She was considered by most to be an astute reader of character, a wise business woman, and a cagey negotiator. Most feared her. Some hated her. Everyone seemed to respect her. “You know…I’m not quite sure. Apparently, your group sees something in me.”

  “Mary, as you know, was practically raised by me. She wrote me several letters about a woman she called that ‘fiery female pirate from the Emerald Isle.’ I believe it was her way of protecting you in the event her messages were ever intercepted.”

  “They would think she spoke of Grace.”

  “Indeed.” Catherine stared out the window a moment before returning her gaze to Quinn. “You do not seem surprised that she would write to me. Me. After all, it appears to most that she and I were… not allies.”

  Quinn shrugged. “I have learned in my time on the water that nothing is ever as it seems, your maje—Catherine, and although the Queen of Scotland never shared any intimate details with me, I can assure you I understand quite clearly her need to remain in contact with you.”

  “You truly are as astute as she claimed you were.”

  “I am beginning to see the many layers of your organization, and you need to project something out into the world to control the narrative.”

  Catherine chuckled. “Control the narrative. I rather like that.” She turned to Lisette. “We will drop you off at the abbey so I may tell Captain Callaghan what it is we need first.”

  Lisette nodded and thirty seconds later, left the carriage and walked through the gates to an abbey.

  “We try to keep only those who need to know in the loop. It protects everyone.”

  Quinn nodded. “I think that is wise. So, by joining you and your group, I must agree to secrecy and silence?”

  Catherine nodded, only half of her face visible in the moonlight. “Our strength as nations involves being allied with others. Our strength as women revolves around our willingness to push those boundaries, but we need to do so shrouded in secrecy. We need courageous women like yourself to help keep, as well as push, those boundaries. I suspect you are precisely what we need.”

  “To do what, exactly? I believe I heard the term messenger.”

  “Bah! That is the fabrication we have sent up the line, but you are far more valuable to us than as a mere messenger.” She chuckled. “Callaghan, you come to us with a very specific skill set. You can comport yourself favorably in both the world of the nobility as well as in the underbelly of society. You have the means to get from one country to the next without drawing suspicion on your movements, and you are fluent in multiple languages. You are far more than a messenger, my dear, but once again, we must project into the world, even to our own group, what we wish it to see.”

  “Then if I am not to be a messenger, what is it, precisely, you wish me to do?”

  Catherine leaned forward, her face now completely in the moonlight. “I need you to protect Queen Elizabeth.”

  The men were not surprised when Quinn returned and told them they were heading to England. By now, they had come to expect the unexpected from their captain any time she went off on her own.

  Truth to tell, they seemed to like it that way.

  After pulling everyone together, she told them they were meeting with Lady Killigrew once more to see about new cannons and other equipment for The Crow.

  No one gave a crap and they barely listened as she gave instructions.

  Both crews were thrilled to be sailing in English waters where gold laden ships would be returning from plunder. Pirates were pirates, after all, and gold was their goal.

  “I take it the men had a great time in Calais?” Quinn asked.

  “That would be an understatement,” Fitz said into the wind. “It was just what they needed. They blew off steam, they got pissed, they whored, they ate like starving people. They had the time of their lives. I don’t expect you to remember. I mean, I can’t remember a time when you were dancin’ on the tables.”

  “Dancing on the… that did not happen.”

  Fitz laughed. “I can lie to yer face, Callaghan, if you’d rather, but I know what I saw with my own two eyes and ya had a great time.”

  The truth of the matter was that Quinn could barely remember the night before.

  She’d made it back from her very cryptic and bizarre meeting with one of the most powerful and influential women in the world with more questions than were answered. As she ponder
ed Catherine’s words, she tossed back whiskey after whiskey, until she wasn’t thinking any longer.

  On the surface, France and England hated each other. France was Catholic run by a Catholic monarch while the other had been Catholic and was now run by the Protestant Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth. Queen, warrior, sinner, saint, she was an enigma wrapped in a puzzle and tossed into a maze. The fact that anyone from the Medicis even cared about Elizabeth one way or another was perplexing to Quinn. Here she thought she knew what was going on in the world, but boy was she wrong.

  So very wrong.

  All this time, she thought Elizabeth evil, that she had, in fact, ordered Mary of Scotland’s execution. That she was trying to destroy Ireland, when maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t. Now, everything she thought she knew was in question. All she’d heard and knew about Catherine was wrong as well. Not some ice queen, she was a very passionate woman who was brave, strong, and thoughtful. She chose her words carefully in the carriage, allowing Quinn time to formulate her own responses.

  Quinn liked her.

  For all of the fear she instilled in people, it was so very evident that her people were loyal to her… and she, to them.

  “Callaghan?”

  Quinn glanced up from her thoughts. “Aye, Fitz?”

  “I asked if ya loved her.”

  “Who?”

  “Sayyida al Hurra. Do ya love her?”

  “No. Nothing is going on between us, Fitz.”

  “Sorry to be the one to inform ya, Captain, but there’s been a lot of kissin’ and hand holdin’ goin’ on between ya two.”

  Quinn groaned. “Well, my friend, there is nothing going on between us. It was a celebration in Tangiers. We celebrated. End of the story.”

  Fitz chuckled.

  “What?”

  “Callaghan, ya have more women problems than any man I know. They can’t keep their hands offa ya and ya can’t keep ’em outta yer bed. I’ll never understand it, but you get more snatch than enna man I know.”

  Quinn opted not to debate him on that matter.

  “What’s yer plan, Captain?”

  “We attack only non English ships on our way to London. We get our plunder, sink the ships, and move on until we get to Shell Haven. There’s a cut-out we will moor in for two days – then you take her back to the sea.”

  “How long we stayin’?”

  “Long enough for me to do what needs to be done.”

  Fitz scowled. “By yourself. Again.”

  Quinn nodded. “There is an old woman who needs me to bring her special medicine I picked up in Turkey. You keep the men busy and away from the Thames.”

  “And ya certain ya should go alone?”

  “Aye Fitz. There is a mission of mercy. I’m going to deliver it, make sure she knows what to do with it, and then I shall return to Shell Haven where we will meet and go home. We have been gone from Ireland a long time.”

  “The men’ll like that, Captain, but Big Red, I’m not so sure.”

  Quinn nodded just as Tavish strode over. He did not take the news of Quinn going alone well, but he also knew he had no choice.

  “Abdullah says his men will remain outside of the Thames, but I think you’d be foolish to trust them.”

  “I’m with Tavish on this, Callaghan. The Turks have the chance to be free men. Why in the world would they hang around waiting for us?”

  “Look, both of you, if the Turks leave us, they leave us. We cannot treat them like slaves or property. That’s why I put Abdullah in charge. If they stay, they stay. We have more important things to tend to.”

  “Lady Killigrew will want to know why Kaylish isn’t with us. She might not be too thrilled to ken she’s not.”

  “I know. Look, my personal relationships are not as important as keeping our men safe. To that end, we need more firepower. Whatever we need to do or give her for it, make it happen.”

  “Ya don’t act like a woman who was in a relationship whenever yer around Sayyida.”

  “Maybe I’m not.”

  Fitz shook his head. “Ya might wanna figger it out before we return.”

  When she was finally alone with Lady Killigrew, Quinn hugged her tightly before backing away.

  “You look fabulous, my dear,” Lady Killigrew said with a smile before looking over Quinn’s shoulder. “Kaylish on the ship?”

  Quinn shook her head. “No. She is in Ireland educating Gallagher and the boy.”

  Lady Killigrew’s face fell. “Then she is well? You are treating my charge nicely?”

  Quinn studied the lady privateer who sold plunder to the highest bidder. Her hair was blonde, her blue eyes still dazzled, but she appeared worn and tired. “Aye. She is in the lap of luxury wanting for nothing.”

  “Good. I am not surprised.”

  “And how are you, m’lady?”

  “Busier than usual. Since Elizabeth doubled the number of ships on the water, a great deal of booty comes through here.”

  Quinn cocked her head. There was something…secretive in Lady Killigrew’s voice. “That’s not all, is there?”

  Lady Killigrew smiled softly. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean. With all due respect, after watching and dealing with…certain women…I believe you are and have always been a member of the group.”

  Lady Killigrew walked out to the pier, her back to Quinn. “I belong to many groups.”

  “I am quite certain you do. Do they drink black wine in those groups?” Quinn asked from behind.

  Lady Killigrew stopped and turned. Several beats went by before she sighed. “Then it’s true. You are the new messenger.”

  “To be honest, m’lady, I am not quite sure what I am.”

  Lady Killigrew continued walking until she was at the end of the pier. “Ah. Yes. The many layers of protective subterfuge are at play. It takes a bit of getting used to. How did you know?”

  “About you?”

  “Yes. How could you possibly know?”

  “Something you said when we first met. You told me women were the future and needed to be protected and promoted.”

  “Ah yes. I thought then you might be a messenger, but you never revealed yourself to me.”

  “What role do you play?”

  “Why Callaghan, you are looking at it. I would have thought it was obvious. I make the money.”

  Quinn frowned.

  “I am only one such purse for the group. There are, of course, others. After all, one cannot affect change with a pauper’s purse.”

  “Then, all of this… it’s—”

  “Not what anyone thinks it is, least of all my husband.”

  “So you help finance much of what you all do?”

  Lady Killigrew nodded. “We all. Exactly.”

  “Does Kaylish know?”

  “No, she does not. The young are too vulnerable to blackmail or love. My sister in the New World, however, is another story.”

  The pieces began falling into place.

  “Those seeds… They’re…”

  “Seed money?” Lady Killigrew grinned. “Yes. Cannabis will be the new cash crop of the New World. Whoever gets there first will be a very rich person. Or people.”

  “Or group.”

  Lady Killigrew grinned. “Yes.”

  “I barely made it back from the New World alive. I lost many men there. I’ll never understand how Drake can make so many trips back and forth.”

  “Let me ask you this. Why do you think Francis Drake plunders for her?”

  Quinn swallowed hard. Drake was Grace’s most despised adversary, and for good reason. “It is unaccounted loot?”

  “Very good. All these years Grace has railed at a man who unwittingly funds a group he would not only detest, but strike down if he knew we existed. The irony is too delicious for words.”

  That was an understatement.

  “How could you have known I would be coming here?”

  “I didn’t. I only knew that the offer
was pending and my job was to have cannons here in the event you accepted.” Lady Killigrew fully faced Quinn. “We’ve had our eyes on you a long time. It was decided that the next chance we had to reel you in, we would. And here you are.”

  “Yes, but I am not at all comfortable keeping secrets from my men.”

  “Callaghan, my dear, you are simply too close to the subject. Your men are pirates. Thieves. Plunderers. They care not who they steal from, kill, or sink. They will merrily go on their way without any idea why. Nor will they care. It is the beauty of men to see only one shiny bauble at a time.”

  “But England and—”

  “Shh. Not another word. I need not know what mission you are currently on. It keeps us all safe. While you are here, I will feed your men, fix your ship, and talk politics with you. After that, you will be on your way and I will be none the wiser.”

  “Then you need nothing from me?”

  Lady Killigrew smiled. “Oh dear one, I never said that.”

  After battling the dress she’d brought, Quinn straightened it out and left her swords and clothes in a bag near the Shell Haven Coast.

  If she rode hard through the day, she would arrive in London before dark, so Quinn purchased a very spry filly and took to the road paralleling the Thames.

  As she rode, she tried to keep her mind to the task, but found it difficult to keep the voices out of her head.

  There was Tavish warning her that traveling alone for anyone was dangerous. Then there was Catherine d’Medici’s explanations about Elizabeth and Mary. That conversation was hardest to forget. All this time, Quinn blamed Elizabeth for the death of Mary, her royal cousin. To know that what you believed with all of your heart was untrue was very unsettling. Very unsettling indeed.

  And finally, there was Lady Killigrew’s revelation about the money, her sister, and funding the group. Had she been a pawn in this little drama or were they really interested in what all she could do?

  She doubted it.

  Whatever this was, was greater than Quinn could ever imagine.