Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

trouble I had caused, I figured it would be best to hide in my room for the day. I know I had only faked the intensity of my illness, but I truly did feel sick. The turmoil in my mind thrashed like heavy waves crashing on the shore. I was haunted by the daunting threat of having to marry a man I had never met. What if he was old? He could very well be ugly. There was no way he could be as handsome as Sterling, and he would probably be boring.
    Beyond my concerns over the uncertain fate of my wavering future, I was also riddled by the guilt of troubling my father and his marriage. Then of course I fantasized about running away with Sterling, but I cringed at how that action would break my father’s heart. As much as I anticipated Sterling’s return, I began to wonder if he would even come back. I could be making all this fuss over a man I would never see again. There was no one I could talk to about my plight, so rather than continuing to pace the floor in hopeless confusion, I decided to express my emotions within the pages of my journal.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 2
    Mystic Allure
    As told by Sterling Bentley
     
     
     
    T he road along the harbor was bright with sunlight and cooled by the breeze, but the moment I opened the door to The Rusty Anchor, I was nearly blinded by the dim and musty contrast of lighting. I found meself a table in the back, and after convincing the bar wench that all I wanted from her was an ale, a hefty bearded man who was smoking a cigar asked to join me at my table. He introduced himself as Alden, and then asked if I’d fancy a game of cards.
    Gambling aboard the ship was forbidden to keep mates from slashing each other’s throats in poor sportsmanship, so in the taverns it was common to see men playing for money and just as common to see them lose their lives over a good hand, but I knew I wouldn’t be winning, because I never did. Nor did I care enough to cause a fight when I lost. It was just something for me to do to pass the time, and ‘aving plenty of time at the moment, I agreed to play around with Alden.
    After losing a few pieces of eight I laughed, “Can’t let ye take any more of me money with this blaggard ol’ game, but I would like to buy ye an ale.”
    The offer made it easy for him to agree. “Aye, aye to that, Bentley. Flag down that wench in the red. She be having eyes on ye all the day.”
    I looked over to see which strumpet he was talkin’ ‘bout and once I saw Giselle, I looked back at Alden, lifted me eyebrows and smirked, “She had more than just her eyes on me this morning.”
    He laughed at my remark as I waved her down and signaled that I wanted two more drinks. When Giselle arrived with my order, Alden tugged her down to sit on his lap.
    “Nice to see you again, Alden,” she casually greeted him, but she lustfully purred at me, “And you too, Sterling Bentley. It’s been far too long already.”
    I winked at her as I paid for the drinks, but got to me ale without giving her much mind. I had to make me loot last ‘til me next plunder, s o me lustful urges before then would ‘ave to be satisfied for free; which was never a problem for me, just a little more work. Alden wasn’t flashing any loot in her direction either, so with no money to be made at our table, she got up to find a better prospect.
    Alden had just returned from chopping logwood off the coast of Honduras, and naturally, he spoke of the work in utter disgust. “It be swamping and brackish like nothing I ‘ave ever seen before. The stench be making the rotted bilge smell like roses on the vine.”
    I had experienced the misery of logging, and I nodded to agree with his distaste. “ Aye, it be hell on Earth standing waist deep in that murky water where bugs and snakes bite like Satan’s own demons. Me father tried to say it was honest work and would keep me out of trouble but the job had me longing for piracy more than ever before.”
    Alden laughed at