I ignored him and plunged the sharp steel through his shirt, knocking him backward on the deck, and pinning him there. “Now you’re the one who’s tied up.”
“Captain Back from the Dead Red, please.” Rusty’s voice gave me pause. “I prayed, you know. Prayed for a way out of this—this life of slavery. Then you appeared.”
I turned and looked at her.
Her face was contorted in planes that made something twist in my chest. “Please don’t make me go to Spain and marry a man my grandfather’s age.”
I shifted my gaze to Jack. He was smiling. “Reminds me of a younger version of someone we both know,” he said.
A chuckle escaped my lips before I could stop it. I extended my hand to Rusty.
“Come on, Rusty. Sail with us aboard The Black Otter. I personally guarantee your safety—” Before I could finish, Rusty flung herself into my arms and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I promise, I’ll help out and do whatever’s asked of me. I know it will be a more fair life than I was going to live.”
“Fairer,” I corrected. “A fairer life.”
Rusty giggled. “Fairer.”
Jack snatched my borrowed sword from Sir William’s shirt. “Normally, I would lock you in your cabins and sink your ship.”
The men trembled and shifted their weight.
“However, since you were honest with me, I’ll simply take your rum and let you keep your lives.”
“T-thank you, C-captain.” Sir William’s voice shook.
“Ah, Sir William. To you, I give you some advice. Look for a woman your own age, not a girl as this. And do not buy her. Love her, and she will love you.”
Sir William nodded.
“And furthermore, I must ask. How much of a gambling debt did Rusty’s father owe to you?”
“Fifteen pieces of silver, Captain Jack.”
Jack let out a low whistle. “Quite a sum.” He looked at Solo. “Cut them free.”
Solo did as he was told as Jack rummaged in his pocket. “Just so we’re even, I’ll pay her father’s debt to you.”
Jack flicked a handful of pieces-of-eight at Sir William, counting as he flicked. He didn’t stop until he reached twenty. “Extra for your trouble,” he said. “And a fresh shirt once you reach shore.”
Sir William sat in his pile of silver, a look of bewilderment on his bearded face.
“Are we square?”
The old ship captain nodded.
“Good. Consider it a dowry then.” He jerked his thumb toward where I stood, Rusty still clinging to me. “Apparently my wife and I have just inherited a daughter.”
“Where are we going?” Rusty’s voice was edged in curiosity as she stood between Jack and me. “To do more pirate things?”
I glanced at her. With her fair complexion and smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, I guessed her to be about fourteen years of age. “How old are you, Rusty?”
“Rusty O’Malley’s my name. And I’m sixteen years of age. Seventeen in June.”
Jack’s lips tried to conceal a smile. “We’re in the month of June, Rusty. Perhaps since you’ve been adopted by Redella, which means you’ve also been adopted by me, you’ll consider taking our name. Rackham.”
“Rusty Rackham.” She gazed into the distance and tried the name on her tongue as though it was a new and exotic dish to be sampled. “Rusty. Rusty Ra-a-ackh-a-mmmm.” She linked her arm through mine and smiled up at her adopted father. “I like that.”
Jack glanced down at her. “Tortuga.”
“Rusty Tortuga?” She crunched up her face and closed her eyes. “No, that doesn’t go as well. Does it?”
I let go a laugh. My cheeks ached from the near constant smile that had appeared with Rusty. “No. What Jack means is Tortuga is where we’re going. Rusty Rackham fits perfectly.”
She smiled. “What’s Tortuga?”
“Pirate paradise,” I whispered. “Come on. Let’s go get you settled into a room.”
Jack chuckled as we strode across The Black Otter together, arm in arm. He muttered something that sounded like, like mother, like daughter, but I couldn’t be certain.
Red Legs Roberts yanked off his hat as we approached. “Red, she can have my bunk.”
My eyes widened. “That’s awfully considerate of you, Red Legs, but—”
Red Legs interrupted me. “I didn’t figure you’d want to put her in the cargo hold after what happened to your friend down there.”
My lips thinned to a hard line.
