Chapter 3
Written by: Kim Comeaux
The battle that raged was not a long one. No one was suppose to know that there was gold aboard that ship, so they'd not thought it likely that they'd be attacked. They were not even flying there true colors. Spanish colors.
But Spencer knew.
Not only was he a privateer, he was also a second son to the Duke of Ballington. And although he was considered the "black sheep" of the Kennington family, he hadn't severed all his ties to English society. He'd grown up running wild with the village children, despite his fathers objections, and never cared a fig about how he was to conduct himself, or how he was to dress. That attitude had carried him into adulthood, and at twenty, because of a fiery argument with his father, after he'd embarrassed the family by bringing one of the parlor maids to the family's annual spring ball, he'd set out on the first ship that would hire him. He'd never been back.
The ship that he'd hired on to had been a pirate ship. Of course, Captain LeMark refused to think of himself in those terms, called himself a gentleman raider. He raided more ships than Spencer could remember, but he never killed anyone unless it was in self-defense and he never, ever took women captive.
He retired, and allowed Spencer to buy his ship. Spencer had taken over where LeMark had left off.
It had always been a thrill. A drink to quench a never ending thirst for adventure.
Lately he was realizing his own mortality, though. He'd come close to being captured by the Spanish government only a fortnight ago. And although he'd shunned his family for twelve years now, he would not like to bring shame to them if ever the world found out who "Captain Spence" really was.
His family. The incomparable Kennington's of Ballington. He was headed there now. One of his fathers messengers had managed to find him when they'd been docked just outside of Boston.
A family crisis has arisen, the note said. He was being ordered home.
That could only mean one thing. Something must be wrong with his eldest brother.
"So!" a female voice stated haughtily from behind him, breaking him out of his contemplation. "You're a pirate. A real pirate with real cannons and real weapons that attacks poor, helpless, people on the ocean. You're probably pals with Blackbeard!"
Spencer turned and raised an eyebrow, his face amused. "I beg your pardon, lady, but I don't think that I could manage that, seeing that the man died before I was born."
"Oh...well...I was never very good at historical dates, anyway," she said with a sigh. She stared out absently to the ocean for a moment. Carefully she asked, "What do you plan to...uh...do with me? You're not going to ravish me or make me walk the plank or anything like that are you?"
Spencer laughed. "Where do you get such wonderful outrageous ideas? Walk the plank? I think not, since we do not have one. But ravish? Not that has possibilities!"
Destiny stared at him hard. "You're teasing me," she concluded with relief.
"I'm teasing."
"Well," she noted warily, "you don't fit the role of any pirate I've ever heard of."
"The kind like Blackbeard, I suppose, you mean."
She shrugged. "Anyway, now that I know that your not going to ravish me, etc...What are you going to do with me?"
Spencer contemplated Destiny's wary expression, as she joined him, at a safe distance, leaning on the ships rail. That was a good question. What was he to do with her? If he brought her home with him to Ballington, his father would throw a fit.
Although Destiny did not appear to be a peasant by any means, she was not gentry either. Her accent was American, although spoken more strangely than he'd ever heard. She seemed outspoken and headstrong. Not at all like the women of the ton.
And what could he tell his father? He found her on his ship so he had to keep her? He would suspect right away that he was bringing his mistress into the household. Not that Spencer didn't like the idea of this women being his mistress, but he had a feeling that she wouldn't like the term applied to her.
An idea occurred to him. "Destiny, after I embark in England, I will send you back to the Colonies. I'll have Jinx escort you safely to your family."
Thinking this would make her happy, he was surprised to see her look up at him and shake her head, sadly. "You just don't get it, Spencer. I'm not just lost from my country. I'm lost from my time."
Spencer opened his mouth to question her strange words but she interrupted.
"I fell through some sort of time portal, Spencer. I am from the future. I am from the year 1997!"
Spencer face immediately filled with pity. "Good God! My dear, I don't believe that you are well, after all. Perhaps you hit your head. Why don't you lie down..."
"I'm not crazy, and I will not lie down!" She looked away from him and took a calming breath. "Remember when I first came to and I asked you what year it was? I said the year was 1997 and you said it was 1769."
Spencer nodded his head.
"Okay. Now, I'd just come to, and was disoriented. Why would I say the year was 1997, if I didn't know, at one time, I'd lived in 1997. If I was someone from this time, wouldn't I have thought it a date in the 1700's? Why would I say the twentieth century? I would have no reason to be thinking of it!"
Spencer rubbed his forehead, trying to get understand what she was saying. "I suppose you have a point. It's just that it is an impossible point."
"If I were in your shoes, I would think so, too." She looked back out to the water, enjoying the breeze as it blew across her face. "But it's the truth, Captain. And I'm not crazy. I fell through some sort of time tunnel, probably caused by the freak storm."
It had been a strange storm, at that. One minute it showed up, the next minute it was gone.
Only it left behind something. Destiny. His Destiny, as he was already coming to think about her.
He turned to face her, leaning on one elbow. "Well, my lady, if that is true, I would think that your options are limited. I don't see how we could conjure up another storm and send you back from whence you came."
She looked up into twinkling eyes and she knew that he was teasing her. But what he said had some truth to it. "I may never go home, will I, Captain? Oh my God, I had not even thought about that." She looked down and tried to blink back the tears that had suddenly sprung into her eyes.
On instinct, Spencer put his arms about her and drew her into his embrace. He smoothed his hand down her silky tresses. "There, there, my dear. Please do not worry yourself with this. We may yet find a way to get you back home."
But Destiny felt hopeless. She had very little family, her parents had both passed away when she was still in her teens. But she did have friends that she would miss. She couldn't believe that she was thrown into a place in time where they would have no modern conveniences. Where doctors still probably bled their patients and getting the flu could kill you. How was she to survive? Where was she to go?
Spencer answered the last question for her.
"You'll come home with me, of course."
Destiny pushed back out of his embrace, wiping her eyes, looking at him with a wary expression. "Where is home? Don't pirates live on Caribbean Islands or something?"
Spencer laughed. "I suppose some do," he said, still grinning. "But home for me is England. Ballington, to be exact. But there is something that I will have to ask of you before we get there."
Fully composed now, Destiny carefully answered, "If I can."
Spencer smiled again at the meddle in this lady. No one was going to take advantage of her, if she could help it! "No one knows where I've been or what I've been doing for the last twelve years. I'm known as Captain Spence out here on the sea. When in truth I'm Spencer Kennington, second son to the Duke of Ballington."
"Your father is a duke?" she asked skeptically. "Is he a poor duke?"
"No," Spencer replied, surprised. "Why would you ask that?"
"Well, if you are from a wealthy family, Captain, I don't understand what you are doing here on the sea, robbing and plundering poor helpless ships! What's the matter, did your father disinherit you?"
"No, he didn't. I left because I felt I didn't belong there."
"But...."
He interrupted her,"I will tell you about it sometime. Just not now." He sighed. "I suppose there is no help for it. I'll have to bring you with me."
Destiny didn't like how he said that! "Look, pal, don't do me any favors, alright? I'll be just fine on my own. Just drop me off at the nearest hotel and I'll figure out something!"
"Hmmm...I see. And you have money to get a room, have you?"
Destiny groaned inwardly, but maintained her resolve. "I'll get a job." Yeah, right! she thought.
"As what? Have you ever had a job before?" he asked with much skepticism.
She smiled smugly. "I am an accountant. I was the top of my class at Florida State and I've been working for a very prestigious account firm for five years!"
Spencer didn't say a word. His undignified snort said it all.
Destiny rolled her eyes. "Oh, that's right. I forgot that your living in the dark ages where woman are little more than wives or whores. Where I'm from, women are treated equally!"
Spencer raised an eyebrow. "Really madam. Your speech is unbecoming as well as outrageous! I happen to have a great respect for women. I just don't think that most women would have the mind to work figures as you claim."
"Oh, what's the use!" Destiny threw up her hands and deliberately turned away from him. Maybe if she thought it hard enough, she'd wake up from this nightmare and he'd be gone!
"No..no, my mind is made up. You will come home with me. I just have to think up a reason why your with me. As it is, no matter what I tell my father, he's going to believe that you and I...well....that your my..." Spencer drifted off uncomfortably. It'd been a long time since he'd been in the company of a lady and he had to remind himself of his speech.
"Your mistress, you're trying to say?" Destiny supplied dryly. "Honestly, Captain, did you think I'd have "the vapors" if you said the word?" she said using her hands to make quotation makes in the air. "Women in this period had no backbone."
He eyed her with renewed interest. "And women of your world do?"
"Yes, we certainly do. At least most of us do!"
"What else do women of your world do that differs from mine? Do you marry?"
"Yes, but many women chose not to, or if they do, they have careers, also."
"It sounds like your men have no backbones! I would not allow my wife to work! It would be a disgrace!"
Destiny threw him a sour look. "And look whose talking. A pirate!"
"Well, my dear, I may be a pirate now, but I have a feeling that in a few weeks, I'll be a pirate no more." Spence said with a touch of sadness.
The teasing laughter had gone from his face. Destiny wondered at his sudden changing mood. "And...why is that?"
"I've been called home. Once I get there, I have a feeling that I'll not be able to leave. At least, not sail my ship, any longer."
Destiny waited, not knowing what to say.
Spence had been holding his fears inside and had not told even Jinx. But if Destiny was going to travel home with him, she would know anyway. He decided to tell her.
"The only reason my father would summons me home would be because my brother is dying, or he is already dead. I have failed to mention, I believe that my father is the Duke of Ballington," he said finally.
Destiny looked down at her hands, thinking carefully. "You only have one older brother?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Then...that would make you..."
"Yes," he said looking at her for a moment, then bringing his gaze back out to sea. "That would make me a duke. The Duke of Ballington."