Revenge of the Fox

Chapter 20

An hour later, Annamaria was ready. The wardrobe had held an astonishing variety of garments. Anna was attired in a pair of black satin breeches and a snowy white shirt with lace frills down the front. The breeches fit more snugly than the ones she usually wore and showed off her curves more than she liked, but she much preferred them to a gown. Elizabeth and Antonia had also bathed, and were examining the clothing provided. Antonia held up a nun's habit with a perplexed look on her face. "Why in the world would they have a nun's habit in a brothel?"

"Oh, Tonia," said Annamaria patiently, taking it from her and hanging it in the wardrobe again. "You really don't want to know."

Elizabeth finished lacing up the dress she'd chosen. It was more practical than most of the gowns in the wardrobe, which seemed to cater to a wide variety of odd tastes. It was a light green linen gown with lace at the neckline and elbow length sleeves. The neck was cut far too low, but there wasn't a single dress in there that wasn't. The only exception was the nun's habit, of course. She quickly twisted her hair into a braid that fell down her back. When Ada was looking the other way, she slipped the hairpin into it, catching Annamaria's eye as she did so. "Next watch, Anna," she said softly. I'll get back to you, wait for me. It wasn't a very good phrase and it didn't cover exactly what she meant, but she hoped Annamaria would understand that if she and Antonia could do anything to save Annamaria, that they would do it.

A knock came at the door, and Madame Carlotta stepped inside. "I see you're ready, my dear," she said to Annamaria. "I approve of the look. A pirate lass to the end, eh?" She held out a pair of manacles. "Hold out your hands, girl." Shooting a look of dislike at the Madame and another at Ada, whose pistol was ready to enforce the command, Annamaria did so. When they were securely fastened, Madame Carlotta took Annamaria's arm and stepped into the hallway. "Come with me," she said to Ada in a curt voice.

"Should these two be left alone?" Ada asked

Madame Carlotta laughed. "Why not? This one is the dangerous one." The door shut behind them and the lock clicked shut.

Antonia tossed a black gown over her head and started lacing it up. "Now that was insulting," she said to Elizabeth with a grin.

Elizabeth grinned back. "We're nothing but a couple of witless noblewomen, Tonia. No need to worry about us!" She regarded Antonia critically. "Why on earth would anyone put red lace on a black dress like that?"

Antonia shook her hair back and finished lacing it up. "No doubt I'll set a new style in Port Royal." She took out her own hairpin and examined the lock on the door. "It's a little different from the ones in the Vixen's brig," she said absently, feeling around with the pin. "Ah, there we go," she said with satisfaction. The lock clicked open and she eased the door open and peered around it into the hall. "No one in sight." Opening it carefully, she and Elizabeth slipped soundlessly into the hall.

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Madame Carlotta escorted Annamaria down the hall and around a corner. Pausing at one door, she rapped lightly, then opened it without waiting for a response and thrust Annamaria inside. "Captain Arnault," she asked, "Do you want the irons removed?"

Arnault had risen from the chair he'd been sitting in and regarded Annamaria's rigid stance and furious eyes. "No," he drawled. "Best to leave them on."

"Very well," Madame Carlotta answered, and exited, shutting the door behind her.

Unhurried, Arnault strolled over to the door and turned the key in the lock. Reaching up, he placed the key on the decorative molding around the door. "Now, my dear, perhaps we can get comfortable."

"Comfortable?" Annamaria sneered. "How comfortable am I supposed to be with manacles on my wrists?"

Arnault shrugged. "A mere precaution, darling. Don't tell me you've resigned yourself to your fate. I'd never believe it."

"Then I won't bother," she returned. "Though I can't help but wonder what your crew would think if they knew you needed to keep a woman in irons in order to have your way with her."

Anger flickered in Arnault's eyes, but he smiled. "Nice try, Annamaria, but it won't work." Reaching out, his hand closed on the chain between the irons. Hauling her over to the bed, he clipped the chain to a ring in the headboard, ignoring the insults she shrieked at him. Then he walked over to the chair he'd been sitting in, stripping off his sword belt and coat as he walked and dropped them over the back of the chair. Sitting down he started pulling his boots off, but paused to listen appreciatively to the torrent of venom coming from the woman on the bed. "By the powers, luv, you certainly have a unique turn of phrase." Clad only in a shirt and breeches, he went back to the bed.

Grimly Annamaria fought to stop, or even delay the fate looming over her, but Arnault, like many pirates, was skilled in the act of rape. No matter how she twisted or kicked, she wasn't able to escape him for more than a moment, or to land a blow that would deter him. Soon her shirt was hanging open and Arnault's fingers were busy with the fastenings of her breeches. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door open then shut again. Out a desperate need to distract him, she screeched out again, and redoubled her efforts to twist out of his hands. "Shut up, you stupid wench," Arnault snapped as he roughly dragged her back toward him again. Then the butt of his own pistol descended on his head, and he slumped heavily on top of Annamaria's body.

Looking over the top of his unconscious head, Anna glared up at Elizabeth, who was standing there with the pistol looking pleased with herself. "Took you long enough."

Elizabeth shrugged and took Arnault's arm to drag him off Annamaria. "It took a while to find the right room. When you started screaming at him, however, we recognized your voice right away."

Antonia leaned over the started picking the lock on the manacles that bound Annamaria's wrists. "I especially liked the phrase you used just before Elizabeth knocked him out. Isn't that one of the ones you taught us back on the Vixen?"

The lock clicked open and Annamaria sat up and massaged her wrists. "Aye, it was." Her eyes glinted with humor. "Useful little phrase, isn't it?"

"Hmmm," mused Elizabeth. "Help me drag him closer to the headboard, and we can lock him in these things." Together the three women hauled Arnault close enough to fit the manacles on his wrists, and Annamaria snapped them closed. Antonia fetched his sash and gagged him with it. "There," said Elizabeth with satisfaction. "That takes care of him. Now we just need to get out of here."

Annamaria slung Arnault's swordbelt over her own shoulder, and tossed Elizabeth the pouch where he'd kept his extra power and shot. "Here, Tonia, take his dagger," she said handing the knife to the other girl. "Now," she said, "I've been here before and I know the town somewhat. We're going to make our way to the docks and try to steal a small boat, something that I can sail myself with a little help from you two. We can't afford to wait until dark. It isn't going to take that long before they realize we're gone."

"All right," said Elizabeth. "Let's go."

Antonia had no sooner opened the door, however, than they heard Madame Carlotta's voice. Ducking back inside, they listened carefully. "She's just your type, sir, a pretty young French girl. A virgin too. I'm sure you'll be pleased." Antonia opened the door a crack to see Madame Carlotta, escorting a prosperous looking man, pass their door and stop at one several feet down the hall. Unlocking the door, Madame Carlotta opened it, glanced inside and ushered the man inside. A moment later, she came out again. Antonia eased the door closed as Madame passed, then looked again to make sure she'd gone.

"All clear," she whispered. As they entered the hall, however, a scream was heard from the door down the hall, and Antonia found herself walking toward it.

"Tonia, we don't have time!" Annamaria hissed. "Come on!"

Antonia flinched as another cry was heard. Making up her mind she started picking the lock. "I can't just leave her, Anna, that could be me in there."

"It may still if we don't get out of here," Anna hissed again. The lock clicked and Antonia stood there with her hand on the knob. "Oh bloody hell," Anna cursed. "Elizabeth, get over here with the pistol and hold it on him." Annamaria yanked the sword out of the sheath. "Let's just get this over with." She kicked the door open.

"Hold!" Elizabeth ordered in a low voice, training the pistol on the man, who froze. So did the girl.

"Stand back, girl," Annamaria ordered curtly. "Antonia, find something to bind him up with." Spying the velvet strips that were tying back the curtains, Antonia used them to bind him hand and foot. A strip torn from the sheets served as a gag. The man secured, Annamaria turned to the girl. She was young, maybe 17 or 18, with long brown hair and blue eyes. Even red eyed and pale she was very pretty. "What's your name?"

"Jeannine," she answered in accented English.

"All right, Jeannine," Annamaria said, "We're leaving. Do everything I tell you. Savvy?"

"Yes," Jeannine whispered.

"Let's go then." She glared at Antonia. "No more rescue missions!"

Elizabeth glanced out into the hall. "All clear."

Annamaria stooped quickly and went through the man's pockets, ignoring his protesting grunts and glaring eyes. She withdrew his purse and tossed it to Elizabeth. "These stupid breeches don't have any pockets." Elizabeth slipped it into the powder pouch and stepped into the hall. The four women slipped down the backstairs and out the back door without running into anyone else. Quickly Anna led the group down an alley and away.

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