scrawny for years, but she prayed it would come in handy if the pirates discovered her. She wondered if she should try to climb into a barrel or crate, but that would mean discarding the container’s contents, and that would appear suspicious. She opted to remain crouched, curled up as tiny as she could make herself.
“Check the hold,” an order sounded from above. Moira frowned. Something about the voice was familiar. It was clearly Scottish, even if there was only a slight burr. “We have room in ours, so take everything. The MacDonnells always have goods worth a pretty penny.”
Bluidy hell. If they’re to take everything, they’ll find me. I should have hidden in something while I had the chance.
Moira had no time for further recriminations as the hatch swung open. The sound of men descending the ladder echoed. Remaining in the shadows, Moira blinked as light from several torches swept the cargo area.
“Ye heard the Capt’n. Nothing remains,” came the clipped words of a man Moira could only imagine would look as rough as his voice. She fought to keep her breathing quiet, praying that the pirate captain would be too impatient to wait for them to load everything. Perhaps the cargo she hid behind would be abandoned.
But do I actually have a better chance with them? I can’t sail this ship alone. Even if I swam to shore, what would I find? O’Malleys? Would I prefer pirates to Dermot O’Malley?
Moira had no chance for further wondering when the crate in front of her face was pulled away and a light shone in her face.
“Ay-up. What have we here?” A burly pirate with several missing teeth glared down at her. Moira refused to cower, choosing to make a show of bravado she didn’t feel. She stood and raised her chin, daring the man to say more. “A stowaway.”
“More like a rat,” another man snorted. “Scrawny runt. Even Braedon had more meat on his bones when Ruairí took him in.”
Moira struggled not to react when she heard the former pirate’s name. Were these men from the Lady Charity? Would that help? She stumbled when an enormous paw wrapped around her arm and pulled her from her hiding place. She tried to dig her heels in as the man attempted to maneuver her in front of him, but his growl was enough warning for Moira to know that this wasn’t the time or place to stand her ground.
“Up you go.”
Moira’s grazed chin banged against a rung of the ladder when the pirate shoved her forward. She scaled it with ease, grateful to be in leggings and not her skirts. As she turned to face the ladder well that led to the top deck, she came face-to-face with a man whose flame-red hair and freckles made her stomach clench. She had most certainly been found by the crew of the Lady Charity.
“Who’s this?” The redheaded man barked.
“Stowaway, Capt’n.”
“Toss her, Snake Eye.” Moira realized she was standing before the pirate captain.
“Does she get a plank?” The man named Snake Eye asked, to which the captain shrugged one shoulder.
“You’re going to drown me?” Moira gulped. The captain reached out and gripped her jaw between his thumb and fingers, pulling her toward him.
“That might be your fate. I’m setting you adrift.”
“Why?” Moira struggled to say. When the gathered men chuckled, she glanced around.
“Because that’s what I do,” the captain responded with another nonchalant shrug.
“Seems the lad hasn’t heard of you,” Snake Eye grunted.
“He has now,” the captain looked down at Moira. “The Red Drifter gives you his regards, whelp.”
Moira tried to pull the man’s thumb from her jaw, but he squeezed harder. She grabbed his pinky with both hands and pried it as far back as she could. His hand squeezed once again, but Moira saw the flash of pain in his eyes. The dim light didn’t disguise her pleasure either, because the red-haired man shoved her away from him.
“I have no need for stowaways. Set him adrift like the others.”
Moira had only a second to decide. She knew her choices were between likely death and certain death. She preferred to delay the inevitable as long as she could.
“You might want to keep me, Kyle MacLean.” The air stilled as the men’s eyes widened, and the captain took a predatory step toward her. “Ruairí might not care if you ransom me, but Senga will have your cods if you kill me.”
Moira banked on the crew still seeing the retired pirate and his wife. She banked