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"Med, eyes fixed on the flint of the pistol in his hand He wiggled it to be sure it was firun down

"Then he does not If there are men with him, we must separate him from them I shall take him into one of the small sheds, on pretext of private conversation, and dispatch hi; I shallna requireout and inform his er dee of his nose, and shrugged again

"He’ll be dead D’ye think he’s the eance for hier said slowly "Perhaps not" Bonnet was the type to inspire hard work from his men, but it was labor based on fear and the hope of profit, not love

"I have discovered a good deal regarding Mr Bonnet," Jaular associates, aye, but he doesna have particular friends He doesna sail alith the same mate, the same crehich sea captains often do when they find a few men who suit them well Bonnet picks his crews as chance provides, and he chooses the so, I wouldna expect to find any great liking for hi them"

Roger nodded, acknowledging the truth of this observation Bonnet had run a tight ship on the Gloriana, but there had been no sense of camaraderie, even with histhey had learned suggested that Bonnet picked up assistants as he required theht men with him to this rendezvous, they were unlikely to be a devoted lieutenant and crew--ht But if--when--we kill him, any men with him--"

"Will be in need of new e as we take care not to fire upon theive them reason to think we threaten them, I dinna think they’ll trouble owermuch about Bonnet’s fate Still--" He picked up his sword, frowning slightly, and slid it in and out of the scabbard, to be sure it moved easily

"I think if that should be the situation, then I will take Bonnet aside, as I said Give me a minute to deal with hih to fetch h the sheds, and head for the trees I’ll coer eyed Jamie skeptically Christ, the --a turn by the river, and we’llham sandwiches and you fetch the tea

He cleared his throat, cleared it again, and picked up one of his own pistols The feel of it was cool and solid in his hand, a reassuring weight

"Aye, then Just the one thing I’ll take Bonnet"

Fraser glanced sharply at hi to the pulse that had begun to hammer hard inside his ears

He saw Fraser start to speak, then stop The u on his inner ear with his pulse, as plainly as if they’d been spoken aloud

You have never killed a ht in battle You are no marksman, and only half-decent with a sword Worse, you are afraid of the man And if you try and fail

"I know," he said aloud, to Fraser’s deep blue stare "He’s hter, aye--but she’s my wife"

Fraser blinked and looked away He druers on his knee for a h He drew hiain, eyes straight

"It is your right," he said, fore him Kill him the instant ye have the chance" He paused for a er’s "If ye fall, though--knoill avenge you"

The nail-studdedin his throat He coughed to shift it, and sed

"Great," he said "And if you fall, I’ll avenge you A bargain, is it?"

Fraser didn’t laugh, and in that er understood whyHe only looked at Roger for a long ain," he said softly "Thank you" Taking the dirk froan to polish it

THEY HAD NO timepiece, but they didn’t need one Even with the sky shrouded in low-lying clouds and the sun invisible, it was possible to feel the creep of radual shift of the earth as the rhything, and the ones who hunted in s changed in tone, as the rising tide echoed in the space beneath the wharf

The tih tide carow hollow, as the water started to drop The pulse in Roger’s ears began to slacken, along with the knots in his gut

Then soh the floor of the shed