The Pirate's Bride (Available now on Amazon)

Chapter 2

   "I want my own ship."

            Le Commandant Louis Dubois turned toward the speaker from the closed French doors of his office. Ah, his lovely daughter-in-law.

            Immediately he schooled his face into sadness, stepped around the massive desk to take Sophie Bellard Dubois's hands in both of his. Nodded in commiseration while saying, "I am so sorry about your father, my dear. Do accept my condolences. You did receive my flowers, did you not?"

What the hell did she mean, she wanted a ship, Louis thought as he studied the young girl. Noted her pale skin, tired eyes, and overall thinness. But he also observed the determined tilt of her head, the steel in her eyes and backbone.

 She seemed the perfect match for his son, but for some reason Andre had repudiated her and scattered to ports unknown. Louis didn't know where or why, his son and he not being close, but he regretted the thought that perhaps a little bit of her melancholia was caused by Andre. Therefore he listened.

            "Why, yes, thank you. But, sir, I want to become a pirate, me comprenez-vous? My father was a pirate captain under your leadership. I want to replace him. I have nothing left for me at home, thanks to my father's death, my husband's desertion, and my lack of children. I repeat: I want my own ship."

            Louis stared at this twenty-year-old upstart. She was daft if she thought she could become a pirate and sail the seven seas like all the legends proclaimed. Pirating was an art, albeit a dying one. No little girl waltzed in demanding pirate ships like party dresses.

            Louis stepped over to lay an arm around Sophie's shoulders. "My dear, as much as I understand your plight, you must realize you can't just walk in here and expect me to snap my fingers and hand you a ship and title--"

            "My father left me everything. That means his livelihood, which means his title and ship. Do not patronize me, le Commandant. I want to become a pirate, and you are the person to teach me. I am asking you for your guidance. In return I will give you the same percentage of my plunder as my father. But make no mistake: if you deny me this, I will simply go out on my own." She shrugged his arm off, paced across the room, her mourning dress rustling from the unladylike strides she took.

            Louis Dubois stared at his beautiful, young daughter-in-law, wished he was forty years younger. Jesu, but she was a spitfire. So like his long-dead wife.

At first glance Sophie Bellard seemed fragile and unable to take on the challenge of handling a pirate crew and ship. But on a second, deeper perusal, he began to formulate a successful combination for this determined young woman.

Most of the men in his employ would adamantly oppose sailing under the command of a woman, no matter how beautiful she appeared. If they did agree, he would then worry whether the crew might gang-rape their female leader. However, there were many young pirates on his various ships serving time in lowly capacities. What if he were to promote them onto a new ship, under a new captain's leadership?

            Swiftly turning to face his daughter-in-law he approached her with care, began hesitantly, "No need to get hasty, my dear. I am only concerned for your safety. Most men don't like taking orders from a woman. Wait," he raised a finger to stave off her interruption.

"I do have a possible solution that will hopefully make everyone happy." Pausing, he waited to see if he had her continued attention. He did, narrow-eyed and suspicious. "I accept your request for tutelage in the pirate arts. But you must take the crew I hand pick for you, so that I may rest assured that my son's wife is not attacked or killed while she sleeps once she is out on the ocean, me comprends-tu?"