Sweet Deception Regency 07 - The Divided Hearts by Karla Darcy

clearing, he swung his eyes guiltily to Judith’s face.
“Sorry, Judith. I forgot.”
    “A gentleman must at all times remember his
language,” Judith stated primly, accepting Nate’s hand as she
descended from the carriage. She smiled at the merry twinkle in the
man’s eyes and then turned to the chastened boy. “But I can
understand your sentiments.” Her eyes swung to the horizon, taking
in the breathtaking beauty of the area and then she continued.
“After all, Patrick, this spot is bleedin’ perfect.”
    “Judith!” Nate and Patrick shouted at the
same time.
    “Yes?” Judith questioned, wide-eyed with
innocence.
    The three of them giggled like mischievous
children, the laughter bubbling up until their eyes were streaming.
On that note of hilarity, they spread blankets and unpacked the
food baskets that Nate had brought along. Although the May day was
still chill, the sun held enough warmth to keep them comfortable.
They fell on the food, joking between mouthfuls and praising the
quality of Nate’s cook.
    After lunch they stood at the edge of the
bluffs, admiring the beautiful bay while Nate answered their
questions.
    “What do they call that island?” Patrick
asked, squinting against the sun glare at the crescent shaped
formation at the mouth of the harbor.
    “That’s Goat Island,” Nate said. “And before
you ask, no, I don’t know if there are any goats on the island.” At
the boy’s crestfallen expression, a twinkle lit the man’s eyes and
he said. “But once there were pirates.”
    “Cor,” Patrick breathed in pure pleasure. “
’Fore God and honest?”
    Even Judith had to laugh at the bloodthirsty
look on Patrick’s face. She grinned up at Nathanael, waiting with
as much expectation as the boy for him to continue.
    “About a hundred years ago there was a lot
of piracy around these waters. There are islands and coves all
along the bay that were useful hiding places for the pirates. We
were a Crown Colony then and the word came down that something must
be done. At that time pirates were probably living on Goat Island,
if not in Newport itself.” Nate paused, unsure if he was boring his
companions. Two sets of fascinated eyes were trained on him.
    “Pray continue,” Judith said eagerly.
    “Well, I am not sure this next is for the
ears of delicately raised ladies, but at least consider yourself
warned. Twenty-six of the pirates were hanged at Gravelly Point,”
he said pointing to an area south of Long Wharf. “It was proclaimed
a great entertainment and huge crowds came to watch. Then between
high tide and low, the bodies were buried on the shores of Goat
Island. Some say, that on the nights of the full moon when the tide
is halfway in, you can hear the low moaning of the pirates just
beneath the sand.”
    Watching Patrick’s face, Judith realized
that she and Simon would be badgered until they contrived to take
the boy for a visit to Goat Island. She hoped they might be able to
convince him that it would not be necessary to investigate under a
full moon. It was a joy to watch the carefree Patrick as they
walked along the cliffside. It reminded her of his constant
curiosity during the voyage to Newport as he sprang from one find
to another. He investigated several birds’ nests with keen
interest, climbing trees for a more thorough inspection. When Nate
discovered paw prints in a muddy area, the boy was convinced that
at the very least they were on the trail of a very large cat,
possibly even a tiger. Neither adult felt capable of dampening the
boy’s enthusiasm. Judith followed the more adventuresome males,
content to gather the numerous wildflowers that carpeted the
ground. It was when they returned to the blankets for a cooling
drink that she noticed the withdrawn expression of the young boy.
At Judith’s questioning glance, Nate shrugged and handed Patrick a
glass of lemonade before opening a bottle of chilled wine.
    Mystified, Judith spread the flowers in her
lap, watching