Read The Baron's Bounty for Free Online

place, and was not happy about it. She felt doomed since that night five months ago, and wondered if God were punishing her because she’d never told anyone but Catherine what she’d witnessed.
    The king’s death was said to have been an accident. Supposedly his horse threw him that night in the storm, and he’d ended up at the bottom of the cliff - but she knew better. So while Catherine was preparing to cross the sea to marry her betrothed, Isobel decided she couldn’t let her go before telling her what she knew. Even someone like Catherine didn’t deserve to marry a murderer.
    That’s when she’d stopped her cousin and confessed to her what she’d seen that night and told her that she suspected the murderer could be the English baron. In hindsight she realized that mayhap she should have stayed quiet, and she wouldn’t be here right now. Her confession did naught but seal her own fate. The next thing she knew – she was on the ship standing in as proxy to the wedding in Catherine’s place.
    “We’re all goin’ te die!” She shouted over the sound of the howling winds in order to be heard. Her cloak blew right off her body and disappeared somewhere over the side of the ship. She could no longer see where she walked with the rain pouring down so hard. Water dripped from her nose and chin, and she shivered from the cold. Her teeth chattered as she tried to take two steps forward, but was unsuccessful at her attempt. The ship leaned and creaked, and when she looked up she screamed at seeing the size of the swell looming above them. The wave rose up like a hungry demon dragon from the sea.
    It hit the ship hard. She tried to turn, but she was pushed forward from the force, sending her smashing into her guard. She was drenched from head to foot, and her English gown that Catherine insisted she wear, was heavier than chains around her neck. She sputtered, trying to catch her breath from the amount of water she’d swallowed.
    “’Tis me own fault,” she cried out, choking on the salty taste of the sea. “We’re goin’ te die. I didna mean fer this te happen!”
    “Lady Isobel, stop with the clishmaclaver. Get yer doup in the cargo hold and stop fighting me!” Elliot turned her around roughly, holding her arm so tightly she felt as if it would break as he headed her back to the hold.
    She tore her wrist from his hand and stumbled over a stray wooden pole used to secure the lines. Then she slipped on the wet deck, ending up holding onto the side rail of the ship, very close to being dumped into the sea.
    The winds were relentless, blowing the coif from her head next. It disappeared somewhere over the side of the ship and the ribbon holding back her hair followed. Now her long tresses blew chaotically in all directions, stinging her eyes so she could not see.
    Lightning flashed, lighting up the black sky once again. It was followed by the loud cracking sound of splintering wood. It was so loud it startled her, and she jumped to her feet, holding one hand against her heart as the sound resonated in her chest. She felt her body tingle, and when she finally managed to push the tangled hair from her eyes, she looked up to the main mast to see it ablaze with fire. The lightning had struck it and not only set it afire but it was starting to crack in half as well.
    “Fire on the deck,” called out the captain, and everyone rushed around in a frenzied manner, doing all they could to try to put it out. The wind blew again, filling the sails and she heard a rip as it tore in two. Everyone was trying desperately to remedy the situation, but it was too late - they’d lost control of the ship. With the main sail torn in half, it flicked outward, setting the front sail on fire as well. Isobel felt helpless and doomed as she watched the billowing black smoke rise up high into the stormy sky.
    Pieces of burning cloth fell from above as fire from the sky. There was no way to put out the fire now, nor a way to save the mast.