The ocean crossing was, again, far too long for my liking. At one point, Stout got deathly ill with a fever, and the whole crew was worried he would expire. But the fever broke after a few days, and he eventually returned to his old boisterous self.

Eventually, we spotted land.

“There she is,” the Captain said. “France.”

“Hard to believe. It has been a long, roundabout way to get here,” I replied.

Captain Peanut Butter laughed. “Aye, that it has. But it was a good adventure, was it not?”

“Better than I ever imagined.”

A voice cried out from the crow’s nest. “A ship!”

“To work, lads,” the Captain shouted.

We began our pursuit. Captain Peanut Butter handed me the spyglass and told me to keep an eye on the ship and report what I saw. As we neared the ship, I recognized it. My heart stopped. It was The Elise.

“Captain, it is The Elise. I beg you, do not raid her again.”

“We are pirates. We raid ships. That is how we survive.”

“I will give you the rest of my silver if you let her go.”

“Why? Because of the girl? Have you so quickly forgotten what the love of a woman did to Scar Arm in Spain? It nearly cost all of us our lives. You will have ample time for courtship when you are settled and cozy in your manor in Kapri. But pirates and love do not mix. Keep your silver. We will board her like the pirates we are.”

Before I could reply, another cry came from the crow’s nest. “Another ship!”

“Give me the spyglass,” the Captain said.

He looked and slammed the spyglass closed.

“It’s El Halcón, The Falcon. Under the command of the Spanish pirate Garra. He is as ruthless as they come.”

“Elise is onboard that ship. We have to rescue her.”

“Fear not, Lad. The Falcon is swift, but The Jellyfish is swifter.”

We raced to The Elise and pulled alongside her.

Captain Peanut Butter shouted, “If you want to live, you will board The Jellyfish now.”

“I would rather die,” Monsieur Boissonneau shouted in return.

“The pirate Garra is the Captain of the ship approaching us, and he would like nothing better than to grant your wish. Although, I fear he will not be so kind to your daughter. Your ship is already lost. If you value your daughter’s life, you will board The Jellyfish, now.”

Reluctantly, the crew of the Elise boarded The Jellyfish, and we left The Elise adrift to be taken by the dreaded pirate Garra.

“Will they pursue us?” I asked Captain Peanut Butter.

“No, they have no reason to. They just earned the easiest plunder of their lives, and have a merchant ship full of cargo. Both of which they can sell. They will be stretched thin sailing two ships.”

Captain Peanut Butter walked to the stern of the ship, where the crew of The Elise was under the watchful eye of The Jellyfish crew.

“Do not think you will get my thanks,” Boissonneau said to Captain Peanut Butter with disgust.

“It is not me you need to thank. It is Baron Blastfurnace who persuaded me to rescue you. For the sake of the girl.”

“He is no more a Baron than I am a King.”

“Believe what you will. It is of no importance. I will set you and your crew ashore at the nearest town.”

“You have cost me a fortune. A ship and all its cargo.”

“I have done nothing more than save your lives from ruthless pirates who would have taken them. If you are half the businessman you claim to be, you will recover. There is food in the galley. You will sleep on the deck tonight. By mid-morning, you will be on French soil.”

The Captain turned and went to his cabin.

As I watched The Elise and The Falcon fade from view, I felt a touch on my shoulder. I turned and found Elise standing next to me.

“So it really is true? You are a baron?” she asked.

“It is true.”

“Thank you for saving our lives. My father is too proud to say it. And too distraught about his losses to fully realize what Captain Peanut Butter has done. And what you have done.”

“Captain Peanut Butter has a good heart.”

“So do you.”

“Elise! Get away from that pirate,” Boissonneau shouted. “Come with me to the galley. We need to eat something before we are abandoned ashore.”

The crew of The Elise made their way below deck as Andelbert approached my side.

“I saw Elise talking to you. Have you finally convinced her that you are a Baron?” Andelbert asked.

“I believe I have. For all the good it does me. Tomorrow she will be gone from my life. Again.”

“You saved her life and the lives of her father and the whole crew. She will not forget it. Or you.”

“I want more than to be remembered.”

“Indeed. But I fear this romance was doomed from the start.”

“I suppose you are correct. If only my heart would listen to reason.”

“The heart and reason rarely join forces,” Andelbert replied.

Elise Leaves

The following morning, the crew of The Elise assembled on deck, and a rowboat was prepared to take them ashore. I took Elise aside.

“Andelbert and I are going to see the King of France. Join us on our adventure.”

“I cannot. I must stay with my father.”

“Why?”

“I am his daughter. He has suffered a great loss, and I must stay with him and help him recover.”

“He has his crew to help him. He will be fine. Are you not allowed a life also?”

She hesitated, then answered, “I have to go, my father is expecting me.”

Frustrated, I replied, “Do you always do what’s expected?”

She turned and walked back to her father.

I yelled out, “Kapri. I am the Baron of Kapri. In The Austrian Netherlands.”

Elise didn’t turn around. A few minutes later, she was gone.

“I am sorry,” Andelbert said as we watched the crew of The Elise depart.

“And I am a fool. I should have known a courtship was impossible.”

“Take heart. Soon we will be ashore in France, and a new adventure will begin. Who knows who we might meet.”

“You’re a true friend, Andelbert. But I fear I may not be good company for a time.”

“No matter. Brothers stick together,” Andelbert replied.

“Aye, they do.”