"Not just Jack. She had cohorts in Jeremy and Percy for whatever-"
James cut in, "What did Henry or Artie say about it? They usually won't let her out the door without finding out where she's going."
"Except when she leaves with family, apparently. Your retired-pirate-turned-butler Artie had the door that day and figured she was fine since she did leave with Jeremy, but George was still worried and sent for me and our brothers and also sent a man off to Jeremy's house. Danny showed up right after I got there to say Jeremy had left home with Percy, so we sent a man to Percy's house. It was late by then and George was crying the whole bloody time, so Jason left to pull some strings and get me a fast ship to come after you. It was a good thing he was still in London to be able to do that. We figured you'd want to know about this as soon as possible."
"When exactly did you sail, Tony?"
"Jason is an excellent string-puller. I was actually going to sail off that very night, well, at least that was the plan. But then Lady Alden arrived to say Percy had told her he was going to the docks for some exciting fun that night. The footman we sent to their house worried her when he told her Jack might be with Percy. She actually came to complain that Malorys were leading her boy astray again. George nearly kicked her back to the curb."
"So going to the docks was their idea? Bloody hell, they were looking for a ship to follow me, after I told them they couldn't and why-"
"No. I wish that's all it was, but it's not that a'tall. We know mostly what happened because Percy's driver came knocking at the door a bit later after being told his lady was at your house. Jeremy, Percy, and Jack didn't even go to the docks, just near them. They drove to the mostly deserted Wapping Street, which runs along the river. They went there to set a trap for someone, but that's all Percy told his driver. However, that ‘someone' had set a better trap for them. The driver ran away as soon as the fighting started, and by the time he found a tree to hide behind and he could safely look back, the fight was over due to their opponents' far, far greater numbers, and Percy, Jack, and Jeremy were already being carried to two longboats that took them out to one of the ships anchored in the river. Dozens of the ruffians that had appeared out of nowhere to spring that trap stayed behind to load Percy and Jack's men in the coaches left there and drove off with them. And the ship sailed off. The driver stayed long enough to see that before he found his way home to tell his lady what happened."
"So you don't have the ransom note?"
"No, I waited two days for it to be delivered to your residence, but nothing arrived. Jason decided you needed to be warned about this before you got to the Caribbean so I sailed. He promised to get another ship and send it to St. Kitts with the note as soon as they receive it. So we can wait for it there-or find your children first. I thought I'd spot your fleet long before now, but we had to do a lot of zigzagging to make sure we didn't sail past you without seeing you a'tall."
///
"Which begs the question, did you pass any other ships heading this way?"
"No, and believe me, we were looking. I hoped I would find them first, play the hero, get them home before you even knew Jack was gone, though I'm not sure how I could have captured them with an unarmed merchantman."
"It's called ramming and it works fairly well."
"I suppose my captain would have suggested that if we'd found them first. I confess I do want to get my hands on Bastard, if it is Bastard this time. I know we've all assumed it is, but what d'you think?"
"It sounds like it, but that doesn't make it a certainty. Bloody hell, I wish you'd waited for the note so I wouldn't need to assume." James suddenly sighed. "But Jason was right to send you ahead. It's far better to know what's happened, so don't doubt that I'm glad you're here."
"There's no place I'd rather be at a time like this than standing by your side, Brother." Anthony's tone was darkly serious. "I want to catch those blackguards as much as you do. We will, never doubt it."
"I know, but it's going to be hell in the meantime."
Anthony nodded in agreement. "Then I'll do my best to distract you. I actually thought I'd already be here, you know. When you got me foxed the night before you sailed, I was sure you were going to shanghai me. Ros even thought so and had a bag packed for me."
"She did suggest it to me. She was worried that you would be miserable with me gone as well as Judy off on her wedding trip."