Several thuds sounded outside the closet door in which she was hiding. Lady Katherine's betrothed, Sir Richard, had shut her away in here as soon as the cannons started firing, and the explosion of the town began. Her heart was racing, and screams could be heard from every side of the village. She kept hearing the townspeople call out, "Pirates! Pirates!" And several other harsh cries from men who sounded far from the gentlemen she accompanied herself with. Her body was pressed firmly against the back wall, her corset making it hard enough to breathe, without the fear coursing through her veins.
They were in her fathers house now. She knew it. And why wouldn't they be? The Governor's house? Any thief would know this was the place to rob. She could hear her dear Richard shouting out orders to the guard in the house, but her betrothed's cries were cut short as a shot went off and she could no longer hear him. Had he been shot? Was he dead? Where was her father?
She wanted desperately to open the door and see what was happening, but that would have been suicide, she knew that.
Several more cries rang out, and several more shots as well. She heard a deep, gravely voice yell out, "Strip this place apart! Take all ye can!" Definitely pirates. Katherine swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat refused to let her. She watched as shadows passed by the door. They'd made it upstairs. She pressed herself more into the back corner, hidden by trench and petticoats alike. Her body was trembling. What if she was found? She couldn't fight. She couldn't do anything. She would be helpless. Would she die? Would they kill her?
She didn't have time to finish her fears before the door was ripped open, and hands were searching the clothes. She held her breath and pressed herself even more, if it was possible, against the wall. The hands started ripping clothes off the racks, and she knew as soon as her soft green eyes met cold, dark brown, she was done for.
"Well, looky here boys! We got the Guvnah's daughter!" Harsh hands grabbed her and yanked her out, causing a scream to erupt from her throat. The hands that had stolen her from her sanctuary reached up and grabbed her neck, cutting off most of her air supply. "Should we do her in?"
Her wide, terrified eyes met another pair of dark eyes. "Dunno. Cap'n may want her."
"What fer?"