Here now, at last, I possessed what Ashley had warned was so ruinous.

Love had hunted me, captured me, bred madness, and yes, it left a sea of ruin in its wake. But the devastation washed away. The skies cleared, and now we were calm, free, sailing on the winds of our hard-won peace.

Later, we dressed, ate, and left the cabin so that I could make my rounds through the decks.

The three of us strolled side by side in the salty air, talking about the weather, my father’s detailed map, Ashley’s trip to London, and the life he was leaving behind. We laughed and gossiped and basked in the freedom of one another’s company.

Freedom. We all felt it.

It was the beginning of a new life, a new voyage, with an exciting destination.

The thrill that hummed beneath my skin was intoxicating. Given the smiles in their eyes, I knew they were soused on it, too.

That night, I watched them reach for each other. Not out of anger or aggression. They came together in a language of closeness, tightening their arms around a bond that had been forged through twenty years of trials and loyalty.

As their hard, muscular bodies joined and moved as one, I was awestruck, mesmerized, unable to look away.

They took turns inside each other, stroking, grasping, mating. They tried to draw me in, but I found an inordinate amount of inclusiveness and pleasure in watching them. It was profound, poignant, deeply beautiful.

When I was a child, I promised my father that I would marry a man of his fortitude and spirit. A man who loved me above all else.

As it turned out, I doubled up on that vow.

I married two.

55

October 1721

Oak Island, Province of New Scotland

It took us nigh two months to cross the Great Western Ocean and sail north along the coast of New England. Another month was spent hauling heavy tools and provisions across the uninhabited oak-covered island, setting up camp, and digging. Endless goddamned digging.

My father had always told me I was an adventurous lass. Seven years after his death, he’d gifted me with the adventure of a lifetime.

The map led us deep into the wilderness and stopped at a natural indention in the ground. Excavation was required. Perhaps I’d expected that. But I hadn’t realized just how deep we would have to hollow out the forest floor.

My one-hundred-and-twenty-man crew worked in shifts from sunrise to sunset, taking turns shoveling dirt and watching the ship. The air thrummed with excitement with each passing day as we dug through layers of sand, silt, clay, and years of overgrown foliage. With the promise of wealth so close at hand, there were few complaints and a whole lot of smiles.