by Dana Roquet
Suddenly a slight hum sounded above and Davison stood from the taffrail. Stephen came to his feet and all eyes went to the sky where the topgallants were the first to flutter, causing the vibration of the backstays. Then the remainder of the fore, main and mizzens, flapped lightly, then filled with the wind.
“Thank you Lord!” Davison shouted with a long whoop and slapped Stephen heartily upon the back. Water flew into the air as the men emptied their buckets upon one another, with shouts and laughter. They were back in the trades and the men hurried with enthusiasm, shimming up the rigging to adjust the forward sheets to catch the full force. At the helm, Stephen smiled as the cool wind caressed his back; they would arrive at the Main in just days.
“Thank God.” He sighed aloud.
***
Mac reclined against a gnarled stump of a once mammoth palm, with his hands clasped across his girth and legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles, watching the young lass who was frolicking on the beach before him.
A dozen children shrieked with pleasure, falling in waves of giggles and offering her advice, as Desiree attempted to pick up a small crab, which stood with claws before it, ready to fight. As the crab moved in a silly sideways pattern to her flank, she too would move the same and again crouch before the creature.
Her flowing hair was pulled back in a long piece of satin ribbon; her dress pulled up between her legs and tucked in at the waist, forming pantaloons of sorts. She looked like a child herself as she pranced about the crab, trying to find a hold on it, without losing a finger in the attempt.
She moved as if a snake striking and then leapt back, her body aquiver as she held the crab carefully between thumb and finger, far out in front of her. She rushed to the wooden bucket and her catch joined a host of others of his kind which, this night would become dinner and then she held her arms over her head in triumph. The children applauded her accomplishment and she curtsied grandly. She declined attempting another and with a rush of giggles and with hugs and tousling of little heads, she ran toward him, flopping beside him upon the sand.
“Well Mac, did you see that?” she giggled with an affected smug expression, removing a slipper to dump sand out and replacing it upon her foot.
“Aye Lass, ye be courageous, tanglin’ with such a brute.” He teased.
“Brute to be sure. He would have liked to have taken my finger away. Vicious little beast!” She held up her hand in evidence before him, where a slight claw had left its mark.
“Lassie ye be a breath of fresh air to this old pirate. Ye have brought me and me Cap much happiness. I hope ye know that.” He confessed.
“Odd isn’t it Mac? For me to be kidnapped by you; spirited away to this wonderful paradise and begin to feel as if you and the rest are my family. You must think me terribly foolish.”
She leaned back against the stump and pulled one tan leg up. Draping her arms over her knee and laying her cheek against her arms, she gazed at him, awaiting his response.
“Na Lassie, ye be like one of us, and of that be ye assured, but fear not, we think ye be the most charmin’ wee nymph we ever come across and we want ye to be at ease. Ye be safe and sheltered from harm and we intend on keepin’ ye that way.” He winked.
“You Macintosh are a dear man.” She announced, placing a light kiss upon his weathered cheek.
He laughed loudly, then looked about as if checking to assure their privacy before speaking, “Just don’t be lettin’ that bit of information get about. Would na do fer me reputation as a fearsome pirate to be so shattered.”
Coming to his feet, he groaned as he shook the stiffness from his legs. “Me old joints locked up on me from sitting for too long in one spot” He complained, reaching out a hand to Desiree and pulling her to her feet with ease.
“Let’s be getting’ back afore Red gets hisself in a tizzy wit’ worry on ye.”
***
Desiree swept through the veranda doors, proceeding Mac and hurried toward Red, where he sat at his desk near the far end of the front room.
“Red take a guess at what I have been up to this morning? Just try.” She challenged, plopping into the seat across from him.
The pirate tossed a quill down, his work forgotten and with his large hands resting upon the top of his head, he leaned back grinning broadly.
“Well for one I see ye got a bit more o’ the sun in yer cheeks. Ye’ll be as dark-skinned as the natives if ye aren’t careful Lass.” He chuckled, appreciating the glow the sun had brought to the delicate features. Her teeth flashed white in a brilliant smile.
“Red not that, something more.” She urged with mischief.
“Let me see—ye brought the Spanish Armada to its knees and the blokes be hidden just without fer me inspection?” he lifted a dark brow at the shake of her head, “No? Well then—ye have weakened and betrothed yerself to one o’ me scurvy crew and now wish me to supply a dowry on yer behalf? Well I’ll na allow it, none be good enough for ye Lass, so don’t even ask it.” He laughed at her open-mouthed surprise.
“Red! I helped to gather your evening fare from the beach this morning with the children. You shall be feasting on crab this eve thanks in a very small part to my valor upon the battle field.” Desiree lifted her nose haughtily, then fell into giggles.
“Well now, I’d never have guessed it Lass—well done.” his eyes twinkled, “Good for ye! Now if we can just get ye to deal with the creepy crawlies with such bravery. I seem to recall a wee spider ye had me murder within yer chambers just last eve, while ye stood a safe distance away upon yer settee.” Mac’s amused chuckles joined his own from across the room.
Desiree laughed too, remembering the screams of terror Red had heard coming from her room. He had rushed in, with the look of death upon his face, expecting to find her in mortal danger, only to find her white as a sheet, upon a settee, gaping at the long legged spider walking leisurely across the floor.
“Red that is something altogether different. I shall never soften in my aversion toward those horrid creatures.” She shivered, just thinking about it, “Well I must be off now.” She bubbled, jumping up.
“Whoa there Lass, just where ye be off to now?” Red demanded with concern.
“O’Malley has promised to take me in the shallows of the cove in a sloop. He is going to dive for pearls in the coral reefs. Do you think we shall find some?”
“Aye, just be sure ye keeps yerself well seated in the boat, no jumpin’ about.” Red warned sternly.
“I shall not drown. I know how to swim.”
Red Legs scowled darkly in response.
“Aye Captain!” she answered curtly. Her face sobered and she saluted him smartly in the fashion of a sailor, turned sharply on heels and scampered away.
Red looked across to Mac, who was helping himself to a stiff drink and then fell into the seat Desiree had just vacated.
“She tires me out.” Mac sighed, with a smile.
“Be it only me or do ye feel the effect o’ that little vixen upon ye also?” Red asked with a broad smile.
“Aye Cap, I been bit as well. As have most of the rest.” He took a large draw of his drink, chuckling, “Can ye imagine O’Malley out pearl divin’ for the lass?”
The two men broke out in loud guffaws at the idea.
***
The sloop lay quiet in the protected leeward side of the narrows. The anchor could be seen on the ocean floor, half sunk in the sand. O’Malley stripped off his shirt and boots, until he wore only his knee breeches and leaped overboard into the warm, clear water, coming up rubbing the stinging brine from his eyes.
“Now then Lass, ye sit on yer backside and not be standin’ or ye may find yerself in the drink. Understood?” he asked in his light Irish brogue.
Desiree noted his gray eyes were already bloodshot from the heavy salt water. “Yes O’Malley I shall stay seated. Go ahead.”
Desiree pulled her dress between her thighs, tucking the hem into her waistband and seated herself on the
bottom of the boat upon her knees, leaning back and resting her backside against her heels. She leaned her chin upon her arms, draped along the side of the boat; wanting to have a good vantage point to observe the expedition.
O’Malley took several deep breaths, then held the last and dove beneath the crystal clear water. Desiree was able to watch his progress unhampered, as he dove to the bottom some fifteen feet below and removed a knife from his waistband. Brightly colored sea life waved in the ocean current and O’Malley touching the plantlike tentacles caused the creatures to draw into the porous rock they called home. As she watched, he began prying with the tip of his blade and first one, then two, three and more oysters fell to the ocean floor. He returned to the surface, gasping wildly for air and Desiree grimaced empathetically.
“Are you all right O’Malley?” she asked, feeling terrible about his state of exhaustion.
He looked wearily up into the soft violet blue eyes above him and smiled weakly, “Aye Lass, just not use to this type of sport be all.”
He breathed deeply and dove once more and made several more trips before his last ascent, when a fair number of crustaceans lay waiting to be retrieved from the bottom. He reached across the boat, grabbing a square piece of linen and then grinned at Desiree, “Be back in a jiff with the loot Lassie.”
He dove to the bottom, collecting the oysters into the linen and drawing it into a neat bundle, kicked for the surface.
Desiree took the heavily laden linen and O’Malley heaved himself into the boat, causing it to tip no slight amount, and then seated himself across from her, placing the bundle on the floor of the sloop, between his feet.
“Now then Lass, the fun begins!” He grinned, wiping the water from his face with his discarded shirt and then taking his knife from his belt, he opened the linen to reveal the small mottled shells. He picked one up in his hand, slipping his knife tip along the muscle closure at the back, working the blade in until the oyster gave way and opened. He closed his hand over the shell; preventing Desiree from getting a good look.
“Lassie, I not be wantin’ ye to get too excited.” He warned. “Remember what I told ye, this be a pearl but not what ye be expectin’, not what Red deals in.”
He used the tip of his knife to dislodge a small white pebble and placed it into her palm. “It ain’t gem quality but it be a pearl true enough.” He said apologetically.
“It is wonderful O’Malley. More than I hoped for actually.” Desiree assured him.
“But now this be the real treasure Lassie.” O’Malley announced. Taking again the tip of his blade, he loosened the fleshy meat within and leaning his head back, allowed the salty brine and the meat to slip into his mouth from the shell, sliding down his throat. He sighed with a slow nod, appreciating the delicacy.
“Lord O’Malley how can you eat that?” Desiree shuddered. She had never been able to acquire a fondness for eating oysters, no matter how they were prepared.
“Here.” He opened another oyster and put the half shell into her hand, “Just give it a try. Just let it slide down. It be pure heaven.” He assured with a warm smile.
Desiree eyed him warily and looking at the wet pale flesh, she doubted this could be heaven but following his instructions, the salty, gritty meat made its way past her lips and she swallowed it down with a shudder and a grimace, “Ugh!” she gasped, “Dreadful!”
O’Malley laughed heartily, patting Desiree’s shoulder with affection, then took another oyster in his hand, “Ye got courage Lass, I’ll give ye that.” He nodded, chuckling loudly.
By the time they returned to the shore and made their way to the house, Desiree had three small worthless pearls in her hand and O’Malley a full belly for his afternoon’s work, having opened ten times that many oysters. Desiree hurried up the walk and into the front door, finding Red just within descending the stairs.
“Red look, three pearls.” She beamed proudly, holding out her hand to him. “Aren’t they lovely?”
“Aye Lass that they be. O’Malley can we see about getting’ them mounted in some type o’ settin’?” He looked over Desiree’s head at the sailor standing behind her and gave him a wink in silent communication. Desiree spun around to face O’Malley with her treasure clutched tightly before her.
“Aye Cap. I think I might dig up somethin’ fittin’. I will have to look about the warehouses.” he nodded, with a warm smile directed at Desiree. “If ye let me take ‘em along with me, I will return them to ye in a day or two.”
“We’ll have Patty do the settin’. He be very good with fine gems and twill do them justice.” Red added.
“I will leave them to you then O’Malley, have a care with them now.” she urged, placing them carefully into his hand, “They are my first and only treasure.”
“I will Lass, leave ‘em to me.” he assured.
“Now ye best get yerself up and ready for dinner.” Red suggested.
“Oh don’t mention food.” O’Malley moaned, rubbing his full belly, “I best be heading home. The misses is going to be none to happy that I have spoiled me appetite.”
“You may put the blame on my head O’Malley. Give her my apologies.” Desiree laughed, then curtsied grandly, holding delicately to her soiled dress and hurried up the sweeping staircase to her room, as the two watched her depart.
“Ye know what I was thinkin’ about the warehouse don’t ye?” Red asked O’Malley confidentially after Desiree had topped the flight, out of earshot.
“I do Cap, leave it to me I know just the piece and just the pearls. I think we can do better than these little baubles.”
“Aye.”
***
Desiree spotted Rena in the hall and called to her sweetly, “Rena could you see about having a bath drawn for me please?”
“As soon as I can.” Rena snapped back.
“Thank you.” Desiree returned with a warm smile and feeling a tad guilty. The poor thing was in a perpetual state of motion trying to keep the mansion fit with a mob of rowdy pirates always pestering her about one thing or another and her arrival had done nothing but add to her daily toils. She was actually quite pleasant if you could get past her unnerving air of impatience.
Desiree entered her bedroom, pulling the ribbon from her hair, placing it upon her chest of drawers and crossed to the armoire pulling it open and removing her blue gown she had been wearing the day she was seized at the colonies and laid it across her bed. Aside from this garment, which was passable as stylish, she had only the shifts and the three plain dresses provided by Mac including the one she now wore; soft cotton; with tapered waists, high necklines and loose fitting half sleeves, with no fullness in the skirts whatsoever to make them even slightly attractive. She consoled herself with the fact that she really had no need for more stylish attire. Living on a tropical island, with a band of pirates left little use for such items.
Desiree took her comb and brush from the dresser and moved to stand at the balcony to enjoy her tropical view until her bath water arrived. She moved out onto the balcony and took a seat in a chair. She sighed heavily; running the brush through her tangled mane, feeling wonderfully relaxed from her day of sun and warm sea breezes. She could very easily lie down and fall to sleep but she dared not, for unless she was completely exhausted, she knew that her sleep would not be peaceful.
It seemed she used the fertile soil of her sleep state to play out the troubles that she kept at bay during the day. Dreams of her parents, dreams of Bridgett but most often dreams of Stephen Colter and the experiences she had shared with him. She could not rout him or those images from her mind. His handsome face would loom before her in her dreams, her body would ache for the need of his touch and she was truly beginning to feel concerned with the obsession she seemed to have with him, at least in her dreams.
She had tried to reason her feelings out logically and could come up with only one plausible answer. She could think of no one else in her life that had come into and then gone out of her life as Stephen ha
d. When she shared her friendship, it was meant as permanent and she could not help but feel a great loss with the way it had ended with him.
If and when she ever found herself away from this island and these people she had come to know as friends, she would take a bit of them with her and would never forget and always welcome them with open arms. She knew the friends she had left behind her in France would be there for her when she returned one day and she would be there for them, for any need—any reason at all. Only Stephen Colter had fallen from her good graces and it was a hard loss to bear.
A light tap at the door brought Desiree’s thoughts back from Stephen and she called admittance to Rena with steaming buckets of water. After the tub had been filled and the maids had departed, she immediately undressed, seating herself in the warm water and taking a decanter from a table beside the tub, poured a liberal amount of fragrant bath salts around her, then stirred them through the water. Taking up a bar of scented soap, she lathered herself vigorously, including her hair and using a wooden pitcher left filled beside her bath, she rinsed the soap from her hair, twining it atop her head and pinning it at the crown.
Then she lay back for a time, allowing those forbidden memories of Stephen Colter to fill her mind and take her back to a time when she had thought of him as charming—gentle, witty and her imagining of the ideal man.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It was but a few days later that Mac saw the ship pull within view of the island of Nevis at around midday, slipping through the narrows under half sail. From the watch on a slope of the mountain, a gun sounded, signaling an intruder and a throng of pirates went into action, readying for possible trouble. Sloops were launched, guns on war ships faced the intruder, and cannons on shore were moved into position.