Pirates and Prejudice

by Louise, Kara

  Darcy lowered his brows and whispered softly, “The Isles of Scilly…”

  Bellows extended his hand. “Do ye want to take the helm?”

  Darcy shook his head. “No! Continue on, but we’ll talk ’bout this once we are out of harm’s way!”

  As the sea continued to churn, and the storm prevented them from any sort of effective navigation, Darcy did his best to ensure that his crew and vessel were kept safe. Throughout the night, Bellows proved his proficiency acting as first mate, save, of course, for following through on his duty to consult first with the captain!

  Darcy remained on deck, knowing he would not rest easy until the first light of dawn made an appearance… and he knew it could not come too soon for his peace of mind.

  *~*~*

  It was early in the morning when Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet, and David Adams said their goodbyes to family and set out to board the ship for their return voyage to London.

  Mr. Bennet’s sister had repeatedly expressed her gratefulness to him and Elizabeth for making the journey to see her. While each day she had grown weary early in the afternoon, there had been no noticeable decline in the week they had been there, for which they had been grateful. They left her with the hope and prayer that she would find strength to face each day for many years to come.

  Mr. Clower and Melanie joined them for the carriage ride down to the harbour. Melanie and Elizabeth talked as they held each other’s hands tightly. They recounted the events of the past week, how much they had enjoyed each other’s company, and occasionally laughed at something David had done. He watched in silence, a twinkle in his eyes and a slight tug at his lips being the only indications that he was listening.

  The two older gentlemen spoke very little. Elizabeth could see that her father struggled to keep his composure, knowing this was likely the last time he would see his sister.

  When they arrived at the harbour, they said their goodbyes, giving hugs all around. Elizabeth watched David as he took Melanie’s hand, bringing it up and giving it a slight kiss. He leaned in and whispered something softly to her. Elizabeth could not hear what he said, but watched as Melanie smiled sweetly.

  He turned away quickly, extending his arm to Elizabeth. “Shall we go?”

  The three boarded the ship, along with the other passengers, crew, and dock workers loading materials being shipped to London. Elizabeth was anxious to meet the three women with whom she would be sharing a cabin. Elizabeth, Mrs. Joyner, Mrs. Keller, and Mrs. Dillard were the only women on board the ship. There were five men travelling as passengers, and to accommodate them, the husbands of the three ladies were put in one cabin, while Mr. Bennet and David were put in the cabin across the hall.

  This merchant ship was larger than the one on which Elizabeth and her father had previously sailed. Again, their accommodations were simple, yet comfortable.

  It was smooth sailing that first day as they made their way towards London. Towards evening, however, it was obvious to Elizabeth that the crew was keeping an eye on a storm out on the horizon. Dark, threatening clouds, pierced occasionally by jagged streaks of lightning, seemed to be bearing down upon them.

  As the last traces of light disappeared on the horizon, and all the passengers settled into their cabins for the night, the sea began to toss the ship ruthlessly. Elizabeth, along with Mrs. Keller, who had sailed frequently, did their best to calm the other two women in the cabin, but as the storm worsened and the sea raged in fury, they felt a good deal of concern, as well. Mrs. Keller suggested the ladies pull the blankets and pillows off the bed and lie on the floor to prevent them from being tossed out of their beds when the ship rose and fell and feverishly swayed from side to side.

  A light tap of the door startled the ladies, and Elizabeth warily stood up and wrapped a blanket about her.

  “Yes?” she called out.

  “Elizabeth, it is David. Your father and I were worried about you. How are you ladies faring in this storm?”

  She opened the door slightly. Although she could not see him, she sensed his caring presence.

  “We are huddled together on the floor. Tell me, David, have you ever sailed in anything like this?”

  “I have been in some strong storms, but this does appear to be severe. I went up on the deck, and they have furled the sails to prevent them from being ripped apart or blown away.”

  “What does that mean?” Elizabeth asked, a small tremor noticeable in her voice.

  David reached out to find her hand, which rested on the edge of the door. He placed his over hers reassuringly. “We are likely going to be blown slightly off course, but the crew know what they are doing. We shall be safe!”

  “Thank you, David. How is my father faring?”

  David laughed. “He is doing well. In fact, he is regaling me with stories about your family.”

  Elizabeth was glad David could not see her as she rolled her eyes at his words. She could only imagine what her father might be saying about them.

  “Remind me to ask you later about one Mr. Collins and his offer of marriage!”

  “Oh, that man!” Elizabeth exclaimed.

  “Is that sentiment referring to your father or Mr. Collins?”

  “Both!” Elizabeth said with a laugh, gripping the door as the ship heaved suddenly. “You had best get back to your room and hunker down!”

  “I shall, and you do the same!”

  As she closed the door, Mrs. Dillard laughed. “Will you enlighten us about this Mr. Collins?”

  “Oh, I beg of you not to ask me to speak of that laughable man now! Perhaps when we are out of danger, I shall be more in the mood to tell you about him.”

  When Elizabeth and the other ladies found themselves feeling ill, Mrs. Keller advised them to take in slow, deep breaths. While it did not remove the offensive feeling, it did help.

  The storm did not let up at all during the night, but at some point the ladies fell asleep from exhaustion. It was early in the morning when the ladies were awakened by a thunderous jolt that seemed to shake the ship from bow to stern and all the way down to its keel. All of the women screamed, and Mrs. Joyner cried out, “God, help us! We are going to die!”

  “What do you suppose happened?” Elizabeth asked. “That sounded ominous!”

  “I have never heard anything like it,” Mrs. Keller said. “It sounded – and felt – as though we hit something!”

  Elizabeth was of the opinion that Mrs. Keller was correct but did not think it could have been another ship, for despite the pounding of the waves, the ship seemed anchored in one spot, as if something had it in its grip.

  The sounds of shouts and pounding footsteps could be heard, and at length, a sharp rap at their door.

  Again Elizabeth grabbed the nearest blanket and put it around her. When she opened the door, the captain stood before her, holding a candle. Anxious blue eyes looked out from his weathered, bearded face.

  “We have hit some sort of rocky outcroppin’, an’ my men are surveyin’ the damage. But we must ask that ye ladies get dressed an’ come up on deck as quickly as possible.” He handed Elizabeth the candle he was holding. “Take this an’ light one of the candles in your cabin.”

  “Thank you, Captain.” Elizabeth took the candle, lit one of the wall candles in the cabin, and then returned it to the captain.

  As the ladies scrambled to get dressed, Mrs. Joyner sat down on the bed and seemed unable to do anything. She began to pant heavily and put her hand over her heart. “I know we are going to die! I know we will sink, and no one will ever find us or know what happened to us!”

  Elizabeth walked over and sat down beside her. “We shall be fine. The captain knows what he is doing.” She gently helped the woman dress and then got dressed herself. The ladies put on their warmest outerwear over their dresses, anticipating inclement weather on deck.

  As the ladies walked out, several of the men, led by David, were coming to their room to check on them.

  “Good! You are ready!” David
said. “Shall we go up and see what the captain has to say?”

  David took Elizabeth’s arm as they quickly took the stairs up to the deck. They gathered together and watched as the captain spoke solemnly to a few of his crew members. It was no longer raining, but the wind sliced across the ship fiercely. The spray from the still turbulent waves stung their faces.

  The captain walked slowly over to the small group of passengers that huddled together. “Durin’ the storm the winds an’ waves pushed us far off course. In fact, as far as we can determine, we were carried back towards the Isles of Scilly. The sound you heard earlier was the ship hittin’ a rocky outcroppin’, most likely north an’ east of the islands.”

  “Are we going to sink?” Mrs. Joyner asked, her voice shaking.

  “While the ship is takin’ on some water in its hull, we are not in deep enough water to be swallowed up. My men are down in the bowels of the ship attemptin’ to make some repairs an’ to keep the flooding at bay. At daylight, when I can survey our position, I shall determine whether we can attempt to get you off the ship an’ onto nearby land. Then we shall hope that we ken make repairs to the ship or that another ship might come by and assist.”

  “Oh!” cried Mrs. Joyner. “How are we to get off the ship and onto land when we are nowhere near the docks? I cannot swim!”

  The captain scratched his bristly beard. “We have a small boat that’ll carry you. Have no fear; we shall ensure your safety getting to land.” He paused and took in a deep breath. “That is, if there is land reasonably close.”

  The captain ushered the passengers into the dining room where they would wait for dawn to reveal their location and fate.

  Chapter 9

  When the first rays of sun lit the skies, the passengers aboard the merchant ship came up on deck and positioned themselves at the rail, anxious about what they might see. The storm had passed, and the sea had calmed, but a fog engulfing the ship kept their surroundings hidden.

  As the day grew lighter, they gradually were able to see the large mass of rock that held the ship tight in its grip. The fog, however, kept what was beyond secret, allowing only for an occasional brief glimpse of more rock. They muttered their concerns amongst themselves, but felt it was not the time to bother the captain or crew with their questions and worries. Each time the ship shifted, fearful glances passed amongst them.

  The captain stood on the foredeck with a spyglass pressed to his eye. He looked about him, speaking with fervour to his first mate and several other crewmen. Occasionally they would glance down at a map, pointing at it and either nodding or shaking their heads. At length, he approached the passengers.

  “My men are workin’ feverishly below deck to patch the gash in the ship, but it is still takin’ on water. While there is little danger of the ship sinkin’ because of the rock beneath us, there’s still the possibility of it capsizin’ if the hull fills with water.”

  Mrs. Joyner put her hand over her heart and began to sway. Her husband was ready and caught her when she collapsed.

  “Take her to the dinin’ room an’ give her some tea. Please try to reassure her that there is no imminent danger. We have formulated a plan to assure your safety.”

  When the couple left, the captain continued, “We were just barely able to see a small uninhabited island to our port side through the fog. When the fog recedes a bit more, I think it would be prudent to remove the passengers to the island until the ship is repaired or another ship comes by. The dinghy we keep stowed on the ship should be able to get you there without any mishap. We will keep watch for other ships while we make our attempts at repairin’ this one.”

  Mrs. Dillard slowly lifted her hand. “But how are we to get down into the dinghy from up here?”

  “We’ll board you while it is still on deck. One of my men will be with you while we lower it into the water with winches. We shall take the women and Mr. Joyner over first. I am quite sure Mrs. Joyner will appreciate her husband’s reassurin’ presence. Once you are in the water, two more of my men will climb down the ropes from the ship to join you an’ help row. When you are safely on the island, they shall return to get the remaining men passengers.”

  The ladies were excused to gather some items to take with them. Mrs. Joyner joined them, and Elizabeth assisted in helping her decide what few things she would need, as fear seemed to take away any ability to make a decision.

  When they returned to the deck, they saw that the fog had lifted towards shore, and the small island could be seen. Looking out towards the sea, however, they could see nothing.

  Once it was determined to be safe to make the short journey, Mr. Joyner and one of the crewmen, who introduced himself as Timmons, climbed into the boat. They assisted each of the ladies as they stepped in. Once settled, the boat was slowly swung over the side of the ship and lowered into the water as the women held each other’s hands tightly. Two more crewmen climbed down ropes that were hung over the side of the ship. The men then proceeded to row to the island.

  Mr. Joyner was grateful that Elizabeth held his wife’s hand as the men manoeuvred carefully around the protruding rocks, occasionally using their oars to push away. When they crashed against one from the force of a strong wave, Elizabeth did her best to reassure Mrs. Joyner that they all would be safe. She was grateful for Mrs. Keller, who diverted them with stories of more perilous trips she had experienced at sea and assured them this was nothing to be overly concerned about.

  It took almost an hour for the small boat to reach the island. Two of the crewmen jumped out when they came near the beach and pulled the boat up to shore. Once up on the beach, the men assisted the ladies as they stepped out. Despite the fatigue of the rowers, the two crewmen immediately began rowing back to the ship.

  The group watched as the small boat grew smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared behind a rather large protruding rock. The fog had grown more dense and it now completely hid the merchant ship from their sight. A light mist began to fall, and Timmons gathered the group together.

  “From what the cap’n could see from the ship, an’ what ’e knows of the area, there should be a good sized cave over ’ere.” Timmons pointed to the east. “If ye’d follow me, we’ll be waitin’ in there fer them to return wi’ the others so we ken keep dry.”

  The ladies gathered their few belongings and carefully picked their way across an uneven beach that was strewn with rocks of all sizes and a variety of vegetation washed up from the sea. Elizabeth bit her lip to keep from chuckling as the women struggled to maintain their footing. They were doing everything they could to walk like the graceful and fashionable ladies they were, but with little success.

  As they drew near the cave, the rain began to fall more heavily. The ladies pulled their pelisses tightly about them and walked hurriedly. When they reached the shelter of the cave, they let out a sigh of relief. Several large rocks quickly took on the role of hard chairs as Mrs. Joyner, Mrs. Dillard, and Mrs. Keller sat down, huddling close together. Elizabeth sat down on a smooth sandy spot on the ground, tucking her legs beneath her.

  Timmons opened a knapsack and pulled out some items.

  “Mr. Joyner, if ye please, stay wi’ the ladies an’ give ’em a biscuit an’ a piece of fruit. I’ll be searchin’ fer some wood to build a fire to dry us off an’ keep us warm.”

  “Oh, thank you, so much!” Mrs. Dillard exclaimed. “I do not know whether I am more uncomfortable from being so hungry or soaked from the rain!”

  The ladies laughed as Timmons turned to leave, but he abruptly stopped. Elizabeth looked up when she heard a gasp and saw four men standing menacingly at the entrance to the cave. She felt a great sense of foreboding as the men suddenly drew swords, muskets, and pistols from their belts. She shuddered as she noticed their glaring looks and threatening posture.

  “Pirates!” Mrs. Joyner screamed and crumpled into a heap on the ground.

  *~*~*

  The winds and rain finally subsided, and Darcy rested his el
bows on the port side of the ship waiting eagerly for the first hint of dawn to give them some indication of their location. The clouds prevented them from seeing the skies, and the only light seen for the past few hours was the lightning displaying its fury off in the distance. Darcy felt that same fury deep inside as he considered what Bellows had done, the situation in which they now found themselves, and what he should to do about it.

  The sea was calmer now, and the ship rose and dropped steadily, propelled slowly to the west by the movement of the waves. Darcy watched with a keen eye for any sign of land in the distance each time lightning bolted across the skies, but he could see nothing. The sails would remain furled until they had a better idea of where they might be. There was no sense setting out in a particular direction when they did not have their bearings. The last thing they needed was to crash into an unexpected outcropping or even worse, another ship. And despite Darcy’s anger at Bellows for acting so recklessly, he refrained from admonishing him further, as he was the only man on the ship fully capable of being at the helm.

  As the first hint of light touched the skies, Darcy felt a great sense of disquiet. There was a dense morning fog that prevented him from seeing anything farther than a stone’s throw from the ship, and he could see nothing of the skies above.

  Darcy marched up to the foredeck and picked up the spyglass, pressing it to his eye. He searched futilely through the fog for anything that might indicate where they were. As he did, he spoke with Bellows.

  “As soon as we see land, I insist that we find a place to dock. I have not… I ’aven’t…” Darcy paused. “Wait! I see something!”

  Bellows looked at him and then out to sea. “What is it, Cap’n?”

  Darcy gathered his composure, knowing he must remember to speak as Evans and Lindel had instructed him. They were correct; he did revert to his refined manner of speech when startled or surprised… or angered!

  “I’m not sure; I don’t see it now. It may ’ave been a ship. It keeps disappearin’ in the fog.” Darcy’s heart thundered as he considered what they might encounter. If it was a ship, the men might want to act out their pirating aspirations, despite any protests he might have. Or worse, they may be encountering real pirates!