The men were taken back by this bold offer and thought long and hard until Garland finally spoke up, “Are you not worried that if all of troublemakers live together in one place, that it will make it easier for the British to kill us all?”
“Darling, you're under the illusion that they can’t round all of us up now one by one and kill us at any time they desire. I do not want to live a life of fear. I would rather be with the company of other like-minded people and enjoy my days. If the British come for us, they come. At least I lived free until then.”
“Well, it is a great offer. What other realistic choice do we have since we are known men? There are very few places we can live without fear of death and the government stalking us. I accept your offer but I do have to go give my gold to Archibald's family and ask them to join us," Patrick answered.
“Garland is right about one thing; having an inexperienced crew would make us an easy target for privateers. We need a more formidable vessel and more crew to live safely in these waters," April continued.
“I might know a ship that could work but we are going to need a pile of gold to buy her,” Sam spoke up.
“If I could only find the gold Mary left me, we could buy the ship and then some. If I could only figure out what this damn tattoo means. I have studied it for years and have gotten nowhere,” the tattooed captain sighed in frustration.
Miss Darden calmly cut in, “Captain, I have not had time to tell you until now but my sources have finally revealed a name.”
April Read’s eyes lit on fire and she shot up from her chair.
Chapter 21
Charles Towne
“Dandridge!” Whoremaster Darden belted out.
“You mean Mari Anna’s family?” Patrick questioned.
“Correct. He is some sort of distant relative to them and lives near Charles Towne in South Carolina. He has made a small fortune in indigo and is a brother in the Freeman Society. I sent word to be on the look out to help a fellow brother. Captain, this was very expensive information to obtain,” Miss Darden hinted.
April reached into her pouch and handed her a large handful of silver coins. “This should cover the cost. As always, dear, great work. Sam, take us to Charles Towne immediately. Well, husband, it is time you got better acquainted with our daughter and meet the rest of the crew.”
The group left the table and headed topside as the scullery wench Teresa came in cleaned up. Patrick tripped over a black cat as it whipped between his legs.
“Lady Bias, please bring Tracy to us!” the captain ordered. A woman with extremely long brown hair and a throng of children following her appeared. She was holding the shy girl with red, curly hair. Tracy raised both arms out reaching for her mother. The child wore nothing but a linen nappy. “This is your daddy, Tracy. Give him a hug and a kiss,” April said in a high pitched voice. Patrick leaned in for a hug. The baby was frightened by his scared face and recoiled, hiding her face in her mother’s armpit. April sighed and made an excuse for the little redhead, “Well give it time, she is a shy one. We hope she will be talking any day now.”
“This barky is mind touched. I would expect this craziness from a transport ship but not a pirate vessel. Look at all the women, cats and children everywhere!” Patrick barked.
“Well these women are widows or unwed mothers of bastard children. They had to bring their children along because they have nowhere else to go. Actually, the older ones are very useful. They help cook, clean, fish, and a few are excellent cabin boys. Over here are some of the whores you already know. This be Roxanne our Persian beauty and you remember the toast of France, Miss Tiphanie. We have six more women around here somewhere but they must be below deck right now." The two women waved at Patrick as April continued, “Of course, you already met the lovely Teresa earlier”.
The captain continued her tour, “There are two more ladies who we picked up in our travels. This one here is a German woman with a busy mouth on her. The first time I saw her, I was smuggling muskets to our network in Charles Towne. She was on display in the center of town with her head and hands sticking out the stocks. She was still cussing in German about how evil the king’s government was. Then two weeks later, I come back and she was then sticking out of a pillory. She was still cussing at the bloody backs walking by, asking them if they would do this to their children. I knew she was our kind of people and asked her to escape her life and join us. Say hello to Miss Bleish.” Patrick waived at the woman who was busy writing in a book.
“I think she is writing a book about liberty and personal freedom in German, but none of us can understand her enough to know for sure. Over here, this attractive blonde young lady is named Audrey Scott. She comes from a family of pearl divers. She be one of the only women on this barky who actually knows how to swim. She been promising teaching the rest of us. She has dived up and down the coast and knows a ton of knowledge about the area. She is fascinated with the dead cultures that used to be here before the white man arrived. Be careful not to ask her about any dead society or she will talk your ear off. She was orphaned when British privateers killed her family and stole her family's ship. The only reason she escaped was because she was diving for pearls at the time of the attack. We took her in and we are glad we did. Even if it is just for the never ending supply of clams and oysters she brings up.”
The short-haired blonde threw her muscular arms around April. “I have never heard my own plight told to me. Thank you for all your kind words and nice meeting your husband, finally. If you have the time, captain, there is a fascinating shipwreck around here to dive. “
April responded, “Not right now. We are on our way to Charles Towne to finally get some long awaited answers.” Captain Read pointed up, “Up there in the rigging is where Shamus’ hammock is, that crazy Irishman gave me the captain’s quarters to live in while he sleeps in the wind. Oh, and over there, those shirtless sailors relaxing holding hands are Mr. Michael and Mr. James, the men Shamus rescued.” They both waved as they sipped their grog from colorful wooden cups they recently painted.
The captain continued to stroll around the deck and making introductions. Patrick still found it very odd being introduced as her husband but found he enjoyed it after a while.
“Because we have so many ladies, we added two private shit hatches down in the bow of the ship. Anyone can relieve themselves out these small holes. The shit and piss falls right into the water. Of course the stubborn men sailors still use a pissdale. I always found the large lead buckets disgusting and they stink up the ship, too. I told them if they continued on using a pissdale instead of the head, they would be the ones bucketing out all that shit and piss when it is full,” April insisted.
She walked by the helm and quickly became out of sorts. “Sailing master, report!” the captain yelled. Sam ran over to discover what she was upset with. April was very mad, “Are you trying to curse us all?! You want to put a vex on this whole voyage?! Why the hell is the compass out of its binnacle box? You know that the compass is run by spirit magic. Need I remind you it always has to remain hidden in its wooden box or its magical properties will curse us all?”
Sam belted back, “Captain, one of the children must have removed it. Hell, I still can’t find the sounding weight and chip log. I am pretty sure a couple of those kids are playing with them. You have to keep these children away from the equipment or it will maroon us all.”
“I agree," April answered. "Miss Bias needs help controlling these little sea monsters. I will get her some hands to help. See if the whore Margie is available. She seems to have a high tolerance for the wee little ones’ antics.”
As the sun started setting, Patrick saw his sister Garland and Isaac studying the small Torah the large man always carried on him. It was nice to be at sea again he thought as his wife hugged him from behind.
* * *
Half Moon Battery and the Watchtower of Charles Towne
After an hour of morning sex, the captain and her husband ventured
topside. “Look there,” April handed Patrick the spy glass. “That is Charles Towne. Do you see the brick wall facing the water? Follow the wall to the middle and you will see the watchtower sitting on the half moon battery. In the bowels of the watchtower is where the pirate prisoners are to hang. This is hallowed ground for us pirates. Lots of souls I knew died dangling from those gallows. I can picture my friends trying anything to steal the keys to get out of their cells. One of my good friends Stede Bonnet was hung in this town at White Point, right there at the tip of the peninsula,” she pointed. “ was whoring in Nassau when I met him. He was sailing with Blackbeard then, but he went on to get his own barky. He told me he actually bought his pirate ship just to get away from his naggin’ wife. Funny, I used to make jest and call him ‘The Gentleman Pirate’ because he bought a ship instead of stealing one, but now I find meself doing the same thing. Life is funny like that. I really do miss that man. Join me as we throw a shot of rum into the sea to show respect to their spirits." She uncorked a jug of rum, poured a mug full and flicked the liquid into the sea. “Don’t ever let me forget to do that, husband. We must do it every time we see that prison," she stated reverently.
18th c. Dutch engraving of the hanging of Stede Bonnet in Charles Towne
“We are going to land on the exact spot that the original settlers landed all those years ago. It used to have dirt ramparts and cannons to fight off the Spanish. All that is left these days are the palisade walls and a plantation. We have paid the owner enough silver to ignore us coming and going on his land. I will put on my more conservative outfit and cover me skin. I will also use my proper lady voice so as not to arouse suspicion. Hell, I might even wear a hat, just for you," she smiled.
The ship sailed in the marsh up a small river to the original landing site of the colony. The two left the ship and April instructed the crew to remain anchored until they returned.
After a long walk, Patrick and April approached what was perhaps the oldest tavern and bordello in the southern colonies; it was Shamus’s favorite stop in all of Charles Towne. It was a small, three-story building that stood out because of the pink exterior made with Bermuda Stone, a coral stone with a natural pink tint. Mulatto Alley, in which the Pink House Tavern was located, stunk of booze and urine in the rising heat and humidity. The smells, mixed with the other vivid aromas, made anyone want to vomit. Hung over men, from sailors to gentlemen and plantation owners, stumbled around groaning about having to start their day.
Patrick opened the door to the tavern and the bartender barked at him that they were closed for the next two hours to clean up.
"Good sir, we just need to eat and have a bit of refreshment, then we'll be on our way," Patrick stated as he ushered April inside.
"Alright then, come on in. We have some beef pasties with spiced apples already made," said the bartender as he opened a door to the small courtyard in the back. “Here, ‘ave a seat out there. I know it’s hot out but it’s much hotter in here with the fire goin’ fer that stew and more pasties.”
“That sounds wonderful, sir,” April chimed in oozing her charm to make the bartender loosen up a bit. She had dressed in her best lady’s attire, a mantua with a pastel floral pattern and a peach petticoat to match. She noticed he kept looking at her hat and hair and decided this would be how she would work him over, assuming the barkeep had a thing for hair. “Tell me, sir, what is your name?” April asked, untying her hat ribbons and setting the hat down on the table.
“Leo, ma’am,” he said as he unabashedly stared at her hair curled and pulled back. Patrick shot April a glance and she gave him a wink to let him know to follow her lead.
“Well, Leo,” she began as she unpinned and untied the ribbons holding her hair back. This released her silky mane around her face and over her shoulders, bringing one’s eyes straight to her exposed cleavage. “We are unfortunately in a bit of a rush. You see we are looking for someone that lives in Charles Towne.” Leo was staring still and his jaw had dropped a bit. April knew she had him right where she wanted him.
“Leo,” Patrick interrupted.
“Yes, sir,” Leo snapped drawing his attention away from April's luxurious hair and cleavage.
“Might we have some spirits and our meals?” Patrick asked.
“Oh right, of course! Right away!” The bartender disappeared for a moment and Patrick looked at April with a sly grin.
“Oh, my dearest wife, you know how to work us men folk quite well,” he said grabbing her hand.
“Living the life I’ve lived, I had better or I wouldn’t be alive now!” she smiled.
Patrick and April surveyed their surroundings in this tiny, sandy space. Some old playing cards were tossed in a corner along with some dice and a broken mug. There were also some ropes coiled up by the wall. Patrick could only giggle, remembering Shamus’s story that they were used to sneak pirates and sailors alike over the sea wall into the tavern.
Sounds could be heard coming from the opened windows above of women laughing and patting out make-shift mattresses. The bordello and whores, no doubt, April thought to herself. What a shanty compared to her own place back in Savannah. The entire size of the bottom floor was all of a dozen steps. She couldn’t, or rather didn’t, want to imagine what it was like for them two floors above in those crammed quarters. She, too, remembered Shamus’s constant recounts of his trysts up those stairs for a bit of sex and even hiding in a space in the roof.
Leo reappeared with two plates with large pasties and a serving of spiced apples. The smell reminded Patrick how hungry he was. Keeping up with April’s sexual appetite required constant sustenance. “Now for your drinks. We have some brew made at a plantation just outside the city. ‘Tis very good! Would you like a couple glasses of that to try?”
“Sounds charming, Leo,” April replied. “Thank you.”
The bartender brought two large mugs full of frothy booze and set them on the table. “Now then. Since you are square with your meal, you mentioned you were looking for someone?”
“Indeed we are, Leo.” April sipped on the sweet brew. Patrick looked on and was nearly embarrassed at how the bartender fell for her womanly wiles. He watched her throat move as she swallowed and watched her chest heave for breath in between gulps. Leo took in every seemingly miniscule move she made. Patrick wondered how this man survived working in a tavern and whorehouse if he fell for a woman this easily, but then again, April Read was an intoxicating lady. The scarred face man suddenly caught himself staring at her just like the bartender, as April finished off her pint.
“Oh my!” April exclaimed. “That is good brew indeed! Thank you so very much, Leo.” She wiped the froth from her mouth and turned her body to sit directly facing him. “We are looking for a Mr. Francis Dandridge. Do you know him?”
Leo nodded, “Aye, that I do. His brother-in-law is a lawyer that got mixed up in some land dealings ‘round these parts. They helped settle a few disputes for us. I think I saw him in town early today. He and John, uh…his brother-in-law John Prue, were paying a visit to the powder magazine.”
“Oh wonderful! I’m so glad we will not miss him! But first, I want to sink my teeth into this wonderful smelling meal. Might I have another pint of that brew?”
“Indeed, ma’am. T’would be my pleasure.”
“Hey, my love,” Patrick whispered to April as Leo walked away to retrieve another drink, "might you get us all this food and drink for free while you are at it?” April cut him a look he didn’t care for. “I was just saying….” he trailed off.
The tavern keeper returned with April’s refill. “Leo, my boy. Would you care to sit with us?” Patrick asked.
“Ah,” he stammered, not knowing how to react. “Ah, I don’t know if I should.”
“Oh that’s nonsense,” April stated. “Sit and have some conversation with us. We don’t like quiet and working here doesn’t make you a leper. Come on now, sit with us.” April shot him a dazzling smile and patted a chair next to her, leaning
over exposing her cleavage. He complied and sat next to April. “So, how do you know Francis?”
“Well, like I said, he helped with some legal issues and land disputes ‘round these parts. Mr. Prue did the official work but Mr. Dandridge did all the leg-work, mediating and making the deals. Really it’s because of him, we still have a job. See, most of the rich folk coming over from England don’t really like this place, at least not publicly. I see many of their faces here at night but once the sun is shining, they are nowhere near this alley.”
Patrick and April listened intently. They needed to get a feel for Francis to see if he was someone they could trust.
“Anyways, Mr. Dandridge checks on us now and again. He likes to know if there are any unjust abuses going on around here. Lots of times the whores take a beatin’ from a sailor and it ain’t right, but people will look the other way saying they deserve it. Maybe some do, but those that don’t never see justice.”
April liked the sound of this Dandridge fellow. “Well that is mighty charitable of him, I can’t wait to make his acquaintance.”
Leo smiled. He was reveling in this type of company. The pair appeared to be well off and people who are well off don’t talk much to his kind. April continued using her womanly wiles to coax more back story from the bartender about his life. He was abandoned in London as a child and stowed away on a ship bound for the Caribbean. He was discovered and sold to a plantation owner in Barbados. Leo was bought as an indentured servant and worked with the slaves on a sugar plantation. It seemed that many common folks Patrick kept meeting had come over as an indentured servants, too.
Pirates of Savannah: The Complete Trilogy - Colonial Historical Fiction Action Adventure (Pirates of Savannah (Adult Version)) Page 30