The Dark Secret of Josephine rb-5

by Dennis Wheatley

Tie story so amused Georgina that she was momentarily taken out of herself and cried with a laugh: "Damme, the old woman was right!"

  Roger laughed too, while casting a speculative glance at Clarissa. He wondered if nervous preoccupations with the subject had caused her to blurt out the story, or if she had told it with the deliberate intent of lessening the other women's dread of the role that capture would force upon them in a few days' time. At that moment she lifted her eyes and they met his. There was no trace of hysteria in them; so he decided that his latter assumption had been correct, and in silent admiration he marvelled that so young a woman should show so much courage.

  Now that Clarissa had broken the ice they talked for a while of the previous night, freely confessing the fears and emotions they had experienced, but by an unspoken agreement all speculations about their grim future remained barred.

  They had been sitting round the table for the best part of an hour when the hunch-backed Indian came in. Walking across to Jenny, he tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the door, obviously indicating that she was wanted outside. At first she violently shook her head, from fear of what might happen to her if she left the others; but the hunch-back then enunciated a word that was recognizable as 'Bloggs' and kept on saying it. Somewhat reassured by the agreement of the rest that 'Bloggs' really was the word he kept on saying, she followed him out into the passage.

  She was absent for about twenty minutes, and when she returned the excitement in her face told them at once that some new develop­ment had occurred. Resuming her place at the table, she said in a low voice:

  "Bloggs says that we must not count upon it, but that he has the wish to save us if that be possible."

  Muted exclamations of relief and hope greeted her announcement, and she went on: "He says that another mutiny would not be possible, because he and his friends are still, in a sense, on probation. They have been allowed to keep their pikes or cutlasses, but were deprived of their fire-arms. Thus the pirates, having pistols and muskets, could soon overcome them."

  "What, then, does he suggest?" Roger asked eagerly.

  "He feels that if the pirates be skillfully approached it should prove possible to detach them from their loyalty to the French nobleman who is their master. But before he makes any move at all, he requires an honourable understanding with yourself about the future."

  "Honourable!" muttered Amanda in disgust. "And he a mutineer and a murderer! How can one treat honourably with such?"

  "It was to him we owe it that worse did not befall last night," Georgina said quickly.

  "Indirectly, perhaps, but no more," Amanda retorted. "He inter­vened only because he has taken a fancy to that brazen-faced mulatto woman, and flew into one of his great rages on seeing her mishandled. Had he not killed Captain Cummins in the first place and brought the ship-to by abandoning her wheel, Circe might well have escaped. It was his treachery which has brought us to our present pass; and I'd wager this is some scheme he has hatched to get us into his own hands. I would not trust him an inch."

  "I think, Madame, you take too black a view of him," Jenny re­marked. "Not that I would excuse his crimes; but he seems to me a man whose acts are dictated by two warring natures, so is not alto­gether responsible for the evil that he does. At least I can vouch for it that just now he referred with deep sensibility to the kindness shown him after his flogging; and spoke most earnestly of his desire to aid us."

  Roger nodded. "I judge you right, Jenny. In any case, even if he is playing for his own ends, I cannot think we are likely to fare worse in his hands than those of this Vicomte de Senlac. Seeing our situation, it would be the height of folly not to clutch at any straw; so I will willingly hear what he has to say. Did he give you any idea of his proposals?"

  "No, Sir. He said only that it would be dangerous for him to show special interest in the prisoners, but that he would be coming down to his dinner later than the others; and that if you would send the ladies and myself to our cabins, so that he should find you here alone, he should take that as meaning that you are agreeable to treat with him."

  For the moment there was no more to be said on the subject; so they whiled away the afternoon as best they could, until at four o'clock the hunch-back came in to set fresh food upon the table, and, shortly afterwards, Pedro and Lucette arrived to make their main meal of the day.

  The Carib, as they had already noticed, was far from being a loquacious man, and he hardly opened his mouth except to cram food into it Lucette, on the other hand, had plenty to say for herself, and after she had satisfied her first hunger she began to question the prisoners on a score of subjects, ranging from their ages and places of birth to the style of hats now being worn in London. In less than twenty minutes Pedro was replete and belched his way out; but Lucette sat on, munching some candied fruits that had been found among the stores, and when Bloggs arrived on the scene she still showed no signs of leaving.

  Roger now became worried that finding all the women captives in the saloon Bloggs would assume that his overture had met with rejection; but there seemed no way of hastening Lucette's departure and, short of inviting her dangerous anger, the others could not all walk out as long as she continued her lazy questioning of them.

  By the time Bloggs had demolished a great plateful of meat and pickles Roger feared that the chance of talking to him alone that evening was as good as lost, and worse, that he might not risk a further rebuff by making another opportunity. But Georgina had sized up the situation and saved it by saying to Lucette:

  "I am accounted something of an artist, Madame; and during our voyage from Madeira I amused myself for a part of the time by designing some clothes that I planned to have made. As they conform to the latest modes, and you are interested in such things, perchance you would care to accompany me to the spare cabin where I keep my trunks. I forget now in which I put them, but between us we should soon rout them out."

  Lucette at once accepted the invitation, and, as she stood up, Georgina said to Jenny: "You had best come with us, to help us m our search." That left only Amanda and Clarissa, and no sooner had the others disappeared than they made an excuse to go to their cabins.

  After a moment Roger said in a low voice to Bloggs: "I am well aware how desperate is the situation of the ladies and myself, and Jenny has told me that you may be able to help us. I can only say that should you be able to do so, we shall owe you more than we can ever repay."

  Bloggs favoured him with a by no means friendly stare, and replied:

  "Foine words, my foine gentleman; but 'tis not fer the likes o* you that I be concerned. Tis fer Jenny, who did nurse me when I were near a corpse from the floggin' Cap'n Cummins ordered me; an' fer her ladyship, who showed a poor mariner kindly charity on that same occasion. Tis no wish of mine that they other ladies should suffer what's in store for 'em, either". Yet they'll all get a taste o' hell afore their time unless summat can be done within the next day or so."

  "I know it," Roger agreed, "and I ask no mercy for myself. If by giving my life I can aid them, count it as already given. Now, what have you in mind?"

  "I've a notion that maybe I could talk round Pedro the Carib. 'E's a queer cuss, that one. 'E don't speak much, but 'e onarstans a bit o' English, an' Jake an' me got quite friendly with 'e up on the poop this forenoon. Seems like 'e got a 'ate agin this Frenchy skipper under who 'e's bin sailin'. I've a mind to put to 'e that now 'e's cap'n o' the Circe, 'e should fly 'is own flag in she, an' make off on 'is own."

  "That would certainly create a new situation, but I don't quite see how it would save the ladies from the sort of thing we fear for them."

  "Ah, but it could; should you be willin' ter let bygones be bygones, an' gi' me an' my mates a clean ticket."

  "You mean forget that the mutiny ever occurred, and the fact that you killed Captain Cummins?"

  Bloggs nodded his dark curly head. "For the death o' that tyrant I'll answer to Almighty God; but meantime, should I be caught I've no wish to swing in c
hains fer it from a gallows in Kingston or On Execution Dock. I were figurin' that you bein' the new Governor of Martinique, you'd maybe 'ave the power to give I a pardon."

  As Roger had always placed the welfare of those he loved before any canon of morality, he replied without hesitation. "I have, and I will. I take it,, too, that as your companions are also liable to a hanging for mutiny you want pardons for them as well?"

  "That's so, Mister Brook; an* there's yet another thing. Piracy be the resort only o' the most desperate characters, seein' that pirate ships be liable to attack by any naval vessel that may happen along, whatsoever be her nation. But privateerin's a very different kettle o' fish. Tis respectable as well as profitable; an' you bein' Governor of an island could, I make no doubt, give we a privateer's commission."

  "Yes, I could do that," Roger agreed, much impressed with the good sense that Bloggs was showing. "And I take it that in return you would arrange for us to be given our freedom?"

  "Twas on them lines that I were thinkin'. O' course Pedro an' 'is mates would 'ave to be given a clean bill, clearing they from all counts likely ter arise out o' they's past. They'd not row in wi' we otherwise. But do 'e pledge me yer word about a privateer's commission an' free pardons for all, an' I've a good 'ope 'twill serve as a strong enough inducement fer Pedro an' the rest to agree that you an' the ladies should be put ashore."

  "What of Madame Lucette?" Roger asked a shade anxiously. "Think you she can be persuaded to become a party to this deal— or at least prevented from wrecking it?"

  Bloggs hesitated a moment, then he grinned. "She be that unpre­dictable'tis more 'an I would say as yet. But so happen she've taken a bit o' a fancy to me; an' me ter her fer that matter.

  "Then if Pedro definitely agrees to your proposals, there should be a good chance of winning her over?"

  'That's the rig o' it, Mister Brook. Jake an' me will make a cast at 'e durin' second dog watch, an' if all's well I'll broach it to Lucette arter I've boarded she agin this comin' night. Have I yer solemn promise as a gentleman ter abide by our onerstandin'?"

  Roger smiled, partly at the thought that despite Bloggs's enthusiasm for the doctrine of Equality' he should still place more faith in the word of a gentleman man in that of one of his own kind; but much more with relief, that above the black pit of tenor in which the Circe's passengers had been plunged these past twenty-four hours there should now have appeared a ray of light. Wisely, he decided that since then-new hope was entirely dependent on Bloggs's goodwill there must be no half measures about burying the past; so standing up he held out his hand and said:

  "You have more than my word, for we shall still remain your prisoners until you choose to release us; but I give it you willingly and here is my hand upon it."

  Bloggs crushed the extended fingers for a moment in an iron grip, grinned again, and left the cabin.

  When he had gone Roger sat down quickly. For the past hour his head had been paining him severely, and after the effort needed for the interview reaction swiftly set in. The stalwart Bloggs had radiated confidence, but now he had gone Roger began to reckon up the odds against his being able to carry his scheme through successfully.

  First, he might have read more than was intended into a few surly remarks about the Vicomte by the taciturn Pedro. Secondly, even if Pedro was game to double-cross his master, would his men agree to follow his lead? He was far from having the forceful personality of a Joao de Mondego and, Roger had gathered, owed his position as an officer only to the fact that having known the reefs and shoals of these coasts since boyhood he was an expert at piloting a ship through them. It seemed much more likely that the other pirates would follow whatever lead was given them by Lucette. And on the previous night she had braved Joao's wrath out of loyalty to the Vicomte.

  From what Bloggs had said it was clear that she had become his mistress, so he was in a stronger position than anyone else to influence her; but Roger did not feel that any great weight could be attached to that. One look at the big healthy body of such a tawny tigress was enough to tell any man that she revelled in every form of sensuality. Seeing the life she was leading, it could hardly be doubted that in the past dozen years she had willingly allowed herself to be caressed by scores, if not hundreds, of men; That she should have taken the repulsive Joao for a lover showed that her appetite was now jaded to a point where it required constant new stimulants; so it was as good as certain that she looked on Bloggs as no more than just another dish to be tasted. In a week or two she would probably cast him off any­way, and a month later have forgotten his existence; so if his project did not appeal to her it was more than likely that she would rid herself of him overnight—quite possibly by sticking a knife between his ribs.

  By the time the others rejoined Roger, he took a very sober view of their chances; and, having given them an outline of his talk with Bloggs, warned them to set no great hopes on his succeeding in his plan. Georgina had relapsed into an apathy of grief, and Roger had a touch of fever, so after Amanda had bathed and re-bandaged his head, they decided to turn in.

  Next morning they were awake and up by the time Lucette and Pedro came in to breakfast, and when Pedro had done Bloggs took his place. As Lucette was still there he said nothing of his plan, but, unseen by her, he gave Roger a solemn wink, which seemed to indicate that things were going well, although Amanda inclined to the opinion that it was nothing but an impertinent familiarity.

  During a good part of the day Jenny hung about the poop entrance to the after cabins, hoping that Bloggs would have a word with her about their prospects; but he did not do so and left them to spend the dragging hours in futile speculation. Neither did they become any wiser during the dinner hour. Lucette was unusually silent, which suggested that she had something on her mind, but she again remained at table after Pedro had gone back on deck, and did not rise from it until Bloggs had in turn finished his meal; upon which they left the cabin together.

  It was over an hour later when Bloggs returned and, touching his forelock, said, "Ladies, I be come ter request the pleasure o' your company out on deck; and yourn too, Mister Brook."

  The civility of Bloggs's address raised Roger's hopes, and he shot him a questioning glance.

  Bloggs nodded. "Pedro be wi' us. 'E's sounded some o' 'is mates. Some's favourable, some's aginst. But I'll lay they'll all come over when you makes publicly they promises you made to I."

  "What of Lucette?" Roger asked anxiously.

  "She be considerin' still. 'Tis fer she more than t'others I piped this 'ere meetin'. Love makin' wi' she be easy as kiss yer 'and; but our lingos bein' different makes talkin' 'eavy weather. Seein' that's the way o' things, it come to I that you bein' glib o' tongue could best do your own persuadin'."

  By no means sanguine about their prospects, but determined to do his utmost, Roger followed the others out on deck. It was still full daylight, though within an hour a brief twilight followed by night would come with tropical suddenness. In the meantime the north coast of Santo Domingo, along which Circe had been running ever since her capture, could be plainly seen to port, and some three miles distant on her starboard beam the barque of the Vicomte, presumably leading them towards some secluded bay in which he maintained a permanent base.

  The deck was crowded with the whole ship's company. They were excitedly exchanging rumours concerning what they believed was about to take place. Bloggs made a way for the prisoners to the main sheet bollards. Lucette was there leaning negligently on one of them. Pedro called for silence then clambered up on to the midships capstan. First in Creole, then in Spanish, he addressed the men.

  His words were few but to the point. He stigmatized the Vicomte as a man of mean, intolerant, unpredictable nature, whom no one could trust; and asked why, now they had a ship of their own, they should submit to his tyranny any longer.

  Lucette called out: "For the reason that you have previously done so. Because in the past he has brought you much plunder. Because he is a cleverer man and
a better leader than any of you will ever be."

  A murmur of agreement followed her counter-blast to Pedro's stilted speech; but Bloggs quickly took his place and drowned all opposition by a bull-like roar in which he put the situation to his mates and others who could understand English. The hearty ovation he received from his friends suggested that they had already secretly endorsed his plan, but the attitude of the Porto Ricans remained doubtful, and a number of the pirates were evidently averse to deserting their old master.

  It was now Roger's turn, and one of the gifts which had proved most valuable to him in his career was an exceptional ability to express his thoughts, either in speech or writing, with telling clarity. Knowing how much depended on this now he spared no effort to convince his audience of the soundness of Bloggs's arguments.

  Upon the English, since they had already been won over, he wasted little time, simply reiterating his promises to Bloggs, but he spoke at length in passable Spanish, and still longer in his impeccable French. In both he dwelt upon the hazardous life led by pirates, who were liable to be shot for the least disobedience by their own captains, could enjoy the pleasures offered in the larger ports of the Caribbean only at the risk of recognition by someone they had despoiled, and more often than not ended up on a gallows. By contrast he painted the life of a law-abiding privateersman in glowing colours, asserting that it was not only safer and happier but equally profitable. Finally, he boldly grasped the nettle by turning to Lucette and crying:

  "Now Madame, let us hear you on this question. Do you prefer to continue as an outlaw, or will you encourage the crew of this fine ship to fight her worthily in future under the protection of my mandate?" , Her face was quite expressionless and she was toying with the butt of her silver-mounted pistol. He was suddenly seized with the idea that she was about to whip it out in a swift attempt to shoot him. His eyes held hers, watching for the faintest flicker in them which might give him a second's warning, so that he could escape the ball by throwing himself off the capstan. But his fears were groundless.