“What, you’d like me in a gown and a cabin, waiting to serve on you your every whim?” She was getting angry.
“No, that’s not what I mean and I’ve told you so often enough! You’ve stirred this crew up. You changed the way this ship works on your first night aboard and you’ve shaken things up even more today. I cannot have you leading the rest of my crew astray. All our lives depend on each and every one of our shipmates. If one man hasn’t completed his task, or moves from where he was put, people get hurt or killed. That’s why the captain’s word is law and that’s why you’ll do as you’re told, do you understand?” I heard my voice rising and knew I was handling this badly. I didn’t understand why I was berating her, and was only just beginning to realize how scared I’d been when I saw that man hold a blade to her.
“Have you finished?” Her face was expressionless, and I couldn’t hear any emotion in her voice. I nodded. What else could I do after that? She marched forward, and I watched her go and sighed. What had I been thinking bringing women aboard ship, especially her?
Chapter 40
We’d been sailing in a general southerly direction and were making good time with a fresh northwesterly. We’d spotted the first of the cays and another hour should see us at La Isla Magdalena. I’d used the island often since I first sailed as a pirate. It was hidden in the middle of coral reefs and cays small enough not to appear on any chart but my own. The waters seemed far too shallow for a ship of Freedom’s size, and most stayed well away, but there was a channel if you knew where to sail and kept your wits about you, even in the dark, and I always made sure no ships were in sight before taking Freedom in. Finding wood, water and food here had once saved my life, and we had a safe harbor within reach of Dutch, French, English and Danish ports and, most importantly, the rich shipping between them.
Gabriella hadn’t spoken to me again, but had stayed on the foredeck with Klara, listening to tall tales while she helped to spin ropeyarn, and I wouldn’t approach her there. I joined Frazer on the tiller.
“She’s settling in,” he said, examining the compass.
“Sí, the crew’s taken to her, better than I thought, or hoped.”
“Ah huh.”
“Maybe too quickly.”
“Ah huh,” Frazer repeated.
“She did well today,” I carried on.
Frazer tapped the steering compass but said nothing.
“I was too hard on her,” I told him.
Frazer looked at me but stayed silent.
“Yes, you’re right; I’ll go and talk to her.”
“Ah huh.”
“Gracias, Frazer, you always give good advice.” I was certain I saw the beginnings of a smile touch his eyes, but it was hard to tell in the lantern light.
“Ah huh.”
*
The two women had left the men yarning and moved to the pile of weapons we’d taken from the Dutch ship. Gabriella was admiring a rapier with a blade about the same length as her arm—wholly impractical aboard ship and I recognized it as the one I’d taken off the captain of the last prize.
“You’d find a smaller blade more to your liking. That’s heavy and will be difficult to wield amongst rigging or below decks. It cost its last owner his ship.”
“Is that an order?”
I stiffened but managed to catch my anger before it escaped my mouth. “No, of course not, just well-meant advice.”
She nodded and pulled a falchion with a red grip out of the pile. Its foot-long blade was etched with Moorish symbols and was a beautiful weapon. As she hefted it in her hand, I realized this was it. She wasn’t going to sit in the background—or in a pinnace at a safe distance from any danger. I saw that if I insisted on that I would lose her, and I couldn’t lose her. I’d do whatever I needed to do to keep her with me, and if that meant she joined the fight, then I’d have to teach her how to fight.
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“A suggestion?” she asked, warily.
“A suggestion,” I confirmed. “I’ll save the orders for the ship.” That hardly raised a smile so I quickly carried on. “You need strength in your shoulders to fight with a blade, and any sailor will beat both you and Klara on that score.”
She looked thoughtful, bien, she was listening.
“By all means, have the blades of your choosing but concentrate on guns. If a man’s close enough that you need a sword, he’s too close to you. Learn to shoot, and you won’t need to rely on a blade for your life.”
She looked up at me, her smile was back. “You’ll let us fight?”
“I’ll let you fight with me.”
She hugged me in her excitement, and I was acutely aware of her body pressed against mine. Klara didn’t look quite so pleased.
“On one condition.”
“Let me guess, I do as you tell me.”
“Well, that would be nice, but it’s not my condition.” I paused, wondering how she was going to react.
“Well?”
“You let me teach you how to use your arms and don’t join the fight until I agree your aim is true enough.”
“So you’ll teach us, but not let us fight.”
“No, that’s not what I said. Your lives are not the only ones that concern me. If I put you in the middle of an attack, I need to be sure you won’t shoot one of this crew by mistake. They need to be sure of that too.”
Silence. Then she nodded. “I’ll take you at your word. Why the change of heart? You were furious with me for coming in to rescue you and the others from a sinking ship, and that was after the battle had been won.”
I wanted to tell her how I’d felt when that man threatened her, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
“You seem to have joined my crew. I was annoyed at the risk you took. I’d have reacted in the same way had it been anyone else in that boat.”
She looked at me and smiled. “No, you wouldn’t.”
I couldn’t think of a quick reply and watched her walk back to the foredeck carrying both the rapier and the smaller falchion.
Chapter 41
GABRIELLA
“No, what are you doing? Leo, we’re running aground!”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. After sailing around the clutch of cays for a while to wait for the tide and a clear moon, Leo had taken the tiller himself and guided us in amongst the sand and coral, then steered straight for the beach of La Isla Magdalena. Admittedly, most of the sails were stowed and we were running aground very slowly, but still, we were running aground—on purpose.
“Relax, querida.” Leo laughed. “I’ve done this so many times now, it’s normal, I forgot to warn you we’re not dropping anchor, we’re careening.”
“Careening?”
“Yes, there’s no one here and this is the only approach that isn’t guarded by reefs or sand bars. Unless you know it, and know it well, this island appears unapproachable to any sizable vessel.”
“So?”
“Have a look over the side.”
I looked at him in amazement. My eyes were glued to the approaching shore.
“Go on, look over the side,” he repeated.
I shrugged in confusion, am I on a ship crewed by madmen? Even a landlubber knows ships are supposed to stay in the water. I decided to humor him.
“What do you see?” he asked. Why can’t he answer a simple question?
“Er . . . sharks.” Truth be told, I couldn’t see a thing, it was too dark, but I knew they were there and it seemed a good answer.
He laughed. “Look at the hull, not the beasts, do you see the color of it?”
“It’s black and white.”
“Yes. Weed and salt; do you see the barnacles? It’s all slowing us down. We’re a fighting ship—we need every knot of speed we can coax out of her, which means scraping her hull clean. We can’t do that at sea, we need to beach her and tip her onto her side—careen her.”
I was unconvinced. Surely dirty and afloat’s better than high and dry?<
br />
There was a crunch and the deck shuddered hard enough to unbalance me. I stumbled against Leo and sprang back again.
“Let go the sheets! Furl those jibs!” Leo roared loudly enough to be heard at the bowsprit. I watched everyone jump into action. They hadn’t needed Leo’s direction, they’d let the sheets fly at the first shudder. They moved so quickly and surely, I felt useless. By the time I’d asked how Klara and I could help, the job had already been done.
Leo found it hilarious that the men, who’d been keen to ensure we pulled our weight aboard, now couldn’t spare a few seconds to tell us what to do.
“There’s gold to be shared, and a victory to celebrate. You’ll never see them work as fast as this at any other time! Listen to the shanty.” He pointed at the capstan on the foredeck where a dozen men were pushing the huge drum around to hoist one of the cannon overboard.
“We’ll measure our treasure
and allot our loot.
We’ll split the spoils
and sorty our booty.
Silver, gold and pewter too,
Rubies, emeralds and pearls.
Gather plunder from seas ayonder,
and cast it all asunder!”
“What kind of song is that? What does it mean?”
“It’s a shanty—a song to set a rhythm to work to. It’s a bit of nonsense really, but it serves its purpose.”
“What do they mean by “cast it all asunder”? Are they going to throw it overboard or something?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “They may as well the way they spend and gamble it away! A newly rich pirate does tend to be overgenerous!”
The mood was infectious, everyone had laughter in their throats—even Frazer and Jimmy smiled—I realized there was a smile on my own face too. I looked at Klara standing at the rail with Obi, but she didn’t notice me. All her attention was on the man beside her. Good, she needed to forget about Wilbert and Jan’s fate, and move on. I hoped she could find happiness again.
*
An hour later Freedom was beached, a couple of cannon had been set up ashore to cover the channel we’d sailed through, and a huge fire blazed. I watched Leo organize the unloading of plunder and smiled when he turned to meet my gaze. I tried to pull my eyes away but failed, and we grinned at each other for what seemed an age over the growing pile of pirate treasure.
The mood was broken by Frazer’s shout of, “Captain!” and I wrenched my eyes away, embarrassed to be staring at him. I went to join the growing crowd around the fire, helped myself to a pot of rum punch, and tried to ignore my hammering heart.
Chapter 42
I’d seen a lot of faces on Leo that day. I’d seen the general ordering his troops, and the warrior running into battle before his men. I’d seen him churlish and embarrassed after I rescued him from his sinking prize, and now I saw the proud father congratulating and rewarding his victorious sons.
He couldn’t stand still but paced around his deck and men, touching each one on the shoulder or shaking his hand. I wasn’t paying much attention to what he was saying, I wasn’t really part of it, but I enjoyed the smile that lit up his face. His hands and arms were in constant motion, emphasizing everything he said, and I realized I was watching a man who was exactly where he was destined to be. I was watching a man who was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing and loved it. I was watching a man who was walking toward me with a big smile, being cheered by everyone else and saying my name.
I snapped back to attention, wondering what I’d missed.
“What?”
“I was welcoming the five of you to the crew, Gabriella. Don’t tell me you weren’t listening.”
“What?”
“Butler, Thompson, Greenwoode, Klara and yourself. Where were you? We just voted you a full member of Sound of Freedom’s crew!”
“Oh.” Then it sank in. “Oh! Oh!”
I glanced at Klara, who looked as stunned as I felt.
“Yes, a real valuable asset. Better not put her on lookout duty, Captain!” I couldn’t decide whether Newton was joking or sneering, but it didn’t matter, most of them wanted me to stay.
“Thirty one to fifteen in favor.”
“Oh.”
“They’ve lost their tongues, Cap, thee’d best get on afore they finds ’em again!” I recognized Mr. Gaunt’s voice and was sure he spoke in jest.
“Thank you, I mean, I . . .” I shut up. I knew if I said anything more I’d never hold back the tears threatening to engulf me. Against all the odds, we’d found somewhere we wanted to be and where we were wanted in return.
Leo put his arm around my shoulders and brought me into the circle of men. “Frazer, the articles, por favor.”
“What’s this?”
“Your agreement. Well, our agreement, we’ve all signed it. It sets out the conditions and benefits of being a full crew member of the Sound of Freedom. How we share our plunder, what happens if you’re injured and what happens if you try to cheat your crewmates or mutiny.”
“Oh, very well then.” I moved to sign, then stopped. “Out of interest, what does happen if we cheat our crewmates or mutiny?” I thought it was worth knowing, just in case.
“Maybe you’d better read it.”
“Maybe.” I was still in shock, we’d only been aboard the ship a week, and were barely doing our share of the work. We were tolerated by the crew, most of them anyway, but I hadn’t expected to be voted in so formally. We’d spent most, if not all, of our lives being treated as if we were a necessary evil—and by men who called themselves “gentle men”. Now, we were wanted and welcomed by men who called themselves pirates, outlaws. We’d found a home. I signed the articles and passed them onto Klara, then the men who’d joined us from the prize for their signatures. I wouldn’t cheat any of these men who had given us a new life. If I did, I’d deserve their worst punishment and accept it gladly. Although I’ll have to be careful about when and how I argue with Leo and not cross into mutiny! I remembered something Leo had said when we first came aboard; something about marooning or death. I shivered.
“The Pirate’s Salute!” cried Mr. Gaunt, and a big cheer accompanied the first beakers of rum. We all lifted our drinking arms five times to the toast of the new crew.
“Charles Butler!”
“Thomas Thompson!”
“James Greenwoode!”
“Klara!”
“Gabriella Berryngton!”
Then a final toast: ‘To Sound of Freedom and all who sail in her! May Neptune keep us safe.”
I followed the crew’s—my crew’s—example and drank it in one each time, which was the only way I could get it down my throat. It tasted disgusting and was gritty. Both Klara and I coughed and coughed, and I wondered if our first action as full members of the crew would be to vomit on the beach. Nobody seemed to mind the threat though, they roared with laughter. Even Leo.
“What the bilges was that!” I croaked out (I was picking up their turn of phrase quickly now). I’d had rum before, and, although I didn’t like it much on its own (I preferred the rum punch), I’d been prepared for the fire to run down my throat, but this was something else entirely.
Still laughing, Leo said, “Black powder!”
“What?” I must have misheard.
“Gunpowder. It’s the Pirate’s Salute to any new crewmembers. Rum and gunpowder. What did you think would be in it?”
“Gunpowder,” I repeated, aware of everyone laughing and not feeling quite so welcome anymore.
“Why would you give us gunpowder to drink, are you trying to blow us up?”
“Maybe he’s trying to light you up!” I couldn’t tell who’d shouted out but noticed Leo turn a touch red.
“Hush, we’ve all had it, not just you, and none of us will blow up—as long as we keep soaking our innards and don’t get too close to the fire!”
The laughter grew even louder, and I looked hard at Leo, but couldn’t find any malice in his eyes. I turned my gaze
to Mr. Gaunt, who smiled and nodded.
“Does this mean you’ll let me fire the cannon?” I asked, joining in the laughter.
“Not bloody likely!” a strong, sulky voice called out. I looked around, thinking it was Newton who was objecting, but it had been Jean-Claude, the master gunner. I’d said it in jest, but now I wanted more than anything to get behind a loaded cannon with a lit match.
“So when do we get the gold?” I asked.
Another cheer and rendition, now fairly drunken and extremely impolite, of the rhyme they’d chanted earlier.
“Right then, Frazer, as the lady says, when do we get the gold?”
Another cheer was silenced by Frazer when he pulled out some paper and began to read: “A dozen bags of gold dust, seventeen hundred pieces of eight.”
He wasn’t one to employ any unnecessary words and kept reading from his list in a dull monotone, not looking up at his crewmates as he told them their fortunes.
“A thousand English shillings, two hundred Dutch guilder, fifty gold ducats and a bag of emeralds.”
He didn’t join the cheer at his words but, for the first time, I saw him smile.
“Neptune bless the Adelheid!” shouted Blackman, holding his rumpot up for yet another toast.
“The Adelheid?” I asked, wondering if I’d heard right. I hadn’t thought to look at the name of the Dutch ship.
“Yes,” Leo confirmed.
“That’s one of Erik’s! Adelheid was his mother’s name.” I laughed. “We destroyed one of Erik’s ships! I fought off one of Erik’s men!” I couldn’t help myself and grabbed Leo’s arm in delight. He lifted me off my feet and spun me around as another toast was drunk to the destruction of that ship. I thought briefly of the three men who had joined us, and wondered what that meant for my future.
“Captain?” Frazer interrupted, and pointed at a pair of large, elaborately decorated brass scales.
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