The Blue Diamond (The Razor's Edge Book 1)

by P. S. Bartlett

  “You’re charming and lovely, Zara. Unfortunately, it seems, despite your mother’s tragic and untimely death, you are still too naive to see things as they truly are. It isn’t that I don’t appreciate the history lesson, because I found it all incredibly fascinating. However, the Captain made it quite clear when he tied me to the bed what his true intentions and feelings are. Now, we need to get going. So, please, get me dressed and down to the beach before he whips off more of my hair or worse…yours.”

  “I did not intend to lie to you that first day. But now, knowing there is something there between you and Maddox, it would be a tragedy to throw it away.”

  “I believe you should have said that to him.”

  “Perhaps I will, in my own way. In time, you will see him for who he is, and not how he behaves when he is wounded.”

  * * * *

  “Master Green, gather the crew so that I may address them. I’ll have no one near Madame Shepard for the duration of the voyage, upon pain of death at the end of my whip.”

  “Yes, Captain. We are almost ready to sail. Shall I send a tender for Madame Shepard?”

  “Yes, immediately. Upon her arrival she is to be confined to her cabin and not permitted above deck until we reach Nassau.”

  “Are you certain, Captain?” Green leaned beneath Carbonale’s tricorn and whispered.

  “I believe I’ve made myself perfectly clear, Master Green,” he replied and turned to the steps of the quarterdeck to await his crew’s assembly. He was only carrying twenty men for this voyage, since he believed it would be the easiest mission of his ten year career. Still in his early thirties, the thought of collecting this bounty and being able to retire was a dream-come-true. Even after he paid off his crew, he’d still retire a very rich man—and a living one.

  “The tender has been dispatched, and the ship is ready,” Green spoke with his hands folded together at his back. He stood a step below Carbonale as the captain addressed his crew, cracking his whip above his head at any chatter. The darker side of Maddox lived on the sea. Once his boots rested on the deck of a vessel, Blacksnake emerged and faced forward until whatever mission he set out to complete was finished.

  “I ordered first light, Master Green, and there it is,” he said, leaning on the port rail, watching the longboat containing the former Captain Ivory…The Razor…bound and gagged, rowed steadily to the ship by the hands of two crewmen.

  “Gagged, Captain?” Green leaned again under Carbonale’s hat and whispered.

  “Alphonse, I do only what I must—you know that better than anyone,” he replied, and then, as if filled with wind, he addressed the crew. “Due north, handsomely, gentlemen! We have just over four hundred miles, and if we can’t make Nassau by Saturday morning you are all worthless fucking shit!” he shouted above their heads, causing them to erupt in a roar of cheers, pointing their pikes and swords into the air. “How many times have we taken this route? Don’t bother to answer! Just take your stations and, as usual, be ready for anything.”

  With a final crack of his whip, he climbed the steps and again stood at the port rail, watching as Ivory was brought aboard. She raised her head and bore a hole in him with her blue eyes. He responded with an icy stare of his own, and then turned his back to the rail to watch his crew go to work.

  “You are a stronger man than I could hope to be, Captain,” Green commented, lighting a pipe and leaning back next to Carbonale.

  “Would you like to tell me what this is all about?”

  Green looked over the side and nodded in the direction of the longboat, which was now being raised and brought up the side of the ship. “It concerns Madame Ivory. As much as I hate to admit it, what I saw last night was not…”

  “That will do,” Carbonale said with a scowl.

  “I will say this to you now, as your friend, and be done. You are falling in love with that woman, and because of Elsebeth, you are willing to watch her hang for it.”

  “For the final time, she will not hang,” Carbonale insisted, standing firm.

  “How can you be certain?”

  Carbonale stepped away and stopped, then turned and walked back up to Green. He slammed the butt of his fist down on the rail. “If it comes to that, and this is a very big “if”, I’ll plead her case and do whatever I can to prevent it. Do you feel better now, Master Green? May we please continue with our voyage, or is there someone else aboard ship for whom your heart bleeds?”

  “Cap’n? You’re needed in your cabin, sir,” said a young crewman upon approaching the men.

  “I’ll be right along, lad.” Carbonale said before Green spoke one last time.

  “Maddox, once again as your friend, I am only telling you what you cannot tell yourself.”

  “Well, please do us both a favor, and allow me to make my own decisions, as I always have.”

  “I’m afraid if anything happens to this woman, it will be your heart that bleeds. For that matter, you’ll be bleeding from every hole in your body,” Green shouted in a whisper as he pulled a knit cap over his head and dashed off to mind his duties.

  Chapter Ten

  “Miranda, let’s go! The sun’s already up,” Cass said, pulling at her cousin’s arm when a knock came at their cabin door aboard the Carolina Cutlass.

  “Ladies, are ye dressed yet?”

  “It’s Willy. He’s back.” Cass rushed to the cabin door and unlocked it, to find Willy standing there with his hat in his hands.

  “Well? What’s the news?”

  “First of all, the Black Cat is gone.”

  “Gone?”

  “What do you mean… gone?” Miranda shouted as she leapt from the bed and rushed up behind Cassandra.

  “Just what I said, and by the way, neither of ye is dressed.” Willy threw up his arms and turned his back to them.

  “Just come out with it, will you?” Miranda asked and sat back on the edge of the bed.

  “Ol’ Molly wasn’t sharing much information last night, but the old girl still had a few tricks up her sleeve, I can tell ye that.” He grinned, rubbing his forehead. “Oh, and can ye ladies not shout? I had quite a bit o’ rum last night and…”

  “Willy, just tell us what the devil is going on,” Cass exclaimed, pulling him by the arm into the room and pushing him down into a chair.

  “Alright, alright, listen…not that we spent the whole night gabbin’, but when Molly shoved me outta the bed this morning and asked fer her money, she told me it was Blacksnake’s men that took Ivory alright, and he’s had her held up in his house since they found her.”

  “I knew that bastard was lying,” Miranda growled. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go back and get her!”

  “It’s not that simple, Mir. Don’t you think that house will be heavily guarded against such a blatant attack?” Cass pointed out.

  “It’s of no use. She’s not there no more,” Willy interjected. “They took her aboard the Black Cat just before sun up, and Blacksnake’s planning ta’ trade her ta’ the British in Nassau for fifty thousand pounds!” Willy’s cheeks puffed up as he spoke.

  “Wait…did you just say fifty thousand pounds? Because I could swear…”

  “Yes, Miranda, I’m afraid that’s exactly what he said,” Cass confirmed. “Do we know what this reward is for?”

  “Apparently, it’s fer the Blue Diamond. That’s why they sacked her.”

  Cass said stumbled backward and landed on the bed next to Miranda. They instantly turned and stared wide-eyed at each other, as if there was an understanding between them. When she spoke, her voice was firm.

  “Prepare to set sail. We have to get back to Port Royal and tell Keara. We’ll put a bigger crew together and go after that traitor. Calls himself a pirate and then trades one of the best there is for a reward… once this gets out he’ll never sail these waters again!” Miranda declared.

  “I believe that’s the plan, lass,” Willy said, lowering his head.

  “Are you saying he’s doing this to co
llect the money and run off?” Cass asked, pulling on her vest and belt and arming herself.

  Willy turned away to shield his eyes as they finished dressing and said, “Yes. Molly said that after Saturday, we won’t be seeing Captain Carbonale again.”

  “Willy, get your ass on deck and get this boat back to Port Royal as fast as you can. With no cargo, the Black Cat will fly through these waters. Whatever the cost, we have to get to that ship, or to Nassau, in time to save Ivory.”

  Willy tore out of the room, and moments later, scurrying feet could be heard from one end of the sloop to the other as the sails were raised and the boat came about to head home.

  “Cass, what will they do to her if she’s tried and found guilty?”

  “Women aren’t often hanged, but she could be facing a long jail sentence. If she pleads for leniency and swears she was forced, or coerced, into this life by a man, she might get a lesser sentence. But, I just don’t see Ivory doing such a thing.”

  “Not even to save her own neck?”

  Cass looked up from lacing her boot, and Miranda knew immediately what the answer was. “It feels as if we have the wind. We’ll be home in no time, and together I know we can, once and for all, put that demon and his ship out of commission. For good.”

  * * * *

  Keara had stood watch on the deck of their beach house since dawn, surveying the horizon for the sloop. She’d spent the entire night before going over charts with Roberts, as well as finishing off a bottle of rum and playing chess until she thought her eyes would bleed. After beating Roberts at every match, he gave up and threw the board across the floor. He then decided their time was better spent naked in her bed and tossed her over his shoulder.

  Keara was mum when it came to her affair with Roberts, but one of the other women was wise to them from the start. Cass made it her business to know all the going’s on in their little community and picked up on the smoke from their sparks before the fire even caught. However, having the whole night together and not having to steal away to his tent in the dark was a welcome treat, despite the terrible circumstance which left them to it.

  “Ke, we might as well have breakfast,” Roberts whispered as he walked up behind her and leaned over her shoulder.

  “I suppose you’re right. Where are they, James? They should have been here by now.”

  “Let’s eat, and by the time we’re through and I’ve had my way with you again, I’ll be willing to bet they’ll be within eye sight.”

  It took her a moment to catch on to what he’d said, and once she did, she slammed the spyglass closed and wacked him hard on the backside with it as they turned and walked back into the house. “Way with me indeed!” She laughed. “James, I’ll get breakfast ready, and when we’re through, I’ll need you to gather a crew. I have a feeling we’re going to have a fight on our hands.”

  “What makes you think that?” he asked, pulling on his boots.

  “Cass has believed since we found out about the Blue Diamond being sacked, as well as from crew reports, that it was Blacksnake’s work. Lucky bastards, that bunch. If that fishing boat hadn’t come upon them, we’d still be wondering what happened to the Diamond.” Keara paced back and forth across the room, pondering something, which always made James uneasy. “I can trust you, James, can’t I?”

  “Of course you can, you crazy woman. Is there anyone else on this bloody island who knows we’ve been sleeping together for almost two years?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “God knows I love you, Ke, but sometimes I wonder where you left your head,” he laughed, pulling her into his lap. “If I haven’t told a soul about us because you’ve asked me not to, don’t you think that’s a good enough reason to trust me?”

  Keara sat up in his lap and rose to her feet. “Wait here,” she said, rushing over and throwing the bolt on the front door and then securing the back as well. “Check the windows and make good and sure no one is lurking.” As James followed her orders, she disappeared into the bedroom. A few minutes later, she emerged with a brown sack, tied closed at the top with a golden rope. “Are you sure we’re alone?”

  “Yes, yes, Ke, we are completely alone. Now, what is all of this about?” James stood and walked towards her as she sat the bag down on the kitchen table and pulled loose the rope.

  “When Ivory took that ship—you know the one she…”

  “I know…” he sighed and rolled his eyes.

  “James, you don’t understand. This is serious.” Keara tilted the opening of the bag forward and gently began to pour its contents onto the table.

  “Jesus Christ, Ke! Put those back!” he shouted, backing away from the table.

  “I think this is what Blacksnake was looking for,” she said, brushing her hand over a pile of diamonds. There were yellow ones, pink ones, white ones…and a few extremely rare blue ones as well.

  “I said put them back, Ke. I wish you’d never even shared this with me now,” James turned away and took a turn at pacing.

  “Oh, shut up and stop being a coward. You haven’t even seen the best one yet, and you’re falling apart.” Keara reached into the bag, and when she pulled out her hand, sitting in her palm was a rare, blue diamond the size of a chicken egg. James fell back into his chair as beads of perspiration formed on his forehead. He pulled his bandana from his pocket and dabbed them away.

  “Alright, Ke, you’ve made your point. Now put them back.”

  “How much do you think all of this is worth?”

  “How should I know? I’m a navigator, not a jewel expert. I can tell you this for certain, though; someone is definitely missing that bag.”

  “I agree. Which is why I believe Blacksnake did this,” she said, scooping the jewels into her hands. “Well, don’t just sit there, come help me.”

  James scrambled to his feet, still shaken by the sight of the bag’s contents, and held it open as Keara poured the stones from her hands. "What I don’t get is why, with all of this, you are all still living here on this beach and not off in some mansion in America, or anywhere in the world for that matter.”

  Keara stood holding the large blue stone up to the sunlight streaming through the window and said, “You can’t just sell stones like this at some pirate trading port, James. You have to find just the right buyer, and I don’t know of anyone here in these waters who could afford such things. We planned to take them to a jeweler in America and have them set—well, all but this one, of course. It’s a lot easier to unload stones such as these when they’re already set. The real mystery is what they were doing on a merchant ship.” Keara again paced back and forth, tossing the big blue stone into the air and catching it as she stepped under it, which held poor James on the edge of his seat, ready to leap into action should she miss. “We came to the conclusion that the captain was really a smuggler. You can only find diamonds like these in two places in the world, and Jamaica isn’t one of them.”

  “I’d wager my share of a ship full of Spanish gold that whoever those belonged to would kill, or die, to get them back. Come on, Ke, please…put it away. Put them all back where you found them.”

  “Or kidnap.”

  “What?” he asked, snatching the diamond from the air and rushing it back to the bag.

  “Kill, die…or kidnap.”

  “Wait, if Blacksnake knew about these stones and wants them, for whatever reason—be it they’re his or he knew they were on that ship—then where is he? Where’s the ransom? He had the means to sack the Blue Diamond, whose name now makes perfect sense, but don’t you think he’d have come after you all right here in Port Royal? Not to mention, Ivory took that ship months ago. He’s had more than enough time to make his move.”

  “James, do you remember what that ship was carrying when we took it? Do you remember where it was coming from when we caught up to it in the gulf?”

  “Don’t bring that up,” James answered, returning to his chair and dropping his head into his hands.

&nbs
p; “Ivory suspects that ship was on its way to the American colonies.”

  “It was full of Africans, Ke; of course that’s where it was headed.”

  “Africans, rum, textiles, and some other assorted items.”

  “And a bag full of precious stones.”

  Keara stopped pacing and spun around. “Exactly…a bag full of precious stones—of which some of them can only be found in two places in the world; one of those places being Southern Africa. Where does that fit in? They certainly weren’t listed on the ship’s cargo log. Ivory came upon them locked in a box in the captain’s cabin, hidden in the bottom of a trunk. When she confronted him about them, he denied even knowing they were aboard. That crazy cousin of mine was already looking to slit his throat over the Africans, and she knew he was lying about that bag. I suppose turning him over to the Africans took care of that beast.” Keara chuckled.

  “I was there, remember? So…these jewels have stayed locked away ever since?”

  “I told you, we have to find just the right buyer. Cass has been searching, and we’re so close. She reached out to a few contacts back in Charles Towne, but they said there was no one they would vouch for. They did, however, recommend someone in Boston. You can find, or lose, anything in Boston these days, if you understand what I mean.”

  “Why don’t you go put those back where you found them, and we’ll just pretend we never had this little chat?” James said, wrapping her up from behind and sweeping her sun-kissed light brown hair away from her shoulder. “You’re the only jewel I want on this island.”

  “James, no matter how I try to figure this out, I still just don’t get it.”

  “I think I may, if you’d put those things away,” he whispered into her ear, as he nuzzled her bare neck and chuckled.

  “Maybe Blacksnake hasn’t a clue we have these stones after all? You said it yourself. If he believed we had them, he’d stop at nothing to get them, and he certainly wouldn’t have waited this long to do it. And why take Ivory, when all he had to do was raid us? There’s something else he wants. Of course, that still doesn’t explain why the owners of the merchant ship haven’t come after us, either. I mean…if I had stashed what appears to be thousands of dollars in diamonds on a ship that was taken, I’d certainly look for them.”