The Pirate’s Jewel

by Casie, Ruth A.

  “What makes you so pleased?” She hadn’t heard Lord Ewan return.

  She turned away from the window.

  He shook his head. “A moment ago, you were serious, demanding to go home. Are you fickle like Maria and changed your mind?”

  “M’lord, changing her mind is Maria’s prerogative.” She took a breath and worked at keeping her irritation out of her voice. “She deserves some freedom given she obeys your most important demands.”

  She looked into eyes that were sharp and assessing, but she wouldn’t let him intimidate her.

  “You should be here while I fulfill the serious task your father gave me.”

  “Yes, to find me a suitable husband.” Lord Ewan tilted his head and gave an approving nod.

  “You have not accepted any of my suggestions. I want you to be as happy as Maria. So, I will keep searching. Perhaps a visit with your mother will improve your judgement. There is good news. A ship arrived that might be sailing for Ellenbeich,” Lord Ewan said, a twinkle in his eye. “If the captain is willing to take you on board you can leave with him. If not, you must wait until there are men to spare for a land journey. I’ll speak to the captain. Go home to your mother. I will call you back when you’re needed.”

  She blinked hard to clear her mind. By boat. Could she venture into the channel? There was no decision to make. The overwhelming need to return home was great. So great she would dare to go by sea. Her hand went to her pouch.

  “So mote it be,” she said under her breath.

  Chapter Three

  “Darla, sailing to Ellenbeich will be so much faster than parading through the forest on horseback,” Maria said, “and easier on your backside.” Darla’s brow creased. Her pounding heart echoed in her ears. Sailing home was the best solution for Maria, for everyone.

  “Mother mentioned a ship arrived today. It must be the same Father mentioned to you. If you go home by boat, you could visit your mother and return in two, maybe three days rather than the weeks it will take by land,” Maria said as she walked with Darla to the Keep.

  Rather than start an argument that would go nowhere, she decided not to mention her trip home would be more than a few days. She’d find to better time and place to tell her. They stepped into the courtyard.

  The afternoon had turned dark. Sporadic wind gusts swept along the long stone walk and caught their shawls as if they were great sails. Pulling their wraps close they hurried into the Great Hall.

  Maria made good sense, but by sea? Her heart still pounded at the thought, but she could bear the sea trip for a few hours if it meant reaching home faster. They entered the room, her decision made. She would sail home to Ellenbeich.

  The afternoon’s conversation with Lord Ewan was encouraging. She was confident the captain would give her passage. Torches were placed around the room. The afternoon light filtered through the windows on the east wall. Along with the glow of a burning fire in the hearth on the north wall, the chamber was comfortable and warm. Large woven tapestries hung on the walls depicting the countryside and MacDougalls at play and at war. The boards and benches were in place, ready for the evening meal. Lord Ewan’s table was prepared on the dais while the MacDougall great chair was retired next to the hearth.

  Men gathered in small groups around the room. As they carried on their spirited discussions, pages threaded their way through the crowd and poured ale into empty or half-empty tankards. The commotion was deafening.

  Of all the voices, one stood out to Darla. Father.

  She searched the crowd. The faces were a mosaic of emotions. Fear and anger produced some heated arguments on one side of the room, but off in a corner, cooler heads prevailed. That’s where she found him. She rushed to his side.

  “Father, we didn’t expect you for another week.” She flew into his arms excited at the pleasant surprise.

  Her father held her close and kissed her forehead. “Darla, I wanted to speak to you before I leave.”

  She pushed out of his embrace. “Leave? But you’ve just arrived.”

  “Yes, I stopped to collect supplies before we go on to Ellenbeich. The crew is preparing the ship. I sail on the evening tide.” Tonight? She wasn’t prepared to leave tonight, but she would manage. It wouldn’t take her long to put her necessary things in a satchel.

  “Lord Ewan said there was a ship here to take me home. How wonderful the ship is yours.” Yes, her moderate satchel would do.

  Her father’s face became set, his teeth clenched. He patted her hand and stared at her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. Her excitement blew apart and left her adrift like a rudderless ship.

  “I’m afraid his lordship spoke too soon.”

  She took a deep breath, an objection on the tip of her tongue. He raised his hand to stop her from speaking.

  “Let me finish. There are circumstances that make it impossible for me to take you with me tonight.”

  A splash of cold water couldn’t have startled her more. She never thought her father would deny her return. Was the danger so great? With effort, she fought for control over her rapid short breaths. This wasn’t like Father. No, not at all. She tilted her head to the side and studied his face. He was holding something from her.

  “Why can’t you take me home?”

  “A pirate ship harassed us. I must return to Ellenbeich immediately and report the incident to the Association. I suspect we’ll encounter the pirates again. I will not jeopardize you.”

  “Will you be safe?” The voices and sounds around her in the Great Hall faded. The question stabbed at her heart.

  Again, he patted her hand. “Lord Ewan is providing soldiers. I’m taking them to Ellenbeich. I’ll be safe.”

  If the soldiers made it safe for her father to travel, then why not her? She seethed with mounting anger. She didn’t care about the pirates or anything else. This urgency that pushed her to return home was overwhelming. If only she could tell her father, but how could she make him understand when she had no plausible reason to speak to her mother that would make sense to him.

  “Don’t look at me that way. I do this for your safety. If you feel so strongly about going home, I’ll arrange an overland trip with Lord Ewan.”

  “But Father, a land trip will take days to arrange and more to reach home. We can be home before daybreak.”

  “Haven’t you heard a word I said?” His pleasant tone turned angry. “Taking you by sea is too dangerous. Our passenger’s quick action saved us or we all would be at the bottom of the sea.”

  Her insides ached. Yes, she heard every word he said, but none of them mattered. This drive, need, to get to her mother was overpowering.

  “Father, this isn’t one of your stories, an exaggeration you tell after dinner to entertain us about your travels.” She put her hand on his arm and tried to encourage the warmth back in his voice.

  “I wish it was one of my stories. It’s not. We almost lost our helmsman today. I will not put you in harm’s way. You are safe here. This discussion is ended.” He spoke with quiet firmness. He remained adamant.

  “Maxwell, a minute please. I’m telling everyone about your Sea Diamond,” Lord Ewan called from a group not far away.

  “In a moment, Lord Ewan,” her father called. He turned back to her. “I do this to protect, not to vex you.” Her father patted her hand. “There are pirates nearby ready to sink our ship. I prize the Sea Diamond, but you are most precious to me. I will not let any harm come to you.” Maxwell kissed Darla on the cheek and squeezed her hand.

  Deep lines of concern on his face marked the gravity of the situation. The pirates weren’t a secret. Pirates were the reason Lord Ewan put her father in charge of the Maritime Association and moved her family to Ellenbeich. She stared at him with a new understanding.

  “I will speak to Lord Ewan and arrange for an escort to take you home as soon as possible.” He brought her to a chair at the dais.

  “Forgive me, Darla. Ewan calls. Later I want to hear all about your ti
me here.” His casual tone returned as well as his smile. He gave her a peck on the cheek then went to speak to Lord Ewan.

  As the evening moved on, the urgency to see her mother became overwhelming, along with the driving need to go by sea.

  The weight of the oil-skin pouch on her belt comforted her. Pieces of her dreams flew through her mind like clouds on a windy day that broke apart and faded away. She could think of nothing else but stopping the images and sorting out her dreams. Pirates added a new dimension to her problem.

  You can’t drown. Her mother’s words hit her hard and the pieces started to fall into place. She moved to the edge of her chair. Perhaps sailing home tonight was the reason for her gift. She snapped up her head and stared at the group of men.

  Protect her father.

  She searched for him in the crowd. No matter what happened she would be safe. Hadn’t she proved water couldn’t harm her? There he was, laughing with Lord Ewan and some other men. She was right. All she had to do was find a way to get on his ship.

  Wesley sat with Richards by the window at the far side of the tavern where Maxwell had left them. They finished their dinner with a good view of The Sea Diamond bobbing in the water and storm clouds gathering on the horizon. The wind that died down earlier had picked up again.

  Embers burned in the large fire pit in the center of the room. Barrels of ale stacked against the wall to the right of the door waited to be tapped. Men, in various degrees of sobriety, sat at the tables scattered around the room. The muffled noise and fragrance of ale and warm stew created a comfortable escape from the gusts of wind that buffeted the building.

  The door opened, admitting a blast of wind swirling with bits and pieces of debris. Maxwell shut the door, got a full tankard, and made his way to their table. He dropped in the chair, the ale sloshing over the side. After a long drink, he put down the tankard and took note of his surroundings. “What is our status, Captain?”

  “Lord Ewan’s men are aboard. They are in the forecastle,” Richards said. “We’re ready to sail when you are.” He lifted his ale and took a long pull.

  “You called us here. We’ve been trying to determine what we’re celebrating,” Wesley said.

  “If we didn’t encounter the Black Opal, we would be in Ellenbeich celebrating our success over Captain Hawker. We won’t be able to claim that prize, but we did avoid the pirates today. That is an event worthy of rejoicing. You two made a good team, Wesley at the helm and you, Richards, at the sail.”

  “To you, Mr. Mills. Without your help, the outcome could have been quite different,” Richards said.

  “You are most kind. The only reward I want, besides this ale, is passage to Ellenbeich. I hope you still have room for me with a full regiment of soldiers aboard.”

  “You have nothing to fear. There is plenty of room for you. Now drink up. We will have a more extensive celebration in Ellenbeich. Lord Ewan will be here shortly with more supplies. It’s an excuse to examine the Sea Diamond before we sail,” Maxwell said as he gulped the last of his ale. “I’ll wait for him in my cabin.”

  Wesley strangled the tankard in his hand. Calm down. Ease up. He bent forward and placed the tankard on the table. He would have preferred throwing the cup across the room. Instead, he sat back, resting his folded hands on his lap to create a relaxed picture.

  Maxwell was at the door and struggled to prevent the wind from whipping it out of his grip. Finally, he made his way out.

  “I must go as well and see to the supplies rather than take the men from their meals,” Richards said.

  Wesley touched the captain’s sleeve as he swallowed a mouthful of ale. Richards turned toward him.

  “I’ll help you. It will make me feel I’ve earned my way since Maxwell will not let me pay,” Wesley said. “In truth, I have a selfish motive. The faster we get the remaining cargo stowed, the sooner we cast off.”

  “I agree. My thanks for your help.” Richards stood, checked his tankard, and sucked out the last drop.

  “I’ll tell the crew to finish up and board the ship,” Wesley said.

  Richards nodded, set the tankard down, and looked out the window. “That would be good. I want to stay ahead of the weather.”

  Wesley passed Richards’ orders to the crew and made his way to the dock. The wind had relented. Richards stood at the gangplank as a wagon with a lone driver pulled up and Lord Ewan climbed down.

  “Good eve, m’lord.”

  “Richards.” Lord Ewan unlatched the back of the wagon.

  “You’re expected on board. I’ll take care of stowing these supplies.” Richards began to unload the wagon, not waiting for a reply.

  Wesley stood in the shadows a distance from the gangplank. The last thing he wanted was for his lordship to see him. It had been fourteen years since he left to foster with his mother’s family and the last time he saw his lordship. Ewan was older. His hair streaked with gray. The once impressive shoulders were not as broad as he remembered. From the way he carried himself it was obvious Ewan’s fighting edge was gone. All that was left was a pompous ass who did as he pleased without any consideration of those around him, even those who dedicated their lives to him.

  “M’lord, welcome to The Sea Diamond,” Maxwell said, coming down the gangplank.

  “I heard about the cog, but never been on one.” Lord Ewan walked up the dock closely examining the hull.

  Wesley, now at Richards’ side, helped with the barrels.

  “Come on board. I’ll show you my castles and you’ll understand why we need ships like this. Aside from carrying and protecting cargo, it can carry and protect fighting men,” Maxwell said.

  Wesley stayed tucked in the shadows within earshot and watched Maxwell delight in Lord Ewan’s pleased reaction.

  “It looks heavy. It will be slow in the water,” Lord Ewan said.

  “Yes, it is heavier than the birlinn, but the benefits more than compensate for the weight,” Maxwell said as they boarded the ship and stood on the deck at the top of the gangplank.

  “The steering is done in the back with a tiller. Unlike the side oar, it doesn’t get in the way of the sail. Using these guidelines, we can move the sail to catch the wind no matter which direction it flows. The birlinn sail cannot do that. When the wind shifts and the sail empties, you must wait for the wind or use oars.” Maxwell showed Lord Ewan each device as they walked the deck.

  “And what of this mast?” Lord Ewan asked. “Is the crossbeam broken?”

  “No, it is for the lateen, a triangular sail, used in the Mediterranean. It can catch the wind no matter the direction.

  “The Black Opal approached us at the Point. When we shifted the rudder to avoid a collision, we lost the wind, but by adjusting the mainsail and using the lateen, we caught the wind, circled the pirates, and sailed into the channel. The Black Opal’s sheet was limp. They had to use their oars,” Maxwell said.

  “Luck?” Lord Ewan’s left eyebrow raised a bit.

  “No. Skill. Wesley Mills was aboard. He’s captained cogs in Europe and has learned his craft well,” Maxwell said. “When our Leo was struck down, he wasted no time and stepped in. With Richards at the sail, the two made a good team. We were lucky to have him with us.”

  Wesley’s breath caught. What was this? Maxwell gave him free passage and high praise.

  “You have a good idea here. Let’s talk when you return. I’ve given you as many men as I can spare. My main force is two or three weeks from home,” Lord Ewan said.

  “Come this way, m’lord. I’d like to show you my castle.” The two men walked to the stern of the ship.

  Wesley made his way back to Richards and helped roll the last of the barrels up the gangplank.

  Richards mopped his brow and looked at the sky.

  “I’ll make sure there is no other cargo lingering on the dock while you lash down the barrels, then I’ll rouse the men in the tavern. From the looks of the sky and building wind, you’ll want to leave as soon as possible.” Wesley hurr
ied down the gangplank. He made his way between the crates where he could still see and hear what was happening. It would be better for everyone if Lord Ewan didn’t catch sight of him.

  The two men came out of the aft-castle.

  “You know we have enjoyed having Darla with us,” Lord Ewan said. Maxwell walked him to the wagon.

  “She insists on coming home with me. I hate to disappoint her,” Maxwell said.

  Lord Ewan laughed. “You and I are two of a kind, not wanting to upset our daughters. I will have an escort available by the end of the week to bring her home. I expect you to be back for the wedding with your prize gem, to keep my daughter happy.”

  Maxwell looked up and down the dock and pathway. Lord Ewan mirrored his movements.

  “What are we looking for?” Lord Ewan asked.

  “Not what, who,” Maxwell said. “Darla. It’s not like her to give up so easily.”

  Darla, with her small satchel in hand, stood in the shadows of the ship and waited for Lord Ewan to leave. She let out a nervous breath. This was her last chance to speak to her father. She couldn’t fail.

  Lost in her thoughts, the seemingly magical appearance of a man near the hull startled her. Although he walked in the shadows and she was unable to see his face, his height and build spoke for itself.

  The docks by the castle were safe, but at night a woman of her breeding would never wander by the ships. Tonight, it was a calculated decision, maybe not a good one. That didn’t matter now. What was done was done. Aware of her predicament, she remained alert and kept her eye on him. As he moved past her she recognized the man’s familiar stride.

  “Magnus,” she called. The man kept walking.

  “Magnus,” she said more urgently. The shadow turned and faced her.

  “You’re … you’re not Magnus.” Caught off guard, the face was familiar, but not the man.

  “No, a pity that I’m not.”

  “My apologies.” She craned her head for a view of the gangplank. “You appeared to have the features … in the shadows … I thought you were Lady Maria’s fiancé.”