Demons & Pearls (The Razor's Adventures Book 1) (3 page)

“May I speak plainly, gentlemen?”

“Ye sayin’ the blasted babblin’ we’ve been suffrin’ through up ‘till now wasn’t enough?” Willy stood and his big Irish face was blood red. “Now ye listen here, lass…”

“Do you think for one moment I haven’t seen these articles before? I’ve poked my nose in this room more than once. Even I’m not so brilliant as to have memorized them as I sat here and suffered your pious manly posturing while you look down your noses at me as if I’m simply some worthless whore. Not that I haven’t proven I am far from worthless and certainly not a whore. I suppose I’d have to have taken an arm from your entire crew before you’d give me the respect I deserve.”

“Respect? So it’s respect ye be wantin’ then? Ha!” Willy threw his hands up and what started with a laugh soon fell to a grim and deadly stare. “Yer lucky to be drawin’ breath, remember? Any one a’ them fellas coulda’ killed ye out there, and Green and me couldn’t a’ stopped it.”

“Ha, indeed. I’m not sure what I’ve been saving this for, but allow me to produce the settlement of this entire affair.” I dug into my bloody shirt, where I had stored the document in a smooth, leather sheath and strapped it against my body. I opened my shirt before them without shame or modesty, untied the bind which held the sheath, and peeled it away from my sweat-soaked flesh. The relief of at last removing it was two-fold; weeks of discomfort now over, and proof  by way of my blood-stained agreement with Barclay that my survival was worth more than a vote.

“Here,” I said as I slammed the damp, pressed leather down on the desk.

“That is Barclay’s seal,” Green noted, and I slid it across the desk to Willy. Willy used his dagger to remove the seal and folded it open to reveal the document within. “What is this?”

“Let me make it as simple as I can,” I said. I reassembled my clothing properly and tucked in my shirt. “Barclay and I had an agreement, yes.  But I wasn’t foolish enough not to get it in writing. My own articles of agreement, shall we say.”

“Unfortunately, Madame, an agreement with a dead man means nothing, stained with his blood or not,” Green said as those jade eyes shot up at me.

The words upon the parchment spoke for themselves:

In regards to Madame Ivory Shepard, Madame Cassandra Randall, Madame Keara Shepard, and Madame Miranda Shepard of Charles Towne settlement in South Carolina: These Articles as written this Fifth day of June Seventeen Hundred and Seven, do hereby stand by vote of the crew of the Demon Sea that said women:

1. Be transported to Port Royal, Jamaica by way of this vessel, unmolested and free of bodily harm.
   
2. Be provided clothes to sail and all of their personal items left untouched.
   
3. Be provided proper provisions of food and water.
   
4. Be regarded as crewmen and given work daily to provide for those provisions.
   
5. Be accountable under the existing Articles of the Demon Sea and her crew.
   
6. Upon my death, should it come during this errand, as Captain of this Vessel Demon Sea, as I am so named, these Articles shall be upheld. 
   

Captain Christopher L. Barclay

Demon Sea    

“This is a blatant violation of the ship’s code, but under the circumstances, I’m not surprised,” Willy said, shaking his head.

“Violation, how? You all voted and agreed to this the day we were brought here from my farm. There has been no betrayal sir, regardless of your interpretation of this document.”

“She is correct,” Green stated. “Although he claimed to have taken all of the goods and livestock from their home as payment, he called the vote to deliver them as a cloak for his true intentions. He misrepresented the purpose of transporting them. You know what he had planned, or they would have never set foot aboard this ship.”

“There’s no point in arguing, gents. The proof is there in black…and red. By the way, what were his true intentions for granting us passage?” I leaned forward and directed my inquiry to Green, since so far he had proven to be the most forthright. I hated being in this room. There was something going on under their glances and their words, and I needed the truth.

“The Captain was taking you to Port Royal to be sold off to a very wealthy man for his personal pleasure. Four lovely and, as yet, untouched young women bring a great deal of money, which he had promised equal shares of to the crew.”

“Won’t they be disappointed when they find out? Sold, indeed.” I sat back and folded my arms tightly across my chest. I felt as if I would burst wide open and kill them both, but I held my bum tight to the chair and awaited the rest of the tale.

“I can assure you, Madame; he would have succeeded had he not been murdered. No bargain made with you, regardless of a vote or signed agreement, would have been honored. Barclay had no honor, of which I’m sure you know.”

“That scum-sucking bastard! How long has he been stealing women and selling them? Why didn’t you put a stop to this sooner?” I shouted.

“Enough a’ this, Shepard. We told ye we’d been plannin’ to get rid of him, and then ye show up swingin’ yer swords, shootin’ and slittin’ throats with yer damn razor. It’s done. And by tomorrow, this crew’ll be settled down and back to business- if ye just let it be.”

“Why should I trust you, either? You allowed this to go on right under your nose and waited how long to do something about it? What sort of men are you?”

“Lookie here, lass, ye have no idea what yer yappin’ about. Since we found out what Barclay’s been up to—why in the name a’ Christ am I tellin’ ye anythin’? It ain’t yer concern no more. Just be thankful ye still have yer honor…and yer head.”

I went silent and looked away. Unfortunately, my thoughts were obviously written all over my frustrated expression, and Willy called me out.

“What is it ye workin’ in that unearthly blond head a’ yours?”

“I haven’t exactly figured it all out, but it would appear, according to that document…” I snatched it from beneath his face and then added, “I don’t believe a vote is required as to mine and my cousins’ well-being and…”

“And?” Willy stood slowly and pressed his hands into his hips.

“I want to sign the code. I want to join the crew. I’ll not be sold to some old horny bastard and neither will my girls. Nor will I allow any man to decide my fate, ever.”

“I’m not gonna let that happen, and I’ll be damned if ye think yer signin’ on this ship!”

“Then be damned, McCormack. It will be done. I want to help you find out who else is involved in the selling of these women and stop it. Why can’t you just thank me and my cousins for doing what it’s taken you far too long to do? Maybe you finally decided to try to stop it because you weren’t getting your cut of the gold.”

“Now ye just hold on a minute, girl. You haven’t the faintest idea who I am. If ye knew what I’ve done ta’ protect girls like you…”

“I was to do it,” Green interrupted. “That is why I was hiding during the taking of the merchant ship. I volunteered to kill Barclay during the raid. It would have been believed he died as a result of a shot during the battle, and the truth is, many of the crew are most likely pleased that he is dead. Yes, Madame, you stole that opportunity from me, and I accept that I am indebted to you for carrying out the deed. However, I assure you neither Master McCormack nor myself wish to accept payment for human beings—especially me.”

“What in the devil’s name are ye squawkin’, Green? None a’ this is her concern.”

“Whether she and her cousins are sold is most certainly her concern, as well as ours. She deserves to know the truth of why they are all even still alive, as well as what will happen once we reach the port.”

“All things in due time, Mister Green. The fact that they’re all alive and in one piece should tell ‘em something of their value and the cost to keep ‘em that way.”

“We are not cattle. I can’t believe you still intend on selling us to this old goat. You know I’ll kill him the second I’m alone with him.”

“You’ll not be doin’ any more killin’ on my watch, and if ye let us do what we set out ta’ do in the first place, ye’ll reach the port without any of these men climbing up on ye. You’ll not be sold, either. Just to be safe, we’re gonna put ye under guard until we reach port. Mister Green here seems ta’ think yer a pretty good risk. I, on the other hand, ain’t convinced ye won’t get yerself killed, sooner or later.”

“You did not see her,” Green said. “I was witness to both confrontations, here and in Charles Towne. I see clearly now that this woman and her cousins deserve to live, perhaps even more so than most men I have encountered. I would like to volunteer as your sentinel, Madame Shepard.”

“Sentinel? I can assure you, we won’t be requiring a guard. We can take care of ourselves.”

Willy’s face appeared as if were about to split wide open, but he sat down and took a deep breath and said, “Mister Green, can ye give me and Miss Shepard here a few minutes alone? Go and see ta’ the crew and the securing of the cargo.”

“Yes, Master McCormack.” Green nodded down at me as he exited the cabin. I could easily discern he was not pleased with being dismissed.

“Now that the question of ye and yer ladies bein’ sold off is settled, I suppose I should get down ta’ the matter of the vote. This is how it’s gonna go, ye hearin’ me, lass?” Willy leaned across the desk towards me and spoke soft and low. “I must be outta me bloody mind, but there’s somethin’ there in ye I ain’t never seen a’fore in neither man nor woman. Ye fight like the devil and yer as smart as a whip and as slick as an eel, and as much as it pains me ta’ even say it, I’d take ye on me crew over more than half this lot. But…”

“Spare me your narrow-minded apologies. You know I belong on this ship as much as any man capable of doing what I’ve done. You can call what happened out there today anything you like. I accept my limitations as a woman for now, but
only
for now. Given some time, I’ll work circles around this lot. We both know there is a way for me to join this crew.”

“Not without signin’, lass. I know these men, and getting them ta’ vote you in isn’t gonna happen. Like it or not, yer a woman. How many times do I have ta’ say it to ye?”       

“Well, there’s only one way to fix that!” I stood and leaned over the desk, grabbed the quill, and was about to dip it into the ink, when Willy grabbed my hand. “Let go of me,” I growled as I reached again inside my shirt. This time, I pulled my razor. “You missed this one when you searched me. Now release my hand before I remove yours.”

“Then ye better take me hand, ye razor-wielding wench, because no woman will ever sign the code, nor be voted in as crew.”

“Back in Charles Towne, when Barclay attacked my farm…you know the story.  But you don’t know the
whole
story. He attacked me. He tried to rape me. I choked him to within an inch of his miserable life with his own cravat. Then, I pulled his dagger from his belt and poked it into his gullet until I drew blood. He insisted I didn’t know what I was getting myself and my cousins into, but he was wrong. Barclay was the first man to ever call me a pirate. If I must take another name in order to stay alive and provide my cousins with a decent life in Jamaica, then let go of my fucking hand so I can get the hell on with it.” 

“I’m tellin’ ye, lass.  Ye can cut off me hand and me head, too, if ye like.  But I know these men—what’s left of ‘em anyway—and no woman will ever be on this crew. Besides, it’s gonna be mighty difficult for me ta’ pay these men ta’ keep their dicks in their breeches if I got no hands.”

We stared each other down for a few moments, when I suspected who the old man was who was paying for the four of us, and I knew he wasn’t doing it for the obvious reason. I don’t know why, but Willy let me go.  I thought better of this whole crazy idea and decided to bide my time. I’d find my way onto a pirate ship, but I had to accept that I’d never be able to do it without help. I sat down the quill and closed the book, but not for good.

Chapter Three

~Say Aye~

When Master McCormack and I were through talking, I was whisked away and locked in with my cousins. I was allowed to keep possession of my razor, as long as I promised not to reveal it for the next three days. I also informed my dear cousins of everything that had transpired and encouraged them not to worry, but to be cautiously optimistic that we’d actually live to reach Jamaican shores. We’d made allies of a few men whom we believed to be our enemies. That alone was worth all the blood we’d spilled.

“Ivory, I’m terrified. I realize we’d all be dead by now had we not fought them, but I believe it’s foolish for us to think at some point they’ll not rid themselves of us,” Cassandra said, embracing an inconsolable Miranda.

“You’ve ruined us,” Miranda cried. “I didn’t want to kill anyone.”

“Ivory, Barclay was our only advocate aboard this ship. Regardless of whatever mutiny they’d been planning, killing him was a mistake. I’m sorry, but that’s how we all see it,” Keara remarked.

“Now hold on for just one minute,” I said as I struggled in pain to my feet, from my seat on the floor. “You are all saying that you could have easily stood and watched as Barclay’s men slaughtered every last man on that merchant ship? You can’t possibly be serious. He also had other plans for us that I only just learned. He planned to sell us off for whores.”

“Our objective was to reach Jamaica alive. Had he attempted to sell us as you said, we could have called for the guard ashore,” Cass said.

“Haven’t you been listening to me at all? I told you, the second and third most powerful men on this ship are pleased that Barclay is dead, but to most of the crew, we are nothing but cargo for sale. However, they intend to sway the others to let us live. I believe we may have an ally in the man who’ll most likely be the new captain.”

“You know this lot. What makes you think they’ll side with us?” Keara asked.

“They aren’t siding with us, Ke. They’re letting us live so they’ll get paid. There are a hundred yards between siding with us and not raping and murdering us.”

The room fell silent but for the soft sobs of Miranda. I sat back on the floor in front of the cabin door and pressed my back against it as the three of them huddled together in the bunk. I longed for peace and safety for my cousins. I prayed for it. I also prayed that we would not be betrayed and that Green and McCormack would keep their word.

There was but one small detail of the events of my meeting that I did not inform them of, which was my intention to join the crew and sign the code. With the money we’d carried with us, as well as what we had of value that we’d brought from the farm, I’d have enough to secure room and board for my cousins to sustain us for at least a couple of months … or until my first real hunt under the name I’d chosen to use as a sailor, Ivan Razor.

xxx

A hard knock came at the door and startled me from my sleep. The room was so black I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.

“Madame?” I heard Green say. “We are about to vote.”

“Let me out,” I whispered, and I heard the key in the lock turn and the door slowly open.

“Come with me.”

“What of my cousins?”

“Only you.”

Green locked the door, tied my hands at my back, and led me to the main deck, lantern in hand to light the way. As we grew closer, bile rose up in my throat, but my empty stomach offered no vomit for all of the heaving I did. Perhaps it was the darkness or the solemn quiet of Mister Green that put the fear in me at last, but a sense of doom washed over me so deep it flowed through my veins. In the sweltering heat of this night, a chill ran up my back as if my blood had turned to ice water.

“What…is the hour?” I stammered to break the silence.

“What matter does it make? First, there was the business of sending off the dead. It is late, and we have done our earnest best to spare your lives.”

As we approached the deck, the sounds of the voices and banter of the crew crept slowly toward us. The laughter cut me the most. Some of them had apparently found this whole ordeal humorous. Of course, what did I know of their intentions and what had brought them cheer?

Willy was the first man I saw as we approached the lantern lights. The sea was calm—too calm.  The sailors fell quiet as Mister Green led me into their circle and stepped aside. I trembled, and had I any need to release fluid from my body, it would have poured down the insides of my breeches. With several hours now behind my conquest, my blood was now cooled and my sharp tongue was dulled. I swallowed repeatedly to keep the retching in my stomach at bay.

“Madame Ivory Shepard, ye have been accused a’ murder, as have yer cousins. Have ye anythin’ to say to these men in yer defense?” Willy asked.

“Wait,” Green spoke out. “I have something I wish to say.”

“Speak yer piece, sir,” Willy said.

“I was ordered by Captain Barclay not to board the merchant ship now known as the Augustus. By order of the Captain, I was to act as his personal defense should things not go according to plan.”

I knew Green was lying through his straight, white teeth. However, since I had been told to keep my mouth shut and let them lead, for the first time in my life, I did exactly that.

“I observed the Captain and Madame Shepard exchanging heated words and then witnessed him grab her by her neck. As I was charged with protecting the Captain, I saw no immediate threat at the hands of this woman, but I overheard the Captain tell her that he was about to give the order of no quarter to the crew of the Augustus. I cannot pretend to know what Madame Shepard was thinking, but she argued with the Captain and pleaded for the lives of the Augustus crew, stating they had surrendered and as such, should be spared. As I was not the only man the Captain had retained.  John Forester, who is also dead, attacked Madame Shepard, at which time her cousins appeared. From there, a situation of mutual combat ensued.”

The men grumbled and talked amongst themselves at this revelation. I struggled to move my eyes, let alone turn my stiff neck to gauge their reactions. Pirates are not easy to understand, but there was quite a bit of nodding, both at Mister Green and each other, which gave my retching gut a rest at last.

“Now, there is also the matter of the vote, which is on record and signed by Captain Barclay, which states this vessel is to give these women safe passage to Jamaica to be sold to an anonymous client,”  Green continued. “These women are worth far more to us all alive. Had Barclay been successful in killing them, you would all be out your shares of their price and half of you would be dead.”

Again, the low grumbles and chatter ensued.

“It is of my opinion, as your mate of two years, that Madame Shepard and her cousins were defending their lives; the very lives which are protected in this document signed by Captain Christopher Barclay. I recommend these women be relieved of any guilt as they acted in self-defense. Add to this, it was by Captain Barclay’s own choice that Madame Shepard was permitted on deck during battle, giving her the right to bear arms, to fight, in effect allowing her to defend herself against any assault on her person, including his own.”

“Seein’ as how Barclay’s dead now, aren’t we still sellin’ ‘em in Port Royal?” Rip Townsend, the bosun, shouted to the men, who joined him in a hearty cheer.

“Nothing has changed. I do not wish to speak ill of the dead, but you have all been a witness to Barclay’s numerous blatant violations of the code. Had Madame herself not taken his life, it would be foolish for any of you to deny that, at some point, you would not have done the deed yourself. ”

I blinked my eyes and tried to focus on the men as their voices rose into a roar of cheers for Green. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could bear this inquest, and I swayed from side to side, praying silently that the fear in my heart would not cause me to collapse on the deck in a heap.

“Quiet, you lot,” Willy shouted, attempting to bring order.

“Gentlemen, you shall receive your share as long as you continue to do what Barclay was incapable of doing, which is keeping your word by the vote you took to see these four women to Port Royal untouched. What say ye agree to spare the lives of these women?” Green concluded.

“I’ve got somethin’ ta’ say,” one of the younger men of the crew called River, said as he stepped forward. He circled me twice, inspecting the bloodied clothes I still wore.  Of course, I imagined his vile inspection of what he saw in his mind beneath them, until my already swimming head felt as heavy as the weight of an anchor.

“Speak yer piece, Watts, and let’s get on with it,” Willy said.

“Like these here other fellas, I wouldn’t mind havin’ a piece a’ this, but we’ll be ashore soon, and I can buy ten a’ her in port with my share.”

“Make your point, Mister Watts,” Green said, stepping between us.

“I’d rather have the money, anyway.” Watts looked me over one last time, and as he moved to go, he turned and said, “Damn shame you’s a woman. Ye’d make a damn fine pirate.”

Upon his comment, the men burst into laughter and began a thunderous hammering of hands and feet, signaling the majority vote not to kill us.