Ill Wind and Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure (Valkyrie) (27 page)

‘
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 sizeable 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 humour 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 colour 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 on to her side – careen her.’

I was unconvinced.
Surely dirty and afloat’s better than high and dry?

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, 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 organise 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.

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, emphasising 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 towards 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 favour.’

‘Oh.’

‘They’ve lost their tongues, Cap, thee’d best get on before 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 on to 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 language 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 any more.

‘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 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.

Leo let go of me, looking a little embarrassed, and joined Frazer in the centre of the circle. ‘Yes, caballeros, gentlemen. Let’s get down to business before all the rum goes down the hatch.’

They cheered again and I thought idly that there’d be a lot of sore throats tomorrow, with or without gunpowder in the rum.

‘Battle honours go to Thomas as first aboard
Adelheid
, and he has the pick of the prize for his reward.’

‘Thomas!’ Another beaker of rum was swallowed in a toast, now thankfully without the earlier fiery flavouring.

‘As you know, two men took injuries,’ Leo carried on. He’d moved around the circle and stopped by Jack. ‘Jack here lost a finger when a cannon crushed his hand on firing. As it was his trigger finger, he’s due an extra half share, and an extra share to Alonso who took a blade to the eye.’

‘Never mind, Alonso, you’ve got another one!’

‘Gracias
,
Newton. Frazer, do the calculations and start doling it out!’

Not surprisingly, yet another cheer and toast to the
Adelheid
rang out.

‘How do you split it?’ I asked Leo.

‘It’s all in the articles,’ he said, still smiling. ‘A full share to each man, six to the captain, four each to the quartermaster and carpenter, and two to the second mate and bo’sun. The first man to board the prize takes an item from the haul before we split it, and extra shares are given for injuries – how much depends on the injury.’

‘Sounds fair,’ I said, surprised. I couldn’t imagine Erik giving any man extra money or gold because he’d been injured carrying out his orders.

‘It’s the only way a ship like this can sail,’ Leo continued. ‘We’re all equals, or most of us are anyway.’

‘Except captain, quartermaster, carpenter, second mate and bo’sun,’ I said, laughing.

‘Yes, but each of those positions carries extra responsibilities and certain skills. If I don’t do my job, we don’t find or win prizes and we don’t make any profit. I wouldn’t be captain if I couldn’t fill their seachests, and we all know it. I’d be voted out or mutinied on. Same goes for Frazer and the others. Believe me, the extra shares are earned.’

I nodded. However they agreed it, it seemed to work.

Mr Gaunt interrupted us, smiling. ‘Here thee is, Gabriella, Klara, welcome to the crew.’ He held two canvas bags and when I looked inside the one he gave me, I gasped. ‘This is for me?’

Mr Gaunt and Leo both laughed at my reaction.

‘You mean we get full shares?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t you want it?

‘Yes, why?’

‘You played a full part in the attack.’

‘We were in the pinnace, out of the way, learning to sail.’

‘Yes. Somebody’s always in the pinnace. You’d have been needed if
Freedom
had been damaged.’

‘But Mr Gaunt was with us.’

‘Don’t you think he deserves his share either?’

‘Yes, of course he does, but if he was already in the pinnace you didn’t need us there too.’

‘Yes we did,’ Leo replied. ‘We always have at least two in the pinnace, you took Jimmy’s place today and gave him a chance at the fight.’

‘And I’ll be in the pinnace next time an’all, lovey,’ he butted in. ‘Don’t think you’re taking ma place there, too.’

‘You’ll be where I tell you to be, Jimmy, and don’t you forget it.’

‘Aye, Cap’n,’ he said, still sullen.

‘You also fought off an attacking sailor and saved Thomas, Gibson and myself an unwelcome swim.’

‘But you were angry with me for doing that.’

‘No, I was angry that I’d put you in danger, and relieved you weren’t hurt. And, to be honest, embarrassed that you rescued me in front of my crew.’

‘Ahhh.’

‘Yes.’

‘So how much is a full share worth?’

‘Aye, she’s a pirate all right,’ Frazer said as he passed us.

I started counting up the mass of coins. I looked up at Mr Gaunt.

‘Thirty-odd pieces of eight, twenty shillings, a few guilder and a couple of ducats. Oh, and one or two stones,’ he answered.

‘A good first haul,’ said Leo. ‘Piracy tends to pay better than a blackbirder.’ He laughed.