Within A Captain's Treasure. Lisa A. Olech

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ were made and the sails set, Quinn scanned the crowded deck.

      “Ne’er agreed te take on slaves.” Jessup grumbled at Quinn’s elbow. “How we gonna fill twenty more bellies.”

      “Shut that gaping hole ye call a mouth.” Bellamy ordered him away. “I hate agreeing with Jessup, Capt’n, but he has a point.”

      “I’m aware of the situation.” Quinn propped his hands on his hips and looked into the blue of the sky. “We’re two weeks away from the African coast. Less if we keep at full sail. Until we reach port, nothing goes to waste. Lines in the water for fish. Ale and mead ‘til it’s gone. Ration the water for the sick. Catch the rain. If need be, there’s water in the ballast. Swap it out for sea water if we must, and hope the wind stays with us.”

      “What about the woman?” Bellamy asked.

      “Call all hands. The men have a decision to make.” Quinn took to the quarterdeck as the order shouted throughout the crowded deck. The verdict was out of his hands. Alice Tupper’s fate would now be put to the crew. Gavin paused as the last men assembled. Having lived his life at sea with clear and concise boundaries, he was suddenly wary of not having the control. All things aboard ship were put to the vote. What if the decision went against her? Would he fight his men if they chose to kill her or offer her up as a spoil of the battle?

      “Men, you all earned your shares today defeating the Delmar. With victory comes duty to those few slaves we were able to rescue.” He outlined the plan regarding food and water as he had with Bellamy. “And there’s a vote to be had. We’ve a woman aboard. Given our articles, it poses a question.”

      “No question,” shouted one man, “toss her over.”

      “I’ll take care of her fer ye, Capt’n,” shouted another. Laughter and lewd jibs followed.

      Quinn waited. “Some will recognize her name. She’s known to those who served aboard the Scarlet Night under Captain Jaxon Steele. Her name is Alice Tupper.”

      The men all spoke at once. “Blimey, Alice Tupper?” “Looked familiar, she did.” “Wild chit what saved Capt’n Steele’s neck?” “One in the same.” “Swings a cutlass like no woman I e’er seen.” “See the shiner she give Cole?” “Killed a duke. What was the bastard’s name? One did in Cookie Burrows, remember?”

      Appreciative murmurs ran through the crowd. Several regaled them with the tale of her daring in Port Royal. Others told what they’d witnessed on the Delmar. The fierceness with which she fought. Still, while those men sang her praises, there were a few who argued the curse of women aboard ship. Was this woman the exception? Sure as hell didn’t fight like any woman they’d seen.

      Debating continued until Quinn called for the vote. Majority ruled. Alice Tupper was free to stay. A cheer rose. Above the noise, Quinn added, “Any man lays a finger on her will answer to me.”

      Talk of Mistress Tupper continued even after the crew had been dismissed back to their duties. Quinn could pick out those men who had served on the Scarlet Night for many years. Jaxon Steele had been a popular captain among them.

      The day Jaxon tracked him down at that tavern in Port Royal and turned over the ship seemed like a scene from a play. Quinn served for years under Captain Steele, but he’d left large boots to fill. The responsibility wasn’t something Quinn took to lightly.

      Some had grumbled about the shift of power, but the majority agreed. The crew voted Gavin Quinn as their new captain. Most who objected still had the sense to pledge their loyalty, but as a show of respect, Quinn gave each man the opportunity to re-sign their agreement to the ship’s Articles.

      A handful left the crew. Given the abundance of ships in Port Royal, it was easy for them to gain new positions on another. Replacements were not hard to find. The Scarlet Night had a fierce reputation. They were a force of strength in the Caribbean, and men were eager to join her.

      Crewmen like White, Jessup, Summer, and Finch. Robbins, of course, and Bellamy had been aboard for years. They were old hands at how to get every ounce of power and speed out of the ship. When it came to battle, they fought like the very devil. Gavin was pleased they stayed.

      Still, they respected Jaxon Steele and his years as captain. Alice Tupper made a name for herself with these men, and they’d never forget what she did.

      Quinn moved through the crew. He could also spot those who cared little if Alice was a saint or a slut. She was a woman, and women weren’t allowed aboard under any circumstance. He’d keep a close watch on those. Jessup in particular.

      The man hadn’t stopped grumbling since the vote. He marched up deck holding Bump by the scuff of his neck. “Now we git te deal with a woman? It ain’t enough to put up with this useless pile of bones?” Jessup pushed the sniffling boy toward Robbins.

      “Give ’im a chance. He can’t be helpin’ it.” Robbins checked a reddened lump on the boy’s forehead.

      “End up dead, he will.”

      Quinn crouched next to the young orphan lad he’d pulled from the gutters of Port Royal. “What’s happened here?”

      “Good ole Bump,” Jessup spat. “Came close te havin’ his skull cracked in two. Again. Block got te swingin.’ Dinna hear the shouts. Why we got a deaf cabin boy aboard, I’ll ne’re know.”

      “He’s a good lad. Works ’imself to draggin’, Capt’n.” Robbins wiped the grim off the boys face. “Needs time te adjust, is all.”

      Quinn tipped the small pinched face to check the growing knot on the side of his head. “Keep an extra eye on him. Have a man be his ears when the boy’s topside. Teach him to keep a sharper eye. Be a shame if we saved him from Port Royal, only to kill him at sea.”

      “I’ll see te him, Capt’n,” volunteered Robbins.

      “Good man. Mind your duties first. Bringing Bump aboard was my decision alone, but another pair of watchful eyes may just save the lad.”

      Quinn remembered the day Bump had crossed his path. He had tripped over the lad in the muck of the street. He was filthy, half starved. A woman older than any being he had ever seen had struggled to pick up the child. Quinn gave her assistance and learned about her dear William. How they’d both come to live in a pirate’s den and because William was deaf he was often the victim of brutal treatment. A “fever when he be only a babe stole his ears.” Barely able to stand on her own, she pleaded with Quinn to help. He decided then and there to take the lad aboard and find him some place among the crew.

      He pled momentary insanity when Bellamy questioned him. Through the lad’s seasickness and finding some way to communicate with him, Quinn repeatedly asked himself “why?” but he knew the answer.

      “Robbins, one more favor if you could.”

      Robbins rose, and ruffled the thick, unruly hair on Bump’s head. “Sir?”

      “Mistress Tupper is in need of some clothing. You’re a slim lad. Might you have a spare set of britches?”

      Robbins shook his head and muttered, “Aye, Capt’n.” He rolled his eyes at Bump. “Another damn woman in me pants and nothin’ to show fer it. Ain’t fair I tell ya.”

СКАЧАТЬ