In the Tudor Court Collection. Amanda McCabe

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      ‘No!’ Anna and Maribel spoke together.

      ‘I would rather be with you whatever happens,’ Maribel insisted. ‘If we stayed here and you did not return, we might never reach the other side of the island. No matter what is happening, I shall come with you.’

      ‘I’m not staying here without Higgins.’ Anna said, her mouth set stubbornly.

      Justin inclined his head. ‘Very well. I have no time to argue. Into the boat with you.’

      He was frowning as he assisted Higgins to push the boat into deeper water and then helped Maribel to climb in. She sensed that he was anxious for the crew and friends he had left behind. There were no words of comfort to offer for the smoke did not lie. Something terrible must have happened and she could sense the urgency and frustration in the two men as they pulled on the oars. They must be wondering what they were doing on a pleasure trip when their comrades were in trouble.

      Maribel caught her breath as they rounded the point and she saw the ships blazing in the harbour. At least three were on fire and the smoke was thick, blowing across the sea towards the land.

      ‘Damn it!’ Justin cried. ‘One of the ships burning is the Sea Siren! By the look of her she is finished.’

      ‘What of the Defiance?’ Maribel asked. ‘I did not notice it in harbour as we left this morning.’

      ‘Yesterday, I sent Defiance and a crew to fetch supplies from another island. We were running short of essentials like meat and milk and I bargained for livestock that can be reared here.’

      ‘Then she is safe?’ Maribel said, thinking that if he had not sent his best ship for supplies that too might have been destroyed. It was bad enough that he should have lost the Sea Siren, because he had given his third ship to Captain Hendry as a reward for bringing the information about her family. Maribel felt relieved for his sake, but he misunderstood her question.

      ‘You need not be concerned. A ship would be found to take you to England even if my ships were all destroyed. ’ His tone sounded scornful and she knew he believed she had been thinking of herself.

      ‘I did not mean…’ Maribel began but her words were lost as Anna cried out and pointed to the island and they saw that some of the houses had been damaged by what could only be cannon fire. ‘Who has done this terrible thing?’

      The attack was clearly over; people were working frantically on shore to stop the fires spreading. The burning ships seemed to be done for, blazing too fiercely to be saved, but on land the people seemed to be winning their battle. Maribel’s expression was puzzled as she looked at Justin.

      ‘Why have these people been attacked?’

      ‘We are pirates, hunted and hated by many,’ Justin told her, white-lipped. ‘The attack could have come from anyone. We may discover more when we go ashore. Whoever made the attack did as much damage as possible from the sea and then fled before they could be attacked in return—the cowards! May they rot in hell!’

      Maribel flinched. Something in his tone made her feel that he blamed her for what had been done. She could hardly wait to be on shore. Terrible damage had been inflicted and people would be hurt. She wanted to help wherever she could, dousing the fires or tending injured people.

      Everywhere was confusion and chaos. Maribel joined a chain passing buckets of water, asking the woman next to her what had happened as she took the bucket and gave it to the next in line.

      ‘Three ships sailed into harbour. At first we took no notice, then we saw that some of our ships were on fire. The intruders worked swiftly and secretly, inflicting the most damage they could. When it was seen, the men manned the cannon that protect the harbour and started firing on the strange ships. That is when they fired on the buildings. Some of the men tried to swim out with pistols and swords, but the strangers fired on them. Then, sensing that the fires they had started might spread to their own ships, they sailed off.’

      ‘I was on the other side of the island. Once or twice I thought I heard a muffled boom, but I thought it was just the sea,’ Maribel said. ‘Are there many hurt?’

      ‘Several injured and some dead, those that were caught in the first blast—also men who tried to reach the swine that attacked us.’

      ‘Where are the injured housed?’

      ‘In the taproom of the Nag’s Head, I heard.’

      Maribel saw that the fire was almost out. She left the line and ran towards the inn where she had been told the wounded were housed. As she went into the taproom, she saw men and women lying on the floor. Some had been attended, others were moaning, begging for help. One man seemed to be in charge; by his instruments she guessed that he was a ship’s surgeon. He was binding a man’s head when she went up to him and asked if she could help.

      ‘Have you treated wounds before?’ Maribel shook her head. ‘Give water to those that ask for it—and get out of my way.’

      Feeling rejected, Maribel moved away. She found a barrel of water and a jug. Filling it, she took a pewter cup from the bar and began to move between the injured men and women, giving those that asked a few sips of water. Never in her life had she felt so useless, especially when she saw that Anna was washing away blood and binding wounds at the surgeon’s direction. Why could she not have done that?

      Maribel noticed that Anna was having some trouble holding a patient and trying to bandage his arm at the same time. She went to her and asked what she could do and was rewarded by a fleeting smile.

      ‘Hold him for me. He keeps flopping over and I cannot bind him and hold him.’

      ‘Like this?’ Maribel put her arm about the injured man, supporting him while Anna bound his shoulder with clean linen. ‘Let me help you with the others—please? I feel so useless.’

      Anna looked at her for a moment, then nodded. ‘You can give him a little of this mixture to ease his pain. Support him on your lap and spoon a few drops into his mouth, and then come to me. We need all the help we can get.’

      ‘Yes, whatever you say. You are the mistress here, Anna.’

      Maribel managed to spoon a little mixture into the man’s mouth, then laid him gently down and made sure he was comfortable before moving on to help Anna with the next injury. She waited for Anna’s directions and obeyed them implicitly, never asking why or deviating from her instructions. They worked together quietly and efficiently until all the wounded had been treated.

      Maribel did not care that her beautiful gown had bloodstains on the skirt or that her face was smeared with it. She was moved to tears by the suffering of men, women and even one child who had received burns, but she held them back, knowing that she could not give way to sentiment.

      At last Anna stood up and looked about her. ‘We have done all we can here for the moment,’ she said. ‘We should go back to the house. I shall come back later to see what else may be done for them.’

      ‘Then I shall come with you.’

      ‘You are tired and hungry. We must prepare food for the men when they come back.’

      Maribel followed Anna from the inn. She could see that the fires were out, but two buildings СКАЧАТЬ