Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1) (34 page)

The free men ran down the hill in the darkness and made their way through the thick bushes and shrubs. Coming to a dark shadow of trees, they huddled together, and Captain Flynn immediately resumed his reign of order. “Alright, mateys, first thing we need to do is get us a ship.”

Mary cleared her throat and Faron smiled at her. “Oh, and holy shipwreck, Mary, ye be an angel of darkness.” He picked her up and spun her around as he thanked her for setting them free.

Mary giggled at his wild gesture but quickly informed the captain, “
Wind of Glory
is still in the harbor.”

Faron suggested they get a closer look, but Oliver started to panic. “Oh, I don’t know, that sounds so risky. We could be caught. What if someone sees us? They could be on their way now…”

While Oliver looked around the darkness, Pete interrupted his panic, “What else ye gonna do, matey? Worst they can do is ‘ang us, and they were gonna anyways.”

Before Oliver could start another nervous sentence Faron picked him up, threw his lanky body over his bulky shoulder and took off down the hillside.

Oliver had no room to contest the awkward position that Faron put him in, and as the men ran behind their captain Oliver mumbled, “I worked fair and honestly my whole life only to be arrested for a lie and sentenced to death. It seems there is nothing else for me to do.”

Mary was beside herself with laughter as she ran behind them.

Soon enough Oliver started smacking Faron on the back. “Let me down. I will sail with you, you filthy buffoon.”

Faron set him down, and Oliver attempted to shake the embarrassment of his undesired escort by puffing up his narrow chest. “I will be at your loyal service, Captain Flynn.”

The group continued to sneak their way through a windy riverbed until they found a good hiding place behind some shrubs and trees at the western end of the harbor. While Mary explained the details about the dinner party and the
Vera Rose
, Shark and Pete started picking mangos off the tree near where they stood. The downtown area of Port Royal was bustling with nightlife, but the hillside above it seemed dark and empty. Mary listened intently while Faron went over his plan. “Far as I can see, that blimey dinner party has all the officials busy, and
Wind of Glory
looks to be vacant at the dock.” He cupped his ear. “Ye hear her callin’ me name, she’s tellin’ me to come get her.”

Mary laughed with the men, but as Faron carried on about the idea of blending in with the men who were loading cigars on the ship across the dock, she noticed Pete and Shark had returned to the group. Shark had removed his waistcoat and filled it with a load of mangos, but Pete was holding a puppy. Mary was pleased by the size of the small terrier dog and went near Pete to pet the puppy. “Where did he come from, Pete?”

“He was hiding by that rock, lookin’ half scared to death, poor lil scallywag. Tried to bite me hand but I got ‘um to calm down. ”

“Well, he seems to have warmed up to you nicely. Oh, he is just marvelous, Pete, are you going to keep him?”

Pete concurred with a rugged agreement. “Aye, marvelous indeed. I’ll be plundering this little pup and naming him Marv.”

Faron exhaled an agitated laugh. “I be over here sweating bullets to plan our escape and this salty bloke’s over there cuddling a puppy.”

Captain Flynn’s crew made their way to the dock and easily dispersed amongst the laborers to help haul the crates of cigars. Mary made her way across the dock to set another saucy distraction. Acting to be a drunken whore that had lost her way, she flirted with the laborers; amusing them with her ditsy stumble. While Mary kept them busy, Captain Flynn and his crew boarded the
Wind of Glory
.

Mary even ventured near to kissing one of the men, but everyone’s attention was diverted by the ruckus of a fight breaking out on the dock. The lighting was dim but Mary could see that three guards were attacking a well-dressed prisoner. The prisoner had just been shoved down on his back, and Mary laughed as she saw him kick one of the guards into the water.

Before she had a chance to observe anymore of the chaos, she saw prison guards charging down the dock. They were hollering about the escaped prisoners. Mary panicked and ran to Faron, and Faron lifted her to the deck. She heard the guards topple over the fighting dog pile. Faron looked down on the convenient diversion with humor and hollered, “It’s been fun boys.”

The guards on the dock fired their guns, but the
Wind of Glory
made its way through the harbor without a scuff. Captain Flynn shouted to his crew, “Ready the guns ye grimy powder monkeys.”

Before the watchmen at the guard tower could see which ship was nearing the darkened exit, the
Wind of Glory
fired her guns at them. The ruckus it caused and the smoke that it billowed gave Captain Flynn’s crew the perfect escape into the darkened night.

Chapter 15

A Master of the Sea

As told by Sterling Bentley

I
’d been stuck in this blaggard ol’ brig room by meself for hours. Other than the piddly ration of water and the shitten serving of hard tack, I had nothing but tormenting memories and swamping heat to keep me company. I had removed me despicable remnants of a coat and tried to sit in the shade behind the dusty ray of light shining in the hole, but thar was no escaping the misery. Thar was no sign of relief for me overheated body, nor was thar any rest for me tormented soul. While wondering how much worse life could be in Lucifer’s den, I heard footsteps coming down the gangway.

“Hello there, Mister Bentley.”

Looking up to see the blimey governor of Port Royal, I nodded me head to acknowledge his presence, then I laid me head on me arms as a futile attempt to ignore him.

After his proper introduction that I didn’t respond to, he swiftly carried on. “I hear you are well skilled in your field of work, Mister Bentley.”

“So they say.” I responded coldly, but I was thinkin’ to meself ‘bout how I wasn’t skilled enough to get meself out of the damn predicament I was in.

Governor Morgan pulled the key to The Lovers’ Treasure out of his pocket and waved it around as if to tempt me. I didn’t give a gorbellied pignut about the damn key, or any of the supposed treasure waiting behind the door. In fact, I wanted to grab the rusty hunk of metal and throw it out the shot hole in the hull.

Taking note of my obvious lack of interest he attempted to entice me. “I believe it is in your best interest to entertain me, Mister Bentley... I des…”

“Where’s
Charlotte?” I interrupted, laying me head against the bulkhead.

He looked me up and down with his white eyebrow cocked. “Ah, so I see, the pirate has found a greater treasure than what this key will unlock.”

“Where she be?” I grumbled through me teeth.

The governor facetiously assured, “You needn’t worry about her. She is safe and well at home with her father and her fiancé.”

Son of a bitch. If I had a gun I’d a shot him for using such a taunting tone with me.

I was certainly relieved to know she was safe, but I hated the thought of blimey ol’
Lawrence takin’ care of her while I was locked up in a shitten jail cell, dirty as an alley dog.

“I understand that you and Miss Charlotte had an affair of sorts?”

“Is that what ye’d call it?” I snapped.

Brushing over all me bitter hatred, he evenly continued. “Being how she is engaged to a man of high regard, yes, that is what I would call it. This scandalous affair was the cause of her arrest, and the slander of her character has already struck the docks. I could easily turn you to the gallows for tainting that young woman’s reputation as you have, but I indeed have an ulterior motive.”

I couldn’t stand the thought of Charlie being mistreated because she insisted on loving me, and I cursed meself for damning that beautiful woman with me vile reputation. My mind flashed across the horrid insults that hell-hearted Redding slashed at her during his attack, and I dreaded the slander she would now ‘ave to face. My soul heated with rage and me blood fired with a wrath of vengeance; I wouldn’t be restin’ easy ‘til I stabbed that bastard in the heart. The torment of me vile thoughts blurred any interest I might ‘ave had in the governor’s blaggard ol’ pardon.

“Ye can go on about yer motive later; I already know what ye want from me. As for
Charlotte, ye better be sure that her reputation stays clear. She is just as pure as she ever was, and if I find that any of this untrue and wicked dissension is spread about her, I’ll be showin’ ye where you can shove your filthy treasure.”

Pacing the floor with his hands behind his back, the governor announced his bargain. “If you cooperate with me, I will indeed see to it that her character stays clear of these rumors…” He paused his pacing and made a foul face as he stared at me in disgust. “…and I do hope they are just rumors. I would hate to think that such an elegant woman would allow herself to be spoiled by the likes of you.”

Steeling me angry eyes at him, I nodded to assure I was speaking the truth.

Resuming his pacing, he continued, “For
Charlotte’s sake, I have left the law out of this and trusted Wallace to punish his daughter for her piracy. As for your protection, Mister Bentley, I have informed the Wetherbys that you have escaped so that Wallace will not have you rushed off to the gallows. So you see, I also have an interest in your love story. I do enjoy a fanciful romance. As you probably know, the story of The Lovers’ Treasure is based on a dashing tale of forbidden love…”

“Aye, I be knowing more about that filthy treasure than I care to know.” I interrupted before I had to hear another word about it. “The only good it’s brought me is everyone’s bloody desire to keep me alive, but to tell ye the truth I’ve had enough of this cursed rotten treasure hunt, and I hardly see a reason to stay alive much longer anyways.”

While speaking the words I realized Charlie was the only one in me world who sincerely wanted me around for something other than personal gain.

I got up and as I walked towards the bars, I noticed the governor took a step back. Whether it was the terrible stench of sweat I must ‘ave been harboring, or the threat in me posture, I enjoyed the worry flickering in his eyes as he shrieked, “Good grief, son, you look as if you hardly survived a shipwreck.”

Responding from the depths of the hell pit I had burning in me soul, I rumbled, “I might ‘ave been better off in a shipwreck.” Me hands were coated in blood from thrashing at the bars, and I squeezed the shitten grate so hard my bloodstained knuckles turned white from the force. “I just saw a man thrash and batter the woman I love while I was trapped behind these blasted bars, and I could do nothin’ to help her. I feel about as worthless as a man could be, and I be losing me mind in here reliving the rancid memory. If yer gonna be wanting a lick of knowledge from the likes of me, yer gonna ‘ave to get me out of this scurvy ridden cell. Without her, I ‘ave nothing, so thar’s nothing ye can take from me worth more than what I can offer ye.”

Governor Morgan squinted at me as he inhaled a deep breath. “You have truly surprised me, Mister Bentley. You’re not the average drunk and gold hungry buccaneer. It seems you sincerely care about Charlotte Wetherby. Knowing you have nothing left to lose seems to set the scale of exchange towards a method of reward, but if I have you removed from this chamber, how can I trust that you will behave?”

Walking back to me pathetic little corner of hell, I wafted me hand in irritation. “Chain me to the bloody deck. I’d rather rot away in the weather.”

I had never felt so defeated, and I was hardly concerned with me own fate at the moment. Thar were no answers to me dismay, and I was too exhausted to barter. The journey ahead looked bleak, and all I knew for sure was how the walls of this cell room would forever remind me of me greatest failure. If I could convince the governor to chain me on deck, I could feel the weather and face the storm. No matter what was coming next, I knew the mere view of the sea was me only chance of escaping this seemingly bottomless heartache.

X

After our meeting in the brig, the governor had me escorted to a bathhouse where I could clean up and refresh. He also arranged a delivery for me. The package consisted of the leather Bible from me duffle, a new set of clothing, and a fine bottle of rum. It was rather odd getting situated under armed supervision, but the rum allowed me to focus more on me gratitude than me distaste for the arrangement. I still gave the guards a hard time to amuse meself though.

After a few of me smart mouth comments, the guard named Peter said, “You ought to be thankful, Mister Bentley. The governor didn’t have to be this kind.”

I already had on the new black breeches, and as I took a shot of the fancy rum, I knew he was right. Even so, as I laced up the ivory colored shirt I smirked, “Ye sure he doesn’t ‘ave any women guards that could take yer place? This would be a lot more fun that way.”