The Pirate Captain (115 page)

Squires’ hand casually came to rest on the hilt of a knife at his waist. “’Tis is a partnership we have ’ere.”

He flicked out the knife and began to track slow, rhythmic circles before Cate. The blade tip periodically took a carving upward arc or downward slice, the sun flashing on the steel with each turn. Cate had a deep hatred of blades and the muscles of her abdomen withdrew to the point of near spasm.

“Everyone works for the common good. Give over your share straightway and there shan’t be trouble. Forget and I’ll see that your odds o’ working again are cut off,
if
you get my drift.”

You’re in trouble now, girl.

Cate slid a glance toward Iris and Rose, measuring the chances of their intervention. It was a quick evaluation, for all she saw was fear. The pair’s attention was fixed on the knife with a familiarity that meant only one thing: Squires used it, and often.

The time to scream might have passed, but Cate opted to try anyway. She drew a breath, when she heard a calm, deep voice.

“It doesn’t require much of a man to draw a knife on a lady.”

Squires and the whores whirled around to where Thomas stood a short distance away, a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other.

“Doesn’t take much of one to pull a pistol on one what’s only armed w’ a knife,” Squires sneered in a faltering bravado.

His gaze steady on Squires, Thomas shoved the pistol into his belt and shifted the knife into his right hand. The switch allowed for a fuller view, and an impressive weapon it was. Its hilt was nearly the thickness of the average man’s wrist, the blade nearly as long as one’s hand.

Thomas allowed Squires’ eyes to follow the circular path of the knife’s tip before asking, “Better?”

A breeze staggered over the fence, but only served to stir the yard’s foulness, not unlike kicking a half-dried pile of dung. A droplet of sweat began a languorous trip down between Cate’s breasts.

“No harm meant. We wuz just enlightenin’ the new gal ’ere as to the way o’ bizness ’ere. Partners we are ’ere, are we not, ladies?” Squires said, elbowing the two whores into agreement. “Scratchin’ each other’s backs, that is. I let her work ’ere ’n she gives me half. Fair’s fair.”

One could almost hear the trio’s heads nodding in earnestness. If they had tails, they would have been tucked between their legs.

“Just to show what an abidin’ cove I am, so as to show my goodwill n’ all, I’ll let you ’ave ’er at half price…free!” Squires blurted at seeing the tip of Thomas’ knife jerk up.

The corner of Thomas’ mouth quirked. Whether he was amused by the offer or by the thought of paying for what he already owned, Cate couldn’t tell. “The lady is my guest.”

Squires spun around and back-handed Iris. “Stupid slut!”

The muzzle of Thomas’ pistol was pressed it against the side of Squires’ head before he could turn back. Squires’ eyes bulged at hearing the hammer cock.

“Do that again,” Thomas said in a measured rumble. “And I’ll blow a hole in that miserable bag you use for a head.”

Squires mouth groped for words. At length, he only nodded.

Thomas stepped back and crooked a finger at Cate. “Come along, lovely.”

As Thomas steered her back toward the tavern, Cate half expected him to give her a good shake, or at least a berating. Instead, he only said under his breath, “Can’t leave you for a minute, can I? Like a damned sign around your neck.”

He looked down as she began to respond and shook his head. “Never mind. I’ve seen that very sign myself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You have no idea, do you: the power you have over people, men most particular?” Thomas said in amused wonderment.

“I never—!”

“You don’t have to,” he said, chuckling. “It’s an air, or a scent, or some damned something. Hell, I don’t know what the hell it is, but there’s no denying it. Makes every man want you the minute they lay eyes on you, and every woman hate you for it, that’s for damned sure.”

“But I never—!”

“Stand easy, lovely. To expect you to change would be to ask the trades to shift or the moon to stand still.” Thomas saw her seated once more. He sat across from her and broke into a pleasured smile. “Besides, some of us downright enjoy it.”

Cate gave him a sharp look, but was met with only his usual benign boyishness. Thomas could be as vulgar as a forecastleman, but never a suggestive or lewd mark was made toward her.

The pitcher bawd came. She made no airs about bumping Thomas’ shoulder with her hip, and then bending to allow him a full display of her bosom in the candlelight as she set their drinks on the table. Cate had expected either ale or rum in the mug. It was a surprise to find shrub, a mix of lemon juice, sugar, rum, and a spice to which she couldn’t put a name. Fresh and cool from the well, after the heat of the market and the foulness of the privy yard, it was blessedly refreshing.

“I think you have an admirer of your own,” Cate said over her drink. In fact, there were several eyes cast wistfully in Thomas’ direction. Thomas’ observations had been correct: outright resentment was aimed at her.

She looked across the table to see Thomas’ gaze fixed over her shoulder. A squeal of feminine laughter revealed the object—or objects—of his attention, as intent as a starving man with a feast just beyond his reach. She started to tell him that she wouldn’t mind if he desired to sup. With a sharp stab, however, she discovered she would most definitely and vehemently object.

It was a puzzle, for she had no claim on him. He was the one who possessed her.

Still, she batted her lashes and said, “This shrub is wonderful.”

Her ploy worked. Thomas blinked and came back to the table.

The sea pie came and it was delicious. The “sea” aspect of it was but one among several of layers of different meats, onions, and currants, with flaky layers of crust between each. At first, Cate thought the great wedge which was set before her was far too large, but she ate with an industry that surprised her and clearly pleased him.

The tavern’s door burst open and a group barged in. Cate stiffened, the fork gone forgotten in her hand. Her back was to the room, but it wasn’t necessary for her to look. There was no mistaking that voice.

From the corner or her eye, she saw Nathan brush past, a whore under each arm and several more in tow. A small entourage of followers brought up the rear, all drunk as dukes.

“What’s he doing here?” she hissed.

From "Nor Gold"
coming soon.

Glossary

Abaft:
across, to the other side of the ship

Abeam:
directly to the side; right angle to the
keel

Accommodation ladder
: steps up the side of the ship

Aft:
rear, back, toward the
stern

Afterguard:
seamen whose assignment is on the
quarterdeck

Aftersail:
a sail behind the main sail

Aftmost:
furthest to the rear

Ahoo:
18
^th
century nautical for “chaotic” or “messy”

All stations:
an order given for everyone to man their posts

Amidships:
on or near the middle, or
waist

Answer:
18
^th
century for “serve” or “work”

Armorer:
ship’s blacksmith

Arsey-farsey:
confused

Astern:
toward the rear, or off the
stern
of the ship

Aweigh:
refers to the movement of the ship; “We’ll aweigh” would mean, “We’ll depart;” often confused with “away”

Backstay:
part of the standing
rigging
supporting the masts, etc. from the back

Bairns
: Scots for “children”

Bannochbroch
: small town in the Highlands, where a skirmish took place

Bar and chain shot:
shot from a cannon; a bar with round or square ends; a length of chain with a small cannonball at each end

Barra Terre:
an island in the central Caribbean

Bear a hand:
“Gimme a hand!” or “Hurry up!”

Bear a weather eye:
be alert

Bedlam:
a hospital for the insane in London

Belay:
“Stop” Or “Take it easy;” to secure or tie something off

Belike:
18
^th
century for “in all likelihood”

Bells:
the ship’s system of timekeeping, but only with reference to the duration of the current watch; indirectly, the time of day

Bending sails:
changing or putting up new sails

Berth:
bed or bunk

Between the devil and the deep blue sea:
a section under the edge of the deck that was “the devil” to reach for painting; a reference to someone hanging over the edge, or in definite peril

Bilboes:
leg irons with an iron bar between

Bilge:
1) the space beneath the hold’s floor; 2) the foul water and other filth that collects in that space

Bilge pumps:
used to pump out the bilges

Bilge rats:
1) the rodents living in the bilges; 2) lowly people

Binnacle:
a cabinet-like structure in front of the ship’s wheel that houses the compass and other navigational necessaries

Binnacle list:
sick list

Bitter end:
the end of a rope that is under heavy use; to reach its end can be big trouble

Blighter:
annoying person; a jerk

Boatswain:
see
bosun

Bombay bomber:
cockroach

Bonneted:
covered with canvas

Boomtricers:
definition needed

Bosun:
literal pronunciation for
boatswain

Bottling your tot:
saving one’s grog ration for later

Boucan:
the open-pit fires for which “buccaneers” were probably named

Bowlines:
(
BO-luns
) the lines securing the
windward
side of a sail

Bowsprit:
heavy
spar
that protrudes from the front of the ship as a support for sails and rigging

Braces:
the ropes which are used to swing the
yardarms
, and hence the sails

Bracemen:
those handling the braces

Brailing up her courses:
bringing up the lower corners of the main sail to get them out of the way

Brighten blades:
sharpen and clean

Broadside:
1) the side of a ship above the water; 2) a firing of all cannon on one side of the ship at one time

Buggering:
derogatory; a jerk

Bulkhead:
inside wall

Bulwark:
raised part between the rail and the deck

Burn:
Scots for “river”

Busted gut:
hernia

Butcher’s Bill:
casualty list

By your leave:
18
^th
century for “I beg your pardon,” “Excuse me,” “If you’ll excuse me…”

Cable:
a thick rope, some up to 30" in diameter

Cable’s length:
a measurement in the range of 600-700 feet, depending on the diameter

Cable tier:
compartment where the anchor cable is stored

Cack-handed:
literally, left-handed; referring to any matter handled poorly

Caning:
beating someone with a cane

Canny:
careful

Capstan:
heavy-duty winch in which spokes are inserted in order to turn it

Captain of the crosstrees:
crew chief of some of those who work in the upper rigging

Cartouche boxes:
a box for musket cartridges

Casks:
barrels,
hogsheads
,
puncheons

Cast him off:
to set someone adrift, usually in a very small boat, as a means of banishment

Caulk:
the stuffing between the planks that kept the ship watertight; a combination of oakum and tar

Caulking mallets:
hammers used to pound the caulk into the ship’s seams

Cayo Hueso:
a West Indies island

Chanty:
sailor’s song

Charqui:
strips of dried meat; jerky

Chirurgeon:
18
^th
century for “surgeon;” this person was often also the barber

Clap on:
a command to grab hold, seize, pull, etc.

Clear the braces:
a command in preparation to maneuver the ship in some way

Coaming:
raised edge at the bottom of a doorway that stops water from coming in

Cochineal:
a highly valued red dye

Come about:
turn

Companionway:
stairway inside the ship

Company muster:
the book listing the members of the crew

Comprendes?:
Spanish for “Understand?”

Consort:
a ship’s sailing companion

Coopersmate:
barrelmaker’s assistant

Cordage:
ropes, as in those used for the ship’s rigging

Corvette:
a type of ship

Cosseted:
coddled or pampered

Cot:
bed

Course:
mainsail

Cross of St. George:
the Union Jack

Cross-trees:
support timbers in the rigging