The Voyage of the Sea Wolf (11 page)

“Yes,” I whispered. Strangely my cap was still on my head and I pushed the straggles of hair back under it.

“What made ye take such a chance, Catherine?” William murmured.

“I had to know,” I whispered. “Is it to be her or me? I heard how she talked, in the cabin.” My legs were suddenly weak and if it were not for William's arm I would have fallen.

“Who be's there?” someone called, someone drunk who weaved about in front of us.

“Nobody.” William pushed the man away. “Go back to sleep.” He leaned down to me, his mouth against my ear. “Ye must go, Catherine. Go before something worse happens. Can ye walk? I'll take ye.”

“No.” I spoke around the dryness in my throat. “Better I go myself. But have you given her your answer?”

“Not yet,” he said. “I have to think on what's best to do. She has promised ye safe passage back to Port Teresa. She will not maroon ye, no matter how ye provoke her. Ye will be safe.”

And then someone else, someone small and short-legged took my arm. “I'll see to her,” Sebastian said and he led me in silence back to the captain's cabin.

I lay in the hammock listening to Captain Moriarity's loud snores, trying to think. I had gone to ask William what his decision was to be and I'd found no answer. “I have to think what's best to do.” Best for me? To ensure my safe passage back to Port Teresa? Yes. But was there more? I knew him. I loved him. But I could not ignore the doubt that crept into my mind. Which course would he take?

The lamp, still lit, was guttering, most likely from lack of oil. I held my mother's hairbrush close to my heart and tried to think.

My mind turned to what had happened tonight. Would Magruder tell?

Lying, sleepless in the half dark, I waited for sunrise.

When the first light showed itself in the cabin I heard the captain arise. “Get ye up, mistress. Sebastian will be waitin'. Don't ye be lollygaggin'.”

She sounded well pleased by something. I did not care to know what.

I arose quickly and went on deck.

The sun was lifting itself, red between sky and sea. The
Sea Wolf
was underway, her sails full throated, her bow rising and falling, the mermaid on the prow dipping and lifting, dipping and lifting, showering the deck with spray. The sheets whipped against the masts. One day more and we would see the
Isabella
.

There was commotion all around and the strong smell of vinegar as the men washed down the decks to cleanse them from last night's filth.

Repairs to the hull had started. Even going into another battle the
Sea Wolf
must be kept shipshape.

The morning held a sense of excitement, an urgency. It was as if the men, who had been drunk and enfeebled last night, had come alive and could feel the prize they had come so far to take. They smelled gold and jewels. Sails were manipulated to better catch the wind.

Almost there. Almost there.

Yesterday they had had a taste of blood and booty
and they craved more.

Sebastian was already at work. I slid my legs under the sail beside him and picked up my needle. His face was ill humored, and I suspected that he was suffering from too much rum last night. He made no mention of what had transpired and how he had walked with me to the captain's cabin. I kept my own counsel.

There was no sign of William. Was he already with the captain or had she put him to work, far from where I sewed?

I was about to try an opening conversation with Sebastian when I saw Magruder. He strode past us. His nose had swollen like a bap and dried blood caked the nostrils. On either side of it I could see puncture wounds where my teeth had gripped him.

Sebastian stopped sewing and bent forward, watching him.

“He be's headed for the wheelhouse,” he said. “I'll wager he wants an audience wi' the captain.” He glanced at me sideways. “He be's a weasel, that 'un. Tellin' her a tale, no doubt.”

The tone of his voice told me he knew what tale Magruder would likely be telling. My heart plunged. I knew, too.

I sat, blindly plying the sail needle, waiting for her wrath to consume me.

It was not long in coming.

One look at the captain as she strode along the deck told me that she had heard the tale and was infuriated. Her lips were pulled together in a tight line. Her fists were clenched at her sides. Magruder paced behind her, a few steps back, grinning an idiotic grin. A hammer lay on the deck and the captain kicked it away with an oath and a bellow.

“Which o' ye slovenly pigs left this a'lyin for me to trip over? Pick it up.”

It was the pirate I called Bandit who made haste to retrieve it.

I bent my head and pretended to sew. If only she would walk past. But I knew she would not.

The feet came closer and closer. Stopped.

“Get up, wench!”

I lifted the edge of the sail from my legs and stood. My heart pounded in my ears.

She stood in front of me, her hands on her hips. Her eyes were red, the way they had been the first time I saw her.

Behind her Magruder waited, delicately fingering his nose.

“Is it true ye defied me orders and went by night to be wi' William?” she asked.

Sebastian scrambled up and the men who had been working close to us lessened their efforts so they could listen to what was happening.

“Well, is it true?”

Before I could answer, or think about answering, the captain reached behind her and dragged Magruder forward.

“Aye, 'tis true,” Magruder said.

“Magruder tried to stop ye from breakin' my rules and ye bit him. See here on his snout? Ye were goin' to kill him but for William coming upon the scene and draggin' ye away. Do not deny it for I see the proof of it in yer face. Ye disregarded me spoken orders. Is this the thanks yer givin' me for pluckin' ye off Pox Island?”

“I do thank you,” I said. “Did Magruder tell you he tried to catch hold of me in an obnoxious way? That I was defending...”

Captain Moriarity raised a fist. “Do not speak another word ye treacherous vixen. Ye were where ye should not have been. Ye stole the key to the door.”

“I did not,” I said. “You left the door unlocked. I wanted only...”

A small crowd had gathered, watching expectantly. And then I saw William. He shouldered through the others to get to me.

“Cap'n,” he began. “ 'Twas my fault, too.”

“No,” the captain said. “ 'Twas not yer fault. The besom came to you. All ye did was save Magruder from her knife. She broke me rules. She shall be punished. I have not decided on it yet, but 'twill be just and severe, you can lay to that.”

“We did not touch. We scarce spoke,” William began.

“I need hear no more.” Her voice was sharp and full of anger.

“Ye promised her safe passage,” William said.

“Aye. And she will have it, if'n ye meet me conditions.”

Her conditions? She meant if William promised to stay with her and leave me.

“I did not attest to her comfort on her return journey,” the captain went on. “Be warned! I do not deal lightly with those who go against me.”

There was a muttering from the hovering crew.

“Cap'n,” one of them shouted. “We be's wasting time. Attend to the wench after.”

“Aye. Let her be for now. The
Sea Wolf
has pressin' business. Treasure business.” That was Gabby, a piece of broken railing in his hand.

The captain's glance swept over the men. “You are right. All of yez get to work. Go! Go!”

They scattered quickly. She pointed at Magruder.
“You! Wait! 'Twas your snout she bit on. 'Twill be yer pleasure to take the hussy down and lock her in the brig. I'll see to her later. And William. You will fight alongside us. I will have need of every man when we meet up with the
Isabella
.”

“Beg pardon, Cap'n.” That was Sebastian in an ingratiating voice I had never yet heard him use. “I understands yer position. But I have use for the wench. She be's quick wi' the needle. Should we lose our sails to an
Isabella
cannonball we will want this topsail. She and I be's workin' hard on it for 'tis bad tore.”

Captain Moriarity grunted. “She will be in the brig tonight then. She'll be in your charge today, Sebastian, and I caution ye not to go easy on her.”

William's lips touched my hair, such a whisper of a touch that I might have imagined it.

I wanted to whimper, to beg, to grovel. How could I survive a black night in the brig, in the bowels of the ship, with only my own dark thoughts and fears?

“I'll take her place,” William said. “Let me go and...”

“Ye will do no such an' a thing. Of what use would that be to punish her?”

“ 'Twould keep us from each other, Cap'n. She would not be tryin' to come to me.”

“Do not speak!” The captain's mouth was a tight line.
“When the sun goes down, she goes in the brig and that is me order.”

Sebastian stood directly in front of the captain. “Cap'n? I beg leave to talk with ye.”

“Aye. Talk away. You, girl, get back to the sewin' on that sail that's makin' Sebastian anxious.”

Sebastian waited till I was seated before he spoke again. I was supposed to not hear but I strained and caught hold of some of his words.

“This mornin' as I was... along the deck before sunrise I saw a horrible... ”

I had missed two words.

“Aye? Ye saw what?”

“The horseshoe on the mast had turned... It was upside down. I fear it has thrown out... I righted it, Cap'n. Mayhap I got to it afore all its luck had emptied.”

I kept my head bent over my needle but a quick glance showed me how the captain leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Sebastian's face.

He swayed from side to side, steadying himself against the movement of the ship. For a moment there was silence and I thought I had missed more of his talk, but then he said, “Below it, Cap'n, where the luck had scattered...” He stopped again.

“Somethin' there.”

“Satan's tooth, Sebastian. Stop shilly-shallying.” Her voice was raised and shrill. “What was there?”

“A rat, Cap'n. A big 'un. Black, wi' eyes as red as yer own. Beggin' yer pardon.” His tone was measured and I heard it clearly.

The captain shuffled and looked down as if expecting to see the rat at her feet. “I do not like rats,” she said. “ 'Twas a bold one to be out so... and lettin' you...” The rest of what she spoke was uttered so low that I could not catch it.

I shivered. A rat! I was not fond of rats either and this picture of one with red eyes was fearsome to me.

“Aye, and there's more,” Sebastian went on. “Catman's cat came round the... up there by the fo'c's'le, and the rat seen it and he turned tail and ran, an' he was screechin' like the devil. I stomped my foot... go too near him and then...”

I scraped myself along a little, getting closer to them, the better to hear. But they had forgotten I was hard by.

“And then?”

Uneasy bumps rose on my arms. There was something terrifying in this conversation, but I kept my needle busy. I had to be seen to be working hard, justifying Sebastian's need of me.

“And then I saw what we's been fearin'.” Sebastian glanced at me where I sat and I let my shoulders slump
in a disinterested way. The captain disregarded me, her whole body intent on Sebastian. “It was HER?” she asked. “The witch? The malevolent spirit?”

“Aye. I saw it plain. 'Twas HER.”

The captain touched her lips, made a small sound.

I allowed myself to look up, keeping my expression uninvolved.

“What can we do?” Captain Moriarity asked.

“Nothing that I knows of. SHE sensed my presence and before I could... to do aught, startled as I was, SHE scurried through the... and down below decks. I am sorry, Cap'n.”

“SHE, the evil one, is still aboard?”

“Aye. Far as I knows.”

I sat, trying to make sense of what I heard. They were talking about HER again, the unknown SHE that had made the captain inspect every one of the men.

“We will keep this from the crew,” the captain said. “There is no need to vex them.”

There was a sudden crash. I jumped to my feet.

“What...?” The captain and Sebastian spun around and I peered over Sebastian's shoulder. The polished wood with the words Bonne Chance carved into it had fallen from its place above the door and lay facedown on the deck.

“Holy Heaven,” the captain breathed. Her face had paled. “What does it all portend?”

“The omens are averse, Cap'n. Ye knows I always have yer best interests in mind and I would only advise ye on what is evident. The black rat is death, and now that SHE has taken it over it is beyond evil. I beg ye to abandon yer attack on the
Isabella
.”

The captain's glance flickered around the deck, landed on me where I stood not far from them.

“Get ye away, girl! There's nothin' of interest to ye here.” She did not wait to see if I obeyed. “Sebastian! Pick up the Bonne Chance, and put it in a safe place till we have completed our battle. And there is to be no mention of the rat or HER. I tell ye true, I am frightened. But I will not abandon the skirmish. The men would surely wreck me ship if'n I stopped them from this venture when they have come so far. They may respect me but they are not a forgiving group. God's Bones! I am uneasy at leaving HER on board. Mayhap the roar of the cannons and the stink of the gunfire will scare her off.”

Sebastian did not answer.

“Mayhap SHE will desert us and go to the
Isabella
,” the captain went on and it was as if she was trying to persuade herself. “If SHE does not leave we will have to find her and destroy her.”

“ 'Twill be hard, Cap'n. None of the men will want to take part in that hunt. Not when they are told what SHE be's.”