Ill Wind and Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure (Valkyrie) (48 page)

‘Do you take me for your lawful wedded husband?’

‘Aye. Do you take me for your lawful wedded wife?’

‘Sí. As Captain of
Sound of Freedom,
I pronounce us husband and wife.’

‘As Captain of
Valkyrie,
I
pronounce us husband and wife!’

Our crews cheered and I kissed my wife and held her. We’d done it. Against the odds and in spite of everything, I’d done it. I’d won her back.

It had been a simple service and Gabriella had looked more pirate than bride. I didn’t know if she had any gowns aboard
Valkyrie
, but she certainly didn’t have one to fit her that day. I realized I’d never seen her in a gown, but even if she had worn one, it wouldn’t have suited her new tattoo. She wore her usual breeches, shirt and colourful sash – but they were clean and her hair was dressed with jewels and pearls. My beautiful pirate bride. Nobody mentioned that her first husband still lived. Nobody cared – they knew it wouldn’t be for long.

‘Now things had better bloody well get back to normal,’ a Scottish voice grumbled behind us. I turned to berate Frazer, but stopped when I realized he was grinning. Gabriella looked shocked. I think it was the first time she’d seen him smile. He shook both our hands. ‘Congratulations and felicitations to the pair of you,’ he added.

‘Thank you, Mr Frazer.’

‘Wind!’

I looked up at Juaquim perched in
Freedom’s
maintop and who pointed northeast. Typical! We’d been becalmed a week and now we were about to celebrate our marrying, we all had to go to work. Gabriella smiled up at me.

‘We’ve been waiting for wind for long enough, we can’t waste it. I need to get
Valkyrie
ashore.’

I nodded. Every day we spent out here increased the risk of storm, and whilst I quite liked the idea of Gabriella returning to
Freedom
, I knew she wouldn’t be able to bear another loss.

We had gathered on
Freedom
in the end, simply because her decks were bigger, and now men and women ran about them. All
Freedom’s
sails needed setting,
Freykarie
had to be cast off and towing warps rigged to her instead. Neither
Freyja
nor
Valkyrie
would set any sail –
Freedom
would do all the work.

‘Valkyries to the starboard rail!’ Gabriella roared, and the shout was carried forward until her crew had assembled to windward. I looked round
Freedom’s
decks and rigging – the yards were littered with men and I couldn’t spot a single idle hand. I walked over to the Valkyries to hear what Gabriella had in mind.

‘Starboard Watch aboard
Freyja,
Carmen in command. I want hands on the pumps, watch and watch about, and Jayde? You’ll need to keep her patched and prevent her from making water as best you can. Andy, I want you aboard
Freyja
too, the Freyjamen are bound below decks and shouldn’t be any trouble – they’ll be under your charge. Any questions?’ There were none.

‘Larboard watch, you’re with me and
Valkyrie
. Keep her dry and afloat. Make haste!’ she added, getting everyone moving. She looked at me, brow raised in question and I nodded.
Freedom
would be safe enough in Frazer’s hands, I’d join Gabriella on
Valkyrie
, but I’d have a longboat on hand to ferry me between the vessels as I needed.

*

Aboard
Valkyrie,
I lifted my chin to windward. It was only faint, but the slight movement of air felt wonderful. We’d drifted long enough, the water around us was littered with the flotsam and jetsam of near a hundred men and women, and stank of rotten meat and shit in the hot sun; it was good to have the promise of movement again. The breeze strengthened slowly, and although
Freedom’s
sails were full and the towing warps taut, we had no way on yet. All the crew, except those on the pumps, craned over the side, looking for the tell-tale ripples that would attest to our passage, all of us eager to find a safe harbour for our crippled fleet.

Gabriella had her glass trained to windward and a gust ruffled her hair, still garnished with jewels. I felt the timbers move beneath my feet. We were off. Finally. Now we’d see how
Freykarie
moved through the water.

I went forward, Gabriella close behind, to get a better look. All was well, so far at least. Gabriella waved to her quartermaster and bo’sun who both hung over
Freyja’s
rail with the same intent, but there didn’t appear to be any problems – Gaunt and Jayde had made
Valkyrie
fast with plenty of line to prevent the timbers working loose.
Freykarie
was towing well enough. Slowly, true, very slowly, but well enough.

We limped along behind
Freedom
at maybe one knot. Slow progress, but steady, and we should get there without much risk to
Valkyrie
and her prize – assuming we kept a fair wind. I carried a beaker of ale to Gabriella, who leaned on the larboard rail and stared out to sea. She’d been very quiet since we’d got underway.

Despite the light breeze it was hot, and most of the crew sprawled on the maindeck under the awning. With no sails set and no duty at the tiller, there was nothing to do but man the pumps in short, regular tricks and keep a sharp lookout for squalls and other pirates. We sounded below regularly, and the pumps were keeping on top of the water in the bilges. All was well, for the moment at least. Just hot, humid and uncomfortable.

When I reached Gabriella she didn’t turn, but kept staring at the same spot to leeward. I realized we’d drawn level with what was left of the boat-grave – just a few charred strakes of wood.

‘What kind of world are we bringing a child into? What kind of life are we offering her, Leo?’

‘The only kind of life either of us wish to live,’ I replied. ‘Yes, there are dangers, but we’ll do everything in our power to keep him safe, and there’s danger enough ashore, don’t forget.’

She shuddered. ‘I couldn’t consider living ashore again,’ she said. ‘Babe-in-arms or no.’

‘Don’t worry overmuch.’ I put my arm around her shoulders. ‘We’ll teach our son to swim as soon as he can walk, despite the superstition of the sea. We’ll tie a safety line to him on deck and keep him out of harm’s way during raids. Look around you, look how big a family he’ll have; he’ll be safe aboard our ships.’

‘And our daughter?’

‘Our daughter?’

‘If our son is a daughter as Klara foretold, do you promise the same?’ She looked up at me. ‘Erik always told me if I bore him a girl, he’d throw her from the cliff top so she couldn’t grow to be like me.’

I pulled her close and held her as tightly as I dared. ‘Van Ecken will be dead soon,’ I growled. ‘I promise you, I will keep our child safe no matter whether son or daughter. It makes no difference to me whether I sire a pirate prince
or
princess. And I couldn’t be happier with a daughter just like her mother – the fear of the Carib Sea!’

A cry from above interrupted us, and Gabriella quickly wiped her eyes and ran to windward as best she could, glass already in hand, although she didn’t need it to see the black clouds gathering to the northeast.

‘Squall!’

Everyone jumped to their feet, but there was nothing to do – no sails to trim, no course to adjust – so we lined the rails.

‘Mr Gaunt, stand by below with your tools and plenty of oakum. Take Carrie and Obi to help. This will be
Valkyrie’s
biggest test yet.’

‘Aye, aye, lass.’

I smiled at her glare. Gaunt found it difficult to call her Captain when I was aboard.

‘Slip the towing warp!’ Gabriella shouted, waddling forward to shout down to
Freyja
, knowing Carmen probably wouldn’t have heard her. I approved, both wind and sea would get up quickly, and I didn’t want to be tied to
Freedom
. If anything happened to the crippled boats, I wanted
Freedom
free and clear to come to our aid. Carmen clearly did too, the towing warp splashed into the sea before Gabriella reached the foredeck, and we were on our own.

‘Leo, I want
Freyja’s
starboard anchor dropped and her jibs hoisted. Tell Carmen to protect
Valkyrie
and
Freyja’s
damage as much as she can.’

‘Aye, aye, lass,’ I joked, and Gabriella glared at me in turn. I was sure she hated not being able to run forward and take care of it herself. Seconds later, I was up on the remains of
Valkyrie’s
bowsprit bellowing Gabriella’s orders to
Freyja’s
decks below, which were already a frenzy of activity. A large splash announced that the starboard anchor had been let go to spin
Freykarie
around into wind, and half a dozen Valkyries ran aft along the deck with a jib halyard. The small sails at the bow would help to push
Freyja’s
bow around further and keep
Valkyrie
in her lee, protected from the sea.

All we could do now was sit it out.

*

‘Where’s
Freedom
going?’ Gabriella had caught up and stood in the bows at the foot of the bowsprit – there’d be no more climbing for her until our child was born, and I could see the frustration on her face. I looked downwind to see my ship bearing away, and immediately realized what Frazer was up to.

‘He’s wearing round. He’ll sail around us and back up to windward – he’ll put himself between us and the weather, and use
Freedom
to shelter us from the worst of it.’

A cheer rang out from the Valkyries at this. Being adrift at sea in a crippled vessel was one of a sailor’s worst nightmares. Not as bad as adrift afire, but not far off. Seeing another vessel prepared to put themselves into our service wouldn’t be forgotten. Frazer had just won himself, and
Freedom,
a great deal of goodwill.

I couldn’t help but admire my ship as she sailed to larboard. We were still on the edge of the squall, but the sea had whipped up whitecaps, and
Freedom
wallowed for a moment before her yards swung around and caught the wind on the other board, then she was under full sail with a bone in her teeth – that white water at her bow one of my favourite sights. The other – white sails bellied with wind and laying the ship over – filled my heart with pride at my ship and crew. With two triangular jibs spanning bowsprit to mast, two square sails lending power to her foremast, three to her main and the triangular spanker to her mizzen, she looked heaven-sent – her crew of angels harnessing the clouds and skipping effortlessly through the seas.

I waved my greeting to my quartermaster and crew as they prepared to shorten sail and heave-to to windward of us. The square sails were loosed, the jibs backed to work against the spanker, and her bows swung obediently to the northeast.
Freykarie
settled in the calm water of the windshadow cast by her towering hull. Frazer had judged it perfectly, and
Freedom
now protected us from the worst of the wind and waves.

*

Lightning flashed above us, and I clambered back down on to deck to stand with my wife. ‘You should go below, shelter in the cabin,’ I told her as the heavens opened.

‘Why? I’m already drenched,’ she retorted. ‘I’m not about to cower below while my boat and crew are in danger. My place is on deck, child or no child – you know that as well as I do.’

I laughed, not having expected anything less – at least she hadn’t cursed me. Then she softened and took my face in her hands. ‘I’ll head down to the cabin once the danger has passed, and you can join me, but not before.’ She kissed me and turned away with a smile.

I stood behind her, wrapped my arms around her and tried to protect her from the worst of the weather whilst the heavens flashed and thundered, but she shook me off to put more crew on the capstan working the pumps. The message was clear –
Valkyrie
came first. Despite all our precautions, some of this water would undoubtedly be finding its way below; and she was right, as captain her place was on deck. I shook my head in resignation and turned to windward to watch the progress of the squall, and I remembered the one I’d encountered when I tangled with
Freyja
just over a year ago
.
I knew waterspouts were rare enough and wasn’t too worried, but I was also aware that if we were unlucky enough to encounter one in our current condition, it would sink us for certain.