Sea Change (3 page)

"No, this is not unusual, Mrs. Denham. A first child is a new experience for your body, so it is no wonder that it takes time to adjust."

"I have been laboring forever!" Elizabeth Denham moaned.

"Your contractions will start to come closer together, as we discussed they would. Now, you lie back and try to rest. Conserve your strength for you have a hard task ahead. I will return shortly."

Charley stepped out of the cabin and stretched with her hands at the base of her spine, easing the kinks in her back. She knew the babe wasn't going to emerge in the next fifteen minutes, so this was an opportune time for her to use the head and maybe get a cup of tea from the galley.

When she came above, the only sign that dawn had broken was a shift in the light filtering through the fog, but the gray shroud still covered the
Lady Jane.
Captain Denham was pacing the deck anxiously, and rushed over when he saw Charley.

"Elizabeth! What-- How--?"

"Your wife is well, Captain, and all is progressing as it should."

"That's good," Denham said in relief, then looked out over water that appeared as bleak and washed out as the mist engulfing them. Droplets of moisture clung to his salt-and-pepper beard and beaded on his shoulders. He lowered his voice. "This damned fog has cut us off from contact with the other vessels. Do not tell Elizabeth."

"Of course not. She has enough on her mind."

"I can take a moment to visit with her," Denham said heartily. "That will cheer her."

Before Charley could stop him he was headed down to his cabin, and she followed behind.

"I am not sure this is a good idea, Captain. Ladies in Elizabeth's state are not always themselves--"

But it was too late. Captain Denham threw open the door of the cabin and started to say, "My darling Eliz--"

"You!"

His darling Elizabeth was sitting up in the bunk, clutching her belly, glaring at her husband. Lank strands of sweat-dampened hair fell across her face and she looked like a serpent-haired Fury come to deliver retribution.

And she knew just who to deliver it to.

"You!" She snarled again, pointing a shaking finger at her husband. "You did this to me, you--"

And then Captain Denham's demure and shy wife demonstrated exactly how well her vocabulary had been broadened by contact with the
Lady Jane's
sailors. She ended with a description of what she was going to do to her husband's private parts so that he would never be able to put her in this position again.

Charley escorted a white-faced Captain Denham from the cabin.

"Pay it no mind, Captain. Women in the midst of labor will say all sorts of things they do not mean."

"You don't think she really means it?"

"Wellll, she does mean it now, but once she's holding her babe she will forget she ever said these things to you."

Mr. Stuart was calling for the captain, so Charley clapped him on the back, said, "Buck up, sir, this will soon be over," and returned to her patient.

The contractions were gaining in intensity and Charley monitored Mrs. Denham, even as she heard the noise and commotion increase abovedecks.

One of the ship's boys threw the door open to reveal the news.

"Pirates! There are pirates, Doctor! The captain says to stay below while he talks to them!"

"What else am I going to do?" Charley said in asperity. "We are busy here, Lawton. Your job is to keep pirates--and anyone else--out of this cabin."

Mrs. Denham moaned, but Charley gave her a brief smile.

"Do not fear, Mrs. Denham. I know your husband will not do anything to put your life at risk."

The contractions were close now. Mrs. Denham was propped up against the bulkhead, and Charley was between her legs letting nature take its course. There was no more gunfire, but she could hear yelling and feet thundering through the lower decks.

"Won't be long now," Charley said cheerfully.

"That's what you said earlier, you pox-ridden bastard!" Mrs. Denham gritted from between her teeth, arching her back as the next contraction came.

"No, do not push! Not until I tell you to!"

The cabin door burst open.

"Are you the surgeon?"

Charley glanced over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of a tall, masked stranger.

"Get out," she said, turning back to her patient.

Mrs. Denham screamed, and the man raised his voice to be heard.

"If you are the surgeon, you're coming with me."

"Not before this baby's born."

She heard him walk across the cabin, and felt something cold placed against her neck. She angled her head to look at the cutlass resting just below her ear. Charley knew she should be terrified, but all she felt was aggravation that this pirate was upsetting her patient.

"I need a surgeon aboard my ship. You are coming with me."

Mrs. Denham panted in short gasps, her eyes darting between the man over Charley's shoulder and the doctor. Charley turned around and looked up at him. The pirate's mask covered his upper face, but she caught a glint of amber through the eyeholes, and saw a firm mouth set in a grim line.

"A dead surgeon is no good to you either, pirate. You are upsetting my patient. Get out. And take your sword with you."

"That's 'Captain Pirate' to you, leech," but the sword was taken away.

Elizabeth Denham took that moment to lean over and vomit, missing the bowl next to the bunk. A rush of blood-tinged fluid came out from between her legs.

Charley glanced back again and saw the pirate's jaw pale before he turned and fumbled for the latch.

"I'll be back, Doctor!"

She ignored him and turned to Elizabeth.

"Good work, Mrs. Denham. The baby's crowning!"

After that, things happened quickly. The baby's head emerged into Charley's hands and the body rotated for the shoulders to slip through on the next contraction, and in moments Charley had hold of a slippery, squirming son for Captain and Mrs. Denham.

The baby's lusty cries brought a sound of joy from his crying mother.

"My baby!" she cried, and laughed through cracked lips, and cried some more. "Give me my baby!"

"In a moment, Mama. We are not quite finished here yet."

Charley cut the cord and cradled the child, holding him up in the lamplight to give him a quick examination. All the necessary parts seemed to be there, so she offered up a silent prayer of relief and thanks, wiped him with a soft cloth and wrapped him in an even softer blanket, then laid him on his mother's belly to stay warm.

"Now for the afterbirth, and then you can rest."

Charley was washing her hands and smiling at Mrs. Denham as she held her new son to her breast, cooing down at him, when the cabin door slammed open and Captain Denham was shoved into the cabin, followed by the pirate.

"Elizabeth!"

"We have a son, Ronald," his sweet wife beamed at him, "Oh look, is he not beautiful?"

Like most newborns he was red and wrinkled and squished looking, but to Charley's eyes he also appeared beautiful, for she had helped bring him safely into the world.

"This is all very touching," the pirate said, "but I have waited long enough. Captain, your strongbox, quickly now, before harm comes to these innocents."

He motioned a pair of his crewmen into the cabin. They took Captain Denham's money and papers while the captain and Charley stood guard in front of the bunk, keeping Mrs. Denham and the baby safe. It was a gallant gesture, even though they each knew they could not stand against armed pirates.

"And now for our final business. Come with me, Doctor!"

Charley took a step back from the pirate, who was standing holding a pistol loosely at his side, but he stood between her and the door.

"You cannot take Dr. Alcott prisoner, I will not stand for it!" Captain Denham said.

"Really?" the pirate drawled, and cocking his head to the side, looked down at the baby Mrs. Denham clutched to her chest.

"You would not harm a baby!" Charley said in outrage.

"You are correct, Dr. Alcott, I would not harm a baby." The pirate looked at her, his eyes intent behind his mask. He was tall and loomed over her as he smiled coldly and said, "That child can, however, grow up without a father. You choose, Doctor. Now. Either you come with me, or I will shoot the good captain here."

"Ronald!" Elizabeth Denham cried out.

Denham did not plead for his life, but Charley knew she had no choice, not really.

"That baby needs its father more than you need a doctor, Captain Denham. Mrs. Denham, remember what I said--plenty of beef broth, have the cook kill one of those chickens and make a rich soup for you, stay in your bunk and rest. Your milk will be in in a day or two. In the meantime, let the baby nurse as he will and it will help you recover."

She turned back to her captor, who was standing silent during this speech, radiating tension.

"Very well, pirate, I will come with you."

"How accommodating you are, Doctor."

Charley said nothing to this but buttoned her coat and brushed her short hair off her forehead.

"Take care of yourself, Mrs. Denham, Captain Denham. Thank you for all you have done for me."

"We will name him Charles!" Charley heard Mrs. Denham call out as the pirate took her by the upper arm to haul her from the cabin.

The cabin doors were smashed in, but Charley saw no injured crew, and when she was pushed up the ladder ahead of the pirate captain, she blinked in the bright sunlight. The
Lady Jane
was alone in the vast and empty sea, save for the vessel nearby, the one distinguished by the black flag flying over it.

The pirate took her arm again, Charley tried to shake him off, but she might as well have tried to shake the mainmast.

"I said I will come with you, you do not need to manhandle me."

He did not reply, and did not let go as he looked at a sailor standing at the rail.

"Did you find it?"

"Aye, Cap'n. We cleaned out the sick bay to the bulkheads."

"My belongings!"

"Are all aboard my ship now, Doctor, which is where you are going."

He pulled her forward and Charley stumbled along with him to the rail. Charley did not know what her fate would be aboard the pirate's vessel, but she knew one other thing after listening to the men talk. Her captors were Americans.

CHAPTER 3

The mask obscured his vision, but Captain David Fletcher of the privateer
Fancy
knew better than to rip it off. He was already in danger of losing his bond to the United States if word of this escapade leaked out. Posing as pirates instead of legitimate privateers, taking a civilian prisoner--it was not how he wanted to deal with this situation, but he needed medicine and a doctor. He had anticipated the former would be on a merchant ship, but the latter was a stroke of pure luck and an opportunity he could not pass up.

He was having second thoughts about this surgeon, however.

Dr. Alcott was a weedy stripling who did not look old enough to run a razor over his face. He seemed competent with that screaming harpy--and that was a scene David would be reliving in his nightmares!--but was he competent to deal with life aboard the
Fancy
?

More importantly, and more urgently, could he heal Henry?

He looked over at his prisoner, who was making his way in a lubberly fashion down to the waiting boat. Likely this was the man's first sea voyage, and David felt his doubts blossom anew. An experienced sea surgeon was one thing, but some youngster more used to delivering babies and aiding old ladies in stimulating their digestion--

It was too late now, he thought as they rowed over in silence and boarded his vessel. He was stuck with what he had, and David had to believe that whatever assistance Dr. Alcott could offer would be better for Henry than David's own lack of skills.

"It was a good haul, Captain. Plucking this one like a fat goose right out of the convoy, slipping by those frigates as neat as you please..."

David turned to Mr. Bryant, who was acting as mate while Henry was laid up.

"We need to get under weigh before the convoy discovers one of its geese has wandered away. This doctor will tend to Henry, and I want everyone aboard to give him whatever assistance he requires."

Bryant's weather-beaten face told David that everyone on the
Fancy
knew healing Henry was a long shot, but David refused to give in to his fears. As long as he believed his brother could be cured--the alternative was not to be contemplated.

In the meantime, the doctor was watching the
Lady Jane
as it raised sail.

"Goodbye, Ryan! Don't forget the liniment!" Dr. Alcott yelled through cupped hands. The
Fancy's
crew was watching their unexpected prisoner, waiting to take direction from the captain on how to deal with the man.

David sighed, scratched his hot forehead through the mask, and went over to get the doctor. There was nothing to be served by putting this off.

"I brought you here for a purpose, Doctor..."

"Well, of course you did!" Alcott snapped at him. "I cannot imagine you randomly kidnap surgeons off of ships. What is it you need? And who are you, anyway?"

Fletcher ignored the last and said, "Come with me."

Alcott followed docilely enough, stepping carefully around the pilfered goods waiting to be placed in the hold by the crew. When they got to the lower deck, and out of sight of the retreating
Lady Jane
, David removed his mask. In the lantern light Dr. Alcott glanced at him, then stopped and took a longer look, his gray eyes widening.

"If you are thinking you will memorize my features to testify against me, think again," David said harshly.

Alcott started, as if in a daze, and said, "No...that was not what I was thinking at all. Who are you?"

"I am Captain David Fletcher. Follow me."

"I demand to know what your intentions are, Captain Fletcher! Where are my instruments and the medicine chest? Why have you taken me off my ship? Where are my belongings?"