Chapter 7: A New Destination

2 November, 1686 Morning

When the shore party finally tied their long-boat along side the Maidens Revenge Isabel who had been anxiously awaiting them relaxed a little. She had not taken a step away from the railing where Carmen had led her, fearfully watchful for their safe return. And it was with relief that the entire shore party, unharmed, came within her welcomed sight, and her heart was pounding so hard she thought surely the entire crew must hear it.

Isabel threw down the ladder then after Teresa had scrambled up on deck she took her younger sister into her arms and held her so tightly that Teresa felt she might suffocate.

"Isabel? What is it? You're going to smother me!" Teresa exclaimed trying to pull away.

"Sorry," Isabel said releasing her hold on her sister, "I'm just so pleased to see you."

Once Constance made her way on deck Isabel welcomed her with the same fervor that she had Teresa.

"Are those tears I detect in your eyes Isabel? Is everything all right?" Constance asked after she had managed to take a step away from her overly cordial shipmate.

"Only tears of joy for you and the others safe return Constance," Isabel responded with a smile and slight flush.

Constance shrugged her shoulders carelessly, "Hmm... well yes, thank you."

The rest of the crew gathered and after Scarlet affixed lines to the long-boat and the balance of the shore party scrambled up the ladder one after the other the craft was winched aboard.

As Isabel enthusiastically welcomed each member of the shore party aboard Carmen explained what had occurred at Juancho d Estrada's tavern.

Then it was Constance and Teresa's turn to hug Isabel.

"Good for you," Constance told Isabel, "he deserved no less, although it would have been better had he been made to suffer a little."

"Yes sister. His name shall never pass my lips again until not even a memory of him remains." Teresa offered.

"Well that explains it then," Scarlet said and then he gave a full account of their encounter with Capitan Pedro de las Tores Sifontes and his small band of soldiers, emphasizing that they had not killed a one.

"Hit him with a shovel did you Felipe?" Claire grinned after Scarlet's description had ended.

Felipe flushed and stiffened slightly, "You see," said Felipe softly, "it was in my hand already. Much faster than drawing my sword. Much faster."

He turned to Carmen, but she was silent.

"You see, don't you, Captain... I mean, Captain?"

"I feel rather jealous, never having bested a man with a shovel myself," said Carmen, frowning... and then she laughed. "Oh Felipe, don't you know when you're being toyed with? Of course you did the absolute best thing in that situation."

Diego smiled as he slapped Felipe on the back, "Relax brother, they're just having their fun. Everyone knows you did your part."

Felipe's tense demeanor relaxed a little and he nodded and then grinned along with the others.

"I'm a little surprised that the governor of Havana would take such an interest in one such as Juancho d Estrada, but then it is what it is. It may not be such a good idea for us to hang very long in stays, perhaps we should set sail even before morning tide. Better cautious than brash." Carmen said using a more somber tone.

"Aye," agreed Aba, "should the Spanish think to turn one of their man-of-wars broadside the Maidens Revenge would be little more than driftwood soon enough."

With a little sigh as for a crisis Isabel said in a small voice, "I am so very sorry to have brought all this trouble to..."

"Excuse me Isabel," Claire interrupted, melting into laughter, "but the only trouble you need worry about is having caused Constance to delay her fresh water bath rinse."

"Well, Mrs. Mirth-wit," Constance said turning to her sister, "I'll have you know I bathed and rinsed just yesterday knowing we could replenish our fresh water supply here in Havana, so even that is of no consequence." Then she made a face at her sister.

"What I was thinking is," Carmen continued allowing the sisters' levity to go unnoticed, "tonight we'd take ship for the De Droom and instruct Rauf Denkton to gather up his customary crew and then meet us in that little harbor where we were attacked, after ridding himself of Adalberto Carapau and those other cutthroats by paying them out of the cash-box you left buried of course."

"But why even trouble ourselves with the De Droom?" Diego questioned.

"Well, I've been entertaining the idea that we might sail with Denkton to North Carolina and help collect the funds owed him from Lucien Blanchart." Carmen answered much more casually then she felt as the hatred for the Blanchart sister's uncle burned hot through her veins.

"Blanchart! I'm with you Carmen." Claire roared.

"And I!" Constance quickly snapped.

"Hmm... it would seem the Maidens next port of call is already planned," said Scarlet, with puckered brow... and then he laughed. "I guess I'll just keep along with you until we get to North Carolina. Then I'll lend a hand should you request it Constance."

"Don't talk to me like that!" fired up Constance. "I won't tolerate an overbearing attitude from anybody! Do you understand me?"

He chuckled and then stopped, rather abashed, as Constance's cold anger seemed to fold him about and chill him.

"I'm sorry," he offered uncertainly.

"Oh, don't apologize! I can't stand men who say 'I'm sorry' in that masculine, reserved tone. Just be quiet!"

A pause ensued, a pause which Scarlet found rather awkward, but which Constance seemed not to notice at all as she stood contentedly gazing out over the bay. After a minute she walked to the rail and leaned over with her face looking down. Scarlet, looking at her, thought how it seemed impossible for her to assume an ungraceful attitude.

The men of the crew stood about looking bewildered, while the women were, for the most part, successfully suppressing their amusement.

Another few seconds passed then Constance abruptly turned back to Scarlet with a girlish smirk on her lovely face. She wrinkled up her nose and flippantly said, "Just jesting," as she leaped into Jack's arms and hugged him tightly to her bosom.

"Am I ever to understand women?" He asked while returning her affection by enfolding Constance lovingly into his arms.

"Other women perhaps, this woman... never," Constance answered his rhetorical question.

The men still didn't quite understand the humor but the women openly displayed their glee until Carmen finally asked, "So then, anyone not for North Carolina?"

No one offered any objections.

"Right," Carmen said, "then let's batten everything down and set sail."

The crew broke off and set themselves to the task of getting The Maidens Revenge ready for the sea. They locked away the large cash-box without actually counting its contents but everyone recognized it contained enough gold and silver that they would not need funding for quite some time.

An hour later they weighed anchor and Cog skillfully captured what little wind there was and The Maidens Revenge slowly drew a wake. The pale new moon smiled misty-eyed upon the bay waters, and as Havana faded dimly out and dark clouds were blown like leaves along the far horizon a great haze of moonshine suddenly bathed the Schooner and spread an avenue of glittering mail in her path. From time to time a light from one or another anchored ship could be seen as they passed by, but except for the low undertone of the mild wind in sails and the even wash of the waves about the stern the Maidens Revenge was quiet as a dream boat star-bound through the heavens. Around them flowed the smell of the night sea, bringing with it an infinite languor as they slowly sailed out of the harbor.

Two days out they came upon the De Droom. As the Maidens Revenge approached the Barque Adalberto Carapau had, of his own accord, gathered all crewmen atop the poop deck and saw to it that there they remained, unarmed, until after the two ships were tied fast together and crossing planks were in place.

Their proposal was explained to Rauf Denkton, who readily accepted feeling he would never see a copper of the money Blanchart owed him without the help of the Maidens Revenge's crew. The sails which had been previously removed from the Ketch to slow her down were returned to her then the De Droom made sail for Havana while The Maidens Revenge set a heading for the small harbor to the south.

In the dense sun-flooded noon of the second day a spot in the sea before them resolved casually into the small harbor they had anchored in previously. When the ship entered the inlet the crew noted that the majority of debris from the longboats they had sunk had by and large washed up on the far northern shore. Of dead pirates there was not a sign.

"Take care," Felipe said looking over the bay, "there are without doubt some stout sharks hereabout."

"Aye," Aba commented, "not even shirt or breeches are indigestible to those wolves of the sea."

After replenishing their fresh water supply time seemed to take on little meaning and showered down upon them three days of pleasant afternoons. When the sun cleared the window of Clair's cabin an hour after dawn she rose cheerily, donned her clothing, and went up on deck.

She found Diego was already there and reaching up on her tiptoes she kissed him softly on the lips.

"Are you happy?" he asked looking down into her eyes.

She nodded, "Always happy now that I've found you and the sea. You know," she went on, "I've been thinking that you and I are somewhat alike. We're both pirates... only for different reasons. A year ago, when I was just sixteen and you were..."

"Nineteen."

"... well, we were both something quite different. I was an utterly devastating debutante and you were a farmer in the new world..."

"The son of a farmer in the new world," he put in ironically.

"Well, at any rate, we were both fitted. If our corners were not rubbed off they were at least pulled in. But deep in us both I think there was something more needed for happiness. I didn't know what I wanted. I was, impatient, month by month getting less acquiescent and more dissatisfied. I used to sit sometimes chewing at the corners of my mouth and thinking I was going crazy... I had a frightful sense of transiency. Then the most tragic and terrible things happened, the death of my parents and my Uncle Lucien Blanchart, which brought me to this place where I found the things that were missing. How very ironic."

"Yes," agreed Diego tentatively, "And it was Isabel that brought you to me, which was the most singular wonderful thing that could have possibly happened to me, yet... knowing it was her suffering that brought us together makes me feel so guilty at times that I..."

His words trailed off and Claire saw tears form in the corners of his dark eyes. Then a lone tear escaped and trickled down his cheek, leaving a trail of wetness down the side of his face, which shone like a thread of pearl in the early morning sunlight.

Feeling the hot sting of tears in her own eyes she drew herself up, grasped his head with both hands, lowered it and kissed away his tears, "Your happiness is not at the expense of your sisters past misery, it is only something wonderful that came from it. Isabel is a strong self reliant beautiful young woman now. Talk to her as I have and you will see. You have nothing to be ashamed of Diego."