Chapter 2

We moored up in the little harbour in Bray and Paddy Murphy took us ashore as his men unloaded their catch. A lovely woman called Siobhan, who was Paddy’s sister, met us on the dock. They led us through the small streets to an Inn and fed us on bowls of thick lamb and vegetable stew.

We were told to make ourselves at home. Therefore, that is just what we did. We were given a room on the top floor, it was small but comfortable, we three beds and washing stand.

On our first night at the Inn, we decided to spend a couple of weeks resting and relaxing in the village before we decided to make a move, although where to, we did not know. But things did not pan out that way in the end.

The village was a busy little place; we all lived in that one room above Murphy’s bar, the pub that Siobhan owned. She made us feel like family. She fed us well and the beer she served was very moreish. She was a lovely woman, a little older than I was but she always had a smile for me and would often brush past me if we passed in the hallway.

She was a buxom redheaded wench with a big arse and big full tits. Many of the bar’s patrons told me she was a widow and that no man would try it on with her, as Paddy Murphy would kill any man that tried. Paddy had seemed friendly enough to us, but I was told by more than one person that he was the local prize-fighter and had a temper that was as black as the night sky.

We spent a week or two just recovering and relaxing in the village, I had enough silver coins to keep us in lodgings, food and beer for a few weeks more. We spent most nights in the bar, mingling, and getting to know then patrons.

During the day we walked around the harbour and the village, we picked up some work helping to load and upload the ships that came into the port. It did not pay well but every silver coin helped.

We ate in Siobhan’s bar every night, her menu was limited, you could have Meat and potato pie, stew or bread and cheese, but the meals were hearty, and the ale was good. Plus, it was one of the cheapest places in town.

Two weeks turned into four, and then four turned into six and then six turned into eight and we still had not decided when to make our move. We ambled along, just doing odd jobs and enjoying life. We made friends in the village and they made us feel very welcome, the village was just like a Cornish village, but the folks had different accents.

I knew that at some point we had to make the decision to stay and make lives for ourselves in Bray or make a move, It was Ken that told me he wanted to go back to sea first. It did not surprise me, I knew from my own time sailing around the world, that life on the ocean got into your blood and many men that had lived aboard ship found it hard to live on dry land.

We were sitting in the pub feasting on bowls of beef stew when he dropped that bombshell on us.

“Lads I have been talking to the captain of the Mirabella,” he said as he ripped a chunk of bread off the loaf. I knew of the Mirabella; she was a big cargo ship that had been docked in the harbour for the last few days. As soon as he said that I knew he would be leaving us soon.

“Are you going back to sea ken?” James asked he seemed a bit surprised at kens decision.

“That I am young James” he replied and gave me a wink.

“Why? “Asked James, “Do you not like it here?”

“I need a job and I have always worked at sea,” ken said, “they are looking for a ship’s surgeon and I can do that job, I was the surgeon’s mate on the old Pretty Polly”

Now most ships surgeons that I had met were not that well trained and just did as best they could to repair any injuries, many of them relied on lotions and potions that they bought in markets off old crones and white witches. I knew that ken could get away with that job and if that is what he wanted to do then so be it.

“But...” James started to say but Ken interrupted him.

“The sea is my life, it’s in my blood and I can’t see me settling down on land,” he said gruffly. “I am getting restless and need to move on, and if I don’t do it soon I never will!”

“I know where you are coming from,” I said looking up from my stew bowl. “It’s a nice place to anchor up in for a month or two but I have a job to do and the longer I stop here the less likely it is I will move on”

“and what job is that!” ken said, he knew full well what it was, as we had talked about it when we were adrift in the little boat for those long few days. He knew the subject was a touchy one for me, it made my hackles rise and my blood boil.

“You know I need to get back to Kernow and rescue my father’s estate from that Bastard Arthur Jacobs, there are scores to be settled” I scowled. I had sworn an oath to myself that I would kill the lot of them and take back my estate.

Both of the lads had heard my story more than once and both knew that I had sworn an oath to revenge my father’s death.

“From what you have told us squire john, this chap Jacobs has an army of men at his disposal,” ken said, “are you planning on taking them on alone?”

“Yes, he does but I will take them out one at a time if needs be” I growled at him

“I will help John!” James cried, he meant well but I knew he would be of little help when the fists started to fly, or the guns started to fire.

“I know my friend, and when I am Squire you will be rewarded,” I told him and winked at Ken, he gave me a knowing look; we both knew James was too small to get involved in the thuggery I had planned, it was man’s work, and it would be hard and bloody work.

The rest of the meal was eaten in silence, we had worked for each other to get off the Pretty Polly when she sank. Then we had spent those days on the high seas in a small boat again working for each other. That bond meant a lot to all three of us.

The lads went to bed early but I stayed in the bar and that night as I drank rum and porter with Paddy Murphy and his sister I decided that once Ken had moved on I would make a move as well and if James wanted I would take him with me It was time to head home and time to reclaim my estate. Arthur had started this war, but I would finish it!

The next morning, I awoke with a hangover, I donned some shorts, and I went for a swim in the sea to try to clear my fuzzy mind. The salty, cold water washed away the cobwebs in my head.

I swam up and down, letting the ice-cold water wash away my aches and pains.

After my swim, I was drying off in the midmorning sun when Siobhan came walking down over the sand. The beach was empty there was just me, and her and a few hundred seagulls. Her low-cut dress showed off her gorgeous and ample cleavage and evil thoughts crashed around my mind,

“So, did you have a good swim john?” she said as her twinkling eyes wandered up and down my body.

“That I did my lady,” I answered with a wink.

“You have a body any man would be jealous of,” she said and bit her bottom lip, all those years at sea had given me a well-toned body and I had always been a strong lad.

“So, do you like what you see then my lady?” I said with a grin, I knew the answer already but wanted to tease Siobhan.

“You know I do young john and I get the feeling if I don’t sample it soon, I won’t get to sample it at all,” she said with a knowing look.

“I am not sure what you mean Siobhan?” I said and let the towel I was using slip to the ground. My cock was twitching, and I needed some female attention. It felt like months since I had last dipped my cock into a wet pussy. She glanced down and I am sure she could see its outline through my shorts.

“The night my brother brought you to bray you told me you had to get back to England to fight for your family home,” she told me.” I knew then once you had got your strength back you would be off”

“Yes but...” I started to argue but she cut me off mid-flow.

“Let’s have no buts young man, “she said and stepped close to me, she was so close I could smell her.

“I want to sample your charms, it has been a long time since my husband was taken from me in a storm, and it’s not just you men that have needs,” she purred. The was a look of desire in her eyes that had my heart racing, her hand slipped up onto my naked chest and stroked my wet warm skin. I looked into her eyes, eyes that had taken on a look of pure desire. She fingers stroked my nipples making them grow erect.

“So, tell me, John, do you want me?” she whimpered, “Do you want to take me, do you want to drag me to the floor and have your wicked way with me?”

“oh, Siobhan daring you know I do” I blurted out.

I was just about to pull her to me when we heard voices and saw a gaggle of kids came down onto the beach and that put pay to our thoughts of fun for the afternoon. Siobhan pulled away from me and stepped back.

“Do you know Blacks farm?” she asked.

“No, but I am sure I will find it, “I told her with a wink.

“There is a freshwater lake there and I will be bathing alone at midday tomorrow, “she said and flashed me a knowing smile, “perhaps we might bump into each other”

“That we might” I smiled back.

“It is very secluded, and we won’t be disturbed,” she said with a grin.

She walked off and I admired her ample arse swaying from side to side as she did so. I walked back into the town and went down to the harbour. There were ships galore moored up, traders, cargo ships, passenger vessels and fishing boats. I wandered around until I saw what I was looking for, a trading ship with an English flag flying.

She was called the ‘Morgan’ Two big seamen both armed with wooden staves and cutlasses guarded the gangway. They seemed standoffish at first but after a brief chat with them, they told me that they were from Bristol and would be there for two days before they left for home. As I was talking to them the ships first mate came down the gangway.

“Ahoy there matey” he called as he stepped onto the dock.

“Ahoy sir “I replied, and I touched the knuckles of my right hand to my forehead in a sailor salute

“Are you looking for a berth on my ship sir? “He asked. He seemed a friendly sort of chap young and eager,

“That I am Sir; I am willing to work my passage for me and my friend,” I told him. He looked me up and down.

“You have worked on ships before I think, “He said, “Come with me let’s get some ale and chat some more”

He led me to a tavern; it was full of sailors, trawlermen and dock workers, we took a table and he ordered ale for us both and a plate of meat, bread and cheese.

As we waited for our drinks, he introduced himself as first mate Daniel Tredway, and he had been with the ship, both man and boy. She was a trader that hugged the coast of England, Wales and Ireland, buying and selling anything, that could be bought and sold. From sheep’s fleeces to barrels of ales to leather boots.

He asked me about my experience, and I told him my story. I left out the bit about being duped by Jacobs. I did not know the man that well after all.

He told me he was three men short on this trip and would welcome me on-board. He asked me about the friend I wanted to bring with me, and he told me James could help in the galley to pay his way.

They were sailing down to Dublin, then across to Pembroke dock to sell on some of the cargo before heading down to St Ive’s stopping all along the way to trade. After St Ives, they were heading home to Bristol. I told him I would like to leave the ship at St Ive’s as that was near to my home, as would James.

He agreed that this would not be a problem and that they would be glad to have me on board.

He told me the captain was called Henry Morgan, I guess the ship was named after him. He was a trader and a good one at that it seemed. He had three ships that all traded around the coast of England and he owned a big house in Bristol, Tredway told me he was a hard taskmaster but was fair.

We drank and talked about life on-board a ship, exchanging stories of storms we had sailed in and of fights we had had and of women we had bedded. He told me to be at the ship before noon in two days. We shook hands and more ale was soon ordered to seal the deal.

I left him that evening and walked back to Murphy’s bar. Ken and James were sitting at our usual seat waiting for me; each had a pot of dark ale in front of them.

I ordered more ale and bowls of stew for us all.

“So, lads I have found myself a berth to get me back to England!” I told them, “Ken are you still sailing with the Mirabella?”

“That I am john, we sail on Friday,” he told me, “We are headed to France and then onto Spain”

“I sail in two days, first to Dublin and then to saint Ive’s via Pembroke,” I told the table.

“And James I have secured a berth as a galley boy for you should you wish to come with me,” I said between sips of ale.

He pondered the offer with a dark look on his face, a smile lit up his face

“Yes, john that sounds good to me “he grinned, “I want to get back to see my family”

James had told us he was from a farm not far from just outside Hayle and that was not far from St Ives, the pretty Polly had been his first ship and the experience had put him off a life on the ocean wave. He had decided to go back to the family farm and make a life for himself on dry land. I felt it was my duty to get him home unharmed.

“Right then that’s sorted, we sail in two days,” I told him, “and ken I wish you good luck on the Mirabella, I hope one day to bump into you in some bar in Kernow and we may share more ale”

He stood up and we shook hands, just as our food arrived. We ate in silence, each man deep in his own thoughts.

I did not know it then, but I would never see ken again, as we heard a few years later his ship was wrecked on rocks as it sailed around the lizard just a few days after it left Bray’s harbour. Every man on board was lost to Davey jones and his locker.

That evening I went to bed early and dreamed of how I would take my revenge on Jacobs and his band of brigands. The morning sun woke me, and as young James and Ken snored off their hangovers I went into town and spent some of the silver coins on some of the bits of kit we would need whilst at sea, new clothes including warm jumpers wet weather gear and seaman’s grip bags were bought and I took them back to murphy’s bar.

When I got back to our room ken had already left for the day and James was in the bar eating porridge. He was overjoyed with his new gear and seemed happy to be heading home. He told me the trip to the Americas had been his first and even in the short time he was on board the pretty Polly, he had decided he did not like it. He was going to head home and get a job on dry land. He was from farming stock and he knew that farming was in his blood and it would be his life.

I heard the church clock chime ten o’clock; my tryst with the lovely Siobhan Murphy was getting closer. I had inquired of the whereabouts of the farm and a few of the locals had given me directions.

I bid farewell to Young James and headed out off to Blacks farm. The walk took an hour or so and then it took me another half an hour to find the secluded pool that Siobhan had told me all about. The water looked clean and inviting, willow trees surrounded it and as she had said, it was nice and secluded. The sun was high, and I guessed it was afternoon, and there was no sign of the lovey Siobhan. I waited another half an hour or so before deciding the pool looked that inviting, that I should take a swim.

I stripped my clothes off and hung them on a tree, I strode out into the water, and it was warm as the pool was quite shallow, even at its deepest it only came to my shoulders. I swam its short length three or four times before a voice called out to me.

The lovely Siobhan was standing on the grassy bank waving at me. I swam over to her. She had a towel in one hand and a large carry bag in the other, as I swam toward her she placed the items on the floor and stood with her hands on her hips.