Chapter 11: New Colors

29 July, 1686 Morning

"Well, if we're really going to become buccaneers then we'll need some new colors for the Maidens Revenge," Claire commented light heartedly.

"Aye," agreed Isabel, and then questioned, "A Jolly Roger then?"

"A Jolly Roger indeed," Constance confirmed.

The evening before, Constance and Carmen had conveyed to the other two women all that had transpired while they were in town, including taking Jack Scarlet on as a crew member, and his talk regarding freebooting. Neither Claire nor Isabel had any issues with either subject.

"Well, an appropriate Jolly Roger it will be then, but seeing as there's to be at the very least one male crewmember aboard we best fit together more suitable bunking arrangements. Come on then, I have an idea," Carmen suggested indicating she wished the others to follow her.

She led them to the captain's cabin which was a small space at the stern, underneath the quarterdeck. It was lit by an oil lamp that hung from the low ceiling. There was only enough head room that a six foot tall man might stand up. Under the oil lamp was a table, with four chairs, laid with maps, charts, compass, and sextant. To the right, against the bulkhead, was a bunk, to the left, the captain's desk. Straight ahead, was the currently open stern window, letting in cool morning air. On either side of the window were floor to ceiling storage cabinets.

"My idea," Carmen explained, "is to leave the chart table where it is, then hire a carpenter to build a second bunk along that bulkhead just there," she pointed to an area near the existing bunk... then we'll have him remove this desk and build two additional bunks in its place. That way each of us will have a bunk here in the captain's cabin. What do you think?"

"That's not thinking very captain like, is what I think," Isabel commented.

"Admittedly, I do not feel very captain like. My captainship will always include the counsel of you three. Just between us, I'm captain in name only," Carmen responded.

"Not a very practical circumstance on a man's ship, but with us it should be feasible," Claire pointed out and the others agreed.

They took into service the very same carpenter, Ihon Dancort, previously employed to repair the ships leaks, and four days later he had fitted out the captain's cabin extremely well, which included not only the four bunks, but new paint throughout in white and gold, new wall mounted elegant oil lanterns, a crystal chandelier hung above the chart table, small dressing table with chair and mirror, a screened-off dressing area, and he had converted the two storage cabinets into two stylish wardrobes now easily able to accommodate their clothing, the gold doubloons, and a good number of weapons.

They ordered and had delivered a respectable supply of four foot long heavy gauge chain, small balls attached together by chain, case-shot, and several pounds of small bits of iron nails and bolts to be used for cannon grape ammunition, which they stored near each cannon railport behind the carronades next to the more conventional eight pound balls.

They also commissioned a seamstress to sew a ships flag for the Maidens Revenge, depicting a female pirate with eye patch, head bandana adorned with skull and crossbones, and a knife clutched tightly between her teeth above two crossed sabers.