Chapter 10: A New Maiden

15 December, 1686 Morning

Ihon stood on deck inspecting the repair work to the Maidens Revenge. For nearly four weeks the sound of the hammer and the saw had mingled with the song of the birds to get the Schooner into a state of repair that met with his satisfaction. It would have taken him much longer other than the fact that he hired five additional carpenters and three craftsmen to help him with the work. As part of the repairs he had completely restored the Captain's, Isabel and Teresa's, and crew's cabin's, adding splendid, curved, outward-sloping, seven-light, side and stern windows with fancy scroll work carved and gilded drops around them. Much improved bedding, and behind the Captain's cabin, projecting from the stern, with its own private entrance from inside the cabin, he built a quarter-gallery, which was a small closed-in balcony which would serve as the lady's private privy.

Aba along with a hired gunsmith cleaned, polished, and preformed general maintenance on the Maidens Revenge's armory, while Cog handled the ships sail, purchases, repair's and service.

Then the entire ship was scoured, swabbed, scraped and polished, giving it the pleasant smells of beeswax, fresh sea-water, and clean paint.

While waiting for the ships retrofit the entire crew of the Maidens Revenge, with the exception of Ihon, who said he was far too busy, and at Maria's and Pierre's insistence resided at the de Carnay plantation. Denkton, Carapau, and Captain Sandhurst lodged at a small inn near the harbor while the sailors of the De Droom slept aboard their ship, although most of their time was spent ashore, spending the wages paid to them out of the Maidens Revenge's funds, drinking, gambling, or womanizing after the manner of the sea while spreading embellished tales of how they and the Maidens Revenge had stood bow to stern with Captain William Kidd himself and had bested him sending his ship to Davy Jones.

With the numerous telling of the story concerning the sea battle and ultimate sinking of the Rupparell, added to all the previous glorified accounts of their adventures, the crew of the Maidens Revenge were treated as if royalty by the locals and found it nearly impossible to pay for any food or drink they might indulge in whenever there was occasion for one or more of them to enter town for supplies or to spend a quiet evening at dinning, or drinking at an ordinary with Denkton, Carapau, or Captain Sandhurst.

It was on just one of those evenings, over dinner, that Carmen, Constance, and Scarlet learned from Captain Sandhurst that when the Rupparell had first come upon the De Droom Carapau had of his own accord assumed command of the ship. "He hadn't forced it in any way," they were told, "it was just something that seemed to occur naturally, and accepting him to be much more accustomed with sea battles than I, well, I offered no objection."

Sandhurst then went on to describe how Carapau had put the De Droom on a tack which would gain them the Maidens Revenge's protection at the earliest possible moment, while still making it abundantly clear to all hands that his intent was not to simply hide behind the Schooner, no, the De Droom would make a bold stroke for it, and make or lose at a single cast if need be by taking up the fight themselves and offering as much help as was possible to the Maidens Revenge and her crew.

Later when Constance told some of the others of the discourse they had had with Captain Sandhurst concerning Carapau's actions even Claire had to admit that perhaps she had judged the man too harshly.

As to their accommodations while residing at the de Carnay plantation, Constance and Claire drew Maria and Pierre de Carnay aside, and Constance acting as spokesperson told them, "Never forgetting our obligation to you and all your house to offer consent to a thing which we feel may be disobliging to you, we none-the-less must ask. While in your home, Jack Scarlet and I should like to reside in a single room together, while Claire with your bother Diego in another. We would never entertain a thought of that kind unless we had your consent, but please accept our testimony of our sincerity and of our passion, and any sacrifices Claire and I have made of honor and modesty are tied to bonds too strong to be broken. We both feel as though we have as effectual a marriage between us as if we had been publicly wedded by the parson of the parish having plighted our troth to each other."

And so it was that Scarlet and Constance took up a room together, as did Diego and Clair. Jon would have liked to do likewise with Teresa but him not having found the appropriate time, or perhaps the backbone to speak with the lady of his love's two brother's, the two young people satisfied themselves by stealing away through the plantation, in order that they might speak by themselves, hold hands, kiss, hug and softly whisper their love to one another.

Felipe on the other hand, though he was very much in love with Carmen O' Daire, but not having too great a belief in himself, and having such a fear of her rebuking his feelings he could not bring himself to approach her concerning his emotion, but as the devil is an unwearied tempter, so he never fails to find opportunity for that pain he invites, it was one evening that Felipe found himself strolling through the trees along the river bank when he came upon Carmen who was sitting with her back leaning against a large oak while staring off across the rivers flowing waters.

"Oh, Captain! What are you doing out here?" Felipe asked startled when he first noticed her.

"Why, hello Felipe. Just thinking," She answered looking up at him with a smile.

"Oh..." he responded not knowing what to say, "Ah... thinking huh?"

"Yes," Carmen answered as she stood, "I was thinking how difficult the path we have chosen for ourselves is at times, but also thinking how, at least to my mind, our service on the Maidens Revenge and the life at sea makes amends for everything as well. I never grow tired of the calms, and I even enjoy a stiff gale almost as much as I enjoy Ihon's fried chicken, it being so rarely available, as long as I can be on deck or in the captain's cabin with my dear friend's and crew members."

Felipe looked down upon her, his face filled with the liveliest emotions. "Ah... Captain... ," he said planning on speaking of some mundane matter or another, and then he stopped as if not knowing what words to use, and as he looked into her eyes fixed upon his own waiting for him to continue, his love for her took possession of him and banished all fear. "I wish to speak to you of something which is nearer to my heart than any thought of service to the Maidens Revenge, or in fact of anything else," he exclaimed, "Captain... Ah... Carmen I..."

"Has it anything to do with what can be termed as a matter of my heart as well?" Carmen interrupted him.

"It has."

"Then Felipe please," said Carmen in as compassionate a voice as she could administer, "Save me the trouble of refusing, and yourself the pain of a refusal, by holding your tongue... there are things I must accomplish before I am free to follow my own hearts path. Please try to understand Felipe. It has nothing to do with you. You are a very caring and thoughtful man," then she took both his hands into hers before continuing, "You are courageous, true, and without doubt not bad to look upon, it is just that... even had I made up my mind on the subject, which I have not, I could not give my heart to any one at such a time as this, not knowing what demands will be made upon me as Captain of the Maidens Revenge."

Felipe colored and was about to turn away in embarrassment, but, repressing that feeling, he advanced a step with what he hoped was a positive expression on his face, squeezed both her hands and told her he understood, yet he felt compelled to tell her that he loved her with all his heart, and even though he had hoped for nothing in his love, for a time he would be the most miserable man in the world.

She looked at him with a little smile, "I am sorry Felipe, and extremely flattered and I thank you for your noble consideration, but now is not a suitable time for me or my heart and... well, thank you for understanding. Good night," she said then she made her up the winding path toward the plantation.

He stood and looked after her until she had disappeared among the trees, after which he walked away.

Diego found Felipe sulking and having a fair idea of why his brother was in such a melancholy mood this suspicion was confirmed when Felipe told him of his conversation with Carmen. Diego just smiled and placing his arm around Felipe's shoulders he told him, "Even though you are older I fear you do not understand women, my brother. Never must you take a woman's answer for the last. She always may change her mind. A woman likes to keep a man dangling, likes to make him blow cold with fear and hot with anticipation. Let her have her moods, my dear brother. In the end, if it is to be, you shall have it your way."

The day before their intended departure Ihon, together with the De Droom's ships cook, having formulated a plan together, took aboard the De Droom a good number of live chickens and other eatable items normally not seen aboard sailing vessels because of their tendency to spoil before they could be consumed. They also took aboard several large cooking utensils and other assortments of cookery items.

On the 16^th of December both vessel's were fitted out and all was ready so at first morning tide the anchor's of the Maidens Revenge and the De Droom were weighed, their sails hoisted, and, amid shouts and cheers from dozens of locals and the de Carnay family, the two ships sailed away, the Maidens Revenge being the only pirate ship which had, perhaps, ever left that port followed by blessings and goodwill.

Away sailed the Maidens Revenge with the Jolly Roger floating boldly high above it, Jon, looking skyward, noticed this and asked Captain O' Daire about it.

She smiled, "While we're in sight of this harbor," she said, "our skull and bones will wave in deference to those that have come to know us for what we truly are, but when we're out at sea we will run up a neutral flag."

A week's time out of La Nouvelle Orleans it was a dull gray morning, the gloominess of the overhanging clouds reflected in the water. Cog on lookout was stationed in the fore-top, yet the sharpest eyes could scarcely see beyond a half mile in any direction and only dimly could he make out the top-most sails of the De Droom up ahead. The sea came on in great ocean swells, but the stout Maiden fought a passage through them, shivering with each blow, yet driven forward on her course by half-reefed sails, standing hard as boards in the sweep of the steady gale. Felipe and Jon struggled at the wheel maintaining their northern bound course.