Chapter 13

“A little job, Mr Hatherley? So far they seem to have developed into rather more than little.” said Jake.

“Oh, this is simple enough. Take a letter over and deliver it to an address I shall give you, and collect a parcel from the same address. No problems, I assure you.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “When?”

“I’m not sure. Probably not until ‘Moonfleet’s’ next trip after this one. I expect you’ll have young Fitzherbert with you by then. In fact I’m sure of it. I’ll be in touch. Good day.”

“Good day,” Jake replied, almost to Hatherley’s back.

Myfanwy had turned out to be a great asset, and a bit hit with everyone. She worked hard, was invariably polite and did her best at everything, from cutting out to machining. She was very good with customers in the shop and in particular Gina was just delighted with her.

“Not only does she pose well, but she’s a first class photographer in the making,” she told Jake. “She knows just how to get people to pose and she just seems to get the best out of them. I really would like to have her as my assistant.”

“No, Gina, not before she has been through everything. I promised her mother that she would receive a full apprenticeship with a view to becoming a fashion designer, and since I insulted the lady’s motives in placing her daughter in my company I have no intention of breaking my word. You may have her when she has completed all of that if she wants,” Jake told her.

“Jake, you wouldn’t break your word whatever,” Gina smiled. “I’ll wait, it’ll be worth it, even if she is designing she can still do photography. And modelling.”

“Oh no,” Jake replied. “You haven’t?”

“No, no,” said Gina, realising what Jake was referring to. “Well, not yet,” she added with a big grin.

The only problem was one which had already been touched upon, and quickly came to the twins’ attention. Having a younger ‘sister’ was all very well, but Victoria’s Secrets had no dresses that fitted her. So it was no fun having your own live doll if you couldn’t dress her up. It didn’t take them long to work out the cure for this problem, and it came as their first independent design, fashion for the younger figure. As soon as it was modelled for her Victoria said yes, and a new line was added to the range. Several more designs were added, and sizes ranged from somewhat smaller than Myfanwy to just a little larger, to give a fair range of teenage sizes.

This was a soft sell to the young ladies, but a much tougher sell to their mothers.

It had been decided to open the London shop without too much fanfare, a little advertising but nothing too much, and then have a fashion show after a month and get as many ladies as possible to attend. Setting up and getting all the girls there to model shouldn’t be too difficult, Victoria would introduce the show and talk about the dresses, and and hopefully the show would have the same impact as it had in Bristol. Accordingly plans were set in motion.

Before that happened Jake had the ‘little’ job to do for Mr Hatherley, and the show arrangements would be taken care of by Victoria and Annabelle.

Jake was sailing on the next trip to Dublin, with George Johnson as the regular captain, and Fitz along to learn the ropes of being a merchant skipper. Fitz had, as Mr Hatherley had suggested, become available much sooner than anticipated. The three got on well together and George had taken to Fitz which was excellent, Jake thought. As they passed St Davids Head on their way up St Georges channel, Jake was on deck standing alongside the wheel. He had received a letter and instructions from Hatherley and was mulling them over when he glanced at the helmsman.

“What are you grinning about Tom?” Jake asked. He could see ‘Moonfleet’s’ mate’s face in the faint glow from the compass.

“We’re on another trip with three Captains, Capt’n Jake,” Tom replied. “I wonder what’ll happen this time, more excitement, I’ll be bound.”

“Captain Fitzherbert is only here to learn some of the ropes from Captain Johnson,” said Jake.

“‘An I’d believe that if you wasn’t along as well sir, But between the three of you, ‘an especially you and Capt’n Fitz, I’ll not be surprised whatever happens. Still, you can rely on me and Jerry, and the rest of the crew too, they all like this job.”

Jake laughed, it was good that Fitz had been so readily accepted, being ex Navy he might well not have been.

“How’s Sarah, Tom?” he changed the subject.

“Happy lady, Captain,” the grin broadened, “Me and Jerry make sure of that, sir. And thank you for everything you did.”

“And my thanks for what she did, that took some nerve.”

“Aye, sir, she’s got that all right.”

Jake decided to turn in. He wasn’t needed on deck, and Tom was perfectly competent, and in any case he had two real captains aboard so he might as well relax while he could.

It was almost a flat calm as dawn found ‘Moonfleet’ entering Dublin on the morning tide. With her topsails just drawing she had enough way over the tide to maintain her steerage. The ship would be here for three days before returning to Bristol. Jake had to wait until he received a message before delivering the letter that Hatherley had given him. How and when that message would arrive he had no idea.

Whilst he was waiting he decided that he could do some business and at the very least pay courtesy visits to his clients. Everyone was happy to see him again so soon, but basically, no, everything was now fine. He found Maria O’Brien at her shop and again, no problems. Jake had a few of the new younger fashions with him and these were received with enthusiasm.

“Fantastic, Jake, why ever, did we not consider this before? It’ll take some persuading to get the mothers to buy them, but I think we can do that. She consented to join Jake for supper.

Jake took Maria to a fine restaurant in the centre of the city and they had a convivial evening, but if there was one thing that was confirmed to Jake it was that his thoughts on the religious aspect of a possible marriage to Maria were correct. She was excellent company, and a steady business associate, but there would be nothing beyond that.

His message arrived in the early evening of the second day they were there. One of the crew called Jake on deck where a grubby urchin was standing, The boy uttered the correct code word, took the proffered shilling and scuttled back to wherever he had come from. Jake went below and readied himself for the next day.

After breakfast he put on his coat checked his revolver, and went on deck where the crew were already busy. Fitz joined him.

“We’d better look for transport,” he said.

“We? You aren’t coming.”

“George and I decided that you need looking after, if only for our own selfish ends, the company needs you. And I’m a trained fighting man.” Fitz grinned. “And if I’d asked, I reckon Tom and Jerry would have come too. So that’s it, I’m coming.”

“I’ve a right crew of brigands, haven’t I?” said Jake with a laugh. “Are you armed?” Fitz nodded, “Right, let’s go.”

They found a small open carriage at the local livery stable and engaged it with a driver to take them to their destination. There were various comings and goings as they waited for a pair of horses to be harnessed. A lovely pair of greys pulling a landau with a liveried driver, a young lad who left at a fair clip on a big bay gelding, a simple trap with a woman driving.

“Someone in a hurry,” said Fitz, referring to the lad.

“Someone said something to me about young men and their need for speed,” Jake grinned.

Once the carriage was ready the surly driver acknowledged that he knew the address they wanted, and they set off.

It was a couple of hours drive through pleasant countryside to their destination. As they got closer they could see a large house. It was rather grey and forbidding despite the fine weather, and set back from the road just ahead. There was the sound of a shot, followed by two more. They heard the driver mutter ‘Ah fook’, and then he reined in the horses and started to turn in his seat. Jake could see a gun in his hand and fumbled in his coat pocket for his own weapon. Before the man could turn far Fitz had leant forward and jammed his gun in the drivers ribs. Jake reached forward and relieved the man of his gun. Fitz must have relaxed because the next moment the man made a bid for freedom, but as he did so Jake hit him with the gun he had just taken from him, and he fell heavily to the ground. Fitz jumped down and checked.

“Still alive,” he said.

He reached into the box under the driver’s seat and found a piece of twine and tied the man’s wrists and ankles.

“You were sharp there, Fitz,” Jake told him.

“You were pretty sharp yourself, but I wasn’t happy with him anyway, and then I saw that bay gelding at the side of the house and I reckoned we were going to be ambushed. Before I could say anything the shots came and I was ready for him. We’d better investigate the house though.”

“Right, though I’ve an idea there may be a reception committee waiting for us,” said Jake. “Shall I take the front and go to the door as if all is well?”

“And I’ll creep around the back. Right, let’s go.”

Fitz left, keeping low behind a hedge, moving as quickly as he could. Jake watched him for a moment and then walked up to the front door, wondering why his knees were still operating. The front door was slightly open. He stepped forward and pushed it slightly more open.

“Come in, why don’t you? Ye’ve come all this way,” said a man’s voice.

The voice sounded as though it was coming from above, and as Jake stepped inside he looked up and could see a man standing on the staircase landing looking down at the front door. He was holding a girl dressed as a boy in trousers. He had a gun pointed at her head.

“Now you don’t want to be responsible for this young lady’s death do you, Sir Jacob? So just take your gun out and drop it on the floor. And don’t try any silly tricks.”

Jake removed his gun from his pocket, held it out and then dropped it on the floor. As he had taken it out he had cocked the hammer and as it hit the floor the somewhat worn mechanism caused the gun to fire. At the sudden noise the man let go of the girl who whirled away from him, turned and kicked him hard enough in the crotch to make Jake wince. As she did so he lost the grip on his gun and it clattered down the stairs with the girl chasing it. In another moment Jake scooped his gun off the floor and took a shot at the man. There was another shot in the hall and then they heard two from the back of the house followed by running footsteps. Fitz appeared through a door.

“Would you like to lower your gun, Jake. You look positively dangerous,” he said with a grin. He looked at the girl. “Ah, a damsel in distress. Jake makes a habit of rescuing them, Miss.”

He looked up the stairs and saw the man lying on the landing.

“Have you killed him, Jake?”

“No, I don’t think he hit him,” said the girl, “But I certainly did. The bastard killed my brother in cold blood. You’ve a letter for me?”

“You are?” asked Jake.

“I am Mary Kelly.”

Jake took the letter from an inside pocket handed it to her. She looked at the envelope.

“Right, that’s your identification. And you,” she indicated Fitz, “I’ve seen before, Captain of HMS Swallow, I believe.”

“Alas now retired,” said Fitz bowed.

“I’ll get what we want and we’ll get going. There’ll be more of the swine before long. I’d like to have time to put a dress on but these pants will have to do for now. Lucky I had them on.”

Not for that poor sod thought Jake.

She went into one of the front rooms and came out a few minutes later with a large bag which seemed to be quite heavy.

“Don’t bother to lock the door,” she said as she went out, heading for the carriage.

Fitz disappeared and returned a minute or two later leading the gelding. He attached the reins to the back and climbed up into the driver’s seat. He looked down at the driver, still lying on the ground, but now awake and staring balefully at them.

“I expect someone’ll be along soon,” he told him.

“Can you drive this?” asked Jake.

“Oh, I expect I’ll get the hang of it,” Fitz replied cheerfully. He flicked the reins and the carriage moved forwards and as it did he pulled hard and the horses turned the carriage around and they set off at a trot. In the back Jake and Mary relaxed for a moment. As ever, Jake felt a profound sense of relief when the action had finished.

“I think you’ve done this before,” Jake told Fitz. “I’m sure the Navy doesn’t teach driving.”

Fitz laughed. “I told you my family have estates, one of the drivers taught me when I was just a kid. Haven’t done it for a while though.”

They had been travelling for about three quarters of an hour when Mary looked behind them.

“I think we have company,” she said.

Jake looked and could see two horsemen.

“Stop and I’ll take the horse and lead them away,” Mary told them. “You take the bag with you and make sure it gets to Hatherley.”

“We can’t...” Jake began.

“Don’t be bloody silly. You’re just an amateur, I’ll be fine. When does the ship leave?”

“Tide’s later this evening.”

“I’ll be there.”

With that she mounted the gelding and galloped off. Fitz got the carriage moving again.

Jake could see the horsemen split and took out his revolver again.

“I’ve only four shots left,” he yelled to Fitz.

“Better make them count then,” Fitz yelled back.

The horseman came closer, and fired at them, but being on horseback his shots went wild. Jake waited until he was well within range and then fired. This had no effect, but firing from the carriage was little better than horseback.

“I’ll stop,” yelled Fitz.

“You’ll what?

“He won’t be expecting it. You’ll be able to take a steady shot.”

Fitz pulled back on the reins and pulled on the brake. The rider didn’t realise what was happening immediately, and by the time he was trying to control his rearing horse Jake could take two steady shots at close range. Both were hits and the man tumbled back off his rearing horse. Jake walked over to him. If the shots hadn’t killed him, his broken neck certainly had.

“Let’s get on,” he called Fitz.

Jake got back into the carriage and Fitz proceeded at a more reasonable pace. When they arrived back at the ship, Jake went aboard with Mary’s bag, and Fitz returned the carriage to the livery stable.

“What did you tell them about the driver,” Jake asked him when he returned.

“Oh I just told them he was tied up with something,” Fitz grinned. “They didn’t seem worried, horses and buggies are expensive, drivers two a penny.”

“Could have offered you a job.”

They both went below laughing.

The light was just beginning to fade, with a rosy glow over the western horizon. The lines were singled up and the sails ready to set just waiting for the tide to turn when history repeated itself. Only this time there was no carriage with frothing team charging along the quay, but a very tired bay gelding just about managing a trot and an obviously tired rider. Jake jumped onto the quay and took the reins then handed her down. He gave the reins and a shilling to an idler and told him to return the horse. Captain Johnson gave a sigh of resignation as Jake grabbed hold of Mary Kelly and lifted her over the bulwark and onto the deck, swinging aboard after her.

Maria O’Brien was standing alongside the Captain as Jake performed his task.

“He seems to make a habit of it, doesn’t he, Captain Johnson,” she said.

“Aye, ma’am, he does at that, almost ever since I’ve known him. He just seems to be a magnet for ‘em. Beggin’ your pardon, ma’am!”

“Forgiven, Captain.”

She moved towards the girl.

“Mary Kelly, what on earth have you been up to? You look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge.”

“I probably have Maria. Have you got a dress I can borrow? I seem to have lost my baggage somewhere.

When Jake saw Mary Kelly later Maria had worked some magic on her and she looked every inch a lady.

A couple of hours later they were sailing close hauled on the starboard tack making their way down the Irish sea to St Georges Channel. There was a steady breeze sending small clouds scudding across the sky, sometimes obscuring the moon. The passengers were in their cabins, but Jake and Fitz were leaning on the windward rail looking across at the Irish coast. They could see the lights of several fishing boats and then Fitz drew Jake’s attention to another vessel.

“D’you see that,” he pointed. “Looks like a lugger and she’s on an converging course. Best keep an eye on her.”

“Do you think she’s trouble?” Jake asked as he watched the other boat.

Fitz looked at him. “Jake, my friend, where you are concerned I can always see trouble. In this case I think she probably is.”

“A bit outside my experience,” said Jake.

“But not mine,” said Fitz. “she’s no faster than us, so I reckon he’ll try and swing alongside and ... yes, I can see a man in the bow with a grappling iron.”

A shot rang out and a chip appeared in the rail not far from Jake.

“Have you reloaded your gun?”

“Yes.”

“Then fetch it, and call Captain Johnson.”

Jake and Captain Johnson came on deck together, Johnson with his boat gun and a pistol.

There were several more shots from the lugger, but all appeared to be wide. Hitting the rail with the first one was just a lucky shot.

Captain Johnson went back to where Fitz had taken station alongside Tom at the wheel. They exchanged a few words and Johnson nodded.

The helmsman of the lugger was aiming for ‘Moonfleet’s’ bow, intending to turn alongside her so that the man with the grappling iron could snag the main shrouds. Just before the helmsman could perform this manoeuvre Fitz told Tom to spin the wheel hard over to starboard, swinging the ship head to wind. As she did so she caught the lugger amidships and stove in the side, and then it rolled under ‘Moonfleet’s’ forefoot and sank, leave a half dozen men struggling in the water. ‘Moonfleet’ had come to a stop, and then began to pay off onto the port tack. Before she picked up way they managed to pull three men from the water, the others having disappeared. Two members of the crew put irons on them and they were locked in the forepeak.

Mary had come on deck shortly after the sound of the impact and was happily holding a pistol aimed at the bedraggled prisoners.

“How are you going to handle this mess, Sir Jacob?” she asked with a grin.

“Piracy,” Jake replied. “Simple piracy. They’ll try to claim otherwise of course, but they’ll hang as pirates.”

“You’re not making your self popular in some quarters,” she told him.

“And I doubt that you are either Miss Kelly, but sometimes that is just what happens.”

The ship swung around back onto her original course.

Jake caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. A rope must have become dislodged and was hanging over the side. One of the missing pirates must have caught it as he was swept past and had used it to climb up. As he climbed over the rail, his knife between his teeth he found himself confronted by two guns. Mary Kelly reached out and took the knife and tossed it overboard. Another prisoner was added to the forepeak.

Tom was at the helm looking perplexed.

“You got a problem, Tom?” asked Captain Johnson.

“Aye, Captain, she’s not responding. Feels heavy at the bow,” Tom replied.

Captain Johnson called for all hands, “check the well.” he called out on his way forward.

He was peering over the bow when Jake joined him.

“She started some planks on the starboard side when we hit that lugger,” he told Jake. “We’ll have to get a spare sail over it and see if we can cut down on the amount of water coming in.”

A couple of hours later they had one of the spare topsails around the stem and tied in place. The men on the pumps were gaining on the water and Tom reported that she was handling easier.

“Can we make Bristol?” asked Jake.

“If the sea state stays like this we should be able to, but if it gets worse we’ll have to beach her,” Captain Johnson replied.

Fitz had joined them and nodded his agreement.

“Have to keep at the pumps, though,” he said.

“Aye, we’ll have to do that,” confirmed Johnson. “Pity we can’t use the prisoners, but it’d be too much of a problem to look after them.”

“And it would be asking them to save themselves from the sea so that the hangman can have them,” added Fitz, to general laughter from the others, and a couple of the crew who were nearby. After the tensions of the last hours it was good to relax, even with the dangers and hard work that still lay ahead.

After all the noise and confusion all the passengers were awake and Jake called them into the saloon. He explained the problems to them and gave them the captain’s assessment of the situation. The ship was in no immediate danger and they should reach Bristol, perhaps a little later than anticipated.

“It’s extremely unusual for anything like this to happen,” he told them, “and we’ve no idea what they wanted beyond robbery,” at this Mary Kelly looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “and if it were not for the quick action of Captain Fitzherbert it could have been worse.

It was fortunate that they all accepted the situation calmly, although there was naturally a buzz of excitement at the mention of pirates, that would give them a tale to tell about their journey.

Four hours later Captain Johnson turned the ship on to an easterly course to take them up the Bristol channel. The crew, including Jake and Fitz, were taking shifts at the pumps about half the time and keeping pace with the water coming in, gruelling work, but not too exhausting. Another two hours and they saw a large barque being towed down the channel at the beginning of her voyage. The tide was now carrying them up channel, but they were aware that before they reached Avonmouth it would turn against them. Captain Johnson had a signal hoisted to request a tow, and a further hour and a half later the tug, have cast off its tow, caught up with them. The situation was explained to them and it was agreed that ‘Moonfleet’ would carry on under her own sail until the tide turned, with the tug standing by. Because she was heeling slightly this would mean there was less pressure on the damage planks and hopefully save a greater inflow of water.

They were under tow when they arrived at Avonmouth and were handed over to a smaller tug to take them up river to Bristol. Jake had by now had sufficient time to calculate what insurance claim he could make, and the result didn’t please him. Probably, he thought, it would have been better if the ship had been lost. It was a sad fact that insurers were quick to accept your premiums, but very reluctant to pay out on a claim. Twas ever thus he thought.

Moored in their usual berth the passengers disembarked, all of them praising the captain and crew for their efforts in bringing the ship safely to port. Jake was quite certain they would not be quite so effusive in their praise if they knew the real reason for the skirmish in the Irish sea. Mary Kelly left carrying the bag she had reclaimed from Jake and Maria O’Brien went with her.

“We’ll call in at Victoria’s first,” she told Jake cheerily. “Mary is in need of some clothing and I’m sure that her credit is good. And then we’re away to London, I’ll see you when I return.”

Yet another expense for this trip Jake thought glumly.

Jake had sent a message ashore at Avonmouth for a detachment of militia to meet them in Bristol and collect their prisoners. Naturally along with that message had gone the story of piracy. And along with the militia there was a reporter from the Mercury, determined to get as much information from the passengers and crew as he could. By the time the story reached the London press it had developed into an epic fight with the pirate ship, which had grown from a lugger to at least a three decker, and a few shots to fusillades of gunfire, and the plucky little ship finally ramming and sinking the pirate ship, and limping home barely afloat. Naturally there were one or two questions as to what the pirates hoped to gain, but then, pirates were pirates and that was enough for most people. One or two speculated of course, but the only people who knew the truth had little to say.

The militia was led by Captain Oates who was greeted by Tom in friendly terms...

“Captain Oates, sir, you missed out on this one,” he told him. “We had the navy to help!”

“Hello Tom,” Captain Oates replied, “I’ll bet you enjoyed every minute!”

“Aye sir, we all did, but I don’t think we’d want that much excitement every trip. We’ll just keep an eye open every time we have three captains aboard,” Tom laughed.

Captain Oates gave Jake a receipt for the prisoners.

“I wish I could travel with you on every trip, Sir Jacob, life in barracks is deadly boring. I could come to rely on you to relieve the boredom.”

“Not if I can help it,” Jake laughed. “Believe me, boring can be very welcome.”

Captain Oates marched the prisoners away.

Jake arranged for the ship to be dry docked and decided that the day had been long enough and he really wanted to get back and see the children.

By the time he retired that night Millie had been in touch with Sarah and had more or less the full story. She was very cross with Jake for exposing himself to the danger.

“Your children, our children, all of them need you. I need you,” and she burst in to tears.

“It wasn’t that bad, really.” Jake tried to calm her.

“Oh! I promised myself I wouldn’t let you know how I feel ... and I’m pregnant again. And anyway that isn’t what Tom said, he said that if he hadn’t had Captain Fitz there he wouldn’t have known what to do.”

“Well, that’s probably true, Tom is a merchant sailor and ramming another ship is alien to his nature. Fitz is a fighting captain, and much as I like the man I do wonder if my decision to employ him was right,” Jake paused in thought. “But on the whole I think it was, I wouldn’t have known what to do, and I’m not sure George Johnson would either. I reckon George would have had a pitched battle with them and even if we’d won we’d have suffered quite a few casualties. So Fitz was most likely right. Anyway. It’s all over now.”

Jake paused for a moment.

“You’re pregnant, well that’s ... oh! Millie you’ll have to marry me.”

“Jake White, I WILL NOT,” she burst into tears. “I’ll bet you put those dreadful twins up to working on me. WELL IT ISN’T GOING TO WORK. You find yourself a lady! God knows there’s enough of them after you!”

And with that she ran out of his room in a flood of tears. Jake had no idea what to do. What ever had the twins been up to? He’d have to have a word with their mother. He laid in bed for a while puzzling it over, but eventually the events of the last couple of days caught up with him and he fell asleep. During the night he surfaced once or twice and imagined that Millie was there, but when he woke in the morning he was on his own.

The repairs to ‘Moonfleet’ didn’t take too long, but it was a damned nuisance that she couldn’t have been kept there for the rest of the work to be carried out. It was a nuisance too, that ‘Aurora’ wasn’t ready which would have made the situation much easier.

George was unwell when ‘Moonfleet’ returned to service so Fitz was captain for this trip. Jake was worried about it because of the possible revenge action for what had happened, but there was nothing he could do and had to console himself with the fact that there wasn’t anyone who would do a better job, and the crew were solidly loyal. It didn’t stop him worrying though.

He should have anticipated it, but nevertheless it came as a surprise when Hatherley arrived to see him, as ever unannounced.

Good morning, Sir Jacob.”

“Mr Hatherley!”

Hatherley sat in Jacob’s guest chair.

“Thank you for bringing Mary safely back, you had a little bother I understand.”

“You could well say that, Mr Hatherley, not to mention damage to the ship and exposing innocent passengers to danger.”

“It’s a war, Sir Jacob. It may not be declared, but whichever side you are on you are liable to suffer consequences.”

Jake nodded in acknowledgement.

“Saying that it was piracy was a good move, certainly entertained the masses, and we were able to cover up the real reason.”

“It seemed the best option at the time,” said Jake. “If we said we were acting on behalf of ... well, some sort of secret arm of government it would not have done our business any good, nor would the public be happy, but successfully beating off piracy, however uncommon, shows us as a company that employs competent seamen and cares about it’s customers.”

“Yes, well done, you’re learning very quickly. Now, there are certain funds which are available for merchant seamen who are victims of piracy, and for owners who assist in the suppression of piracy. There is also the matter of two of your captives who have a price on their heads. We shall allow a certain amount of time to elapse and then they will be taken to Ireland and tried and hung.”