Ill Wind and Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure (Valkyrie) (46 page)

Carmen had taken no chances. She had the thirty surviving Freyjamen shackled and roped together by the half dozen so no one would be looking for escape overboard, and they were guarded by eight men and women. I noticed she had commandeered some of my own men to help, and smiled in spite of myself. I looked over the huddle, enjoying the embarrassed look on Sharpe’s face and the sullen look on Cheval and the others.
He
had wasted no time joining his old enemy against me. I was not surprised.

‘What will you do with them?’ I asked Carmen, wanting to tease the Freyjamen whose fate now rested with my women.

‘Turn them out in the longboat, most likely, and get their ugly mugs off our decks,’ Carmen snapped back, obviously not too pleased at my presence.

‘Really? Is that what Gabriella ordered?’

She glared at me. ‘I’m sure she will.’

I was surprised. ‘You’d send them off knowing where you are and how badly damaged? The state you’re in, they could launch an attack from a longboat! And they’d have had a chance at success too, if
Freedom
weren’t alongside.’

She glared at me again. ‘An attack? What with? We wouldn’t put them off with any weapons aboard!’

‘No of course not, but if they’re picked up by another privateer, or even if they aren’t, they’d soon take any ship careless enough to offer them aid, and they’d head straight back. And where’s their ship’s boat? He’ll have put one off just as we do, and they’ll be armed. No, you’d do better keeping hold of them and marooning them where they can’t cause you any more trouble. Besides, you may need extra hands to get the boats ashore.’

Another glare, then she stomped off to the maindeck, shouting instructions to Valkyries as she went.

‘Clear that canvas!

‘You, start work on the outer jib, I want
Valkyrie
shipshape again, even if she has mated with
Freyja
!

‘Gather those weapons off this deck – I want them on
Valkyrie
!

‘Jayde, get a lookout posted up every mast still standing, I want to know if any more sail approaches!’

I hadn’t expected a welcome from her, but this was a bit over the top. Had I foiled some design of hers? Did she want
Freyja
? Or
Valkyrie
? Or maybe it was just the after effect of battle. I resolved to keep a close eye on her, but she could wait.

I walked over to where Hornigold’s bloody corpse lay unattended on the deck and stared at the man – one of the men – I’d hated for so long. I felt nothing. No joy, no pain, no relief. His death had changed nothing. Mamá and Magdalena were still dead. Hornigold had joined Tarr in Hell. Blake was still to join them; van Ecken too. I turned away and smiled when I saw Gabriella climb, with difficulty, down to
Freya’s
deck. I followed, and walked towards the mainhatch.

‘What do you suggest we do with
Freyja
?’

I looked at her – her tone wasn’t friendly, but she
was
talking to me – a definite improvement – although the question was most likely a test.

‘Keep her,’ I replied. ‘Having her in our fleet would be the talk of the Carib Sea and do our reputations no end of good.’

‘
Our
fleet?
Our
reputations?’ Her voice was cold. ‘
Valkyrie
took her.
Freedom
didn’t have a hand in it.’

I was tempted to point out that she’d most likely lose both
Valkyrie
and
Freyja
without
Freedom
to help her ashore, but thought better of it, this was not the time. ‘You’re quite right,’ I said, instead.

‘So who’d sail her?’ Gabriella mused.

‘She has a crew. They can be forced if necessary, but I don’t think so. They don’t really care who they sail under as long as they win enough coin. Their letter of marque is no more than convenience to most.’

‘What, even Sharpe? You’d sail with him after . . . after Magdalena?’

I shrugged. ‘It’s all passed. It doesn’t matter any more.’ Gabriella and the child were all that were important to me now, and I’d even put up with Sharpe on my decks if that would prove it to her.

‘You don’t think he’d cause too much trouble?’ The smile, if it had been there at all, was gone.

‘No, if I read him right, he doesn’t bother about who he sails with as long as he has a plentiful supply of rum, and coin enough to wager at the dice, but time will tell.’ I paused. ‘Gabriella,’ I said, serious again, and reached out to stroke her face.

Was she softening? Maybe, then her face tightened and she pulled away. ‘Not now,’ she said, ‘I need to think about
Valkyrie
.’

We’d gone through
Freyja’s
mainhatch and had reached Gaunt for our first look below decks
.
Gabriella went pale as she took a good look at the damage she had wrought. Frazer, Blackman, Carrie and Jayde didn’t look much happier.

‘Mr Gaunt, report if you will,’ she said, her voice strained.

‘Right then, lass,’ Gaunt said. ‘For a start, they’re both taking on water, though they ain’t in danger of foundering just yet – I’ve put teams on the pumps and they’ll need relieving every hour.

‘We’ve two options. Either split them at sea and make the best of it, or tow them ashore and do the job proper. Me biggest concern is what happens if a blow hits. Even if we get
Valkyrie
separated at sea and patched, her bow’s weak and her forward strakes need replacing. Hell, her stem might even be cracked and then there’ll be no salving her; but even if stem’s sound, I don’t think she’ll stand up to heavy seas, especially wi’ that bowsprit, and we’ll lose
Freyja
o’course.

‘The only other thing to do is for
Freedom
to tow them ashore as they are, then I have a chance at salving both of them. They’ll be awkward to tow and if we do get a blow, we risk losing them both.’

‘At least it isn’t hurricane season, and we’ll plot a course carefully and head for the nearest safe island or cay,’ I said. ‘I don’t think we should worry overmuch. Would you have a chance at salving
Freyja
if we split them at sea?’

‘Nay,’ Gaunt replied. ‘Does thee see how
Freyja’s
laid over? If we warped
Valkyrie
out of her, she’d flatten out again and sea’d flood in. We’d have no chance at patching her and she’d go down for sure. It’s up to Gabriella; we’ve a better chance of salving
Valkyrie
if we warp her out now, but we’d lose
Freyja
for sure and could end up losing both anyway.’

‘I want
Valkyrie
free and floating. I don’t care what happens to
Freyja
, she’s already beaten,’ Gabriella replied.

‘Yes, but think what it would tell the rest of the Caribbees if you had command of Hornigold’s boat,’ I reasoned. ‘Reputation counts for a lot in our trade, and more ships would call for quarter without a shot being fired. She’s well known and we would be too. You would be.’

‘I agree with Leo,’ Carmen said, surprising me. ‘We’ll take more prizes with less risk with three vessels.’

So at least
she
included
Freedom
– that had to be a good sign.

‘Aye,’ agreed Jayde.

‘Frazer? Blackman?’ I asked.

‘Aye, salve them both,’ Frazer said and Blackman nodded.

‘Oh, very well,’ Gabriella snapped. ‘But if we lose
Valkyrie
there’ll be the devil to pay – and you’ll be the one to do it, Leo. We’ll try to salve them both, but if needs be, we warp
Valkyrie
free at sea and cast
Freyja
loose.’

‘Agreed,’ I said, and the others nodded.

‘Right then, Mr Gaunt.’ Gabriella sighed. ‘What needs doing to keep
Freykarie
afloat?’

He smiled at the name, then said, ‘I want to patch
Valkyrie
up as well as I can to give her the best chance. Both boats will want lightening too to keep them high in the water.’

‘Very well, we can get on with that. Is there room on
Freedom
for our plunder and stores, Leo?’

‘Sí, no problem, we’ll stow as much as we can, anything else will have to go overboard.’

‘No, the ballast can go overboard. Guns and spare rigging will go in its place.’

That was a good idea. The boats still needed some weight to keep them stable and stop them rolling, especially as we wouldn’t be able to rig them. We’d only have to worry about reballasting if we managed to salvage both vessels.

‘But I’m warning you Leo, if
Freedom
sails off with our gold, I won’t rest until I take it back.’

‘Don’t worry, querida, I’m not going anywhere without you.’

‘Captain!’ Jenneke called down the hatch. ‘Bess is calling for you, it’s Klara.’

I went after Gabriella and gave her a leg up to
Valkyrie’s
deck – she wasn’t quite so agile now – then climbed up to follow her, but she stopped me.

‘Stay here Leo, I don’t need you.’

‘I know, querida, but I’m coming with you anyway.’

She looked at me for a moment and decided not to argue. She nodded and hurried towards the cabin.

‘Frazer, Carmen, will you check the charts and find us a likely island while we wait for a fair wind?’ I called down through the unrelenting rain.

‘Aye, Captain.’ He nodded from the hatch whilst Carmen glowered, and I hurried after Gabriella.

My heart felt as if pounded by a tempest. I’d bested Hornigold, but lost two of my own crew and may well be losing Klara too. I’d won
Freyja
, but if I’d cracked
Valkyrie’s
stem post, she’d never sail again. And that was when Leo had decided to show his face.

For months, I hadn’t known whether he lived or had been killed, and now he was here I didn’t know what to do, or what I truly wanted to do with him. I wanted to grab him and hold him tight. I wanted to clear the cabin, rid him of his clothing and mine, and lock the door. I also wanted to shoot him.

But I couldn’t think about him now. I hurried down the hatch and to the cabin and Klara as best I could. She lay on her side, very still, and her dark skin looked grey. My heart jumped in fear. ‘Klara!’

Nothing. No reaction at all. Obi looked up at me in despair.

‘She’s very weak,’ Bess said. ‘There was just too much lead in her back and she’s lost a lot of blood. I think she’s only hung on this long to say goodbye.’

I looked at Klara again, stricken.
No! She can’t be dying! Not Klara! Not after we risked everything to escape Erik. No!

I slumped to the deck next to Obi, took a rag of cloth and wet it in the bucket near the cot then dabbed Klara’s brow. She opened her eyes and smiled at me.
How can I lose her? I can’t say goodbye to Klara.
She could not only be a part of my past; I couldn’t bear the thought that my child wouldn’t know her.

‘Gabriella.’

I grabbed her hands and rested my head on her shoulder with a sob.

‘Klara, I’m so sorry. I promised to keep you safe, and now, and now . . .’ I couldn’t continue. Leo rested his hand on my shoulder and I shrugged him off.

‘You’ve nothing to be sorry for Gabriella, you freed me.’ She paused, her breathing shallow. ‘This year of freedom, of Obi.’ She smiled weakly at him. ‘It’s been worth so much more than any number of years of slavery, of Erik, even if he’d have allowed me to live them. Thank you.’ She quietened again, exhausted. Bess passed me a beaker of water and I encouraged Klara to drink. She started to talk again, her voice a little stronger now.

‘I’ll be sorry to leave you, Gabriella, and the other friends I’ve found on the water – especially you, Obi. I’ll miss the wind and the laughter, but I’ll be with my son soon and I want so much to see him again.

‘Let your child bring her parents together again. Whether you admit it or not, you’re lost without Leo, you need him as much as he needs you. If you don’t forgive him, your heart will never mend and you’ll become all the things we escaped from. Promise me you’ll let him back into your heart. Promise?’

‘Yes, yes, anything, just don’t leave me. I don’t want to be on my own.’

‘You won’t be.’ She looked at Leo. ‘Your man is here and your daughter will join you both shortly. I’ll be with you in spirit, but it’s time for me to go to my own child now.’

Obi bowed his head, unable to speak. I leaned my head against his shoulder, wanting to comfort him, but unwilling to let go of Klara’s hand. I didn’t want to let her go, no matter how resigned to death she seemed to be.

‘There’s something I never told you, but I have to before I leave. I’ve never known how to and I’m nearly out of time. Erik was my brother. My mother was only thirteen – a child – when Jan Senior, Erik’s father, forced her.’

‘The bastard!’ I was shocked, remembering the way Erik had offered her to his dinner guests. ‘But, but I thought he was Jan’s father?’

She nodded, tears running down her face. ‘He is. You know Jan Senior gave me to Erik as a child; he didn’t recognize me as his daughter. I don’t think he even recognized me as a person. Erik certainly didn’t recognize me as a sister. I named my son Jan to try and make them realize what they had done, but it only made them hate me more.

‘Kill him, Gabriella, please. I only wish I’d had the courage to do it myself. He’s an animal, just like his father, kill him for me.’

She took a few laboured breaths. Obi hadn’t moved.

‘Do you hate me?’ she asked, after a long silence.

‘Hate you, no of course not, why would I? I’m sickened by him – if not for him, how many lives would have been lived instead of cut short? I can’t believe you’d think I could hate you, why?’

‘I have van Ecken blood running though my veins,’ she said simply.

‘Yes, but your mother’s too, his blood was diluted by hers,’ I encouraged. ‘And I’ve never seen any evidence of van Ecken in you.’

‘I suppose.’ She fell quiet.

‘I hated that house; I was so happy when you arrived, I thought Erik would be happy, and life would get better. Are you sure you don’t hate me?’

‘Of course I don’t hate you, you’re my sister, I love you. Why didn’t you tell me before? All that time, everything he did, and he was your half-brother.’ I wanted to cry, but couldn’t let her see I was upset.

The effort of talking had visibly weakened her again. She tried to smile, to reassure me, but it was clear she was going. Obi put his own hands around mine, still cupping Klara’s. He stayed silent. I moved my hands away.

‘Make me another promise,’ she whispered, and I leaned closer to her so she could place her hand on my belly. ‘Call her Raphaella – let her heal you both. Don’t waste any more time.’

‘I can’t believe she won’t know her aunt,’ I sobbed.

‘Promise.’ She was extremely weak.

I nodded, tears running down my face. We stayed like that for what seemed hours, but was only minutes, until she found enough strength to speak once more.

‘Thank you. Free.’ Followed by a silence that was total.

‘Klara?
Klara
? No. Don’t leave me, come back!’ Louder and louder until I was aware of Leo dragging me away.

‘Gabriella.’ He spoke gently and grasped my shoulders. I let him. He hugged me. I stayed in his arms for a while then pulled away. I couldn’t do this; whatever she’d said, Klara still needed me.

‘Bess, would you fetch her hammock please? I’ll prepare her myself.’ I had no idea how I kept my voice so level and in command.

‘No, Captun. Me.’ Obi spoke as he stroked her immobile face. I was about to argue, but stopped, touched by his tenderness.

‘Gabriella,’ Leo said. ‘Come back out on deck. Your crew needs you now.’

‘Klara needs me.’

‘No, she needs Obi. Your crew have lost her too, as well as two others. You’re their captain. You need to be out on deck with them.’

I looked at Obi. He was still stroking Klara’s face.

‘Come on Gabriella, she’s gone,’ Leo urged. ‘There’s nothing more you can do, it’s time to let her go. Let Obi take care of her.’