The Valkyrie Series: The First Fleet - (Books 1-3) Look Sharpe!, Ill Wind & Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure

by Karen Perkins

  *

  I shivered and looked at the sky. Clouds were moving in to obscure the sun. Reluctantly, I donned my footwear and started the climb up the cliff. I was getting hungry anyway, it must be near lunchtime.

  I slipped once or twice, but was able to steady myself with my hands and didn’t have too much difficulty. At the top, I looked down at my gown and grimaced. White salt spots around the hem showed where the sea had caught me, and there was a small tear in the left sleeve. I’d have to sneak up to my room to change and hope Klara could fix it. Next time I came here, I would wear one of the gowns I’d brought with me.

  The path was hard to follow through the undergrowth and trees, but when I emerged I saw my sense of direction wasn’t too far out. I was at one corner of the lawn rather than the center that I’d aimed for, but that was better; I could hug the trees and not cross the empty space in full view.

  Suddenly, I was drenched. The clouds had burst in a rainstorm the likes of which I’d never seen before, and I ran toward the house, all thoughts of concealment washed away.

  I clattered onto the veranda, shaking my dripping arms and gasped. The van Eckens stood on the covered terrace, watching me.

  Erik looked me up and down in disgust, turned and went inside without a word.

  “Those gowns are expensive, child, you need to better care take,” Jan van Ecken said and followed his son. “Get changed quickly, luncheon ready is.”

  I followed them: embarrassed, ashamed and furious. There had not been a single inquiry about my health after such a soaking—the concern had only been for my gown.

  *

  Klara followed me upstairs and I shivered as we got rid of the ruined clothes. I dried my hair as best I could and dressed quickly in the green gown.

  Klara looked in amazement at the gown I’d discarded and I shrugged. “Do you think it can be fixed?”

  She smiled at me, “I’ll do my best, Miss Gabriella.” I thought she was going to say something else, but she must have changed her mind.

  “Are you laughing?” I asked, smiling myself.

  “Not at all, Miss Gabriella.” She tied the new stays loosely.

  *

  Downstairs again, I walked through the drawing room into the dining room and sat before a full plate of food. Jan and Erik hadn’t waited for me, and were already eating. We sat in silence until the peppermint tea was served. I’d barely tasted my meal, and wondered what delicious new treat I’d been too anxious to enjoy.

  “My son wishes to apologize for the way he earlier to you spoke,” Jan said, breaking the awkward silence. “Our study is out of bounds, we should have told you that, before you in barged.”

  I nodded in acknowledgement, not sure if I was receiving an apology or a reprimand.

  “The drawing room is for your private use unless we guests have. You are free for the library to use, although we’d prefer you to bring books to the drawing room to read rather than in there remain.”

  I nodded again.

  “There is a collection of books in English near the veranda doors.”

  Now I looked at him in interest, but he’d finished and the two men rose from the table. Erik hadn’t spoken a word.

  *

  I followed them from the room and into the library. They both ignored me and went straight into the study and shut the door. I crossed to the shelves Jan had mentioned and ran my hand over the spines.

  Books in English! There must be a hundred of them. I chose one about Norse mythology and opened the door to the veranda. I could hear raised voices coming from the study, but didn’t care. They could shout at each other as much as they liked.

  I sat in a comfortable chair at the table in front of the drawing room and began to read, soon losing myself in tales of ancient gods, Valkyries and Nordic heroes.

  Chapter 11

  At the dinner table again, I stared at my plate. Jan and Erik were arguing in Dutch once more. Truth be told, it was less awkward than sitting in silence, but only marginally, and I’d had enough.

  “Do you have any idea how rude you’re being?” I said. They stopped talking and stared at me in surprise.

  “You’ve brought me to this house and expect me to marry into this family, yet you rarely speak to me. Now, at the dinner table, you’re speaking a language I don’t understand. I can’t follow the conversation. I can’t join in. I am not included in any way.” I was near tears with the frustration of my brief stay. Jan looked shocked, Erik angry, but I couldn’t hold back the words.

  “I was subjected to the company of pirates at my first dinner here, and have never heard such language or seen such table manners before. I have not been shown around the house or estate, and was spoken to in the worst manner imaginable when I explored on my own!”

  I stopped, breathing heavily, surprised at myself. I’d never have dared to speak to Father this way, and I could barely believe I’d found the courage to speak to the van Eckens like this. I only knew I couldn’t live the rest of my life the way I’d lived the last few days.

  After a moment, Jan spoke. “You are quite right, my child, we have been neglecting you. There has not for two years a woman in this house been, and we have forgotten how to behave.”

  I smiled at him, relieved he’d taken my outburst so well. Erik still frowned at me.

  “We were those very pirates you mentioned discussing.”

  Erik looked at his father sharply, but Jan waved a hand at him and he said nothing.

  “You see, we a dilemma have, and it’s taking over everything, even your wedding, my child, and we only apologize can.”

  “A dilemma—about those pirates?” I asked.

  “Well, yes, but it’s not really your concern.”

  “Oh, why stop now, Vader? Why not tell her it all? You want her to make a van Ecken, don’t you?” I noticed his English was better than his father’s.

  Jan looked at his son, then turned back to me.

  “Excuse my son’s manners, he finds this wedding very sudden, as I’m sure you do, but this family a new generation needs.” He glared at Erik again, then turned back to me.

  “It’s right that you should our family history know—your sons will one day need to know it.

  “The van Eckens have been directors of the Dutch West Indies Company since the start, and I and my wife in 1650 came to the Caribbees. It was clear to me there would myriad opportunities in the New World be, and I wanted advantage of them to take.

  “Originally based in Sint Eustatius, I moved in 1655 to Sayba once the war was over, founded the town Eckerstad, and this house built. All went well for many years—our businesses grew and the island flourished. Erik was born and we could not have happier been.”

  I glanced at Erik as he took a long drink of wine. He kept his eyes on his plate and said nothing.

  “Five years later, Thomas Morgan—Henry Morgan’s uncle, have you of him heard?”

  I nodded, who hadn’t heard of Henry Morgan, the flamboyant buccaneer turned knight? Even in Massachusetts Bay, he was famous.

  “Well, Thomas Morgan was from the same cloth cut, and he Sayba attacked. We were merchants, not warriors, and did not a chance have. We were into servitude taken whilst strangers in our beautiful home lived.”

  I gasped, it sounded horrible.

  “Adelheid—my wife—Erik and I were taken to Henry Morgan to serve. He had Elizabeth just married and was a sugar plantation in Jamaica establishing. It wasn’t long before I running it for him was.”

  I nodded, not knowing what to say and having to concentrate to understand his English.

  “After a couple of years, I had a good business in his name built up, and then England and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Breda and the second war between our nations over was.

  “I implored Morgan to allow my family and me to Sayba return. He had first-hand my talents as a businessman seen, and I was able to convince him that I on his sugar plantation wasted was. I could make him more money if I were able to my o
wn empire build with him as a partner. He would a percentage of the profits take—a large percentage, I may add,” he glanced at his son, “and he agreed.”

  “He would have been a fool not to, and Henry Morgan is no fool,” Erik said.

  “Quite. He did a little more than expected though, and provided me with a ship and, er, crew as well as helping me the sugar plantation here set up. Tarr was a young man then, and would goods and prize ships me bring which I would from them purchase.”

  “At very low prices,” Erik butted in.

  “Yes, at lower prices than the norm.” Jan nodded slowly. “And we would the goods on sell and fit the ships out as Africa slavers.”

  “Our profits soared,” Erik added.

  “Yes, and a large part of our profit was loaded into Tarr’s hold, Jamaica bound,” Jan snapped. “But for all my complaints,” his voice softened, “our lives had monumentally improved. I was my own master again, we freely in our own home lived, and ran the island more or less as we before had.” He paused. “We were happy for many years, until in ’81 Adelheid died.”

  “I’m sorry,” I murmured, fascinated by the story and not knowing what else to say.

  “Jungle fever. Couldn’t be helped. We manage as best we can without her, but Brisingamen has long enough without a mistress been.” He smiled at me and I smiled back.

  “But now, Governor Lynch has suspended Morgan, he is out of favor, and my father wants to break the arrangement that has served us well for many years,” Erik said.

  Jan looked at him in annoyance. “Henry Morgan has for nearly twenty years a millstone around my neck been. His influence and power is weak. This is our opportunity to free of him be!”

  “Henry Morgan’s resourceful, Vader, you know that as well as I. He may be today weak, but he will tomorrow strong again be. Tarr and Hornigold’s efforts more than make up for the percentage he takes, and the island safe is.” Erik’s English had deteriorated with his anger. “The whole of the Caribbees know of them and they know Sayba under Tarr’s protection is. No one will dare to attack our island whilst they interests here have. Keeping them close will prevent history repeating itself, and I’m surprised you can’t see that!”

  “With last year’s profits we can our own protectors hire, preferably Dutch—Sayba would still be safe!”

  Erik shook his head. “You would start another war, Vader. Neither Morgan nor Tarr would easily give up on this arrangement, it’s far too profitable for them. If we set ships against them, we would lose more to sinkings than we to the Englanders give. The arrangement works, Vader. Tarr and the others are good men, and by now they are near as loyal to us as they are to Morgan. You would be a fool to now change things.”

  I gasped as Jan’s face turned bright red at his son’s insult. He glanced at me, then controlled himself with visible effort. I was gratified to see Erik look concerned—he knew he’d gone too far.

  Klara and the two men brought the next course, roasted suckling pig, and we ate in silence.

  Jan placed his cutlery on his plate and looked at me. “So, are you excited about your wedding, child?”

  I smiled nervously. Is he serious?

  “You only have three weeks left to wait, then you will husband and wife be!”

  Erik scowled and I stared at them both. Three weeks! I kept my gaze on my future husband, wondering if I might shame him into a smile, but he didn’t look at me. Jan spoke to him in Dutch.

  “Mr. van Ecken! I thought we’d agreed to speak English at the table,” I said, not sure where I’d found the courage to speak to him in this manner again. He bowed his head.

  “Quite right, child, but you can’t keep calling me Mr. van Ecken. Call me Schoonvader—it means father-in-law, and will soon true enough be. And don’t mind my son’s bad manners. He sees the necessity of the marriage, and is only with nerves suffering. All will be well once the nuptials over are.” He glanced at Erik, who nodded, once.

  “You must some thought to your wardrobe give, child. I understand you and that slave,” he glanced at Erik again, “did some good work on the journey on your wedding gown. It needs to finished be. If you need fabric for more gowns, please let me know—we have warehouses full of the stuff, but please take better care than you this morning did.”

  I stared at my empty plate and mumbled an apology.

  “Very well, then. I think we’re here finished. You may to the drawing room retire, Gabriella. Erik and I will to the library go to continue our discussions.”

  *

  Later that night, I lay in bed, my head swimming with all that I’d seen and heard that day. I was much happier, and only wished that Erik and his father would reach some agreement soon. I was still wary of my future husband, but hoped he would prove to be friendlier once this current disagreement was at an end.

  I caught my breath at a sound and listened hard. It came again from below. I realized I’d heard something similar—aboard Hornigold’s ship on the first night. I stared at the canopy over the bed—angry, jealous and ashamed. If he thinks so little of me that he would bed my slave in my hearing, why on earth had he agreed to marry me?

  Part 2

  30th June 1683

  Chapter 12

  I took a deep breath and held the looking glass up to my face. Eyes darkened with kohl, lips reddened with cochineal, face powdered with chalk, and cheeks rouged with cerise. My shining dark hair was set off well by my veil and hung in perfect curls just past my shoulders.

  My gown of white silk left my shoulders bare, its sleeves were tied with more silk and fell to my elbows. The bodice was ruffled and the mantua, hanging in perfect drapes to enhance the length of my body, was embroidered with red and yellow flowers, and drawn back over my hips to show off matching petticoats. I twisted slightly to look at my back. The sash at my hips was tied into a perfect bustle and the dress trailed behind. I had never looked so well and smiled at myself. It was the last day of June—my wedding day.

  “You look beautiful, Miss Gabriella,” Klara said and smiled. I smiled back, but my smile faltered with nerves for the day and life ahead of me. An image of Peter floated in my mind, but I pushed it away. I could not think of him—ever again.

  “It’s time,” she added.

  I sighed and nodded, pulled on my matching gloves and picked up my fan. I was ready and couldn’t put this off any longer.

  *

  The past three weeks had been awful. Jan and Erik had rowed constantly behind library and study door. Presumably it was still about Morgan and his pirates, but I couldn’t be sure. I could only hope they weren’t arguing about me. At least Jan tried to be polite and remember his manners, but Erik barely spoke to me. It was clear this marriage was Jan’s idea and Erik a reluctant participant. At least we only saw each other at mealtimes and most of the days were my own.

  That didn’t mean much; there was only so much time I could spend sitting on a beach, reading or working at my embroidery, and my only friend was a slave who was regularly bedded by my almost-husband, whether she wanted to be or not. Looking at her now, and the genuine smile on her face, I thought I believed her when she said she did not.

  I shuddered, thinking of the man I was to marry. What kind of man would behave as he does? I didn’t want to marry him, but knew I would. I had no choice. My father had sold me to the van Eckens. I was at their mercy and had no power of my own. If somehow I found a way to leave and went home, Father would be furious. I had no doubt he would send me straight back, if not worse—I suspected he may even be capable of murder if defied so publicly.

  I couldn’t escape anyway. I was trapped on an island—surrounded by water. I didn’t have a boat or know how to sail one. Every visiting ship worked for or with Jan and Erik, and there was nowhere else to go but jungle—full of strange sounds in the dark. I wouldn’t survive a week in the Caribbean wilds—the thought of that terrified me more than the thought of life as Mevrouw van Ecken.

  “Ready?” Klara’s prompt shook me out of my th
oughts. I nodded and moved to the door. Klara gathered and lifted my train, and we struggled down the stairs. My embroidered white silk shoes were higher than I was used to, and the excessive amount of silk I wore made the narrow, steep staircase difficult to negotiate. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the landing without mishap, and we walked to the top of the main staircase in silence.

  This staircase had been built to make an impression on everyone who entered the house and would be much easier to descend. I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin, determined at least to get through the day with dignity. Joy wasn’t an option.

  Erik was nowhere to be seen; only Jan waited for me in the large, grand hall.

  “Why the hell are you that dress wearing? That one’s for tomorrow!”

  I looked at him in confusion. This was my wedding dress and this my wedding day.

  “We arrange today the legal affairs. We only the marriage celebrate once it has consummated been—tomorrow! Well, it’s now too late to change. You’ll just have to it wear. Don’t damage or wrinkle it—it needs tomorrow to be perfect!”

  I nodded, near tears. I’d assumed the wedding customs would be those I knew, and realized now that assumption had been foolish. Nothing about these men was what I knew: not their manners, habits or language.

  Jan walked ahead to the carriage. I heard him mutter, “Vrouen,” under his breath and cringed. By now, I knew what that meant: women. My slow, awkward climb into the carriage only increased his impatience, and he left Klara and Hendrik to find a way to fold my dress with a minimum of wrinkles.

  Eventually we were ready and started the drive to Eckerstad.

  “Is that why Mam and Father aren’t here yet? Are they coming tomorrow for the celebrations?” I asked. I needed to know; they hadn’t been mentioned, but I hoped with all my heart that I’d see Mam again.

  Jan looked at me and sighed. “They’re not coming, child. Your father is too busy and he would not permit your mother unaccompanied to travel.”