The smaller swivel gun was loaded with swan shot—a canister filled with musket balls—and targeted the sails. The bow cannon fired again—chain shot now. Two small cannonballs linked by a foot of chain would do a lot of damage to wood, and I cheered as the Spanish ship lurched at the hit to her rudder. Her bows began to swing off the wind.
“Bear off! Bear off!” I screamed at Davys, full of visions of the larger ship crashing into us.
“No, belay that! Harden up!” Carmen bellowed. “Let’s not give him a chance to organize himself or his guns,” she said more quietly. I looked at her then repeated her order.
“Are you sure we’ll make it?” I asked as Davys put the tiller over and our bowsprit closed on the slim and elegant stern. I stared up at her nameboard, Santa Anna Maria.
The two ships were close, and I held my breath as they lined up. If the bowsprit caught what was left of her rudder, we’d lose it, the foremast too, and be at the mercy of the Spaniard, instead of the other way round.
“Steady, steady,” Carmen chanted, and silence fell on Valkyrie’s deck as all eyes were drawn to the tiny gap between the two vessels.
I held my breath, and I expect Carmen and everyone else did as well. The bowsprit connected with the Spanish rudder. Then it was free, and still in one piece.
“Fire bow cannon. No, not you, Bess!” I shouted as Bess picked up the lit linstock and Klara repeated my order at the top of her lungs. If Bess fired, she could well take out our forestay and accomplish what the Spanish stern had not. She heard, and only the six-pounder fired. Their rudder was in splinters; they were dead in the water.
“Starboard gundeck, ready to fire!” Klara echoed again, and Andy and her forward gun crew moved to starboard.
“Sharpshooters get ready!” I bellowed up into the rigging.
I took a moment to look at my decks. Greenwoode, Obi and Jayde worked the sails, trying to keep up with the course changes, knowing we couldn’t afford to lose any speed. The whole deck was misted with smoke, and the air stung with the hellish stink of black powder.
The Spanish ship towered above us and we crept around her.
“Fire starboard guns!”
Another broadside rocked Valkyrie and splinters flew from the other ship. Andy had aimed for her waterline, knowing she didn’t have a hope of taking out any Spanish guns, and had scored four out of five direct hits. Our aftermost gun had just missed her stern.
Without steerage and taking on water, still unable to get us into her cannon’s sights, surely she’d surrender?
Maybe, but not yet. Men lined her rails and sent down a hail of pistol and musket shot. The message was clear; they weren’t giving up easily. That meant she was likely a rich prize. Whatever she was carrying, I meant to have it. She would be mine. And I must admit—I did enjoy attacking a Spanish ship. Take that, Leo!
Andy fired again—more hits on stern and rudder. Surely she’d strike soon—she had no steerage, was starting to settle by the stern and had no big guns far enough aft to return fire. The best they could do was musketfire, but their musketeers now had to lean around the high stern or fire at too steep a downward angle from their rigging, where sail was now being taken in.
“What was that?” Carmen exclaimed and ran forward. I ran after her. “She’s stopped drifting to leeward, look, she’s dropped her windward anchor, she’s club-hauled!”
Dropping anchor would stop her bows swinging round, and I was sure the Spanish captain hoped it would be enough to keep her head-to-wind. Whether it did or no, we had a problem.
“Davys,” I shouted, running aft again. “Harden up, she’s club-hauled!
“Gunners, keep pounding the stern!” I screamed.
“Starboard rail, aim for their cannon! Try and knock them off their truckles, they’ll soon have a bearing on us!”
As I shouted, the Spanish aftermost cannon fired and her shot went high, decimating our fore-topmast. Then Carrie fired her rail gun—direct hit! The next cannon skewed up at an angle, we were safe from that one.
“Good shot, Carrie. Reload!”
The bow cannon fired, Butler had waited until the sea helped his aim—his timing was perfect and a six-pound ball splintered the Spanish bulwark, sending iron and fragmented wood into the gundeck.
“She’s dragging her anchor!” Gaunt shouted in my ear. “Her stern’s too heavy, she can’t hold it!”
“She’s hoisting colors—finally! The Cross of Burgundy!” Carmen laughed. “And striking!” She cheered loudly and everyone joined in, myself included. We’ve done it!
Chapter 79
I pushed my hat firmly onto my head—it made much more of an impression on defeated captains than the cotton headscarf I customarily wore at sea—then checked the pistols draped around my neck and blades stuffed into my sash. The rail guns were still manned, but Andy and the other gunners had joined me and were making their own preparations to board our first prize.
The Santa Anna Maria was made fast alongside, but was larger than Valkyrie and I couldn’t see her decks. I looked up into Valkyrie’s rigging. Annika and Baba had muskets trained on the Spaniards from their positions in the tops, and I trusted the captain was covered. This was where I would be most vulnerable, but, as ever, there was only one way to do this and find out if the strike was genuine—get on with it.
I threw up a grapnel hook and line, and led the swarm up the five feet of freeboard that separated the two decks, then strode toward the man I assumed was captain, my hands now bearing my pistols. He stood on the maindeck alone, slightly apart from the huddles of seamen around the decks, legs akimbo and wearing a fierce frown.
“Call all hands on deck please, Capitán,” I said.
He visibly started. “You’re a woman!”
“Well spotted. All hands please,” I prompted, realizing I was going to have to get used to this reaction. He nodded at one of his men who shouted the order down the main hatch.
“Mr. Gaunt, would you do the honors?” He stepped forward with a coil of rope to restrain the Spaniards.
“Carmen, take three and check below.” Andy, Greenwoode and Obi joined her and disappeared down the main hatch to search out any hidden men and take a first look at her cargo.
“Capitana.” I turned to my Spanish counterpart, my eyebrows raised. “I surrendered to your attack in the hope you’d allow me to begin repairs to my ship immediately. You’re welcome to my cargo of coffee and cacao, but I beg you to allow me to save my ship.”
I thought for a moment. Coffee and cacao? I didn’t think so.
“And what about the gold you’re carrying? Tell me where you’ve hidden it, and I’ll allow your carpenter and a working party down to your bilges.”
“Gold? We aren’t carrying gold, Capitana, we’re only merchants carrying New Spain’s crops home.”
“I don’t believe you. A merchant wouldn’t have run from an apparent Garda Costa.”
“I didn’t believe your colors.”
“I don’t believe you—you didn’t show caution, you completely ignored the colors. Nor did you show colors of your own, but ran for open water. Why?”
His face fell. “Very well, we do not have the, er, requisite paperwork for our cargo.”
“Ahh, freebooters.”
“I wouldn’t use so coarse a word.”
“I would. And I don’t believe a smuggler would take the risk you ran for coffee and cacao alone. Where have you hidden your gold?”
“Coffee and cacao fetch high prices in Spain,” was his only reply.
“Tell me where your gold is, and I will let you save your ship,” I reiterated, the pistol in my hand underlining my point. We stared at each other, then he dropped his eyes.
“The deckhead in the gundeck is false. There’s a cavity up there filled with coin.”
I nodded. “Thank you. Please show Mr. Gaunt here exactly where to look, then I’ll arrange an escort for your carpenter.”
*
Three bells in the last dog watch,
about seven of the clock. Night had fallen and we were nearly ready to cast off.
“Get us away from here, as fast as you can, Mr. Davys,” I ordered. “Set the main-tops’l.
“Mr. Butler, see what you can do about the ruin of the foretop.”
There’d be no celebrating yet, not until we were well away from the prize and there could be no threat of retaliation. I watched the Spanish ship recede into the night, her jib and topsails flying to hold her in position close to the wind until they could jury-rig a new rudder. They had worked hard on their hull and it looked like the ship would be saved. The worst holes were patched with lead, and we’d left their carpenter working on the smaller ones, whilst the majority of the crew worked the pumps. Water spewed from her scuppers and she would soon be seaworthy, if without any helm, but that was their problem.
It was getting hard to make her out now, only her lanterns were visible, and then they disappeared from view and I told Davys to tack so she wouldn’t know in what direction we lay.
Now that we were out of sight of our prize, we could light our own lanterns and crack open a cask of fine stolen Spanish brandy. This was our first haul and nobody wanted to wait to count it.
“Valkyries!” I shouted, beaker of brandy held high and the chattering deck fell silent. “Congratulations! Valkyrie has made her first conquest!” Carmen led the cheer. “Now I suppose you want to know what we’ve taken!”
Another cheer greeted Gaunt and Klara, who had been below decks where the loot had been loaded out of the way. They carried small but heavy canvas bags. I thought the occasion demanded a longer speech, but I no longer held anyone’s attention and, not a little relieved, walked over to them, grabbed a couple of bags and held them up to more cheers.
*
Each full share amounted to half a bag of golden doubloons and a full one of silver eight-reales coins, or Spanish dollars, and I got four shares. Not a bad day’s work.
“Gabriella! Captain!” Klara called and beckoned me over to the nearly empty brandy cask. I heaved myself to my feet and, rather unsteadily, walked over to her. At least the wind had dropped with the sun and Valkyrie was sailing on a pretty even keel.
“What-is-it?” I mumbled.
“Look.” She handed a sopping canvas bag to me. “I wondered why they were taking Spanish brandy to Spain, look what I found in the cask.”
She emptied the bag into my hands. Emeralds. Enough for two or three each. I laughed, and laughed. This just kept getting better. Soon the whole deck rolled with delight. “Salud!” I mumbled, holding my beaker up in what might have been the direction of our crippled Spanish prize. “You should have stuck with me, Leo,” I added to myself. “Look what I’ve done.”
Then my laughter died in my throat. That captain had hidden the coins we’d stolen, and I realized now he’d given them up too easily. We’d only found the emeralds by chance—what else had we overlooked? Had I missed an even larger haul aboard the Spanish freebooter?
Chapter 80
GABRIELLA
3rd May 1687
St Pierre, Martinico
The Spanish smuggler had been the first of many conquests, and Valkyrie’s holds were full to bursting. It was time to convert goods into metal. Saint Pierre, Martinico’s main port, was sighted and we headed into the mouth of the Roxelane River.
I rubbed my left forearm absently and looked again at the pattern pricked out and stained with gunpowder. We’d all woken with Andy’s reproductions of the symbols on Valkyrie’s colors after taking the Spanish smuggler, but I was the only one who had the wings included and it still smarted a bit. We were all truly Valkyries now, although I have to admit I’d been a little nervous when she advised us to take care around naked flames for the time being, at least until the skin grew back.
We tacked again in the river mouth, and I couldn’t help but reflect that if Freedom had been with us she would have had to stand out to sea to wait for a fair wind. I grinned as Valkyrie worked her way in. Damn Leo, I didn’t need him, we were fine on our own and had filling treasure chests to prove it. I looked up at the sails and held on. We had both jibs flying, plus fore- and mainsails, and Valkyrie flew into harbor with a bone in her teeth—white water flung from her bows in a graceful arc. I knew we made an impressive sight.
I wanted to anchor a little apart from the other shipping and directed Carrie on the tiller, then shouted, “Helm-a-lee!”
She pushed the tiller across, forcing Valkyrie’s bows into wind, and she lost her way. The big sails above my head deafened as they thundered, starved of wind, and Gaunt struck the pin to let go the anchor we’d commandeered from the Santa Anna Maria to replace the bower we had left behind at St Vincent. As soon as it hit bottom, Jayde shouted for the jibs to be backed to hold us head-to-wind and slowly push us backwards until the anchor bedded in.
I’d wanted to make an impression and so we had: a beautiful boat brought to anchor perfectly. Take that Leo! But I’d already checked. Sound of Freedom wasn’t here.
*
I left Carmen to supervise stowing the sails, and sailed ashore with Gaunt and Obi in the pinnace. We had hardly put off before Valkyrie was surrounded by bumboats selling everything from potatoes and fresh fruit to women. Whatever they were offering, they’d likely do a good trade aboard Valkyrie. We’d not had a chance to spend our winnings, and I knew Klara was relishing the opportunity to stock up with fresh food; she was starting to despair of a diet of meat and rum punch.
I’d only been to Saint Pierre once before, and that had been with Leo before I’d taken Valkyrie. We’d spent a fair amount of time here though, and I felt quite familiar with the port. I thought wistfully of the nights we’d spent alone aboard Freedom.
I searched for Monsieur Blanchard’s warehouse, hoping he’d trade with me after having been introduced by Leo—was it only six months ago? How things change. My holds were full of all manner of cargoes, including cacao, coffee beans, indigo, cloth, cochineal, tobacco, and molasses. We stowed what we wanted for our own use, and selling off the excess would add a sizable sum to the pot and pay for fresh provisions.
The fact that I’d be dealing with a man who may conceivably have news of Leo and Sound of Freedom was purely incidental.
“Monsieur Blanchard,” I greeted as we tied up outside his warehouse.
“Madame van Ecken,” he replied, holding my hands and kissing them.
I started in surprise, I hadn’t been introduced as Erik’s wife—but that was sailortown gossip for you, nothing stayed private for long.
“Please, call me Gabriella,” was all I said.
Blanchard smiled.
“We’re here on business, Mewseur Blanchar.” Gaunt came to my rescue. “Coffee and cacao, same terms as Captain Santiago, is thee innerested?”
“Ah, will Capitaine Santiago be joining us?” Blanchard smiled.
“No doubt he won’t be far behind,” Gaunt replied with a straight face. He probably believed it.
“Well, I’m sure you know better than I. Last I heard he was drowning off Sayba, having crossed swords with Blake and Hornigold—for the last time. But you know how sailors exaggerate. I’m sure he’ll catch up with you soon.” He smiled at me again. “Now, café and cacao you say, how much do you have to sell?”
*
We came to an agreement but my heart wasn’t in it. I kept thinking of Leo. Drowning off Sayba? Crossed swords for the last time? Is he really dead? I suspected M. Blanchard got the better of the deal, but truth be told I was glad to get the damned casks offloaded so I could head back out to sea. Can it be true? Has Leo’s vendetta with the buccaneers killed him?
Back aboard Valkyrie, I came out of my daze far enough to appreciate the good harbor stow Carmen and my crew had managed on the sails. I knew it was time to let everyone go ashore and enjoy their spoils, but I had no stomach for it. I’d stay aboard to keep ship.
“Have you heard?” Carmen greeted me.
“What, Leo and Freedom?” I asked, weary.
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“No, not that—that’s just sailortown gossip, don’t set any store by that. No, Hornigold. He’s been here and he’s looking for us. He knows who we are and apparently he’s got his sails in a right twist over us. He wants us dead and Valkyrie scuttled. We need to get out of here before he puts back in.”
I nodded. “Very well, make sure the repairs are done. Give the crew a night ashore, and we’ll make sail in the morning.”
“Gabriella, did you hear me? Hornigold has sworn to sink us.”
“I heard. Don’t worry, we’re very nearly ready for him, and he isn’t here now. We’ll put out tomorrow.”
I knew I should be reacting with more urgency, but all I could think, despite Carmen’s easy dismissal, was that whatever, or whomever the cause, Leo was dead.
Chapter 81
GABRIELLA
10th May 1687
Ten Leagues Southeast of Barbados
Almost three months and six prizes. My Valkyries were forging one hell of a reputation for themselves, and my flag of falchions, heart and wings was feared all around the southerly Caribbees. I should have been satisfied, but there was something missing. Well, someone. But there was nothing I could do about that, it was too late. He was dead. I would never see him again. Unless . . . unless Blanchard was wrong and he still lived. But no, it wasn’t just Blanchard, Carmen had heard the tale too, although wasn’t treating it seriously, but then she didn’t care one way or the other, did she? I put my hands to my head and grabbed fistfuls of my hair. I couldn’t stand not knowing. I wanted to scream—in both frustration and terror. I felt tears threaten. What if he’s really dead?
“I don’t like it.”
I turned to Carmen. “What?” I snapped.
“Hornigold,” she elaborated. “The skraeling’s been looking for us for all this time, telling every ship and port he wants us, but we’ve not seen even a flash of his sails, and I don’t like it. He’s got something planned.”
The Valkyrie Series: The First Fleet - (Books 1-3) Look Sharpe!, Ill Wind & Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure Page 50
