“Gratitude, Madame. Do not let us keep you. We will be on our way, as well.” Green looked over at Maddox and nodded. Maddox looked back and downed his ale.
“So you’ll be heading back to Kingston then?”
“Why no, Madame. I meant what I said. Our destination is Charles Towne if I am to find Cassandra and finally make her my own.”
“Oh, really?” Miranda smirked.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It was late in the afternoon when the Cutlass finally made port in Charles Towne. Ivory had instructed her crew that they were in America now, and those who knew the laws should obey them, as well as inform those who didn’t to do the same. She warned that if any of them found themselves behind bars, they were on their own. She wasn’t here for pleasure—that was the farthest thing from her mind. She was here for business and would show no mercy or leniency for indiscretion.
She sent Willy ahead to explore the town and find the best route to their destination on the peninsula. In the years they’d lived in Charles Towne, they had stayed on their side of the river and had little dealings with the booming town. Even though they lived in constant danger, the space and solitude of their farm was far more comforting than trying to fit into a town full of strangers.
Ivory stood alone on deck, facing the now overgrown city at dusk. She struggled with thoughts of actually walking the gangway to the dock and at last stepping back into her past.
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.” Keara startled her when she walked up and stood next to her.
“What could have given you that idea?”
“I imagine you’re feeling anxious. If you are, believe me, we are one and the same.”
“We always do what we must. Could there have been someone closer to home? Perhaps, but regardless of the knot in my stomach, it’s better this way.”
“Have you given any more thought to what comes next?”
“We go back to Port Royal. From there, I take my shares and go my own way. There are many places in the Caribbean to disappear, and you don’t need to die to do it.”
“You speak the truth, cousin.” Keara laughed.
“Willy should be returning soon. I’ve asked him to secure two horses.”
“Oh, wonderful, I suppose I can remember how to ride,” Keara groaned.
“Before we go, though, I need to see the house.”
“Well, of course, if you insist. But, I’m sure it’s either fallen down or…”
“Not that house.”
“Do you mean our family home?”
“Yes.”
“Why in God’s name would you ever want to see that place again? Surely there’s nothing left but ash and rubble!” Keara searched Ivory’s eyes for an answer and watched as they glistened as if she were holding back tears, but other than that, her stoic cousin’s expression never changed.
“I left something there, and I need to get it out of my system. It’s heavy, Ke, and I’m tired of carrying it around,” Ivory whispered as she turned to her cousin and took her hands.
“I’ll do whatever you ask,” Keara mumbled. “But I want it known that I believe this is a mistake. I don’t know what you’re looking for, but I hope you change your mind.”
“Cap’n!” Willy shouted as he rushed towards them. “Horses are tied at the dock.
“Did you see him?”
“I seen his cronies, but not him. There’s four of ‘em. It’s a store front for dry goods. Miss Cassandra’s writin’ down the way fer ye.”
“Good. What else?”
“They’s a room in the back where it looks like he does his business. I didn’t stay and chat, only went ta’ the street number, strolled ‘round inside, and watched ‘em as they scooted into the back when another fella showed up.”
“Did you see this other fellow leave?”
“I certainly did. He was smilin’ ear ta’ ear, he was, like he’d come from the brothel.” Willy laughed, covering his mouth.
“Well, time is wasting. Let’s get this over with. Ke, go get them.”
“Be careful, Cap’n. Them fellas was armed with what looked like the cleanest, prettiest pistols I ever laid me eyes on—fancy swords as well, they had.”
“We’ll be fine, Willy. It’s just a business transaction. In and out, just like your other fella.”
“I sure hope so, Cap’n. I just didn’t get a warm and welcome feeling. Beady eyes, they had. Like rats.”
“Thank you, Willy. Can you keep this lot in order for a few hours?”
“I doubt it, but ye know I’ll do me best.”
Keara reappeared with a satchel strapped across her chest. Had Ivory been able to think more clearly, she’d have had them disguise themselves as fine English ladies. She reasoned, however, that if this deal went sour at any point, it would be terribly difficult to not only fight, but to run away, while dressed in layers of silk and whalebone.
“I wanted to come and see you off,” Cassandra said as she handed Ivory her gun and sword, as well as a hastily sketched map.
“I miss my razor. Perhaps with the riches we’ll receive, I’ll finally purchase a new one.”
“I’m sorry you didn’t get it back. That was Uncle William’s, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. He let me shave him with it sometimes. He said he didn’t trust another living soul near his throat with it, and I was just a child at the time.”
“I do remember that. You were so proud.”
“Never nicked him—not even once. The night of the Spanish raid, I had carried it, along with his cup and brush, to the kitchen to clean them. That’s when I saw the fires from the window and rushed off to warn you all.”
“You saved our lives.”
“We saved each other. Remember? It was your idea to hide in the cellar.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t be speaking about this.”
“Isn’t it odd how it all seems a hundred years ago, but even the air here smells as I remember?” Ivory breathed in deeply. “It’s getting darker by the minute, Cass. We should be going. Try not to worry, but if we aren’t back in one hour—then worry. If we aren’t back in two, we most likely won’t be returning.”
“Why do you always say such things?” Keara frowned and stomped off, carrying her boots. She sat down and pulled them on over her stockings, grumbling under her breath.
“Don’t give us a thought, Cass. There’s not a chance in hell they’ll take us, as long as that one’s at my side.” Ivory secured her weapons and blew a lip whistle at Keara indicating that it was time to go.
“Here’s where you’re going,” Cass showed them the map. “According to Willy, once you make your way to the main street, follow it until you meet the corner of the widest crossroad and go left. Halfway down there’s a pub called the Charles Inn. The dry goods store is at the end of the block and across the street.”
“That’s it, then. We’ll see you in an hour.”
Ivory and Keara made their way to the horses, and Ivory gave Keara a leg up. They followed Willy’s directions to the town and made their way slowly through the streets. The crowds of daylight citizens were giving way to the night folk, and the shutters and doors closed around them. They received several inquiring stares and upturned noses from proper females, but that wasn’t anything new to them. They silently smiled and met each other’s knowing glances, grateful that at least they wouldn’t be staying long.
As they dismounted and tied off the horses in front of the store, a small man in an apron peeked out the window at them and waved them inside. Ivory gave Keara a curious look, but they stepped fast to the door and slid inside.
“I was about to lock up. We close at dark around these parts.”
“Our apologies, sir. We’re here to see the gentleman about a possible purchase?”
“Gentleman…hmph. Wait here.” The little man was bald on top and weighed maybe one hundred and twenty pounds. His right arm swung behind him as he scurried to the back room door and tapped on it twice. The door pe
eked open, and the man muttered something. Ivory couldn’t make out what he said, but she assumed he was announcing their presence.
“This way,” the man said, again waving them on.
Keara reached out and clamped onto Ivory’s forearm. “I’ve got a bad feeling.”
“Hush. It will be fine.”
When they stepped into the room, the man pulled the door shut behind them. Ivory stood straight backed and glued her eyes to the four men seated around a poker table. “Gentlemen,” she said with a nod, removing her hat to bow. Keara followed her lead.
“How can we help you…ladies?” asked a middle-aged man with frosted waves of hair that touched his collar. He wore a dark brown suit with a vest—a mighty expensive one from what Ivory could discern.
“I was told you’re in the business of purchasing things people no longer want.”
“Could be. Or maybe not. Who wants to know…and why?”
“Since your business is done behind closed doors, obviously there’s a reason we know, and an even better reason you’re behind closed doors.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Miss...”
“Captain Ivory Shepard, and this is my quartermaster, Keara. We happened to come across some interesting items a few months back, and I heard you may be the right man to take them off my hands at a fair price. I presume you’re Carrington, then—since you’re the one doing all the talking.”
“Depends on the items, and a fair price these days may not suit you…Captain, did you say?” One of the other men leaned and spoke into the man’s ear and watched Ivory the entire time. “A woman of the sea! Well, whaddaya know? The Ivory Razor, so they say. Yes indeed, I’m Edward Carrington, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Ivory sighed and rolled her eyes. “I have diamonds, quite a few to be exact.”
“Are they cut and polished?”
“Rough, but these are not your run-of-the-mill stones.”
“May I see them?”
“You don’t think I’m foolish enough to have them with me now, do you?”
“You were foolish enough to walk in here, weren’t you?”
“If we can’t do business, just say so. All of this dick measuring is a waste of time,” Keara growled as she pressed her hands onto her hips.
“Control your girl there, Captain.”
“She doesn’t require my control, sir. However, she’s right; do you want them or not? There are fifty five of them. Ten are pink, six are yellow—good size ones— and there are eight blue, one of which is the size of a small chicken egg. The rest are white.”
“I’ll have to see them before I can make you an offer. Wait, did you say a small chicken egg?” the man exclaimed rising to his feet.
“Give me a number, or I’ll take my business elsewhere.”
“I can’t make you an offer on something I’ve not even laid eyes on.”
“I’m sure there’s someone in this fucking town who wants my business,” Ivory said flipping her head at Keara and towards the door.
“Now, wait! I didn’t say I didn’t want your business, but we’re talking upwards of ten thousand American dollars here…”
“Ten? You must be insane. These are worth more than five times that much.”
“I can only go as high as fifteen without having seen them.”
“Twenty thousand, or no deal,” Ivory stated firmly.
Carrington sighed. “Look, give me twenty-four hours to find a few interested parties with connections and raise the money. Same time tomorrow, and we’ll settle up fair and square.”
“Twenty four hours? Are you certain that’s all the time you’ll need? Because I‘ve heard of a man in Boston who’d love to get his hands on these.”
“This time tomorrow. Do we have an agreement?”
Ivory pulled Keara aside and they agreed to the terms. “Yes. We’ll see you then.”
As they mounted the horses to head back to the ship, Keara again voiced her concerns over the whole deal. Ivory insisted they had no choice, but agreed that she, too, was suspicious and believed they should be on guard the entire time, as well as bring a couple of men with them when they returned the next evening.
“You did the right thing not letting them see the diamonds,” Keara commented.
“I didn’t like him talking down to us. And I won’t accept less than twenty thousand. Hell, the egg alone is worth at least five—maybe ten.”
“Let’s get back. We’ll think on this overnight. I’ll follow whatever you want to do, but I’m making it known now I still don’t feel good about any of this. If I had my way, we’d dump these bastard rocks in the drink.”
Once back aboard, Ivory retired to her quarters and fell back in her bunk with a cup of rum. A three tap knock on her door told her Richard was on the other side, but the knock was slower and lighter than usual. Despite the change in tempo and tone, she called out and invited him in.
“I brung ye somethin’ to eat.”
“Thank you, Richard. Just set it on the table.”
“There’s someone with me who needs ta’ tell ye somethin’, Cap’n.”
Willy stepped into the room with his eyes lowered and shuffled towards her. “Well, what is it Willy? Has the cat got your tongue? Please don’t tell me someone’s gone and gotten themselves in any trouble. You know what I told…”
“It’s Captain Carbonale.” Willy rarely if ever interrupted Ivory, and when he sighed hard, Ivory could sense the weight of his thoughts that still hung in his chest.
Ivory’s lips pushed into a pout, and her brows lowered. “Oh. Well, what of him?”
“I stepped out for a bit this evenin’, to take a look, ye know, and do a little explorin’ ‘round the local pubs.”
“And?” Ivory asked, as she watched Richard slump into a chair.
“He’s dead, Cap’n. I heard tell in the pub that the mornin’ ye escaped, he was in a tussle on the dock while out lookin’ fer ye, and he was done in and tossed in the drink. They found him the next mornin’.”
Ivory sat up, spilling half of her cup down the front of her shirt. “Are you certain of this? I mean, he was very much alive last I saw him!”
“Well, that was the word, Cap’n. I’m sorry ta’ be the bearer of such news, but…well… I’ll leave ye to yer thoughts.” Willy turned and scampered out of the room, leaving Richard stone-faced and frozen in the chair.
Ivory took a deep breath and stood. She walked to the window and stared out as the unanticipated emotion rose up like a twenty foot wave about to capsize her. It swallowed her whole and sucked the wind from her lungs. She doubled over, catching herself on the windowsill. As she came up for air, deep, shattering sobs struck her hard, and the second wave hit, pushing her under again. Her body shook, and she coughed and struggled for air. She held on, trying to find the surface of her grief, but instead bobbed above and below as tears fell and her heart smashed against the jagged rocks.
“It can’t be. We seen him, Cap’n. He had that man down. It can’t be, I tell ye!”
Ivory swiped the tears from her face before she turned back to Richard and whispered the words that she almost had no breath left to speak. “I’m sorry, Richard. Run along now. It’s late.”
“Yer sad, too.”
“We hardly knew each other. Go on, now.” She rushed the boy to leave, and then closed the door. She fell hard back against it and slid down until she was rolled into a ball on the floor. A few minutes had passed when she heard someone knocking again.
“Just a minute,” she muttered, clambering to her feet for a handkerchief. She splashed cool water on her face and patted it dry. Then, she blew her nose and drank what was left in her cup straight down.
“What the hell took you so long to answer? Are you alright?” Keara demanded when Ivory opened the door.
“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I ask because your face looks like a red shirt in a laundry tub… and then there’s the thing about
Blacksnake being dead.” Keara took a seat and stared at Ivory, awaiting her response.
“Good God, I feel like I have a cannonball on my chest, Ke.” Ivory walked to the seat opposite her cousin and flopped down.
“I didn’t mean to be such an ass about it, but you know me.”
“I know. I really don’t want to talk about it. If he’s dead…he’s dead. And there isn’t anything we can do about it.”
“It had to be Tommy. Maybe he had some old mates around to help him. You said Blacksnake had him by the neck on that dock. I’ve seen that Blacksnake, and Tommy was no match for him alone…”
“Ke! I’m fine, really. Don’t lose any sleep over this. I certainly won’t.” Ivory stood and poured herself another cup of rum and tipped the bottle at Keara, who frowned and declined.
“Drink enough of that and nothing will keep you awake,” Keara noted.
“I assure you that is not why I’m drinking.”
“Do you remember who you’re talking to? You haven’t slept a wink in years that didn’t come out of that bottle.”
“I have my reasons.” Ivory turned away and walked again to the window.
“Well, I’ll keep everyone away from your door until morning. Get your tears out, and then get some sleep. Damn hard head, you have. Everyone knows you loved him, Ivory, and they expect you to be at least disappointed in his death. But I know you prefer to keep your mourning to yourself, and I respect that, so…goodnight.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The heat of the night was stifling. Ivory tossed and turned, regardless of the rum sleeping aid. In the early hours before dawn, she soaked her scarf in cool water and tied it about her neck. No longer capable of tolerating both the heat and her nightmares, she strolled through the dimly lit vessel onto the deck in hopes of a breeze. She tied her long hair tightly upon her head, and the soaked cloth dripped blissfully down her back, trickling in streams from her neck.
Apparently, she wasn’t the only one disturbed by the heat of the night, as several of the crew had made makeshift beds on deck and were snoring in deep slumber. She almost smiled as she passed them, and she found a spot of her own at the stern and lay back, waiting for at least a wisp of air. The half-moon, covered in a haze of thick air mesmerized her, but despite the lowering temperature of her body, she still found no rest. Across the water in the moonlight, she made out a ship in the distance and blinked her eyes in disbelief. Had she not thought she knew better, she would have sworn it was the Lady Jade.
The Blue Diamond (The Razor's Edge Book 1) Page 24
