Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

Connor’s suspicions in regard to Mr Coats and Mrs Harwood were born out the next morning when he emerged onto the deck to discover a positive buzz amongst the crew.

He approached the group gathered round the main mast, where the grog was being dispensed. "What’s to do?” he asked.

“There’s to be a wedding!” said Jenni Wade knocking back a mouthful of the spirit.

“Coat Hanger’s gone and asked Mrs Harwood to marry him,” said Petey with a grin.

“Aye he wants to make sure she and Katie can claim his naval pension should he be killed in the upcoming fight,” Lizzie said dipping the ladle in barrel and filling up the next flask passed to him.

“I thought there was something between them yesterday,” said Connor with a grin.

“Oh aye, they’ve been smellin’ of April and May for weeks!” said Jenni. “And the captains gone and lent Ellen a dress!”

“The red one?” asked Connor not sure he was happy about someone else wearing a dress he felt quite proprietorial about.

“Nay it’s a lovely blue colour. You should see Ellen in it! A real treat she looks.”

The ceremony was set for ten o’clock and the women all fussed over Mrs Harwood. The loaned gown was a deep sea-blue silk. It was a trifle long, but the lacing allowed for it to fit Mrs Hardwoods slightly fuller figure, and seeing it, made Connor long to see Callista in it. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, she would look stunning.

Judging from the expression on his face, Mr Coats thought Mrs Harwood looked stunning in it too. A special wedding breakfast was prepared with extra grog all round and the short wedding ceremony devolved into a celebration for the crew. Connor was pressed to sing, and music and dancing gave the crew an outlet for the tension that was building as they moved closer to their goal of hunting down Perez.

It was clear from the glances and touches between the wedded pair that they were in love and Connor felt a pang of envy. He had never wanted to marry, it wasn’t something he’d thought about, but suddenly the thought of having Callista look up at him the way the new Mrs Coats was looking at her husband now, was something he craved mightily.

He was drawn to her side like a magnet, unable to stay away, as she stood clapping time as Jenni Wade and Furness danced a jig in the middle of the deck. He glanced around for McTavish and spotted him glowering under the mainmast, a cup of grog clutched in his hand. He’d best keep an eye on the man, it would be a pity to mar the celebrations with a fight.

He reached Callista’s side and murmured, “a happy occasion.”

She glanced up at him and nodded with a smile, “Aye, I’m happy for them. They have been very discreet, but then I doubt that Coats would do anything improper.”

“Unlike us,” he couldn’t resist adding.

She flushed and kept her eyes away from him.

“That gown would look lovely on you.”

She shrugged. “My father gave it to me for my twenty-first birthday. I’ve hardly worn it.”

“I’d give anything to see you in it, or out of it.”

“Mr Mor,” she said warningly.

“I know. But this sort of occasion makes a man think.”

He caught her in-drawn breath and held his. What would she say?

“Think what?”

Before he could answer, a shout and scuffle to his left demanded his attention. Three of the men had got into a scrap. A bit of push and shove escalated to punches.

He and Mick moved to separate the combatants: Petey, Lob and Isiah. Lob came off worst, with a bloody nose, which was poetic justice since by all accounts he started it. Isiah only got involved to try to stop the other two. By the time he and Mick had sorted it out, the opportunity to continue his conversation with Callista was lost.

It was earlythe following morning that a shout from the crow’s nest drew Callista onto the deck in anticipation. A ship had been spotted, but it was too far away to tell if it was the Esperanza. Trying to contain her excitement, she issued orders for the crew to begin preparations. By Mick’s calculations they would be in range of the ship by mid-afternoon.

Coats and his new wife, dragged out of their cabin far too early for a couple just married, went immediately to work, organising gun crews, preparing shot and powder, and preparing fire bottles that when lit and thrown would ignite the enemy ship.

Connor was charged with organising the boarding parties and ensuring they were all well-armed. The signal to board would be the captain’s whistle.

Callista could hardly believe they were this close to coming face to face with Perez at last. That is if the ship they had spotted was indeed the Esperanza, and if it was, that they could actually catch her.

They had all available sails rigged to catch as much of the wind as possible, and they were doing a very respectable twelve to fourteen knots. But would it be enough? What would Perez do when he spotted them? Evade or engage?

Tension pulled at her muscles, and she had to contain her excitement by pacing round the deck, inspecting everything. Food was served to everyone at their stations, flasks were filled with water and grog. The tension ratcheted up the closer they drew to the other ship, until the words she had been longing to hear.

“It’s the Esperanza!” Mick waved her over and handed her his spy glass.

The ship flew a Portuguese flag, tripled masted with four square sails per mast plus the jib and with the deep hull to accommodate the additional decks needed to stow so many slaves. It was her, alright.

Callista lowered the spy glass and began shouting orders. The first was to Juana Alvarez to bring the Sea Devil alongside the Esperanza “As close as you can and hold her steady!” The second was to Mr and Mrs Coats. “Ready the guns and fire as soon as you’re in range!

“Boarding teams to me!”

They were close enough now that she could see the men on the deck of the other ship, and she thought the one with the neat dark beard and cocked hat was Perez, but she couldn’t be certain.

Sudden activity aboard the other ship indicated that they had probably identified the Sea Devil divined that her intent was not friendly.

This was confirmed in the next moment when a shudder and loud boom from the gun deck and a lot of smoke heralded their first broad side shot at the Esperanza. All six cannon fired within the space of one breath, and the whole ship rocked. The balls flew true, and three of the six reached the Esperanza, one landed on the deck, another seemed to have breached the hull above the water line and the third hit one of her cannon with an explosive crack. Callista’s heart lifted at the sight. Yes! Well done Mr Coats!

On board the Esperanza,when the booms of the cannon started, the women all shrieked and cried. The smell of fear in the women’s cabin escalated as bodies crowded into the centre to peer through the grating or conversely moved to the edges clinging to each other for security.

Afia held her ground against the pushing bodies kneeling up as she tried to see what was going on through the grating above her head, but all she could see was smoke and hurried feet. There were shouted orders, but it was hard to hear anything above the wails of the women. Little Zuri clung to her waist shaking with fear, and she sat back and hauled the child into her lap to comfort her.

Another round of booms and the ship shook, slewing sideways in the water, provoking another round of shrieks from the women. Afia braced herself against the movement, hanging onto Zuri. Whose arms clung round her neck. The child whimpered and she stroked her back soothingly.

Confusion reigned above, but it seemed that they had been hit. Voices raised among the women.

“We’ve been hit!”

“We’re going to drown!”

“Let us out of here!”

Of course, no one above paid any attention. Even if they could have understood a word that the women were saying.

More activity, more shouting on deck, harried and alarmed. Another round of fire from the attacking ship sent billows of smoke across the deck which drifted down through the grating. Afia coughed, covering her face with the cloth of her sleeve. What was happening? Were they actually going to sink?

A cheer went upfrom the deck of the Sea Devil and Callista waited tensely for the Esperanza’s response. It took some minutes, clearly, they had taken the other ship by surprise and Mr Coats was able to get off a second round before the Esperanza let loose a barrage of twelve guns, some loaded with shot pellets rather than balls.

The hail of shot that rained down on the deck from the Esperanza’s guns, sent them all scurrying for cover. Almost before the last of the shot hit the deck, they were up, swiftly extinguishing any pockets of flame or smoke provoked by the pellets. Four of the larger shot balls went wide and missed them altogether, one tore through the rigging of the jib. By the impact, Callista suspected there was damage below as well. She prayed none of the crew were hurt, and they weren’t taking on water.

It was some time before the smoke cleared sufficiently for her to assess the impact of Mr Coats second round. It had done some more visible damage to the hull of the Esperanza. Callista shouted to Juana to try to bring them closer to the other ship. They needed to board before either ship took too much damage.

Juana nodded, turning the wheel, but as they inched closer, this time at an angle, the Esperanza swung suddenly athwart, presenting her starboard stern towards them and shouts from the other ship indicated their intention to disengage.

Cursing, Callista climbed into the rigging and shouted across to the other ship.

“Perez you coward, stand and face us!”

Perez ignored her jibe, and the Esperanza began to pull away, her crew rapidly putting on more sail to catch the suddenly luffing wind.

Callista shouted to the riggers to put up more sail, she was damned if he was going to escape her now.

As the Esperanza drew away, she could see the damage their guns had inflicted on the hull of the other ship and the reason for their retreat. They appeared to be taking on water.

She jumped down onto the deck and found Mick at the rail, with Carlos, who was staring after the Esperanza with a distraught expression. She patted his arm absently. “We’ll catch them don’t worry!”

“My Ana! It won’t sink? That ship?”

“Shouldn’t think it’s that bad,” said Mick with a grimace.

Callista transferred her attention to Mick. “How far are we from Ascension Island?”

Mick squinted up into the sun. “About a hundred miles give or take.”

“They’re damaged, you think that’s where they’ll head?”

“Nowhere else to go out here. St Helena’s too far south and we’re too far from the African coast now.”

She nodded, “set course for Ascension, we’ve got them on the run, we’ll trap them there. How long ‘till we get there?”

“Eight to ten hours.”

“We’ll hang back a bit, let them think we’re not chasing and take them at first light tomorrow.”

Mick nodded and went up to explain the course heading to Juana. Callista consulted Njinga on the state of the rigging and what needed repair. With that done, she headed below to assess the damage. She found Connor there with the Coats and Chen.

“Some good work there Mr Coats, they’re heading for Ascension Island we’ll have them trapped and get them there. How much damage did we take?” The smell of gunpowder down here was almost overpowering, and the air had a haze to it. The Coates’s had cravats tried round their faces. Coats lowered his to speak to her.

“A couple of holes in the hull above the waterline, the repair team are on top of it.” He nodded further down the deck where Furness, Jenni and McTavish aided by Petey and Lob were working to cover and caulk the holes.

“Any injuries?” She asked.

“A couple of burns but nothing serious.” said Ellen Coats. “Dr Liang’s already been through here. She headed up onto main deck to check for casualties.”

Callista nodded. “Not the outcome I was expecting or hoping for, but on the whole, I think it might be in our favour. We’ll hang back a bit, let them think we’re not in pursuit and take them at dawn tomorrow. Be ready Mr Coats.”

“We will be, Captain,” he said with a smile.

She nodded to Chen and Connor and turned to head back up to the cabin deck. She could feel Connor behind her and tried to ignore him. Reaction was setting in, and she needed some time to gather herself. The whole encounter had been anticlimactic, and her nerves felt torn to shreds.

She emerged on the cabin deck and headed for her own cabin.

“A word, Captain?” said Connor catching her arm and turning her. There was no one around them, that didn’t mean there wouldn’t be at any moment. She shook off his hand,

“Not now Mr Mor,” she tried to turn away, and he blocked her with his body herding her back against the column that held up the deck above.

Connor pressed her body against the post with his own and seizing her face in his hands kissed her. “Thank Mary and St Joseph ye’re alright!”

She tried to push him away and utterly failed when he kissed her again, melting her bones and making her knees sag.

“Connor!” she gasped. “Not here!”

“Aye love. Let’s go to your cabin, hm?”

They staggered towards her cabin where she struggled with and eventually got the door open. They fell inside. Shutting the door with his boot, he swung her round and pushed her up against it, kissing the breath out of her.

Breaking the kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers panting. “This is madness! I keep swearing I’m going to make love to you slowly and every time I get my hands on you it’s a conflagration!”

“Aye!” she agreed, pulling his shirt out of the waistband of his breeches.” I’m not prepared for this one, you’ll have to pull out!”

“Understood,” he said resuming the kiss while her hands reefed his fall open, and she grabbed his hot silky shaft and moaned with delight.

“Bed,” he said breaking the kiss briefly and picking her up strode across the room and tossed her on her bunk. Crawling up the end of the bed he ripped at her breeches and dragged them and her boots off. She kicked to help him, and he groaned, leaning forward to kiss her pussy as her legs fell open for him and his tongue licked her from core to bud in one delicious swipe.

She moaned with delight and thrust her hips up into his face. “Connor!” It was a command and a plea at the same time.

He straightened up, pulled his shirt off, leaned forward to pull hers off and falling forward, pinning her to the mattress, resumed his ravaging kiss. Her hands ran all over his hot, wonderful skin, as his chest pressed her flat, scratching her nipples with his chest hair. She wrapped her legs round him pushing his buttocks with her feet to guide him where she wanted him.

“God woman, don’t you ever believe in foreplay?” He said against her neck.

“Don’t need it with you,” she said panting. “For God’s sake Irish, fuck me!”

He huffed a laugh which came out a kind of groan and moved his hips to find the right place and speared her with his rigid, hot pole.

She groaned her appreciation as he sank fully inside her, and she lifted her legs and squirmed to get the full effect of the pressure of his pelvis on her most sensitive spot.

He drove into her with hard, deep, thrusts she chased down her orgasm, desperate to relieve the ache deep inside her.

Pants, groans, grunts and moans punctuated by the rapid slap of flesh filled the cabin, and she hoped no one was within ear shot or their secret was out, but she couldn’t stop at this point for anything. A desperate aching hunger had her in its grip, and she grabbed the pleasure and savaged it, gorged on it. His cock so big and deep inside her made her cry out with the power of her hunger.

It was so good she couldn’t think, only feel, surrendering to the pleasure she let it rise and engulf her, glorying in the delight of his weight on her, his size and strength, his maleness as he caged her body with his and plundered her insides with the force of his desire. To be wanted this much! To be desired this much! It is an elixir of passion.

Her body convulsed, suffused with pleasure, and she rode the wave of it, crying out and arching under him, her flesh clenching and throbbing with the intensity of her release, her hands grabbing and biting into his flesh She gasped, panting and collapsing back onto the mattress as he wrenched out of her with a groan and spilled between her legs panting and grunting with the effort, his weight on one hand while he held himself with the other.

He collapsed forward on her and panted in her ear, “I feel used!”

She laughed, “I feel fucked. Well and truly spliced.” She put her arms round his neck and kissed him. “Thank you.”

He rolled away and sat up, his back to her. He was doing up his falls.

“You think you can corner Perez at Ascension Island?”

“Yes. We’ll get him I’m sure of it.”

“Good.” He reached for his shirt and rising pulled it over his head.

She watched him, an arm under head. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you enjoy it?”

“Of course, I did. I’m a man. There isn’t a man alive who wouldn’t enjoy that.”

She sat up on one elbow. “I thought it was the woman who was supposed to get all moody and clingy after sex.”

“I’m not moody or clingy. I’m angry.” He turned his hands on his hips.

“Why?”

“Because ye’re obsessed with Perez! Ye could have died today. Any of us could have, but ye don’t fucking care because all ye can think about is Perez! Are ye in love with him?”

She sat up. “Of course not, I hate him!”

“Love and hate are very close emotions.”

Her heart took a somersault in her chest. He is jealous! He does care. She swallowed, pushing down the leap her heart wanted to make. Not now, not yet. Not til after Perez.

“You know what he’s done to me, to my father. He killed both my parents, and he used me for revenge on my father! And he’s a slaver! How could you think I could be in love with him? I want him dead so badly it’s eating me alive!” She rose off the bunk her fists clenched, her whole body shaking.

His face blanched. “I’m sorry, ye’re right I should never -”

“It doesn’t matter!” she cut him off striding over to the cupboard and getting out the decanter. She poured herself a measure of scotch and swallowed it in one go. It burned down her throat and hit her belly with an explosion of fire. She closed her eyes letting the liquor do its work.

Silence reigned for a few awkward minutes.

Is he going to storm out, leave her?She braced for that, stiffening her backbone, shielding her heart.

Then she sensed him move.

“I’m sorry,” he pulled her back against him, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m an insensitive, jealous prick.”

She smiled with relief; her eyes still closed, her throat which had seized up, relaxed. She turned within his arms and wrapped hers round his middle, her face nestled into his chest.

“You’re more tempting than chocolate, Irish!” she murmured.

“I was worried about ye today,” he said, his face in her hair, arms tightening on her.

She raised her head and looked up at him, his impossibly deep sapphire-blue eyes held such a look of concern in them, she couldn’t doubt his sincerity. Her heart clenched. “Were you? I’m not used to that.” She nuzzled her face back into his chest. “You don’t need to be, I can look after myself.”

His arms tightened round her. “I want to protect ye. Men are stupid like that.”

Her skin prickled and her heart jerked. This was dangerous territory. The man is a hair’s breadth away from declaring his feelings for me, and I’m not ready to hear them.

“Don’t” she whispered.

“Don’t what?” he asked, kissing her hair.

“Not yet. Wait. Until after-”

“Perez.” he finished for her.

She nodded, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. “I have to do this. You must understand.” Her voice was husky with unshed tears, her throat tight.

He squeezed her tight. “Aye, I understand.”

“Thank you.” She squeezed him back. After a bit she pulled back and sniffed, wiping her face. “Now go away so I can think.” She softened the dismissal with a smile.

He looked at her, a brooding expression in his eyes and nodded. “After Perez.”

He seized her, kissed her with brutal passion and then softened it to a gentle loving caress. Then he let her go and walked out of the room, leaving her leaning on the desk for support.