On Stranger Prides Page 5

  “Oh, I see now. It is not ok for me to put ideas in his head, but it is ok for you to scare him half to death. Nicely done, Lizzie,” my father said.

  “Most definitely, I am his mother!” I replied smartly. I really hated it when he brought up things that I do that I admonish him for. My father just chuckled. Unable to maintain my stern façade for long, I joined him.

  Chapter 3

  Once the ship was underway and we had been at sea for several days, much disillusionment came to light. The captain, who had been most cordial to us upon our arrival, spent very little time around us and more time in his quarters. The only time we saw him was at suppertime. He never lingered long with us and spent very little time conversing. The food on the ship was not the best and mostly consisted of raw mush, mutton, and preserved meats.

  We were only thirty days out of Liverpool and my expectations had already proven correct. Many passengers were miserable with seasickness and cold. Many stayed confined to their quarters. Further into our passage, despite poor food and sickness, those of us who were well found ways to amuse ourselves. Ardent anglers tailed fish lines from the stern and one of the sailors held impromptu concerts for our entertainment. We learned to keep ourselves occupied over the long sea voyage. We were self-contained, only bound by the sea and sky. What else could we do?

  In the dim recesses below decks, conditions were about as bad as they could be. With all but a few of the passengers incapacitated, the sailors spent a lot of time cleaning up their litter and tending to their needs, in addition to the regular duties aboard the ship.

  One afternoon, while Thomas, Mrs. Kelly, and I were strolling along the upper deck, we heard one of the sailors shout, “Ship off the port bow! Ship off the port bow!”

  I looked off into the distance and could faintly see a ship. It was a large ship with three masts and it appeared that it was heading directly toward us. I wasn’t sure why its presence should be cause for concern, as the sailor who reported it sounded alarmed. Quickly, just to be on the safe side, I took Thomas below to my room. My father was napping and so Thomas stayed with Mrs. Kelly and me until we heard further word about the impending ship.

  After being below for an hour or so, I decided to head back up on deck to see if anything had developed with the impending ship. I left Thomas with Mrs. Kelly.

  When I reached the deck I walked into utter chaos. Crewmen were scurrying every which way and there was a lot of shouting. Desperately in need of information as to what was happening, I spotted the sailor who had showed us to our cabin, though I couldn’t remember his name in the excitement. Fortunately, just then I heard another sailor shout, “Cooke, prepare to be boarded!”

  Mr. Cooke shouted, “Captain, prepare to be boarded!”

  There was so much yelling between the sailors that I began to really worry. Something was very, very wrong.

  “Mr. Cooke,” I called after him, “Mr. Cooke!”

  He turned toward me and before I could say any more he said quickly, “Your Grace, please, for your own safety, return to your room. Your presence on deck will only make matters worse.”

  “But Mr. Cooke …!”

  Again he would not let me continue. “Return to your room!” he shouted as he ran off. I turned to head back toward my room when I finally noticed what all the commotion was about. The ship that had been off in the distance an hour ago had reached us and was currently anchored on our port side. Ropes hung from that ship to the Amity, and men were climbing across the ropes to reach us. Oh no, this cannot be good!

  I quickly rushed back toward my room, but not before I took one more glance at the ship. It was large and looked a lot like the Amity, but the Amity did not have gun holes protruding out the side. I glanced up at the massive masts and could not believe my eyes. The Jolly Roger flew proudly from her mast. It was not the standard Jolly Roger flag I had seen in books, as the design was a bit altered, but there was no doubt in my mind as to what that flag meant. It was a pirate ship!

  My worst nightmare about this voyage had just become a reality. I ran as fast as I could back to my room and my family.

  Chapter 4

  When I got back to the room, I found Mrs. Kelly, Thomas, and Dawson gathered in the sitting room. “Where’s my father?” I asked.

  Is he still asleep? It was unusual for my father to sleep this late. I knew that he was getting older, but sometimes I forgot that his body was aging along with his mind. I went over to the room that he shared with Thomas and knocked on the door. “Papa? Are you awake?” There was no answer, so I knocked again. I was trying very hard to remain calm and to not alarm my traveling companions. “Papa? You need to wake up.”

  “Yes, Lizzie, I am awake,” my father replied.

  “May I come in? I have something very important to tell you,” I pleaded, trying my hardest to not sound worried. I could see by the expression on the faces of the two ladies in the room with me that I was not doing a very good job.

  “Yes, my dear, come in,” my father replied. I walked into his room and closed the door behind me. I proceeded to tell him all that had transpired over the last hour. When I finished, my father took a deep breath and said, “Lizzie, we must stay here until we hear word from the captain. If pirates have boarded this ship like you say, then they cannot know that a member of British nobility is on board.”

  “I do not understand. Wouldn’t they think differently if they knew they could get into more trouble attacking said British nobility?” I asked.

  “No, my dear, just the opposite,” my father said. He explained, “You see, if they knew you or Thomas were here, they would see that as better than finding gold aboard, as you and Thomas could promise them much more gold than they could ever plunder from this ship. We have to keep your and Thomas’ titles a secret if we encounter them.”

  I nodded. I knew he was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better. I thought, Hang all of this. I have nowhere to go. I am stuck on this floating vessel at the mercy of pirates! The frustration of the situation was getting to me, but I had to be strong for Thomas’ sake.

  Father and I returned to the sitting room with the others. Dawson and Mrs. Kelly looked at me eagerly as if to ask what was happening, but I said nothing. The last thing I wanted was to excite Thomas about the pirates. He would not understand the danger we were in.

  We waited for what seemed like an eternity to find out any news from above. We could hear footsteps and shouting. Then, as if nothing above had happened, everything went still and quiet.

  “Mama, what is happening?” Thomas asked.

  “Hush, Thomas. You must remain very quiet, my dear,” I replied.

  “But …” Thomas started, but he fell silent when I raised my index finger to my lips. We sat in silence, waiting for somebody to come and tell us everything was going to be all right, but nobody came. Our breathing seemed loud in our quiet anticipation of what was to happen next and the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

  Then we heard footsteps approaching our room. But instead of a polite knock on the door, the door was kicked in with a loud bang. Two men that I did not recognize stood in the doorway.

  “Well, well, who do we ‘ave ‘ear?” one man said.

  “I do not know who they be, Smead, but I can guess they be ‘sumpin special. Why else would they be holed up in this here fancy cabin?” the other man said.

  The first man yelled for other to come down and help. “We need to get them up on deck and find out who they be,” he said to the other man. A few more men came into the room to answer Smead’s request. “Get them up on deck. Put them with their captain,” he said.

  The men did as they were told and we were ushered up on deck. All of the sailors and the few passengers that had been sharing the crew’s accommodations were lying face down on one side of the ship with their hands tied. Captain Ralston, his quartermaster, and his first mate were all bound to a pole in the middle of the ship. We were taken over to the pole as the pirates procee
ded to bind our hands. All I could think about was that this was going to be the last time I ever saw my son, my father, even daylight. I knew all our lives were about to end. In that moment of total despair, I became angry. I was angry that we were being treated this way. I was angry that they had taken over the Amity, and for what? A few measly pieces of gold and some wool. Really, was it all worth it?

  After our hands were bound we were all forced to kneel. The man they called Smead walked over to us and announced, “We found these people in a cabin on the next deck down. Obviously, they are special. Anyone of you care to tell me who they might be?” Nobody said a word, for which I was profoundly grateful. Then Smead said, “Let me put this in terms that you all will understand. If one of yous does not speak up now, then one of yous dies. It’s that simple.” Again it was silent.

  Instead of saying another word, Smead walked over to one of the sailors and dragged him to his feet. With his hands still tied, Smead dragged him over to the side of the ship and pushed him off. As tears welled up in my eyes for the man who had just been thrown overboard, Thomas hid behind me. Dawson and Mrs. Kelly began to cry out in panic as the remainder of us stood by in shocked horror.

  As Smead proceeded to pick another sailor, we heard a voice say, “That little boy hiding behind his mama is the Duke of Grafton!” I did not know who had given us away, and at first I was angry at the person who did. But then I thought about what it would feel like if the pirates had been threatening Thomas’ life, or my father’s. If that had been the case, I would have told them anything that they wanted to know.

  The man they called Smead, who I assumed was the captain of the pirates, looked up to one of his men and said, “Fish him out of the water.” He then walked over to Thomas and said, “So, young lad, you be a duke?”

  “Do not touch him!” I yelled. My protective instincts were at the forefront of my mind and I could not help my outburst.

  “Aye, and I be guessing you be his mama?” he asked me.

  “I am!” I replied defiantly.

  “Well, well, boys! We are one lucky band of rogues! We will take the duke here and his mama to see the capt’n.”

  “And what about the rest of them, Smead?” one of the pirates asked.

  “I will talk with the capt’n and see what he wants us to do with ‘em.”

  So, Smead is not the captain of the pirate ship. But who is? And why is he not out here with his crew? Smead grabbed Thomas and me and pushed us over toward the other ship. As we approached we saw a board tethered across the two ships. As Smead got up onto the board and one of the pirates came up behind us, it became clear that we were to walk across the board to get to the other ship. I turned toward Thomas and said, “I know this looks scary, Thomas, but I need you to be brave. Just walk across and do not look down. I will be right behind you.”

  My handsome and brave son replied, “I am not afraid, Mama.” I was so proud of him. He always reminded me of Bash, but more so in this particular moment than ever before. Bash had always been brave. It had been one of the things I loved most about him.

  We proceeded to walk across the plank to the other ship. Thomas did beautifully and I can thankfully say that I made it across without a slip myself. I glanced back at our ship and saw my father. He was watching Thomas and me intently. When he caught my gaze, he nodded as if to tell me that everything would be all right. As I looked away, Smead lead us below to the captain’s deck.

  Chapter 5

  Captain Sterling

  I never really cared to partake in the crew’s plunder. I allowed them to handle that all on their own. Whenever we took a ship, Smead would report back to me on what they had acquired for the day. Today, he was taking an unusually long time to get back to me and I was beginning to become concerned that something had gone wrong. Smead could be abusive to the sailors of ships that we attacked…I was hoping that this was not the cause of his tardiness this time.

  I began pacing and decided that perhaps I would go up and see what was happening. But then I realized that if I did that, the crew would think something was wrong. In all the years that I had been sailing with these men, I had never assisted them with an attack on another ship. I trusted them with my life. If I went up there now, it would appear to them that I no longer trusted them. No, I needed to stay here.

  Not long after I had this discussion with myself, there was a knock at my door. “I think we have struck a prize with this one, Captain,” Smead said from the other side of the door.

  “Enter,” I replied. I had expected that, like most ships, this one would just surrender quietly and not put up too much of a fight. It appeared that my expectations had been correct. I had not expected there to be any problems, as our ship had guns and theirs did not. Thankfully we had never needed to fire those guns, but they served their purpose in a most intimidating way. Most of the ships that crossed the seas at that time were packet ships, carrying goods and passengers. There usually was not any room for guns, so the presence of guns on our ship gave us an overwhelming advantage.

  My office door opened abruptly as Smead burst through with a woman and young boy in tow. A woman and a child? What in the hell am I going to do with a woman and a child? I looked up at our guests to get a closer look and practically choked on my own saliva. I know this woman. I have seen this woman every night in my dreams. The fact that she was standing before me left me at a loss.

  “Capt’n?” Smead questioned. I was not acting like myself and I knew he had noticed.

  I looked over at him to confirm that he had nothing to worry about and then I turned away from them to regain my composure. Maybe I was just dreaming that she was standing there. If I turn back around, it will be just another woman with a child. Perhaps a woman that resembles her. I cleared my throat and then slowly turned around. I could not believe my eyes. Elizabeth Bennet was indeed standing before me.

  I glanced over at the young boy who was holding her hand and realized by his uncanny resemblance to Elizabeth that she was a Miss no longer. I hesitated to make eye contact with her. Does she recognize me? I believed she most likely did not. The years at sea had definitely altered me. I was no longer the neat and tidy gentleman that she had refused on that spring evening eleven years ago. No, now I was a pirate captain. My hair was long, unkempt, and lightened by the sun. A mustache and beard now adorned my face and I no longer dressed the part of a gentleman, nor did I exercise the practice.

  She looked at me curiously at first, and I began to worry. But I quickly realized that I had been right—I did not see any recognition in her eyes. No, all that I could see was disgust and contempt. Well, I guess nothing has changed between us.

  I made a point not to speak. I needed to completely take in the situation before me. It was a situation in which I had never expected to be again. I spent the next several minutes watching and studying her. I could see by her stance that she was still stubborn and stood strong in her convictions. She had a fire that burned in her eyes that I did not remember from long ago. But the fierce way she was standing, hovering over her son protectively, explained why. I wonder where his father is. I wonder who his father is. Suddenly I became insanely jealous of the man who had won her affections. The man who gave her a son.

  In looking her over I discovered that the years had been kind to her. I couldn’t escape the fact that she was more beautiful than I had remembered. My heart began to feel that familiar ache. No, I will not go there again. I quickly made an effort to push those feelings aside. I will be damned if I allow myself to feel like that again. I have worked hard to ensure that I never feel that ache again. And just because the cause of that pain is now standing before me does not mean that I must succumb to it.

  Gathering my composure, I asked, “A woman and a child, Smead? What in the hell do I want with a woman and a child? What in God’s name would possess you to think I would be happy about this?”

  “Well, Capt’n, this just ain’t any old woman and child. This here is British nobility,
Capt’n. The wench here is a duchess!” He shoved Elizabeth forward.

  I gave him a look of displeasure and he retreated contritely. “A duchess. I see,” I said methodically. Elizabeth married a duke? The jealousy continued to rage inside of me, but outside I was the perfect pirate. Looking down at the boy, I said, “And this young man?”

  “He is the Duke of Grafton! I think we struck gold with these two, Captain,” Smead said.

  Bringing my hand up to my chin and rubbing at my beard, I thought for a moment. If the boy was a duke, his father was deceased. A smile crossed my lips as I realized that Elizabeth was a widow. The jealousy subsided a little, but just a little. I was still raging at the thought that another man had her love.

  Without giving her or her son another glance, I turned to Smead and said, “Any others of interest aboard?”

  “Her father and maids, sir. There were also about ten passengers in steerage and of course members of their crew. I threw one overboard,” Smead said hesitantly. He added quickly, “Couldn’t be helped, Capt’n. We fished him back out and he is not harmed. We also have their captain. The ship is ours, sir.”

  So, her son is not her only travelling companion. The old me had disliked Mr. Bennet. I had always found it bothersome that he allowed his wife and younger daughters to behave so poorly. But the man I had become now saw a totally different picture. Mr. Bennet had been a man of little means. His only hope to get out of such a state was to marry one of his daughters to a wealthy gentleman. Unable to control the scheming of his wife, I believe the man had given up all hope. Of course, those were only my observations. I had not spent much time with him when I was in Hertfordshire, but on the few occasions I had, I had always admired his wit and sense of humor.