"Do not worry, Mr. Jared, the wine was not drugged," I say. "But we must get down to business and there are things what must be discussed."
"Like what?" says the grinning rascal, gesturing for Ravi to refill his glass.
"There are coincidences and then there are coincidences, but this is just too bizarre. Yes, the Royal Navy and the seagoing brotherhood is small, but still it is a very big world and a very broad ocean. So how came you to be here?"
He settles back in his chair and begins...
"Well, Puss, it was like this. I was in London when your trial was being held, and I was apprised of your probable death by hanging when I was approached by Captain Hannibal Hudson, who is, I must say, a very good friend of yours. That good man stood up for you at the trial, as you know, but he advised me to keep silent, figuring my testimony as a mere warrant officer would mean nothing. 'Wait, wait, Joseph,' he said, 'and we might yet do her some good'..."
Another sip, another look around my cabin ... and at my bed ... and he continues...
"Leaning very heavily on his political contacts, he prevailed in preventing you from being hanged ... And believe me, Miss, that took some effort on his part, as your past transgressions against the Crown ... Well, never mind. Suffice it to say, Captain Hudson called in many markers, you may be sure."
Good Captain Hudson, I do owe you my very life.
"Anyway, knowing that you were to be transported to Australia, and that HMS Dart would escort the Cerberus down to the South China Sea, he figured that if I were placed as an officer on that small warship, I might be on hand to keep an eye on you."
"And so?"
"And so, the good Captain arranged for me to stand for my Lieutenancy Tests, which I passed with flying colors, all the questions being oral, and did I not know seamanship better than any wet-behind-the-ears squeaker of a midshipman? Of course I did."
"And so?
"And so I was appointed First Mate upon the Dart, Captain Wallace commanding, all to keep an eye on you."
"And so..."
"And so the good Captain Wallace perished of a fever on the way here, and Joseph Jared, son of a tailor, becomes Commander of His Majesty's Ship Dart.. ."
It seems that this little cruise was rather hard on captains, I reflect.
"And so, it worked out, as here I am, and there you are ... looking lovely, I might add ... Rather exotic, but it adds a bit of spice—"
"Spice for you, Sir, but not for me," I say, looking away.
"But, Puss, why so cold? It is not like you at all."
I rise to my feet, all hot. "You fired on my ship, Jared!"
"Oh, come on, Puss, that was a warning shot. I only fired to get your attention. If I had actually wanted to hit your pretty little ship, we'd be standing in waist-deep water right now. So get over here and sit in my lap, where you belong."
"I shan't. I am promised in marriage to—"
"Oh, yes, the oft misplaced and much confused Mr. James Fletcher. Just where is that poor man now? I expect he has been deposited as a convict in New South Wales ... That was the sentence laid upon him."
"Umm..." is all I say to that.
Joseph Jared rises, stretches, and then lifts me up again.
"Let me go, Joseph," I say, not very convincingly.
"But you are my prisoner, Jacky, and as such, I have ... privileges."
"What?" I exclaim, as my feet are lifted off the floor.
"Of course, Jacky," he says. "You are an escaped convict, and I suspect you have misappropriated this ship—something I know you are very good at."
"You say you know me, Joseph Jared," I say, fuming. "And you may, indeed. But I also know you, and I know you will not force an unwilling captive."
"True," says he, flinging me onto my bed and then looming above me on hands and knees. "But we have many miles twixt here and England."
He brings his face down to mine and places his lips on my forehead and...
Oh, Joseph...
And...
BOOOOOOMMMMMMM...
The broadside rolls out across the water.
Jared sits up in bed and looks out my window.
"Damn!" he says.
I look out, too, and there stands the Cerberus, bristling with twenty guns to each side, all trained on the now tiny Dart.
I get up on one arm, grab his collar, and grin into his face.
"Just who is captive of whom right now, Mr. Joseph Jared?"
Hmmmm...
Chapter 72
It is what Mr. Yancy Beauregard Cantrell, renowned Mississippi gambler, used to call a Mexican standoff ... all participants involved standing with guns pointing at one another's heads, waiting for someone to make the first deadly move.
I sit at my table in my cabin and counsel calmness.
In attendance is Captain Jared of HMS Dart, Captain Fletcher of the pirate Cerberus, and Captain Faber of the pirate Lorelei Lee... that being me.
Also all about are Mr. John Higgins, my officers from the Lee, and the Cerberus's First Mate, Ian McConnaughey.
Yes, it is very crowded in here.
"Gentlemen, please," I say. "We must come to some sort of agreement. Captain Jared, you may speak first."
Jared stands and says, "Most of you are escaped convicts. I am honor bound to take you back..."
That gets him a low growl.
"...however, I am open to suggestions."
John Higgins, as always, the very soul of reason, speaks up.
"I know, Mr. Jared, how deeply you hold your concept of honor as a Royal Navy officer. However, consider this—your initial duty was to escort the Cerberus to New South Wales and back to England. Is that true?"
Jared nods. "That was our mission."
Higgins fusses with some papers on the tabletop, then continues.
"The Cerberus did, indeed, go to Australia and did discharge its cargo of felons as ordered. It is now ready to go back to England, under your protection, as per your original charter."
Ian McConnaughey stiffens a little at this, but with Jaimy's elbow in his ribs, he says nothing.
"Now, as to the Lorelei Lee," says Higgins. "I believe, Captain Jared, there is nothing in your orders concerning that particular craft. Is that true?"
Jared considers, and then nods. "True."
"Well, then, this is Faber Shipping Worldwide's modest proposal—that we all proceed back to European waters. Once there, the Lorelei Lee will go back to her home port of Boston, and the Cerberus will go into British waters, and any disputes between their respective captains will be settled there, and in an honorable fashion. Captain Fletcher has begged Captain Jared to grant him a period of time upon their arrival to effect a clearing of his name from false charges laid against it and to call out, on the Field of Honor, several personages whom, he says, in the vernacular of the American West, 'need killing.' Those two persons being a Mr. Flashby and a Mr. Blifill. Captain Jared has granted that request and wished Captain Fletcher godspeed in pursuit of that goal."
Higgins again pauses and looks about. He clears his throat.
"Ahem. There are further considerations. It is a long way back to England, and we are a formidable force—three swift ships, trained crews, and sixty-two guns, with powder and ball to match. It is to be expected that we will encounter many French and Spanish ships, and we are still at war with those nations ... Prizes, Sirs ... Many rich prizes..."
There is a low growl of avarice all around the table. Jaimy looks at me, and then at my bed. I return his warm look ... Then I see Jared looking at me in the same way... Complications, complications...
I stand and say, "So we are all agreed, gentlemen?"
All stand in agreement.
"Then lift your glasses and let us drink to our common enterprise."
Hear, hear!
As we are again seated, Ravi comes up to me and tugs at my sleeve. "Missy Memsahib ... must talk."
"Not now, Ravi," I whisper to him. "Just serve the dinner." I note that the air in here is getting rather close.
"But, Missy," he persists, and points to Lee Chi, who stands nervously in a corner. "Sahib Lee teach me some of his words..."
"Yes, dear, go on," I say, knowing that the little fellow will not relent.
"He say tai means 'big'..."
I nod at that, anxious to get back into the high hilarity of the evening, however hot it is growing in here.
"...and phoon means 'wind.'" Here he fills his cheeks and blows out little puffs.
"So?"
I look up at Lee Chi and he points outside and says one word.
"Typhoon."
Uh-oh...