The morning came fast for Jessop who had a long and arduous evening to say the least, but if he were to help his friends and take control of his own life, this had to happen.
He met up with Olaf and William in the snaking trail of men that headed for the Revenge. Their eyes met but there were no words spoken. When Jessop looked towards the back of the line, he could see the slightly limping barrel of a man heading up the rear with his slim cabin boy carrying his gear just behind. He wasn’t sure they saw him until his eyes locked with Patience and the grim look she bore on her face.
William said, “Did you hear that a bunch of settlers formed their own semi-autonomous government called the Republic of Watauga a few months back. I’ll bet King George won’t like that. I also read that John Adams suggested a Committee of Correspondence to write a declaration of grievances. He wrote a paper he’s calling Rights of the Colonists and another gentleman named Warren has written a list of infringements and violations of rights. People are talking about it all over Massachusetts.”
“Seems things are swiftly changing everywhere,” Jessop commented as they headed down the dock and onto the gangplank. There he spied his father shading his eyes from the sun and standing behind an uncharacteristically smiling Fin.
When all were gathered Fin started. “Thar be a few things we be needin’ to hash out before we weigh anchor. This gentleman here has come to collect his high falutin’ son for a wee bit of a fee for his safe return.” There was a murmur of surprised talk among the men as he continued.
“Our own Mr. Andrews is none other than one Cornelius Aster.” Shock echoed through the crowd of pirates and there were a few sniggers about the name Cornelius.
“While working the details of our lucrative trade, a much more disturbin’ bit of information met me dainty ears,” Fin met Jessop’s gaze with a smile and said, “Our captain is fishin’ to meet Davy Jones ’imself. He’s been pulling the wool o’er our eyes fer some time now, not to mention goin’ against the code an’ bringing a woman aboard the Revenge.”
Outraged cries were heard from the men. “That’s right, men, Patrick is no cabin boy but the captain’s own daughter.”
Hands from behind the captain and Patience grabbed them both, shoving them to the front of the crowd, while the men gasped and Jessop could see Stubby just about faint at the thought that a woman had been aboard all this time. Patience struggled and glared at Jessop, calling him a pig as they were placed next to Fin.
“Now, now, boys. The captain’s been good to us. His mind has been addled by his illness and I wish ’im no harm, but a crew still has to eat, so we’ll be taking the Revenge as payment fer his sins against us.”
The captain stood in silence, shifting his weight off his bad foot. Patience was struggling against Bloody Harry Cash and throwing insults at Fin, the crew, and Jessop that would have made even the fiercest cursing pirate blush.
Fin said, “Well, looky here, boys, maybe we were wrong about the woman. With a mouth like that, she might indeed make a right proper pirate,” he continued, “To ease yer departure from us, I’ve taken the liberty to pack yer things fer y’all.”
A hand full of Fin’s men came forward, one carrying an open air crate with Patience’s cat and Salty within. Three others had bags and smaller kegs and a closed crate of all the belongings of the captain and his daughter.
The last man was dragging William by the arm, his hands tied behind his back and an old duffle bag Jessop could only assume was William’s and his belongings.
“Don’t forget your lily-livered lackey, Mr. Aster,” Fin said referring to William.
“Be sure to say yer goodbyes—don’t imagine we’ll be seein’ the likes of ye folks again,” Fin said with a salute as they were escorted off the ship and onto the dock where their stuff was deposited next to them.
One man cut the ropes that bound William’s hands and he rubbed his wrists. Someone had at least been thoughtful enough to place the captain and Patience’s stuff in a wooden cart.
The men onboard laughed and waved to them then went back to their work. Patience checked on the animals, collected her father and glared at Jessop. As she stepped past him, she spit at his shoes to show her distaste. The captain had nothing to say and they both walked off behind the cart that Patience pushed.
Jessop watched the captain and his daughter until he could no longer see them and then turned to his father. No words were spoken. Jessop offered his hand but the gentleman pulled him in and hugged him tightly in silence. A pat on the back broke up the hug and his father turned to a man who waited in a dinghy at the end of the pier to take him to the other frigate docked in the bay that awaited him.
He waved with a smile once he was seated then he too was gone. When Jessop turned to William, he said, “How about we have a pint?”
Jessop nodded when they heard Olaf coming down the gangplank with a bag and the harsch crock of mead tucked under one arm shouting, “Wait for me.”
“What are you doing?” Jessop asked.
“I’ve had second thoughts about this pirate idea.”
“You sure you want to give up your dream?” Jessop said.
“Yes. It may have been good for my ancestors, but well, I just can’t imagine being a pirate without you two.”
They had a little laugh, which was a welcome change from what they’d just gone through. They collected their stuff and headed to the Cock and Bull.
* * *
They sat at a table in the empty tavern and ordered a round of ale.
After a ‘Skoll’ William asked, “I’m a little confused. Can you explain what happened on the ship? Did you really tell Fin about the captain and Miss Patti?”
“I did. I couldn’t see any other way.”
“But how will the captain and Patience get by without any money?”
“They’ll be receiving plenty of money later today.”
“They will?”
“Yes. They will be visited by a solicitor that will issue them a bank notice for one hundred sixty-five thousand pounds—the going rate for a used frigate named Hades’s Revenge.”
“Fin said he was confiscating the ship.”
“Yes, he did, but in reality my father owns the Revenge and will be a business partner with Fin and the crew.”
“But your father is a loyalist. How did you get him to invest in a ship that steals from merchants to help the rebels?”
“My father’s allegiance has changed a bit since we were abducted. Seems King George stripped my father of his title due to some clerical error, which turned out to be King George’s accountants’ mistake. My father is not a forgiving man and when King George wouldn’t admit the fault was with his own man, my father’s loyalties changed for good.”
“Well now, there’s something I never thought I’d see. Your dad supporting the patriots,” William said in wonder.
“Why didn’t you go home with your father?” Olaf asked.
“As I had suspected, in my absence my fiancé and my father became engaged. They’re a much better match than I would have been for Penelope. It’s really for the best, but I didn’t want to go back to all the social upheaval that would have gone with it had I returned. I think father is just as relieved.”
“So everyone will go on believing you’re dead?”
“Oh no. Just not willing to return. He’ll tell them I was outraged by their impending nuptials and I found a life elsewhere,” Jessop explained.
“Will you see him again?” William asked.
“I don’t see why not. There’s no ill feelings between us, I just explained I couldn’t possibly go back to the way things were and he agreed.”
“What about the captain and Miss Patti?” Olaf asked.
“I’ve arranged for a well-respected doctor to attend to the captain, have his foot dealt with, and make him as comfortable as possible for the rest of his life. As for Patience, she’ll have the money when he dies, so I think they’re set.”
“You’re just going to let them think you betrayed them?”
“Yes. I think it’s best to let them have their time together none the wiser.”
“I don’t agree,” William announced.
“And that’s your prerogative.”
“Why wouldn’t Fin just take the ship and the reward money and skip town?”
“The reward money was his promise that he would accept the terms of the agreement. Plus, he’s a good businessman. He knows having a resource with deep pockets to back you and pick up the maintenance expenses is partnership made in heaven.”
“Does Fin know what you did for him and the captain?” Olaf asked.
“Yes. He was an integral part of the charade today on the ship.”
“Why did you make it such an elaborate act?”
“I’ve learned the captain is a proud man. I don’t think he would have agreed to it.”
“What if he doesn’t accept the money?”
“He’s a proud man, not a stupid man. He’ll figure out it’s all been a ruse for his benefit. I imagine if he wants to know who orchestrated it, he could investigate where the money has come from, but I’m hoping he’ll just be at peace.”
“What will you do now?” Olaf asked.
“I don’t know. I’ve written David Bushnell since our meeting—remember the man we met designing the submersible?”
William nodded.
“He’s put me in contact with some other men, who are deep undercover in recovering intel from the British troops. I’ve sent them some ideas for inventions that might help in their pursuit and they’ve offered me a position to put a team together where we might make some real contributions to the rebel cause.”
“And who might that team be?” William asked.
“I don’t know yet, but I hoped you two might be.”
“Definitely,” William said.
“You know, Vikings were quite good at spying and interrogations.”
“Indeed they were, Olaf, indeed they were.”
They laughed and toasted once more to the new possibilities to come and the unknown horizons that lay before them.
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