Authors: Lynelle Clark
cabin, enjoying her closeness. He did not know how she
felt but he could only guess. He had humiliated her in front
of pirates. What kind of a man was he?
This time his anger was aimed at himself. He held
her closer to his hard body, feeling her stirring. She kept
quiet, however.
Back in his cabin, he set her down in a leather chair.
His eyes never left the small woman gripping the arms of
the wooden arm rest. He swallowed. He did not know what
to say, feeling small in her presence. When she lifted her
eyes to glance at him, he could only see relief. No anger, no
humiliation.
Roberto expected disgust, but for some reason she
did not look at him in that manner. In a softer tone he asked
'Tell me what you have seen.'
Rosa-Lee started to speak, still shaking after the
ordeal. She had really thought that he was going to go
through with his plan. She had never seen him so furious.
The previous day, while cooped up in the lower
deck, peeking at the other pirates from her hiding place on
the
Heerengardt,
she realized Roberto was in a different
category from these pirates. He had integrity and honour
that the others lacked. They talked about women as if they
were scum. Roberto had never made her feel like that,
neither him nor his crew.
She had always felt safe among them, but on the
other ship, she had feared for her life, sitting quietly under
the sails in the shadows of the hull. Too afraid to move, she
never went outside for water or food, the risk too great to
take. She was brave but on the
Heerengardt
she felt fear, out of control.
She could not hate Roberto. He had saved her. Even
if he was angry and ready to flog her, he was still willing to
listen. For that she was grateful.
Putting her feelings aside, she looked at him with
relief written all over her face. The fact that he had carried
her, holding her tight made her feel more than safe. She felt
at home. It was a strange feeling but one she would
consider later. There were more pressing issues at hand.
'When I came on board I wanted to report you, but
then I noticed the crew's strange behaviour, very peculiar
for a D.E.I.C. ship. My father has met with many of those
men. They all have a certain air of self-assurance about
them; but this crew was eerie, scared. That in itself I found
very odd at the time. When I reached the captain's cabin,
the substitute captain was fuming. When his second-in-
command joined him, they talked about someone they were
looking for on the
Contra O Vento,
someone that they
wanted to kill. No names were mentioned, but he was very
angry.'
'I heard a noise in the wardrobe and when they left,
I peeked inside. The real Captain Peek du Toit was tied up
and gagged. When I removed the gag, he told me that
pirates had captured them a week ago. The man was weak
but remained calm under the distress he faced. He told me
not to do something foolish and to hide. I replaced the gag
and left. I was so afraid that I went and take cover in the
safest place I could find. That's where you found me.' Her
eyes filled with hopefulness, praying that her gut was right
about the pirate in front of her. His features looked sullen
but still blank.
'I promised him that we would help him, Roberto,'
she pleaded again, taking his hands in hers, he looked down
at their joined hands, and a faint grin appeared before it
disappeared again. He returned his gaze to her face.
'You do know that we are pirates as well?' He stated
the obvious.
'Yes, but there is such a thing as compassion and
helping those in need. Those men are in need. We are the
closest to help. I can only hope that somewhere in that
pirate heart of yours you will see the wisdom in it. Maybe
you will get one hanging less for a good deed done.' She
smirked.
'I like her,' Pierre said with a wide-open grin.
Roberto looked at him with a glimmer of a smile,
but kept his voice low.
'And I suppose you have a plan?'
'No, but I am sure we can come up with something.'
'You do realize that this will cause us to not meet
our deadline. Your brother's life is on the line.'
'My brother will understand. Please, Roberto, we
need to help them.' She squeezed his hand.
'We are already two days behind them and it will
cost us another day or two to catch them. Besides, we do
not know in which direction they went. They could have
stopped at Santiago or continued to the Mediterranean Sea.'
She smirked knowingly, letting go of his hands and
raising herself. 'I saw the charts on the table. While they
were talking they leaned on it. When I looked at it, his
fingerprint dent was still showing on the coast of Morocco.
We are two days behind, but our ship is faster when we set
full sails. We can make up the difference.' Walking to his
table, she pointed at the open chart. The men followed.
'What do you think, Pierre?'
'She's right, we can catch up the way she said.'
'How many are there, besides the fake captain and
his second-in-command?'
'As far as I could see, they were ten total. There
were the men that came with them on the longboat and four
who guard the men on the ship,' she answered.
'Give the go ahead. We are going on a rescue
mission!' Roberto said to Pierre, who laughed at the new
adventure. Roberto grinned, his anger forgotten.
When Pierre barked the new orders on the upper
deck the pirates were stunned. Rescue mission what
absurdity was this they muttered among each other but did
as they were told.
†††
July 16, 1625
Will I ever forget the day I deliberately turned my
back on Qonchita, the disappointment and shock when I did
nothing?
It was a warm summer day like today, but there was
nowhere to turn for shade. The tall grasses made it difficult
to see any one. I had to make a path for the remaining
group on our way to the fort. I remembered we had stopped
at this fort two years ago when our supplies ran out before
we could anchor in Delogao Bay farther south, down the
coast.
I went to investigate and took a few men with me.
They all died on the way of fever. I myself almost died as I
reached the fort. The fever got hold of me but the doctor
helped me and I lived. I was gone for three weeks. In that
time the group we left behind had similar fates. Only six
remained.
I recovered fully and the governor of the fort sent a
few men with me to help. With enough food and medication
to assist the last survivors. It took us seven days to reach
them.
We stayed for a day helping the last six to gain
some strength but it was not enough. Although tired we
carried them weak and exhausted after the last encounter. I
had Rosa-Lee on my back since Qonchita was too weak to
even carry her own child. At one point her legs collapsed
under her in pure exhaustion and we still had two days
walk left. Rosa-Lee was asleep and I decided to stop and let
the people rest.
Kayla was very clingy and refused to let go of me. I
wrapped both Rosa-Lee and Kayla in my arms, sat with
them in my lap, and dozed off. The strain of carrying them
and making a path was too much for my own weak body.
Qonchita just sat where she collapsed, bleeding, for
a few hours and I left her. I didn't notice this or go to her
aid. When I finally woke I looked for her and saw her
crying. I tried to get away from the two young ones but
Kayla was determined and refused to let go. From where I
sat I could see her feet were raw once again and I turned
my back. Maybe because I was so weary, nevertheless I did
nothing to help her and at the end Alfonso helped her.
As sick as he was he administered the ointment I
had brought with me from the fort, applying it to her feet.
She was angry with me and did not talk to me while we
walked to the fort. Even during the first week of our
recovery at the fort she kept her distance.
In the end, fear of a spider caused her to run back
to me. When I 'rescued' her and carried her away in my
arms, I explained as best I could. She is beautiful when
angry. I had great pleasure watching her as she went on
about it, but when I kissed her into silence she was like
putty in my hands.
She forgave me.
10
Enrico and Pierre left them alone and a silence fell
between them. Rosa-Lee, still shaky of hunger, sat down in
the Captain's chair, not realizing that such a thing was
never done.
The past few days' experience had left her numb.
The moment she stepped on that ship she knew she was
wrong and even deserved the whipping, yet she was
thankful that they did not follow through with it.
Her father had told her on many occasions that the
life of a sailor was very hard and the Captain's discipline
was important to run a ship sufficiently. Whether it was a
D.E.I.C. or pirate ship, discipline was the only thing a
captain had to keep the men in check, upholding his law at
all times.
Finally she spoke, 'I am sorry for the delay that I
caused.' She looked down at her hands in her lap.
Roberto walked closer to her. Kneeling in front of
her, he softly said:
'I was never so scared in my whole life because of
what you did. I was afraid that I would not see you again. I
was angry, frustrated, not knowing if you would be all
right. Angry for the situation we were in and that I could
not change it.' The seriousness of the situation was visible
on his face and Rosa-Lee had to swallow hard at the lump
in her throat
'Does this mean that I am forgiven?' Rosa-Lee
asked softly
'Never do this again!' he said brusquely. He could
not believe how vulnerable he was before her, kneeling in
front of her. He wanted to pull her closer, his body aching
for her warmth next to him.
Their faces were so close that he could lean in and
touch those rosebud lips. Amazed at the tenderness and
care in him, reflected by her own, Rosa-Lee absently
brought her hand up and trailed the scar on his face with
one finger.
'Tell me the story,' she whispered.
'Not much to tell. It was a long time ago. I killed a
man who raped my sister. This was his reminder to me.' He
also spoke in a soft husky tone. When her finger ended at
his lips, he kissed it.
'It is a beautiful scar.' She pressed her forehead
against his, his closeness affecting her. Her body yearned
for his touch. For the moment all was forgotten. He kissed
her fingers and then her palm, removing it and placing a
kiss on her mouth.
'You do things to me that I have never experienced,'
she finally said, leaning back. 'And I think I need to go.
This can never be.' Pushing him aside, she stood up. His
hands brushed over her curves and his jacket fell to the
ground. She walked out, exposing creamy skin with each
step.
Her presence lingered in the cabin for a few seconds
and when he gathered his jacket from the floor; he could
smell her on it. Deep in thought, he slipped into it, her
warmth captured inside. He breathed her in.