A Pirate’s Wife (14 page)

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.