A Pirate’s Wife (7 page)

corner of the bed.

'That door leads to my cabin.' He pointed out a door

in the left corner of the cabin. 'Breakfast will be served in

your cabin but all other meals will be eaten with the

captain.'

'I refuse to eat with that man. I will stay here. Please

go!' Immediately she raised her voice in anger.
Who does

this man think she is? I do not want any contact with him in

anyway. The nerve of this man.

Enrico nodded his head in understanding and

walked out, closing the door behind him.

She unpacked her trunk into the cupboard provided

for her dresses and left a few things in the trunk for later

use, especially the pistol, well hidden for now. She realized

she needed a place to put them and, looked around her

room a second time.

Her room was comfortable but small; not what she

enjoyed at home, but for now it suited her purposes. She

found her way around easily and decided to put her knife

near her bed between the folds of the curtains. It would be

close enough to get to easily.

In the one corner near the window was the tub for

her bath, a luxury on a ship. Although the ship belonged to

her father she had never been on it, only the larger

merchant one, but her father undoubtedly thought of

everything when he purchased it a few years back. Not

suitable for a woman, but for this voyage it would do fine.

She was busy brushing her long hair when she

heard a knock. Thinking that it will be Enrico, she

answered, 'Please come in.'

'Señorita Almaida.' The familiar stern voice greeted

her. When she turned around, Roberto stood behind her. He

was closer to her now than at any time since they had met,

hovering over her, the menacing look more plain to see on

his face. The scar running from his left eye to the corner of

his mouth made him look fierce.

'I have been informed that you will not join me for

the meals, Señorita. Can I ask why not?' His voice cold,

while his eyes took in the interior of the cabin.

'I will not eat with you, a pirate.' Defiance was in

her own cold voice. 'I don't want to discuss this any further.

Please leave my room.' She turned away from him, peering

out the porthole to the open sea, and continued brushing her

hair.

She did not see the amused look that was followed

by a stern one as he spoke 'It is not a matter of what you

want, Señorita. You will sit at my table and that is final!'

'Make me,' she said through clenched teeth.

'All right, if this is how you want to play it, I am

fine with that. Good day.' He nodded but she did not bother

to turn around to notice.

When he left, she let out her breath. She had not

even realized that she was holding it.
This man will learn

that I am not very willing or easy to please. I will give him

hell!
She braided her long hair with trembling fingers.

The day went on without any further disturbances

and she kept herself busy with needlework, sitting near the

port for extra light, but for some reason she did not see

Enrico again. By late afternoon, she finally decided to call

for him and pulled the cord. Her throat was dry and she was

hungry. She had not eaten last night after the news they had

received. This morning she was already gone before

breakfast was served.

A few minutes later Enrico entered her room.

'Where is my food? I had nothing to drink or eat for

the whole day,' she asked, annoyed, forgetting her manners.

'I received strict instruction that no food or drink

may be delivered to you, Señorita.'

'Well I never!' and she stamped her foot on the floor

in anger. She sneaked a look at the young man, on whom it

had no effect, and she wondered for a moment if this was

the best route to take. She was determined not to cave in.

'Can I at least have water?' she asked demurely.

'No,' came the abrupt reply.

'That conceited man. How dare he?' she shouted.

'He is the captain. When he speaks, we listen,

Señorita.'

'Is that right?' she asked in a sarcastic tone. 'Where

is he?'

'In his quarters, eating, Señorita.'

'Take me to him,' she demanded.

'Follow me, Señorita.' Enrico kept his eyes cast

down, not meeting her angry stare.

The captain's cabin lay two doors down the

passageway. When she walked in, he sat lazily at his table

eating a peach, his stern eyes looking straight at her as if he

had expected her.

'I understand from my chamber boy that I will not

be served any meals?'

'That is correct. Did you change your mind?'

'No, but it is inhuman. How dare you not give me

anything? Not even water?'

'Because I am the captain and this is my ship,' He

said nonchalantly and placed a slice of fruit in his mouth.

For a moment she was at a loss for words, her fists

white as she clenched them. She could physically harm him

by now.

'I must point out that this is my father's ship, Señor,

and not yours.'

'Point taken, but I am the captain, therefore my

rules.'

'You are a bastard!' She stamped out of the room,

the fabric of her dress rustling with her anger.

'How long do you think she will hold out?' Pierre,

his second-in-command, asked.

'Don't know, but it will be interesting to see.'

Roberto placed another piece of the juicy fruit in his mouth,

eating it slowly, while a smile appeared on the normally

stern face.

'She has a lot of spunk,' Pierre continued with a

lopsided grin.

'Yes. She is a real wildcat. It will be interesting to

tame her. I have all the time in the world. She will come

around and see that in this world there is only one law that

counts. That is mine.'

Pegging the knife in his table, he stood straight,

cleaning his hand. He took the last sip of his red wine

before he went back to the upper deck.

Roberto liked what he saw. When Pedro told him

about her, he was intrigued about the whole family's story,

but especially about her. When the opportunity came to

bring her back as a ransom price, he jumped at the chance.

It did not take much convincing to sway the Falcon

so that Roberto could go and ensure that Cisco met the

demands for the ransom. The Falcon knew he could trust

Roberto with her. Now he had a chance to get to know her

better, and maybe convince the Falcon that she would be

more suitable for him. She was a stunning woman with a

lot of fire in her veins, a fire that Roberto would like to

ignite in ways other than anger.

By my calculation, there must be a fifteen-year's

difference in our ages. I can tame her to fit into my needs

quite nicely. My first impressions of her were correct.

Yes, she will do perfectly for all the plans I have for

her. Yes, that anger and fury in her I am going to turn in to

passion, a task that I am looking forward to in the coming

months. In the, end she will be mine without a question.

For now he decided to keep his plans to himself, to

go with whatever she was planning, and then take it from

there. He understood from Pedro that she was skilled with

the sword and a good markswoman. Moreover, if Pedro's

good marksmanship was any indication, she would be a

force to be reckoned with. He would have to test her during

the time they had on the open seas.
These will be an

interesting four months' voyage for sure!

Roberto chuckled to himself. Pierre wondered what

the smile was all about. He knew his friend. The man is

wild among the women, usually, taking what he wants. But

with this one, he acts differently, toying with her like a lion

with a rabbit. Something about little Pedro's sister is of

interest to the captain. It just may be the man has met his

match with this young woman. Her eyes show how she

feels and she is not afraid like most. No, this one is defiant,

a real wild cat, as Roberto says.

That Roberto was up to something was very clear to

him. Yes, this will be an interesting time, with the stunning

woman on board.

†††

January 25, 1624

I cannot believe I am already a month on the estate.

A month of surprises, new opportunities and new

experiences. Franco is patient with all my one hundred

questions, answering them as we go along. The villagers

are really an interesting lot, and already I have made a few

friends.

Rosa-Lee is a constant chatterbox, which makes me

smile with pleasure. What a wonderful, brilliant child. She

is everything I want in a daughter. Inquisitive. Energetic.

Beautiful.

And my dear wife -- how can I describe the love I

feel for her? She is everything I want, need and more. My

heart still jumps when she enters a room, still taking my

breath away. Her raven hair still mesmerizes me and I love

to run my fingers through the silky softness.

She is brilliant, stunning and she is all mine.

Every hardship I had to endure was worth it. Every

day that I spend with her is a day that I am blessed and I

cannot thank God enough for this, and for keeping us safe.

He removed every obstacle, every scoffer, and made

me victorious. Through all our trials He kept us healthy

when people died around us like flies. Hunger, heat, rain,

sickness were daily constants in our lives, but through all

that we were saved.

I lost count of the number of people I buried when

they got the fever, and not once did I get it myself. Still

today, I thank God for that.

4

February 6, 1624

Last night I tossed and turned in my sleep, plagued

with the one fight we had while in the grass plains of

Africa. Kayla was at it again, and like a fool I only believed
what I wanted to believe. When Cisco wanted to help me

carry water for the sick I screamed at him. For weeks we

did not speak. Kayla, of course, used this time to get to him,
I thought. Afterwards I knew she had no chance with him.

He was devoted only to one woman, me. What a fool I was.

And how much precious time we missed.

He was always ready to show me his love in all

kinds of ways, to carry me when I was tired, to make sure

Rosa-Lee was protected and warm. He was always close by

when Faro was in my presence. He never talked directly to

me, never even looked at me, but I was always in his

thoughts. When he had the opportunity to hunt he brought

back the best meat to me and Rosa- Lee. At night he would

cover us with huge leaves just to keep us comfortable and

dry.

No matter how exhausted he was I was always his

priority. In the weeks we did not speak I would scold myself

for mistrusting him. Now I know better. I trust him with

everything because I know his love is unchanging. He has

not changed since we were married at sea by Captain

Derek, the man who rescued us and brought us back to

Portugal all those months ago.

What a glorious time that was. After almost two

years in the wilds of Africa we were finally rescued by