Forever Young The Beginning (5 page)

“
If I keep my eyes on the
horizon and just sit here like this, in a short while, I will begin
to feel like I am the ship itself. It’s almost like flying. Would
you like to try it?”

“
I will try it if you help
me.” Afraid, but unwilling to show it, she waited as he sprang up
from the bowsprit and spun around. He took the coil of rope and
secured it to the jib and quickly fashioned a loop in it. He then
slipped the loop over her and secured it under her arms and
adjusted it from the back. He led her to where there was a step
that he had ignored, and steadied her as she mounted it. Shortly
she was sitting astride the bowsprit. Ian had folded his jacket to
make a pad for her to sit on. He placed both of his arms around her
waist, saying “Now lass, look off to the horizon and keep your eyes
there.”

Alandra’s heart was hammering so
within her that she wondered if he could hear it. She wondered if
it was more to do with being in such a precarious place, or if it
was because of being so near to him.

After several minutes he said “You’re
tense. You won’t feel it until you relax.” He pulled her back
gently a bit to recline against him. The sound of the wind and the
waves as the bow parted them drowned out any sounds from behind
them on the ship. The feel of her against his chest was
exhilarating beyond anything he had ever felt in his life. He was
mesmerized, as was she. His heart pounded as he felt the warmth of
her seep into his chest and stomach. The smell of her hair was
intoxicating. She sighed deeply and let her head sink back to his
throat. Her fingers sought and entwined with his. They sat
suspended in time in some magical world that neither had known
existed anywhere. As the moments passed, Ian spoke tenderly to her,
“Ah, Alandra, please don’t be angry with me. I’ve never felt like
this in my whole life. I could sit here with you
forever.”

“
Oh, Ian…..I….so content
and…..warm….all over…..inside and out. Just do hold me, please,
Ian…not let go…..please. Mmmmm” She didn’t say it in fear, but with
longing and passion. They sat that way, not speaking any more, only
each drinking in the nearness of the other. It was a moment frozen
in time; then…….”Ian, I feel it, I am….like one…the ship….I and you
and the ship are one, Ian. Oh, you are right, this….is …wonderful
thing….feeling….I… never guess….ever!” Time passed, yet seemed
suspended in this tiny universe of only him, Alandra, and the
shimmering azure sea and blue sky. He took one hand and gently laid
her hair aside and kissed her tenderly on her neck. She shivered as
a thrill unlike anything she had ever known ran through her body.
They sat as one for an interminable time. He took more notice of
the sky then, saying “Alandra, look at the sky.”

“
What is it?

“
See those clouds?” She
looked and noticed the wispy curved clouds. “Those are what we call
‘mares’ tails’.” He explained how the clouds appearances mimicked a
horse’s tail in appearance. “Those mean we’ll get colder weather
tomorrow or maybe tonight. See how fast they move to the
east?”

“
Is that a good
thing?”

“
I’ve never seen them move
so fast before. It’s been so warm, that the weather could be stormy
when that cold air meets this warm air. The colder that air is, the
stormier it will be. You and Celita will need to sleep on
Elsie
tonight just in case
of bad weather”

“
Why?

“
Elsie
will take weather far better than this ship will. Uncle Angus
is likely to signal me at any time to pull alongside. When he does,
you and Celita must be ready to board her. We must be up and
about.” The winds had been getting stronger all afternoon now, and
Angus wouldn’t want to wait for the sea to get wilder than it was.
Had he not been otherwise occupied with Alandra, he would have
noticed sooner.

As they stood together, she turned to
him and put both arms around his neck, pulling his lips toward
hers. He steadied them both with one arm and pulled her hard to his
body with the other and met her lips with his own. Her lips were
soft and pliant against his as they gently kissed. Ian felt a
thrill pass through his body as did Alandra. They parted a few
seconds to look into each other’s eyes, and then they kissed again.
This time her lips parted under his and his tongue gently teased
her tongue as she tightened her hold on his neck. They stood,
rising and falling with the motion of the ship, lost in the moment.
Suddenly the sound of a distant gunshot rang out causing them to
part, still looking wide-eyed at each other. Both were breathing
deeply. The faint cry of a voice from Elsie reached their
ears.

Ian looked up, saying
“Alandra, they’re hailing us to pull alongside. You and Celita have
to prepare to board
Elsie
at once.” He moved to assist her in climbing down,
and walked with her to the stern deck. Celita had joined them
midway as Ian beckoned and called to her. “Both of you pack as much
of your clothing as possible. Hurry!” Alandra looked questioningly
at him, “Why so much clothing, Ian?” But he had turned and walked
quickly to join his crewmen to prepare to pull alongside of
Elsie.

It took around a half hour
to sail
Tico
into
place. Both ships had furled most of their sails to make the
maneuver. Two crewmen had carried the ladies’ trunks to the
starboard rail. Eight grapples with lines were thrown down and made
secure and the cargo booms swung out, and the boatswains’ chairs
lowered.

Alandra and Celita got into
them and Alandra placed her hand over Ian’s as he set the ropes on
the seat. She leaned out to speak and putting her lips to his ear
said “Ian, I love you. Be careful, please.” He took a long last
look at her and smiled so that she warmed just from seeing it. “Aye
lass and I love you too. Now be safe aboard
Elsie
and let me do my work.” The
crewmen had transferred the cases of muskets, pistols, and sabers
to Elsie, along with much of the silver and all of the gold
vessels, candlesticks, and sundries. That had been done while they
were becalmed, days earlier. The prize ship was far lighter than
she had been. There were ample goods for trade and money, as well
as food and water too if they were separated.

Angus appeared at the
railing, saying “Ian, if we get separated, make for Marseille. It
might be risky sailing alone into Spanish waters with a Spanish
ship under control of a foreign crew. Here are papers detailing my
ship’s log entries and I have written all of the names of Alandra’s
family down as well as the circumstances of the prize ship. It
contains the names of the captain and crew too, for next of kin.
You are named as the captain of
Tico
. This is as close to a chain of
title as we can do. I made duplicate charts and put them in a
separate wrapping around the outside of this package. Keep these
papers safe and dry, and present them to the Harbormaster at
Marseille.” The packet was passed down in a bucket with several
coconuts weighing it down to keep the rising wind from snatching it
away. They were secured in oilskin and tightly bound, sealed with
candle wax.

“
May God watch over you and
us. We are in for it tonight! God speed laddie.”

“
God speed Uncle Angus.” As
he looked up one last time he saw Celita and Alandra both looking
at him. Alandra looked unlike herself, being pale and drawn, and
her beautiful eyes stricken in her lovely face. No doubt she had
caught the gist of what had been said between the two men. He
flashed a bright warm smile and waved as they cast off into the
roughening seas.

As the afternoon passed the wind had
built up steadily. Ian felt that the approaching cold front was a
strong one and that they were in for it. By now, both ships had
trimmed sails somewhat in order to keep on course. Ian knew that
they would have to keep reducing sail as it got rougher. As the
afternoon wore on into evening, the sky took on an ugly hue and the
waves were now frothing with whitecaps. The cloud cover was solid
and nearly black, covered with what looked like silver-grey fish
scales. They were holding within four hundred feet of Elsie with
all sails furled now, but dared get no closer. More and more Ian
dreaded the coming night. He had eight volunteer crewmen on board,
all good men and seasoned sailors. One spoke passable French and
another spoke some Spanish, both of which would be known in
southern France if it came to that. Ian had every intention of
staying within sight of Elsie if at all possible though.

***

Night had fallen some four hours ago
and Ian had again taken the helm. The wind by now had risen to a
roar that wouldn’t stop. Both ships had all available lamps lit and
both sought to weathervane against the strong westerly wind to
remain as stable as possible. They were beginning to be blown
backwards by now. Ian could still see Elsie’s lights and as he
watched he saw two more appear. Angus must have ordered extra
torches lit since it had started to rain because there was no
longer much worry about an accidental fire.

Ian sent the man with him to go see if
they could rig and light another torch too. He was gone for around
ten minutes, and then returned with a lighted torch. Two of them
rigged it on the stern deck, higher above any waves which might
extinguish it. Ian thanked the returning crewman for the slicker he
brought and the man took the helm while Ian got the slicker on and
buttoned.

They had pumped out the bilge after
transferring the ladies and the cargo over to Elsie, but Ian
ordered the bilge area to be checked every half hour to be certain
that they were not taking on water. The bilge pump had been tested
by MacCarr while they were becalmed and had been found to be
working well.

***

It was well into the night
and Ian lost sight of Elsie shortly after all of his lamps and
torches were blown out
.
The rain now came in sheets, and seemed to be
nearly horizontal due to the strength of the wind. It stung his
face as he fought to maintain their heading into the wind. He
called a crewman to the helm with him to help hold her there. The
wind had risen to between a howl and a shriek now that tore at
everything. The sails had all been furled some time before and the
waves were becoming fearsome. Ian and his shipmate strained to hold
her into the wind but he knew that they were being blown badly off
course. They had begun to take on a little water so Ian had ordered
four of them to the bilge pump below.

Suddenly above the shriek of the wind,
he heard a splintering sound and the patched front mast collapsed,
taking the tripod brace which MacCarr had rigged with it. Ian
cursed himself for not stripping all sail from it even though all
sails were furled. It had fallen at an angle and being the
foremast, was drooped over the starboard rail of the fore deck. The
ship listed and began a sidewise drift and occasionally, waves
began to break over her port side. The rudder could not straighten
the ship due to the drag of the mast and rigging hanging in the
water alongside.

Ian lashed the helm and told the man
with him to stay there, and began to make his way to the main deck.
He practically fell into the area below decks due to the tossing of
the ship, hollering to abandon the bilge pump for now and to get on
deck. He needed every man to help cut the broken mast and rigging
free before the ship was lost and them with it.

By now, he could barely stand as the
wind shrieked and seemed to rise to an even greater strength if
that was possible. He had noticed that the air had gotten a lot
colder as he crouched and worked his way along the starboard deck.
Three crewmen were at the wreckage and had started to saw at the
ropes with their knives. He took the axe a crewman brought and
began to hack at the ropes. The others from below deck crawled to
where they could help and with knives began to cut through rigging
ropes. They couldn’t speak to each other for the shrieking of the
wind and just kept doggedly hacking at the wreckage.

As scraps of rope became
available, Ian began to crawl from man to man and would help each
tie themselves to the side rail. He gestured and shouted “Tie
yourselves in lads, or you’ll go over the side!” He saw that some
now were stopping to tie themselves in. Finally all had secured
themselves to something besides the wreckage and Ian gave the axe
to Tom McBride. He secured himself and re-joined his crew mates in
cutting the wreckage. Waves breaking over the port side battered
them against the starboard side rail mercilessly. They worked
nonstop for another quarter of an hour, finally getting the part of
it that was dragging down the bow overboard.
Tico
gave a mighty surging heave as
she rose, almost like a whale breaching. Ian ran to the helm and
helped the helmsman to correct the ship so that it was again
pointing into the wind. The hatches were tight and hadn’t been
breached, and Ian hoped that MacCarr’s repairs on both ships would
hold. He took the helm and sent the crewman to take all but one of
the crew below to man the bilge pump again.

***

“
Cap’n McCloud, I’ve lost
sight of the
Tico
!” shouted a crewman above the shriek of the wind.

“
Aye. It may be that her
foremast broke. We’re being pushed off course. Hold her into the
wind.” He had called the men down from the rigging hours ago after
the last sail was furled.