Open Waters (6 page)

But she wasn't able to enjoy it for long.

"Also arrogant and demandin'," Cecily continued with a sly grin, "but tha's wha' ya have me for: ta make sure tha' head of yas remains a decent size."

Jane just rolled her eyes, dipping her head down to place a sweet kiss on top of Cecily's dark brown hair. She would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the compliments and sentiments. But she would also be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the sass that followed.

*~*~*

"SAIL!" a call sounded from above, drawing all heads up to where Newby was perched precariously in the crow's nest. He pointed directly off the stern and all eyes on the main deck followed his line, trying in vain to catch a glimpse of the claimed pursuer.

"There's another ship?" Cecily asked, moving forward to stand beside Jane on the quarterdeck. Jane hummed in affirmation and pulled out her spyglass. She could barely make out the advancing ship, but there was one thing that was for certain: it was heading straight for them.

"That horizon has been bare since we passed port," Jane remarked with a scowl, fingers tracing the ring around her neck.

"Well, that fact remains true no longer," Worth stated from her right. Jane steadied the spy glass, hoping to catch sight of a flag or some mark or evidence of what sort was following them. But after a while, she dropped the spy glass from her eye and handed it over to Worth.

"I can't make out her allegiance, not from this distance." Jane paused before addressing Worth, who was currently looking his fill at the advancing ship. "Keep her going steady," she commanded.

Worth handed her back the spy glass with a nod. "Captain, if she's a member of the Navy—"

"Then she'll catch us whether we attempt to run or not," Jane finished, resigned, but still determined. She would just have to hope that it wouldn't come to that. A firefight was not an option, not against the Royal Navy. That was one fight Jane knew they would not win, extra powder and shot or not. "If that is a Navy ship, we'll slow down in order to not arouse suspicions. Until then, keep her pace steady."

"Aye, Captain."

It was not a situation she had hoped to be in. They hadn't seen hide or tail of another ship for a week now, and all of a sudden, just a day after passing Port Galtry, a sail is spotted on the horizon. And not just a glimpse of one sailing off to another port, no. This ship was matching them, gaining on them, actually, seeing as with the extra weight, they had only been able to reach a top speed of four knots. She was set on the same course as the
Tantibus
, a fact that did not bode well for their future.

"No… wait," Jane stopped Worth as he made to descend to the main deck, her hand automatically reaching for her ring as her mind whirled. If they stayed on course, their pursuers would determine their destination, and they could not and would not give up the location of their cache if their true intention for sailing out in the open waters was made known. They needed to veer, however slightly, off course. And for that, they need a bit more speed.

"Raise the topsail!" Jane shouted as she whirled around to face her crew. "Both main and mizzen! We need all the speed she can muster!"

The men below her scrambled to obey, pulling ropes and tying knots in order to release the sails at the topmost part of both the main and mizzen masts.

"Captain," Coll shouted from down on the main deck beside the main mast, his eyes riddled with worry, "the mast won't hold!"

"She'll hold," Jane assured him. It was a risky maneuver she was pulling here, one that could very well split the main mast and leave them crippled, but she was confident that the mast would hold. It was her ship, after all, and although Coll knew her inside and out, nobody understood her like Jane.
Tantibus
could take it.

Jane felt Cecily's eyes on her and she looked to her side, catching the warm, brown eyes. There was a sense of awe in them she had never seen before. That look was all it took to inflate the ego Cecily constantly teased her about, causing Jane to flash her a confident smirk before dropping down to the main deck to watch over the proceedings.

The top sail of the mizzen unfurled and took wind, quickly followed by the main's. Groans and creaks emanated from the main mast, but she held, just as Jane had predicted. She allowed the grin to spread across her face again as cheers from the crew arose around her.

But she wasn't finished yet.

"Bring her up into it!" She ordered, making a sweeping gesture with her arm.

Dover, who was at the wheel, obeyed, turning it just so the sails caught the wind more effectively, but Jane quickly took over once she saw his hesitation to go any further. She held onto the wheel with effort, more groans and creaks sounding from the mast and even the deck, but slowly, the ship performed to her bidding.

"Here," she commanded Dover, sliding to the side and allowing him to take a hold of the wheel. "Hold her there!"

Dover nodded, holding the wheel steady as Jane returned to Cecily's side. She glanced over for a second, long enough for Cecily to raise her eyebrows in a poor attempt at playing unimpressed and Jane to flash her another arrogant smile, before taking another look through her spyglass. The ship was only slightly closer than before, but still not enough for her to make out any markings of allegiance. But she could see her turn, so her bow was once again aimed straight at the
Tantibus's
stern. There was no doubt anymore that the ship intended to run them down. And with the distances it had traveled in the short time between glimpses through the spyglass, Jane was sure it would happen sooner rather than later.

As if reading her mind, Cecily sidled closer to her and asked in a low voice, "How long 'til she's at us?"

Jane took a second to calculate. "A day, maybe less. But no more than that," she replied with a sigh.

"Wha' do ya plan ta do?"

Jane shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Depends who's at her helm."

"And if it's the Navy?"

"Then we better hope the new recruits can play their parts and keep their gobs shut. It's going to take some damn good acting if it's the Navy that decides to board."

Silence fell between them, the only sound being the slap of the sea and the orders being relayed amongst the crew on the main deck.

"You don't seem worried," Jane remarked after a moment, noticing the relaxed look on Cecily's face: the same look she had worn when Jane had first met her, knife to her throat, life on the line, but still relaxed and bored.

"Oh, I'm not," Cecily assured her, without taking her eyes off the horizon and the ship sailing upon it. "As long as ya in control, my lioness, I have nothin' ta fear."

Jane just nodded. "As it should be."

"Well," Cecily began, and Jane felt a smile creep upon her face, knowing the usual insult was coming and looking forward to it. "Except bein' squashed by ya enormous ego. It's takin' up all the space aboard this ship. I'm afraid, for the good of the crew and myself, it'll have ta go."

*~*~*

Jane gazed through the spyglass for a long while, trying to keep it steady and hoping her eyes were playing tricks on her.

But after another minute, she was forced to concede that they weren't.

"She's a member of the Royal Navy," she said without emotion, handing the spyglass over to Worth. The Navy flag had been as clear as day at the top of the main mast, waving at her tauntingly.

Worth made to grab the spy glass from Jane, but it was snatched out of her hand before he could grab it. Cecily, spyglass in hand, strode forward a pace in order to be out of reach and have time to look upon the ship. Worth caught Jane's eye and Jane just shook her head, trying to keep the fond smile that threatened to break forth off her face. This was not the time to show any display of affection.

"We can fight her off," a voice sounded from behind Jane. She knew who it was without even turning around, having heard his argumentative tone often enough in the past two weeks, let alone the last seven years he had been aboard, to recognize it anywhere. "Done it before," Cooksley finished.

Jane just shook her head. "Not weighed down as we are. Won't stand a chance."

"With all that powder and shot, they won't be able to keep up," Cooksley countered, his voice rising in anticipation and confidence.

"Yes, but that there is war ship," Jane growled, her anger getting the best of her. She took a deep breath to calm herself and continued. "Fourth-rate, sixty cannons easily, and if they are prepared, eighty men aboard, all ready to fight until their last breath. She'll sink us before we even get to use any of the extra powder. No, its best we play off at being a simple merchant ship."

"You don't want to admit you're scared of the Navy. Well, I'm not, and let me tell you—"

"You will hold your tongue!" Jane shouted, whirling around to face Cooksley. She was at her wits’ end with him, and could tell by the way his jaw clenched in anger, that he could see the threat in her eyes and would, for the time being, leave it be. She wondered how long that would truly last. He'd probably be at her in another hour, at the very least.

"If they are so inclined to board, then we shall let them," Jane ordered, not breaking the staring contest with Cooksley that she suddenly found herself in. "We are not to engage unless absolutely necessary, and I shall be the judge of that. Do I make myself clear?"

Cooksley looked like he would like nothing more than to argue or run her through. Perhaps both.

"Yes,
Captain
," he sneered. It didn't matter. She still had the upper hand and, until she could find a clean and reasonable excuse to toss him out, it would remain that way. The crew was loyal to her, first and foremost. He couldn't even compete.

"Good," she nodded, turning her back on the man in a clear dismissal.

As Cooksley's footsteps faded, Cecily once again sidled up beside her, having finally relented and handed the spyglass over to Worth. "Now what?" she asked, giving Jane a sidelong glance.

Jane leaned on the railing, staring over the crashing waves toward the fast approaching Navy ship, determination and anticipation filling her up with confidence. "Now, we wait."

*~*~*

Her estimation was off by a handful of hours. The Navy ship, it seemed, was faster than she had anticipated, or the
Tantibus
was more weighted than she had originally thought. No matter, their extra speed had done nothing to lengthen their time, but she was comforted to know that the slight veer off-course would at least allow them to fabricate a new destination to one of the ports off the distant coast, should they be questioned. And she had no doubt they would be.

But she was ready. All except for one thing.

"Go, wait in my quarters until this whole business has been sorted," Jane commanded to Cecily, lying a comforting, but firm, hand upon her slim shoulder.

"I will not hide away like some scullery maid," Cecily refused, stepping out of the touch and turning to face Jane fully with defiance in her eyes. "I can handle myself."

"Of that, I have no doubt." Jane closed the distance between them again and placed both her hands on Cecily's shoulders, smiling at her reassuringly. "But it would arouse suspicion if not one, but two women were to be seen in opposing states of dress upon a simple merchant ship. You in that… garment," she stated, her eyes roving over Cecily, not sure whether her dress could indeed be construed as one. There was far too much skin showing for it to be compared to a lady's everyday garb. Definitely would arouse suspicion… and interest, which Jane wished to avoid that at all costs, especially the latter.

Cecily searched Jane's eyes, piercing browns diving deep into her own blues, gazing into her soul. After a few beats, she seemed to find what she was looking for. "Fine," Cecily relented, though her eyes still betrayed her indignation. Jane knew Cecily wouldn't be happy with her decision from the second she came to it, but truly it was for the best. If not the crew's own safety, then at least for Cecily's own.

And when Jane had started thinking more of everyone else's safety—especially Cecily's—and less of her own, she didn't know. She used to not give a rat's ass about anyone but herself, despite her outward appearance of otherwise. Now, it was like she couldn't give a damn if she lived or died, as long as Cecily's life was spared.

Jane shoved those thoughts to the back of her head, forcing herself to focus on the here and now. She had commanded her crew to stow away all incriminating evidence, including several pieces of garb certain members wore and—as they were seen as more of a liability than not—the new recruits from the
Liberty
. She didn't want to take the chance that those men would say anything condemnatory, damning them all to a fight they were bound to lose. No, they all needed to play their parts and pass themselves off as nothing more than simple merchant sailors, and that very well couldn't be done with those men free to walk about and talk to whomever they pleased.

"Nearly there," Jane muttered to herself, watching as the Navy warship maneuvered alongside the
Tantibus
. She had conversed shortly with a crewmember aboard the Navy ship as they had approached, and agreed to allow them aboard—he had said it was on orders of the king that they check every merchant ship, so she really didn't have a choice in the matter. It was an impressive ship, she would say that, even though it was not by far the most impressive she had seen.

The sound of the Navy ship's planks being thrown against the rail and various nets and hooks securing the two ships together announced the boarding. Jane straightened. She stepped out into the middle of the main deck, Worth at her side and the rest of her crew scattered about her, awaiting the appearance of the Navy's own.

But she felt calm, relaxed even, and confident that her and her crew's true intentions and reasons for being about were well hidden.

Booted footsteps were heard seconds before a man with greasy brown hair, partially hidden under a black tricorne, and an equally-unwashed, scruffy jaw jumped down onto the main deck. A very familiar and extremely deceitful man.