True Treasure: Real - Life History Mystery (9 page)

Soon she would need to speak to him. Fears filled her heart regarding her future. She would be disgraced returning without her chaperone from a navy vessel. As the reality of Magdela’s death sank in, her current position without a chaperone was unthinkable. She’d heard the gossip at home of unescorted ladies not accepted back into society.

Yes, the captain had his problems. And now the pirates were attacking again. Her life was of small consequence compared to his charge of the men on this ship. She now realized her folly. Adventures could be good, only in the presence of a chaperone, anything else was the tragedy of a ruined life. What if the pirates took the ship and killed the men? What would become of her?

She got on her knees and prayed for forgiveness. She prayed for a way out of her situation, but soon she found her prayers were invaded by one thought,
Please keep Bennett Graham safe from the pirates. No matter how I’ve ruined my life, I deserve it. I brought it upon myself. But Bennett has done nothing wrong but be honorable and kind. Please keep him safe.

After what seemed like hours, with the sun sinking below the horizon, Mary noticed how silent it was. No footsteps overhead running around with purpose. No stray bumps or creaking from the men stirring about in the nether regions of the vessel.

She got up from her knees and tried the door. It swung open. She climbed the steps slowly, and saw the crew was gathered at the far end of the ship all intently, quietly, observing something. Many sailors had climbed the ropes and the masts and were watching from their makeshift perches. She moved closer to find out what held all the men’s attention. She climbed up onto some sacks and barrels to get a better view. She spied Captain Graham, and her heart skipped a beat. He looked so serious, strong, in charge. He was all right. She saw two sailors handing a man up onto the back rail, he yelled out something in Portuguese. One of the men lifted a cannonball secured with rope and tied it to the man’s legs. He slapped at the soldiers while cursing in his native tongue. She recognized the words from her childhood, having learned curses in the various tongues spoken in a port city as children are given to do. The sailors then pushed the man into the sea.

Mary held back a scream, and climbed down off the sacks. She instinctively clutched at her stomach as it dawned on her they had cast the man into the ocean to drown. The pirates were being executed. The thought made her sick to her stomach. She went back to her room. She’d heard of men having to walk the plank before, but it had never seemed like something real. She could not believe the man she thought she knew, could be capable of killing so coolly. Captain Bennett Graham would force men to die.

She rushed back to her cabin hoping Bennett hadn’t seen her. She’d never really thought of him being a man of war other than in the most romantic sense, a warrior who could steal her heart. But being a warrior meant he had to kill. He did kill. He would keep on killing. She said out loud to herself, “How foolish could you be?”

Putting himself in danger meant he put others in danger too. The consequences of crossing a king and his country were severe.

Seeing the man falling to his death, and knowing Bennett Graham must of had no other option than to sentence the pirate to death, opened her eyes. She saw his life was not one of just rushing about on the sea. He lived a life of death.

Having seen both sides of him now, and what his job entailed, she sat on the edge of her bed contemplating how this had changed her feelings for him. Her love hadn’t lessened any, but it was now tinged with the truth he had burdens well beyond her understanding. She refused to believe he could feel good about killing those men, whether they deserved it or not. The horror of what he must live with—now she understood why he kept his feelings in check. He must be a steady rock for his men. He must take on the burden of his decisions. This gave birth in her a want to please him, to comfort him, to be a safe harbor in which he could renew his strength. She was more determined than ever to find a way to him, and his heart. He shouldn’t have to bear such responsibility without the hope of someone to care for him. King and country were a noble duty, but hardly a comfort when out at sea. He and his men were the sole law watching over a vast ocean of crimes.

She got up and brushed her hair. Mary just knew he would come to her cabin once this ordeal was over, and when he did, she wanted to be ready for whatever he required or wanted from her. She prayed her heart was right with God. It didn’t feel wrong, just unknown. Her uncertain future seemed just like the winds, forever changing at a moment’s notice. She sat down and waited for her future to come to her.

***

Captain Graham along with his crew watched the drowning of the pirates. To take a man’s life was a solemn business. Some went in fighting and clawing. Some were desperate to work loose the cannonball while being pushed in. Others went quietly, and willingly stepped off. Some called to God for help. He could only guess they’d made peace with their maker. Yet others went down cursing.

He hated the part of his command where he must mete out punishment or death. Maintaining a strong will in front of his men gave them the strength to face their fear of death in battle, or circumstances such as this. It had to be done. Not all had the fortitude to carry the authority of life and death in their speech, and have others follow through with those orders. He could only imagine the burden of the King. His charge here was to give courage to three
hundred, the King’s duty was to him and an entire nation.

Movement at the back of the ship caught his eye, the swish of her silk cut through the other sounds of the ship and the sea he was accustomed to. She had made her way onto the deck. He kept his eyes on the men. He had hoped she would stay below until the whole of the pirate situation had been resolved. Would she be repelled by him, knowing what he was capable of?

The next pirate on the plank wobbled before one of the sailors helped him off. When he hit the water, Bennett thought he heard a gasp from Mary. He did not turn to look. There was nothing he could do now but what his duty commanded.

The name the pirates called him, when he’d had them tortured for the information he so desperately needed, where the pirates coves were, how many, methods of attack, and how they’d come to possess the treasure, felt fitting. Bloody Graham. He needed this information to keep his men, and Mary, safe.

In naval training, it was taught safety was an illusion which could be maintained by order. Order could be maintained by respect. Respect could be maintained by just punishment. Just punishment could be endured when the consequence for failure, was death. Disorganization led to death sooner.

When the last of the traitors had been dispatched, he made his way to his stateroom to pray. For mercy on the souls of the men lost in battle, mercy for the men he’d had to have put to death, and lastly, mercy for his own soul.

An hour later, he called for Randall. “How is the transporting of the treasure coming?”

“We’ll have to leave some ballast behind, the weight of the gold is sufficient to balance the ship. She’ll sit a good three hands lower, and be slower. It will take all the skiffs a hundred trips each. I have forty
-two crew men working. One to inventory leaving and receiving, two to row each skiff, twelve to pack, twelve to unload, four to secure once on deck. We'll be here a day or two at this rate.”

He stood at the table with the newest surveys of the coast laid over the existing maps of the coastline. He motioned for Randall to stand by him and pointed at the map, “According to the pirates their coves are here, here, and here. Best for attacking the slow incoming merchant ships by the most common routes. They have make shift towns on the Isla del Cocos and this unnamed island here. This island, along the back, is too close to the mainland shore. The pirates worry they will be caught. They cannot outrun an empty ship coming from port. It is also known to be surrounded by reefs which are dangerous to boats and infested by man
-eating sharks, so the pirates fear it. This then, I believe, is the best location to impound the gold until we can get a message to the King. After we have secured the gold, we can stop a merchant ship on its way back to England, to take a message to the King. We will then finish our survey of the coast. Thoughts?”

“The men will talk when we get back to port.
With sailors, women and spirits lead to loose tongues.”

Graham sighed and nodded, thinking.

“Pardon me, but perhaps if we give them a story—”

Graham raised his eyebrows, so Randall continued, “The pirate, ‘Sangrie Graham, Bloody Graham’ took the treasure, and buried it on the other side of the Isla del Cocos. We fought the pirates, and killed them, but alas they took the secret location of the treasure to their grave.”

“Bloody brilliant, Randall, every sailor needs a yarn, even one in the King’s employ.” He clapped his hand on the back of Randall’s shoulder shaking it.

***

Mary waited. But Bennett didn’t come. Shortly before night fall, she heard the strange calls of the men over the sides of the ship, followed by a scraping noise along the deck, then clinking and clanging. Curiosity got the better of her so she headed to the deck to see what was going on. She saw Charles coming up the backside stairs and motioned to him. “Charles, what is going on?”

“Look miss.” He pointed over the rail to a ship lurched sideways on the rocks. A flat bottomed collier, listing badly. She could see men and skiffs, all the skiffs, docked or out at sea heading slowly loaded with bags and chests, toward the Devonshire or empty ones on their way to the injured craft.

Charles’ eyes were sparkling, “Treasure, miss, the ship was full of treasure! Men had mutinied and killed the captain and half the crew to take it, then pirates caught them when they washed upon the breakers. Captain Graham took care of all the pirates, may God have mercy on their souls, and now we're securing the treasure! Come see!”

He pushed off from the rail and motioned for her to follow him down the back stairs to the cargo hold. He went down the stairs two levels. One sailor stopping him, “Get back you ragamuffin.”

“I’m just showin’ the miss. She needs to see the treasure so she can sketch it. Would you like me to get the captain?”

The sailor scowled and moved aside to let them pass. Charles winked at Mary. Down in the hold, Charles motioned for Mary to follow him into the room, “Look, miss!” Charles lifted the lid on an exposed trunk. He ran his fingers through the gold doubloons it contained. “It’s full of them! And there are bags of more, and silver, and fine pieces of lady things—like pins and brooches.”

Mary took it all in. She knew the pirate stories. But they had always been just—stories. She turned to Charles. “This all belongs to the King of Spain.”

“Not anymore, miss.” Charles laughed, “Now it belongs to King George!”

“What will Captain Graham do with all this treasure? Surely we cannot continue to survey with all this gold on the ship.”

“Don’t worry, miss. The Captain will have a plan. We will know soon enough what will happen.”

“Charles, will you escort me back to the deck, please?”

“Yes miss, let’s watch them unload the next boat.”

“Take me to my cabin to get my supplies. I would like to speak to the captain, but I may as well work until he is available.”

“He’s busy all right. I am sure he will be coming on the deck to see the transfers.”

After they retrieved Mary’s supplies, she set up to sketch the skiffs as they unloaded the treasure on the deck. Mary said, “Charles, did you watch the—events this morning?”

“You mean the pirates walk the plank?”

Mary hesitated, then nodded.

“Yes. We all did, miss. When a man dies for his crimes, we all stand witness. A sailor has his duties. I hope to not see anymore.”

“May I ask a frank question? You do not have to answer.”

Charles nodded.

“What do you really think of Captain Graham, not what the officers tell you you must say, but what you feel in your heart.”

Charles looked as one of the men carrying a smaller bag
, which was heavier than a barrel of whiskey, stumbled as the bag he was carrying hit the rail on his way to the stairs. The man cussed.

“Miss, I was beat as an indentured boy to a fish merchant. I’ve never had a mum or da I knew. When I ran away and signed on the Devonshire, I found a home. I have a duty now that serves my king. The captain is
everything
. He took me on. He keeps us all. There is hard work on a ship for all hands, yes, but with
purpose
. Those are his words. He’s a man of honor.” Charles paused trying to find the right words, “I’ll die for him, miss. Every man on the Devonshire would. He’s the Captain. He
is
the life and soul of the ship.”

“Thank you, Charles for your honesty.”

Mary finished her sketches and watched as the sun sank below the horizon and into the waves. There was a full moon and lanterns lit on both ships as the men kept working through the night. She sat and watched on the open deck. She could see the glow from the lamps lit below decks on the foundered ship.

Her adventure was turning out to be nothing like she had planned. Magdela gone forever, and now she was all alone unchaperoned, pirates were a real threat, a bloody battle had been fought, men wounded or dead, and now a treasure needed to be dealt with. What would happen when more pirates came looking for it? Were they watching from the island, hidden by the steep sides and the foliage? Would they attack?