Ill Wind and Dead Reckoning: Caribbean Pirate Adventure (Valkyrie) (45 page)

My heart stopped –
Freedom?
She still sails? And Leo? What of Leo?
I looked at the sails in dread. I desperately wanted to find out if he lived, but what if he didn’t? I could live without
that
knowledge. It was bad enough as a mere fear. At least at the moment I had hope.
Is that hope about to die?

I had to pull myself together, and quickly. My heart pounded from all the excitement and concern for Klara and the others, never mind the possibility of having Leo’s death confirmed. I also needed to check on the rest of my crew, find out who else was hurt, who we’d lost, and assess the damage to
Valkyrie
. I had no idea how badly my ship was damaged.

I looked again at the still distant sails, made my decision and went to have a look at the damage.

The whole of
Valkyrie’s
bow below the unicorn was cracked and we were taking on water. Luckily,
Freyja
held us in such a way that we weren’t sinking, but I couldn’t see how we were going to separate them and get
Valkyrie
to land for repair, without sinking both vessels on the way.

The good news was that the worst of
Freyja’s
damage was above her waterline, so we had time to figure it out. I looked up again and gasped.
Freedom
would be alongside in a few minutes. I’d soon know.
Alive or dead?
I put my arms around my belly, trying to hug the child inside.

‘Let’s give them the welcome they deserve,’ I said, just in case he was on that quarterdeck. I couldn’t act as if he wasn’t there. I wouldn’t.

My crew lined up on
Freyja’s
larboard side, blades in hand, jeering and laughing, whilst I stood on the remains of the bowsprit above the unicorn’s back, where I’d previously sat as she leapt over the waves, tears running down my face, hair flying, trying to erase the pain in my heart with the thrill of the ride. Now, though, it gave me a good vantage point above the chaos on deck, and I waited to see if the cause of that pain was drawing closer. I aimed for dramatic effect: standing above the wreckage, firm, in control and victorious over my prize.

He
was
there. He lived! I recognized the familiar walk on the quarterdeck as he took over the tiller.
He lived
– the gossips had been wrong. My whole body sagged in relief, yet my emotions were so confused I was fighting tears.

I wanted to fling a grapnel into their rigging and quickly swing aboard, take him into my arms and never let go. Yet I was furious. Because of his recklessness I’d believed him dead. Even though I hadn’t wanted to, a large part of me had believed him dead, and I’d grieved. For nothing. And all because he’d taken exception to me behaving as the pirate captain I was!

But I’d proved myself beyond any doubt now, however much I wanted him, I knew I didn’t
need
him as a sailor or a pirate, and I’d managed perfectly well without him as a lover – or so I told myself. It only remained to be seen whether I needed, or wanted, him as the father of my child.

He drew closer and the two crews shouted good-natured insults at each other across the water.

I watched Leo bring
Freedom
in; a tricky manoeuvre needing perfect timing if he wasn’t going to add to the carnage. The wind was off his larboard bow and, as he got close, he thrust the tiller over and brought his bows round to luff up into wind. The momentum he’d built up brought him sideways the final few yards to bump gently alongside
Freyja’s
larboard rail. Perfect.

Mr Frazer supervised making
Freedom
fast and Leo moved quickly to board. My Valkyries parted to let him through, quiet now, and waited to see my reaction.

I watched him coming and couldn’t understand the expression on his face. He looked relieved, even pleased to see me, as if nothing had happened and I’d welcome him with open arms. Well,
that
wasn’t going to happen, but I resolved to give myself time to decide what I wanted and not put on a show for the reuniting crews. He climbed up the wreckage to the unicorn and looked around at the two ships joined together.

‘¡Hola, querida! You don’t do things by halves do you?’

I don’t believe it, after all that’s happened,
that’s
what he chooses to say? Laughing at me, mocking me?
I saw my fist connecting with his jaw before I was even aware my arm was moving. He wasn’t well balanced and he crashed down to
Freyja’s
deck below. I watched him fall, furious. It all seemed unreal, too much to cope with.

He was fine, waving Andy away when she tried to help him up. He stayed on his back, propped himself up on his elbows and watched me.
He doesn’t look so pleased to see me now!
Rather, he looked scared and bewildered. Whatever. I had a good friend to check on. I turned my back on him and made my way to
Valkyrie’s
infirmary.

The extent of my anger had shocked me; I was storming.
How dare he turn up and mock me after the way he’d behaved? How dare he take so long to come and find me?

The anger I had for Erik came flooding back and, for a moment, Leo and Erik once more became one: a man I’d trusted who’d betrayed that trust. I was angry with Leo for behaving like Erik and angry with him for leaving me – even though I’d sailed away from him. I was even angry at the hands who’d been injured, and especially at the ones who had died – they’d also let me down and left me. I was especially angry with Klara, and all thoughts of Leo flew from me as I realized how badly she’d been hurt.

They’d taken her to my cabin and she lay face down on my cot while Bess bent over her, removing lead musket balls from her back with a pair of forceps from the physick chest. Klara had fainted from the pain long ago. It was a mercy.

‘How bad?’ I asked, all thoughts of Leo gone as I looked at the bloody pulp that was Klara’s back.

‘It could be worse, but not much,’ Bess replied. ‘She’s taken almost a dozen balls, and I don’t know if I can get them all out. It’ll be a miracle if none of the wounds rot. She’ll have to battle fever to live, that I
am
sure of.’

I nodded my understanding, knelt in the blood next to the cot and stroked Klara’s hair as Bess pulled another ball out of her flesh. Klara moaned then sank back into oblivion. I bowed my head, resting it on my arm.

‘We were supposed to escape – to be safe! I wanted her to be free and I’ve killed her,’ I moaned.

‘She
was
free, Captain. She was on this deck of her own free will. She chose to be here and face sea and gun. You know as well as I do that if you’d stayed on Sayba, the Hollander would have killed her eventually. You too, and made every day a living hell until he did.

‘You’ve not failed her, Captain,’ she added.

‘No?’ I didn’t agree.

Klara was the only person in the world I trusted, the only person I knew for sure would be there for me, as I would be for her. The only one I loved, and I did love her, of course I did. She was my one true friend, my sister. She shared my secrets, my deepest shames.

Now I had to prepare for her death, knowing she was dying because I’d put her on this boat and into that battle. I had brought her to this life, and her death was on my head, her blood on my hands.

‘Captain!’ Greenwoode appeared at the door. ‘You’re needed on deck.’

‘What is it?’

‘They need to know what to do with the Freyjamen. And we’re still jammed tight.’

I groaned, kissed Klara’s ruined face and rose. I turned to tell Bess to do everything she could but realized they’d be wasted words. She would do nothing less. I gripped her shoulder instead, then headed topside to face the other problems needing my attention.

I was too late to do anything to help. I could only watch, helpless and useless, convinced I’d found Gabriella only to see her die. How could I have let Hornigold get away from me at Sayba? Twice? Now I’d have to pay for my failures. Or rather, Gabriella and the Valkyries would. It would be my punishment, my reckoning, to watch.

She at least put up a good fight and used
Valkyrie’s
advantages well, tacking and gybing around
Freyja,
who kept her course and fired continuously. Then they came together, and my heart sank. It was a brave move, but even if Gabriella did by some miracle win this fight, she’d just lost her own vessel
and
her prize.

I looked up at
Freedom’s
sails. ‘Haul those mainsheets!’ I shouted. ‘Blackman, what’s wrong with your eyes? Don’t let me see any more sails ashiver!’

I knew I wasn’t being fair. We were sailing close-hauled, and a little more weatherly than
Freedom
’s square sails could reasonably cope with. The sails were bound to shiver on this course, no matter how hard the men sweated the sheets and braces, which were already chock-a-block.

I turned my attention back to the two pirate vessels and the thickening pall of gun smoke drifting towards us like a hellish sea mist. The noise of the guns sounded like the barking of Hell’s hounds. Getting closer.

Closer. Still only able to watch. Helpless.

The smoke cleared to silence. The battle was over, but whose battle was it? Who lived? Was I sailing towards friends in need or mortal enemies?

Closer.

*

There! There she is! Is that really her? But she’s so big!
Then I realized, and my breath caught in my heart.
She’s carrying my child!

‘Loose sail.

‘Helm to leeward.

‘Stand by to fend off.’

I guided
Freedom
to lay the tangle of hull and rigging alongside, and neatly avoided
Freyja
’s mast hanging over her larboard quarter. That would need to be cut away before it could damage
Freedom’s
hull.

Laughing at the cheering and celebrating crew, I boarded and headed amidships where Gabriella waited for me. My heart swelled with pride, and I couldn’t wait to take her into my arms and tell her what a magnificent woman she was.

Just look at her! High on her bowsprit, overlooking her victory – a victory she’ll soon be famous for across the Caribbees. She’s humbled the mighty Hornigold! And with a child in her belly! What a child that will be!

Moments later, I lay on my back in the wreckage of her victory, looking up at her. I realized it wasn’t going to be that simple.

She turned and left me there, staring up at the unicorn pawing the grey air above me. If the boats shifted, those hooves could well stove in my head. I realized I’d been so set on finding Gabriella; I hadn’t put any thought into how I would win her back.
What did I say to her? Why?

Jayde,
Valkyrie’s
bo’sun, was organizing Valkyries and Freedom Fighters alike in cutting away
Freyja’s
fallen mast. There was splintered wood and tangled rigging everywhere, and
Valkyrie’s
figurehead and shattered bowsprit loomed over it all – the conqueror of Hornigold.

Against a background of flogging sails, creaking wood, and water splashing against the wooden hulls came the moans of the injured, complaints of the vanquished, and orders of the captain. No, not the captain, the quartermaster. Gabriella was nowhere to be seen. Carmen was directing the victory dance around her short-stemmed pipe.
Where’s Gabriella?
She
should be directing these decks, not leaving the work to the Dane.

*

The felled mast had gone, left to drift downwind and sink – a little bit of carnage cast off – but I noticed the huddle of men and women didn’t disperse.
Valkyrie’s
longboat was pulled up alongside, presumably after being put off full of plunder and supplies until the fight was over, and Valkyries were gathered around something on the deck.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Annika was shot out of the rigging,’ Jayde replied, her arm bandaged and in a sling. ‘Gaunt and Davys found her, but they were too late, she’s dead.’

I left them to it.

‘Who’s that?’ I asked Jenneke. She was sewing another body into a shroud of sailcloth.

‘Butler.’

I nodded. A pity.

*

I looked up
at the sky again as rain started to fall. I was drenched in seconds – a welcome respite from the heat for the moment, it would soon seem worse. I had to find Gabriella, and headed starboard to climb up on to
Valkyrie’s
decks, but Gaunt stopped me.

‘Leave her, Cap. It’s Klara, I don’t think she’ll make it, thee’ll only make things worse than they already are if thee goes now. The lass’ll come round, she’s not lost if thee plays it right, I’d swear to it.’

I hoped he was right. I looked after her again, then the news about Klara sank in. I rubbed my jaw and understood why she’d reacted that way. Maybe she had enough to cope with for the moment. I shook Gaunt’s hand. ‘Gracias
,
Robert. It’s good to see you again, old friend. What do you make of the damage? I’m surprised you let her do it.’

‘Not much choice, Cap, I were in the longboat. Most of us seem to have lived through it, though. I were glad to see thy sails, I don’t mind telling thee. Give me half an hour to have a good look below, then I’ll tells thee what needs to be done. But I reckon we’ll be lucky to save ‘em both.’

‘Pity. It’d be something to have
Freyja
sailing under my flag. Or
Valkyrie’s.
’ I corrected myself hastily. ‘Very well, I’ll let you get on with your work. Maybe I’ll pay our old friends a visit.’ I shook his hand again, then headed forward to gloat over the Freyjamen huddled in the rain.