The Scourge - Pirates & Privateers

Chapter 26: A pub on Plymouth dock

The three ships pulled into Plymouth without issue, landing at the pier specially reserved for Captain Jones' storehouse of imported sugar, liquor and spice. Emily and Mister Ealing departed the Señora and met with the company of Lieutenant Colbert and Captain Jones. Those she met along the way were given a fond farewell – Doctor Cotral, Jennes, Ostrid, Young – but she made no special effort to pass by the quarterdeck and make her goodbye to Martin. Evidently, she believed that they would be seeing each other after the hearing, which Martin clung to both out of love and fear. He didn't know what to say to her; out of the fire of battle, he felt even more like a coward.

The rotten feeling in his gut didn't subside as he departed the Señora with the crew, sending Jacobi to barter for their reward at the East India office, and joined them as they made their way to the King's Head Inn just a little way up the dock for a more formal celebration.

***

'Drink up, me boys! This one's one me,' Schleckt said, slamming down a tray of ales. The men cheered as he passed one to each of them gathered around the table – Jennes, Mosi, Ulrich, Doctor Cotral and Hamish, who sat gloomily in the shadow. The men raised their tankards. 'Now, what shall we drink to?'

'To all those,' Doctor Cotral said, 'who gave themselves so that we might sit here today.'

'And live to sail another,' Ulrich concurred, knocking his tankard against the Doctor's then draining it dry with the rest.

Several of the other patrons of the King's Head looked over at the assembly of shabby men, rolled their eyes and tutted disapprovingly. The landlord watched the table through narrowed eyes, flinching every time one of his barmaids passed the privateers for fear they would resort to their beastly natures. No such misfortune befell any patron of the King's Head, but nonetheless, no one approved of the company.

'Ah! That's good ale,' Schleckt smacked his lips. 'Another?'

'Keep 'em coming,' Jennes nodded.

'I'll get the next round,' Ulrich stood up and patted Mosi on the shoulder. 'Care to give us a hand, mate?'

'Me?' Mosi looked up at Ulrich, then stole a glance at the Landlord behind the bar, who wore his disgust as openly as a baronesses wear jewels. 'Will they not have a problem with someone of... my kind approaching the bar?'

'Not if I have anything to say about it.' Ulrich smiled. 'You're one of us now, matey, and that means you drink with us as equal. Any who says otherwise will answer to me. Come on. I can't carry the drink on me lonesome.'

Mosi's face lit up. 'It'd be my pleasure.'

'Incidentally,' the Doctor licked the foam from his top lip as the two men hailed the barkeep, 'what are everyone's plans from here? That sixteen and a half thousand is a tidy profit. Anyone have any notion as to what they'll do with it.'

There was a brief silence as the men settled in their seats and knotted their brows.

'Think I'll open an inn,' Jennes leant back in his chair. 'Some place quiet on the coast where I can watch the ships. Maybe find a nice lady and make an honest woman of her. You know, have a few little Jenneses? The stuff land folk do.'

'Which one is it? An inn or a lady, cos you can't afford both,' Schleckt said with a peel of laughter, then settled back in his chair and scratched his scalp, losing himself in thought. 'Nah, I think I'll buy a homestead in the New World; possibly New England. I hear things are looking prosperous in the mainland colonies. Keep a farm, enjoy a few quiet years. I could make a nice living so long as the taxes don't skyrocket. What about you, Doctor?'

'Well, I'd rather fancied opening a practice in London. Maybe I'll do a bit of research into tropical diseases. I want to make a real difference to the world of medicine. Really make people's lives better.'