Passionate Choice

Chapter 7.5

   "I have only Louis's word for it. He said he had four the Pelican with the treasure in it. He collected it all, or at least as much as he court find on several dives he made by himself. He was going to bring it up and declare it to the island government but Heather wouldn't let him. She said she needed it. She needed money that the sake of some of the jewellery would bring to pay her debts on this place. She had some sort of hold on him and threatened him that he'd regret it if he didn't put it in a box and leave it in the wreck locked up, and whenever she wanted any it it, he was to go down and fetch some of it up for her. Poor Louis. He hated doing it. He longed to show the treasure to price that he had found it, have the artefacts cleaned and dated and put in some museum. Then he died and Heather had no one else she could trust to go down Abe fetch something else for her to sell. So she made up the story that the Santiago has been wrecked on the reef, invited me t be in charge of the search, for John Claes to agree to provide the dive-ship and equipment as he always had for Louis, and then applied for abs received permission to put on thus little exploratory expedition of ours." Ben sighed and ran his fingers through his hair so that it stood up in all directions. "I had no idea what it was she wanted me to do until we arrived here."

   "You should have told me at once," Selena said softly. "You should have shared the secret with me."

   "Maybe I should," he agreed. "As it was, it was difficult for me to get the wreck of the Pelican and open up the box with you and Gary always diving with me and walker looking on. Heather got impatient so she sent you and Keith off to the telephone, commandeered the ship, and I went down yesterday to open the box and take some jewellery out for her." Interest and his usual lively curiosity in all things of historical significance livened his sallow face for a few moments. "You should have seen it, the treasure, I mean. Beautiful pieces, of gold decorate with diamonds and emeralds, exquisite glassware, some of it if German and Bohemian origin proving, as we've always guessed, that the laws limiting Spanish ships to Spanish-made cargo were ignored and contraband often exceeded the legitimate cargo. There were coins too. Doubloons." He gave her a wary glance. "There's my explanation for what it's worth. Now I have to ask you if you're going to go to the representative of the government on this island and tell him about the box and what is in it."

   She sat silent for a while, turning the tarnished wedding ring round on her finger, battling with her conscience.

*A/N: Please my patron in Patreon and read chapters in advance. My other works are also available there. Or if you just want to support me. Please look for creator Zetar086.
Love lots ♥️