The village was built along a narrow road which wound its way between a large natural cove and some tall and rather rugged cliffs. It had probably begun as a small fishing settlement but the deep water of the sheltered harbour had made it a good place for larger ships to dock. At some point it had become a thriving place of trade.
Farmers from further inland brought their crops down to the coast where they could often get a better price. Even during the last great pirate war it had continued to prosper since the tall rocky cliffs provided a measure of safety from raiding parties or hostile canon fire.
The village had grown over the years and its many buildings were squeezed in along the road like uneven teeth in an old man’s face. The community had stayed small because there was so little space left. It would never become a major town or city, but it was good for shipping and trade.
Jim and Polly knew the harbour well. It was their favourite place. They loved the jumbled buildings and tiny alleyways and they never tired of spending time sitting on the harbour wall, watching the boats or chatting to the sailors.
It was off-limits for them at night, as they knew quite well, but during the day it was where everything happened. It was the beating heart of their community on which everyone depended for their livelihood - in one way or another.
They passed the inn as they came down the road. The landlord was mopping the cobbles outside. He was wearing a brown apron and had pulled back his sleeves in the midday sun. He had stopped for a rest and held his mop in one hand while he twiddled the end of his long moustache with the other.
‘Morning, you two,’ Burbridge called out. ‘’Twas a bit of an evening last night wasn’t it?’
He gave them a wink, which made it pretty clear he knew what they’d been up to. Jim wondered how many people had now heard about their adventures - and hoped the story wasn’t spreading too far.
‘Stay out of trouble now mind,’ he said as he got back to work. They waved and left him to his mop.
The harbour was very different to the rest of the village. There were fewer homes, but a row of warehouses, storerooms and workshops stood along the waterside with the inn at one end and the harbourmaster’s tall round house at the other.
There was always something happening down by the seafront. It was a busy and exciting place. Seagulls called out from rocks and chimneys while men and women were busily working, trading or sharing news.
Jim and Polly knew the harbour well. The locals were used to them hanging around the docks and would occasionally give them odd jobs to do. A few people waved to them as they arrived.
Polly’s older brother Calvin was standing by a little market stall next to the harbour wall. He was selling fresh bread to sailors and dock workers. As they approached he was taking an order from the bosun of one of the larger ships. It sounded as if Samuel Jones would have some extra baking to do.
‘Hi there titch,’ he greeted her as they approached. ‘You two staying out of trouble today?’
‘I don’t know what you could possibly mean,’ she replied indignantly. ‘Anyway, does mum know about you and Jessica Flint yet?’
He blushed. At fourteen he was too old for school and had to pull his weight at the bakery. This hadn’t stopped him from pursuing the harbourmaster’s daughter however...
‘I’m down here to work young lady, thank you very much,’ he responded a little sheepishly.
The Jones family had always sold bread at the harbour, but Calvin volunteered for the job when Jessica caught his eye. She worked for her father, taking notes for him and recording the details of visiting ships. Looking after the stall had given Calvin plenty of opportunities to catch her attention and he was working hard at charming her.
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Circle Sea 1: The Pirate Maze
FantezieOn an island in the Circle Sea, Jim and Polly dream of adventure, but they are caught up in a web of mystery as some unusual visitors arrive in the harbour... The Pirate Maze is set in the Circle Sea. Caught between swirling currents and unending st...