The Reverend's Daughter (Book 2 after The Duke's Daughter)

Chapter Seven Part Two

"Are ye goin' ta be able ta fix it?" Redbeard paced the hold, as Michaels inspected the mast step.

"I can make it work for now, see here this split ye got? I can shore it up but ye needs go to Nassau for replacing this section here." Given three days and a lot of work, Michaels knew he could have fixed it right as rain, however, none would want Redbeard around that long. If he could just get the pirate on his way, and away from them and also the Lady on the other side of the island, t'would be best.

"Do ye have any iron straps aboard?" Michaels turned his gaze on Redbeard, who scratched his chin, raising his eyes to the deck above them, as he thought.

"I believe we was runnin' a bit low on the supplies, we was plannin' on gettin' restocked in Nassau, guess that be another reason ta go." Redbeard shook his head, he had been hoping Michaels could save him the trip, as he wanted to hit the open water and get back to work.

Michaels turned to Pete, "Can ye row over and git three straps from me workroom, Pete? I be needin' some pins and shims, too."

Pete nodded and turned to go, Redbeard decided to follow Pete, as the rum was tapped above deck and he had a great thirst for some of a sudden. He did not like that his ship would be out of commission in Nassau, for a sennight at the least, whilst making the repairs.

Pete and Redbeard traversed the length of the hold and climbed up to the main deck. Redbeard's crew were gathered together, drinking rum and gambling on the forecastle deck. There was a boy of approximately ten years, a husky, scared boy, being harassed by the tipsy men. The boy was being ordered to fetch them more rum. As he went to do so, one pirate or another would stick out a foot so that the frightened boy would trip and fall down, or the pirates would move just so causing the boy to cower, as he was afraid of being smacked upside the head again. The pirates found this highly entertaining, laughing heartily when he hit the deck or anticipated a blow.

Pete was sick to his stomach watching the antics being perpetrated on the innocent child. "Is that our new boy?" Pete asked Redbeard, giving him a sidelong glare.

"He will be when the repairs is done." Redbeard sniggered as the boy hit the deck hard. Setting some of the crew to laughing, one slapping a knee, another harassed the boy even further for his lack of grace. Pete noticed that the boy endured the bullying silently. His face contorted with pain and degradation, but nonetheless, the boy endured the endless torture without uttering a sound.

"Ye know Violet likes his boys wi' out all the bruisin', ye best put a stop ta that goings on there." Pete suggested, as Redbeard narrowed his eyes and thought upon this for a moment.

"Ye know, iffin' ye all had more rum, I gots some more wee ones might whet your man's whistle." Redbeard looked askance at Pete, as Pete thought for the best way to go about this.

"How many? Wee ones that is?" Pete realized the pirate did not really care to drag children around, t'was just that he could auction them off at the slave trade. And that was on the chance that the 'wee ones' survived the voyage in good health. That meant caring for them, and Redbeard's crew did not seem to be interested in that end of the bargain.

"I gots me three more, two bits o' fluff, an 'nither boy what's kinda sickly, ye gots more rum, ye gots ta take em all. I ain't a needin' ta drag 'em all ta Nassau w' me if'n we needs repairs." Redbeard eyed the man carefully, watching Pete's face to give something away.

"I would be needin' to see them, ye understand?"

"But o' course, ri' this way....." Redbeard led Pete down to the forecastle and opened a cabin door. There were three small children inside, huddled together on a woolen blanket on the floor. Two buckets sat side by side in the corner, one held a brackish water, and Pete did not want to look in the other as it was obviously the chamber pot. The babes had tossed the crusty hardtack they had been given into the corner where rats ate at it, their red beady eyes watching them warily.