Revenge of the Fox
Chapter 19
The Vixen dropped anchor in Nassau port not long after it was light. Around midmorning, Reynard went down to the brig accompanied by several of his crew. "Well, ladies, your voyage is at an end."
"Where are we, Captain?" Elizabeth asked.
"Nassau," answered Reynard pleasantly, gesturing for his men to open the cell doors. "You will be going ashore and staying at an establishment in town until I've taken care of some business elsewhere."
"What sort of business?" Annamaria inquired as she submitted grudgingly to having her wrists bound again.
"Why killing your husbands and lovers, of course," he answered smoothly. "It's time for me to head for our rendezvous point and wait for them."
"Where might that rendezvous point be?"
"Don't be so inquisitive, Annamaria dear," he replied. He nodded to his men, and they ushered the women up the stairs to the main deck.
"Where is Gwen Sparrow?" Elizabeth asked as she was assisted into a small boat.
"Mrs. Sparrow will be staying aboard, Mrs. Turner," Reynard said. "She will be needed as bait for her husband." He barked an order to his men, and the boat was lowered into the water. Rowing ashore took several minutes. When they reached the shore the sailors tied up the boat and roughly lifted the women to the dock.
Seeing the interested gazes of several of the men in the dock area, Antonia shrank back against Annamaria and whispered, "What should we do?"
"Nothing yet," Annamaria answered quietly. "We can't escape in broad daylight on the docks. We wouldn't get thirty feet away."
"No talking, ladies," snapped Reynard, grasping Annamaria's arm and pulling her away from Antonia. He shoved her at one of his sailors, who took her arms and pulled her along the dock. He put his arm around Antonia's waist. "Besides, my dear, these gentlemen watching would love to have a closer acquaintance with you, if you know what I mean. You're safer with me, believe it or not." He laughed unpleasantly and puller her after the others.
The walk to the establishment where they would be left took several minutes. Annamaria scanned the streets looking for someone she knew who might be willing to help, but was disappointed. As they approached the large building on a side street she turned to Reynard. "Another brothel?"
"Aye, luv. They're such useful businesses. The proprietors will usually do just about anything for money." He opened the door, on which was painted the words 'The Golden Mermaid' and featured a picture of a half- naked woman with a fish tail for legs. Once inside, Annamaria looked swiftly around and groaned inwardly. Of all people to see! There would be no help in that quarter.
"Well, I'll be hanged," drawled a voice in heavily accented English. "Annamaria Simone. Did Captain Sparrow finally weary of you?"
"Etienne Arnault," she replied coldly. "Fancy seeing you in a place like this."
"Captain Arnault," he said with a hint of anger. He advanced on Annamaria and looked her up and down. "Could it be that you will be coming to work in this fine establishment?" He put a hand on her waist and pulled her against him, ignoring her attempts to push him away with her bound hands.
"Captain?" Annamaria sneered. "So you've managed to steal a boat from someone? What is it, a fishing boat or something?"
Arnault's face darkened, and Reynard stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. "I'm afraid, Captain, that Madame Carlotta and I haven't yet come to an agreement as yet on the disposition of my, uh, cargo." He pulled Annamaria away from Arnault and thrust her toward the staircase where his men were escorting Elizabeth and Antonia to the second floor. "Perhaps another time."
Arnault looked appreciatively at the three women. "Fine cargo it is, mate." He grinned. "I'm sure ye'll get your price."
Reynard smirked. "I intend to." He turned toward a door where a stout woman was waiting for him. "I intend to." Entering the room, he shut the door behind him.
Madame Carlotta spoke first. "At first glance they all seem quite lovely," she said in an unemotional voice. "Where do they come from? Captives, I assume?"
"Quite right, Madame," said Reynard smoothly. "However, my plans for them in the long term are as yet uncertain. I'm not interested in selling them to you outright, at least not at the moment. I must sail again almost immediately, and I need a place for them to stay for several weeks."
"This is not a boarding house, Captain Reynard," said the Madame coldly.
"Oh, I have no objection to the ladies working for their keep," Reynard returned amicably. "In fact I imagine they would prove quite a draw. As you saw in the lobby of your fine establishment, the black woman is fairly well known among the Brethren of the Coast. She was the second mate aboard the Black Pearl. Imagine, if you will, "his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "how interested some of the pirate community would be to have the infamous Annamaria Simone under them in bed."
"There is something in what you say," agreed Madame Carlotta cautiously. "What of the other two?"
"The blond is the daughter of the Governor of Jamaica and the black haired one is his niece. The black haired girl's betrothed, by the way, is Commodore Norrington of Fort Charles in Port Royal. Imagine how much those gentlemen with grudges against the Royal Navy would enjoy spending some...quality time.. with the Commodore's fiancée."
She frowned. "It wouldn't be prudent to keep Governor's female relatives here for very long. This is an English colony after all. He's bound to hear of it."
Reynard nodded. "Exactly. When I've completed my other business and can return, you'll be wanting to rid yourself of those two. I'll take them away, and if the Governor or the Commodore come searching for their women, they'll not find them here."
Madame Carlotta was nodding slowly. "Very well. What is your price?"
"A third of whatever they make for you while they are here."
"Done."
--
The three women were ushered into a fairly large room. It contained the expected large bed covered with a velvet coverlet, although it contained several other pieces of furniture as well. A short, rather stout woman with cold, calculating eyes entered the room next. "My name is Madame Carlotta. Welcome to the Golden Mermaid." Behind her entered several servants who emptied buckets of water into a large tub in the corner of the room. "We have certain standards of cleanliness and beauty here at The Mermaid," Madame Carlotta went on. "I expect my girls to maintain those standards."
Elizabeth found her voice. "Are you suggesting that we will be working here as....as prostitutes?" Her voice rang with outrage.
Madame Carlotta continued as if Elizabeth hadn't spoken. "In general my new girls are unused to the rigors of their new life. If you require....training... it will be provided."
"I understand you buy your girls from pirates, aye?" Annamaria asked.
"Why yes," she answered. "From my conversation with Captain Reynard, I assume you know how that goes. Former pirate yourself, aren't you?"
"Privateer, Madame, and I'm STILL a privateer."
Madame Carlotta merely looked amused. "Well, privateer or not, I've already booked your first appointment. Captain Arnault is most anxious to see you again. I'll expect you to be bathed and in clean clothes in an hour. There are garments in that wardrobe," she gestured to a large piece of furniture. "Find something that fits you." As Annamaria gaped at her in astonishment, she went on. "My dear, not one of the girls I purchase from the pirates wants to be here. Don't think for a moment that we're not used to some...resistance. I full expect to deliver you to your appointment in chains if necessary. Captain Arnault may even prefer it." She smirked at the thought. "If you'll notice, there are bars on the windows, locks on the doors, and," she indicated the large, expressionless woman standing near the door, "Ada will keep an eye on you." She nodded at the pistol in Ada's hands. "If you won't bathe and dress of your own free will, you'll do it at pistol point." She smiled briefly and went out.
Ada leaned back against the door and regarded the three women. "Get started," she said indicating the tub.
--
Chapter 19
The Vixen dropped anchor in Nassau port not long after it was light. Around midmorning, Reynard went down to the brig accompanied by several of his crew. "Well, ladies, your voyage is at an end."
"Where are we, Captain?" Elizabeth asked.
"Nassau," answered Reynard pleasantly, gesturing for his men to open the cell doors. "You will be going ashore and staying at an establishment in town until I've taken care of some business elsewhere."
"What sort of business?" Annamaria inquired as she submitted grudgingly to having her wrists bound again.
"Why killing your husbands and lovers, of course," he answered smoothly. "It's time for me to head for our rendezvous point and wait for them."
"Where might that rendezvous point be?"
"Don't be so inquisitive, Annamaria dear," he replied. He nodded to his men, and they ushered the women up the stairs to the main deck.
"Where is Gwen Sparrow?" Elizabeth asked as she was assisted into a small boat.
"Mrs. Sparrow will be staying aboard, Mrs. Turner," Reynard said. "She will be needed as bait for her husband." He barked an order to his men, and the boat was lowered into the water. Rowing ashore took several minutes. When they reached the shore the sailors tied up the boat and roughly lifted the women to the dock.
Seeing the interested gazes of several of the men in the dock area, Antonia shrank back against Annamaria and whispered, "What should we do?"
"Nothing yet," Annamaria answered quietly. "We can't escape in broad daylight on the docks. We wouldn't get thirty feet away."
"No talking, ladies," snapped Reynard, grasping Annamaria's arm and pulling her away from Antonia. He shoved her at one of his sailors, who took her arms and pulled her along the dock. He put his arm around Antonia's waist. "Besides, my dear, these gentlemen watching would love to have a closer acquaintance with you, if you know what I mean. You're safer with me, believe it or not." He laughed unpleasantly and puller her after the others.
The walk to the establishment where they would be left took several minutes. Annamaria scanned the streets looking for someone she knew who might be willing to help, but was disappointed. As they approached the large building on a side street she turned to Reynard. "Another brothel?"
"Aye, luv. They're such useful businesses. The proprietors will usually do just about anything for money." He opened the door, on which was painted the words 'The Golden Mermaid' and featured a picture of a half- naked woman with a fish tail for legs. Once inside, Annamaria looked swiftly around and groaned inwardly. Of all people to see! There would be no help in that quarter.
"Well, I'll be hanged," drawled a voice in heavily accented English. "Annamaria Simone. Did Captain Sparrow finally weary of you?"
"Etienne Arnault," she replied coldly. "Fancy seeing you in a place like this."
"Captain Arnault," he said with a hint of anger. He advanced on Annamaria and looked her up and down. "Could it be that you will be coming to work in this fine establishment?" He put a hand on her waist and pulled her against him, ignoring her attempts to push him away with her bound hands.
"Captain?" Annamaria sneered. "So you've managed to steal a boat from someone? What is it, a fishing boat or something?"
Arnault's face darkened, and Reynard stepped forward and put a hand on his arm. "I'm afraid, Captain, that Madame Carlotta and I haven't yet come to an agreement as yet on the disposition of my, uh, cargo." He pulled Annamaria away from Arnault and thrust her toward the staircase where his men were escorting Elizabeth and Antonia to the second floor. "Perhaps another time."
Arnault looked appreciatively at the three women. "Fine cargo it is, mate." He grinned. "I'm sure ye'll get your price."
Reynard smirked. "I intend to." He turned toward a door where a stout woman was waiting for him. "I intend to." Entering the room, he shut the door behind him.
Madame Carlotta spoke first. "At first glance they all seem quite lovely," she said in an unemotional voice. "Where do they come from? Captives, I assume?"
"Quite right, Madame," said Reynard smoothly. "However, my plans for them in the long term are as yet uncertain. I'm not interested in selling them to you outright, at least not at the moment. I must sail again almost immediately, and I need a place for them to stay for several weeks."
"This is not a boarding house, Captain Reynard," said the Madame coldly.
"Oh, I have no objection to the ladies working for their keep," Reynard returned amicably. "In fact I imagine they would prove quite a draw. As you saw in the lobby of your fine establishment, the black woman is fairly well known among the Brethren of the Coast. She was the second mate aboard the Black Pearl. Imagine, if you will, "his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, "how interested some of the pirate community would be to have the infamous Annamaria Simone under them in bed."
"There is something in what you say," agreed Madame Carlotta cautiously. "What of the other two?"
"The blond is the daughter of the Governor of Jamaica and the black haired one is his niece. The black haired girl's betrothed, by the way, is Commodore Norrington of Fort Charles in Port Royal. Imagine how much those gentlemen with grudges against the Royal Navy would enjoy spending some...quality time.. with the Commodore's fiancée."
She frowned. "It wouldn't be prudent to keep Governor's female relatives here for very long. This is an English colony after all. He's bound to hear of it."
Reynard nodded. "Exactly. When I've completed my other business and can return, you'll be wanting to rid yourself of those two. I'll take them away, and if the Governor or the Commodore come searching for their women, they'll not find them here."
Madame Carlotta was nodding slowly. "Very well. What is your price?"
"A third of whatever they make for you while they are here."
"Done."
--
The three women were ushered into a fairly large room. It contained the expected large bed covered with a velvet coverlet, although it contained several other pieces of furniture as well. A short, rather stout woman with cold, calculating eyes entered the room next. "My name is Madame Carlotta. Welcome to the Golden Mermaid." Behind her entered several servants who emptied buckets of water into a large tub in the corner of the room. "We have certain standards of cleanliness and beauty here at The Mermaid," Madame Carlotta went on. "I expect my girls to maintain those standards."
Elizabeth found her voice. "Are you suggesting that we will be working here as....as prostitutes?" Her voice rang with outrage.
Madame Carlotta continued as if Elizabeth hadn't spoken. "In general my new girls are unused to the rigors of their new life. If you require....training... it will be provided."
"I understand you buy your girls from pirates, aye?" Annamaria asked.
"Why yes," she answered. "From my conversation with Captain Reynard, I assume you know how that goes. Former pirate yourself, aren't you?"
"Privateer, Madame, and I'm STILL a privateer."
Madame Carlotta merely looked amused. "Well, privateer or not, I've already booked your first appointment. Captain Arnault is most anxious to see you again. I'll expect you to be bathed and in clean clothes in an hour. There are garments in that wardrobe," she gestured to a large piece of furniture. "Find something that fits you." As Annamaria gaped at her in astonishment, she went on. "My dear, not one of the girls I purchase from the pirates wants to be here. Don't think for a moment that we're not used to some...resistance. I full expect to deliver you to your appointment in chains if necessary. Captain Arnault may even prefer it." She smirked at the thought. "If you'll notice, there are bars on the windows, locks on the doors, and," she indicated the large, expressionless woman standing near the door, "Ada will keep an eye on you." She nodded at the pistol in Ada's hands. "If you won't bathe and dress of your own free will, you'll do it at pistol point." She smiled briefly and went out.
Ada leaned back against the door and regarded the three women. "Get started," she said indicating the tub.
--
