Chapter 34 – An Old Wound
May 29, 1660
I awoke to the sound of someone ringing the ship's bell, it's double tones largely uncounted in my stupor. I sobered up fast at seeing the light coming in the windows, abandoning the bed and pouring some water into the basin to scrub the sleep from my face and body before getting dressed while Evelyn just rolled the blanket back over her nude body and slept peacefully on. I was still struggling into my overcoat as I walked through the wardroom to the door leading to the main deck.
"Sir," Shang said as I stepped out of my wardroom. I felt a fool, having apparently overslept but I just nodded as I moved for the poop deck, the ship's crew readying the ship to cast off. Nearby, Jasmine was easily found by her light blue silk top standing out in sharp contrast to the duller colors worn by most of the sailors aboard the Poppet while Timon and Pumbaa were leading a small group of sailors aboard the Wench.
"Enjoying yourself, are we?" Ariel said said in a low tone as she approached me. "I was thinking I was going to have come down there and wake you up."
"Too much of a good thing, I guess," I replied as she joined me to watch the sailors square away our ships. "So, how many bells?"
"Seven," she told me with a smirk. "Not late yet, but close. Was she worth it?"
"She was...energetic," I admitted as Ariel giggled as I blushed.
"Clarion wanted to see you as soon as possible this morning," Ariel then told me. "She and her girls are taking up berth on the stern of the berthing deck. I think she wants to make it official to keep the guys out of the girl's area."
"I best make quick work of it," I said as I pushed off to go down the stairs. The crew seemed puzzled by my descending into the bowels of the ship, but I ignored them as I descended to the gun deck where the gun crews were polishing the ship's cannon and caring for them, Ella among them. Descending another deck down the narrow and steep stairs, I found the berthing deck was now populated with a vast collection and styles of hammocks, chests and other personal effects. A row of blankets in the back gave evidence to the divide between the girls private side and the general quarters of the crew.
"Miss Clarion?" I said as I stopped outside the blankets. It only took a moment for the elder woman to appear, sweeping aside the blankets to momentarily reveal a few girls sleeping naked in their hammocks before the blankets fell to cover them. "Is there a problem?"
"A few of the crew expressed...displeasure...at my and the girl's presence on the berthing deck," she explained to me. "He said we...whores...should take up residence in the hold."
"I see no reason to move you off the berthing deck," I told her to her visible relief. "I've been in this ship's hold and I've noticed women tend to wilt when kept in substandard conditions. The bilge down there is a foot deep."
"As I noticed," she groused before resuming a happier demeanor before she took my arm and led me away from the blanket wall for a private room. "Thank you for your generosity, captain, but I need a word on another matter."
"Feel free to speak your mind," I told her.
"When you gave the girls the ability to say no to...certain privileges of their bodies, you created a schism," she told me as she looked back to the curtain.
"Those that want to preserve themselves feel they no longer have to work?" I said as I figured it out. Miss Clarion nodded as I thought it over, but it was a puzzle. I didn't want to turn them into slaves selling their bodies because they must, but they needed to be productive. I felt a pang of pity I couldn't just assign them to the cannons as I thought of Ella, but it did bring to mind there were other jobs aboard ship.
"Well, if they don't want to service the men for money, I've got a piece of holystone with their name on it," I told her with a quirk of a smile.
"You'll make nuns of them?" she almost hissed in her surprise as I almost burst out laughing. "I don't see what's so funny. It's one extreme or another."
"Holystoning is where you use a piece of sandstone to scrub the wooden deck of a ship," I explained to her. "It's one of the more basic functions of maintaining any ship at sea. They can also wash clothes, help with cooking…"
"All the jobs they'd do normally if we weren't your guests here," she said with a smile. "Where can they find the holystone?"
"Monica will probably know where they are," I told her. "She can also direct the girls as she knows what all there is to do aboard."
"Very well," Miss Clarion said as she nodded in agreement. "I know you have other duties to tend to and I'm sorry…"
"I consider you and the girls part of the ship's company," I told her after holding up a hand to stop her. "It's just, if I were a merchant vessel it'd be safer to have women aboard. I can't guarentee your safety here. Soon I hope to have a home in Saint Martin for you and the girls to be able to live comfortably and provide your own income."
"With a small payment of rent to you," she said with a smirk.
"Which can be...haggled," I said as I stifled a laugh that I knew I was going to be paid off with one of the girl's services which was fine by me. "If that will be all?"
Miss Clarion nodded her assent and I moved back to the main deck as Ariel rang out eight bells. I was about to call to get underway when a horn sounded as a coach scrambled to a halt at the end of the pier. Watching it, I saw the new governor step nimbly from the coach and walk quickly towards us, a pair of letters in his hands. I moved to the gangplank to meet him, where he handed me one of the letters.
"I remember you saying you were heading for Saint Eustatius next," he told me as I examined the letter before tucking it into my vest. "That is a letter for the governor there, if it still is under Dutch control. It's to ask him to send a ship of troops to secure the port better."
"I'll speed this along," I told him as I patted the letter. "I'd hate to see anything happen to you or your daughters."
"To which I also give you this," he said as he extended the other to me. "Your one hundred acres of land here in Saint Martin. My soldiers are bring a chest with five hundred in gold as well."
"Both are accepted," I told him with a smile as I pocketed the land grant in my vest and his men brought the gold aboard. "And I wish the best for you and your family moving forward."
The governor smiled, before turning away and heading for his carriage with his soldiers in tow. I then got the ships underway after the gold joined the rest in my wardroom, the many hands of the sailors quite useful in fully manning the Empress. Once we were well out of the harbor, Shang and Mulan began to drill the crew, going through the motions of loading the cannons on the main deck and using ropes with heavy iron attached to simulate pulling the cannons to the rail.
"Shang, I think its time the gunnery crews felt the power of this ship's broadside," I told my officer who smiled broadly at the order. He turned and issued the orders for powder and shot to be distributed to the cannon crews, everyone waiting on bated breath.
"Load!" he called and the crews loaded the cannons with powder and shot. My eyes went to Ella four cannons from the poop deck where she was teamed with a pair of young lads with dark hair. The blond had the easiest part in the reloading process where she punctured the bag of powder with a spike, set the fuse and roughly aimed the weapon. Problem was, it took so long for the crews to go through the process it was downright disheartening but soon the cannon was ready to fire.
"Fire!" I ordered as Shang and Mulan began to light the cannons in sequence. Once the cannons were spent, Shang ordered the reload process to begin and I began to keep a count. By the time the cannons were reloaded and ready again, a full four minutes had passed until Shang and Mulan began to light the cannons again.
"Again!" I ordered, the crew nodding and the process began again. They kept at it for thirty minutes, getting out a little over eight rounds in the process and eventually stopping if only to relieve their ringing ears. Mulan and Shang ran the drills several more times throughout the day, but even their best time was still three minutes and Shang didn't seem impressed at all.
"They can do better," Shang told me after the final drill for the day.
"I've heard the best crews can reload in a minute and a half," I told him. "I'd be happy with two minutes."
"It is the mistakes that slow us down," Shang told me. "Crew not sure when the ball is seated."
"Is there any shot and powder left aboard the Wench?" I asked him and Shang nodded. "Tonight when we anchor, I'll bring the Wench alongside and the crew can transfer the powder and shot over. Shouldn't take long and we'll conduct more drills to get the loading process right."
Shang gave me a curt nod of approval before we separated, Shang moving off to situate the cannon's supplies while I climbed back up to the poop deck. That evening as we anchored, the shot was transferred and our supplies taken stock with Shang assuring me we could run drills for days without problem.
The next day, well after the second drill, Saint Eustatius came into sight and I felt a pang of guilt. My last time in this port hadn't been particularly friendly after sleeping with the governor's wife, but Eugene also knew the power of keeping a friend when he didn't openly declare war for my head. That I had taken down Hook when no one could was likely reason for that.
Still, seeing him leading about five hundred armed men as I docked the Empress made me question my decision to wear my scarlet overcoat, of course, it was my favorite color. It was only when we got close enough to see his slight smile that I relaxed and walked confidently down the gangplank knowing it was now not to my execution where the governor met me at the end of the pier.
"Ship of the line?" he said with a smile. "British?"
"It was," I told him as we shook hands. "She was making a run for Saint Martin."
"The governor?" he then asked, his smile faltering a bit.
"Safely in Saint Martin which is still under Dutch control," I told him as I pulled out his letter and handed it over. "He requests troops to secure the port."
"I'll see to it immediately," the governor said as he tucked the letter away to read later. "You continue to impress, delivering the governor, capturing a ship-of-the-line from the enemy to protect our ports and capturing more ships as well. Come, I need to talk to you about your future."
"As you wish," I said with a slight bow. I followed him to his carriage where we went in silence to the governor's mansion whilst he read the letter, frowning only once the entire time. It made me curious as to my fate, but the governor led me to his study where Simmons poured wine into a pair of cups as we took seats to talk.
"One of the wonders of the new world is that commoners are able to showcase their skills in settling these new worlds," he began. "Sailors often find themselves as ship's captains, ship's captains become privateers then gain rank in the navy of their king."
"Some even become governor," I said to make Eugene chuckle.
"I blame my father-in-law," he said after a chuckle. "It has given me the ear of the king, though."
"Can't be doing too bad as you seem to have Saint Eustatius flowering," I praised him. "Even when surrounded by enemies."
"Comes from keeping a large garrison of troops," he responded. "Six hundred men are hard to overcome when they are in a defensive position. It's kept us safe. Governor Arendelle is going to have a hard time, but I can give him some troops to secure his position and other items he requests. That just leaves one last thing. Rewarding you for your continued service and outstanding leadership."
"To which you mentioned my future?" I prompted him.
"The king has been seeking to establish titles of nobility in our provinces," he told me. "His first thought was to grant it to us governors, but in the wake of your success I've decided to write and tell him I've granted the rank of baron to you."
"Baron?" I said, stunned into silence as I struggled to remember what I could of European nobility. All I really was sure was that it was a title handed from father to son, but that was it. "But, that's a rank of nobility, is it not? Given to the large landholders."
"Are you not a landholder?" he said as he gestured to the window. "Given title to five hundred acres on my island?"
"And one hundred acres at Saint Martin," I told him as he raised a glass in salute. "The governor's reward for the capture of the ship-of-the-line and protecting his station and future."
"Then I can make this work in both our favors," he told me with a smile. "I'll send word with the soldiers to Governor Arendelle that I'm granting you the rank of baron by writ backed by your lands there."
"So I'd be Baron Owen Hunt?" I said as I let that sink in.
"I think the preferable application is Admiral Owen Hunt, First Baron of whatever you name your manor in Saint Martin," he told me with a wry smile.
"A manor," I said as I felt surreal. A few months back I was a lowly truck driver and now I was lord of a manor? "I guess I need to design one."
"Feel free," he said as he finished his glass. "I'll draw up your paperwork, it'll take me at least a few hours."
"I'll be here for the night," I told him. "I was wanting to sell the Wench and the Poppet and recruit more crew before I sail for the Spanish."
"That's…" he began to say but was too shocked to continue. "I was figuring you would want to keep it."
"Not right now," I informed him. "I want to consolidate my crew aboard the Empress to go gun to gun with the bigger galleons."
"You have the ship for it," he commented.
"And most of the men," I told him. "They're still not capable of firing the cannons in under two minutes, but I am drilling them into shape."
"Best of luck," he said as he again lifted his glass in salute. "Sounds like you have made your plans as well. I'll send a chest with seven hundred doubloons to compensate you for the two ships you did capture along with your patents."
"Then I shall be going," I told him as I stood and set my glass aside, "And leave you to your work."
The governor and I parted after that, with me walking back to the pier to take in the town. I didn't see his wife Rapunzel at all either coming or going but as it was the middle of the day simply chalked it up to her being with the town's children. I also figured it was for the best, all things considered, but walking in my own stupor presented its own downside.
"Didn't figure to see you in town, again," a familiar woman's sarcastic tone said from behind me. I spun to see Megara leaned up against a building, her swollen baby no longer hidden by her loose dress.
"Just reporting in to the governor," I told her with a wan smile. "I'm guessing Hercules found himself work on a ship?"
"Able seamen on the Aeneas," she said with a sigh. "It's a sloop that left a few weeks ago and should be back any day. It's not his own ship, but I blame Hook for that."
"Any word from the black-hearted scoundrel?" I asked her but she shook her head.
"Seems to have disappeared for the time being," she admitted as she leaned heavily against the wall. "I consider it a blessing I don't have to worry about Hercules running afoul of him anymore."
"It's not good for the baby," I confirmed for her.
"But that really isn't your concern anymore, is it?" she then stated and I sighed and let my shoulders fall.
"I didn't get a chance to say goodbye," I told her in a low tone. "When I brought him back, you went to him, not me. Phil figured it out immediately that you weren't there to meet Hercules but someone else after having moved on and that you were pregnant. Like I told him then, I knew then I was going to have to walk away."
"I'm surprised you could," she responded but I just closed my eyes.
"It wasn't easy," I told her. "But today is likely the last time I will ever see you."
"You weren't even going to say goodbye?" she asked me, looking hurt as she said it.
"I didn't want start a fight," I admitted. "Sometimes I've found it easier to just leave the past in the past and not dwell on what could have been. It just hurts more."
"Megara?" a voice called and I recognized it as the gruff voice of Philoctetes.
"I better go," I told her as he called again. "I wish you the best."
"I'll be listening for stories of you," she said as I took a step back and she finally turned and began to walk away. I turned myself and kept walking, a tear threatening to fall from my eye as I made it back to the Empress and sealed myself in the wardroom out of sight.
Life really sucks at times.