"Will you have some of this excellent Madeira wine, Señorita
Alvarado?" the captain asked in his strange whispering voice as he
lifted the bottle toward her glass, but Tessa covered it with her
hand.
"Thank you, no, Capitan Stoner. That was a fine dinner. I am most
appreciative of your cook's efforts. Please tell him." Tessa smiled
ingratiatingly at the captain, noting the interest in his eyes as he
regarded her. Keeping her voice carefully level, she said,"Now perhaps
you will tell me why you have taken me aboard your ship, and how you
knew my name."
"Alas, I cannot. I have sworn an oath, and you would not expect a
gentleman to break his word, would you? What I can tell you is that a
ransom is being asked for you. The note should be arriving at your
hacienda sometime tomorrow."
Tessa gripped the table edge, feeling as if something heavy was
pressing on her chest, making it difficult to breathe. She was having
a hard time playing this game, keeping her anger in check. Forcing
herself to calm, in a reasoning tone, she said, "A ransom? How much?
I have already told your first mate, my hacienda is a poor one. You
cannot expect much of a ransom for all your trouble, so you might as
well put me ashore. I will find my own way back to Santa Helena."
The captain laughed, a jarring, wheezing sound. "I wish I could,
señorita. I have taken quite a liking to you. It would pain me greatly
if the ransom is not paid, as I would have to kill you. But let's not
think of such unpleasantness right now." He leaned back and watched
her face in the flickering candlelight, a slight smile playing over
his lips. "It has been a very long time since I have had the pleasure
of dining with such a beautiful woman, Señorita Alvarado. A very long
time."
In the intimacy of this small cabin, Tessa squirmed a little with
discomfort, noting the rapt expression on the captain's face, and the
intensity of his gaze. But it was what she was hoping for. Steeling
herself, Tessa said softly, "Tell me about yourself, Capitan Stoner.
How did you become a pirate? It must be a fascinating story." She
leaned forward, feigning an eager interest, and the captain flushed
slightly.
"It isn't really fascinating. Just very sad." His harsh whispering
voice took on a softer tone, as his eyes focussed on an inner
landscape. "But if you wish to hear it, it will help to pass the
time." Responding to her nod, he continued, "I wasn't always a pirate.
Never wanted to be. In fact, I used to capture and hang pirates." He
laughed wryly. "During the wars with Napoleon, I was the captain of a
British warship, part of a fleet under the command of a certain
admiral. We met the enemy off the coast of Spain and we were vastly
outnumbered, but the admiral wouldn't retreat. He ordered my ship to
lead the fleet into an obvious trap. Even a midshipman could see how
hopeless it was. I had the signaller relay that we could not advance
against the French, and should fall back. The admiral relayed back
that if I didn't go on, I would be replaced and arrested. So I went in
and the fleet followed."
The ticking of the ship's clock punctuated the long silence that hung
between them as the captain seemed lost in thought. He roused himself,
and took a long draught of his wine, refilling his glass. "I can't
describe to you the horror that ensued in that battle. My ship was
sunk with most of the hands, and I was severely wounded. This scar,"
he said, touching his cheek, "is only the most visible record of those
wounds."
"The admiralty needed to blame someone for the disaster, and it fell
on me. I was court-martialed for disobeying the admiral's order to
retreat. No one came to my defence. I was cashiered and sentenced to
hang."
He laughed harshly and continued in his strange whisper. "You wonder
about my voice?" He pulled back his neckpiece and revealed a scar on
his neck that caused Tessa to recoil. "That was from the hangman's
noose. But I didn't die. It was set up by one of the other captains
from that terrible battle that I would appear to hang but would
actually be held up by a wire. Still, the rope did its damage to my
throat."
He shook his head morosely, and looked into Tessa's compassionate
eyes. "I don't know why I'm telling you all this. I have never told
anyone, not even my crew. It's so shameful I have tried to forget it,
especially what happened after the hanging."
"If you'd rather not finish your story, Captain Stoner, then I will
not press you. I can see it is a very painful memory." Tessa touched
his hand sympathetically, and he flinched slightly.
He heaved a sigh, and continued. "My friend spirited my body away and
I was able to go home to my parents' manor. When my mother saw me, she
almost fainted. They had heard I was dead. My father threw me out of
the house with nothing. He was sure I had betrayed my country and
acted ignobly in the face of the enemy. So I left, vowing never to
return. Since my country had repudiated me, I went over to the French.
They were very eager to have me, a British naval officer with intimate
knowledge of ships and arms. For my service to them, they gave me a
ship and letters of marque to become a privateer. And so I have been
ever since." He studied his hands for several moments, not wanting to
look into her face and see the disdain there. When he dared to look
up, all he saw was compassion. It unnerved him and left him shaken.
"You should hate me," he whispered in his strange voice. "I've stolen
you from your home, and plan to extort a ransom from you. And now you
know my story, you should despise me even more."
"Capitan Stoner, I understand the desire for revenge only too well.
And the terrible feeling of helplessness against injustice. I don't
despise you at all. But, you must take me back to Santa Helena. This
is wrong. I have never harmed you, but you are harming me. I cannot
pay a ransom." Tessa stood up and paced the small cabin restlessly, a
torrent of conflicting emotions assailing her at once. She didn't know
how to react to him. He compelled her sympathy, yet he had kidnapped
her and was holding her against her will.
He watched her for several minutes, then said finally, "I'm sorry. It
is out of my hands what happens to you. But, if it is any consolation,
I wish you well. You may return to your cabin now. Buenas noches." He
suddenly stood, and opened the door to allow Tessa to go back to the
mate's cabin. "The door to your quarters will not be locked from now
on, Señorita Alvarado. There is only one escape— into the sea. I pray
you will not take it."
***************
Chapter Five
The sun was just above the horizon when Montoya summoned Grisham to
his office. The captain just had time to shave, after bidding his lady
of the night a fond farewell. He whistled cheerfully as he bounded up
the stone steps to the colonel's office.
"As usual, Grisham, you are late. Delayed no doubt by your latest
paramour?"
Grisham grinned unabashedly and winked. "Maybe you should try it,
colonel. You'd be a little less tense."
Montoya scowled, then said, "I didn't call you in here to discuss
these tawdry matters. I have something more important to think about."
Seeing he had Grisham's attention, Montoya added, "The disposition of
the Alvarado hacienda, now that Señorita Alvarado has disappeared."
"Isn't it a bit soon for that, Colonel. I mean she's only been gone
two days. Isn't there some legal limitation on this? Like a year and a
day or something? Besides, we don't even know if she's dead yet."
"Listen and learn, Grisham. The taxes on the property are due in just
over a month. If the payment is not met, I can take the property in
the name of the Crown. We don't have to wait quite so long as a year
and a day. That's British law, anyway."
"So the Crown gets the land. How does that help you?"
"I pay the taxes owing, and the hacienda is mine. So simple, it almost
makes me humble." Montoya chuckled at the look of appreciation on
Grisham's face.
"What about the ransom note her servant received? If Señorita Alvarado
is still alive, and the ransom is paid, your plan fails."
"They can't pay such a sum. I'd be surprised, even if Tessa Alvarado
was still here, that she could raise enough money for the taxes. And,
of course, Grisham, if Marta does find the money somehow for the
ransom, there won't be much left for the taxes. Either way, I win."
With a self-satisfied smile, Montoya sank down on his office chair,
steepling his hands in front of him. "Yes, Grisham, it would seem that
the culmination of my plans is now in reach. I wanted to share it with
you."
"I see what you get out of this. What do I get? How does all this do
anything for me?" Grisham lounged against the door, fixing Montoya
with a cool stare.
"When I'm a don, I won't have time to be the military governor any
longer. There will be a promotion for you, and you will have my job.
How does that sound?"
"Your job? Sounds just perfect. All we have to do now is wait for the
inevitable."
**************
Chapter Six
"Are you out of your mind, Marta? Do you have any idea what you're
asking?" The flaxen-haired woman strode about the room in agitation,
glaring at the Gypsy woman who withstood the onslaught without
flinching or moving. "I've retired from all that! I'm just a ranchero
now, and I like it." More reasonably, she said, "Why don't you just
pay the ransom? How much is it anyway?"
"Five thousand reales. It might as well be a million," Marta said
despondently. "You are my last hope, Mary Rose. Tessa saved your son
from hanging. You owe her something for that."
"Oh no! You're not going to blackmail me with that! She was saving her
own neck and you know it! And yours as well, in case you've
forgotten." More gently she added, "I'd give you the money myself, but
I know pirates, Marta. More than likely, they'll kill her anyway, even
if you pay them the ransom."
Marta raised her eyes to Mary Rose, their dark depths tormented and
desperate. "You spoke once of loss, when your son was unconscious from
a fall. Then, you know how I feel." Her voice barely above a whisper,
she said, "Tessa is all the child I have ever had. Ever wanted. Now
she has been taken from me. How can I bear it?" She leaned against a
chair for support, holding her emotions in check by sheer force of
will.
Mary Rose's eyes softened, and she crossed to Marta, touching her
gently on the shoulder, then said compassionately, "All right, Marta.
I'll do what I can." The look of hope reviving on the other woman's
face drew an unexpected prickle of tears behind Mary Rose's eyes and
she turned quickly so Marta would not see her weakness. Her brow
creased as she began to outline a plan, speaking almost to herself.
"My ship lies at anchor in a cove not far away. It needs to be
provisioned and equipped, and of course, I'll need a crew and some
warriors for this little trip."
As she paced the room, Mary Rose slipped into her old role as ship's
captain with the ease of long familiarity, and she realized with a
lurch of her heart, how she had missed the excitement and danger of
the sea. "They won't go far if they expect to collect a ransom," she
continued, musing aloud. "In fact, they've probably just gone far
enough to stay out of sight. All I have to do if figure out where to
catch them and they are ours!" Mary Rose slammed her hand onto her
fist with such hearty resolve, Marta felt the stirring of hope for the
first time in days.
Turning to Marta she continued, "This will take a couple of days to
organize. Meanwhile, you had better stay close to the hacienda, in
case the pirates send you another message. It wouldn't do if they
suspect someone is after them."
"No, I'm going with you," Marta insisted. "I need to know what has
happened to Tessa."
The pirate queen crossed her arms, and fixed Marta with a firm look.
"This is my command and I say you stay at the hacienda." Mary Rose
deliberated for a second, then said, "Could you get the local doctor
to go along with us? There are certain to be casualties, and I don't
have anyone among my men with medical training."
********
Don Hidalgo closed the office door delicately, and Montoya thought
once again how graceful he was for such a big man. The don turned his
affable gaze upon the colonel, his smile slipping away into a look of
deep concern. Montoya waited for the don to come to the point of this
arranged visit.
"Colonel Montoya, I have come to speak to you on a very delicate
matter," he began in his slow deliberating manner. He sighed heavily.
" My poor wife has been inconsolable since the disappearance of Maria
Theresa Alvarado. As you know, they had become the greatest of
friends."
"Yes, it was gratifying to see that Senora Hidalgo had a female
friend," Montoya remarked, then seeing the don's face clench at the
seeming slight to his wife, added, "Someone of her own age and social
strata. Señorita Alvarado will be sorely missed. Please tell your
wife, I condole with her over the loss of her dear friend."
The don nodded curtly. "It is of this disappearance I wish to speak."
Don Hidalgo studied the colonel for a moment, the easy-going facade
gone, replaced by a hard, calculating look. "You may be aware,
colonel, that the Alvarado hacienda adjoins my own. I have offered to
buy it from Señorita Alvarado to raise my cattle on, but she would not
sell. This extra land with its natural watering places would be of
great benefit to my cattle-raising operation. All she grows there now,
are wine grapes and a few dozen cattle for her own hacienda." He
grimaced at the thought. "This is cattle country, unfit for anything
else." The don leaned forward, lowering his voice, "When the property
is taken back by the Crown and is put up for sale, I would be most
appreciative if you looked favourably upon my bid. Most appreciative.
Do you understand me, Colonel?"
"I think we understand each other quite well, Don Hidalgo. But, of
course, we still must hope for the señorita's safe return. And to be
restored to the bosom of her dearest friend, your wife."
************
"I had a message that you wanted to see me, Marta? What is it?" Dr.
Helm slid off his horse and stepped quickly to the Gypsy woman's side.
"Is there news of Tessa... Señorita Alvarado?"
Marta shook her head and said, "No. But I need your help, Dr. Helm.
This is for your ears only. Do not tell anyone of this plan. Do you
promise?" Helm nodded, and she continued, "Mary Rose is preparing to
sail after the pirates in a few days. She wants you to go with her as
ship's doctor. She thinks there will be a bloody battle, and many
casualties. Will you go?"
Helm hesitated for a second, considering how to conceal his absence
from Montoya. "Of course, Marta. I'll be ready to sail when they are."
He drew in a deep breath, unsure how to convey this news to Marta. "I
saw Don Hidalgo enter Colonel Montoya's office earlier today. They
were as thick as thieves in there for about a half hour. When Hidalgo
left, he had a very satisfied smirk on his face. I have a feeling they
were planning something to do with the Alvarado hacienda. The Hidalgo
hacienda adjoins it, doesn't it?"
Marta turned away in disgust. "The vultures! She is not declared dead
yet, and they are already picking at her bones." The grief on her face
rent Helm's heart and he was moved to embrace her, lending his
strength for the ordeal she must be going through. She leaned against
him for a moment, then straightened, and moved away, slightly
embarrassed.
"This has been very hard on you, Marta," he said gently. "I'll do
whatever I can to get her back safely. That's a promise."
