The Grey Lady Ch. 09

With a soft groan she finally came, her sex gripping his cock tight and he quickly followed, spilling his seed deep inside her. For a moment he rested against her back still buried deep within her, held tight by her. In the brief time that she had been on board, she had become an intricate part of his life. The thing that bothered him was her unknown past. She was still as much a mystery as the night he had found her in his cabin. And though she had been somewhat of a mouse when she arrived, she was starting to find her backbone. Despite the beating from DuFey, she had pulled through even stronger. He was proud of her. She was a woman instead of a scared thing.

His cock began to slip from her as he softened and he kissed her on her shoulder, her skin pale and reminding him of a full moon in a soft fog.

"Not so bad, was it?" He knew that she could hear the smile in his voice and she shook her head. Without looking, he realized that she was blushing and somehow found that endearing. So passionate, yet still a bit shy. He watched her cross to clean herself, dipping a rag in the wash bowl before she wiped away any traces of his seed that seeped out. Waiting by the bed until she hung her dress that had been left lying on the cabin floor, he watched her movements and smiled. It was amazing that this woman should affect him so. She was not the first woman that he had bedded by any stretch of the imagination, nor was he some starry-eyed young man that was taken by a pretty face or a shapely figure. Yet, somehow this woman seemed to have captured his attention.

He watched her graceful movements as she picked up the dress to hang it on the hook that he had installed. Smoothly she crossed the cabin as The Grey Lady rode the swells of the night seas, her gait proof that she walked easily with the movements of the ship. He looked forward to seeing that sway of her hips on land.

She turned to cross back to him, her bare feet silent on the wooden floor and as she reached him, he folded her in his arms. The kiss was soft and gentle. No words were needed. She climbed into the bed and he followed her, hemming her into the bunk and into his life. Once they were in bed, she turned to him, resting her head on his chest, their nude bodies intertwined in repose.

The Grey Lady continued to plow towards Wexling as the two of them curled up on the bunk, the sea rocking them to sleep. Each had a slumber full of dreams - one dreaming of light and the other dreaming of dark. But which dreamed of which was the question.

*****

The roguish pirate stood there staring at her, a devilish grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes as he pranced before her. It was a silly dance and she could not help the smile that graced her lips. Even he seemed to delight in what he saw before him and she found herself almost laughing at the man.

Suddenly he twitched his upper lip, the black mustache tilted crazily as its curlicued ends moved back and forth under his large nose.

"My Sweet," the pirate struck a pose, his long johns strange on one so saucy. A bright red tricorn hat was perched on his head at a tilt. Long jet-black curls spilled from underneath the bright headpiece while the long red and white plumes waved in the breeze moving with each bob of his head.

"My pirate eye spies a beauty in my presences." He spoke with a funny accent. French? At least that was what she thought that it was but she was not certain. In his high black boots and with a rapier tied to his waist, the pirate looked ridiculous yet he seemed to not be aware of his folly.

"Where is John?" He looked at her waiting for her answer.

John who? Who was this man that this pirate was looking for?

"I don't know." Befuddled she shook her head.

The man gave an exaggerated frown, rubbing the ends of his strange mustache. The twinkle in his eyes stayed the same however, as if he already knew the answer to his question and enjoyed her confusion.

"Never mind, my little one. He will appear when it is time."

Then, with a bow over her hand he kissed it with a flourish before turning to skip across the deck of the ship, the huge plume bouncing above him like a branch of an apple tree waving in the wind.

When he reached the railing of the ship, he jumped over the side into the water. The splash was loud and she watched amazed as the resulting spray rose up like a geyser over the side of the ship, leaving Samantha very baffled when she awoke the next morning.

*****

Morning came early for Jake. As always, it was hard to leave Samantha asleep in the bunk. He gently kissed her lips and her features twitched. Knowing she was dreaming, he wished he could enter them and know her secrets. He longed to know who John was. Was John the pirate that dressed so strangely? For a moment he pondered that possibility. He didn't think that she was hiding anything, but rather that she needed the right thing to trigger her memory. He wished that he knew just how to do so.

He quickly washed and headed topside, finding Bilge standing behind the wheel waiting for him.

"I take it all was quiet last night?" Jake spoke low, knowing how easily the wind could grasp his word and carry them to others. Bilge knew this too and lowered his voice in answer.

"Quiet, but tense. They all seem to sense that something is up."

"They are not stupid men." Jake nodded, looking out on the horizon. "We are coming close to the last mark on the paper." Bilge nodded and squinted, looking around as Jake continued. "We're just about a day and a half from home. It could be any time. Let's be especially vigilant."

Bilge turned the wheel over to Jake and headed down for a few hours sleep. Jake watched the ship wake up as the Forenoon Watch started with the sound of eight bells. He knew that below Toby would be bringing Sam her breakfast. As the morning progressed, a fight broke out between a couple of men. Once he broke it up, none of them could answer him as to who started it or what it was all about. He could see that he was not the only one in need of a break. They could not arrive at Wexling soon enough.

Around six bells, the Grey Lady passed through rain. It was a quick shower with a stiff breeze. This last bit of the voyage - since leaving Rabel - the weather had been so blessed with sunny days and mild nights that some of the men considered Samantha their good luck charm though a few did grumble that such a long run of good weather was almost witchcraft. Those few were quickly hushed.

The quick rain was a nice refresh to the drinking water. Even though they should dock on the morrow near sunset, fresh drinking water was always welcome. Meanwhile, with the decks wet, the men swabbed down the ship in an effort to make it look sharp for arrival in Wexling.

Someone noted that several dolphins were actually following the ship, their grey bodies jumping in and out of the water as they seemed to playfully race to stay with them. One of the men piped up that those spirited creatures were supposedly good luck. Somewhere, one of the men played a Jews harp and the splash of refuse thrown overboard by the cook added to the standard sounds daily ship life. Nothing stood out as different from any other day.

*****

As the sun rose high overhead, Bilge returned topside and took the wheel from Jake. Both men were worried and on their guard, well aware that anything could happen. It was frustrating to not know just what to expect and even the slightest thing could easily be blown out of proportion. Jake found himself wishing that whoever it was would go ahead and strike. The waiting was actually worse than the deed.

Toby and Samantha were with Willie taking their lesson. He could hear the THUNK of their knives as they hit the target. The swells were gentle and warm breezes occasionally carried snatches of conversation between the men as they talked about just how they planned to spend their portion of the booty. Wine and women seemed to be the top choice, though one had plans to try and purchase a set of false teeth and yet another said that he planned on buying his mother a little house. Several men stood by the rail, fishing for supper. Repairs on the ship were being made where possible while below the rest of the crew slept until it was their shift.

For a few minutes, Jake stood at the rail, his eyes scanning the horizon for a flash of sail, or maybe the glint of reflection off of a spyglass. He found neither, and he checked all sides of the ship, feeling a bit paranoid. Glancing over at Bilge, he could see that the First Mate felt the same way too. The smell of salt air was strong as he crossed back to the bald man steering the ship with ease.

"All quiet?" Bilge asked as he squinted at the sun to estimate the time of day.

"For now. I'll be back in a minute." Jake answered as he headed down below to his quarters. The ship had a gentle roll as it cut through the sea towards its final destination. His boots sounded sharp on the wooden floor as he reached the Captain's Quarters and opened the door. It was as he was crossing to his desk that the hair stood on the back of his neck, just seconds before he felt the pain in his back near his ribs. He gave a grunt in pain and spun around to find Carter facing him with a knife wet with his blood.

Carter quickly closed the door so that just the two of them stood in the cabin. Overhead Jake could barely hear the muffled sound as Bilge probably called out for more sail and the resulting pull of the wind on the sheets. The pain in his back hurt like hell. There were only 3 people other than Jake that were allowed in the Captain's Quarters without asking permission or being summoned. Carter was certainly not one of them. In an instance, he realized that for all their diligence, the man had managed to catch him unaware.

"Aw, Captain, you look disappointed. Was that my fault?" The smile on Carter's lips was mocking and Jake felt the urge to punch the man's face. He really stood a better chance if he could keep Carter busy bragging long enough until Bilge came looking for him.

"Yes, it was. You were showing such improvement. Proving to be someone that I could depend upon in battle. Or at least so I thought. I suppose that you were working with DuFey."

"Ah, yes, about that. Sorry. I did help Dufey sneak on board. The man had promised me this ship. I was terribly disappointed when the two of you made it back." Carter grinned. "I was even disappointed when the man wound up as shark bait, though I suppose that it should not have surprised me. DuFey's tactics were rather lacking the finesse and grace of others. Still, I was disappointed. I want this ship!"

"Well, I'm glad to have disappointed you. At least I did something right." Jake leaned against the desk, needing a bit of support. The wound in his back was making it hard to stand. But Carter seemed a bit nervous and cautioned him.

"Not so fast, Captain. I'm well aware of that gun in your top drawer. Right now, it contains no bullets. No sense in taking any chances. So, you might as well step away from your desk." Carter motioned and Jake had to oblige.

"So, when did you come in contact with DuFey?"

"We had met back before Rabel. It was Curry or Pryor, I don't really remember which port. It was agreed that should we wind up in battle against each other, I would be his way in. Working behind the lines. At the battle, I ran into him and found him eager to get on the Grey Lady, and I was eager to fulfill our agreement."

"Oh, I'm sure he was eager."

"I even told him that you had a big treasure locked up in your cabin. I understand that your slut managed to hold DuFey off long enough for you to come to the rescue. I suppose that in that instance I underestimated her. I thought that she was only a bedwarmer."

Jake looked sardonic as he spoke to the traitor while mentally trying to come up with a way to disarm Carter. He could feel his blood trickling down his back. That was not good. "I would say that you greatly misjudged my Samantha."

Carter's eyebrows rose, questioning. "Your Samantha? Ownership so early on? Were her thighs that warm and inviting? Though once you're gone, do you think that she shall mourn your passing? I doubt it. Still, we waste time. I think that now this conversation needs to end." There was a bit of humor on the man's face. Jake recognized it.

"You feel that you've trumped your betters, don't you?"

"Funny way to put it but yes, I do. Captain Jake with his high and mighty swagger amongst us lowly swabs. Always looking down on us as you stand at the helm, ever stalwart." Carter's mocking tone revealed his bitterness.

Jake stood looking at the man. He should have known, and yet somehow, he never expected Carter. The man had gradually shown improvement and Jake had hoped that Carter would eventually become a worthy sailor. Though the idea of him ever being a first mate, much less the captain of a ship like The Grey Lady was a joke.

His back was starting to really hurt him and he could feel the back of his shirt becoming soaked with his blood.

"Why did you turn?" Jake wanted to know.

"Ah, Captain, I have no plans to live like this forever. It takes too long to gain riches at this rate. And you," Carter spread his hand in mocking apology, "were just too trusting. It was all I could do not to laugh at you each time you belted an order. Like only you could captain a ship."

Jake looked down, trying to ignore the pain. "So, are you going to tell me who? Just whose side are you on? Just who has been pulling your strings from the very beginning? Who? It could not have been DuFey. The man was doing good to hang on to the Ramrod for as long as he did, much less make such long-range plans to do away with me." Jake paused. It hurt to take a deep breath. Carter must have hit a rib so the wound probably wasn't too deep, otherwise he would have already been dead. Still the damn thing made movement difficult.

"Captain McCandle. Even DuFey could not have trusted me and would have suffered in the long run. And I suppose that McCandle really can't trust me either." Carter chuckled.

Jake nodded. "McCandle? I should have known." Ah, now the truth came out.

McCandle was the kind of pirate that gave the swashbucklers a bad name. He rated up there with the other greats and probably already had plans to do away with Carter should the man's plans come to fruition. But no sense in warning this upstart. He would find the truth soon enough.

"I must admit that you are taking this very well. McCandle has been looking for a way to obtain your ship and holdings for some time. Each time we would dock in Wexling, he and I would meet, make plans and work towards bringing you down. And I was his little cohort. And Pete too, to a lesser extent. Now it's just me." He grinned. "I would have thought you would fight me on this one. Oh, I'm sorry, guess it is a bit hard to fight right now. I will try to make it as painless as possible. I'm sure there shall be just a bit more discomfort, so I'll make it quick."

Jake could feel himself getting a bit lightheaded and fought it. Would Bilge wonder why he was late coming back topside? "So why kill Picky Pete? After all, he was one of your confederates."

"He was too easily swayed. Once you had whipped him, it was just a matter of time before he would start to talk. He was always a weak one, too interested in the ladies. Just look at the tart he managed to sneak aboard." Carter sneered at the Captain as Jake fought to keep his temper under control.

"How do you plan on getting away with my murder?" Jake spoke through clenched teeth.

Carter gave a chuckle. "Not a problem. Old Bilge will have no idea that it was me. Of course, I'll leave the knife where it can be found. Probably in Pegs' locker. He won't talk anyway. Maybe I'll make a play for your whore. I'm sure she will miss you...at first. But I'll do my best to help her forget you. That is, if Bilge doesn't want her. Maybe she will become the ship's whore. Passed from man to man... Of course, eventually Bilge will be out too. McCandle has promised me that this ship will then be mine. And then this will become a true pirate ship. And my name will become as great as any of the other great pirates." He paused and his eyes narrowed as he looked at Jake. "McCandle claims to know some secret about you. Care to tell me? You know that I'll find out eventually. Why not give me your side of the story?"

Jake stood there looking at him. Like all shallow men, he seemed to love talking about how smart he was. Just keep stroking the man's ego and try to keep from passing out.

"I have no idea just what you or McCandle are talking about. Every man has something in his past that he regrets or wants to keep secret. What do you have in your past, Carter? What deep, dark secrets do you wish to keep hidden?"

Carter shook his head. "If you're talking about Picky Pete, he doesn't matter. I regretted including him in my plans almost from day one. Despite the fact that he had no qualms about murder, the man did not know how to shut up."

'As do you?' Jake thought to himself. Carter continued.

"Especially when he drank. Or was scared. Do you have any idea of exactly how many people he murdered? At least one or two people each time we docked. Every time we set sail, he would brag about who he had just done in. I actually did the world a favor. So, don't expect me to feel bad about that scum."

Carter took a step closer. Jake looked at him, saying, "And you couldn't tell me about it, or even Bilge, because then Pete would betray you."

"Exactly. Besides, Pete was expecting to take over as First Mate. Can you imagine that? The man didn't have the intelligence for the job he held, much less as a first mate. As it is, I figure that Bilge becomes Captain and I think that he will make me first mate. After that, I can easily get rid of Bilge. And then, the Grey Lady is mine."

Jake knew Bilge, knew that he would never choose Carter as a first mate. There were plenty of men aboard the Grey Lady that would make a better first mate than Carter. The man was definitely unbalanced.

Jake gave a bark of laughter. "Bilge may be more difficult to get rid of. I suspect much harder than me. He will certainly be on his guard once I am killed."

All Carter did was raise his eyebrows at first. Jake could see the man pondering over what he had just said. After a moment, he spoke. "You may be right. Thank you, Captain. Your concern for me is actually quite touching. Of course, that won't stop me killing you."

"Oh, of course."

"So, you are not gonna tell me what McCandle has on you? So secretive, Captain?"

"I have..." Jake was irritated and in pain, and it showed in his actions as he started to burst towards Carter. The man immediately stepped back out of reach.

"Careful, Captain. All in good time."

Jake held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry. Sorry. I was going to say that I have no idea what McCandle thinks that he may or may not know about me. Perhaps the man is lying to you. Did you think of that? What makes you think that you can trust McCandle? Or are you planning on double crossing him too?

"But of course, Captain. Though I do have to say that I am doing away with you just about where I had planned to. I'm sure that by now you found my little map?"

"Yes. Bilge found it."

"Oh, I'm glad. I knew that you of all people were intelligent enough to decipher it's meaning."

"Yes, Bilge and I had figured out the various symbol's meanings," Jake dryly answered.

"Please tell me, who is in the ship that you periodically meet up with. Bilge is quite tight-lipped about it, and none of the other men seem to know who it is as they all ask me. So, who is the mysterious man? A boss? A benefactor? All of these? None of these?"

"Ship? I'm not quite sure what ship you're talking about." Jake gave a mysterious smile, knowing that he was frustrating the man holding him at bay. His answer apparently was not what Carter wanted to hear as he impatiently snapped back.