Page 206 of Storm over the Caribbean
“Indeed.”
There was a moment of silence. Then…
“Um…Mr Ambrose?”
“Yes?”
“Now that we’ll be returning home…” I hesitated as something occurred to me. “Just checking, wewillbe returning home, right?”
I swear, if he was going to tell me he wanted to continue on with his merry band of sea-brigands and let me give birth to a gaggle of little pirate babies, I was going to brain him with a frying pan.
“Naturally.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Ah. Good.” No frying pan required, then. “Well, now that we’ll be returning home—what are we going to do with your personal pirate posse?”
For a moment, I saw a mental image of Captain Rockface sailing up the Thames at the head of his pirate fleet, ready to plunder the heart of the British Empire.
Yeah, that probably won’t go over well with the Queen.
“Hm…” Mr Ambrose stood there for a long moment, stroking his chin. “Do you think the trade routes to India are safe?”
I blinked. “Um…yes? I think? I don’t really know. I’m not an expert on the subject of Imperial sea trade.”
“Let me rephrase. Don’t you think the trade routes to India are a littletoosafe? Especially the ones under the control of the East India Company?”
My eyes widened ever so slightly. “Oh.”
“Mostespecially the routes used by the East India Company to transport its opium from India to China in order to try and addict the entire country, as well as transport back the profits derived from said opium’s sale.”
I couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across my face as my eyes wandered back to the pirates who were currently arrayed in a line in front of Karim. “Now that I think about it…I believe we forgot to send Lord Dalgliesh a birthday present this year.”
“Indeed.”
“Like all the years before that. Considering that, as the main shareholder of the East India Company, he’s such an important personage, that’s really unforgivable.”
“Indeed.”
“I think we should remedy that, don’t you?”
“Speedily.”
“Let’s send him a…surprise. In fact, several ships full of surprises.”
“Agreed.”
Our eyes met, and then, as one, we turned to the pirate fleet anchored a little farther away. The pirate fleet that would soon be sailing off for a nice, long, plundering holiday in the east. Giving birthday presents was such fun!
Suddenly, something occurred to me.
“Mr Ambrose?” I asked in the sweetest tone I could manage. Batting my eyelashes up at my darling husband, I leaned towards him.
“Yes?” he enquired suspiciously.
“Before we send them off, could you do me one teensy-weensy harmless little favour…?”
***
We met up with the rest of the pirate fleet a few dozen nautical miles from the island. They happily cheered and welcomed back their captain—that is, until they were introduced to their new first mate. Over the next few days, Karim took great pleasure in “instructing” his new subordinates. It was almost enough to make me feel pity for the bunch of murderous bastards. Or, to be precise, for what was left of them.
