Page 15 of Her Perfect Pirate
“We’ll do the Trojan Horse routine, then,” Chow said, eager to move the captain towards battle orders.In the Trojan Horse maneuver, they rowed a longboat out to the flagship under the guise of exchanging latitude estimates, like any other friendly ship in the Atlantic.Then, once they had installed a dozen or so pirates aboard the flagship, theGhostopened fire on all ships at once and battled the whole fleet.
The captain had invented the maneuver some years ago, and Chow had named it, a reference from the Greek mythology that Lady Preston had insisted would one day be useful.He expected Captain Boukman to smile as they settled upon a plan he could endorse.
The captain only frowned more deeply.“Are you giving the orders now, Chow?Did I miss the vote when the crew decided to oust me and make you captain?”
“No, sir.I meant it as a suggestion, of course.We’ll do whatever you deem best, sir.”
“That’s right.”At last, Captain Boukman shifted.Claiming the telescope, he raised it to his eye and examined the ships on the horizon.Then he ordered, “Raise the American flag.We’ll pretend to be one of them.”
The Trojan Horse, except for some reason, the captain didn’t want to call it by that name.Chow didn’t care so long as they had a plan.“Aye aye, Captain.”
Chow motioned Davies ahead and was about to jump down from the quarterdeck himself when Captain Boukman gave one more order: “Go and find your wife, Chow.I don’t want her underfoot when the fighting begins.”
“Aye aye, Captain.”
The words were like a bucket of cold water sloshed over his head.
He hadn’t considered what role Rebecca would play in a battle.He had been so wrapped up in the surprising joy of her companionship that he had stopped thinking about what would come in the next hour, day, or week.He, who found peace in making plans for every last provision on the ship, had somehow stopped himself from realizing that if they caught the slavers, it would mean thatshehad to risk her life, too.Even if she remained below, running gunpowder from one cannon to another, as the captain was bound to order.
Chow’s feet slowed, but still, he descended the ladder to the lower deck.
He found her milking the goat.“We are approaching the slavers, and the captain has special orders for you.”
“What special orders?”Rebecca took his hand to stand.He tried to drop her fingers but couldn’t.They were so strong and, after just a few weeks, so familiar.
“I don’t know.You’re to come up and get them from him yourself.”He led her to their little alcove between the barrels, where he paused to strap on his leather belt of weapons.He handed her the machete he had bought from an old maroon in Haiti.
“This is meant to cut jungle vines.All you need is to swing big, and it will keep you safe.”Not exactly true.Nothing Chow could give her would keep her safe.But at least it would give her some protection.
He wouldn’t let himself think about her getting hurt.
They had the protection of all that was moral and good in the world behind them, and that would keep her safe.
Rebecca tied the machete to her thigh under her petticoat with a grim smile.“Small chance the captain will let me join in the fighting, but thank you.”
Davies was already directing the arrangement of the longboat that would be their Trojan Horse as Chow led Rebecca to Captain Boukman on the quarterdeck.The crew was alive with the spirit of an impending battle: Chow could practically taste their excitement.His own heartbeat picking up, his mouth growing dry, Chow leaned into the sensations so he would forget that he had no control over Rebecca’s fate.He took a hard look at the slave ships—looming larger each moment—to stoke the fire he would need to get through the battle.
He was no longer holding onto Rebecca’s hand.
“Here she is, Captain,” he announced.“Ready for your orders.”
Even tall Rebecca looked small in contrast to the captain’s hulking figure.He smiled at her in that way of his that made Chow want to step between them.
“You’ve never been in a battle before.”
“No, sir.”She smiled back at him, but hers wasn’t flirtatious at all.“I’m a pirate now, and I’m ready to do what is necessary.”
“I’m glad to hear that.Now, where is your goat?”
“My goat?”
Chow’s heart began to hammer, though he didn’t know why.The captain had a strategy, and soon it would all make sense.
“She is below deck with the other animals,” Rebecca finished.
“You’ll need her.You see, you have a very special role, my dear.We are making an offer of your little goat to the captain of that flagship so that he thinks we are his friends.”
Rebecca blinked.Then, silently, she turned to Chow, as if to ask him to intervene.
