Page 43 of The Pirate's Daughter

“I want to know why you’ve taken up quarters below decks and won’t so much as join me for ameal.”

“Join you? Why would I join you? Why would I think I should?” Again she wiped her face with her sleeve. “The captain works with his crew. He dines with the crew. I’m not part of the crew. I’m cargo. I want off this ship. Find land and set meashore.”

Her words hit him broadside, hard. “Mia, you’re notcargo.”

“No? What am I then? Is this a passenger ship?” She gestured around the space. The bulkhead with various blades and pistols hanging on, the table with maps and other navigational tools, the utter lack of anything unnecessary to commanding a naval war vessel. Some captains put deeper personal marks on their ships. Devindidn’t.

“No, it’s not a passenger ship,” he started, not sure why she was so put out. “But you’re not cargo. You are a passenger. It’s thatsimple.

“I can’t possibly be a passenger. Passengers have a destination they’ll reach. They’re put ashore, not held at sea for months on end. If I’m a passenger, then put me ashore. I want off thisship.”

“I was under the impression, Mia, you could handle long periods atsea.”

“Of course I can. As part of acrew, with something to do,” she shouted at him. “But I’m not part of this ship. I want off. I’m done with being nothing more than cargo and having no other use than to spread my legs for you at night. If that’s all I’m good for put me ashore so I might earn a few coins doingit.”

“The hell I will,” Devin shouted and stepped towards her only to stop when he saw the fear in her expression. Was that how she truly felt? That she was of no other use? Well of course, because he’d not set her any purpose after cracking down on the crew for passing their duties on to her. “Mia,” he tried again with less hurt and anger, “each member of the crew needs to do their own, not get in the habit of handing the line.” He watched her face for any sign she was going to stop listening to him. He wasn’t saying anything she didn’t already know, having captained a ship of her own. “We’re a small crew, yes, but I have it this way so all aboard can take turns learning to do each task, and become proficient and continue on if they choose this as a career. If you step in and do the work for them, what do they learn? That they needn’t do as ordered?” He waited but only got a shrug from her. “The crew is tight and functions welltogether.”

“So I won’t find a place among them?” She sounded rather heartbroken and all he could do was shrug. “Put me ashore, find a place. It need not be a port, but put me ashore and come back when I might have a use other than warming your bed.” She headed for the door, but he caught her before she made itout.

“No, Mia,” he saidsternly.

She knew he wouldn’t beswayed.

“I’m not setting you ashore. You’ll have to find something you can do apart from the crew to occupy yourtime.”

“What do you expect that I should sit and do needlework?” she practicallyshrieked.

Devin was a bit surprised at how quickly she could shift moods—heartbroken to insulted in less than a minute. “If that is what you find to do,” was his answer. “But you’ll do it above deck and you’ll resume your place in these quarters. You are not crew Mia. You’ll accept this and carryon.”

He’d left her then, ignoring the sound of her foot stomping down only because he’d been the cause of the frustration she felt. She did return to his quarters, but she brought her hammock with her and strung it on the opposite side from the bunk he used. And she continued to refuse to eat meals with anyone save Grim and Mr. Hong. Devin avoided most questions about her behavior for a while, then gave in and said Mia was pouting because he’d declared she wasn’t part of the crew and wasn’t to act as if she was. The looks he received from the men at the table startled him. They looked quite skeptical of his decision, but said nothing. A few days later Mr. Franks, the ship’s carpenter, said Mia was asking to make use of some wood and tools. Not seeing the harm and if staying busy was what she wanted, he gave consent to let her have anything she might want as long as it wouldn’t leave the shipshort.

Now, weeks of watching her measure and write things in her log book, fit pieces of lumber, carve short dowels to lock the boards together, and make miraculous use of otherwise useless items, Devin couldn’t deny when Mia set her mind to something she accomplished it. And no one could deny she knew everything to know about ships and sailing. It may only be a plain raft she built on his bow deck but she used every perfected skill any master shipbuilder would use. And though she answered questions when members of the crew paused to watch her work, she spoke with a clipped tone that discouraged them inquiring further. Several times Mr. Franks suggested Mia teach the crew how to do what she was doing, admitting that some of it was more than he had the skill todo.

It was a thought. Perhaps Mia could give a lesson or two. Perhaps it would bring her back from the island she’d placed herself on. Holding her apart from them was a mistake. She stayed busy, but as Mr. Hong pointed out every chance he got, it didn’t make her happy. She demanded Devin put her ashore somewhere nearly every day. And more than once he’d lain awake listening to her sniffing backsobs.

“Mr. Brinks. The helm if you will,” Devin said stepping away to let the young officer take the wheel. With a last look toward Mia, who with Grim’s help was stowing her project for the day, he made his way to their cabin. His books were open. He was checking to see what things were left for the crew to do before they turned out toward their last point then headed forport.

His regular route took him from Cartagena east-northeast to the fifteenth parallel and past the many small islands of the eastern Caribbean, then north through open waters to the ninetieth before he turned west to the passage that lay between the two large islands of Haiti and Cuba. Once through, he’d head directly south past Montego Bay, finding a larger port once Cartagena was insight.

The entire trip took between five and six months, depending on winds and currents, and was usually broken up with a few days in the small ports that were friendly to an English war ship. Most were, but Devin didn’t care to deal with any harassment that might be had with Mia on board. He had been avoiding most of the common stops they made with the adjusted course to ensure Mia had no chance to jumpship.

The crew, like Mia, were growing restless, and he feared resentful, because there no way to hide the fact they avoided some ports because of her. He needed to find other things besides mending sails and nets to keep them focused and inorder.

Flipping through the pages he happened on an entry not repeated in more than a year. It could be the very thing they all needed. He made an entry and that night at supper as he tried to ignore the empty chair to his right, he announced his intent to have the whole crew practice drills for abandon ship, towing, man overboard, and basic swimming and floating skills. They’d also practice manning the guns and hitting targets. No current wars didn’t mean they shouldn’t remain ready andskilled.

That morning the crew was ready and excited to partake in the activity that was anything but scrubbing decks. Devin broke them into teams and made it a competition with an extra ration of rum for the winners. The men threw themselves into it wholeheartedly. Mia’s interest was piqued, he knew by the way she stood and watched them for a bit each day, but then he’d see that sadness wash over her face before she’d turn and head for the bow where she worked to put her rafttogether.

On the fourth day, when he sent the men into the water off the port side to strengthen their swimming skills, Mia with Grim and Mr. Hong went starboard and lowered her craft into the water. It remained moored to the ship but when Mia started over the side Devin was compelled to leave his post and make sure nothing she did was going to end badly. She was yelling up from the sturdy craft as she seemed to be setting in some pegs to hold the odd collection of supplies she’d put together. He wasn’t sure what she was saying as she always spoke to Mr. Hong in his language, but she looked to have it all squaredaway.

“What does she want, Mr. Hong?” Devin asked the little Chinese man who stood shaking his head ather.

“Mia say she need weight. Make anchor, and she wants her clothes make sail now.” Mr. Hong shook his head. “Hong not let her tear dress to make sail. No sail for Miaboat.”

“Well, get her some canvas,” Devin told him not understanding why Mia just didn’t ask forsome.

“No sail, Mia boat,” Mr. Hong said with some disgust in his voice before he again turned to argue the matter with Mia. He turned when Grim tapped him on the shoulder. The man held out both his hands but did nothing else for a long moment. Devin was lost to his meaning more when he then lifted his hands behind his head and used two fingers to make him look to havehorns.

“I think he means idle hands do the devil’s work,” Mr. Quiggly said as he approached the rail to look at what Mia was doing. Devin glanced down at Mia then back at Grim who smiled and nodded before patting him on the shoulder and walkingaway.

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