Division of Loot

Is there anything you will be needing ma'am"? her guide asked.

Raven managed a smile. No. Not now. Thank you Rodney.

Again pulling his forelock politely, Rodney began backing out the door. Then if you will excuse me, I've got some work to do. Captain Fortune will take care of you later.

A trembling of her lips destroyed her smile, and the blood drained from her face One hand fluttered at her breast, and she feared for a moment that her legs would not support her. "Fortune?" she managed to ask in a whisper.

Aye, milady, the wiry pirate replied proudly, "The best captain in the Carribbean." Then he closed the door and was gone.

She didn't check to see if the door was locked. It made little difference. She was a prisoner- and the prisoner of Jeffrey Fortune! Of all the pirates in the Carribbean, how could she have had the misfortune to fall into his hands? she had been so eager to escape De Lessops. She should have begged to have been left with him. What mercy could she hoped for at the hands of Jeffrey Fortune? her family nemesis.

Had he not vowed vengeance against her entire family? And had he not been taking his toll these last few years since his escape from slavery on her uncle's sugar plantation.

She almost laughed out loud. He had seemed like such a gentleman. With his speech so refined , his elegant carriage, his easy manner, she had been completely fooled. Now she realized that it was only in contrast to De Lessops that he appeared to be a gentleman. Now she knew him for who he was, a common felon, a traitor to his country, condemned to slavery and transported to the colonies for his crimes. His manners were only a veneer to impress his fellow buccaneers.

It was not her uncle's fault that Jeffrey Fortune had committed his crimes and been sold into slavery. But it was uncle Samuel's misfortune that he had bought him. In the letters he had told her and her father about the rebellious trouble maker who had escaped, crippling his leg in the process nd swearing vengeance on him and his family. He had heard no more of his escaped slave until three years ago when Fortune had acquired his own ship and began wreaking havoc on all of her Uncles Samuel's shipping.

Now she found herself his slave. what an irony of life. Only God knows what form would his revenge on her will be,when he finds out who she was.

On board the second vessel, that the spoils were being shared aboard De Lessops ship was no accident. His was larger vessel and the task would be more easily accomplished there. Though captain Jeffrey Fortune came late, his interest were well represented by Mr. Meachum, his first mate. One of the few of the crew gathered on the deck who could read and write, Mr Meachum sat at a small table with the logbook and the cargo manifest of the sunken Dutch merchant ship before him. Round and neat, having taken little active part in the fighting, Mr Meachum looked more like a misplaced business man than a pirate as his features quill scratched along the paper. De Lessops stood behind Mr. Meachum, scowling over his shoulder with suspicion at the disposition of each box, bag, or barrel. His large, hook nose and glinting black eyes gave him the appearance os a vulture picking over the bits and pieces of his downed prey.

The men shuffled aside for captain Fortune as he made his way to Mr Meachum's side. Propping one foot atop a small keg, he leaned on his knee letting one hand dangle casually as if he had not a care in the world. But those who knew him , well there were few in that band unfamiliar with Captain Fortune - would have noted that the captain's good right hand did not stray from a brace of pistols that he had tucked into his belt, primed and loaded.

Captain De Lessops straightened his angular frame and would have been hard to miss the sharp glint of his hatred that blazed from his eyes when they alighted on his partner in this venture. "Do you not trust us to make a proper division, captain?" he sneered. I would have thought you would have other interests to occupy you.

Captain Fortune smiled crookedly and shrugged, ignoring De Lessops's reference to the woman that he took away from him. " I trust Mr. Meachum implicitly."

De Lessops stiffened further and his hand flew the hilt in his saber. " Meaning that you do not trust me?"

Fortune waved his hand in the general direction of the assembled crews. " I am sure you are as honest as any other man among your crew members."

De Lessops gnashed his few remaining teeth at this reply, for without impugning the honesty of his own crew, he could not take offense. His long , thin fingers twitched once or twice before his hand fell away from his saber, and he returned his attention to the business at hand.

The division proceeded apace with each piece of cargo and loot being shifted to the correct vessel as it's destiny was decided. Soon there were but three pieces left. They were traveling trunks and it was not difficult for captain Fortune to guess to whom they belong to.

Mr. Meachum coughed nervously. " That's all that is left, sir. There was some disagreement previously about them so we decided to leave them until last."

" The lady's, I take it?"

" Aye. The lady's. But you will not be taking them." De Lessops stood straddled and menacing beside the trunks.