Next to the wall the sounds from the next room were much clearer. Now there was a mixture of sounds.
In addition to the cries and whimpers of women there was also the laugh of men. Right away he recognized the voice of Montique and Hindley. Hindley was addressing his boss.
'Can the men have a turn now, Mr. Montique?' A slight pause then Montique answered,
'Tomorrow night, but tell that bull Smith if I lose another from his sodomizing he'll pay. The dey of Algiers doesn't take it kindly when his merchandise can't hold their bowels.'
'I'll warn him, sir. I'll threaten to take the cost of the wench from his pay.'
'And I'll have the hide off his back as well,' Montique said.
As the two men stepped out of the prison where the captive women were kept, Montique could see Faith sitting on the top step of the plantation house. She had her legs drawn up to her chest with her chin on her knees.
'Has she come around yet?' Hindley inquired.
'No, not yet, and I'm losing patience,' Montique answered. 'If she's not willing by the time I return from Charlestown I may send her on a trip to Algiers. I could get more for her than the whole group we got penned up.'
'Should I help persuade her some,' Hindley asked, hoping to have his way with Faith. He'd seen her in the low cut dresses acting so innocent. He'd also seen her naked. He had climbed the oak tree and laid on a limb until Nanny had the tub fixed and Faith undressed as he watched. She was ripe and he was ready to pick the fruit.
Montique had come to a stop and appeared to be considering Hindley's suggestion, 'No, not yet. Keep an eye on her. Give her free rein, but watch her closely.
If she don't want me when I get back, Ali Dey can have her. Let's see how she likes ’The Dey's keeper of the
honey' watching over her night and day. The big eunuch stands with his arms crossed and a great scimitar in his hand guarding the only entrance to the harem's quarters.'
Montique seemed to be thinking aloud as he continued speaking, 'A beautiful blonde is worth a lot, but a beautiful blonde virgin is priceless.' Shaking his head, Montique appeared to have made up his mind. 'No, don't touch her Hindley…keep your eye on her, but don't touch her.' These last words were fill ed with menace.
As they parted in different directions it started to drizzle, then the rain came harder. Damn, thought Montique, it will be a slow muddy trip to Charlestown.
Gabe awoke with a start. In spite of the cool damp air he was sweating. He had been dreaming of the explosion on Turtle. The sudden blast that sent him cart-wheeling into the air as the vessel became a roaring inferno. High through the air Gabe had been hurled, still clutching the Turtle's captain. The air burned his lungs as sheets of flames seemed to reach out for him.
At some point he turned lose of the burning corpse that seconds before had been a man. Then down, down he plunged into the muddy darkness of the trough where the remains of Turtle fill ed the sky with fiery orange debris.
Gabe wiped his face with a grubby sleeve. He smell ed the marsh. He could not yet see about him so it
was still early but he knew his prison was close to the marsh. He could smell it and it brought back memories of his childhood. His father would take him hunting wildfowl on the marshes that lay along the Thames. It was one of the few times Father had seemed completely relaxed. He was just Father on the hunting trips, not Admiral Lord James Anthony. It had been the two of them…Dagan, and his father's servant.
Memories…A shackled prisoner…would he live long enough to have further memories? He would like to have a life full of memories built around Faith. He suddenly realized he was deeply in love. He'd like to share life with Faith. She could bare him a son and he could take his son hunting in the marshes as his own father had done.
'Shh…,' Rud held his fingers to his lips. The group of men was in a thicket just off the main road.
Limbs from the great oaks hung low; some even touched the ground. Moss hung from the limbs and old acorns crunched under their feet as they made their way as silently as possible.
At Rud's warning, they had squatted down to be even less visible. A coach was approaching on the road.
The sound of the horses' hooves on the road was clearer and then rounding a slight bend, the coach was visible.
Two men sat on top, a driver and a servant both dressed in red livery. As the coach passed a great crest
was emblazoned on the door and with the window shade up a man could be seen.
'Montique,' Dagan hissed, 'I knew it would be him.'
'That's the devil himself is it?' Rud asked.
'Aye, that's him. Well, maybe things will go better with him away.'
Light flooded the room as the door was opened.
Two men stepped in, one with a musket and one with a plate of food and a cup of water.
'You's hungree?' the man carrying the food asked as he set it down on the floor. 'I don't know why we bother to feed ye anyhow. You're a dead man soon as Mr. Montique returns.'
'Mister Montique say' iffen he see's Captain Crawford he's gona tell him he's got the man what took
’is ship and got his young'n in a British jail. It could be Captain Crawford might pay to put his hand on ya.
Might use ya to barter foh his kid or he might jus kill you his ownself.'
Then laughing the two turned to leave. Wanting to get a better look at his surroundings Gabe cal ed out, 'I have to go.'
'What?' the man with the musket cal ed.
'I have to go,' Gabe repeated. 'Nature cal s.'
'Well shit in your pants then sit in it,' the other man replied cruel y.
'If I do I'm sure it will be you who has to clean up after I'm dead.'
The man holding the rifle snickered, his rotten teeth showing. 'He's right, Luther. Smith will sure put you to cleaning up the mess.'
'Ah right! Hold that gun on him and if he so much as flinches you part his hair with a bull et right where that gray streak be.'
Outside Gabe could see he was being kept in a warehouse that indeed was almost at the river's edge.
He could see a boardwalk and what appeared to be a dock. That was probably where stolen goods were brought in and out. Attached to the side of the warehouse was a smaller building. Bars fill ed the windows and young ladies peered out as he passed.
Luther saw him looking and snatched on his chain causing Gabe to stumble.
Laughing at Gabe, Luther said, 'Lookers ain't they?
To bad you can't have any but if you beg I'll ask Smith if he'll let you watch as we has our pleasure. That will be just afore Mr. Montique takes his pleasure in kill 'n you.'
Look as he may Gabe could find nothing that would aid in his escape. He'd hoped to get a glimpse of Faith but that was not to be. Once back in the warehouse the sun was starting to shine through high windows and cracks between the wall boards. The warehouse was full. Barrels labelled rum were stacked
against the rear wall to one side and several cannons fill ed the other side.
Boxes labelled muskets were stacked as high as a man's head. There were also boxes labelled shoes, shirts, blankets, and britches. Powder kegs were stacked, more boxes labelled bullets, buckshot, nails and one small box labelled stockings. Sail canvas was stacked, and down the middle, ship's spars were stored.
Turning, Gabe focused on top of the barrel next to him, a lanthorn. Luther had been careless and left the lanthorn he'd used to see with when he unlocked Gabe's chain. It was sitting on a barrel. It was no longer lit but it was there. If he couldn't escape Gabe thought at least he might be able to light the lanthorn and destroy the
