The Seahorse by Michael Aye Page B

envious? Gabe thought, smiling to himself.
    â€œCaptain.”
    â€œAye, Mr Lavery.”
    â€œI’ve talked to the ah…hostages, sir.”
    â€œThey’re no longer hostages, Mr Lavery.”
    â€œEre, well…yes sir. At any rate Mr Houghton and his family are from Barbados. The other hostages…young ladies are from St. Johns on Antigua.”
    â€œThank you for the clarification, Mr Lavery,” Gabe said. “I’d hate to sail all the way to the Virgin Islands only to learn I was at the wrong St. Johns.”
    â€œYou’re welcome, Captain, though I wouldn’t mind a little more time at sea to get to know a couple of them better. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Captain, but a couple of them are lookers.”
    â€œHumph!” Gabe responded.
    The young ladies were certainly attractive even in their torn and ragged attire. The dresses the girls wore were all in a state of ill repair. Some were torn so that most of a leg was visible or the top buttons were gone so more of their chest was open showing more than considerable cleavage. All of this caused Gabe to rethink his previous thought. Maybe it’s this attire that made them more attractive.
    Dagan, who had sided up to Gabe, touched his shoulder and motioned to the waist of the ship. One of the young ladies sat on a hatch cover. Standing over her Lieutenant Davy could be seen in conversation with her. However, standing over her as he was he had a full view of her healthy chest.
    â€œBring back memories of our days back in Antigua?” Dagan asked.
    â€œWas I so obvious?” Gabe asked.
    â€œLike Squire Hugh’s dog pointing pheasant.”
    â€œWhy didn’t somebody say something?” Gabe asked.
    â€œCause they were all looking too.”
    â€œI see,” Gabe said, joking with his uncle. “I guess that included you as well.”
    â€œMe especially,” Dagan replied with a chuckle.
    â€œWell, let’s get ready to weigh anchor,” Gabe said, turning to give orders to the first lieutenant. Then as an afterthought he turned and called out, “Mr Davy!”
    â€œAye, Captain.”
    â€œPlease attend to your duties, sir, before you go blind.”
    â€œRight away, sir,” the young lieutenant replied and dashed off, leaving the young lady to puzzle over the comment…go blind?”
    The evening air was much cooler as Peregrine and Lizard sailed northward to Antigua. Seeing his captain glance aloft at the sails the quartermaster volunteered, “Winds steady and holding, sir.”
    â€œThank you, Yates.”
    â€œCaptain, it’s a beautiful evening.”
    â€œAye, that it is, Mr Houghton,” Gabe replied to the planter they’d rescued. “Few things can match the beauty of the sun going over the horizon at sea”
    â€œI agree, Captain, especially after what we’ve just gone through. When we were taken aboard that privateer I just knew my time was up. I also knew a fate worse than death awaited my wife, daughter, and the other young ladies. If it wasn’t for the ship’s captain…he tried to behave as a gentleman but the other man…he was cruel.”
    â€œAye,” Gabe answered. “I know the man. He is evil…a devious, evil man. He’s been a foe for some time now but I’ve yet to get the upper hand.”
    â€œWell keep your pistols loaded and primed, Captain. Loaded and primed.”
    â€œI will, sir,” Gabe replied. He asked the planter if he and his family would care to dine with him that evening.
    â€œMy pleasure, sir,” Houghton said. He then looked at his watch. “I will see to my wife and thank you for the invitation.”
    ***
    Nesbit rushed around making sure everything was as it should be. This was the first time the captain had entertained since he’d taken over the duties of captain’s servant, or as he liked to say, captain’s steward. Nesbit had