The Devil's Wind by Steve Goble

Author:Steve Goble
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prometheus Books

14

“Luff and touch her, Mister Gangley.” Wright peered aloft. Even at a distance and in the dim morning light, Spider could see the bags under the man’s normally bright eyes and could tell the new captain was fighting a yawn. No wonder, Spider thought. Goddamned lovesick bugger has been up all night thinking of ways to keep me from getting home to Em and little Johnny.

Spider watched the man from a vantage just before the forecastle. Others watched him, too. Whispers and nervous glances worked their way through the crew.

Wright stood aft, on the quarterdeck and above the cabin where Captain Brentwood was wrapped in his shroud. Wright called out his orders and fought sleepiness but did not seem to notice the worried hands around him.

“Goddamned fool of a lobcock,” Spider muttered.

Shadows from the masts and sails spilled over the forecastle. “Goddamn,” Spider whispered again.

“What is it?”

Spider turned toward Hob rather fiercely. “I thought I told you to go up and have a look!”

Hob gulped. “You looked haunted. I was worried.” The boy ran to a foremast ratline and started to ascend. Spider chased after him.

“I am sorry, Hob. I am. We slipped away from the frigate and the rest in the night, and if I am not mistaken, we are headed toward that island the cap’n so loved, there to bury him. I think our new cap’n Wright is eager to prove his worth to Miss Brentwood, whether the rest of us get buggered by it or not.”

“Truly?” The boy halted his climb and seemed pleased.

“This is not a good thing, Hob.” Spider lowered his voice to a whisper barely audible under the flapping of sails and humming of taut stays. “This is flirting with the devil’s wind. Hell, not flirting. Sailing right along with it, letting it drive us to goddamned perdition. We are headed into a string of isles, boy. Pirate waters. Ned Low might be hiding somewhere among those isles right now, do you hear?”

“Yes, I hear, and I have been in pirate waters before, as you well know, Spider John.”

“Look at this vessel, boy. Do you see a single gun mounted? Do we even have a long nine stored below? No, we do not. And we’ve got a pirate aboard in Sam Smoke, and a murderer, and . . .”

“Mister Wright loves Abigail Brentwood,” Hob said. “But she don’t love him, it seems. He will do anything to win her. Wouldn’t you do anything for your Em?”

Spider’s jaw opened, but no words came out.

“I think it’s a good thing Mister Wright has done. A brave thing. And if we have to outwit some pirates and do a little fighting, well, I am not a coward and neither are you.” Hob continued his ascent but stopped after a moment. “If you love a woman, you dare anything, right? Would you not?”

Spider didn’t answer. He watched the lad climb higher and higher, until he was out of sight, hidden by the swelling sails. “You don’t have anyone waiting for you,” Spider said softly, now that Hob was beyond earshot.

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