From Justice to Triumph by Demelza Carlton

Author:Demelza Carlton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Demelza Carlton
Published: 2016-06-04T00:00:00+00:00

Twelve

Tony stared thoughtfully at the well, where the teeming pink fish matched the dawn-tinted clouds above. "How did we catch so many fish? I don't think I've ever caught this many snapper in a night, not with a full crew and a full night's work!"

I shrugged. "The storm made them crazy."

"Let's stop off at the fish markets and see if we can put some of these on ice or something. There's no way we can take all of these home – not even with my family. Pity the markets aren't open today – we were the only ones crazy enough to go out last night."

Us and Mother, I thought but didn't say, as I guided us into the fishing boat harbour. A small huddle of people stood on the jetty, watching us as we tied up. I recognised some of the local restaurant and café owners – our first customers of the day, most days. Not today – the markets were closed.

The only fish to be had were swimming inches from my toes, in the well of our boat.

"Tony," I said softly. "What about selling them? We're here at the markets. Those are our usual customers. It's not like anyone else is here with fish to sell..."

As if to illustrate my point, Mrs Davis called out, "What's the catch this morning, Basile? And why aren't the markets open yet?"

"Beauty pink snapper, a shilling a pound! The other boys didn't want to get their feet wet, so they're all curled up at home, out of the storm. These are the only fish for sale at the markets today!" Tony shouted back.

Mrs Davis frowned. "But they were only nine pence a pound yesterday. That's robbery, Basile, and no mistake."

I counted the fish while the two haggled, with help from some of the other customers. I counted twice, but both times I came up with more than fifty fish. Most were easily twenty pounds – some were even bigger than that. A little more complicated numbers work told me our combined catch was worth close to fifty pounds, even at yesterday's prices – a fortune for a day's work.

"Ten pence a pound!" I thundered, leaping onto the jetty. "But once it's gone, there'll be no fish before Monday. Get in quick!"

If business had been brisk yesterday, it blew by in a fresh gale this morning. As the sun rose, Tony and I scooped fish from the well, weighed them and counted coins. By ten, we were down to the last few fish and they were increasingly hard to catch.

"I'll just take the money inside to count it on the table," Tony said, stepping easily onto the jetty and making for the market building. I used his absence to sing the fish quietly within my reach so that I could catch them without having to get right down into the well. I killed them quickly, not wanting to prolong their pain.

Tony returned, wearing a stunned smile.

"How much?" I asked.

"Sixty-two pounds, fifteen shillings and sixpence."

It was more money than I owned – all my savings from my meagre pay to fund my search for William.

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