Shadow of the Mast by L.J. Martin

Author:L.J. Martin [Martin, L.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781953944771
Publisher: Wise Wolf Books
Published: 2022-06-13T16:00:00+00:00

The brig Virginia backed her sails in the harbor, returning to the Mission San Juan for the third time since the brig had reached California. She sat a little deeper in the water, her hold over a third full of hides and tallow. As the crew lowered the shore boats, William Taylor-Johnson strode the quarter deck.

“Mr. Piedmont,” the captain said, showing Swill a new respect since Hard Tack’s demise and his promotion to first mate. “This time maybe we’ll get lucky. Our deserter friend, Mr. Mueller, must still be somewhere in the area. I’ve talked with most of the hide ship captains. They’ve not seen him, and if they do they’ll not take him aboard.”

“He could have tried it overland, sir. If that’s the case, the savages, or the desert, will already have his blackguard hide.”

“I think not. The man’s no fool. Nor is this papist, Zalvidea, who runs the mission, beyond hiding him. If we didn’t have to trade with the pious bastard, I’d bring his mission down around his ears.”

“Yes, sir,” Swill said, “I’m sure you would.”

“I suppose it doesn’t matter. With or without the priest’s help, we’ll find our Mr. Mueller and make an example of him.” He fixed a hard gaze on Swill. “I want you to go to the mission. Take a cask of grog and loosen the tongue of your old shipmate, Dutch—and mind you don’t get drunk yourself. In the meantime, I shall visit the inland rancheros. Mr. Mueller has enjoyed his freedom far too long. It’s time his bloody carcass scraped our hulls, and he joins his sogger cousin.” A corner of his mouth twisted up. “‘Tis bad for the crew to think of a killer-deserter enjoying the Indian women.”

Several nights later, dressed in his finest navy-blue uniform, the captain raised his glass in a toast to his host, Don Pedro Seville. His smile was wide to Seville and his family, and it was sincere, at least as far as his attention to the beautiful young Señorita Elena. He glanced across a branch of candles flickering on the low carved wooden table in the sala, and saw her talking with her mother and grandmother. He wondered if he would ever have a chance to get her alone.

His slick smile faltered at the thought. These Californios watched their women with the same fervor a Bostonian guarded his finest silver. Ah, but in this case he understood the don’s concern. The girl was a beauty, and he was as good a judge of women as he was of fine ships. He licked his lips as she bent to retrieve a fallen hanky, exposing the deep cleft between her pale breasts. He had caught her glance several times while he’d been chatting with her father. Perhaps she was as enamored with him as he was with her.

He smiled again, hoping it was the truth.

“Where did you say you were bound, capitan?” Don Pedro took a sip of his brandy, a ruby ring on his thick-fingered hand glinting in the candlelight.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.