Chance the Winds of Fortune Read Online Free Page A

’Tis a pity she was widowed so young.”
    â€œSpeakin’ of showing proper respect, mate, tha’s no way to speak to the first mate,” reprimanded Cobbs. Clarke’s fancy gent ways had never set too well with him anyway.
    â€œVery well, Mr. Cobbs,” Clarke responded, bowing deeply to the assembled hands, who chuckled. “I think Mr. Fitzsimmons should show the proper respect due the lady.”
    â€œAnd, to be sure,” Seumus Fitzsimmons responded easily, “I am showing her all the respect she’s deservin’. Heard tell she broke the captain’s heart. Made him the laughingstock of Charles Town, she did. Reckon she got to thinkin’ herself too fine for the likes of our captain. Reckon her be too good for the smuggler who puts fancy brandy on her table. Hear she hightailed it to London for a season of hunting.” Seumus grinned. “Hear she was looking for a titled gentleman. Reckon ’tis sometimes better to do your looking closer to home, eh, mates?”
    â€œFigure the cap’n’s weathering it well enough. Perhaps he’s better off’n you think,” contributed the closemouthed Trevelawny.
    â€œReckon she might start looking the cap’n’s way fast enough when he’s got that treasure fillin’ his purse,” Cobbs said, spitting a stream of brown tobacco juice over the bulwark. “Hope she don’t come back empty-handed from her scalp-huntin’ trip to London. The cap’n’ll be in real danger then.”
    â€œWhat makes you think that?” Grimes, a seaman who worked the yards and masts, asked curiously, for Cobbs’s words had been full of meaning.
    â€œSomething I heard said when Mr. Kirby was in his cups. Got a tongue runnin’ on wheels. ’Tis amazing the things that little fellow knows,” Cobbs said with a wide grin. “Could be, if that fancy widow don’t get the cap’n, she might set her sails after Mr. Kirby, or, devil take her, one o’ us!”
    â€œYe really thinks we’ll be findin’ treasure?” Sampson, another topman, inquired hesitantly. “’Twouldn’t hurt none to be rich. Could have three sheets in the wind every night if I wants. Ye thinks this Cap’n Leighton’ll be sharin’ fairly wi’ us?”
    â€œReckon we’ll not keel haul ye this time, matey, seein’ how ye ain’t been with the cap’n of the Sea Dragon long enough to be knowin’ better,” Longacres warned him, while several “ayes” sounded threateningly behind him.
    â€œHere now, mates. I meant no disrespect to the cap’n,” Sampson quickly apologized, noticing the expressions on the faces of the loyal crew of the Sea Dragon . “I was just wonderin’, fer sure, mates.”
    â€œAye, well it’d better have been just that, and now that we’ve set yer mind at rest, I’ll not want to be hearin’ anything more about it,” Longacres said grudgingly, his big fingers moving deftly and delicately on the fragile piece of ivory he was carving.
    â€œâ€™Cause we happen to be on the subject,” Cobbs began importantly, then winked at Conny Brady, who was curled up at Longacres’s feet, “I’m wonderin’ what ya going to do with your share, ya old pirate?”
    â€œGot meself some plans,” Longacres admitted. “Maybe open up a tavern in St. Thomas, now that ’tis a free port I’d be gettin’ plenty of trade. And what about yeself?”
    A wide grin split Cobbs’s face. “I always fancied meself as Squire Cobbs, country gentleman, that I have.”
    â€œTo be sure, Cobbs, they’ll be callin’ ye Squire Nabobs ,” Fitzsimmons predicted. “And if given a free hand in the designing of yer countryseat, ’twill most likely be called Cobbs’s Folly.”
    Cobbs grinned appreciatively as he was engulfed by laughter.