The Pirate's Revenge Read Online Free Page B

you.’
    â€˜I’m sure it has,’ I said, unconvinced. ‘Thank you.’
    Max tapped on the hatchway and called down to us. ‘Boat’s ready.’
    Hussein fixed his eyes on me. ‘You remember what to do? Don’t deal with anyone but Ebenezer Black. He will make arrangements for future deliveries. But don’t mention my name to him. He is dealing with other friends of ours, and need not know of my involvement. Stay alert.’
    â€˜I know,’ I assured him. ‘There are spies everywhere.’
    â€˜Not just spies. We are at war now. We have enemies.’
    â€˜I don’t,’ I said.
    â€˜You’d be surprised.’
    He clasped me on the shoulder. ‘Be careful. If you need me, come back to Dwejra, to the Inland Sea. The people here will always be able to find me.’
    â€˜I will.’
    Then he was gone. The Mermaid sailed on, around the headland and east, towards the towering cliffs of Dingli.
    It was a murky, strange day. A sea mist lay heavy on the surface of the water and drifted up over the cliff-tops, which seemed to stretch upwards endlessly. Above the mist, dark clouds were pressing down, thickening the fog. Out to sea, the water and sky blended into one silky grey shadow that carried on forever. The entire French fleet might be anchored offshore, for all we knew, but there was some comfort in the knowledge that the Mermaid was also invisible to unseen eyes.
    The tops of the trees on shore were wreathed in a slowly swirling fug. Beneath them, Ebenezer Black was waiting for us.
    In a tiny cove, no more than a cleft in the cliffs, he stood on the beach with a few men, a team of stout ponies, and a dray. Jem motioned in the direction of the shore.
    â€˜Hussein’s word travels fast.’
    â€˜He always seems to be one step ahead of us,’ I muttered. ‘How does he do that?’
    â€˜You’d better go talk to Black, like Hussein said.’
    â€˜I’d rather not.’
    â€˜Quick about it,’ he said. ‘I’ll get things ready here.’
    Reluctantly I climbed down into the rowboat, leaving all my weapons on board the Mermaid . I didn’t trust myself in Black’s presence. I wasn’t sure if I was scared of him or scared of my own reaction to him. Perhaps I was simply afraid of learning the truth: he had said he would tell me what had happened to my father. Now the time had come, I wasn’t certain that I wanted to hear it.
    But the boat flew through the water and was beached before I had time to plan what to say. Black walked slowly towards us. Some of his men were armed with pikes and axes.
    â€˜Cyg,’ Miller whispered, ‘don’t just sit there, get out of the boat.’
    I couldn’t move. I watched Black’s feet sink into the wet sand with each step he took towards us — smart leather shoes with large silver buckles. It seemed to take hours for each foot to lift itself up and splatteragain in the outgoing waves. I didn’t want to look into his snarling face. I didn’t want to know.
    At last he drew close enough to speak. ‘Miss Swann, welcome back.’
    He was smiling. What on earth —?
    â€˜Allow me to help you out,’ he offered.
    â€˜No, thank you,’ I said, jumping to my feet and over the gunwales into the shallows.
    â€˜About bloody time,’ Miller muttered.
    â€˜I have ordered a barge around to help with the cargo,’ said Black. ‘It will be with us shortly.’
    â€˜Thank God,’ said Miller, ‘I had a feeling we’d be here for a week unloading with this wee boat.’
    â€˜Perish the thought,’ said Black, smiling again. ‘My men will keep guard.’
    â€˜We need our water casks filled, too, and any stores you can spare,’ I said gruffly.
    Black bowed in acknowledgement. ‘I’ll have someone see to it.’
    â€˜Best get started,’ I said. ‘Jem will have the block and tackle