H.M.S Valor: Treachery And Triumph: A war time adventure on the high seas by Cal Clement (best contemporary novels txt) 📕

5 August 1808

Port-Au-Prince Harbor, Haiti

Lilith awoke on the hard-wooden deck of a ship, a group of men looked on as she coughed and sputtered up water and retched on the deck where she lay. A sick feeling engulfed her and even though the night was warm, she shivered violently. A large, imposing man with a bald head and graying beard brought Lilith a blanket and wrapping her in it, lifted her from the deck of the ship. He had a kind manner about him, though his scarred hands and face belied a propensity for violence that Lilith noticed as he took her up.

“You gave us a scare young lady; another few minutes and you’d be beyond saving. You must feel like shit.” The large man spoke, soft in manner or at least he was trying. A gentle look in his eyes reassured her, this man meant her no harm.

“Thank you.” Lilith sputtered out in between coughs. Her shiver continued even now wrapped in the blanket and held tightly in the strong sailor’s big arms. With a slight motion of the deck Lilith quickly looked about, instantly anxious about her new surroundings and the strange men who had rescued her. Seeing this, the sailor tried to ease her discomfort,

“Relax miss, not an evil will befall you whilst you are among this crew.” the man spoke reassuring Lilith. He carried her below decks to the galley and gently placed her in a seat near the wood stove. Lilith could feel her chill easing and the sailor poured some coffee into a cup and handed it to her with a smile.

“My name is Charles; this lot all calls me Chibs or worse sometimes I’m afraid. But you can call me what you like miss.” He said sitting in a seat across from her. He opened a wooden crate near the stove and produced a small loaf of dark bread which he tore in half. He handed half of the bread to Lilith, who immediately began to eat. She was famished, the bread and coffee were devoured with no observed formality, which brought a huge grin to Chibs’ face. He had taken a bite of his half of the loaf but surrendered the rest to the girl who gladly took it and wolfed it down.

“I’ll have our cook, fix you something proper after you’ve had some rest. But, that wench of a screw is god awful if awoken and she is sleeping now. Speaking of which, you must be about done in. There’s a hammock you can use here in the galley, I wouldn’t want your shiver to keep, so you sleep here. I’ll go fetch a hammock.”

“Sir, where are we sailing to?” Lilith asked sheepishly.

“You’ve nothing to fear lady. The authorities have no idea we scooped you up and we have no further business in a French port on this trip. Not any French port that would be looking for you anyhow.” Chibs answered but without really giving a specific destination. Lilith was confounded. How did he know she was avoiding French authorities? Where were they headed and what French port would not be looking out for a runaway slave who had murdered her former captor? Chibs could see confusion and concern crossing Lilith’s beautiful face.

“Sir. Where do you sail to?” Lilith asked again, a stern, determined note entering her voice.

“Well, ah, little lady. We haven’t a particular destination as of yet. A few options have been discussed but having taken in a fugitive in Port-Au-Prince, I think Haiti be good only astern of us for now. The Cuba trade routes have made us a good profit before, or perhaps the Louisiana coast. The crew will hold a vote when we’ve put out a little farther from Haiti.” Chibs replied, hoping his answer would placate the girl. It didn’t.

“How do you know I am pursued? And why would you help me?” Lilith pressed.

“Your former master did not survive his, ah, encounter. His employees spread word all over town and the docks. We found you as we were returning to the ship in the longboat. There are only so many reasons for a young lady to be attempting to swim the harbor that late at night. We assumed you to be the wanted woman. My apologies if we were incorrect. But you were in obvious peril, so we did the only rightful thing. As far as your escape from Haiti, I think you will find this crew is a bit patchwork like. You wouldn’t be the first escaped slave we’ve taken on, nor fugitive.” answered Chibs. “In fact, our Captain himself is an escaped slave. But that is a conversation for another time.”

“What sort of crew votes on their destination? Don’t toy with me mister.” Lilith asked pressing further.

“Well miss, ah, we vote on destination and duties. The captain still commands as he will, but at least this way he knows the desire of the crew. We deal in all different manner of cargo, but never human cargo.” Chibs answered. He could see some of the girl’s fears eased and other suspicions arose. He would have to leave it at that for now, he could see Lilith struggling to remain awake despite her investigative questions. “You need to rest lady. Fear not, you’re safe, but I’m afraid you may catch a fever if you don’t beat those shivers and get some sleep. Now, let me fetch you a hammock,” said Chibs. He disappeared out of the galley and Lilith was already nodding off when he returned. Lilith opened her eyes momentarily as Chibs lifted her into the freshly slung hammock, she smiled slightly and drifted off into sleep with the gentle pitch and roll of the ship.

“BOOM!” Lilith awoke to the thundering of a single cannon shot. Startled awake and in a panic, she scrambled out of the hammock, hitting her head and knee in the cramped galley quarters, she