Forever Ruined

Chapter Twenty

There was a knock on the door, but they did not wait for an answer.

"Sturgis, have you heard? They are back. They are all back! Claremont got them free!"

"Claremont?! Is HE back?"

A sudden silence filled the room. "Come on a second ago you were all a jabber and now?" Unease crept into his bones. "He's not...?"

"No, but he is injured. They raced him to the Surgeon the moment Mr. McCree brought him aboard."

"Take me to him!" Sturgis insisted.

"Why? What help could you be?"

"Take me to him NOW!" Sturgis demanded.

"Fine!" the young powder monkey grabbed Sturgis' wrist and led him through the ship to where Claremont was being taken care of.

Mr. McCree took Claremont down the hatch to the cockpit. Following him was Redgrave.

Alarmed the Surgeon asked, "Claremont! What happened?"

"He has been shot."

"Lay him here."

Mr. McCree did as ordered and the Surgeon leaped into action, immediately going to work. He tore Claremont sleeve. "The bullet appears to have gone straight through."

Upon examining him further, he proclaimed, "I do not believe the bullet has hit the bone but with this much blood it may have hit or nicked the brachial artery."

The Surgeon's Mate handed him supplies to clean, stitch and dress the wound. He had to stop the blood loss.

"In English please!?" Captain Redgrave said, his concern growing over the amount of blood that was coming from Claremont's arm.

The Surgeon ignored Redgrave's question. His priority... was to Claremont, he needed to prevent any more blood loss. He cleaned up the blood, stitched it up tight, wrapped it, and found a way to keep it elevated. Only once he was satisfied there was little more he could do did he respond. 

"He is a very lucky young man. Had the bullet hit the bone it could have shattered it and he would have lost use of the arm or even the arm itself but I believe so long as we keep him free of infection and give it time to heal he should recover."

Both Redgrave and McCree breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief. "So he will not...?"

"I make no guarantees in my line of work, you know that Commander but I have hope he will pull through this. It will be very important that he has time to recover but should he survive this, with no infections, I see no reason he will not make a complete recovery."

There was a scuffling noise behind them and Redgrave turned to see two boys in the doorway. Sturgis... he should have known. Mr. McCree brought Sturgis into the room and ordered the other boy back to work.

"Sir, if I may ask?" Sturgis began, the worry written clearly across his features.

"Claremont will live, Sturgis."

"But Sir has sh..he... has Claremont been... damaged?" Sturgis stumbled. He could not think of it. He could not think of her being harmed in any way.  The very idea hollowed a pit in his stomach.

"He has been shot but it was a clean shot, blood loss but no real damage done. He's lost a lot of blood and as yet to revive but we do believe him to make a full recovery."

Sturgis suddenly weighed heavily against Mr. McCree's arm. They said nothing of Claremont's identity being revealed. So far, Clara was safe but for how long. "May I remain with him, Sir?"

"Yes, but do not get into the Surgeon's way. I must get back to running my ship." Redgrave looked briefly over at Claremont's body. The blood loss made Claremont even paler and if not for the slight rise and fall to his chest as he took a breath Redgrave would have sworn the boy had already slipped away to Davy Jone's locker, so pale yet perfect. Redgrave frowned at his last thought left the cockpit and commanded Mr. McCree to follow him.

The Surgeon led Sturgis over to Claremont and pulled him over a chair. "He has lost a lot of blood. When he revives will be up to him. Talk to him. I imagine just hearing a familiar voice will bring him comfort. I need to see to Mr. Richards and will return shortly."

"Thank you," Sturgis said, he reached out until he found her and his hand travel down her uninjured arm until he found her hand. "It's Sturgis. The doc said you could hear me. I'm here and I swear I'm not leaving your side." He did not know if it was his wishful thinking but he would have sworn she squeezed his hand.

McCree followed close behind Redgrave till they got to his quarters. Redgrave held the door for him and closed it behind them. He got to his desk, pulled out his log and motioned for Mr. McCree to sit down.

Once he was seated, Redgrave said, "Tell me what you know."

"I fear I may be of little use to you. You may wish to ask Richards. We did not even board the ship. Claremont well... by the time we reached the vessel Claremont had already released the impressed men and was getting them off the ship. We filled the first longboat quickly and even more came. I was at the bottom of the gangplank. I noticed smoke coming out from what looked like the galley. The impressed men were making a run for it and Richards and Claremont stayed on deck until every man was returned to us.

Just as Richards and Claremont were about to join us, an officer showed up, a Lieutenant, by rank and uniform. He saw what was taking place and fired. Claremont took the shot. Pushing Richards out of the way. They both tumbled down the plank and we got them to safety though we were under fire."

Redgrave stopped writing and just looked at Mr. McCree in awe. "That boy is either the bravest or craziest sailor I have ever met."

McCree laughed, "A bit of both, I'd assume."

"Thank you, Mr. McCree. I'll talk with Richards."

"I believe the Surgeon will be attending to him. He took quite a tumble."

"Noted. I'll leave it to you to settle in the newcomers."

Mr. McCree nodded in agreement.

"Let those who do not wish to sail with us know they can be dropped off at our next port, but there is no free passage. If they are on this ship, they work but will be paid wages. They can use those wages to get home, or they can sign on and stay for the remainder of the voyage the choice is theirs."

Mr. McCree rose to leave the room, saluted and said, "It will be done."

Redgrave looked over the account that he wrote dictating what Angus had told him. How did someone so young and inexperienced come up with such an elaborate plan? Claremont has surprised him on more than one occasion. There was definitely more to this boy than he realized.

Redgrave needed to keep a closer eye on him. Find out more. Claremont was a mystery he planned on solving. No doubt the boy has proven his loyalty but he was definitely hiding something, and for the safety of the crew, this voyage, and Claremont Redgrave was determined to find out what.