The Delfe Treasure

51. Resolution

Aldrick sat with Captain Peters at a table along the wall in the common room of the Red Lion, watching as his men unhanded the members of Avenger's shipwrecked crew and stepped back. The released men stood silent and immobile for a while in apparent disbelief before they one by one moved to regain their seats around the tables in the corner.

He breathed a quiet sigh as the tension eased, and while his own crew turned to resume their seats, he said to Peters, "The lads said there is still some of the treasure in the deeps. Do you wish to recover it? Is it worth your time, effort and expense?"

Peters remained silent while he bobbed his head. Then he said, "All the big bricks had been long since brought up. We were left with only the small bars and coins. Tough to hold air long enough to find them with all the sand drifted in."

"But you still found some?"

"We did. Before we wrecked, we were bringing up fifteen or twenty coins each day, and one or two bars. Strange rough things about two fingers long, but flat and covered with punch marks."

Aldrick nodded. "Those would be their cinco onza bars. About fifty escudos each. So, you were finding and bringing up the equivalent of twenty to twenty-five doubloons of eight each day. At that rate, it would take you about three weeks to recover the price of the ship."

Andrews and another joined them at the table, and Andrews said, "But we was finding less and less each day, and more than half of that was silver, not gold. Two weeks before, it was over forty coins and bars, then it was thirty, then twenty, then fifteen."

Peters pursed his lips. But part of that was because our provisions were all but gone, and we were increasingly weakened by the rationing."

"True." Andrews was quiet for a short while, then he pointed to Aldrick. "But this here man wants to sell us a ship then follow us to the islands so he can take it back and recover the treasure for himself."

Aldrick laughed. "Why would I concern myself with such small value? My ships have far greater enterprise trading among these islands, as well as between here and the colonies up the coast and across the ocean to Britain." He rose from the table and signalled to the members of his crew. "I was simply attempting to assist you, but I have no ship small enough for your needs."

Andrews asked, "What do you know about our needs?"

"From what you have said about the quantity which remains, you no longer need a large ship. You want one of only sufficient size to carry your crew and proper provisions. A ship of thirty or forty tons will suit your needs, and you will easily find several suitable craft available here for well under a hundred doubloons." Aldrick tipped his hat. "I bid you a good day and wish you better luck."

He turned and strode toward the door, his crew following.

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The loading and shivering of the mahogany timbers was well underway when Aldrick and his hands arrived back aboard. A waggon with cases of sugar loaves sat on the wharf alongside the forward hold hatch coaming, its horses uncoupled and being led back toward a warehouse door. The Officer of the Watch greeted him aboard. "The three Davis lads are below, Sir."

"Thank you, Mister Charles. Did they tell you of their adventure?"

"Not from my lack of prying." He chuckled. "But they say it is for you to tell as they do not want to reveal anything they should not, Sir."

"Fine lads, the lot of them. Have them muster in my cabin flats at..." He paused and looked toward the sun. "What was the last bell?"

"Two, sir, and it is now nearing halfway to three."

"Have them muster at three bells. They will have missed dinner, as have we. Find the Cookery Mate and my steward, and bid them come see me."

"Aye, Sir."

When Charles headed across the deck, Aldrick turned to his hands. "Go below and refresh, then muster outside my flats for three bells."

As Aldrick entered the great cabin from the main deck, Elizabeth rushed across the room to greet him, saying as she approached, "From that smile and your unruffled appearance, it seems to have gone well. Has Jimmy been released?"

"It did go well, and he is back aboard." He wrapped her in an embrace, and their mouths merged in a kiss. After they parted, he said, "Captain Peters is an honourable and sensible man, but he is caught up with an unsavoury lot who seem to lack morals. They show neither trust nor respect nor obedience."

"Will they offer us more trouble?"

"I think not. Peters appears convinced the treasure is gone, and he seems to have not related its taking to us. I sense he saw we acted in kindness toward him and his crew as well as with Jimmy and his brothers." 

"Do they know this ship?"

Aldrick shook his head. "No, but we did not hide it from them. It was simply that we had no reason to mention it."

As Elizabeth led him across to the chairs in the stern windows, she asked, "And your identity?"

"I did nothing to hide it except introducing myself as Captain Aldrick, rather than Montford. But I suspect Peters is sufficiently intelligent and curious to find it from what we discussed, though this matters not. Most of them appear to believe the treasure has long since sailed north, and that we are in no way related to that, nor to the Davis brothers." 

Elizabeth smiled. "What will they do now?"

"I would think they will purchase a small ship and sail to recover the last of the treasure. I guided them toward that idea as a way to ensure the rescue of Roberts and the three cooks. I would not want to have to do that ourselves."

At the mention of Roberts, she grimaced. "But you had said no ships are available."

"None capable of carrying a heavy load back to Britain. But they do not require anything of great size. A small ship of thirty or forty tons can easily be found here, and that is all they need." Aldrick paused and stroked his beard. "So that we may relax, I shall have an agent from the office watch along the waterfront to report any purchase Peters might make."

"Would that not rouse suspicion?"

"No, we check as a matter of routine to remain aware of what ships are available in case we have a need, and our agents are well-known in this..." He looked up at the knock on the door, and as he rose to answer it, he asked, "Have you dined?"

"No, I was too concerned with fretting about you."