Cutlass Anne

Cutlass Anne - Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-two

I stood in the cabin staring at myself in the mirror. Black did look fetching on me. A bit too much for my own taste, but it complimented my pale skin.

"You look like a right pirate, Anne." Jane shook her head in disapproval.

"I feel like one," I mumbled.

"Are you ready?"

"As ready as I will ever be."

We both emerged from the cabin to a chill in the air. The wind had picked up and, in the waning sunlight, I could see black storm clouds billowing toward the shore. Small swells began to come toward the shore. They rocked the ship lightly. A terrible omen if there ever was one. I joined Flynn at Jacob's ladder.

"I know you are disappointed not having your jacket," Flynn said.

"I suppose I shall get over it." I watched Scully and Ryder lower the longboat.

"Would this do?" He handed me a brilliant red sash.

"It is beautiful." I tied it around my waist and did a quick twirl.

"Now you look even more like a pirate." He smirked.

"I suppose we should go."

As we descended the ladder to the awaiting boat, rain began to pound down upon us. The added harsh elements made things seem to intensify. My hair clung to my face and neck, the shirt quickly absorbed the water, and my boots felt like they weighed a hundred stones. The wind picked up and began to throw the rope about, me with it.

"I think it may be wise to wait another day," Andrew shouted over the railing.

"No! There is no guarantee he will be here tomorrow! We do this tonight."

"But Anne, the storm!"

"We will endure," I shouted back up to him. "If you do not wish to join us, then please stay aboard."

I let go of the ladder and dropped the last few feet, landing solidly in the small vessel. I looked toward the darkened sky as the rain pelted my face with its stinging drops. I watched as Flynn swung his legs over the railing, followed by Christopher, Scully, Ryder, and Andrew. Scully took up his post in the center of the longboat and began the daunting process of taking us to The Cutlass. I turned toward The Gilded Lady and met Jane's eyes. I could barely see her face, but I knew she was full of sadness. I knew she did not want Christopher or I to go to the battle. I knew she feared nobody would return alive.

"I am pleased you decided to join us, Andrew." I nodded at him.

"Despite my thoughts that this would be better when there is not a storm, I could not let you all go without me."

The darkened outline of The Cutlass came into view. The swells from the storm grew larger and thrust the dingy forward, adding Scully in his rowing.

"Stop here," I said when we were a good ten feet from the ship.

"Why stop here?" Flynn asked.

"So we can board the ship."

"We are still much too far from it."

"You do not intend on just pulling the dinghy alongside The Cutlass, do you?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What else are we to do?" He narrowed his right back at me.

"We swim to it. You do not think someone may grow suspicious with an empty dinghy banging against the hull of the ship?"

The men sat there and stared at me as if I had three heads.

"Really now! Did nobody think of that? It is a wonder how a ship full of men make it through a single day without a woman." I shook my head. I stood on the edge of the seat and prepared to dive in.

"Where are you going?" Christopher asked.

"Did you just miss the entire conversation? I'm swimming to The Cutlass."

"What do you plan on doing once you get there?" he asked incredulously.

"I will get on board and search for John Jacks."

"What if you find him?" Andrew joined in questioning me.

"I will kill him."

"Alone?"

"If I must, yes, alone.

"What if someone catches you?" Andrew seemed to really be making up for his indiscretion.

"Then I hope someone on this dinghy decides to get into the water and come after me." I tightened the sheath around my waist.

"You cannot go, Anne."

"Then come with me, Flynn. Someone has to go. Unless someone else is going to volunteer to scale the anchor rope and search the ship. Any volunteers?"

Nobody budged.

"I didn't think so."

"I don't know how to swim," Scully said sheepishly.

"You sail on a ship and don't know how to swim? What if the ship were to sink?"

"I would go down with it." He puffed out his chest, rather proud of the fact he would sink with his vessel.

"Oh good gracious." I shook my head and dove into the frigid water.

My breath escaped me for a moment as the water chilled me to the bone. I began kicking my legs furiously as the storm raged above. I could see nothing but murky darkness ahead of me.

Perhaps this was a little brash.

As I broke the surface of the water I sucked in as much as I could before a wave crashed down on me. The small swells were much larger when you were actually in the water. I dove below the surface again and continued onward to The Cutlass. As my lungs began to ache for air I resurfaced. I looked around for the ship. It was only a few feet ahead of me. I kicked and paddled as hard as my booted feet would allow. The anchor rope was thick and, at the angle, it was in the water, it should have been simple to scale. If it weren't raining and making everything slick. I clung to the rope trying to think of some way I could get to the deck, which at that point seemed to be miles away instead of mere twenty feet above me.

The sash!

I fumbled with the wet fabric trying to remove it from my waist. I wrapped the soaked sash around my hands and used it to get a grip on the rope. It worked like a charm.

With the intensifying storm beating down on me I climbed the rope. Nothing would keep me from John Jacks.