Noble Intentions

3. A Peal of the Bell

Satisfied with our interrogation, Bosun and I left an armed hand guarding the two pirates in the scullery, and a few steps into the forecastle mess, I stopped and spoke in an elevated voice, "Hear here, now!" Then, with everyone's attention, I continued, "We have been told that the peal of the bell will signal their watch change. We can expect two guards to arrive a short while afterwards to relieve those we have captured."

I paused, pleased with everyone's show of understanding. "Bosun will select and instruct a small reception party for each door. From the moment the bell sounds until the reliefs have been subdued and disarmed, we must remain in place and continue our ruse as placid prisoners."

"Then we's free."

"Nay, lad. Though, we will be closer to it. There remain three helmsmen – but dealing with them must wait. Your duty now is to rest – sleep if you can. We will have much to do in the coming hours."

Hearing no other questions, I rejoined Jenson, Gillian and Judith, who were now seated at one of the long tables, the women with their backs to it. As I stepped across the bench and sat, Gillian turned and nodded toward the scullery door and asked, "You sounded confident, but how can you trust what the pirates told you? They are renowned for their lack of righteousness."

"Indeed, but our interrogation method ensures none remain silent, and it winnows the truth from that which is devious and deceitful."

Gillian winced. "By threatening to their end lives?"

"No, worse than that."

She remained silent for a while, slowly shaking her head, then asked, "What could be worse than death?"

"As a woman, you would not understand."

"Huh!" She tilted her head up and turned her back to me. "You insult and demean me, sir."

"Oh goodness, no! You misunderstand me, Gillian – though I might have stated it better. A man's – hmmm – his dangling parts are more precious to him than life itself, and being not similarly endowed, a woman has no measure of this."

"Oh! Please, pardon my false accusation, sir." She paused and tilted her head. "And how do you use this?"

"By suffering them to the fact of their loss, we can pull the truth from the strongest and most obstreperous."

She grimaced and nodded. "And they become gentle and compliant, like our riding and carriage horses."

"A similar effect, but we do not geld them. Doing so would end the threat and the possibility of gaining information. Our art is to deceive them into believing we will cut, and the better our deception, the greater their fear, and the faster their submission."

"Aha, so men are weak in two ways, then."

"How so?"

She smiled. "They are also distracted by the charms of women."

"Indeed, as you so beautifully demonstrated a while past." Images of her golden triangle came to mind, and I examined my recollections, looking for details – but as it had been then, none appeared through the hair.

Gillian stood from the long bench, lifting her skirt and a leg, and as she swung her foot across to beneath the table, she said, "This seat is more awkward than riding astride in skirts."

I nodded, my mind now creating new images.

After attempting to get her other leg across the bench, she sat with her back toward me. Then, twisting around to look at me, she said, "This is worse than before."

I nodded again.

"Your mind seems elsewhere, sir."

"Ummm! Dwelling on the beauty of your – your ruse." I shook my head to clear it. "You had mentioned a house in Pall Mall. Do you reside in London?"