Chapter Seven
Off the coast of Bardsey Island, Wales
Late the next day
Oh, but it was a feast!
Boiled crab that had been harvested in big nets off the coast of Bardsey Island made a tremendous meal, and Shaw MacDougall was sucking up every last morsel he could get his lips on.
It was the evening after a day of hunting for Shaw and his men. Aboard his mighty vessel, Savage of the Sea, Shaw and his crew were enjoying a rare moment of peace and leisure. That didn’t often happen in their line of work.
Having come down from the north on the Isle of Scarba where his castle was situated, a safe haven for him and his men amongst the rocky island in the wind-swept sea, their destination had been Bardsey Island for the fine hunting and fishing it had this time of year. The small crabs were abundant, as was the wildlife on the island itself. His men had hunted boar all day, along with the crab, and even now his cook was below deck, salting the butchered boar.
But in the captain’s cabin where Shaw and his men had gathered to feast, there was a good deal of food on the table and only two men to eat it. Shaw and his first mate, a massive Viking-looking man appropriately named Thor, seemed to have the table to themselves for the moment because the other men in Shaw’s chain of command were on shore finishing up with those who had been doing the actual fishing and hunting.
Nets needed to be brought in and the last of the hunt was being butchered on the shore before being brought onto the ship. This was some of their fun, and recreation, and it only happened one time a year. Shaw thought that it was the very best time of year. He’d been doing this kind of thing since he’d been a wee lad and it was in his blood. It reminded him of happier and more carefree days.
“If we dunna hurry, there will be something left for Kelly and Lachlan,” Thor said, his mouth full. “Do ye truly intend to share this with them?”
Shaw finished sucking the meat out of a claw. “I canna eat any faster,” he said. “I have eaten at least ten more than ye have. When did ye start eating like a woman?”
Thor frowned, his blond brows angled. “This is my second meal of crab today,” he pointed out. “I ate nearly an entire pot earlier today when they were first brought aboard. I had tae make sure they were edible, ye know.”
“God, ye’re a glutton.”
“Ye have no idea.”
Shaw snorted as he broke open another boiled crab and began to feast on it. “Do ye recall last year when we invited Con and his men tae feast with us?” he asked. “I’ve never seen such a feeding frenzy in my life.”
Thor grinned, crabmeat on his lips. “I notice ye dinna ask them tae join us again this year.”
Shaw shook his head, his long black hair wagging back and forth. “Why would I? Those Sassenach are worse than a pack of dogs. I canna abide by such selfishness.”
“Ye mean ye are afraid they would eat everything and there would be nothing left for ye.”
Shaw eyed him. “Lucifer can have all he wants because no one would dare tell the man otherwise, but Gus and Remy….” He shook his head as if appalled by their behavior. “They ate most of the crab and then lied about it. Tried tae blame it on me, telling me that I had eaten it all when I was drunk.”
“In their defense, ye did have a good deal to drink.”
“Not enough that I wouldna remember eating an entire pot of crab!”
The events of last year still rightly upset him and Thor fought off a grin at the man’s indignity. “I canna abide men who dunna take responsibility for their actions.”
“Nor do I. The bastards.”
Thor’s grin broke through; he couldn’t help it. “Well,” he said, “then that is the last time we invite that rabble tae our table tae sup.”
Shaw nodded his head firmly as he sucked on another claw. “Rabble, indeed,” he said. “At least Con has some manners. I love the man. But his men…”
A shout from the deck outside his cabin cut him off, and both Shaw and Thor turned to see a great deal of commotion through the open door. It seemed fairly serious and by the time Thor and Shaw set the crab aside and made their way out onto the deck, there was a ship close by, approaching swiftly under increasing swells.
It was dark this night, with a sliver moon, which meant that it was difficult to see much upon the water until objects were fairly close. But Shaw could see that the vessel was flying the red dragon of Constantine le Brecque, as it was illuminated on the bow by a fatted torch in an iron cage. Immediately, he went to the rail of the ship.
“Ahoy!” he called.
Someone was waving at him from the vessel. “Ahoy!” came the response. “Permission to board!”
“Who are ye?”
“Felix d’Vant, my lord. I have been sent by Lucifer!”
Sent by Lucifer and not by Constantine. That gave Shaw a stab of concern as well as confusion, but he waved the ship onward, issuing orders to his men to bring the vessel alongside. He maintained his post on the rail, watching as the ship drew close but not too close. With the increased swells, they didn’t want the ships hitting each other. Someone lowered a skiff from the other vessel and three men got on board, two to row and one who simply stood at the bow. Once the skiff came close to the Savage of the Sea, the man on the bow leapt from the skiff and caught the rope ladder that had been lowered for him. Deftly, he climbed it.
Shaw was waiting for him. He immediately recognized the man as one of Constantine’s senior sailors; he’d seen the man before. Felix d’Vant, he’d said. The man dipped his head politely in greeting.
“My lord,” Felix said. “Pardon my intrusion, but I have come bearing a message from Lucifer. May I deliver it to you in private?”
Shaw could sense that something was wrong; d’Vant had an urgent manner about him, and he immediately thought the worst.
“What has happened?” he asked. “Is Con well?”
D’Vant nodded. “Constantine is well, my lord,” he said. “But Lucifer wishes for me to deliver a missive to you.”
“Con dinna send ye with a missive?”
“Nay, my lord.”
The situation was becoming increasingly perplexing. Without another word, Shaw motioned for the man to follow him. He led Felix back into the captain’s quarters where a big table with a half-eaten pot of crab sat on the surface. There were crab carcasses everywhere, in piles and on the floor. Once they were inside, however, Shaw came to a halt and turned to d’Vant.
“What is it?” he asked, his voice low. “Why have ye come at Lucifer’s request?”
D’Vant, a tall, blond, and handsome young man, scratched his head rather nervously. “What I tell you has come directly from Lucifer, you understand,” he said. “I am simply the messenger.”
“I understand. Get on with it.”
D’Vant did. “Three days ago, a woman came to Perran Castle,” he said. “She claimed to be the daughter of Miles Tenby. If you recall, Miles Tenby was the quartermaster who was heinously murdered by the French two years ago. Do you recall the incident, my lord?”
Shaw did; he had a sharp memory. “Aye,” he said. “Go on.”
D’Vant nodded. “The woman told Constantine that her now-dead husband had stolen a holy relic from The Water Bearers and that now they had come for her,” he said. “She told him that she was being chased by the French but that she was determined to fulfill her dead husband’s wish of restoring the stolen object back where it belonged – to Three Crosses Abbey in Wales. She has requested that Constantine escort her to Wales, as a favor to her dead father, and Constantine has agreed.”
Shaw didn’t see what the trouble was. “And?”
D’Vant cocked an eyebrow. “And, Lucifer is not entirely sure this is not a trap by the French,” he said quietly. “He is afraid that something is amiss. He begs you to come to Eynon Bay, my lord, and provide support to Constantine on this mission.”
Shaw scratched his head at the odd story. Now, it was starting to make some sense and he could see why Lucifer was concerned. “I recall when Tenby was murdered,” he muttered. “I was there. Con tried tae save the man but there was nothing he could do. Now, ye say that Tenby’s daughter has come tae Con with this… this story?”
“Aye, my lord.”
“And Con is tae help the woman return something her husband stole from the French pirates?”
“Aye, my lord.”
Shaw stared at him a moment before scowling. “And Con doesna suspect this may be a trap?”
D’Vant sighed heavily. “It is possible, but he is willing to help her just the same,” he said. “The woman… she is quite beautiful, my lord. She… she seems to have used her charms on Constantine.”
Shaw understood a great deal in that halting explanation. “The man is a slave tae a beautiful face,” he muttered. “My guess is that he has been blinded by her.”
“That is Lucifer’s guess, also.”
“And Con has shown no suspicion at all?”
D’Vant shook his head. “I do not know, my lord,” he said. “All I know is that Lucifer has asked for your help. It is possible that Constantine is heading to his doom, lured by a beautiful woman and, if that is the case, then your assistance would be appreciated.”
Shaw shook his head in a gesture of disappointment; not that he wouldn’t have done the same thing should a beautiful woman have come to him for help. But he was surprised that Constantine hadn’t been more careful of the situation. The Constantine le Brecque he’d known for years was shrewd and cunning. Moreover, he’d had trouble with women lying to him before… had he forgotten?
“The man knows better,” Shaw said after a moment. “He knows dangers abound for him as well as for me. We must be very careful who we trust. Has he not learned that yet?”
D’Vant didn’t have an answer. “I am honored to serve Constantine le Brecque,” he said resolutely. “In battle, there is none finer.”
Shaw held up a hand to ease the man’s offense at his comment. “It is true,” he said. “In battle, there is none finer than Constantine. I would trust the man with my life a thousand times over. But he has a weakness for beautiful women and everyone knows it, including his enemies. Where is Three Crosses Abbey?”
“Off Eynon Bay,” d’Vant said. “Do you know where that is?”
Shaw nodded. “I do,” he replied. Then, he sighed faintly. “If Lucifer has sent ye, then it means he must truly be worried. The man doesna panic without reason.”
D’Vant nodded, his expression filled with hope. “Then you will come?”
Shaw nodded faintly. “I will,” he said. “But this isna some dastardly scheme tae get my crab, is it?”
D’Vant cocked his head, puzzled. “My lord?”
Shaw eyed him. “Ye knew where tae find me, did ye not? This is my hunting grounds this time of year.”
D’Vant was still puzzled. “Lucifer knew, my lord.”
“And he did not tell ye tae steal my crab?”
“Steal… crab?”
Shaw knew the young man wouldn’t understand the inference. Fighting off a grin, he waved him off. “Never ye mind,” he said. “The crabs stay with me, no matter what Lucifer told ye tae do. Go back tae yer ship, d’Vant. We’ll weigh anchor at dawn.”
D’Vant emitted a sigh of relief. “Thank you, my lord,” he said. “We will be ready to sail with you.”
With that, he turned and headed for his vessel, making haste down the rope ladder. Shaw watched the man go, pondering all he’d been told. It was possible that Constantine wasn’t in any trouble at all, but Shaw wasn’t willing to take the chance. If Constantine needed help, then Shaw wanted to be on hand to give it, especially against those bastard French. As he stood there, lost in thought, Thor entered the cabin. Looking at Shaw, his expression was full of curiosity.
“Well?” he asked. “What has happened?”
Shaw shook his head in a weary gesture. “Ye wouldna believe it,” he said as he headed back over to the table. “It seems that Con may be in a bit of trouble. Lucifer has asked for our help.”
Thor’s appeared concerned. “Lucifer asked? Why not Con?”
“Because Con has apparently been seduced by a woman and canna see the danger of it.”
Thor considered that possibility. “Is it serious, then?”
Shaw shrugged as he took his seat, resuming where he’d left off with the crab. “It could be,” he said. “Ye know that Con has named all of his ships after the sirens of myth? It seems that one of those sirens in the flesh is trying tae lure the man tae his doom.”
Thor lifted his blond eyebrows at the possibility. “Then we will help him?”
Shaw pointed to the seat that Thor had occupied earlier. “We will, indeed,” he said. “Sit and I will tell ye what Con’s man just told me.”
Lured by a beautiful woman. When Shaw was finished explaining, Thor had to say that he wasn’t surprised. But, then again, history was full of men who had been lured to their deaths by a beautiful face. Only this time, the Devils of the Deep had an opportunity to prevent it from happening to one of their own.
Before dawn the next morning, a fierce squall rolled up from the west and the ships anchored at Bardsey Island found themselves struggling against the elements. With time of the essence, Shaw wasn’t happy that the storm would delay their arrival.
He hoped the sirens would not win, after all.