Episode #311

Part Three of Six

The morning sun was just rising over the bluffs as the lone guard with the horses watched the ship.

"Well, well, look what we have here. The Queen of Swords," said a male voice from behind her.

The guard pulled her cutlass as she turned to face Captain Grisham and three soldiers with muskets aimed at her. She backed up and turned to run and found three more armed soldiers.

"Unless you want to be shot full of holes, you had better surrender," said Grisham with an evil grin on his face.

"If you don't want to be shot full of holes, you will let me go," countered the young female pirate.

"Let's see. You have a cutlass and we have six muskets aimed at you. I think we win," replied Grisham.

"Ahoy the shore," called a woman from the ship.

Grisham cast a look at the ship and discovered the ship's five starboard canons were sticking out of the ship. He saw five torches raised high in the air, and several women dressed like the Queen of Swords standing along the rail.

"You will leave our young one alone and let her leave or feel the wrath of La Espada Negra."

"You are loco, lady. Take her," yelled Grisham.

The soldiers moved quickly and disarmed the girl and backed away from the beach. When they turned the bend in the trail, they hauled the girl to their horses and rode away, laughing.

On board the ship, Margie swore. "What will they do to her?" she asked.

"First, they will try and get your cannon away from you, then kill her and you," replied Doctor Helm, who had come to the main deck. "Knowing Grisham, he will be waiting for you. I would suggest you weigh anchor for now and land at night."

"Doctor, you surprise me. You sound like you have seen a battle or two."

"More than a couple, and I have no love for Grisham or Montoya. I do have a plan, however."

"Weigh anchor," commanded Margie as she led Helm to her quarters, with Maril and Josephine right behind them.

"We can't let them keep Anne," said Maril angrily.

"I have no intention of letting them keep her," replied Margie. "I do intend to make them pay if she is harmed. I owe it to Anne and her great-great grandmother."

"Who was that?" asked Helm.

"Doctor, have you ever heard of Anne Bonny?" asked Margie.

"No."

"Well, sit down Doctor and have a drink while I tell you about her," said Margie.

Maril poured Helm a drink and handed the mug to Helm.

"Anne Bonny was born in County Cork, Ireland, the daughter of a servant woman, Mary Brennan, and her employer, lawyer William Cormac around 1698. When the affair was discovered, William, Mary and a young Anne sailed across the Atlantic, to settle in Charleston, South Carolina. Anne became bored with life on her father's plantation, and was drawn to a life of adventure. Pirates frequented Charleston in those days, and before Anne was out of her teens she had married James Bonny, a renegade seaman and sometime pirate. James planned to steal William Cormac's land through the marriage, but Anne's father disowned her. One legend says that, in retaliation, Anne burned the plantation.

Anne soon became romantically involved with the dashing pirate "Calico Jack", who had just commandeered a ship full of liquor from his former boss, pirate captain Charles Vane. When James Bonny objected to the affair, he abducted Anne, brought her naked before the governor and charged her with the felony of deserting him. Can you imagine Anne was considered to be stolen property? The thought that I would be considered property because I am a woman makes my blood boil. Anyway, Calico Jack suggested, instead, putting Anne up for sale to the highest bidder. Anne managed to escape and run with Calico Jack, joining his ship's crew, disguised as a man. Jack had intended to buy her, but Anne stopped that."

Margie stopped took a swig of rum.

"That doesn't explain her legend," said Helm.

"Anne became a daring and deadly fighter, using a sword and pistols," continued Maril. "While she lived in New Providence she became such an expert fencer and troublemaker that she publicly stripped her fencing instructor with her sword, and she severely beat a man with a chair for making a pass at her."

Maril laughed. "Now, that is what I remember about her."

Margie nodded. "In 1720, a former pirate turned pirate-hunter, Captain Barnet, attacked Calico Jack's ship. Jack and almost all the pirates were drunk, and the cannon fire was so thick the men hid below decks. Anne Bonny and fellow pirate Mary Read stood their ground, fighting furiously. Outraged by the men's cowardice, Anne supposedly shouted, 'If there's a man among ye, ye'll come out and fight like the men ye are to be.' When this got no response, Anne and Mary shot the male pirates, killing one and wounding several, including Jack. But despite Anne and Mary's ferocity, the pirates were captured."

"So, what happened?" asked Helm, intrigued.

"All were hanged except for Anne and Mary, who claimed to be pregnant because it is illegal to execute a pregnant woman. After the trial, Anne Bonny disappeared and our Anne is her descendant."

"That is some story," said Helm. "Are there any more of your crew who are in the family business?" asked Helm

"No, just Anne. She is the youngest and I swear I will get her back," said Margie.

"All right then. We need to make some plans," said Helm. "Do you have charts of this area?"

"Yes, we have an old one," said Maril as she pulled out a rolled paper and spread it out on the table.

"Here we are," said Helm as he pointed to a place on the chart. "Up here is a smaller cove but not much of a beach. You can anchor here and set a few of us ashore, then sail back to this area south of Santa Elena. If Montoya and his men follow us north, it will confuse the hell out of them if you sail south again."

Act Three

Colonel Montoya was ecstatic as he saw Grisham and the soldiers riding into Santa Elena, with the Queen of Swords being led by a rope around her neck. Montoya raced down the stairs and came to a halt as the woman was thrown to the ground before him, face down.

Montoya bent down and turned the woman over. With his finger he tenderly moved her hair away from her face. He looked up at Grisham.

"Captain, do you think I am a fool? This is not the Queen of Swords. Who is she?"

"How do you know this is not the Queen?" asked Grisham.

"Let's just say that the mask is different and she isn't wearing a corset, her hair is lighter and her eyes are blue," replied Montoya. "Girl, who are you?"

"My name is Anne Bonny."

"We captured her on the beach. There is a ship there with at least ten cannon on board. I saw at least ten women all dressed the same as this one."

"Now, we know where those other Queens came from. Quickly, send the garrison to the beach and take that ship."

"No can do, Colonel, it set sail."

"Majadero! You let them get away, just so you could grab a cheap thrill with this girl? Take her to the jail and keep five guards on duty at all times," said Montoya.

"On what charge?" demanded the girl.

Montoya whirled around. "Suspicion of kidnapping our Doctor."

"We asked him for help and he came on his own."

"Then, for having the audacity to dress like the Queen of Swords."

"I don't know who she is, but I like her already," replied the girl.

"Then, you will share her fate," said Montoya as he stormed back to his office. "Lock our guest up and then, Grisham, get out there and find that ship."

A corporal took the prisoner away as Grisham and ten troopers mounted and rode north towards the next best cove to anchor a ship.