Chapter 15 #2
She sought Alister because she was like an addict who couldn’t seem to get enough. He made her uncaring of what was happening within her beyond him touching her. She sought his warmth because it was comforting, and she hated being cold.
Rosetta also desperately wanted to draw away.
I will never tell him. She didn’t want to tell him the truth, and she refused to acknowledge it herself. Some small part of her regretted agreeing to sail with him.
A voice broke her from her depressing thoughts.
She faintly managed to hear Pierre’s voice, since they had crept closer as they travelled. “The tunnel is opening up to a cave.”
Darkness enveloped a large, open space as their boats floated in. They began to paddle into the middle side by side, bringing their lights closer together so they could see.
“It’s empty,” Derek mumbled.
“Nay, it’s not.” Alister pointed just to the right. “Go that way; I think I see rocks we can climb.”
The closer they got to it, however, the more a distinct shape formed. Their flame torches reflected against parts of it, and the further they rowed, the more it came into view, reflective metal glinting back at them.
“It’s a chest!” Rosetta gasped out.
Not just any chest, but a large one.
“Is it...?”
“It’s not enough,” Alister said with a shake of his head. “This isn’t Dustin’s trove. It’s fabled to have much more than this.”
“No, but it’s something!” Rosetta exclaimed with a grand smile. “I hope there’s something good inside.”
A few of them chuckled as they rowed closer to that bit of land. The ledge was made of rocks the height of their boats, eventually growing taller and taller until reaching the chest that sat on a small rise.
“At least we don’t have to dig this time!” Pierre joyfully chuckled as he used his hands to pull them towards the rocks.
“That’s because you’re lazy!” Naeem flung at him.
Holding a flame torch, Alister was the first to climb out as Pierre followed, carrying a shovel just in case they needed to break a lock. Derek stayed in the boat, and she figured it was because of the instability of his peg leg.
“Circle off,” Alister said while using his hands to shoo them away. “We’ll call you when we’ve seen what’s inside.”
They moved and allowed Rosetta’s boat to take their place so she and Naeem could step off. Hers stayed behind, since it wasn’t in the way, and Naeem carried the torch for her as they exited.
They climbed up to the top ledge and approached the chest. The height of it almost came to her hip and must have been at least five feet long.
“There’s no lock,” Naeem said with a raised brow.
“What’s the point?” Pierre gestured to the cave. “It’s not like many people would come here.”
“It looks like it’s been here for a hundred years. It could be empty.”
Despite their conversation, Rosetta stood next to Alister as he bent over and pushed the lid open.
They all held their breath as he raised the lid.
A chorus of gasps sounded, then their jaws collectively dropped. Rosetta’s eyes widened at the vast amount of gold coins she saw.
“They’re pieces of eight,” Alister chuckled loudly, reaching inside to brush his fingertips against them before grabbing a small handful.
“Golden Spanish currency,” Rosetta added in disbelief.
Each coin was about the size of her palm and had the same Spanish symbol pressed into it. She’d seen one of these coins before, but never this many.
“One of the rarest, but the most valuable,” Alister told them with a large grin. “We’re rich, lads. Very rich.”
Even though his words were joyous, she knew him well enough to note the hint of disappointment in his tone. It wasn’t Dustin’s trove.
She brushed her hand through the coins to check if there was anything else inside and found nothing. Not a piece of jewellery, not a silver coin; nothing but that sparkling, glittering gold.
“Go call for our boat,” Alister said to Pierre. “We need to figure out how to get this onboard without losing it in the water. We’ll need everyone’s help. It’ll be heavy, and if we drop it, I’ll probably shoot someone.”
Pierre ran towards the edge of the rise so he could whistle and wave his arms. Naeem climbed down to her boat to get half the rowers while the other two stayed inside.
Alister leaned closer to her with a mischievous grin brightening his eye. She couldn’t help sweeping her gaze over the eye patch he was wearing, the one with his family crest.
“If we were alone, lass, I’d take you over this.”
He thumbed the wooden edges of it with his free hand, almost a sensual caress. It wasn’t hard to tell he wanted to romance the chest like it was a sweet lover.
“Well,” she said with teasing lilt. “We do still have to count it.”
They often counted loot and coin together, since they were both the captains of their ships.
He gave a warm laugh, wagging his index finger at her. “You’re absolutely right, and I hope we have as much fun counting this one as we did last time.”
Rosetta had never allowed Alister to bind her hands behind her back so he could spank her and yank her hair while taking her from behind again. She thought once was enough to condemn her soul for eternity.
Still, a flush of desire warmed her chest at his words and at the memories of that day forever imprinted in her memory.
Men came up behind them and they stepped out of the way so they could grab the chest. They tested multiple ways to carry it, so it was sturdy before they started making their way down the sharp rocks.
It was so heavy and large, only two people could be in the boat with it, and Alister possessively opted to take a position. Derek took the other.
Her boat was overcrowded but manageable as they followed behind back to their ships.
“We should have a celebration,” Rosetta commented as they rowed.
“A celebration is a perfect idea!” Pierre yelled loudly so the other boat could hear.
“Oh, aye!” Alister shouted back while rowing the oars himself. “We’ll get the good booze out tonight.”
“He must be in a good mood if he’s willing to share it,” Pierre grumbled, before turning to her. A wide smile curled his lips. “Since we’re anchored in shallows, both ships can party together.”
“We’ll take watch when we’re done,” Naeem quickly said, eyeing Rosetta warily. “Since you did it last time.”
“Did we? I don’t remember.” Pierre frowned in thought, placing a hand over his chin.
Then he shrugged like he didn’t care. “Suits us. Our crew is a bit more... how do I put this... rowdier than yours?” He slapped his own knee with a chortle.
“They’ll be happy to hear they can get well and truly pissed.
This is probably our biggest pay day ever. ”
He crawled forward to put his arm around her shoulders, half lying against others to do it.
“And it’s all thanks to Rosetta!” He shouted so loudly, it hurt her ears. “The lass copped a slap so we can cop a fat pay!”
“Rosetta!” one of the other men in the boat chanted, making others do it as well. “Rosetta!”
“Naeeeeem,” she whined, covering her face with her hands. “Please make them stop.”
“Rosetta!” Naeem shouted with a laugh, pumping his fist into the air. “Who’s the greatest and fairest of them all?”
“I think that would be me,” Pierre cut in, placing his hand against his own chest.
“No, you’re the dumbest and ugliest of us all.”
Pierre lunged for Naeem. “I should push you off this boat!”
“Both of you, stop!” They shook the very full boat and almost made it tip, causing her to grab whatever was next to her in fear. “If you make me fall into this icy water, I have a gun and I’m not afraid to use it.”
The last thing Rosetta wanted right now was to be sick from a cold. She had enough problems to deal with.
Eventually, her rowboat settled next to her ship while Alister took the chest to his own. She figured he was planning on them counting it in his cabin.
She climbed up the rope ladder that had been rolled down the side of the hull and crawled onto her ship.
“We found a big chest of gold,” she told her crew, who were standing around on the main deck to find out what happened. “You’ll all get good wages.”
Cheers rang out, arms pumping into the air. Some even threw their hats to the sky in excitement.
Once Alister and his men pulled the boat high enough next to the Howling Death, they were able to grab the chest and pull it onto the deck with a booming thud.
He made a show of it, allowing everyone to come see what profit they had collected. It didn’t matter if it was his crew on his deck or hers coming to have a peek.
Rosetta stood next to him to watch.
There was a certain sparkle that seemed to remain in the men’s eyes afterwards, like the sun shining on all that glittering gold permanently refracted in them. They were thrilled, and the thrum of energy on both ships almost felt electric. The buzz of it affected all and made everyone livelier.
Months at sea could be tiring and to finally have some reward for it gave them the courage they needed to keep their spirits high.
“Glen,” Alister called, getting the bulky, older man’s attention. “We’re going to host a feast for both ships. Grab the Laughing Siren’s cook and every man you need to make something delicious. Don’t care what it is, or what needs to die, just make sure there’s enough and it’s ready by nightfall.”
Glen’s neat and gloriously curled moustache twitched. The large, grey-haired man gave a curt nod before turning to go below. His son, Clint, hurriedly followed behind him.
“Now, lass.” He grinned so brightly, it almost seemed blinding. “Let’s go count this coin and split it.”
They followed behind the men who carried the aged chest into his cabin.
Alister pushed his eating table to the side so they could place their bounty in the middle of the room, knocking over the candelabra as they went.
They plopped it down with a loud bang, and Rosetta feared it was so heavy it would go through the worn timber flooring.