provided fit in with the rest of the drunken horde.
There was no way Drummond would hear of Teach’s activities, which was another reason Teach had sought out this particular establishment. Drummond would not have been caught
dead in a tavern located in this part of town.
Teach, on the other hand, felt quite at home as he sipped an
ale, enjoying the atmosphere and the revelry.
“Bring me another pint!” a large blond called out, his bul—
bous fist waving his mug in the air.
A bolt of recognition shot through Teach, and he looked in
the direction of the booming voice. His old nemesis from Eton,
Henry Barrett, sat at a table in the far corner. Teach frowned,
debating if he should leave or remain where he was. During
their years at school, Teach and Henry had come to blows more
than once.
A short, ginger-haired companion attempted to wrestle
Henry’s bulky arm back down. “Come on, Barrett. You’ve had
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enough. Concentrate on the game,” he said gruffly, sweat standing out on his brow.
Henry Barrett shook him off, like a giant swatting a fly, and
shoved him back so that the small man lost his footing. “I’ll tell you when I’m done,” he bellowed, slamming the mug onto the table.
Someone helped the unlucky fellow to his feet while Henry
picked up his cards and the game resumed.
A harassed barmaid struggled through the crowd, a frothy
ale in her hands. She was almost to Barrett’s table when she
stumbled and fell forward. The drink doused a nearby sailor,
who stood up, sputtering. Everyone’s attention was drawn to
the spectacle. In that same instant Henry rearranged two cards
in the deck, which let Teach know the game was rigged and the
cards were textured. Henry had been fingering them, giving the
illusion of thorough shuffling, but what he’d really been doing
was trying to find the match.
Teach whistled under his breath, not sure if he should be
impressed by the boldness of Henry’s actions, for the three other players involved in the game were by no means small. If they discovered Henry’s deceit, Teach was quite sure Henry would
leave the premises in a decidedly altered state.
Not that Teach would mind. After all these years Henry
still had to resort to deception in order to win a single hand. He was as incompetent as Teach remembered. Teach wasn’t worried about Henry recognizing him, for Henry had already enjoyed
his fair share of ale.
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If only William were here, Teach thought idly. William would take great pleasure in winning Henry’s ill-gotten gains from him, for William was the superior player.
Drawing in a deep breath, Teach pulled John’s coat more
closely around his shoulders. After a few more hands were
played, the game was over. Barrett reached out his meaty arms
and drew the coins toward him. They fell into a drawstring
pouch that he shoved into his longcoat.
Pushing back his chair, Henry slipped the cards into his
pocket, before staggering toward the door. No one would
know that he’d cheated. That didn’t sit well with Teach, so he
slipped out the back of the room, through the grease-filled
kitchen, ignoring the angry calls of the cook. The stench in
the alley nearly choked him. Henry Barrett walked down
the middle of the street, his thick legs unsteady beneath his
bulk.
Teach longed to settle the score with Barrett, and decided
now would be the best time to do it. If fate had led him to the
tavern that night, who was he to question it?
Swaying down the dark street, Henry appeared unaware
of the stealthy figure following him. Shadows swirled around
Teach’s feet, and he clenched his hands, anticipation coursing
through him as he thought how to best his opponent.
Luckily for Teach, Henry was the one who presented the
opportunity. He approached a park, the outlines of the bushes
and shrubbery creating enough cover for Teach to move closer.
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Henry strolled toward a tree, clearly intent on relieving himself of his countless pints of ale.
While Henry was otherwise engaged, Teach drew forward,
picked up a branch lying nearby, and poked the tip into Henry’s
back, all in one swift movement.
Turning, Henry scrambled to reach for his weapon.
Teach was too speedy for him. With deft movements he
knocked Barrett’s pistol away while at the same time pushing
him to the ground.
Teach stood over him, clearly with the advantage. It took
considerable effort on his part to refrain from laughing as
Barrett looked up at him, fear and shock in his eyes, the
smell of urine overpowering the air.
“I will take that purse,” Teach said, flicking the stick in
Barrett’s face.
“Bugger off,” Henry snarled. “That’s not even a sword.”
Teach clucked his tongue. “I never claimed it was. Now
hand over the purse, and I will release you unharmed. If you
don’t, I will take you back to the tavern to explain the cards in your pocket.”