For the past couple of days, while Alastair and Benjamin oversaw repairs to the Fox, Coyle had been showing Anne how to fire a pistol.
Fifteen coconuts lined one wall of the warehouse. Anne squeezed the trigger and the pistol jumped in her hand. One of the coconuts exploded, its shredded husk flying into the sky. Coyle hollered, a proud smile on his face.
Sweat dripped down Anne’s brow. With shaking fingers, she poured a small amount of powder into the breech before placing a ball on top of the opening and screwing the barrel of the pistol firmly back into place.
Within seconds, she fired off another shot and another coconut exploded.
“Anne, you’ve got it!” Coyle cried. She laughed at his exuberance. No matter what she did, he always encouraged her.
“Only if I’m on firm ground and nobody is shooting at me,” she said, holstering her weapon behind the pistolman’s pouch. She didn’t tell Coyle she’d been aiming for an entirely different coconut.
“It’s your turn, Cara,” Coyle called out.
Cara shook her head. “You can’t make me.”
“You haven’t shot once this week, Cara. As much as you enjoy sewing, you can’t protect yourself with a needle and thread.”
“Just because Uncle Alastair is forcing me to come with you, doesn’t mean I have to do as he says.”
“If you don’t shoot today, I’ll tell him that you refuse to take him seriously,” Coyle said. “He might think twice about giving you any money.”
Scowling at her brother, Cara marched over to him, and he handed her his pistol. With lightning speed, Cara loaded the weapon and fired off a shot. Another coconut exploded and Anne had a feeling that it was precisely the one Cara had aimed at.
Anne stared at her friend with newfound wonder. Looking at Cara, in her simple dress and with her blond hair hanging in a braid down her back, no one would ever guess she could handle a gun like that. Anne certainly hadn’t.
“Just because I don’t want to carry it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to use it,” Cara said as she handed the pistol back to Coyle. “Don’t you dare say another word about firing that thing, or I swear I’ll use it on you.”
Coyle holstered the pistol with a satisfied look, clearly unaffected by his sister’s threat.
“No you won’t. Because you love me. And you know I’m only doing this because I love you as well. I want you to be safe.”
Cara rolled her eyes at her brother but didn’t argue further.
After their shooting practices, the trio visited the waterfront each day to see if there was any sign of the Deliverance. Anne feared that the more time passed, the less likely it was that the great ship had survived the attack.
Anne had become more comfortable with the pistol, something she never thought would happen. She hated to admit it, but Alastair had been right. It was strange to feel both at home and on edge at the same time. Here, she didn’t stand out like she had in England. In fact, nobody gave her a second glance. It was Cara and Coyle who attracted more attention with their blond hair and blue eyes.
However, Anne never left the safety of The Laughing Fox unattended. Cara still refused to carry anything, but Coyle always carried two pistols and a dagger. Cara and Coyle were always by her side. The most loyal of friends, they accompanied Anne when they could have remained at the Fox and stayed out of the heat. None of them ventured out past dark.
The weight of the pistol and leather pouch at Anne’s waist was a constant reminder of the hazards of the island, but it also served to comfort her. If she needed it, it was there for protection and would hopefully act as a deterrent.
“Where did you learn to shoot like that?” Anne asked as they left the warehouse.
“From our da. He hates the English,” Coyle said matter-of-factly.
Cara scoffed at her brother. “So do you.”
“I’m English,” Anne said.
“Trust me. Coyle doesn’t hate you.”
Coyle blushed underneath his tan as he shot his sister a quelling glance. “You’re only part English, Anne. And you’re not like the English soldiers swarming the Irish countryside, taking our farms from us. Da didn’t want Cara ending up in one of their beds.”
Cara stopped and Coyle ran into her. “I almost want to bring one home, just to see both of your reactions. They’re not all bad, you know.”
“I won’t let you bring one home,” Coyle said, his voice hard.
Cara turned to Anne with an annoyed look. “That’s why our father refused Uncle Alastair’s money. He says Alastair’s in league with the English and doesn’t want anything to do with his filthy coins. Da almost stopped us from taking the money, but Coyle here had a bit of a scuffle with one of the soldiers back home. It was better for him to leave. And so I came too.”
Despite Alastair’s refusal to help Lord Pelham, it was clear the Irishman had some kind of business dealings with the English.
It was hard for Anne to erase the threat of Pelham’s words. The African Trading Company held the monopoly on slavery in England. Several merchants fought to ban the control and open the practice up for everyone. Anne couldn’t imagine what that would look like. She didn’t want to.
Although Lord Pelham hadn’t visited The Laughing Fox again, Alastair had warned her to stay out of his way if she ever ran into him. Not that she planned to.
By now they’d reached the busy marketplace. Anne still marveled at all the sights and sounds. What William Dampier had described with such vivid detail in his book, Anne now saw with her own eyes. Sweet plantains with yellow peels, raw sugarcane, plump pineapples, and ripe papayas, Anne had tasted them all. Even the cacao nut, used to make chocolate, was sold amongst the stalls. The flamboyance of the island was in stark contrast to the more somber markets of Bristol.
What she wouldn’t give to walk these streets with Teach.
Turning a corner, Anne stopped short when she ran into a stout woman in a blue dress. The woman’s hair was a vibrant shade of red, matching the rouge on her cheeks. Anne reached out automatically to steady herself. “Oh, forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive, dearie. But I’m afraid you’re too late.”
“Too late for what?”
The woman nodded in the direction of the docks. “If you’re wanting a piece of that large ship, you best forget it. Soldiers are swarming the docks. Nobody can get near it.”
“Large ship?” Anne leaned forward. “Do you know the name of it?”
“I don’t know the name, but it’s bloody huge. Looks like it’s seen a wee bit of excitement too. I was hoping to provide some excitement myself, but I can’t wait around all day, you know. Those sailors will have to come to find me themselves.”
Reaching into her pocket, Anne pulled out a few coins Alastair had given her.
“Thank you,” Anne said, pressing them into the woman’s palm. Coyle and Cara had caught up to Anne and the woman. They gave Anne a curious look, and she returned their looks with a smile.