May 17, 1716. Off of Charleston
The day dawned clear with a light breeze from the west. There was nothing in the conditions that would cause the Good Fortune to delay its departure. I reviewed our plans with the crew. The Clitoris would remain in its hiding place. We would send a skiff out into the channel that our target would use to exit the harbor, led by Tash, our Celtic Virgin, accompanied by Tricia, who would pose as her maidservant and another trusty crew member. They would wave the Good Fortune down and Tash would lay before the Captain a tale of distress involving her supposed sister whose boat was marooned on a sandbar and needed their gentlemanly assistance. She and Tricia would apply to the Captain all of their feminine charms to prevail upon him to come to the rescue of her sister.
Once the Captain sailed into the cove where we lay in wait, the Clitoris would spring out of hiding and our fiercest Amazons would board the ship and seize it. I hope the reader will not consider me to be overly boastful, when I inform you that my plan worked absolutely flawlessly. The Good Fortune was taken totally by surprise and surrendered with nary a shot fired. The cargo was as advertised. There were more than two dozen barrels of the finest Jamaican rum, obtained from that island in trade for rice grown on plantations outside Charleston. I had contacts in Boston and New York who would pay handsomely for that nectar.
There was also a substantial quantity of gold coins belonging to two of the passengers, Mr. Repertor and Mr. Jollyrei, both owners of large plantations, who were bringing them to deposit in their London bank. Mr. Repertor was accompanied by his wife, a charming woman who was hoping to acquire a new wardrobe in London with which to impress the ladies of Charleston. She was laden with a lovely collection of jewels, of which burden she was relieved by our crew. Unfortunately, Mrs. Jollyrei had been unable to accompany her husband. I’m sure I would have enjoyed her and her jewels as well.
Once the valuables were safely aboard our ship, we had to decide which passengers would command large ransoms. After some discussion we decided that Mr. and Mrs. Repertor would be detained, along with Mr. Wragg of the Provincial Council and Mr. Jollyrei. The rest of the passengers and crew were dispatched back to Charleston aboard the Good Fortune, with a written list of our ransom demands to be conveyed to the authorities of that fine city.
The operation having been so successful, I allowed the crew to open one of the barrels of rum, with the proviso that no one could have more than two drams and the duty crew would have to wait until their watch was over to consume their reward, under penalty of a flogging such as had been dispensed a few days ago. I am pleased to report that my orders were followed to the letter.
That happy task attended to, I invited the hostages to my cabin. “You may have heard of me,” I addressed them, “I am known around these parts as the Dark Princess, but do not let my name frighten you, for I mean you no harm whatsoever. My fervent hope is that the citizens of Charleston, recognizing your great importance and worthiness, will quickly deliver the sum requested for your safekeeping and you will be soon on your way to London. Until then you will be our guests.”
I ordered dinner be brought, along with two good bottles of French claret, and Eulalia and I dined with our guests. We had a very friendly and open discussion about the affairs of the day, the state of the Colonies and the prospect, ever present, of war with France or Spain.
Once dinner had been served, I casually mentioned to the three gentlemen that while I myself had no interest in male companionship, many of the crew found themselves feeling deprived of it while at sea. I said that as guests, and in view of the amity I had shown them, they should be pleased to assist the crew members in any way they could. I summoned Dorothy and Tricia and asked them to accompany the gentlemen to the crew quarters. Apparently they spent a pleasant evening there, because the next morning, while they looked rather tired, they appeared quite relaxed and content.
I asked Mrs. Repertor to remain with me and I will not trouble you further with the goings on that ensued in my cabin, except to assure you that she couldn’t stop telling me how this had opened up many new perspectives to her
