NIGHT, I. Rin [ebook reader with highlight function TXT] 📗

and escaped the punishment easily. He had so much money that any king could envy his wealth. And that day I knew that he also had a beautiful daughter!

 

Since that day every night, I came to the tavern to see and listen to Mary. At first, she ignored me, but then she got used to me. One day having finished playing, she came and sat next to me. ‘Do you like music?’ she asked. ‘Yes, especially when you are playing,’ I said. ‘Aren’t you afraid of my father?’ she smiled. ‘Not at all!’ ‘Then come to us today for dinner!’ Mary said, and laughed.

 

I did not say anything to my parents. In the evening, I went to the tavern. Mary had been already waiting for me. She was as lovely as never!

 

Taking my hand, she led me past the low little houses to a small shack. It was quite clean and comfortable. Dimly burning lamp. In the dim light, I saw a gloomy elderly man at the table. He had long gray hair and an earring in one ear.

‘Sit down,’ he nodded to me on the bench.

I sat down, not knowing what to expect from the old pirate.

‘Mary told me that you were in the tavern every day because of her. So, I’ll be brief! If your intentions are serious - you are welcome! Otherwise – I’ll kill you! Actually, I am against your friendship, but my daughter’s word is law for me!’

With these words, the old sea dog pulled his daughter and kissed her.

‘I love your  daughter!’ I blurted out. ‘And I ask for her hand!’

‘I don’t mind,’ Mary’s father muttered. ‘But you are rich and the rich usually avoid doing business with us. So think it over all again and in a week come with your final decision!’

 

I left their house after midnight. Mary went to see me off. She gently held my hand, and I couldn’t control myself and kissed her. She dragged me to the barn, where we made love until dawn. And in the morning I came home. I told my parents that I loved Mary and wanted to marry her. Having known that, my mom had a stroke. The doctor said that we shouldn’t bother her, otherwise she would die. Father locked me in my room and didn’t let me go out. However, a week later I managed to get out of the house and, unno-ticed by anyone, I went to Mary. Coming closer I did not recognize her house. There were traces of struggle everywhere ... The fence was broken, the door was demolished. There was no one inside. I rushed to the saloonkeeper. He told me that after I devoted my parents to my plans about marriage, my father appealed to the authorities, and they had taken a raid on a seaside village. Old Jack and his daughter managed to escape, but where they were hiding - the saloonkeeper did not know. Completely squeezed out, I went out of the tavern and suddenly heard a familiar voice:

‘Darling, I knew you would come!’ It was Mary. I was over the moon with joy! I rushed to hug and kiss her.

‘I have no time, my dear!’ the girl interrupted me. ‘The King has issued an order to clear the village from pirates. All caught will be hanged! They have already executed some of us; my father is worried very much. He does not know that I’m here - with you!’

‘You do not have to hide!’ I tried to convince her. ‘You did not commit anything! You did not rob or drown ships!’

‘Yes, but my father has so much gold that any person, especially the king would like to own it! If they catch me, they will put the bite on him to know his secret. So it’s better to hide. At parting, I would like to give you my piano. You can take it whenever you want. I have already warned Gregory. And remember, I will always love you!’

 

Mary gave me a kiss and I lost my head in despair, offered to accompany her to the ship. We were walking holding hands, and the moon had risen high in the sky. Old Jack saw us from the deck and shouted: ‘Mary, immediately, on the board! We have had enough problems with this boy!’

 

But I couldn’t unhand her. Finally, she kissed me again and went up the stairs. Old Jack immediately gave the command, and the ship went to the sea. The next day I heard the terrible news... The Royal Ships captured the ship of Old Jack. Realizing that inevitable would happen with him and Mary, he killed his daughter. They tortured Old Jack for a long time but he didn’t tell his secret - where he had hidden his priceless wealth. The Pirate was brought to the village and hanged at the square in the public; his ship was left in the harbor for some time.

 

When I heard this, my whole world collapsed overnight. I swore that I would become a pirate and never return in the world in which I lived before. With help of faithful people, I arranged escape of several pirates from the team of Old Jack, who had been waiting punishment in prison. At night we secretly slipped on the pirate ship and stole it from the harbor. So I became a captain. In memory of Mary, I took her piano out of the tavern, and now it is always with me. I even learned to play that melody, which my Mary was playing when we first met.”

 

With these words, the captain Patrick rose and walked to the piano and played a very sad but nice melody. Angelica imagined a young girl, who died very young and burst into tears...

 

Patrick finished playing, stood up, closed the lid and left the room. Lica quietly followed him and saw that he was standing near the ship’s board looking into the distance.

 

 

St. Mary’s island

 

The girl went back to the room, sat down at the piano and started playing. She played one tune after another, without stopping for a minute. Lica knew that now it was the best thing she could do. Patrick returned half an hour later and said:

 

“Wouldn’t you like to dance with me, dear Angelica?”

 

“Of course,” she nodded. “But how we dance without music? Who will play the piano?”

 

“No one! We will count and dance without music!” the Captain smiled.

 

He gave his hand to Lica and they circled counting in waltz: ‘One, two, three… one, two, three…’ Angelica looked at Patrick’s green eyes and he wasn’t a pirate now, but a gentle, courteous and handsome young man. She was sincerely sorry for him, but she did not know how to help him. So she just resigned herself to power of dance.

 

“Thank you!” the captain said and suddenly stopped. “Last time I danced at my mother’s balls.”

 

He led her to a chair and kissed her hand:

 

“Now go to bed! Tomorrow it is going to be a difficult day.”

 

“Sure!” sadly noticed Lica.

 

Patrick turned and left the cabin. For some time Angelica sat looking through the dark window, but then went to bed. ‘Tomorrow is a new day,’ she whispered. Soon she fell asleep.

 

In the morning, she woke up because of a sunbeam jumping on her eyes. Lica got up and tiptoed went out of the cabin to the deck. But before she could step on the deck, she heard voices: the first belonged to Patrick and the other was unfamiliar.

 

“Captain, you promised that we would leave the girl on the first piece of land!” the unknown voice said. “However, she has been here for one day. We have sailed past the hundreds of islands, but you have not kept your promise yet.”

 

“First mate, do not forget! I am the Captain here! And I make the decisions!” Patrick retorted.

 

“Yeah, but you know the crew are not happy with it! A woman on the ship will bring troubles! They are nearly to rebel!”

 

“I know that, the first mate. Today we’ll leave her at St. Mary’s island.”

 

“Are you crazy? This is a sure way to the gallows! The government ships are there! Isn’t it easier to feed her to the sharks?”

 

Angelica shivered.

 

“That would be too easy!” the captain grinned. “And now, do your duties!”

 

The first mate cursed and Lica quickly crept back into the captain’s cabin and sat down at the table, as if she didn’t come out anywhere. A few minutes later Patrick knocked on the door and entered the room.

 

“Good morning!” he said. “I hope the dusting didn’t disturb you?”

 

“I am all right,” she smiled. “Is it time?”

 

“Yes, there is going to be a large island soon. There’s a harbor, with hundreds of ships. I think you’ll find a ship which will take home!”

 

“But perhaps it is dangerous for you?”

 

“You are the biggest problem for me!” the captain grinned.

“Thank you!” Lica said sincerely. “Patrick, you are a real gentleman!”

 

“You will say thank you, when you get to the port! And now, please, play me something at parting!”

 

Angelica sat down at the piano and began to play everything that she ever played in her life. Patrick was listening to her attentively. Sometimes he seemed to be far away in his thoughts. Suddenly somebody knocked on the door and a tall, thin man entered the cabin.

 

“Captain, we sail up to St. Mary’s! Once again, I want to warn you that to close to the island - is death!”

 

Lica immediately recognized the voice of the first mate, who talked to Patrick a few minutes ago.

 

“Okay!” the captain nodded. “I will be on the deck in a minute!”

 

The first mate looked at Angelica with undisguised hatred, and left the cabin.

 

“What a terrible person,” she murmured.

 

“I know!” Patrick grinned. “But he is a brave pirate; no one equals him in the battle!”

 

“Someday, he’ll kill you!”

 

“I know that. And try to keep the situation under control. Now listen to me, Angelica. The island, which we are sailing up, is under the government protection. The royal court is in the harbor, so we won’t be able to come close. Our ship will be on a sufficiently large distance from the land, but I will give you a boat. I hope you know how to oar?”

 

“Of course!” Lica nodded.

 

“The earth!” somebody shouted from the deck.

 

“Saint Mary!” “Well, go!” said Patrick.

 

The girl looked at his face again and a wave of tenderness and gratitude had hit her.

 

“Thank you for everything!” Lica whispered and kissed the young man.

 

“Please, don’t be so sentimental!” said the captain, pulling her slightly away.

 

Then suddenly he leaned himself to the girl and kissed her passionately.

 

“Captain, the island ho!” they heard the voice of the first mate.

 

“Let’s go!” Patrick said sharply, pushing Angelica.

 

He turned and walked quickly out of the cabin. The girl had no choice as to follow him. On the deck, the sailors were scurrying. Having seen Lica, they began to sneer and say biting remarks:

 

“Maybe we will have some fun, dear?”

“What sexy forms!”

 

“Did our captain fuck you? Maybe now is our turn?” Angelica stubbornly pretended not to hear them. Patrick gave the order to prepare the boat. Finally, the boat was lowered into the water. The Captain personally helped her down and said:

 

“I wish we had met not now