DOGS. Legacy Saga II

42

Sailing back into Cayona bay wasn't as exciting as seeing the Phantom again, but it filled Marina with glee. But she was taken aback when she saw the crowd gathering at the dock while they moored and rolled up the sails. She looked from over her shoulder, but she didn't see any other ship making port.

"What's going on?" she asked Morris.

"That you're famous," her friend replied, smiling. "You see, while you were in New Spain, men here got over their Maracaibo hangover and spread the word about our battle against the frigates at the Gulf of Honduras. To add more noise, word came that the Windward Fleet has been decommissioned, at least for now. So all of a sudden, everybody sees you as a savior of sorts: you delivered us from the Armada."

Marina frowned. "But don't they know we actually sank only one frigate in that battle?"

"The other one went down too."

"Oh, you're right."

"And we sank the Lion three weeks prior."

"Well, yes, the Lion."

"And the Trinidad."

"That happened only days ago."

Morris patted her back. "Let it flow, pearl. Let them have their happy moment. And be ready to shake some hands that rejected you before."

"Hope my mother sent horses," she grunted.

"Look, we have an official welcome party," said Maxó. "If I'm not wrong, that's the Governor's coach."

"What the hell?"

"And there comes the Admiral," said De Neill.

A boat with six oarsmen rowed from the dock, with Laventry standing at the bow like a figurehead. That made Marina smile, and she and Morris went to the ladder to welcome the corsair.

Laventry climbed to the Phantom and didn't bother to take his hat off to hug the girl, spinning with her like she were still a little child. She laughed as she'd always done and smashed a loud kiss on his cheek.

"Admiral! What do I owe the honor?"

"I come as your escort, to protect you from so many ardent admirers." Laventry winked at her. "You know, new believers are always the most enthusiastic ones." He looked around and tipped his hat at Dolores. "Ma'am... And where's Alonso?"

"He stayed in Cuba with Castillano," Marina replied, already trying to come up with an excuse to avoid answering more questions about it.

But Laventry didn't insist. "Perfect! You got rid of those proud boys and kept the only worthy child of Spain since your father got here. The family is back together." He offered her his arm, flashing his wolfish smirk. "Come, pearl, your mother and the Governor wait."

There wasn't much room left on Laventry's boat, so Morris let Marina go ahead and he stayed on the Phantom, making sure everything was locked and secured before going ashore. Then he boarded another boat with Dolores, Maxó, De Neill, Jean and some more. And a heavy bag full of pieces of eight with the Governor's share.

Marina would've dived head on to swim back to the Phantom when she saw the crowd cheering out loud and waving their hands high from the port. Many arms came out to hold the boat when it touched the dock, where Harry waited for them. Laventry sent the oarsmen first, to push the crowd back. Then he stepped on the dock and offered his hand to Marina with a wink. The girl hesitated when the crowd yelled on top of their lungs as soon as she touched land.

Morris' boat docked by Laventry's while the oarsmen still tried to make way for Marina through the crowd, and the pirates chuckled when Marina turned to them terrified.

"Make way!" Maxó shouted. "Make way for the Pearl of the Caribbean!"

He went ahead with De Neill, Jean, Oliver and some more, as polite as a bunch of angry praetorians, and just as effective. Marina walked with Laventry, not hiding her confusion at all that sudden fervor. She shook some hands and responded to greetings, but she only smiled when they reached the women that waited halfway to the street.

They were women who worked at the harbor. The girls from taverns and brothels were on one side, and peddlers and laundresses were on the other. Her mother had raised her to see them all equally: hard-working women. Like Cecilia used to say to her when she was old enough to understand: pleasing a man was just as hard as scrubbing their salty, muddy clothes.

A little girl jumped from her mother's arms and ran to her with a bunch of wildflowers and a bright grin. Marina crouched down to level their eyes and thanked her for the present. Then she lifted the little girl in her arms, kissed her cheek and took her back to her mother.

"Soon they'll ask you to bless them," Laventry said mockingly.

"You're jealous," Marina replied, scoffing.

"Of course he is," Laventry said. "They charge him instead of giving him flowers. Five coins for the trousers, five more for what's inside."

"If my mother heard you."

Laventry frowned. "And you no longer blush at such jokes?"

"Harry, please, remind the Admiral I'm already sixteen."

"Oh, sixteen, sixteen! Look at her, she's sixteen!"

"Don't worry, I love you even if you're old."

They finally made it through the thick of the crowd and reached the street of the main stores and taverns. Cecilia and D'Oregon waited there. Marina held her mother tight and shook the Governor's hand. The man's eyes sparkled when he spotted the bag Morris carried.

They soon left the harbor, Cecilia and Dolores on the coach and the others on horses. Lunch waited for them in the garden of the house. Despite the heat, they lingered in the shadow of the fig tree for hours. Nobody asked much about Dolores' and Marina's comings and goings in New Spain. They listened to what they told and didn't insist about anything. Marina found out that Cecilia and the others were already aware of Alonso's arrangement with the operator from Santiago, so nobody was surprised the young captains had stayed there.

As usual when Laventry was around, the conversations flowed toward his new projects. He'd been hearing interesting news about Florida lately.

"Florida?" repeated Morris, keeping Dolores' hand in his under the table. "What can you find in Florida?"

"Missions," Laventry replied. "Many more missions than castles, judging for what I hear."

"We're trying to get an accurate map to see if it's really worthy," said Harry.

"If it were, the usual scavengers would've dropped by already," said Maxó.

"True, Morgan, L'Olonnais or De Graaf never bothered to go so far north." Laventry winked at them. "But it would be odd, if there are priests and no gold around."