Clara loved the game of chess. It took both precision and skill to win. There is no luck. If you know the right strategy you can win in 3 to 5 simple moves against an unskilled opponent. It is a lesson she not only took away from her governess Juliana but also one she often found she could apply to life.
Break it down, think before you act, and you are more likely to predict your outcome.
She had much to do before nightfall. She had been watching the crew carefully. Figuring out her strategy before executing her first move. White always moves first. First move: Get the keys to the hatch where the men were being kept.
The Marine holding the keys was a bit of hothead, the same man who brought her and Mr. Richards to the boat. More brawn than brain but this worked to her advantage, as anyone else may be more discerning of her actions. She had seen the brute had a penchant for dice. This could not be more perfect.
The crew had little to do until the repairs were underway, so many of them got into other diversions. The game of choice being Crown and Anchor, a dice game that Clara had become familiar with as it was a favorite among the cadets aboard the Whispering Wind.
Clara stood on the edge of the crowd and watched the pawn of her choice was played. The canvas mat was laid down on deck showing the symbols of a heart, spade, diamond, clover, anchor, and crown. The Marine obviously chose to be the banker as it put the odds in his favor. The first player stepped forward placing his bets on two of the symbols. He pulled out his three dice all six siders covered with the same symbols as the playing mat. He rolled the dice.
"Hearts and Club, you lose."
The disgruntled sailor took his dice and stepped away having lost a few days wages.
Sailor after sailor stepped forward some winning, most losing, Clara still watching and then it happened. One sailor got on a run of luck and it was making the Marine most irritable.
Clara shifted through the crowd. Saying in different voices as she went, "Cheater. Must be loaded dice. Or No one is that lucky." The crowd had become sizeable and intense, and so no one paid much mind to where the accusations were coming from but the crowd became more incensed as they heard them.
The rumble started to grow and the Marine took note. When the sailor won again the Marine kicked the dice aside with his foot. "Cheater!" he said getting into the other man's face. "You dare play with loaded dice?!"
"I've done no such thing and I won again. Give me my money!"
"No, I'll not payout to a bloody cheater like you. No one is that lucky."
The men now stood toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose. The pawns were set and ready for battle. The other men standing around were now getting roused for a fight and new bets were placed on the outcome. Fists flew and blows were heard even over the roar of the crowd that was egging them on. Several minutes had passed and both men took damage but neither let up until a gunshot in the air brought everyone to silence.
"What is this!?" the Lieutenant marched down to the lower deck, the crowd parting, giving him passage directly into the inner circle. Both men tried to straighten up but found their injuries making it difficult to do so.
"I understand we all need a pastime till we can set sail again but this behavior is intolerable. I will not have my crew downgrading themselves to a bunch of thugs and ruffians. You are sailors in His Majesty's Navy!"
Both men looked at one another and then looked away. They knew they had taken things too far, but they had gotten caught up in the moment.
"Thankfully one of this crew still has enough sense about him to notify me of this unsightly altercation before things had gotten too out of hand. Claremont, Dibbins?"
Clara and another seaman stepped forward. The Lieutenant took the keys off of the Marine and handed them to Clara. "Take these men below and place them in holding and I will give some consideration as to what will be done with them both come morning."
Clara nodded she understood and Dibbins had grabbed both men by the arm and began to lead them the away. The crowd quickly dispersed and got back to work, whatever work was to be had, hoping to keep out of trouble and in the Lieutenant's good graces.
"So which one of you is the snitch?"
Dibbins looked at Claremont but quickly looked away. There was a certain safety to names not being named but he wasn't eager to take the fall for a newcomer.
"I should have known. You have been nothing but a thorn in my side since you boarded this ship. You had best hope you're off of it by the time the Lieutenant carries out his punishment because whatever he chooses to do to me, I promise you way worse."
Dibbin's was shocked to see a smile cross Claremont's features as he unlocked the holding cell and opened it for the sailors to enter. He personally saw Claremont as a Bully Trap but there was no denying the boy had pluck. Once they were locked away. Dibbins gave Claremont a rough warning not to provoke trouble with the other seamen if he wished his stay on board to be a pleasant one.
"And be sure the Lieutenant gets back those keys."
Clara nodded in understanding but knew she would be making one more stop before she had done so. She followed behind Dibbins and then when the opportunity presented itself she snuck to the hatch where the impressed men were being held. She found the right key that would fit the lock. She removed it from the keyring and slipped it into her vest pocket.
Lieutenant Airey looked up as the young boy entered his cabin after he bid him enter. "Ah, Claremont. The men secured?"
Clara nodded and handed him back the keys. The Lieutenant took them and stood staring at them in his hand. Clara felt her nerves tingle. Did he notice the key that was missing? Would he know which key it was? Had she made a wrong move?
"Do not believe I am so naïve as to not understand what you are trying to do here, Claremont?"
Clara swallowed hard and tried to dampen the instinct to run, shifting nervously in her stance before she ordered her body to stay put.
"You are looking to move up in the ranks. Not happy being a cabin boy? I don't blame you. Hold on to these keys for me, will you? The number of men on this voyage I can trust not to kill me when my back is turned is dwindling at an alarming rate due to this wretched war."
Clara willed her hand not to shake as she reached out and took the keys back from him. "I need loyal men, Claremont. You continue on this path you set yourself upon and I will see to it you rise in the ranks and are better treated. Understood?"
Clara nodded.
Lieutenant Airey nodded back. "Keep those keys safe and keep those ears and eyes open. Be sure you report to me anything you think may affect us getting out this blasted port, we cannot afford any more delays."
She gave him the salute she so recently learned and was dismissed. Outside the Lieutenant's door, she nearly collapsed from the adrenaline rush that now started to ebb. Taking a few deep breaths she hooked the keys to her belt but still kept the hatch key separate, knowing she did not wish to fumble with keys once her plan was enacted. Her Queen had now been moved into position.
She met with Cook down in the galley. The crew had to be fed and there was much work to be done. When dinner was prepared she fed the officer's standing by while they ate until she was no longer needed. The table was cleared and she returned to the galley to wash dishes. Clara scrubbed and cleaned until the cook was satisfied that the galley was in shipshape.
"I'm turning in Claremont. I expect you here before sun-up to get morning meals ready and then I'll be gatherin' a group to go ashore to get more supplies for the voyage."
The cook left her in the galley and Clara took a deep breath. The sun had set. If Redgrave understood her message then he should be somewhere nearby and it was almost time to make her last and final move.
She looked around to be certain she was alone. They looked like they ate rather well on this ship. Must be only the impressed men that ate so poorly, in fact, she was instructed to skip their meals today. The Lieutenant was probably hoping to wear them down so that they would be more compliant.
She found in their stores: butter, flour, an assortment of salted meats, dried fruit, even eggs. If they added the milk and flour she had seen they could even make pancakes. Finally, Clara came across the one thing she was hoping to find, knowing they had a good store of it on the Whispering Wind... lard.
She went over to the oven and collected some coals, covered them in lard, set them in a large metal cooking pot, struck a match and set them on fire. She stuffed some rags under the door waiting for the lard to hit its smoking point. When the room began filling up she opened the portholes and let the smoke out, adding even more lard to the fire before exiting out of the kitchen.
As she expected there were sudden alarm bells ringing as she reached the top deck. Men were yelling fire and grabbing pails of water and running below deck. Most men were already below deck having turned in for the night.
The Lieutenant had shown up topside and Clara ran over to him. "Fire in the galley!" she had written on the note she handed to him. He glanced it over.
"Stick by the impressed men's hatch. I do not trust this is not some sort of sabotage."
Checkmate.
The more the men tried to put the fires out with water the more smoke filled the ship as anyone knows you can't use water to put out a grease fire. However, the only person aboard who knew it was a grease fire was now letting out the impressed men from their hatch below.
Mr. Richards was the first to come up. "You're doing?" he asked seeing the chaos that was ensuing onboard. Men were completely lost below deck in the smoke that now was filling the hull of the ship.
Clara smiled and nodded.
"Good lad. Knew you wouldn't betray us! Now, let's get them out and off this ship."
Clara handed him a note as she helped others out of the hatch.
"Redgrave is waiting for us men," Mr. Richards announced, ushering them to the gangplank. "Keep moving and keep your eyes open for our rescue."
Nearly everyone was off and rescue was indeed waiting. Mr. Richards and Clara had seen Mr. McCree and his men showing the others the way to the hidden rowboats.
Just as the last man made it out and down the plank the Lieutenant resurfaced. It only took him a moment to take in the site and perceive what was taking place. The hatch was open and now only Richards and Claremont were left standing topside together by the gangplank.
Without hesitation, he drew his pistol, aimed and fired. Angus cried out as he heard the shot ring out and watched as Claremont pushed Mr. Richards out of the way, taking the shot. The shove caused the two to roll down the plank to Mr. McCree's feet.
Quickly he had his men grab the two and carry them off. They had to move fast. One boat filled with men already had left. The second was waiting for them to arrive. A whistle was blown and a group of navy soldiers were in hot pursuit.
McCree grabbed Claremont from two of his men and threw him over his shoulder. The boy was remarkably light and he started to run. Richard's thankfully revived, although slightly groggy was lead by the others to the boat.
Shots were being fired but at this distance, the soldiers would need to be an incredible marksman to make the hit. They were safely on board and with several men rowing they were able to put distance between themselves and the port in no time.
Redgrave hoisted them up unloading one boat and then the other.
"Once all are on board, weigh anchor and set sail," he ordered the helmsman.
"Yes, Captain!"
Angus was the last to board and he looked concerned as he turned to Redgrave with a bleeding unconscious, Claremont in his arms.