alarm. “Here now, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just what it sounds like, Mrs. Bird. Mr. Chillhurst has kindly offered to take charge of disposing of Uncle Artemis’s latest shipment.”
“Ain’t sure I like the sound of that offer. What if Chillhurst makes off with the goods?”
“Rubbish. If he had been going to do that, he would never have brought them to us in the first place. He would have absconded with them upon his arrival in Weymouth.”
“Well, mayhap he intends to cheat ye, then,” Mrs. Bird warned. “And how would ye know if he did?
Ye’d only have his word that he got the best price he could for the lot. I told ye, the man looks like a pirate. Best have Squire Pettigrew handle things, just as he has in the past.”
Olympia lost her patience. “I’m quite certain we can trust Mr. Chillhurst. Uncle Artemis did.” She sailed through the door before Mrs. Bird could respond.
Out in the hall, Olympia picked up the skirts of her ankle-length printed muslin gown and went quickly up the stairs.
She paused on the landing and listened. It was quiet even up here.
She tiptoed down the hall to the schoolroom and put her ear to the door. The deep-sea rumble of Jared’s voice filtered softly through the heavy wooden panels.
“It was an ill-conceived scheme from the start,” Jared said. “But Captain Jack was prone to wild notions.
The predilection later proved to be an unfortunate family trait.”
“Does that mean there were other pirates in Captain Jack’s family?” Ethan asked eagerly.
“Captain Jack preferred to be called a buccaneer,” Jared said sternly. “And while I do not believe that there were any more in the clan, I fear there were several descendents suspected of engaging in the free-trade.”
“What’s the free-trade?” Hugh demanded.
“Smuggling,” Jared explained dryly. “Captain Jack’s family seat was on the Isle of Flame. It’s an exceedingly beautiful place but very remote. Robert, show us where the Isle of Flame is located.”
“Here,” Robert said enthusiastically. “Off the Devon coast. See? There’s a tiny dot right there.”
“Very good, Robert.” Jared said. “As you will see, the isle is an excellent site for smuggling. Convenient enough to the coasts of France and Spain, yet quite remote from the authorities. The preventive service is seldom seen in the vicinity and the local inhabitants may be counted upon not to talk to outsiders.”
“Tell us about the smugglers,” Ethan said.
“No, I want to hear about Captain Jack’s plan to cross the Isthmus of Panama first,” Robert said.
“Yes, tell us about the buccaneers’ scheme to capture a Spanish galleon, Mr. Chillhurst,” Hugh said eagerly. “You can tell us about the smugglers tomorrow.”
“Very well,” Jared agreed. “But first you should know not only how idiotic the notion was, but also how dangerous. The Isthmus of Panama is extremely treacherous terrain. It is densely forested and filled with many strange and deadly creatures. Many men have died trying to reach the sea on the other side.”
“Why did Captain Jack and his crew want to cross the isthmus in the first place?” Ethan asked. “Why didn’t they stay in the West Indies?”
“Gold,” Jared said succinctly. “Captain Jack had a partner at the time. They had heard tales of the legendary treasure that Spain was routinely transporting from its colonies in America. The two buccaneers decided to see if they could slip across the Isthmus of Panama with a band of men, capture a Spanish ship or two, and get rich immediately.”
“Bloody hell,” Robert whispered in awe. “What an exciting venture. I wish I could have been with Captain Jack when he made the trip.”
Olympia could stand it no longer. The words legendary treasure and buccaneers dazzled her. She was as enthralled as her nephews by Jared’s tale. She opened the door very quietly and slipped stealthily into the room.
Ethan, Hugh, and Robert were
“Just what it sounds like, Mrs. Bird. Mr. Chillhurst has kindly offered to take charge of disposing of Uncle Artemis’s latest shipment.”
“Ain’t sure I like the sound of that offer. What if Chillhurst makes off with the goods?”
“Rubbish. If he had been going to do that, he would never have brought them to us in the first place. He would have absconded with them upon his arrival in Weymouth.”
“Well, mayhap he intends to cheat ye, then,” Mrs. Bird warned. “And how would ye know if he did?
Ye’d only have his word that he got the best price he could for the lot. I told ye, the man looks like a pirate. Best have Squire Pettigrew handle things, just as he has in the past.”
Olympia lost her patience. “I’m quite certain we can trust Mr. Chillhurst. Uncle Artemis did.” She sailed through the door before Mrs. Bird could respond.
Out in the hall, Olympia picked up the skirts of her ankle-length printed muslin gown and went quickly up the stairs.
She paused on the landing and listened. It was quiet even up here.
She tiptoed down the hall to the schoolroom and put her ear to the door. The deep-sea rumble of Jared’s voice filtered softly through the heavy wooden panels.
“It was an ill-conceived scheme from the start,” Jared said. “But Captain Jack was prone to wild notions.
The predilection later proved to be an unfortunate family trait.”
“Does that mean there were other pirates in Captain Jack’s family?” Ethan asked eagerly.
“Captain Jack preferred to be called a buccaneer,” Jared said sternly. “And while I do not believe that there were any more in the clan, I fear there were several descendents suspected of engaging in the free-trade.”
“What’s the free-trade?” Hugh demanded.
“Smuggling,” Jared explained dryly. “Captain Jack’s family seat was on the Isle of Flame. It’s an exceedingly beautiful place but very remote. Robert, show us where the Isle of Flame is located.”
“Here,” Robert said enthusiastically. “Off the Devon coast. See? There’s a tiny dot right there.”
“Very good, Robert.” Jared said. “As you will see, the isle is an excellent site for smuggling. Convenient enough to the coasts of France and Spain, yet quite remote from the authorities. The preventive service is seldom seen in the vicinity and the local inhabitants may be counted upon not to talk to outsiders.”
“Tell us about the smugglers,” Ethan said.
“No, I want to hear about Captain Jack’s plan to cross the Isthmus of Panama first,” Robert said.
“Yes, tell us about the buccaneers’ scheme to capture a Spanish galleon, Mr. Chillhurst,” Hugh said eagerly. “You can tell us about the smugglers tomorrow.”
“Very well,” Jared agreed. “But first you should know not only how idiotic the notion was, but also how dangerous. The Isthmus of Panama is extremely treacherous terrain. It is densely forested and filled with many strange and deadly creatures. Many men have died trying to reach the sea on the other side.”
“Why did Captain Jack and his crew want to cross the isthmus in the first place?” Ethan asked. “Why didn’t they stay in the West Indies?”
“Gold,” Jared said succinctly. “Captain Jack had a partner at the time. They had heard tales of the legendary treasure that Spain was routinely transporting from its colonies in America. The two buccaneers decided to see if they could slip across the Isthmus of Panama with a band of men, capture a Spanish ship or two, and get rich immediately.”
“Bloody hell,” Robert whispered in awe. “What an exciting venture. I wish I could have been with Captain Jack when he made the trip.”
Olympia could stand it no longer. The words legendary treasure and buccaneers dazzled her. She was as enthralled as her nephews by Jared’s tale. She opened the door very quietly and slipped stealthily into the room.
Ethan, Hugh, and Robert were
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