Charles and I stood in an embrace at Zeelandia's bulwarks for a long while in silence. Then I nodded toward the sheath of papers on the barrelhead and said, "Very near double the Barbados total, but the gain is well beyond double what we had achieved there."

"Oh, my! The crew will be pleased. Luck continues to smile upon us."

I shook my head. "No, not luck, Charles. Rather it is your cleverness, astute assessment and wisdom which have accomplished this."

He chuckled. "An overabundance of luck is more the case."

"One of my tutors said that luck comes more from consistent and intelligent application than it does from fate."

We released the embrace when Mister Jenkins arrived beside us with the balance scale and box of weights, followed by Mid Franklin carrying the final two bags of payments. While the coins were being dumped into the large bags on the deck, Jenkins said to me, "Your tutoring was effective, Lady Camille. His cyphering rendered the same totals as did mine this time."

"Oh, excellent! Well done, Mid Franklin."

"Thank you, Camille."

"Mid!" Jenkins said in a loud, stern voice. "Where is your respect?"

"Aye, Sir." He reddened. "Sorry, Your Ladyship. Appears I am still thinking about your friendly manner, Lady Camille."

I laughed. "My friendly manner continues, though it seems a formality is now required."

"Will you continue tutoring us?"

"Oh, yes, if you wish. I would enjoy that."

"Great! Edwards will be —"

"Mid! Mind your position."

"Aye, Sir." He reddened again. "I am sorry to have overstepped, Your Ladyship."

Jenkins motioned aft. "Return to your duties, Mid."

I watched Franklin hasten away, and I wondered whether Jenkins' attitude is necessary. Is this part of the discipline training of which Father had spoken? If so, it seems harsh.

When I returned my attention to Charles and Jenkins, they were engaged in a discussion, so to not further interfere, I stepped across to the bags of money and bent to pick up one of the misshapen gold coins which had caught my eye. A cob, more properly, I thought as I examined its crude crafting. So prone to clipping, little wonder we take them by weight.

I chuckled to myself. Fortunate their tailors are more skilled than are their coin-makers. This brought my mind to Martha's superb offering, and I wondered what more I needed to purchase. Then my thoughts went to the images in her book. More pillows and cushions for our bed, that we may try all the positions.

Feeling myself warm, I released the thoughts. Cushions for Olivia's bed, though for her better comfort. If they continue, will she secret him into there? Likely. I would, were I in her situation. But she should do it at night when we are abed, that we not know.

Then pulling my mind from thinking about them, I pondered what more I needed. My blistered heel from all the walking reminded me of earlier thoughts. Of course, a cobbler to have slippers and shoes crafted. But I again stopped where I had before. Is there sufficient time for that? How long will we remain in Port Royal? I must ask Charles.

I turned to look at him. So busy the past while. Too busy for my petty concerns.

Then he reached out a hand toward me, "Come join us here, Camille. Your advice will be of benefit to our planning."

I moved to his side, and he continued, "With our swift passage from England, our shorter than anticipated Barbados visit, and our finding an immediate berth alongside here, we will be ready to depart more than a month sooner than I had thought. And now with our visit to Jamestown cancelled, we will arrive in New York in the depths of winter, rather than at the beginning of spring, as I had planned."

"You say this as if there were a problem arriving early."

"Winter there is much colder than is that which you know in Portsmouth."

"Even colder than that one a few years ago when we woke to the ground white with snow?"

"That would be mild by comparison. In New York, the streams and lakes are frozen for most of the winter, and the ground is frequently covered by snow, often a foot or two or more deep. Heavy woollen clothing and furs are essential, and of those, we have none."

"Oh! Then we should dally here. How long is the passage?"

"The safest route is to sail around the western end of Cuba and up the Florid Straits, and that takes from ten days to two weeks or more, dependant upon winds and weather."

"Ooh, a flowery area. And beyond there, how long to New York?"

Charles chuckled. "That was for the entire route from here to there."

"So, dally here for two and a half months awaiting the spring."

"No, not here. We have much to do and some decisions to make."

"Decisions?"

"Aye, and this is why I wish your wisdom." He pointed toward the wharves. "When the loading of lots has been accomplished, and the remainder of our provisions and water are aboard, do we go to anchor, that the crew may watch the hangings? Or do we set sail for Isla Beata?"

"Isla Beata? Why ever there?"

"To recover the pirates' hoard. We had hastened away without it."

I nodded. "When we learnt of Santiago's return."

"Exactly. It was far too dangerous to remain and search."

"And the danger now? Are there others to return?"

"Your father said they had only the three ships, but they had been working on repairing two of the damaged ones. And here is a second decision. Do we remain there and bring them to a state fit for towing here to sell? Or do we continue eastward to Barbados to purchase more rumbullion?"

I glanced at the sheaf of papers, trying to recall what the casks had brought, and as I picked it up and flipped through the pages to examine my figures, I said, "We nearly trebled our cost. Between nine and twelve pounds gain the cask."

Jenkins pursed his lips and nodded. "Seems the wiser choice is to sail to Barbados for another hundred casks. That should gain us a thousand."

"Likely not," I replied as I continued examining pages. "The prices fell quickly the last few lots, the final one giving a gain short of ten for three casks. With their stock replenished, and with the Christmas revelry over, we might not gain even three pounds the cask."

"Still, two or three hundred pounds is a fair gain." Jenkins turned from me to Charles. "Might we take it to New York and sell it there for even more, Sir?"

"We would not find a good gain. A distillery in the harbour there meets all their need. Better we take molasses to supply it, and we can purchase that here, as well as sugar."

"For what amount could we sell the two ships?"

"Indeed, Camille, a fine question, making the decision easy. If they are sound of hull, they will bring two to three hundred pounds each."

I pointed toward the city. "It might be wise to anchor here, lest the crew grumble about having missed the Christmas revelry. Besides, roasting the meats and enjoying them will be easier there than at sea."

Charles lifted my hand to his lips; then he turned to Jenkins. "This is the wisdom about which I have told you."