“Your men will be welcome ashore, as always,” Lafitte told Drakov, “however, I should caution you that Gambi is back. He and his crew have been a problem. I hope there will be no incidents.”
“There won’t be, so long as my men are not interfered with,” Drakov said.
“I am growing weary of Gambi,” Lafitte said. “He takes too much upon himself. We have enough problems already without him.”
“What sort of problems?” Drakov said, sipping his wine.
“Oh, that idiot Claiborne,” said Lafitte. “That fool of a governor who sits in his mansion on Toulouse Street and denounces me as a pirate to all and any who will listen. We must stop the smuggling, he says, over and over again. Stop the smuggling, indeed! He was only too happy to have this smuggler stop at his house and deliver goods to him on more than one occasion in the past. Now, he is a force for moral righteousness. The man is an insufferable ass. Do you know what he had the temerity to do? He posted a reward of five hundred dollars for my arrest! Can you imagine? I had the exact wording of the proclamation copied, substituting his name for mine, and I posted a reward for his arrest, only I offered fifteen hundred dollars. I sent him a challenge, offering my sword. Of course, I received no answer. Still, it caused some amusement in the city and the publicity is good for business.”
“Have you had more trouble with the British?” Drakov said.
Lafitte sneered. “Those imperialist pigs! Only the Spaniards are worse. I hear they have secured Detroit. Rumors have them heading toward us. They will find a warm welcome.”
The carriage returned with Dominique Youx and two men, who unloaded a chest and brought it into the house. Moments later, they had carried it up the stairs, grunting from the weight of it, and then out onto the veranda.
“Captain Drako comes bearing gifts, Jean,” said Youx. He opened the chest, revealing part of the treasure they had recovered from the sunken La Floridana. It was filled with pieces of eight, which Drakov’s crew had meticulously cleaned so they would not look as if they had been under water.
“Drako,” said Lafitte, reprovingly, “there is no need of this.”
“I know, Jean, but please accept the gift. Think of it as a token payment from my men for their entertainment.”
“In that case, I must present you with a gift, as well,” Lafitte said. “What will you have? Another ship, perhaps? We have recently brought in a prize, a Spaniard. She is only a merchantman, nothing like your Valkyrie, of course, but-”
“One ship is enough for me, my friend,” said Drakov. “From you, I will accept only hospitality and nothing more.”
“Well, then I must do something for your men, at least. Land, you like Marie? She’s yours. I give her to you. Marie!”
Land was thunderstruck.
“Now, Jean-” Drakov began.
“No, no, it is all settled! I have spoken. Ah, Marie, meet your new master, Mr. Ned Land. I have made him a present of you.”
Marie looked aghast. Her eyes filled with tears.
Drakov came to the rescue. “Jean, please, you will cause me problems if you do this. This girl is not made for a life at sea. If you give her to Land, it will only make the rest of my crew jealous.”
“Then I will give each of them a woman,” said Lafitte. “I have hundreds. Well, perhaps not hundreds, but certainly enough for each to take his pick.”
“Just what I need,” said Drakov. “A woman for every man aboard my ship.”
Lafitte grimaced. “Yes, I suppose that would be a problem, wouldn’t it?”
“She seems quite close to you, Captain Lafitte,” said Land. “I wouldn’t wish to cause her to be unhappy.”
“Bah! Women attach themselves to men like barnacles. If a man gives them any regard, he’ll have a devil of a time scraping them off. Very well, then. I shall think of something else. Never mind, Marie. It appears Mr. Land prefers for you to stay with me.”
“Oh, thank you, Monsieur!” Marie said, standing on tiptoe to kiss Land upon the cheek.
“Go and thank him properly, at least,” Lafitte said. She took his hand and led the bewildered Land away.
“Are you as cavalier with everyone, Captain Lafitte?” said Verne, in a reproving tone. “Or only with your slaves?”
“Do I offend you, sir?” Lafitte said.
Drakov quickly intervened. “Mr. Verne, though something of an aristocrat in France, is nevertheless rather liberal in his ideas, Jean.”
“Is it liberal to believe that people should not be considered property?” said Verne.