I nodded and smiled.She smiled back.
There was something about her, and I could see why Francis had been enamoured.Her eyes sparkled with good humour, and her brown skin glowed with health and vitality.Neither of the boys were as dark as she, but I didn’t know if that was due to their age or to the difference between their parents.They resembled Francis in the face, but the older child had glossy, shoulder length hair, which favoured Jimena.
The men from the village placed wooden platters of fish and fruit and grilled flatbread on a low wood table that had been put on the sand in front of the circle of huts.If we’d been in England or even on Jamaica, the lone woman would have been expected to serve the meal to the men, but Jimena was content to take the baby from Francis and sit on a rock to nurse him, scooping one breast out and speaking to Alejandro, who knelt in the sand at her feet and chattered back to her in Spanish.
By the time we had gathered around the table to eat, she’d tucked herself back up and was given pride of place at the head of the table.
Before taking her seat, Jimena put her hand over her heart and gazed around at us with a smile, then spread her arms to indicate the food.“Por favor, coma.”
The entire landed crew of theArrowcouldn’t find spots at the table, so they sat nearby on reed mats and were served bowls of stew and given bread.
As I partook of the feast before me, savouring the freshness of the fish, the ripeness of the fruit, and the crisp edges of the grilled bread, I began to truly feel at home.The beach and surrounding jungle looked friendlier and less strange in the mid-day light, and the friendliness of the people who had welcomed us was a truly amazing gift.
I listened in on Dinesh’s conversation with Francis.
“I’m planning to send half the men back to theArrowon the morrow after they’ve had a chance to relax and enjoy the beach.I imagine most wouldn’t say no to having the privacy of the ship without Hillier or me there, and we do need men to protect her.I can’t rest easy for long with nobody aboard when she’s anchored away from me.”
“Mmm.Quite sensible, but you will be relieved to know there isn’t much ship traffic near us.Other countries know the Spanish have the mainland and so they stay away.We do very well for ourselves and are left alone.We have riches that the Spaniards don’t appreciate, thank God.”
“Yes, you are very lucky, Francis.You’ve made quite the comfortable life here.”Dinesh smiled.“Any regrets?”
Francis laughed.“Not a one.Well, perhaps not being able to see you more regularly.But I’m delighted you came for a visit and are faring well.”He glanced my way and gestured to the men on the beach.“They’re as loyal and good-spirited as ever.And you’ve got some new additions.”
Captain Martin nodded, chewing on a tear of bread.“A contented crew is worth more than gold, I’d say, but we get our share of that as well.And we haven’t lost many men or had to resort to barbaric tactics to gain supplies lately either.The less bloodshed the better, in my opinion.”
I certainly agreed with him on that matter.
I wondered if Dinesh would tell Francis of my strange powers.I hoped he didn’t, as they hadn’t made a reappearance in a length of time, and I was happy to forget about them.I didn’t want Francis and Jimena to be wary of me.
After I’d had enough to eat, I excused myself and left Dinesh and Francis to their conversation.
A group of the men had finished their meal and rolled up their trousers.They cavorted in the shallow water at a distance from the group still seated at the table.Shouts and cries and laughter came from them but they avoided going any deeper than their calves, splashing and cooling off without risking a dunk.
Domingo had been sitting with Squid and two other fellows to eat, and I went over to them.
“I fancy a swim myself,” I said, folding my arms over my chest and staring at the naked men running and shouting in the surf.
“All right, but not near that lot.Too rowdy for my liking,” Domingo muttered.
I had a suspicion that Domingo wasn’t comfortable being naked in a group that large, likely a holdover from his previous profession.I was happy to oblige.
“Obviously.Those lot are pigs.They’d probably tease us and push us under, or some such nonsense.Can you swim?”
“I can.”Domingo shot me a grin, and we took off down the beach, wading at the edge of the surf to stay cool.After a few moments we heard a cry from behind us.
“Oye!”
We turned to see Squid making his way towards us.His straight black hair was loose and flying around his tattooed face, as he tried to keep the fluttering strands out of his eyes.
“You coming for a bathe?”Domingo asked, turning around to walk backward and waggling his eyebrows at Squid.
“Aye, if you’ll have me,” he said.“I didn’t fancy joining the others either.”
“There are a group of rocks ahead where we can put our clothes.We can go in there,” I said, pointing.“Domingo and I want to go in fairly deep and have a swim.Would you like to join us?”
“I suppose.”
“Can you swim?With a name like Squid, I’d expect it,” Domingo chuckled.
