wanted you to know. There is some redemption to our system, even if only the smallest amount. And yes,”—Drusilla jumped back to my earlier thought with such speed I had trouble keeping up—“you will become accustomed. Eventually.”
She grinned, giving me the distinct impression she expected us to remain acquainted for some time to come. I was unsure if I should be grateful or concerned, given her warning about the captain.
“He disapproves of the encante?” Stella sounded genuinely surprised.
“Not of the people, my lady, only the manner in which they’re treated.”
Behind me, the man I’d seen earlier hauled himself from the water, panting and groaning with spent pleasure. He dried himself off, collected his clothes and loped out of the room, pulling his shirt on as he went. Before the door had closed behind him, another man was moving to take his place in the pool, despite the fact one girl had curled herself into a shivering ball in the submerged basket.
Nauseated, I crossed to him and caught his arm.
“They’re taken,” I told him.
“Don’t look taken,” he drawled at me. “Look mighty tasty.” Even as we spoke he unbuttoned his flies. It was a struggle not to lay him out cold there and then. Instead I tightened my grip on his arm, hauled him around and propelled him to the door, expelling him into the corridor. His breeches dropped to his ankles and he tripped over them, tumbling to the deck, lobcock hanging out for all to see. A pair of grubby sailors at the other end of the corridor guffawed as I slammed the door closed on the downed man’s curses. It was the first time I’d shown the other side of myself since coming aboard, and I wasn’t at all sure I should have done so. When I turned back to the ladies, however, I knew I’d done the right thing.
I walked back to them, passing the twins’ pool once more. They stared up at me with wide eyes—huge eyes, perfectly round and somehow hypnotic. One opened her arms to me as if expecting to take me into her bosom, the other turned in the cradle so she faced me. She was in obvious discomfort, but spread her slender legs wide regardless. I felt my cheeks flame and turned away.
“Drusilla, could you explain to them, please . . . I didn’t do it so that I might—I don’t mean to reject them, only . . .” Dru slipped by me and knelt by the pool for a long, seemingly silent moment.
Stella gave me a curious look. “If not to have them for yourself, then why?”
“To give them a respite,” I said. “I am only sorry I cannot offer more.”
“It is more than they generally have in a day. I have five girls here, Mister Escher, one of them the captain sees fit to keep for himself, leaving four. Four girls, and a crew of near a hundred.”
“But they can’t all be happy to . . . Surely there are crew members who have wives? And even those who don’t . . .”
“The captain has a wife.” Stella shook her head. “Doesn’t care for her much, mind. Leaves her ashore. Mister Drew is wed, and still Drusilla there came to be.” Stella nodded at Drusilla, who was still conversing with the twins. “Not all men are as chivalrous as you are, Escher, nor as faithful. The encante have always been known for their sexual appetites and abilities. It proved their salvation in some ways, their downfall in others.”
I considered. “They had value due to their abilities, but it condemned them to a life of slavery.”
“Clever boy.”
I was startled by a gentle tugging on my sleeve. I assumed it was Drusilla, until I turned to see one of the sisters standing beside me. She was short, so much so that I’d have thought her a child had she been human, her twin was equally minute, for they were identical in most aspects. The pair stood on either side of me and wrapped their arms around my waist, locking hands with each other as if seeing if they could reach around the circumference of some great, stoic oak. It was an embrace I found
She grinned, giving me the distinct impression she expected us to remain acquainted for some time to come. I was unsure if I should be grateful or concerned, given her warning about the captain.
“He disapproves of the encante?” Stella sounded genuinely surprised.
“Not of the people, my lady, only the manner in which they’re treated.”
Behind me, the man I’d seen earlier hauled himself from the water, panting and groaning with spent pleasure. He dried himself off, collected his clothes and loped out of the room, pulling his shirt on as he went. Before the door had closed behind him, another man was moving to take his place in the pool, despite the fact one girl had curled herself into a shivering ball in the submerged basket.
Nauseated, I crossed to him and caught his arm.
“They’re taken,” I told him.
“Don’t look taken,” he drawled at me. “Look mighty tasty.” Even as we spoke he unbuttoned his flies. It was a struggle not to lay him out cold there and then. Instead I tightened my grip on his arm, hauled him around and propelled him to the door, expelling him into the corridor. His breeches dropped to his ankles and he tripped over them, tumbling to the deck, lobcock hanging out for all to see. A pair of grubby sailors at the other end of the corridor guffawed as I slammed the door closed on the downed man’s curses. It was the first time I’d shown the other side of myself since coming aboard, and I wasn’t at all sure I should have done so. When I turned back to the ladies, however, I knew I’d done the right thing.
I walked back to them, passing the twins’ pool once more. They stared up at me with wide eyes—huge eyes, perfectly round and somehow hypnotic. One opened her arms to me as if expecting to take me into her bosom, the other turned in the cradle so she faced me. She was in obvious discomfort, but spread her slender legs wide regardless. I felt my cheeks flame and turned away.
“Drusilla, could you explain to them, please . . . I didn’t do it so that I might—I don’t mean to reject them, only . . .” Dru slipped by me and knelt by the pool for a long, seemingly silent moment.
Stella gave me a curious look. “If not to have them for yourself, then why?”
“To give them a respite,” I said. “I am only sorry I cannot offer more.”
“It is more than they generally have in a day. I have five girls here, Mister Escher, one of them the captain sees fit to keep for himself, leaving four. Four girls, and a crew of near a hundred.”
“But they can’t all be happy to . . . Surely there are crew members who have wives? And even those who don’t . . .”
“The captain has a wife.” Stella shook her head. “Doesn’t care for her much, mind. Leaves her ashore. Mister Drew is wed, and still Drusilla there came to be.” Stella nodded at Drusilla, who was still conversing with the twins. “Not all men are as chivalrous as you are, Escher, nor as faithful. The encante have always been known for their sexual appetites and abilities. It proved their salvation in some ways, their downfall in others.”
I considered. “They had value due to their abilities, but it condemned them to a life of slavery.”
“Clever boy.”
I was startled by a gentle tugging on my sleeve. I assumed it was Drusilla, until I turned to see one of the sisters standing beside me. She was short, so much so that I’d have thought her a child had she been human, her twin was equally minute, for they were identical in most aspects. The pair stood on either side of me and wrapped their arms around my waist, locking hands with each other as if seeing if they could reach around the circumference of some great, stoic oak. It was an embrace I found
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