Doctor Who_ The Roundheads - Mark Gatiss [74]
Winter reacted at once, sliding her bulk over the desk and smashing Godley’s wrist against the woodwork. Again and again she moved until the pistol fell from the young man’s grip.
Ben jumped to his feet and stood there, breathing heavily as Winter pointed the weapon at Godley and the Dutchman.
‘Well, my boys, seems the boot’s on the other foot, now, eh?’ cackled Winter.
Godley sighed. ‘If you think you can get off this ship, peg leg, then you’re a bigger fool than you look.’ He smiled nastily. ‘And you look pretty foolish.’
Winter’s face darkened. ‘I give you one minute to tell me who you be. Then I’ll plaster these four walls with your brains.’
Godley seemed entirely unfazed. ‘My name is Robert Godley. I have some business with the captain. If I realised how he supplemented his commissions I should certainly have gone elsewhere.’
Winter waved her hand. ‘Never mind that. What is this package you were to bring back?’
A flicker of fear fluttered over Godley’s face. He licked his lips and couldn’t help but glance at his companion.
Ben turned to him. ‘Perhaps you know, Dutch? Eh?’
Winter grunted her agreement. ‘Yes, surely this fellow knows. Did they not pick up the package from you?’ Suddenly the captain’s eyebrows lifted and a gleam of excitement came into her good eye. ‘Or... or are you the package yourself?’
Ben looked at her. ‘What?’
Suddenly there were shouts outside, and the sound of feet tramping closer.
‘Stanislaus!’ cried Ben. ‘It must be Stanislaus coming back!’
Winter looked rapidly round the cabin. ‘Well, well. No time for answers. This treachery ends here.’
She pointed the pistol towards a coil of rope which was swinging from the wall. ‘Ben. Tie them up.’
Ben dashed to the wall and, within seconds, had secured Godley and the Dutchman together by their wrists.
Winter hustled Ben to the door and then kicked Godley in the small of the back, sending him and the strange Dutchman sprawling into the corner.
She bowed low and raised the pistol.
‘Farewell, gentlemen,’ she said with a flashy smile.
Godley screwed up his face in expectation of the shot but instead Winter pulled a small, round object, which looked to Ben like a cricket ball, from her coat. It was like a hard leather sack and had a long, tapering cord trailing from it.
With a throaty laugh, she struck a flint and set light to the cord, which immediately began to burn.
Then she placed the bomb carefully on Stanislaus’s desk and dashed out of the cabin.
Despite her clumsy gait, the captain moved quickly and she and Ben were soon on to the ropes and back aboard the Demeter, where, from a safe distance, they watched Stanislaus and a dozen of his men marching back towards the cabin.
The Demeter began to pull away and Winter stood on her deck in the pitch dark, waving her hat above her head.
‘They’ve been beat!’ she screeched. ‘My brave lads have fought ’em off.’
Ben looked quickly around. He could see much devastation, but most of the crew seemed to be intact and had lined up alongside their captain, grinning and sweating with exertion, their swords hanging slackly at their sides.
‘Now, Pole!’ cried Winter. ‘Let’s see how you like that!’
There was a long pause and Ben wondered what the strange woman was going on about.
Then there came a tremendous, shocking roar and the darkness exploded into fiery light. Flames raced up the rigging of the Teazer and Ben let out an involuntary whoop of delight.
The crew of the Demeter threw themselves on to the deck as flames licked over the remains of Stanislaus’s cabin. They had put a good hundred feet between themselves and the Pole now and the ship sailed steadily on into the night.
Winter watched the destruction with satisfaction and then turned to Ben.
‘Now, my buck,’ she grumbled. ‘Let us see what the cur has left of me ship.’
CHAPTER 8
The King regarded Polly with an interested air, rubbing his bearded chin and watching as she crossed the room, swept back the curtain, and looked out into the night.
‘You are very industrious, lady.