The Fall of Charlotte Richards

A Devils Paw Story

© 2013 Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Five

Aboard Devils Paw Penny Navita, as had become her custom, was watching as passengers debarked, cargo was unloaded then the flow slowly reversed. Over many voyages she had begun to pick up on things, first adventures, honeymoons, last chance keeping a marriage together, couples married but to others and the such. Turning to the attractive Nipponese feline standing beside her the mouse smiled. “What do you think my love” she asked the feline standing beside her. “Two packages from Habana last trip and now the third Long Cruise, Ruth informs me that even after repairing that fresh water generator we are still well into the black.”

“One only trip this” the calico answered. “Would be madness. To take too many.” Calico had watched as her owner, the woman who had proposed to her then married her at sea had changed over the last year. Penny Navita had never been that interested in money, she still wasn’t. It was to her simply a tool to obtain what she wanted or needed. Buying Calico’s contract for example, supposable a indenture contract but in truth a legal slavery document, the cost hadn’t bothered the English mouse even though it had been a large sum to most. She had seen Calico, had been both attracted to the feline and disturbed by how she was being treated while somehow seeing a future with her. Thus she used the tools she had to gain the item she needed, in this case a personal maid. One who eventually became her wife, that evil contract long ago burned in a Winter fire, Calico herself being given the privilege of feeding it into the flames.

Still Penny Navita had changed over the last year, most of that change due to her contracts with the W&A and the Society and what she had been forced to do for her own survival. Women had boarded Devils Paw in route to far off lands never been seen again, often times they had come aboard in crates as cargo, either headed to Habana or more often from Habana to the States. A word, a coded message was all that was needed to seal any passengers fate, though Penny refused to deal with males in such a manner. Another ship had been found for that duty though its name was unknown, nor did anyone on the Devils Paw want to know that ships name.

Three times so far they had carried a British diplomatic attaché carrying papers or escorting crates from Habana to the United States, each time a special blue ensign had flown to tell the world that this ship was under diplomatic service. Once a ship flying the French flag had tried to intercept their passenger, only to discover that Devils Paw was protected by much more than a simple dark blue ensign. Wither it was truly a French vessel or not no one would ever know as it now sat at the bottom of the Gulf, along with all of its crew.

Calico had watched as her owner, her love, her wife had changed while her crew, though originally slaves had become family. They were treated as family, were cared for as daughters dear to the mouses heart. Not one wanted for anything and any punishment was dealt by the mouse herself, as was any care needed afterwards. Calico wasn’t certain herself who was hurt more in these cases, the woman feeling the cat-o-nine tails bite, or the crying mouse delivering those blows. So looking down at her bemused wife she knew exactly what the mouse was thinking. She was seeing her female passengers not as passengers, but as potential income for her family, now the most important thing in her life.

“You are right, I think that this trip we will take none Calico” Penny abruptly decided, catching the cat by surprise. “We will enjoy them, amuse them, entertain them and drain their purses dry all the while. Ruth tells me that another eleven years and we will be able to afford an estate, fourteen and we will never need work again. I do hope that you will enjoy living in England.”

“Will be snow?” Calico asked hopefully. “I so love snow. Maybe you bind me in snow?”

“Oh yes my dearest love, there will be snow, all the snow that you could desire.” She turned her attention back upon the passengers now boarding, their luggage being carefully transferred to the cargo bay for later sorting, not wanting to answer that last question. Calico had been bound most of her live after her sixth birthday, none but Penny knew that she had been her own families playtoy, a thing to gain pleasure from then pass to the next member. She alone knew how much her wife loved the ropes caress, the inability of movement but Penny herself was even now uncomfortable with such things, only doing so because it brought great pleasure to the woman she loved more than life. In truth Calico would happily live the rest of her life bound, under the complete control of another. Such an image frightened the mouse, what if someone else offered that life to Calico. Would she lose her?

“Have all the plays been readied? The requests been prepared? Is my help needed anywhere” she asked, using those questions to change the subject as she had finally learned to do with Calico.

Plays Calico thought, amusing games for the rich. Who stole the prized book, who killed Argent, a very popular human member of the crew, even so little of things as to whom would be the first to drunkenly fall overboard thus requiring the ship to stop and recover them. Ruth Green, the ships Secretary, Cargo Mistress and all things needed of her had proven to have a fertile mind regarding these little plays, the Spaniel actually hanging herself for one of the plays, her tightly bound naked body on display for the rich and easily bored passengers to inspect, inspect very closely in that case. After all Calico herself had done the binding, Ruth could not even move a finger claw once the feline was done with her. Of course the hanging was carefully staged, a thick iron hooked leather collar keeping the noose from closing completely about the hounds neck. Penny absolutely refused her family to endanger themselves.

“All plays rehearsed” Calico answered, noting a middle aged collie and an obviously nervous young mink beginning to board. “That one maybe for Yafit” she suggested, pointing at the mink with two fingers. “Yafit and Violet turn out not make couple. Maybe Yafit seduce little mink?”

Penny chuckled. “Always looking out for parings aren’t you my love. We shall see, she looks very frightened though so she is probably still a maiden. Ask Ruth who she is, then check all the requests. If one of her’s is to be seduced by another woman then yes, assign Yafit. She is overworked as it is, a little play will help her, especially with another mink. Minks are so energetic after all.”

“Yafit sad since Violet turn away” Calico explained. “Yafit too much for Violet. Need break bad mood. We see.”

The two returned to their idle watching of passengers loading, amusing themselves by playing with each others tails as they did so.