Persuasion

I checked myself in the mirror before leaving, redid my ponytail and wiped away mascara from under the eye. I had done some reading throughout the day and had a plan. Maybe. I didn’t see Cian as I locked the door behind me, I frowned and looked around. Leaning against the wall, he materialized from the dark. My heart raced before I recognized him, and I had to laugh at myself. Quite the brave adventurer.

“There you are, ready?”

I slung my backpack on and smiled as a greeting. I dropped the big key in my pocket and checked the door, I always do. Locked, as always. Since I just locked it, you know.

“Now I`m ready. I was thinking we could start somewhat easy so we can talk?” It sounded like I was coming on to him and I blushed, which made it look even more like that.

“Sure, you lead the way, madam.”

We walked in comfortable silence down the hill, I made an occasional remark if there was something interesting, like the little garden right before Grassmarket. I was planning on taking him to The Fiddlers Arm, but it wasn’t easy to talk in private so I took him to a bar called the Frankenstein, which was peculiar enough that I could call it something he had to see, and big enough that we could get some privacy. It happened to be in an old church as well, just like my store. Cian grinned at the figure outside the door and looked around him with big eyes. I nodded towards the bar; “You go grab a seat upstairs and I`ll get us something to drink. Any requests?” I pointed at the stairs that led up. “I`m Irish, babe, I`ll have a Guinness.” I rolled my eyes, what else.

I ordered him a Guinness and an IPA for me, alongside two shots. I knew I needed one. The barkeeper said he would come up with the drinks and I took the stairs slowly. I had second thoughts, he would think I was crazy, but there were enough in the book that made it seem legit. My research had been short, but I had a good feeling about it, it fit together.

Cian had seated himself on the far end and I watched him as I approached the table, I knew nothing about him. Could I trust him? I shook my head; I would first get to know him a bit before I decided.

I took off my rucksack and my jacket, laid that in on the seat so I had something between us, then I glided in. Cian looked at my wall and then at me before he deadpanned. “You forgot the drinks.” As on cue, the barkeeper showed up. I raised one eyebrow and tried to keep cool but when he started laughing, I had to join. He had an infectious laugh to say the least. “You were saying?”

He shook his head, taking the glass from the barkeeper. “Nothing.” He didn’t say anything about the shots, just going with the flow. I raised my glass to a toast and met his eye. “Slaintè.” He answered the same back, just with a different accent. He gave a small moan after the first sip, “That was good.” He wiped off some foam from his lips and I watched like a freak.

“So, Jamie, tell me about yourself.”

Damn it, he beat me to it. I shrugged; “There`s not much to tell, I have lived here all my life, growing up in the store together with dad.” He was an observant listener, “What happened to your dad?” I stared at my glass, although I was better, it was still somewhat fresh in my heart. “He died a year ago, heart attack.” I envisioned him, on the floor, completely still. “I`m sorry. You must have been close.” I nodded, “Yeah, mum died giving birth to me, so it`s been the two of us my whole life. There`s Uncle Callum, but he`s in his own world most of the time.” He took one more sip. “So, you inherited his share in the store? You like it there?” The thought of the store and family-legacy made me smile, “I love it, couldn’t dream of being somewhere else. The years I was away for school was horrible.”

“What did you study?”

I didn’t know if I wanted to show my geeky side, then realised I most likely already had. “English major of course, and western European medieval-history. And I took some classes in Latin, and ancient British history.” He laughed. “It suits you.” I hastened to twist the conversation over to him. “What about you?”

“I dropped out of school early, never much of a scholar. Worked for my dad till I turned 18, then I got a job as a greenkeeper. Now I`m in charge for the whole course.” I looked at him. “Wow, you don’t look like a golfer at all.” He looked offended, “Why, what does a golfer look like then?” “Old, and in checkered pants.” He blew air through his nose; “Babe, a lot has happened in the last years. Now we are hip.” I had to laugh at his claim, and to cover my confusion of the word “babe”. No one had ever called me that.

“You got any siblings?” He gave a nod, “One older brother.” He grabbed some nuts that the barkeeper had given us. “He is married, one kid. Mum and dad are divorced, both remarried with new ones. But it`s ok, I see that they are happier away from each other.”

Breathing in, I took his hand that laid on the table, I could feel it jerk but he didn’t move it. “Cian, I have to tell you something.” I saw him adjust himself, getting ready to run from this crazy lady. “Cian, I found something amongst the books you had.” His eyes were blank, not what he expected. “I feel so bad, because I hid it from Uncle, but if it is what I think it is, then it`s something amazing and I had to find out first, but now I`m not sure what to do, and I even thought about keeping it from you, just saying that it was a worthless book, and to keep it for myself…” A cold hand stopped my mouth from saying more. He took it away slowly, ready to slap it back if I started babbling again.

“Jamie, what the hell are you talking about? Start again from the beginning, slowly.”

I wiped my hands on my jeans, taking the shot between my fingertips. “This is why I ordered shots,” I mumbled before taking one, “I was a bit optimistic about the amount though.” I took his as well. Cian looked at me with big eyes. I closed my eyes and took three deep breaths.

I opened the backpack and took out the diary. I laid it gently in front of Cian and started over.

“I think,” I said with empathize on the word think, “this is the diary of Henry Every.” It took a couple of seconds before his brain remembered the conversation we had. “The pirate?” I nodded. “I`m not an expert, but I have seen my share of old books, and I think it`s genuine. I haven’t read the whole thing, but the story seems to match with what the historians say happened. The names of places he uses are appropriate for the time, and so is the language used.”

I saw him trying to process what this meant in his head. “So, is it worth a lot of money?” I pressed my lips together; I had decided upon honesty. “If it is possible to verify it as his, then yes.” His eyes gleamed, “What are we talking about?” I shook my head; I had no idea. “I`m not sure, probably a lot if you find the right collector.” He took the book with reverend hands, almost to scared to touch it. “Wow…” He gave me a breathtakingly smile. “How do we get it verified?” I looked over the edge down to the bar, hoping I could the barkeeper’s attention. To my joy he saw me, and I held up one of the shot glasses and four fingers. Liquid courage. “Hey, relax, I`m not mad at you. I would have been, if you had kept it from me, but you didn’t.” Cian saw I was nervous but had the wrong idea. The shots came and I slid two over to Cian. With a head-nod I commanded him to take one, and he followed my lead.

“I think there might be clues to where the treasure is.”

Cian`s smile disappeared.

“What do you mean?”

“Remember I told you about the treasure from Ganj-I-Sawaii? Well, Every gave up on piracy after that, why should he continue, he had the worlds greatest treasure already. In the diary, logbook or whatever, he writes about the time after the raid, how they sailed to Bourbon, Nassau, and the split after that, some leaving for America, some were captured, but Every and around 20 of his mates set sail on a little sloop named Sea Flower towards Ireland. I have read about when he sets foot ashore in Dunfanaghy and then I jumped to the last pages, where he is in Devon, where he grew up. I need to read the pages in between, but he had the treasure when he came to Ireland, and no one has seen it since. It has to be hidden somewhere between Dunfanaghy and Devon, and I`m hoping for some clues.”

Cian still didn’t follow me.

I leaned closer to show I was serious. “The treasure worth many, many millions today. Much more than the book.”

Cian blinked fast, four times.

“Are you asking me to go on a treasure-hunt?”

I held my breath, saying nothing. He opened the book and squinted at the words. “Why should I do that, I can just take the book and find it alone.” He didn’t look up. “You need me, you know nothing about pirates, I can help you.” My voice was desperate, it felt like this was a calling. “Why would my aunt have this?” He frowned. I groaned in response, hating the suspense. “I don’t know, but it seemed like she had a thing for pirates.” I thought about it, “Hmm, maybe she was searching for the treasure herself. She did have some books about pirates.” Cian looked dubious as he turned the book around in his hands. “Treasure hunting, huh.” He raised his head and looked me dead in the eyes. “Sure, why not?”

We managed to catch sea-turtles that will keep us with meat on the sailing. Some of the crew had a breakdown, refused to board the ship so we left them there, they won`t survive long. If they are lucky, they die soon. We reached St.Thomas , were we sold some of the gemstones, without any drama. Now we are anchored outside Eleuthera. I dare not enter Nassau, but I will send four men with a letter to the Governor of the city, one Sir Nicholas Trott. Maybe we can work something out. The Bahamas is beautiful, but I long for England. News have reached us about the bounty for me and the ship, £ 1000 for little, old me. Hah, that`s a drop in the ocean compared to the wealth we have hidden.