All My Love...

Dear Elizabeth,

I am dreadfully sorry for not writing sooner, but recent events have prevented me from doing so. I do not wish to worry you, but I feel you have a right to know my current situation. I must ask that you keep this to yourself, please do not tell anyone else. It would do no good if everyone found out and I dread to think of my parents’ reaction.
We were, as you know, bound for Italy. Exporting goods may be a tedious job, but the sights we were fortunate enough to see on our way were astounding! Spain, France and Italy are beautiful countries, and we marvelled at the turquoise waters. How clean they were compared to England’s murky waters! We reached Naples in surprisingly good time, and unloaded without trouble. We had finished, and I thought we would be returning home immediately. I had no complaint, the prospect of seeing you kept me smiling and I felt almost elated! My feelings were to be dampened though, when Williams, the captains best man, requested we spend some of our spare days in Spain visiting his father and brother, who have a farm in Seville. The Captain agreed and it was set. It was a lovely warm evening and we were almost there. A ship, slightly larger than our own, seemed to be trailing us. We were cautious and the light-hearted fun died down. We had nothing to hide but were wary of strangers. Slowly, the ship came up beside us and all the men, including myself, had our weapons hidden where we could easily reach them if necessary. Our Captain, Bennett, stepped forward. I believe you’ve met him. A pleasant man, but naïve when it comes to possible dangers. In his kind-heartedness he accepted the offer to go aboard their ship. There was no captain in sight, just a bunch of raggedy looking men who looked like slaves. They seemed friendly enough, but I thought I saw some of them smirk behind his back, as if they were hiding something from us. I tried to ignore it, thinking I was simply overreacting.
Late at night, we were still on their ship, listening to terrific, yet true, stories. We knew they were not lying, they had the scars to prove it. When they finished the tales, I stood and asked to go back to our ship. As I turned, however, I noticed our vessel was missing. Then I also noticed we were nowhere near the harbour, nowhere at all it seemed…
I was forced to the floor and my hands tied, lifting my head I saw my comrades being treated likewise. I tried shouting for help but I knew it was no good, we were nowhere near land and they had gagged my mouth. The last thing I remember was a tall, bony slave who knocked me unconscious with the handle of a sword.


It took a while before my bleary eyes adjusted to the dim light of a small, dark room. We flinched as the door was flung violently open. A man stood there, with those creepy slaves at his feet. He stepped forward, his boots echoing around the room. A large, dirty coat draped his enormous frame. He looked down and scanned each of my fellow men. He saw me and pushed his matted hair out of his face to get a better look. His scarred cheeks and horrendous teeth made him all the more intimidating.
“Kirk!” he barked in a deep, gruff voice.
“Sir?” said the tall, bony slave.
“This man. Take him to my office. And be nice,” he added, threateningly.
Kirk seized me with his skeletal hands and dragged me along the corridor to an office, sitting me in a chair facing a big oak desk. The Captain came in and sat behind his desk without looking at me, he opened a bottle of dark liquor and poured himself a drink.
“Bianco,” he said suddenly.
“Excuse me?” I asked.
“My name, Bianco. Captain Jose Bianco, born a Spaniard,” he said, proudly. “I asked you into my office, err…”
“Scott. Malcolm Scott.”
“Right, well, Scott. I chose you because you look the strongest of the men, a man I could really get along with. I want you to marry my daughter.”
“What? This is absurd! I have a lady of my own. I will not do as you wish!”
Bianco smiled a little. He paced the office then stopped abruptly. I had to think very quickly and my mind seemed to be working much slower than usual, you know how I can’t concentrate under pressure.
“Fine,” I said, not thinking of the consequences. “I’ll do it, just so long as you let my fellows go!”
“And why would I do that? You fool! You don’t understand your options. It’s either marry my daughter or die. Don’t think about your scum friends. They’re not important anymore.”
And so I agreed, in the hope I would someday see your beautiful face again and simply enjoy your presence! The next day I was dragged back to his office where he practised the ceremony with me. I thought it was somewhat early, but he insisted on it. Every day I got called back and rehearsed my speech. I am ashamed to say that I ended up becoming fond of Bianco and we laughed often.
Two weeks passed and we stopped on an island that I came to know as Flores. We left the ship and I was guided through scenic woods to a generously sized encampment. People were coming out of wooden huts to welcome Bianco. I was nervous, this was the day I would meet my wife to be. I could not stop thinking of you, however. I was reminded of you in the most obscure ways! So please do not feel I had forgotten about you, not once. A group of people crowded Bianco and he quietened them with a wave of his hands.
“My people, I am glad to see you. However, I have no time to ask how you all are, for I have brought back with me the man I intend to marry my daughter,” he said, grinning at the confused murmur. “Where is my daughter? Adriana!”
I had noticed by this time, that most of the crowd were looking at me. They had obviously worked out that I was to be the husband. Women looked shocked and men looked jealous. There was nothing I could do though, unless I wanted to be killed, which wasn’t a favourable option. Some people at the back of the crowd parted to make a gangway, and a beautiful young woman walked through.
“Ah, Adriana!” They hugged and Bianco stepped back to have a good look at his daughter.
“How long has it been? And look how beautiful you are! I trust you heard my announcement?”
“Yes, father, but I don’t know if I agree with you choosing my…”
“Nonsense! You’ll love him! Please, walk this way,” he said guiding her towards me. She looked up and saw me, tied like just another hostage. She obviously thought I was a slave at first, but the realisation kicked in.
“Father! Surely not him, look at him! He’s a disgrace to man kind!
“Now, now Adriana, don’t be rude! Besides what do you mean? He’s a strong young man, any woman would die for him!”
“Father! No-”
“Adriana,” he said, grabbing her cheeks, forcing her to look up at him. “I wouldn’t argue with me, if I were you.”


That night, I slept in a heavily guarded hut. Shaken from my slumber, I looked up, bleary eyed, and saw the outline of a woman. It was Adriana. How she got in, God only knows. I asked quietly what she was doing there.
“To save you,” she replied. “No offence, but I don’t want to marry you, and I’m guessing you don’t want to marry me either.”
“No, madam, not really. But how did you-”
“Never mind that now, come with me.”
She shoved the floor’s rug to one side, revealing a trap door. I was confused, but followed her down without asking any questions. We were under the hut, where it had been raised to prevent floods ruining the houses. With our backs hunched we walked under and out the back where she lead me carefully through the woods. We had been walking for twenty minutes when she stopped me abruptly.
“Here,” she said handing me her bag. “There’s some food in there and a bottle of water. Straight ahead is a harbour, the town is a nice place. I put some money in the bag, so you can find somewhere to sleep. This is all I could think of.”
“Oh, thank you. I don’t know what to say…”
“Then don’t say anything.”
And with that she ran back in the direction we had come, obviously wanting to get back to camp before I was discovered to be missing.


This letter is being written by candle light in the pub I am staying. A ship is coming in a couple of days to collect goods to export to England and I hope to gain passage, so with luck I will see you soon. I miss you more than words could describe, and cannot wait to see you. I think then shall I retire and start work on that house in the country, we have dreamed of so often.


All my love,


Malcolm Scott